As soon as he spoke, the wine cup fell to the ground.
With a crisp "crack," the golden cup shattered on the ground.
Bang!
The door of the tomb suddenly closed, and the muffled sound echoed in the dim space. Harrold's face was solemn as he worked with another Kingsguard to guard the door.
Aemon glanced at the glass shards at his feet and noticed that something was wrong. The candlelight from the altar reflected off the wall. The soldiers were wearing armor and holding axes, hammers, ropes, and other weapons. A rough count revealed that there were no fewer than twenty people.
Aemon was surprised and doubtful. He faintly heard the hum of the wind blowing over the axe blade.
What did this mean?
Smashing the cup as a signal, closing the door to beat the dog, the sound of the axe, and the shadow of the candle…?
The uncle was pressuring him to increase his strength.
Viserys looked expressionlessly at his nephew, who had discovered the ambush. He showed the decisiveness of a king: "You can refuse, but once you leave this door, you will be kicked out of King's Landing forever, like Daemon."
Aemon was perceptive and remained silent for a while.
He observed the axemen ambushing in secret. The weapons they held were very specific. In addition to blunt weapons, they had iron chains and hemp ropes. He didn't have a sword, and the rune giant sword was too big and heavy. Even if he had a sword, it would be difficult to escape.
This tournament gave him a deep understanding of the martial arts of "ordinary people," thus proving his own ability. Daemon and Cole are similar and can probably defeat seven or eight opponents each. He has an extraordinary physique and conservatively estimates that he can defeat seventeen or eighteen people alone. There aren't too many axemen in the dark—just enough to take him down.
However, look at the distance between him and his uncle—less than two meters. This ambiguous distance contrasts sharply with his meticulous mind and the number of people.
Viserys suppressed his anger and urged, "Is it difficult to ask you to make a promise?"
Aemon heard the roar as if he had been enlightened. In an instant, he realized the hidden purpose of this conversation as his mind worked frantically.
His uncle acquiesced!
Aemon knelt on one knee with a "thump" and said solemnly, "I will marry Rhaenyra when I come of age, and I will defend the Iron Throne with all my heart and soul."
"Not only the Iron Throne; you must protect her as well." Viserys pointed out the mistake in his words, dissatisfied.
Aemon laughed out loud. "Of course."
During the conversation, the swordsman in the shadows quietly disappeared, and the tension eased. He understood the meaning behind his uncle's words. He would be betrothed and married to Rhaenyra without involving Laena. His uncle said he would be engaged after adulthood, and did not object. There is only one truth: his uncle has acquiesced to the matter of marrying more.
Viserys had a way out and snorted coldly, "Get up, you cunning boy."
"Thank you, Uncle." Aemon smiled.
Aunt Rhaenys had approved in the past, and now his uncle has acquiesced. Once the final barrier between Laena and Rhaenyra is broken, he can safely and completely start a harem.
"Don't be slick with me." Viserys warned him sternly when he saw his face: "My daughter is not Visenya. If you dare treat her like that, watch out for a father's revenge."
"Bronze Fury" Vermithor is undeniably a powerful adult dragon. Silverwing and the light gray-white wild dragon he had never seen before are also indispensable companions. Seeing the dragons dance together in the daytime shocked him greatly. It was a grand occasion, a symbol of his family's prosperity that he could never achieve.
However, if this brat dares to speak ill of marriage for love and responsibility again, don't blame the elders for not giving him a chance.
In this world, there is more than dragons and magic.
Aemon nodded like a chicken pecking at rice; whatever you say is what it means. The uncle has made the biggest concession.
This step concerns the conflict between the Targaryens and the Faith of the Seven. It has escalated to the succession to the Iron Throne and has brought to light many hidden dangers buried since the time of the Centenarian King. If one thing goes wrong, there will be another rebellion in the Seven Kingdoms.
My uncle has always been a man of action, and it's clear that he's made up his mind.
Bang!
The tomb door opened, and Aemon walked out with a smile.
A big stone fell from my heart. It was a huge relief to be free of worry, and the haze that had been over my head for many days was lifted.
"The engagement will be in adulthood, in 107 AC, and at the right time." Aemon thought about it.
Riverdale's development was going smoothly, and he was awarded the hereditary title of "Prince of Riverdale." Calculate the general strength. The core combat force consists of three dragons that can go to the battlefield. Gray Shadow is young and small, but he can fight.
The main army consists of the vassals of Runestone City and the allies of Riverdale. These include the Redfort family of Redfort, Celtigar of Crab Island, and Graveson of Seagull Town. The last one is still to be determined, and Seagull Town and High Nest City have not yet declared their allegiance.
The backbone is made up of 150 Valley Knights, 800 Longbowmen, and 500 City Garrisons from Riverdale. There are a total of no more than 1,500 people—all the troops Riverdale can currently recruit.
Comprehensive strength assessment: In terms of recruiting vassals and troops, Riverdale is definitely not as good as the Royal Orthodoxy, which occupies the Righteousness. However, Riverdale has many dragons, and its high-end combat power is overwhelming. In terms of the number of dragons, Riverdale is on par with the Velaryon family. He controls three dragons himself, and his strength on the battlefield is greater than the sum of its parts.
Moreover, he has high resistance to dragon flames and a life-saving "sapphire amulet." If he is fighting for his life, even the Conqueror would be defeated by two big scorpions. He is considered to have a slight advantage.
In terms of military strength, the Velaryon family has no vassals. Their sea fleet is powerful, but that's it. After a few breaths of dragon flames, Vermithor became obedient.
In summary, Aemon clenched his fists and clapped his hands, saying with great momentum, "I am the great power."
After tonight, a new political structure will inevitably form, with the royal family and the "Targaryen" and Velaryon branches of Dale Town–Runestone City coexisting.
At least on the surface, these three parties will occupy a dominant position.
Behind them are the Oldtown faction, headed by the Green Party; the royalists, headed by the Black Party; and the missing Daemon. The Black and Green parties were born among them, but they did not have a dominant position. For now, they are merely fighting in court and cannot affect the Seven Kingdoms.
Daemon is trouble. He, along with Oldtown Hightower and the Velaryon family, is one of the behind-the-scenes promoters of the "Dance of the Dragons." They pressed forward step by step, accumulating small mistakes into big ones and pushing the incident to an irreversible point.
Now that Daemon and Oldtown Hightower have withdrawn from the power structure, we must be careful.
Aemon's first task is to take advantage of peacetime to expand his power as much as possible. As long as he remains powerful, Daemon and Oldtown Hightower will never return to King's Landing, and the Black and Green factions will never have an opportunity to grow.
By marrying Laena, he can stabilize the conspirator, Corlys the Sea Snake. If we can find an opportunity to erase their dragon-controlling rights, the Velaryon family will naturally decline and lose their threat.
By the time Alicent's children are grown, Aemon and Rhaenyra will likely have heirs of their own. The children of the Green Party are not enemies but rather the property of their half-sister, Rhaenyra. Thus, the Targaryen family will surely enter an unprecedented era of prosperity by avoiding the "Dance of the Dragons."
"Here comes the question."
Aemon frowned, saying, "Now that I have the advantage, how can I maintain my progress?"
Should he attack the Eyrie and unify the nobles of the Vale? Or should he start the Dorne War and carry out Targaryen-style political correctness? Or should he set his sights on the other side of the Strait?
Peaceful development gives opponents opportunities. War is the fastest way to progress and will magnify the advantages infinitely.
"Ahem..."
As he walked, he heard an old cough behind him. Aemon collected his thoughts and looked sideways.
Grand Maester Meros walked into the tomb hunched over, carrying a tray.
"Poppy milk?"
Aemon tilted his head slightly and recognized the milky white liquid on the tray. His uncle's cuts were serious, especially the ones that had not healed for a long time. Strong liquor wasn't enough to relieve the pain, so Aemon would use poppy milk to paralyze the nerves.
"If only I could draw a card to treat the injury." Aemon was powerless. Magic cards are often difficult to draw. Most of the cards he had drawn were enhancements and props with few active effects.
Meros arrived quickly but left just as fast. He walked out with a stern look on his face, and his hands in his sleeves made him look stealthy. Glancing at Aemon, who had not left yet, he walked away in small steps, pretending to be calm, his eyes a little evasive.
"There's something strange."
Aemon's intuition was sharp, and he could tell at a glance that Meros was hiding something. Who brought the news of the burning of the brothel back to the Red Keep?
Aemon grinned. "This old dog."
As the saying goes, the dog that bites doesn't bark. Meros, the old dog, is a representative of the Green Party. He can't stand that Rhaenyra is doing well, and he fears for his safety and that of Daemon.
"He's good at snitching."
Aemon thought the other party might be instructed by Alicent and licked the corner of his lips. "Riverdale alone is not enough. Rhaenyra and I have no allies on the Royal Council."
As the future regent, how can there be no one on the council to support him? I have to think about it when I go back.
Should he remove one of them and replace them with his own people, or win over a reliable minister of the royal court? Power should radiate to every branch and detail.
Aemon passed by the banquet hall and returned to his room.
He went there to find someone. Laena and Rhaenyra were not there, so it was a wasted trip.
"He is the son of Lady Rhea."
In the corner of the banquet hall sat a tall, thin girl with chestnut, curly hair. She had an attractive appearance and wore a beige skirt. She was tall and thin. Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and with her high cheekbones and thin lips, she looked a bit mean. Her deep brown eyes revealed the unique heroic spirit of the women of the Vale.
She didn't wear many accessories. A necklace hung around her neck, and the pendant was an emblem of a crescent eagle. Obviously, she was from the Arryn family of Eyrie.
Her companion came up and whispered, "You saw the duel during the day, too. He is a very dangerous man."
Jeyne Arryn looked solemn and said cautiously, "The merchants of Riverdale are becoming more active in the Arryn Valley. We must be careful."
She was raised by Lord Jobert of Runestone City. She had heard that His Majesty the Elderly King intended to establish a branch of his family in the valley. At that time, Riverdale was developing, and Aemon was named "Prince of Riverdale." The people of the Vale panicked, which threatened the ruling position of Eyrie.
Judging by His Royal Highness's style, the next step is likely to attack Eyrie and take the entire Vale. A Targaryen who holds two castles and three dragons can do such a thing.
The next day:
In the early morning, the sun had just risen.
Aemon was lying on the bed with several wine bottles scattered around him.
Squeak—
The golden-nosed rat tilted his head and slept soundly with drool smelling of alcohol hanging from the corner of his mouth. One person and one rat had stolen the wine and drunk it.
Squeak!
The door was gently pushed open, and a graceful figure walked in.
Aemon opened his eyes in a daze and saw a pair of majestic peaks.
"Laena—"
Only bad women can have such a big snow child.
"Get up, Aemon."
Laena looked helpless and shook a few wine bottles. They were empty; not a drop of wine remained.
"How much did you drink last night?"
"I'm so sleepy. My head hurts."
Aemon closed his eyes, lay on the bed, and gulped down two mouthfuls. He only took two sips, though, and the rest went into the golden-nosed rat's stomach.
You want to know why he didn't get up? His Royal Highness has his own routine.
"The king scolded you last night, and you actually learned to drink?"
Laena sat on the edge of the bed and pushed the silver-haired head. Aemon continued to pretend to be drunk, muttering aggrievedly, "My uncle ambushed the axeman; he wants to kill me."
"Are you okay?" Laena asked, shocked, and quickly lifted the quilt to check the situation.
She woke up and pointed out that Aemon was cheating. She didn't expect to hear such explosive news.
Aemon's eyes were hazy, and his head rested on her white thighs. "He forced me to marry Rhaenyra instead of you."
"Then what did you say?" Laena looked suspicious. His arms and legs were intact, so he had compromised.
"I want to marry you."
Aemon suddenly spoke loudly and fell down like a pile of mud, mumbling drunkenly: "Laena is my first wife, and I love her the most."
Laena's forehead was covered with black lines as she wondered if the man lying on her legs was pretending to be drunk. Aemon was still exerting force, hugging her big white legs and rubbing his face. "Laena..."
The truth comes out after drinking. Avoid unanswerable questions and express your feelings directly.
"What about Rhaenyra?" Laena asked, speaking from a tricky angle.
The hot air blew in his ears, and Aemon knew he couldn't pretend to be asleep anymore. Tears flowed from his eyes. "Laena, I love you so much."
As he said this, he staggered into a warm embrace, rubbing the mountain with the strength of Yugong moving the mountain.
Laena: ...
Tears are falling. Are they fake? She couldn't tell. She really couldn't tell.
"Laena, I'm sorry."
Aemon was shameless, hugging the bear and crying. "I can't marry only you. I'm sorry."
What use is face? You only know my strengths and weaknesses, and I know the depth of our relationship. Putting on a front is asking for trouble.
The man is three-quarters drunk and will continue until you cry.
Uncle and Aunt Rhaenys both acquiesced. It was a good opportunity to seize and take Laena.
"Don't cry, don't cry."
Laena gently hugged the man's head and comforted him softly. She was sure the man was pretending to be drunk.
Is there any way?
Aemon revealed that the king had agreed to marry more than one woman. But unless she was willing to withdraw and hand the man over to Rhaenyra, that wouldn't be possible. But how could that be possible?
Laena sighed deeply, and the cold light and helplessness in her eyes flickered. She was a latecomer. Aemon and Rhaenyra were childhood sweethearts. She was no match for Rhaenyra, a woman sent from heaven. Now that her old lover is entangled, let's just say it's retribution for stealing the girl.
Then again, Rhaenyra is beautiful, and Laenor is jealous of her charming face. The key is that her mind is still young and flexible, albeit stupid. Sharing a husband with her... is still very unappealing!
Laena's mind was full of twists and turns, and she was coaxing the drunken Aemon.
Aemon stole a glance and guessed that the wicked woman knew he was pretending to be drunk. One was willing to act, and the other was willing to coax. No one broke the window paper.
Half an hour later...
Aemon wiped the tears from his face, pretended to wake up, and got up.
"Have breakfast."
Laena accepted his fate and served the carefully prepared breakfast. Although Aemon's acting was fake, he was at least attentive. That was enough.
"Laena, when did you come?" Aemon pretended to be confused.
Laena held her forehead with one hand and replied, "It's been a while."
Soon, Aemon finished breakfast, washed up, and changed clothes. Laena sat on the edge of the bed with her legs crossed, quietly watching him. Her silver-gold, waist-length, curly hair hung in front of her. Her milky white skin looked fragile in the morning light, and her plump figure exuded a different kind of temptation.
Aemon sat back on the bed and gently embraced her. The act was over, and everything that needed to be said had been said while drunk.
Now, it's time to stop relying on routines and start relying on your heart.
"Laena, you've been wronged," Aemon whispered softly, resting his chin on her shoulder.
He knew Laena was soft on the outside but strong on the inside and traditional at heart. His resistance to marrying more than one woman was not as great as he had imagined. Of course, multiple marriages must be within the bloodline of the Dragon King, who is also a dragon rider, to gain equal status recognition.
Laena leaned on his broad shoulders, blinked her beautiful eyes gently, and brushed her fingertips across his handsome face. She had nothing to say.
According to her mother, if a woman can't control her husband, she is useless. Don't blame others.
Creak!
The door was pushed open, revealing a figure in a black dress. Seeing the situation in the room, Rhaenyra was stunned for a moment. Her lips moved slightly. "I'm sorry. I came at the wrong time."
She had come to wake Aemon up. Her father had summoned her early that morning and no longer opposed her relationship with Aemon. In this situation, she was redundant.
Laena remained silent, wanting to see how Aemon would handle it.
He smiled faintly, opened his arms wide, and said, "No, you came at the right time."
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