Margaery quietly clenched her fingers inside her sleeves. She knew the true test had arrived.
She raised her eyes, meeting Aegon's gaze without flinching. Her voice was gentle and clear, carrying the measured grace unique to Highgarden's nobility.
"Highgarden has never sought to stand apart, much less challenge Your Highness's authority. Quite the contrary-we only wish to be your most dependable support and safeguard the heartland of the Reach."
She paused briefly, watching Aegon calmly and studying his expression. Yet his young, stern face betrayed no change in emotion.
"House Crabb received Your Highness's generous rewards because their entire house earned that honor through loyalty. Those grants were entirely justified. All the Seven Kingdoms saw it, and no one could dispute them." She first affirmed House Crabb's achievements, aligning herself with Aegon's wishes and avoiding the sharpness of a direct demand for power.
Only then did she slowly present her request. "The Reach has vast stretches of fertile land. It is the greatest granary in the Seven Kingdoms, with a prosperous population and thriving trade routes. If Your Highness would place your trust in House Tyrell and allow us to consolidate the forces throughout the Reach and secure the allegiance of its great and lesser nobles, we could provide you with an uninterrupted supply of grain and provisions. We could also fully implement your new policies in the south and prevent unrest from taking root."
"That would allow Your Highness to focus on the situation in the north without worrying about stability in the south. This is not merely a way forward for Highgarden-it also serves your greater plans."
She offered no grand boasts or empty platitudes, speaking only of the Reach's practical value. She firmly tied Highgarden's demands to Aegon's needs as a ruler, displaying all the shrewdness and