Dragon Port's "Undercurrents": Toying with Two Fools

The hustle and bustle of Dragon's Roost Port intensified as the sun climbed to its zenith. The shouts of the dockworkers unloading cargo, the clanging of the blacksmiths in the workshops, and the shouts from the fields intertwined to create a vibrant symphony. Only under the old pine trees in the corner of the camp exuded a secluded atmosphere that seemed out of place with this burgeoning energy.

Ellyn Beesbury's fingers, gripping the ledger, turned white. His gaze frequently drifted towards the medical station, where Bethany was bent over arranging herbs. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting shadows on her hair and making him even more certain of his judgment.

Maester Maron held the tome with its curled edges, his brow furrowed as he repeatedly stroked the annotations on the "infiltration" strategy on the pages. Yet, he felt that the gaze Bethany had glimpsed earlier, looking towards the castle, carried a burning intensity far beyond mere "disguise."

"Think about it again," Ellyn Beesbury a low voice, his tone carrying an undeniable certainty. "Since Lord Otto sent us here, there's no reason he wouldn't have arranged for his own people to be our spies. How could the young lady of the House Hightower genuinely want to stay in this desolate land? The way she looked at the Black Dragon just now clearly revealed her scheming!"

Just as Maester Maron was about to speak in agreement, Bethany turned around carrying her medicine box. The sound of her skirt brushing against the grass silenced the two of them instantly, and they hurriedly adopted a casual conversational demeanor.

Their supposedly secretive spying and scheming had long been exposed by the covert network laid by Daemon, and little did they know that this "Pearl of Hightower" had already taken their foolishness as the most boring pastime of the afternoon in Dragon's Roost Port.

As the two were whispering to each other, Bethany suddenly walked over carrying a medicine box, a gentle smile on her face, but a hint of calculation hidden in her eyes.

She had long noticed the two men spying on her, and she also learned from Alys Rivers, who had arrived at Dragon's Roost Port earlier than her, that they were sent by her uncle Otto. A mischievous idea immediately arose in her mind.

"What are you two talking about?" Bethany walked up to the two of them, her voice gentle and intellectual, like a spring breeze rustling through the grass.

Ellyn Beesbury and Maester Maron were instantly flustered. Ellyn Beesbury hurriedly put away his account book and said with a flattering smile, "It's nothing, just a chat about the accounts and teachings within the Crownlands. My respected and dear Miss Bethany, the Pearl of Hightower, where are you going in person?"

"Go to the vicinity of Black Hill and find a rare herb that is said to enhance the medicinal effects of Dragonblood Grass."

Bethany shook her medicine box, her gaze inadvertently sweeping over Ellyn Beesbury. "But the terrain of Black Hill is complex, and I'm quite afraid to be alone. I wonder if you two learned gentlemen could help me?"

Ellyn Beesbury immediately patted his chest. "Of course! It would be our honor to serve Miss Bethany!"

He turned and winked at Maester Maron, meaning, "The opportunity has arrived. Help her, and you can get closer to the Earl Hobert."

After all, Lord Otto, who sent them, had been dismissed and demoted, but Miss Bethany's father, Earl Hobert Hightower, the head of the House Hightower, was still the undisputed, towering, and radiant "Beacon of the South."

Maester Maron quickly nodded in agreement. "We've indeed gained some knowledge of Black Hill's terrain during our stay in Dragon's Roost Port these past few days, so we can guide you, Miss."

A hint of a smile flashed in Bethany's eyes, but she feigned gratitude, saying, "Then this humble woman thanks you both! However, I've heard that the herb grows near a cave, requiring us to cross a swamp. Please be careful, gentlemen."

After the three set off, Bethany deliberately led them on a detour, specifically choosing to walk along the muddy and difficult edges of the swamp.

Ellyn Beesbury, dressed in a bright yellow brocade robe, was quickly covered in mud, and his shoes sank into the mud, nearly causing him to slip and fall when he pulled them out.

Maester Maron's grey robes were torn by tree branches, and the books in his hands were stained with mud; he frowned with distress.

"Miss, is this the wrong way?" Maester Maron couldn't help but ask first, looking at the unfamiliar swamp in front of him, he had some doubts.

"There's no mistake," Bethany said, feigning seriousness. "I heard it from Miss Alys herself; this herb thrives in dark, damp environments. Please bear with us a little longer, we're almost there."

As she spoke, she deliberately pointed to a deeper swamp in the distance. "Look, aren't there purple flower buds in the grass over there? Those are the herbs I'm looking for."

Ellyn Beesbury and Maester Maron looked in the direction she pointed and indeed saw a patch of purple buds. They quickly trudged over there, their steps uneven.

They had only gone halfway when the muddy ground beneath their feet suddenly collapsed, and the two of them instantly sank up to their knees. Struggling to climb out, they only sank deeper, prompting Bethany to exclaim from the side, "Be careful, gentlemen! Quickly grab onto the branches nearby!"

When the two finally managed to climb out, they were covered in mud and water. Ellyn Beesbury's bright yellow brocade robe was now in a sorry state, and the book in Maester Maron's hand was also mostly soaked.

Bethany "concernedly" handed over the towel she had prepared beforehand. "It's all my fault for not reminding you two beforehand."

Fortunately, we found the herbs, so the trip wasn't a complete waste.

She bent down and picked a few purple herbs, which were actually just ordinary swamp plants, but she pretended to cherish them and put them into her medicine box. "With these, I can make a better ointment for external injuries. That mysterious Black Dragon Prince will definitely be happy."

Ellyn Beesbury and Maester Maron exchanged a glance. Though disheveled, they felt they had accomplished a "great thing" for Miss Bethany, the noblewoman of the House Hightower, and a smug smile appeared on their faces.

They thought Bethany was trying to curry favor with Daemon by making pharmaceuticals, but little did they know that they were just being used as pawns.

When they returned to Dragon's Roost Port, their disheveled appearance attracted the attention of many people.

Rayford was checking supplies at the dock when he saw them like this and couldn't help but stifle a laugh;

Jarman leaned against a nearby wooden post, his one eye sweeping over them with a mocking gaze.

"Where have you two gone? How did things get like this?" Rayford, who had already informed Jarman, who was talking beside him, through his Shadow Guards and thus learned of their whereabouts, asked deliberately, mimicking Larys's cunning.

Even the usually thick-skinned Ellyn Beesbury coughed awkwardly, "I was helping Miss Bethany find herbs when I accidentally got stuck in the swamp."

Maester Maron quickly added, "This little bit of trouble is nothing compared to preparing an ointment for His Highness Daemon's injuries."

Bethany arrived at the opportune moment, her beautiful face etched with guilt. "It's all my fault, causing you two to suffer. I'll personally deliver the herbs to Miss Alys, and once they're made into an ointment in a few days, I'll be the first to send them to you both."

Watching Bethany's departing figure, Ellyn Beesbury said to Maester Maron, "See? I told you so! She's doing this to curry favor with the Black Dragon. If we follow her and she conquers the Black Dragon in the future, we'll definitely make a great contribution!"

Maester Maron nodded, tenderly wiping the soaked tomes, but something felt off – the herbs Miss Bethany of the House Hightower had found didn't seem to have any special medicinal effects.

At that moment, Daemon was watching Lyonel train the new recruits at the training ground.

Lyonel, wielding "Lady Forlorn," sparred with Rupert Crabb, the clash of blades crisp and powerful. The recruits gathered in a circle, watching with fervent excitement. Myles Rivers and Tybolt Crakehall cheered them on from the sidelines, Harlan Hunter instructed the archers in the distance, their arrows hitting the bullseye with pinpoint accuracy.

"Your Highness, look at the state of Ellyn Beesbury and that Maester Maron," Jarman, walking over to Daemon and pointing to the disheveled two in the distance. "They were fooled by Miss Bethany, and they think they've done something right."

Daemon looked in the direction he was pointing and saw Ellyn Beesbury and Maester Maron grinning foolishly at Bethany's back. He couldn't help but laugh too, "These two idiots think Bethany was sent by Otto, but they don't know they're just her playthings."

"Does Miss Bethany seem to find this amusing?" Jarman asked doubtfully. "Didn't she try to find out anything from them?"

"Her target was never these two idiots." Hearing this, Daemon helplessly turned his gaze towards the medical station. "What she wanted was nothing more than to uncover the secrets and mysteries surrounding me. Playing with them was probably just a spur-of-the-moment thing."

As the sun set, the campsite at Dragon's Roost Port gradually quieted down.

Rayford had gone back to sort out the day's supply accounts, with Tommen House Peake assisting him as he checked the trade list against the inventory records one by one;

Colin and Alyn inspected the boats at the dock, making sure the speedboats on night patrol were in perfect working order;

Larys finished his "walk" for the day, leaning on his cane, and exchanged information with the House Royce twins. His one eye scanned the camp to make sure there was nothing unusual.

Rupert and Lyonel reviewed the day's training at the drill ground, and they were quite satisfied with the recruits' progress.

Ellyn Beesbury and Maester Maron sat by the campfire, still excitedly discussing their "achievements" of the day.

"I think Miss Bethany from the House Hightower does have some genuine feelings for Black Dragon."

Ellyn Beesbury licked his slightly chapped lips. "Look at the way Miss looks at Black Dragon, it's full of desire. She definitely wants to use her abilities to gain Black Dragon's approval, make him infatuated with her, drive a wedge between Black Dragon and Gael, and then conquer Black Dragon, making Black Dragon fall at her feet."

Maester Maron nodded in agreement. "Once she makes the ointment, the Black Dragon will definitely look at her differently. Then, we can join forces with her and surely uncover the Black Dragon's secrets, giving Lord Otto a pleasant surprise."

The two were completely unaware that Bethany was watching them from not far away, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes.

In her notebook, she recorded the scene of Daemon training new recruits that she had observed that day. In particular, she drew the faint lines of the black three-headed dragon brand on Daemon's right shoulder, which was faintly visible under his sweat-soaked clothes, with extra detail.

Alys Rivers appeared beside her at some point, leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "Aren't you afraid they'll become suspicious after you played them like that today?"

"If those two idiots were even slightly suspicious, they wouldn't be being watched without even realizing it," Bethany whispered in Alys Rivers's ear. "They're just two self-important fools, perfect for killing time and giving me a chance to observe Prince Daemon. What's not to like?"

She paused, then added, "I've already had them pass on false information to Uncle Otto, saying that His Highness Daemon is engrossed in building the castle and completely unaware of King's Landing's movements. I believe it won't be long before our Lord Otto lowers his guard, and then I'll be able to find more clues about His Highness Daemon's Dragon Mark."

Looking at her stubborn expression, Alys Rivers gently shook his head and said nothing more.

Daemon stood on the castle foundation, looking at the people around the campfire. Gael walked up to him, holding a cup of warm ale. "You must be tired today. Miss Bethany just brought over a bottle of ointment, saying it's made with herbs she found, for you to use when training the wounded soldiers."

Daemon took the ointment, opened the bottle, and smelled a common herbal scent. A knowing glint flashed in his eyes. "She certainly knows how to use someone else's work to curry favor."

"She's still very interested in the brand on your shoulder," Gael said softly. "I just saw her secretly drawing you during training."

"Then let her draw." Daemon sighed, taking a sip of his ale and glancing at Ellyn Beesbury and Maester Maron on the other side. "As long as she doesn't overstep her bounds, toying with these two fools will at least add some amusement to Dragon's Roost Port."

As night deepened, the bonfires at Dragon's Roost Port gradually died down, leaving only the lighthouse at the pier still glowing faintly.

As usual, the Glutton lay sprawled beside the foundation of the unfinished castle, its dark dragon scales gleaming with a dark gold hue in the moonlight. Grey Ghost curled up beside it, emitting satisfied purrs.

Dreamfyre hovered high in the sky, and pale blue dragon wings swept across the night, guarding this rising land.

Ellyn Beesbury and Maester Maron lay in their tent, still dreaming of "making a name for themselves," completely unaware that they were being watched by Daemon's Shadow Guards, and even less aware that Bethany was merely using them as pawns.

Meanwhile, Bethany sat in the tent, repeatedly tracing the Dragon Mark on the notebook by candlelight, her eyes filled with fervor. She firmly believed that as long as she persisted, she would eventually be able to unravel the secrets and mysteries surrounding Daemon.

As for Daemon, he was already standing on the high platform, holding Gael's hand as usual, with Brienne Tarth and Lia Osgrey as his guards, and Mysaria and Johanna Swann as his attendants, watching over the sleeping Dragon's Roost Port.

He knew that the foolishness of Ellyn Beesbury and Maester Maron Mullen, and Bethany Hightower's obsession with him, were just minor episodes in the construction of Dragon's Roost Port.

As long as he has these loyal followers by his side, Gael's companionship, and Dragonfire's protection, he can defend this land, build Dragon's Roost Port into an indestructible fortress, and forge his own legendary path in the past century.