Chapter 20: A Hightower Knight

The Second Son of the High Tower

Tenth Moon, 90 AC

As a boy, Otto had once climbed to the top of the High Tower with his older brother Hobert. There the great beacon of the tower was set and they had watched enthralled as the wardens had fed more wood to feed the fire.

Soon enough, Otto's attention had turned to the majestic view around him. The Hightower was the tallest structure left in the Known World after the fall of Old Valyria's topless towers, taller even than the seven hundred-foot Wall at the other end of Westeros, a thousand leagues away.

All around and beneath him, Otto had beheld Oldtown stretching out beyond the Battle Isle. Beautiful and sweet, unlike the stench of King's Landing, Oldtown smelled like flowers. Like the foliage of melons, moonbloom, nightshade, peaches, and pomegranate that dotted near every corner of the city. White cobbled stone streets paved through a labyrinth of wynds, crisscrossing alleys, narrow crookback streets, bridges, and markets. And around it all, high and thick stone walls that had protected the city for generations.

Otto was twenty and two now, standing exactly where he had as a boy. The view remained as stunning as it had then but where he had once been a mere boy gazing in wonder, now Otto was a man who looked upon Oldtown in pride. Gifted in the art of governance, finance, and administration, Otto had served as his brother's lieutenant and steward for many years now and under his guidance, Oldtown had bloomed.

Long had Oldtown been the wealthiest, most prosperous, and beautiful city in Westeros, nay the whole world. And Otto and his brother had refused to let it be surpassed by the Velaryons and their Spicetown. As young men they had dedicated themselves to their studies, learning every skill and craft they had thought necessary to help them ensure Oldtown would continue to grow, that it would continue to light the way of progress and civilization in Westeros.

They had studied upriver, at the Citadel, still the greatest seat of knowledge in the Known World no matter what Driftmark claimed. There they had studies mathematics, economics, history, politics, and philosophy.

Once the Citadel had been the only place men might have gone in Westeros to learn such great knowledge in detail, but no longer. The creation of the printing press had changed everything, spreading knowledge to every corner of the realm. Books, once the painstaking work of months, if not years to write and transcribe, could now be mass-produced and printed in hours.

The Velaryons had founded a great centre of learning they had called a 'university' to challenge the Citadel, but they had not been the last. The Lannisters had followed suit and soon universities had spread across the realm like wildfire.

Halfmaesters and other non-vocational students were common in the Citadel now, for few wished to take the stringent vows of the Order of Maesters. Those dedicated and sworn Maesters still served the realm's castles as they had for millennia but their vocations had grown thin and fewer lords called upon the Citadel for a Maester with every passing year. Why would they? When they could call upon learned men and scholars from the universities closer to home?

Even the very title of Maester had been stolen. Centuries of habit were not so easily undone and impostor or not, these scholars were called maester no matter that they did not hail from Oldtown or had studied in Peremore's Citadel. In this day and age, it was no longer necessary to have studied at the Citadel to be called a maester it seemed.

Yet let it not be said that Oldtown's Citadel would let itself fade into irrelevance, nor would the Maesters let this affront to their order go unanswered. These universities might have spread like weeds across the realm, but they were like young saplings measured against an aged and enormous oak. The Citadel remained the oldest, greatest, and proudest seat of knowledge in Westeros.

They had adapted, like they had when the Andals had come, when Oldtown had knelt to House Gardener. If halfmaesters and students with no Maesterly vocation were now common, so be it, the Citadel would teach them nonetheless, building a great educated class to continue Oldtown's growth in prosperity. And where these pretender universities and their false maesters worked upon new and shaky ground, the Citadel stood on a pillar of stability, pulling on centuries of tradition and lore as it greatly expanded and reformed its curriculum and teaching to include new knowledge and teach many more students.

Radical ideas such as accepting women as students or loosening the stringent Maester vows were even being considered, not that Otto approved or desired of that. If they surrendered all of their tradition, they would be no better than those they decried.

It was not radicalism or wild and untested innovation that would lead Oldtown and the Citadel in the future, but rather the repurposing of old traditions and knowledge expanded and enriched with new and methodical experimentation and discovery.

Despite his annoyance with House Velaryon's university, Otto would begrudgingly admit that Driftmark was as advanced as the Citadel and Oldtown, likely even more so. Driftmark had raced forward, trailblazing a new wave of discovery and innovation and leaving Westeros in its wake. Yet testament to the Citadel's knowledge and skill, they had been the fastest to react and begin to catch up and House Hightower and Oldtown had benefited greatly.

Where once they had waited for the merchant ships of the Summer Islands and Free Cities to come to them, now Oldtown caravels and carracks sailed the Summer Sea, trading in ports from New Ghis to Tall Trees Town. Equipped with compasses and far-eyes and using advanced charts and cartography.

Oldtown was not alone. Redwyne, Lannister, and others along the western coast had advanced as well, banding together in an alliance borne out of mutual interests and benefit. The boundaries of science were being pushed, new technologies were created, the arts flourished, and the lucrative trade routes thrived. A new era was dawning on Westeros.

House Velaryon might have started all of this, and still they remained ahead, but Otto believed that their fall might soon be imminent. All of Westeros had heard of how House Velaryon had angered the King with their brazen conquest of a Free City. The Stepstones had been revoked, their trade tariffed, and taxes on Driftmark raised. King Jaehaerys was intent on bringing the Velaryons to their knees and all of Westeros would feel the effect of his economic actions soon enough. Even Oldtown might suffer from it temporarily.

And yet, when one house fell, there would always be rivals to take its place. In the absence of the Velaryons, there was much that the western alliance, and most importantly his house, could do to fill the gap. Power, prestige, and wealth of heights once thought unimaginable now awaited them if they knew how to reach out and grasp them.

Perhaps, there might even be a chance for Otto to make something for himself and his own children for once, he thought, thinking of his young children, Oscar and Alicent. Both of them were little more than babes at the moment, toddling after him whenever he visited them. Their births had made Otto dream for more than just being his brother's steward.

He was still loyal to his brother and house, still devoted to Oldtown, but he had his own dreams and aspirations, a desire to make his own mark and legacy upon the world. It was why he had always admired the Sea Snake in some way, despite their family's rivalry. Corlys Velaryon had not been content to merely inherit and maintain his family's legacy, he had forged one of his own and made House Velaryon one of the greatest houses in the realm.

Otto had thought to do the same. But where Corlys was the firstborn son, Otto was the second and he feared that all his accomplishments and deeds would be forgotten. Would he forever be in the shadow?

"The view remains as beautiful as I remember." A voice cut through Otto's thoughts.

Otto turned around to find the owner of the voice. "Hobert."

"Otto." He stepped forward to stand beside him, looking out at the city they had ruled together for years since their father's untimely death.

Otto idly wondered what his brother would think if he ever revealed to him his own ambitions. His brother and he were reasonably close, as brothers should be, but the younger brother was to serve and obey the older, that was the way of things. His eyes glanced over briefly to the Starry Sept downriver. It was what their faith taught.

It would not do to make his brother think he was overly ambitious and grasping. Many a second son had found themselves sent to the Wall for scheming against their lord brothers. Otto had long ago decided to keep his own aspirations to himself and remain the dutiful younger brother.

"A raven has arrived from King's Landing," Hobert said suddenly, his eyes still fixed on the city below. Behind them, the crackle of the burning firewood thrummed in the air.

"As expected," Otto replied eagerly. "The King has seen our worth now that House Velaryon has proven itself grasping. He turns to us now."

"Not us alone," Hobert revealed. "My goodfather has written that he has received a similar letter and has asked for our parties to travel to the capital together. Lannister has not spoken of it, but I have heard that he too has been summoned to the capital, as have been dozens of other great lords throughout the realm."

Otto raised his eyebrows. "Is that so? Interesting."

"I am not that surprised in truth. This trade embargo of the King's has placed a great burden on many folk and the lords wish for something to be done about it. The Velaryons must be punished yes, but the rest of the realm should not suffer for it."

"I imagine the Stepstones will also be a matter of import," Otto mused. Within days of the King's revocation of the Stepstones Governorship from Corlys Velaryon, the entire Velaryon fleet and all its marines and officials stationed in the Stepstones had immediately abandoned them and departed for Bloodstone or had gone to reinforce their lord in Tyrosh.

The Velaryons' sudden withdrawal from the Stepstones had left them undefended and unoccupied. They had since fallen back into the hands of pirates, many of whom were newly exiled sailors fresh from the fall of the Triarchy and eager to prey on the trade lanes. Rumours were abound that Dorne was giving them aid, though Otto wondered at that, given how the Fourth Dornish War had broken Dorne's fleet and emptied its treasury.

"Our meeting with the king will be in two months' time. I have already overseen the preparations. We leave in a fortnight," Hobert said.

"I understand," Otto replied. "Worry not brother, I will hold Oldtown in your name until you return, as usual." He had ruled on his brother's behalf the last time Hobert had gone to the capital, for the wedding of Lord Corlys Velaryon to Princess Viserra. Oh how things had changed since then.

"You misunderstand me Otto," his brother shook his head. "You will be coming to King's Landing as well."

Otto blinked his eyes. This was unexpected. "I beg your pardon?"

"The King has asked for you, by name. I trust you can see to your own preparations?"

"Of course. I will be ready," he answered, bowing his head to hide his smile.

Perhaps the chance had come at last for Otto Hightower to prove his worth and make his own legacy in the world. He wondered what the King wanted him for. Given the circumstances, it could surely only mean good things right?

___________________________________________

Twelfth Moon, 90 AC

The ride to King's Landing had taken a month. Even using the Rose Road, which was well built with gravel and being upgraded with concrete, the distances were simply too great to travel any faster with carts and horses. Perhaps in the future that might change. Some new invention or device could allow them to travel faster on land, but Otto could not see that happening anytime soon, not even with the new era of innovation that the continent was entering.

The night they had arrived, they had been feasted in the Great Hall of the Red Keep by the King and his family along with many other lords who had already arrived in the capital. Lord Tymond Lannister and Lord Boremund Baratheon chief among them, but Otto had noted many other banners and sigils. Darklyn, Swann, Estermont, Connington, Farman, Reyne, Darry, Mallister, and Blackwood among them.

The King it seemed, had invited many of the great houses of the realm to the capital, and Otto had a feeling he knew why. It was to remind them of where their loyalties lay, ensure they supported the Iron Throne in this censure of the Velaryons, and coordinated their response to any unfortunate consequences that might result from said censure.

It was exceedingly cunning and wise. Otto was deeply impressed. King Jaehaerys lived up to his reputation.

He of course did understand what many did not, that the King, no matter his reputation and legend, was still a man, flawed and imperfect and he made mistakes, his handling of the Velaryons was testament of that. Of course Otto would never say that out loud and certainly could not complain given how it benefitted his house. What did impress Otto however, was that even in his mistakes, King Jaehaerys acted with surety and confidence and moved swiftly to minimize any negative consequences. It was a mindfulness and skill many lacked.

The day after the feast, Otto and his brother were summoned to a private meeting with the King. Despite himself, Otto was tense, his nerves frayed. It was not every day that one was called before their king. He feared speaking out of turn, embarrassing himself and his house, ruining everything they had hoped for. His mind had run wild with imagined scenarios and nightmares before he steeled himself. He was a son of the High Tower. He would not fail here, nor would he succumb to his own fears before even entering the room.

As they reached the King's solar, the Kingsguard nodded to them. There were two stationed beside the door, and Otto recognized the one standing on the left. Ser Ryam Redwyne, the youngest brother of Lord Robert, his brother's goodfather. The Kingsguard put aside their old familial allegiances when they swore their vows and donned the white cloak, but blood and kinship was not so easily ignored. It calmed Otto somewhat, to be reminded that a man he could call kinsman and ally stood guard outside the door as the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.

Entering the solar, Otto and his brother bowed immediately to the King in deference, as well as to the Prince of Dragonstone who was seated at his father's right.

"Your Grace, Prince Aemon," they greeted.

"Raise your heads my lords. Please, be seated," the King said, gesturing to the two chairs in front of his desk.

Obeying, Otto took a seat and idly noted that his brother had followed suit and sat in the chair to his right so that he could be directly opposite the King. He could not help but let his eyes roam the chamber, observing the bookcases and documents all around, neatly organized and categorized meticulously. Otto expected no less of a man like Jaehaerys.

Behind the King's seat hung three tapestries, in the middle a great and finely adorned Targaryen banner, the three-headed red dragon on black, and to the left and right were what appeared to be family portraits. Recognizing the King and many of his family that he had met in the portrait on the right, Otto assumed that it must have been made somewhat recently, for it featured the King and Queen and all of their nine children. As far as he recalled, the last time all of them had been in the capital together was at Princess Daella's wedding ten years ago, and the portrait suggested much the same, with many of the royal children looking much younger than they did today.

Yet the portrait to the left… Otto could not place that at first. He had first thought it to be a portrait made much earlier in the King's reign, when they had had less children, but when he looked closer, he found that the Queen in that portrait was dressed in Velaryon sea-green and while there was a clear familial resemblance, she was very obviously not the same Queen Alysanne Otto had met yesterday. Which meant that the quiet unassuming third son Otto had assumed to be Prince Vaegon was none other than the King himself as a boy.

Otto struggled to connect the quiet boy in the left tapestry to the surety and power of the man of he had become. There was an air about the King, of nobleness and wisdom, and yet also of power and might, and of the wrath that would fall upon you if you crossed him. His very presence commanded the room and demanded you pay him heed.

Jaehaerys had once been a younger son like Otto himself, the spare of a spare, overlooked for his older brothers. In a world where they had lived, would Jaehaerys still have grown into the presence and aura he commanded today? Would his name still be known, even as a mere third son? Or would he have been relegated to obscurity and irrelevance, a footnote in history?

Otto felt a strange kinship with the boy in the tapestry, and wondered if he might ever make a name and legacy for himself that could even be mentioned in the same breath as what that boy would go on to accomplish.

That same boy sat in front of him now, a man grown, a boy no more. And he had mastered all that Otto desired to master. Had forged a legacy that would be forever remembered. No matter what mistakes he may make now, King Jaehaerys's legend and legacy would never die.

And he could see why. Effortlessly, the King made small talk, inquiring after his family and of Oldtown, giving praise and flattery that even Otto was not immune to. And his brother Hobert danced to his tune, allowing the King to dominate the conversation and lead it to wherever he wished it to go.

It was irksome just how easily the King seemed to do it and Otto marveled at it. Still though, too much small talk was tiresome, and Otto attempted to steer the conversation over to a matter his house and their alliance had hoped to bring up to the King. Having noticed that the King was slowly leading the conversation over to the matter of trade and commerce, Otto saw his chance.

"If I may Your Grace, my brother and I, along with a number of houses in the south and west, have considered a means by which the economic and financial struggles currently facing the realm might be mitigated."

Prince Aemon raised his eyebrows but the King was intrigued. "Oh? Do go on Ser."

"Of course Your Grace," Otto said, his eyes flitting to his brother briefly before continuing.

"For centuries now, there has been much trade between Oldtown and the peoples of the Summer Sea. The Summer Islanders especially have long sailed to Oldtown's port and traded there, using it as an intermediary for trade with the Westerlands, bargaining for the metals they lack with goods from their homeland in return. The Summer Islands are rich in spices such as nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper, and they have an abundance of gemstones and pearls, and also sweet wines, and exotic fruits and animals that are highly valued in the Seven Kingdoms. They also have many valuable hardwoods, including the famed goldenheart. Though they are loath to export that, they might be convinced should our offers be good enough.

"Until recent years, we have always lacked the ability to sail to the Summer Islands and had had to wait for their swan ships to come to us. But now with our carracks and other advances in navigation and mapmaking, House Hightower and our associates in the western and southern coasts have begun to think the time is ripe to expand our trade with the Summer Islands, especially in light of the recent events in Essos and Tyrosh having led to a… deprivation of Essosi luxury goods in the realm, causing many mercantile enterprises to fail and many lords to grumble."

"And your house seeks to supplement this cut off supply with goods from the Summer Sea?" the King asked, his expression and voice betraying nothing of what he truly thought.

"That is correct Your Grace."

"These… associates that you speak of. Would I be correct in assuming that they are Houses Lannister and Redwyne?"

"They are our chief partners in this venture yes," Otto admitted, careful to avoid the word 'ally.' While it was an open secret, Otto saw no reason to explicitly confirm to the King the existence of the alliance they were building. Kings rarely liked such alliances, even if they made no moves against their throne.

"What then are you proposing?" Jaehaerys finally asked.

"We had hoped Your Grace, that the Iron Throne might be interested in joining this venture of ours. Currently we are in talks to form a 'South Sea company' of sorts, jointly owned by our three houses, that would integrate and expand our existing trade with the Summer Islands and also organize large expeditions to the archipelago to build trading posts and a working relationship with the local princes. We believe we could easily form a stable and lucrative trade route of our own in time, that would benefit not just Oldtown, the Arbor, and Lannisport, but the realm as a whole, bringing prosperity and profit to all. Any houses or merchants are welcome to join and contribute to this venture and receive a stake and a direct share in the profits of the trade routes, or a chance for their own holdings to be integrated into those routes should they wish it.

"In short, what you desire is for the Iron Throne to lend its name and patronage to this South Sea company, so that you may reduce any administrative complications surrounding your venture's formation and operation, and acquire greater deals with the Summer Islanders with the direct backing of the Iron Throne increasing your leverage and negotiating power. Is that correct Ser?"

Otto was taken aback briefly at how bluntly the King had spoken, but he recovered in stride. "Yes, Your Grace. I must fully admit that our houses stand to prosper greatly from this venture should it succeed, but my brother and I and our associates are of the belief that this prosperity need not be limited to us alone, but could be shared with the realm as a whole. The Iron Throne's support would help enable this and the Iron Throne would itself stand to benefit greatly, from the tax revenues and from its potential share in the profits from its stake in the venture."

The King's face might as well have been carved from stone. Otto could not read the man at all. He had not an inkling what he thought, only knowing from his eyes that he seemed to be calculating.

Finally, he spoke. "I cannot promise anything yet until I have more details Ser Otto, but know that you have my tentative interest for now. Lord Lannister and Lord Redwyne are also in the capital, and I imagine there will be opportunity for us all to speak on this in more detail over the coming days."

"Of course Your Grace, my brother and I and will await your summons eagerly," Hobert interjected, briefly eyeing his brother before turning back to the King. "Beg your pardon Your Grace, but did you have a particular reason of your own to summon my brother and I? As pleasant and thought-provoking as our conversation has been, I cannot help but feel there is something that you yourself wish to propose, as my brother has."

Oh brother, perhaps I thought too little of you.

Raising an eyebrow, the King said. "Very well then. Let us speak plainly my lords, this deprivation of Essosi luxury goods you speak of, the hardships that have fallen upon the realm, they are indirectly of my making, you need not pretend they are not for politeness's sake."

"Your Grace!" Hobert protested. "We-we would never think to question your wisdom on the realm's finances or commerce! You have led us wisely for many decades now and have seen the realm prosper! I have the utmost faith in your ability to see us through the storm!"

The King chuckled. "You flatter me my lord. You have my gratitude for your continued trust in me. However, I must confess my own part in the realm's troubles. It was not my intent of course, but sometimes when one is presented with two evils, they have no choice but to choose the lesser of the two.

"House Velaryon overstepped its boundaries, reached beyond its status, aspired for what they could not. They have been punished, and will continue to be punished until they repent. I am not however blind to the suffering that this has begun to cause throughout the realm, nor of the problems it has left in the Stepstones."

With a nod from his father, Prince Aemon unrolled a map of the Stepstones on the table. Otto peered down upon the map to see that it had been oriented to favor him and his brother. He confessed himself slightly surprised that Grey Gallows had not been renamed but he supposed it was too well known to be so easily replaced. All the other islands however…

"The names are different than what I remember," he observed plainly.

"Yes well, I found that Torturer's Deep and the Skulls made for rather… poor names," the King said dryly.

There was a pause for a moment at that before Prince Aemon snorted and all of them began laughing heartily at the King's jape. Even the King smiled cheerily.

"Many of these are old and long forgotten names for the islands from Dornish or Stormlander sources. And some of the more commonly known names were kept," Prince Aemon explained.

His face turning serious again, the King continued. "My lords, the venture you proposed to me, the South Sea Company. It is intriguing I must confess and I assure I will give it the strongest consideration. It is my hope you will in turn consider my own joint venture. As you have no doubt heard, as part of their punishment for their stunt in Tyrosh, I revoked the Governorship of the Stepstones from House Velaryon. Now I seek to give the Stepstones to more loyal and trustworthy houses."

That got Otto's interest, as he leaned in and paid rapt attention to the King.

"Unfortunately, the Velaryons proved themselves even more unreliable when they immediately abandoned the Stepstones following that revocation. They have since fallen back into the hands of pirates and a new campaign will be needed to drive them out once and for all."

Before the King could continue, Hobert interjected. "My king, House Hightower will be honored to serve the Crown. The beacon of the Hightower will burn green once more. Our fleets will join the royal fleet for this campaign."

"I thank you for your support my lord. Yet I do not ask this of your house and think of giving nothing in return. That is neither just nor fair."

Prince Aemon placed two rolls of parchment on the table before them. The King took one into his hand and spoke. "This here is a royal decree, that once I affix my seal to it and announce it in court, will formally name Ser Otto Hightower as the Lord of Highwatch and all of the islands' territorial lands and waters, as well as any smaller islands within those waters, including Felstrong and Tor."

Otto froze. He had not in his wildest dreams, expected that the King would be offering him a lordship. He felt his heart pound, and his excitement growing.

Pointing to the other roll of parchment on the desk, the King spoke again. "This on the other hand, is a contract containing the terms of the granting of this lordship. It must be signed by all parties in this room for this decree to be given my assent and seal."

Before his brother could even unroll the contract, Otto had snatched it from the table and begun unrolling it, reading every line carefully. Prince Aemon was nothing if not meticulous, every detail was set out in clear and concise terms. Those terms were as such:

He, Otto, would become the Lord of Highwatch and all its attendant lands, and swear directly to the Iron Throne. This fief was defined to include the island of Highwatch itself, the smaller islands of Felstrong and Tor and their territorial waters and any smaller islets within them. These territorial waters were described as all the waters between the three main islands of the fief and several miles from their coast in all other directions, especially in the east.

That was much more than he expected. He idly wondered if some of that claim would overlap with the Velaryons and their claimed Tyroshi corridor and if the King had intentionally created a dispute there but he brushed off the thought. Surely the King had other reasons? Otto could see one already. The territorial waters had to be extended as far as possible so as to increase the area in which their ships were legally allowed to patrol and demand tolls, lest ships skirt around their waters to evade the toll.

Speaking of tolls. Otto, in his capacity as Lord of Highwatch, would have the authority to set the tolls for passage through his territorial waters at any rate he wished within the range set by the Iron Throne and its appointed Governor of the Stepstones. However, a third of his toll revenues was to be sent to the Governor and from there to King's Landing.

The Crown would provide military support to the re-conquest and stabilization of the fief, after which it would provide charters for ports to help develop the fief's economy and would expect the usual taxes and customs from the fief and its port. Apart from this and a short-term waiver on taxes and its percentage of the tolls until the fief was declared sufficiently developed, the Crown would not directly provide any funding, though its military support and protection remained guaranteed. Furthermore, it was expected that the Royal Fleet would be allowed permanent basing rights and moorage free of charge, and Otto himself was expected to raise and maintain at least twenty ships to contribute to the Combined Fleet that would patrol and defend the Stepstones. He otherwise could do with his demesne as he pleased, with the typical rights and privilege of a lord.

House Hightower of Oldtown on the other hand, would by signing the contract, be obligated to contribute to the campaign to reconquer the Stepstones, and after which it would help develop the fief of Highwatch and station at least twenty ships from its fleet there to join the Combined Fleet, for a period of fifteen years from the contract's signing. They would in exchange be reimbursed for their services with a flat fifty percent of the fief's final income after the Crown's taxes for that same period. They would also have, in perpetuity, permanent preferential treatment and other similar trade privileges and concessions for their merchant marine and Oldtown enterprises as well as safe harbor and passage for their warships whenever they passed through the area. The contract also stipulated that the two branches of House Hightower may renegotiate between themselves their own terms so long as it did not hinder or obstruct the Crown's dues from this contract.

Otto was quite pleased. Though it was a shame to surrender a third of his toll revenues, he knew that if he developed his fief well, the tolls would be but a fraction of his income, even when including the usual taxes. The Stepstones sat on the greatest trade route in the world and there was much money to be made even without tolls. He had read and reread the contract several times, finding no loophole or hidden double meaning that would be problematic for him. Satisfied, he signed the contract before his brother had even read the contract, writing his signature below the signature and seal of the King. The chance to make his own legacy had fallen into his lap, and Otto would not let it pass him by.

Hobert took the contract then, and read through it himself. Otto sat in his seat, waiting eagerly. For a moment a thought occurred to him. Could his brother not sign it? It would be an insult to the King and the end of Otto's dream, surely his brother could not be so cruel? The minutes felt like eternity as Hobert read the contract through to his own satisfaction before he inked the pen and signed it himself.

Suppressing a sigh of relief, Otto turned to the King who had a pleased expression on his face. "Excellent. The formal ceremony where you swear your oaths of fealty and I present you the Stepstones can be held in court later this week. For now, though, let me offer you my personal congratulations," he said, offering his hand.

Otto grinned and shook the King's hand eagerly. "Thank you Your Grace, truly. I will not let you down."

The King smiled. "No. I don't think you will. I plan to discuss any further details regarding the Stepstones, the South Sea Company, and the general financial policies we will be considering for the realm, over the coming days with all the lords that have come to capital. I hope that you will sit in and contribute to these discussions. As the former steward of Oldtown and now Lord of Highwatch, your counsel and opinion will be exceedingly important."

"Of course Your Grace." Otto nodded his head.

"And perhaps, you will also be contributing to those discussions with yet another qualification."

At Otto's confused look, the King laughed good-heartedly before Prince Aemon drew forth another contract and set it on the table.

"This contract my lord, requires only your signature alone to be fulfilled," the King explained, as Otto looked at this second contract and read over the contract carefully. He was shocked at its contents. Its first line read as:

Lord Otto Hightower of Highwatch hereby accepts the privilege, office, rank, and responsibilities of the Governor of the Stepstones.

The contract listed out the various obligations, conditions, and responsibilities of the position, stressing that it was a non-hereditary office and he served at the pleasure of the king. He had the duty and power to protect and defend the islands, arbitrate disputes between their lords, set the toll ranges for the Stepstones fiefs, and so on.

His eyes widened when he saw that as Governor, he would be entitled to keep all his toll revenues from his personal fief, instead of paying the third due to the Crown. Furthermore, he would be entitled to thirty percent of the toll revenue paid by the other islands to the Crown, which he as governor would have the responsibility to collect and send on to King's Landing.

However, with this extra money, he was also expected to contribute at least sixty ships to the combined fleet that defended the Stepstones, though he had a grace period of twenty-five years to develop his personal fief and the Stepstones as a whole before that number of ships was expected from him.

"Your Grace?" he asked, still in disbelief.

"I must confess Ser Otto. I have thought long and hard on who I desired to serve as my governor in the Stepstones. For many years now, I have heard nothing but praise for you and your talents in managing Oldtown and making it prosper. If you could bring even a portion of that talent with you to the Stepstones, I think you would make a fine governor."

"This… you humble me with your praise and generosity Your Grace. I graciously accept," Otto said as he signed his first ever contract as Lord Otto Hightower, Lord of Highwatch.

"Wonderful. I believe this momentous occasion calls for a toast!" the King announced. His son pulled a bottle of Arbor Gold from the cabinet and poured four cups for them and they all stood up, cups in hand.

"To House Hightower, both of Oldtown and Highwatch!" the King toasted.

"To His Grace and Prince Aemon, may they live a long and healthy life, ruling Westeros in their wisdom and majesty!" his brother followed suit.

"To Lord Otto, Lord of Highwatch and Governor of the Stepstones. May he have wisdom, temperance, and fortitude, for the responsibilities he has accepted," Prince Aemon said, nodding to Otto.

The three men were staring at Otto now. His mind raced thinking of a toast before he decided on one he felt fitting. "To new beginnings and new friends. May we all work together to leave a legacy behind for the next generation, that they may live well and prosper, and forever remember us!"

At that the four men cheered and drank their wine. The Arbor Gold was sweet, but not as sweet as the knowledge that at long last, Otto had a path to his ambition. A legacy for himself.

_______________________________________________________

Otto and his brother had dinner that night with the Redwynes. His brother Hobert and Lord Robert Redwyne sat at the ends of the table. Otto sat on his brother's right and to his left was his lovely wife Elinor. Opposite him was his goodsister, Lady Rylla and beside her was her uncle Ser Rickard who sat at Lord Robert's own right. Besides his wife Elinor and to the left of her husband was the Lady of the Arbor, Lord Robert's wife, the Lady Jeyne.

Having invited the Redwynes to dine with them, Hobert stood up and spoke. "I would like to call a toast! Today has been auspicious indeed! Tonight we celebrate! We celebrate Lord Robert's appointment as the Master of Ships. We celebrate Ser Rickard's appointment as the Lord of Redwater and Larazor's Rock! And we celebrate my brother Otto's appointment as the Lord of Highwatch and Governor of the Stepstones! To House Hightower and Redwyne! May we remain faithful and true to each other and continue to prosper together for evermore!"

Lord Robert cheered. "I'll drink to that! To our houses!"

There was a great cheer from the gathered Hightowers and Redwynes as they celebrated the elevation of their members.

Everyone seemed to be in good spirits, Otto noted. Lord Rickard and his wife and brother both looked pleased. Hobert seemed cautiously optimistic. Otto himself was feeling quite thrilled and excited, and his wife Elinor was as well ever since he had told her of his elevation immediately after his meeting with the King.

Only Lady Rylla did not have a smile on her face, her expression neutral. He found himself wondering if she was upset. Both of her families, by birth and marriage, were being honored greatly and finally gaining the upper hand over their rival. What was there to be upset about?

Otto put those thoughts away however, and soon found himself being drawn into conversation by the Lord of the Arbor. Lord Otto, he called him and oh did it feel good to be addressed as a lord, as an equal, for once.

"Lord Otto! I hear that you are to be the new Governor of the Stepstones! I must admit I am surprised. Your brother only mentioned your Lordship of Highwatch when we spoke earlier."

"Forgive me goodfather, I had thought it might be a pleasant surprise," his brother interjected.

"Oh there's nothing to forgive son. This is good news! With Otto here in Highwatch and as Governor, my brother over in Redwater, and myself as Master of Ships, things have been set up well for our houses to rule the Stepstones together. I'm counting on you Lord Otto, to keep this rascal brother of mine out of trouble," Lord Robert joked.

"Of course my lord," Otto grinned. "I am sure that when he's not getting himself into trouble, Lord Rickard will be a fine ally."

"You flatter me my lord," Lord Rickard said with a smile.

The conversation drifted off into small talk after that. Everyone inquired after each other, their health, how they were finding King's Landing, and so on. Otto himself, out of curiosity, asked Lords Robert and Rickard how it felt to be reunited with their brother Ser Ryam and their thoughts on his accomplishments. Much as he had expected, both were exceedingly proud of their younger brother, who was the Lord Commander and most famous member of King Jaehaerys's Kingsguard.

"So the King has shown an interest in the South Sea Company?" Lady Jeyne Redwyne asked.

"Indeed. He was most intrigued to hear of our proposal and has asked to discuss it further with all of us and Lannister over the coming days," his brother Hobert answered.

"I am sure he was," Lord Rickard said. "We all know of the difficulties being caused by the restriction of the Velaryon's trade. The South Sea Company would be an easy way for His Grace to help alleviate those difficulties."

"Perhaps it is fitting then that the King has asked me to increase the royal fleet from fifty to two hundred ships. At least a hundred of these are to be carracks, so that the Royal Fleet may easily sail the open sea," Lord Robert revealed.

"Forgive me for interrupting my lord, but is the King asking to hire the Redwyne Fleet to contribute these ships? As I recall that was what your lord father did during his own tenure as Master of Ships, and the Velaryons did the same before their disgrace. Can the Redwyne Fleet take such a loss? The Velaryons had always been able to run both fleets in tandem because Driftmark was in Blackwater Bay, but the Arbor is far away from the capital and would be left undefended if it lost that many ships," Otto asked, a little worried.

"Actually no. It seems the Velaryons' betrayal has unnerved the King. He has instructed that these ships are not to come from House Redwyne's personal fleet, but are to be built in the Crownlands and owe fealty only to the Iron Throne."

"That would be very expensive," Hobert noted. "Do you have any idea how the King intends to pay for that?"

"Not at all," Lord Robert answered. "Perhaps the revenues from the Crown's stakes in the South Sea Company, should he decide to sponsor it? I cannot say, but I have faith in His Grace. I served as the Commander of the Watch of this very city for sixteen years before I resigned to return to the Arbor. In that time, I had come to build an excellent relationship with the King. He trusts me, and I trust him. I believe he knows what he is doing."

Otto nodded. He could only hope to one day have such a strong relationship with the King.

"In any case," Lord Rickard began. "Fifty or two hundred, my brother's command over the royal fleet and his powers as the Master of Ships will be of great aid in our management of the Stepstones Lord Otto. With your own position as Governor and any support Oldtown and the Arbor can provide us, we can make Highwatch and Redwater the finest fiefs in the Stepstones, easily securing our control of the region and the trade routes wherein."

"Do we have any idea who the other lords in the islands are?" Otto inquired.

"I hear tell that Lannister is one of them. Lord Tymond was preening to anyone who would listen how he had gained the islands of Guardian and Golden Haven for his son Tyland," his wife Elinor said conspiratorially.

Otto was shocked that she knew that, they had only been in the capital for a day. Shock soon gave way to endearment and amusement however. Elinor was already picking up on the local gossip. How in character of her.

"Tyland? Aren't he and his twin brother but babes barely a year old?" Hobert asked, aghast.

"Presumably Lord Lannister will be appointing a regent to hold the fief until his son comes of age. It is no matter. Tis good news for us. If Lannister has chosen to give an infant their island in the Stepstones, it will reduce their ability to compete with us in the short term at least. With Lannister out of the picture, I do not see how anyone might challenge us for dominance in the region," Otto explained.

The Redwyne brothers nodded at that but Hobert remained unsure. "I have heard rumors of my own that the Baratheons may be given the Veiled Isle."

"Are you sure?" Otto asked, a little put off from his excitement now. "As far as I recall, Lord Boremund has no younger son to receive the island. His only son and heir Borros, is a lad of six."

The Veiled Isle, or 'Veil' as King Jaehaerys had shortened its name to, was the island closest to the Stormlands in the region. The Baratheons might not have any great fleet or experience with commerce, but they were the Lord Paramounts of the Stormlands, an entire kingdom separated from the Stepstones by only a rather narrow strait. They may not need the expertise or fleet when they could pour resources and influence into the Stepstones through Veil by their sheer proximity and size as a kingdom. Quantity had a quality of its own.

"Lord Boremund is also the King's own brother. He could easily ask for the island to be held in reserve for any younger son he or Borros might have in the future. And even if that were not the case, unlike Oldtown and the Arbor, which are unfortunately sworn to the Tyrells first, Lord Boremund swears only to the Iron Throne. There would be no contradictory fealties preventing him from holding the island outright."

Otto sank back into his seat. His brother's logic was sound. And somehow Otto knew in his heart that the rumour was true. A man of Jaehaerys's caliber would not give over total control of the world's most important trade route to him so easily. Still, it was not an insurmountable obstacle, merely a challenge to overcome.

"The Velaryons may also pose a threat," Hobert continued.

Lord Robert spoke up at that. "Are you sure? They have incurred the wrath of the King. Already he is crushing them beneath his punishments, even to the extent of affecting the rest of the realm. And occupying Tyrosh is bleeding their gold reserves."

He could not help but agree with Lord Robert. From what whispers he had heard, the Velaryons had been having enormous difficulties overseeing the end of slavery in the city and its transition to their rule. Their occupation of Tyrosh was costing them immensely to maintain and with the flow of income from Driftmark restricted by Jaehaerys and Tyrosh's own trade and revenues in disarray from the transition of power and the end of slavery, the city was at present only making the Velaryons a serious loss at a time when their usual income was being cut off, dangerously endangering the Velaryon fortune. At least, that was the belief in Westeros and the hope of many who wished to see the Velaryons fall.

Otto was not inclined to disagree. There was little doubt in his mind of the chaos that must be consuming Tyrosh right now. It was no simple thing to storm into a city with your army, proclaim half a million slaves free, and expect the city's traditional power structure to go without a fight or for the city's commerce to survive the sudden change. The logistics involved in freeing hundreds of thousands of slaves were incredulous. Everything cost money. Money to feed and house the new freedmen, to transition businesses from unpaid to paid labor, to pay the soldiers and administrators, to seize and redistribute any lands and wealth to form a new power structure with the Velaryons at the head. Money the Velaryons may not have.

In fact, given the newfound popularity of the Faith, which was spreading like wildfire among the newly freed slaves, House Hightower had already convinced the Starry Sept to try and obtain jurisdiction and influence over the city. Progress was slow given Driftmark's own Sept of the Waves was also active in the city. They were but puppets of the Velaryons and loath to surrender the city to the Starry Sept's jurisdiction. Still, the Sept of the Waves was still technically beholden to the Starry Sept, and one could not so easily ignore the High Septon, Vicar of the Seven on earth.

Hobert shook his head. "The Velaryons are weakened but not destroyed. Let us not forget, they were called the richest house of the realm, greater even than us Hightowers or the Lannisters of the Rock. How much of that was hyperbole we cannot say, but we can know for a fact that House Velaryon's reserves run deep indeed. The King might choke all their trade with Westeros, he might even suffocate Driftmark, but with their rule of Tyrosh as an independent city, the Velaryons can simply ship their goods from Driftmark to Tyrosh and trade from there."

"But surely, their reserves cannot be maintained forever? It is not a simple thing to redirect all of their trade away from Westeros, formerly their primary trade partner and market. And the markets in Essos are more competitive by far and will take time for them to establish themselves enough to replace their trade with the realm. Might they not bleed dry before this?" Lord Rickard countered.

"The Velaryons successfully shifting eastward is reliant on them consolidating their control over Tyrosh I would say," Otto said, adding his own voice to the discussion. "If they stabilize the city, they will be able to rebuild its previously lucrative dye industry and potentially leverage its geographic position and its massive port to reap large incomes. This would be in addition to all of the trade Tyrosh would regain in time which would have Driftmark's own exports thrown behind it as well, giving it a place in the balance of trade in Essos."

Having the attention of everyone at the table, Otto continued. "Of course, this is not a guarantee. It is very possible that the Velaryons fail to secure and calm Tyrosh, and if they fail, there will come a time when they have no choice but to flee back to Driftmark with their tails between their legs and pray for the King's mercy."

"That is no doubt what the King hopes will happen," Hobert noted, "but am I not so sure. Corlys Velaryon may be an arrogant man with delusions of grandeur but he is also exceedingly capable and competent. If there is anyone I would believe capable of controlling and rebuilding the mess in Tyrosh into a prosperous city-state, it will be the Sea Snake. Regardless of their current difficulties, House Velaryon remains immensely rich, technologically advanced, and their trade with Essos continues and will likely only grow to replace what they have lost in Westeros. And we cannot forget that Corlys has a dragon. We underestimate him at our peril. Between Bloodstone and Tyrosh, he could trap the Stepstones in his pincer."

Otto saw the wisdom in his brother's words. It would be foolish to assume the Velaryons had been defeated. Corlys Velaryon was not the type of man who gave up. He would have to tread carefully in the Stepstones it seemed. A thought occurred to him then, quickly squashed, but lingering at the back of his mind. Highwatch and the Stepstones may not solely be the generous gift he had thought at first.

"I have no doubt that the King would surely protect us from that. He has six dragons and the Velaryons have but one of relevance. And it is not Corlys himself who has the dragon, but rather his wife. Princess Viserra is the King's own daughter, her loyalties are divided. Surely she will not wage war against her own kin?" Rickard questioned.

"Perhaps my lords, we should ask this question of someone who knew her better than any of us," Hobert said, nodding to his wife. Lady Rylla had remained quiet the entire evening, indulging only in small talk and staying out of the discussion on politics.

"An excellent proposal goodson," Lord Robert praised. "Well then daughter, any insights to give on Princess Viserra? You were her lady in waiting for many years after all. Who knows her better than you?"

Otto saw a flicker of hesitation in Rylla's eyes but it had soon disappeared as her face became impassive. She was thoughtful and methodical in her answer.

"Viserra… in all the time that I knew her, was above all things, a force of character. She was exceedingly clever, charismatic and charming, and yet often very petty, vain, and immature. By the time she was twelve she had all the squires of King's Landing wrapped around her finger and egged them on to do stupid things for her favor, taking pleasure in how they tripped over themselves to do her bidding. She especially enjoyed humiliating overly proud boys with her games and would often use her position as princess to get away with anything she could. She outgrew all of that eventually, but remained vain even unto her coming of age. You would either get caught up in her charm and be endeared to her personality or be repulsed by it. There was no in between," Rylla said bitterly.

"She had a few friends that she was close to, myself included, but as far as I can remember, she was never very close to her parents, or to most of her siblings either. I always got the sense that she felt excluded, picked on, judged too harshly by them. Her family paid her little attention, except only to criticize and scold, of which she complained to us many times. And so she clung to the praises the court sang of her beauty and took that to be her worth.

"She was… very insecure of her own position. There was once that Princess Rhaenys was sent by her mother to join us for tea, and within a few minutes of us speaking to Rhaenys, Viserra ran from the room crying. Perhaps she had felt like she was being replaced?" Rylla pondered.

Despite himself, Otto could not help but sympathize with the Princess Viserra a little. Being overlooked for a family member more senior than them was something he knew all too well. And yet nonetheless, it was a very valuable insight that told him much of her character and relationship with her family. All of this would be useful in helping him judge her personality and predict her actions.

"That day, she ran out and encountered Corlys Velaryon. They spoke on a balcony. I still remember, I had followed her out of concern and had seen it all. I did not hear what they spoke of, and at the time I was respectful of her privacy and did not eavesdrop. But after that day, Viserra spoke much of Corlys and spent much time with him. Even after her wedding, what few letters I received from her amounted to little more than her swooning over her husband and her new home.

"Her bond with him is deep. It is stronger than any loyalty she has to her family. And the birth of her sons has only cemented that bond. The servants of the Red Keep still whisper of how they had heard her screaming obscenities at the King for the perceived slight to her husband and sons with the Governorship of the Stepstones.

"She never told any of us why she claimed her dragon, but I had always thought that it had something to do with Corlys. And what has she done with that power but use it for his ambitions? It was Viserra and her dragon that laid waste to Dorne's fleet, who conquered Tyrosh. Viserra the Sea Dragon, the Butcher of Bloodstone, the Princess of Tyrosh."

Rylla's eyes narrowed then. "Tread carefully uncle, goodbrother; because if you become a threat to her husband and her sons, Viserra Velaryon will not hesitate to destroy you."

His goodsister's words rang in Otto's mind as he knelt before the Iron Throne to swear his oaths as the Lord of Highwatch and Governor of the Stepstones. He still remembered how an ominous silence had followed Rylla's speech. No one had known what to say.

As he said his oaths, reciting them from memory, a part of him wondered if this was the right thing to do, but then his thoughts turned to Elinor, to Oscar and Alicent, and he knew it had to be. He would accept nothing less. This had to be the right decision. Rylla's words were merely a warning to remain mindful of the danger. Otto had no choice but to brave the storm if he was to secure his legacy and a future for his children.

"Rise Otto Hightower, Lord of Highwatch and the Governor of the Stepstones," the King ordered.

With a start, Otto rose and was dismissed, taking a place at the side of the court to watch the next proceeding. Before he had even realized, he had finished swearing his oaths to the King. His mind had been far away, dwelling on other matters. He hoped that no one had noticed.

"Lord Rodrik of House Arryn! Lord of the Eyrie and Warden of the East, Defender of the Vale! And his son and heir, Ser Jasper Arryn, and his gooddaughter Princess Daella of House Targaryen!" the herald cried.

All eyes turned to the doors of the throne room which had swung open and in strode the House of Arryn. Lord Rodrik was first, short compared to the rest of his company, he was bald and had a kettle belly. Otto's first instinct was to think him weak or soft, but he knew that instinct to be wrong. There was no weakness in the man that had served as the Master of Laws for over twenty years, and only enough softness for Rodrik to be highly beloved and respected in the Vale.

Unlike his sire, Ser Jasper Arryn was tall and strong, his stomach was flat and hard like as an oaken shield. He was blond with charming blue eyes and a dazzling smile that made many maidens in the court swoon. Yet Otto's attention rested not on Jasper Arryn but on his lady wife.

Few had ever thought much of Princess Daella. The dimwit princess she had been called. She had been married off to Ser Jasper, a childhood sweetheart, at her own choosing and then packed off to the Vale. Few would have ever expected the shy and timid Daella to have ever amounted to anything more than the simple Lady of the Eyrie but the woman that walked before the Iron Throne now was nothing like Otto had expected.

Looking closely, he could sense the hesitance in her steps, the bravado in her stride, and yet to most who saw her, Daella looked confident and capable, not at all like the sweet and simple princess they had last seen leave ten years ago. Many in the court who had been here then looked astounded at the change, including, Otto noted, members of Princess Daella's own family.

As House Arryn did the usual greetings to the King, Otto's mind was hard at work thinking on the reasoning. It was no coincidence that House Arryn returned to the capital now. They had not even attended Princess Viserra's wedding two years ago, matters in the Vale concerning the mountain clans had forced their absence. And yet now, with the King rallying the realm against the Velaryons, they returned at last.

House Arryn was one of two great houses linked by blood to the King, and like the Baratheons, they had overly mighty vassals allied to the Velaryons whose wings they would very much like to clip. House Grafton it seemed, was in for some rough times.

Soon House Arryn had been greeted and dismissed from the center for the next party to enter and if Otto had been mildly surprised before, now he was stunned at who was announced.

"Lord Jonah of House Mooton, Lord of Maidenpool! And his lady wife, the Princess Saera of House Targaryen!"

The court broke out into a chorus of murmurs and whispers at that. Otto however had still not gotten over his shock. He watched in silence as the Mooton party entered the room. Lord Jonah led the company, but there was no confidence in his step. His eyes darted around, looking anywhere but at the King he was slowly walking toward. Otto moved his eyes past him and there she was.

The King's disgraced daughter, the scandalous Saera in the flesh. She was beautiful, of that there was no doubt, but Otto did not like the haughty expression on her face, nor was he put at ease by the anger he knew burned in her purple eyes.

She walked before her father and stared him in the eye as her husband cowered beside her, brazen and unbowed. After six years of exile and disgrace, Saera Targaryen had returned to King's Landing.