Then.
Following Count Redwyne's order, the Greenhaven Island fleet's formation began to shift. The Longships and Three-masted Warships formed a fan-shaped array on the dark sea.
"Attack!"
Toot—
The horns of war sounded once more, but this time, the call was longer than any before, signaling that this long-prepared war was about to be unleashed completely.
All the soldiers of Greenhaven Island, feeling a touch of tension under the sound of the war horns, gripped their weapons tighter.
"Fire!"
Then, the ballistas on the three main ships of the Greenhaven Island fleet finally fired together.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of loud bangs, like thunder, echoed as the rapidly fired spears tore through the air. The three main ships unleashed a volley of fire, the spears whistling as they hurtled towards the Dragonstone Fleet in the distance.
"Raise shields!"
The fleet commander on the Black Dread, the lead ship of the Dragonstone Fleet, was prepared. The crimson cloak fluttered in the wind, and the old Count adjusted his helmet, a streak of gray in his temples.
The old Count decisively gave the order to raise shields to protect the main facilities and personnel on the warships.
"Raise shields!"
"Raise shields!"
With a series of commands echoing across the ship, every soldier aboard the Black Dread braced themselves.
Clang.
They raised massive, four-foot-tall, oak shields reinforced with iron, then moved with practiced precision, forming a shield wall.
The shields, emblazoned with the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen, faced the enemy.
"Raise—"
A knight in full plate armor stood on the deck, drew his longsword from his hip, and brought it down in a swift arc.
"Lock!"
Boom—
A unified voice, and the shield wall was instantly erected, protecting the commander in the center, leaving only a gap for observation, almost impenetrable.
And Ser Geoffrey in the center hadn't even moved a step, still standing in place with his head slightly raised.
The fleet guarding Dragonstone was House Targaryen's most elite naval force, but unfortunately, its role in the War of the Usurper wasn't significant.
In this era, land power was still the most decisive force. Naval power wasn't enough to turn the tide and determine the outcome of a large-scale war.
The Dragonstone Fleet had once been tasked with attacking and harassing rebel ports like White Harbor, attempting to divert the attention of the Northern army.
But in fact, the North hadn't had any formed naval power since Brandon the Burner burned all his father's warships a hundred years ago.
They didn't offer any resistance, simply ceding the coastline, allowing the royal fleet to attack at will. Even if the Dragonstone navy ravaged parts of the North's coast, it wouldn't make Eddard Stark bat an eye.
After all, no matter how strong the Dragonstone navy was, it couldn't blockade the entire sea, and it was even less possible for them to abandon their ships and fight on land. The North's weather and cavalry would make sure these Targaryen soldiers wouldn't return.
At the heart of the Dragonstone naval battle, Ser Geoffrey, commander of the Dragonstone Fleet, was gazing towards the distance.
And the next second.
The dark cloud formed by the long spears fired from the ballista finally arrived.
Pshh pshh pshh—
Countless spears, emitting a sharp whistling sound, plunged directly into the turbulent sea, creating splashes. When fighting at sea, the accuracy of siege weapons mounted on the main ship was about the same as guessing.
However, after a volley that launched so many spears, a few of them were quite fortunate, directly hitting the formations on the deck of the Black Dread.
Boom—
The spears, carrying immense force, easily tore through the shield wall built by the soldiers, as if crushing a biscuit.
The shot immediately impaled a soldier holding a giant kite shield, pinning him to the deck and knocking down several others.
The shield wall was instantly torn open, creating several gaps. The soldier's blood splattered across the deck as his body writhed slightly, letting out a shrill scream.
This scream made all the Targaryen soldiers feel a chill in their hearts. The hands gripping their shields were slightly slick with sweat, and they swallowed hard.
Yet they remained silent, knowing that naval warfare was a fight to the death. If they lost, there would be no escape on the open sea.
However, under the siege weapons mounted on the Queen of Greenhaven, their sturdy shields were as fragile as paper.
"Return fire!"
The Dragonstone Fleet commander showed no hesitation, nor was he intimidated. He appeared calm and collected, standing in the center of the shield wall, and decisively ordered the Black Dread and the other two main ships to counterattack with their ballistas.
No one knew that the old knight's palms were also soaked with sweat. In a large-scale naval battle like this, life and death truly depended on luck.
Praying that the enemy's ballistas would shoot inaccurately, praying for favorable winds and currents, praying that their own ballistas would be accurate.
The even more brutal boarding action, relying on soldiers leaping onto the enemy ships to engage in close-quarters combat, was the next stage after the main ships on both sides had exchanged fire. It required one side to take the initiative to charge; otherwise, both sides would simply engage in long-range bombardment.
With a command from the Dragonstone Fleet's commander, the soldiers strained to twist the ropes. Stone projectiles were loaded into the "scoops," and the Black Dread, the largest warship serving House Targaryen, finally roared.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of stone projectiles were launched into the air, carrying immense force, and hurtling towards the Queen of Greenhaven, the flagship of the Greenhaven Island fleet.
Count Redwyne, aboard the Queen of Greenhaven, narrowed his eyes, calmly observing the changes on the battlefield.
Although Greenhaven Island was merely an island known for its wine production, House Redwyne had always placed extraordinary importance on the development of its navy. They provided a powerful fleet to protect The Reach, serving as the maritime barrier for the entire region.
The Greenhaven Island fleet's traditional naval strength could even rival the royal fleet and the Iron Fleet of the Iron Islands.
So Paxter Redwyne was able to cooperate with the Tyrell army and blockade Storm's End for a whole year, forcing Stannis Baratheon, trapped inside Storm's End, to slaughter horses for food. Later, he was even driven to eat corpses and rats.
However, at this time, the now surrendered House Redwyne accepted the new king's orders and came to attack Dragonstone.
The man waved his large hand, his two strands of orange-yellow hair fluttering in the wind.
He ordered his entire army to advance, weathering the Dragonstone Fleet's stone-throwing attacks. He had all the Longships prepare to distract the Dragonstone Fleet, while simultaneously allowing them to initiate Boarding Actions.
The most brutal part of this naval battle was about to begin.
....
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