Governor Illyrio's mansion.
Viserys Targaryen said with disinterest, "Who else could it be? Whoever it is, just deal with him quickly! This is a critical moment, a significant time that future historians will remember, and I don't want any accidents!"
Illyrio stated directly, "My King, this person commands an army."
Viserys pouted, "Since he's easily manipulated by the False King, he must be a minor noble. When I reclaim the Iron Throne, I'll hang all such dogs of the False King."
Illyrio respectfully replied, "That is most appropriate. Traitors should be punished, but…"
Illyrio continued genially, "This family has never betrayed. They fought alongside Prince Rhaegar, and even when Prince Rhaegar fell, and everyone else knelt and surrendered, they still fought to the last man."
Illyrio glanced at Viserys, whose face was flushed with excitement, sighed, and added, "After the False King seized the Iron Throne, because only one posthumous child remained in his family, he ostensibly pardoned the loyal former retainers of the Targaryen, but has been suppressing them for over a decade. One can imagine how difficult their situation has been."
Rage flickered in Viserys's pale purple eyes. "Illyrio, the usurper's assassins have been constantly hounding me, I can assure you of that. I am the last true heir of the dragon; as long as I live, the False King will know no peace.
What good is loyalty? In the end, they still became the False King's dogs. It's a pity; if they had held on a bit longer, waiting for me to reclaim the Iron Throne, they might have received my compensation. But now…"
Saying this, Viserys sneered, "What's his name? I will not pardon his family."
Illyrio replied, "Greene Kleber, Earl of Whispers, the de facto ruler of the Claw Isle, the Crownlands' foremost military noble."
As Illyrio's words fell, Viserys, who had been leaning back in his chair, suddenly sat upright and eagerly asked, "The Crownlands' foremost military noble? How many soldiers does he have?"
Illyrio smiled slightly, "Although Claw Isle is barren, every person there is a capable warrior. If you gain the loyalty of Earl Greene, you will have tens of thousands of warriors. When you lead a massive army back to Westeros, he will be an excellent inside man."
Viserys only focused on the number of troops. For him, as long as he could get ten thousand soldiers, he could immediately raise an army and reclaim the Iron Throne.
Viserys said anxiously, "Don't kill him! Where is he now? The descendant of a loyal family deserves my personal audience; I want to see him immediately!"
Without waiting for Illyrio's reply, Viserys stood up and excitedly paced back and forth, muttering, "Army, army, tens of thousands of troops!"
A hint of helplessness flashed across Illyrio's face, and he remained silent.
Viserys suddenly stopped pacing, turned his head, and stared at Illyrio, saying, "My Master of Coin, why aren't you answering?"
"My King, Earl Greene is currently on a ship en route to Pentos. Also, I must remind you, I hear the nobles of Claw Isle have a unique tradition?"
Viserys furrowed his brow, his tone impatient, "What tradition? Is it another strange one?"
Viserys replied patiently, "My King, I hear Claw Isle has a tradition of direct allegiance to the Queen."
Viserys only had a vague memory of this. "It seems… yes, that's right. What about it? Do I have to conjure a Queen now to secure the loyalty of the Earl of Whispers? Then…"
After a pause, Viserys excitedly added, "Daenerys! I still have Daenerys!"
Illyrio sighed inwardly, feeling a bit weary. "My King, Daenerys is not a whore; her value is far greater than that. She can secure you over ten thousand Dothraki horsemen."
Viserys retorted angrily, "Do you take me for a fool? I only need ten thousand soldiers to reclaim the Iron Throne. Why would I give my future Queen to savages?
I will order Daenerys to gain the loyalty of Whispering Fort on my behalf, even if… this is much better than serving a stinking savage, isn't it? Ha, half-savages are still better than savages!"
Viserys then remembered that the nobles of Claw Isle were called half-savage nobles. He didn't care about savages or half-savages; he only cared about the army that could help him reclaim the Iron Throne.
"Beggar King" Viserys currently had nothing. Could he rely on personal charm to make a military noble from across the Narrow Sea submit? Varys's intelligence had said that Earl Greene was doing quite well… Therefore, Illyrio harbored no such extravagant hopes.
So, what was Illyrio's reason for bringing up Claw Isle's tradition of allegiance to the Queen, subtly leading the conversation to Daenerys?
Illyrio and Varys were planning their scheme, because besides the obvious Targaryen, they also had another "Targaryen" hidden.
Under his and Varys's conspiracy, Viserys's "high-profile" and "madness" were enough to attract everyone's attention, which was one of his important values.
Illyrio's lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile. Daenerys was indeed one of the candidates for Queen.
The premise was that Daenerys possessed corresponding value, and everything would be based on her ultimate "price."
Therefore, the forces of Claw Isle should not be controlled by Viserys, but rather by Daenerys, who was easier for him to control.
Illyrio and Varys already had a complete plan.
...…
"My King, you must first have your own army, rather than directly relying on a noble's private army. The army of Whispering Fort first pledges allegiance to the Kleber Family.
Forgive my presumptuous advice, but it has only been a little over a decade since the Usurper's War. Wise as you are, you still need to guard against the ambition of your subjects. These are my heartfelt words."
Viserys had thought he could go to Westeros in a few days, but Illyrio's patient persuasion still got through to him somewhat.
Viserys could not hide his disappointment. "Illyrio, I naturally understand this principle. So many soldiers, it's a bit of a waste to only use them as an inside force. Let's keep him for now; we'll talk when I raise an army."
Illyrio shrugged his broad shoulders. "According to my men, the False King used a scheme this time, forcing Earl Greene to accept the mission. That's why I said the False King is too foolish; this is tantamount to indirectly guaranteeing your safety."
Viserys raised an eyebrow and said, "How so?"
"My King, Daenerys is already your choice for Queen. According to Whispering Fort's centuries-old tradition, this status is enough to secure Whispering Fort's loyalty."
Viserys frowned, "Isn't Daenerys marrying Khal Drogo soon? What then?"
"After Daenerys is married, you can legitimately take control of Whispering Fort on her behalf. The Kleber Family are Crownlands nobles; if they serve you, it's not just for inside support."
...…
...…
Red Keep, Prime Minister's Tower.
In the Prime Minister's study, Jon Arryn dismissed his attendants, leaving only himself and Varys.
Varys looked at the closed door and nodded, "Duke Jon, it is my honor to serve you. I await your command."
Prime Minister Jon coughed a few times and said kindly, "Varys, sit down. I do have some matters I need your help with."
Varys first thanked him, then gently sat down in the chair.
"Varys, a few days ago… Queen Cersei recommended Duke Mace as a candidate for Hand, and you were there… cough, cough."
Before he could finish, Prime Minister Jon couldn't help but start coughing.
Covering his mouth as he coughed, Prime Minister Jon stopped Varys, who was about to rise.
Under Varys's concerned gaze, Prime Minister Jon finally stopped coughing.
Prime Minister Jon's face was flushed. "Cough, cough, Varys, I need you to investigate the Riverlands and the Westerlands."
Varys nodded without hesitation, then hesitated before saying, "Duke Jon, are you suspecting something?"
Duke Jon gazed at Varys and said, "Things happened too suddenly, making me suspicious. I hope you can investigate secretly. I want to know… if the Lannister and House Tyrell are plotting something."
Varys said solemnly, "Duke Jon, my little birds will gather the information you need. Please take care of your health; the kingdom cannot do without you."
"Varys, thank you for your concern."
Prime Minister Jon shook his head slightly and continued, "The kingdom can do without me, but it cannot be unstable. I might truly be old; I always feel that the kingdom will fall into turmoil again."
Prime Minister Jon leaned back in his chair and added, "Varys, I hope you will do your best. We must always guard against the possibility of unrest."
Varys said respectfully, with a look of reverence, "Jon, rest assured, I will not miss any clue!"
Prime Minister Jon nodded slightly, a satisfied expression on his face.
After a pause, Prime Minister Jon said, "Varys, one more thing. What do you think of Earl Kleber of Claw Isle?"
Varys clasped his hands together, slightly surprised. "Earl Greene is a fine young man?"
Prime Minister Jon nodded in agreement with Varys's answer.
"Young, yet very steady. That's very rare."
Varys then added his praise, "Yes, it is indeed very rare. He is also very responsible."
Prime Minister Jon smiled, his tone amiable. "He's an interesting young man."
Prime Minister Jon's tone suddenly became serious. "Actually, what I'm concerned about is Queen Cersei. We must be wary of her capriciousness. Earl Greene is also her chief steward, and Claw Isle has always been loyal to the Queen."
"Jon, do you want me to monitor Earl Greene?"
Earl Jon shook his head slightly and said, "I want you to monitor the army of Whispering Fort."
Although Greene had already been transferred from Westeros by him, the army of Whispering Fort remained on Claw Isle.
Duke Jon was doing it as a precaution.
Once the investigation into the royal bloodline was exposed, Queen Cersei would not be capricious, but rather insane.
Claw Isle was located in the Crownlands, and Prime Minister Jon had to be on guard.
This matter was too big to be honest with Varys, so Prime Minister Jon found a half-truthful excuse.
"Jon, maintaining the stability of the kingdom is the highest honor of us Master of Coin. Earl Greene is young and easily swayed by Targaryen remnants, and Claw Isle is quite special. Consider it an old man's over-suspicion."
Varys nodded slightly, his tone solemn. "Jon, I understand your concerns. This is for the stability of the kingdom. I will arrange it immediately. If I find any unusual activity, I will report to you at once."
Varys lowered his head slightly, but his eyes trembled imperceptibly.
Varys had already sensed that something was amiss. He felt that Prime Minister Jon seemed to be hiding something.
Since the secret passage in the Prime Minister's study was discovered by Greene, Varys could no longer directly obtain information from Prime Minister Jon as he used to.
The Prime Minister's study was, after all, a vital area of the kingdom, and his little birds had no other immediate solutions.
But this did not stump Varys. If Prime Minister Jon was indeed plotting something in secret, he would certainly leave traces. As long as he uncovered these, he would surely be able to deduce Prime Minister Jon's true purpose.
Related to Queen Cersei… Varys's heart stirred. Had that matter been exposed?
...…
...…
Daenerys leaned by the window, gazing at the bay. Here, she could hear the red priests chanting prayers as they lit the night fires, and the laughter and clamor of children playing outside the high walls.
She was now like an object waiting to be traded by her brother for the army he needed to reclaim the Iron Throne.
Even in ragged clothes, Daenerys wished she could be outside, playing barefoot with them.
Daenerys's face held a sorrowful expression, and her pale purple eyes were dim.
Across the Narrow Sea in the sunset, there was a place with rolling green hills, blooming plains, and deep, rushing rivers. There were towering black stone citadels amidst magnificent grey-blue peaks, and armored knights riding to battle with bright banners held high.
In the Free Trade Cities, people called it Westeros or the Sunset Kingdoms.
And her brother Viserys had an even simpler name for it; he called it "our land."
Viserys often used to promise her, "My dear sister, one day we will reclaim our homeland and take back our Iron Throne."
Now Viserys's words had changed. That promise no longer included "we," but only "he" himself.
Daenerys's eyes were swollen and red, and her lips trembled slightly.
Daenerys had pieced together the past by herself in her mind, from stories she heard from Viserys.
Her elder brother Rhaegar had fought a desperate duel with the Usurper on the bloody Trident River, losing his life for the woman he loved.
The forces of Lannister and Stark had sacked their King's Landing.
Princess Ilia of Dorne had pleaded desperately, only to watch helplessly as her and Rhaegar's own flesh and blood were cruelly taken, and the suckling infant died a bloody death.
The bright, polished skulls of the last dragons, hanging on the high walls behind the throne room, watched with their blind, hollow eye sockets as the Kingslayer picked up his golden sword and slit her father's throat.
She only vaguely remembered Ser Willem Darry, who called her "little princess." At that time, they lived in a house with a red door in Braavos, which was her home in her memories.
After Ser Willem died, they began years of wandering. He always said that assassins sent by the usurper were close behind, yet Daenerys had never seen a single assassin.
Initially, the governors, archons, and merchant princes who ruled the Free Trade Cities were happy to host the Targaryen descendants, but as time passed and the usurper became more firmly seated on the Iron Throne, their lives grew increasingly difficult.
They sold all their jewels, even their mother's crown was sold.
People called her brother the "Beggar King." Daenerys dared not imagine what they called her.
"You're standing there again."
Suddenly hearing Viserys's voice made Daenerys's body tremble as if by instinct, and it interrupted her memories.
Daenerys quickly wiped away the tears that had not yet fallen with the back of her hand, afraid of being discovered by Viserys.
Viserys stood beside Daenerys and looked out the window, saying, "My sister, don't worry. Over there…"
Viserys pointed to the Narrow Sea. "My land, I will soon reclaim it."
Daenerys said timidly, "Brother, when you go there, what will I do alone? You are my only family; I don't want to leave you."
Viserys looked at Daenerys and smiled faintly, saying, "Daenerys, I will not forget your contribution. I will reward you with jewels you can never spend."
When she accidentally awakened the dragon's rage, her brother would bully her, but Daenerys was even more afraid of being abandoned by her brother.
Daenerys's eyes were full of pleading. "Brother, I will never defy you again. I only ask that you don't abandon me, please, I… I'm really scared!"
Viserys's smile instantly vanished, and his tone became sharp. "Aren't you defying me right now? If I take you with me, what will I trade for an army? Do you want to awaken the dragon's rage again?"
Daenerys, tears in her eyes, whispered, "I wouldn't dare. I don't want to."
"Very good!"
Viserys smiled, tenderly stroking Daenerys's beautiful hair. "I want you to do something. If anything goes wrong, I will show you the true dragon's rage!"
Daenerys, however, misunderstood the meaning of Viserys's words. She thought her brother had changed his mind and would not marry her to a savage.
Daenerys couldn't help but rejoice, her tears turning into a smile. "Brother, I promise you, I will absolutely not disappoint you!"
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