As a woman, she could hardly become a knight.
Neither the Narrow Sea nor Westeros had ever accepted a woman as a knight.
She had thought her chances were over, but then she realized that if Viserys could tolerate nobles from the rebel faction, why couldn't he accept a woman like her?
The thought made her incredibly excited, and she even forgot to remove her helmet, stepping forward immediately to pledge her oath.
"Good... good!"
Her face flushed red as she hurriedly tried to unfasten her helmet with one hand.
However, she was a large woman, tall and powerfully built, and in her highly nervous state, she couldn't even easily remove her helmet.
Seeing the person in front of him clumsily fumbling with her helmet, delaying the process, Ser Joffrey's alarm bells rang loudly, and even Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr, the Red Priest beside him were startled.
Had an assassin arrived so quickly?
They all picked up their weapons from the ground, ready for battle.
But the next moment, a face with a wide mouth, crooked nose, and a freckled complexion appeared before everyone, causing a collective gasp.
What an ugly woman!
If not for her short, straw-colored blonde hair and her sapphire blue eyes, it would have been difficult to tell she was female.
"A woman?"
Everyone felt their heads buzzing, as if they had exploded.
So many contenders, yet they had been thoroughly defeated by a woman; it was truly a loss of face!
Although her build rivaled that of the Mountain, the moment everyone realized Brienne was a woman, they burst into laughter.
Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr, the Red Priest, standing behind Viserys Targaryen, wished they could find a hole to crawl into.
As Viserys's newly chosen Kingsguard, they had been defeated by a woman in front of everyone!
"Your Majesty,"
Brienne of Tarth's eyes were practically red with urgency.
She endured the mockery of the crowd and argued loudly, "No one stipulated that the Kingsguard should not have women. Wasn't it Queen Visenya Targaryen who founded the Kingsguard?"
At her words, everyone's expressions immediately turned serious.
Although Visenya was a woman, her dragon was not to be trifled with!
"The Kingsguard are also knights, and knights do not accept women!"
Beric Dondarrion touched his nose, which was bleeding from Brienne's pummeling, and loudly objected.
Listening to Beric Dondarrion's words, Brienne's plain face instantly turned pale.
She hadn't held much hope of joining the Kingsguard to begin with, but being mocked by everyone still left her feeling unwilling.
"Your Majesty..."
"Agreed!"
Viserys Targaryen nodded, interrupting Brienne of Tarth's explanation.
As the only female knight with true chivalry in the original story, Brienne of Tarth was a paragon of knighthood.
Most importantly, she not only possessed the responsibilities of a knight but also the righteous sense of a heroic heart.
Unlike kingslayer and other nobles who claimed justice but casually harmed the weak, Brienne of Tarth never bullied the weak nor sought to dominate others.
Everything she did was for duty and honor!
"What?"
Brienne of Tarth's eyes widened like an ox's.
At this moment, she could barely believe her ears.
A woman who couldn't even become a knight, yet Viserys Targaryen had exceptionally agreed to let her become a new Kingsguard!
Just as her mind was buzzing, a longsword was already laid upon her shoulder.
"Brienne of Tarth,"
Viserys Targaryen drew his longsword and slowly placed it on Brienne of Tarth's shoulder.
"Do you swear: to take no wife, father no children, and hold no lands?"
"I do!"
"Do you swear: to protect the King and his family with your life?"
"I do!"
"Do you swear: to forsake all worldly ambitions and devote yourself entirely to your brothers and your duty?"
"I do!"
Brienne of Tarth answered Viserys Targaryen's questions almost mechanically, and by the time she fully registered what was happening, a burst of fervent applause erupted on the Dragonstone beach.
"Brienne of Tarth, your vows have been heard and witnessed."
Viserys Targaryen sheathed his longsword and solemnly declared, "Today, I name you Lord Commander of the Kingsguard!"
At these words, everyone present widened their eyes in disbelief.
They had initially thought Viserys Targaryen had simply been unable to save face, which was why he chose a woman for the Kingsguard.
They never expected Viserys Targaryen to directly promote Brienne of Tarth to Lord Commander of the Kingsguard!
Brienne of Tarth's eyes reddened, and she blindly looked around.
How many years had it been!
Besides her father, who else in this world truly acknowledged her path as a knight?
Even when those arrogant men were beaten so badly they searched for their teeth on the ground, no man had ever recognized her efforts!
Suddenly, the entire scene fell into a deathly silence!
"Brienne of Tarth!"
"The first female Lord Commander of the Kingsguard!"
On the beach, a maid cried out.
Following that, scattered calls, from disbelief to blind acceptance, from ordinary maids to noble girls, from the Dragonstone beach to the great hall of Dragonstone, slowly began to rise.
Before long, the cheers spread like a tide, growing in strength and volume.
This was the first female knight, and also the first female Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, born in the Targaryen Dynasty in nearly three hundred years!
Even Beric Dondarrion, standing aside, nodded slightly, acknowledging Brienne of Tarth's status.
Leaving everything else aside, and putting her gender aside, he truly was no match for her!
A knight dies for one who truly knows him!
Brienne of Tarth's nose stung, and tears streamed down her face, unstoppable.
At this moment, she felt incredibly happy.
"Brienne, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard cannot easily shed tears, you know!"
Viserys Targaryen reached out his hands and wiped away the tears on her face, reminding her softly, "Rise, my White Knight."
"Yes!"
Brienne of Tarth touched her reddened eyes and quickly stood up.
From this moment on, she felt a tremendous responsibility resting on her shoulders.
She swore that she would help Viserys reclaim his iron throne!
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but clench her fists, making a silent resolve.
"Brienne of Tarth,"
Viserys Targaryen pulled out the valyrian dagger from his waist.
This was the blade of ice and fire passed down through generations of the Targaryen Family!
Engraved on it was the Song of Ice and Fire, dreamt by the first Dreamwalker, Daenerys Targaryen!
"As King, I command you to uphold justice, maintain fairness, protect the weak, and safeguard the common people. Should the King fall into madness, you may use this dagger to end his life!"
At these words, all the courtiers widened their eyes in disbelief.
Everyone knew that members of the Targaryen Family were like a coin tossed by the gods, having both a wise and a mad side.
Clearly, Viserys's action was to ensure that there would not be another Mad King on the iron throne!
This oath virtually bestowed upon Brienne of Tarth the power to kill the King.
The implications were unimaginable!
Brienne of Tarth trembled all over, quickly kneeling, "Your Majesty, I dare not!"
"No, you can!"
Viserys Targaryen held the dagger out to Brienne of Tarth, saying with a serious expression, "Can you promise to protect the people of the kingdom for your entire life?"
"Yes!"
Meeting Viserys Targaryen's solemn gaze, Brienne of Tarth then tremblingly took the valyrian dagger, a symbol of power.
"Depart for Pentos!"