Plotting for Dragon Eggs (Please Follow)

The Black Cat leaped onto the desk, pinning down one corner of the map for the moment.

Rhaenys Targaryen slowly stroked the Black Cat's fur, and the cat was equally immersed in the sensation.

When the one-eared Black Cat was quiet, it actually seemed somewhat steady, not quite so unruly.

"Are you saying those children are Little Birds?" Rhaenys asked.

"If they're ragged, pale, and all mute, then they must be Little Birds," Viserys said.

"But shouldn't the birds be in King's Landing?" Rhaenys asked in confusion.

"There are some in King's Landing, but don't forget that the Spider came from Pentos. Varys still has allies in Pentos, and they may be quite formidable," Viserys explained.

Viserys knew of the alliance between Varys and Illyrio. That was the benefit of hindsight, and he even knew their greatest secret: the dragon.

"Varys." Rhaenys tightened her grip on the dragonbone-hilted dagger. "He was one of the people my father hated most, and one of the people I hate."

Viserys looked at Rhaenys. Rhaegar Targaryen probably had a long list of people he despised.

(Due to caching issues, please visit through your browser. Countless great books are available at Tiantian Novels, waiting for you to find them, with the fastest chapter updates.)

Lord Simon Staunton of Rook's Rest, the master of laws; Lord Colton Chelsted, the master of coin; Rossart the Wise; Varys, and the rest.

They had lined up like hemp stalks in the fields. This was the cabal of flatterers from the late years of King Aerys's reign.

Their conduct had been consistent: they fawned over King Aerys while endlessly slandering Rhaegar, making the Mad King distrust his son even more.

Now, aside from Varys, every last one of them was dead.

"We will have our revenge," Viserys promised. "Because true dragons never forget."

"True dragons always remember," Rhaenys said.

"Why are these birds watching us?" Rhaenys asked curiously.

"Perhaps because we still have some value," Viserys answered.

That was indeed the truth. Varys and Illyrio's pair had intended to use them as banners for war.

Unexpectedly, Viserys had not gone looking for trouble with Illyrio and Varys, yet they could not stop thinking about him.

"But who is Varys truly loyal to? He followed the king before, and now he follows the usurper, yet he still seems to want to deal with us." Rhaenys only called Aerys "the king," never "Grandfather."

She had never held much affection for that wretched man, Aerys.

"Perhaps he is loyal to no one. Perhaps he is loyal only to himself." Viserys looked toward Pentos on the map.

Pentos stood on the Narrow Sea, facing the Seven Kingdoms from afar. It was the Free Trade Cities closest to King's Landing.

"He isn't an information broker. He's an ambitious man." Rhaenys was a little stunned. It was quite a bold notion.

"In these chaotic times, even small fry believe they can soar to great heights," Viserys replied.

The greatest disguise of people like Varys and Littlefinger was their humble birth. They looked harmless enough.

But if one paid attention to them, their greatest weakness was the lack of legitimate military force and status. They could only rely on schemes.

"Then what about those birds?"

"Leave them alone, so long as they do not approach the inner grounds of our courtyard. This is Braavos. Even if the Pentoshi have ideas, they would not dare act rashly."

"That's true." Rhaenys nodded. "The Pentoshi were enemies cowed by Braavos. Naturally, they would not dare offend the Sealord."

Over roughly two hundred years, the Sealords and Pentos had fought at least six wars. Beyond slavery, the causes of these wars included control over the fertile lands and waters between the two cities.

Braavos had won four times. The last victory had come more than eighty years ago. Within a single year, Pentos had sacrificed four princes, until, after a rare victory, the fifth prince, Nevo Neratys, persuaded the magisters to seek peace.

Under the peace treaty, Pentos had been forced to make concessions, abolishing slavery and outlawing the slave trade.

"Pentos is so weak, yet it still refuses to stop struggling."

"It is far too difficult to make those slave masters change their way of life," Viserys said. "Though they no longer have slaves openly, many powerful people still employ slaves through contracts."

Viserys felt that Illyrio and Varys's faction had grand ambitions. They surely wanted both the Iron Throne and the overturning of Braavos's unfair treaty.

"In any case, the Pentoshi and Braavosi do not get along. They are only watching us, and they would not dare come to our door." Viserys looked toward Pentos, that magnificent great harbor reduced by the Braavosi to an undefended city.

Pentos was forbidden from possessing more than twenty warships, hiring mercenaries, or maintaining any armed forces other than contracted free riders or city guards.

Pentos had now practically become a neutral city-state. It dared not offend the other city-states, much less the khals.

"Yes, but knowing those flies are constantly watching us still feels unpleasant." Rhaenys bit her lip.

She disliked those Little Birds because they represented Varys's shadow.

"If we truly gain land of our own, we will inevitably have dealings with the Pentoshi," Viserys said. "With those butter merchants and cheese merchants."

Rhaenys looked at Andalos and the lands around the Rhoyne. They would eventually have to build a new foundation.

"The Black Cat will keep watching them, but not act?" Rhaenys asked.

"Let's do that." Viserys approved of the solution.

"Ser Roland has traveled the Free Trade Cities for many years. He is well acquainted with the customs of the major city-states and the Dothraki. We can ask him about any other matters," Viserys said.

Ser Roland was a great source of support, someone they needed to rely on more.

So long as Viserys remained alive, the golden signboard of his name would still carry some influence.

There was no need to startle the grass and alert the snake. They could wait and see whether the fat magister would take the bait.

But the appearance of the Pentoshi made Viserys feel that dragon eggs had now been placed on the agenda.

As for personal strength, hard training and his cheat had allowed him to improve rapidly.

The next priorities were making money, recruiting soldiers, and obtaining dragon eggs.

Viserys was making money too. He now had a positive cash flow, but it was still not enough. If he wanted the greatest amount of money, it seemed he could only take out another loan.

As for territory and an army, he had plans for those as well.

The appearance of the Pentoshi made Viserys think of dragon eggs again.

House Targaryen had indeed possessed many dragon eggs in the past, but they had long vanished without a trace. Now, he could only search for real clues.

King's Landing, Dragonstone, and Summerhall were all places Viserys had considered as possible locations for dragon eggs, but those were merely guesses, not enough to meet practical needs.

At present, Viserys only knew that Crow's Eye might obtain dragon eggs from the ruins of Valyria in the future, while Illyrio possessed three fossilized eggs. There was no need to rush over this.

Once they left Braavos, Illyrio's people would eventually contact them and encourage Viserys to become cannon fodder.

Fossilized dragon eggs were precious, but until then, there had never been an instance of a fossilized dragon egg cracking open and producing a hatchling. Illyrio would most likely still bring them out as bait.

After all, if Illyrio knew the fossils could encounter magical reactions and hatch into dragons, he certainly would not give them away. He would save them for the false Aegon.

The fat magister had only given up and sent them out after experimenting for too long and discovering that they truly were nothing but stone.

Like the Blackfyre sword, Viserys felt that blade was also in Illyrio's possession, since it was a hereditary treasure of House Blackfyre.

Dragon eggs, soldiers, territory, Gold Dragons—Viserys believed he would possess those grand things.

Add bookmark

Return to contents

Report chapter error

Share with friends: