Chapter 454: Otto’s Guess Was Right

The Dragon Wroth reappeared, this news was spreading rapidly throughout the Seven Kingdoms.

King's Landing

The city buzzed with rumors about how many Dornish people the heir prince had killed and the battles he had won. In Flea Bottom, the most chaotic district, orphans exaggeratedly described Dragon Mountain. The latest rumor claimed that countless Dornish people were buried under Dragon Mountain, their spirits rising up to avenge the suppression of the rebels.

The people didn't know whether the rumors were true, but they spread them regardless. They didn't understand how the war between the Triarchy and the Kingdom broke out, or when it would end. They didn't know why Dorne had rebelled.

But they knew one thing.

Rhaegar Targaryen was a brave warrior, and the Princes of Dorne, House Martell, had surrendered. Dorne had finally submitted to the Iron Throne.

The seven kingdoms of Westeros were now all firmly under the Targaryen dynasty.

...

The Red Keep

The King's Bedroom

The royal guards stood guard at the door, peering in through the open door. Viserys lay unconscious on the bed, his face pale and his forehead glistening with cold sweat.

"Viserys, are you all right?" Alicent sat by the bed, wringing out a wet towel to wipe away his sweat, and called softly, "Wake up, your servants are waiting for you."

"..." Viserys frowned, his face showing discomfort at the noise.

Alicent, visibly worried, couldn't help but complain, "I told you not to go on that campaign, but you wouldn't listen."

After muttering for a long time, she packed up the basin and got up. Before leaving, she pleaded helplessly, "Get better soon, the kingdom needs you."

She left the room with the basin.

Outside the Door

Lyonel looked grave and asked in a low voice, "Your Grace still shows no sign of recovery?"

"No." Alicent shook her head and sighed, "Since returning to King's Landing, he has been in a daze, and he has been in a coma more often than he has been awake."

"This is not good news," Lyonel said, frowning.

A house cannot be without a master for a day, and a kingdom cannot be without a king for a day. With Viserys in a coma, the Small Council cannot function normally.

Otto opened the door and changed the subject: "His Grace needs to rest. If there is anything we need to discuss, we can convene a Small Council meeting."

Alicent, realizing the necessity, instructed the Kingsguard Lorent and Ser Steffon to watch over the bedchamber.

Seeing this, Lyonel did not insist and suggested, "Then let's move to the council hall and invite Princess Rhaenyra."

Alicent, surprised, said, "Rhaenyra is seven months pregnant; it's best not to disturb her."

Rhaenyra had returned to King's Landing from Dragonstone long before Viserys was brought back.

Lyonel did not answer, instead looking at Grand Maester Orwyle.

Orwyle nodded, "The Princess is in good health and can handle daily affairs."

Alicent frowned slightly, sensing the unspoken implications. Rhaenyra dealing with royal affairs while Viserys rested on his sickbed and Rhaegar was on an expedition to Dorne weighed heavily on her.

After thinking it over, Alicent found no reason to argue and swallowed her pride. "Fine, that's it then."

She turned to leave, giving the excuse that she needed to change her clothes.

Otto nodded kindly at Lyonel and followed his daughter. Soon, father and daughter were out of sight.

Lyonel and the others looked at each other and headed toward the council hall, whispering along the way.

"His Grace's poor health is not good for the kingdom."

"Be careful what you say. His Grace will get better."

"According to my diagnosis, His Grace is suffering from shock, leading to post-traumatic stress disorder. There is nothing wrong with his body, just like a mild cold."

"Targaryens don't get colds, let alone faint from shock," Lyonel said with displeasure.

Orwyle stopped and said seriously, "This is a result of both mind and body, not something herbs can cure."

He didn't appreciate having his skills as a healer questioned.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to doubt you," Lyonel realized he had overreacted.

"It's fine," Orwyle replied.

The Mellos incident was too shocking, and it was inevitable that the position of Grand Maester would be scrutinized more closely.

Lyonel sighed deeply, struggling internally before he spoke. "Gentlemen, His Grace has been in a coma for a long time. We must prepare for the worst."

"What kind of preparation?" Jasper's interest piqued.

Lyonel glanced at him and said frankly, "Viserys is my king and my friend. I don't want him to be in danger."

He paused and continued, "But if he becomes unable to handle the affairs of state or falls into a sleep from which he never wakes, there must be an heir ready to immediately take over the Iron Throne."

"Wait a minute," Linman interrupted, his old face showing surprise. "We have the best heir to the throne, and he's in Dorne. Prince Rhaegar has won many battles, and no one dares to cross him."

Jasper shrugged, laughing to himself, recalling a near-targeting by the heir prince.

"I understand, but times have changed," Lyonel said seriously. "Braavos watches the Narrow Sea, remnants of the Triarchy are vigilant, and with Dorne rebelling, the kingdom is in chaos. It's a precarious time for accidents."

The room fell silent, the gravity of Lyonel's words sinking in. Finding a good heir wasn't the problem—the Targaryens had lost two in a row. One was assassinated in his tent, and the other died of a bloated stomach.

"I propose that we recall the heir prince to ensure a smooth succession to the throne," Lyonel stated firmly.

Linman hesitated. "The Prince is waging war against Dorne and has already begun the second wave of Dragon's Wroth. How can he abandon that so easily?"

"Lord Corlys is in charge of Sunspear, and with Prince Daemon and Princess Rhaenys, Dorne won't be able to cause much trouble for long," Lyonel argued.

"No," Linman insisted. "The conquest of Dorne must be completed by the heir prince and cannot be left to others."

"If His Grace were to have an accident, the Prince must be here immediately," Lyonel countered.

"Do you think someone would dare to do something foolish?" Linman asked, suddenly sharp.

Lyonel's silence spoke volumes.

The group exchanged uneasy glances, knowing that in theory, the heir prince's succession was unchallenged. But the fear of someone losing their mind and tarnishing the royal family's reputation lingered.

Tormund, who had been silent, broke the tension with a smile. "Gentlemen, His Grace is only sleeping, not physically ill. Perhaps we are overreacting."

"This is the proper preparation!" Lyonel responded, anxious.

Ormund's expression changed, his eyes turning white as he stared straight at Lyonel. "I am the Master of Whisperers. There will be no accidents in the Red Keep."

He stepped forward, his thin frame contrasting sharply with Lyonel's. Lyonel swallowed, feeling the intensity of Ormund's pale eyes.

Ormund touched the Valyrian steel badge on his chest. "Or do you think Prince Rhaegar, the Young Dragonlord, is just a normal person?"

"This..." Lyonel hesitated.

Of course, Rhaegar was not normal. His mysterious nature was unparalleled. Valyrian steel weapons appeared at his command, and he could create black Dragonstone with simple spells. The latest news claimed he was molding a giant peak of Dragonstone at Yronwood, known as the Targaryen Dragonlord Altar.

Tormund, exuding a dangerous aura, said, "If there is an accident in King's Landing, I will inform the Prince immediately. Rhaegar instructed me to let nothing stop him from continuing the Dragon's Wroth."

The Red Keep was full of rats, but Tormund's little birds had made their nests there. Lyonel, realizing the futility of his argument, nodded reluctantly, the other person is the prince's right-hand man and a strange skinchanger, so he can be trusted.

...

The Queen's Chambers

Bang!

The door slammed shut, and Alicent, red-faced with anger, sat down in her chair without regard for her appearance. Humiliation, pure and simple! All three of her children were fighting in Dorne, never failing the Targaryens and the realm. Yet, the Small Council still targeted her, using Rhaenyra's pregnancy to put her in her place.

Crack!

The door opened, and Otto walked in. Alicent didn't need to turn around to know who it was. She poured a glass of red wine and took a sip.

Otto sat down across from her, his eyes deep in thought. "Fools waste their energy by getting angry, but the wise prepare for the future."

Alicent, stunned, soon became angry. "Viserys is not dead yet. He will wake up sooner or later."

"No one in this world can be sure they'll see the next sunrise," Otto replied as if it were a trivial matter.

Alicent was shaken and hesitated. "What can I do?"

Otto smiled and explained patiently, "We can't touch the throne. Lyonel and the others are probably discussing how to spy on you and me right now."

He knew his colleague well. Lyonel was resourceful and reliable, but such people often lacked quick thinking and were impatient.

Alicent sat up straight, listening to her father's advice.

Otto carefully took a cup from the tea tray. "Ormund sent me a message saying that the people of Dorne were harassing the Arbor and asking for Rhaegar's help, but he refused."

"How could that be?" Alicent looked anxious. "Dorne was ravaged by the so-called Dragon Wroth. How dare they threaten Oldtown? And Aegon and Aemond—Ormund is their great-uncle."

Otto tapped his fingers lightly. "As far as I know, Rhaegar personally rode his dragon to burn down Starfall and Blackmont. Compared to places like Hellholt, these castles were only briefly burned, scattering their defenses."

In the first round of Dragon Wroth, the soldiers in Dorne were unable to follow the dragons into battle due to the large span between the east and west of Dorne. Castles in remote locations like Sandstone were burned to the ground. For Vaith and other inland castles, not only were the castles destroyed, but the nobles who resisted were also captured and taken to Yronwood.

Even though Starfall and Blackmont are more remote, they should not be treated as mere formalities.

Alicent suddenly realized, "Did Rhaegar do this on purpose?"

"Probably," Otto analyzed. "The Dayne and Blackmont Houses live along the river, with boats that go straight to The Summer Sea. Fearing the dragons, their first place of retaliation would be Oldtown."

"Something is wrong with House Dayne. They've been targeting Oldtown from the start. Their scouts have had unimpeded access to the coastline of The Arbor and have repeatedly surveyed the harbor of Oldtown."

"I knew they would retaliate!" Alicent panted. "What should we do? We can't just stand by and watch Oldtown get destroyed."

Otto: "Recall Aegon and send him to Oldtown to take control of the remaining forces of House Hightower."

"Aegon?" Alicent hesitated.

Otto nodded. "And Aemond. Recall him to King's Landing under the pretext of his youth, to win over the nobles of the Stormlands."

"Those two..." Alicent hesitated, then rolled her eyes. "They are like mice in front of a cat when they see Rhaegar. What can they do?"

Since his marriage matter, Aegon had stopped contacting his mother. Aemond wrote occasionally, but his letters were full of adoration for Rhaegar, almost forgetting his own family.

Alicent thought for a moment. "Why not transfer Helaena back? She's still a girl."

Dragon Wroth was so cruel that she could accept her two sons taking part in it. But Helaena was a young girl. Which lord would dare to marry her in the future?

Otto looked at his daughter and asked, "You really don't know why?"

Alicent was stunned. She suddenly remembered her daughter's desire to be a third party. Did she say she had succeeded?

Otto did not pursue the matter and got up, saying, "Lady Jeyne of the Vale is suspected of being pregnant, and her belly is starting to show. Someone else has been planning to share the happiness of two people."

"The Dornish are at the gates of Oldtown, which is just the right excuse for him to enter Oldtown with his dragons and use coercion and bribery."

"By the Seven Gods, disobeying the church's will is a sin that will be punished by God," Otto said with a hint of meaning, then pushed the door open. "Think carefully. You'll be attending the Small Council later."

Alicent was stunned.

Bang!

The door closed with a soft thud.

For a long time, Alicent remained motionless. Then, suddenly snapping back to reality, she picked up the wine jug and poured herself another glass, exclaiming, "How dare he? That was a contract signed by His Grace, the Old King."

The Old King was the perfect king in her eyes. He had given her honor, confidence, and a prominent position in the court.

"No! No one should ever question the Old King laws."

Alicent mumbled to herself, took a swig of her wine, and gulped it down. And Helaena, she must be involved in Rhaegar's plan. That rebellious girl!

(Word count: 2,186)