Chapter 458: Otto’s Cunning

Starry Sept.

The second tallest building in Oldtown and the most magnificent of the Seven Holy Temples in Westeros.

It has long been the center of the Faith of the Seven.

The temple gate stood wide open, and the high white stone steps divided into several sections, hosting a constant flow of believers every day.

Whether noble, knight, commoner, or beggar, all could enter the temple equally to receive sermons from the preachers.

"Roar!"

The sound of a bell tolled as the Cannibal circled Oldtown, its massive form casting a shadow over the Starry Sept.

Roar!

Roar...

The Sheepstealer and Sunfyre spread out on either side, spreading their wings and gliding recklessly, as if guarding the largest black dragon.

This scene stirred mixed feelings among the people of Oldtown.

The dragons' arrival symbolized the presence of Targaryen royalty. The Iron Throne revered the Seven Gods, and even the daughter of the old king had joined the nuns.

But with war raging in Dorne, the dragons should have been on the battlefield.

The sudden appearance of three dragons in Oldtown, first alarming the residents and then circling the Starry Sept, caused a wave of anxiety.

Believers, quite nervous, flocked to the temple to find out what was happening.

...

At this time,

Inside the Starry Sept, there was a high level of alert, and hundreds of preachers ran out of the gate and surrounded the long steps.

"Roar!"

The black dragon roared angrily, its wings covering the sky and blotting out the sun. Its pitch-black scales and green pupils were eerie and terrifying, reminiscent of the demons of hell recorded in the Seven Star Bible.

"Cannibal, land!"

Rhaegar's expression was indifferent as he steered the dragon down, landing precisely on the long steps of the cathedral. The dragon's sharp claws crushed the stone steps, as if hammering a spine.

The Sheepstealer and Sunfyre circled twice before landing on the flagstone floor below the long steps. The Cannibal, being much larger, occupied most of the long steps, blocking all the roads with its wings. The two dragons had to land further away.

Grrrr...

A carriage bearing the Hightower crest sped up, and Ormund and Otto, enduring the jolting discomfort, helped the attendant out of the carriage. Ormund had to come, while Otto came of his own accord, wanting to help his brother.

Rhaegar glanced at them before turning back to the group of preachers at the temple entrance. He declared, "I am Rhaegar of House Targaryen, the eldest son of Viserys I, the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, and the Regent. Tell your High Septon to come out!"

The preachers exchanged confused glances, their hostility evident.

Rhaegar, seeing their reluctance, added sternly, "The heir prince is visiting. Where is the High Septon?"

He had already shortened his introduction, butthe preachers still looked bewildered.

Ormund hurried up the long steps, panting, "Prince, I'll do the talking."

There are more people in Westeros who reject dragons than worship them. The Seven Gods and the House Targaryen have been at odds for over a hundred years. Things improved during the reign of the Old King, and Viserys pursued a policy of cooperation and mutual benefit. But even the Old King never rode his dragon directly around the Starry Sept.

Rhaegar waved his hand, sensing the rejection from the Faith of the Seven. He said casually, "I only have one request: to see the High Septon."

He had come to settle old scores, not to be nice. Suppressing the Seven Gods and seeking theprivilege of marrying more women was his true goal. He doesn't need the king or the royal family to marry more, but he needs the right to marry more.

Once the king has the right to marry multipletimes, the authority of the Faith of the Seven will be weakened, and the king's authority will be elevated above that of the gods.

Ormund nodded and hurriedly exchanged words with the missionaries. The missionaries looked very nervous, each holding a chair, table, or bench, ready to sacrifice themselves for the Seven Gods at any moment.

Rhaegar glanced inside the temple. Hundreds of nuns were kneeling in a row, praying to the Seven Gods. A larger number of monks and silent sisters stood in the corner, peering out at the black dragon outside the temple.

"Quite a large number, comparable to the private soldiers raised by a noble family in The Reach," Rhaegar thought to himself, remembering the long-disbanded Sons of Warriors and the Poor Fellows. That grassroots armed force could bring down an entire kingdom if it rebelled. Even the cruel Maegor, who rode the Black Dread, Balerion, had not been able to completely stamp out the Seven Gods.

After a while, Ormund finished communicating. He approached the Cannibal, hesitating to know how to start the conversation.

Seeing him stammering, Rhaegar became alert and said unkindly, "What, the High Septon died unexpectedly?"

"No!" Ormund shook his head and frowned. "The High Septon learned of the heir prince's arrival and went into seclusion in the secret chamber a quarter of an hour ago. He will not be disturbed."

"Seclusion ?" Rhaegar was taken aback and couldn't help but laugh. "The High Septon thinks of me as a conqueror."

At the beginning of the Targaryen dynasty, the conqueror unified the six kingdoms except Dorne and planned to enter Oldtown. The High Septon locked himself in the inner sanctum of the Starry Sept for seven days and seven nights, during which time he ate only bread and water and listened to the guidance of the Seven.

After seven days, the High Septon, who had almost died on his knees, emerged from his seclusion. When the Conqueror rode into Oldtown on Balerion, Lord Hightower opened the gates of Oldtown and the people lined the streets to welcome him.

It turned out that the High Septon had heard many things during his seclusion.

...

Oldtown could not withstand the wrath of a dragon. To kneel was to survive; to resist was to die.

The Faith of the Seven and House Hightower worked together to ensure compliance.

Ormund replied, "Prince, the Faith of the Seven is widespread throughout Westeros. Perhaps you should wait a little longer."

"Do you know why I'm here?" Rhaegar asked, his white hair standing on end.

Ormund was speechless.

Everyone in the kingdom knew the heir prince was more resistant to the Faith of the Seven than the young king Viserys. He was also rumored to have an affair with Lady Jeyne of the Vale. During the conquest of Dorne, the heir prince rode in on the wave of unification of Westeros. It was inevitable that he would suppress the Faith of the Seven and seize unspoken benefits.

Rhaegar smiled, knowing his thoughts were transparent.

Facing the armed uprising of the Faith of the Seven, Queen Visenya had once told her nephew, Aenys I:

"My nephew, you are an idiot and a coward. Who would dare offend your father like that? You have a dragon under your belt. You should ride it to Oldtown and turn the Starry Sept into a second Harrenhal. If you don't have the guts, let me goand roast that pretentious clown for you."

Rhaegar also had a dragon at his command and the courage to burn everything.

There was only one agenda for his trip to Oldtown: "I will! I want!" House Hightower, the Faith of the Seven, and the Citadel had no right to refuse.

Even Otto, who had come to help, was left speechless.

The Targaryen kings were mostly fierce and domineering. Aenys I and Viserys' weak character were the exception.

Rhaegar patted the back of the dragon, and the Cannibal slowly crawled forward. "The history High Septon has been in seclusion for seven days and seven nights. I will also give the High Septon seven days and seven nights. During this time, I will stay at the Starry Sept and wait for good news."

Cannibal climbed to the door of the temple, histowering back level with the dome, then lowered himself to allow his rider to dismount.

Rhaegar paid no attention to the hostile stares of the preachers and got off the dragon's back. He waved to Aegon and Aemond and headed for the hall of the temple.

The priests' hearts sank, and they tried to block the door with a human wall.

"Roar!"

Cannibal's green eyes glared fiercely at the Starry Sept. The hot air from his roar knocked over all those in his way, burning their skin through their clothes. Screams echoed everywhere.

Rhaegar walked into the temple, his long, silver-blonde hair blowing in the wind, his hands behind his back. He treated the preachers like insignificant insects, blowing them away with a single breath and scattering them.

As his right foot stepped onto the threshold of the temple, Rhaegar paused. Ormund and Ottojumped, thinking trouble was imminent.

Rhaegar turned and said, "The task of clearing out the Dorne invaders is entrusted to Aegon and Aemond. After I meet with the High Septon, I hope to meet with a representative of the Citadel's Conclave immediately."

The Conclave, composed of maesters, had the power to appoint and dismiss the Grand Maester.

Rhaegar then entered the cathedral and sat down in a corner, leaving a black dragon crouching at the entrance, its green pupils watchful.

Ormund and Otto clenched their fists, realizing their palms were sweating. They had already seen many potential problems in a short time.

Otto, in particular, was taken aback by the depth of Rhaegar's eyes. His hands and feet felt numb.

When he saw the heir prince enter the temple, he thought the Old King had come back to life. He knew full well the prince was making a statement. If they met his demands, all would be well. They could choose to refuse, but Dragonfire was unavoidable.

"Roar..."

"Roar..."

Cannibal let out a long, low growl, its pupils gradually closing like a guard.

"Let's go."

Otto came to his senses, his face grim: "We need to go back and discuss. Overturn all previous plans."

Ormund nodded eagerly, and the two brothers climbed back into the carriage.

...

Night falls.

High Tower, Lord's bedroom.

Ormund had taken a bath and was sitting dejectedly by the bed.

The Faith of the Seven and Oldtown were allies of House Hightower, and he had always been proud of them, highlighting the prosperity and knowledge of Oldtown.

Now, both were huge problems.

Creak

The door opened and Otto, dressed in his usual green uniform, walked in.

Ormund gave him a sideways glance and then slumped his head again.

"Aegon and his dragons will be searching for Dorne raiders tomorrow," Otto began, keeping his composure.

Ormund remained sullen.

Otto saw this and said with a deep voice, "My two grandchildren have grown up and have their own ideas."

"I knew it," Ormund replied, sickly.

After dinner, he had asked Otto to try to win over his two nephews. Clearly, it hadn't worked.

"Brother, don't be so easily discouraged," Otto said, sitting down next to Ormund. "The heir prince's suppression of the Faith of the Seven and the Citadel will not affect the family for the time being."

The knife is not pointed at him, and House Hightower is honest, so the other side can't get a handle on it.

Ormund frowned, hearing the unspoken meaning: "For the time being?"

Otto sighed lightly. "The heir prince is doing his best to suppress the influence of Oldtown. If Your Grace has an accident, it will be difficult for House Hightower when he ascends the throne."

"Your Grace is only in a coma," Ormund said, knowing the inside story and not so worried.

"Viserys has always been in poor health, and a long coma is not a good sign for anyone," Otto replied.

Ormund thought about it carefully. It made sense, but he hesitated. "Do you have a way to avoid the heir prince's difficulties?"

Otto's question was not answered: "What would you do if pirates blocked your trade routes?"

"We can still do something about it. We should clean it up..." Ormund paused, unable to believe it. "No."

Fortunately, Otto denied it in time and guided him: "What should you do when you face an enemy that is many times stronger?"

Ormund thought for a while and hesitated, "Strengthen allies and suppress the pirates' prestige to achieve parity."

He had done the same thing when the pirates of the Triarchy were wreaking havoc, by uniting with the Lannister and Arbor fleets.

"That's right," Otto smiled. "The heir prince has won a great victory and is in the spotlight. We should avoid the limelight for now andconcentrate on consolidating our power."

"Alicent is weak and her children are of little use," Ormund said, not hopeful about this.

Otto shook his head and said with certainty, "We were wrong before, trying to pit the Targaryen blood against itself. What we should have done is strengthen the children's recognition of Hightower and keep them close to their mother, surrounding their mother."

As long as the children don't distract their mother, they will always protect her from harm.

Ormund was shocked and exclaimed, "Yes, there is no child in the world who does not love their mother."

Otto stood up and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Don't think too much. Let the heir prince take what he wants. The real battlefield is always in King's Landing."

Ormund reasoned, "The heir prince wants to compete with the Faith of the Seven for power. We can use this to undermine his prestige."

"Haha, maybe."

Otto left the bedroom with a deep look in his eyes, his back turned to his brother.

...

Starry Sept.

The moon was high in the sky, and the stars were shining brightly.

Rhaegar sat in the hall of the temple, a huge sword that looked like milky glass in front of him.

(Word count: 2,320)