Chapter 39: I Don’t Wish tue With a Child

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  I awoke in Margaery’s bedchamber to the soft warmth of m light creeping through tall, arched windows. A gentle breeze teased the curtains, bringing with it the st of Highgarden’s roses—less intehan st night.

  “Mmm…” I yawned, sitting up a little. My gaze fell on the bandage ed around my hand, now tinged with faiains from my half-healed wound. It throbbed in a muted reminder of yesterday’s nearly fatal arrow, but the pain was barely there.

  I slowly uned it to find the wound… fully healed. I smiled. At Level 23, such a wound was barely a scratch. I pulled out my Status Page to take a look.

  === Page [?] ===

  Viserys Targaryen

  The Dragon King

  22 Years Old

  Level 23

  -

  27 STR

  32 END

  27 DEX

  31 INT

  29 LUC

  40 AUTH

  === Page [?] ===

  The numbers made me smile, but unfortunately, I hadn’t earned any levels from Viserion’s goat massacre st night.

  My Authority was 40, which stood out. It had jumped uedly higher than I’d calcuted. At Level 14, it was Auth 20—gaining nine levels should have made it 29.

  I supposed that my alliances and quests were all feeding something deeper withihe realm itself reized who I was being, so my Authority increased.

  A soft humming drifted from the far side of the room, where Margaery stood in front of a mirror. She was slipping on a new gown for the day, a piece that ched at her waist and fanned out over her hips. I doubted she’d bother to wear it modestly after what happe night, but outward appearances mattered. Even in privacy, she banced her seductive aura with a posed grace worthy of a queen.

  Gng over her shoulder, she noticed me stirring and offered a smile—it was ge sharpened by something unspoken. “Good m, Yrace,” she teased. “I trust you slept well despite… our evening’s little diversions?”

  I stretched, biting back a small chuckle. “I’m not pining. My hand’s healed, and the rest of me feels quite satisfied.” My mind flickered to the steamy events we’d shared, half-lost in the gloom of goat-feeding, half-lost in her body.

  Her smirk deepened, and she turned fully, letting me admire how the golden sunlight pyed across her hair, highlighting each curl. She looked at her side where new bandages were ready and then back at me. “I see you took off your bandage, but from the looks of it, new ones won’t be needed. It’s almost as if you're not human. Haah, if anything, I need medical care for my legs. You know, I ’t stand up right now. Did you truly have to be sh?”

  “It’s already healed, yes,” I assured her, flexing my fingers. “Another day or so, and the scar will vanish too. It’ll be as if the bolt ouched me.”

  She stepped closer, carefully examining the cloth around my palm. “That’s good. We ’t have our rising dragon king crippled before the stage of… well, everything.”

  A flicker crossed her gaze— or ing. It was hard to tell. Ohing I knew for sure was that it wasn’t love. But she’d grown a little protective over me, that too I was sure.

  I nodded, “Fair. Yesterday’s demonstration—my fight, then the assassination attempt—has guaranteed me strong bag. A huhousand men.”

  “That is a major step forward, yes, Yrace. But I suspect we’ve only scratched the surface of what’s to e. We have the army, but Renly Baratheon had a bigger ohen, he ended up dead,” she looked into my eyes with worry. “Be careful.”

  Margaery’s eyes flickered with that near-invisible blend of ambition and warmth, and she tinued when I remained silent. “The realm will take notice. Word moves quickly, especially with the tale of the crossbow bolt. I suspect the rumors of some crazy beast dev goats in the secret halls will also spread. You should have withdrawn Viserion into that weird space.”

  She’d suggested the same st night, but I didn’t listen. I shook my head, “A dragon ’t grow when ed. Let her have a good night’s rest in that chamber. I don’t mind rumors.”

  “We stand on a precarious edge, Yrace. Some rumors might strengthen your image as an unstoppable Targaryen… others might color you as reckless or far too dangerous to be left alive, drawing threats from all ers,” she said, looking at me with caution.

  I let the silence hang briefly, my thoughts drifting to how st night’s deeper intimacy might alter the political game. She was already w about me as a husband. My alliah Margaery Tyrell had grown personal—and ieros, personal and political were rarely separate. She realized that too. I liked this girl.

  “Are you worried?” I asked softly.

  She paused at that, smoothing her gown and fiddling with an embroidered rose at her hip. “Worried that some might see our closeness as sdalous? No. That I’ll be rumored to have surrendered my virtue before marriage? No. Worried about your life? Yes.”

  I tilted my head. Her worry was lovely, but it wasn’t as if I was reckless. If I was, I’d have been over Level 50 by now. I ying things very safe as it was, and she didn’t know what it meant to have a System bag my growth. “That is toug,” I said.

  She shook her head, voice dropping to a whisper. “I hope you remain careful. Of everyone. Especially… that Red Priestess.” She stared at me briefly.

  I nodded, deg to let the subject rest. I inhaled, pushing off the bed. “I’ll keep that in mind,” I said, and I doubted she khat it included her too.

  ****

  I finished dressing, ad a bck doublet with discreet hints of Targaryehread. Not long after that, knocks fell, and soon the door to the chamber cracked open. Kinvara slipped in, crimson robes flowing around her like molten silk, her eyes calm as always. They were also curious.

  “My Prince,” she began, Margaery a guarded nod before turning to me. “It appears the m finds you well, despite all that happe night.”

  Margaery arched a brow, bristling at the intrusion but maintaining her grace. “Lady Kinvara,” she said, managing a polite smile. “You’ve excellent timing as always.”

  Kinvara’s lips curved faintly, though her gaze remained on me. “Oime I’m not by your side, my Prince, you almost get assassinated. Perhaps I should tie you to my sleeves.”

  I rolled my eyes lightly. “Almost is a strong word. The damage was minimal. See?” I raised my hand and showed her, and she blinked. Her smile widened a moment ter.

  Margaery watched our exge in silend then crossed her arms, standing up and stepping slightly forward as if to shield me from any perceived slight. “I hate to interrupt, but he’s one of the five kings now,” she stated, addressing Kinvara firmly. “The entire realm must have heard whispers by daybreak. So it’s ‘Yrace’ from now on.”

  Kinvara raised a brow. “...Indeed. A King. Yet a single crossbow bolt nearly ended him. Isn’t that funny? Where one assassin fails, two more will e. You should remain vigint,” she looked at me, smiling, “Yrace.”

  Margaery smiled in satisfa seeing Kinvara ply, but I held back a sigh. This old woman didn’t care what she’d call me, while this little girl thought she was winning against her. “He’ll be fine,” Margeary said, “as he is today.”

  Kinvara’s eyes flicked to her like a subtle challenge. “Is he, truly? You’ve proven your capacity to guard yourself… but he was injured. He’s the most valuable asset that House Tyrell has, and he was unguarded yesterday.”

  Margaery stiffened, her expression carefully impassive. “He isn’t unguarded at all… not while I’m here.”

  A thin, knowing smile curved Kinvara’s lips. “And you were where, precisely, when the arrow came flying?” she asked, voice delicate but pointed.

  “That… I was nearby. I took care of the aftermath,” Margaery shot back, a hint of tension in her voice. “I bandaged him. I—”

  “You ba. You couldn’t stop it,” Kinvara said, making the girl fall silent. Kinvara sighed aurned her gaze to me. “Regardless, I don’t wish tue with a child. Yrace, shall we leave for King’s Landing soon? Our work here is done.”

  A faint flush of anger was visible on Margaery’s cheeks. But she didn’t let her emotions trol her. She faced me, adopting a geone as she touched my injured hand. “Must you really go so soon? As you said, Stannis will invade King’s Landing within months. So that city is not safe. Highgarden is. Leading our new army from here might be the smarter choice.”

  I regarded her quietly. “We’ve already prepared for that sario. But for my cim to resohroughout the Seven Kingdoms, I must move, not hide in Highgarden.”

  “Still…”

  “I o be where the stather. My stay in King’s Landing will be crucial. Let me assure you, Margaery, this is how I also guarantee your future .”

  Her gaze flicked between Kinvara and me as though measuring my resolution. Finally, she inhaled slowly and nodded. “Then I hope the gods favor your journey, Yrace. And remember, Highgarden is still your stro ally,” she added with a half-smile.

  I allowed myself a shh, moving toward the door. “Of course. I’d be a fool not to keep you close.”

  “See you ter, my dy,” Kinvara bowed her head, aowledging Margaery with a posed half-smile. Margaery stood, looking every inch the poised dy of the court, though I could sehe swirl of emotioh her calm fa?ade.

  She’d already grown to desire more than a mere alliance—perhaps a measure of real trol over me and my path. It was adorable, but I didn’t like it.

  As we left the room, the m sun bzed brighter beyond Highgarden’s walls, a fresh day brimming with promise and silent perils.

  Footsteps echoed in the corridor, and a few hours ter, after I had some st-mialks with the Tyrell heads, the footsteps turned into the sound of hooves against the ground, eae taking me closer to King’s Landing.

  I hope I wasn’t te. I had a pn to execute during the Riot of King’s Landing regarding a certain character. Hopefully, the riot hadn’t happened already.

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  Author he Tyrell Alliance cludes here, and we’re ering what I’ll say is one of the main phases of the story. There will be a LOT OF as from here on, small and big, and hopefully, you’ll enjoy reading them all.