Rhaella knew there was no way to avoid such an occasion. She replied calmly, without revealing any emotion.
"Then I thank the prince and this governor for your kind intentions."
"Illyrio Mopatis," Illyrio introduced himself.
Led by Audro and the merchant governors, Rhaella entered Pentos.
At the banquet, Audro and Rhaella were unquestionably the center of attention.
Especially Rhaella. Her composed bearing, noble attire, and that unmistakable silver hair made her seem like an elven queen stepped out of legend.
Audro was roughly the same age as Rhaella, yet he dared not harbor the slightest improper thought toward her.
At this moment, his mood could only be described as euphoric.
After so many years as prince, he was finally no longer a mere ornament.
"Your Highness, the portion of the fleet in the harbor will be entrusted to your use from now on.
However, as per our prior agreement, you will need to pay an annual lease to the royal house, and no less than seventy percent of the sailors must be Targaryen men."
"Of course, Your Grace, of course. These terms are extremely generous!"
Audro quickly raised his wine cup, expressing his great satisfaction.
What he had obtained was the right to use the fleet. Ownership and ultimate control still firmly rested in Targaryen hands.
But Audro did not merely want a small fleet.
He intended to use it as a stepping stone to reclaim more authority that should have been his in the first place.
Seeing their symbolic prince drinking merrily with Rhaella, the merchant governors felt deeply uncomfortable.
For merchants to profit, they needed free rein.
Now, it seemed their good days might be nearing an end.
"Those silver-haired bastards," someone cursed under their breath, quietly venting dissatisfaction with the situation.
Viserys's relentless pressure made them itch to immediately unite with the khals of the Great Grass Sea and wipe the Targaryens out of Gohor.
Illyrio observed everything from the side.
Those usually shrewd governors dared not speak openly in anger.
Audro, long treated as a puppet, was now basking in triumph.
As for Illyrio himself— Without Varys's help, the Targaryens were no longer someone he could provoke.
Perhaps it was time to take a step back and consider marrying his son to Rhaella's youngest daughter, Daenerys.
As far as he knew, the two were only about a year apart in age.
Finding his moment, Illyrio lifted his wine cup and prepared to approach Rhaella.
But just then, someone stepped forward and blocked his path.
It was Mathos, the scribe who served at Viserys's side. "Lord Illyrio, I am here on behalf of King Viserys to have a word with you."
"King Viserys?"
At those words, Illyrio felt a chill run down his spine.
His heart began to pound violently, blood surging so loudly in his ears that it drowned out the noise of the banquet.
He had always believed he had covered his tracks perfectly.
How had Viserys noticed something amiss?
'Could it be Varys?'
'No... impossible. Varys isn't Pycelle. He wouldn't betray me.'
Illyrio steadied himself slightly and followed Mathos away from the banquet.
"May I ask what His Grace wishes to speak with me about?" Illyrio asked ingratiatingly, flashing his yellowed teeth.
Mathos, hands clasped behind his back, turned his head without concealment and said, "Your wife is a Blackfyre descendant, isn't she?"
Boom.
Illyrio felt as though a thunderbolt had exploded in his mind.
"Y-you... what did you say? Black... Blackfyre?"
The deepest secret he had hidden was spoken aloud so casually that Illyrio felt as though he had been stripped naked and thrown into the street.
"Don't be surprised. King Viserys is a dreamwalker.
Since he could identify Pycelle as a traitor, it is only natural that he also knows of your dealings with Varys.
However, His Grace has decided to spare you."
As Mathos spoke, a sharp glint flashed in his dark eyes.
"Spare me? Why?" Illyrio asked, clenching his fists.
With his secret laid bare, he had already switched mentally into the role of a survivor.
Killing Mathos was out of the question. What he was calculating now was how to gather his valuables and flee as quickly as possible.
"To be precise, it is your wife and children who will be spared. As for you, that remains uncertain.
You colluded with Varys, attempted to undermine the royal house, and even incited King Aerys to frame Prince Rhaegar. These are unforgivable crimes."
"If you are willing to swear loyalty to King Viserys, then your wife and children will be protected. As for your crimes, His Grace will grant you a chance at atonement."
Hearing this, Illyrio actually laughed.
"On what grounds? I still have plenty of gold in my vaults. At worst, I'll take my family and leave. Why should I accept the threats of some boy king?"
Mathos shook his head.
"His Grace is not threatening you. He is giving you an opportunity.
Your wife will likely fall ill within a year and pass away. When that happens, only His Grace will be able to save your wife and children."
"There are forty governors in Pentos. Prince Audro is now also a friend of His Grace. If the king wishes to control Pentos, he does not lack helpers.
You should think carefully."
With that, Mathos handed him Viserys's personal letter and turned to leave.
Watching Mathos's retreating figure, Illyrio felt utterly lost.
That sensation of sitting behind the curtain with Varys, controlling everything from the shadows, was gone.
In its place was a heavy sense of crisis.
He felt like a fish in a glass tank, aware of unseen eyes watching from outside.
If Viserys truly knew everything, then this was an opponent he could never hope to defeat.
Viserys himself did not consider Illyrio particularly important.
But there was an old saying: it's not the thief you fear, but the one who keeps thinking about stealing.
He had to give Illyrio a taste of something truly shocking.
More importantly, according to the original course of fate, Illyrio's son with Blackfyre blood was undoubtedly one of the three heads of the dragon.
Rhaella and Lyanna had already confirmed the existence of that hidden truth.
Now, only Illyrio's wife remained.
For now, it was enough to scare him into behaving for a couple of years.
Two years later, once Viserys's rule in Ghoyan Drohe was fully stabilized and Pentos thoroughly infiltrated, Illyrio could be killed.
If he chose to cooperate instead, even better.
Illyrio in the shadows and Audro in the open would allow Viserys to penetrate Pentos far more effectively.
Once Pentos was brought under Targaryen control, it would be like slicing the lands of the Nine Free Cities cleanly in half.
Whether facing Volantis or clashing with Braavos in the future, there would be solid security.
And more importantly, it would further threaten King's Landing, slowing Robert's rise just a little more.
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