Chapter 77: Conquering the Penins
Though Rhaegar''s voice was youthful and his stature small, the presence of Cannibal at his side loomedrge, casting a formidable shadow over the assembled wildlings.
At hismand, the wildlings bowed in awe before the imposing figure of the dragon.
Taking control of the situation, Rhaegar continued, his tone firm, "Now that you''ve pledged your allegiance to me, you''ll obey my everymand without hesitation or risk facing the wrath of dragonfire."
The wildling leaders, at first filled with fervor, submitted, understanding that resistance would only lead to their destruction.
For the wildlings were not stupid; they knew that the curse meant death for them, while the dragonfire offered a chance at salvation.
In the presence of the mighty dragon, the previously disparate and rebellious wildlings were drawn to the prospect of a stronger leader.
Watching the newfound admiration in the savages'' eyes, Rhaegar''s own emotions stirred, a sense of responsibility settling on his shoulders.
After a moment of reflection, he issued his firstmand.
"The Shadow Creature threatens all tribes besides yours. Before it bes too powerful, you will unite under my banner and take control of the penins!"This was Rhaegar''s improvised strategy: gather the wildlings, draw out the Shadow Creature, and destroy it with dragonfire.
A chorus of excited cheers erupted from the wildlings at the promise of conquering the penins and subjugating rival tribes.
Among this tribe of fierce warriors, who engage in perpetualbat, nothing rivals the intensity of their passion, whether in battle or in love.
...
The Next Day
The next day, Rhaegar gathered the wildling leaders and entrusted them with the responsibility of leading their respective tribes.
Having lost their leader, the Soldier Pine tribe chose a sessor and united under the name Crab w, signifying their allegiance to Rhaegar as their supreme leader.
The valley proved to be an ideal location for their settlement, offering abundant resources and natural defenses.
Rhaegar ordered the women and children to remain in the valley, guarded by a hundred skilled warriors drawn from the five tribes of the wildlings. With the addition of the elderly, infirm, and nonbatants, their numbers swelled to over three thousand.
After weeding out those unfit for battle, Rhaegar was left with a force of about a thousand warriors, a formidable contingent for his purposes.
Their mission was clear: to fan out across the swamps and pine forests, seeking out and subduing the tribes of savages throughout the penins.
At the mere sight of his dragon circling twice overhead, the savages willingly submitted, their silent acquiescence speaking volumes.
In just five days, Rhaegar''s dragon traversed the eastern reaches of Crackw Point, quickly bringing more than a dozen small tribes under his control and swelling his ranks to tens of thousands.
On the edge of a poisonous swamp, Rhaegar reclined in a rudimentary shelter made of animal skins.
Sitting amidst the animal skins, Rhaegar inquired, "How many have we assimted today?"
"Prince, we''ve assimted over two thousand in total, with only about eight hundred of them fit forbat," Skr, now dressed in linen, reported, presenting thetest tally of recruits.
The strategy of the Peninsr Savages was remarkably simple.
Rhaegar wasrgely inactive, except for the asional dragon ride to intimidate rebellious tribes, relying mainly on the manpower provided by the Crab ws.
Skr continued, "You have traversed the eastern penins on dragonback and integrated the wild tribes. However, there are noble castles in the western region, so we''ve refrained from rushing in."
"No matter, the nobles of the penins are sworn to the Iron Throne," Rhaegar replied somewhat nonchntly.
The conquest of the penins proved to be less exciting than expected, more like a game of make-believe.
The ignorant savages fell to their knees at the mere sight of the dragon, sparing Rhaegar any significant effort.
At that moment, the tent ps parted to reveal a tall figure.
"Prince, the leader of the White Crow tribe refused to surrender, so I''ve brought you his head," Trangal, one of the first Crab ws to swear fealty, knelt before Rhaegar and offered a bloodied head.
They met regrly with Rhaegar, and though he refused the title of Dragonlord, they dly addressed him as Prince.
Frowning in disapproval, Rhaegarmanded, "Dispose of the remains and spare me of such disy."
Were it not for the Shadow Creature, he would have dly distanced himself from these brutal disys.
Each of them seemed as dense as a block of stone. How much longer would he have to endure such barbarism?
He noddedand left, announcing, "The White Crow tribe has been subjugated, and the eastern penins is tribe-free. We will rest tonight and move on the western region at dawn."
"Agreed, Prince," Trangal affirmed, preparing to take his leave.
Skr interjected with concern, "We''re running low on supplies, and with so many mouths to feed, the valley''s resources won''tst long."
"How long can we sustain ourselves?" Rhaegar inquired, straightening his posture.
"Three days at the most," Skr replied curtly.
"s, with tens of thousands to feed every day, how did you manage before?" Rhaegarmented, never having dealt with logistics.
"Tormund and I struggled to feed ourselves for half a year under Uncle Falcon''s care," Skr recounted.
"Let''s hurry to the western penins and deal with the Shadow Creature quickly," Rhaegar instructed, with a worried expression. "Was there any sign of the creature?"
"No, it looks like he hid, knowing it was being chased," Skr replied, expressing her frustration.
...
Two dayster, on a deste mountain pass, a procession of wildlings hurried westward.
Above them soared a colossal ck dragon, its vast wings casting a shadow over thend below.
With the eastern reaches of the penins secured, Rhaegar led the wildlings on a great migration.
But he exercised prudence, choosing not to take everyone.
The elderly, the infirm, children, women, and half of the warriors remained in the east, living off the hunt.
The remaining contingent,consisting of over two dozen Crab w leaders and more than 2,300 men, apanied Rhaegar westward, carrying provisions for three days.
Though seemingly modest for a force renowned across the continent, their numbers made for a formidable army on this deste penins.
Along the way, theyencountered several small noble ns, entrenched in the valleys for generations, with noble titles but mired in poverty.
As Cannibal''s wings passed overhead, these lesser nobles emerged from their dwellings and pledged allegiance to the prince.
But their loyalty proved weak when Rhaegar demanded supplies for the wildlings.
They refused even when he promised double repayment, and only relented when they saw the power of the dragon.
...
"Attack!"
"Kill the dogs of House Brune!"
"Damn you Crabbs, ughter them all!"
Hovering above, Rhaegar watched a chaotic melee unfold in an open field below.
"Cannibal, let''s descend and survey the scene," hemanded, tapping the dragon''s spine as they descended.
Below, a motley group of iron-d "soldiers" shed, their clothingcking proper armor, most wearing rough linen robes.
Their weapons, aged and worn, betrayed the appearance of a formal army.
Rhaegar watched the skirmish, noting the banners on both sides, marsh marigolds and a deadwood adorned with skeletons hanging on both sides of the clearing.