-Chapter 122-
-2nd day of the 9th moon of the year 299 AC-
-POV Harrold Arryn-
"This man is completely mad, every time the kingdom seems to be heading towards a semblance of peace, he throws everything into chaos. It's as if he loves war," I said after finishing reading the message from the capital.
"It's this madness that has placed us where we are so quickly, and I must remind you that it can also bring us down just as rapidly," said Robar Royce, the second son of the former Lord Yohn Royce, now the new Lord of Runestone.
"I know very well that the king is the king, but I still have the right to express a private opinion without being harassed. After all, I am the damn Keeper of the Vale," I said, rolling my eyes.
Robar didn't say anything to refute me even though he didn't seem entirely in agreement with me, so I changed the subject by asking, "How is your sister doing?"
"Badly, since she learned that she will not marry Lord Redfort but Prince Viserys," said Robar, looking annoyed.
"It's more than a decent union; he is one of the only two dragon riders in the kingdom, and the king has granted him Riverrun as a fief to pass on to his descendants. What exactly does she have against it?" I asked, not understanding Ysilla's repulsion.
"Not much," said Robar, uncomfortably.
I frowned and then said, "We've been friends for a long time, if you have something to say, just say it. You know I won't take offense."
"Prince Viserys is known to be the second coming of the Rogue Prince, or at least the rumors I've caught are that he has all the vices of Prince Daemon and the king struggles to instill in him all his qualities," said Robar.
I grimaced and said in an understanding tone, "That's bad news because a union between a Rogue Prince and House Royce has already been celebrated."
"It's sad but such is life, we all have a role to play," said Robar.
I nodded and then asked, "How are the negotiations with House Grafton going?"
"Well, but I feel something strange at each of my meetings with the lord of House Grafton," said Robar.
"What does that old fox want?" I said, a bit worried since he was one of the few lords to have avoided the wrath of King Aegon VI despite his support for the war effort.
"I don't know," said Robar.
"Do you think he won't agree to let our goods pass through his ships?" I asked, wondering what he was up to.
"I really don't know; maybe I'm simply wrong, but I sense something in his attitude. I have known him for a very long time, and the atmosphere at House Grafton is different," said Robar, clearly uneasy.
"Let's set this topic aside for now and focus on a more important issue: how is our assault on the mountain clans going? Have the pillaging and raids ceased?" I asked.
"For now, we are still managing to push them back, but just as the mountain clans began to get the upper hand on us, they suddenly stopped fighting and retreated all at once," he replied.
"All the clans at the same time?" I asked.
Robar nodded, and then I said in a dark tone, "So we are sure that this disaster is also a punishment from the king."
Robar nodded and said, "I'm not sure if the king asked these savages to attack us, but I am certain that he armed all the mountain clans."
"In both cases, the intention remains the same," I said in a frosty tone, holding back the anger within me that threatened to explode at any moment.
Robar nodded, and then I said, "Now that the situation is beginning to stabilize, it is time for us to head to the capital to present our oaths of allegiance. The king has sent a note; he is becoming more and more impatient. I will leave in one moon with all the new Lords of the Vale."
"Very well, I will be by your side. We must remain united no matter what happens," said Robar.
I nodded in agreement with him, although Westeros was now under the total control of King Aegon VI of the Seven Crowns, the game was long and only just beginning.
The future seemed increasingly uncertain since the resurgence of the dragons and the Targaryens; we might even face an invasion from Essos by Queen Daenerys Targaryen of Meereen.
At that moment, who can say how it will all evolve?
Will Prince Viserys always remain loyal to the king?
Will the Great Houses of Westeros all remain loyal to the King?
Will the army that the king is assembling be able to stop an invasion force of thousands of Unsullied and tens of thousands of savage Dothraki?
Will the king's dragon measure up to that of his aunt?
'So many unanswered questions,' I thought, rubbing my hands because I knew that my time and that of House Arryn would come; all I had to do was amass my forces and quietly wait for my moment.