After the war council concluded, the two commanders warmly invited William to join them for supper.
“You both know that Lady Margaery has been waiting for quite some time,” William replied with calm composure and a courteous smile.
“Now that the council is over, it would be rather discourteous of me not to go.
Once I’ve checked on Ser Garlan, I’ll gladly come disturb you gentlemen.” A few knights chuckled knowingly.
Ser Igon and Ser Osmund exchanged complicated looks, but there was little they could say.
In the end, they simply nodded and let him go.
William offered a final salute to the assembled knights before departing at an unhurried pace.
Several candles had been lit inside Garlan’s tent, filling it with a warm glow.
Margaery sat beside her brother’s bed, quietly speaking with her companions.
The servant who had been keeping watch was nowhere to be seen.
As soon as William entered, the girls immediately ended their conversation.
With smiling faces, they offered polite farewells and withdrew.
William watched them leave with grateful eyes before approaching the bedside and meeting Margaery’s gaze.
She didn’t stand.
Instead, she deliberately turned away and continued looking at Garlan.
William studied the sleeping knight for a moment before a thought suddenly occurred to him.
“When Garlan came after me, why didn’t anyone stop him?” Margaery shot him an irritated look.
“Are you foolish?
Of course we tried.” She sighed softly.
“But he said that if he allowed a knight from the Riverlands to risk his life protecting Highgarden’s people while he stood aside and did nothing, then honor would no longer have any meaning.” Her eyes dimmed slightly as she recalled his final words.
“If Ser William Whent must die here today, then the blood of a knight of Highgarden must accompany him.
And if the blood of a knight of Highgarden must be shed, then it should begin with me.” Silence settled between them.
“Oh.” William looked at Garlan thoughtfully.
“Here I thought it was because of our friendship.” Margaery immediately rolled her eyes.
“Hmph.
I’d rather he had never met you.” William gazed at Garlan’s handsome face and laughed softly.
“Honestly, I wish I’d never met him either.” Margaery turned toward him in confusion.
“Do you know how painful it is standing next to him?” Her brows rose.
William sighed dramatically.
“He’s too handsome.
He steals every girl’s attention.” Margaery couldn’t help smiling.
“Loras is even more beautiful than Garlan.” Then her expression sharpened, and her tone became unexpectedly dangerous.
“Do you care that much about girls paying attention to you?” “Ahem.
No, no, of course not.” William wisely avoided eye contact.
Instead, he looked toward Garlan and stroked his chin as though deep in thought.
“We should treat him quickly.” Margaery let out a soft snort.
“Why are you suddenly in such a hurry?
You weren’t rushing a moment ago.” “Ser Osmund said Maester Lomas is on his way.
He should arrive soon.” “Then all the more reason not to worry.
If your magic fails, Garlan will still have Maester Lomas.” The maester has served House Tyrell for many years.” She cast him a sidelong glance.
“He’s far more reassuring than a certain mysterious wizard.” William grinned.
“If the maester examines Garlan first, and then we miraculously heal him afterward, what do you think will happen?
I’m already known as the Magic Knight.
I don’t particularly mind gaining a Magic Princess as company.” Margaery stood.
She walked a few steps away and stood with her back toward him.
For a long moment she remained silent before finally speaking.
“This will be the last time I have anything to do with magic.
It’s only because of Garlan.
We’ll heal him before Maester Lomas arrives.” William moved to the opposite side of the bed and raised both hands, palms upward, toward Garlan’s chest.
“If we do that, he’ll simply assume Garlan’s wounds weren’t as severe as they appeared.
No one will suspect magic.
It’s perfectly safe, Margaery.” Come on, baby…
Margaery turned around.
Her face was completely expressionless.
She walked forward slowly, almost one step at a time.
Stopping beside the bed, she looked directly into William’s eyes.
There was no visible emotion in her gaze.
Then she slowly extended both hands and gently placed them in his waiting palms.
The instant William smiled, Margaery felt the world blur.
She knew it had begun.
This time, however, she was prepared.
She allowed herself to experience it fully.
She felt like a lonely star crossing an endless night sky, silent and cold, drifting through a vast and empty void.
Then she encountered a warm light.
In an instant, the frost that coated her soul melted away.
The frozen shell surrounding her cracked and dissolved.
As silent trust settled deep within her heart, she felt an invisible connection form between them.
A bridge.
A path into each other’s innermost selves.
The feeling William gave her was much the same as before.
Remarkably unchanged.
Despite the bloodshed.
Despite the battle.
Despite everything he had endured.
The realization filled her with quiet relief.
William immediately began reciting a spell.
By himself, the incantation would have accomplished nothing.
No magical reaction.
No power.
Exactly as he had expected.
But within Margaery’s spiritual world, the spell transformed mana into pure life energy.
Even so, he did not immediately begin healing Garlan.
Margaery felt the magical resonance flowing from William’s mind.
Warmth blossomed from the depths of her soul, like rays of sunlight spreading through her spirit.
Fragrant.
Gentle.
Filled with the rhythm of life itself.
She immersed herself in the sensation.
Her heart felt lighter than air.
Time seemed meaningless.
She could have remained in that feeling forever.
At some point, she felt William guiding her hands downward.
Together, they rested them upon Garlan’s chest.
The energy flowed into him, and for a brief moment she seemed to see his wounds, one after another, visible before her eyes.
Bathed in life energy.
Healing rapidly.
Like young shoots emerging after a spring rain beneath warm sunlight.
Growing.
Thriving.
Renewing themselves.
William released her hands.
The vision slowly faded.
After several moments, Margaery blinked, like someone waking from a daydream.
“That’s it?” “That’s it.” William nodded.
“Healing magic isn’t the sort of spell that instantly erases injuries.
There are other spells that can do things like that.
For example, there’s one that rewinds time itself and changes the past, making it as though the injury never happened.
There’s another that transfers wounds onto another living creature.” He paused.
“Though that one is admittedly a little sinister.
Those kinds of spells can produce immediate results.
But healing magic simply accelerates natural recovery.
It uses life energy to help the body heal itself and resist infection.” Naturally, William seized the opportunity to continue educating Margaery about magic.
Yet she seemed entirely uninterested in the more fantastical possibilities.
Instead, she asked a simple question.
“Whose life force does it consume?
Yours or mine?” William burst out laughing.
“Life force?
No, Margaery.
Magic doesn’t consume life force.
It consumes mana.
And mana is like air.
It exists throughout the world.
Inexhaustible.
Limitless.” He waved dismissively.
“We’re not talking about the Red Priests and their strange mixture of sorcery and divine ritual.
They’re always burning someone before they cast anything.
And even then it doesn’t always work.
When it does work, it doesn’t always work correctly.” Thinking about Melisandre’s many spectacular mistakes nearly made him laugh.
He shook his head repeatedly.
Margaery remained serious.
“Then what is the cost of using magic?” William folded his arms and tilted his head.
“The cost?
What cost could there be?
We bask in sunlight.
We breathe air.
What price do we pay for that?” Margaery’s expression remained unchanged.
“Is there truly anything in this world that offers benefits without demanding a price?” William suddenly felt uneasy.
“Is that some saying handed down from Garth Greenhand?” He scratched his cheek.
“But honestly…
I’ve been using magic for years.
And as far as I can tell, there haven’t been any side effects.” As someone who valued his own survival above all else, he had investigated the matter countless times.
During meditation, he often explored the deepest corners of his own soul.
If there had been any hidden danger, he would have wanted to know.
Yet he had never found anything wrong.
Margaery shook her head gently.
“William.
Can you see where the threads of fate ultimately lead?
You only know that there seems to be no harm now.
You cannot know when the price will come due.” Her voice softened.
Yet her conviction remained immovable.
“You know nothing, William.” For once, he found himself without a reply.