The dark blue Dornish Sea is calm.
A ship with a yellow sun and white moon quartered coat of arms splits the waves and heads south.
"Master Tas, Blood Reef Island is ahead."
The lord of the Evening Hall of the Storm, Lord Selwyn Tars, looked at the small island in front of him and ordered, "Come closer."
"My lord, I can't rely on it." The captain shook his head and said, "Blood Reef Island is surrounded by hidden reefs. Big ships can't approach it. If you want to go to the island, you can only change to a small boat."
Earl Selwyn nodded slowly, and suddenly understood why this island was chosen for the three-land talks.
Big ships can’t get close, and each lord is limited to bring only one guard to the island, which ensures that no one can play tricks on the Three Realms Talks.
After all, there are sinister, cunning, and unreputable Dornishmen on the opposite side, so such caution is necessary.
The Earl of Selwyn changed his boat and rowed to the island with only one family knight.
Going to the island, he realized that many people had already come here.
The lords of all sizes in the Stormland are basically present.
It seems that Caesar is quite attractive in the Stormland. Earl Selwyn thought to himself, and stepped forward to greet the nobles.
"Has Lord Caesar arrived?"
"Not yet." Countess Marie Meteling, lord of Wulin City, said.
Earl Selwyn looked around in the crowd, wondering, "Why didn't you see the Dornishmen?"
"It's in the hole."
Earl Selwyn looked in the direction of the old lady's finger, and saw a towering hill in the northwest corner of the island.
He took a few steps curiously, turned to another direction, only to find that there was a hollow in the mountain, which looked like a giant beast with its mouth wide open, and the stone pillars standing in a row were its teeth.
The Dornish people arranged a rough stone step in the cave, on which an iron chair was placed.
"What are they doing?" Earl Selwyn asked puzzled.
"Preparing for the coronation ceremony."
"The coronation ceremony?" Earl Selwyn froze for a moment, "Who will be crowned?"
"I heard that the people of Dorne are preparing to crown Princess Myrcella Baratheon." Madam Marie said with a hint of sarcasm in her tone, "They said that according to the inheritance law of Dorne, Myrcella's right to inherit the Iron Throne is ranked first. Before Tommen."
"Dorne's **** law." Earl Selwyn spat, and asked again: "High Court also agrees to crown Princess Myrcella? And Caesar?"
"They should all agree. Otherwise, this meeting would not have happened. Once Princess Myrcella is crowned here, the three realms of Reach, Dorne, and Stormlands will form an alliance to deal with the Lannister family in King's Landing. Madame Marie sighed, looking a little disappointed, "And Caesar probably wants to get the canonization of Duke of Storm's End from Myrcella."
Earl Selwyn frowned.
Because of his daughter Brienne, and because he is more optimistic about Caesar who owns the dragon, the Tars family has sworn allegiance to Caesar.
But now when he heard that Caesar was going to recognize Myrcella as queen, Earl Selwyn was suddenly unhappy.
"Caesar probably wouldn't do this." Earl Selwyn said, "Caesar killed Myrcella's brother back then, claiming that none of the three of them were of the blood of the previous king..."
At this moment, Earl Selwyn suddenly heard the sound of flapping wings in the air.
He raised his head, and saw a milky white dragon appearing above his head.
It was larger than the giant elephants Earl Selwyn had ever seen, and its spread wings cast a large shadow on the ground, making it daunting.
Caesar is coming!
The arrival of the white dragon has attracted everyone's attention.
Earl Selwyn stepped forward, wondering if he would see his daughter.
But obviously, he thought too much.
Samwell jumped off the dragon's back, holding a girl in a green dress and a winter snow rose garland in her arms—
Margaery Tyrell.
Earl Selwyn thought that his daughter would come as Caesar's bodyguard, but unexpectedly, Caesar did not bring a bodyguard, but brought his wife...
However, with Bailong around, there is really no need to bring any guards.
What's more, Caesar himself is also the top expert in the Seven Kingdoms.
"Lord Caesar." Earl Selwyn stepped forward to salute, "Miss Margery."
"Earl Selwyn." Samwell nodded with a smile.
Samwell still had a good impression of the Lord of the Stormlands who offered his allegiance to him.
"Lord Selwyn." Margaery also greeted with a smile, "I finally know who Miss Brienne inherited her stature and bravery from."
Earl Selwyn laughed out loud, and also replied with words of blessing and praise.
A group of storm lords also gathered around, and Samwell took Margaery to greet them one by one, and the atmosphere was quite harmonious.
At this moment, Mrs. Mary asked abruptly:
"Master Caesar, I heard that you plan to crown Princess Myrcella?"
"That was the idea of the Dornishmen and the people of the Reach." Samwell laughed, "It's not mine."
Earl Selwyn breathed a sigh of relief: "Lord Caesar, please believe me, the nobles of the Stormlands don't like Lannister, and they don't even like the false king on the Iron Throne."
Seeing all the storm lords nodding in agreement, Samwell's smile became more obvious.
He can now be sure that most of the nobles of the Stormlands are extremely angry and unwilling for the Lannister family to steal the Iron Throne that should have belonged to the Baratheon family. They are eager for revenge, eager to make Lannister pay the price, and eager to restore Glory of the Stormlands.
They just lack a leader.
But there is no such person in the current Baratheon family.
Stannis Baratheon was not a beloved lord, not to mention that he stormed the city of King's Landing before, but he was defeated and his reputation was discredited.
This is Samwell's chance...
At this time Loras Tyrell also came over.
Due to the recent civil strife and being too far away from Blood Reef, only the three little lords closest to the Dorne Sea came to the Reach this time, and Highgarden only sent Loras as a representative to watch the ceremony. .
After exchanging pleasantries, Samwell left Margaery to chat with the crowd, and walked towards the cave by himself.
There were more than 20 Dorne lords who came. Samwell probably glanced around and found that they were all lords from the central and eastern regions, and none of the territories in the west of Dorne that were far away from here sent anyone.
The Dane family of Starfall City, which is located in the westernmost part of Dorne, did not come either. However, given the current relationship between Starfall City and Sunspear City, even if they were close, Prince Doran might not send an invitation.
"His Royal Highness Doran."
"Sam." Prince Doran smiled.
"I'm looking at the sea." Prince Doran pointed to the front.
Samwell then noticed a thin figure by the sea, standing alone on a reef, looking into the distance in a daze.
"Do you know which family this island belongs to?" Prince Doran asked suddenly.
"It should be the Tolan family of Soul Hill." Samwell withdrew his gaze.
This island was chosen by him personally, because there are hidden reefs around it, and the big ships can’t get close to it—
This is guarding against the Qingting Island fleet.
Earl Paxter Redwyne has been missing, and Samwell suspects that the other party should be ambushing in this area of the sea.
"Yes." Prince Doran said, "Have you seen the coat of arms of the Toland family?"
"I remember a dragon eating its own tail?"
"Yes. This dragon represents time, with no beginning and no end, and it starts again and again." Prince Doran said with some inexplicable emotion, "Back then, Ser Christon Cole, the 'King's King', supported Prince Aegon on the Iron Throne. Princess Rhaenyla started a **** civil war. Now we're going to support the older sister and beat the younger brother...it's a cycle."
Samwell said with a smile: "I heard people say that time is like a carriage, which seems to keep moving forward, but in fact it is just the wheels turning repeatedly."
"Yes. There is nothing new under the sun." Prince Doran sighed for a while, took a box from the guard, and said:
"Sam, do you still remember my proposal when we met in Starfall City last time?"
Samwell looked at the ruby-studded Valyrian crown in the box, and nodded.
The last time we met, Prince Doran suggested that Samwell wear the crown that belonged to Aegon the Conqueror and marry Princess Arianne Martell.
Unfortunately, Samwell refused.
"Three hundred years ago, Aegon the Conqueror Targaryen donned the crown, married two queens, and conquered Westeros. Today, you can do the same, wear the crown, and marry my daughter And Margaery, this is also a cycle." Prince Doran looked at Samwell with deep meaning in his eyes, "I like this cycle more than brother and sister killing each other."
Samwell looked at the shining red crown, slightly lost in thought.
From Prince Doran's words, he smelled a different meaning—
The Martell family doesn't seem to intend to cooperate with Mrs. Olenna's plan.
"His Royal Highness, everyone is here, can the ceremony begin?" Loras walked over.
Prince Doran nodded with a smile: "Okay, let's start."
Then, he turned to Samwell: "If you have made up your mind, you can tell me at any time. I always think that this crown that belongs to the 'Conqueror' is more suitable to be worn on your head."
After finishing speaking, Prince Doran called all the nobles to attend the ceremony.
Princess Myrcella by the sea was also brought back, standing in front of the throne on the high platform, bowing her head in silence.
The bishop of Sunspear took the crown from Prince Doran and stood before Princess Myrcella.
"Myrcella Baratheon." The bishop said solemnly, "Under the gaze of the Seven Gods today, you are crowned king.
Put on the crown, you should be merciful to the people of the Seven Kingdoms and ensure their livelihood; you should protect the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms and give them glory; you should protect the believers of the Seven Gods so that they will be bathed in the glory of God forever.
May the brilliance of the Seven Gods shine on your path forever, grant you strength and protection, and keep you from being harmed from generation to generation..."
Princess Myrcella kept her head down, not looking at the man in front of her or the nobles in the audience, like a puppet.
The nobles of the Stormland looked at Samwell with inquiring eyes, as if they were waiting for his statement.
"How are you thinking?" Prince Doran asked in a low voice.
"Can you not marry your daughter?" Sam Will said, "Change the conditions."
Prince Doran looked helpless: "You hate Arianne so much?"
"I am mainly worried that marrying two wives rashly will offend the nobles who believe in the Seven Gods. Aegon the Conqueror can marry two wives because he already has the strength to conquer the Seven Kingdoms, and I still have lacking."
"Okay." Prince Doran actually compromised, "Let my son Quentin marry one of your sisters. But you must leave an heir in the Martell family."
"Leave an heir?"
"Yes. Since you don't want to marry my daughter, then my nieces, Nymeria, Donna, Laurie...you can choose one of these beautiful 'sand snakes' as a lover and leave an heir."
Samwell frowned.
Prince Doran persuaded again: "As long as you agree to my conditions, the Martell family will give you full support. You can take away the storm army trapped in Dorne at any time. With them, you can easily conquer the storm." The loyalty of the nobles of the land. Even the armies of the riverlands and valleys, I can give you.
Believe me, with the help of House Martell, you will be on the Iron Throne sooner or later.
Sam, to get something you have to give something.
As a king, one must abandon personal preferences and make the choice that is most beneficial to oneself. "
At this moment, the bishop finally finished his long prayer, stepped forward, and put the crown on Myrcella's head.
Samwell let out a long breath, and finally nodded:
"good."
Prince Doran smiled: "Go, go and take off her crown and put it on your own head. Caesar, you are the real king!"
"My lords, please come forward and pay homage to the queen!" The bishop announced loudly.
Samwell strode forward and came to the high platform, but did not kneel down.
"Myrcella," Samwell called her by name, "whose blood are you from?"
Myrcella lowered her head, not daring to meet Samwell's eyes.
Comments erupted in the audience, the nobles of Riverbend looked at each other, the nobles of Stormland were eager to try, and the nobles of Dorne looked at Prince Doran, but the other party raised his hand to signal them to be quiet.
"All the illegitimate children of the former king Robert Baratheon have black hair, and all the offspring born from the combination of the Baratheon family and the Lannister family also have black hair. Why are you blonde?"
Myrcella lowered her head even lower, and her thin body began to tremble slightly.
Seeing this scene, Samwell couldn't say the next question.
This little girl may not be willing to accept the coronation, she is also a victim of power struggle.
Samwell sighed secretly, his tone slowed down a lot:
"Sorry, but you have no right to wear this crown."
After speaking, he stepped forward and took off the crown on Myrcella's head.
But at this moment, Samwell suddenly felt a sharp pain in his right hand.
Taking a closer look, he saw a slender poisonous snake hidden in the girl's long golden hair, biting his finger!
Mysera finally raised her head, her gaze as indifferent as ice:
“Man owes his life to God.”
(end of this chapter)