Chapter 174 - The Reconquest of Eyrie (III)
"That dagger would be the end and the beginning of a new era, under that blade, the first of many gods died." Aenar I Targaryen, looking at the Valyrian steel dagger.
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Looking at the woman holding only a pair of scorched feet, Aenar fell silent. He looked helplessly at Caraxes, who still seemed angry about the previous events. He really hadn't expected things to turn out like this. It was almost as if he was personally watching a Mexican soap opera.
However, if you were to ask whether Aenar was saddened by Robert Arryn's death, the answer would be a redundant no. Harold would kill the boy any way he could.
Harold would have killed the boy anyway in the future, so Aenar wasn't sad or angry about the death of the King of the Mountains and the Valley. The death of such an insignificant person was totally irrelevant to the future. However, Caraxes killing the young King of the Mountains and Valley was something more complicated.
The Noble Houses of the Valley would see it as an indirect threat to them. Even if it was just an accident, no one would believe it. In everyone's eyes, Caraxes was controlled by Aenar, animals had no intelligence, even if those animals were dragons.
Letting out a helpless sigh, Aenar approached Lysa and spoke with a genuine tone of apology. After all, he wasn't cold enough to mock a mother who had just lost a child.
"Lady Lysa, I beg your pardon and I'm sorry for your loss-" Just as Aenar was about to finish his words of condolence, the red-haired woman became completely enraged. She drew a dagger from her waist and advanced towards Aenar.
There was a crazed look on the face of the Regent of the Valley of Arryn. The only thing in her life had died, she just wanted to kill her son's murderer.
"DIE!!!"
"DIE!!!"
"DIE!!!"
"DIE!!!"
If there was one thing that mattered to Lysa, it was her own son. The countless miscarriages and stillbirths made her realize how precious her son was. She loved the boy so much that she would practically burn the Valley if he so wished.
Her son was her obsession, the light in her darkness, the beacon in a cold and dark world, now that beacon had died. The obsession had turned into pure hatred, a hatred so strong that Aenar briefly felt the Warp vibrate with the emotions of the woman in front of him.
There was only hatred, fury and resentment bubbling in the chest of Hoster Tully's daughter. Seeing her son die in front of her broke down her last mental defense, driving her completely mad and insane.
However, before she could take a step forward, a dagger sliced through Lysa Tully's neck in an instant. The cut was surgical, severing her entire windpipe. The woman looked back in complete shock and disbelief, she looked at Petyr holding a Valyrian steel dagger with an inexpressive, lifeless face.
Lysa fell to the ground as blood trickled down her neck. The woman convulsed, her body trying to stay alive, but it was impossible with the wound in her neck. In her last moments, she reached out towards what was left of her son's corpse, a pair of scorched feet.
In the end, the last glint in her eyes disappeared as her body stopped moving completely, announcing the death of the Regent of the Vale of Arryn and mother of the King of the Mountain and Vale, Robert Arryn.
Watching the scene unfold before him, Aenar had to admit, it was quite a show, he hadn't really expected to see such a dramatic and tragedy-filled show. He could even see that stories would be created to tell what happened in this place.
Letting out another helpless sigh, Aenar's purple eyes fell on Petyr Baelish, the murderer of the Regent of the Vale. The man killed his own mistress like an old farmer kills a cow.
Leda looked at Petyr and couldn't hide the disgust in her eyes. She had never seen a man as filthy and disgusting as Petyr Baelish, although she knew the man was like that, seeing it in person made her realize that the man was more disgusting than she had expected.
"Attacking the king is a crime condemnable to death." Petyr spoke with a respectful tone as he smiled gently, he didn't seem bothered that he had killed his own lover with his bare hands.
"Certainly, but you could have immobilized her, Lord Baelish." Aenar certainly didn't believe in a man who could smile kindly after having killed his own mistress.
"Besides, that dagger is familiar." Aenar commented, looking at the delicate Valyrian steel dagger in the former Master of Coin's hand.
Seeing Aenar change the subject, Petyr was relieved and without any hesitation, he gave the dagger to Aenar, who accepted it without a second thought.
Looking at the dagger in his hand, Aenar stroked the Valyrian steel blade.
"The dagger of Aegon the Conqueror." Aenar murmured as he stroked the blade, he could feel that there were small words written on the blade. The prophecy that Aegon dreamt before he began his conquest of Westeros.
Petyr was surprised by Aenar's words, he hadn't expected the Valyrian steel dagger to belong to Aegon himself.
"Dagger returned to its rightful owner." Petyr fawned over Aenar with a smile on his face as he watched the king's reaction for any expression that might indicate displeasure.
After years of serving Robert Baratheon, he knew how to talk to a monarch, especially an arrogant one like Robert.
Aenar didn't respond to Petyr's words, he continued to stare at the dagger. He discovered that it was the perfect weapon to attack the Night King and kill the Great Other once and for all.
"That dagger would be the end and the beginning of a new era, under that blade, the first of many gods died." Aenar murmured in a voice that only he and Leda heard. Stroking the cold blade, he couldn't help but smile.
"Your gift will be rewarded, Lord Baelish." Aenar put the dagger away and spoke, looking at the man before him. "Open the castle gates and let my vassals enter the castle. The valley has officially returned to the arms of the Targaryen Crown."
"I will do as you command, Your Grace." Bowing to the king, Petyr spoke with a gentle, submissive smile.
Seeing Petyr's back disappear, without even looking at Lysa Tully's lifeless corpse, Leda's face showed nothing but disgust and contempt for such a man.
"Your Grace, that man is a snake, he'll bite you the moment you let your guard down." Leda couldn't help but say to Aenar, she really didn't like this man.
"I know, but he'll be a good dog to do my dirty work." Aenar commented with an amused smile. He had planned to reuse Petyr, but the man had carried all his infamy throughout his rule.
Petyr Baelish was perfect for the job, the man was cruel enough and rational enough to know his own status.
Leda said nothing more, she was only responsible for protecting Aenar, she wasn't his advisor to give an opinion. At the same time, she also knew that Petyr's life at court would certainly not be brilliant. All the bad things the king will do will fall on Petyr's shoulders, living among the scorn and disdain of the people at court was a fitting fate for a worm like Petyr Baelish.
"Brynden Tully will want to kill Petyr when he learns the reason for his niece's death." Aenar commented, looking at Lysa Tully's lifeless body. Even in death, the woman showed a clear expression of disbelief and incredulity, still unwilling to accept that the man she loved had killed her without any hesitation.
"If Brynden desires a duel by combat, you are forbidden to represent either side." Aenar certainly knew of Leda's dislike of Petyr, so it wasn't hard to guess that the Lady Commander of the Royal Guard might represent Brynden in the fight that might ensue.
Leda pouted and looked at her king with a helpless look. Having someone who could see the future by her side was really annoying.
"Come on, we have to tell them the news of Robert and Lysa's death." Aenar said, walking to the castle entrance, leaving Lysa's lifeless body on the ground.
At Petyr's request, a servant would take care of the scene in the courtyard, Aenar didn't have to worry about Lysa's body and the rest of Robert Arryn's body.
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