Chapter 9 (278 AC)

Soon, the entire Tyrell family welcomed me: Lord Luthor, his wife Olenna, known to the people as the Queen of Thorns, their eldest son and heir Mace with his wife Lady Alerie, and also his sister with her husband.

"Prince Aeryon, I'm pleased to welcome you to Highgarden," said the head of the house as he stepped forward. He appeared to be just an ordinary elderly man.

"Lord Tyrell, I'm happy to be in your beautiful castle. I must say, you have a remarkable family."

"Oh, thank you, Your Highness. It's a pity my youngest daughter couldn't come, but she's due to give birth soon, so I hope you understand."

"Of course, no one wants to add more burden to an already difficult task," I replied cheerfully.

"You're right about that, Prince," an elderly woman of short stature joined the conversation.

"Lady Olenna," I nodded to her and turned my gaze to a tall young man who seemed brimming with energy. He stood out from the rest, dressed in a long tunic in the colors of his house, adorned with golden roses.

"Mace Tyrell, I presume?" I approached him, extending my hand, which he immediately grasped.

"Yes, Your Highness, it's an honor to meet you! I must say, your grand entrance truly impressed me!"

"As it did all of Highgarden's inhabitants," added his wife, standing beside him.

"Well, dragons are indeed captivating."

"May I see it up close?" Mace asked with childlike hope.

"Of course," I replied, though I couldn't help but think this fellow might be even less serious than Robert.

"Well, let's not keep the Prince waiting any longer. I suppose my dear son will show you to your chambers," Olenna said as she led us into the castle.

"Of course, mother."

"How is Lord Steffon faring?" Luthor inquired as we walked.

"He's doing well. After the birth of his third son, he seems to have regained some youth."

"Haha, yes, that sounds like him."

"By the way, his eldest son plans to compete in the tourney, as do I."

"Is that so?" Lord Tyrell hesitated slightly. "That's a rather dangerous endeavor."

"Well, my mentor first participated in a tourney at the age of ten."

"Are you speaking of Barristan the Bold?"

"Indeed. Ser Barristan and Ser Oswell Whent have taught me much, so I cannot bring shame to their names."

"An admirable attitude, Your Highness! Will your brother be participating?" Mace asked eagerly, then glanced nervously at his mother. It seemed he'd been coached on what to say, though it hadn't helped much.

"I certainly hope so. We haven't seen each other in a long time, so it'll be interesting to see how he's grown."

A few minutes later, we reached my chambers, where I could finally relax a bit before heading off to take a bath. My dear relatives weren't expected to arrive for another three days. After the relaxing bath, I returned to my quarters, enjoying the peace and quiet. The garden outside had already sunk into twilight, and the scent of roses filled the air.

The next day, I spent with the heir of the Reach. He turned out to be a rather simple and cheerful man, constantly talking about the great knights of his house and their famous achievements. He also claimed he would win the tourney in honor of Rhaegar's name day. When I brought him to the dragon, I thought he might die on the spot—from fear or admiration, I couldn't tell. That evening, however, a much more interesting conversation awaited me.

After the arrival of Lord Baratheon with his family and my dear Kingsguard, who were very displeased with their prince's willful flight but could do nothing about it, I was visited by an unexpected guest as the sun was setting.

"Your Highness, Lord Denys Darklyn requests an audience," said Ser Oswell as he entered, and I tried to recall who that was.

"Let him in," I commanded, and soon found myself facing a young dark-haired man, only a couple of years older than Mace Tyrell.

"My Prince," he said with a bow.

"Lord Darklyn, I must say, I'm surprised to see you. What brings you here?"

"Indeed, and unfortunately, it's not the most pleasant matter."

"Oh? Then have a seat and help yourself to some wine."

"Thank you. I'm a straightforward man, so I'll get to the point: I seek your support."

"Interesting, but I'd like to hear the details."

He then told me about the difficult situation his house was in, and I began to recall what I knew of Duskendale. The picture soon became clear: a once-major port and trading town now in decline. But what did this have to do with me?

"What exactly are you hoping to achieve, Lord Darklyn?"

"Independence. Or at least the same terms as Dorne."

I barely restrained the laughter that threatened to escape. This fool truly believed he was worthy of the same status as lands that had withstood the attacks of dragons. Such audacity, or perhaps sheer stupidity. Noticing my reaction, he added:

"This is a rather common practice in the Free Cities. Naturally, we would continue to be trade partners with the Seven Kingdoms, and in the event of war, we would support the crown. Especially those who helped us."

"What a subtle move..." I chuckled. "Out of curiosity, what do you want from me personally?"

"I'll be speaking with the king, and with the support of a fierce dragon behind me, I believe my voice will carry more weight. Of course, my house could have approached Prince Rhaegar, but we believe you are the most worthy of the Targaryens. I understand that such a decision isn't made lightly, so I'll give you time to think it over."

I was taken aback by his boldness. After bidding the lord farewell, I reflected on our conversation—no matter how I looked at it, this was utter foolishness, more like a jest. The next morning, I summoned Ralph and told him about my new, great military partner.

"Aeryon, we might actually be able to benefit from this situation," he said thoughtfully.

"How?" I asked, surprised.

"We both know that, no matter how peculiar your father is, even he wouldn't agree to such outrageous terms. How would you feel about kidnapping the king?"

"What? You must be joking."

"No. For instance, if Darklyn were to invite the king or provoke him into coming, he could take him hostage."

"Nonsense. Denys isn't a complete idiot. Besides, this would lead to nothing but execution. Tywin would never agree to Duskendale's terms."

"That wouldn't matter to us. Our dear lord is young, hot-blooded, ambitious, and on the verge of desperation. This mix is far more dangerous than mere foolishness."

"Suppose so, but he's unlikely to go through with it. And what do we gain? Rhaegar is still the next in line to the throne."

"Exactly! You would be the one who saves the king. After all, no one would dare storm or attack Duskendale with a dragon when the king's life is at stake. In one move, you'd gain more recognition from your father than Rhaegar has in his entire life. Perhaps he wouldn't make you his heir right away, but you'd be much closer to it."

"It's very risky."

"Of course."

"What's in it for you?"

"Come again?"

"Come on, Ralph, I've known you too well over the years. You always look for profit."

"Well, when you become king, give me those lands."

"They're unprofitable. And what about the lands of the Bucklers? You'll inherit them anyway."

"Let them go to my brother; they have no potential. But Duskendale does, especially with a king as your friend."

"Hmm, I'm glad I wasn't wrong about you, my friend."

"As am I, Your Highness!"

As the sun was setting, I met with Denys in the garden and told him the plan. To say he was shocked would be an understatement.

"But could this really work?! Prince Aeryon, they'll kill me."

"No, I'll take care of that. Of course, you'll have to hold the siege for a long time, but in the end, I'll convince Tywin Lannister to accept your terms. As a guarantee, you can demand a hostage. I think little Viserys would suffice. And in the future, you'll have a dragon at your back. Ultimately, the choice is yours, and I'm not going to influence it. You can try to convince my father with words, just without mentioning my name."

"I… I'll think about it, Your Highness."

"Of course, I understand. In any case, remember: this could be a great step toward your greatness, my friend."

After our conversation, I returned to my chambers, pondering all the possible consequences of this plan. On one hand, Denys was young and ambitious, but his idea seemed insane. On the other hand, Ralph had always been able to find advantage where there seemed to be none.

The next morning, I received word that the royal entourage, including my father and Prince Rhaegar, would soon arrive in Highgarden. The time for action was drawing near, and all I could do was hope that our plans would succeed.