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"What? My second husband was murdered too? Grandmother, do you know who did it?"
Margaery, seated beside the feather bed, lifted her head and stared at Olenna.
"Not yet." Olenna shook her head. "Since the Reach declared independence, many powers inside and outside the kingdom have watched House Tyrell closely. But anyone able to place a poisoner quietly among us is no minor player."
She paused in thought, then ordered one of the twin guards, "Left Hand, have the steward of the inner keep count every servant and guard. Sort out anyone suspicious who came near Renly II today."
"Mm."
The tall, powerfully built Left Hand gave a muffled answer and walked out of the bedchamber. As he left, an anxious guard passed him and hurried to Olenna.
"Lady Olenna, Lord Willas has returned with men."
"Willas?" Olenna frowned at once. "By my count, he should only just have reached Blackhaven. Did he learn through some other source that something would happen at Highgarden and turn back early?"
A strange irritation rose in her.
As the true ruler of House Tyrell, Olenna had always acted after careful thought and with confidence. The sudden events of this day gave her the unpleasant sense that the situation was slipping from her hands.
"Also," the guard continued, remembering another detail, "Lord Willas's armor is covered in blood. It looks as if he fought not long ago. And he brought only nearly a thousand riders back."
"My brother is covered in blood? Is he wounded? Where is he now?"
Margaery's concern was immediate and genuine, nothing like the weeping she had shown over the little king's death.
Willas was gentle and caring toward his younger siblings. When he was in Highgarden, he often read with Margaery and drew the patterns she wanted.
Among the younger Tyrell generation, besides Loras, whose beauty matched hers, Margaery was closest to her gentle eldest brother.
"Lord Willas should not be wounded," the guard answered quickly after being startled by her raised voice. "But he moves slowly. He should arrive soon."
Just as the guard said, a few minutes later Willas entered the royal bedchamber, using a cane carved with rose sigils. His armor was stained with blood.
The moment he saw Olenna, he spoke rapidly.
"Grandmother, send word to Father at once. Have him bring the army back to Highgarden.
"Tywin Lannister's alliance was false. His war in the Westerlands was a trap. I suspect his target is the Reach."
"Willas, do not rush. Tell me plainly."
Olenna's heart sank as she grasped the rough meaning of his words. Her face grew cold, and she ordered him to explain.
"The thirty thousand Reach soldiers I led were ambushed in the grasslands on the way to Nightsong. The ambushers were a combined force led by Oberyn Martell: men of House Martell, House Lannister, and Stormlander houses.
"When I withdrew with the household cavalry toward Starpike, Kevan Lannister and Titus Peake intercepted us with another army. I only broke through because the household riders protected me with their lives.
"Then I returned to Highgarden as quickly as possible to report to you."
Willas took several deep breaths to steady himself after rushing there, then finished all at once.
Bang.
After hearing his full report, Olenna, who usually presented herself as a frail old woman with a poisonous tongue, seized a precious ornament from the bedside table and smashed it against the wooden floor.
"Well done, Tywin Lannister.
"First you cast out sweet bait to lure us onto the hook. Then, fearing the baited beast might drag the fisherman into the water and bite back, you called two other thin fishermen to help carve us up.
"I fear the murder of Renly II is also his work. After the Reach became independent, House Tyrell began changing from a great house into a royal house. More or less, we began placing pressure on the other Reach lords.
"And those ancient houses that still carry Gardener blood have long been dissatisfied with us.
"First, most of our household forces were drawn west. Then nearly half of the troops left behind were destroyed. Finally, we lost the banner of Renly II.
"Now is the best moment for them to join House Lannister and overthrow House Tyrell.
"Ha. This morning I was still drawing grand plans for the Reach's expansion. By night, we have reached a moment that may decide whether our house survives."
After smashing everything at hand and venting her irritation, Olenna linked the known pieces together and analyzed the situation House Tyrell faced.
At last, she laughed up at the ceiling despite herself.
"Grandmother."
Margaery had never seen Olenna like this. She stepped forward in worry and held the old woman's wrinkled, dry hands.
Olenna patted the soft, pale back of Margaery's hand, then turned to Willas.
"How much time do we have?"
"The troops under Kevan and Titus outside Starpike are mostly infantry. If they clean the battlefield today and march for Highgarden, two days at the earliest. If they wait for Oberyn's force near Nightsong to join them, at least one or two more days."
Willas made a quick calculation and answered at once.
"Four days at most. Not enough even to reach Cornfield."
"Grandmother, I can prepare Highgarden for defense in advance. We can bring the surrounding villages and towns into the walls, then burn the resources around us.
"That should let us hold until Father returns with fifty thousand men."
Willas understood what Olenna was implying and offered the plan.
Olenna shook her head.
"Even if he returns with the household army, the result is not certain.
"If Randyll Tarly commanded them, I would not be so worried. But this time I personally let your father command. With his nature, at such a critical moment, he will never hand command to Randyll.
"Sigh. House Tyrell lost this game from the very first move."
"Grandmother..."
Before Willas could continue, another guard hurried into the bedchamber.
"Lady Olenna, three men claiming to be envoys of House Lannister have come to the gate of the inner keep."
"At this hour? Lannister envoys?" Willas asked in shock.
"Yes. We have checked the documents they presented. The seals and procedures are complete."
"Heh. Tywin Lannister remembers noble etiquette now." Olenna sneered. "Willas, Margaery, come. We will receive the Lannister envoys in the throne hall.
"House Tyrell has never been lacking in noble courtesy."
Olenna walked out first. Margaery glanced at Willas, then hurried to Olenna's side and supported her right arm.
Willas looked down at his blood-stained armor. He ordered servants to fetch fresh clothes from his chambers, then limped out with his cane.
The body of Renly II, who had held a noble identity in life, remained alone on the feather bed. Now that he was dead, he seemed no more valuable than an unnamed corpse on a battlefield.
Highgarden's throne hall had once been House Tyrell's council hall. Half the golden rose reliefs and ornaments had now been replaced with the crowned stag of House Baratheon.
"Queen Margaery, Lady Olenna, Ser Willas. I, Tyrek Lannister, greet you sincerely on Lord Tywin's behalf."
A youth with green eyes and golden curls falling past his shoulders entered the hall and spoke the greeting in a mechanical voice that held no sincerity at all.
From his looks alone, he clearly belonged to House Lannister. Two older attendants followed behind him and stood silently without introducing themselves.
"There is no need for such courtesy, Tyrek Lannister," Willas said after changing into noble clothes embroidered with a golden rose. He stood and went straight to the point. "Since you have come so late, you must have something important to say. State your purpose."
"We have come to deliver letters for Lord Tywin. Mm. Since His Grace Renly II is not here, it should be this one."
Tyrek answered without hesitation. The youth was very straightforward. He took two sealed letters from inside his clothes, craned his neck to look at the empty rose throne, then offered the one in his right hand.
Willas looked back at Olenna, whose expression was grave. Then he nodded for a guard to take the letter.
When the guard brought it back, Willas did not take it at once. He first examined the guard's hands and made certain nothing was wrong.
Highgarden had just suffered a poisoning. Caution was only natural.
The wax seal bearing the roaring lion remained intact. Willas broke it and began reading.
The more he read, the darker his expression became. Shock, fear, relief, and several other emotions moved across his face one after another.
"Willas," Olenna said, unable to bear watching every emotion play across her grandson's face, "what did Tywin Lannister write?"
Willas limped to stand between Olenna and Margaery, then lowered his voice.
"The letter is full of metaphors and vague references, but from its meaning, Tywin did poison Renly II.
"He also points out the crisis House Tyrell faces, exactly as Grandmother analyzed.
"He states with certainty that he can join with Dorne, the Stormlands, and the Reach's own nobles to take Highgarden, conquer the Reach, and destroy House Tyrell."
Olenna struck the arm of her high-backed chair with her left hand. Margaery clenched her teeth in anger.
"But," Willas continued, "if House Tyrell submits to House Lannister, gives them half our soldiers, grain, equipment, and stores, and marries Margaery to Tommen Baratheon, this threat of extermination will become an unprecedented opportunity."
"Opportunity?" Margaery looked sideways at him. "Brother, did you misread the word?"
"No. Opportunity.
"He says that as long as the Reach announces its return to the Iron Throne and shows true submission, the siege of Highgarden will become a deadly trap against the Stormlands, Dorne, and the rebellious Reach lords.
"Most of the Stormlands' strength has already been buried in the Westerlands. What they have now is their last army. Dorne has also been weakened by House Yronwood's rebellion.
"If their last forces are destroyed outside Highgarden, House Lannister and House Tyrell can easily take the Stormlands, Dorne, and the Dornish Marches.
"The promises he made to you, Grandmother, will still stand. Our two houses will remain among the greatest in Westeros."
Willas finished explaining the letter and did not disturb Olenna, who had fallen into deep thought.
But a doubt troubled him. He stepped forward and asked Tyrek, "Tyrek, when I entered the city, I ordered the gate guards to close the gates. Without our permission, how did you enter Highgarden?"
"You are too polite, Ser Willas. I am no lord. You can call me by my name." Tyrek answered honestly. "Oh, we arrived in Highgarden almost a month ago and have been waiting here the whole time."
Even Olenna, who excelled at appearing harmless while hiding deep schemes, drew in a cold breath.
"They returned to Highgarden at nearly the same time I returned from King's Landing. All of this was inside Tywin Lannister's calculations. Not one step missed.
"Heh. I once said the old lion had reached his sunset and could not even deal with a wolf pup.
"I was wrong. Old or not, he remains a player who can move the board of Westeros.
"But this makes me even more curious about Robb Stark. How did he defeat such a terrifying opponent again and again?"
"Grandmother, perhaps with magic," Margaery said. "The singers who came to Highgarden say Robb Stark is fierce-looking, loves eating raw human flesh, and has evil magic that can freeze everything."
Olenna, shaken by Tywin's methods, was amused by Margaery's words.
"Silly girl. You believe such tales?"
Then she turned to Tyrek and said clearly, "House Tyrell will need time to consider Lord Tywin's letter."
"That is expected, Lady Olenna. Lord Tywin instructed us that the deadline for your reply is before Highgarden is attacked."
"Good. Go rest."
With only the information before her, Olenna did not fully understand the vastness of Tywin's design. If Robb had been there, he would have seen it at once.
Tywin was clearing away the great lords of the Seven Kingdoms step by step to achieve his own goal.
He did not merely want to establish a Lannister kingdom.
He wanted to build a Lannister empire.
If Tywin truly completed that great undertaking, his achievement might surpass even Aegon the Conqueror's.
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