Daenerys Targaryen's fingers traced the shape of her teacup. She paused, then asked, "Sir, how many men are we short?"
Jorah Mormont said respectfully, "Princess Daenerys, at least thirty or forty more people will be needed."
Having ascertained the approximate number of people needed, the silver-haired princess decisively stated, " Jorah, I grant you permission to hire fifty people directly. When selecting personnel, please weed out those who might be inclined to evil. What this city needs most is stability."
Ser Jorah nodded, patting his chest. "Yes, Your Highness."
Daenerys nodded gently, her face softening. Just as she was about to ask about the Tournament, Dick hurried in.
Dick first greeted the silver-haired princess, then glanced at Jorah, his eyes habitually darting back and forth.
Daenerys looked at Dick, who was behaving exactly like a thief, and a slight smile played on her lips. "Clever Dick," she said, "Where's my brother?"
Dick glanced at the tall, muscular Jorah again; he seemed to want to say something but hesitated.
Daenerys smiled and shook her head, saying, " Dick, everyone here is someone I trust. It's alright."
Ser Jorah nodded slightly and stood aside, his dark eyes fixed on Dick.
Dick said, "Your Highness, His King Viserys is currently meeting with several mercenary leaders."
Daenerys raised an eyebrow slightly. "Mercenaries?"
Daenerys was surprised that her king brother would agree to meet with "lowly" mercenaries in person; the move was both sudden and strange.
Dick replied cautiously, "Your Highness, His Majesty intends to hire some mercenaries as his bodyguards."
Daenerys's violet eyes flickered slightly. She exchanged a glance with Jorah, then turned to Dick and said, " Dick, mercenaries' loyalty is bought with Gold Dragon. Does my brother have enough Gold Dragon?"
The Usurper in King's King's Landing has been offering a hefty bounty for the siblings' heads, and mercenaries have never cared about honor. Doesn't Viserys know how dangerous this is?
Dick stepped forward and whispered, "Your Highness, His Majesty has ordered me to find out where your three Dragon Egg are."
Sir Jorah said dismissively, "He asked me about this a few days ago too."
Daenerys asked incredulously, "What does my brother want to do? Could it be...?"
Ser Jorah said coldly, "I think our Emperor wants to steal your egg."
Dick looked at the stunned silver-haired princess and nodded heavily, confirming that Jorah Jorah's guess was correct.
Daenerys was speechless with shock. After a pause, she finally spoke, "They're just a few stones. Why would my brother want to take them?"
Ser Jorah explained, "Princess Daenerys, rubies, diamonds, and fire opals are nothing but stones, but Dragon Egg fossils are far rarer. With three Dragon Egg, Viserys... His Majesty will have enough to hire many mercenaries."
Daenerys hadn't really considered the value of the Dragon Egg. She recalled the scene when she received the gift—who was that person? And why did they give her such an expensive gift?
Viserys is the true heir to the Iron Throne... Daenerys's face couldn't hide her sadness. "He's my brother. Viserys could have just asked me for him. Why did he choose this method? I'm his own sister..."
Ser Jorah felt a pang of pain seeing Daenerys's distress, but for the princess's safety, he had to say something.
"Princess Daenerys, if I may be so bold, if you were to present the egg to His King Viserys now, he would be furious, for he would take your generosity as a handout."
Daenerys's good mood had vanished. She said wearily, "Even so, it's better than taking the Dragon Egg without my knowledge."
Ser Jorah scoffed, "Perhaps he can fool himself by doing this."
Her brother's distrust always stung Daenerys' sensitive heart. She had told herself not to shed tears easily in front of others, but at this moment, she couldn't help but feel her eyes burning.
After a long while, Daenerys regained her composure. Once again, she had triumphed over herself, telling herself that she was True Dragon Heir and that she would never weep in cowardice.
Daenerys slowly began, " Dick, find a suitable opportunity to tell King Viserys..."
She paused, then continued, "You heard those mercenaries discussing how much our heads would be worth to the Usurper."
Dick, unusually serious, nodded in acceptance.
Jorah's lips curved slightly, and he bowed slightly, saying, "Please allow me to praise your wisdom, Princess Daenerys."
Daenerys forced a smile and waved for Dick to leave.
After Dick left, Daenerys slowly got up, her petite and well-proportioned figure walking to the window, and looked up at the sky outside.
Ser Jorah stood silently behind the silver-haired princess.
After a moment of silence, Daenerys's eyes flickered slightly, and she said softly, "He told me what Game of Thrones is. I asked him why he was telling me this. He replied that understanding these things would allow me to better protect myself, or... at least give me another option when bad things happen."
Ser Jorah gazed at the silver-haired princess's captivating silhouette and said, "He is a wise man."
Upon hearing this, Daenerys chuckled, "He's a fake Wildling."
She murmured again, "He was a powerful and kind-hearted man..."
As she spoke, Daenerys stretched out a hand towards the window, her fair, smooth skin gleaming in the sunlight. She continued, "He lets me sleep peacefully... lets me laugh without a care in the world... in my most desperate moments... he gives me hope..."
A gentle breeze blew by, and the silver-haired princess's soft voice seemed to float on the wind.
Gryn Crabb? She loved him deeply... Jorah's eyes trembled, and he unconsciously clenched his fists.
The love buried deep in his heart suddenly welled up, and Ser Jorah knelt on one knee. He didn't know why he was doing this; at that moment, he couldn't think of anything else.
Sir Sir Benedict of Bear Island looked up at the silver-haired princess with deep affection and said sincerely, " Dany, please let me protect you. I will always be by your side. I swear, until death do us part."
As Ser Jorah finished speaking, Daenerys's purple eyes, still filled with longing as she gazed at the sky, remained unmoved.
The silver-haired princess seemed to ignore Bear Island Jorah's heartfelt confession, his face gradually turning ashen... Disappointment, dejection, sadness, but deepest of all was regret, regret for his impulsiveness. Would he be banished? Ser Jorah began to worry and fear. No matter what, he wanted to stay by Daenerys's side; he knew he couldn't live without her.
Daenerys's clear voice rang out. "You are my trusted the Warrior."
Daenerys tilted her head slightly, her unwavering purple eyes conveying a sense of imperial authority to Jorah Mormont. She continued, "I have a lover. Please fulfill your duties, Ser Jorah Mormont."
Ser Jorah lowered his head, his lips trembling slightly, and said sorrowfully, "Yes, my princess."
Upon hearing Ser Jorah's reply, Daenerys turned around and said, "Rise, Sir."
Ser Jorah looked up at the silver-haired princess. Her expression was as gentle as ever, but he sensed a solid wall between them that he could not cross, and his regret deepened.
As he rose, Daenerys smiled faintly and said, "Ser Jorah, my trust in you will not waver, and I will not forget my promise to you."
Daenerys had promised Ser Jorah that she would help him regain his lost honors and lands.
Ser Jorah said respectfully, "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness."
Back in her room, Daenerys's gaze fell on the three Dragon Egg lying on the dark velvet, and she walked over slowly.
Daenerys's fingers gently brushed across the black Dragon Egg. Her movements paused, and her pupils contracted... It was throbbing; she felt it throbbing!
When she touched the Dragon Egg carefully, she could not feel anything else; the previous throbbing seemed to be her hallucination.
Was it because she so desperately wanted to possess a dragon that she felt this way? Daenerys frowned... It wasn't a hallucination; she truly felt it.
The moon... the egg... the explosion... yes, the explosion! Daenerys gripped the thought tightly.
Daenerys ordered a maid outside to bring a brazier, lit it, and then dismissed the maid. She wanted to carry out her sudden idea when no one was watching, wondering if it might be some kind of wisdom hidden within the blood of True Dragon?
Daenerys carried the black Dragon Egg to the brazier, placed it down, and put it next to the burning coals. The black dragon scales seemed to sip the heat, shimmering, and tiny red flames licked the stone surface. She quickly placed the other two eggs into the brazier, and the three eggs nestled together.
Daenerys watched without moving... The Dragon Egg burst open in the flames, and the dragon returned to the world—what a beautiful sight that would be.
But... the embers were reduced to ashes, and the steam rippled and shimmered around the Dragon Egg; the scene she had imagined never materialized.
Daenerys gazed sadly at the Dragon Egg in the brazier... Millions of years ago they were alive, but now they were nothing more than beautiful stones. What was she hoping for?
Daenerys shook her head inwardly, dismissing the ridiculous thought... How could she possibly believe that Dragon Egg fossil could turn into a dragon? Real dragons could soar through the air, breathe fire, and were living flesh and blood, not lifeless stones.
Daenerys sat quietly on one side of the bed. The knight she had always trusted had suddenly confessed his love to her, and she had rejected him... Although she did not show any change in expression, she found that she no longer dared to trust Ser Jorah as she had before.
Daenerys asked herself if it was this unease that made her yearn even more for a powerful dragon. She was terrified of returning to the days when she lived in constant fear.
Daenerys lay down on her side on the bed, reaching out to gently stroke the spot beside her. He always appeared here in her dreams... The silver-haired princess smiled tenderly.
"The Vale, she will definitely help him get the Vale, she can do it!" Daenerys's eyes gradually hardened, becoming more determined than ever before.
The Stark camp the Neck.
When news arrived that Renly Baratheon had declared himself king in the south, Robb Stark immediately convened a war council with his vassals at his encampment.
Robb's sharp blue eyes swept over the crowd as he said, "Gentlemen, Renly is not the rightful king."
Galbart Glover of Deepwood Motte spoke up, " Robb, we can't very well pledge allegiance to Joffrey, can we? They could say they killed our Lord Eddard!"
Robb's voice was steady. "That means they are evil, but that doesn't mean Renly is king. Joffrey is Robert I's legitimate eldest son, and according to the kingdom's laws, the Iron Throne rightfully belongs to him. If he dies..."
As he spoke, a cold glint flashed in his eyes. "I'm sorry, but I'm filled with the flames of hatred for those who hurt my father."
Almost everyone present nodded in unison. This was the true lord of our the North, First Men always sought revenge.
He paused, then continued, "Even if he dies, he has a younger brother, and the right to the Iron Throne will pass to Tommen."
" Stannis doesn't lie," Roose Bolton of Dreadfort said coldly. " Tommen is a Lannister through and through."
Robb agreed, "That's right."
He added, "But even if both of them die, it's not up to Renly to declare himself king; he has an older brother. Just as Bran couldn't become Duke of Winterfell before me, Renly can't inherit the Iron Throne before Stannis."
Lady Dacey Mormont of Bear Island agreed with Robb's statement, " Stannis is indeed more deserving of the Iron Throne than Renly."
Roose Bolton's voice was like a chilling wind. "Gentlemen, Renly has already secured the support of Highgarden Storm's End, and I'm sure the Dornish won't stand idly by."
If Winterfell and Riverrun were to join forces with him, five of the seven great houses would be under his command. If House Arryn were to also send troops, that would be six-sevenths of his power!
With six against one, my lords, in less than a year, we will have the heads of the harlot queen, the king, Lord Tywin, the Kingslayer, the Imp, Kevan all on the tips of our spears!
"We can achieve such great results simply by joining King Renly. Why should we abandon everything to serve Lord Stannis? What benefits can that man offer us?"
Ignoring the crowd's agreement regarding Roose Bolton, Robb stubbornly stated, "According to the law, Stannis's right to the throne precedes Renly's."
When everyone's attention turned to him, he continued, " The Lannister say my father was a traitor and tried to murder him... We all know this is a shameless lie, but... if Joffrey is the rightful king and we raise an army in rebellion, then we truly are traitors."
Halys Hornwood of Hornwood glanced at Roose Bolton's icy face and said, "Lord Robb, perhaps we can choose to wait and see, let the two kings fight to the death. After they've finished fighting, we can either submit to the victor or rebel. The choice is ours."