The Mountain of Ice and Fire

Chapter 394: Political Marriage (2 Updates)

(Actually, I planned for 1 update today, but something came up)

*

The next day, Joffrey didn't go to court.

His mother Cersei insisted he apologize to his grandfather, but he refused. The mother and son argued, and Joffrey refused to attend court in the throne room.

The child was still young, thirteen years old, but his height was already that of an adult.

He didn't see his court steward, Horas Kettleblack, in the royal residence, which made him even more unhappy. If the king didn't go to the throne room, Horas didn't have to go. Could it be that he was also ordered by his grandfather Tywin to attend court? That was impossible. The court steward only served him and was not under his grandfather's control.

Horas Kettleblack, who came every day, didn't come, and the king, without company, was upset. He thought of Sansa, and he asked a handmaiden to find Sansa in Maidenvault, but the report was that Sansa and the noble ladies had gone to court; he also asked someone to find Qyburn, and the news was that he had also gone to court. The handmaiden relayed Qyburn's words that Lord Tywin was going to hold a small council meeting, and any members of the small council who didn't attend would be severely punished.

This made Joffrey even more irritable and increased his dislike for his grandfather.

Horas Kettleblack was, after all, the king's court steward, not the Hand's man.

"Go and find Horas," he ordered the Kingsguard, the Hound. "If he went to the throne room, go to the throne room and call him to me."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

A while later, a shocked King Joffrey, with the Hound and Ser Meryn Trant, two Kingsguard, quickly arrived at Horas Kettleblack's residence. The door had already been opened, and there were jailers inside examining the body. Several of the Queen Mother's red cloaks were guarding the door, along with several gold cloaks.

As soon as Joffrey arrived, the busy jailer, the Queen Mother Cersei's newly appointed captain of the red cloaks, Osney Kettleblack—his brother Osfryd Kettleblack threatened the Imp, who was the Hand, during the Battle of the Blackwater, and was thrown off the city wall by the Mountain, smashing his brains—and a tall, thin middle-aged man quickly stood up from the ground and bowed to Joffrey.

They were tying up Horas's body with ropes.

Last night, Horas's door, which had been burst open by the Mountain's brute force, had been replaced with an identical oak door, seamless, as if nothing had happened here last night.

"Who are you?" Joffrey asked the tall, thin man among the three.

This man had shoulder-length, dark copper-colored hair, and the family crest on his lapel was a burning tree of orange smoke.

"Your Majesty, my name is Addam Marbrand. I was appointed by the Hand as the new Commander of the City Watch of King's Landing. If Your Majesty has any orders, I will definitely serve loyally."

Joffrey snorted, another one of his damn grandfather's men.

Commander of the City Watch?

The previous Commander of the City Watch was Ser Jacelyn Bywater, appointed by his dwarf uncle. That guy died valiantly in the Battle of the Blackwater, and the position of Commander of the City Watch was vacant, needing someone to fill it.

Joffrey snorted: "What happened to Lord Horas Kettleblack?"

"He drank too much last night and hit the sharp corner of the wine table with his head, and unfortunately passed away," the jailer hurriedly replied respectfully.

"Let me see." Joffrey pointed to the body wrapped in white cloth.

"Your Majesty, Lord Horas's body is very bloody..." Addam Marbrand said.

"Open it!" Joffrey said irrefutably.

The jailer looked at Addam, then at the Queen Mother's captain of the guard, Osney Kettleblack. Among the three, Addam had the highest official position, representing the Hand. Addam hesitated slightly, and Joffrey stepped back: "Hound!"

Clang!

The Hound's longsword was drawn, pointing at Addam Marbrand's chest.

Several red cloaks and gold cloaks all had their hands on their sword hilts, but they dared not move.

Kingsguard Meryn Trant watched coldly, without saying a word.

"If Your Majesty commands, I dare not disobey," Addam said. "Open it, let His Majesty take a look."

The Hound's longsword slowly returned to its sheath.

The rope was untied circle by circle, and the white shroud was untied, revealing a head that had burst open like a watermelon. The Hound and Meryn Trant's eyes both froze and turned away. What kind of drunken collision with a wine cabinet corner was this? This was murder. Horas's head seemed to have been struck by some heavy object. What kind of heavy object it was, the Hound and Meryn were not jailers and could not tell.

The Hound glanced around, and there was nothing unusual around. There were no bloodstains on the walls, but on the wall above the wine cabinet, there seemed to be traces of scrubbing.

Joffrey stared at the bloody head without blinking an eye.

The child king was particularly interested in corpses, blood, severed limbs, and dissections, things that would cause nightmares at night.

"This is hitting the corner of the wine cabinet after drinking?" Joffrey asked the jailer. He had learned from Maester Qyburn and could already see what kind of injury this was and what happened.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The jailer opened his mouth with a lie, and there was no cowardly tremor in his voice.

"Take the body to my dissection room." His Majesty ordered, he held his breath, and he waited for Qyburn to return from court.

The jailer, Osney Kettleblack, and Addam Marbrand looked at each other. It was the first time they had heard that the king had a dissection room. So, where was the dissection room? No one knew. Moreover, this was not in accordance with the rules of handling a case. The Commander of the City Watch, the captain of the red cloaks, and the jailer had all examined the body together, and the conclusion was determined by all three parties, and the case was closed.

Besides, what did His Majesty want a corpse for?

"You carry the body and follow me," His Majesty said.

The Hound looked at Addam, Addam looked at the Hound, and the Hound was expressionless.

He was only responsible for protecting the king and acting according to the king's orders.

It's just that this situation was too damn complicated. Queen Mother Cersei's people were here, the jailer was obviously called in to deal with the problem, Addam was the Hand's man, and although he himself was a Kingsguard serving the king, he had vassal and lord subordinate relationships with the Westerlands, Queen Mother Cersei, and Hand Tywin.

The Hound left his devil brother Gregor Clegane from a young age, and Tywin took care of him as he practiced martial arts and swordsmanship.

Meryn Trant was shocked in his heart, but his face was expressionless.

Addam, the jailer, and Osney Kettleblack looked at each other. Helpless, a jailer, a red cloak, and two gold cloaks, four people together, lifted the fat Horas's body and followed behind His Majesty, heading to the king's dissection room.

The Hound followed beside this group of people, his expression stern. No one could tell what he was thinking.

*

The light laughter of a woman came from ahead, and Queen Mother Cersei walked out from the corner, accompanied by Lady Olenna Tyrell, the Queen of Thorns. A well-behaved and beautiful girl held Lady Olenna's arm. She was bright and charming, surrounded by a large group of handmaidens, like a beautiful bright moon, making all the women around her lose their luster.

Joffrey stared at the girl. It was the first time he had seen such a bright girl. Sansa was already very beautiful, but compared to this girl, she obviously didn't have the brilliance of a young girl.

"Your Majesty, this is Lady Olenna Tyrell."

The king wore a golden crown, a brocade shawl, and was of noble demeanor, with handsome features, and an outstanding appearance.

The Queen of Thorns paid her respects and greetings to the king as a vassal.

"Lady Olenna." His Majesty stepped forward and, according to etiquette, kissed the back of Lady Olenna's hand.

"Your Majesty." Margaery Tyrell curtsied. The family emblem on her lapel was a golden rose blooming on a verdant green field, and she herself was as beautiful and charming as a golden rose in full bloom.

"This is Margaery Tyrell." Queen Mother Cersei smiled, "She is the 'rose' in the hearts of the people of Highgarden. All the flowers in Highgarden are not as beautiful as half of her. What is even more endearing is the kindness in her heart. On Margaery's first day in King's Landing, she made a special trip to the orphanage to visit the children, bringing clothes and bread to those children who had lost their fathers in the war."

"I'm just doing my little bit, hoping to help some unfortunate children as much as possible. Your Majesty, our food has also set off and will be continuously transported into King's Landing. Please don't worry about the food for the people of the whole city," Margaery said obediently.

Joffrey bowed elegantly, and in the capacity of the king, expressed his deep gratitude to Margaery and the Tyrell family on behalf of the people of King's Landing. Joffrey responded freely to this kind of official language and etiquette. When he was a normal child, he was noble, elegant, handsome, and charming.

Cersei looked at Addam, and Addam understood, leading everyone to quickly carry the body away.

"What happened?" The Queen of Thorns asked, pointing to the body.

Horas's body was too fat, and wrapped in a snow-white shroud, it was very eye-catching.

The jailer respectfully replied: "Madam, Lord Horas, the court steward, unfortunately hit the corner of the wine cabinet last night while drunk, and His Majesty felt sorry for him, because he usually worked diligently and accompanied the king day and night for three years, and came to see him one last time."

"Oh, that's too unfortunate. I haven't been to court for long, but I've heard that Lord Horas is a rare good person." The Queen of Thorns was full of sympathy.

"Your Majesty, if Horas's family needs any help, please ask them to come to me. I hope I can give them some comfort." Margaery looked sincere, with pity shining in her eyes.

The Hound looked at Margaery Tyrell, such a beautiful, lovely, and kind-hearted girl. Obviously, Joffrey was not worthy of her at all.

In the year 283 of Aegon's Conquest, Margaery Tyrell was born in Highgarden, and she is sixteen years old this year. Her beauty is very famous in Highgarden, and she is affectionately called 'The Rose of Highgarden'. Joffrey was very resistant to the marriage with Margaery, but after seeing Margaery at first sight, he decided to marry her. As for Sansa, she could be his lover. This was popular among the nobles, and he was the king.

Joffrey had golden hair and blue eyes, and a slender figure, and he and Margaery Tyrell were a perfect match.

Margaery was indeed very beautiful, with gentle deer-like eyes, long brown curly hair, and a smile that had a hint of shyness, but more of sweetness. Anyone who saw Margaery for the first time would be attracted by her beauty and loveliness.

The jailer, Addam, Osney, and others who left here quickly, everyone thought in their hearts that the willful and reckless Joffrey was not worthy of Margaery Tyrell.

*

The Throne Room. Small Council.

Kevan Lannister said: "I propose that Lord Petyr Baelish be promoted to Duke of Harrenhal. What do you think?"

In the Small Council, no one spoke.

Since Kevan proposed it, it naturally meant Lord Tywin's intention.

But why Littlefinger?

Harrenhal was the fattest piece of meat in the Riverlands. For Harrenhal, the Mountain, Tywin, and Roose Bolton of the North had all fought for it.

Lord Tywin said: "Currently, the Seven Kingdoms are divided and fragmented, and peace and unity are needed. Those who do not submit will all be eliminated. We now have to deal with the North, the Riverlands, the Iron Islands, the Vale, Dorne, and Stannis's remnants on Dragonstone. Our time, energy, army building, logistical support, national treasury, food, ironware, everything is tight."

The Hand's gaze slowly swept over everyone: "Lord Petyr grew up with Lady Lysa Tully of the Vale. Lysa Tully has always been obsessed with him. Currently, Lysa Tully is single, with the identity of Duchess. Lord Petyr has the confidence to go to the Vale to persuade Lady Lysa Tully to submit to us, provided that he needs the identity of a Duke to be worthy of Lysa Tully's identity. His strategy is to form a marriage alliance with Lysa Tully."

Littlefinger smiled: "My business in King's Landing is brothels. I understand very well what women need. To be honest, when Jon Arryn was alive, Lysa Tully was willing to come to the Red Keep in King's Landing to accompany him because I was here. Saying this may seem dishonorable, but as long as I can make a contribution to the unity of the country, what does my personal stain of honor matter?!"

"I believe Lord Petyr's methods of dealing with women are unmatched by all of us combined," Qyburn said with a smile. "He is the kind of lord who has to deal with all kinds of women every day."

"And all kinds of men," the Mountain said.

A burst of light laughter rang out in the solemn council.

So, the time for a showy hand-raising vote arrived, and without exception, it passed unanimously.

Tywin continued: "After solving the Vale, we still have to solve Dorne. Because of the Usurper's War seventeen years ago, we mistakenly killed Princess Elia Martell of Dorne and her children in the war. The Westerlands and Dorne have been at odds until now. I think it's time for the Lannisters to reconcile with Dorne. My plan is to marry our kingdom's princess, Myrcella Baratheon, to the son of Prince Martell of Dorne, and then invite the Martell family of Dorne to come to King's Landing to serve as a member of the Small Council."

Mace Tyrell said: "Lord Hand, the only vacancy in the Small Council is the position of Lord Commander of the Kingsguard."

"No, there is also the position of Master of Laws on the Small Council."

"A good strategy." Littlefinger said, "But marrying our kingdom's princess far away to the desert is really a disservice to our beautiful princess."

"For the unity of the kingdom, this sacrifice is nothing," Kevan said.

Finally, everyone unanimously passed a resolution to marry Princess Myrcella Baratheon to Dorne in exchange for the Martell family of Dorne's support for the Red Keep's rule.

The Mountain said: "Lord Hand, lords, I would like to set off tomorrow to Claw Isle to recruit personnel for the Royal Navy, and also bring the country's condolences to the families of all the more than four thousand naval soldiers who sacrificed."

Littlefinger said, "Ser Gregor, the construction of the Royal Navy fleet must be expedited. Otherwise, our maritime trade cannot proceed. Dragonstone has Stannis's remnants blockading trade routes, and pirates on the high seas, knowing we no longer have a Royal Fleet, are extremely rampant. Just last night, even the fishing villages upstream of the Blackwater Rush were raided by pirates."

"I also heard about the pirates' frantic raids up and down the Blackwater Rush yesterday on the streets. We no longer have a fleet, and pirates from all sides are taking advantage of this, banding together in groups to plunder at will. It's truly outrageous," Qyburn sighed deeply.

"Ser Gregor, I'm giving you two months to build warships and assemble a navy," the Hand of the King said.

"Two months?" Ser Gregor said in astonishment.

"Yes, two months. If there isn't enough time to train the navy, send your Clegane men onto the ships. Within three months, I want there to be no more pirate groups up and down the Blackwater Rush, and all trade routes to Dragonstone must be open and unobstructed."

"Uh, alright, Hand of the King," Ser Gregor replied, his tone tinged with helplessness, a wry smile on his face. He had learned the hypocrisy of these swindlers.

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