Game of Thrones: The Red Dragon Lord.

Chapter 16 Arrival at Highgarden
After passing Whispering Bay, the merchant ship sailed eastwards and entered the Mander River when it was about to reach the Shield Islands. The banks of the Mander River were lined with dense forests and rolling hills, which were very beautiful.

As the boat gradually approached Highgarden, the golden wheat waves swayed in the wind in the fields on both sides of the Mander River, and the orchards were full of fruits, emitting an alluring aroma. Along the way, you can also see some small villages and farmlands, where people work in the fields and live a peaceful and tranquil life.

Finally, the ship arrived at the inland port closest to Highgarden. The port was busy and bustling, with ships shuttling back and forth, loading and unloading goods.

Looking at a white castle in the distance, this magnificent castle is located on a lush hill, like a shining pearl inlaid in the earth. The white walls are tall and solid, shining with warm light under the sunshine, as if they were carved from the purest jade. The towers are soaring into the clouds, and the spires pierce the blue sky elegantly, as if announcing its majesty and dignity to the world.

Gavin couldn't help but sigh: "Highgarden is indeed the most beautiful castle in the world of Game of Thrones." The well-arranged buildings, the exquisite carvings, and the harmonious layout are like a castle in a dream, a beautiful medieval scene, so vividly displayed before his eyes.

Under the Highgarden Castle, the tournament was held, making the place extremely lively, like a sea of ​​joy.

The crowds were bustling and noisy, colorful tents dotted the land like stars, merchants shouted at the top of their voices to sell a wide variety of goods, and the fragrance of spices and the aroma of grilled meat intertwined and filled the air.

Jugglers tumbled and leaped in the air, winning rounds of applause; bards played their harps and sang ancient heroic legends; children played and frolicked among the crowd, their laughter ringing like silver bells.

Gavin trudged through the bustling camp, only to find that there was no place to stay in the city. In desperation, he decided to find an open space in the wild, rent a tent, and set up a camp.

The camp was crowded and bustling with people, and the sounds of hawking and laughter could be heard one after another.

Suddenly, Gavin's eyes were attracted by a flag fluttering in the wind in the distance. It was a four-square flag with a noble family crest. On the upper left and lower right parts, there was a silver holy grail shining brightly on a black background, as if carrying endless glory and mystery; on the lower left and upper right parts, there was a gorgeous black rose on a yellow background, exuding a unique and charming charm.

His eyes lit up instantly. He had seen this flag for more than ten years. It was the familiar flag of the Cotoin family.

Gavin thought to himself, "If Sir Edmund is here, I should go visit him." With this thought in mind, he walked briskly towards the camp under the flag.

When he arrived at the camp gate, he found that the guard was actually his former subordinate Tommen. When Tommen saw him, his face was immediately filled with surprise, and he shouted excitedly: "Captain Gavin! I didn't expect you to be here! Didn't you go to the Citadel to study?"

Gavin smiled slightly, and said jokingly with a bit of ease and humor: "The Citadel doesn't stipulate that assistant maesters can't participate in the competition."

Tommen smiled and scratched his head after hearing this, his expression showing intimacy and familiarity. "By the way, Captain, Ser Edmund and Coach Ryan are here. Do you want to meet them?"

Gavin's eyes flashed with anticipation, and he said without hesitation: "That's why I came here. Tell me which tent it is."

Raman quickly pointed to a place and said, "It's over there, Captain. You go in by yourself. I still need to guard it."

Gavin nodded in thanks, patted Raman on the shoulder with concern, and then strode into the camp. Meanwhile, inside the tent, Sir Edmund looked solemn, crossed his arms, paced back and forth, and said, "If it doesn't work, I'll take over the jousting. This jousting is about the ownership of the last disputed village, and we must not lose."

Ryan sat on the chair, leaning forward with a serious expression: "Sir, the strength of the Hightower family should not be underestimated. What if you are in danger? I have found three good players from the Essos continent to participate in the group competition. They have all been gladiators for more than ten years and can win at least one event."

Sir Edmund stopped walking, frowning, "What do you think of the choice of archer?"

Coach Ryan nodded slightly, his eyes firm: "Sir, I will personally go down, but I still do not recommend you to participate in the competition."

Sir Edmund sighed and was about to say something when the guard outside the tent came in and reported Gawen's arrival.

A hint of surprise flashed across Edmund's face, and he hurried out of the tent. Coach Ryan also stood up and followed him. Seeing Gavin standing outside the tent, Sir Edmund was very happy. He strode forward, hugged Gavin tightly, touched Gavin's head lovingly with his big hand, and said, "I haven't seen you for more than half a year. You have grown taller. Come in first."

The speaker pulled Gavin into the tent. Sir Edmund pulled Gavin to sit down and asked anxiously, "Son, how are you doing in the Citadel?" Gavin answered confidently, "My lord, I have learned a lot. If I didn't want to become a maester, I could have made chain links."

Coach Ryan laughed and nodded, saying, "Gavin has always been an excellent kid." Suddenly, he seemed to remember something, turned to Edmund and said, "Sir, Gavin's archery level is far better than mine. Since Gavin is here, why not send Gavin to participate in the archery competition?"

Sir Edmund was slightly startled, then turned his gaze to Gavin, and said with a bit of scrutiny and expectation: "Gavin, have you neglected your martial arts in the six months in the Citadel?"

Gavin bowed and replied respectfully, "Sir, I practice diligently every day and have never slacked off."

Edmund nodded and said, "I would like to send you to represent the Cotoin family in this archery competition."

Gavin did not answer after hearing this, but looked at Edmund and asked, "Sir, did something happen to you?"

Coach Ryan next to him hurriedly told the story. After Coach Ryan's explanation, Gavin finally understood the whole story.

It turned out that the Prime Minister's last ruling had resolved half of the issue between the Kotoin family and the Hightower family's disputed villages, but both families understood that the Prime Minister had deliberately left one village unresolved to create conflict. The two families, fearing that the Prime Minister would make a fuss about the matter again, negotiated for the first time.

The two sides decided to use the ranking of the competition to determine the ownership of the disputed village. A best-of-three system was adopted, with the winner of each round determined by the ranking of each team.

(End of this chapter)