In the great hall of Dragonstone,
Viserys Targaryen rested his chin on one hand, his brow furrowed as he watched the eagerly awaiting crowd.
The moment the Hatchling Dragon hatched, the cunning Tywin Lannister keenly sensed the impending doom of his House.
He chose to stake everything, fully supporting Robert Baratheon's rise to power.
Looking at the battle report before him, Viserys couldn't help but smile wryly.
He hadn't expected that his actions—using his memories of the original story to seize opportunities and launch surprise attacks on Lannisport and Storm's End—would only make House Lannister and House Baratheon cooperate more closely.
In the Map Room, there were noblemen from the Crownlands who had fled the defeated army at the Trident, as well as Prince Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper from Dorne, and even many Riverlander nobles who had pledged allegiance to the Crown.
Even the tardy House Frey had sent a son with a small fleet to offer support!
The terrifying legends of dragons are still recounted across Westeros to this day!
Everyone had witnessed the horror of Harrenhal.
As long as a Hatchling Dragon was in hand, everyone believed that Viserys would surely return, riding a dragon!
"Your Highness, we are all at your command!" Ser Willem Darry said, his eyes burning as he stared at Viserys Targaryen.
His eyes were filled with adoration!
To become a subordinate of an all-knowing "prophet" who could awaken dragons—what else in this world was there for him to fear?
Upon hearing this, Viserys Targaryen's young face darkened.
What kind of prophet was he?
Precisely because of his interference, the butterfly effect had already drastically altered the landscape of Westeros!
Let alone those prophecies, even the lord of light would struggle to understand the current situation.
Seeing that Viserys remained silent, Olenna Redwyne interjected, "A Hatchling Dragon's growth takes time. Even King Aegon of old waited until his dragons matured before choosing to attack the various kingdoms of Westeros!"
At this, Olenna Redwyne cautiously looked at Viserys Targaryen and continued, "Legend has it that the last dragon born to the Targaryen Family was only the size of a small dog and died not long after!"
Seeing Olenna Redwyne's hesitant expression, Viserys Targaryen finally understood.
"So that's what they're worried about!"
To ensure the unwavering loyalty of his vassals, Viserys naturally had to demonstrate his absolute strength to them.
Compared to a deformed Hatchling Dragon, a healthy Hatchling Dragon held completely different political significance for the Targaryen Family at this time.
"Tywin Lannister has been appointed Hand of the King by the usurper Robert Baratheon. He has repaid the debts owed by the iron throne and has secured the support of the Iron Bank!"
Randal Tarly added, "This former Hand has replaced Jon Arryn and skillfully used political maneuvering to manage the conflicts near King's Landing with great order!"
"That's not all," Varys, the Spider, said ominously, "He also convinced the usurper Robert Baratheon to restore the Driftwood Crown to Lord Balon Greyjoy of the Iron Islands, and for Robert Baratheon and Balon Greyjoy to mutually recognize the legitimacy of each other's thrones, to jointly oppose the iron throne!"
"Damned rebels, daring to openly split the Seven Kingdoms!" Ser Willem Darry slammed his fist on the map table and roared in anger.
"This tactic of 'mutual recognition' of thrones is indeed insidious!" Prince Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper, said disdainfully.
"House Lannister is truly despicable and shameless. They even tried to write to Prince Doran of Dorne, urging Dorne to declare independence, but my older brother decisively refused!"
"For hundreds of years, the Seven Kingdoms have been one. Whoever divides the homeland stands against all the people of Westeros!"
Ser Joffrey preempted, "These usurpers, to increase their chances of victory, are openly dividing their own land. It is truly disgraceful."
He walked in, his face weathered, wearing his armor and carrying his sword, his expression cold.
On his armor, there was even a small splatter of blood that hadn't been wiped clean.
Clearly, he had arrived in a great hurry to make it to the new king's first Small Council meeting on time.
Off the coast of Dragonstone,
Under his leadership, the Royal Navy Fleet had already engaged the vanguard of the Iron Fleet for the first time!
"What is the status of the battle?" Viserys Targaryen asked curiously, sitting on the iron chair on Dragonstone.
As king of a nation, he truly wanted to know which was stronger: the Royal Navy Fleet or the Iron Fleet, which specialized in sea warfare!
Hearing this, Ser Joffrey merely shook his head helplessly and admitted, "This was just a routine probe by the Iron Fleet; the main event is yet to come!"
Compared to Ser Willem Darry's blind confidence, Ser Joffrey was deeply worried.
The Royal Navy Fleet was indeed not inferior to anyone.
However, having to simultaneously face the constant threat of warships continuously launched from the King's Landing Blackwater Bay shipyards and the persistent incursions of the Iron Islands fleet, over time, Dragonstone's maritime supremacy would be precarious!
Moreover, the Iron Islands were full of palm trees that could be used to build warships.
Even if Ser Joffrey severely crippled the Iron Fleet, it would only take a year for the Kraken's fleet to return!
Looking at Dragonstone, it was nothing but rock, with no mines, no food resources, and even few fishermen!
All the army's supplies were barely maintained by the provisions plundered from Storm's End and Lannisport earlier.
"Your Majesty, I believe the most pressing matter is to quickly elect a new Kingsguard!" Varys, the Spider, said, his hands tucked into his sleeves, looking up.
"My little birds have brought news that Lyanna Stark's body was found in the Tower of Joy, and Ser Arthur Dayne and others have also fallen!"
At these words, Ser Willem Darry was stunned, his mouth agape as if he could swallow an entire egg!
"Who was so valiant?" he blurted out.
Although Ser Willem Darry had once been the master-at-arms of the The Red Keep, priding himself on his martial prowess,
he didn't even have the courage to draw his sword when facing Ser Arthur Dayne.
Legend had it that Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning, could urinate on a bird with one hand while drawing his sword to face four Kingsguard members, without even getting his breeches wet!
And such a strong warrior had been killed!
"It was Duke Ned Stark of the North who personally led the team. Of their seven, only two returned alive!" Varys said, lowering his head and carefully watching the crowd.
"Ned Stark..." The crowd furrowed their brows, muttering the unfamiliar name.
It was said he was a tall, burly man from the North, whose family possessed a formidable greatsword of ice.
Other than that, he had no special qualities.
But no one had expected that Ned Stark would defeat Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning!
"Starfall has already received Dawn, sent back by Ned Stark, so the news should be accurate!" Varys, the Spider, added, "He would never surrender that sword unless Arthur Dayne was dead!"
Even with such irrefutable evidence from Varys, the crowd remained rooted to the spot, struggling to accept the fact.
Arthur Dayne, in their minds, was a god-like warrior, yet he had died so silently at the hands of a few obscure northern barbarians.
Thinking of this, everyone once again looked at Viserys Targaryen in unison.
Even unwilling to admit it, Viserys Targaryen had to grit his teeth and confirm the news: "Ser Arthur Dayne is indeed dead."
Upon hearing this, everyone's hearts sank.
A long silence followed in the hall.
They naturally believed the words of the Dreamwalker.
These successive bad tidings were a heavy blow to the morale of the people.
This was not good news for the newly crowned Viserys!
"He was not defeated in battle, but was ambushed from behind by a treacherous enemy, like kingslayer, stabbed in the back and killed! Finally, Ned Stark seized the opportunity and cut him down with a single sword!" Viserys Targaryen added.
At these words, the crowd was enraged.
Such actions by the rebels, violating the spirit of chivalry, made people wish they could eat their flesh and drink their blood!
"Aside from kingslayer Jaime Lannister and the surrendered Ser Barristan Selmy, the entire Kingsguard has fallen!" Maester Daniel sighed mournfully after a long pause.
Even if this usurper's war was won, the power of the Targaryen Family was bound to shrink and decline across the board!
Fortunately, the man before them was the legendary "prophet," the Dreamwalker, and a prince capable of bringing dragons back to the world.
Maester Daniel believed that under Viserys's leadership, the Targaryen Dynasty would surely be restored!
"Your Majesty's safety is paramount," Maester Daniel said, holding a thick book and standing aside, continuing, "As one of the surviving male members of the Targaryen Family, the entire task of restoring the kingdom rests solely on you!"
"The immediate priority is to announce across the Seven Kingdoms and select a new Kingsguard!"
"Indeed!" Ser Joffrey and the other ministers nodded in agreement.
At this time, the Targaryen Family was in ruins. They not only lacked a Kingsguard but couldn't even assemble enough Dragon Guard to care for the Hatchling Dragon.
And so, ravens flew throughout the Seven Kingdoms.
On Dragonstone, a grand talent selection assembly was about to commence!