What is love like between men and women in Westeros? It's very... direct.
Gryn Crabb glanced at the sleeping Daenerys, gently lifted the thin blanket, and climbed off the bed.
Moonlight streamed through the room's windows, casting a silvery glow on the marble floor.
Gryn went to the window, opened it quietly, and a cool night breeze rushed in.
After standing there for a while, Gryn rubbed his jet-black hair. It seems that being direct has its advantages; the transition from stranger to acquaintance was quick.
Next step... Gryn's long, slender fingers tapped lightly on the windowsill.
What will his future with Dany look like?
Do he and Dany need to agree on the ownership of the Iron Throne beforehand?
Does Dany, now or Dany the future, have any interest in the Iron Throne?
If he asks directly, will Dany be honest? Or rather... will her answer now be her answer in the future?
Gryn's eyes trembled slightly as he gazed at the dark night sky. At this moment... was it necessary to break through this barrier...?
After an unknown amount of time, Gryn's fingers stopped tapping; he had made his decision—the one everyone wanted.
Lord Gryn, one of a kind.
The first step is to start with the bed; this isn't about political maneuvering, it's about Westeros- style romance.
Daenerys called out gently at the opportune moment, " Gryn..."
Gryn looked in the direction the sound came from. The Dragonstone princess was lying on her side, propping her cheek up with her hand. When she saw his gaze fall on her, she slowly lifted the covering on her body.
Although the room was dimly lit, Daenerys's fair skin seemed to glow, not only displaying her graceful figure, but also as she beckoned with her finger.
How arrogant... Gryn's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
His feet moved towards the bed... The perceptive Gryn had already noticed Dany's extraordinary stamina; was this a unique buff belonging to the Dragon Mother?
Gryn felt it was time to show his true strength!
... a soft, murmuring voice...
Early morning, Magister's Palace, training ground.
Gryn raised his specially made powerful bow and drew the bowstring taut, while the audience beside him consisted of three little dragons with a "morning grumpiness".
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Every arrow Gryn fired produced a chilling whistling sound as it pierced the air.
The three little dragons stayed obediently in place, and this morning's music class seemed to have made them feel Gryn's deep fatherly love.
Gryn put away his longbow and handed it to a servant. He gestured, and the three obedient little dragons were put into a special box and taken away from the training ground by the servants.
Not long after, Mutton and Anguy walked over together and bowed to Gryn.
Gryn handed the towel he had used to dry his hands to the servant and asked, "Does she have any symptoms of pregnancy?"
Anguy and Mutton exchanged a glance, and he said, "My lord, I have consulted three Maester, and they all gave the same answer: Renier is not pregnant."
After hearing Jon's romantic tale from Daenerys, Gryn took Renier, who had just arrived in Viserys City-State, under his control. The cautious Lord Gryn found the story too enticing.
Gryn nodded and said, " Anguy, find a suitable reason to let Renier leave, and then..."
After a moment's hesitation, he added, "I need you to find out who's behind her."
"You suspect..."
" Jon Snow's experiences after arriving in Essos were like a pre-written play; this cannot be explained by coincidence."
With Little Gryphon already defeated, Gryn naturally had to take the initiative.
Anguy solemnly accepted the order, "Sir, I will make the arrangements. They cannot escape my eyes."
Gryn reached out and patted Anguy's arm. "I've asked Mutton to stay and help you. I have no other specific orders. If a threat is detected... I allow you to decide for yourselves how to handle it. I'm just waiting for the day I personally knight you."
The Vale awaited Lord Gryn's arrival. He could not linger in Essos for long, but did not want to leave any future troubles, so he chose the combination of Mutton and Anguy.
In the Magister's Palace hall, Daenerys, wearing an exquisite headscarf, appeared arm in arm with Gryn. Her violet eyes were bright as stars, and her radiant and energetic demeanor easily conveyed her joyful mood.
Everyone bowed to her, and she responded to each one in a good mood.
Daenerys stopped in front of a robust old man with white hair and a white beard, looked him over briefly, and said, " Whitebeard Arstan? The Tournament champion?"
Whitebeard Arstan glanced at Gryn standing beside Daenerys and gave a slight bow. "It is an honor to meet you, Princess of Dragonstone, of the Targaryen."
Daenerys nodded slightly and said, "I heard that you killed the leader of the rebel mercenaries with your sword during the fire that night. You were very brave."
Daenerys looked to the other side and called out, "Ser Jorah."
Jorah Mormont strode over, placing a hand on his chest, and said, "Princess Daenerys."
Daenerys continued, "Ser Jorah, I request that you knight Arstan."
Ser Jorah stared at the whitebeard for a moment, then said suspiciously, "You look familiar... Old man, tell me your true identity."
Arstan straightened up and replied coldly, "A knight better than you, Sir."
After saying that, he looked at Gryn and said, " Lord Gryn, I never expected to meet you here. I've always wanted to thank you in person for your help. If it weren't for your leniency, I might have stayed in the Red Keep forever (Chapter 168)."
Daenerys frowned slightly. "You're a knight?"
She looked up at Gryn and asked, " Gryn, do you know him?"
Gryn nodded slightly. "He is Barristan Selmy."
Jorah's face suddenly flushed red. "It really was you!"
With a whoosh, he drew his sword, the tip of which pressed against Barristan's ( Whitebeard Arstan's ) neck.
" Barristan the Bold! Lord Commander of the Kingsguard of Robert Baratheon the Usurper! Traitor to the Targaryen!"
Barristan held his head high, ignoring Jorah's longsword, and coldly replied, "You're just making a fuss about who's better. You dare talk about betrayal?"
Gryn looked at Jorah, his voice carrying a warning. "Ser Bear Island, who gave you permission to draw your sword in front of the princess?"
Ser Jorah immediately glanced at Daenerys, who was frowning, hesitated for a moment, and then removed his longsword from Barristan's neck.
As he sheathed his sword, he said, "Princess Daenerys, Barristan is a man of the Usurper; we cannot trust him."
Jorah's words were met with a disdainful snort from the old knight.
Why did Jorah Mormont suddenly become so composed? Gryn raised an eyebrow; he was afraid Barristan would reveal his hidden identity.
This is, after all, Dany's "business," and Gryn can't directly handle it for her. Besides, some things are unavoidable, or you could say they're the price of growing up.
Thinking of this, Gryn spoke up, " Dany, Barristan has been banished from the Red Keep by the Lannister. His current status is..."
As he spoke, he sized up the old knight and continued, "A wandering knight?"
Barristan first nodded his thanks to Gryn, then knelt on one knee. "Princess Daenerys, if you will accept, I will be your loyal knight until the end of my life."
He paused, then continued, "Otherwise, I would be content to serve one of the knights you trust, as his squire."
Daenerys clenched her fists and said, "You were once my father's Kingsguard, and fought alongside my brother on the Trident, yet you betrayed the exiled Prince Viserys and knelt before the Usurper. Tell me, with the honor of a knight, why?"
"Princess Daenerys, I have stained my white robes; no matter how eloquent the excuse, it cannot absolve me of this."
The old knight raised his head, tears welling in his eyes. "If the evil boy on the Iron Throne hadn't stripped me of my post, perhaps I would still King's Landing's Landing. I'm ashamed to admit it, but it's the truth."
He continued, "When the white robes, representing sacred oaths, were taken from me by the Lannister, and they sent men to hunt me down, it was as if the veil in my eyes was suddenly lifted. I realized that I had to find a Walk of Atonement for myself, even if it meant sacrificing my life."
Upon hearing this, Gryn's eyes trembled slightly. Why hadn't he said he was searching for the true king?
Legend has it that madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin, and whenever a Targaryen is born, the Gods toss the coin into the air, and the whole world holds its breath to watch it fall.
Is he maintaining his observer's stance at this moment? Is he trying to observe for a while to determine if Daenerys will become the Mad King?
Indeed... in the world of Westeros, noble blood is what everyone desires.
Gryn remained completely unmoved, because he knew from the beginning that the game of power he had chosen was of hellish difficulty.
Lord Gryn was optimistic; if the difficulty wasn't high, how could he demonstrate his excellence? cough
The future Gryn Emperor is not worried at all.