The Reach.
Highgarden.
This city, known as the most beautiful city of flowers in Westeros, was now shrouded in anxiety. The defenders on the walls of Highgarden gripped their spears and nervously looked down. On the plain beyond the city, twenty thousand soldiers stood in formation. It was the army of House Hightower. The banner of the white tower with a beacon burning atop a grey field flapped in the wind.
At this moment, this army had assembled the elites of every house in the southern Reach, as well as the standing army that Hightower had spent a fortune training and raising for over a year. Spears like a forest, shields like a wall. Cavalry on the left flank, archers on the right, the main infantry force in the center. The formation was disciplined, the military bearing solemn, and there was no noise.
This was a real army. Not a hastily levied militia of farmers, not a patchwork host thrown together in panic. This was the elite amassed by Oldtown under House Hightower, and the most powerful force in the southern Reach at that time.
But it was not these twenty thousand men that truly frightened the people on the walls.
It was the dragon in the sky.
The Blue Queen. Tessarion.
The dragon soared over Highgarden. Its scales gleamed like sapphires in the sun, and each beat of its wings cast a vast shadow upon the ground. It did not fly fast, but the dragon's eyes were fixed on the defenders on the walls. Staring made the defenders' scalps tingle.
On the central tower of the city wall, Maggie Rowan held her ten-month-old son in her arms, looking down at the man approaching on horseback outside the city.
Lord Monstead Hightower.
In his thirties, he had a stern face. He wore the traditional silver-green robes of House Hightower, rode a tall white horse, and gazed at the city walls. He and Maggie exchanged glances. Then he bowed slightly.
It was a polite gesture. But Maggie felt no politeness at all.
"Maester?" Her voice was urgent.
The middle-aged maester beside her stepped forward and bowed his head. "My lady."
"Have you notified the other vassals of the Reach?"
The maester nodded. "Ravens have been sent: Rowan, Fossoway, Tully, Merryweather, Oakheart, and so on... all have been informed." The maester hesitated a moment, then said, "But they will need time to assemble their armies."
Maggie looked at him. "How long?"
The maester was silent a while. "The fastest vassals to arrive will still take five days."
Maggie closed her eyes.
Five days.
Outside the walls were twenty thousand soldiers, plus a dragon. And in Highgarden, only three thousand defenders. Three thousand against twenty thousand. Plus a dragon.
She opened her eyes. She looked down at the sleeping boy in her arms.
Lord Leonor Tyrell. Lord of Highgarden, Warden of the Reach, heir of the Golden Rose. Eleven months old. His father, Lord Tyrell, had died a year ago from a fall from his horse. Now his mother held him, standing on the city wall, facing an army of twenty thousand and a dragon.
Maggie, helpless, approached the city wall and looked down at Lord Monstead Hightower, who had already drawn near below the city.
"Lord Hightower!" Her voice was clear, especially sharp in the silence.
Lord Monstead smiled and looked up. "My lady."
"Do you intend to commit treason?" Maggie's voice was filled with pent-up anger. "Taking advantage of the lord's death to lead your army to besiege your liege lord's territory?"
Lord Monstead was not angry. This was but a minor accusation.
"My lady, you misunderstand." On his horse, he straightened and spoke loudly. "We have simply been commanded by the Iron Throne in King's Landing to escort Lord Leonor Tyrell to King's Landing with us."
He paused and continued. "My lady, do not forget the dual oath. Though House Tyrell is our lord, the royal House Targaryen is our overlord. And also your liege lord. Now the Iron Throne has commanded Lord Leonor Tyrell to be summoned—will you not comply?"
Maggie's fingers tightened.
"Leonor is only ten months old!" Her voice rose slightly. "You want him to travel to King's Landing?"
Monstead's face was amused.
The Tyrells were exactly like this: if they had not knelt quickly enough to please Aegon the Conqueror, they would never have received such a fine castle from the position of royal stewards. By blood, they were beneath the other great houses of the Reach. They simply knew how to fall in line. Now that the entire South had submitted to the Greens, Tyrell remained ambiguous. If not you, then who?
Monstead said with a smile. "Of course not, my lady."
The lord pointed to the sky. "Tessarion will take him there. Prince Daeron will personally see to his care."
Maggie looked at the blue dragon soaring above. Her heart tightened.
Let a ten-month-old baby ride a dragon? Even if the dragon's back is steady, it is still a dragon. A beast that breathes fire and eats people. How many miles could an infant ride on a dragon?
"My lady, rest assured," Monstead's voice came from below. "Tessarion has a gentle temperament, and though Prince Daeron is only thirteen, he is an excellent rider. Lord Leonor will be in no danger."
Maggie did not speak.
Of course she knew there would be no danger. The danger was not in riding the dragon. The danger was after reaching King's Landing.
Who held power now? Prince Aemond—who had killed his cousins, burned High Tide, and seized Dragonstone. She had received news that the Blacks had attacked the Brackens in the Riverlands. She knew that House Bracken was a great house with standing and influence in the Seven Kingdoms. But under the assault of Daemon's Blood Wyrm Caraxes, that great house had lasted only four days before surrendering.
She did not want her little Leonor involved in this dangerous war. What did they want Leonor to do in King's Landing? Be a hostage? Force Tyrell to take a side? Or...
She dared not think of it.
"My lady." Lord Monstead's voice sounded again. "We are acting on orders as well. Please do not hesitate, my lady."
He paused. "Or does House Tyrell refuse the king's command from King's Landing?"
Maggie's breath caught.
"Or else?" Lord Monstead's voice drifted slowly from below the gates. "Has Tyrell decided to support the rebels in the North?"
Maggie's face changed.
Rebels. Rebels in the North. The Blacks. Rhaenyra.
She opened her mouth to object. But she did not know what to say. Say we do not support the Blacks? Then why refuse the Iron Throne's summons? Say we remain neutral? But if she said neutral, she feared Lord Monstead would immediately attack, citing breach of vassal oath and betrayal of the royal House Targaryen. She knew there were many houses in the Reach that would gladly replace the Tyrells.
Below the gates, Lord Monstead looked at her. His expression remained calm, even gentle. But Maggie saw something in those eyes. It was patience. The patience of a hunter watching prey in a trap. He waited for Maggie to make a mistake. For her to say something wrong, so he would have his justification.
"My lady." The maester's voice beside her interrupted her thoughts.
Lady Maggie turned her head. The maester's expression was grim.
"My lady," he lowered his voice, "look there."
Lady Maggie looked where he pointed.
Dust rose on the distant horizon. Cavalry. Many cavalry. Maggie's heart suddenly lurched—reinforcements had arrived so quickly? But the maester's face showed no joy.
Maggie's voice was somewhat dry.
The maester had clearly seen the banner and spoke with difficulty. "It is House Florent."
Maggie was stunned for a moment.
House Florent. One of the great houses of the Reach, for generations rivals with the Tyrells for dominion over the Reach. They had always claimed to be the true heirs to the Reach, as their bloodline was older than the Tyrells'. They had come while Highgarden was under siege. With an army.
"Those traitors..." Lady Maggie ground her teeth.
The maester finished her thought. "They have come to make trouble."
Lady Maggie's face twisted. She looked down at the sleeping infant in her arms. Leonor's face was rosy, his lips slightly pursed, dreaming. He knew nothing. He only knew how to eat and sleep, and when he woke, to eat again.
Maggie held him tighter.
"My lady." The maester's voice was very soft. "You must decide."
Maggie did not speak. She simply looked at Monstead Hightower below the city. Monstead watched her as well. His face still bore that gentle smile. But Maggie saw something in that smile. It was called certainty. Certain that she would surrender. Certain that she had no other choice. Certain that this siege had never needed to begin at all.
Because she could not fight.
Three thousand defenders against twenty thousand, plus a dragon, plus the Florents about to arrive. How could she fight? If it came to battle, the Iron Throne would use the opportunity to strip House Tyrell of its position as Warden of the Reach.
Maggie closed her eyes and sighed.
"Maester."
"Yes, my lady."
"Open the city gates."
The maester hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Open the city gates." Maggie's voice was calm. "Invite Lord Hightower into the city. I will bring Leonor to him personally."
The maester opened his mouth to say something. But he said nothing. He only bowed his head. "Yes, my lady." He turned and quickly descended the wall.
Maggie stood motionless.
She held Leonor, looking at the twenty thousand soldiers below the city, at the blue dragon in the sky, and at the Florent cavalry approaching in the distance. The wind ruffled her hair. She did not notice. She only looked at the baby in her arms.
The child stirred in her embrace. Then continued to sleep.
Maggie's tears fell onto his swaddling. She raised a hand to wipe them away. Then she looked up.
Monstead Hightower below the city dismounted. The city gates opened.
She had no choice.
---
In the great hall of Highgarden, the golden rose still bloomed on the wall. It was the glory of House Tyrell for a thousand years.
At this moment, Maggie Rowan stood in the center of the hall, holding Leonor. Behind her stood several vassals of House Tyrell, and more than fifty knights loyal to House Tyrell. Opposite her, Monstead Hightower had just seated himself in the high seat.
Maggie did not speak. Monstead did not speak either. He simply looked at her. He looked at her a long time. His smile was even gentler than it had been outside the city.
"My lady truly understands the greater good."
Maggie did not speak.
Lord Monstead continued. "Do not worry, my lady. Lord Leonor will be safe in King's Landing. His Grace Aegon is kind, and though Prince Aemond is stern, he is never harsh with children. Lord Leonor in King's Landing will be well cared for by the royal family. In the future, he will become a fine lord."
Maggie remained silent. A fine lord? Raised under the crown's watchful eye?
She nodded.
Monstead watched her reaction. His smile deepened.
"My lady, do you have any further requests?"
Maggie was silent a moment. "I will go with him. Leonor is young and needs his mother's care."
Lord Monstead had expected this and nodded. "No problem."
Maggie knew, of course. This meant she would become a hostage too. It meant that if any other member of House Tyrell acting as Lord of Highgarden dared to make any move, she and Leonor would be in danger. It meant she had bound her life to her son's. But she had no other choice.
"I will not leave my son."
Monstead was silent a moment. Then he stood. He bowed slightly to Maggie.
"My lady is truly extraordinary."
He paused. "Then please prepare, my lady. In two days, we will set out."
He smiled. "My lady, you have made a wise choice."
He pushed open the door and left.
Maggie stood motionless. She stood in the empty hall beneath the golden rose banner, holding Leonor in her arms.
The noise of the army came from outside. It was the Hightower soldiers entering the city. It was the Florent cavalry falling into formation. It was the voices of others claiming what was not theirs.
Leonor stirred in her arms. He woke. He opened his eyes and looked at his mother. Those eyes were large and bright, reflecting the sunlight from the window. He reached out a hand, trying to grab his mother's face.
Maggie looked at him.
Tears fell again.
She gently took his little hand.
"Leonor," she whispered, "Mother will always be with you."
Leonor did not understand what she was saying. He simply smiled.
The sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating mother and son.
The golden roses on the walls still bloomed.
But the lord of this castle was about to leave.
╔══════════════════════╗
📘 Want more?
Join me on Patreon for bonus chapters
and early access!
🔗 https://www.patreon.com/cw/OverlordD
╚══════════════════════╝