The Reach, The Reach. During the era of the Seven Kingdoms, this was the ancestral seat of House Gardener, and after the War of Conquest, it was granted to House Tyrell.
The Reach is situated on a hill, overlooking the Mander River below. The Kingsroad and Rose Road converge here. The Reach castle is built of white marble, and many consider The Reach to be the most beautiful castle in all of Westeros, though vale men believe The Eyrie is the most beautiful.
The Reach is an artistic and beautiful city, verdant, prosperous, and thriving. In the Rose gardens of The Reach castle, flowers bloom everywhere, and gardens, ponds, and artificial waterfalls adorn the entire castle. The castle is filled with stone carvings, fountains, and marble colonnades, with grapes and Roses decorating the walls and sculptures, and ancient buildings covered in vines. From the towers of The Reach, one can see all the manors and fields within several leagues, with the countryside covered in wildflowers and the golden rose.
Inside a white gazebo adorned with a fountain, several members of House Tyrell were chatting.
Outside the slender, elegant gazebo stood two guards wearing gilded half-helms and green robes trimmed with gold thread, embroidered with the golden rose of The Reach on their chests. Both were seven feet tall, with broad shoulders, narrow waists, and muscular bodies. If one were to observe them closely, they would find themselves unable to tell them apart. They had the same strong jaws, the same deep blue eyes, and the same thick red beards. These two were The Queen of Thorns's twin guards.
"Renly had a portrait painted of my granddaughter by a Myr man, do you know?" The Queen of Thorns asked.
"I know!" "There was such a painting! It was very beautiful, with the lifelike style of the Myr men!" Lord Mace, once a burly man, had now gained some weight, but still looked handsome. He had curly brown hair, and his triangular beard was flecked with grey.
"Then you also know Renly's intentions!" Lady Olenna stared intently at her son. Lady Olenna was over sixty, with a full head of silver hair and a small stature. Her hands were soft, with slender fingers; when she spoke, she had the tartness of an old woman. She still, as the elder of House Tyrell, carefully danced on the chessboard of power.
Lord Mace said awkwardly. "Don't you wish your little darling to become queen? Not just Renly, all of King's Landing knows the King doesn't love the Queen. The King still loves that brown-haired northern girl, and her shadow has always lingered."
"Is it the King?" Margaery was also startled, pondering the pros and cons of this matter. Margaery wore a green cloak woven with golden Roses, which fluttered in the wind, and a green dress underneath, making her appear exceptionally charming. She was in her teens, with brown hair, brown eyes, slender and beautiful, with doe-like eyes and a gentle gaze. Margaery had not expected her brother and Renly's plans to be so audacious!
"Foolishness! The situation in King's Landing is murky, and furthermore, the Lannister's influence in King's Landing is vast and deeply entrenched. My dear Renly, can you truly rely on that young man who speaks witty remarks? But at least Renly isn't too excessive; he chose to send my darling to replace the lioness, rather than declare himself King." The Queen of Thorns sighed. "There's no need to rush, we control the granaries and bread, no matter which King sits on that cold iron throne, they won't offend us too much."
"The King isn't quite suitable! I said it before, it was father and Renly who insisted on your opinions, you should have asked grandmother and little sister for their opinions!" Willas, the heir of The Reach, said from his wheelchair. "King Robert is fat and fond of drinking, spending his time in Brothels and hunting; he is no longer the charming stag he once was. My sister marrying him would not be glorious, and very dangerous. Perhaps we could choose someone more advantageous."
"Well, I think Renly is also quite good, brave and gentle!" Mace said.
Lady Olenna scoffed, though small in stature, she was full of thorns. "I suspect he's a bit mad, perhaps from a touch of dragon blood. Pretty and charming won't change his rebellious mind; his brother has children, and he himself has older brothers. They once wanted me to marry someone from House Targaryen, but I refused."
"My grandson Willas is the clever one among us, which brings me some comfort. Tell Loras and Renly to stop their foolish games! The Rose grows in The Reach, we have cultivated very little in King's Landing! And the King can still control the situation, let's not cause trouble in King's Landing."
"But, Mother! This is also a rare opportunity." Mace's face flushed. "For over a decade, there have been few positions for us people of The Reach on the Small Council, and our House has never won the honor of a crown! Even the Dornish, House Martell of Dorne, has produced a queen."
Speaking of House Martell always made Mace agitated, his neck red and swollen. The Reach and Dorne have been at odds since ancient times, and House Martell also caused the heir of The Reach to be crippled.
"I don't blame Prince Oberyn! The Tourney field is always like this, occasionally we even discuss how to cook horse meat." Willas interjected. Willas had a lame leg. The first time he participated in a Tourney, his opponent was Prince Oberyn of Dorne. Oberyn threw him from his horse. Unfortunately, the heir of The Reach's foot got caught in the stirrup, and when he fell, he was crushed by his mount, ultimately resulting in one of Willas's knees being completely shattered, leaving him crippled.
"Alright, my grandson is still a clever one; hatred and frivolity always make people lose their minds! Your father is overjoyed at the thought of his grandson ascending the throne, like a fish after a fantasy.
House Stark were Kings for generations, as were House Arryn and House Lannister; even House Baratheon, when calculated through the maternal line, were ancient royalty. Only House Tyrell came to power after Dragon King Aegon burned the legitimate The Reach King in the 'Field of Fire' battle, having previously been merely stewards. But what does that matter? My son, we are flourishing and have never been stronger! Every side needs to rely on us, we should wait, not be impatient!"
"Alright, there will still be opportunities! And that damned House Florent, constantly questioning the legitimacy of our power, I'll make them pay for it sooner or later!" Mace said angrily.
"Alright, Mace! Kings are not so easily born, just like long-thorn Leo, how many years did it take for our House to produce one?" The Queen of Thorns said. "long-thorn" Leo was a renowned warrior and Tourney enthusiast, widely respected and beloved. About a hundred years later, Lord Leo was still considered the finest knight from House Tyrell. He was a top master of mounted Longspear Tourney, and many considered him perhaps the greatest Longspear champion in history.
"By the way, Willas, do you have any other interesting information to share with your old grandmother?" The Queen of Thorns asked.
"There's no other information, but there is an interesting piece of news Across the Narrow Sea. A new King has risen in the Disputed Lands, freeing slaves and raiding Firegrass Manor, which has also caused the price of Myr gunpowder herb to skyrocket. The slaves call him the Butter-King or the Iron King; he has an iron mask, an Iron Hammer, and iron armor, and is invincible on the battlefield."
"The Butter-King! Sounds like an escaped slave?"
"No, he's the new Commander-in-Chief of the Wolf Pack Company, a fierce and cunning warrior. He wields a warhammer, is unmatched, and has killed many Meereenese, as well as Unsullied!" Willas said.
"Wolf Pack Company? The demon with the warhammer!" The Queen of Thorns was stunned, "Descendants of wild northerners! I didn't expect them to still be active!"
"Yes! The Wolf Pack Company got involved in the Myr people's struggles and are now their own faction!"
"What's so curious about the Butter-King? He's just a bandit from afar." Mace scoffed, although he had achieved nothing in decades of military life.
"The price of gunpowder herb is skyrocketing, and we also need to contact this Butter-King. Furthermore, he might also attack the Stepstones, just like the Ninepenny Kings!"