Chapter 47– Return
Oberon Stantor stood awkwardly beside Tigris Hoth. Oberon was a noble knight from Dorne, once affiliated with the Manwoody family of Kingsgrave. However, the Weel family had previously seized a considerable amount of territory from the Manwoody family through various means, and Oberon's village was one of them. This forced the already not-so-wealthy knight to sell his armor to sustain his village. He was then tragically conscripted by Uller Weel to march north to war, only to be burned by Vermithor and Silverwing. Fortunately, Oberon hid quickly and, after a few days in the mountains, joined Dragonzel's army as a wandering knight with a few peasant soldiers he brought from his village.
After all, Dragonzel paid his soldiers and provided ample supplies.
Though poor, Oberon was indeed a skilled fighter. On the battlefield, he followed Lord Tully's cavalry, piercing through the Dornish cavalry lines. He personally slew several noble knights and killed a bastard of the Uller family with a javelin. More importantly, he captured the Uller family's banner, which was why he stood before Dragonzel today.
The only minor flaw was encountering an acquaintance, Tigris Hoth, the lord of a small village in Choice Frontier. It wasn't that the two families had a feud; after all, the Marcher lands and Dorne had centuries of entangled love and hate. Though they had blood feuds, each also carried the other's bloodline within them.
Mainly, during earlier peaceful years, a young Oberon had pursued Tigris's daughter. He almost succeeded in eloping with Tigris's daughter.
However, when it came to marriage discussions, war broke out.
As a result, Oberon now dared not look Tigris in the eye, while Tigris looked at Oberon's back thoughtfully.
Lynn Valtaken turned the book in his hand to the page corresponding to Oberon.
"Ser Oberon Stantor, killed two Weel family knights in battle, captured their armor; three Uller family knights, captured their armor and warhorses; three Torran family knights, captured their warhorses; personally slew Ser Arthur Shade, commander of the Uller family, captured one Uller family banner, one warhorse, and one set of armor. Oberon, do you acknowledge your merits?"
"No objection." Oberon felt his calves trembling. Seven Hells, he had never been this nervous even in battle. He kept feeling that Dragonzel, who was watching him from the stage, would suddenly order his dragon to incinerate him.
"Prince, I dare not deceive you, I was once the lord of Star Coin Village in Dorne, but was forced to join the war due to the conflict instigated by the Weel family."
"I understand your difficulties." Dragonzel naturally knew the thoughts of the surviving local Dornish nobles represented by Oberon. After Uller's exhaustive conscription, both commoners and nobles in the Stone Road territory suffered greatly. Oberon's Star Coin Village, located in the north, was not greatly affected by the war, but its population had also sharply declined, and several surrounding villages whose lords had died were almost empty.
"Ser Oberon, your achievements are enough to prove your bravery. I acknowledge your ownership of Star Coin Village. At the same time, the four villages and mills around Star Coin Village that have lost their knights will also belong to you. In addition, as your reward, I will also bestow upon you 1,500 gold dragons, which is enough to support you in building a small castle."
"May the Seven bless you, Prince," Oberon Stantor let out a long breath, kneeling on one knee. "The Stantor family will serve you forever, until the last Stantor returns to the Stranger."
He had money. Oberon instantly became excited. 1,500 gold dragons, if used frugally, would leave a considerable amount, enough for him to propose to Tigris again.
This time, when he turned around, he dared to look Tigris Hoth in the eye, and it was then that he realized Tigris had been looking at him with encouraging and approving eyes all along.
Oberon's back straightened even more.
Tigris Hoth was originally a lord inherent to Dragonzel's lands. This time, he brought his House Hoth with him to the battlefield.
Of course, the old lord didn't let the children charge to the front line. Instead, the old lord himself followed Aslan Longdel's cavalry and killed several Dornish cavalrymen, at least one named Dornish knight.
What he received was also relatively simple: a sum of coin to renovate the old tower castle of House Hoth, and a decree acknowledging his territory.
The only reason Dragonzel remained here was to handle the land issues of the new and old territories. Summerhall, Balance Valley, and High Ridge Hill, as territories directly under Dragonzel's jurisdiction, had fertile soil, abundant resources, and were located on important transportation routes. Therefore, Dragonzel used them all to build manors to support the Silver Blood Army and his vassals. Every old soldier's family received land, enough to support a full-time soldier.
As for Choice Frontier, Swelling Peak, and Risk Border, except for the coastal lands designated by Dragonzel for direct administration to build port towns, the remaining territories were enfeoffed by Dragonzel to local nobles and vassals. The Hoth family, Haighton family, and Isabur family are typical examples.
As the chief vassal of the Varezes family, Vansen Caron was allowed to build a castle belonging to House Caron. The Valtaken family, Jihyan family, Longder family, and Fezel family also gained the right to build castles. They were allowed to build castles in the new Dornish territories to maintain order. However, after these castles were built, they would be governed by officials dispatched by Dragonzel, and the patriarchs of these families would remain in Dragon's Nest City to assist Dragonzel.
The territories of Dorne were re-divided. East of the mountains, the territories near the bay were directly administered by Dragonzel for the construction of a large port town. The Northern Vale was intricately divided, with both external families like the Hermosa family and vassal families, as well as local families like the Stantor family, maintaining the status quo. More importantly, a large population from the east poured into this area. This became the foundation of Dragonzel's rule.
The situation in the new territories gradually stabilized, and the Dornish, who received tax exemptions and military protection, surprisingly accepted Dragonzel's rule. After all, people are pragmatic; being well-fed and alive is the prerequisite for everything.
However, the south of Dorne became increasingly chaotic. After it was clear that Dragonzel would not go south to reap the benefits in the short term, Lewyn Yronwood immediately gathered a large army, attempting to take Prince's Pass in one fell swoop. Prince Corwin, who suffered heavy losses, was also rebuilding his strength, but what he didn't expect was...
The Uller family of Hellholt actually sent people to steal Martell's wheat.
The enraged Prince Corwin immediately spent a fortune to recruit 2,000 soldiers, finally driving the elusive Uller family bandits out of his remaining territory.
Only the Dayne family remained as quiet as death; no one knew what the Sword of the Morning's house intended.
Dragon's Nest City
Through the urgent construction by the craftsmen brought by Dragonzel, Dragon's Nest City had already taken shape within these few months. The town below was also gradually transforming from a city of tents to a city of wood and stone.
This grand town, named "Summerhall," was centered around a city hall, currently with wooden scaffolding and a marble foundation, capable of accommodating thousands of people. Six wide roads extended outwards, connecting to the Stone Road in the south and the end of the King's Road in the north.
On the east side of the town, a sept rose up, and on the west side, a forest was slowly forming. From the city hall outwards, houses gradually transformed into beautiful homes built of wood and stone.
The Dragon's Nest City on the heights was also very majestic. Narrow roads extended up the mountain, leading to a dragon-head-shaped gate embedded in the mountain, merging with the high mountain.
Within the first circle of walls stood Hidden Sword Tower, Laurel Leaf Tower, Flame Tower, and the Tower of the Gods. Fishbeam wood trees transplanted from the distant North also grew in this layer of the castle.
Further up, new black walls were embedded in the mountain, and the high mountain had melted into three towers: the slender and beautiful Dragon Crystal Tower, the magnificent Dragon's Nest Tower, and the dark Raven Tower.
These three towers clustered around the last layer of towering walls. The walls of this layer were adorned with peculiar patterns; from afar, nothing was discernible, but only up close could one barely make out the patterns of flames.
The Silver Blood Tower stood proudly in the center of the nine towers, flanked by the Twin Towers connected by long corridors.
The interior decoration of all nine towers had been completed. Currently, other buildings within the city, such as the sept and the stables, were still under construction.
Jacaerys and Prince Lucerys had already returned to Dragon's Nest City, awaiting the next opportunity for battle.
"Little Snow Rabbit, do you want to go to the Dragonpit together?" Prince Lucerys thumped on Ray's door.
"Big Chipmunk, if you call me that nickname again, I'll tell my brother." Ray pulled open the door irritably, grabbing Prince Lucerys as he did so.
After returning to Dragon's Nest City, Ray had his own room, located in the Twin Towers. The room wasn't very large. A velvet four-poster bed from Volantis was in the center of the room. Expensive carpets from Varezes's carpet workshop, which had now gradually been established and resumed production, covered the floor. In the corners of the room, besides a few scattered toys, various books were piled high.
Ray actually enjoyed reading; he just didn't like Maester Visari's lectures.
"Hehe, you call me by my nickname too." Prince Lucerys familiarly pulled Ray's hand. They were closer in age and became good friends within a few days. "Big Chipmunk? My brother told you that, didn't he?"
"Nyah nyah nyah." Ray stuck out his tongue at Prince Lucerys. "Anyway, my brother doesn't call me Snow Rabbit. Oh, where's Jaehaerys? I haven't seen him all day."
"Jaehaerys, huh?" Prince Lucerys pulled Ray down the ladder. "I guess he went to Laurel Leaf Tower."
"You should learn from Jaehaerys, Big Chipmunk." Ray wrapped Prince Lucerys in a hug. "Read more books."
"As if you don't want to see Shadow Nightmare," Prince Lucerys said, a hint of envy in his voice. "Shadow Nightmare grows so fast. If it weren't so thin, it might look bigger than my Arrax."
"Shadow Nightmare indeed doesn't look like the dragons in the records." Ray also thought of his own dragon. "Normal dragons don't have so many spikes, nor are they so thin."
"But Shadow Nightmare's dragonfire is white, you know." Prince Lucerys asked curiously. "How does it do that?"
"I don't know." Ray shook his head, nodding to the Silver Blood Army old soldier patrolling nearby.
"Princes, the Dragonpit mechanism is ready." The old soldier knew where the two princes were headed just by looking at their direction. Dragon's Nest City was very large now; if they had to walk from the Twin Towers to the Dragon's Nest Tower, and then take a long ladder into the Dragonpit, it would take a long time.
However, Dragonzel also had a method. The Silver Blood Tower was directly connected to the hollowed-out mountain. He had set up a mechanism in the Silver Blood Tower that could transport people into the Dragonpit.
Ray and Prince Lucerys ran through the long corridor into the Silver Blood Tower, then climbed two flights of stairs, arriving at a platform.
The massive gears slowly turned.
The platform descended, gradually disappearing into the darkness.
In the darkness, faint dragon roars could be heard.
The platform landed steadily. As the two princes stepped off the platform, they heard two long dragon roars from outside the mountain.
"They're back!"
Ray immediately recognized the voices of Vermithor and Silverwing.
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