The dispute in the Westerlands was thus resolved: the treason of the Red Lion was unforgivable.
The King dispatched Ser Gerold to lead an army, ostensibly to mediate, but in truth to stand wholly on Tywin's side. He would declare House Tarbeck, the Red Lion's kin by marriage, guilty of treason. If necessary, the three hundred royal soldiers would assist Tywin's advance.
Once the dragon banner unfurled, Tywin would find his path smoothed considerably.
The friendship between the Golden Lion and the blood of Aegon V had spanned three generations. In his time, the Golden Lion Gerold Lannister had fiercely supported Aegon V's ascension, and his grandson Tywin maintained close ties with Aegon's grandson, Prince Aerys. The bond ran deep, and the realm could not afford to lose the financial might of House Lannister.
"Brother-by-law, do you think I am mad? Do you remember me in my youth? I only ever wished to be Hand of the King, or perhaps a councilor serving my brother Duncan. I never dared hope to be King. How can I face that young version of myself now? He was sharp as a sword, pure and unblemished. And now, I am alone, drowning in the schemes of power."
A sudden grief washed over Jaehaerys II's pale face, and tears slid down his cheeks.
His father Aegon V, his mother, his brother Duncan, his brother Daeron, and Ser Duncan the Tall, who had been like a father and brother to them all, they were all gone.
Now only I remain, like an old horse, stumbling as I drag the kingdom forward. In the eyes of mortals, the dragon's line truly seems on the verge of extinction.
Rhaegar gently wiped the tears from his grandfather's face. He was a great monarch, persevering even in the direst straits. He lived simply, had no vices, and seemed born only for the state.
"Your Grace, you need not worry so. The Seven guard you. You will lead the realm to glory; you are a great commander. We ended the Blackfyre threat, and your good-father and brother Duncan would be proud," Lord Munford said quickly. King Jaehaerys was indeed frail, and ruling such a vast realm was a crushing burden.
"By the Seven, I can only do my best, to not fail my father's trust or the glory of kings past," Jaehaerys murmured. He looked at Rhaegar. The boy represented hope. How he wished he could stay with him a few years longer.
Rhaegar understood his grandfather's feelings well enough. House Targaryen's current position was hard for anyone to bear; the royal cause was in decline. They had little land left, little gold in the treasury, and could only maintain a fragile balance. If the nobles were dissatisfied, they had to be appeased.
Rhaegar thought of taking a small ball of fire from his dragonlord ring to extend his grandfather's life, but it seemed impossible.
Lifespan was unpredictable. Though the ancient dragonlords possessed mighty magic, ruling the seas and claiming supreme sovereignty, there was no record of them possessing unnaturally long lives. Their spans seemed little different from ordinary high lords. His ancestor Aegon the Conqueror had died of a stroke.
Among the Forty Dragon Families, there were no monsters who lived for centuries or millennia.
For a Targaryen, seventy was considered a ripe old age.
"Child, a king must not let others see his weakness, or you will be used. They will not fear you; they will only mock you. We need gold, so we are bound by the Iron Bank of Braavos and forced to ally with House Lannister. We need grain, so we must build ties with House Tyrell."
King Jaehaerys II shook his head, recovering his regal bearing. He pinched Rhaegar's cheek as he spoke. He would have been better suited as a scholar or strategist supporting his brother Duncan, but since the Seven had ordained him King, he would spend himself until his end.
Rhaegar nodded. They still lacked strong military backing. If they had magic dragons or a standing army, why would they hesitate to deal with these nobles and their vague words and feigned obedience? Without dragons, House Targaryen lacked absolute advantage and could not dictate terms. Instead, they were reduced to artisans patching cracks, doomed to repeat the labor generation after generation.
"A great king must be both a lion and a fox. He must possess the lion's strength and the fox's cunning. We must do this to hold the throne. In this life, I was not meant to be a warrior; I can only rule with a pen. But I hope you will be a great warrior, and a great emperor too," King Jaehaerys continued.
Rhaegar nodded. He would be neither lion nor fox; he would be a true dragon.
He had the Life Tree template; he would surpass his predecessors and restore the glory of the dragonlords...
...
Rhaegar closed the door and sat on his bed.
He checked again carefully. There was no sign of a dragon egg in the ring yet, though there was still some unexplored space.
Perhaps a purple dragon egg of the proud House Belaerys lay hidden deeper within.
Rhaegar's ring flashed, and he eagerly began to flip through the books stored inside.
These texts came from the hands of the most powerful dragonlords in the known world, priceless beyond measure.
The dragonlords had blown their horns and ridden across the earth. They had not only swept through foreign lands but also stoked conflict within the Valyrian court and council. House Belaerys had been one of the most critical factions.
Setting aside Ogo's chaotic records of Valyrian power struggles and election rules, Rhaegar was most interested in two or three specific tomes.
The material of these books was special; the paper was tough as iron, built to withstand the ages.
"The Only True Dragons are Mine , History of House Belaerys" told the saga of the true dragon clan.
So arrogant. It fitted the status of the Chief Dragonlord of the Valyrian Council perfectly.
Rhaegar consulted the history first. The chronicles recorded thousands of dragons, noting a glorious peak where one hundred and ten magic dragons existed simultaneously within the family. The house had produced countless brilliant statesmen, warriors, and heroes, leading the waves of Valyrian expansion. They were proud and cunning, their influence reaching every corner of the Freehold.
Members of House Belaerys loved to style themselves "Dragonlords in Purple Robes," for their ancestors had ridden the fiercest purple magic dragons of Valyria to great victories. It was much the same way House Targaryen revered the Black Dread, Balerion.
Rhaegar turned the pages again and again. Even the illustrious House Belaerys struggled to explain the origin of dragons clearly. Moreover, Rhaegar had no dragon yet, so he should focus on hatching one first.
Absurdly, the family offered no sure method for hatching eggs, only vague claims that dragons would appear naturally where the bloodline was strong. In this era of fading magic, could it really be so easy?
"Explorer , Autobiography of Dragonlord Jaenara Belaerys"
Rhaegar read this title with intense interest; it was a treasure without peer. Jaenara was a great female dragonlord of House Belaerys. Legend said she had ridden her dragon on a three-year adventure across the continent of Sothoryos.
This dragonlord loved adventure, battle, and thrills. She was born free and never married.
Her countless adventures brought immense wealth and prestige to her house. Though unwed, she was the pride of the Purple-Robed Dragonlords.
"As a scion of the Dragon Prince of House Belaerys, I shall achieve deeds far beyond those before me..."
Rhaegar read with total absorption, admiring this explorer dragonlord.
"I was born into the illustrious Dragonlord House Belaerys, studying the 'Book of Dragonlords' from childhood. The family expected me to be flawless, to conquer all enemies, whether other dragonlords within the Freehold or foes without. House Belaerys has treasured the 'Encyclopedia of Dragons', 'Encyclopedia of Fire', 'Encyclopedia of War', and 'Encyclopedia of Craft' for generations. These encyclopedias cover binding curses, magic horns, and the exquisite craftsmanship of Valyria."
House Belaerys divided Valyrian fundamental knowledge into four categories: Dragons, Fire Magic, Combat Techniques, and Craftsmanship.
Rhaegar's heart gave a fierce thump. He had never heard of House Targaryen possessing such great works. Their family status had been limited, and they had simply never mastered the core arts of Valyria.
House Targaryen, a minor dragon family, knew nothing of magic horns, binding curses, or blood-fire magic.
Rhaegar read on with hungry interest, checking to see if the book described these four categories of knowledge in detail.
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