At the entrance to the castle stood an old man with a small retinue of scholars. Several wagons carried books and scrolls.
"Has he left?" Marwyn the Mage asked Princess Daenerys.
Even an old man obsessed with magic like him could appreciate the woman's beauty. Of course, he had to appreciate it from afar, platonically. Marwyn was not a man interested in the pleasures of the flesh. He sought things beyond the physical, things more mystical.
"Yes, Maester. He has gone to settle matters with Ser Wode," the princess said with a smile. "ArgentStone's hospitality is yours." She offered him bread and salt.
Marwyn accepted it. "Princess," he said softly. "It is customary to discuss this with the lord of the castle, but I do not think the prince will mind if you are the first to learn of it." He handed her a parchment.
Daenerys took it in her hands. She broke the seal and opened it, beginning to read it there and then. Her face remained calm as her eyes moved across the letters.
"I thought the Citadel had forgotten us," the woman said. "It will be a pleasure to have you here as our maester." She welcomed him without objection. "Allow me to show you the castle," she said as she led him inside.
"May my disciples rest, Princess?" the old man asked. "I desire a private conversation." Dany nodded, gesturing to some servants.
"Hundreds of maesters wanted the chance to come here, for one reason or another," he said wearily as they walked alone, several Unsullied following close behind. "The Conclave's decision was delayed again and again. Given the prince's abilities and the projects at ArgentStone, it was decided that an archmaester was required. Too many requirements, too many objections. I could have come sooner, but that would have meant giving up the chance to become the castle's maester," he whispered.
"I did not know there was a competition for this castle," the princess said, feeling flattered and proud.
"There was, without question. Many wanted to see the prince up close, what he invents, what he creates. Others wanted the prestige of becoming the castle's maester. Others wanted to see the dragons, beautiful creatures, without question," he said, his eyes gleaming. "Others wanted to spy. They wanted to learn your weaknesses and how to eliminate you if the need arose," he whispered. Dany stiffened. The Unsullied suddenly went rigid, their spears ready.
"And you, Maester Marwyn?" the princess asked in an icy whisper.
"I... I came for the magic," the man said firmly.
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Wode's castle was small. Nothing impressive. From a dragon's back, it was even less impressive. It would take him only a few minutes to melt all that stone. The prince landed on the ground. He could see the smallfolk moving to and fro, frantic, barely able to contain their awe.
Jae could hardly blame them. How often did they get to see a dragon? This might be the only time in their lives.
The prince dismounted gracefully from the dragon's back. Brandon and Torrhen followed him, each day more accustomed to climbing on and off. From the corner of his eye, he saw Moonfyre give a small shake to make their descent harder. Jae could have sworn he saw a grin on the dragon's maw.
Jaehaerys heard the castle gates open. Calling it a tower would have been more accurate, the prince thought. Three horses trotted out to meet him. Ser Wode, the septon who had visited ArgentStone, and a boy, Ser Wode's heir.
"Ser Wode," Jaehaerys greeted him. The man did not dismount or lose the expression of someone who had stepped in shit.
"You come without invitation," the man said in a soft but measured tone.
"I sent a letter. I suppose the dragon flies faster than the raven." He shrugged. "I have not been offered guest right," he reminded him.
"You are not my guest," the stubborn old man said.
Jae looked at the other two. The septon watched the dragon with a gleam in his eyes. It was not fear, nor anything like it. It was something else. The young man, on the other hand, trembled at the sight of him.
"I will be. Guest right protects the guest as much as the host." The prince smiled at him.
"Is that a threat?"
"Not yet. Will you grant me guest right?" the prince asked again.
Ser Wode swallowed. Then he gestured for the prince to follow. The man rode quickly; the prince walked. He was not going to try to keep pace with a horse. Jae looked at the dragon. The creature turned its head and flew away.
"They did not even offer us a horse," Brandon complained.
"Perhaps they do not even have one," the prince said. The Wodes were not necessarily wealthy. They were a knightly house that served the Whents. Jaehaerys had inherited Harrenhal from the Whents, but not their vassals.
When the prince reached the gates, Ser Wode was more irritated than before and nearly threw a piece of dry bread with salt at him. Jaehaerys ate some; the pendant around his neck detected no poison. He passed the bread to Brandon and Torrhen.
"Thank you, Ser Wode. Now let us talk," the prince said.
"Is that what you came for, to talk?" the septon said. "Have you decided to accept the one God?" he asked.
Jaehaerys shook his head. "I came to discuss certain matters concerning my daughter," the prince said. "May we?" he asked Wode.
"Follow me to my solar," said the lord of the castle.
The walk was short. There was not much distance to cover in so small a tower. Jaehaerys wondered where Wode had found the courage to ask for his daughter's hand.
"The men will remain outside," Ser Wode said cautiously. "Pagan men. I doubt they respect guest right," he spat at the end.
"It is a pagan custom, ser," Torrhen said. "It comes from the First Men. The Andals adopted it later." It was a well-known historical fact.
Guest right had existed since the time of the First Men. It was one reason there was no equivalent on any other continent of Planetos. The wildest men were the ones who cared most for honor.
Wode's face turned red, but he said nothing. He had just made himself look ignorant.
"So, Lady Daenerys spoke of the marriage proposal? Have you come to accept?" Jaehaerys fought the urge to spit in his face. What gave him the nerve to ask for his daughter's hand? Why did he think himself worthy?
"I have come to discuss it. Rhaelle is, after all, a princess of the Seven Kingdoms." Jaehaerys knew she was not. But he wanted to get the strongest possible reaction from Wode.
And he got it. Wode snorted like a pig. Within seconds, an ugly smile spread across his face. Jaehaerys knew what was coming. He prepared himself for it.
"Princess?" the man said. "A bastard, Prince Jaehaerys. The laws may say otherwise, but in the eyes of the gods she is stained for life. That is why I wanted to help you. That is why I wanted to take her in before she was corrupted by her parents' customs," he said, stopping only to breathe. He seemed too fanatical, too far gone. The septon at his side could barely contain his delight. "Send her to my lands. I will make her an obedient lady for my son. She will gladly receive the Seven and obey her husband whenever he..."
"Did you say bastard?" Jaehaerys interrupted him. The prince had entered unarmed, but it would take little effort to kill the man with a quill.
"Aye, my lord," the man said, swallowing. "A bastard, but do not worry. There is still salvation for her."
"She was legitimized by the king himself... calling her a bastard is an insult to the king. It is spitting on his commands, insulting his honor," Jae said. He took a breath to calm himself. Truly, when had his temper grown so short?
"Then demand a trial by combat, my prince," the septon said, his smile never fading. "Defend the honor of your king and your daughter."
Jaehaerys looked at them both. Wode and the septon wore the same expression. They had expected this very thing. For him to come to their lands seeking to restore his daughter's honor and, at the same time, gain control of the mine.
"Set the date, Ser Wode, Lord Septon," the prince said before rising to leave.