Chapter 148 - Summer Sea Guardian

The Redwyne twins looked remarkably alike, both with bright orange hair cropped short and square faces liberally dusted with freckles.

Yet all present could tell them apart with ease.

Clad in a white cloak and bearing a pure white shield emblazoned with the royal sigil, the Kingsguard among them was unmistakably Ser Hobber Redwyne, raised as the second son.

Horror Redwyne, whose breastplate bore the engraving of a purple grape cluster, bowed deeply.

"We await your commands, Your Grace."

Joffrey smiled faintly. "You two have lingered in King's Landing long enough. Why not journey home with Lord Velaryon and look upon your family seat once more? You can convey my warm regards to Lord Paxter."

The meaning could not have been plainer.

The Redwyne twins were being released!

To surrender such valuable hostages meant relinquishing important leverage. The king's decision should have shocked many present, prompting whispered counsel or silent doubt.

Yet none showed any strong reaction—not even Hobber and Horror themselves.

All understood the truth of matters.

The mighty fleet that rode the waves carried more weight than a thousand words, more direct and powerful than any hostage or promise.

Compared to the two hundred cannons of the Third Fleet, the Redwyne twins' personal inclinations were insignificant, and the attitude of the Arbor equally so.

After all, the Arbor's castle would prove no more difficult to breach than Rain House had been.

The Redwyne twins bowed as one. "We thank Your Grace for this consideration. Our father will surely recognize the Crown's sincere goodwill, come to his senses, and pledge his loyalty to the true king."

Joffrey nodded. "That would be best."

Having demonstrated power, it was now prudent to demonstrate grace.

Joffrey spoke generously: "Once the two fleets are joined as one, you brothers shall continue to command the ships that originally belonged to the Arbor. The island itself will become a permanent port for the Royal Fleet."

The Royal Fleet permanently stationed at the Arbor? Hobber and Horror remained silent, uncertain whether to express gratitude or voice their doubts about the feasibility of such an arrangement.

True, House Redwyne might be defeated and compelled to surrender, but could they truly accept a foreign fleet anchored in their waters?

The brothers could not say with certainty whether their father would tolerate such a presence.

Joffrey, however, felt confident in the generosity of his terms.

It was, after all, merely a matter of garrisoning troops.

Having witnessed the devastating power of the ship's cannons, Lord Paxter would naturally accept these conditions.

Moreover, should House Redwyne straighten their course and ally themselves firmly with the Iron Throne, this arrangement would cease to be a constraint or punishment. It would instead become a coveted reward and symbol of royal favor.

Yet to achieve this "should," some difficulty remained.

This "should" required House Redwyne to make their own choice between "king" and "liege lord."

Such decisions never came easily.

Joffrey understood well that before the gods bestowed their grace, no universally correct answer existed to the question: "Which holds greater sway—the king or the liege lord?"

Furthermore, the great houses of the Reach had long intermarried. In terms of affection, shared history, ancient contracts, and common interests, House Redwyne's first loyalty could only lie with House Tyrell, which stood for the Reach in its entirety.

How might the Reach—the most fertile and populous region in all the Seven Kingdoms—be sundered from its natural alliances?

It must be divided and conquered, each house broken down one by one.

The Arbor, isolated beyond the sea, presented the ideal point of breach in the Reach's defenses.

Joffrey continued: "All have witnessed the contributions of House Redwyne. They have cleared the waters of pirates, guarded vital trade routes, made the Summer Sea a thoroughfare to the south, and brought prosperity to all the people of the Seven Kingdoms."

The Redwyne twins knew not why he spoke thus, yet they recognized these words as mere prelude. What followed would reveal the king's true purpose.

Joffrey produced a rolled parchment sealed with crimson wax.

"The Crown shall not overlook lords who render such meritorious service. I hereby decree the title of 'Guardian of the Summer Sea' to Lord Redwyne, commissioned to guard our sea frontiers, defend against foreign enemies, and protect vital shipping lanes."

Hobber and Horror stood momentarily stunned. Many in the hall could not help but shift uneasily where they stood.

The Summer Sea extended eastward to the southern coast of Essos and southward to the northern shores of Sothoryos.

Westeros, Essos, and Sothoryos—the Summer Sea that lay between these three continents was vast and prosperous. Its waters might well match the entire continent of Westeros in area, if not exceed it.

What might the title "Guardian of the Summer Sea" truly signify? Did House Redwyne now lay claim to the entire Summer Sea and all its bounty?

All eyes turned to the king.

A question hung unspoken in the air: the Summer Sea belonged neither to Westeros nor to the Iron Throne.

Joffrey tossed the letter of appointment toward the twins. The Redwyne brothers hastened to catch it, nearly dropping the scroll in their eagerness.

Joffrey pointed to the center of the hall, where the map upon the floor had somehow transformed to depict the entire known world.

"Not only the Summer Sea," he declared. "With the grace of the gods, the Royal Fleet shall traverse every sea—the Narrow Sea, the Shivering Sea, the Jade Sea, the Sunset Sea, and realms more distant and unknown still."

"Before long, I fear we shall struggle to fill all posts as guardians of these waters."

All present suddenly realized the truth: who indeed could resist such an invincible fleet? The vast oceans of the world were about to fall under the dominion of the Seven Kingdoms!

The Redwyne brothers looked up at their king, expressions blank with wonder.

Joffrey spoke with clear command: "The position of 'Guardian of the Summer Sea' carries immense importance. You must persuade Lord Paxter to accept this appointment without delay, integrate our fleets as swiftly as possible, secure the seas, and proclaim our sovereignty over those waters."

The expressions in the Redwyne brothers' eyes spoke their answer more clearly than words.

Joffrey felt deep satisfaction. He had demonstrated his might with cannons and bestowed grace with dominion over the Summer Sea. How could House Redwyne possibly refuse such an offer?

The alliance of the Reach would soon begin to fracture.

Meanwhile, the changes wrought in the Stormlands would prove even more rapid and thorough.

Joffrey's will shifted, and the map upon the floor returned to depict only the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros.

The Redwyne twins retreated to the ranks of onlookers.

Joffrey traced new lines upon the map—south from Rain House, then westward, the lines half-encircling Cape Wrath before turning inland toward the west.

All present traced the path with their eyes.

The first location they passed was Greenstone on Estermont, the ancestral home of the king's grandmother's family.

Next came the Weeping Town held by House Whitehead, situated on the southern coast of Cape Wrath adjacent to the Sea of Dorne. As the largest trading settlement in the Stormlands, its wealth and prosperity made it well worth the effort to secure.

West of Weeping Town stood Stonehelm, where the Red Mountains met Cape Wrath, its castle guarding the mouth of the Slayne River.

Ser Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard hailed from House Swann of Stonehelm.

West of Stonehelm lay Blackhaven, the stronghold of Lord Beric Dondarrion—a military fortress guarding the Boneway that led to Dorne.

And west of Blackhaven, marking the end of the projected route, stood Harvest Hall, the seat of House Selmy.

"Ser Barristan."

Joffrey turned to the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard who stood silently at his side.

"The entire Fourth Fleet under Lord Sunglass, together with the combined might of the Seventh, Eighth, and Ninth Regiments of the Guard, shall be placed under your command, Ser."

The spoils of victory would be one-third of the Stormlands.

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