The Red Comet streaked across the sky, like a constantly bleeding, gurgling wound.
The return of the dragons was not yet known, but the scent of war had already spread throughout Westeros.
Envoys and ravens, like stars in the sky, came and went, constantly conveying their masters' intentions.
Across the Narrow Sea, the Disputed Lands appeared peaceful and quiet; the smoke of war brought by Khal Drogo ended with his death, and the Khal's Dothraki Screamers became new vassals.
In Wolfs Den, Gendry looked at the tapestry of the known world on the wall of the map room, primarily Westeros and Essos.
Currently, war beacons were lit everywhere, and the situation was even more chaotic due to his involvement.
Balerion flew in the map room, soaring in circles.
"How are things in Lys and Volantis?" Gendry asked The Handsome Man.
"There's no movement for now; the Magistrates of Volantis haven't changed, and the Tiger Party wants to advance, but the Elephant Party isn't budging," The Handsome Man replied.
"However, because of your victory, slave revolts in Volantis and Lys have significantly increased, and with Lys's territory in the Disputed Lands falling into our hands, they will eventually consider sending troops."
"Tywin won't wait for us to march west in force; his fleet is far inferior to ours, but his financial resources are abundant, so he will certainly send envoys to persuade Lys and Volantis.
Let our Stepstones fleet strengthen its defenses and intercept the envoys," Gendry ordered.
"Besides the sea route, there's also the land route from Pentos.
Tell Magister Oldero to be clever."
Gendry never trusted Illyrio.
"Yes."
"However, fighting on two fronts is a troublesome matter," Qyburn said, looking at the positions of Lys and Volantis.
"Although Volantis has declined, it is still one of the top powers among the Free Cities, with a huge fleet and standing army.
Lys's land army is weak, but its fleet is decent.
Moreover, my intelligence shows that Volantis is sending envoys to Slavers Bay to deal with the crisis of the Two Cities' rise."
"We can only fight fast against slow," Gendry mused.
"The stagnation of Lys and Volantis is our window of opportunity.
We need some footholds in Westeros."
"Then the best places would be the Stormlands, Dragonstone, and the Claw Peninsula.
Controlling these places means King's Landing can be blockaded at any time," Qyburn said, looking at the map.
"But once Your Highness enters the fray, the House Baratheon civil war will begin first."
"Yes, once we deploy troops, Westeros will become too lively," Gendry said.
What will Renly and Stannis do then? These are their own choices.
"Including us, there will be six factions entering the fray," The Handsome Man said.
"King's Landing and Casterly Rock's Lannister, the North's Stark and the Riverlands' Tully, the Stormlands' Renly, Dragonstone's Stannis, the Iron Islands' King Balon, and then us," Anguy said.
Although his cultural level wasn't high, he was still clearly aware of these renowned great Lords.
Gendry pointed his finger at the direction of The Reach, "The Vale and Dorne are mostly staying out of it for now; only in The Reach, House Tyrell still harbors thoughts of waiting for a better price."
"If the Old Knight displays The late King's will and your declaration on Arbor, I presume the Rose will know about it soon enough.
The Queen of Thorns of House Tyrell comes from House Redwyne," Anguy thought for a moment.
"Our warships and soldiers should calm the Roses down."
"House Tyrell will never choose Stannis or Joffrey, so they will lean towards Your Highness and Lord Renly," Qyburn said.
"Mace besieged Storms End for a long time back then, and he has a deep hatred for Stannis.
As for King Joffrey, a King's Landing smelling of lion, I'm afraid the Rose will have no place to stand."
"Let them deliberate; let our banners in Westeros move," Gendry said.
"I'm not eager to attack Dragonstone or the Stormlands, but rather to first tear open a gap in the Claw Peninsula and the Riverlands."
Because Dragonstone and the Stormlands were really quite special, if Gendry wasn't mistaken, the storyline should still be Stannis and Renly fighting each other first.
"As you command, Your Highness," The Handsome Man said.
"From the perspective of the war, House Lannister is currently aggressive," Gendry said, looking at the map on the wall.
"Tywin and Kingslayer divided their forces; if they push out of Gold Tooth, one route will be towards Riverrun, and the other towards Harrenhal."
"The grand alliance of wolf, trout, eagle, and deer that the trout participated in was a beautiful idea, but now it's a scattered mess.
The Crownlands are controlled by Lannister, and Lysa Arryn has no intention of coming out of The Bloody Gate to support her maiden family.
Now only House Tully is struggling to hold on, waiting for House Stark to send troops south," The Handsome Man analyzed.
"Those two women of House Tully," Anguy couldn't help but snort.
"Two foolish women."
"If the Northmen march south, it will likely take a long time.
Moreover, the situation of Stark is very special right now; Lord Eddard is imprisoned in King's Landing, Lady Catelyn also seems to be under house arrest in The Eyrie, and currently, Winterfell is where their heir, Lord Robb, is gathering men and appeasing vassals," The Handsome Man said.
Although the Wolf Pack Company was no longer in the North, they still understood the situation there.
The North was vast and sparsely populated, coupled with the cold climate, and for fear of delaying the farming season, the mobilization speed for military action in the North was always slower than in the South.
"Don't worry about Robb Stark's progress; Jon Snow will bring him my greetings," Gendry said.
Northmen have always been fierce and wild, and it would not be easy for Robb to persuade them, and the speed of sending troops was too slow.
"Prince Oberyn has already arrived at the Claw Peninsula; perhaps he has already begun his hunt by now," Qyburn said.
"Then I wish him to get the prey he wants in the Riverlands," Gendry said, looking at the map of the Claw Peninsula.
"Littlefinger wants the Vale to cool down, but I want the Vale to stir up."
...Westerlands, below Gold Tooth.
Ever since receiving the news of the King's death, Tywin had ordered Kingslayer to act immediately.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh," the desolate sound of horns rang out, and then the Gold Tooth gate suddenly opened.
"Charge! Let the trout know our might!" Kingslayer shouted, then rushed out of Gold Tooth.
The most prominent banner flying at the front of the Westerlands soldiers' formation was the lion banner of House Lannister, followed by many banners of the lords of the westerlands.
The House Banefort banner was a black hooded man on a grey field with a fiery border.
The House Brax banner was a purple Unicorn on a silver field.
The House Crakehall banner of Pheasant Hall was a black and white boarf on a brown field.
The House Greenfield banner of Greenfield was a pure green field surrounded by two white lines.
"Kill!" Kingslayer, clad in shining golden armor, wearing a lion helmet, and wielding a gilded longsword, roared like a dazzling lion.
"It's all over!" Lord Vance and Lord Piper had not made any defensive preparations at all, and seeing the Westerlands army crashing down like a flood, those Lannister soldiers in red cloaks and lion helmets, they shouted in their hearts, "This is bad!"
Edmure had made the wrong choice, and the Riverlands could only suffer the outcome of defeat.
Only Lord Vance and Lord Piper from the Riverlands had been dispatched, utterly unable to contend with the all-star force from the Westerlands; they were still positioned below a pass, which was absolutely terrible.
Lannister cavalry, like an Iron Hammer, crushed the battlefield again and again, especially since they were attacking from a higher position.
The trout banner of Riverrun, the quartered banner of House Vance, and the naked woman banner of Pinkmaiden all fell into the mud, their standard-bearers either dead or fled.
The armies of Lord Vance and Lord Piper were shattered and disorganized.
Lord Vance also wanted to flee the battlefield, but the banner on his cloak was too conspicuous: a quartered field, a black dragon on a white background, and a pair of golden eyes in a golden ring on a black background.
A Westerlands cavalryman's Morningstar slammed over, hitting Lord Vance's battered and deformed helmet directly, and his life vanished in an instant.
"Lord Edmure!" Lord Vance roared helplessly, then was harvested by the stranger.
Lord Clement Piper, seeing this bloody scene, quickly unfastened his cloak and threw it on the ground.
That beautiful cloak, with a pink maiden holding white silk dancing on a blue background, was now trampled into the mud by the thundering hooves.
Lord Clement Piper was short and stout, bow-legged, with thick, messy red hair, but his movements were very quick.
Lord Piper spurred his horse to gallop faster, narrowly escaping a bloody death.
Kingslayer brandished his longsword and roared arrogantly, "Into Riverrun! Kill the trout!"
"Into Riverrun! Kill the trout!"
The fanatical Westerlands soldiers swung their weapons, following behind Kingslayer, pursuing the remnants of the Riverlands army all the way.
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