When their gazes brushed by chance, Princess Arianne straightened her slim waist as naturally as she could and flashed Daenerys a grin.
Daenerys lifted a brow slightly, then just as naturally looked away.
Beside the empty chair of the Hand of the King sat the newly appointed Master of Coin, heir to the Lord of Highgarden—Willas Tyrell... Viscount. It was a court viscountcy, an honorary title.
A faint smile rested on his lips as he listened with great patience to the Grand Maester's tedious remarks.
Seated opposite Willas was the newly appointed Master of Ships—Lord Brynden Tully.
At the Small Council, his lips remained tightly sealed, and he rarely spoke.
Seated between the Master of Laws and the Master of Ships was the former Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, now commander of the Queen's Guard—Ser Barristan Selmy—who had begun attending the Small Council.
[King Gryn's sworn protectors were still called the Kingsguard, led by Ser Brienne Tarth (not yet formally appointed, Chapter 588); Queen Daenerys's sworn protectors were called the Queen's Guard, with Ser Barristan appointed as their commander.]
He and Lord Brynden sat upright there like two stone statues of the Small Council.
The links of the maester's chain clinked softly. Grand Maester Pycelle cleared his throat. "Queen Daenerys, therefore, my recommendation is to relocate another portion of the population to the northern part of the old Crownlands."
Daenerys first gestured for him to sit, then thought for a moment before saying, "That is only if they can be properly settled. The northern regions need more people, but winter is approaching, and those wastelands cannot support them."
Pycelle's hands, covered in age spots and wrinkles, turned several sheets of parchment. "Yes, merciful Queen. The relocation sites will be chosen as close as possible to rivers and forests, or