Chapter 8.6- The Seadragon's Roar

At that name, bro one said anything further and they began planning the specifics of the attacks themselves. The troop carriers were here already while the carracks that would form part of the offensive against the Pirates at sea were already on their way to the stepstones. Corlys would join them on a fleet made one of caravels to catch them thanks to their superior speed and make both the landing and the first assault together.

“So that’s the plan, Gentlemen” Corlys said at the end once he had laid down the proper troop divisions.

“And resources? Once we take Bloodstone and begin to expand into the other islands, it is a possibility that we end up staying long enough to exhaust our present supplies” Lord Tarth asked, looking down a the map with narrowed eyes like he could see that exact thing happening.

“Lord Hightower was kind enough to negotiate an agreement with Lords Redwyne and Tyrell. Redwyne troops will transport food and supplies to us at the stepstones once we secure a corridor for them to do so” Corlys said, and I noddd with some shock on my face. Why the hell would the Hightowers help us?, I wondered. Wouldn’t it be for their own good if we lost to the Pirates and exhausted both our resources and men in a failed pacification?

“If that will be all then?” Borros asked, ending the meeting after a few more questions had been asked.

“Yes. Lord Tarth, if you would not mind, I need to discuss some things with Ser Baratheon and my son” Corlys said, and Tarth nodded, leaving us the room and ushering everyone else out.

“What do you want from me?” Borros asked, doing a good job of selling that he was every bit the senseless brute people took him for. Of course, I doubted that most of it was even a facade.

“Your squire”

“Pardon me?”

“We need a dragon to guarantee that we can clear the seas of the Pirates quickly enough to ensure that we can secure safe passage for the troops to Bloodstone”

“And what does that have to do with me? A Knight is not so easily separated from his Squire.” He asked.

“Laenor already has some familiarity with naval combat with his dragon. Daemon has refused the role, and I am sure we can agree that war is no place for women so both my wife and my daughter are out of the picture. Laenor is the only choice” Corlys said.

“You would separate a Knight from his Squire?”

“Never, my lord. I would seek for both you and Laenor to join us.”

“Pah, and then I don’t get to crack any skulls on solid ground? Where’s the glory in that?” He asked then. It was a standoff between both men before I walked forward.

“Father, you said the bulk of the naval fighting will be to contain the pirates on the islands, yes?”

“Yes”

“So we should be done by the time the Stormlanders arrive for their storming of Bloodstone. So why not do both? Ser Borros, you get to compete in both stages of the battle. Is there any role with more glory than that one?” I asked, offering the easy compromise to both men. Corlys looked skeptical and so did Borros, but both men still nodded regardless, accord struck.