"Forget it."
The silver-haired boy scratched his hair, deciding to stop thinking about it.
He hadn't forgotten that even escaping to Moongate didn't mean he was completely safe. Only by leaving Westeros and sailing the seas would he find some relief.
He hadn't slept for a day and a night. Even though his mental fortitude was stronger than others because of the two souls he possessed, he was still exhausted.
He desperately needed rest. Then, after Ser Willem Darry woke up, he would find him and his mother to discuss the trip to Dragonstone.
He didn't know much about the current history, but he remembered that for the next decade or so, the banner of House Baratheon, with its crowned stag, would fly over Westeros.
That was the inevitable outcome.
The Targaryen dynasty's time was up; it was destined to fall in the upcoming war of the usurper.
And now, as a seven-year-old boy, there was nothing he could do, let alone turn the tide.
For Viserys, his only task, now and for a long time to come, was just one thing:
To survive.
A day and a night passed.
Morning.
Ser Willem Darry, who had been seriously wounded and stabbed in the ribs, finally woke up from his coma.
The middle-aged knight's face was somewhat pale, but after the maester's treatment and sufficient rest, he had recovered quite a bit and could walk a couple of steps with assistance.
And outside.
Clatter, clatter…
A raven flapped its wings, flying in from afar. It landed on a wooden perch, cocking its head slightly. Its blue eyes gleamed.
A letter was tied to the raven's leg.
The maester in charge of the ravens quickly approached. He soothed the bird, gave it a treat as a reward, and then took the letter from its leg.
Thump, thump.
The sound of footsteps gradually faded away.
In the great hall of Harrenhal, Lord Riverrun Lake sat cautiously in a side seat, accompanying Queen Rhaella.
He had seized the opportunity when the Darklyn family was executed by the King for their role in the Moongate incident years ago. With a combination of luck and skill, he had gained control of Moongate and Harrenhal.
Now, during this War of the Usurper, Lord Lake, after careful consideration, had decided to stand with the royal family.
He believed that House Targaryen would definitely be able to suppress the rebellion, and this was also an opportunity for his family to make another leap forward.
"Your Grace, the Queen."
Lord Riverrun Lake, whose figure was slightly plump, sat in a chair, his belly protruding, and the chair creaked under his weight.
At this moment, he held a piece of intelligence from King's Landing in his hand and handed it to the silver-haired woman.
Moongate wasn't far from King's Landing, but due to the loss at the Trident, the location of Moongate was now somewhat precarious.
However, the rebels had no time to deal with those nobles still loyal to the royal family; their focus was on King's Landing.
And elsewhere.
Storm's End, belonging to House Baratheon, was now under siege by Mace Tyrell, the Duke of Highgarden, and had been besieged for a year.
Robert's two younger brothers, Stannis and Renly, were also in the castle, and their fates were unknown. If his primary goal wasn't the siege of King's Landing, Robert would have personally gone south to relieve Storm's End.
Although Lord Riverrun Lake had chosen to remain loyal to the royal family even as the situation worsened, that didn't mean he would blindly remain a die-hard loyalist.
He was also constantly dispatching people to gather intelligence from King's Landing, ready to adapt to the circumstances. The information he was now delivering to Queen Rhaella was the latest report.
From the surface, it seemed things hadn't yet reached their most dire moment.
It appeared that Tywin Lannister, the Duke of Casterly Rock, had already led the Western army to King's Landing.
However, for some unknown reason, His Majesty Aerys II didn't immediately open the gates of King's Landing to let the Western army enter, instead keeping them all outside.
"Could the King be being too cautious?"
Lord Riverrun Lake, sitting at the side, cautiously probed, watching Queen Rhaella's expression.
"Should you write a letter to advise His Majesty?"
However, Queen Rhaella's expression remained unchanged as she listened to Lord Riverrun Lake. Her fingers, clutching the intelligence report, were slightly pale.
Finally, she took a deep breath and shook her head.
"It's not necessary."
"I trust the King's judgment."
She had initially wanted to use a raven from Harrenhal to send a letter, warning her husband to be wary of House Lannister.
But now, receiving the news that the Western army had already arrived in King's Landing, she knew it was too late.
Due to the travel time involved, who knew how long ago this message had been sent. Knowing her husband, she understood he was stubborn, mad, suspicious, and prone to changing his mind, yet sometimes, he was also easily swayed.
She believed that House Lannister had likely already tricked their way through the gates and into King's Landing.
The Targaryen dynasty was already in decline, but... even the fall of King's Landing wasn't the most desperate moment. Queen Rhaella knew she had to be strong, for the sake of her two children, and her granddaughter.
Before leaving King's Landing, it was discovered that she was pregnant again.
She didn't know whether the child would be a boy or a girl.
This discovery filled Queen Rhaella with joy, because she had been pregnant many times before, but only Rhaegar and Viserys had survived. The rest of her children had either died in infancy or were stillborn.
She hoped she could give birth to another child.
"We've been guests at Harrenhal for quite some time now."
The silver-haired woman was silent for a moment. Sitting in the main seat, she put down the intelligence report in her hand and looked up at Lord Riverrun Lake, her voice trying to remain calm.
"Lord Riverrun Lake."
"I believe the ships to Dragonstone are ready."
Upon hearing Queen Rhaella's words, Lord Riverrun Lake quickly stood up.
"Yes, Your Grace, you may depart at any time."
Although he wished to keep Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys, hoping to gain greater benefits in the future, the rebel forces were currently too strong. Lord Riverrun Lake dared not keep Queen Rhaella at Harrenhal for long.
Otherwise, Harrenhal's meager forces wouldn't even be enough to make the rebels sweat.
Another half-day passed.
Viserys finally set foot on the sea, as he had wished.
Splash——
The waves gently lapped against the hull of the ship, the sky and sea merging into one, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Viserys sat on the bow, the sea breeze tousling his silver-gold hair. His eyes, like polished gems, blinked.
He wasn't unfamiliar with the ocean, yet each time he came, he couldn't help but be captivated.
He savored this peaceful, harmonious atmosphere, which even allowed him to momentarily forget his troubles.
Today, the sea resembled a mirror, with only the two-masted ship cutting through its surface and causing a slight ripple. Everything else seemed undisturbed.
Under the golden sunlight, the scattered light shimmered brilliantly, like scattered gold.
Behind Viserys on the deck, were many people in various attire, speaking in diverse accents. This was a merchant ship from the nine Free Cities. The shipowner was said to be a merchant from Braavos.
They needed to stop at the small port of Moongate to replenish some supplies, then set sail back to the continent of Essos, their final destination being Pentos.
This two-masted merchant ship would make a brief stop at Dragonstone while crossing the Narrow Sea.
Therefore, when Lord Riverrun Lake contacted the owner of the merchant ship, the owner readily agreed. They only charged a small sum of gold dragons to escort Queen Rhaella and Prince Viserys to Dragonstone.
(End of Chapter)