"It is indeed beautiful here," King Karl said, astride Fox, gazing across the Mander River at the white castle nestled amidst the lush greenery.
To be honest, while the Eyrie also possessed a beauty not inferior to this place to a certain extent, compared to the garden-like scenery before him, the Eyrie seemed much smaller.
Because the Eyrie was not only small, but also had a proud precipitousness, giving people a feeling of being unapproachable.
Therefore, compared to it, even though King Karl grew up in the Eyrie, he still preferred this garden castle built of white marble.
This natural pastoral and farming atmosphere gave him a sense of ease and comfort that arose from his very bloodline.
It was a pity, however, that such beautiful scenery had, due to human ambition, turned into a battlefield where armies clashed.
King Karl withdrew his gaze from Highgarden and looked at the vast army blocking his path.
Outside the wide Forest Royal by the Mander River, in the verdant fields, the banners of most of The Reach's families fluttered.
Aside from House Tyrell's own army and the golden rose banner blooming on the emerald green field, The Reach nobles whom Lady Ewyn Oakheart had told King Karl about, who followed their liege lord, were all gathered here.
Except for Oldtown, which had remained unresponsive to the situation in the Seven Kingdoms until now.
Even from a distance, the scene before him was a dense black mass, an army of at least tens of thousands.
Jon Snow, the White Wolf, followed beside King Karl, just as he had when King Karl was merely a knight and he was his squire.
"They have a lot of men."
Compared to King Karl's praise for Highgarden's beauty, Jon's attention had always been on the army opposite them.
He was thinking about how he would fight the upcoming war if it were up to him.
On the vast, flat plains, there wasn't much room for tactical deployment; it was as if every battle in such terrain could only be a head-on clash.
It was a battle of numbers.
This made Jon feel a sense of pressure ever since he arrived here.
King Karl heard Jon's worry but merely smiled calmly, saying meaningfully, "Jon, many times, numbers do not dictate the outcome."
Due to the changing season, a light drizzle was falling, forming crystal-clear droplets on the cloak King Karl wore.
Not far behind him, King Karl's army, which had just incorporated the cavalry regiment sent by Randyll Tarly, was simply setting up camp and preparing food.
Only King Karl, Jon, and the Kingsguard, including the newly joined Garlan Tyrell, had come to survey the situation opposite them.
Listening to his words, the several white knights instinctively looked over, but none of them showed any surprise.
They were already used to it, even Garlan Tyrell himself.
Seeing that no one responded to his words, King Karl looked at the opposite side, and a thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.
"Since we're idle, why don't we go over and take a look?"
"I'm very curious what House Tyrell thinks of our army at their gates."
With that, without waiting for them to refuse, he lightly nudged Fox with his foot, held the reins, and trotted towards the enemy's direction.
Unexpectedly, their King would pull such a stunt; Jon and the others, after a slight moment of surprise, instinctively hurried to follow.
However, after just two steps, Alex Oakhert seemed to remember something and quickly whispered a few words into the ear of his sworn brother, Ser Balon Swann.
Ser Balon Swann frowned, looked up at the opposite side, nodded, and quickly stopped, turning back to the camp.
King Karl paid no attention to them, calmly riding his horse as if on an outing, walking leisurely towards House Tyrell's camp ahead.
Soon after, Ser Balon Swann returned with a cavalry troop of dozens of men behind him, catching up to them.
Several banners were held high in the troop; the foremost was House El's black-backed, red-and-gold jeweled river pattern.
The remaining two were House Baratheon's crowned stags.
Thus, holding three banners high, the group stopped about a mile from the enemy camp.
After glancing at the watchtower a hundred paces away, King Karl held Fox's reins and turned to Garlan Tyrell.
"Ser Garlan, would you be so kind as to go home for a trip?"
"I still need someone to inform Mace Tyrell that I've come to visit. I hope to invite him here for a gathering, to enjoy the scenery of The Reach."
Garlan Tyrell was surprised that King Karl would ask him to be a messenger. He paused slightly, then looked at Alex and the others, and his expression became solemn.
"As you command, Your Majesty!"
Garlan said no more. After bowing, he sternly took a jeweled river pattern banner, held it high with one hand, and rode towards his family's territory.
Seeing his decisive agreement and his unhesitating actions, Jon, who was half a step behind King Karl, couldn't help but exchange glances with Alex and the others.
Their expressions were complex, but in the end, they all turned serious.
They didn't know if King Karl was testing Garlan or simply expressing trust in Garlan Tyrell's loyalty, but these were not questions they should consider.
And if Garlan didn't return, Alex knew what he had to do.
Fortunately, their wait wasn't too long.
As King Karl leisurely lay on the chairs and tables brought by his guards, eating fruits and waiting, a troop of dozens of men emerged from the enemy camp.
Leading them was his jeweled river banner, followed by House Tyrell's golden rose.
"Your Majesty, Mace Tyrell has arrived."
Upon reaching them, Garlan Tyrell dismounted first and reported to King Karl.
King Karl nodded, patted his shoulder, and said nothing.
He merely looked past him at Mace Tyrell, who followed behind him with a displeased expression.
This portly Duke of Highgarden, Warden of the South, who still looked handsome with curly brown hair and a triangular beard with hints of gray, now openly displayed his anger.
He silently watched his second son submit to the young man before him, not uttering a word.
After reporting, Garlan silently rose, put away the banner in his hand, and stood beside Jon and Alex, who were attending to King Karl.
Both of them nodded to him.
Jon even held the cloak King Karl had just taken off and offered him a friendly smile.
King Karl remained in his reclining chair, his gaze fixed on the "inflatable fish adult" before him, showing no intention of rising.
He merely said calmly, "Welcome, Mace Tyrell. I thought you would refuse my invitation, or even bring your knights to kill me here."
"The knights of Highgarden never do anything without honor," Mace Tyrell replied to King Karl, neither soft nor hard.
"Oh, really?"
King Karl just smiled, his gaze falling on a limping man with a walking stick who had come with him.
"And this is?"
During the conversation between King Karl and Duke Mace, this man, who had maintained a gentle smile, patiently stood still.
Seeing King Karl notice him, Velas Tyrell bowed even more respectfully to King Karl.
He greeted, "Your Majesty, King Karl I of the esteemed House Baratheon, I am Velas of House Tyrell. It is an honor to meet you."
However, it was unclear whether Velas had preempted him or if Mace simply disliked his statement.
As soon as he finished speaking, the "inflatable fish adult" still added in a stiff tone:
"Velas Tyrell is my eldest son, and also the heir to Highgarden."
It was unclear what he intended to convey with these words; as he spoke, he also glanced at Garlan Tyrell, who respectfully stood by King Karl, and snorted softly.
Garlan was unmoved by his father's gaze, silently attending to his duties.
Seeing his father's reaction, Velas offered King Karl an apologetic smile.
Looking at this lame man, King Karl found him amusing.
"Your address to me is interesting. Perhaps if you were the Duke of Highgarden, this war wouldn't have happened at all."
"Come and sit. I think there are some issues we really should discuss. At least, even if we have to fight, we should go through this process, shouldn't we?"
King Karl beckoned to the two of them, signaling them to come over.
Mace Tyrell subconsciously hesitated at King Karl's gesture, unable to resist glancing at the guards who had followed him.
But Velas Tyrell paid no attention at all; instead, he limped over to King Karl, bowed respectfully first, and then sat down.
He didn't wait for his father, Mace Tyrell.
At his action, Duke Mace was immediately awkward and could do nothing more but follow him forward.
"King Karl is right. If there is still a chance, House Tyrell will not hesitate to submit to you."
After his father, Duke Mace, had also sat down, Velas Tyrell looked at King Karl with a smile and spoke.
These words surprised everyone present.
Except for King Karl.
He merely looked calmly at the two men before him.
Duke Mace, seeing his son offend him repeatedly, could no longer maintain his composure.
"Velas, mind your position. Right now, we and Karl Baratheon are enemies!"
"Yes, Father."
Velas Tyrell was very polite.
"A clever young man. No, actually, you're much older than me."
Watching the interaction between the father and son, King Karl found it extremely amusing.
And what surprised him was that Velas would even seek peace at such a time.
King Karl didn't know if this was his own idea, or if it was the idea of House Tyrell or even all of The Reach.
But he knew this was a smart man.
King Karl tapped the armrest of the reclining chair, then suddenly rose, casually picked up a fruit from the table, and threw it to Velas. King Karl said, "I can give House Tyrell a chance, but with conditions. You know very well this is the only basis for you to negotiate now."
Unexpected by King Karl's action, Velas somewhat flusteredly caught the fruit King Karl threw.
Holding the fruit, he looked at King Karl with a dazed expression, then couldn't help but smile.
He was confident, full of assurance.
"My sister has fallen in love with you; she is Highgarden's most beautiful rose, and Garlan also follows by your side, King Karl. House Tyrell is willing to hear your conditions."
"If we can achieve peace and avoid the disaster of a war, that would be a good thing."
Duke Mace was so confused that his mind couldn't process how the two of them had pushed the topic to this point in just a few words.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but in the strangely oppressive atmosphere, he instinctively closed it again.
Velas spoke flawlessly, giving off an impression of being well-mannered, gentle, and courteous, like a spring breeze.
King Karl hadn't expected House Tyrell to have such an interesting person.
So he smiled slightly, then suddenly changed the topic and said,
"I hear one meaning in your words, which is that House Tyrell can negotiate directly, and you don't need to care about my uncle, Renly Baratheon, is that right?"
"I apologize, as this war started because of him, but unfortunately, I haven't been able to meet him."
"So, what you just said, is that what I'm thinking?"
Facing King Karl's pointed probing, Velas's expression changed slightly, but he quickly composed himself.
"House Tyrell represents only House Tyrell itself."
Still flawless, yet conveying all the intended information.
"Very good," hearing this, where Mace Tyrell and Velas Tyrell couldn't see, several glints flickered in King Karl's eyes.
Then he leaned slightly forward, his expression becoming serious, but with a smile still in his eyes, he looked at the two men before him.
"Then, in that case, I demand that House Tyrell, including all the nobles of The Reach who are now answering your call, surrender to me, kneel and pledge fealty."
"Furthermore, because of House Tyrell's mistaken choice, you will also be stripped of the titles of Duke of Highgarden and Warden of the South. And because of your choice, I will also confiscate House Tyrell's fiefdom."
"These are my conditions. If you agree, I will grant you peace."
When King Karl's words fell, silence descended upon the scene once more.
Several people, including Jon, looked at him in surprise, and as for Velas Tyrell, he could no longer maintain the smile on his face.
As for the "inflatable fish adult," Mace Tyrell, he was so angry that his face flushed, and he stood up abruptly.
"You—you are insulting us!"
"Damn bastard—Hmph! House Tyrell will never agree to your insincere demands!"
Velas said nothing more; he shared the same thoughts as his father.
King Karl's demands were a complete insult to them, showing no sincerity for peace talks.
Moreover, he had already hinted so clearly, indicating that his sister and brother were with him, so he should at least give them a chance.
But this young man seemed to have not put himself in the right position.
"It seems today is not a suitable time for a chat."
Velas Tyrell stood up, reached for his walking stick, and suddenly spoke.
"It seems you do not agree with my ideas, but I must remind you that this is the only mercy I will show House Tyrell."
Seeing his arranged peace talks break down like this, King Karl was not surprised; he merely said meaningfully.
As for King Karl's repeated insults, Mace Tyrell simply couldn't be bothered to maintain the facade of civility any longer.
"Karl Baratheon, it seems you've been blinded by your previous victories."
"If you still have the courage to speak to me like this after tomorrow, I will think highly of you."
"You will pay the price for your arrogance!"
With these words, Mace Tyrell completely lost patience and stormed away.
Velas remained standing, watching his father's angry retreating back, sighed slightly, and turned to King Karl.
"King Karl, we should have had an excellent basis for cooperation, but it seems there is a misunderstanding between us."
"The Reach is stronger than you imagine; it cannot be described by one or two local victories."
"Oh, and a reminder: House Redwyne's fleet should have arrived at Casterly Rock by now. Perhaps tomorrow or the day after, or even tonight, you will receive news."
"If you change your mind, Highgarden looks forward to your visit."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)