Déjeuner

**( Altair POV)**

As I signal to Andar a guard brings the Gyrfalcon

Jon: I see you also have an interest in the same pet as Robert then. However, I see that your falcon is much larger than his, the largest I have seen yet in fact.

Andar: Yes, I am thinking of naming her Luna.

Jon: Good! ( he sees someone bringing a cage with bear cubs) Gods! why did you bring bear cubs with you, that too a Snowbear and grizzly bear? There is also a Shadowcat cub!!!

Jon: Son, these are not the animals that can be tamed. They might look cute and furry now however they will become ferocious when they grow up. I understand your interest in falconry as many noble lords have such a hobby, but keeping bears and shadowcats is madness.

I wasn't in a mood to argue with him so I tried to de-escalate the situation.

Altair: They are just cubs in a cage Father, if they are unruly when they grow up then I will see to it that they are sold off.

Jon: Okay, however, if they cause any accidents I will hold you responsible and won't hold back the punishment just because you are my son.

Altair: I will not let that happen.

Jon: What is in that box of yours next to the books?

Altair: That is a baby manticore, before you start calling the gods again, I want you to know that I only got it for studying it. I will get rid of it before it matures.

Jon (exasperated): Hah!! This is not a creature a child like you should study. You must keep it inside the box all the time. Andar, you see to it that it is disposed of before it matures.

Andar: Yes M'lord, I think the young lord is knowledgeable enough to not harm himself or let the manticore out.

Jon: I don't doubt his prudence or intelligence, but I am afraid he will unleash the creature or use its poison on the next person that angers him.

Jon: Now both of go rest and tomorrow be prepared to attend a banquet. The prince has prepared a banquet for our arrival at Kings Landing. The lords and ladies from Westerlands, Stormlands and Dorne will be present at the banquet.

Altair: I take it that the Starks, Tyrells and Tullys have yet to arrive?

Jon: They are on their way and will reach King's landing in the next few days. According to the news I received the Starks will be the last ones to arrive.

I went to my room to start slowly digesting my gains over this period.

—————————————

The next day we attended the banquet set up by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. The feast takes place in the gardens of Red Keep.

As the feast was to welcome the arrival of the house Arryn and the lords of Vale. We first welcomed the crown prince Rhaegar Targaryen. When he turned to me after accepting my father's courtesy, I bowed and shook his hand and was shocked by the data I got from him.

I had expected certain signs of magic from him or his bloodline but I also felt a signal from my soul when I touched him. I could tell something was very wrong with him. Although I had some guesses, however, now was not the time to dwell on such matters.

I saw many characters whom I only read about in my past life. I saw the beautiful princess Elia Martell, although she is very beautiful she is very thin and frail, like a petite teenage girl.

I didn't expect her to be so beautiful as Prince Rhaegar Targaryen only had 50-60% of the charm I expected from the tales and the rest was an exaggeration.

Don't get me wrong, he is handsome in his own right, however, the tales and songs of his beauty are just petty political marketing. It's not like you can go tell the crown prince that you look average.

Also, Targaryens set the beauty standard for this world. It's like reading tales of a beautiful woman in the medieval era but when you see her portrait or painting you don't see anything extraordinary.

It also helps that most common folk of Westeros haven't gone more than a few miles outside their home. Most of their lives are spent in their small world. The most they saw were the dirty and sunburnt faces of men who worked the fields and beat the iron. They don't take luxurious baths like some pompous prince on the contrary they have to fetch the water to drink, shit and bathe by themselves and carry it across the stinking streets.

I also saw Prince Doran and his wife Mellario Martell. I noticed Oberyn Martell and his daughters Obara and Nymeria Sand. They were cute girls now but I was sure they would turn out to be beautiful women when they grew.

I spotted Tywin Lannister in his lion sigil along with Jaime and Cersei. Tyrion Lannister was not allowed out of the rock.

I knew that the king was not attending the banquet so even if I had some suspicion of his madness there was no way to verify it.

We got seated at our tables. As the banquet started myriads of dishes were served on the tables for lunch. Harpers started playing various songs, as he sang "Dance of the Dragons", "The Dornishman's Wife", "Fair Maids of Summer", etc. There were Pyromancers, jugglers, trained bears, etc.

After lunch was over all the guests and lords started to dance or socialize in small groups moving across the room.

I saw Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Princess Elia Martell coming towards us with a few other people. I saw Prince Doran and his brother Oberyn Martell following them. Jon Arryn was the first to speak.