Several more merchant caravans from Volantis entered Meereen, bringing with them something of utmost importance to Wright—hundreds of ravens caged and ready to be used.
Under the supervision of Berricio, the ravens were settled into Meereen's grand pyramid for the first time. They were controlled by a few lower-ranking Volantene noblemen, the second sons who had secretly learned raven breeding techniques from Wright for a long time.
However, the ravens in Meereen couldn't even fly as far as Tyrosh. They would have to be routed through Volantis first. Once communications were established, Wright sent out his first letter to Volantis.
---
In Volantis, the three Triarchs stood together. One was from the Tiger Party, and the other two from the Elephant Party. In the recent election, the Tiger Party general who had led the fleet to conquer Lys replaced the previous member of the Tiger Party, becoming one of the Triarchs.
In the council room, the three Triarchs wore the black Valyrian dragon-shaped pendants over their clothing.
"Today we received three letters from Lord Wright," said Dofas Pennymion, setting two letters aside. "One is addressed to King's Landing, the other to Tyrosh. Those need to be sent out immediately."
He held up the final letter. "This one is about Volantis. You two take a look."
Naisso Visama took the letter and read it for a while. "This situation happened so suddenly. If we follow Lord Wright's orders to recall the scattered troops from the contested territories, it will take at least a month before they can be mobilized to support Meereen."
"I know," Dofas smiled. "But we can't afford to be idle during that time. While the army is being recalled, we can get a lot done."
Naisso raised an eyebrow. "You mean to use this opportunity to eliminate others?"
Dofas nodded. "Most of the armies in the Nine Free Cities and Slaver's Bay are stirring. While we follow Lord Wright's orders, we can also settle our own matters. It's a win-win situation."
The newly appointed Triarch Stangoni, who was usually silent, gave a nod, and after some discussion, the three Triarchs agreed on the plan.
The next day, Volantis sent out a large number of messengers heading north. Some were tasked with recalling the army, while others went to the northern Volaena River region to spread policies to the fugitive slaves and criminals hiding there.
Signed by both the Lord of Tyrosh and the Triarchs of Volantis, the decree declared that Volantis would open its borders for one month. The disputed lands under Tyrosh's control were now open to all.
Every hundred people would receive a map and a small cloth with the flame-crowned stag of Wright embroidered on it. As long as they didn't enter the lands of Lys or Volantis, the land they claimed would belong to them. Anyone with the cloth would Swannar fealty to the Lord of Tyrosh and gain the status of a commoner, protected by the army.
The news spread quickly. People who had no money or land were eager to go to a place where they could acquire both. Volantis was happy to rid itself of these unstable groups.
In the northern small towns of Volantis, it was common to see regular troops marching south and refugees migrating west. The two groups, both long used to bloodshed, would often pass by one another without interference.
---
The first batch of houses in Tyrosh was completed, and many slave workers were transferred to the outer city to construct the second phase of buildings as planned. The inner city was now thriving with activity.
"We're running out of time! You're still not done yet!" Ashara yelled as she stood in front of the inner city gates, hands on her hips.
"It'll be done soon!"
Master blacksmith Gendry Waters had recently been studying Wright's books on gears. He had installed a mechanical device on the inner city gates to save soldiers' strength when opening them, but today the gears jammed.
Wright's letter had just arrived, calling all officials in Tyrosh to the castle for a meeting. Now, Ashara and several other officials were trapped at the gates of the inner city.
Bang! Crack! "Watch out!"
Several soldiers grabbed the winch and pulled hard, causing the gears to break apart. The gates were completely stuck.
"This!" Gendry was also frustrated, pulling at his hair.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Ashara drew the twin swords from her back and activated fire magic, delivering a series of powerful strikes to the gate. Fortunately, the gate had been hastily constructed by Gendry using wood as an experiment, and soon, Ashara's sharp swords created a large hole.
"You're always fiddling with these useless things. You're such an idiot!" Ashara had once been called an idiot by Wright, and now that Gendry was often producing failures, she finally caught the chance to call him an idiot every time she spoke.
"Actually, these things are very useful," Gendry said, his face covered in grease. He walked down from the gate tower, helplessly explaining to the others.
"Stop talking and get to the castle. This is an emergency meeting. I have a bad feeling about this," Garlan Tyrell said, pulling Ashara by the arm and dragging her away. If he didn't, she'd stay there talking for half the day.
The first floor of Tyrosh Castle was completed, and the hall was tall enough to reach the second floor, though the roof wasn't yet finished. The group gathered in a small meeting room, where Nymeria and Tyene were already seated in the prime seats.
After confirming everyone who could attend was present, Tyene spoke. "The others from the other islands haven't arrived yet. We'll pass along the message to them later. Today, we received letters from Wright. You should all have a look."
The letters stated three things: Wright had captured Daenerys Targaryen, killed Khal Drogo, and killed Quentyn Martell. These events affected different factions with varying degrees of urgency.
In Meereen, Khal Drogo's death was prioritized, followed by Daenerys, and preparations were being made to defend the city from the first wave of retaliation from the Dothraki.
The Golden Company was focused on Daenerys, as without her, the two dragons would become wild, ruining their plans to bring Meereen under their control, so rescuing her was critical.
But in Tyrosh on the Stepstone Islands, Daenerys was merely a fugitive, and Drogo Khal wasn't even known. The most serious matter was Wright killing Quentyn Martell, which meant dealing with the imminent threat from Dorne.
Garlan was a bit nervous. "Wright really only handles big matters! Nymeria, as far as I know, Dorne and Robert only signed a ceasefire agreement, they didn't formally pledge allegiance. Quentyn's death could provoke Prince Doran to send troops against Tyrosh."
"Quentyn sought a marriage alliance with Daenerys. Even if it failed, he was still with her, and that's collusion with rebels aiming to restore the Targaryen dynasty. That's a death sentence!" Aurane Velaryon said excitedly. He needed to make it clear that Velaryon was entirely separate from the old regime.
Garlan asked, "Why isn't Intelligence Officer Estermont here?"
Tyene replied, "He was ordered to go to King's Landing. He won't be back for a few months."
Garlan pressed, "Has Lord Wright given any instructions on what we should do next?"
Nymeria had been silent the whole time. She was deeply troubled—her husband had killed her relative, her father wasn't here, and now she had to consult with Tyene and the officers. She gently caressed her belly and said softly, "Wright has told us to announce this matter in his name, and then we will see what Prince Doran does."
No one responded immediately. For now, that's what they would have to do.
Captain of the Guard, Balon Swannn, thought for a moment before speaking up. "Nymeria, we mustn't focus solely on Prince Doran. We need to understand the attitude of Dorne's nobles. Among the dead, there was also the powerful Yronwood!"
House Yronwood had been powerful in Dorne before House Martell unified the region, holding titles like Bloodroyal, Lord of Greenbelt, and High King of Dorne. They still held the knightly title of Bloodroyal. Their lands bordered the Stormlands to the north, and they had long resisted the Stormlands' nobility, creating many enemies there.
Upon hearing the mention of House Yronwood, the others thought of the series of events and turned their eyes toward Nymeria.
Oberyn had killed an Yronwood lord in his youth and been exiled. Now, because of Wright, they had lost their bastard son, Daemon Sand, and now their heir had been killed.
Ashara Dayne looked around, "I suppose this is an inescapable feud, huh?"
Nymeria thought for a moment, then looked up seriously at the group. "The man has been killed by Wright, and not even the Seven could bring him back. As acting Ruler, I now issue a formal order. First, we will not provoke Dorne, nor will we initiate any wars. All regions should prepare for possible invasion, and we will wait for Prince Doran's response!"
"Understood!"