Chapter 12: Chapter 11
All kingdoms grew to become prosperous, much like Winterfell in the North. Highgarden flourished under the leadership of King Garm Gardner and his father, Garth. Dorne was led by King Elden Dayne, and these three kingdoms maintained strong bonds and alliances.
House Lannister united the Westerlands through a combination of war, wealth, and marriage alliances. They skillfully defended the region against constant raids from the nearby Iron Islands and established the Kingdom of the Rock.
In the Reach, Oldtown gradually grew to become one of the largest cities in Westeros. It was ruled by House Hightower, and within the city, a guild of scholars and healers formed.
While Highgarden had a similar guild, they focused on healers and merchants. Dorne had similar cases, but their focus was on trade and warriors.
Garth the Gardener, along with his son Garm, dedicated themselves to unifying the land and creating the perfect place for the Yggdrasil Tree over the course of 30 years.
Originally, House Gardener ruled the northern portions of the Reach around Highgarden. However, they gradually absorbed surrounding petty kingdoms through peaceful marriage alliances.
Garth with his son Garm got ready to plan the Yggdrasil tree.So after carefully planted the seed in a nearby hill, next to there castle.They watered it and moved away from the stop, since the instructions told them it was dangerous to stay close mainly because of the fact Yggdrasil will grow at tremendous rate.
They waited patiently and then all of them felt the ground tremble.
At the center of the hill, a tree was growing rapidly and noisily.
CRrrRrrRRrRrRrRRrrR!!!
An ear-piercing sound, like cracking wood, resounded through the forest, alerting all residents, both predator and prey. The nearby kingdoms narrowed their eyes in the direction of the noise.
Finally, the tree broke the surface of the ground, causing a slight tremor. Observing this peculiar tree, one could see that it not only grew taller at a stupendous rate but also became thicker. It was already two meters thick and still growing.
However, the mere growth of a tree wouldn't be enough to make all those dumb animals flee as if there was an apocalypse. It was the extremely dense amount of essence that accompanied its emergence.
The Yggdrasil, oh, how magnificently they graced the blessed realm! Picture a realm untouched by mortal hands, bathed in ethereal radiance, where beauty transcended the boundaries of imagination. Within this enchanted realm stood the Yggdrasil, like celestial sentinels, emanating an aura of grandeur that held all who beheld them in awe.
Imagine, if you will, the Trees standing tall and proud, their trunks adorned with shimmering silver bark that seemed to possess a life of its own. Their branches stretched outwards, reaching towards the heavens with an air of divine yearning, as if longing to touch the very fabric of the stars.
Their leaves, delicate and translucent, glistened with a luminous glow, as though kissed by the light of countless sunsets. Each leaf bore a unique pattern, a tapestry of vibrant hues that whispered tales of forgotten realms and ancient lore. It was as if the essence of every color that ever graced the universe had been carefully woven into the foliage.
But it was the fruit of the Trees that truly bewitched the senses. Like precious gems, they hung from the branches, radiant spheres of light and life. The golden fruit of Yggdrasil, emanated a warm, celestial glow.
To stand beneath the branches of these hallowed trees was to be touched by a sense of wonder and magic, as if the veil between the mortal realm and the divine had grown thin.
Garth and his family watched the events in shock and awe, but he quickly snapped out of it upon seeing a portal appear below the tree.
Out of the portal emerged a terrifying and enormous being with one hundred heads, resembling a fusion of a hundred pythons. Its serpentine body was thicker than an elephant, and its bright scales shimmered like copper.
Garth gulped in fear, but the being spoke up, "Do not be afraid. I am sent by my creator, Eru, to guard the tree."
Garth remembered this and with a bow, he said, "I remember." He then inquired, "What can I call you?"
The dragon spoke in a growling tone, "My name is Ladon, and I am the Guardian of Yggdrasil."
Garth nodded, feeling content with this answer. He noticed a translucent barrier slowly forming around the tree, and at that moment, Lady Yavanna appeared in a flash of light.
Quickly, Garth and his family knelt before her. Yavanna gestured for them to rise and said, "It is good to see that you have successfully planted the tree."
Garth replied happily, "Everything is thanks to Lord Eru's blessing."
Yavanna nodded, her tone turning serious. "I have come to warn you about the Hightowers. Be wary of them."
Garth's seriousness grew as he remembered the recent alliance between his house and House Hightower through the marriage of his youngest son to Lymond Hightower's daughter. This union had finally absorbed the last and most significant rival, the Hightower kingdom around Oldtown, uniting the entire region as the Kingdom of the Reach.
However, with Lady Yavanna's warning about the Hightowers, Garth and his son Garm became vigilant. Garm, curious about the situation since it involved his brother's marriage, questioned, "Is there a problem?"
Yavanna sighed and responded, "Their ambition knows no bounds. The news of the emergence of Yggdrasil will likely spread everywhere. They will contact you and have their eyes on the fruits. They might even use their own flesh and blood to gain entrance to Yggdrasil."
Garth and Garm nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. Yavanna added, "I know they won't be the only ones attempting this. Many will try to seize the golden apples by force. That's why I have already chosen Garm's daughter, Mera, to be the next holder of the mark."
Garm was pleased with the news, but Garm had doubts. He knew Durran II Durrandon, also known as Durran the Devout, the son of Durran Godsgrief, was not power-hungry. Garm wasn't worried about the Durrandon Army coming here since Durran the Devout was a pacifist who wanted to avoid war.
However, Lyon Lannister was a greedy man, and Garm knew he would likely come here with his forces. The situation was challenging, so Garm decided to seek help from Lady Yavanna. He asked, "Can we really fight off such forces?"
Yavanna smiled and gestured towards Ladon, saying, "Ladon will help you. Since they are aiming for the Tree, he will be your ally."
Garth and Garm understood Yavanna's message. She was warning them not to use Ladon as a weapon of war. His purpose was to guard Yggdrasil and perhaps assist in protecting the Reach to some extent.
Garth and his son nodded as Yavanna disappeared.
Garth immediately issued a command, "Son, prepare the army. I am certain we will have visitors soon."
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
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