Silver Dragon, The Red Viper, and the last of the Blackheart Knights.
The air in the chamber was still, with only the sound of breathing audible. The fate of ten thousand warriors, the future of ten thousand lives, rested in the hands of one man.
"Do you know how many soldiers I have now? Myles!" Rhaegar asked a question first. The Golden Company had already softened and sought peace. Since it was a peace offering, he should first let the Golden Company know its position, a show of force first.
"I have heard, Prince!" Myles Toyne looked at the handsome silver-haired True Dragon before him, speaking clearly, then detailing them one by one. "From King's Landing to the Stepstones to the Rhoyne River, the banner of the Silver Dragon flies. Whether it is the Triarchs of the Free Cities, the Sealord of Braavos, the khal of the Dothraki, or the pirates who dare not show their faces on the Narrow Sea, all tremble at the name of the Silver Dragon. It is rumored that Prince Rhaegar has a standing army in the Dragonpit of King's Landing, with over six thousand elites, well-equipped and undefeated. The Prince also has a massive fleet in the Narrow Sea, along with the Stepstones garrison protecting the safety and trade routes of the Stepstones. The Prince is gathering soldiers in Ghoyan Drohe and controls a cavalry of over five thousand Dothraki screamers!"
"You are quite right, Myles. Prince Rhaegar also has dragons. The only three magic dragons left in the world, ancient Valyria magic dragons. The Prince's dragon group is known for its fearlessness and ferocity; they are more cunning and even fiercer!" Oberyn pointed out Rhaegar's trump card. Currently, the only air force on both sides of the Narrow Sea, magic dragon bombardment.
Myles's expression was a bit awkward. Negotiating requires qualifications. Compared to the Westeros side, this rebel force's hand was indeed a bit weak. Not discussing manpower or wealth, even from a military perspective, the Golden Company had ten thousand warriors, thousands of horses, and several elephants. In the Disputed Lands, the Golden Company was considered quite strong. But were these armed forces enough to face magic dragons? A burst of fire would turn them into a barbecue feast. Moreover, as long as Rhaegar was willing, he could summon the Kingsguard of King's Landing, the Dothraki screamers, the ferocious crabfeeders men, the massive fleet patrolling the Narrow Sea, the Unsullied of Qohor, the axemen of Norvos, and those landless knights, second sons, and adventurers willing to rush to the battlefield at the Prince's call. Not to mention the regular armies of the other lords who already supported the Iron Throne—the stag army, the lion army, the Dornish spearmen, the rose army, and so on.
"So, your actions are like icing on the cake, not help in a snowstorm. I annihilated the Pirate King in the Stepstones war, crushed the Triarchy in the naval battle of Bloodstone, and killed Khal Ogo in Ghoyan Drohe. At these critical moments, you were all my opponents!" Rhaegar asked Myles, whose face grew increasingly grim. Although the Golden Company was not at its wit's end, days were indeed getting harder.
"Then answer me, why should I risk my reputation and hatred to welcome a group of exiles, the descendants of losers?" Rhaegar's words were measured, his voice like steel, possessing unquestionable authority.
"This!" Myles stuttered a bit; this Prince Rhaegar was invincible in debate. He really had no room to speak. "Our side has ten thousand warriors, all of whom can be considered battle-hardened!" At the end, Myles's voice became a bit weak. In the face of absolute crushing strength, their hand was really too small; the long-historied Golden Company was not a match for a single blow.
Rhaegar looked at the despondent Myles. The Golden Company, having a clearer understanding of his strength, should know how to trade with him. This time it was not about negotiating terms of cooperation, but their submission. Politics is a game of dividing the cake; how to divide it is the essence, and the key is who does the dividing. He had the initiative, and everything went according to his wishes.
Myles felt somewhat dejected. Looking at it now, this negotiation was like a sheep entering a tiger's den; apart from providing manpower, there weren't many cards to play.
"You have unpardonable crimes. The ancestors of the Golden Company were traitors who followed Blackfyre and Bittersteel to start rebellions, stubborn to the end. To hastily pardon you would likely hurt the hearts of the people!" Rhaegar said.
Oberyn remained silent. Both the Dance of the Dragons and the Blackfyre Rebellions were civil wars of the Dragonlords. In terms of time, the Blackfyre Rebellions lasted the longest, a conflict spanning generations. But with the Golden Company planning to run back to Westeros, the already decaying soul of the Black Dragon seemed to be truly dissipating like smoke.
"The Prince is right. We are indeed an exile army composed of traitors, losers, and homeless people. A fox dies in its hometown; we also want to return to the Sunset Lands once. That is the hometown of our ancestors and the place where their souls rest. We hope the Prince will speak for us, considering this little bit of ties to the homeland!" Myles said earnestly.
"I have an idea." Rhaegar said. "You are the descendants of traitors, but after all, you still have Westeros blood, so you are still of some use. The premise is that you can make up for your crimes with meritorious service."
"Make up for crimes with service?" Myles was a bit surprised. Was there such an operation?
"You need to help me do one thing. Only when this is done well will you have the qualifications to negotiate terms with me!" Rhaegar smiled slightly, and Myles listened respectfully.
"I presume you have seen the merchants wandering in the town, coming and going? Some from the Free Cities, some from even more distant places!" Rhaegar asked.
"I have seen them!"
"Do you know what this means?" Rhaegar continued chatting with Myles. "These mean business opportunities and profits, meaning a portion of the gold dragons from the land trade routes of Essos across the Dothraki Sea will flow into my hands. It is my Silver Dragon banner that travels freely on the grasslands. It is also my power that suppresses the khal. The land trade routes are controlled by me and connected by me. However, my great feats and the domineering nature of the magic dragons will always attract enemies. Will there be hostile people from the Third Daughter, Braavos, or even Qarth, still waiting in the dark? Although these people hiding in the shadows are not major enemies, these flies and bugs are also very annoying!"
"You mean? We continue to go undercover? We continue to shout the slogan of opposing the Iron Throne to obtain information about those enemies!" Myles finally understood the meaning. The Golden Company was a great banner opposing the Targaryen, and also a not-insignificant armed force. If anyone continues to oppose Rhaegar and the Targaryen family in the future, the first one they would go to invite would be them!
"But, words are like gold! Does this go against our rules?" Myles frowned; his big nose was truly big.
"You do not have the qualifications to bargain!" The Red Viper laughed. This was truly a good strategy: luring the snake out of its hole.
"The Golden Company is gone, what use is your reputation? All opponents will be rounded up." Rhaegar snorted. A Golden Company flying the banner of opposing the red dragon was currently more useful than a Golden Company that had surrendered.
"This is also a strategy, but what about the benefits we get? Prince, the Golden Company must always get some benefits!" Myles began to bargain. Rhaegar felt that Myles was very cooperative. Sometimes enemies are more useful than friends. Inserting the Golden Company into the opposition, this move was a spy mission.
"The Golden Company represents the five Blackfyre Rebellions; you are traitors, it is a settled matter, and you cannot be well-received upon returning to Westeros." Rhaegar said. "Although a new king cannot overturn the laws of previous kings, we can issue an amnesty to pardon the traitors who went into exile due to the Blackfyre Rebellions. The original judgments remain unchanged; you must still abide by those decrees that stripped you of property and noble titles, and you are not allowed to seek revenge for past matters. Now that there is an amnesty, you can naturally return to Westeros to visit relatives!"
"Then what about our titles, lands, and castles?" Myles asked again; this was also a key question to ask.
"I only pardoned the treason charge that forbade you from returning under the previous king. You still want money and houses? There is absolutely none of that; after so many years, property rights have long been settled!" Rhaegar said emphatically.
"This!" Although Myles had psychological expectations, even if they returned to Westeros, wouldn't they still be a bunch of paupers?
"You won't get any land in Westeros, but in the Andals, the plains of Pentos, the Disputed Lands, and the Dothraki Sea, there is plenty of land. As long as you have meritorious service, I will naturally reward you with land. If there is no Highgarden, you can carve out a piece of land yourself and call it New Highgarden. If there is no Starpike, you can create a piece of land yourself and call it New Starpike. Isn't that a restoration in place?" Rhaegar could let this group of Golden Company members carry out armed immigration; that's how New York came to be—if there is York, there is New York. Rhaegar didn't need to dig up old history for the Golden Company for the sake of established interests in Westeros. Visiting relatives was fine, but land and castles were out of the question.
"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Myles turned anger into joy; thinking about it, it was not bad. It was not completely unacceptable.
"Then when can we return to Westeros? When can we jump to the side of the Royalists?" Myles asked, unconsciously having already adopted the role of a Royalist, abandoning darkness for light. When they could get on board was the most critical thing; if they were late, there would be no good seats. "Defecting" was the most critical word. He had come with a mission for the Golden Company, but he didn't expect to be transformed into a spy here.
"For now, I naturally will not allow you to return. At this time, your being on the enemy's side will be of greater help to me!" "Wait until the country is stable, wait until the continent of Essos submits to the glorious Dragonlord. Those schemers and clowns hiding on the seabed will be completely crushed by me!" Rhaegar said.
Myles was startled; this was truly an ambitious and cunning, greedy dragon, with an appetite much larger than his ancestors. What Rhaegar wanted to obtain was to push the borders of his territory to the entire Dothraki Sea, encompassing the nine Free Cities. If this plan were realized, it would be a universal empire comparable to Old Valyria.
Oberyn was thoughtful; this feat was more exciting than eating sand in Dorne.
"Then do we need to sign a covenant?" Myles asked.
"No specific covenant is needed; my reputation is still quite good, a promise is worth a thousand gold. Besides, you do not have the qualifications to negotiate terms with me. Go back and tell your top brass to remember to keep it secret! I don't want this plan of mine to be discovered by too many people!" Rhaegar instructed. The oaths of this era seemed to really have the effect of divine illumination. But he really couldn't promise in advance because the corresponding terms hadn't been clearly recorded yet.
"As you command, Prince!" Myles said respectfully. They no longer had the qualifications to bargain and could only exchange honor and a certificate of surrender for a return. After Myles received the promise, he hurriedly left in disguise. Only the top brass of the Golden Company knew this information. As for the lower levels, they just needed to know that talks were happening.
"Prince Oberyn, what do you think of my plan?" After Myles left, Rhaegar asked Oberyn. Conspiracies are used on enemies, and besides, this wasn't a particularly vicious conspiracy; it was a straightforward invitation to enter the urn.
"High, it is truly high!" The Red Viper laughed as well. "If that moment really comes, I hope House Yronwood will still be able to jump out following the Black Dragon."
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