The night in Seagull Town was destined to be shattered by laughter, drinking, and song and dance.
Count Marko Graveson's banquet hall was not particularly large, its furnishings mostly adorned with luxurious marble, and the dining tables were made of Blue-Black Marble.
Rhaegar felt the extravagant decadence of Seagull Town; the luxury, taste, and desire for money in this seaport city had spread to everyone.
Rhaegar knew why Jon Arryn was dissatisfied with the atmosphere of Seagull Town: the trend of money worship was led by merchants, not by Lords and Knights. Money was a great beast, challenging the old order of The Vale.
House Arryn of Seagull Town was the first to embrace the new era.
There were too many guests at the feast; the hall was overflowing with the Lords of Seagull Town, Rhaegar and his retinue, Duke Jon and his guards, a contingent of priests, and other minor Lords. There was absolutely no room in the great hall, and many wealthy merchants were crowded into the courtyard to eat.
Except for four or five leading merchants, most wealthy merchants could not squeeze into the great hall, but the honor and glory of dining with a Duke and a Prince made them feel immensely satisfied and tireless.
Although merchants were rich, their status was far inferior to that of nobles; even impoverished nobles might be seated in the great hall, while the merchants, despite their wealth, had to sit on the long benches in the hall.
Count Graveson had prepared delicious food in the banquet hall.
The Vale pumpkins, barley, and wheat were all of excellent quality, and the fruits were sweeter.
Singers and jugglers began to perform, adding excitement to the banquet.
Prince Rhaegar and Duke Arryn sat at the head table, followed by the three major Lords of Seagull Town, the Priest Representatives, and Rhaegar's party: Ser Barristan the Bold, Brynden Tully, and Cesar, the Braavos Swordsman. This table was the core of the banquet, holding the closest and most noble guests.
Rhaegar saw the abundance of goods, dazzling the eye.
Delicious sea fish, premium roasted chicken, sweet corn, peas, pumpkin cake, Rose Cake, dried apricots, and Bison Steak filled the view.
The celebration began, with wine glasses, laughter, music, and dancing shattering the silence.
Of course, the most tedious part was definitely the Toasting Segment.
Duke Jon spoke first, followed by Prince Rhaegar, and then other representatives.
After Count Graveson's closing remarks, the banquet became a free-flowing feast.
Guests wandered back and forth, pouring drinks like schools of fish.
Because there were too many people coming to greet and celebrate, Rhaegar did not drink alcohol, but he had his fill of apple juice.
Nobles, wealthy merchants, and knights took turns celebrating the arrival of Prince Rhaegar and Duke Jon. They wished good health to Lady Luwena and the heir Rennal, who were far away in King's Landing, wished well-being to the King and Queen and the Crown Prince and Princess in King's Landing, and also blessed Crown Prince Aerys and his wife for having two new princes, ensuring the long prosperity of the Dragon Family Bloodline.
The wealthy merchants' target was Prince Rhaegar; Duke Jon was as proud as an unmoving rock, and like his poor relatives, he always held a mediocre attitude toward merchants. The influence of Seagull Town also could not penetrate The Eyrie. However, Prince Rhaegar was very possible to befriend. Crown Prince Aerys had once indulged in women and balls, and Prince Rhaegar might also come to love these things.
According to the Rules of Primogeniture, even if Rhaegar and his younger brothers were born close together, their statuses were vastly different. Younger sons were destined to become the shadows of their elder brothers, material consumed by the family. The elder brother's voice carried far more weight than the younger brothers'.
Rhaegar replied to each of them with a warm smile.
Since they had traveled far, Rhaegar also wanted to win over this faction, the Seagull Town Merchant Group. The young women were captivated by his smile; the Prince, with his silver hair, handsome features, and tall stature, was truly an ideal lover, but they also understood the vast difference in status. For a wealthy merchant's daughter, marrying a widower noble was already a stroke of luck, let alone a Crown Prince.
Rhaegar felt that the merchants of Seagull Town were giving too much. Besides spices, incense, precious crafts, and beautiful clothes, many merchants also presented Rhaegar with gifts of gold, often inscribed with the name and industry of the donating merchant.
As the wine flowed and the atmosphere warmed, someone finally dared to challenge the established order. A bold merchant spoke to Rhaegar.
"I wonder if the Prince needs a clever young attendant? I have a son who is quick-witted, intelligent, highly skilled in martial arts, and proficient with the spear. If the Prince does not mind, I am willing to send my son to serve as a retainer and servant by Prince Rhaegar's side."
Rhaegar glanced at the blushing merchant; there truly were brave souls.
The merchants of Seagull Town truly longed to advance their status.
The merchants had corrupted Seagull Town high and low, but currently lacked the power to infiltrate The Eyrie. Seeing that Prince Rhaegar did not discriminate against them, they shifted their focus.
"Nonsense! Your son is clumsy and reckless; his head is as solid as your marble. If you ask me, my daughter is clever and perfectly suited to be the Prince's maidservant."
"If the Prince does not mind, I have a daughter..."
"I have a son too!" A crowd of people shouted, vying for attention. Merchants prioritize profit, and even if Duke Jon was displeased, they were willing to take the risk. Later, many impoverished nobles also prepared to offer their services.
"Enough, enough! Is the Prince's side a circus? Is everyone trying to shove themselves in?" Duke Jon looked displeased and stopped the crowd, who were chirping like sparrows.
Few of the great Lords respected merchants, viewing them merely as commoners with a bit of wealth. Duke Jon even believed these merchants were insulting the Prince.
"Gentlemen, I appreciate your kindness. I do not lack attendants, but since our party traveled hastily from King's Landing, we truly do not have many people with us."
"Why don't we send our children to be the Prince's Guards!" A clever merchant had already considered another approach. Formal attendants to the Crown Prince were positions reserved for the children of great nobles, and close companions were completely out of the question. But even serving as the Prince's Guard or retainer would be an excellent opportunity.
Crown Prince Aerys's close friends, Tywin and Steffon, were both sons of great Lords. Even King Aegon V, if it hadn't been for his extremely low place in the line of succession back then, would never have been associated with Duncan the Tall.
Duke Jon glanced at Prince Rhaegar. The Prince truly needed men, but guards and retainers should not be chosen from merchant families; wouldn't nobles be better?
Duke Jon looked at these sycophants and sneered, "You think serving the Prince is about flattery? Prince Rhaegar is a true warrior. The battlefield changes in an instant; he doesn't need too many flatterers."
Duke Jon thought to himself, the retainers of a warrior are bound to fight alongside him.
The wealthy merchants exchanged glances. They had originally intended to cling to a high branch. Although Prince Rhaegar was tall and imposing, he was still young. They thought being a guard meant merely pomp and circumstance. Did they really need to wield swords and spears? Was Duke Jon trying to scare them?
Rhaegar smiled without speaking. His smile was warm like a spring breeze, not resembling a brutal warrior.
Duke Jon Arryn continued, "I know you don't believe it, but Prince Rhaegar has consecutively defeated six of my guards on the ship. The Prince needs capable warriors, not useless drunkards. The guards should be true steel, not rotten mud."
All the guests were astonished. If anyone else had said this, it would likely have been flattery.
But these were the words of Duke Jon. The Duke's word was worth a thousand pieces of gold; a man like the Honorable Falcon would naturally not lie. The Duke hadn't even touched a Wild Woman. Everyone looked at Prince Rhaegar with added reverence.
House Targaryen was a legendary warrior family, and the blood of The Conqueror flowed in Prince Rhaegar's veins.
Rhaegar couldn't help but sigh, Duke Jon was truly an honest and trustworthy man.
Seeing these merchants trying to attach themselves to him, he hadn't pressured them too much, but instead warned them of the dangers and difficulties. After all, he might look down on them, but he wasn't stopping them from trying to advance.
Upon hearing the warnings from Prince Rhaegar and Duke Jon, the merchants reconsidered: wealth is found in risk. What if they sacrificed one son? This concerned the elevation of the family's social status, so taking a chance was worthwhile, especially since Prince Rhaegar was heavily guarded, meaning the safety risk wouldn't be too low.
"I volunteer!"
"I sign up my son!"
"I volunteer too!"
"I am honored by your enthusiasm. But the battlefield is unforgiving; you must consider this carefully." Rhaegar waved his hand, facing the crowd.
"Today's guard is tomorrow's comrade-in-arms. When choosing guards, I will not accept those who indulge in heavy drinking, whoring, or gambling, nor those who bully the common people or are unskilled in fighting. Any violation will result in expulsion from the ranks," Rhaegar declared loudly.
In the Medieval Era, soldiers and bandits were often indistinguishable, but a monarch ruling over the realm alone must not cultivate a group of arrogant and unruly generals. Rhaegar did not want his moral outlook to truly align with that of a medieval noble.
What a benevolent Prince, Duke Jon thought.
While a monarch certainly needs iron and blood, they should also care for the common people.
The wealthy men and gentlemen did not back down. A good opportunity was right here, and their enthusiasm could not be extinguished.
Duke Jon thought that prevention was worse than cure. Since the Prince's Guard was about to take shape, he pushed Ser Jeyne Arryn onto Rhaegar. Joffrey was immediately overjoyed. The glittering world of King's Landing was far better than The Eyrie.
In the end, many Vale Knights and Bishops also began lobbying Duke Jon, as everyone had relatives or friends, and they wanted to seize this extra opportunity to advance by placing them with Rhaegar.
Rhaegar instructed Cesar, Barristan, and Ser Brynden to screen the applicants, but seeing the large number of candidates, he still had a headache.