hotmtlnovel Chapter 458: Otto’s Cunning
Chapter 458: Otto’s Cunning
Chapter 458: Otto’s Cunning
Starry Sept.
The second tallest building in Oldtown and the most magnificent of the Seven Holy Temples in Westeros.
It has long been the center of the Faith of the Seven.
The temple gate stood wide open, and the high white stone steps divided into several sections, hosting a constant flow of believers every day.
Whether noble, knight, commoner, or beggar, all could enter the temple equally to receive sermons from the preachers.
"Roar!"
The sound of a bell tolled as the Cannibal circled Oldtown, its massive form casting a shadow over the Starry Sept.
Roar!
Roar...
The Sheepstealer and Sunfyre spread out on either side, spreading their wings and gliding recklessly, as if guarding the largest black dragon.
This scene stirred mixed feelings among the people of Oldtown.
The dragons' arrival symbolized the presence of Targaryen royalty. The Iron Throne revered the Seven Gods, and even the daughter of the old king had joined the nuns.
But with war raging in Dorne, the dragons should have been on the battlefield.
The sudden appearance of three dragons in Oldtown, first alarming the residents and then circling the Starry Sept, caused a wave of anxiety.
Believers, quite nervous, flocked to the temple to find out what was happening.
...
At this time,
Inside the Starry Sept, there was a high level of alert, and hundreds of preachers ran out of the gate and surrounded the long steps.
"Roar!"
The black dragon roared angrily, its wings covering the sky and blotting out the sun. Its pitch-black scales and green pupils were eerie and terrifying, reminiscent of the demons of hell recorded in the Seven Star Bible.
"Cannibal, land!"
Rhaegar's expression was indifferent as he steered the dragon down, landing precisely on the long steps of the cathedral. The dragon's sharp claws crushed the stone steps, as if hammering a spine.
The Sheepstealer and Sunfyre circled twice before landing on the flagstone floor below the long steps. The Cannibal, being much larger, occupied most of the long steps, blocking all the roads with its wings. The two dragons had to land further away.
Grrrr...
A carriage bearing the Hightower crest sped up, and Ormund and Otto, enduring the jolting discomfort, helped the attendant out of the carriage. Ormund had to come, while Otto came of his own accord, wanting to help his brother.
Rhaegar glanced at them before turning back to the group of preachers at the temple entrance. He declared, "I am Rhaegar of House Targaryen, the eldest son of Viserys I, the rightful heir to the Iron Throne, and the Regent. Tell your High Septon to come out!"
The preachers exchanged confused glances, their hostility evident.
Rhaegar, seeing their reluctance, added sternly, "The heir prince is visiting. Where is the High Septon?"
He had already shortened his introduction, but the preachers still looked bewildered.
Ormund hurried up the long steps, panting, "Prince, I'll do the talking."
There are more people in Westeros who reject dragons than worship them. The Seven Gods and the House Targaryen have been at odds for over a hundred years. Things improved during the reign of the Old King, and Viserys pursued a policy of cooperation and mutual benefit. But even the Old King never rode his dragon directly around the Starry Sept.
Rhaegar waved his hand, sensing the rejection from the Faith of the Seven. He said casually, "I only have one request: to see the High Septon."
He had come to settle old scores, not to be nice. Suppressing the Seven Gods and seeking the privilege of marrying more women was his true goal. He doesn't need the king or the royal family to marry more, but he needs the right to marry more.
Once the king has the right to marry multiple times, the authority of the Faith of the Seven will be weakened, and the king's authority will be elevated above that of the gods.
Ormund nodded and hurriedly exchanged words with the missionaries. The missionaries looked very nervous, each holding a chair, table, or bench, ready to sacrifice themselves for the Seven Gods at any moment.
Rhaegar glanced inside the temple. Hundreds of nuns were kneeling in a row, praying to the Seven Gods. A larger number of monks and silent sisters stood in the corner, peering out at the black dragon outside the temple.
"Quite a large number, comparable to the private soldiers raised by a noble family in The Reach," Rhaegar thought to himself, remembering the long-disbanded Sons of Warriors and the Poor Fellows. That grassroots armed force could bring down an entire kingdom if it rebelled. Even the cruel Maegor, who rode the Black Dread, Balerion, had not been able to completely stamp out the Seven Gods.
After a while, Ormund finished communicating. He approached the Cannibal, hesitating to know how to start the conversation.
Seeing him stammering, Rhaegar became alert and said unkindly, "What, the High Septon died unexpectedly?"
...
Night falls.
High Tower, Lord's bedroom.
Ormund had taken a bath and was sitting dejectedly by the bed.
The Faith of the Seven and Oldtown were allies of House Hightower, and he had always been proud of them, highlighting the prosperity and knowledge of Oldtown.
Now, both were huge problems.
Creak
The door opened and Otto, dressed in his usual green uniform, walked in.
Ormund gave him a sideways glance and then slumped his head again.
"Aegon and his dragons will be searching for Dorne raiders tomorrow," Otto began, keeping his composure.
Ormund remained sullen.
Otto saw this and said with a deep voice, "My two grandchildren have grown up and have their own ideas."
"I knew it," Ormund replied, sickly.
After dinner, he had asked Otto to try to win over his two nephews. Clearly, it hadn't worked.
"Brother, don't be so easily discouraged," Otto said, sitting down next to Ormund. "The heir prince's suppression of the Faith of the Seven and the Citadel will not affect the family for the time being."
The knife is not pointed at him, and House Hightower is honest, so the other side can't get a handle on it.
Ormund frowned, hearing the unspoken meaning: "For the time being?"
Otto sighed lightly. "The heir prince is doing his best to suppress the influence of Oldtown. If Your Grace has an accident, it will be difficult for House Hightower when he ascends the throne."
"Your Grace is only in a coma," Ormund said, knowing the inside story and not so worried.
"Viserys has always been in poor health, and a long coma is not a good sign for anyone," Otto replied.
Ormund thought about it carefully. It made sense, but he hesitated. "Do you have a way to avoid the heir prince's difficulties?"
Otto's question was not answered: "What would you do if pirates blocked your trade routes?"
"We can still do something about it. We should clean it up..." Ormund paused, unable to believe it. "No."
Fortunately, Otto denied it in time and guided him: "What should you do when you face an enemy that is many times stronger?"
Ormund thought for a while and hesitated, "Strengthen allies and suppress the pirates' prestige to achieve parity."
He had done the same thing when the pirates of the Triarchy were wreaking havoc, by uniting with the Lannister and Arbor fleets.
"That's right," Otto smiled. "The heir prince has won a great victory and is in the spotlight. We should avoid the limelight for now and concentrate on consolidating our power."
"Alicent is weak and her children are of little use," Ormund said, not hopeful about this.
Otto shook his head and said with certainty, "We were wrong before, trying to pit the Targaryen blood against itself. What we should have done is strengthen the children's recognition of Hightower and keep them close to their mother, surrounding their mother."
As long as the children don't distract their mother, they will always protect her from harm.
Ormund was shocked and exclaimed, "Yes, there is no child in the world who does not love their mother."
Otto stood up and patted him on the shoulder, saying, "Don't think too much. Let the heir prince take what he wants. The real battlefield is always in King's Landing."
Ormund reasoned, "The heir prince wants to compete with the Faith of the Seven for power. We can use this to undermine his prestige."
"Haha, maybe."
Otto left the bedroom with a deep look in his eyes, his back turned to his brother.
...
Starry Sept.
The moon was high in the sky, and the stars were shining brightly.
Rhaegar sat in the hall of the temple, a huge sword that looked like milky glass in front of him.