Chapter 707: Failed Eastern Expansion

The final two matters were at hand.

Master of Whispers, Varys, began.

"The Three Daughters have plunged into civil war, and it seems the Dothraki's eastward march has faltered."

Long-standing grievances between Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh in the Three Daughters had been ignited when the Imperial fleet made successive visits to these three trading city-states.

Now, Tyrosh had declared war on both Lys and Myr. The Archon of Tyrosh was loudly proclaiming his intent to raze Myr to the ground once more and to hang every governor of Lys from the trees.

The two sides had begun a standoff in the waters near the Stepstones, which soon escalated into several fierce battles. On the sea, the Tyroshi fleet dealt a heavy blow to the Lyseni, while on land, both sides clashed on the Stepstones and the disputed territories.

The Archon of Tyrosh had hired many elite mercenary companies and had managed to seize much of the disputed territories. However, a counterattack from the combined forces of Myr and Lys reclaimed some of the land.

The situation on the battlefield had become tense, but overall, the Tyroshi seemed to have the upper hand. The Lyseni, known for their refined and hedonistic ways, were being soundly defeated.

The Lyseni, not particularly skilled in warfare and even less so than the decadent Tyroshi, found salvation in the reinforcements from Myr.

The seasoned pirates of the Narrow Sea, fearless in battle, brutally rammed the Tyroshi fleet, scattering it. They then engaged in fierce boarding actions, halting the Tyroshi fleet's advance.

On land, the timely arrival of two thousand mercenaries from the Company of the Cat, friends of Salladhor Saan, also turned the tide. Otherwise, the Lyseni might have been completely overrun by the Tyroshi mercenaries.

Several intense battles had thoroughly frightened the Lyseni governors who were overseeing the frontlines. They all retreated to their main camp, refusing to personally oversee the battles any longer.

They also clung to the pirate governor, granting him and Humfrey Hightower significant command within the combined forces of Myr and Lys, charging them with halting the Tyroshi advance.

The young governor, Humfrey Hightower, had his brother-in-law, Trystane Ormollen, accompanying the other Lyseni governors in the rear camp, secretly monitoring the other governors of Lys.

As for the other news, the Dothraki, who had started moving eastward years ago, seemed to have encountered some formidable resistance. Some of their khalasars had begun to reappear near Vaes Dothrak.

It appeared they had clashed with a powerful nation on their eastward journey. The Dothraki had invaded this nation, leading to a brutal war.

The Dothraki suffered a significant defeat, with heavy casualties. They were forced to retreat west of the Bone Mountains, licking their wounds and returning to their homeland.

"The civil war in the Three Daughters is good news for us," said Oberyn Martell, the Master of Laws, his fingers interlaced as he sat.

"We can continue to expand our influence on the eastern continent, perhaps even annex these three trading city-states along with the disputed territories, or make them our vassals."

However, Illyrio Mopatis, the Master of Coin from Pentos, immediately voiced his opposition.

"Your Grace," he began, addressing the emperor, "and Lord Oberyn, we are currently in a crucial phase of economic reform. It's not the right time for wars, which could easily destabilize our fragile economic system."

Tyrion Lannister, the Hand of the King, chimed in, "If we could make the Three Daughters submit without shedding a drop of blood, that would be ideal."

The young emperor with silver hair, seated on the throne, nodded slightly and spoke, "We have more pressing enemies awaiting us."

Varys cleared his throat, changing the topic, "Regarding the Dothraki, these barbarians returning to the Great Grass Sea after a severe setback in the east is not good news for any of us."

"They might vent their frustrations from the east on us."

After all, the Dothraki, known as the 'Destroyers of Civilizations,' were infamous for their expertise in slaughter and destruction. It was somewhat satisfying to hear they had met their match in the east.

But the question remained: why had the Dothraki, who had never shown interest in the east, suddenly become so intent on moving in that direction? What had driven them to risk crossing the Bone Mountains?

"By the way, Your Grace," Varys suddenly recalled, "from the intelligence I've gathered, it's said that the mysterious 'Mengo Kao' places great trust in the shadowbinders from the east."

"Because they've seen three individuals wearing red lacquered masks frequently entering and exiting Mengo Kao's tent in Vaes Dothrak."