On the second day of Daenerys's return to the Red Keep, the Small Council convened a public trial for the Hightower Family.
This was a major event for the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms, so all the nobles in King's Landing arrived at the Red Keep early in the morning.
At this time, the vast Throne Room was already filled with people, who were constantly whispering and discussing the possible punishments the Hightower Family might face.
Most of them were gloating and eager to watch the spectacle, while some were uneasy, as there were quite a few nobles in other kingdoms who secretly plotted mischief.
In the Throne Room, King Jaehaerys sat high on the Iron Throne.
Daenerys and Audrey respectfully served on either side.
Below the Iron Throne sat Lady Emerald, the Minister of Law, and Lord Beesbury, the Minister of Finance.
"Bring him in!"
King Jaehaerys ordered Ryan, the Kingsguard Captain, who was beside him.
Under the nourishment of dragonflame wine, the Old King's health had greatly improved, so his voice was still quite resonant.
As King Jaehaerys's voice rang out, the previously noisy hall instantly fell silent.
Soon after, escorted by the Kingsguard, all the adult males of the Hightower Family were brought into the Throne Room.
Otto Hightower, who had been imprisoned in the Red Keep's black cells for over twenty days, now had a beard and hair that were tangled together, making him look very disheveled.
His thin, luxurious gown was already splattered, and he emanated a sour smell, causing the noblewomen to instinctively cover their mouths and noses with their fists.
Earl Hightower and the adult males of the Hightower Family behind him all hung their heads, looking listless.
Lady Hightower and the female members of the family in the crowd immediately reddened their eyes, their hearts filled with worry and apprehension.
After all, the Cuy family, who had been dealt with not long ago, had terrified the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms.
A powerful earl family that had been prominent for thousands of years was thus confiscated and exterminated.
The female members of the family were even sent to the pirate-infested Stepstones.
In the history of the Seven Kingdoms, such severely punished nobles were truly rare.
And the Hightower Family, whose crimes were even more serious, what kind of punishment would they face?
As the presiding judge of this trial, King Jaehaerys spoke directly and majestically without any preamble:
"Earl Monto Hightower, Mond Hightower, the next heir of the Hightower Family, used the opportunity of participating in the Holy Flame Island tournament to murder Royal guards and steal three Dragon Eggs.
Do you plead guilty to this?"
Earl Hightower tremblingly walked to the Iron Throne, knelt on one knee, and immediately pleaded tearfully:
"Merciful King, please believe in the Hightower Family's loyalty to you.
I swear by the Seven Gods that the Hightower Family was absolutely unaware of Mond Hightower's foolish actions and was not involved in them at all."
"Although we do not know what happened with his crimes, the Hightower Family is willing to bear any punishment from Your Majesty.
We hope you can, with a compassionate heart and wise eyes, forgive our transgressions.
The Hightower Family will surely repay the Royal Family's generosity with the most loyal heart and the humblest attitude."
Lady Emerald, who was always strong-willed, looked at the feigning Earl Hightower and couldn't help but speak:
"Whether the Hightower Family knew or not is not important.
The knights and squires who assisted Mond Hightower in his actions were from your Hightower Family, and the three-masted ship he used to escape was also yours.
Just from these two points, your Hightower Family cannot escape responsibility."
"Even if you truly didn't know, you still provided the necessary conditions for Mond Hightower to commit such a serious crime, so at the very least, you are accomplices.
Moreover, how do you prove that you were unaware and not involved?"
Upon hearing this, Earl Hightower immediately pleaded aggrievedly:
"As everyone knows, only those with Targaryen Royal Family blood can hatch Dragon Eggs.
What use would our Hightower Family have for these Dragon Eggs?"
"Furthermore, the foundation of our Hightower family is in Oldtown, and such a major event as stealing Dragon Eggs is enough to wipe out the entire Hightower family.
How could we be so foolish?
Why would we do something that offers us no benefit?
Therefore, we have no motive or reason to steal Dragon Eggs."
"Is that so?"
Lady Emerald continued unhurriedly:
"Doesn't your Hightower Family have the bloodline of the descendants of the Dawn Kingdom?
And your Hightower Family's ancestors had a history of intermarriage with Valyria nobles.
Your bloodline might not necessarily be completely unable to hatch Dragon Eggs, right?"
"Besides, aren't there plenty of descendants of Ancient Valyria blood in the Free Trade Cities?"
"Didn't Mond Hightower flee towards the Free Trade Cities after stealing the Dragon Eggs?"
"If he really managed to hatch a dragon, would your Hightower Family still honestly stay in Oldtown?
The Hightower Family also has quite a few properties in Essos and the Summer Isles, don't they?!"
Saying this, Lady Emerald threw some evidence that Daenerys had sent back earlier in front of Earl Hightower.
Earl Hightower, who was already mentally prepared, feigned a glance at the evidence, then prostrated himself tearfully beneath the Iron Throne:
"Merciful King, we do not deny the crimes committed by Mond Hightower, but please show leniency, considering the Hightower Family's many years of unwavering loyalty to the Royal Family!"
King Jaehaerys had ruled the Seven Kingdoms for decades, and his imperial heart had long been tempered to be as cold as iron.
He would not pay any attention to Earl Hightower's theatrics.
"Loyalty? Twenty years ago, you colluded with the Cuy family to send Baela to Lys, causing the Targaryen Royal Family to lose face and the Seven Kingdoms to lose all dignity.
Is this the loyalty you speak of?"
"Then your Hightower Family's loyalty truly contains too much hidden malice."
"And this time, when Daenerys was ordered to go to Oldtown to fetch you, you actually used those heretical monks to directly incite the rioters to start a rebellion.
This resulted in countless commoners dying tragically, and the order in Oldtown was greatly disrupted.
"By doing this, the Hightower Family not only gained no benefit, but also caused the people of Oldtown to suffer greatly.
How is such foolish behavior any different from Mond Hightower stealing Dragon Eggs?"
"I think your Hightower Family might have awakened some kind of mad and foolish bloodline, haven't you?
How can such a family be qualified to govern such a large earldom!"
King Jaehaerys's words immediately caused an uproar among the nobles in the Throne Room.
"Oh my! I only heard that a riot occurred in Oldtown, but I never imagined it was orchestrated by the Hightower Family?!"
"The King is absolutely right; their family might have truly awakened some strange bloodline, haven't they?!
Why do they only do things that harm others and benefit no one?"
"Didn't you hear Lady Emerald say that they are descendants of the Dawn Kingdom bloodline, and isn't that place known for producing monsters and madmen?"
"..."
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