In the flickering candlelight, Olenna's gaze flickered in the shadows. The Queen of Thorns raised her head, only to see the plump Mace still sitting beside her, and couldn't help but sigh: “Mace!”
“What is it, Mother?” the Lord of the Mackerel Court responded to his mother's call.
“If the Tyrell family perishes because of my decision…” Olenna began cautiously.
“Mother, what are you saying?” Mace didn't quite understand his mother's words.
“I mean, if the Tyrell family perishes because of my decision, will you resent me?” Olenna repeated her question.
“No.” Mace's answer was very straightforward.
So he trusts me that much! Olenna looked at her foolish son, and couldn't help but feel a little apologetic. Perhaps she had been too harsh on him in the past!
“We'll all be dead by then. The dead don't resent.” Mace added, pouting, not understanding why his mother would bring up such a question.
“…” The Queen of Thorns's emotion vanished in an instant, and the expression on her face darkened as she looked at her foolish son. Why did she give birth to such a foolish son?
“Mother, you, what's with that expression?” Mace was frightened by his mother's expression. Was there something wrong with what he said? The dead certainly don't resent!
“How will you support me?” Olenna rolled her eyes.
“We'll do whatever you say.” Mace puffed out his stomach. “We are family, and we will always be together, rooted in this land, thriving endlessly.”
“Don't say such things. It makes me feel like you've become a little smarter.” Olenna directly retorted, “But in reality, you haven't changed at all. You've just said a few grand words, even though those words make me feel very comfortable to hear.”
“…” Mace's face turned bitter after being spoken to by his mother, not knowing how to respond.
“I think being able to say these words is already your limit. Since that's the case, then I'll take a gamble!” Olenna sighed.
“Gamble on what?” Mace was still confused.
“Go prepare my wheelhouse. I'm going back to Highgarden.” Olenna requested of Mace.
“When do we leave?” Mace was a little surprised. What was she planning to do?
“We'll leave tomorrow.”
“What about His Majesty the King?”
“Just tell His Majesty that I'm not feeling well and have returned to Highgarden first. I'll probably be back in a few days, and I'll definitely give him an answer then.” Olenna puffed out her cheeks. In any case, she had started this matter and couldn't leave the King without an explanation.
“Okay.” Mace didn't dare to give any instructions regarding his mother's actions and could only nod in agreement.
The next day, Olenna left King's Landing early in the morning in her wheelhouse, and Leonno fell into suspicion again after receiving the news.
What was this supposed to be, an escape? If she didn't want to face such a question, why did she bring up such a topic? What was the fundamental purpose of doing this?
Leonno believed that with Olenna's wisdom, she could completely avoid the sensitive topic of the "Tyrell surrender of land," but her raising this matter itself was an indication that the Tyrell family wanted to increase the stakes, and he was happy to take the bet. However, the fact that the other party was hesitating to place their bet was making him very anxious.
Should he force the Tyrell family's hand and create a unified public opinion?
A thought arose in Leonno's mind, but considering the Stark family in the north, who were eyeing them covetously, and the Martell family in the south, whose intentions were unclear, he had to abandon such a dangerous test.
Once the Tyrell family didn't want to take that step, his probing would create some misleading guidance, thereby creating rifts in the otherwise harmonious alliance. He couldn't afford to lose the Tyrell family's balance of power at the moment. To avoid the alliance from falling apart, silently waiting for the Tyrell family's response was the best course of action.
Leaving aside Leonno's silent wait, Olenna, on the other hand, returned to Highgarden in her wheelhouse. In the castle where the Tyrell family had resided for generations, the Queen of Thorns gathered the main leaders of the Tyrell family and the Redwyne family and held a secret meeting.
Olenna came from the Redwyne family of the Arbor. In her youth, she married Mace's father, Luthor Tyrell. Later, after Luthor passed away, she gradually integrated the Tyrell and Redwyne families through powerful means and took control of the core power of the Reach. However, she would still seek the opinions of the two families on some matters.
Inside the castle's secret chamber, in front of the round table inlaid with golden roses, Olenna waited for her descendants to arrive and take their seats. Looking at the full room of people, she felt a sense of satisfaction in her heart.
For Olenna today, whether it was the Tyrell family or the Redwyne family, all the main leaders of these two families were her descendants.
Given time, the future heir to the Iron Throne would also be her descendant. By then, her bloodline would be spread throughout the entire continent of Westeros, like the ubiquitous roses in a garden.
Olenna felt a sense of excitement thinking about that scene, but she also knew that it was impossible to fill the land with roses. At the same time, if too many roses bloomed, they would be no different from weeds on the roadside.
“I have called all of you here today to announce a piece of news.” Olenna took a deep breath and looked up at Willas, Garlan, and Loras, as well as Paxter of the Redwyne family and others.
“Grandmother, what do you have to say to us?” Willas, with his trimmed beard, stood up and bowed to the eldest Olenna.
“I plan to hand over all the territories of the Reach to the kingdom.” Olenna bluntly stated her plan.
“What…”
“This can't be done!”
Hearing Olenna's words, everyone at the table stood up, all with expressions of disbelief, and then whispered to each other.
“I want to support Margaery, so that she, and the unborn child in her belly, will become the sole future heir to the Iron Throne.” Olenna solemnly announced.
“Wait a moment, Mother.” Paxter Redwyne spoke. He was Olenna's nephew and also her son-in-law.
“I know what you want to say. I only have one sentence: those who are willing to support me should follow me, and those who are unwilling can leave. I won't force anyone.” Olenna waved her hand to stop Paxter's words, only allowing everyone present to make a choice.
“What is it, Mother?” the Lord of the Mackerel Court responded to his mother's call.
“If the Tyrell family perishes because of my decision…” Olenna began cautiously.
“Mother, what are you saying?” Mace didn't quite understand his mother's words.
“I mean, if the Tyrell family perishes because of my decision, will you resent me?” Olenna repeated her question.
“No.” Mace's answer was very straightforward.
So he trusts me that much! Olenna looked at her foolish son, and couldn't help but feel a little apologetic. Perhaps she had been too harsh on him in the past!
“We'll all be dead by then. The dead don't resent.” Mace added, pouting, not understanding why his mother would bring up such a question.
“…” The Queen of Thorns's emotion vanished in an instant, and the expression on her face darkened as she looked at her foolish son. Why did she give birth to such a foolish son?
“Mother, you, what's with that expression?” Mace was frightened by his mother's expression. Was there something wrong with what he said? The dead certainly don't resent!
“How will you support me?” Olenna rolled her eyes.
“We'll do whatever you say.” Mace puffed out his stomach. “We are family, and we will always be together, rooted in this land, thriving endlessly.”
“Don't say such things. It makes me feel like you've become a little smarter.” Olenna directly retorted, “But in reality, you haven't changed at all. You've just said a few grand words, even though those words make me feel very comfortable to hear.”
“…” Mace's face turned bitter after being spoken to by his mother, not knowing how to respond.
“I think being able to say these words is already your limit. Since that's the case, then I'll take a gamble!” Olenna sighed.
“Gamble on what?” Mace was still confused.
“Go prepare my wheelhouse. I'm going back to Highgarden.” Olenna requested of Mace.
“When do we leave?” Mace was a little surprised. What was she planning to do?
“We'll leave tomorrow.”
“What about His Majesty the King?”
“Just tell His Majesty that I'm not feeling well and have returned to Highgarden first. I'll probably be back in a few days, and I'll definitely give him an answer then.” Olenna puffed out her cheeks. In any case, she had started this matter and couldn't leave the King without an explanation.
“Okay.” Mace didn't dare to give any instructions regarding his mother's actions and could only nod in agreement.
The next day, Olenna left King's Landing early in the morning in her wheelhouse, and Leonno fell into suspicion again after receiving the news.
What was this supposed to be, an escape? If she didn't want to face such a question, why did she bring up such a topic? What was the fundamental purpose of doing this?
Leonno believed that with Olenna's wisdom, she could completely avoid the sensitive topic of the "Tyrell surrender of land," but her raising this matter itself was an indication that the Tyrell family wanted to increase the stakes, and he was happy to take the bet. However, the fact that the other party was hesitating to place their bet was making him very anxious.
Should he force the Tyrell family's hand and create a unified public opinion?
A thought arose in Leonno's mind, but considering the Stark family in the north, who were eyeing them covetously, and the Martell family in the south, whose intentions were unclear, he had to abandon such a dangerous test.
Once the Tyrell family didn't want to take that step, his probing would create some misleading guidance, thereby creating rifts in the otherwise harmonious alliance. He couldn't afford to lose the Tyrell family's balance of power at the moment. To avoid the alliance from falling apart, silently waiting for the Tyrell family's response was the best course of action.
Leaving aside Leonno's silent wait, Olenna, on the other hand, returned to Highgarden in her wheelhouse. In the castle where the Tyrell family had resided for generations, the Queen of Thorns gathered the main leaders of the Tyrell family and the Redwyne family and held a secret meeting.
Olenna came from the Redwyne family of the Arbor. In her youth, she married Mace's father, Luthor Tyrell. Later, after Luthor passed away, she gradually integrated the Tyrell and Redwyne families through powerful means and took control of the core power of the Reach. However, she would still seek the opinions of the two families on some matters.
Inside the castle's secret chamber, in front of the round table inlaid with golden roses, Olenna waited for her descendants to arrive and take their seats. Looking at the full room of people, she felt a sense of satisfaction in her heart.
For Olenna today, whether it was the Tyrell family or the Redwyne family, all the main leaders of these two families were her descendants.
Given time, the future heir to the Iron Throne would also be her descendant. By then, her bloodline would be spread throughout the entire continent of Westeros, like the ubiquitous roses in a garden.
Olenna felt a sense of excitement thinking about that scene, but she also knew that it was impossible to fill the land with roses. At the same time, if too many roses bloomed, they would be no different from weeds on the roadside.
“I have called all of you here today to announce a piece of news.” Olenna took a deep breath and looked up at Willas, Garlan, and Loras, as well as Paxter of the Redwyne family and others.
“Grandmother, what do you have to say to us?” Willas, with his trimmed beard, stood up and bowed to the eldest Olenna.
“I plan to hand over all the territories of the Reach to the kingdom.” Olenna bluntly stated her plan.
“What…”
“This can't be done!”
Hearing Olenna's words, everyone at the table stood up, all with expressions of disbelief, and then whispered to each other.
“I want to support Margaery, so that she, and the unborn child in her belly, will become the sole future heir to the Iron Throne.” Olenna solemnly announced.
“Wait a moment, Mother.” Paxter Redwyne spoke. He was Olenna's nephew and also her son-in-law.
“I know what you want to say. I only have one sentence: those who are willing to support me should follow me, and those who are unwilling can leave. I won't force anyone.” Olenna waved her hand to stop Paxter's words, only allowing everyone present to make a choice.
