Otto Hightower's Plan

Otto Hightower's Plan

"Otto, calm yourself. Let the Grand Maester finish the intelligence." Viserys tapped the table lightly several times, signaling Otto to sit down.

"My apologies, Your Majesty. This news is simply too horrifying. I lost my composure." Otto lowered his head in explanation and slowly returned to his seat.

Grand Maester Mellos opened a book and continued, "According to the records, the Valaerys family was once one of the Forty Dragonlord Families. The last Emperor of Valyria, Aelyon Valaerys, was a member of this family. After the Doom, the family lost all its dragons. Their descendants retreated behind the Black Wall of Valantis, surviving on the vast wealth left behind by their ancestors. But their previous patriarch, Cleorius Valaerys, was a prodigy. He amassed even greater wealth for the family and formed a fully professional standing army several thousand strong. This army had fought Dothraki and mercenaries for years, accumulating extensive experience in warfare. More than a decade ago, Cleorius married—"

The Grand Maester suddenly stopped.

"Go on." The king supported his head. He had been deeply shocked when he first learned this information, and even after a long time spent considering it, he still found it difficult to accept.

"The self-exiled Princess Senira Targaryen."

The ministers fell silent. Even Larys Strong lowered his head and fiddled with his beads, no one knowing what he was thinking.

"The princess bore three sons: Lonzell, Valarr, and Rey. The ones who tamed dragons were Lonzell Varezes and Valarr Valaerys. According to news from Pentos, the Valaerys fleet is sailing westward, with no fewer than three hundred large ships in its ranks."

"So they not only possess dragons, but also wealth and several thousand battle-hardened soldiers?" Ser Tyland Lannister pointed out the key issue, cleverly avoiding any mention of Princess Senira.

"Your Majesty, we cannot allow dragons to flow out of the realm." Otto Hightower rose sharply to his feet.

"I know." The king waved a hand helplessly. "Then tell me, what should we do?"

"Send dragons to strike. We have Vhagar, Sunfyre, and Dreamfyre." Otto Hightower paused before continuing, "Dragonstone has Syrax, Caraxes, and Princess Rhaenys's Meleys. We have more dragons."

"Lord Hand." Larys Strong's calm, low voice rang out. "I believe I must remind you that Princess Rhaenyra is still with child, as everyone knows." He placed the bead he had been playing with back into its groove. "A pregnant woman cannot ride a dragon. Prince Aemond has only just recovered from his sickbed and has ridden Vhagar only once. The same goes for Princess Helaena and Prince Aegon." Larys glanced sideways at Otto.

Otto pursed his lips and sighed inwardly. He could only sit back down and continue, "Your Majesty, if this matter is not dealt with in time, it may very well repeat what happened back then." He did not say Aegon's Conquest aloud.

Viserys naturally understood what he meant. He looked toward the other ministers. Queen Alicent looked at her father, then at her husband, but ultimately said nothing.

Lord Lyman cleared his throat. "Your Majesty, it seems the only dragonriders we can send into battle are Prince Daemon and Princess Rhaenys, but—"

"Your Majesty, since he is Princess Senira's descendant, why can we not win him over and bring him into the kingdom?" Lord Jasper suddenly said.

Otto was about to refute him, but realized there was indeed some sense in it. None of those present were fools. They all knew perfectly well, having studied history, what would happen to a Dragonlord family in Essos. The eastern continent held complicated feelings toward dragons. If Lonzell remained in Valantis or elsewhere in Essos, the chaos that followed would sweep across the entire continent, eventually devouring his family and his dragons.

Then the purpose of his fleet sailing west was obvious.

"At the Great Council of your grandfather, Jaehaerys I the Arbiter, Princess Senira's descendants were stripped of their inheritance rights," Lord Jasper continued. "Women, in matters of succession—"

"Cough."

Lord Lyman suddenly coughed, interrupting Lord Jasper.

"Lord Wylde, please do not drag other matters into this," Lord Lyman reminded him.

The king's expression changed briefly before returning to normal. "Continue."

"Forgive me, Your Majesty." Lord Jasper hurriedly apologized, then continued, "Since succession is not involved, we can fully regard him as another Velaryon family."

"Lord Wylde." Otto interrupted him. "The Velaryons have followed the Targaryens for centuries." He looked at the silent King Viserys. "The two families have intermarried for generations. It was only in Lord Corlys's generation, because of Princess Rhaenys, that they temporarily came to possess dragons. There is no basis for comparing these two families."

"Lord Hand, Lord Jasper has a point." Grand Maester Mellos looked at Otto and continued, "The Velaryon family once possessed three adult dragons, including Vhagar. But after the dragonrider Lady Laena died, Prince Aemond successfully reclaimed Vhagar, while Seasmoke returned to being a wild dragon after Ser Laenor met with an accident."

"I understand what you mean, Grand Maester." Otto spread his hands. "Win them over through marriage, then reclaim the dragons through kinship after they die. But the royal family has no girls left!"

Queen Alicent finally found an opportunity to speak. "My lords, my son Aegon and daughter Helaena have consummated their marriage and received the blessing of the Seven. Rhaenyra's sons have also been promised to Prince Daemon's daughters."

"We can handle this through marriage in the next generation," Larys Strong said. "Or wait for a new royal daughter to be born. Grand Maester, if I remember correctly, there are three brothers?"

Mellos nodded. "Yes. The youngest, Rey Valaerys, is only twelve years old."

"We can wait," Larys Strong said. "Or we can stir conflict between the brothers."

"Lord Larys." Ser Tyland interrupted him. "Your Majesty, I think you should understand that if we wish to win them over and accept them, so-called marriage alliances alone will not be enough. They have brought hundreds, perhaps thousands of ships, and tens of thousands of people."

"Land, wealth, titles," Lord Lyman said. "Those are the only three things boys pursue."

"Lord Lyman, you make it sound easy." Lord Jasper responded without ceremony. "Land? Whose land? Your Honeyholt? Or my Rain House? The Seven Kingdoms may be vast, but every place has an owner. To carve out new lands, we would have to negotiate with lords across the realm. How could that be easy?"

"Enough. Let me have some quiet." King Viserys finally could not endure it any longer. "I agree with the proposal to win them over, but as for how, discuss it among yourselves." He covered his head and signaled for Queen Alicent to come support him. "Mellos, search for any unclaimed or royal lands that can be granted, then send letters to the Wardens to inquire about land. We will discuss the rest next time."

"As you command, Your Majesty."

Watching King Viserys depart, the ministers also left the Red Keep one after another, each carrying their doubts. Only Ser Otto Hightower walked toward the Tower of the Hand with a grave expression. Several Hightower family attendants hurried forward when they saw the Hand approaching.

"Write to Lord Hobert. Tell him to clear out a piece of land near Oldtown as soon as possible. Quickly."

The attendant froze for a moment, only for Otto to kick him in the backside. "What are you waiting for?"

"At once, my lord."

As he watched the attendant scamper toward Raven Tower, an imperceptible smile flashed across Otto's face.

Summer Sea.

The Valaerys fleet was growing ever larger. Lady Cleophina did not stop the Valaerys ships from leaving port batch after batch, carrying soldiers, craftsmen, and commoners. On the contrary, she was deeply pleased when she saw it, even taking the initiative to provide ships.

"My lord, the Tiger Party envoy's ship has been following us for many days." Vansen Kaon stood steadily on the deck and spoke to Lonzell, who was watching his younger brother play with the young dragon.

Above them, Vomysor and Silverwing circled over the Silent Lord.

Valarr was practicing flight in the sky.

Whether because of the dragon egg or some other reason, Rey's young dragon was growing rapidly. In only a few weeks, its scales had hardened and become covered in dense, terrifying spikes. The dragon had also grown several times larger. Yet unlike the others, this young dragon was rather slender. If not for its spikes and armored scales, it would scarcely look as though it had any flesh on it at all.

Rey named the young dragon "Shadowmare." It had been the name of his favorite pony when he was little. Sadly, that horse had died. His falcon, Flame Wing, had also died in the sky after the last group of people withdrew from Valantis.

Rey held up a piece of roasted meat to tease the young dragon, but the dragon shot its neck forward like lightning, snatched the meat in a single bite, and swallowed it.

"Brother, is there any more meat?"

"Yes." Lonzell smiled and had the cook bring over several more pieces of meat. Then he looked at Vansen. "Do not meet them. The Tiger Party wants to keep us trapped in the quagmire of Essos."

"But Westeros..." Vansen pressed his lips together. "Forgive my bluntness, but it is a backward land. Savage, utterly uncivilized."

"I know." Lonzell lifted his head toward the sun in the sky and narrowed his eyes. "This is an attempt, and also a mission."

Vansen lowered his head and said in a deep voice, "The Kaun family is your spearhead. Wherever you go is where I go."

Vomysor happened to fly overhead, blocking out the sunlight.

The youth's gaze turned toward the distant west.