Davos carefully counted the knights attending the funeral. There was the Caron family from Nightsong, the Morrigen family from Crow's Nest, the Fell family from Fallwood, the Errol family from Haystack Hall, and the Selmy family from Harvest Hall. Not a single knight from Cape Wrath was present.
He had traveled to the Borderlands and the Rainforest, where he was met with politeness but also refusal. They had only brought back Stannis's crown from Dragonstone.
A long line of soldiers stretched out from the gatehouse of Storm's End. Guards with spears stood in two neat rows. The Prince Regent himself rode at the front, followed by a group of heavily armed cavalry guarding a box. Inside the box lay the king's clothes and his crown. On its lid, a crowned stag, emblazoned with a heart of fire, was clearly visible.
They reached the coast, where a wooden raft awaited. Cole gently placed the box in the center of the raft, while soldiers on either side piled firewood around it. As the raft began to drift on the water, he drew his longbow and fired a flaming arrow.
The fire erupted with thick smoke, and Davos saw Cole's eyes narrow. He stared out at the sea for a long time, lost in thought.
At the funeral feast, the drunken Lord Selwyn Tarth of Evenfall Hall loudly condemned the Estermont family for their betrayal. House Estermont had gained many supporters in the Rainforest, where they had gathered an army, claiming that Ser Estermont was the true heir to Storm's End. The old lord's fury was echoed by the other knights.
"The man who knelt to a Lannister wants to take over Storm's End?" Ser Richard Morrigen roared. "We in the Stormlands only bow to the stag and the dragon! How can we let this bastard rule over us?"
The sigil of House Estermont was a dark green turtle on a light green background.
"Yes, the turtles are not worthy of commanding us!" shouted Lord Heywood Fell of Fallwood.
"My lords, may I speak?" Ser Oakley Caron stood up. He was from a lesser branch of the Caron family of Nightsong. Earl Bryce Caron of Nightsong had died at the Battle of the Blackwater. After the war, Oakley had been chosen as the new head of the Caron family. However, Joffrey Baratheon had issued an order to strip the Caron family of their ownership of Nightsong.
"Those Rainforest cowards are despicable rebels!" Ser Caron declared loudly, turning to Cole. He knelt on one knee. "Your Highness, please give the order. The Caron family is ready to be the vanguard and bring down wrath upon those traitors."
Cole sat in the main seat, his expression calm, tapping his fingers on the table. "Before his death, His Majesty Stannis named me Prince Regent and put me in charge of all matters," he stated. "I know this responsibility is great."
Cole sighed. "We have lost our king and Dragonstone, and enemies always lurk in the shadows. If the Stormlands cannot unite, we will be swallowed by the waves in this chaotic storm.
I thought everyone would understand what we faced next, but sadly, I overestimated the wisdom of some ignorant people and the desires of some greedy ones. In this case, in the name of the Regent, the Guardian of the Stormlands, and the Governor of the Storm, I will impose the punishment they deserve on the rebels."
He drew the sword from his waist and pointed it at everyone. "Will you all go out with me?"
Suddenly, the hall was filled with the sound of swords being unsheathed. The Onion Knight, Davos, also drew his long sword.
After dinner, Davos walked to the study. Opening the door, he saw Cole sitting alone by candlelight, studying a rolled piece of parchment.
"I wanted to go to bed early, but I realized I needed your advice," Cole said, setting down the parchment.
"Advice?" Davos sat in a chair opposite him and shook his head. "I have no advice, Your Highness. Your decision is correct."
Cole offered a helpless smile. "Don't be like this, Davos. You only need to wear that mask in the hall."
Davos quickly understood his meaning.
Cole took out a rolled map from the table and unfolded it. "Look, this is my plan." The Onion Knight felt a bit dizzy looking at the words and arrows on the map.
Cole pointed to a spot. "This is Estermont Island. If we want to land, we can only do so by boat. But as you know, we have very few ships. The Estermont family clearly believes this, as they've gathered a small fleet of about twenty large ships in the narrow bay. And from what I know, they have also gathered an army of at least three thousand men in Wyl City. It seems they plan to attack by sea."
Davos listened quietly.
Cole continued, "There's an army of two thousand men stationed here in the Bone Road. Our enemies must not know that Dorne has become an ally of Storm's End. So, I plan to have this army withdraw from the Bone Road and head towards Cape Wrath.
I will personally lead the two thousand soldiers of Storm's End from the coast of the Crimson Mountains into the Rainforest, creating a flanking attack."
Davos stared at the map. He had become a knight simply for delivering a boatload of onions. In terms of fighting skill, any knight in the Seven Kingdoms was better than him. "What can I do for you?" the Onion Knight asked.
Cole hesitated for a moment, then said with a slightly bitter expression, "Davos, we have no money. To arm our knights, build weapons, gather war supplies, and build ships, Storm's End's treasury is almost empty.
" In truth, this war had to be fought, otherwise the soldiers outside the castle would bring them down, and they would have nothing left to lose. A battlefield always consumed vast sums of money. Sometimes, a long war depended on strong logistics, but Storm's End couldn't afford it now.
Davos was stunned.
Cole continued, "I should have let you rest, but there truly isn't another good candidate in Storm's End. So, I hope you can go to Braavos and secure a loan from the Iron Bank."
The Onion Knight accepted this task without hesitation. He had spent his entire life at sea. Sometimes, he thought of his ship as his woman. He loved the salty sea breeze on his face, which felt like his wife's touch.
In fact, they could borrow money from Dorne, but a bigger war might be on the horizon, so having an extra gold dragon was always useful. And sending Davos away also suited Cole's subsequent plans.
Before the expedition, Cole held a military parade outside Storm's End. He declared the enemy's crimes and read out the rewards, punishments, and laws for the war. The army marched past the castle and set off for the distant battlefield.
Cole led the vanguard, at the very front of the column, sending out scouts to explore the path ahead. They crossed the Red Mountains and entered the lands of Cape Wrath. The enemy had clearly heard the news, and the two armies slowly drew closer.