"Provided we take out the Blacksmith," Jaime objected.
"If we want to end the Storm and resolve this entire situation, then we have to consider every possibility," Tywin said calmly. "He is still only a teenager, and young people of his age are often reckless."
"Just look at how Renly was suddenly defeated. Assassination is an effective method. Whether it's through poison or a direct attack, we can plan everything carefully."
"Stannis is unpopular. Eddard is a Northerner. The Arryn heir is still a child, while Edmure is incompetent. Doran's brothers cannot leave Dorne."
"There are also the Sorrowful Men of Qarth, the Faceless Men of Braavos, and the assassins of Volantis. Everyone is preparing to make their move, and we cannot afford to fall behind."
"Spend every last piece of gold if necessary. As long as someone can accomplish this great task for me."
Tywin clasped his hands together, his expression cold and determined.
"I wish you success, Father," Jaime said.
Although he felt that such methods were dishonorable, a knight's code demanded a decisive battle and a one-on-one duel.
But he had already lost his hand.
Thinking about it only made him feel even more pathetic.
"Now, let's discuss your sister's potential marriage."
Tywin Lannister turned his attention toward Cersei.
"The number of suitable candidates among the older generation is becoming limited, so we need to consider younger men as well."
"Even the merchant princes, butter merchants, cheese merchants, and powerful trading families across the Narrow Sea are worth considering."
"We need to establish a powerful alliance."
Cersei's face gradually became paler.
"You want to sell me off again, just like you sold me to Robert Baratheon?"
"I won't consider marrying any man."
Tywin wasn't discussing the matter with her.
He was making the decision for her.
"Everything is for the glory of the family."
Tywin's expression remained cold.
"Even though you are my daughter, you must obey."
"The glory I obtained through so much effort will never be allowed to be trampled upon by anyone."
Cersei lowered her voice.
"And that price includes me, doesn't it?"
"What about Myrcella and Tommen?"
"I've considered many candidates."
Tywin paused.
"But as the situation continues to deteriorate, the number of suitable candidates among the older houses has become limited."
"Among them, Balon Greyjoy is one possibility."
"As for the younger generation, there is Theon Greyjoy, Willas Tyrell, the Redwyne twins, and others."
"As for House Martell, our hatred runs too deep. I no longer consider Doran, Oberyn, or Quentyn."
"Besides, the value of House Martell is far below that of the golden rose."
Kevan then spoke up.
"The Greyjoys are currently plundering the North, while the Starks are allied with the Storm. The kraken therefore has little choice but to turn toward us."
"As for the Tyrells, they are temporarily allied with the Storm. However, the golden rose wasn't one of the original driving forces behind the alliance of the fish, wolf, deer, and eagle."
"Their relationship with the Storm is the weakest among the major houses."
"Add Stannis's hatred into the equation, and if an opportunity arises—especially if the young Storm is assassinated—we can go all out to win over the golden rose."
Jaime Lannister cleared his throat.
"Balon is an old man, and he already has a wife."
"And Willas is crippled. House Tyrell has already attacked our army and committed itself to the defense of King's Landing."
"Do you really think they will listen to our proposal?"
"The Rose is only half-heartedly committed to the Storm," Tywin said, cutting off Jaime's objection.
"Compared to the other regions, House Tyrell and House Lannister don't have any deep-rooted hatred between them."
"More importantly, the Rose possesses tremendous strength."
Tywin then looked toward Cersei.
"As heir to Highgarden, Willas is an extremely valuable candidate."
"As long as his physical disability doesn't prevent him from having children, I believe many people would be willing to marry him."
"Besides, he has a particular interest in breeding animals. He is known for raising some of the finest hounds, falcons, and horses in the Seven Kingdoms."
Cersei looked toward Jaime.
Her emerald eyes were filled with both anger and despair.
"Considering every factor, we currently have several provisional candidates."
"Balon Greyjoy and Willas Tyrell are merely the front-runners."
"Of course, I haven't ruled out the merchant princes across the Narrow Sea, nor the noble bloodlines of Volantis or Lys."
"But we need to wait until the situation becomes clearer."
Tywin's expression hardened.
"Life and death are hanging in the balance."
"This is the moment when we must make our choices carefully."
"Thank you for your kindness, Father," Cersei said.
Her face was as pale as paper, making her look like a helpless animal that had been cornered.
"I'll consider it carefully."
"May I leave now?"
"Go."
Tywin waved his hand.
"And don't forget your responsibilities."
Cersei pushed open the door and walked out without even glancing at Jaime.
"She resents me."
Jaime's expression was filled with bitterness.
"Actually, I've considered your marriage prospects as well."
Tywin turned toward his son.
"You have many choices. You're extremely popular among the nobles of the Westerlands."
"And if the assassination succeeds and House Tyrell turns toward us during the ensuing chaos, Mace's daughter would be an excellent choice."
"She is young and beautiful."
"I am a Kingsguard, Father."
Jaime forced himself to remain calm.
"Surely you haven't forgotten that?"
I am a Kingsguard.
Yes, a hypocritical knight.
But I don't want anyone else.
I only want Cersei.
If only we could remain together, like the ancient Targaryen Dragon Kings.
"Father, please…"
Jaime lowered his head.
"Forgive me. I should protect Tommen."
"Forget it…"
Tywin's face flushed and then gradually returned to normal.
He had almost lost his temper, but ultimately restrained himself.
There was no point in forcing the issue now.
He would wait until the most difficult period had passed.
"Those people your sister brought back also have some value."
Tywin changed the subject.
"She isn't completely foolish."
"There are several pyromancers among them who know how to create wildfire. Your sister brought them away because they feared being killed by the Storm."
"Your sister values them highly."
"Ser Boros, Payne with his ice, Osfryd Kettleblack, and his father are also among them."
"Wildfire?"
Jaime's expression changed dramatically.
"Don't underestimate wildfire," Kevan said.
"That stuff is extremely useful."
"Tyrion's wildfire trap was devastatingly effective during the defense of King's Landing."
"It simply failed to kill Gendry and Stannis."
"That's too dangerous…"
Jaime immediately objected.
His body seemed to become heavy at the thought of those green flames.
For so long, the memory of wildfire had lingered in his mind like a haunting spirit.
"Those who refuse to take risks lose everything, Jaime," Tywin warned.
"We need this technology."
Jaime couldn't say anything.
…
Dragonstone
The courtyard was empty.
Golden banners fluttered from the highest point of the castle.
Above the fortress, several dragons chased one another through the azure sky.
They looked like different-colored flames streaking across the heavens.
Black.
Milky white.
Green.
The dragons soared higher and higher, competing to climb above one another before suddenly diving toward the ground and pouncing on their prey.
Gendry and Daenerys stood in the courtyard, watching the dragons in the sky.
Ser Barristan, Ser Assel, Brienne, Anguy, Dacey, and Lothor were also present, staring upward at the magnificent sight.
The golden-cloaked, black-armored soldiers who had been training the dragons stood ready in the courtyard.
Their eyes remained fixed on the three dragons above.
The Black Dragon.
The Green Dragon.
The White Dragon.
"Begin, Your Highness," Anguy said.
Gendry nodded.
The javelin throwers and archers stationed in the courtyard immediately began their attack.
Specially treated arrows and short spears rained into the sky, all aimed at the dragons.
The young dragons flew left and right, weaving through the barrage and dodging the incoming projectiles.
However, it was impossible to avoid every attack.
Several tricky shots still managed to strike the dragons.
Daenerys felt a pang of heartache every time one was hit.
But she knew this training was necessary.
If the dragons were ever going to participate in real battles, they would face attacks far more dangerous than these.
"Second wave," Gendry ordered.
Anguy nodded.
The soldiers immediately began the second round of attacks.
This time, the assault was more cunning, more urgent, and more ferocious.
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
Bowstrings were pulled and released.
Arrows shot toward the sky like countless fingers pointing at the dragons.
The soldiers participating in the second wave were even more experienced.
The young dragons began struggling under the increased pressure.
But they slowly adapted.
After all, they were dragons.
They knew how to maneuver through the sky and seize the perfect moment to counterattack.
Gendry watched as the Black Dragon, Balerion, disappeared into the clouds.
The Green Dragon and White Dragon followed their elder brother's trajectory, weaving through the deadly steel storm before escaping the barrage.
A moment later, Balerion suddenly reappeared.
The Black Dragon had already begun observing the rhythm of the attacks.
The longbowmen and javelin throwers needed to pause between volleys.
Balerion took advantage of that opening.
It opened its enormous jaws.
Black and red flames erupted from its mouth.
The incoming arrows and short spears were instantly engulfed.
The wooden shafts crackled and burned.
Although the flames couldn't completely melt the steel tips, the intense heat still weakened them considerably.
The other dragons followed suit.
Three streams of flame erupted across the sky.
For a moment, the heavens were filled with fire.
It was a spectacular sight.
After the training session ended, the dragons returned to the courtyard.
The show was over.
Now it was time to eat.
"The Black Dragon goes first. It earned the highest reward."
"The Green Dragon and White Dragon come second and third. They'll receive the medium rewards."
Several lively goats were released into the courtyard.
The dragons immediately swooped down.
Balerion reached the prey first.
Only after the Black Dragon had finished did the other two dragons begin eating.
The courtyard quickly filled with the smell of sulfur, smoke, and burning wool.
Balerion bit down on one of the goats, breaking its spine, and began devouring its meal.
The Black Dragon ate until it was full.
The other two dragons, equally hungry after their training, also tore into their meals ravenously.
"You need to perform better!"
Daenerys shouted toward the Green Dragon and White Dragon.
"Vhagar! Viserion!"
The two dragons snorted smoke in dissatisfaction.
Their talents and temperaments were indeed quite different.
"Ordinary spears and arrows aren't enough."
Gendry observed the dragons carefully.
"If we want them to become faster, fly higher, and grow stronger, then besides my fire-controlling ring, we'll probably need mental techniques and horns."
"The flames produced by this ring are extremely useful for their growth."
The dragon-training process was becoming more refined with each passing day.
At this point, the dragons were already roughly the size of ponies.
They possessed considerable aggression and destructive power, but they still needed to grow much larger.
Dragons needed to be tempered by steel.
They had to become accustomed to the cruelty of battle from a young age.
Moreover, Gendry's dragons were growing at an astonishing rate.
They were developing far faster than the dragons of previous generations.
In only a year or two, their wingspans could already exceed twelve meters.
That rate of growth was terrifying.
"When they're larger and their armor and scales become harder, we can start using scorpion crossbows."
Gendry narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.
Dragons were a species governed by a dynamic balance.
As they matured, different characteristics became dominant at different stages of their lives.
A dragon's scales and flames grew stronger with age.
However, as its body became larger, its aerial agility inevitably decreased.
In that sense, there might be a particular period in a dragon's life when its overall combat ability reached its peak.
Of course, this also depended heavily on the skill of the Dragonrider.
The Dance over the God's Eye was the perfect example.
Daemon had fought Aemond while riding against the enormous Vhagar.
Vhagar was older and much larger, but her size made her unable to match her opponent's speed.
Her movements were slower and more cumbersome.
She could only gradually climb higher, circling wider and wider over the God's Eye.
________________________________________
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