Prince Viserys summons Tancred Baratheon and makes clear that the king supports Lord Corwen's command that Tancred pursue Valeria Blackmont, explaining that Daeron intends to attaint the rebellious Blackmont and Manwoody lines and wants the Baratheon heir to claim Blackmont through Valeria despite her wishes.
While Daeron inspects a Dornish fishing raptor and a golden eagle from the Sealord, Ethos proposes a nearer Kingswood hunting lodge funded by a public lottery for hunting licenses, and the king approves the idea while asking him to prepare one last hunting trip for Ferro before the Sealord leaves.
Ser William Waxley summons Ethos Mertyns to the Red Keep refectory and tells him that, after attention from the Kingswood poacher affair and recommendations including Lormon Buckler's, King Daeron is naming him royal huntsman with responsibility for the king's hunts, kennels, mews, licenses, and related household business.
A fortnight after the wedding Prince Baelor and Princess Daena, a joust of love is held in their honor. Over two dozen competitors take part.
In the Red Keep yard, Ferro Antaryon awkwardly practices the joust before the wedding tourney, asks Ethos for his honest assessment, meets the newly returned Soranna Hawick, and trades amused comparisons between Westerosi tourney customs, Braavosi snake-boat races, courtship, and ladies' favors before leaving to dine with the Hand.
At the Tyrell manse, Ardon courts Iron Bank representative Donalo Prestayn with cool Arbor Gold and proposes that House Tyrell buy a portion of King Daeron's Dornish war debt from the Bank, giving Braavos earlier repayment while positioning the Reach to ease or influence the crown's obligations.
Aboard Jonothor Arryn's new galley, Ferro Antaryon and Lord Arryn discuss Gulltown trade, Braavosi rivalries with other Free Cities, the Stepstones pirate problem, possible royal and Vale backing for a naval campaign, and the larger prospect of Braavos and Westeros reshaping the Narrow Sea together.
Sarmion hosts the Sealord's Kingswood hunt, separating women and Dornish hostages to a mounted hart chase while the men hunt boar on foot; Aidan and Valeria bristle at being barred from the boar, Ferro takes the honored boar kill with help from Sarmion and the knights, Valeria helps bring down the hart, and the return feast turns ugly when Sarmion strikes Valeria after she accidentally snaps a broken arrow across him.
House Tyrell hosts an elaborate Seven Kingdoms-themed feast for the Sealord, with symbolic courses and mummeries from each region, while Ardon discusses friendship, fleets, and pirates with Ferro Antaryon, Aidan accepts Jonn's invitation to the Lannister tourney and challenges Ethos by implication, then asks Aisling to let him carry her favor in the coming lists.
During a hot afternoon in the Old Keep solar, Aidan and Janden discuss the awkward place of Dornish hostages and coming tourneys, Reyna's singing party pelts the room with fire plums and accidentally hits Aidan, and Orene uses the moment to introduce herself and explain Jonn Lannister's respect for Aidan's honor.
Aidan Dayne and Raynard Locke see to grooming horses in the stableyard, while a new(ish) arrival finds he doesn't like some of the company.
While taking a break from sparring, Ser Janden Melcolm and Ser Aidan Dayne discuss archery, tourneys, and the upcoming royal wedding.
Immediately following the wedding of Rosalind Hill to Ser Endros Buckler, Ser Rickard Lannister arrives at the Lannister manse to find his great-nephew at work on other things. The two fall to discussing why Rickard is there.
After returning from a ride, Daeron speaks with Reyna and Ardon about the Kingswood fighting, Sarmion's severity, the fear Starion Flowers inspires among the smallfolk, and then pivots to asking the Tyrells to host an extravagant feast for the Sealord's embassy.
With information extracted from the prisoners, and confirmed by Ser Endros Buckler whose unexpected appearance provided the company a harrowing tale of his escape and travails since first being captured by the bandits, the expeditionary force under Ser Sarmion, the Warden of the Kingswood, closes with the location of the enemy encampment.