"What does Caesar want from us?"
Ser Desmond Redwyne stared at the bloodied wooden box on the table, his voice simmering with resentment.
Back in his quarters, away from prying eyes, only his wife, Lady Denyse Hightower, and her father, Lord Leyton Hightower, remained in the room. Free from the need for pretense, Desmond's fury erupted.
"He killed the heir of the Arbor—Paxter's last son! Does he truly expect us to submit sincerely after this?"
Leyton Hightower said nothing at first, his eyes locked on the wooden box as he appeared lost in thought.
It was Denyse who broke the silence, her tone tinged with frustration:
"Father, what do you think Caesar's intentions are?"
"Aren't they obvious?" Lord Leyton finally spoke, though his tone carried a trace of disdain. "Return to the Arbor, lure Euron Greyjoy to the island, and kill him. If you manage that, Caesar might let the Redwynes survive."
Desmond slammed his palm on the table, his anger boiling over.
"He murdered Horas and still wants the Redwynes to serve him? Paxter will lose his mind when he sees his son's head!"
"Then it's up to you to prevent that madness." Lord Leyton's voice was calm but cutting.
"How?" Desmond demanded. "Paxter already suspected Caesar of poisoning Hobber back in King's Landing, even though the blame was placed on Gerold Dayne. Now Horas is dead at Caesar's hands too. How can Paxter ever forgive such a vendetta?"
Leyton Hightower sighed and leaned back in his chair, his expression unchanging.
"It's true—Paxter won't reconcile with Caesar. But can't you see? Caesar doesn't care what the Redwynes do. After the Arbor fleet's defeat in the Dornish Sea, your family has been reduced to spectators in this game."
Denyse lowered her gaze, her voice heavy with resignation:
"I think Father's right. Caesar likely has no real interest in the Redwynes. Killing Horas may have been his way of outright rejecting the Arbor's surrender."
Leyton sneered.
"Of course, Caesar has no use for the Redwynes. He's already promised the title of Lord of the Arbor to Lucas Dayne. If Paxter were to surrender, Caesar would face the awkward task of stripping your family of its lands and titles. How would he explain that to his newly rewarded loyalists?"
Desmond's face darkened further.
"So he's deliberately driving the Redwynes into opposition? His arrogance is astounding! Even if our fleet suffered losses, the Arbor remains wealthy and strong, with dozens of ships in port and thousands of skilled sailors."
"Caesar's arrogance is well-earned," Leyton replied evenly. "Four years ago, when he arrived in Oldtown as a mere hedge knight without even a proper castle, I could already tell he was extraordinary.
"Who could have imagined that in such a short time, he'd rise to become the Storm King, unify the Reach, and even pressure Dorne into submission?
"Yes, the Redwynes are powerful. But before the Dornish Sea battle, would you have believed your great Arbor fleet could be crushed by a fledgling navy?"
Desmond's jaw tightened. "He's skilled, I'll admit, but he's far from invincible. Tywin Lannister has already subdued the North. With the lands north of the Blackwater firmly under Lannister control, the lion and the eagle will inevitably clash. Caesar may not emerge victorious."
Leyton's gaze sharpened.
"I disagree. Caesar will win."
Denyse blinked in surprise.
"Father, why are you so certain? Tywin Lannister isn't just anyone. He controls the North, the Westerlands, the Riverlands, the Vale, and the Crownlands. Caesar only commands the Stormlands and the Reach."
"You're oversimplifying things." Leyton shook his head. "Nominal control and actual control are two very different matters.
"In the North, the lords will never truly submit to the Boltons. The Vale is in disarray under Lady Waynwood, and the Riverlands are leaderless after Lord Hoster Tully's death, with Edmure still imprisoned in Dorne. The region is fragmented, and the strongest house, the Freys, is deeply tied to the Starks.
"Realistically, Tywin's power is limited to the Westerlands and the Crownlands. But even combined, those regions are less wealthy than the Reach alone, and their military strength pales in comparison."
"What if Caesar can't fully control the Reach?" Desmond asked pointedly, his gaze locking onto his father-in-law.
"Caesar still has a strong control over the Reach. The Stag's has been cleared out, Lord Mace has surrendered, and now Lady Margaery has given birth to Caesar's eldest son. Under this circumstance, the nobles of the Reach will definitely follow Caesar's lead."
"There is no such thing as 'certainty'." Desmond stared into Lord Leyton's eyes and said meaningfully, "Father-in-law, what do you think?"
Leyton studied his son-in-law's expression and instantly understood the implication. He replied coolly:
"The Hightowers won't betray Caesar, if that's what you're implying."
"I'm not asking you to fight for the Redwynes," Desmond said carefully. "But perhaps the Hightowers should reevaluate their position. Father-in-law, if Caesar ascends the Iron Throne, the Tarlys will undoubtedly gain the most. After them, it'll be the Tyrells and the Rowans. But what about the Hightowers? With your wealth and influence, do you really think Caesar will allow you to remain the 'uncrowned kings' of the Reach?"
Leyton smiled faintly.
"Desmond, do you know why I'm so certain Caesar will win?"
"Why?"
"Because he's already preparing to march north and cross the Blackwater to seize King's Landing."
"Exactly! And I think he's rushing things. He's overconfident. He might lose to the Lannisters."
Leyton shook his head.
"Caesar is rushing, but not out of arrogance. He's rushing because winter is coming."
"If winter is coming, doesn't that make war even riskier?" Denyse asked, echoing her husband's doubts.
"Exactly. Waiting out the winter would actually benefit Caesar. The North will suffer far more in the cold than the South. And even if you dismiss the rumors of White Walkers, the wildlings moving south are a real threat—and one that will burden the Lannisters, not Caesar.
"But instead of waiting, Caesar is accelerating his plans, taking risks to unify the Seven Kingdoms before autumn ends. Why? Because he believes something worse is coming from the North."
Desmond frowned deeply, his skepticism still evident.
Leyton stood and placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder.
"Believe what you will. It doesn't matter. The Hightowers will stand with Caesar. I see in him a king who truly cares for the Seven Kingdoms. He is more deserving of the Iron Throne than anyone."
Desmond sat silently, his thoughts churning.
After a long pause, he stood, his voice steady but heavy:
"Father-in-law, will you look after Denyse and Dainis for me?"
Leyton smiled softly, understanding what Desmond had resolved to do.
"Of course. My daughter and grandson will always have my protection."
"Thank you." Desmond gave a deep bow, then picked up the bloodied wooden box and headed for the door.
Denyse grabbed his arm, her voice trembling:
"Where are you going?"
Desmond patted her hand reassuringly.
"To fight for the future of the Redwyne family."
(End of Chapter)