Chapter 667: The Emissary of Decapitation

Indeed, events did not defy Jon Connington's anticipation.

Although the forces assembled in Skyreach City, including the rebel nobility of Houses Fowler, Uller of Hellholt, and Qorgyle of Sandstone, were not weaker than the royal army – they even slightly surpassed them – they sheltered under the city without any intention to expel the royal army from Dorne.

Instead, they subsequently dispatched emissaries to negotiate with Jon Connington.

"Dorne, ancient and honorable!"

"Even during the dragon dance of Valyria, the Kingdom of Dorne existed!"

"The Conqueror himself was shattered and buried beneath the walls of Dorne!"

"We are not so easily defeated!"

The Dorne emissary, upon arriving at the tent, arrogantly presented a series of demands to the Hand of the Iron Throne.

The first was a request for the Riverlands and the royal army to provide reasonable compensation for the invasion of Dorne, with a total not exceeding one hundred thousand golden dragons.

The second was to dissociate Count Franklin Fowler from the tragedy of House Cafferen.

The emissary claimed that Count Franklin did not seek revenge at Cider Hall on that day, but instead, subordinates who were friends with Ser Owen went for vengeance without his knowledge, killing the relatives of Count Cafferen. Upon hearing of this, Franklin Fowler was furious. He was willing to apologize, hang all participants (over thirty people), and send their corpses to Count Cafferen as an explanation.

However, he was unwilling to go to King's Landing to admit guilt. He sought to reconcile with the Riverland nobility privately, a common solution to noble conflicts during the era of the Seven Kingdoms.

If private reconciliation could be achieved, the Iron Throne would turn a blind eye, not wishing to meddle unnecessarily, for more problems were undesired.

After all, conflicts and skirmishes among nobility were common, and in the past, the Iron Throne could not manage them all.

The third was a collective plea of the Dorne nobility that came to relieve Skyreach City. They requested the repatriation of all Dornish who had fled abroad to be brought back for trial in their homeland.

After all, the gates of Prince's Pass had been opened, and many inhabitants from various territories had escaped to the Riverlands for a better life.

Dorne was hot and had a harsh climate, while the Riverlands had a suitable climate and fertile lands. The power of nobility was significantly reduced, private punishment was not tolerated, and most crucially, the taxes were the lowest.

After paying taxes, there was still plenty of grain left for the commoners, which could be sold to merchants to improve the livelihood of their families.

This was the life people desired, which is why the Riverlands was the most populated region in Westeros, even surpassing the populous North by several times.

While other regions of the Seven Kingdoms were not as affluent as the Riverlands, due to overall reforms, the population shift was not significant.

Hence, it was not hard to understand why the still-struggling Dornish commoners were willing to move their families to the Riverlands to live a better life.

"If you want blood, the Seven Kingdoms will surely flow with it."

"But why?"

The attitude of the Dorne emissary, wearing the Qorgyle of Sandstone crest, was haughty, presenting three unbearable conditions. However, this emissary, Yaron Qorgyle, the second son of Count Quentyn Qorgyle, was not a fool.

He knew that Jon Connington could not accept these conditions. Yet, weren't negotiations always like this? Demand the sky to settle on the earth.

While Yaron Qorgyle was waiting for Jon Connington to "settle," he did not expect to meet the latter's slaughter instead.

"The Iron Throne will not compromise with traitors!"

"Guards!"

"Take him out and behead him!"

"Hang his head outside the camp for those savages on the mountain to see!"

Jon Connington's expression was icy. Facing the demands presented by the Dorne emissary, he did not rebut but immediately ordered his guards, instructing them to behead this second son of Sandstone and display his head publicly.

"What?"

The Dorne emissary, Yaron Qorgyle, was startled. He did not expect the other party to play out of the ordinary.

Doesn't this violate the rules of negotiation?

Who negotiates without bargaining but instead opts for execution?

However, he did not panic excessively, stubbornly believing that the other party was merely trying to scare him, as after all, it was an unwritten rule that emissaries were not killed during wars between two armies.

"I'm not easily frightened, Lord Jon Connington."

"You better let me go immediately, otherwise my father—"

However, when Yaron Qorgyle was pushed out of the tent by Jon Connington's Kingsguard and pressed down onto the execution block, he seemed to realize that the other party was not joking or intimidating him, and promptly shouted in terror.

"Lord Hand!"

"Jon Connington!"

But when Yaron Qorgyle spilled everything that his father and Count Uller secretly instructed him, it still did not change Jon Connington's intent.

The Riverlands' nobles in the tent were trembling, keeping their mouths shut in fear.

Who could imagine that this seemingly benevolent Hand would order a killing so easily?

On the other side, the executioner had raised his great sword high, and with a swing, the Dorne emissary's head fell to the ground.