Conqueror's Holdfast, the King's Hall.
Liu Qian sat upright on the Iron Throne, his gaze calm as he watched the uneasy figure in the center of the hall.
Waymar Royce, the third son of Yohn Royce, Earl of Runestone, was a young man of eighteen.
He had inherited House Royce's distinctive large frame. Tall and slender, with handsome features, he wore the clothes of a Vale nobleman, slightly worn but washed and starched crisp.
At that moment, however, his handsome face was filled with nervousness and unease. His eyes kept darting toward Liu Qian on the Iron Throne before quickly dropping again.
In the original story, he should have gone to the Wall to join the Night's Watch, but the current situation in the Vale had kept him from leaving.
"Ser Waymar Royce..."
Liu Qian's voice broke the silence. "It is a pleasure to see you again. Our last meeting was two and a half years ago, when you accompanied your elder brother here to ransom your father. How time flies."
Waymar hurriedly bowed. "Your Majesty, thank you for receiving me. On behalf of my father, Earl Yohn of Runestone, I offer you his sincerest greetings. I have taken the liberty of coming here to seek your help on behalf of my father and House Royce."
"Oh? Help?"
Liu Qian raised an eyebrow and leaned forward slightly, regarding him with interest. "Let me guess. You want to borrow some Dothraki Screamers from me to bolster the Vale's army?"
The smile at the corners of his mouth deepened, carrying a hint of amusement. "Those kings of your Seven Kingdoms, Robb Stark and Viserys Targaryen, have already borrowed quite a few from me. Does House Royce wish to try as well?"
Waymar's face instantly flushed crimson. He jerked his head up, a