While everyone exchanged warm greetings, Garlan brought William to the refined young man. "Willas, this is William Whent, my good friend."
"Ah, it really is him! No wonder such a warm aura surrounds him," William said with a relieved smile.
Garlan turned to William and winked. "William, this is my brother, Willas."
William knew he wasn't a knight, so he didn't call him "Ser." "Greetings, Lord Willas."
Willas smiled as he studied William, his gaze gentle and friendly, but not without curiosity. "Hello, William. Please, don't stand on ceremony—just call me Willas. You are Garlan's friend, and therefore my friend as well."
William, who also liked this scholarly man, replied, "Alright, Willas."
Willas leaned in slightly, speaking softly. "It's not very convenient now; we'll talk properly later." Then he straightened up and lightly patted William on the shoulder. "Welcome to Highgarden."
Because there were many guests, the formalities took some time. Afterwards, the steward arranged the convoy, and Willas led the group toward the castle. Although the first two walls of Highgarden could accommodate guests, the Hightowers—being both relatives by marriage and the Tyrells' most prominent vassals—were naturally arranged to stay in the castle atop the hill.
The road to the castle was not steep, just a long, gentle incline. Willas walked unassisted, limping slightly. A cloud drifted across the sun, dimming his silhouette.
Willas and Baelor walked in front. They shared many hobbies and conversed happily along the way. William and Eren followed behind, chatting casually but observing from a distance. Most of the Hightower members, looking at Willas from behind, had subtle and complex expressions—no longer the respect they showed when facing him directly. These people were mostly Willas' cousins.
Seeing that stubborn figure, William felt a deep regret. With Willas' charisma, a healthy body would allow him to maneuver among the Seven Kingdoms and expand the influence of House Rose. In the original records, the Rose family's seemingly hasty decisions were likely driven by concerns that Willas, if he inherited the family, could not control the situation.
Soon, the group entered a vast forest. The plants along the road were clearly well-tended, orderly yet unobstructive. High branches intertwined densely with leaves, while thorns and roses curled around in a pleasing, organized manner. Knowing it was William's first visit, Eren introduced the plant maze. Besides recreation, it served as a defense—intruders unfamiliar with it could easily get lost, hit dead ends, or fall into traps.
Passing the second wall, William noticed two tall, elegant, round towers overhead. From a soldier's perspective, their defensive strength matched their refined design. It seemed the Tyrells had not only beautified Highgarden but also preserved its functional purpose.
After passing flowering gardens, pools, and man-made waterfalls, they finally saw, amidst abundant plants and golden roses, a white castle. Its walls looked pristine, though some towers were covered in dark green vines. The vines were so thick and long, clearly aged over many years.
At the castle gate, a richly dressed, stout man stood with servants. He was the portly Garth, uncle of Mace, Highgarden's steward. Only a noble of Baelor's rank would be greeted by him personally.
Upon meeting, everyone exchanged formal greetings again. Seeing the formidable steward, William approached Garlan quietly. "Garlan, could you have the steward arrange lodging for me elsewhere, under the Whent family name? Two other knights are coming too."
Garlan looked puzzled.
William shrugged. "I've called two assistants from Harrenhal. I've already arranged with Prince Oberyn to compete in the tourney—I can't be eliminated halfway."
"The Dornish warriors are numerous as sand, yet you alone are unmatched," Garlan said, admiringly. "Prince Oberyn hasn't competed in a long time—so he came for you."
"And they'll also bring that gift for you along the way," William added, ignoring Garlan's comment, instead wearing a mysterious smile.
After all the commotion, everyone finally settled in. However, William's lodging was still arranged inside the castle, among the Hightower family members—mostly at Garlan's insistence.
Once the rooms were arranged, the Hightowers retired to rest, as the ladies had been traveling in the Rotating Carriage for over ten days from Oldtown to Highgarden, which had been quite exhausting. Only William, visiting Highgarden for the first time, was full of enthusiasm, eager to find Eren and have him show around this castle that seemed like a green paradise.
But as soon as he stepped out, he encountered Garlan, who had come to escort him on Willas's invitation.
They walked through courtyards filled with stone carvings and fountains, following tall marble columns to an elegant, small parlor. The four corner pillars and walls were white, with green sheer curtains swaying in the breeze. The tasteful, fresh decor made one naturally relax.
Willas was seated at a round table. Seeing them enter, he smiled and stood up. Once they sat down, Willas personally poured each of them a glass of wine.
Looking at the golden wine in the golden cup, William felt a small sense of pride. It seemed Willas valued him highly, offering such a rare wine in his honor. But outwardly, William remained calm, took a gentle sip, and happened to catch Willas smiling at him, so he returned the smile.
The three began a casual conversation, though mostly between Willas and William, with Garlan occasionally chiming in. Willas was refined, gentle, and polite, giving anyone he spoke to a feeling of warmth and ease.
"Willas, even sitting still, exudes charm—whether standing or seated."
The topic soon shifted to their families. The Tyrell siblings were harmonious and loving, and the Whent family was likewise close-knit, so the atmosphere was very warm while discussing this. After a while, William had a sudden idea and said aptly, "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way."
Willas, clearly unfamiliar with the phrase, reflected briefly before nodding in appreciation. "Indeed! Very true!" He raised his glass. "To our families."
William and Garlan smiled and raised their glasses in return. "To family!"
After putting down their cups, Willas casually asked, "William, I hear you've won many tourney championships?"
This was widely known, so William answered casually, "Yes." Yet he soon felt Willas was observing him. Thinking it better to appear modest, he added, "Although at the jousting, I lost to Garlan."
Hearing William mention the Jueling Grounds tourney, Garlan smiled. "That victory had some luck involved. If we competed again, I wouldn't dare say I'd win for certain."
Willas nodded knowingly and looked at William. "And you've visited many places in the Reach. What is your view on the situation here?"
William suddenly became alert. Was this the real test? But on reflection, he realized the question was tricky. Of course, he knew the Reach' greatest instability: weak rulers and strong vassals.
Before Conqueror Aegon forged the Iron Throne, House Tyrell had served as stewards to the Gardener dynasty, which had ruled the Reach for millennia. After the wildfire that wiped out the Gardeners, the relatively shallow-rooted Tyrells rose swiftly, earning the title of Lord of the Reach for their role in delivering Highgarden. This naturally angered powerful nobles—Hightower, Florent, Redwyne, Fossoway, and others—who saw themselves as descendants of kings or notable lineages and resented the Tyrells' sudden ascent.
Indeed, simply earning Highgarden's contribution would not justify being granted the entire Reach. But as long as Aegon's mind was sound, he would not risk giving the Riverlands to any deeply entrenched house—that would be like raising a tiger to bite later. In fact, the decision proved extremely successful: for three hundred years, the powerful Riverlands remained mired in internal conflict, unable to significantly challenge the Iron Throne.
This wasn't hidden knowledge; any clever Westerlander could analyze it clearly—Willas was surely one of them. So his question wasn't about the present, but about solutions. For House Tyrell, Lord Renly's plan was likely the least costly approach.
And William was here to ruin it! Feeling guilty, he glanced at Garlan, who remained calm; then at Willas, whose face was full of smiles.
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