Rhaegar awoke from a dream in the early morning, a truly magnificent dream. I dreamt of the decline of the rhoynar people, of three hundred magic dragons, of magic dragons dancing across the continent of Essos, and even of the invincible purple-clad dragon kings of the Balerion Family, ruling the world.
When the magic dragons dance, all four seas will submit.
Poor Targaryen, now a Dragonless King.
"Prince, are you alright?" the voices of Ser Barristan the Bold and Braavosi swordsman Cesar rang out. They were already standing by the goose-down bed, looking with concern at the silver-haired prince under the red silk quilt.
Rhaegar looked around, the familiar surroundings calming his mind slightly as he awoke from the magnificent Battle of the Rhoyne River.
Ser Barristan the Bold, out of the King's trust and honor, had a duty to protect the young prince. Cesar, on the other hand, was driven by a certain 師徒情誼, a master-disciple bond. Swordsmen cared little for honor; Cesar only wanted to cultivate great swordsmen, and a good seedling could not be destroyed.
In this era, infant mortality was extremely high. Jaehaerys I had about ten children, many of whom died young.
As the current sole heir of the Dragonlord family, King Jaehaerys II had already prepared a luxurious team for Rhaegar: wet nurses, maesters, and guards.
Ser Barristan the Bold and swordsman Cesar were teachers, also serving as guards.
So when they noticed the prince becoming increasingly engrossed in his dreams, with occasional pained expressions on his face, they entered to guard him.
"I didn't say anything in my sleep, did I?" Rhaegar asked cautiously.
"No! The only thing I occasionally heard was 'dragon,'" Barristan replied.
The people of the Seven Kingdoms already knew of the Targaryen obsession with dragons, so it was not surprising that they often dreamt of dragons.
(Dragon Dreamer: Dragon Dreams are either of tomorrow or of the past.)
Barristan and Cesar were relieved to see Rhaegar looking well. After all, he was a young child and needed more care; it would be better when he was a bit older.
Cesar brought Rhaegar a cup of hot water.
Rhaegar calmed himself and expressed his thanks. He had originally planned to open his ring and look through the Book of Dragonlords, but with Barristan and Cesar in the room, he decided to wait a while.
After breakfast, the King's attendant called Rhaegar over.
Jaehaerys II would occasionally call Rhaegar to observe when handling state affairs. This was a grandfather's way of showing affection for his grandchild, training him in advance so that the realm would have a master in the future.
Rhaegar was too young; once he was a bit older, he could become the King's official cupbearer.
Although a cupbearer was a servant whose duty was to pour wine and water or serve tea and wine to the master, they could also perform other duties, such as arranging chairs and serving food.
However, cupbearers in noble families often implied learning about state affairs, fostering relationships, or even serving as a hostage, as family honor required a successor. Westerosi nobles coexisted through these various relationships. For example, Queen Rhaenyra once served as her father's cupbearer. Tywin himself also served as Aegon V's cupbearer.
According to Westerosi customs, sons of nobles often served as cupbearers, and occasionally noble daughters did as well. Most nobles considered being chosen as an attendant a great honor, and becoming a court cupbearer even more so.
King Jaehaerys II had held many meetings to address the unrest in the Westerlands.
Prince Aerys, furious that the King would not allow him to travel to the Westerlands to visit his good friend Tywin and Tywin's cousin, Lady Joanna, refused to attend the meetings.
Rhaegar sat aside, listening quietly. The situation in the Westerlands was now turbulent; Tywin was about to make a name for himself, and the Rains of Castamere were imminent.
The year the War of the Ninepenny Kings ended, although Tywin returned to the Westerlands and immediately organized special forces, collected debts, and suppressed bandits, angering the red lion-House Tarbeck alliance, causing tensions to rise, Duke Tyes forcibly intervened to reconcile the red lion and the Golden Lion.
House Lannister and House Reyne staged a clumsy reconciliation, exchanging kidnapped hostages before making amends. Duke Tyes ordered his son to release the red lion's brother-in-law, the Lord of House Tarbeck, and the Red Lion also released several distant relatives of House Lannister. The Red Lion House Reyne and the Golden Lion House Lannister even embraced each other, calling for mutual loyalty until the end of the world. Of course, Tywin did not attend this reconciliation feast at all.
The vows likely lasted only a few months. In 261 AC, royal spies received intelligence that the Tywin brothers were raising troops and simultaneously summoning vassals.
"Currently, the Tywin brothers have a greater advantage; they are energetic and as firm as a rock," Duke Mond said in a deep voice. Duke Mond had interacted with Tywin and was very impressed by the young man.
"Indeed, not just because of the Tywin brothers' abilities. In terms of family heritage, the Golden Lion's abundant resources are incomparable to those of the red lion and House Tarbeck. House Tarbeck claims five hundred knights, but most are useless. Although the red lion gained honor on the battlefield, he only has three to four thousand troops. Once the Golden Lion truly opens its maw, those scattered mercenaries attached to the red lion will not help him. Moreover, Lord Roger is irritable and not a true commander," Ser Gerold Hightower, the White Bull, said. His House Hightower is also one of the noble Lords, capable of organizing six thousand soldiers twice during the Dance of the Dragons. Such are the truly wealthy and influential families.
"These are troubled times, and we cannot afford to lose House Lannister as an ally. We need them to resolve the deficit of the Iron Bank of Braavos. Lord Roger is so arrogant that after overthrowing House Lannister, he will inevitably turn on us. Since Tywin wants to exterminate them, we will fan the flames. We need to quickly and decisively support Tywin. Duke Tyes is not supporting his own son, and a timely help is better than adding flowers to a brocade. I need experienced and reliable people to convey our goodwill," King Jaehaerys II said after some thought. On the table were also two treason proclamations sealed with the Dragon's mark, prepared precisely for House Reyne and House Tarbeck.
Jaehaerys II was not a resolute and calm monarch, but Duke Mond and Ser Gerold supported him, and the King also remembered Blood and Fire. The Braavosi debt would have to be repaid sooner or later, so it was better to add fuel to Tywin's fire now.
"Indeed, House Reyne completely disregards the King's commands. When the previous king was alive, they refused three mediations and even presumptuously murdered Tywin's maternal grandfather. Such rebellious people can only be shown the might of the realm through slaughter. Their heads should be cut off and paraded through the Seven Kingdoms on spear tips," Duke Mond said through gritted teeth, his dark hair and stern face hiding coldness and resolve.
Rhaegar actually wanted to go to the Westerlands to watch the excitement. However, Rhaegar was truly too young, and the Dragonlord family was now three generations short of male heirs. If anything happened to Rhaegar and Prince Aerys, the Dragonlord family would truly become extinct.
Rhaegar looked at their faces and didn't have much goodwill towards the red lion family. Furthermore, for the purpose of winning over House Lannister, the red lion family also needed to die. The Dragonlords had invested in Tywin for so many years, and now they needed to support him even more enthusiastically.
"If the King does not trust others, I am willing to go," the White Bull said in a deep voice. Traveling from King's Landing to the Westerlands to deliver the King's decree required someone astute and capable who could also embody the King's will. With Duke Mond as Hand and Prince Aerys still young, he was currently the most suitable. Moreover, the White Bull was both the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and a member of House Hightower; in terms of seniority and prestige, he was a preeminent figure.
Jaehaerys II nodded, "Please allow me to apologize, Gerold, you truly endure hardship. But the realm and I, an old man, truly need your loyalty. The Targaryen family is now thinly populated, and Duke Mond needs to guard King's Landing. Among the White Knights, I admire you and Ser Barristan the most, but Ser Barristan is too young and too fond of honor. You are still the most suitable."
The White Bull accepted the blood-red decree, which would thoroughly declare House Reyne and House Tarbeck traitors.