Game of Thrones: Knight’s Honor

In autumn and winter, the monsoon from the Summer Sea blows from west to east. With sails fully set, the wind puffed up the canvas, propelling the ships forward. Although the ocean currents flowed from east to west, they had little impact on the fleet's progress.

After departing Oldtown, Willas's fleet enjoyed smooth sailing, facing no obstacles. The sheer size of the fleet deterred any ships with malicious intentions. In just two days, they passed through Whispering Sound and arrived at the Redwyne Straits near Arbor Island.

Willas had initially planned to visit House Redwyne on Arbor Island to discuss wine procurement. However, the delay in Oldtown forced him to postpone the visit until his return from Dorne. Despite this, Lord Paxter Redwyne sent a ship to meet Willas at sea, bringing along Willas's aunt, Mina Tyrell.

Lord Redwyne had married Mina Tyrell a few years earlier, strengthening the bond between House Tyrell and House Redwyne. The marriage had further cemented their alliance, with the Redwynes entrusted to safeguard the southern seas of The Reach. The couple's harmonious relationship and the birth of twins within their first year of marriage further deepened the connection between the two houses.

Lord Redwyne's eagerness to meet Willas stemmed from the need to explain the Ironborn attack on Oldtown. As the guardians of the southern seas, the Redwyne fleet had a duty to prevent such incursions. The attack, led by Euron Greyjoy, and the subsequent failure to intercept his retreat constituted a major failure. Although Lord Redwyne had promptly written to Highgarden to explain, he remained uneasy and sought to convey the circumstances to Willas personally.

When the Ironborn struck Oldtown, a large storm had hit the sea near Arbor Island, lasting five to six days. This prevented the Arbor fleet from leaving port. By the time the storm subsided, news of Oldtown's attack had already reached them.

Willas did not doubt Redwyne's account, as reports of the storm had already circulated among merchants in Oldtown. Some wine merchants, initially planning to sail to Arbor, had postponed their trips, waiting for conditions to improve.

Relieved by Willas's acceptance of his explanation, Lord Redwyne secured a wine procurement agreement with him and requested that Willas relay the details to Highgarden. Before departing, Lord Redwyne added two warships to Willas's fleet as an escort to Dorne.

Following the Arbor meeting, the fleet encountered no significant events. Each day at sea felt monotonous, with little to break the routine of endless ocean views. To entertain themselves, some organized a bare-knuckle boxing tournament onboard.

Lynd, having anticipated the tedium, had purchased a few books in Oldtown to occupy his time. He spent his days reading in his cabin, practicing swordplay on the deck, or visiting Malora's cabin to observe her work on medicines and "magical" holy objects.

Noticing Glory's seasickness, Malora concocted potions that proved effective, and within days, Glory became lively and full of energy again.

The fleet sailed for over ten days, eventually crossing the Summer Sea and arriving near Sunspear. Along the way, merchant ships, believing themselves safer from pirates when traveling alongside the large fleet, joined Willas's convoy. By the time they reached Sunspear, the fleet had grown to over a hundred ships, blanketing the outer sea near Sunspear.

Although Willas had informed Sunspear of his arrival through a raven sent to House Dalt of Lemonwood, the sight of such a massive fleet alarmed Sunspear. In response, Sunspear dispatched its fleet to block Willas's approach and sent an envoy to convey Prince Doran's terms.

The envoy, Manfrey Martell, was Prince Doran's cousin and the steward of Sunspear, holding a status second only to Prince Doran and Prince Oberyn. The decision to send such a high-ranking official underscored the importance Sunspear placed on Willas's visit.

However, Manfrey brought a difficult message: Prince Doran would only permit Willas to land with 200 knights and 300 soldiers. The remainder of his entourage had to remain aboard the ships and were not allowed to set foot on Dorne's soil.

"What? How can we manage with such a small number of people?" Before Willas could respond, others around him immediately voiced their objections.

"This is the limit of what the Prince has allowed," Manfrey said firmly, his expression serious. "If there are more, we will consider it an invasion of Dorne by The Reach." His gaze briefly lingered on Lynd and Glory before returning to Willas. "Lord Willas, the Prince has asked me to convey that he guarantees your safety and unimpeded passage through Dorne. Any attack against you will be regarded as an attack against Sunspear itself."

Hearing Manfrey's assurance, the room fell silent, and all eyes turned to Willas.

They understood that Dorne would never permit such a large number of Reach troops to land. In fact, Willas had already anticipated this during their journey and had discussed it with his staff. At the time, they had speculated that Dorne might only allow 100 knights and 200 soldiers ashore. The fact that Dorne had agreed to more than double that number was already a generous concession. Their objections had simply been a show for Manfrey.

Now that Manfrey had relayed Prince Doran's personal guarantee, which was as trustworthy as Lannister gold, no one could reasonably object further.

"I agree," Willas said simply, accepting Manfrey's terms without further debate.

Afterward, he and Manfrey discussed the logistical details of the landing: how to manage the docked ships and the people remaining on board, how to provide food and supplies, and the arrangements for their route to Godsgrace Castle.

During the conversation, Manfrey shared some unwelcome news: the Greenblood River's water level was critically low. In several places, the riverbed was exposed, rendering it impossible for ships to navigate upstream to Godsgrace Castle. This meant that Willas and his entourage would need to disembark at Sunspear and travel to Godsgrace overland.

Manfrey then suggested, "Prince Oberyn will also be traveling to Godsgrace for the tournament. If Lord Willas is amenable, you could accompany him."

"In that case, I'll gratefully accept Prince Oberyn's company," Willas replied. He understood that this arrangement was likely intended to ensure his safety during the journey.

After finalizing the arrangements, Manfrey prepared to leave. Before departing, he extended another invitation: "Lord Willas, after disembarking, please visit the Water Gardens outside the city. Prince Doran has arranged a reception dinner in your honor."

Willas readily accepted. Meeting Prince Doran was the central goal of his visit to Dorne. Without Prince Doran's support, any agreements he might reach with the lords attending the tournament at Godsgrace would hold little weight.

Even if Manfrey hadn't suggested the dinner, Willas would have sought an informal meeting with the Prince. A formal audience was out of the question, as Willas's status as the heir to Highgarden was far below that of Prince Doran, the ruler of Dorne.

Since his ultimate objective was to persuade Prince Doran, Willas had been gathering as much information as possible about him throughout the journey. He spoke to various people, hoping to better understand the Prince's character and preferences to craft an effective strategy.

However, this effort had only left him more perplexed. The more he learned, the more contradictory Prince Doran's image became. He could not form a clear picture of the man.

To most people, Prince Doran seemed like a pitiful figure. For years, he had lived under the strict domination of his mother, fhe Princess of Dorne. Only recently, following her death, had he been able to assume power and take control of his own rule.

However, Prince Doran was in very poor health and perceived as weak in character. The people of Dorne seemed to favor his younger brother, Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper, and many of the lords of Dorne appeared to disregard Prince Doran's authority. It often seemed as if he could lose his position as Prince of Dorne at any moment and be replaced by Oberyn.

Yet, others painted a very different picture of Prince Doran. They claimed that he had quietly taken power from his mother, the Princess of Dorne, long before her death, despite still being regarded as an heir at the time. While it appeared that the lords of Dorne were dissatisfied with him and resistant to the authority of Sunspear, the reality was quite the opposite.

For instance, after the brutal murder of Princess Elia and her children over a year ago, the entire region of Dorne, summoned by Oberyn, had rallied a large army to march north for vengeance. However, Prince Doran had issued a single order to disband the army where it stood, and the lords complied. Even Oberyn, known for his fiery temper and defiance, was confined to Sunspear under his brother's command.

This demonstrated that Prince Doran's control over Dorne was as firm as Lord Tywin Lannister's control over the Westerlands.

When Willas once asked the Queen of Thorns for her opinion on Prince Doran, her response was enigmatic. She admitted that she could not definitively assess him. According to her, Prince Doran always operated in the shadows. In his younger years, he had hidden behind his mother's dominance; now, he concealed himself behind Oberyn's flamboyant personality.

The Queen of Thorns explained that anyone attempting to study Prince Doran's character or abilities based on the information he allowed to be seen would inevitably draw the wrong conclusions.

She summarized the two brothers with a metaphor. Oberyn Martell, the Red Viper, was like a poised viper, its head raised and ready to strike. Although it was difficult to avoid such an attack, at least one could see it coming. Prince Doran, on the other hand, was the kind of viper that buried itself in the sand. Invisible and patient, it struck only when it was certain of a lethal and precise outcome. Its target might not even have the chance to realize who had attacked before it was too late.

This was the first time Willas had heard his grandmother speak so highly of anyone, and it only heightened his curiosity about Prince Doran.

While the rest of the fleet worked to select the 100 knights and 500 soldiers who would accompany him to Godsgrace, Willas could not wait any longer. He took a small boat to Sunspear, accompanied by Lynd, Garth, and 20 knights.

Sunspear, situated on the coastline north of the Greenblood River, was surrounded by the sea on three sides, with the land forming a natural deep-water harbor. A massive dock occupied the southern edge of the castle, enclosed by high walls separating it from the inner city.

To the west of the dock lay the Shadow City. Most of its buildings were made of adobe bricks, a mixture of mud and straw, giving the town a simple, old-fashioned appearance. The chaotic construction meant that many buildings were stacked haphazardly atop one another, as if built by a child piling stones. The result was a maze-like layout of narrow streets, unpredictable turns, and hidden spaces.

Despite its modest appearance, Shadow City was bustling with activity and wealth. The markets offered exotic goods like spices, silk, and porcelain from the East. Taverns and brothels thrived with patrons from across the world, and the lively noise of trade and conversation filled the streets until late at night. However, its confusing layout and hidden dangers meant that navigating the city without a local guide was perilous.

Upon arriving at the dock, Willas and his party were greeted by Sunspear officials who had been awaiting their arrival. The officials led them directly through the Shadow City to a manor house in the northwest. This estate, arranged by Prince Doran as their temporary residence, was located outside the Shadow City itself, likely to prevent any potential conflicts between the people of Dorne and the visitors from The Reach.