Chapter 218: The Choice of the Rose, an Unexpected Reunion of Brothers

Earl Randyll Tarly was defeated at Tumbleton and fled to Green Valley, the seat of House Meadows, where he immediately sent out a raven to warn Duke Mace Tyrell of Highgarden that the undead were invading the Reach.

At Highgarden, Duke Mace Tyrell finished reading the letter, his hands trembling.

"Randyll Tarly has been defeated by the Corpse Queen Serxi's undead army; the undead have actually invaded the Reach!"

The petite Lady Olenna, Duke Mace's mother, was known for her sharp and biting tongue, which earned her the nickname "Queen of Thorns."

The Queen of Thorns gave a light snort, "The necromancer in King's Landing sacrifices seven followers of the Seven every day to the evil Great Other; now that the High Septon has fled to Oldtown, the evil necromancer has been hunting down followers of the Seven. Besides, we in the Reach have never knelt to Joffrey Baratheon on the Iron Throne—do you think the undead will spare the Reach?"

Duke Mace puffed up, looking like a pufferfish.

Back then, after King Robert Baratheon was assassinated in King's Landing, House Tyrell of Highgarden chose to support Renly Baratheon's coronation, but unfortunately, Renly suffered defeat after defeat on the battlefield. House Tyrell abandoned Renly, and Renly fled to Riverrun with Brienne and Loras, eventually becoming a subordinate of the Wolf King Eddard.

Jaime murmured, "Uncle Gillian, is it really you?"

"Alas! It is only a pity that my daughter Margaery has yet to have her marriage to Renly annulled; otherwise, Margaery and the Young Wolf Robb would be a match made in heaven!"

Duke Tywin immediately rejected this suggestion, "When the Iron Islands allied with us, the Lannister forces of the Westerlands were strong. Now that we have lost even the Westerlands, King Balon could never help us; on the contrary, he might slaughter us all, seize our gold, and then present our heads to the Wolf King Eddard to appease the direwolf's wrath."

Once within range, the crew and crossbowmen on the Laughing Lion showed no intention of aiming or firing, which put Duke Tywin slightly at ease.

The Queen of Thorns said, "The High Septon is taking refuge in Oldtown, under the protection of the nobles of the Reach. We shall write to the High Septon, and he should be willing to annul Margaery's marriage to Renly for us."

Previously, Highgarden had supported Renly's claim to the throne and suffered heavy losses. After Renly left the Reach, the Reach essentially adopted a policy of neutrality, watching the fire from across the river, waiting for Stannis, the Wolf King Eddard, and the Lannisters to slaughter one another.

Gillian said, "Grace's crystal ball can see things happening in very distant places. Therefore, when Casterly Rock fell, I saw the billowing smoke of Casterly Rock through the crystal ball, and I also saw the blonde, green-eyed Lannisters being put in chains by direwolves and marched to the North."

Now that Gillian had returned with Oathkeeper, Casterly Rock, Lannisport, and the entire Westerlands were lost; Duke Tywin truly did not know whether to cry or laugh.

Duke Tywin's goal was clear: to go to King's Landing and join Serxi.

Gillian Lannister stood at the prow, wearing a red and gold silk coat and a gold-threaded cloak, exactly as he had been when he left Lannisport all those years ago. His appearance was also nearly identical to that time; the years had left no trace on Gillian's face.

Duke Mace stroked his fleshy chin with his fingers and said, "A marriage alliance? The Young Wolf Robb captured Casterly Rock and Lannisport in the Westerlands; he has shown his bravery and skill in battle at such a young age."

The Queen of Thorns said, "First of all, Storm's End and Harrenhal are among the most magnificent castles in the Seven Kingdoms; their defenses are inherently formidable. More importantly, Harrenhal has giant eagles, magic dragons, and griffins. Furthermore, in the faith of the Old Gods, the Isle of Faces in the Gods Eye near Harrenhal is a holy site of the Old Gods."

Ser Kevan said, "The banner of House Manderly of White Harbor is a merman; could it be a ship from White Harbor chasing us?"

On the Sunset Sea, Duke Tywin, Jaime, and Kevan stood on the deck of the Golden Lion, watching the distant galleon closing in bit by bit.

Kevan shed tears of excitement.

"I must immediately write to the High Septon in Oldtown and have him gather seven hundred and seventy-seven septons and septas at the Starry Sept, the Sailor's Sept, the Lord's Sept, and the Sept of the Seven to hold a grand prayer ceremony."

Stannis at Storm's End held a grudge against Duke Mace Tyrell; back then, Duke Mace had led the Reach's army to besiege Storm's End for a full year, and many of Stannis's kin and subordinates had died in that battle.

"Since becoming a prisoner is unavoidable, I must see clearly the enemy's banner. Is it the direwolf, or Redwyne, or Hightower?"

Duke Tywin suspected this was an enemy ruse, so he ordered the crew to ready their crossbows and arrows, prepared to attack the Laughing Lion at any moment.

Gillian had been missing for over a decade, and both Tywin and Kevan had assumed he was dead. They never expected that when Casterly Rock and Lannisport had completely fallen, and Tywin and Kevan were fleeing by sea like stray dogs, they would actually encounter the Laughing Lion on the ocean.

Duke Tywin and Ser Kevan exchanged a look, both of them sinking into deep self-doubt.

"King Balon hates the Starks just as much as we do."

The Laughing Lion lowered a small boat, and Tywin, Jaime, and Kevan boarded the small boat to reach the deck of the galleon.

Jaime rubbed his sword belt, "This must be an enemy ship; the Wolf King Eddard has sent a ship to hunt us down."

Afterward, the Golden Lion headed south, and Tywin decided to spend money to resupply at the Shield Islands, then stop lingering in the Reach and stay as far from land as possible to avoid the powerful maritime defenses of the Arbor and Oldtown.

Jaime shook his head, "No, the Manderly banner is a male merman holding a trident; this merman is a beautiful woman, and she has no trident. I see it now, the enemy is raising a white flag."

"As long as we have the protection of the Seven, our Reach will surely be able to block the undead army's invasion."

"Our Reach has the most followers of the Seven; the Mother, the Father, the Warrior, the Crone, the Maiden, the Smith, and the Stranger all have power here. Without a doubt, the Seven will protect us!"

"And at Storm's End, Stannis worships the Lord of Light, R'hllor. Melisandre of Asshai keeps watch by Stannis's side; that red woman possesses magic, and if Melisandre is not lying, this Stannis is some sort of reincarnation of Azor Ahai."

The crew no longer had the strength to row; the Golden Lion was doomed to be unable to escape, and the galleon was getting closer and closer. Tywin was filled with gloom.

Duke Tywin said with a trembling voice, "Gillian, you are actually still alive?"

Duke Mace said despondently, "If we do not pray to the Seven, nor seek help from the Lord of Light R'hllor, are we to do nothing and just wait for the undead army to ravage the Reach?"

The Queen of Thorns pondered for a moment, "If we can marry Margaery to the Young Wolf Robb, in the future, when Eddard is crowned king, Robb will be Eddard's heir, and Margaery will sooner or later become Queen."

Tywin secretly resolved never to trust a witch again, but that was easier said than done. After all, this was an era of awakening magic, rampant undead, and the rebirth of dragons; it was difficult to win battles without dealing with those who practiced sorcery.

"It was also through the crystal ball that I knew you were fleeing by boat and found you on the sea."

"Gillian, our Westerlands have been occupied by the Wolf King Eddard; Casterly Rock and Lannisport are all flying the direwolf banner. Damn the Starks."

Since Serxi's undead army could pin Stannis down at Storm's End and threaten Harrenhal, it could certainly help the Lannisters retake the Westerlands.

There were a few chests of gold on the longship, but since there were over a hundred people on board, food and water quickly ran low. When they left the Westerlands and entered the waters near Old Oak in the Reach, Duke Tywin had no choice but to order the soldiers to disguise themselves as pirates and plunder food and water from the nearby fishing villages.

"I must deploy my troops; perhaps Mathis Rowan is better suited to face the undead? Or should I send Garlan? Or perhaps the younger generation, Ser Parmen Crane or Ser Arys Oakheart? Or should I write to recall Loras? My Knight of Flowers will surely be able to defeat the undead."

Duke Mace said gloomily, "The only obstacle is Renly. Renly only loves men, not beautiful women; although he married Margaery, they have never consummated the marriage. Margaery is still a maiden to this day; why should Margaery's bright youth be wasted because of the flamboyant Renly?"

"House Tyrell should ally with the Starks; as long as the Wolf King Eddard brings magic dragons to support the Reach, we can defeat the undead. The alliance can be achieved through marriage."

"More importantly, the Wolf King Eddard has annexed the Westerlands; now the Wolf King Eddard's territory includes the North, the Vale, the Riverlands, and the Westerlands. It is only a matter of time before Eddard is crowned king."

Duke Tywin, Kevan, and Jaime only then noticed the woman beside Gillian, Grace, who had honey-colored hair, a crystal-colored dress, and held a crystal-colored scepter in her hand.

Jaime shielded his eyes with his hand, "Their banner is strange; it is a merman."

Duke Mace pondered for a long time, "Perhaps we should let the temple of the Lord of Light in Oldtown, let the red priests and the red woman, pray for us?"

Gillian said calmly, "I know."

Stannis had yet to forgive Duke Mace, and House Tyrell could not follow Stannis.

Now that the Lannisters had completely lost the Westerlands, and the Lannisters in King's Landing ruled a city of the undead, the Tyrells could not ally with the Lannisters.

When Duke Tywin and his party fled Casterly Rock by boat, steered the longship to evade the North Fleet, and entered the vast ocean, they began a difficult life at sea.

The Golden Lion could only flee westward, but the galleon pursued them relentlessly.

Duke Mace frowned, "But Storm's End and Harrenhal have held out against the undead for so long."

Gillian forced a bitter smile, "I did not learn of the fall of the Westerlands through news circulating in the ports, but through my beloved Grace."

However, when the Golden Lion approached the Shield Islands, it was spotted by this galleon.

"Seven save us! It's the Laughing Lion."

Kevan sighed, "It seems the news has reached the ports everywhere so quickly."

Gillian said gloomily, "Rest assured, a Lannister always pays his debts! I will help the Lannister to take all of this back."

"Brother Tywin, Brother Kevan, why have you been hiding from me?"

Duke Tywin had always dreamed that the ancestral Valyrian Steel Sword Oathkeeper could return to the hands of the Lannister; this sword was the sidearm of the Kings of the Rock through the ages. After losing the Valyrian treasure sword, Duke Tywin had once offered high prices to purchase it across the Seven Kingdoms, hoping that some impoverished noble might sell their ancestral sword, but alas, even the poorest noble would not sell their ancestral Valyrian Steel Sword.

The Queen of Thorns said bitingly, "You want to rely on prayer to defeat the Undead? Heh! Then wouldn't 'Baelor the Blessed' have become the bane of the Undead? I revere the Seven, but to speak the truth, the Seven seem to have never displayed any miracles; counting on the Seven is too late."

The Queen of Thorns shook her head, "No, R'hllor has too few followers in the Reach, and besides, in the temple of R'hllor in Oldtown, there is no priestess who has the power of Melisandre."

At this moment, Jaime saw the name on the prow.

With strong military forces, ruling the North, the Vale, the Westerlands, and the Riverlands, the Wolf King Eddard became the natural alliance choice for House Tyrell.

Tywin had sent people many times to the Free Cities to inquire about Gillian's whereabouts. It is said that Gillian was last seen in Volantis, where he purchased slaves and supplies, attempting to take the Laughing Lion to challenge the Valyrian Ruins in the Smoking Sea to search for legendary lost treasures.

"Of course, Willas Tyrell is more than ten years older than Sansa, perhaps Sansa would prefer my grandson, the Knight of Flowers Loras. Loras is serving under the Wolf King; what is wrong with letting Loras marry Sansa?"

Tywin embraced Gillian, "Gillian, you have finally come home, although we Lannisters are already homeless."

Gillian drew his longsword, "Yes, brother, not only have I returned, I have sailed to Yi Ti, Leng, Asshai, Ibben, Sothoryos, the Summer Islands, and I have found the Lannister ancestral sword, Oathkeeper!"

It turned out that Grace was a witch. Duke Tywin's expression immediately turned gloomy. He had not forgotten the Golden Lady; the beast-taming witch Golden Lady rode a lion and helped Tywin win some battles, but when the Wolf King Eddard captured the Golden Lady, this witch immediately betrayed the Lannister and began to serve the Stark.

The Queen of Thorns said, "In marching and fighting, Randyll Tarly of the Reach is in a league of his own. This is not a problem of the commander at all; the Undead have Giant Bats and even frost dragons; you could replace him with a hundred Randyll Tarlys to lead the army, and you still wouldn't be able to win."

Just as they arrived in safe waters, Kevan's father-in-law Harys Swyft suggested that Duke Tywin go to defect to King Balon of the Iron Islands.

The Lord of the Pufferfish suddenly realized, "I understand, Mother, Harrenhal has the protection of the Old Gods, and Storm's End is illuminated by the light of R'hllor; if the Reach wants to repel the enemy, it must also borrow the power of the gods."

Duke Tywin was increasingly confused, "A white flag is a symbol of peace and surrender; it's strange, the ship chasing us is actually flying a white flag."

The Queen of Thorns said, "The Wolf King Eddard has giant eagles, griffins, and three Magic Dragons: Flying Wolf, Koi, and Eagle Eye. The people of House Stark have been the King in the North since ancient times; they know the Undead very well. I believe the Wolf King Eddard has hope of defeating the Undead."

"Besides the marriage alliance of Margaery marrying Robb, we can also try to let Willas Tyrell marry the Wolf King's eldest daughter, Sansa. I have seen Sansa in King's Landing; she is a great beauty."

Back then, not long after Cersei married King Robert Baratheon, Duke Tywin's fourth brother, Gillian, set sail with the Laughing Lion to search for the Lannister family's ancestral Valyrian Steel Sword "Oathkeeper," and went to the continent of Essos, never to be heard from again.

At this moment, Duke Tywin finally noticed that Gillian's body was as cold as ice.

Thanks to GuiltynworC for the monthly ticket, thank you for the support!

(End of this chapter)