“Rhaenyra! Where are you going?”
Watching Rhaenyra storm angrily out of the tent, Gael called out anxiously from behind, about to give chase.
Talvey quickly grabbed Gael, who was about to chase after her: “Rest assured, there are so many guards outside, and Rhaenyra has her own Kingsguard, she will be fine.”
“Talvey, does big sister like you?” Gael lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingertips, her voice muffled.
Hearing this, Talvey first rubbed the top of her head, then gently pulled her into his arms, whispering in her ear: “Don’t let your imagination run wild. Rhaenyra is merely dissatisfied with your father’s decision. Even if she likes me, so what? Are you going to hand me over to your sister? Will you reduce me to a mere gift used for exchange?”
“No! I won’t! Sister is already Father’s heir and will have everything in the kingdom in the future. But now I only have you, and no one can take you away from me!”
Gael said softly in Talvey’s arms, her arms tightening around his waist with a resolute and firm tone.
“Rest assured, no one can take me away.”
Talvey hadn’t expected this side of the little girl, and could only gently stroke her smooth silken silver-gold hair to soothe her.
“Your Grace, the hunters are tracking the stag, and everyone is waiting for you.” Otto reminded Viserys once more.
Viserys glanced at Gael and Talvey whispering together, and let out a silent sigh.
“Let’s go.”
With that, he led a throng of nobles out of the tent.
Talvey did not go with them; instead, he took Gael by the hand and found a quiet place to sit down.
He asked softly: “How has life in the Red Keep been over this past year or more?”
Gael sat obediently beside Talvey, chattering away about the events of the past few years.
The speaker may not have meant much, but the listener took it to heart.
Through Gael’s fragmentary words, Talvey knew that undercurrents were already surging in King’s Landing and the Red Keep.
Naturally, all of this was aimed at Rhaenyra’s succession rights, and Rhaenyra’s reaction just now clearly stemmed not only from the choice of husband, but also from anxiety over her position as heir.
After all, Viserys already had a son now, and the nobles of the continent of Westeros certainly did not want a woman to sit on the Iron Throne.
After all, this was not merely the private affair of the House Targaryen royal family, but a major matter concerning the inheritance of all great houses across the entire continent.
Otherwise, during the later Dance of the Dragons, some houses would not have remained utterly unyielding even in the face of dragon threats, staunchly opposing Rhaenyra’s ascension to the Iron Throne. This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
One could understand if there was a fool among these nobles, but they couldn’t all be fools, could they?
The fundamental reason was naturally that this matter concerned their own interests.
Because this was directly related to the inheritance of every house.
If Rhaenyra ascended the Iron Throne, would that mean female heirs of great houses would have the same inheritance rights as male heirs?
If so, the rules maintained for thousands of years would be broken.
This would cause trouble for intermarriages among the nobility—not just enduring disputes over inheritance rights, but potentially even triggering wars between various houses.
If the eldest daughter of one noble married another noble, and her husband’s family fought to claim the wife’s inheritance rights, whether or not armed conflict broke out, disputes would certainly arise.
Unless male inheritance rights were abolished, but that was even more impossible; whoever dared to propose such a suggestion would face rebellion from these nobles even if they had a hundred dragons, fighting to the very extinction of their house.
Therefore, this problem was insoluble.
Let alone being insoluble now, even in the open and developed society of his past life, this point remained insoluble.
Therefore, back then at the Great Council of 101 AC, the “Old King” Jaehaerys called upon all nobles to discuss the succession issue.
At that time, even though the Sea Snake spent countless money and prestige, he only managed to garner a handful of votes for his wife and son.
From then on, a rule was basically established—that the rights of female heirs always ranked behind those of males.
And the current situation was already clear: regardless of whom Viserys appointed as heir, a civil conflict was inevitable.
I’m afraid Viserys was the only one who couldn’t see through the reasons behind this, or perhaps he saw it, but at this point, he lacked the capability to stop it.
Now, as Gael’s fiancé, Talvey undoubtedly stood on Rhaenyra’s side.
After all, Rhaenyra’s own sister was his wife; even if he claimed to remain neutral, obviously no one would believe it.
As for this infighting within House Targaryen, Talvey was even less inclined to stop it.
Without this civil strife involving all the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms, how could he boldly seize other people’s lands and castles?
Thinking of this, Talvey looked out at the chaotic array of various heraldry outside.
There were simply too many and they were too messy; who could remember so many coats of arms?
Therefore, for the sake of the common folk of the continent of Westeros, it was extremely necessary to make some coats of arms disappear, especially those of The Reach.
“What are you thinking about, Talvey?” Seeing Talvey staring blankly outside, Gael gently tugged at his sleeve.
Regaining his senses, Talvey took Gael’s boneless little hand and said: “Nothing. I just suddenly found the banners of the various houses quite nice-looking.”
At night, the camp was still filled with laughter and joy.
Everyone had gathered in the king’s tent to attend the banquet.
Since it was rare for Gael to see her fiancé, she naturally wanted to spend a little more time with Talvey.
Talvey, of course, would not disappoint her; after eating a few bites simply with Gael at the banquet and declining all invitations from the nobles, he accompanied Gael to the campfire in the camp for a date.
“Talvey, if you don’t go to the banquet, will it affect the reputation of House Valthorn?”
By the campfire, Gael snuggled into the crook of Talvey’s arm, looking up at his profile.
Talvey flicked her dainty nose, “You haven’t even married in yet, and you already want to be the lady of House Valthorn?”
“Aiyah~ How hateful, I am asking you very seriously.” Gael slapped the back of Talvey’s hand, acting coquettishly.
“Rest assured, it won’t have any impact. House Valthorn establishes itself in the Seven Kingdoms relying always on its own strength, not socializing.” Talvey answered seriously this time, though there was one thing he hadn’t told Gael: among these nobles, most would be enemies in the future.
“That’s good! I was still worried that the various great houses would make things difficult for you later.” Gael finally put down her inner worries.
“Not only will they not make things difficult for me, I’m afraid they’ll even try to curry favor with me. Now that The Stepstones are in my hands, whose ships can pass and whose cannot is entirely up to me. They might even end up sending their daughters to me!” Talvey deliberately teased Gael.
Gael did not refute him.
Under the firelight, her pretty face turned even redder.
Fidgeting shyly, she leaned close to Talvey’s ear and whispered: “I… I had my first period last month… Sister Knightley said that after having my first period, I am no longer a girl, and I can already share a bed with you!”