The Bride's Bargaining Chip

When Margaery was mentioned, everyone smiled and looked at him.

It was only then that Jon remembered that he still had to come out with Margaery to greet the guests; Highgarden's custom was that they just shouldn't go to the bridal chamber together before the wedding.

He already knew that Euron was at his wedding, and he was extremely worried about getting the guy out of his sight.

Fortunately, things haven't gotten that tense yet. The wedding won't officially begin for another two days. On the surface, it's the enemy in the dark while we are in the light, but in reality, it's the enemy in the light while we are in the dark. Jon still has time to prepare.

Led by Arya, Jon bid farewell to the others and headed to Margaery's room.

"Jon, when you go into the bridal chamber, I'm going to tear your dress! I didn't manage to tear Jeyne's dress, but I'm definitely going to tear Margaery's!" Arya said excitedly, holding Jon's hand.

"Enter the bridal chamber? Do you even know what a bridal chamber is? Hmm?" Jon ruffled Arya's hair.

"The wedding night is just you and Margaery sleeping together, and then having a baby, right? Everyone knows that," Arya said smugly.

However, when the brother and sister reached the corner, Jon suddenly stopped and pulled Arya, who was hopping around, to a halt.

"What's wrong, Jon?"

"Arya, there are bad guys at my wedding!"

"A bad guy?" Arya asked, puzzled yet excited. "Where is he?" she asked, reaching excitedly for her waist, only to find that her Needle had been confiscated long ago.

"Right now, only I know he's a bad guy; nobody else knows. So I need you to protect Mrs. Catelyn and not let any strangers near you, understand?"

"Don't worry, Jon, leave it to me."

The Stark family are all Skinchanger, with Bran being the most outstanding one. Jon is worried that he might attract Euron's interest.

Although Skinchanger are not uncommon, we still need to be wary of this guy.

Jon would also arrange for people to protect them, but Arya's agility and luck were maxed out, so talking to her would always be an extra layer of protection, and at the very least, she could send him a message in time.

At this moment, Margaery was surrounded by a group of noble girls in the room, who were doing her hair and makeup, adjusting her clothes, and designing her look.

Sansa was there too, of course.

It's worth mentioning that some of the "illegitimate Flowers are also here.

Generally speaking, illegitimate daughters and children are not allowed to appear at important occasions.

But weddings are different. While illegitimate children symbolize rebellion, they also represent vigorous vitality. The implications are self-evident.

At this time, there were several illegitimate daughters in Margaery's room serving as everyone's sommeliers. They ran around serving tea and water, which was one of the few opportunities for them to see the world.

The fact that the groom was also an illegitimate child made them feel proud in a way.

In particular, there was another girl in the room who was a year or two older than Margaery, but could be described as a voluptuous and beautiful girl. Her name was Falia Flowers, an illegitimate daughter from the Shield Islands.

Although she was constantly being told what to do, Falia was always cheerful.

"Sansa, which hair accessory do you think Jon would prefer?" Margaery's companion pointed to the jewelry piled high on the dressing table.

These items, arranged together, even shimmered with a golden glow under the sunlight streaming through the window; it was simply breathtaking.

"Uh, Jon — Jon doesn't seem to have talked to girls much." Sansa racked her brains; she couldn't even recall any other girl Jon had interacted with besides Arya when they were kids.

Perhaps to make a good impression on Jon, Sansa smiled and said to Margaery Margaery, "If we don't count Jon and Arya dancing in the mud, then Miss Margaery is the first person to dance with him? Perhaps Miss Margaery is also the girl he's talked to the most."

Margaery smiled noncommittally, "Really? Then I hope so."

As Margaery's companion, Lya sensed something unspoken in her words.

Since Jon stormed King's Landing and made Stannis his king, he has been called "Eddard the Second".

He's unquestionable in terms of loyalty and honor, but what if he's "just like Eddard" in some other aspect?

Casterly Rock is now his spoils of war, filled with beautiful blonde maidens. What if he loses control and does that too?

Lya knew that since Margaery had shown such an attitude, she might have heard some rumors. After all, Tyrell's intelligence network was quite powerful.

However, she didn't make a fuss, but somehow, she felt a little better.

This topic was quickly moved on, and the girls started chattering about other things.

Suddenly, Arya's voice came from outside. "Miss Margaery, my brother has come to see you!"

"Ah, the groom has arrived."

The girls laughed and joked, and before leaving, Sansa even gave Jon a encouraging look and casually dragged away Arya, who wanted to linger a little longer.

Everyone else looked at Jon with smiles in their eyes, but Lya kept her head down, not daring to look at him.

After everyone had left, Jon closed the door and looked at Margaery.

It must be said that Margaery was already beautiful, and today she was dressed up in her finest attire. She was walking on a blue carpet, wearing a light green dress, and her hands, gloved with white silk, were resting on her knees.

Sunlight reflected off the dressing mirror, illuminating her face. Her earrings trembled slightly with her gentle smile. Jon had intended to warn Euron as soon as he entered, but the beautiful sight interrupted his thoughts.

"Lord Jon, congratulations on becoming the new master of Casterly Rock." Margaery tilted her head slightly, adorned with elaborate hair ornaments, as if trying to tilt it directly into the heart of the person before her.

Beside her was a flowerpot made from Daven's helmet; it was unclear whether it was planted or transplanted, but it was already covered in blooms.

"It must be because Miss Margaery prayed for me a lot before the Seven, otherwise I wouldn't have had such a smooth journey." Jon replied with only a few polite words. It was their second meeting before they were to get married, and even though it was Westeros custom, there was still some awkwardness and stiffness between them.

Margaery rose gracefully and walked towards Jon. Jon followed, and just as he was about to speak about Euron, Margaery spoke first again, her tone playful, provocative, and tinged with a hint of complaint. "Lord Stark, why haven't you written me a single letter in all this time? Is it because your Raven hasn't been to my room before and doesn't know the way?"

Clang -

A brief look of surprise crossed Jon's eyes, but he quickly realized what was going on.

It's highly likely that his and Roslin's information was leaked, or perhaps Margaery took the initiative to investigate.

Jon recalled the Tyrell he had met; it was possible that Olenna had helped her find out, or it could have been Willas.

However, after meeting them, I didn't notice anything amiss at all; the Tyrell are truly remarkable.

It's also possible that someone close to Stannis told them, but neither is important now.

Jon composed himself and said, "Miss Margaery, please calm down. I don't know how much you know about this, but I have no intention of hiding anything from you. I will tell you every detail, but now is not the time. I have something more important for you to know."

"Something more important?" Margaery imagined Jon might try to deflect the question or tell her the truth about it.

In fact, she thought the latter was more likely, and Jon's current statement certainly reflected this. However, Jon clearly knew what he was talking about, but he insisted on steer the conversation to something else, which made her feel that things might be more complicated than they seemed.

"That adventurer who claims to have been to Valyria is dangerous."

"The adventurer who gave my father the Dragon Egg?"

"Yes, if it were me, I would lock him up and use the cruelest torture I can think of to force him to reveal his true purpose in approaching us. But I have no evidence right now, and he just presented Dragon Egg and is a guest of Lord Mace. As your future husband, I need to tell you to stay away from him and not let any unfamiliar servants near you." Jon lowered his voice and spoke very seriously.

Seeing Jon's serious expression, Margaery's expression also turned solemn. "Is he the most terrifying enemy you've ever encountered?"

"Not necessarily the most terrifying, but definitely the most dangerous and insidious! If the Lannister are lions, then this guy is a venomous snake, and one with multiple heads, even its tail has fangs!"

Margaery was surprised that even Jon, the seemingly invincible newcomer, was so wary of that adventurer. She immediately raised her alarm, her face turning slightly pale. She nodded, her emerald earrings swaying gently with her movements.

"Yes, I understand." Then, her bright eyes sparkled as she looked into Jon's eyes and said, "Lord Stark, you told me the other day that for people like us, the most important thing in marriage is mutual support and growth. I think you will keep your promise, won't you?"

Jon knew that Margaery was trying to define the boundaries of power with him, much like two businessmen discussing the basis and terms of their cooperation.

Moreover, when they first met, she addressed herself as "Lord Stark," which represented a form of affirmation, but now that she still uses "Lord Stark," it undoubtedly signifies a distance.

Of course, Jon wasn't much better; he kept talking about Miss Margaery.

"Of course, you will soon become Lady Casterly Rock, the mother of children who will inherit all my titles, and I will do everything in my power to ensure you live as long and healthy as Lady Olenna, and that will never change."

Jon's terms were far beyond her expectations, especially the last supplementary clause, which made her even doubt the accuracy of the intelligence.

This effectively cuts off any possibility of another woman taking her place.

"Very well, Lord Jon, you keep your word." Seeing Jon's sincerity, Margaery smiled and took Jon arm. "Tell me about that adventurer."