Game of Thrones: The Wrath of the Sleeping Dragon

"Prince Oberon, the Second Legion is now in your hands."

Viserys also presented Oberyn with a golden sword and shield medal.

"The Second Legion?"

"Your Majesty, this name is awful."

Prince Dorne, with his jet-black curly hair, crossed his legs, stroked his soft beard with one hand, and shook his head with a hint of helplessness.

Oberon was highly educated and had a rich artistic talent, so he was unlikely to be impressed by such a simple number.

"The Second Legion is just numbered 'two'."

Viserys glanced at Oberyn, wondering what was going on in his head all day, before calmly speaking.

"The code number won't change. You can call yourself by a different name later... it's up to you."

"As long as it's not called 'Sweetheart Baby Army' or 'Martell Army', it's fine."

Viserys made a small joke at the end, and Oberyn grinned with a hearty smile.

"no problem."

"Don't worry, I would never choose such a terrible name."

Oberyn took the golden sword and shield medal from Viserys and pinned it to his chest.

This novel experience greatly motivated Oberyn, since Dorne, while having customs slightly different from other parts of Westeros, had never had such a distinct system.

Nobles were only responsible for governing their territories, not for commanding the armies within them.

Nobles could become commanders of the army, but only by merit rather than by title, and they were not allowed to serve in their own territories. They were also subject to regular reporting and rotation.

Moreover, the revenue within the territory is closely related to the interests of the nobles themselves. If the land is neglected and neglected for a long time, or even if the people suffer, the king has the right to take back part of the nobles' land as a warning, based on his supreme authority. In some cases, the nobles may be stripped of their land and reduced to commoners, and in the most serious cases, they may be sent to the gallows.

Although the power of the state was ultimately highly centralized in the hands of the king, and the autonomy of the nobility was greatly suppressed, Oberyn saw that this was more beneficial than harmful to the development of the country.

Especially when a country is still in its infancy, a unified voice is more likely to unite everyone and reduce the energy spent on infighting.

As for whether this system will be copied to Westeros in the future?

Viserys promised Prince Doran that Dorne would maintain its special and detached status, just as it does now.

In fact, from the time Dorne submitted to the Targaryen dynasty to the later Baratheon dynasty, Dorne has always maintained a special status.

Historically, the Targaryens and Dorne have repeatedly formed alliances through marriage in order to consolidate their control over this important frontier.

Therefore, there was nothing wrong with Viserys making such a promise to Prince Doran. However, Prince Doran's insistence on facilitating the marriage between his daughter and Viserys might not have been solely for the purpose of strengthening this alliance...

At that moment, Viserys suddenly remembered something that had happened more than half a month ago.

Prince Doran suddenly sent a letter informing him that his daughter, Arianne Martell, had boarded a ship bound for Andalus from Sunspear in order to facilitate a marriage alliance between the two sides.

She was accompanied by fifty elite Dornish guards for protection, as well as a dozen or so artisans and craftsmen who sponsored Andalus.

"Oberyn, how much longer until Princess Dorne arrives?"

Viserys spoke up, and Oberyn raised an eyebrow slightly in thought upon hearing Viserys' question.

"Probably... another two months or so."

Sunspear City is a long way from Andalus, and it takes a long time to travel by sea.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

"A little nervous?"

Then a middle-aged man with slightly dark skin sat down in a chair and jokingly remarked that he still remembered what it was like when he first met Viserys.

Viserys's face darkened, and he responded irritably.

"no!"

Although Viserys can be serious at times, he is mostly a very easy person to get along with and never tries to put on any airs of a 'king'.

Because one of Viserys's favorite sayings was, "A respected king does not rely on his noble blood."

Although none of the people present were of noble blood as he was.

A nation should be ruled by the support of its people and nobility; it cannot be ruled by merely possessing "noble blood" without the strength to do so.

Such a person is like his father, the 'Mad King' Aerys II, or King Robert, who now sits on the Iron Throne.

No matter how noble one's bloodline, one is destined to lose the chair one sits on or even one's life.

"Ha ha…"

After this little incident, the serious atmosphere in the conference hall immediately relaxed considerably, and the older men present all showed knowing smiles.

Upon closer reflection, their king is still only a fifteen-year-old boy. He will only be considered a true adult after his sixteenth name day and coming-of-age ceremony next year.

However, Viserys' maturity and composure sometimes made them almost forget that he was still just a teenager.

Just a...

雏。

"Your Majesty has indeed reached the age where you should get engaged."

The old knight, sitting to the left of the king, wore a gratified smile. He felt as if he were watching his own child grow up. Although he had never married, a sense of accomplishment welled up inside him.

“The eldest daughter of Prince Doran of the Martell family and the King are considered a good match.”

The marriage alliance between the Targaryen and Martell families is a family tradition, especially since she is the eldest daughter of Prince Doran, so there is nothing wrong with it.

"Yes."

The old knight was the first to speak, and immediately, voices of agreement filled the meeting hall.

Only Bessie Joyce, the newly appointed commander of the First Legion, who was sitting in the corner, did not speak up.

He remained ramrod straight, sitting upright, and he would only obey the king's orders, not those of anyone else.

Chapter 187 Desert Mountain Camp

Viserys shook his head helplessly as he watched the ministers jeering.

He had initially resisted the engagement with Princess Martell based on certain preconceived notions, but upon closer reflection, Ariane was still just a little girl, not yet the restless woman who later sought to support Myrcella and stir up turmoil throughout Dorne.

Moreover, this political marriage was extremely important to the Targaryen family.

Viserys has received many favors from Dorne over the years, and he needs such a strong ally for support. If the two can marry, then this alliance will become even more unbreakable.

Whether it's a pincer attack from the north and south or a landing from Dorne, it will play a crucial role in the future.

How to do?

Viserys had a bit of a headache.

However, compared to his initial idealism, Viserys has become much more pragmatic after experiencing countless setbacks in reality over the years.

Let's meet this princess of Dorne first.

Thinking of this, Viserys shook his head slightly, placed his hands on the table, and let his pale purple eyes sweep over the faces of everyone present before clicking his tongue and speaking.

"Let's discuss this matter after Princess Ariane arrives."

"Let's get back to business. Our next plan is to build two new castles, a camp, and a town."

The castles and camps planned by Viserys were all on land that had been reserved in advance for their own use, and once built, they would also be assets of the Targaryen royal family.

Viserys then had a guard bring over the map, which he unfolded and laid out on the table, making it clearly visible to everyone in the meeting hall.

This is a map of the eastern coast of the continent of Essos, centered on Andalus, extending eastward to Norfos and southward to the Great Plains.

Viserys then pointed to the ancient road that led from the coast of Braavos to the Gulf of Cinco de la Rosa.

This ancient road lies east of the Upper Loane River, at the junction of the Transverse Mountains and the Norfoss Mountains. Continuing east from here, one can reach Loras Bay and even bypass the Norfoss Mountains to reach Tomahawk Point, making it a suitable route for military expeditions.

“Build a permanent camp from here.”

Viserys pointed his finger at the only mountain pass between the two mountain ranges, and then spoke earnestly.

“Oberyn’s legions are stationed here.”

The location of this mountain pass is of paramount importance, especially for a city-state like Andalus that has no walls.

This mountain pass is not far from Andalus, and the establishment of a permanent camp here by the garrisoned legion can play an important role in consolidating border defenses and setting up checkpoints to inspect the goods coming and going.

In fact, Andalus's legions are currently stationed there, a plan that had been discussed and approved by the higher-ups beforehand.

"clear."

As the commander-in-chief of the Second Legion, Oberyn had just received the legion commander's medal and nodded slightly, but his quick mind still led him to ask one more question.

"Your Majesty, is this permanent camp being built to guard against Norfos?"

The mountain pass was blocked off the main road leading to Norfos, which is why Oberyn asked the question.

"Do not."

Viserys shook his head slightly and spoke seriously.

"To guard against Braavos."

"Ok?"

Upon hearing Viserys's words, Oberyn froze on the spot, then lowered his head and stared wide-eyed at the map in front of him.

After a long while, the clever Oberyn seemed to finally see through the clues and understand Viserys' true intentions.

"So that's how it is."

Will Braavos turn against us?

Oberon's eyes narrowed slightly as he asked.

"do not know."

"But necessary preparations should still be made in advance."

Viserys spoke without looking up at the map spread out on the table, unaware of Oberyn's wry smile.

Then he pointed in a completely opposite direction.

This is the location of Andalus Port, which is also the harbor where the Dragonstone fleet currently docks.