Chapter 20.4- The Seadragon's Roar

“A siege would be less bloody” I said, tossing in my two cents as I looked at the figure that depicted the castle. I knew there was only one option we would pick. Mother and I had run through the strategy yesterday already. A storm was inevitable, but this theatre was necessary.

“I’ve never known you to be one to fear blood, Cousin” Borros said to me. I shrugged. Good, he was taking the bait.

“Better to wait them out than waste men and supplies. They are pirates. They will turn on themselves and present their leaders after a week of sieging.” I said.

“Maybe they would have, but our policy of recruiting the useful pirates and burning the rest is not going to give them much hope for their continued well-being. If they know naught but death awaits them outside, then they would hold up for longer than our cause could bear.” Daemon said, That was surprisingly coherent of him. It should not have been. This man was raised as a Prince of the Blood. All the best strategists and tacticians in the Kingdom would have lined up for the chance to tutor him on the matter. It was a mistake to underestimate him, I knew. Mercurial, short-tempered, and arrogant, but not stupid. Far from stupid.

“Maybe. But a beast caught in a trap would gnaw off its own tail to stop the pain. When the hunger hits its crescendo, we can be sure that they will forget about any other considerations” I said.

“Bah. We don’t know what supplies they have. What means they have to sustain themselves. For all we know, there could barely be a water inlet in the castle itself. Would be a poor siege if they could just fish and fetch water from within, wouldn’t it?”

“We don’t know that for certain.” I argued. And it wasn’t particularly likely. If my hunch was right— which I was near certain that it was— that castle had been constructed by the Valyrians, and those fuckers were too arrogant to imagine having to ever deal with a siege.

“We know little for certain. That is the nature of war. What we do know for sure is certain is that every one of my men out here is with ten of theirs in there. Get us in, and we will take that castle.” Hook, line, sinker.

“So you would lead the charge Ser Borros?” Rhaenys asked, every it the warrior queen I knew her to be.

“Of course. Who else but I? I will be the first man over that gate and I swear to bring you the head of whatever coward leads these scum.” Hook, line, and sinker. I almost felt guilty for how easy it was. Now when the Baratheon men bled in their dozens, we could point at Borros and say he insisted on it. Far better optics than being seen to have commanded them to take the losses.