TYLAND
The knife's cut burned in Tyland's palm.
The cut itself had long since healed, only an angry red line wrapped beneath layers of bandages of Orwyle's poultices, but even the slightest prickle awoke in Tyland that oath he should not have sworn.
Lord Larys Strong had proposed to Ser Otto the night of King Viserys's death that the Small Council must swear a blood oath to Aegon,"to bind us all together, brothers unto death." Lord Larys had drawn his dirk and cut his palm, as had Ser Otto, Grand Maester Orwyle after them, and then Ironrod and Ser Criston Cole. Tyland was the last to bear the knife after Lord Beesbury's stewards had done the same when they watched the defenestration of their lord. Tyland did not want to swear. He never wanted to bet on a horse until the victor was clear, and Rhaenyra could very well emerge out of the skies in the morning claiming her rights.
Yet the Hightowers had hold of the Red Keep and the Kingsguard, and Lord Beesbury lay pierced by the dry moat's spikes as a clear sign to all in the Red Keep of what shall come to those who disavow the will of the Hand and the Queen. Tyland had bit his tongue, and cut the knife into his palm. He allowed the blood to pool before he clasped hands with the rest of the council, echoing the words of the others,"Brothers unto death."
It shall not matter, Tyland turned his hand over, and he could not see the wound. No one in the Red Keep knew of the blood oath save the Small Council and the queen, who spoke of it to no one, and Tyland had done his best to steer clear of Ser Otto's arrests. He gave Ser Otto the gold the Hand needed to pay his swords, but it was Hightower men who went about the Red Keep seizing Rhaenyra's loyalists. Tyland sent his Lannister men to guard the crown's treasury, well out of way of the fights. Should Rhaenyra emerge triumphant, Tyland shall only need to bend the knee and give to her the gold of the treasury. He shall emerge with a high place in Rhaenyra's court just as much as he had in Aegon's.
I am not the child, Lord Beesbury, Tyland hoped the old man would see Tyland now, A child keeps stubborn to his own side, whilst a wise man can play both.
"Only one of eight seats are taken," Ser Otto said, and Tyland looked down into the Dragonpit.
The Hand was right. From where Tyland stood, he could see all the Dragonpit allayed below, a great sand pit decorated by shining knights, silks and satin, and rows upon rows of Aegon's banner of the red dragon. From above, the Small Council, mere inches beneath the great dome, could glimpse all that transpired below whilst those who sat in the pit would not see them in the shadows.
It was clear that Ser Otto's eyes were more pressed to those who sat in the great stands surrounding the ceremony below. When the Hand had judged that Aemond had reached Storm's End and their ravens had reached Riverrun, Casterly Rock, and Oldtown, the Hand had decided at last that King Viserys's death could be declared and Aegon crowned as the new king.
The prince had long whined like a child for his coronation. "Am I a king or no?" Aegon had demanded of his mother Queen Alicent,"If I am king, then crown me." Queen Alicent had dallied with her son in her sweet woman's words, promising that the Hand would be ready soon. Aegon again made Tyland doubt if it was worth serving the Greens. They had the meek Aegon, the violent Aemond, and Helaena was too consumed with her children to care of much else. The only prince worth any while was Daeron, but he was far away in Oldtown and the war was like to be over before he arrived.
Three times Tyland had thought to write a secret letter to Dragonstone, to declare his loyalty to Princess Rhaenyra and her strong sons who were much more worthwhile than the Green princes. Yet, in the end, he decided against it. If anything both the Blacks and the Greens hated more than usurpers, then it was turncloaks. He had to wait to see who would emerge the victor before he would hedge his bets.
"My lord Hand should remember that the Dragonpit can sit eighty thousand," Lord Jasper said to Ser Otto,"even if one of eight seats is full, it shall still be ten thousand who come to cheer the king. Remember that King's Landing only boasts of a population of two hundred thousand. To have ten come at such a short notice is already a feat."
"It is not enough," Ser Otto shook his head,"My lords should remember that there are merchants and travellers who are amongst the smallfolk in the Dragonpit. I will not have them bringing word to the realm that the king's coronation was made to quiet cheers and empty seats."
"I may have a solution, my Lord Hand," Lord Jasper said,"As of present, there is naught convincing the smallfolk to attend the coronation save their wish to see a dragon. So let us make it so that there is good in coming to cheer the king."
Ser Otto turned to his Master of Laws,"Continue, my lord."
"Have your heralds and the City Watch declare that the king's coronation shall be accompanied by a feast for all the true men who attend," Lord Jasper said,"An incentive, for the smallfolk shall not refuse bread won at no price, particularly the savages in Flea Bottom who shall cheer the most raucous."
Ser Otto was nodding,"and where may we get all this bread, Lord Wylde?"
Tyland answered for Lord Jasper, judging that this would not tie himself to the golden dragon whilst still winning himself Aegon's favour,"There is no time to have the castle's cooks prepare a feast, so send out the City Watch and leal Hightower men to the Street of Silver and buy up the merchant's hoards. I can assure that the crown's treasury shall prepare the gold needed."
"Very well," Ser Otto said,"Inform the crown's treasury that a hundred thousand stags must be set aside. The City Watch shall come to retrieve them."
"Aye, my Lord Hand," Tyland said, then turned to one of the stewards Lord Beesbury had left him,"Will. Take ten of my guards, and ride for the crown's treasury. Inform Ser Tyrion Reyne that the Master of Coin commands that a hundred thousand stags must be set aside. The City Watch shall come to retrieve them."
"The City Watch," Ser Otto then turned to Lord Jasper,"falls under your purview as Master of Laws. Command Ser Luthor to send heralds proclaiming the feast at the king's coronation. Furthermore, command Ser Gwayne to send three thousand men first to the treasury to take the stags, and then to the Street of Silver and secure one hundred thousand bushels of bread. Make certain that the Watch pays for whatever they take, and any who take from a merchant's wharf without due compensation shall be subject to capital punishment beneath the king's law. The same punishment shall be for those who steal even a single stag from the gold they have been entrusted. I shall not have the king's men be said to be thieves. Have the watchmen know that before they take the stags from the treasury."
"My Lord Hand," Lord Jasper asked,"Is it wise to take three thousand from the City Watch? That shall greatly reduce the guards at the Dragonpit should Rhaenyra's Blacks attempt any treason."
"There shall be more damage done if the bread does not reach the Dragonpit," Ser Otto then turned to one of his knights, Ser Theodore Roxton,"Ser Theodore, ride with ten men to the Red Keep and command my heralds to join the City Watch in proclaiming the king's feast. In addition, pick out three thousand of my Hightower men. They shall ride to the Street of Silver to aid the City Watch in transporting the wagons of bread. As you depart the Dragonpit, tell the guards that any new man who enters shall be handed the banner of a Targaryen dragon."
"Aye, my Lord Hand," Ser Theodore said simply, then set off with his men.
"My lord Hand," Lord Jasper said,"If we must make a feast, then we must delay the coronation. There must be some entertainment to amuse the spectators lest they depart."
"Give them dragons," Tyland japed,"Have Queen Helaena fly Dreamfyre around the Dragonpit."
Yet Ser Otto seemed to be nodding, and turned to his captain of guards, Ser Laith Honeys,"Send word down to the sand pit, and inform Ser Criston, Grand Maester Orwyle, and Septon Eustace that the order must change. The Prince of Dragonstone and the Queen Consort must be crowned first before the king. They already have their crowns below, so it should not be much issue."
If Tyland did not know, he would not have noticed that the Dragonpit below had shifted who must be crowned first. It was now first Prince Jaehaerys who walked down the aisle of knights with Ser Rickard Thorne and Ser Willis Fell at his sides. The aisle drew their swords to salute Prince Jaehaerys, and the crowd cheered.
At the head of the aisle, Prince Jaehaerys stepped first before Septon Eustace, who anointed him with the seven oils and proclaimed the blessing of the Seven. Then, the prince came before Grand Maester Orwyle, who told the prince of all the duties of the Prince of Dragonstone. To each duty, Orwyle asked the prince if he would perform it to the best of his ability, and to each, the prince would answer,"I will." Tyland knew that those in the stands would not hear, but he also knew that the smallfolk did not come to watch the grand maester drone on about a prince's duties.
Last of all, the prince came before Ser Criston, who placed the simple silver crown of the Prince of Dragonstone upon Prince Jaehaerys's brow and bade him rise as Prince Jaehaerys, Prince of Dragonstone and the one true heir to the Iron Throne. From there, a raucous cheer rose from the smallfolk in the stands. The Dragonkeepers led out the prince's dragon Shrykos, and the prince mounted his dragon. The prince only flew a small glide above the sands of the Dragonpit, all that the little dragon was capable of, but the cheers of the smallfolk only grew louder. Tyland began to notice that the spaces between the stands were starting to fill.
After the prince was crowned, it was the turn of the queen consort. Even as Queen Helaena walked down the aisle in a radiant gown of green and gold lace, Ser Arryk Cargyll and the new white cloak Ser Gyles Belgrave guarding her sides. The stands were already cheering as she walked. It was not swords that were raised in the queen's aisle, but a host of queen's ladies who shone also in gowns of silk, satin, and Myrish lace. A wind had begun to blow, and some of the Dragonpit's sand had begun to blow upon the ladies' dresses, but it did little to dim the cheers that only grew louder.
Septon Eustace was waiting at the end to anoint Queen Helaena with the seven oils, and Orwyle there as well to ask the queen if she would be true to the duties of a queen consort. However, it was not Ser Criston who crowned her, but Queen Alicent, placing a crown upon Queen Helaena's head. The crown was Queen Alicent's own crown, the crown that had once belonged to the Conqueror's Queen Rhaenys, given back by the Dornish at the peace of the First Dornish War. It was carved of onyx in the elegant shape of a dragon's wings, ruby, amethysts, and a dozen other gemstones set in the places where the claws should have been. When Queen Alicent placed her crown on Queen Helaena's head, the mother then knelt and bowed her head. Though Tyland could not hear her, he knew that Queen Alicent was bid to say,"My queen." All in the Dragonpit knelt, and soon the stands quieted as the smallfolk knelt to their queen.
The stands erupted again with cheers as the Dragonkeepers brought Queen Helaena's Dreamfyre out of the caves. The queen mounted Queen Rhaena's beast and flew three great circles about the stands, the smallfolk rising to try and touch the edge of Dreamfyre's wings as she passed by. The cheers that erupted were twice that cheering Prince Jaehaerys, and many now waved the golden banners of Aegon. Queen Helaena could take her dragon to the skies, stopped by the giant dome that encased the Dragonpit, and the queen eventually set Dreamfyre down again onto the sands.
"Ser Tyland," Tyland heard Ser Otto say.
"What shall my Lord Hand have need of?" Ser Tyland turned to face Ser Otto.
"Before the king is crowned," Ser Otto said,"there is a matter we must first settle between us. I know the sort you Lannisters are. Your counsel never comes without a price. What do you want?"
"I myself only want for King Aegon to win victory over his sister," Ser Tyland said, then laughed as Ser Otto's eyes narrowed,"As to my brother Lord Jason, I say he has higher ambitions. He wants a dragon prince for one of his daughters."
"Which one?" Lord Ormund said.
Jaehaerys and Maelor are too young, Tyland knew, and would not please his brother who wanted a wedding soon. The realm all knew what Aemond was, and Tyland knew his brother was glad that the Baratheons would have to deal with the one-eyed madman. Jason would be pleased that it left the best of the princes for him, the gentlest and the cleverest.
"Prince Daeron," Tyland said.
"Done," Ser Otto said,"For which of Lord Jason's daughters?"
"Cerelle or Tyshara should be of marriageable age soon," Tyland said,"Prince Daeron can have his pick of either."
"Is there anything else?" Ser Otto asked.
"One matter," Tyland said,"My brother wants the betrothal to be kept secret until the war is done."
"Ah," Ser Otto said,"So Lord Lannister does not wish to draw Rhaenyra's ire on himself. I shall consent to it. You Lannisters are wise, and the king needs wise men at his side."
"The king shall have my brother's deepest gratitude," Tyland said. In truth, Jason would be content with the prince and call his banners, secret betrothal or not. It was Tyland who wanted to wait for Aemond's return from Storm's End.
If Aemond returned with Lord Baratheon's loyalty without incident, it shall be safe for Tyland to openly tie himself to the Iron Throne. With Storm's End and Casterly Rock both arrayed against Rhaenyra, there is still a chance for a peaceful resolution. If Aemond did not, then Tyland would not be the one to declare the betrothal to all the realm and drag himself into the dregs of war. If Aemond fails to gain the loyalty of Lord Borros, or, gods forbid, Aemond flies to Dragonstone and murders any one of Rhaenyra's kin.
His will set, Tyland turned down again into the Dragonpit, which was rising in a great roar as Aegon finally emerged from the caves for his coronation. The swords that greeted Prince Jaehaerys were doubled, each row of swordsmen drawing their blades as Aegon passed, guarded by the two newest members of his Kingsguard, the tall brutish Ser Lamont Honeys and Ser Gaston Flowers. They were both men formerly of Ser Otto's household guard, placed by the Hand at Aegon's side to inform on the king.
When the king reached the end of the aisle, the cheers had swelled so much that Lord Jasper began to fear that the dome would collapse. Tyland thought to himself that it would not be so bad an idea. He did not know which fool had designed a dome for the Dragonpit, but he knew that one should not seal dragons in the caves when they were born to fly.
Aegon knelt before Septon Eustace, kneeling before the gods, and Eustace anointed him with the same seven oils that he had touched to the Prince of Dragonstone and the Queen Consort, proclaiming the same blessings of the Seven. The Grand Maester came forward, and if there had been little chance of hearing Orwyle's words before amidst the hubbub of the Dragonpit, there was none now that the cheers filled the raging stands. Tyland knew that Ser Otto was pleased that their scheme with the feast had seen its fruits, for the stewards reported that half the stands were full and the dragon banners they waved made it seem that the other half were also full.
When the Grand Maester finished his speech, he withdrew, and Ser Criston came forward, lifting a crown over the prince's head. It was the Conqueror's crown, a band of iron set with red rubies, and Ser Criston placed it on Aegon's brow. Then, another knight came forward with a sheathed sword in a scabbard of dark brass and hammered iron, giving it to Ser Criston. Ser Criston withdrew and knelt, raising the sword above his head. The Grand Maester and the Septon knelt after Ser Criston, as did Queen Alicent, Queen Helaena, Prince Jaehaerys, Princess Jaehaera, and Prince Maelor. All the hundreds of lords, knights, and ladies upon the sands bent their knees to the king, and with them silence fell as the smallfolk in the stands did the same. Aegon rose, crowned a king, and drew forth the Conqueror's blade from the scabbard in Ser Criston's hands, the dark smoking Valyrian steel blade shimmering in the sun as Aegon raised Blackfyre to the skies.
"We should bend our knees," Ser Otto said.
"No one shall see us up here," Lord Jasper said.
"Does that make King Aegon any less our king?" Lord Larys said, the first one to kneel. Ser Otto and Lord Jasper followed, and their small enclave at the top of the Dragonpit did the same. The stone was hard beneath Tyland's knee.
"Long live the king," Ser Otto said, and the voices of their enclave joined that of the ones below,"Long live the king. Long live the king."