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Early in the morning, in the solar of Starpost Keep.
As usual, Arthur was taking his breakfast while listening to Maester Hubert report on the news brought by ravens from other parts of the Starfall domains. This had become his routine in recent days.
Maester Hubert adjusted his spectacles, sorted through the letters received that day, and pulled one out.
"This letter is from Ser Bard at Eagle's Roost. He has already garrisoned the four hundred men of the Mountain Corps there."
The Maester cleared his throat, his voice a bit raspy.
"The letter also says that after receiving the weapons and armor we provided, the tribes of the Red Mountains have already sent small bands of wildlings toward the Ring to raid nearby villages and outposts."
Arthur washed down a piece of white bread with a swallow of Summerwine.
"In your reply, instruct the chieftains that these infiltration raids are not battles. Their main purpose is to scout the troop deployments of House Roxton. If they encounter danger, they are to retreat back to the Red Mountains immediately."
After getting used to the taste of Amber Peach Nectar, drinking Summerwine—which had a similar profile but was a tier lower in quality—felt like chewing wax to Arthur.
Thinking of this, Arthur added, "Tell Ser Bard that once he has a clear picture of House Roxton's deployments, he is to lead his men to burn down a village or an outpost."
"And how shall we deal with prisoners?" Maester Hubert asked. "Shall we..."
"Maester, we are not Redwynes," Arthur set down his cup, his expression calm.
"Those who resist or refuse to surrender—kill them all, regardless of age or gender. But those who surrender... after the village is burned, release them."
"Before you let them go, tell them this: The reason they were attacked and their homes burned is entirely due to the atrocities committed by House Redwyne. Tell them the Redwynes disguised themselves as pirates and slaughtered the elderly, children, and those who had already surrendered."
Maester Hubert buried his head in his work, his quill scratching rapidly across the parchment, ink blooming on the surface.
After finishing the letter, he set it aside to dry and picked up another.
At that moment, Penrose quietly offered a cup of lemon water. The Maester nodded gratefully, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed the refreshing drink.
"This letter is a reply from Ser Carlo. He is strengthening the defenses of Blackmont as you ordered and organizing men to rush the harvest of the crops north of the castle," Maester Hubert cleared his throat, his voice no longer raspy.
"My Lord, the letter also mentions that he has sent additional scouts north to monitor Horn Hill for any movement from House Tarly. So far, there are no signs of levies being mustered at Horn Hill."
Arthur finished his meal quickly and reviewed the supply list Pike had submitted for the Mountain Corps encampment. He signed his name and stamped it with his seal.
"Reply to Carlo and tell him not to be complacent. I know the road from Horn Hill to Blackmont is rugged and treacherous, unsuitable for a large army, but he must still guard against surprise attacks by small, elite units."
"House Tarly's words are First in Battle, and Randyll Tarly is one of the finest generals in the Seven Kingdoms. He must be extremely vigilant."
Blackmont was crucial to Starfall. It sat at the confluence of two rivers in the upper Torrentine valley, flanked by the towering Red Mountains to the east and west. The terrain was perilous.
To the north lay endless hills and forests. If the Reachmen dared to launch a major offensive from the north, supply attrition alone would drag them to their deaths.
But if Blackmont were taken, the Reachmen could use it as a foothold to sail down the Torrentine River, exposing the heartland of Starfall to their blades.
Although historically, no invasion of Dorne from the Reach had ever come through this route—most came via the Prince's Pass, the Boneway, or by sea—Arthur treated House Redwyne and the massive entity of the Reach with utmost caution. He dared not relax for a moment.
The Maester took another sip of lemon water to moisten his throat. "Reports from both Beaconwatch and Starfall indicate that the Redwyne Fleet has been spotted in the Summer Sea. They are blockading all ships approaching Starfall Port."
"Additionally, the letter from Starfall states that House Redwyne has sent an envoy. He departed Starfall yesterday and is on his way to Starpost Keep to see you. By my reckoning, he should arrive today."
Arthur was not surprised by the blockade. It was one of the advantages of controlling the sea.
However, without a corresponding land offensive, a naval blockade alone would have limited impact on Starfall in the short term.
The real headache for Arthur was that House Redwyne held the initiative. With control of the sea, they could strike anywhere along the coast or even attempt to push up the Torrentine River, making defense difficult.
In the past, Arthur had relied on the Torrentine River as a barrier against the Vulture King. In the future, this river might become a weapon for the Reachmen to invade Starfall's lands.
"Is there any other news?"
Maester Hubert shuffled through the remaining envelopes. "The rest are reports from various vassals regarding the time needed to harvest their crops. Most estimate between two to four weeks."
Arthur looked at him. "Reply to all vassals. Instruct them to store at least half of their harvest. Reduce the amount of grain used for brewing ale."
Unlike the arid deserts of the rest of Dorne, the Torrentine valley had ample fresh water. Its agricultural output was comparable to the Greenblood region near Sunspear, meaning grain yields were not low.
This, along with the Amber Peach Nectar and the iron from the smithing district, was one of the reasons Arthur felt confident enough to expand the professional Mountain Corps, removing more men from agricultural production.
In the afternoon, Arthur took Kallen and Nick on horseback to inspect the harvest and grain reserves of the manors and estates directly under Starfall and along the road to Starpost Keep.
The sun baked the earth, and the air was filled with the scent of dust and ripe grain.
In the fields, farmers bent their backs to reap the harvest, sweat soaking their rough linen tunics. Women and children followed behind, gleaning the scattered stalks.
"Seven be praised, the harvest in the Torrentine valley is good this year." Fat Kallen wiped sweat from his forehead constantly as he rode, but his voice was full of relief.
"Looking at the fields, the yield is at least twenty percent higher than last year."
"Next year will be even better." Nick's eyes showed fatigue, but looking at the harvest scene, he smiled genuinely.
"Just in Starpost Keep alone, I've settled no fewer than two thousand free folk recently. We've opened up seven new manors heading south along the Torrentine..."
"A bountiful harvest always brings joy," Arthur said.
Truth be told, compared to winning a battle, he preferred seeing a good harvest. Farming was etched into his very genes.
Next, they inspected several granaries, which were filled with grain stored from previous years.
The scent of grain mixed with the smell of dry straw was particularly strong in the stifling heat of the storerooms.
Arthur grabbed a handful of wheat and let the kernels slip through his fingers. Listening to the soft rustling sound, he felt a deep sense of peace.
Grain reserves were the foundation of war. As the saying goes, With grain in hand, the heart does not panic.
As the sun began to set, they returned to Starpost Keep.
The walls cast long shadows in the twilight, and the banners on the towers hung listlessly in the still air.
When Arthur and his party approached the gate, the guards immediately straightened their backs.
"Lord Arthur." A guard stepped forward to salute.
"The envoy from House Redwyne has arrived. He is waiting in the reception hall."