Chapter 149: Audience
"Your Majesty, the envoy from Lys has arrived." Dragonzel, who had come to Aegon's room, was uncharacteristically dressed in a well-fitted, magnificent long robe. A deep purple high-collared robe was worn over a silver half-robe, with a roaring dragon and laurel leaves embroidered in silver thread on his chest. He not only wore gloves but also a family ring forged from Valyrian steel. In addition to these, Dragonzel also had the Valyrian steel sword Silverblood at his waist.
This already showed the solemnity of today's audience. Lisandro Rogare had made a slight mistake; the news of his visit to Westeros had reached King's Landing and Dragon Nest City very early. However, Lys had not officially informed them of their arrival in advance, so neither Dragonzel and Aegon, nor Prince Regent Daemon of King's Landing, felt it necessary to greet them beforehand. But after all, Lisandro was one of the three governors of the Lysene Conclave. The current First Magister, Bambaro, due to defeat in the war and the plundering of his fleet and estates by the Red Kraken, was deeply in debt and facing violent threats from his creditors. His position as governor was precarious. Moreover, the second-ranked governor of the council, Rhandall Rhoynar, was actually Lisandro's puppet. In the foreseeable future, the rule of Lys would surely belong to the man waiting outside the main hall of the Silverblood Tower, the Obsidian Throne Hall.
That is, if Lys could survive the furious plundering of the Red Kraken's Iron Fleet.
"My Lord Dragonzel, how should I respond to this governor?" Although Dragonzel had discussed with him the night before how to deal with this future ruler of Lys, the young king was still a little nervous when it was time to prepare for the audience.
"Listen quietly to his demands." Dragonzel helped Aegon straighten his collar and adjusted the Valyrian steel sword Blackfyre, which was quite large for Aegon. "Your Majesty, all you need to do is shake your head when he speaks of Lys's misery, nod when he speaks of Lys's importance, and remain silent when he proposes an alliance or mediating with Dalton."
Dragonzel looked Aegon up and down, nodded with satisfaction, and personally placed the Valyrian steel crown on Aegon's head. Aegon silently repeated what Dragonzel had just said, slowly following his adoptive father out of his room.
"My Lord, what if the other party proposes a marriage alliance?" Aegon continued the question discussed the previous night, a very sharp one. Daemon had always hoped for intermarriage between House Targaryen and House Varezes, two powerful dragonlord families, and if that failed, then intermarriage within the family.
For Viserys, Daemon's plan was to marry him to Valarr's daughter Daniela, or Dragonzel and Diana's next daughter—in a few months, if Diana's delivery went smoothly, they would know the child's gender. If it was a girl, she would marry Viserys. There was actually another optimal candidate, Queen Mother Baela. However, Baela had always been wild and free-spirited. Soon after the Dragonpit in King's Landing had settled down, Baela rode Moondancer to Driftmark to visit Joffrey and settled in High Tide. It seemed High Tide was more appealing to Jacaerys's widow than King's Landing. As for marrying Viserys, Daemon had mentioned it to Baela, but the young woman decisively refused. She would rather remain unmarried her entire life for Jacaerys than abandon her husband with whom she had not yet consummated their marriage. Her exact words were:
"Father, I have been married once. My husband was the King of the Seven Kingdoms, the Wise King Jacaerys, as the people called him. I want the people to believe that the queen of their revered Wise King Jacaerys is also a wise queen, just like Queen Alysanne. So, please do not persuade me to marry again, Father. I have already married Jacaerys; I have married the Realm."
So Daemon had no choice but to give up. However, neither Daemon nor Dragonzel had prepared a contingency plan for what to do if a monarch of equally noble status requested a marriage alliance. Not to mention House Baratheon—Lord Borros had already happily tucked his tail between his legs. His only two remaining daughters had also married after his eldest son, Royce Baratheon, was born safely this year. Ellyn Baratheon married Ser Duncan Estermont, and Floris Baratheon married the widowed Lord Thaddeus Rowan.
Other great houses no longer had eligible daughters, and Daemon did not want to introduce foreign bloodlines again, especially since Viserys was now a dragonrider.
"It depends on the specific circumstances and Viserys's personal wishes, Your Majesty," Dragonzel said calmly. "House Rogare also has Valyrian blood flowing through them. Although they are not a dragonlord family, their ancestors were once favored by a dragon king, and House Rogare is also very wealthy."
Aegon understood Dragonzel's meaning: if the other party offered enough sincerity, selling off his younger brother was fine—after all, it was they who would marry into the family, not his younger brother marrying out, so it didn't matter.
Lisandro Rogare was a little nervous, but the emotion in his eyes was more shock and fascination. Nothing else—he had witnessed Vermithor taking flight today, and the moment the dragon soared into the sky, Lisandro was completely captivated, while his siblings and children were somewhat at a loss.
Indeed, how could these children understand the Valyrian people's obsession and emotion toward dragons?
Lisandro steadied himself and motioned for his stunningly beautiful daughter, Lara Rogare, who had been greatly frightened by the dragon and was still trembling, to stand beside him. This daughter of his was a very significant bargaining chip for today's visit. Lisandro had set his sights on Aegon's younger brother, Viserys, as there were many people of noble blood in this castle, but the only one of suitable age who could potentially form a successful marriage alliance was Viserys.
He needed a marriage alliance with House Targaryen to solidify the alliance between Lys and Westeros.
"Lord Lisandro, you may enter." Suchi, wearing a Dothraki-style painted vest but draped in a half-robe interwoven with blood-red and silver, spoke in fluent High Valyrian, his hand resting on his long, saber-shaped Valyrian steel sword, Prairiefire.
Lisandro was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected a Dothraki to be here, and so civilized at that. But he couldn't dwell on it. He brought his brother and children, bowed his head, and walked into the spacious hall.
The Obsidian Throne Hall was very empty at this time, with only the three thrones at the head of the hall standing out. In addition to the original Dragonstone Throne in the hall, there were two weirwood thrones beside it.
"Presenting the Hand of King Aegon II Targaryen, Lord of Dragon Nest City, Lord of Silver Crown City, Prince of the Frontier, Warden of the Prince's Pass, Warden of the Stoneway, Shield of Lace Town, Protector of Summerhall, Voice of the Citadel, Lord of Dragons, Key to the Boneway, Scion of the Silver Blood, Descendant of the Valyrian Emperors, Prince Dragonzel Varezes."
Reville Hightower's clear voice rang out.
Lisandro straightened his collar. He knew that the true orchestrator of this audience had arrived.
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