Grey Gallows is considered the largest island among the many islands of the Stepstones, and it was once the final stop for the Loisne during their great migration.
Nameria of the Loisne built a town here, and from this base, she made contact with Dorne, eventually forming an alliance with House Martell and marrying Mors Martell, the then-head of the house.
Therefore, Sunspear has always claimed ownership of Grey Gallows, but over time, Grey Gallows has changed hands many times.
During the Usurper War, Sunspear's fleet raided Grey Gallows, annihilated the pirates entrenched there, and regained control of the island and its surrounding islets.
However, this island has changed hands again.
A few months ago, Sunspear's Golden Sun Pierced Spear banner was lowered from the flagpole, replaced by the banners of the Three Sea Monster Alliance and Summerhall's Bloody Longsword, which now fly over Grey Gallows and its surrounding island towns.
For House Martell, although they reached a trade agreement with Lynd to support his revenge, this deal was actually made under duress, because they knew very well that once Lynd began his campaign to unify the Stepstones, Grey Gallows would not be able to withstand Lynd's fleet.
If it had been before Lynd subdued the Sea Dragon Glutton, they might have been able to unite with the pirate alliances near Essos and contend with the Miracle Fleet, but from the moment Lynd subdued the Sea Dragon Glutton, there were almost no fleets at sea that could confront the Miracle Fleet.
It was only a matter of time before Lynd took the Stepstones, so rather than having it passively taken from them, it was better to proactively offer it for trade, which would maximize the preservation of their interests.
Doran Martell was previously the Governor of Grey Gallows, responsible for administering Grey Gallows and its surrounding islands, and also the commander of House Martell's fleet.
He had been stationed at Grey Gallows for almost ten years, and he understood every blade of grass and tree on Grey Gallows.
Now, the former owner of the island returning as a guest filled him with an inexplicable sadness, and what made him even more sorrowful was that in just a few short months, he no longer recognized the port of Grey Gallows, where he had lived for ten years.
When he handed over the island, this port was just a very ordinary small port, capable of accommodating at most ten flat-bottomed fishing boats, but now this port has become a large port capable of accommodating dozens of large warships.
The port docks are all flat surfaces constructed with mortar, pebbles, and flagstones, and neat rows of warehouses and barracks extend from the docks all the way to the edge of the small town.
The original small town has been completely covered, and all the people in the town have become dock workers.
Doran recognized many of the people working on the dock, such as the scribe who was recording goods, who was a maester he had once hired who had been expelled from the Citadel.
There was also the warrior leading people on patrol at the dock, who was his former Captain.
At that time, this person didn't even have a complete set of armor, but now he was wearing a very exquisite set of standard leather armor, and his hair and face were neatly groomed, looking completely like a different person.
After a sigh, Doran disembarked and, guided by an envoy, walked towards a manor outside the town.
That had once been his residence, but now it was occupied by others, and it was he who had proposed the trade of Grey Gallows.
Thinking about it now, it was truly ironic.
Indeed, the person who proposed trading Grey Gallows before Lynd officially made his move was not Doran Martell, but he, the Governor of Grey Gallows.
As for the reason, although he wrote a well-reasoned and elaborate letter to Sunspear, the actual reason was only one: he was afraid.
Because he guessed that Lynd would inevitably move against the other islands of the Stepstones, he decided to visit Miracle Port beforehand to understand the true situation of the Miracle Fleet.
However, halfway through their voyage, they encountered a Miracle Fleet patrol clearing out pirates.
He watched the entire process as the Miracle Fleet effortlessly sank more than a dozen pirate ships to the bottom of the sea, losing only two longships themselves.
However, this was not the direct cause of his fear.
The real reason was that as the ship was about to dock, he saw the Sea Dragon Glutton, which had just completed its patrol of the Dorne Sea, emerge from the sea and enter its lair.
The Sea Dragon Glutton's enormous size exceeded his understanding of dragon physiques.
He couldn't imagine how his Sunspear fleet would effectively resist such a colossal beast when encountered, let alone defeat a dragon.
At that moment, he knew he had to do something, otherwise, he would not only lose everything he had but also his life.
So, after returning to Grey Gallows, he wrote an urgent letter and sent it to Sunspear.
Originally, he had not expected his proposal in the letter to be directly approved, and he had prepared to personally return to Sunspear to explain the pros and cons to Doran Martell.
However, to his complete surprise, Sunspear directly agreed to his proposal and quickly made a decision, reaching a trade agreement with Summerhall, directly transferring Grey Gallows to the Miracle Fleet.
To be honest, he was very reluctant on the day of the transfer, but now he knew he had made the right decision.
He was still the commander of the Sunspear fleet, and the residents of Grey Gallows did not have to fall into war, and they could also get good jobs and lives.
At least, when he felt unwilling, he would use similar thoughts to persuade himself.
After entering his familiar manor, he was led to what used to be his study.
At this moment, many people were already standing in the study, including some familiar figures such as the three Ironborn of the Three Sea Monster Alliance, and Halls Redwyne, the commander of the Miracle Fleet.
These great figures who could cause a tsunami in the Stepstones sea by stomping their feet were now standing obediently in the room like attendants, listening to the only person sitting in a chair assigning them tasks.
"The matters are arranged thus.
All of you go and execute them!
I don't want to waste too much time here; one naval battle is enough." Lynd, sitting behind the desk, quickly signed several orders and handed them to Halls and Asha.
Then he looked at Doran Martell, who had entered, waved his hand, dismissing everyone from the room, and motioned for Doran to come forward.
Half a year after Augustus was born, Lynd secretly left Redemption Town and went to Miracle Port.
Then, at Miracle Port, he boarded a patrol warship and came to Grey Gallows in the Stepstones, officially beginning to preside over the unification war of the Stepstones.
The Sea Dragon Glutton also met Lynd in the Dorne Sea and came together to the Stepstones, preparing to participate in the upcoming great naval battle.
Upon arriving at Grey Gallows, he immediately summoned his subordinates who had arrived earlier in the Stepstones and assigned the various tasks that had already been planned.
Originally, Dorne's fleet was not included in the plan, but Doran Martell wrote to him, telling him that according to the agreement, Dorne would send a fleet to support his unification war.
For Lynd, the more subordinates, the better, but the premise was that they could follow orders and not cause trouble.
So, when Doran came forward, he looked at this old naval general, who was decades older than himself, and asked in a deep voice, "Ser Doran, I have received Doran Martell's letter, and it says that you will be under my command during this period, completely obeying my orders.
May I ask if the content of Doran Martell's letter is true?"
"Of course it's true.
I, Doran Martell, am here to obey your commands," Doran said with a solemn expression, lifting his head and puffing out his chest.
"I heard you were once the Governor of Grey Gallows.
Now I occupy your former territory.
Are you not angry?" Lynd continued to ask.
Doran said seriously, "If you ask Doran Martell, you should know that it was I who proposed trading Grey Gallows with you, my lord.
So you don't need to worry that I will have any anger towards you, and I will certainly obey your orders in battle.
Please rest assured on this point."
"Very good." Lynd stood up, motioned for Doran to follow him, then walked into the combat room specially cleared out on one side of the study, and came to the terrain sandbox of the Stepstones sea area.
On the sandbox, many ship models were already placed.
Doran immediately discerned from the placement of these ship models and the markings on the ships that Lynd intended to conduct a decisive battle in Dark Forest Bay.
Currently, Lynd has occupied Bloodstone, Torture Abyss, and the island now named God's Grace Island, plus Grey Gallows, meaning Lynd has taken two-thirds of the islands in the entire Stepstones.
The remaining islands are a few islands close to Essos, which are controlled by the Pirate Alliance and Tyrosh.
"Tyrosh and the Pirate Alliance, individually, cannot contend with my Miracle Fleet and the Three Sea Monster Alliance.
They are well aware of this, so all their ships are concentrated here in Dark Forest Bay, preparing to concentrate their forces to raid God's Grace Island," Lynd said, pointing to the sandbox.
"I will grant their wish and have a decisive battle with them in Dark Forest Bay to determine the king of the Stepstones.
You will not need to participate in this naval battle; you only need to be stationed here."
Doran looked at the small island on the lower right edge of the Stepstones that Lynd was pointing to, immediately understood Lynd's meaning, and said, "You want me to guard against Tyrosh's fleet.
You think Tyrosh will send a fleet to support them."
"Not think." Lynd picked up a piece of intelligence from the side of the sandbox and handed it to Doran.
It seemed that this intelligence had just been shown to others.
Doran looked at the content, which was very brief, just one sentence: "Tyrosh's fleet secretly left port late at night, destination unknown."
"How many ships did you bring, and can you block Tyrosh's fleet?" Lynd asked in a deep voice.
"Please rest assured, this time I brought thirty warships and forty oared ships, which are enough to contend with Tyrosh's fleet," Doran said with great confidence.
"If you need, I can also annihilate Tyrosh's fleet within the Stepstones."
Lynd shook his head and emphasized, "No, I only need you to block Tyrosh's fleet and prevent them from participating in this naval battle.
It's best not to engage them.
I need them to return to Tyrosh intact."
Doran paused, not understanding Lynd's intention, but he still nodded and said, "I will try my best not to engage them, but once engaged, I cannot hold back."
Lynd nodded and said, "Alright, once engaged, how you fight is entirely up to you."
Afterward, he quickly filled out a material requisition form and had Doran go to the warehouse to collect various materials.
Although Doran had already brought the necessary materials when he arrived, he naturally wouldn't refuse to receive an additional batch of materials.
In a way, this batch of materials could also be considered compensation for their fleet's support.
After assigning the tasks, Lynd left the manor and went to the dock.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, he summoned the Glutton from the seabed, then sat on the Glutton and swam towards God's Grace Island.
While Lynd was arranging his fleet, more than a dozen ships of various sizes were moored around a somewhat desolate small island in Dark Forest Bay.
Some small boats were lowered into the sea from the side of the ships, and the Captain of each ship took these small boats to the island.
From the attire of these people, it was clear that they were divided into two groups.
One group was dressed lavishly, with hair dyed conspicuous red, blue, and purple, wearing rather strange hats, and their words and actions looked like proud peacocks.
The other group was shabbily dressed, covered in dirt, with various bone ornaments in their hair, and their weapons at their waists were adorned with bells, copper plates, and other items, making various noises as they moved, thereby announcing their arrival.
When the two groups gathered, the atmosphere was not harmonious but very tense.
One group's eyes revealed disdain, while the other's eyes looked more like they were looking at a group of prey.
A middle-aged man from the group in lavish clothes stepped forward and said in a strange-sounding Valyrian, "Alright!
If we don't unite now, there will be no place for us in these seas in the future.
We are not the enemy; the enemy is over there!"
At this moment, an old man from among the pirates stepped forward and said, "Otthos, you broke your promise.
You said that after we united, you would provide sufficient weapons.
Now what?
Where are the weapons?
Don't tell me it's just the sand under our feet?"
The middle-aged man said in a deep voice, "A few months ago, Miracle Port temporarily cut off our weapon supply, citing unsafe shipping routes.
That batch of weapons was originally meant for you..."
The old man interrupted the complaint, saying, "I don't care about that.
Miracle Port cutting off your weapon supply is not the same as you providing us with weapons.
It's still the same: provide weapons, and we'll fight the Miracle Fleet and the Three Sea Monster Alliance with you.
No weapons, and we'll leave tonight.
You can't expect us to fight empty-handed!"
"Please rest assured, since we promised to provide weapons, we will," the middle-aged man gestured to a servant behind him, and then a box was carried out from behind the crowd.
The middle-aged man opened the box, and inside were neatly arranged longswords, scimitars, and other weapons.
Without waiting for the old man to speak, the pirates swarmed forward, took out the weapons from the box, tested them, and all showed satisfied expressions.
"The rest are on that ship; go get them yourselves," the middle-aged man pointed to a ship moored at sea, then continued, "The weapons and equipment have been delivered as promised..."
Before he could finish, the old man thumped his chest and shouted, "Don't worry, our ships will gather at the designated location, and then we will follow your Tyrosh fleet and kill those barbarians from the western islands!"
He paused, then added, "If we don't act together now, we'll never have another chance."
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