The Pufferfish Lord was pleased, and his anger at his second son promptly faded.
Although he had grown increasingly fond of the ever more outstanding Little Rose, he loved every child he had with Alerie Hightower.
Yet when he thought of his children, Lord Hand Mace suddenly felt a pang of sorrow as he remembered his youngest son, Loras, who had died young.
The hand holding his silver wine cup tightened unconsciously. Loras, hailed as the Knight of Flowers, had once been his most beloved child. He had regarded him as the rebirth of Leo "Longthorn" and placed great hopes upon him.
[Leo Tyrell was considered House Tyrell's finest knight, and many believed him to be the greatest jousting champion in the history of the Seven Kingdoms.]
Loras had once been Mace's greatest pride. He had believed his son would win glory for the House of the Rose on the tourney field, just as Leo "Longthorn" had—
But—
Like Stannis, Lord Mace could not help grinding his teeth. He hated Renly. He hated the Lannisters to death!
Gulp, gulp. He drained the wine in his cup in one swallow, barely managing to suppress the flames of hatred.
He was the Lord of Highgarden, but he was also a father. He had never forgotten Loras's vengeance. For the future of the House of the Rose, he had no choice but to bury it deep within himself. Though he stood high as the head of House Tyrell, he had long learned to force himself to smile.
Yes, what Gryn I wanted was stability. He could continue waiting—
Moreover, as an artist of war, he understood even more clearly that the Seven Kingdoms now needed a stable rear more than ever. His path to becoming a famed general was also important.
Once the