Chapter 152: Navy Commander

"A bunch of wastrels!" Viserys cursed, waving his hand dismissively. "Lord Lyonel, your house is also in the Riverlands, so this matter will be handled by you."

Lyonel hesitated for a moment before agreeing. "I will do my best to persuade the two houses as an emissary of the royal family."

The Strong House, enshrined in the prestigious Harrenhal, was also one of the lords of the Riverlands. However, the Blackwood and Bracken families had histories stretching back thousands of years and were renowned nobles in the region.

Their feud was longstanding and bitter, each side determined to annihilate the other. Just a few years ago, when Rhaenyra toured the continent,  a Bracken heir had been killed by Samwell Blackwood, a mere child at the time, further deepening the animosity between the two houses.

Viserys, relieved to have found a solution to one problem, asked, "What about the Vale? The mountain clans are a bunch of uncivilized barbarians."

The mountain clans were a persistent threat in the Vale. Lady Jeyne's father and brother, the last Lords of the Eyrie, had been killed in an ambush by the Stone Crow tribe, an incident that had caused a sensation.

"This…" Lyonel began but couldn't find a solution.

The other advisers were also deep in thought. The Mountain Clans, familiar with the Vale's terrain, could easily evade capture and were difficult to quell once they rebelled.

Just then, the door to the council hall creaked open, and Corlys and Rhaenys entered, hand in hand.

"Gentlemen, forgive me for being late," Corlys greeted calmly, holding his head high.

He had been up late the previous night, and upon waking, had quickly dressed to join the royal meeting.

"Lord Corlys, Princess Rhaenys…" The advisers greeted them. Having worked together for many years, they were no strangers to one another.

Corlys nodded in response, leading his wife to their seats. He first thanked Viserys, "Thank you for the place you prepared for me, Your Grace."

"You are now an ally of the kingdom and should not be treated poorly," Viserys smiled, gesturing for them to sit.

Corlys, unsurprised, sat with his wife, taking a black stone ball from the tray and placing it on the table.

Seeing this, the advisers also sat and placed their own stone balls on the table, marking the official start of the meeting.

Corlys, the focus of this meeting, was the first to speak. "Your Grace, the pirates of the Triarchy have already begun plundering merchant ships. We need to act swiftly."

"We were just discussing the losses and troop deployments," Viserys said, smiling faintly. "In response to the aggression of the Triarchy, the kingdom will spare no effort in its counter-attack, which cannot be done without your family's support."

He glanced at Lyonel, who nodded in understanding, and took out a warrant. "Lord Corlys, in view of your illustrious deeds and experience against the Triarchy, the King appoints you as Navy Commander and Commander of the Battle for the Stepstones."

Corlys glanced at the smiling Viserys, accepted the commission, and said, "Thank you for Your Grace's trust. I will fulfill my duty."

This appointment had been the result of long deliberation. No one else was better suited for the position of Commander of the Navy.

After a pause, Corlys asked, "Your Grace, my family will fully support the war effort. How many troops will the kingdom send?"

This time, with the royal family backing the battle for the Stepstones, Corlys was determined to avoid the heavy losses his family had suffered in the past.

"The exact number is still under negotiation, but a conservative estimate is that the kingdom can send 3,000 men and 100 warships," Viserys estimated, considering the resources of the nobles.

The Crownlands was directly under the Targaryen Dynasty's control, and every bannerman was fiercely loyal.

"With all due respect, that is far from enough to sustain a long war," Corlys frowned, clearly dissatisfied.

The last Battle of the Stepstones had been fought primarily by his family's fleet and Daemon. They had hired more than three thousand mercenaries from the free cities alone.

"The lords of the kingdom's realms have yet to receive news of the Battle of the Stepstones. We need some time," Lyonel explained.

"Then it should be soon, Lord Hand of the King," Corlys urged. "The Stormlands are closest to the Stepstones, and Lord Boremund is a royal supporter. He will definitely back this battle."

As a city by the sea, Storm's End also relied on port taxes to accumulate wealth. The Baratheon family was naturally on their side.

Grand Maester Mellos interjected, "No problem. Once this meeting is over, the ravens will fly to the Seven Kingdoms."

The next step was to address a series of defensive issues based on the fullness of the treasury. Watchtowers needed to be built on the Stepstones, troops stationed there, and fleets patrolling the islands. Each of these required a considerable amount of money.

Every time Corlys proposed a garrison arrangement, Master of Coin Lyman's eyelids twitched a little. He closed his eyes in pain.

Finally, Corlys broached the key issue. "Your Grace, the battle requires the air superiority of dragons. How many dragons should our two houses deploy?"

Corlys looked serious, understanding the critical importance of this point.

Viserys didn't answer immediately. His eyes swept over Rhaegar and Rhaenyra beside him, hesitation evident.

There were three dragon riders in the royal family. Rhaenyra, being a woman, wasn't fit for battle. Rhaegar, his eldest son and heir, needed to stay in the Red Keep to ensure stability. Viserys didn't expect much from his second son, Aegon, either.

For selfish reasons, Viserys didn't want any of his children to go to war. The battlefield was a place where not only frontal combat but also treachery and backstabbing occurred.

His great uncle, Aemon Targaryen, was a member of House Targaryen. He was the third born child of King Jaehaerys I Targaryen and Queen Alysanne Targaryen.

It was a battle just like the Battle for the Stepstones, Aemon led the charge on a  battlefield astride his formidable dragon, Caraxes.

Tragically, Aemon did not fall to an enemy's blade but was instead assassinated in his own tent, despite being one of his grandfather Jaehaerys' best sons and chosen heir.

Corlys stared at Viserys, sensing his hesitation. This displeased him greatly. The Battle for the Stepstones was not just Velaryon's battle. If the royal family did not send a dragon rider, did they expect him to bring his wife and children to the battlefield?

As he pondered how to press the issue, Rhaegar spoke up.

"Father, the war is being led by the crown. We cannot back down."

Rhaegar stood up and said calmly, "When the war begins, I will ride Cannibal to the battlefield, as I have promised Lord Corlys."

"Rhaegar, when did you make this decision?" Viserys was visibly distressed by his eldest son's declaration. He would rather send his second son, Aegon, than risk Rhaegar.

"Father, the crown needs to set an example. If the Targaryens who control the dragons do not go to war, who will follow us?"

(Word count: 1,195)