"Lord Varys, have your little birds keep a watchful eye on King's Landing and the Reach," Daenerys commanded, her gaze fixed on the Master of Whispers. "I want to know every move the enemy makes!"
Varys offered a deep, practiced bow. "Rest assured, Your Majesty. My little birds will sing of every secret they find for you!"
Following the Queen's decree, Dragonstone transformed into a hive of activity. Massive shipments of food and supplies flowed steadily from across the Narrow Sea, filling the island's storehouses to the brink. Under the sharp commands of their officers, soldiers spent their days sharpening steel and polishing plate. A heavy, chilling atmosphere of imminent war settled over the massive military camps.
Far to the north at Winterfell, Jason had wasted no time after his ascension. He immediately issued a royal decree aimed at the total unification of Westeros. To ensure control, he took the bold step of dismantling the traditional levies of the Riverlands and the North, integrating them directly into his own centralized command.
It was a ruthless maneuver that effectively stripped the northern lords and Riverland princes of their independent military power. Though the nobles bristled at the loss of their hereditary rights, they remained intimidated by the terrifying efficiency of Jason's modern weaponry and the support from the modern world. They watched in silent, helpless frustration as their personal retinues were absorbed into the professional ranks of the Starfire City army.
While the lords were resentful, the common soldiers were overjoyed. Compared to the armies of their old lords, where they often went hungry and wages were non-existent, joining King Jason's ranks was a dream.
"You're telling me we get paid and fed?" one recruit asked, staring at a tin of preserved fish.
Under Jason's banner, they received a monthly salary of fifteen silver dragons. More importantly, they were fed daily with canned meats and sweet, high-energy biscuits. The loyalty of the rank-and-file shifted almost instantly from their ancestral masters to the King who actually filled their bellies.
Even the Free Folk, led by Mance Rayder, had become surprisingly cooperative. Jason had moved their families to the more temperate lands near Starfire City, providing them with safety from the encroaching cold and hunger of the true north.
Mance and his warriors weren't fools. Compared to the frozen hell beyond the Wall where they had to scavenge for every scrap, life in Jason's service was a luxury. They wore warm, quilted cotton coats and carried automatic rifles that could tear through a knight's plate like parchment. They bowed their knees honestly, trading their wild independence for meat, warmth, and the sheer power of modern technology.
With the addition of the Free Folk and the reorganized Riverland levies, Jason's total force swelled to eighty thousand men. To expedite the conquest of the south, Jason consulted with his modern advisory group to devise a strategic three-pronged assault.
The first host, thirty thousand strong, was placed under the joint command of Jon Snow and Colonel Liam of the staff. Equipped with heavy artillery and a fleet of transport vehicles, they began their long march toward the Westerlands.
The second host, also numbering thirty thousand, was led by Edmure Tully, Duke of the Riverlands, and Colonel Lucas of the staff. This force mobilized toward the Vale in the east, their trucks towing heavy cannons through the rugged terrain.
Jason himself took command of the remaining twenty thousand men as the main force. His plan was to march to White Harbor and board a fleet of refurbished steel battleships provided by the modern world's naval reserves to strike directly at King's Landing.
Seeing the Army's staff officers taking such a prominent role in the unification, the Naval advisors had pushed hard to be included. Jason eventually agreed, setting the stage for a coordinated land and sea blitz that would sweep across the continent.
Jason felt confident in his choice of Jon Snow for the western campaign. With Colonel Liam and a dozens-strong staff of modern tactical experts guiding him, there was little doubt that the knights of the Westerlands would fall. Chivalry was no match for modern ballistics.
Back in the modern world, the pressure was mounting to finalize the unification. The sooner Westeros was stable, the sooner the "Big Development" could begin. The economic giants—oil tycoons, steel magnates, and agricultural conglomerates—were already sharpening their knives. They saw Westeros not as a kingdom to be ruled, but as a frontier of untapped resources ready for extraction.
These state-owned enterprises had begun a massive hiring spree, absorbing thousands of fresh university graduates to staff the upcoming cross-world projects. The domestic employment rate climbed steadily, a rare bright spot in a global economy still reeling from previous downturns.
However, this sudden surge in activity drew sharp criticism from international media. Foreign outlets labeled the rapid expansion a "bubble," predicting that such forced employment would lead to a catastrophic wave of bankruptcies. Even domestic critics—the "banana people" who favored foreign interests—took to social media to cry wolf, using their platforms to question the government's stability.
In years past, these critics might have swayed public opinion. But the new generation of graduates was smarter. They were the ones receiving the paychecks and the job security. They saw through the hypocrisy of foreign "lighthouses" and took to the internet to fight back. These young, tech-savvy workers effectively silenced the critics, drowning out the pessimism with the reality of their own success.
Meanwhile, back in Westeros, the three-way army in military vehicles was moving fast.
The column led by Jon Snow split from Duke Edmure's forces near Riverrun, turning their sights toward the mountains of the west.
"Jon, this iron box you call a 'car' is truly incredible," Ygritte said, her red hair windblown as she leaned out the window of the rumbling jeep. She ran her hands over the dashboard and the door frame, her eyes wide with wonder. "It's a damn sight more comfortable than a carriage, and twice as fast."