"Sir, we must position more scorpions along the city walls," Lord Randyll Tarly, the seasoned general of the Reach, advised in a grave tone. "If those three dragons mount an aerial assault, our current defenses will be obliterated".
Duke Tywin Lannister turned his icy gaze toward his son. "Tyrion, supervise the craftsmen immediately. I want enough scorpions to cover the Mud Gate by nightfall".
Under the weight of the crisis, Tyrion abandoned his usual wit. He took the mercenary Bronn and hurried toward the artisan camps to oversee the desperate production.
However, the urgency in the city only intensified as the steel fleet, flying the direwolf of House Stark and Jason's Starfire banners, moved into Blackwater Bay. While Daenerys's wooden fleet occupied the east coast, Jason's modern vessels claimed the west.
"Are those ships truly made of steel?" a nobleman from Casterly Rock gasped from the ramparts. The sight of solid metal warships—something never before achieved in Westeros—sent a wave of panic through the Lannister and Tyrell loyalists.
"The Northmen have arrived!" another cried. "King Jason has brought a fleet of iron!".
On the walls, Tywin's face turned ashen. Beside him, Kevan Lannister watched as the Northern ships deployed portable bridges to the west bank, efficiently unloading troops. "Tywin, we are in deep trouble," Kevan whispered.
"Transfer soldiers from the other gates," Tywin barked, though his muscles twitched with tension. "We need every man at the Mud Gate".
Duke Mace Tyrell paced nervously, his large frame trembling. "Lord Hand, can the city even be held against this?".
"Calm yourself, Lord Tyrell!" Tywin hissed in disgust. "Do you wish for the entire garrison to see your cowardice?".
While the defenders panicked, Jason's 20,000 soldiers began a disciplined landing. Under the direction of the Staff Corps, the troops quickly established a fortified camp on the high ground. They dug trenches and erected modern military tents with a speed that left the watching Targaryen scouts in awe.
As Jason and his experts stepped off the Easter I, the camp's cooking teams began their work. The wind carried the rich aroma of roasting meat, fresh white bread, and seaweed egg-drop soup across the bay.
In the Targaryen camp to the east and the city to the north, soldiers drooled with envy. While the Lannister levies chewed on hard brown bread and thin broth, Jason's men ate from iron lunchboxes filled with oily pork and sweet canned fruits.
"Those Northerners eat meat and white bread at every meal," Ser Jorah Mormont reported to Daenerys. "And they have these 'cans' of fruit. Jason must be wealthy beyond measure".
Varys added his own observation with a frown. "It is more than just food, Your Majesty. They wear strange, colorful uniforms and carry weapons called 'guns' on their backs. My little birds tell me these 'spears' can strike a target from a distance far greater than any bow".
Faced with the daunting reality of Jason's strength, the Targaryen council agreed to the Northern proposal for a meeting. Both sides swore by the Old Gods and the New to observe a temporary truce.
A neutral mound located equidistant from the two camps was selected as the site. Jason's engineers moved with typical efficiency, erecting a transparent-sided tent furnished with tables and chairs.
As the time for the parley arrived, Daenerys Targaryen led her delegation toward the mound. She was accompanied by Ser Barristan Selmy, Varys, Jorah Mormont, Daario Naharis, Grey Worm, and Quentyn Martell, escorted by twenty fully armed Unsullied.