The smoke over the Whispering Sound had not yet fully cleared when the shocking news of the Arbor's fall took wing. Like ravens carrying the scent of blood and ash, the tidings flew swiftly to every major castle in Westeros.
King's Landing, The Red Keep.
King Aerys II's reaction was not regal fury, but a piercing shriek that blended paranoid rage with twisted delight. He hurled an exquisite goblet against the wall painted with the map of Westeros. Crimson wine ran down the plaster like blood.
"Useless! The Redwynes are useless!" he screeched, his voice echoing in the empty hall. "They can't even handle pirates on their own doorstep! And they let my Kingsguard die with them!"
But the Ironborn's blatant victory was, in the end, a challenge to the authority of the Iron Throne. He spun around to face the silent members of the Small Council, barking orders almost hysterically. "Send a command immediately! To Tywin Lannister at Casterly Rock! Order him to muster the Western fleet and army at once! Sail south and exterminate those Ironborn savages! Immediately! Now!"
Casterly Rock, The Westerlands.
However, this rage-filled command sank like a stone into the bottomless mines of Casterly Rock.
Lord Tywin Lannister sat in his solar, looking at the urgent scroll from King's Landing. His face, frozen in perpetual ice, showed no emotion. His golden hair and trimmed whiskers were meticulous; his green eyes held only unfathomable calculation.
The Iron Islands attacked the Arbor? To him, this barely counted as bad news. House Redwyne had always been close to the Crown, making them potential rivals in the game of power. Their weakening aligned perfectly with Lannister interests.
Send troops to rescue them? For a Mad King's chaotic whims? To go head-to-head on the open sea with an Iron Fleet that had just won a massive victory, possessed high morale, and displayed shocking tactical brilliance? Send the sons of the West and precious warships to fill that bottomless pit?
Lord Tywin's finger tapped lightly on his desk.
There was no response. No orders to mobilize troops. No sign of the fleet gathering. Casterly Rock, true to its name, maintained an absolute, suffocating silence. He simply had the messenger carry back a cold verbal reply: "The Westerlands must defend its own coastline." —An unimpeachable excuse that clearly stated his attitude.
His silence was, in itself, a powerful political signal.
Highgarden, The Reach.
Compared to the sluggish inaction of King's Landing and the cold indifference of the West, Highgarden's reaction was swifter, fiercer, and far more painful.
The Arbor was House Tyrell's strongest and wealthiest vassal, the pillar of its naval power, and a close ally bound by blood. Lady Olenna was a Redwyne by birth. The Ironborn attack was a knife driven directly into the heart of the Reach.
The rose gardens of Highgarden were seemingly shrouded in a killing frost overnight. The "Queen of Thorns," Lady Olenna Redwyne, had anticipated trouble and prepared troops for support, but she never expected the defeat to be so fast—or so total. The entire Arbor had fallen.
When the full nightmare was confirmed, cold fury burned in her aged, worldly-wise eyes. A Tyrell daughter had married Adrian's son; her grandson had Redwyne blood. The Arbor and Highgarden were inseparable.
On one hand, she began mobilizing the massive land armies of the Reach with frightening efficiency. Countless banners began to converge on Highgarden. Simultaneously, she ordered every seaworthy vessel to prepare for a long, drawn-out war of vengeance. The machinery of war began to rumble.
But on the other hand, the shrewd Lady Olenna knew better than anyone that gathering a great army took time, and the Ironborn longships were nailed into the Arbor right now. A rash attack might force those savages into a corner, leading them to execute her brother and nephew (Adrian and Paxter), along with countless noble hostages.
Most importantly, on the sea, even the "biggest and strongest" Redwyne Fleet had been shattered by the Ironborn. The hastily assembled fleet she could muster now likely stood no chance against the Iron Fleet.
Therefore, while the war drums beat loudly, a delegation flying the golden rose of House Tyrell set sail on a fast ship toward the Arbor with a highly complex mission.
Their public mission was "negotiation"—to buy time through diplomacy, probe the Ironborn's bottom line, and perhaps ransom some prisoners. But the core, urgent secret mission was to confirm whether the Redwyne father and son were alive. They had to see Adrian and Paxter breathing with their own eyes. Only then could Highgarden decide its next move: launch a total war at any cost to reclaim their kin and seek revenge, or accept a cruel reality in despair and make a colder strategic adjustment.
The delegation carried a letter personally signed by Lady Olenna, worded with extreme caution. With heavy hearts, they sailed toward the island now shrouded under the Golden Kraken flag, an island that seemed to smell of blood and iron.
Shortly after, this olive branch of peace—and fuse of war—was placed in the hands of King Quellon Greyjoy.
The wording of the letter, like Lady Olenna herself, was full of seasoned political wisdom and restrained sharpness.
The handwriting was elegant and clear, obviously penned by Highgarden's best Maester, but the will between the lines was undeniably that of the "Queen of Thorns."
The letter began with standard noble greetings and a list of titles, but quickly cut to the chase:
"To King Quellon Greyjoy:
We have learned at Highgarden of the unfortunate conflict that recently took place in the Whispering Sound. My brother, Adrian Redwyne, acted with rashness and a lack of foresight in this matter. His understanding of His Grace the King's will may have been deviated and misjudged, leading to excessive measures that offended the dignity of the Iron Islands. This point, we do not deny.
However, the battle is now concluded, and the victor is decided. The valor and strength of the Iron Islands have been fully demonstrated. Continued bloodshed and suffering benefit neither side, nor is it the wish of the Seven Gods. Therefore, on behalf of Highgarden and the Reach, I appeal for an end to this state of hostilities.
I implore Your Grace to uphold the spirit of chivalry and the magnanimity of a victor:
First, do not harm the innocent civilians of the Arbor. They had no part in their Lord's decisions; the sins of war should not be borne by the common folk.
Second, do not harm my brother, Lord Adrian Redwyne, his son Paxter Redwyne, or any other captured members of House Redwyne and the nobility. Ensuring their personal safety and basic dignity is the foundation for all subsequent negotiations.
To compensate for the losses and offense suffered by the Iron Islands in this event, and in exchange for the safe release of all prisoners, House Tyrell is willing to offer fair and generous reparations. The specific form and amount of compensation can be discussed jointly by representatives appointed by both sides. Gold, grain, timber—all are negotiable, and we will strive to satisfy King Quellon Greyjoy and his lords.
I hope Your Grace will consider this carefully. War is easy to begin, but the fruits of peace are far more precious. I await your wise reply.
Olenna Redwyne (Signed)
Mother of the Duke of Highgarden, Advisor to the Warden of the South."
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