Chapter 463: The Deposition of the Sea King

Beneath the surface, the battle raged on. The First Swordsman, Quyro Valentin, fought fiercely to protect the Sea Lord. Though grievously wounded, he managed to slay numerous soldiers brought by Tolmo Freyga before being captured alive.

With Quyro captured, the remaining counselors, Cleyon and the Braavosi Sea Lord, were naturally left with no strength to fight. They were easily apprehended.

Viserys, mounted on his great dragon, wreaked havoc throughout Braavos, striking many key landmarks with devastating force.

The colossal head of the Titan of Braavos, a symbol to the Braavosi people, fell. The arsenal and half of the invincible fleet sank to the bottom of the sea. The Sea Lord's Palace crumbled, and the House of Black and White was consumed by great fire.

And the Braavosi had no solution to the dragon. The attack had come suddenly, without warning, and they were utterly unprepared for the dragon's onslaught.

Perhaps they could never have anticipated how Viserys, across the Narrow Sea, could pinpoint the location of the young dragon and arrive at their door so swiftly, with flames at the ready.

Why had their plot against the Valyrians failed?

But these questions might never be answered by the Braavosi.

Just as Tolmo Freyga had acted, now all the Braavosi governors, noble families, and Keyholders were gathered, disheveled and humbled, in the emergency meeting chamber beneath the Palace of Truth. Together, they discussed how to resolve the present crisis.

Braavos' founders had painstakingly built many defenses against potential dragon attacks. Yet when faced with an actual dragon, the most effective defense turned out to be the unassuming underground air-raid shelters.

But the quarreling in the underground chamber continued, with no unified solution in sight.

Viserys, however, was not there to conquer Braavos with his single dragon. His actions were naked revenge, and this was evident from his destructive behavior.

Since it was only an act of retaliation, there might still be a solution. All the Braavosi noble families, including the Iron Bank's Keyholders, agreed on one thing.

The current Sea Lord of Braavos, Freygo Antaryon, would bear full responsibility.

Someone had to be the scapegoat for this catastrophe, and the sickly Sea Lord, although his name was not 'Ben,' willingly took the blame.

Better one man die than all.

The Antaryon family was one of Braavos' most influential noble families, having produced three Sea Lords, including the current one, Freygo Antaryon.

Despite their strength, the Antaryons had to bow to the greater forces at play.

For ancient families like theirs, survival often meant cutting off a limb.

Especially in Braavos, where numbers, not bloodlines, were revered. They believed in the beauty and truth of mathematics. One was one, and two was two.

Everyone had a value that could be measured by a number. But when a person's value fell below their burden, they became expendable.

When Tolmo Freyga brought the current Sea Lord into the emergency meeting chamber, an old man representing the Antaryon family looked somewhat uncomfortable.

But Freygo Antaryon seemed resigned, eyes closed, shackled, not causing further embarrassment for his uncle.

Then, in the chamber below the Palace of Truth, the vote began.

Freygo Antaryon's reign as the Sea Lord of Braavos, lasting over a decade, ended with an overwhelming majority, with only one abstention.

He was hastily charged with a series of crimes, the greatest of which was the crime of war.

But war was not the original sin; defeat was his greatest failure.

He was then taken away to be confined in the dungeons of the Palace of Truth, awaiting a public trial.

And Freygo Antaryon did not resist; he was silently led away. His First Swordsman, Quyro Valentin, and counselor Cleyon were not spared either. They were also confined in the dungeons, along with a number of his followers, awaiting future purges.

Freygo Antaryon was removed from his position as Sea Lord, and a new Sea Lord had to be elected.

The present company represented the highest-ranking nobility in Braavos. The next Sea Lord would be chosen from among them.

Although Braavos claimed that any citizen could become the Sea Lord, the voting power lay in the hands of the high nobility. True commoners among the Sea Lords of Braavos were few and far between.

Tolmo Freyga, having offended the Antaryon family, had gained the support of the Pleystan family and many other Braavosi noble families.

In the end, Tolmo won without suspense, defeating his competitors. After a series of complex procedures and ceremonies, he became the next Sea Lord of Braavos in the basement of the Palace of Truth, taking up the Sea Lord's scepter.

Tolmo had become the new Sea Lord in a time of crisis, but he did not celebrate too soon.

A vital problem lay before him that needed solving: how to quench the Dragonlord's wrath. Otherwise, his seat as Sea Lord would not be secure.

The newly appointed Sea Lord immediately discussed strategies with the nobles in the underground chamber of the Palace of Truth. With a leader at the helm, a relatively unanimous negotiation plan was finally reached.

...

Meanwhile, Viserys, who had been attacking and causing chaos in Braavos under the cover of darkness, finally stopped as the first light of dawn approached.

Balerion, not a machine, could not fight endlessly. Both dragon and rider were greatly fatigued and eventually landed on the Shield of Salagoro, the outermost part of Braavos, connected to the beheaded Titan.

And the playful Silver Claws, who had been mischievously causing trouble within the city, were caught by Viserys. At first, the somewhat uncontrollable silver dragon resisted, baring its teeth in defiance.

But when Viserys grasped the back of its neck and drew some of the black mist from its body, its condition improved greatly.

Its crimson eyes gradually cleared, even showing some fear, as if not knowing what it had done. It affectionately nuzzled Viserys's cheek.