I, Julius Harlane, a knight of another world, was finally leaving the stinking city of King's Landing behind me. After two months, my departure was as quiet as I could make it.
The previous night had been… difficult. It was not a night of passion, but of painful farewells. Jane and Alice had come to me, not with demands, but with tears and quiet pleas. It had taken all my resolve to hold fast to my decision, to explain once more that I could not offer them the future they dreamed of. The memory of their heartbroken faces as I left that morning was a heavier burden than any armor. Miranda had simply watched me go, her expression unreadable, a silent acknowledgment of the complicated truth we shared. I rode away from the Green Bird carrying their kindness and their sorrow, a debt I wasn't sure I could ever repay.
After several days on the road, we reached the lands of House Footly. The sprawling, fertile fields of the Reach were a welcome balm after the capital's stench and strife. We arrived at the town of Tumbleton a few hours later, seeking a night's rest at a reputable-looking tavern.
Stable boys took our horses, and I paid them well. I carried my guitar on my back, while my squires, Alban and Alaric, proudly bore my swords. The weight was a challenge for them, but they had asked for the duty.
My entrance turned heads. A knight in strange armor, carrying an unknown instrument, flanked by two well-equipped squires was not a common sight. I found an empty table and ordered a strong ale for myself, and meat stew and bread for the three of us.
The tavern was well-appointed, its patrons wearing fine clothes and armor adorned with various sigils. I spotted the golden rose of House Tyrell on several men-at-arms. What is a Tyrell contingent doing here? I wondered.
After we ate, I overpaid the serving woman for the meal with a silver stag, a gesture of simple generosity that earned me a surprised but grateful smile. Then, I took up my guitar. The room fell into a curious hush. I began to play, my voice filling the space with the haunting melody of "I See Fire."
Oh, misty eye of the mountain below…
The song, a lament for a home threatened by flame, felt strangely fitting for Tumbleton, a town twice burned in the Dance of the Dragons. As the last note faded, the tavern was utterly silent for a moment, then a storm of applause erupted, led by a large man in expensive green velvets.
The man introduced himself with booming cheer. "Lord Mace Tyrell, Lord of Highgarden, Defender of the Marches, and so on and so forth!" He was accompanied by two strikingly beautiful women he introduced as his sisters, Lady Mina and Lady Janna. Both possessed a sharp, clever beauty that was immediately captivating. Lady Janna, the unwed one, caught my eye and offered not a blush, but a knowing, assessing smirk.
I introduced myself and my squires with a respectful bow. Lord Mace, effusive in his praise, declared he would cover my tab for the evening for the "free entertainment." The night became a blur of song, drink, and praise from knights and ladies alike. Lord Mace was a jovial, if long-winded, host. When I finally managed to ask why he was traveling, he explained he was returning from King's Landing, where he had sworn his oaths to the Mad King after his father's recent passing.
"But the true occasion is a happy one!" he boomed. "We are bound for Highgarden for the wedding of my sister, Mina, to our cousin, Lord Paxter Redwyne! You simply must come, Ser Julius! A man of your talents would be a most welcome guest!"
I understood the unspoken offer: I was to be a novelty, a foreign minstrel-knight to amuse his court. It was an entry point, a chance to see the legendary Highgarden and, more importantly, to study the terrain of the Reach for the wars I knew were coming.
I accepted the invitation with a gracious smile. "I would be honored, my lord."
The next morning, I woke in my own rented room, alone. My head throbbed from the excess of Lord Mace's hospitality, but my mind was clear. The strategic value of this invitation was immense. I sat up, the events of the prior night solidifying in my mind. Then a more immediate concern surfaced.
My squires. Where were Alban and Alaric?