"Heartbroken" Dragon Queen

"Your Majesty, standing before you is Aegon Targaryen, son of Prince Rhaegar."

Connington's bombshell confession immediately stunned Daenerys, who was in the middle of a happy day. Her purple eyes widened, and the brass goblet shaped like a dragon in her hand hung in mid-air, as if she hadn't understood Connington's words.

The musicians, quite perceptively, stopped playing, fearing that the sound of their strings might disrupt the important business of these distinguished guests.

Daenerys slowly put down her wine glass, looking at the silver-haired boy in front of her, who was just like herself, and sizing him up. Her eyes were full of excitement. She had rarely seen anyone with such an appearance since Viserys died.

As Daenerys's personal handmaid and secretary, Missandei naturally knew about Daenerys's brother, whom she had never met.

Not only her dragon brother Viserys, but also the respected Barristan, everyone has always believed that if Rhaegar had been able to inherit the throne, the Targaryen would not have fallen to such a state, and even the fate of the Seven Kingdoms would have been different.

Many people would have been far better off than they are now; at least they wouldn't have died a violent death.

Daenerys ' emotions visibly intensified upon hearing about this suddenly appearing relative, and Missandei, who was closest to her, could even see the Dragon Queen's body trembling slightly.

Everyone stared at Daenerys, her Roland eyes fixed on Young Griff, and exchanged bewildered glances.

Daenerys was very intelligent; as she processed this shocking news in her mind, she slowly turned to look at Barristan.

Because she believed that Barristan wouldn't lie to her, and for a long time Barristan had regretted his past loyalty to Robert.

He only pledged allegiance to Baratheon after being mortally wounded on the battlefield, falling into Robert, and being rescued and pardoned by Robert. However, after learning of the Mountain and Amory upon learning of the massacre of Rhaegar's sons, Barristan concluded that the man was utterly unfit to be a ruler.

But by then he was already Robert's subject, and had no choice but to grit his teeth and continue to serve him.

After observing for a period of time, Barristan concluded that this "Young Griff" was of good character and knowledge, and even shared Rhaegar's love for musical instruments and reading. So when he saw Daenerys asking him for confirmation, he nodded at the opportune moment.

"Aegon!"

Daenerys was thrilled and overjoyed that her loved ones were still alive. She stared intently at Young Griff, while Tyrion took the opportunity to kick Young Griff's shin.

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Young Griff slowly rose and approached Daenerys.

"Auntie," Young Griff said, offering a smile, though it seemed a little forced.

The scene of an aunt and nephew recognizing each other is exceptionally touching.

Young Griff was nearly 1.9 meters tall, and Daenerys looked up at her nephew, trying to find the mark of their bloodline on his face.

Daenerys touched Young Griff's face, Young Griff, though feeling a little awkward, leaned down.

Daenerys looked at her nephew as if she couldn't get enough of looking at him.

Seeing that her emotions had stabilized again, Connington quickly recounted how Young Griff had escaped Tywin's clutches.

"Oh, so it's Varys. I'll reward him handsomely when I reclaim the Iron Throne..." Daenerys nodded.

What no one noticed was that she glanced quickly at Tyrion as she spoke, while Tyrion lowered his head and put a piece of lettuce into his mouth.

The crowd's expressions stiffened at this response.

Daenerys can be queen, but if she becomes the main force in seizing the Iron Throne, that's not what they want to see.

Daenerys spoke first, "Gentlemen, thank you for coming from afar to help me. The House Targaryen will never forget your loyalty." With that, she picked up her goblet and said, "Once I have wiped out the traitors of Slaver's Bay, we will return to Westeros with dragons and armies, and reclaim the Iron Throne!"

When everyone heard about the Dragon Queen's ambition, their expressions became somewhat strange. Connington looked at Barristan and Sister Lemore, Lemore eyes flickered. Young Griff glanced at Daenerys, then exchanged glances with Connington and Barristan respectively.

Barristan hesitated, then swayed slightly, causing the chair beneath him to creak softly.

No one expected this outcome, after all, Slaver's Bay was nothing more than a foreign land to them, a tiny place that they could abandon at any time.

With Jon's help, Stannis has gradually eliminated all the usurpers, and his rule is becoming increasingly stable. No one wants to waste any more time in Slaver's Bay.

Seeing Connington momentarily speechless, Young Griff took a sip of his drink and said, "Aunt, we... we actually wanted to invite you back. I've come to propose to you. We already have the support of the Golden Company, plus your dragons and the Unsullied, and the lords of Westeros who are willing to support us. Our strength is enough to reclaim the Iron Throne."

Seeing that Young Griff had spoken so bluntly, everyone's expressions immediately tensed up.

Although Grey Worm didn't understand Common Tongue very well, he could sense that his Dragon Queen's emotions had changed, and for the worse.

In a secluded corner, Tyrion shrugged the crowd with his two differently colored eyes, clearly not approving of the Dragon Queen.

The Dragon Queen put down her wine glass, and the warmth in her Roland eyes was rapidly fading.

"So you mean I should give up Slaver's Bay, abandon my people, and offer up my dragons, my army, and my womb, in order to help you become king? Is that what you mean?"

"Your Majesty—" Connington tried to explain, Daenerys's words were indeed cold and harsh, but then again, wasn't this exactly what their group's goal was?

She's the Dragon Queen now, the undisputed ruler of Slaver's Bay. It seems a bit much to exchange a less-than-glamorous queenly position for Daenerys's genuine support, especially considering they're currently in a weaker position.

Daenerys possesses three wealthy city-states, three dragons, the Unsullied Legion, and countless freed slaves who support her.

It's just that the Dragon Queen put it more bluntly and directly.

Seeing that no one answered, the Dragon Queen looked coldly at Barristan and said, "Sir Barristan, you already know about this, don't you?"

"Your Majesty, I—"

The people of Barristan were shaken, for there was no doubt that their actions constituted a conspiracy to rebel, something that those in power found utterly intolerable.

The most experienced knight lowered his head in shame.

He suddenly realized the influence of Westeros's laws of succession, and that his desire to restore the Targaryen kingdom had led him to make an honorable mistake.

Daenerys, her purple eyes already brimming with Dragonfire, scanned the crowd at the banquet. Instinctively, she reached for the lion skin her husband, Khal, had left her, but it was still in her bedroom, so she grasped at empty air.

She felt extremely uneasy, and at the same time, she felt intensely lonely.

Missandei sensed that she was in a very bad mood and quickly stepped forward to take her somewhat slender arm.

"I'll consider it," Daenerys said. "But I'm a little tired now, so let's end the banquet here." With that, she turned and left, accompanied by Missandei.

"Your Majesty." Connington immediately became anxious as he saw Daenerys about to leave.

If it weren't for Jon, Westeros would still be in a state of disarray, and I wouldn't be in such a hurry.

There is no one in Westeros who has usurped the title of king now, mainly because he doesn't take Balon seriously and is unaware of the Iron Islands.

Nevertheless, Stannis's reign, like Robert's before him, was becoming more and more secure every day, and they simply couldn't afford to delay any longer.

However, Connington's abrupt change of direction was met with the Dragon Queen's angry glare. "I said! I'm a little tired now, can't you understand what you mean?!" Her voice was filled with anger at the betrayal, making Connington dare not step forward.

Upon hearing the Dragon Queen's roar, the young Bloodriders led a squad of cold- Unsullied into the room, seemingly prepared in advance.

The warmth brought by family affection vanished in an instant, leaving only the smell of betrayal in the air.

As Daenerys walked away, everyone knew they had messed things up.

"I'll apologize to the Queen once she's felt better," Barristan said, his brow furrowed as he stared at the pork chop that was gradually solidifying. The solidified fat reminded him of his tainted character, making him feel nauseous.

Everyone looked at Barristan, and they all knew that this old Iron Guard had actually been implicated by them.

"Ser Barristan, please join us," Young Griff. suddenly spoke up. "Slaver's Bay is a foreign land. Isn't your desire the revival of the Targaryen? Join us."

Barristan did not agree, instead stating that he was not in the mood to think about such matters at the moment.

They were all too presumptuous, believing they could move Daenerys with familial love and the promise of restoring her kingdom, but they seemed to have forgotten Daenerys's dazzling long list of titles.

The banquet ended unhappily, and everyone returned to the manor Daenerys had arranged for them. All the maids received the same treatment, except that the Unsullied patrols became more frequent.

Connington knew this might be some kind of eviction notice, and he didn't sleep all night, sitting alone by the window until dawn.

Over the next few days, Connington and his companions repeatedly tried to request an audience with the Dragon Queen, but were consistently refused.

Young Griff was the least understanding of everyone's fear; he didn't know why Daenerys was so angry.

These people weren't just freeloaders; they helped her quell the rebellion of the Sons of the Harpy, didn't they? At least they should get a dragon as a reward.

However, something unexpected happened during this time – Connington suddenly declared that Tyrion Daenerys henceforth be her Hand of the Queen.

Connington and his group finally realized that there was a traitor among them!

Tyrion made no attempt to conceal his actions, instead directly confronting Connington and Young Griff's group.

In the mansion where Connington and his party were temporarily staying, Tyrion wore a silver "Queen's Hand" brooch on his chest, followed by two Unsullied, transforming himself into a confidant of the Dragon Queen.

"Tyrion! You traitor!" Young Griff glared with his blue-violet eyes, while Connington behind him stepped forward to prevent him from doing anything rash.

"Traitor?" Tyrion glanced out the window, then at the ceiling above, before finally fixing his gaze on Young Griff and his group. "I didn't swear allegiance to you, did I?"

"You!" Young Griff's face darkened, and he suddenly remembered that he was nothing and had nothing at all.

"Ser Connington and all of you, I am but a dwarf who has lost his noble status, a Lannister who wants to reclaim Casterly Rock. The Dragon Queen has promised me that if I stay and assist her, she will also reclaim Casterly Rock for me when she reclaims the Iron Throne. It is an honor to have come to Slaver's Bay with you all. When you return, I will ask the Queen for a ship for you all," Tyrion said calmly, looking at the people present.

"But she's a Targaryen, she should go back, she was born in Westeros— " Connington continued.

However, Tyrion interrupted him rudely. "She was born on Dragonstone. She left Westeros before she could even remember anything. She's never even seen the castles and manors of Westeros. She's only six years old! Why should she help you!" Tyrion's voice grew louder and louder, then he looked directly at Young Griff: "She's even two years younger than you. She was sold like merchandise by her brother. She's been living a life of constant wandering since childhood, unlike you! At least you have a place to stay. Why do you resent her just because you didn't get help?! Yes, you've been plotting for over a decade to restore your kingdom, but what about her? She's a human being too! Has any of you considered her feelings? As subjects, are you allowed to interfere in your king's marriages?"

Faced with Tyrion's accusations, Young Griff was speechless for a moment, and even lost the courage to meet Tyrion's gaze. Even Connington and the others felt somewhat ashamed, as they seemed to have been intentionally downplaying Daenerys's status as the Dragon Queen. Compared to the Targaryen princess, she was now a conqueror just like Aegon!

Tyrion took a breath and said, "I told her beforehand why you came. Although you helped her quell the rebellion of the Sons of the Harpy, she is still very angry. My queen does not like to be betrayed. You may leave. Let fate decide who should ultimately rule the Iron Throne."

After Tyrion finished speaking, he was about to leave. Young Griff was also a person who could put himself in others' shoes. After Tyrion's words, he realized that his and others' ideas were really just wishful thinking.

However, he was still quite young and couldn't bring himself to back down, especially after being lectured by Tyrion, that dwarf, which made him feel rather uncomfortable.

Young Griff turned to Connington and said, "Even without dragons, it doesn't matter. I believe at least Dorne is on our side; after all, they are my mother's family."

When his mother was mentioned, a look of longing appeared in Young Griff's blue-violet eyes. Young Griff had seen a portrait of his mother, a beautiful Dorne woman with dark hair and brown eyes.

At the same time, the thought of his mother being raped by villains like the Mountain tormented him. In fact, his feelings for Jon were somewhat complicated. He believed that Jon Snow had avenged his mother, but had sided with the Usurper.

Young Griff, seeing Connington still undecided, continued to persuade him, "Not only Dorne, but also Tyrell. Tyrell will help us too."

Not only Young Griff, but Connington also thought so. The Reach would never fight wholeheartedly for Stannis's crown just because Margaery married Jon. Although Jon married Margaery, it was obvious to everyone that it was actually Stannis's way of humiliating them.

At this point, the North is exhausted, the Westerlands has changed hands, and Stormlands has just suffered heavy damage. They cannot afford to waste any more time in Slaver's Bay and must return as soon as possible.

"Perhaps we weren't completely honest, but we didn't hurt her. Once we gain an advantage in Westeros, I believe she won't stand idly by."

Connington also agreed with Young Griff's analysis.

He was no longer young, and if he wanted to reclaim the Iron Throne for the Targaryen, this was his only and last chance.

Connington wanted to play it safe, and to play it safe, he had to bring Daenerys's dragons.

Only dragons have enough persuasive power.

Connington and Young Griff on the issue of winning over Daenerys, and neither could convince the other at the moment.

Sister Lemore watched the two quietly from the side; with her there, at least they wouldn't argue.

Tyrion and Lemore exchanged a glance. Tyrion had been making lewd jokes to the nun all along the way, but now he seemed quite serious.

Just as Connington and Young Griff were debating whether to try and win back Daenerys's support, a shocking message suddenly arrived from Illyrio's side—

Jon Snow, the bastard son of Eddard Stark, Lord of Winterfell and Warden of the Warden of the North, is actually the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark!

This ended their argument, and it was clear to everyone that the Battle of Westeros had resumed, and there was no longer time to continue maneuvering in Slaver's Bay.