"The idea is wonderful, but reality is often far from ideal."
As soon as Lyonel finished speaking, Justice Minister Jasper stood up, his expression grave.
Viserys cast a questioning glance at him. "Why do you say that, Lord Jasper?"
Though he was not as imposing and authoritative as his grandfather, Jaehaerys, as king, he still believed he could rally his vassals to defend the realm.
"Your Majesty, war is a terrifying machine that affects everything it touches. The kingdom's enemies are not limited to the pirates of the Three Daughters."
Jasper spoke solemnly. "According to intelligence reports, Prince Martell of Dorne is highly likely to renew his alliance with the Three Daughters and lead his army onto the battlefield."
"The Ironborn of the Iron Islands are also eager to strike. They have been spotted frequently near Lannisport, attempting to raid the mainland."
"What?"
Viserys was taken aback and turned toward Lyonel and Tyland.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Tyland confirmed.
"My brother recently sent me a letter stating that Ironborn attempted to sneak into Lannisport. He caught them and had them executed."
Tyland looked troubled as he revealed the truth.
The Ironborn had always been a thorn in the side of House Lannister.
"So, the Westerlands won't be able to provide assistance?"
Viserys' face darkened with displeasure.
"Please, calm yourself, Your Majesty."
Seeing the king's growing anger, Tyland tensed up but forced himself to continue, "The situation in the Vale is also dire. The mountain clans, led by the Stone Crows, are wreaking havoc everywhere. Lady Jeyne is overwhelmed trying to keep them under control."
After him, Lyonel quickly added, "In the Riverlands, House Blackwood and House Bracken have clashed over the shifting of border stones. They have killed each other's kin, and an all-out war between them is imminent."
Viserys was stunned.
"Damn it! The kingdom was peaceful every day before this, yet the moment war arrives, chaos erupts everywhere!"
Bad news kept piling up. Viserys was furious, his breathing heavy as he leaned back into his chair.
First, there was Dorne—the kingdom's ever-present thorn.
Then, the Ironborn, who knew nothing but pillaging and destruction.
And now, even the Vale and the Riverlands were in turmoil.
At this rate, by the time he woke up tomorrow morning, rebels might already be storming the gates of the Red Keep!
"Father, don't worry. Things aren't as bad as they seem."
Rhaenyra quickly stepped behind Viserys, gently patting his back to calm him.
Her father had been born in a time of peace, and this sudden war placed immense pressure on him.
At such a critical moment, Rhaenyra feared his body might not be able to handle it.
The ministers exchanged uneasy glances, each weighed down by the prospect of war.
Rhaegar scanned the room, noticing the anxiety written on their faces. He frowned slightly.
"My lords, war has not yet begun. Do not lose heart so soon."
He rapped his fingers against the table, drawing their attention to him.
"Prince, what are your thoughts?"
The voice belonged to the usually silent Master of Coin, Lyman Beesbury, who spoke slowly, his aged face full of concern.
A lifelong loyalist to the royal family, he was among those who most desired peace.
Now that the discussion had turned to him, Rhaegar set down his stone sphere and straightened his posture.
Fear before battle was unacceptable.
As the crown prince, it was his duty to present insightful solutions and boost morale.
After a brief moment of thought, Rhaegar raised his voice and spoke with conviction.
"My lords, Westeros has always been plagued by conflicts. During my great-grandfather Jaehaerys' reign, the realm experienced peace."
"For decades, this peace has endured."
"But in these decades, while the people of the kingdom have lived in stability, hidden flaws have taken root, concealed beneath the veil of tranquility."
"Now that war looms, these flaws are beginning to surface—but this is not necessarily a bad thing."
"Only when these hidden cancers within the kingdom are exposed can we remove them one by one."
His voice was steady and powerful, his words well-reasoned.
The ministers fell silent, bowing their heads in contemplation.
They, too, understood the truth behind his words.
It was precisely because peace had blinded them that they had grown complacent, fearful of the very concept of war.
"Rhaegar, you make a strong point. But how should the kingdom respond to this impending conflict?"
Viserys, looking weary yet hopeful, gazed at his eldest son with expectation.
He was a king of peacetime and lacked the ability to organize a war.
Fortunately, he had a son who resembled both his grandfather and great-grandfather—someone who could share the burden with him.
Rhaegar turned his gaze to Tyland and Jasper, saying,
"During the last War of the Stepstones, Dorne allied with the Three Daughters. Their rebellious nature is undeniable."
"Now that the Three Daughters are making a comeback, the Dornish will not stand idly by. They will surely interfere in the war."
"Should we send an envoy to negotiate with Prince Martell of Dorne?" Tyland hesitated.
---
"The messenger must be sent, but don't expect too much."
Rhaegar did not object and continued, "The war in the Kingdom of the Three Daughters is an external conflict, with the battlefield far overseas. However, Dorne is within the continent of Westeros."
"If a war breaks out in the Stepstones and the Prince of Dorne leads his army to invade, the kingdom must be prepared in advance."
At this point, Rhaegar gestured for Cole to bring a map of the continent and began analyzing the situation step by step.
"There are three possible routes for Dorne to invade the kingdom: the Prince's Pass, the Boneway, and by sea."
Pointing to a specific location on the map, Rhaegar said seriously, "The Boneway is rugged and difficult for large armies to traverse. As long as House Tarly of Blackhaven stations troops there, this route will be secure."
"The Prince's Pass has always been Dorne's preferred invasion route. Notify House Tyrell of Highgarden to deploy a strong defensive line to prevent a large-scale attack from Dorne."
"The last option is by sea, but we can almost rule that out."
Rhaegar looked up, deep in thought. "We should coordinate with Stormlands in advance and request Lord Beaumond to reinforce the naval defenses. Combined with House Velaryon's patrol fleet, the Prince of Dorne will not act recklessly."
"Dorne is like a pack of starving wolves, always trying to take a bite out of the kingdom."
Listening to his son's well-organized analysis, Viserys's expression softened as he cursed Dorne's treacherous ambitions.
As Hand of the King, Lyonel spoke at the right moment, "Your Grace, the prince's defensive strategy is thorough. If we secure the loyalty of our vassals, Dorne will not be able to stir up much trouble."
The strategies for defending against and countering Dorne had been established since Aegon the Conqueror's time.
Rhaegar's assessment was flawless.
More importantly…
After his speech, the assembled lords felt reassured about the strength of the royal house, and morale naturally rose.
Ser Tyland quickly followed up by pointing to Lannisport on the map and said, "The Ironborn are known for their constant raids. As long as we station enough troops to guard the port, my brother should be able to handle it."
The Ironborn believed in taking by force rather than toiling in the fields.
Lannisport had been raided before and had long since developed strong defenses against the Ironborn.
"Your Grace, the dispute between House Blackwood and House Bracken in the Riverlands hasn't reached an irreconcilable point yet. Perhaps we could send someone to mediate."
Lord Lyman also offered his opinion, hoping to resolve the tensions in the Riverlands.
Viserys frowned as he studied the map. "What about Lord Glaver of Riverrun? He is the Warden of the Trident and should be handling these matters."
"Lord Glaver is quite elderly now. The real power in Riverrun lies with his son," Lyonel explained with a hint of helplessness. "Unfortunately, his son is a mediocre leader, and the Riverland lords do not heed his commands."
---
This chapter's war analysis is not random speculation from the author but is based on logical deductions from the actual situation.
In both the original book and the show, Dorne participated in the Stepstones War.
During the Dance of the Dragons, the Ironborn also raided Lannisport, led by Dalton Greyjoy.
The conflict between House Blackwood and House Bracken was also depicted in the show.
As for the Vale, the earlier text foreshadowed that Jeyne's father and brother were ambushed and killed by the mountain clans of Stone Crows when she was three years old.
Everything is well-reasoned and supported by lore!
**(End of Chapter)**