Beneath the ground of Meige Tower, along the secret chambers containing dragon eggs and jewels, lies a sealed stone door at the very back. The door is painted with a black background and a red dragon emblem, which appears particularly ferocious within the chamber. A simple push of this stone door reveals a long, hidden passageway beyond.
Looking into the secret chamber, Rega felt as if he had entered the throat of a terrifying beast, a secluded and long experience.
The Red Keep is riddled with secret passages, a veritable playground for schemers. But none of these passages connect to the Maegor Tower; the only routes lead there are drawbridges and the dry, trap-filled moat. No one suspects that the Dragon Kings themselves possess the most secret and secure passage.
"Everyone knows that there are secret passages and chambers beneath the Red Keep, like a winding spider web, and only a few with ulterior motives know the clues to them. But no matter how deep, hidden, or profound they are, they cannot compare to the King's Passage beneath the Maegor Tower, where the treasure is stored. The King's Passage is not connected to the other passages. The King's Passage leads straight ahead to a hidden cave entrance in the Blackwater River, and there are also small boats hidden within the passage, allowing for a direct escape from King's Landing," said Jaehaerys II.
"These are the things our family relies on to rise again. But children, I hope you never have to go that far." King Jaeheris II felt unwell; the thin air in the secret passage was not good for his health as a patient.
He was exhausted; every minute in the secret room was torture.
Looking into the secret chamber, Rega seemed to see the roaring Blackwater estuary. The current there was so swift that swimming was difficult. The river was deep and rapid, eventually flowing into Blackwater Bay.
The river rushes forward and flows into the sea.
On the other side of the sea, at the junction of two continents, lies the Stone Steps Archipelago.
Although the remnants of war continued to burn after Maris Blackfire's death.
However, compared to the decades-long war with the Three Sisters Kingdom, this war has already seen the dawn of victory and can be described as a swift and decisive victory.
Ships patrolled the seas, some were longships of the Ironborn, others from the Stormlands, the Riverlands, and the West.
The marching tents bloomed like flowers on Bloodstone Island. But there was no doubt that the royalist army far outnumbered the Golden Company's forces.
White Bull led the vanguard at the forefront, while Tywin Lannister, Aerys, and other second-tier players were stationed in the safest positions in the middle, protected by the family's personal guard.
In Tywin's marching tent, Kevon sat opposite him.
Outside the tent, numerous taxi riders in red robes and lion helmets patrolled and stood guard; they were the Lannister family's elite bodyguards, the most loyal lions. The banner of the Roaring Lion stood high; the lion remained unassailable.
The two brothers, Tywin and Kevan, looked remarkably alike, both with blond hair and blue eyes, and handsome features. However, Tywin was destined to possess the Westerlands and the Gold, while Kevan could only become his alter ego and shadow. The difference in their birth ages forced them to accept their fate. Kevan's face still bore the sensitivity typical of a second son. Tywin, on the other hand, appeared more mature and ruthless.
The second sons were overshadowed by their elder brothers, becoming their advisors and knights rather than future lords with the potential to stand alone. This was the fate of all second sons.
Some second sons accept this fate, some try to escape it, and even the most tyrannical second sons choose to kill their parents to change their fate. Tywin's grandfather also lingered in the shadow of the curse of patricide.
"You came here, and Lord Roger didn't suspect anything, did he?" Tywin asked.
"No. We're brothers, this is just a younger brother's normal greeting to his older brother," Kevan said.
Tywin nodded. Roger considered himself one of the few warriors in the Westerlands. Since his Uncle Jason's death, he had been filled with pride, madness, and an unrealistic sense of honor. The Tywin brothers were nothing more than children in his eyes.
"How is Earl Roger now?" Tywin asked. Kevan, as Earl Roger's sommelier, was quite shrewd. Planting Kevan allowed them to learn about Earl Roger's movements.
"Still the same. If there's any change, it's that he's become even more arrogant and manic. After my uncle died, Earl Roger took command of the Western Army, and he really thinks he's the master of the West. He treats us taxi drivers like dirt, even sending us to the most dangerous places." Kevan spoke without the slightest hesitation.
"Let him be proud. The more proud our enemy is, the greater our advantage," Tywin said. The young lion concealed himself, preparing to deliver a fatal blow to Earl Roger. He would make the Red Lion repay the decades of humiliation inflicted on the Reyes family, the humiliation that wretched woman had brought upon the Lannister family, for the Lannisters always pay their debts.
"There is no possibility of reconciliation between us and Earl Roger, but what will you do, brother?" Kevan asked hesitantly.
"What do you want to do? Hostages, fines, or surrender?" Tywin retorted.
"I believe we should deal with this severely, making Count Roger's family repay our gold, pay us fines and hostages, and then we'll reduce their fiefdoms," Kevan said. He already felt this was the cruelest approach, the same method used to deal with rebellious nobles during the Blackfire Rebellion. Fines, hostages, and the seizure of cities.
"Be bolder." A glint suddenly appeared in Tywin's green eyes, as cold as a freezing night.
Kevan felt a chill; he understood his brother's meaning: to exterminate Earl Roger and his entourage, and to uproot their entire families. His brother was young, but his ruthlessness and iron-fisted nature were extraordinary.
"You don't object to my opinion?" Tywin asked.
Kevan shook his head and said nothing more. He recognized Tywin's exceptional talent and saw his brother as the hope for restoring the Lion's glory. He was willing to obey his brother, even though it would cast him in his brother's shadow.
"We cannot trust the King, nor can we trust the Royal Council," Ser Tywin continued.
The Targaryen dynasty was founded on the prestige of the Dragon Kings and the support of the lords. However, the royal domains were not large, and there were no gold mines to provide a source of revenue. As the Dragon Kings' dragons passed away, it became increasingly difficult to control the powerful lords.
Kevan glanced around warily, though he knew they were still some distance from the Targaryen camp.
"The prince is fast asleep, and there's no need for him to worry about our family's affairs," Tywin waved his hand, showing no panic. Having been in King's Landing for a long time, Tywin had already discerned the Dragon King's weakness.
"The prince's crown is something he was born with, but we now need to forge it ourselves." Although they were friends, Tywin didn't truly respect Aerys. He was merely a born nobleman; the crown was simply something that came to him by chance. In terms of strategy, courage, and wisdom, he possessed no extraordinary abilities.