Chapter 104 - 103 - Loyalty (I)
"It’s tempting," Maekar said, bringing his cup to his lips. He looked at the woman with a smile and did not rush to accept. He had had the advantage since the negotiations began; how could he lose that advantage by accepting such a proposal?
Having lived for so long, could Melisandre not understand what was going through Maekar’s mind? She rose, approached him, and leaned forward, their faces dangerously close.
"Your Grace, I know you want to swallow everything and much more than you can hold." Melisandre said, looking at the beautiful face before her. "However, I will not deny your requests, whatever you want. We will provide it without any hesitation."
Maekar did not back away from Melisandre’s advance; he merely furrowed his brow and looked deeply at the woman. He had underestimated the Red Faith’s desire for religious dominance over Westeros. But then, he remembered that a religion was based on people’s faith. The more people believed in R’hllor, the more power they would have.
Using his finger to move the woman’s beautiful face away, Maekar looked at Melisandre and spoke calmly. "Very well, I will accept your terms."
Melisandre’s lips curved into a beautiful, tempting smile. She drew back and sat down again on the sofa, still staring at Maekar with a mysterious, enigmatic look.
"I will give you an early gift, Your Grace." Melisandre said, looking at the flames of the torches. Before her eyes, the flames came alive and showed a scene, or rather, a glimpse of a not too distant future.
Turning her gaze back to Maekar, Melisandre showed a frightening look and uttered, "Dragons dancing in the sky, blood and fire staining the earth, and a false king sitting on the Iron Throne."
Maekar narrowed his eyes and showed a thoughtful look. Then, he let out a laugh. The fight between him and Daemon under the Gods Eye? Or a Dance of Dragons? Perhaps a different battle?
Honestly, there were so many possibilities that he hated knowing this prophecy. It had already been more than proven that the more you try to change the future, the more that future happens. However, Maekar would not be like other fools desperately trying to prevent this outcome.
As for blood and fire staining the earth, that was the simplest part. It was simply Targaryen blood being spilled, or destruction caused by House Targaryen.
However, the last part was interesting.
A false king sitting on the Iron Throne.
This could mean a few things. Whether it was him, or Viserys, or even Aegon II, Maekar did not know, but he certainly knew it was not good news. Would Jaehaerys ignore the Great Council and choose Viserys? Would he dare lose all the prestige accumulated over six decades for one decision?
Maekar was truly curious whether Jaehaerys would dare do such a thing. As for being furious about this fact, he knew fury served no purpose, since this had never been in his control but in Jaehaerys’s.
Either way, the future was quite entertaining. He wanted to see if Jaehaerys would dare ignore the Great Council or if the king would see Maekar crowned as king.
Melisandre looked at Maekar with a strange look. It was the first time she had spoken of the future and someone had laughed. Looking at his expression, there was no fear or uncertainty, only curiosity and... excitement?
The Witch recalled the prophecy she had just made and found no reason for curiosity or excitement. Was the young prince someone who enjoyed battles? Perhaps uncertainty was entertaining in his eyes?
"Thank you for informing me of such a thing, but there was no need." Maekar said with a smile as he let his body fall limply onto the sofa. "However, I believe the future is merely the fruit of one’s own choices and the choices of other people."
"You can control your own choices, but never the choices of others."
Melisandre looked at Maekar’s young face with a stunned expression. She could not believe she was hearing those words from a fourteen-year-old boy. It was so unreal that she was astonished for a moment.
"Your Grace is surprisingly calm." That was the only thing Melisandre could say to categorize Maekar. If someone told her that a person was born to achieve great things, she would say it was that person’s emotions speaking louder than reason.
However, after seeing Maekar, she changed her mind. At the same time, the image of the vision she had had months ago appeared in her mind.
In a great cavernous hall with dozens of hearths, a figure was being crowned before an enormous crowd. He wielded a sword of black flames.
The more she looked at Maekar, the more Melisandre felt that figure overlapping with Maekar. Then, the witch noticed the sword placed beside him. She recognized House Targaryen’s Valyrian steel sword.
Blackfyre, Melisandre smiled and looked at Maekar with an enigmatic look. The smile on her lips grew, and she was certain that the figure she had seen months ago was Maekar. The Lord of Light had already shown her whom he had chosen.
Under Maekar’s surprised eyes, he saw Melisandre kneel before him and gently kiss his hand. She raised her head and looked directly into his eyes.
"I, Melisandre of Asshai, salute you, Your Grace." Melisandre said in a calm tone. "I offer my sword, body, and soul to you, my prince."
Maekar looked at the woman’s mad gaze and could not help but twist his lips. His grandfather had told him never to get involved with mad people, but who was truly sane in this mad world? Not to mention that he himself was not as sane as he appeared.
After all, he was an upstart who longed for the throne and would wage a civil war to make it happen. Do you think someone like that was not truly mad?
Looking at Melisandre, Maekar did not know what had made this woman change so much in such a short time, but it was certainly a good thing. Having a mad fanatic by his side, especially one with the abilities of fire, shadows, visions of the future, and raising the dead, was a good thing.
"I accept your sword, Lady Melisandre." Maekar said in a solemn tone. "You will always have a place by my hearth, at my side. I will never bring dishonor to your religion or ask you to break your vows."
"In the name of Kinvara, High Priestess of the Red Temple of Volantis, the Flame of Truth, the Light of Wisdom, and First Servant of the Lord of Light, the Red Faith will aid you in the Conquest of the Iron Throne." Melisandre spoke in a tone even more solemn than Maekar’s, as though she were making a vow.
Maekar was pleased with what he had heard. The greatest religion in the world as an ally was no small thing. Now, even the House of Black and White would not dare so much as approach him. If there was anyone with more spies in the world, it was the Red Faith. There was nothing this ancient religion did not know.
"Melisandre, right now, what I need is forbidden knowledge." Maekar helped the woman to her feet and had her sit beside him, treating her as an ally rather than merely a business partner.
As for forbidden knowledge, he was speaking of magic. After nearly dying at Cannibal’s hands, he wanted blood and fire magic to protect himself. Just as the Old Valyrians used magic while riding dragons, he wanted to do the same.
The red witch was surprised by the request but nodded her head. "I will see to it that it arrives as soon as possible, but it will take a while, at least a few weeks."
She could teach Maekar, but her abilities were oriented toward shadows; her abilities with flame were nothing more than the Lord of Light himself, just as with foreseeing the future and raising the dead.
"It doesn’t matter; it’s better than having nothing." Maekar did not mind and spoke with a smile. It was better for it to take time than to have nothing at all. At the same time, he knew he was pleased with what he had just gained.
This meant that blood and fire magic would return to House Targaryen’s hands, at least to the House Targaryen of Harrenhal.
------
Read the advanced Chapters on my Patreon!
/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