A few days after taking Yangwu City from the Cuy family, Daenerys estimated that the ships transporting the Hightower Family's wealth and personnel should have arrived in King's Landing, so she prepared to send Earl Hightower to King's Landing.
Earl Hightower also knew this day was inevitable, so he had already arranged the affairs of Hightower and his earldom. Fortunately, with the Hightower Family's excellent maester, even if all Hightower Family members left, the territory's affairs could still be managed well.
Regrettably, although the Hightower Family paid for dozens of people to ride the dragons, only Earl Hightower enjoyed this privilege.
Early in the morning, Daenerys, riding Dreamfyre, accompanied by Little Balerion and Meraxes, headed towards King's Landing.
Earl Hightower sat on Dreamfyre's back, looking at the magnificent scenery of the land below. Although he was a bit excited at first, the thought of his family's uncertain future turned that excitement into sorrow.
Daenerys and the others departed from Oldtown early in the morning, crossed the towering Red Mountains, passed through the Tarly earldom of Horn Hill, and after flying over the Red Mountains, they could see the Mander River, the largest river in The Reach.
Following the Mander River northward, they arrived at the Maryweather earldom by noon.
The Maryweather family is a noble family of The Reach. Their fief, Longtable Hall, is located at the confluence of the Mander River and the Bluebourne River. With its abundant resources and vast territory, the Maryweather family is relatively wealthy and powerful among the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms.
Their family crest is a golden horn of plenty overflowing with apples, carrots, plums, onions, leeks, turnips, and fruits of various colors on a white background, with a golden border. The family motto is "Behold our Bounty."
Looking at the lush green landscape and herds of livestock below, one could tell how fertile the Maryweather family's territory was. The Maryweather family's castle, Longtable Hall, was built on a high ground by the Mander River, below which lay Maryweather City, with its tall city walls and over a hundred thousand inhabitants.
The population of The Reach's ducal lands is the largest in the Seven Kingdoms, and in prosperous areas like the Maryweather earldom, the population is naturally even denser.
Dreamfyre swiftly skimmed over the Mander River, her Dragon Wings creating ripples on the water's surface. As soon as the guards of Longtable Hall spotted the dragons, they immediately rushed to report to Count Maryweather. By the time Daenerys and her family's five dragons landed on the grass outside Longtable Hall, Count Maryweather had already led his family out to greet them.
On the fertile grasslands outside Longtable Hall, many cattle, horses, and sheep grazed, along with herds of black pigs. These livestock, startled by the arrival of the dragons, began to flee wildly. The herding servants, frightened by the dragons, failed to control them for a moment, causing the scene to become somewhat chaotic.
"Greetings, Your Highness!"
Daenerys lowered Dreamfyre, then took Earl Hightower and slid down the Dragon Wings.
"Excuse our intrusion, Count Maryweather, Lady Jennifer!"
"Not at all! It is our honor for Your Highness to grace Longtable Hall with your presence. Your splendor has brightened even my humble castle!"
The burly Count Maryweather appeared rough, but unexpectedly, he was quite eloquent. In the original history, he was beheaded for refusing to betray Rhaenyra under Aegon II's coercion.
His son, Marko Maryweather, was even fortunate enough to be chosen as one of Aegon III's three regents, albeit for only a year, which shows that the Maryweather family still held some status in the Seven Kingdoms.
Daenerys naturally chose to win over such a family, so she showed great closeness.
"They say the Longtable Hall's long table is laden with the most sumptuous delicacies in the Seven Kingdoms. Today, I may have the honor of tasting them."
Count Maryweather had two sons and three daughters, all around Daenerys's age. The eldest daughter, Mary, was 13 this year, a dignified and steady girl; the second daughter, Maria, was 11 this year, tall and slender, with bright, sparkling eyes; the eldest son, Marko, was 10 this year, a simple and honest little chubby boy.
The third daughter, Marilyn, was 7, at a pure and lovely age; the youngest son, Meryn, was just three, doted on and held in Lady Jennifer's arms.
Although Daenerys was only 10, the unique bloodline of the Targaryen Family made her physique already close to that of a fourteen or fifteen-year-old girl.
Furthermore, given Daenerys's actions over the past six months, very few people now treated her as a child.
The Maryweather family warmly invited Daenerys and Earl Hightower into their castle. No wonder their castle was named Longtable Hall; there was indeed an enormous Weirwood long table in the main hall of Maryweather Castle.
This long table was said to be thousands of years old, measuring over twenty meters long and five meters wide, cut from a single Weirwood tree. Although it had endured much, it remained as white as jade.
And at this moment, the long table was already laden with various delicacies, especially an almost mountainous pile of delicious fruits, filling the entire castle hall with a sweet, fruity aroma.
Daenerys was seated at the upper right end of the long table, facing Earl Hightower. Lady Jennifer and her daughters warmly accompanied Daenerys, personally preparing and serving all kinds of fruits to her.
Unlike the dejected Earl Hightower, both Daenerys and Count Maryweather wanted to use this opportunity to establish some rapport, so everyone conversed happily.
In particular, Count Maryweather's second daughter caught Daenerys's eye. Although she wasn't exceptionally beautiful, she appeared to be a wise and decisive woman at first glance.
When facing Daenerys, she maintained a humble yet confident demeanor, speaking and acting with just the right measure. She neither overshadowed her sisters nor allowed Daenerys to feel bored.
"The embroidery on Miss Maria's handkerchief is quite exquisite. Did you embroider it yourself?"
Daenerys asked, looking at the delicate flower and bird pattern on Maria's handkerchief.
"Yes, Your Highness! You flatter me. It's just a pastime for us sisters when we have nothing else to do."
Saying this, she handed a handkerchief to Daenerys.
"This one I just finished embroidering and haven't used yet. If the Princess doesn't mind, please take it!"
Daenerys happily accepted the handkerchief, then spoke with a look of regret,
"Thank you, Miss Maria. After using such an exquisite handkerchief, other handkerchiefs will likely be hard to look at from now on!"
Count Maryweather and the Countess immediately understood Daenerys's meaning. Lady Jennifer immediately spoke cheerfully,
"That's easy! Let Maria serve by the Princess's side! Her embroidery receiving the Princess's appreciation is also an honor for our Maryweather family!"
"That's wonderful! I happen to be in need of a lady-in-waiting skilled in embroidery!"
"I wonder if Miss Maria would be willing to come to my side?"
Faced with Daenerys's offer, Maria, though excited, still walked calmly to Daenerys and bowed respectfully, saying,
"It would be Maria's honor!"
While Daenerys and the Maryweather family were conversing happily, the servants of Longtable Hall also herded a large number of livestock in front of Dreamfyre and the others. A large group of black pigs was particularly noticeable.
Normally, Dreamfyre and the others mainly ate cattle and sheep, rarely fat pigs, so they immediately, impatiently, cooked those black pigs with a single breath of Dragonflame.
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