They came to the river mouth and the road northwards became more difficult. The coastlands were beautiful but the roads were terrible. The rains had been particularly harsh this year and the mud was ankle deep at best. For a moment, Ser Garlan was almost happy to be heading back to his family's ancestral seat at the Rain House but the main who claims to be Aegon VI was now in control of the Stormlands and was marching towards King's Landing with the combined forces of the Golden Company, the remainder of the Stormlander vassal armies and the Dornish spearmen of about forty thousand strong in total.
He was sent by Lord Daemon as a delegate to begin diplomatic relations with this Aegon VI. Ser Garlan was skeptical of these claims. Many members of House Wylde fought in Robert's Rebellion on both sides. He was well aware of the stories.
There are rumours that he has been travelling with Arianne Martell, the heir apparent to Dorne, but the presence of the Dornish forces in his host all but secured that idea within Ser Garlan's mind. He thought it clear that Doran Martell was at least supporting Aegon VI's claim.
He had not told Daemon about his doubts, however. It had seemed a waste of breath and there was no point in getting his hopes up. The man was a fool, as any fool can see, and a fool will always be a fool.
He was there to offer Braavosi support in exchange for land and port concessions in the crownlands. The Braavosi were always willing to support the winner and in most cases they could decided who wins. Their influence extended beyond merely sending in a fleet or an army. The Iron Bank always collects its claims.
This appeared to be a simply proposition. Aegon's host was well organized and well disciplined but was outnumbered by the combined forces of the Westerlands, the Crownlands, The Veil and the Riverlands. The Braavosi support would allow them to quickly secure the crownlands before the other kingdoms of the seven kingdoms could choose a side and organize their forces.
It was obvious to Ser Garlan that whoever Aegon might actually be his side was going to win. If it had not been so, there would never have been a need for a diplomatic delegation.
"You do know that the whole of Westeros is against you, don't you, King Aegon?"
King Aegon VI Targaryen looked up from a map that was spread across the table. "Yes, I do, Ser Garlan, and so we shall march to King's Landing and meet them there."
"A great victory would be most welcome to both our people."
"They would be pleased to see their King back on the throne, yes," agreed the king. "But I am not my father, nor am I my aunt. I will not lead my armies to the fire just for the sake of a great victory."
"This is a matter of honor, then?"
"This is a matter of duty, Ser Garlan. I have sworn to restore the rightful throne of Westeros, and so I must. I would be honoured if you would accompany us."
Garlan hated when pretenders talked about the rightful king or rightful that. There is only the throne and the man who sits on it. Rightful has nothing to do with any of that.
Ser Garlan snorted. "An honour that I am reluctant to grant, your grace. My oaths are to Lord Daemon, and Lord Daemon alone."
"Lord Daemon? I can make you Lord Garlan Wylde of the Rain House. I could even make you a Master of Ships, but the title of Lord is reserved for those who serve me in body."
"I do not wish to serve you, young king."
King Aegon smiled. "We all have choices to make. I must return to the Seven Kingdoms, I must meet my foes, and I must defeat them. You have a choice, as well. You can choose to do nothing and see your family estates fall into the hands of the Crown, or you can arise as the new Lord of the Rain House."
Ser Garlan sighed. It was not as if Ser Garlan would not be better off taking the young king's offer but in the world he lives honour is still as real as his steel and his loyalty was as sharp as a Valyrian blade. He had been given an offer that was impossible to refuse but that did not mean he could accept it.
"I do not wish to be indebted to the Braavosi. This is a war that I will win. There will be no need for concessions once I am sitting on the Iron Throne."
"As you say, young king," said Ser Garlan with a smile. "We all have our choices to make."
He turned and left the tent. As he walked away, King Aegon VI Targaryen said, "It is you that has a choice."
Aegon's host had arrived some weeks before. The Golden Company was made up mostly of old veterans, hardened mercenaries. The maps in his tent had already been marked up and split into pieces for his exiled lords. In another life, he and Daemon could have been coming home now. Maybe Daemon could even be a prince again. They would have been home but Braavos is home now.