The night in Gulltown was destined to be broken by laughter, drinking, and song.
Lord Grafton's banquet hall was not particularly large, but its furnishings were lavish, decorated mostly with marble, the dining tables crafted from blue-black marble.
Rhaegar felt the extravagant decadence of Gulltown; the luxury, taste, and hunger for gold of this port city had infected everyone.
Rhaegar understood why Lord Jon Arryn was dissatisfied with Gulltown's atmosphere: the culture of money worship was led by merchants, not lords and knights. Money was like a giant beast challenging the old order of the Vale.
The Arryns of Gulltown were the first family to embrace this new era.
The guests were too numerous; the hall was packed with Gulltown's lords, Rhaegar and his retinue, Lord Jon and his guards, a group of septons, and other minor lords. There were no empty seats in the hall, so many wealthy merchants squeezed into the courtyard to dine.
Apart from four or five leading merchants, most could not squeeze into the hall, but the honor and glory of dining with the Lord Paramount and the Prince filled them with immense satisfaction and energy.
Though merchants were rich, their status was far below the nobility; even poor nobles could sit in the hall, while merchants, despite their wealth, could only sit on benches outside or at the very back.
Lord Grafton had prepared delicious delicacies in the banquet hall.
The pumpkins, barley, and wheat of the Vale were of excellent quality, and the fruit was sweeter.
Singers and jugglers began to perform, adding a lively atmosphere to the feast.
Prince Rhaegar and Lord Arryn sat at the high table, followed by the three main lords of Gulltown, representatives of the Faith, and Rhaegar's retinue: Ser Barristan, Ser Brynden Tully, and the Braavosi swordsman Sessa. This table was the core of the banquet, seated with the closest and most distinguished guests.
Rhaegar was dazzled by the array of goods.
Delicious sea fish, fine roast chicken, sweet corn, peas, pumpkin cakes, rose cakes, dried apricots, and bison steaks filled his vision.
The celebration began, and the silence was broken by the clinking of glasses, laughter, music, and dancing.
Of course, the driest part was the toasts.
Lord Jon spoke first, followed by Prince Rhaegar, then other representatives.
After Lord Grafton gave the closing remarks, the banquet turned into a free-drinking feast.
Guests moved back and forth, pouring wine like schools of fish.
Because so many came to congratulate and celebrate, Rhaegar did not drink wine but consumed a great deal of apple juice.
Nobles, rich merchants, and knights took turns celebrating the arrival of Prince Rhaegar and Lord Jon. They wished good health to Lady Rowena and the heir Raynal in King's Landing, to the King, Queen, Crown Prince, and Princess in the capital, and blessed Crown Prince Aerys and his wife on their two new princes, ensuring the long prosperity of the dragon bloodline.
The wealthy merchants targeted Prince Rhaegar; Lord Jon was as proud as a rock, always dismissive of merchants like his poor relatives. Gulltown's influence could not penetrate the Eyrie. However, Prince Rhaegar might be won over. Crown Prince Aerys had been addicted to women and balls; perhaps Prince Rhaegar would also love such things.
Under primogeniture, even if Rhaegar and his brothers were born close in time, their status was vastly different. Younger sons were destined to be shadows of their brothers, appendages to the family. The elder brother's voice carried far more weight.
Rhaegar responded to each of them with a smile.
Having come a long way, Rhaegar also wanted to win over this group—the Gulltown Merchant Group. The young women were deeply attracted by his smile; the Prince, with his silver hair, handsome features, and tall stature, was indeed an ideal lover, but they also understood the huge gap in status. For a merchant's daughter to marry a widowed noble was already great luck, let alone a Crown Prince.
Rhaegar felt the gifts from the Gulltown merchants were too numerous. Besides spices, incense, precious crafts, and gorgeous clothes, many merchants gave Rhaegar gold, often engraved with the donor's name and industry.
As the wine and food flowed and the atmosphere warmed, someone finally dared to challenge the established order. A bold merchant spoke to Rhaegar.
"I wonder if the Prince needs a clever young squire? I have a son, witty and skilled in martial arts, especially with the spear. If the Prince does not mind, I would like to send him to serve as a squire and servant to Prince Rhaegar."
Rhaegar glanced at the blushing merchant; there were indeed brave men in the world.
The merchants of Gulltown truly yearned to elevate their status.
The merchants had thoroughly corroded Gulltown, but for now, they were powerless to penetrate the Eyrie. Seeing that Prince Rhaegar did not treat them differently, they shifted their target.
"Nonsense! Your son is clumsy and reckless; his head is as hard as your marble. In my opinion, my daughter is clever and perfectly suited to be the Prince's handmaid."
"If His Grace does not mind, I have a daughter..."
"I have a son too!" a crowd shouted, vying for attention. Merchants were profit-driven; even if Lord Jon was displeased, they were willing to take the risk. Later, many fallen nobles also prepared to come forward to solicit business.
"Enough, enough! Is the Prince's side a circus? Everyone trying to squeeze in?" Lord Jon looked displeased, stopping the crowd chattering like sparrows.
Great lords rarely respected merchants, viewing them merely as commoners with a little wealth. Even Lord Jon felt these merchants were insulting the Prince.
"Gentlemen, thank you for your kindness. I do not lack followers, but since we came in a hurry from King's Landing, we are indeed short of hands."
"Why don't we let our children serve as the Prince's guards!" A shrewd merchant had already considered another approach. Official squireship was reserved for sons of great lords, and being close to the Prince was impossible. But even serving as a guard or attendant was an excellent opportunity.
Crown Prince Aerys's close friends Tywin and Steffon were sons of great lords. Even King Aegon V, had he not been so low in the succession order at the time, would never have associated with Duncan the Tall.
Lord Jon glanced at Prince Rhaegar. The Prince did need manpower, but guards and attendants shouldn't be picked from merchant families; wouldn't nobles be better?
Lord Jon looked at these sycophants and sneered, "Do you think serving the Prince is about flattery? Prince Rhaegar is a true warrior. The battlefield changes in an instant; he does not need men who only know how to fawn."
A warrior's retinue is destined to fight by his side, Lord Jon thought.
The wealthy merchants exchanged glances. They had intended to cling to a high branch. Prince Rhaegar was tall and imposing, but young. They thought being a guard was just for show; would they really need to wield swords and spears? Was Lord Jon trying to scare them?
Rhaegar said nothing, only smiled slightly. His smile was warm as a spring breeze, showing none of the ferocity of a brutal warrior.
Lord Jon Arryn continued, "I know you don't believe it, but Prince Rhaegar defeated six of my guards in a row on the ship. The Prince needs capable warriors, not useless drunks. Guards should be steel, not rotting mud."
All the guests were astonished. If anyone else said this, it might be flattery.
But these words came from Lord Jon. The Lord's word was gold; a man like the noble Falcon would not lie. The Lord had never even touched a wild woman. Everyone looked at Prince Rhaegar with newfound awe.
House Targaryen was a family of legendary warriors, and the blood of the Conqueror flowed in Prince Rhaegar's veins.
Rhaegar couldn't help but sigh; Lord Jon was indeed an honest and reliable man.
Seeing these merchants trying to attach themselves to him, Jon didn't pressure them too much but warned them of the dangers and difficulties. After all, he might look down on them, but he didn't stop them from striving.
After hearing Prince Rhaegar and Lord Jon's warnings, the merchants reconsidered: wealth lay in risk. What if they sacrificed a son? It concerned the elevation of the family's social status, so the risk was worth it, especially since Prince Rhaegar was heavily guarded, meaning the safety risk wouldn't be too high.
"I volunteer!"
"I sign up my son!"
"I volunteer too!"
"I am honored by your enthusiasm. But the battlefield is cruel and ruthless; you must consider this carefully." Rhaegar waved to the crowd.
"Guards today, comrades-in-arms tomorrow. When selecting guards, I will never accept those addicted to drink, whoring, or gambling, nor those who bully the common people or lack martial skill. Any violators will be expelled," Rhaegar announced loudly.
In the Middle Ages, soldiers and bandits were often hard to distinguish, but a monarch who would rule the realm alone could not cultivate a group of arrogant, unruly generals. Rhaegar did not wish for his moral values to align entirely with those of medieval nobles.
What a benevolent Prince, Lord Jon thought.
A monarch needed an iron fist and noble blood, but should also care for the common people.
The wealthy gentlemen did not back down. An excellent opportunity was right before them, and their enthusiasm did not wane.
Lord Jon believed prevention was better than cure. Since the Prince's guard was forming, he pushed Ser Joffrey Arryn toward Rhaegar. Joffrey was instantly ecstatic. The prosperity of King's Landing far exceeded the Eyrie.
Finally, many Vale knights and septons also began to lobby Lord Jon, as everyone had relatives or friends who wanted to seize this extra chance to place themselves by Rhaegar's side for advancement.
Rhaegar instructed Sessa, Barristan, and Ser Brynden to screen the applicants, but seeing the multitude of candidates, he still had a headache.
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