The surprise attack had achieved exactly the results Viserys had hoped for—perhaps even more.
Ock brought with him not only two thousand men, but also an unexpected gift: over twenty fully equipped warships had been captured.
The value of these ships alone was at least five times the cost of the entire operation.
In other words, not only had Viserys won the battle—he had profited from it.
On the deck, more than a dozen ship captains craned their necks like ducks, straining to witness a rare and solemn event.
For today, King Viserys was about to ennoble the son of a prostitute—granting him the title of Viscount.
[AN: As you may have noticed I plan to introduce titles like baron, viscount, count, marquis, duke etc, to easily identify the hierarchy]
When Ock first heard that Viserys intended to elevate him to the rank of Viscount, he couldn't believe his ears.
Now, he knelt dazedly before the king, his face and neck burning hot enough to cook flatbread.
He rested on one knee, laying his sword flat before Viserys' feet.
And when the king's sword touched his shoulder, a tingling numbness swept through his entire body.
From the corner of his eye, Ock saw his fellow officers—each one green with envy.
Not long ago, they had all sat together drinking, gambling, and even calling in the prostitutes Davos had brought over from the Free Cities to service them one by one.
But now, he was about to become a true noble.
Before this battle, they had called him Ock—or worse, "bastard-born." He never bothered to correct them.
But after today, they would have to call him Lord Ock.
Such was the power of military merit.
Viserys began to speak, and the entire deck fell silent, every man listening intently.
"In the sight of the gods, and before these noble lords and knights gathered here,
I, Viserys Targaryen the Third,
King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm,
do, in the name of the crown, grant you the title of Viscount.
You have been chosen as one of the nobility—not only in recognition of your character, but also in the expectation of the responsibilities you now bear.
Therefore, I command you:
To be loyal to the crown, to defend the realm, and to stand against all enemies.
To uphold law and justice, to protect the weak and punish the unjust. In war, to be brave and lead by example… to inspire your men. In times of peace… to serve the realm with honor and dedication.
Now, in the name of the king, I name you Viscount Ock. May your rule be wise, and may your sword always serve justice.
May the gods bless you, and may your house's honor endure."
In truth, by tradition, Viserys should have declared the lands associated with the title during the ceremony.
But aside from Dragonstone, he currently had no territory to grant.
So that detail was quietly omitted.
In private, Viserys promised Ock that his lands would be granted later. Ock, still giddy with the news of his elevation, had agreed without a second thought.
Having learned of the coming ceremony in advance, Ock had spent the whole night memorizing his oath.
But when the moment came, he was so nervous that he stumbled over his words.
"I, Ock Velwater, humbly kneel before you… I humbly swear…"
It was supposed to be a solemn declaration, but Viserys paid the stammering no mind.
He had pushed for this ceremony precisely to inspire the captains and soldiers—because another battle still lay ahead.
When Ock received the sword bestowed upon him by Viserys, he felt light as air.
Surrounded by so many onlookers, he was nervous and self-conscious.
And when a man is nervous, he tends to fidget.
Ock adjusted his grip on the sword, smoothed his sleeves, straightened his collar, shifted his posture—eighteen movements in a single second.
But most of the ship captains were rough men. All they saw was that a drinking companion had become a nobleman.
And every single one of them wished it had been them standing in that place.
Which was precisely the reaction Viserys wanted.
He turned to the gathered captains and said,
"All of you fought with great courage in this battle, and I thank you for it. Your rewards will be honored in full when we return to Dragonstone.
But know this—another battle awaits us. Or, rather, another barony waits to be claimed.
Word from Dragonstone tells us that yesterday's great storm destroyed every ship in port, including those at Crab Isle and Tidemark.
House Velaryon of Tidemark has betrayed House Targaryen and bent the knee to the usurper. If you help me take their stronghold,
I will grant the title of Baron to the one who contributes the most to our victory!"
At these words, the captains erupted with excitement.
They wished they could strap wings to their ships and fly to Tidemark and Crab Isle that very instant.
Once the captains had returned to their own vessels, Viserys began discussing strategy with the three Kingsguard beside him.
"Ser Arthur, Ser Oswell—I'll leave Tidemark to you. If possible, convince Lucerys to surrender. The people and wealth on that island are precious to us now."
"You can count on us, Your Grace," Ser Arthur said with confidence.
With Tidemark and Crab Isle stripped of their fleets, they were like knights without armor. Arthur had no doubt the island could be taken.
Viserys reminded him to be careful with his own safety.
As for Crab Isle—Viserys would go there himself, alongside Gerold.
The island was small, but Viserys's ambitions extended beyond it. He intended to visit the entire peninsula of Crackclaw Point.
The lords there were far more loyal than the old families of Velaryon and Celtigar.
Many noble houses from the peninsula had once produced Kingsguard.
Moreover, numerous families had sent their sons to fight beside Rhaegar at the Trident—and many of those sons had died.
Though Viserys would soon depart Westeros for Essos, he knew he would return one day.
Before leaving, he wanted to strengthen ties with the families of Crackclaw Point, offer them some "consolation," and lay the groundwork for his return.
And if they caused a bit of trouble for Robert Baratheon in the meantime, all the better.
Robert had long been a thorn in his side—now it was time to return the favor.
With these plans in place, Viserys ordered a skiff to be sent back to Dragonstone with news of their victory, to inform Rhaella and the others.
He knew Daenerys had likely been born by now, and he worried for Rhaella's safety.
But he could not return—not yet.
He had to seize the moment.
No one would expect him to launch two battles in a row.
And that surprise was his greatest weapon. Opportunities in war were fleeting. He could not afford to let this one slip by.
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