"Andalos, the blessed land of the Seven Gods, shall once again flourish under the leadership of His Majesty Viserys, the 'Warrior Incarnate'!" The sun shone on the Andal seven-pointed star banner as Andal monks loudly bestowed blessings.
Unlike the pampered noble monks in the Great Sept of Westeros, the monks of Andalos were more like country priests.
Although the monks looked ragged, they genuinely served the people, and the Andals liked these rough-hewn monks.
"Andalos, the blessed land of the Seven Gods!"
"May the Seven Gods bless Andalos and bless King Viserys!" The Andal soldiers and common folk shouted loudly, as if returning to the era when iron-clad cavalry roamed freely and Andal knights dominated.
Viserys listened to the shouts of the Andal warriors and common folk, feeling as if a golden halo truly descended upon him; that was the will of the people, that was divinity.
These shouts added a layer of "godhood" to him, connecting the scattered villages.
For the Andals to become strong again, it ultimately meant re-establishing organization, re-integrating fragmented villages into a centralized nation, and introducing discipline and obedience.
The explosive military power unleashed by the integration of backward civilizations was something the decadent Free Cities could not comprehend.
Viserys was poised, ready to give those corrupt Archons and merchants a small taste of the Andalos iron fist.
"Here in Andalos, we are essentially dancing on four eggs," Viserys told Ser Roland Lake, the drillmaster, and Umber, the Bishop of Andaros.
Andalos is located south of Braavos and the Braavos coast, east of the Narrow Sea, and west of the Norvos Hills.
The western part of Andalos, near the Narrow Sea, is flat, while the east is hilly, such as the Velvet Hills. South of the hills is the southern border of the ancient kingdom, now flatlands controlled by Pentos.
In short, Andalos is a land besieged from all sides. It is surrounded by Braavos, Pentos, Norvos, the rhoynar, and the dothraki, not to mention the iron throne, their enemy across the Narrow Sea.
"That is indeed the situation. Although there are natural defenses like the coastline and the Rhoyne River, it doesn't change this predicament," Bishop Umber said.
"If we can deal with one side's enemies, our troubles will be much smaller," Viserys said after some thought.
Pentos is already an undefended city. The current powerful neighbors are mainly the secret city of Braavos to the north and the dothraki Horse Riders to the east. Of course, if his power expands further, he might even face armies from Westeros crossing the sea.
Viserys's strategy was to unify Andalos, achieve peace in the north and south, and choose to expand into other areas.
For now, he would ensure peace with Braavos in the north, maintain the status quo with Pentos in the south, and then extend his power eastward and westward.
"The Greenvine Family has more money, and Stone Family can provide much-needed iron goods. I'm afraid they won't willingly submit..." Ser Roland Lake, wearing a blue and white cloak, said.
Even a drillmaster and enforcer like Ser Roland understood the impending power struggle.
The Greenvine Family and Stone Family likely harbored ambitions of becoming the "King of Andalos"; they simply lacked the power and were too timid. Fearful of both wolves and tigers, they remained in their comfort zone.
But now, with Viserys, an outsider, parachuting in, their thoughts were easy to guess.
"Given the situation, should we be wary of the Greenvine Family and Stone Family?" Bishop Umber whispered a reminder again.
"We can be wary, but not too deliberately," Viserys told Bishop Umber.
To strike, one must first endure; this was Viserys's strategy. Viserys would not expose the Greenvine Family's affairs now, only waiting for a better opportunity.
Viserys was not showing weakness, but rather needed to form a trap that could simultaneously deal with the incoming Tyroshi slavers, the Greenvine Family, and Stone Family.
"Bishop Umber, there's one more thing you need to pay attention to: the movements along the Rhoyne River," Viserys said. "The movements of the rhoynar at the border, and the movements of the dothraki Horse Riders."
"It is my honor, Your Majesty," Bishop Umber Andaros replied. "When the Andals rise again, those rhoynar neighbors will certainly not sit still."
The relationship between the rhoynar and the Andals has a quantum entanglement quality to it, with grievances and cooperation, and now it's more like poor siblings pulling at each other.
The most peripheral Andal and rhoynar villages would intermarry and occasionally fight over land and water. But Andal and rhoynar civilizations had long since fragmented; now, it was at most village-level skirmishes.
The Andals said that the "Blacksmith" taught them the art of ironworking, recorded in their "Seven-Pointed Star Bible." This was essentially self-aggrandizement, as the rhoynar civilization was more advanced and skilled in ironworking back then.
Considering that the Andals migrated from the Axe Peninsula to Andalos, it's highly probable they learned rhoynar techniques.
But the Andals were not good students; instead, they wanted to expand into the Rhoyne River, but their strength was too disparate, and they were always beaten back. It wasn't until the Andals discovered that the Valyria Dragonlords of the Eastern Continent were even more formidable Khornate monsters that most of them chose to flee.
Wooing the rhoynar is at least a limited strategy for the next step, because the fate of the rhoynar and the Andals is now completely aligned. Both were once prosperous but are now oppressed, fragmented civilizations.
Just as Viserys had an idea in his mind, the main army arrived at a ford on the Upper Rhoyne River; it was time to cross.
The main army moved from the west bank of Andalos to the east bank.
"Cross the river!" Viserys brandished his longsword.
The sound spread like a plague, starting with the King's guard, then the cavalry, then the infantry, then the people in the carriages, and finally the walking Andal common folk.
"Cross the river!"
"Cross the river!" All the voices merged into tens of thousands of shouts.
"When historians write about me in the future, my history will begin in Andalos." Viserys cracked his whip, and his black steed led the charge across the Upper Rhoyne River.
Then, the ford was continuously trampled by hooves, carriages, and pedestrians, mixing the smell of horses with human sweat. This combined scent marked a rare large-scale migration for the Andals.
Viserys spurred his horse, the wild wind sweeping across his cheeks and hair. He was eager to return to his fortress, his capital.
When he left Braavos, he was merely a landless king in exile. Now, in Andalos, he finally had his own small kingdom, and though small, it harbored infinite hope.
Although it was called the old state of Andalos, its destiny was to be renewed.
"Viserys's Keep has arrived!"
"The fortress has arrived!"
The accompanying Andals looked up at the fortress on the hills of the Upper Rhoyne River's right bank. This stone fortress and town also symbolized the Andals' re-establishment of their nation.
Seeing the main army at the foot of the mountain, Syrio and Rhaenys on the watchtower immediately gave orders, signaling a welcome to the King and his retinue.
In response, horns sounded from the mountaintop, their clear military calls forming a new echo.