Tyrion and Tessa's departure left Stannis deeply dissatisfied.
Although the Onion Knight's words sounded much like unreasonable troublemaking, there was one point he did not get wrong. If Stannis could not reach King's Landing quickly, the command authority of the True Dragon Alliance that Sansa had promised him would be of little value.
The battle plan Tyrion devised for Aegon was predicated on one condition: the possession of wyverns.
That very morning, King Aegon had still been at Storm's End. By noon, he had reached the Blackwater River. If he continued flying north, he could spend the night at the Eyrie.
With two armies advancing from north and south, even if Aegon did not march with the main force, and even had the leisure to take the Twins or wander off to Winterfell, it would still not affect the healthy operation of the front-line command system.
After receiving the Big Crab's reminder not to let the army harass noble castles, Aegon and Tyrion would also quietly depart from the Eyrie around midnight and fly a thousand li away to the Vale army's camp, dropping four or five tons of cheese, flour, dried meat, and other supplies to make up for shortages in provisions.
Balerion and Tessa were the two largest wyverns on the entire Slaver's Bay battlefield, each with a carrying capacity exceeding two tons.
If there were another seven or eight wyverns like them, flying two sorties a day and conducting coordinated airdrops, the True Dragon Alliance's forty-five thousand troops would likely have no need to go pillaging the countryside for the common folk's grain.
Moreover, since wyverns were responsible for opening city gates, the True Dragon Alliance had not brought any craftsmen or siege engines at all.
Therefore, if Stannis wanted to steal Aegon's spoils, he would have to seize the wyverns as well.
Otherwise, it was very likely that he and Aegon would both end up badly wounded and forced to withdraw, leaving the only beneficiary to be Cersei in King's Landing.
"Just to seize Tyrion's wyverns, are you really planning to murder him?"
Faced with Stannis's livid questioning, Jon's expression grew even uglier, his attitude more irritable.
Clenching his teeth, Stannis said, "I will not murder anyone. But his internal organs are scorched. He is doomed, and no one can save him.
Let him die in Winterfell, then use his wyverns to ransom back Aegon's dragon. That would be good for everyone."
"Who says he's doomed? I was chatting with him earlier!" Jon protested.
"I say so," Melisandre said, her robes fluttering as she drifted over like a red butterfly. "Daenerys might be able to save him, but the price would be too great and it would take too long. She may not be willing."
Stannis pressed his thin lips together and glared at Jon. "Tyrion already has a distant relationship with her, even a family feud.
And taking Aegon away from Slaver's Bay was tantamount to betrayal. If it were me, I certainly wouldn't bother with him."
Sansa gave a cold laugh and pointed at Gody Farring beside Stannis. "If I took a fancy to his sword, and now he were gravely wounded yet still had a slim chance of survival,
would you satisfy my wish by refusing to treat him, letting him die, and then saying that he was doomed anyway and that it was for everyone's good?"
"Tyrion bears a priceless treasure and invites disaster. My sword isn't worth much," the Giantkiller muttered.
Stannis stared at Sansa, his nostrils flaring. After a long while, grinding his teeth, he said, "In that case, I cannot give up Aegon's wyverns."
"I will not hand Theon over to you!" Jon snapped irritably. "Lady Maege is heading to Slaver's Bay precisely to negotiate with the Dragon Queen about exchanging wyverns. Can't you wait even a few days?"
Davos looked awkward and suggested, "Queen Sansa is also a dragonrider. Why not—"
"You want my Lady?!" Sansa's blue eyes widened in disbelief.
"No, no, no," Davos said, his old face flushing as he waved his hands repeatedly. "How would I dare make such an impudent request?
What I meant is, could you use your Lady to send me to the front lines first, and then wait for Lady Maege to bring the wyverns back from Slaver's Bay?"
"Isn't asking me to be a coachman impudent enough?"
Sansa's eyes practically spat fire. She truly wanted to summon Lady at once and have her bite this wretched old man to death.
Davos lowered his gaze to avoid the queen's deadly stare and said, "I'll sit in front as the driver, and you can sit behind and control the wyvern?"
Sansa's pretty face twisted.
Davos earnestly urged, "If we can take King's Landing sooner, we can also go to the Great Sept of Baelor sooner and ask the High Sparrow to treat His Majesty Aegon's injuries!"
That remark did not move Sansa, but it reminded her of something: her husband was still in their hands.
"I'll only take you as far as Duskendale. After that, you'll have to ride on your own to find General Royce and the others," Sansa said, a helpless, bitter smile appearing at the corner of her lips. "If I sell them out to you, how could I ever face the other generals again?"
She had no intention whatsoever of personally persuading the generals to surrender to them.
Davos indeed had harbored such thoughts, but seeing the queen in such a pitiful state, he found it hard to press the matter further.
"Thank you," Davos said, bowing sincerely, then made a promise. "Your Majesty, you have now fully paid His Majesty Aegon's ransom."
After speaking, he looked again at his sovereign, hope in his eyes.
Stannis frowned and thought it over. The Vale army was camped near Rosby, about thirty kilometers outside King's Landing, only half a day's ride from Duskendale.
He nodded, accepting the Onion Knight's pledge.
"As long as Davos can reach the front lines and meet with Royce and the other commanders, and Lady Maege brings the wyverns back, I will agree to let Jon participate in supervising Aegon, just like Theon is now.
Once King's Landing is taken, or if I am defeated beneath its walls, Aegon will be completely free.
Of course, he must exile himself. He can go to Slaver's Bay, to the Free Cities, anywhere he likes, but he must leave Westeros. Only his descendants may return to inherit Harrenhal."
Let the Others go live in Harrenhal. We will head to Slaver's Bay to find Aunt Dany. Just you wait!
Sansa quietly made up her mind and began calling for her striped wyvern, the second-generation Lady.
Before heading to Duskendale, with Stannis dictating, Sansa writing, and Aegon reluctantly signing and pressing his seal, three identical copies of a "letter of surrender" were drafted: King Aegon has been captured and has now surrendered to Stannis Baratheon.
All lords of the Seven Kingdoms who have sworn fealty to Aegon Targaryen should, by right, submit to Stannis Baratheon.
Stannis's Hand, the Onion Knight Ser Davos Seaworth, will act on his lord's behalf to receive at the front lines those lords willing to swear allegiance.
Those unwilling may also depart with their bannermen, but they must ensure the personal safety of Ser Davos and must never again become enemies of Stannis Baratheon.
Stannis was very realistic. He did not expect that by capturing Aegon he could immediately make full use of the true dragon alliance's strength.
That was impossible.
He was not mad and harbored no immature delusions.
Yet Stannis also believed himself to be the only legitimate heir of House Baratheon. After all, Tommen was dead, and Cersei had remarried.
If the lords of the Seven Kingdoms had even a shred of conscience, a bit of respect for the law, and some adherence to traditional knightly spirit, they ought to support Stannis in taking the Iron Throne.
This line of thinking sounded arrogant, but it was entirely in keeping with Westerosi tradition.
If Dany were to call the lords of the Seven Kingdoms to a Great Council, and Stannis were to assert his claim to the Iron Throne there, then in theory there would be no need to fight, no need to capture Aegon. He could be elected by all the nobles as the legitimate king.
Similar Great Councils had been convened many times during the Targaryen dynasty.
For example, Dany's great-grandfather Egg, Aegon V, once competed for the throne against old Maester Aemon and Aerys Blackfyre.
Egg became the lawful king through election.
According to the traditions of the Great Councils under the Targaryens, Stannis would have a hundred percent chance of becoming king, because he had no competitors.
House Baratheon had only a single surviving heir, and bastards had no right of succession.
Therefore, Stannis's act of capturing Aegon to seize the fruits of victory might look absurd, but in fact it rested on a very solid theoretical foundation.
There was only one question: were the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms today still as conscientious as they once were, as respectful of the law, and as possessed of honorable knightly spirit?
Stannis believed that his Hand could awaken what little conscience and sense of honor remained in those scoundrels' hearts.
If not, then this world truly had no hope left.
Dragonstone, the Dragon Tower where dragons and wyverns could land.
As soon as the green-and-white striped wyvern touched down, Archmaester Marwyn hurried over and said anxiously, "By the Seven, Queen Sansa, why have you come here? Did you not receive the raven?"
Wrapped in a white lion-fur cloak as pure as snow, Sansa removed her windproof helmet, revealing her rosy cheeks. Her rose-petal lips parted slightly as she breathed out a few puffs of white mist. Puzzled, she asked, "I just came from Winterfell. Is there something wrong with Dragonstone's magic network node? I cannot sense it anymore."
Brienne, clad in iron armor inlaid with white glaze, supported the queen as she dismounted from the dragon's back.
Before the two could even steady themselves, Marwyn, disregarding differences in rank, grabbed Sansa by the arm and rushed toward the tower entrance. His steps were urgent and frantic, and he kept glancing around as if on guard against something.
Seeing this, Sansa knew that something had gone wrong. She asked no questions and simply quickened her pace.
Only after entering the Black Tower did Marwyn finally let out a long breath. He released his grip, bowed apologetically to Sansa, and explained, "The allied forces have indeed sent a wyvern squad to Westeros. Earlier, they even dropped several fire-oil bombs on Dragonstone."
"What?" Sansa exclaimed in shock and asked urgently, "Is the situation in Meereen really so unfavorable for Aunt Dany that the allies can spare a wyvern squad to come to Westeros?"
"Not at all. Her Majesty is confident of winning this epoch-making war. In fact, the situation is more favorable to us," Marwyn shook his head.
"Then why would they dare to divide their forces?" Sansa asked in confusion.
"Although we hold the advantage, in the end the Battle of Meereen is still a siege. We are the ones under encirclement. If the attackers quietly split off a small wyvern squad, Meereen would not be able to detect it."
Sansa grew even more puzzled.
After entering the hall below, unfastening her white lion-fur cloak and handing it to a maid, she found a cushioned couch by the fireplace and sat down at Marwyn's signal. She asked again, "Once we know that a wyvern squad has come to Westeros, would Meereen not find out as well? Whether they send superior forces to annihilate it, or seize the chance to launch a decisive battle while the enemy's air power is weakened, the allies would suffer more losses than gains."
"Only five wyverns came. They will not have much impact on the overall situation. Moreover, the magic network's central hub was attacked by Balerion and has been paralyzed. It can now only draw on the earth's core magic and can no longer exchange information with the outside world.
"Even glass candle communication no longer works. I truly do not know how Balerion managed it.
"But clearly, this was planned by the allies long ago. We just do not know their objective," Marwyn said helplessly.
"Balerion attacked…" Sansa exclaimed in disbelief, then suddenly realized that Balerion seemed to be a very common name. At the very least, more than one wyvern bore that name.
"The Valyrian demigod, Balerion?" she asked tentatively.
"Yes. Our techniques for constructing the magic network hub were all learned from Valyria. I never expected that the Valyrians truly possessed methods to counter the magic network hub," Marwyn said with a complicated expression.
"I was still in contact with Slaver's Bay the day before yesterday," Sansa murmured.
"The magic network collapsed early yesterday morning."
(End of chapter)
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