The dispute in the Westerlands was thus settled: the red lion's treason was unforgivable.
The King dispatched Ser Gerold leading troops, ostensibly to mediate, but actually to fully side with Tywin and declare the Red Lion House Tarbeck and its in-law House Tarbeck guilty of treason. If necessary, three hundred soldiers would assist Tywin's advance.
Once the Dragonlord Banner was unfurled, Tywin would find things much easier.
The friendship between the Golden Lion House Lannister and the bloodline of Aegon V spanned three generations. Back then, Gerold the Golden Lion strongly supported Aegon V's ascension, and Gerold's grandson, Tywin, maintained a friendly relationship with Aegon V's grandson, Aerys. This friendship is long-standing, and the Kingdom cannot afford to lose the Golden Lion's financial power.
"Brother-in-law, do you think I am twisted? Do you remember the young me? Back then, I aspired to become the hand of the king or a Small Council Member for my brother Duncan, and I dared not dream of becoming King. Now, how can I face that young man? He was once bright as a sharp sword, untainted. Now, I walk alone, obsessed with power schemes and plots." Sorrow suddenly appeared on Jaehaerys II's pale face, and tears slid down the King's cheeks.
Father Aegon V, Mother, elder brother Duncan, younger brother Daeron, and Ser Duncan, who was like an elder brother and a father—all are dead now. Now only I remain, like an old horse, limping as I pull the Kingdom forward. In the eyes of ordinary folk, it truly looks like the Dragon Family is about to die out.
Rhaegar gently wiped away his grandfather's tears. He was a great king who, though facing difficulty, still pressed on. He lived simply, had no special hobbies, and seemed to have been born for the sake of the nation.
"Your Majesty, you must not feel this way. The Seven Gods above protect you and watch over you. You will steer the nation forward; you are a great commander. We have resolved the Blackfyre Rebellions, and your father-in-law and brother Duncan will be proud of us." Duke Monde quickly said. King Jaehaerys's health was indeed poor, and supporting such a massive nation was nothing but hardship.
"The Seven Gods above, I can only do my best, not fail the trust of my father, nor the glory of the Preceding Kings." Jaehaerys II murmured to himself. He looked at Rhaegar; this child represented hope. He truly wished he could spend a few more years with him.
Rhaegar somewhat understood his grandfather's feelings. The current situation of the Targaryen Family was difficult for anyone; the Royal Enterprise was in decline. With little land and few treasuries, they could only play the balancing game. If the nobles were unhappy, they had to be placated.
Rhaegar wanted to pull out a small Ball of Fire from his dragon kings ring to extend his grandfather's lifespan, but that endeavor seemed very difficult.
Lifespan is hard to predict. Although the ancient Dragonlords once possessed powerful magic and dominated the seas, ruling supreme, there were no reports of them living extremely long lives. Their lifespan seemed not much different from that of ordinary High Nobles. Aegon the Conqueror, his own ancestor, died of a stroke.
Among the Forty Dragonlord Families, there were no terrifying monsters living for hundreds or thousands of years.
For the Targaryen Family, seventy years was considered a ripe old age.
"Child, a king should not let his weaknesses be known to others, or you will be manipulated. They will not fear you; they will mock you. We need gold, so we are constrained by the Iron Bank of Braavos and must befriend House Lannister. We need grain, so we must form ties with House Tyrell." King Jaehaerys II shook off his gloom and resumed his kingly facade. He pinched Rhaegar's little cheek as he spoke. He was better suited to be a Scholar or a strategist, advising his brother Duncan, but since The Seven Gods above decreed him King, he would do his utmost, until death.
Rhaegar nodded. There was still no powerful military backing. If they had Magic Dragons or a standing army, why would they be so hesitant, dealing with nobles who spoke ambiguously and feigned obedience? Without dragons, the Targaryen Family had no overwhelming advantage and could not dictate terms. Instead, they had become repairmen constantly patching up balances, destined to continue patching generation after generation.
"An excellent king must be both a lion and a fox. He must possess the lion's strength and the fox's cunning. We must be this way to maintain power. I have no possibility of becoming a formidable warrior in this life; I govern only with pen and paper. But you, I hope you become a great warrior, and also a great Emperor." King Jaehaerys II continued.
Rhaegar nodded. He was neither a lion nor a fox; he would be a true dragon.
He possessed the Life Tree Template; he would surpass his predecessors and restore the glory of the Dragonlords... Rhaegar closed the door and sat on his bed.
He carefully confirmed again that there were currently no traces of dragon eggs in the ring, but there was still some space left.
Perhaps, there was still a Purple Dragon Egg belonging to the proud Baelarys Family inside.
Rhaegar's ring flashed, and he eagerly flipped through the book inside the ring.
This collection of books originated from the strongest Dragonlord in the known world; it could be called a priceless treasure.
The Dragonlords blew their horns and rode across the lands. They not only swept away everything externally but also engaged in internal struggles within the Valyria Court and Council. The Baelarys Family was one of the foremost among them.
Setting aside the messy books by Dragonlord Augu, those discussing Valyrian power struggles, and Valyrian election rules, Rhaegar was most interested in two or three specific books.
The material of the books was also very peculiar; the paper was as strong and rigid as iron, able to withstand the long passage of time.
"The True Dragon is Only Me—The History of the Baelarys Family," this book narrates the history of the true Dragon Family, the Baelarys Family.
Such arrogance, truly fitting for the Chief Dragonlord of the Valyrian Council Chamber.
Rhaegar first looked at the Baelarys Family history. The recorded history listed thousands of great dragons, noting the proud moment when one hundred and ten Magic Dragons were alive simultaneously. The family produced many great Politicians, warriors, and heroes, leading Valyria's expansion wave. They were proud, cunning, and their influence spanned Valyria.
The Baelarys Family members liked to call themselves purple-clad dragon kings because their ancestors achieved great feats riding the most magnificent and ferocious Purple Magic Dragon known in Valyria. This was similar to how the Targaryen Family revered Black Dragon Balerion.
Rhaegar looked through it repeatedly. Even the esteemed Baelarys Family found it difficult to clearly explain how dragons came into existence. Moreover, Rhaegar currently had no dragon, so he should focus on hatching one first.
Ridiculously, the family offered no good methods for hatching dragon eggs either, vaguely claiming that dragons would naturally appear due to bloodline. Was it that easy in this Age of Dying Magic?
"Explorer—The Autobiography of Dragonlord Jaenara Baelarys"
Rhaegar read this book with great interest; it was a peerless treasure. Jaenara was a great Female Dragonlord of the Baelarys Family. Legend says she once rode her dragon on an adventure through Sothoryos that lasted three years.
The Female Dragonlord loved adventure, combat, and excitement. She was born free and remained unmarried her entire life.
Her numerous adventures brought great wealth and prestige to the Dragonlord family, and even though unmarried, she was the pride of the purple-clad dragon kings family.
"As a child of the Dragon Prince of the Baelarys Family, I shall create achievements far surpassing those of my predecessors..."
Rhaegar read on intently, admiring this Explorer Dragonlord.
"I come from the great Baelarys Dragonlord family, and I studied The Book of the Dragonlords from a young age. My family expected me to be flawless and defeat all enemies, whether they were other Dragonlords in the Valyrian Freehold or external foes. The Baelarys Family has treasured through the generations The Encyclopedia of Dragons, The Encyclopedia of Fire, The Encyclopedia of War, and The Encyclopedia of Craftsmanship. These cover the Binding Curse, the magical horn, and the great crafts of Valyria."
The Baelarys Family divided the essential knowledge of Valyria into four major categories: Dragons, Fire Magic, Combat Techniques, and Craftsmanship Spirit.
Rhaegar's heart trembled. He had never heard of the Targaryen Family possessing such great works. Their family status was limited, and they had simply never mastered the core crafts of Valyria.
The Targaryen Family, a Minor Dragonlord Family of lower status, was quite ignorant about the magical horn, the Binding Curse, and Blood Fire Magic.
Rhaegar continued reading with great interest, checking whether the book contained detailed descriptions of the four categories of knowledge.