With the Dragon Queen's reminder, everyone recalled that she had already conducted a fair, just, and public trial for the "Purple Wedding" case.
The verdict had also been accepted by all the "online nobles": House Tyrell was found guilty of violating the sacred marriage pact and murdering their liege lord. Given the current state of their house, Margaery would continue to atone through repentance, while House Tyrell would be stripped of its title and lands as Lords of Highgarden.
Why was Daenerys's decision to depose House Tyrell accepted by all the nobles?
There were two reasons. First, violating a sacred marriage pact and murdering one's liege lord were both grave crimes, comparable to violating guest right.
No merit surpasses saving the king, and no crime exceeds regicide.
Arya had also committed regicide when she killed Tommen, yet her crime was far less severe than Tyrell's murder of Joffrey. Even if Joffrey deserved death a thousand times over, Tommen had been innocent.
The key lay in the hierarchy between ruler and subject.
In a feudal society, no relationship was more sacred than that between a ruler and their vassal.
Thus, House Tyrell's crime was enough to justify the extermination of their entire lineage.
Second, Tyrell's sovereignty over Highgarden originated from the Targaryens.
If Daenerys had tried to depose the King in the North, a Stark, or the King of the Westerlands, a Lannister, the northern and western lords would likely have ignored her entirely. They would have had countless reasons to oppose her.
But House Tyrell of Highgarden and House Tully of the Riverlands derived their legitimacy from the Targaryens, not from the martial or moral achievements of their ancestors.
If Highgarden had still been as powerful as during the War of the Four Kings, the Dragon Queen's judgment would have meant nothing.
However, House Tyrell had already declined to the point where only its legitimacy remained. That legitimacy might still matter to others, but when facing the Dragon Queen, it was worth no more than nothing.
Once they understood this, the expressions of the Reach nobles present changed.
Margaery, having lost her right of inheritance to Highgarden, no longer held any value for marriage alliances.
"You are Margaery's uncle by marriage. Why not take her to New Barrel Town and let her recuperate?" the Dragon Queen said, turning her gaze to Jon of the Green Apple.
Ser Jon Fossoway of New Barrel Town had married Janna Tyrell, the younger sister of Mace Tyrell and Margaery's aunt.
Before this, Jon had even dreamed of driving out the ironborn so that one of his sons might inherit Highgarden.
The kindly-looking old Jon replied tactfully, "Your Grace, I am certainly willing to care for poor Margaery.
However, New Barrel Town is merely a knight's holding and not part of your planned 'Mander River defensive strongholds.' Even our own family is relocating to the nearby Cider Hall."
Ser Tanton of the Red Apple immediately said, "Cider Hall will always have a place for Lady Margaery."
Jon of the Green Apple felt no gratitude, only bitterness.
If Margaery were sane, he would not mind adding another seat at the table. But that niece was clearly troublesome.
She had even publicly defecated before. If she caused trouble in the future, could their small knightly holding withstand it?
Jon Fossoway stroked his long beard and said slowly, "I believe that Cider Hall lies on the front line against the Others. It is not very safe, or at least not peaceful, and Margaery needs a quiet and comfortable environment to recover.
Therefore, it would be best to send her to Oldtown in the rear. At the Starry Sept in Oldtown, there is Archbishop Jon, who is well-versed in the teachings of the Mother and can help Margaery complete her redemption."
This was what it meant for a great noble house to have deep roots and many branches.
The fall of House Tyrell did not mean Margaery was left without a home. She had relatives throughout the Reach, and very close ones at that.
For example, Daenerys's white knight, Garth Hightower, was Margaery's uncle, and the Old Man of Oldtown was her grandfather.
Even if Oldtown were besieged by wights, Margaery could still retreat to the Arbor, where the Redwyne family also had many relatives.
Returning to the main hall, Daenerys immediately contacted "Baelor the Laughing" at the Hightower through the magical network hub. He was Garth's elder brother and the heir to Oldtown.
Uncle Baelor showed great concern for his niece and did not hesitate at all, immediately agreeing to take Margaery in. He also cautiously asked the Dragon Queen whether she could help find Margaery a suitable husband in the future.
Daenerys did not object but made one condition: Margaery must complete five years of ascetic repentance.
Previously, Cersei had allied with the Faith to try Margaery for the murder of Joffrey. Margaery had been allowed to retain her title as queen but was required to undergo penance at the Maidenvault. Only after Tommen came of age and she bore him an heir would she regain her freedom.
If Tommen was considered an adult at fifteen, Margaery would need five years of penance, of which one year had already passed.
Baelor did not object. Margaery was only a year older than Daenerys and was now just twenty. Even after four more years, she would still be only twenty-four, which was not old.
At the very least, it was better than Princess Arianne of Dorne, who was twenty-seven before beginning to consider marriage.
This news reached King's Landing at the same time. Within a few days, as ravens spread the message, the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms all learned of Margaery's fate.
To Daenerys's surprise, both Asha of King's Landing and Victarion of Highgarden declared that they were willing to wait four years and would marry Margaery as King of Highgarden afterward.
That was a matter for later. After ending the communication with the Hightower of Oldtown, Daenerys turned to deal with Euron.
Compared to Margaery, Euron's trial attracted far more attention.
At Longtable Keep, in the rectangular great hall,
Three fireplaces burned brightly side by side, and a row of torches lined the opposite wall. The hall was filled with firelight, casting a ruddy glow on the Dragon Queen and the assembled nobles.
The Dragon Queen sat on a tall wooden chair, positioned three steps higher than the others.
The lords sat in a row near the fireplaces according to rank, while knights and distinguished merchants and craftsmen stood opposite them.
At the far end of the hall, several rows of seats were arranged for the ladies.
Three wooden boxes were carried in. Inside them were three mutilated human remnants, their arms and legs severed. As they were revealed, a suppressed gasp of excitement came from the ladies' section.
All three had blue lips, an unsettling sight.
Daenerys first pointed to the emaciated warlock on the left, whose lips were the darkest.
"He is Pyat Pree, a great warlock of Qarth. He is not a victim, but a criminal like Euron.
Of course, Pyat Pree has no enmity with Westeros or any of you. This is even his first time on this continent."
"No, I have been to King's Landing and Oldtown, searching for the trail of dragons," Pyat Pree said. Looking at the Dragon Queen, his dim eyes regained a trace of light. His expression was complicated, containing no hatred, only amazement and sorrow.
"Very well, he has been to Westeros," Daenerys said with a shrug. "I judge him today only because of personal grievances. He violated guest right and broke the oath he swore to me in the Red Waste."
She then recounted how Pyat Pree had traveled to the Red Waste in search of dragons, sworn to uphold her guest right, but later ambushed her in the House of the Undying in Qarth. After failing, he hired the Sorrowful Men to assassinate her, and when that failed, he resorted to cursing her with sorcery.
"You traveled thousands of miles from your homeland to the other end of the world just to break your oath. Why? Was it worth it? And now you suffer the consequences," Daenerys sighed.
After hearing her account, the surrounding nobles, knights, merchants, and ladies wore strange expressions.
"This warlock is truly unlucky. He went after the Dragon Queen and ended up running into Euron."
"This is the curse of the gods. He broke a sacred oath and violated guest right. He deserves this fate."
"I never expected the Queen's early experiences to be so legendary."
"Legendary? Surviving is what makes it legendary. Do you think you could have escaped such a situation?"
"In that case, the Queen must truly be blessed by the gods!"
Daenerys raised her hand to quiet them and said, "Pyat Pree, do you have anything to say?"
"What is there to say? Do you want me to praise your competence, sing your virtues, marvel at your achievements, and weep in regret for my sins and shortsightedness? Keep dreaming," Pyat Pree replied with a faint sneer.
"How dare you!"
"This wicked warlock does not value his life!"
The lords were furious, the knights stirred, and the noble ladies shouted in anger.
But Daenerys laughed. "You're right. I am showing off to you. If you are willing to repent, I wouldn't mind sparing you."
The people around them looked awkward. It was fine for the Queen to boast before a former enemy, but saying it outright made it embarrassing.
The audience felt awkward, but the two involved seemed completely unaware.
Pyat Pree sighed. "Even if I could return to the past, there are things I would still do. The Undying Ones are the gods of warlocks, and you killed them."
"Gasp, a godslayer?" The crowd was shocked and turned to the Dragon Queen for confirmation.
Beside her, the Dothraki maid Jhiqui puffed out her chest proudly. "Her Majesty has slain countless gods along her journey.
The Undying Ones were nothing more than insignificant spirits.
I am even debating whether they are worth adding as a single Valyrian steel bell."
"You…" Pyat Pree's pale, decayed face flushed red, but he could not refute her.
The lords and ladies exchanged glances. Could this exotic, voluptuous maid truly be telling the truth?
Godslaying!
In all the legends of the Seven Kingdoms, the greatest foe ever defeated was merely the hellhound encountered by Symeon Star-Eyes.
"The Dragon Queen is mighty and invincible!" Euron shouted from the middle box. "The Undying Ones are nothing worth mentioning. When she captured me, she was even hunting the Storm God! The Storm God, though a vile creature, is still a true god."
Silence fell over the hall as everyone was both shocked and confused.
"Euron, are you blaspheming the Storm God?" Aeron cried from the other box.
Euron's expression turned frenzied as he shouted, "The Storm God is a filthy whore, the Drowned God is the greatest clown in the world, and the Mother is a deceitful harlot. Not a single god in this world is worth anything. They all deserve to be torn apart by the Others!"
"Blasphemy!" Aeron and the followers of the Seven turned pale with fury.
"It's not your turn yet. Why are you shouting?" Daenerys cast a glance downward, and Gerold Dayne stepped forward and closed Euron's box again.
"Pyat Pree, although you show no repentance, we did share an acquaintance. You may be ruthless, but I will not be heartless.
How about this: I will first send you to Dragonstone. When a wyvern rider returns to Slaver's Bay, they can take you along and send you back to Qarth. What do you think?"
"I am already in this state. What is the point of returning? If you truly have some kindness left, let me watch Euron die miserably, and then grant me a swift death," the warlock said, tears flowing from his eyes.
"Very well. Your trial is concluded. Now it is Euron's turn. Pyat Pree, Aeron, I will give you a chance to state your grievances. Tell me what crimes Euron has committed against you."
(End of Chapter)
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09