"Wait a moment," Aemon said, raising an eyebrow. "Why wait for the Grand Maester's position to be filled?" It was obvious that appointing a new Grand Maester would be a much faster process than arranging Aegon's marriage.
Viserys, having been interrupted, shot him an unfriendly look.
"It is like this, my prince," Lord Lyonel quickly interjected, explaining, "Grand Maester Mellos is still able to move and has no intention of resigning his post. He once told His Majesty that he would serve until his dying day."
In other words, he refused to leave.
Aemon translated the meaning automatically in his mind and sneered. "Some people provoke struggles at court, and when they see their own position is in jeopardy, they begin to play the part of the loyal minister."
"The Grand Maester has contributed more to this kingdom than you can imagine, Aemon," Viserys scolded in a deep voice.
Aemon rolled his eyes, not wanting to argue the point. He did not agree with his uncle's methods of managing his subordinates. The members of the Small Council were all top-tier talents, men with the wisdom to govern entire regions. From the Sea Snake and Otto to Lyonel and Tyland Lannister, no one could find fault with their administrative abilities. Yet, under his uncle's leadership, they were perfunctory at best, often engaging in petty squabbles at the council table. Before Lord Corlys had returned to the council, everyone in the Red Keep privately called the King's council a sham.
The root cause was simple: indulgence. Viserys was unwavering in his leniency, regardless of his ministers' faults. Loyal or treacherous, as long as they met his standards of personal loyalty, they were considered good ministers for the kingdom. He never considered the negative impact that his supposedly "loyal," but actually self-serving, ministers would have on his own children.
A Dance of the Dragons. Every single member of the current council—save for old Lord Lyman—deserved to lose their heads.
You too, Lyonel. Aemon's eyes darted toward the silent Hand of the King.
Never mind the fact that in his original world, this man and the King had played dumb while three of Rhaenyra's children, all bastards, were presented as heirs to the Iron Throne. Right here, right now, he was the Hand of the King. In civil administration, he couldn't contain the ambitions of Otto or the Sea Snake. In martial matters, his own son, Ser Harwin, had been removed as Commander of the City Watch, weakening their family's standing. He possessed wisdom but no initiative. He was like a beast of burden, plodding along one step at a time, never taking action unless prodded.
Feeling Aemon's gaze on him, Lord Lyonel looked uncomfortable, his chubby face tense. "Grand Maesters hold their position for life, as recommended by the Citadel. This has been a long-standing rule."
Excellent, Aemon thought. A very Lyonel statement.
Aemon retorted, "Speaking of marriage, before considering a lady from the Reach, wasn't Prince Aegon initially more interested in Lady Johanna of the Crag?"
Lyonel was speechless.
Viserys, bewildered by his nephew's increasingly Daemon-like disposition, exchanged a glance with Ser Harrold, who stood behind him.
Ser Harrold, clutching his helmet, said calmly, "Perhaps Lady Johanna is simply unlucky."
"I don't believe that," Aemon shook his head.
Viserys sighed.
At this moment, Lyonel stepped in, explaining carefully, "Compared to the nobility of the Westerlands, the lords of the Reach are wealthier and hold a higher station."
Aemon blinked, his mind successfully translating once again. The Crag is poor.
House Westerling of the Crag, like House Lannister of Casterly Rock, had once enjoyed great prosperity from its gold mines. But years ago, the mines at the Crag had run dry. Without their primary economic pillar, and with successive lords who were not known for expanding their territory, they could only watch helplessly as their family declined.
Westeros was a vast continent, and its nobility was clearly divided into tiers. The great houses like the Lannisters, Arryns, and Baratheons—families that had once been kings and now ruled as Lords Paramount—were top-tier. There were exceptions, of course. The Tyrells of Highgarden and the Tullys of Riverrun, both elevated by Aegon the Conqueror, lacked overwhelming power over their vassals. They were merely gatekeepers of the top tier.
Below them were the highly prestigious first-tier nobility: the Hightowers of Oldtown, the Rowans of the Reach, the Graftons of Gulltown, the Royces of the Vale, and the Blackwoods and Brackens of the Riverlands. Next came the second-tier nobility, with rich heritage: the Redforts of the Redfort, the Boltons of the Dreadfort, the Dondarrions of Blackhaven, the Swanns of Stonehelm. Finally, there were the numerous lesser nobles, like the Caswells of Bitterbridge or the Cargylls of the Crownlands.
Based on their historical strength, House Westerling could have been considered a quasi-first-tier house. Today, they were on the verge of falling out of the second tier entirely. Aegon's marriage to a Westerling would bring very little substantial support to the royal family.
Aemon shook his head regretfully. Aegon was not a bad person by nature. Though he appeared unruly, he could distinguish between right and wrong. A well-educated and strong-willed wife would greatly improve him. In that respect, he was better than Aemond. That boy acted without considering the consequences, driven entirely by emotion.
"It is not what you think, my prince," Ser Harrold spoke up.
"Oh?" Aemon was surprised. What other motive was there?
"The Dornish marriage is temporarily on hold. Lord Tyland can appease them for now, but an explanation is needed," Lyonel said solemnly. "The Dornish have close ties with the Ironborn. Stability is needed in the southwest of the kingdom."
Aemon understood. They feared a Dornish invasion, which could be exploited by the Ironborn, who might then attack Oldtown and the Shield Islands. This marriage was meant to rally the lords of the Reach in advance.
"Yes, that's very necessary," Aemon nodded silently. He even believed that marrying a noble from the Reach would serve as a better check against the lords of the Westerlands.
The Targaryen dynasty was 121 years old, a mere page in the long history of Westeros. Many noble houses still secretly resented them as foreign invaders who ruled through the power of dragons. To prevent rebellion, Aegon the Conqueror had laid out countermeasures. His half-brother, Orys Baratheon, took Storm's End and married the last Storm King's daughter, inheriting the Stormlands. Aegon himself promoted the Tullys and Tyrells, elevating them to a station their own power did not warrant. Unable to overpower their vassals, these two families relied on the Iron Throne's protection.
The Riverlands, the Reach, and the Stormlands occupied the kingdom's central and southern regions. The Riverlands blocked the Westerlands and the North, while the Stormlands stood as a bulwark against Dorne. During his great-grandfather's reign, a Targaryen princess was married into the Vale, and later, Viserys himself married Lady Aemma Arryn. This bloodline ensured the Vale's unwavering support for the Targaryens, which, when combined with the Riverlands, could completely block the North from marching south. This was how the Targaryens, with the North and Westerlands kept in check and Dorne unyielding, maintained a stable grip on the Iron Throne.
This situation shifted after Aemon became Prince of the Vale. With the collapse of the Triarchy and the Stepstones falling under Targaryen influence, the situation shifted even more dramatically. Aemon had established the "Targaryens of the Vale," supporting the "Targaryens of King's Landing." The North was now completely isolated, facing the formidable barrier of the Neck and the royal fleet at Gulltown. Why bully someone so poor and isolated?
With the northern threat lifted, the Tullys' role in the Riverlands diminished, though they were still needed to guard the Golden Tooth pass from the Westerlands. The change of power in the Stepstones blocked Dorne's external trade and reduced the importance of the Stormlands. And judging by the events of the Dance and the later War of the Usurper, the Baratheons were traitors at heart anyway.
However, the reduced importance of the Stormlands did not diminish the role of the Reach. Dorne's path of invasion had three avenues: the Prince's Pass into the Reach, the Boneway into the Stormlands, and the sea route to Sunspear. Now that Dorne had lost control of the Boneway and the sea, the Prince's Pass was their last remaining route. The role of the Reach, standing directly in its path, was greatly enhanced. This highlighted the necessity of Aegon's marriage to a noblewoman from the Reach. The benefits would be a hundred times greater than marrying into a declining house from the Westerlands.
"The lords of the Reach have always been loyal to the crown. Most of the fruits and drinks you enjoy come from their lands," Viserys said, his head held high. "With so many loyal subjects, how could the royal court ignore them?"
Indeed, politics is rarely accidental. Every move is calculated.
Aemon leaned back in his chair and asked, "Have you chosen a candidate for Aegon?"
"Not yet," Viserys replied crisply.
Aemon frowned, incredulous. "You sent Lord Lyman on a long journey before you've even chosen anyone?" Could the old man even withstand the fatigue?
As soon as he finished speaking, a tense atmosphere settled over the hall. Lord Lyonel's face was solemn, and he held his head a little higher. Viserys's eyes were evasive as he shot a slightly guilty glance at his Hand.
"Yes, or no?" Aemon pressed, sensing the issue.
Viserys, weary of the questioning, waved his hand, signaling for the Hand to speak.
Lyonel was stunned for a moment, then said helplessly, "While a bride for Prince Aegon has not yet been selected, there are, according to past practice… two candidates being considered for Princess Helaena."
"!!"
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