The Reach's army of more than fifty thousand men marched straight down the Roseroad toward King's Landing. They rested at night and hurried forward by day.
The tall, thin, balding Lord Randyll Tarly was easy to recognize, with a greatsword in a jeweled scabbard slung across his back. After asking Great Lord Mace for permission, he arranged the night patrols himself.
That night, the Reach army's tents were pitched directly along the Roseroad. The banners of the lords stood in rows. At the center was Tyrell's golden rose, followed by Rowan's golden tree, Tarly's striding huntsman, Florent's fox ringed with flowers, Redwyne's grapes, Lady Oakheart's oak leaves, and many more from the lesser lords of the Reach. Nearly all the great lords of the Reach were here. House Hightower had come as well, but that powerful and low-key house seemed uninterested in the conflict and had not brought many soldiers.
Spearmen wearing gilded half-helms and green cloaks edged in gold thread guarded Great Lord Mace's great tent, with the golden rose of Highgarden embroidered on their chests.
Flames rose from the brazier. The burly Great Lord of Highgarden, Mace Tyrell, sat inside the war tent, having changed into a green velvet robe trimmed with purple ermine. His two sons were also in the tent, Ser Loras Tyrell, the Knight of Flowers, and his elder brother, "the Gallant" Garlan.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for us. The Battle of King's Landing will reshuffle everything," Mace said bitterly. "Highgarden's strength has propped up the realm. We have fed half the kingdom and that stinking King's Landing, and only now, in wartime, do those people remember how important we are."
"It is an opportunity, but we still need to choose the right moment," Garlan said.
"Exactly." Mace nodded.
During Robert's Rebellion, the Reach had chosen the wrong side and had been pushed out of King's Landing ever since, driven from the center of power by eagle, wolf, trout, and stag. The lions had at least managed to get a hand in through marriage, but the roses had gained nothing. For the powerful Reach, this was a state of affairs they had never been satisfied with. Especially now that the long summer had come, the Reach's strength had grown faster than anyone else's, allowing it to raise vast numbers of soldiers.
"No matter what lies ahead, this time you must show the fighting spirit of House Tyrell," Mace told his sons. "Leo Longthorn is our most glorious ancestor, and he is your example."
"Yes." Ser Garlan and Ser Loras nodded together.
Great Lord Leo Tyrell, known as Longthorn, was a famous warrior and lover of tourneys, widely respected and loved. He was a top master of the joust, and many believed he might have been the greatest jousting champion in history. Leo was regarded as the finest knight ever produced by House Tyrell.
"That is also why I made you the vanguard this time, Garlan," Great Lord Mace said in a low voice. "Randyll Tarly has always been my vanguard commander, but now that you have grown up, I cannot let Randyll take too much of the glory of victory."
Mace knew perfectly well what had happened back then. There had been nothing he could do but share in the glory won by his subordinate, Randyll. He was a perfectly ordinary knight, not a gifted one. He dreamed of becoming a world-shaking warrior like Robert or Longthorn, but sadly, he simply was not made for it. His two sons were different. Garlan and Loras both had talent and ability, and could win real prestige for House Tyrell on the battlefield.
"And my Willas too. That damned Red Viper." Whenever he thought of Willas, anger rose in Mace's heart. A fine heir had been crippled. Because of that, relations between Dorne and Highgarden had worsened as well.
"The Storm was originally a fine choice," Mace said regretfully. "They say the boy is handsome and charming, with brilliant military achievements, long legs, hard muscles, and broad, imposing shoulders. Handsome, powerful, and already a legend. Half the girls in the Seven Kingdoms want to climb into his bed, and every boy wants to be him. Sadly, he already has a fiancée. And I cannot marry your sister to the whelp of House Florent, the family I hate most. Besides, once the Storm has a child, Edric will become even more irrelevant."
Loras looked somewhat downcast. It had once been he and Renly who were so popular. He had never expected someone else to rise so suddenly.
"But finding Margaery a good husband is far better than finding her a failed king," Garlan said calmly. "The Lannisters' offer is so generous only because they have very few cards left."
"Garlan, what do you think of the fighting ahead?" Mace asked.
"The Imp, Tyrion, can make use of King's Landing's defenses, but 'the Storm' Gendry has cut off the city's grain supply, and he has a large advantage in numbers. The Storm has the better chance of winning," Garlan said.
"Sieges are always difficult, but King's Landing is a city, not a simple castle," Ser Loras said. "So the difficulty is not especially great. And with those unruly people in King's Landing, they probably already hate the Imp to the bone."
"That's right." Mace nodded. "At least King's Landing is not a fortress like Storm's End. It is a great city, so defending it is far more difficult. No matter who wins or loses, we must be on the winning side."
"Then we need to perform well enough in the war to earn our share of the prize," Garlan said.
"Exactly. It is hard to satisfy everyone. They are following our name, yes, but even more than that, they are here for their own interests. They all want to eat their fill from this war," Great Lord Mace said with a nod. "Rowan and Redwyne want a seat at the Small Council. Redwyne also wants the wine tax waived for decades. Tarly is the greediest. He even wants a minister's position. As for the other nobles, as long as we follow the victor, they can ask for castles, villages, lands, rivers, forests, and even custody rights over the children of lesser nobles. Whether the Westerlands lose or the Stormlands lose, there will be spoils."
There was one greedier player Mace did not mention, and that was Highgarden itself. Mace dreamed of becoming Hand of the King, and of sending his daughter to court to become Queen. If possible, he also wanted to carve out a fertile fief for Garlan.
"Although I believe the Storm has the better chance of winning and King's Landing cannot hold," Garlan said, "I still suggest we send out more scouts and proceed carefully. Once the situation becomes clear, we can attack in force. That way, even if we do not receive much of the spoils, we will not lose either."
"Then that is what we'll do!" Mace agreed.
...
The Tiger appeared at dawn, her sails lonely against the pale pink morning light.
More and more ships followed. The finest of the Valyrian fleet, reinforcements sent from Slaver's Bay, and the great fleet of the Lyseni.
"This is a gamble," Malaquo said.
"You have no other choice, Lord," the red priest Moqorro said. "Restore the glory of the Tiger Party."
"But I have few allies, especially in Westeros," Malaquo said. "And the war I am waging is almost suicide."
"Few does not mean none," Moqorro said with certainty. "The Lion is at war with the Storm. With your arrival, the Stag will be attacked from front and rear."
"Only a risky war can bring a risky victory."
"Perhaps you are right." Malaquo nodded. "Back then, we ruled Myr and Lys for two generations, yet I never imagined we would fail at the very end. Now some of the Westerosi Royal Fleet and the fleet of the Twin Cities have already passed Dorne, heading toward the western kingdom of House Lannister. A foolish choice. Dorne has a long, barren coast, and they still have to pass many shallows and whirlpools. I cannot let this chance slip by."
"Such an opportunity is very rare."
"Yes. I cannot miss it. I must learn from the failure of four hundred years ago and end this war quickly. To catch the thief, catch the king. Kill the Storm, kill the Breaker. No one will expect my fleet to come with the wind."
"Can I truly take the prey I wish to hunt?" Malaquo asked. "After crossing such a vast sea?"
"You will, Lord Governor. If you succeed, the whole world will cheer for you. Myr and Tyrosh will return to freedom, and slavery will proceed unimpeded," Moqorro said.
"May it be as you say!" Malaquo said. "Kill the Storm, and then I will sack King's Landing. Once the Storm is overthrown, gold, jewels, and slaves will pour into Volantis."
"Are we not guests of the Lannisters?" Moqorro asked. "Are we still going to plunder King's Landing?"
"It is only proper for guests to collect a little interest. The Twin Cities are our future colonies, so we cannot slaughter freely there. But King's Landing is different. The Lannisters did it before, so I can do it once as well," Malaquo said.
"Very well." Moqorro was somewhat taken aback.
Malaquo looked out over the blue sea. "Back then, when the Tiger Party's expansion was blocked, the blood of the Storm was among those who stood in our way. What a coincidence."
"Burn another man. Speed up the advance."
"As you command, Lord." Moqorro nodded, preparing to choose another victim for the sacrifice.