The Crownlands, King's Landing, the Red Keep, a bedroom in Maegor's Holdfast
"Are those two guys any different from the people brought by that 'Shepherd'?"
In a magnificent bedroom, Olenna Tyrell, wearing a lace wimple, sat upright behind a long desk.
Lady Olenna held a roll of parchment in her hand, containing information about the two so-called magical advisors from this morning's Small Council meeting.
Before her stood her son, Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden and Lord Paramount of the Reach. Although the Reach was nominally under Lord Mace's management, the decisions for certain matters still relied on the Queen of Thorns.
"This... in my opinion, they should be about the same! Their methods must come at a price, just like how that Bastard of the North can transform into a dragon. We Tyrells with our motto of 'Growing Strong' have no shortage of people!"
"Are you an idiot? When you had that high fever, I should have thrown you away instead of letting the Maester treat you. It seems his medical skills were truly abysmal; he didn't save you at all, just let the fever fry your brain!"
Lady Olenna felt unwell after hearing her son's answer. In her view, such an important matter was something her unfortunate son absolutely had to understand.
Yet Lord Mace's response gave Lady Olenna, known as the Queen of Thorns, a recurring headache.
"Are you an idiot? Since I've known Tywin Lannister, I've never seen him interested in things like wizards. For him to drag such beings directly into the royal household means, in my view, they must be truly capable. And you didn't even bother to investigate or get to know them? Are you trying to kill me with anger?"
Lady Olenna's words finally made Lord Mace realize the difference, but having already returned here, he had no way of learning more about those two's actual situation.
"Then I'll send someone to investigate tomorrow!"
Realizing it late, Lord Mace uttered those words, but unfortunately, his old mother just stared at him as if he were an idiot.
"The information I have is that they leave for the Riverlands tomorrow. Who are you going to find?"
"Then... then what should we do now?"
After being scolded, Lord Mace seemed to have forgotten how to think.
"Oh, my teeth!"
Hearing her incompetent son's question, Lady Olenna felt her back molars beginning to throb with pain again.
"We can no longer place all our bets on the Lannisters. If possible, find someone to contact that Bastard of the North first!"
"But there are rumors that the bastard already has a woman of Valyrian descent by his side who calls herself the Dragon Queen. What's the point of doing this?"
Upon hearing his mother's words, Lord Mace instinctively assumed she wanted to send his daughter away once again.
"While marriage alliances are a means of maintaining rule, they aren't everything. House Targaryen is what it is; they can never strictly adhere to marriage vows. We don't necessarily need a queen, but we absolutely need someone who can communicate with the Targaryens."
"For Margaery, would this be..."
Before Lord Mace could finish his sentence, Lady Olenna cut him off.
"Margaery knows very well what she needs to do, and she knows exactly how to do it."
After glancing at her son with some contempt, Lady Olenna said in a chilling tone:
"If Margaery were a boy, I would definitely send you to the Citadel or the Wall. That way, House Tyrell might be even stronger."
"I..."
Hearing his mother's words, Lord Mace almost choked on his breath.
"And then there's Loras!"
After saying this, Lady Olenna seemed to recall something and spoke once more.
"What else can he do all day besides running to brothels? Find him, bring him back, and send him to the Stormlands. We are going to war with Stannis."
"He..."
Speaking of his son, Lord Mace also had a headache. After Renly died, the boy seemed to have become a different person, in a state of irritable rage every day, clamoring to kill Stannis the kinslayer.
Some time ago, because the Iron Throne reached a temporary ceasefire agreement with Stannis, having lost his drive and direction, the fellow hid away in brothels.
Although many nobles enjoy such activities, over time, such things are used by those with ulterior motives to attack opposing forces.
During this period, Lord Mace had heard some rumors—things like the heir of House Tyrell liking boys, the heir of House Tyrell frequently abusing male prostitutes, and so on.
"It's not that I insist on sending Margaery to others, but that you men are too incompetent. If Loras could support the whole family, why would I need to marry your daughter to that sadist?"
"This..."
Hearing his mother's assessment, Lord Mace's face turned red. As a father, he had indeed failed in his responsibility of management, not even knowing his own son liked boys.
"No matter what the future holds, the child born of Margaery and that Targaryen will be of Loras's bloodline. So you'd best find an opportunity to find a noble lady for him in the Crownlands—some ordinary small family will do. After all, she only needs to bear us a boy before she 'succumbs to illness.'"
Lady Olenna spoke as if she were discussing plans for afternoon tea.
"By the way, what does the Old Kraken say? Didn't I tell you to arrange for an envoy long ago? Why is there still no news?"
After finishing with her own grandchildren, Lady Olenna seemed to remember something and asked Lord Mace directly.
"That old fellow Balon has been restless for a while, but I don't know if he'll agree to our proposal to attack the North. We've said we'd give him the North and rescue his son in the process."
"Those Ironborn scum are as bloodthirsty as wolves and can never be tamed. Tell those at the Arbor to be careful as well. My idiot nephew has no foresight; he bit right onto the bait the royal family tossed out."
Lady Olenna looked resentful when speaking of the people from the Iron Islands. During Robert's Rebellion, those Ironborn were planning to attack them first. If Balon Greyjoy's father hadn't died, the Iron Fleet might very well have ravaged the Reach.
"She is a princess, after all. My dear brother-in-law is simply thinking of his family. By forming a connection with the royal family, their status would naturally rise significantly."
"Humph! I fear he won't have such good luck. The Narrow Sea is not the Summer Sea. It would be a joke if he fails to marry the princess and loses his own fleet in the process!"
Although Westeros doesn't have sayings like 'follow the chicken if you marry a chicken,' normally, noblewomen who take their husband's surname still look out for their husband's House.
Since marrying into House Tyrell, Lady Olenna had been actively working for the family's interests, marrying off several of her children to major nobles around the Reach.
Except for a few arch-enemies like House Florent, almost the entire Reach looked to House Tyrell of Highgarden as their liege.
This time, to win over the Redwyne Fleet to fight for the crown, Tywin Lannister promised that defeating Stannis's fleet would allow them to marry the princess.
This situation caused some dissatisfaction within House Tyrell, but since the marriage proposal was made in the name of the Iron Throne, House Tyrell could not easily refuse on behalf of their vassal. After all, nominally, the entire Seven Kingdoms owed fealty to the Iron Throne.
"Mother! Then should I go warn my brother-in-law?"
"Don't you worry about that. Your brother-in-law is much smarter than you. Just mind yourself! It would be quite a sight if he ends up taking your position as Master of Coin."
Lady Olenna's words instantly suppressed Lord Mace's worries. He truly couldn't understand why, even though his sister had married the man, he would still betray his own family.
"I just told you, marriage alliances are only a means; they don't represent everything. You don't really think our House Tyrell obtained the position of Lord Paramount of the Reach through marriage, do you?"
The Tyrell family motto is "Growing Strong." After the Field of Fire, House Gardener was extinguished. House Tyrell, who were stewards at the time, took the opportunity to seize control of Highgarden and subsequently surrendered to Aegon the Conqueror.
With the might of the dragons and House Targaryen, House Tyrell gradually rose to its current position. In this process, the Tyrell ancestors did not rely solely on marriage alliances to maintain their rule.
"You must understand, Mace, a golden rose is not just beautiful. When someone tries to pluck the rose, the thorns on its stem will tear away his flesh."
As Lady Olenna spoke, her eyes drifted to the scenery outside the bedroom window. There, the afterglow of the setting sun was beginning to appear, the beautiful golden clouds tinged with red resembling the golden rose she had described.
"Those who are disobedient or unwilling to cooperate are best replaced sooner rather than later. We have been quiet for too long. It is time for House Tyrell's 'Growing Strong' rose branches to reach into the Crownlands."
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