"Ahhh! Now this is the good stuff. Nothing beats the taste of this Arbor gold!"
Baelon drained another cup of the golden wine from the Arbor and let out a satisfied sigh.
Princess Alyssa, seated not far from him, immediately shot her husband a disapproving look. "Baelon, what exactly do you mean by that? Do you have a problem with me not letting you drink every day?"
Her mismatched eyes—one purple, one green—fixed on him like a warning. Baelon straightened instantly, his slightly hazy mind clearing at once.
"No, no, of course not! You're only thinking of my health. How could I possibly have any complaints?"
Seeing Baelon's quick retreat, Alyssa did not press further, but she still delivered one final blow that left him heartbroken.
"Drinking less is for your own good. When you go to Dragonstone, keep that in mind. I'll be riding Meleys over to visit you. If I catch you sneaking drinks there, you'll regret it."
She even shook her clenched fist at him for emphasis.
Baelon wilted like a flower in frost, suddenly losing all interest in his wine. But he dared not argue. He simply picked up his cup and took another silent sip.
Jaehaerys and Alysanne sat at the head of the table, watching their children's playful bickering with warm smiles. Their hearts were filled with quiet contentment.
Gaemon, seated to Alysanne's left, focused entirely on the feast before him. He had spent so much time in the forge lately that, while he never went hungry, he rarely requested such lavish meals. Tonight he was making up for lost time, devouring everything in sight.
Watching her youngest son eat with such enthusiasm, Alysanne's eyes softened with concern. She kept piling more food onto his plate, murmuring gently, "Gaemon, when you're on Dragonstone, don't neglect yourself. Don't work too hard. You have plenty of time. Sometimes it's better to go slower."
Gaemon, mouth full of food, could only nod vigorously and mumble, "Mmm! Mmm!" in agreement.
Princess Daella—now Gaemon's betrothed—sat two seats away, flanked by Saera and Viserra. The three girls were huddled together, whispering and giggling. Their laughter showed clearly that Daella was no longer the timid, fearful girl she once had been.
Under Gaemon's protection and guidance, she had learned to speak with others normally, handle outside matters, and carry herself with the proper grace of a princess. Everything was moving in the right direction.
The feast was in full swing when Jaehaerys suddenly turned to Gaemon and asked, "Gaemon, how is Vaegon doing at the Citadel? My people in Oldtown report that he has earned another link for his chain. That makes eight now. He is already eighteen. It is time for him to think about marriage and settling down. Ask him for me—how much longer does he plan to stay there before returning?"
Gaemon froze mid-bite, food still in his mouth, caught off guard by the sudden question.
After a moment he swallowed and answered calmly, "Father, Vaegon told me he will return after a little more study. I have already prepared the best possible place for him in my domain."
Jaehaerys raised an eyebrow, curious. "The best place for Vaegon should be the Red Keep, shouldn't it? Why would it be in your lands?"
Gaemon's expression remained steady. "Father, Vaegon's greatest desire has always been the pursuit of knowledge. In his mind, even the power of our family's dragons cannot compare to the power of knowledge. That is why I am building a great institution of learning in my domain—a university. In the future it will become the cradle of knowledge for the entire Wendwater. Vaegon will be its first chancellor."
"A university?" Jaehaerys looked intrigued. "What is the purpose of building such a place? Surely you are not doing this merely to give Vaegon a position. In my experience, you never do anything without a greater reason."
"Father, the greatest purpose of a university is to break the Citadel's monopoly on knowledge. The Citadel, the Faith, and House Hightower are far too closely intertwined. Although the Citadel claims to stay out of politics, knowledge itself may be neutral, but the maesters who wield it are not.
Most students at the Citadel are second sons of noble houses or sons of wealthy merchants, but the heads of each discipline are still largely Hightower men or those closely tied to them. Through these links, House Hightower can gather information from maesters across the realm and use the Citadel's influence to sway the lords those maesters serve. That is a power we cannot easily control.
When Aegon conquered Westeros, Oldtown surrendered too quickly. We had no justification to purge its powers, so the Hightowers and their allies remain almost untouched. That is not good for our family."
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