The Reach, Highgarden.
Highgarden is a castle in The Reach, situated on the banks of the Mander. During the Age of the Seven Kingdoms, it was the seat of House Gardener, but after the Conquest, it was granted to House Tyrell.
It sits atop a hill, overlooking the Mander below, where the Ocean Road and the Roseroad converge.
This summer in The Reach has lasted for seven years, so long that all memories of winter and the vigilance against it have gradually faded from everyone's hearts.
Before the Battle of the Blackwater, King Joffrey, to show his sincerity in forming an alliance with House Tyrell, released the Knight of Flowers, Loras Tyrell.
By the time the combined forces of House Lannister and House Tyrell crushed Stannis at the Battle of the Blackwater, Loras Tyrell had already returned to Highgarden.
"What? My little grandson, have you become dull-witted after being locked up for a while? Staying in King's Landing for too long really does affect one's intelligence."
The Queen of Thorns, Olenna Redwyne, began her sharp-tongued tirade the moment she saw Loras Tyrell, mocking her little grandson without mercy.
Lady Olenna Redwyne is the widow of the late Lord of Highgarden, Luthor Tyrell, and the mother of Lord Mace Tyrell.
Born into House Redwyne of the Arbor, she is known as the "Queen of Thorns" for her sharp tongue.
She has a head of silver hair and is small in stature. She appears to be nothing more than an ordinary old lady, yet she holds the highest authority in House Tyrell.
"Grandmother, I was wrong."
Hearing his grandmother's sarcasm, Loras Tyrell could only lower his head in admission. He knew that if it weren't for his own impulsiveness and headstrong desire to hunt down the Mountain, Gregor Clegane, he would never have fallen into a Lannister ambush and been captured.
And ever since Joffrey Baratheon held him as a hostage, the entire House Tyrell had not dared to blockade supplies to King's Landing, which had invisibly hindered the progress of his dear friend, Renly.
Thinking of his dear friend and beloved, Renly Baratheon, who had died, Loras Tyrell was overcome with inconsolable grief.
"Grandmother, please don't scold my brother; he is already very sad."
Margaery Tyrell, the Little Rose, who sat beside The Queen of Thorns, Olenna Redwyne, took her grandmother's arm and spoke up for her brother, Loras.
"You, all you care about is your brother. Why don't you think about whether your grandmother is angry?" Lady Olenna Redwyne patted her granddaughter's slender hand and scolded her with a laugh.
She then looked at her despondent grandson, Loras Tyrell, and couldn't help but sigh, feeling deeply pained for him.
She knew of the intimate relationship between her grandson and Renly Baratheon, and at this moment, she had no desire to continue her sharp-tongued teasing.
She admonished him: "My grandson, Grandmother only hopes you remember: you are a member of House Tyrell, and your words and actions abroad represent the honor and face of House Tyrell. I hope you remember this lesson and always put family first."
Loras Tyrell looked at his grandmother and said solemnly: "Grandmother, I will remember."
Seeing that her grandson had truly repented, The Queen of Thorns smiled at him. She waved her hand gently and said: "It is good that you remember. Go, go to the garden and find your eldest brother. Your brother Willas has been talking about you all these days."
"Very well, Grandmother."
Loras Tyrell bid his grandmother farewell and left, but before departing, he gave his sister, Margaery Tyrell, a secret wink to show his gratitude.
In the gardens of Highgarden.
"Is the war ending? No, perhaps a greater war is about to begin." A handsome young man sitting in a wheelchair sighed as he watched a raven fly across the sky.
He was tall, but his build was frail. A head of brown curly hair paired with a few wisps of a mustache made him appear very refined and amiable.
He wore a light blue collared shirt inside, and an outer robe of light green, with golden filigree trim along the edges.
Standing amidst the flowers of the garden, he was like a green leaf hidden low beneath the blossoms, as if intentionally downplaying his own presence.
This refined and gentle man was the eldest son of the Warden of the South, Lord Mace Tyrell, and Lady Alerie Hightower, and the heir to Highgarden, Willas Tyrell.
Unfortunately, many years ago, during a tourney, he had been accidentally crippled in one leg while jousting against The Red Viper, Oberyn Martell, which forced him to spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair.
This caused the already strained relationship between House Tyrell and House Martell to deteriorate further, but Willas Tyrell was broad-minded and did not hate The Red Viper, for it had truly been an accident.
Moreover, the two later exchanged letters frequently, discussing their experiences in breeding fine horses.
Due to his limited mobility, Willas Tyrell lived a quiet life, shunning fame and fortune; his only hobbies were raising horses, keeping hawks, and tending to his flowers.
Yet, this heir to Highgarden had been somewhat puzzled recently, because ever since the red comet streaked across the sky a few days ago, he had been having the same recurring dream every night.
In the dream, he saw a man wearing a crown of vines and flowers sitting on a throne made of oak.
This strange dream left him completely baffled, so he simply couldn't be bothered to think about it anymore.
"Leo, has my brother, Loras Tyrell, not returned yet?" Willas Tyrell asked the attendant pushing his wheelchair from behind.
"My lord, you have asked me this question four or five times today. I asked my father this morning, and he said your brother will definitely return today," the attendant replied helplessly.
This young attendant was named Leo Flowers, the son of Gyles Flowers, who was the bastard of the stout Garth Tyrell. He possessed the standard brown hair and brown eyes of House Tyrell and was about the same age as Loras Tyrell.
"Have I asked that many times?" Willas Tyrell asked with an embarrassed laugh.
At that moment, the brother Willas Tyrell had been eagerly awaiting, the Knight of Flowers, Loras Tyrell, walked in.
"Brother, I have returned," Loras Tyrell greeted him, habitually walking to the side of Willas's wheelchair and kneeling on one knee to listen to his brother's counsel.
However, Willas Tyrell did not speak at that moment; he first examined Loras Tyrell's appearance, then reached out to touch his cheek, just as Loras was wondering what it meant.
Willas Tyrell spoke: "You have lost weight."
The moment his eldest brother Willas Tyrell spoke, Loras Tyrell completely broke down; his eyes immediately reddened, and he burst into tears.
"Brother... I..." Loras Tyrell sniffled. Perhaps only in front of his eldest brother could he drop his facade of strength and reveal his true heart.
"Loras, do not let yourself be too tired. Your brother is here for everything."
Willas Tyrell gently wiped the tears from the corners of Loras Tyrell's eyes and said softly: "Loras, you can vent all you want now, cry as much as you want. But after you have cried, you must understand that you still have family waiting for you, and you must ultimately return to a normal life."
"Brother... I am so tired. My Renly is gone; I have lost him forever..."
Loras Tyrell sobbed loudly in the embrace of his eldest brother, Willas Tyrell. This embrace was as warm as it had been when he was a child, and only here could he feel deep peace and care.
Willas Tyrell gently patted his brother Loras Tyrell's back and said: "Loras, do you remember the story about the rose I told you when you were little?"
Hearing this, Loras Tyrell looked up, rubbing his red, swollen eyes, and said to his brother: "Brother, do you mean the withering of the rose?"
Willas Tyrell nodded with a smile, stroked his brother's head, and said softly: "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful rose in a field, stunning and graceful. Birds passed by it just to catch a moment of its fragrant scent, and bees lingered on it just to gather a few drops of sweet honey."
"The rose was proud, until one day its petals turned yellow and its leaves withered. The birds stopped passing by, and the bees stopped lingering. The rose was very dejected; it knew it was about to die, and in its final moments, it shed one last tear."
"The tear fell onto the earth, watering a tiny seed in the soil, causing it to sprout and break through the ground."
Willas Tyrell continued: "The blade of grass tried hard to support the rose's thorny stem, just to keep it alive. But the grass was too weak; even with all its might, it could not stop the rose from withering."
"In the end, the rose was touched and came to terms with it. It said to the grass: Please, do not force yourself; this will only break your back."
"The grass said: But you will die."
"The rose smiled and said: No, I will not die; I will live on forever in the hearts of the birds, the bees, and you."
After finishing, Willas Tyrell smiled at his teary-eyed brother, Loras Tyrell, and said: "Loras, Renly Baratheon is your rose. You can be the bird, the bee, or the grass. But unlike them—the bird for fame, the bee for profit, the grass for gratitude—you lingered by his side only for love."
"In truth, your Renly has not really died, because you still remember him, because you know he once existed. His fragrance lingers around you, his honey flows in your heart, and his final tear waters your soul, allowing you to grow strong and thus become even more powerful."
"The death of a rose is not a true death. When they begin to wither, their petals fall. Whether it is the grass or the earth, both will be nourished by its body, nourishing until the next flowering season, to bloom into the next rose."
"Loras, do you remember our House Tyrell motto?" Willas Tyrell asked.
"I remember." Loras Tyrell looked at his eldest brother Willas Tyrell's eyes, full of hope for him, and said earnestly: "Growing Strong!"
Listening to his brother's words of comfort, Loras Tyrell felt much better.
Before returning, Loras Tyrell had heard everything from his second brother, Garlan Tyrell. When House Tyrell allied with House Lannister, it was originally intended for his sister, Margaery Tyrell, to go to King's Landing and marry Joffrey to become queen.
However, Joffrey Baratheon did not agree. During the negotiations between the two parties, his eldest brother, Willas Tyrell, considering his brother's safety, had voluntarily conceded.
The terms changed to Joffrey Baratheon's sister, Myrcella Baratheon, marrying into Highgarden to form an alliance with his eldest brother, Willas Tyrell.
As the heir to Highgarden, his eldest brother, Willas Tyrell, could have found any noble lady, yet for his sake, he was forced to choose Myrcella as his wife.
Although the Knight of Flowers had seen Myrcella Baratheon in King's Landing and had a good impression of her, he still felt that Myrcella was not worthy of his eldest brother.
"Brother, you must not have met your fiancée, Myrcella Baratheon, yet?" Loras Tyrell asked.
"I have not. But I hear she is a very beautiful, golden-haired little girl. I hope she won't find me too boring," Willas Tyrell said. In his view, as long as it was for the family, everything was worth it.
"Brother, but I have heard that these three golden-haired children are all bastards of House Lannister." Loras Tyrell said.
However, Willas Tyrell smiled slightly. He looked at his brother, Loras Tyrell, before him and said: "Does it matter? Power resides in the hearts of men; believe it, and it exists; disbelieve it, and it does not. Regardless of whether they are bastards, they still represent the royal authority of the realm. And our family needs to rely on that royal authority to gain benefits; that is enough."