Chapter 108: Tyrant and Dragons of the Narrow Sea
West and south of the Stepstones.
Led by Dornish pilots, the Reach fleet avoided the deadly whirlpools off the southern coast of Dorne and swiftly arrived near the Stepstones, joining Rhaegar without delay.
Rhaegar saw the banners snapping in the wind:
The purple grapes of House Redwyne of the Arbor on blue.
The golden rose of House Tyrell of Highgarden on green.
The sun-and-spear of House Martell of Sunspear, unbowed, unbent, unbroken.
The red apple of House Fossoway of Cider Hall.
House Tyrell commanded many powerful bannermen, though not all were easy to manage. Ser Mace Tyrell, heir to Highgarden, led the Reach host. His parents still regarded him as inexperienced and had assigned a seasoned Redwyne admiral to advise him.
Prince Lewyn Martell of Dorne commanded Dornish spearmen and lighter warships, suited for swift coastal warfare.
The Stepstones were riddled with reefs, shoals, and winding channels. The pirates had blocked many passages with wooden palisades and sunken hulks, leaving only narrow approaches.
The Lyseni exiles had hoped to wage a long war of attrition.
But the dragons had come.
Rhaegar had agreed with Ser Mace and Prince Lewyn to seize the southernmost island first, establishing a forward base before executing a pincer maneuver against Bloodstone.
"When the fleet engages, draw them out. Use our heavier ships and crossbows to suppress their fire. I will strike from above. Clear the surrounding pirates, then land," Rhaegar instructed.
"Understood, Prince!" Ser Mace declared confidently.
After giving his orders, Rhaegar mounted the Silver Dragon and ascended once more.
The Redwyne fleet's size alarmed the pirates. Rather than await destruction, they sailed out to meet the Reach fleet. Pirate ships were smaller and agile, but they were outmatched.
As fleets clashed, Rhaegar descended from the sky.
The pirates, locked in battle, saw only a growing shadow.
The Silver Dragon, wings spanning over thirty feet, shrieked as it dove. The black and purple dragons followed close behind.
Fire gathered in their throats.
Silver. Purple. Black.
Flame erupted like miniature suns.
Ships were engulfed. Explosions rippled across decks. Fire spread uncontrollably.
Rhaegar, using Fire Sight, identified the pirate flagship—the largest and most heavily armed—and directed the assault there first.
The dragons struck together.
"Dragons!"
"Scorpions! Ready the scorpions!"
Bolts flew upward, but panic ruined accuracy. Bronze rune-wards shimmered faintly across vital scales, deflecting the worst of the projectiles.
Some desperate pirates hurled grappling hooks toward the dragons, hoping to anchor them. The hooks melted midair.
The Silver Dragon roared, fury blazing in its molten eyes.
It climbed, then swept downward in a devastating pass, silver fire washing across decks and boiling seawater.
The other two dragons joined in, black and purple flame tearing through sails and timbers alike.
The dragons dominated the battlefield.
Ships burned. Corpses fell into the sea. Blood mingled with foam.
The Redwyne fleet advanced under cover of dragonfire, clearing obstructions and landing forces on the small southern island.
Pirates attempting reinforcement were trapped by their own barriers. The narrow waterways worked against them once dragons controlled the skies.
The island could not withstand dragonfire.
Wooden and stone fortifications burned. Dornish spearmen landed and methodically eliminated resistance. Some of their spearheads gleamed faintly with poison.
Another decisive victory.
Air superiority. Fleet superiority. Surprise.
Rhaegar would not waste lives unnecessarily.
From the sky, he saw smoke rising high enough for Bloodstone to notice. Reinforcements would not arrive in time.
The southern island was secured.
Rhaegar circled three times before descending to its center.
A new title had begun to follow him: Tyrant of the Narrow Sea.
Banners were raised upon the rocky heights:
The three-headed dragon of House Targaryen.
The golden rose of House Tyrell.
The grapes of House Redwyne.
The sun-and-spear of House Martell.
The red apple of House Fossoway.
"Great victory, Prince!" Ser Mace said proudly.
Prince Lewyn gave him a sidelong glance; it was dragonfire that had shattered the pirates.
"Our victory," Rhaegar said, clasping the hands of Ser Mace and Prince Lewyn alike.
Cheers erupted across the island.
The silver-haired prince stood amid banners and dragons wheeling overhead.
Rhaegar ordered the island fortified immediately. From north and south, they would advance and tighten the noose around Bloodstone—the final stronghold of the Lysene exiles and pirate kings.
The Narrow Sea now knew its tyrant.
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