The news was like ink dripping into clear water, quickly spreading in the aristocratic circle of King's Landing.
People in Greens were the first to smell the turning point. Those faces that had fallen silent due to Otto's loss of power began to become active again in Flea Bottom's taverns and dinners at noble mansions.
They exchanged glances, and their whispers as they toasted contained uncontrollable excitement.
On the Black Party side, the supporters of Princess Rhaenyra were in panic. Some people stayed up all night, and some were eager to find out the news. Even the stone wall of Red Keep seemed to be covered with a layer of gloom.
The most disturbing thing was the secret conversation in the afternoon on the day Otto returned.
According to the personal attendant who attended the king's daily life, he privately revealed that when Otto entered Viserys's palace, the sun had just passed the zenith, and when he came out, the setting sun had already dyed the spire of Red Keep blood-red.
For a whole hour, there were only two people in the room, the king and the former Hand of the King. There were no historians to record, no guards to listen, and even Queen Alicent was blocked from the door.
No one knows what they talked about. Is Otto seeking more chips for his grandson Aegon II?
Or is Viserys complaining about her daughter Rhaenyra's recent "outrageous" behavior?
Or are they discussing the Dragonstone fleet that has been unable to return?
Rumors grew like vines, entangling everyone who tried to pry into the truth.
Rhaenyra decided to go find Redd when he smashed the wine glass for the third time.
Her dormitory is located in the high tower on the west side of Red Keep. She could originally see the sparkling waves of Blackwater Bay outside the window, but at this moment, in her eyes, the water area is like a huge mouth that will swallow up everything she owns at any time.
The maids collected the broken glass pieces on the ground in silence, not daring to look up at the princess's face, which was twisted with anger and fear.
"Why should he?" Rhaenyra's voice was hoarse, with a sharp edge that was close to collapse, "When he was driven away by his father, he looked like a lost dog!
Now you don't even say hello when you come back, and you dare to break into your father's room to have a secret conversation?
What does he want to do? Support that idiot Aegon II?"
No one dared to answer. Everyone knew that the "he" in the princess's mouth was Otto, and the "idiot" Aegon II was her half-brother and the person most likely to threaten her inheritance right now.
"What on earth is father thinking?" Rhaenyra suddenly grabbed the wrist of a maid, and his nails almost dug into the other's flesh. "Has he forgotten that he announced me as Iron Throne's heir in front of everyone on Great Council? Has he forgotten his mother's instructions before her death?"
The maid turned pale in pain, but she could only say tremblingly, "Your Royal Highness, Your Majesty the King... Maybe he just missed his old relationship and reminisced with Sir Hai Tarth..."
"Reminiscing about the past?" Rhaenyra shook off her hand and sneered, "Otto·Hai Tarth has never done such a thing as 'reminiscing about the past' in this life!"
Every breath he takes is for the power of House Hightower! When he comes back now, he wants to pull me from the position of heir and replace me with his grandson!"
The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became. Her heart seemed to be clenched tightly by an invisible hand, and even breathing became difficult.
She knew Otto's methods. He was able to climb up to Hand of the King's position step by step not by kindness, but by precise calculations and ruthless tactics.
What's even more frightening is that she can feel that her father Viserys's attitude is changing - he has mentioned Aegon more and more frequently recently and the importance of "male heirs". Even when she proposed strengthening Dragonstone's defense, she only vaguely prevaricated.
"No, we can't go on like this." Rhaenyra murmured to himself, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes, "We must do something... we must..."
She stood up abruptly, her luxurious silk skirt sweeping across the ground, bringing up a gust of wind. "Get the car ready, no, I'll go by myself!"
She didn't even have time to straighten her messy hair before she rushed out of the palace with her skirt in hand. Her high heels made a rapid and panic sound on the stone corridor, like beating on everyone's heartstrings.
Redd's study is on the other side of Red Keep, close to the armory. The location is relatively remote and rarely disturbed by people on weekdays.
This is not so much a study as a small strategy room - the four walls are covered with maps, from the full view of Westeros to Free Cities on the other side of the Narrow Sea, and even sketches of some remote islands have been carefully framed.
The air is filled with the smell of ink, parchment and a touch of salty sea water - that is the smell brought by Redd from Dragonstone.
Rhaenyra When he rushed to the door of the study, he even forgot to knock on the door and pushed open the heavy oak door. The door shaft made a "squeaking" sound in protest, interrupting the tranquility in the room.
Redd is standing in front of a huge map, with his back to the door.
He wore a dark gray woolen robe with a simple belt tied around his waist, and his black hair lay casually on his shoulders.
Hearing the movement, he didn't even look back, he just stretched out his finger and tapped a certain point on the map, as if the territory in front of him was more important than the people behind him.
"Redd!" Rhaenyra's voice was filled with tears and a hint of begging, "Have you heard? Otto is back! He talked with his father for an hour! Now the whole King's Landing is saying... that his father is going to change his heir!"
She walked quickly to Redd, eager to see a trace of the same anxiety as her own on his face, or at least a trace of comfort.
But Redd's profile was tense and his eyes were focused on the map, as if he didn't hear her words at all.
There are two maps spread out on the table. One looks a little old, with slightly curled edges, and the markings on it are made of faded ink; the other is brand new and shiny, with a delicate texture of parchment, and the handwriting on it is clear and powerful. The name, area, and direction of the coastline are marked with different colors of ink, and there are even some small symbols representing ports, freshwater springs, or potential dangers.
"This is..." Rhaenyra's attention was involuntarily attracted to the new map.
"Just sent it from Stepstones." Redd finally spoke, his voice as calm as a pool of stagnant water, "Our people spent three months re-surveying the islands in that sea area.
Look here," he pointed to a vague mark on the old map, "I thought it was just a reef, but it is actually a large island with fresh water and a natural harbor, enough to station a fleet."
His fingers slid over the new map, with an almost cold excitement in his tone. "And here, three small islands are connected in a line, which can be used as a transfer station from the Narrow Sea to Blackwater Bay.
As long as we build a watchtower and supply station here, if any fleet wants to sneak attack King's Landing from the east, we can get the news three days in advance."