House of The Dragon:The Rise of the Emperor of the Seven Kingdoms

"My princess, how are things in Harrenhal?" Roderick asked in a calm tone; his eyes scanned the massive castle. He was riding alongside the royal carriage.

"My mother has helped me, but I have already taken partial control of the castle," Gael replied with a slightly helpless tone. "I don’t have enough handmaidens to cover the entire castle."

Roderick and Darnold exchanged a look and nodded.

"Darnold and I already expected as much, and we will bring a large number of servants to the castle. You need not worry about the lack of people, princess," Roderick said, showing a smile. He looked at Gael with a kind and calm gaze.

How could he not understand what Gael was going through? He had felt the same way when his father died and he had to inherit Raventree Hall. But, like him, the wife chosen by his nephew would gradually become more proficient in the art of administration.

Gael showed a genuine look of joy. She had very few servants to manage this castle completely, especially with the Great Council and the number of nobles increasing more and more. There were dozens now, and she could manage everything alone, but when it became a hundred or even thousands, she would have no way to control everything.

At the same time, she also looked at Roderick with a curious gaze. From what she knew, it was this man who had shaped the man she loved. Looking at his solemn and calm expression, she seemed to see some similarity to the expressions Maekar also made.

When you live with someone, you gradually transform a bit into that person; it was something small, but it truly happens.

"Did House Strong cause any trouble?" Darnold asked; he seemed more distant than Roderick, after all, it wasn’t his nephew who would marry Princess Gael.

"No, they were very kind and helped me with many things. Lord Lyonel even taught me some things about the castle, its strengths and weaknesses." Gael shook her head and wore a grateful look, remembering Lyonel.

Darnold was a bit surprised but realized that House Strong was very loyal to House Targaryen. Even after being removed from the castle and fiefs, they still maintained due respect for Princess Gael.

But he soon understood. Although Harrenhal had been lost, House Strong had gained an entirely new fief in the Westerlands, a rich one that controlled the pass to the Riverlands.

Golden Field...

Darnold showed a touch of envy. The territory might not be very fertile, but it had a gold mine and controlled the pass to the Riverlands. Those two things would be enough for House Strong to be like House Frey and be incredibly wealthy.

At the same time, with the king’s protection, no one dared cause trouble for the newest noble house of the Westerlands. It could be said that House Strong had gained much for their loyalty to the king.

So, to say he didn’t feel envy would be a lie on Darnold’s part.

"Any news of Lord Boremund?" Roderick asked in a solemn tone. If there was one dangerous man in the realm, it was Boremund Baratheon. The army of the Stormlands was by no means weak; they were strong.

"He is marching to Harrenhal at this moment, bringing forty thousand men with him," Gael replied with a heavy tone.

Roderick and Darnold exchanged a look and saw the solemnity in each other’s eyes. Boremund was coming, and with him, the terrible army of Storm’s End.

"Corlys will likely come through Maidenpool, and what of the new Lord Lannister?" Darnold asked. Corlys wasn’t the problem, but the new Lord Lannister. House Lannister was definitely Maekar’s enemy, along with all the Westerlands.

"Gerold, Loreon’s brother, went to King’s Landing to receive permission to inherit House Lannister and successfully returned to the Westerlands, where he has not left since," Gael replied with a complex look on her face.

She felt responsible for the fact that all the noble houses of the Westerlands were now Maekar’s enemies. And though she knew it was a game between Maekar and her father, Jaehaerys, it didn’t change the fact that she was the essential link that culminated in the bloody conflict now known as the Red Feast.

"That is good; it shows he’s learned his lesson, unlike the brother who died under the king’s dragonfire," Roderick said with a sarcastic tone. Since House Lannister was an enemy, he would also show no hesitation and positioned himself as an enemy of House Lannister.

"Don’t be so harsh, Roderick," Darnold said, shaking his head. "If Maekar becomes king, we must advise him to forgive. A king who cannot forgive will not attract the loyalty of the noble houses that supported the other sides in this Great Council."

Roderick knew Darnold was right, but he had raised Maekar like a son; how could he have remained indifferent to everything that happened? He only hadn’t marched to King’s Landing with his army because his son had advised him not to, so as not to cause even more chaos.

"My dear lords, although Gerold has not left Casterly Rock, spies report that he is exchanging letters with my nephew, Prince Viserys," Gael spoke then. In this Great Council, there were three major factions.

Princess Rhaenys’s faction, supported by the Stormlands and House Velaryon; Prince Viserys’s faction, supported by the Crownlands and the Westerlands; and Prince Maekar’s faction, supported by the Riverlands, or most of them.

In terms of fighting strength, Viserys was in first place, with the Crownlands and Westerlands supporting him, followed by Rhaenys, who had the Stormlands and House Velaryon supporting her, and finally, Maekar with House Blackwood and House Darry.

Of course, Maekar had three dragonriders: Maekar himself, Gael, and Alysanne. Viserys had two dragonriders, Jaehaerys and Daemon, and Rhaenys had one: herself.

There was a balance among all three parties, which Jaehaerys was likely enjoying, as he held the advantage in this Great Council. Perhaps that was why he had accepted the Great Council so easily, knowing he could influence a large part of it.

"It is a balance, but that is good for us." Roderick was a politician; he soon knew that although it was a balance, things could change very quickly. "If Dorne finally joins the Seven Kingdoms, we will have many votes in Maekar’s favor."

His words made Gael and Darnold nod and smile. As for the uncertainty of whether Dorne would join, they all had confidence in Maekar’s power of persuasion.

"My mother is also moving things in the shadows; she has many friends at court and can influence about a dozen votes," Gael said with a smile. Although Alysanne’s power could not be compared to Jaehaerys’s, she was still queen and could influence the court.

Although a few dozen votes might not seem like much, in the current balance of power, these were precious votes. Everyone was fighting in the shadows for the power of those votes, including themselves.

"Lord Roderick, what of House Tully?" Gael asked in a slightly uncertain tone. Honestly, she was shocked by the strength of House Blackwood and Darry; she couldn’t imagine that just two houses from the Riverlands could gather such a large force, surpassing House Tully.

"The Princess need not worry; House Tully’s power is divided among four great houses and many others. They will not be able to provide much help, even at this moment," Roderick replied with a hint of scorn toward House Tully.

Whether it was him or the other noble houses, they were very dissatisfied with Aegon’s decision to choose House Tully as Lord Paramount.

To have their former vassals as rulers was the most humiliating thing for these noble houses with royal blood; House Blackwood was no different.

Yes, House Tully had no royal blood; they had only knelt to those who had ruled the Riverlands for thousands of years, including House Blackwood.

Gael, noticing Roderick’s expression, did not press the matter and spoke in a calm tone. "I sent a letter to Highgarden, but I have yet to receive a response from Lord Matthos Tyrell."

"It’s understandable; they don’t want to get involved in this mess, but they will attend the Great Council. We may have the opportunity to draw them to our side," Darnold said with a calm look; there was a smile on his lips.

Gael nodded, and the entire procession entered Harrenhal.

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Note: I changed the name of the book, in case you get confused

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/GOTSW

Read my other books:

House of The Dragon:The Rise of the Emperor of the Seven Kingdoms

Game Of Thrones: The God-Emperor of Planetos

Percy Jackson: Godwyn the Golden.

Game Of Thrones: The King’s Court Wizard