It had been several days since Daenerys first laid eyes on the Cannibal. Every day, she would seek out Lynd and plead with him to summon the dragon again, staring at it up close as if she could never get enough.
As for Viserys, the day he first saw the Cannibal had been disastrous for him. Losing all sense of reason, he had attempted to tame the great beast before Lynd's very eyes, relying on nothing but his Targaryen bloodline. The result? The Cannibal had swatted him away with its tail like a mere nuisance, sending him flying. Whether it was sheer luck or some resilience on his part, he had survived the blow—though not without severe injuries. Several bones were broken, and he was now bedridden, unable to move.
It was unclear whether his decline was due to his physical injuries or the humiliation of his failed attempt to control the dragon, but Viserys had grown increasingly despondent. Every time Daenerys returned from visiting the Cannibal and excitedly recounted how she had touched its scales, Viserys' eyes burned with jealousy.
Lynd noticed the shift in Viserys' emotions but paid it no mind. He had more pressing matters—namely, concluding negotiations with Tyrosh.
The compensation talks had been finalized, and the agreements had been signed. Tyrosh had obediently handed over the first installment of their reparations and allowed the Miracle Fleet to take control of the docks.
Lynd had chosen not to press his advantage further—not because he lacked the desire, but because Tyrosh's military strength had not yet been fully depleted. The city still housed a significant number of mercenary companies, and its Unsullied garrison remained formidable. The city's defenses were far from broken.
A direct assault on Tyrosh would require more troops than Lynd currently had at his disposal. He could use the Cannibal to take the city by force, but doing so would leave him with nothing but a pile of ruins. Capturing Tyrosh was one thing—holding it was another.
After setting aside the recent victory in the Stepstones and reassessing his strategy with a clear mind, Lynd decided to stick to his original plan: stirring conflict in the Disputed Lands to weaken the military forces of Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh. Once those cities had been sufficiently drained, he would use other means to prevent Myr and Lys from intervening—leaving Tyrosh isolated and vulnerable.
For this reason, rather than tightening his grip on Tyrosh, he had deliberately eased the compensation terms, ensuring that the city retained enough strength to wage war elsewhere.
Tyrosh's Archon and his officials had been stunned by the unexpectedly lenient terms. In their eyes, Lynd had obliterated their fleet, pressed upon their borders, and blockaded their port with a sea dragon. They had fully expected him to demand an outrageous price for peace—so much so that they had braced themselves for painful sacrifices.
Yet, when they read the compensation agreement, they all wondered if Atester, their representative, had somehow brought back the wrong document.
After double- and triple-checking its contents and finding no errors, their suspicions turned to potential hidden traps. They spent the night poring over every line, trying to uncover any deception. But no matter how they scrutinized it, they found nothing.
Thus, in their arrogance and prejudice, the Tyroshi leadership convinced themselves that Lynd was simply adhering to the so-called "chivalric ideals" of Westeros.
To them, Westeros was nothing more than a large island, home to primitive barbarians. The only thing they acknowledged as admirable from across the Narrow Sea was the concept of knightly virtue, born from the Faith of the Seven.
Since Lynd was the Chosen One of the Faith, they assumed that he must be bound by those very ideals—ideals they often viewed as foolish. They speculated that, when drafting the compensation terms, he had been overcome by a knightly sense of honor, leading him to make a foolishly generous offer.
Eager to secure the agreement before he could "come to his senses," the Tyroshi leadership swiftly ratified the compensation terms, finalized the agreement, and rushed to deliver the first payment.
...
While Lynd was signing the treaty, Asha and her forces successfully completed their conquest of the Stepstones. There had been some resistance—pirates had attempted to evade capture by hiding in island caves—but Asha's forces were ruthless.
Rather than waste time flushing them out, they simply tossed wildfire into the caves and piled in wet firewood. Those who didn't suffocate from the smoke either burned to death inside or tried to flee—only to be set ablaze by the wildfire and perish anyway.
In the end, every pirate who had sought refuge in the caves perished without exception.
After that, there were no further obstacles. The families of the pirates, along with other island residents, were relocated east of the Prince's Pass to a newly constructed settlement, where they were forced to participate in building the stronghold. With their old homes gone and no means to resist, any lingering threat of rebellion was crushed.
Meanwhile, the now-vacant islands were resettled with prepared colonists. New infrastructure was being laid out, and before long, the islands would be fully under control.
...
Off the southeastern coast of the Stepstones, the Sunspear Fleet—commanded by Daeron Martell—came face to face with a Lysene fleet near Helm Bay.
Lys had dispatched a formidable force: thirty long-oared warships, twenty armed merchant vessels, and several warships retrofitted from fishing boats. Clearly, they had no intention of allowing the Stepstones to be unified under a single ruler and were prepared to stop it at all costs.
Their fleet attempted to sail along the coastline, trying to bypass the Grey Gallows region. But as fate would have it, they sailed straight into the waiting Sunspear Fleet.
Neither side made the first move. The two forces remained locked in an uneasy standoff, their warships facing each other across the waves, tension thick in the air.
It wasn't until news arrived that Tyrosh and the pirate alliance's fleet had been completely annihilated—and that Lynd had successfully unified the Stepstones—that the Lysene fleet silently turned back toward Lys.
Among the three major Free Cities in the Disputed Lands, Lys was the one Lynd cared least about. Controlling the Stepstones meant controlling the primary trade route between Lys, the North, and Westeros. This was precisely why, upon learning of Lynd's plan to unify the Stepstones, Lys had cast aside its long-standing enmity with Tyrosh and sent a fleet to support them.
As an island-bound city-state, Lys was entirely dependent on maritime trade. Essential supplies like food could only reach it by sea. If Lynd deployed the Miracle Fleet and the Cannibal to blockade Lys' waters, preventing any ships from coming or going, he could effectively starve the city into submission.
Lys could appeal to Tyrosh and Myr for assistance, but ships from those cities would have to pass through the Stepstones to reach them. Even if reinforcements traveled overland through the Disputed Lands to the southern coast, they would still require a fleet—and not just transport ships, but warships capable of battle.
The only other power capable of aiding Lys was Volantis. However, Volantis and the Triarchy—the alliance of Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh—were sworn enemies. The Volantenes would sooner see the Triarchy suffer than spend resources helping an old foe.
Thus, from the moment Lynd secured the Stepstones, Lys was trapped like a turtle in a pot. Once Tyrosh was dealt with, Lys would be next.
Despite already viewing the three Free Cities as his eventual conquests, Lynd did not act aggressively toward them. Instead, he immediately sent envoys to Lys and Myr to negotiate a new trade agreement. The proposal suggested forming a trade alliance with the Triarchy, using the Stepstones as a checkpoint to control the flow of commerce between Essos and Westeros.
Of course, his true goal was to dominate the region's trade. The "trade alliance" was merely a ruse to lull the Free Cities into complacency. Negotiations over trade agreements and alliances could drag on indefinitely, and Lynd planned to stretch them out long enough to buy time until he was ready to strike Tyrosh.
...
As Lynd was contemplating his next move, Daenerys approached him, unable to hold back a question that had been troubling her for days.
"Lord Lynd, do you have Targaryen blood in you?"
"No." Lynd shook his head firmly.
A flicker of disappointment crossed Daenerys' face.
Lynd regarded her calmly. "Do not judge a person's worth by their bloodline alone. Some are born of noble lineage but act with cruelty. Others may have humble origins but live like saints."
"Like you?" Daenerys asked in a serious tone.
Lynd chuckled and nodded. "Yes, like me."
As he spoke, he pulled out a dragonglass necklace etched with dragon runes and handed it to her.
"Take this as a gift," he said. "I've imbued it with magic. When you feel restless or overwhelmed, wear it—it will help you stay calm. But don't wear it for too long. Only use it when you truly need it."
Daenerys eagerly put the necklace on, and almost immediately, she felt its effects. Her face lit up with surprise and delight. Carefully, she removed it and tucked it away in her small cloth pouch.
Lynd added, "This necklace is also a token. If you ever need help, take it to a branch of the Miracle Merchant's Guild in whatever city you find yourself. They will aid you however they can."
Daenerys hesitated, her expression turning somber. "Are you leaving?"
Lynd nodded. "Yes. The compensation agreement has been signed, and there's no reason for me to stay. I'll return to Summerhall. My subordinates will handle the rest."
Hearing this, Daenerys' mood visibly dampened. These past few days had been some of the happiest she could remember. She had clean clothes, plenty of food, and no longer had to live in hiding, starving and afraid. No one paraded her around like an exotic trinket at feasts, forcing her to endure their prying stares. Most of all, she had seen a dragon—proof of the power her family had once wielded.
The moment she had laid eyes on the Cannibal, something had awakened within her—a deep, unshakable longing.
She wanted a dragon of her own.
"Will I ever have a dragon?" she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper. It was unclear whether she was asking Lynd or simply voicing her own hopes.
Lynd reached out and gently ruffled her silver-gold hair. "You will. One day, you will have your own dragon."
Daenerys turned to look at him, her eyes filled with an emotion that was part gratitude, part skepticism. She clearly thought he was merely trying to comfort her, not making a prophecy.
...
Before departing Blackstone Island, Lynd arranged for a merchant ship to take the Targaryen siblings to Pentos. Though he knew that once they arrived, Illyrio Mopatis would take them in as honored guests, he still slipped Daenerys some extra coin—just in case.
After seeing them off, Lynd left Blackstone Island and toured the newly conquered Stepstones before returning to Miracle Harbor.
The Miracle Fleet did not accompany him. Instead, it relocated its headquarters to Grey Gallows Island, overseeing the Stepstones' naval defense.
Lynd did not immediately send Asha and Baelor to the Iron Islands to vie for control. Instead, he kept them stationed in the Stepstones, ensuring stability until the Miracle Fleet had enough ships, officers, and sailors to maintain control over the region's waters.
As for Dagon Harlaw, he had no intention of returning to the bleak and frigid Iron Islands—even though he was the rightful heir to Harlaw Isle.
Dagon thrived in the Stepstones like a fish in water. Not only had he married a Lysene woman and fathered two sons, but he had also sent one of them to Harlaw Island to be raised by his father, Rodrik Harlaw, Lord of the Ten Towers. The boy would serve as a stand-in heir for House Harlaw.
Lynd had no objections to Dagon's decision. In fact, even if Dagon hadn't chosen to stay, Lynd would have ensured he remained in the Stepstones. Dagon wasn't just a capable naval commander—he was also an extremely rare kind of skinchanger, one bonded with a marine creature.
In all known records of skinchangers, every case involved bonding with land creatures—wolves, shadow cats, hunting dogs, or birds such as ravens and hawks. There had never been a recorded case of a skinchanger forming a connection with a sea creature.
Yet Dagon had done exactly that. His bond was with a massive octopus, a sea monster infamous among sailors. It lurked in the waters around the Broken Arm, frequently attacking passing ships and dragging them beneath the waves.
In truth, Lynd had been aware of the sea monster's existence even before the Sea Dragon began attacking ships.
At the time, Dagon and Asha's fleet had been pursuing a group of pirates around the Broken Arm. Somehow, they had disturbed the creature, and it had annihilated several pirate ships before turning its attention toward Dagon and Asha.
At that critical moment, Dagon unexpectedly established a mental connection with the beast.
However, this connection was shallow. Unlike other skinchangers, Dagon could not fully project his consciousness into the creature or control its actions. He couldn't issue commands or influence its decisions. All he could do was sense the beast's presence and instill a sense of familiarity, ensuring it did not see him as prey.
When Lynd learned of this, he abandoned the idea of killing the creature and instead instructed Dagon to cultivate the bond. He had Dagon visit the Broken Arm regularly and train under techniques for skinchangers provided by Malora.
After two years of training, the bond had strengthened considerably. Dagon could now issue rudimentary commands—such as instructing the creature to attack or avoid specific ships.
Lynd was confident that with continued practice, Dagon would one day gain full control over the sea monster. When that day came, the creature would serve as a crucial tool for maintaining dominion over the Stepstones. At that point, Asha and Baelor would be free to leave for the Iron Islands to secure Lynd's claim to its rule.
...
After giving Asha and the others their assignments, Lynd prepared to conclude his inspection of the Stepstones and return to Miracle Harbor.
At that moment, an envoy from the Magister of Lys arrived on Grey Gallows Island, requesting a personal meeting with Lynd to discuss maritime trade.
Lynd rejected the request outright, using an excuse to delay the talks. He had no intention of finalizing the trade agreement anytime soon—if anything, he needed to stall negotiations for as long as possible.
After being denied an audience, the Lysene envoy made another proposal: a massive weapons order.
The size of the order was staggering, nearly equivalent to all previous Lysene orders combined. What stood out most was the nature of the requested weapons—primarily curved blades, identical in design to the ones favored by the Dothraki.
Lynd wasted no time in approving the deal. His trade officials quickly sealed the contract, though they also attempted to probe for information on why Lys needed such an enormous stockpile of weapons. The envoy, however, revealed nothing.
Lynd didn't press the matter. These weapons would have been sold to Lys eventually, and if the city was eager to buy, it only made his job easier.
...
Upon returning to Summerhall, Lynd began receiving troubling reports from the Free Cities.
Myr, which had been absent from the Stepstones conflict, and Tyrosh, which had only recently paid a hefty sum in reparations, both sent envoys to Grey Gallows Island within the next two months—each requesting similarly massive weapons orders. And like Lys, they all sought the same type of weapon: Dothraki arakhs.
The unusual pattern made Lynd suspect that a major shift was unfolding in the Disputed Lands—one that he had yet to uncover. While signing the weapons contracts, he also dispatched spies to several Free Cities to gather intelligence.
The reports confirmed his suspicions.
A massive gemstone mine had been discovered in the Disputed Lands, and it was an open-pit mine—easily accessible, requiring minimal effort to extract the gems.
All three Free Cities had declared ownership of the mine simultaneously, each claiming absolute rights over it. War was inevitable.
But rather than fight themselves, they had all reached the same conclusion: they would hire multiple Dothraki khalasars to fight on their behalf.
This explained the sudden surge in demand for Dothraki weaponry.
For Lynd, this was excellent news.
He no longer needed to orchestrate a war—the Free Cities had done that for him.
All he had to do was ensure the conflict dragged on, long enough for their military strength to dwindle to the level he had planned for.