Chapter 678: Control of the Port

The Iron Throne's envoy faced an assassination attempt by a group of desperadoes on the streets of Tyrosh. Several of the envoy's attendants were slain in broad daylight, and the envoy herself narrowly escaped death.

This event, without a doubt, had the magnitude to shake the very foundations of the political landscape.

The ruler of Tyrosh was incensed, demanding a thorough investigation into the matter.

Asha, who had narrowly escaped death in the heart of Tyrosh, was even more infuriated. She lamented the loss of the loyal men who once served her father, now lying dead on Tyroshi streets.

Had it not been for her Uncle Victarion's timely intervention in Tyrosh, Asha would have met her end.

So, when the fiery Ironborn princess returned to her fleet, she immediately ordered the Targaryen fleet to mobilize. They swiftly secured the Tyroshi port, prohibiting anyone from entering or leaving. She demanded an explanation from the Tyroshi ruler and the apprehension of the culprits.

With an unexpected show of might, the Targaryen naval soldiers easily dominated the port. The Tyroshi defense force, low in morale, quickly surrendered, laying down their arms. The port, once flying the banners of Tyrosh, now displayed the three-headed dragon of the Iron Throne.

However, not long after the Targaryens took control, Tyrosh's elite mercenary corps arrived.

The tension in the harbor city-state escalated rapidly. Both sides stood defiantly, with weapons drawn, ready for battle. The local residents, anxious and fearful, shut themselves in, avoiding the streets to prevent becoming collateral damage.

The ruler of Tyrosh was in a quandary. The Iron Throne's envoy being attacked on his streets was a stain on his governance.

While it seemed evident to discerning eyes that there were deeper plots at play, likely aiming to sow discord between Tyrosh and the Iron Throne, the fact remained: this incident occurred on Tyroshi soil. Without concrete evidence to the contrary, the ruler found himself in an indefensible position.

Thus, he not only ordered a thorough investigation but also sought to appease the Iron Throne's envoy, urging her to relinquish control of the port.

However, Asha Greyjoy adamantly refused, demanding an explanation before she would consider lifting the blockade.

The standoff persisted from day into night. The Targaryen fleet continued its stranglehold on the port, allowing neither entry nor exit.

Numerous merchant ships awaited entry into the city, while within, countless goods piled up, waiting to be shipped worldwide.

Yet, fearing the eruption of full-scale war, the Tyroshi didn't dare challenge the Targaryen fleet.

But in a shocking turn of events, an unexpected incident took place in Tyroshi prison.

During the day's chaos, several prisoners had been captured. The ruler demanded answers at any cost, threatening to rip out their nails for information.

However, as the interrogation was about to commence, the prisoners' throats suddenly constricted, their faces turning a horrific shade of purple. Blood gushed from their orifices, and they died.

All evidence was now lost, leaving the ruler of Tyrosh sleepless and enraged.

In his heart, he felt this was a setup, designed to instigate conflict between the Iron Throne and Tyrosh.

The attack on the Iron Throne's envoy, the delay of the guards, and now the sudden deaths of the captured assailants in prison – it all seemed too convenient. Even the ruler began to doubt his own innocence.

As dawn approached, with bloodshot eyes from a sleepless night, the Tyroshi ruler ordered an exhaustive search for the masked mercenaries that had escaped during the day. However, the search yielded little.

Yet, they managed to apprehend the culprit behind the poisoning in the prison. He was a jailer who had been bribed with a significant sum of gold to poison the prisoners' water supply.

During a brutal interrogation, the jailer spilled everything. He described the man who had bribed him: not particularly tall, with a foreign accent resembling that of Volantis, and marked with flame-like tattoos on his cheeks.

Regarding the poison, he was clueless.