Chapter 45: Moro's Death - Game of Thrones: The True Dragon King

The night feast at the Sealord's Palace had already come to an end, yet people were still eagerly discussing the extravagance and clamor of the Sealord's masquerade.

In particular, the three great courtesans—the Female Swordswoman, Nightingale, and Black Pearl—had sung songs by the new singer, the "Silver Traveler," together, while the mysterious knight had danced the first dance with several courtesans.

For a time, this silver-haired young man had become the center of attention throughout the entire gathering.

But for Viserys, the trouble had only just begun.

His mysterious knight persona, the "Silver Traveler," had drawn far too much attention and caught the eye of House Prestayn.

Viserys had not expected that the first wave of enemies to greet him would not be assassins sent by Robert Baratheon and Tywin Lannister, but the hostility of Braavos's old noble houses.

He had borrowed Black Pearl's name to gain influence, so naturally he also had to accept the jealousy and resentment of these local young nobles.

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The next day, Viserys, Syrio, Moro, and Ser Roland Lake gathered in Viserys's study.

"Beauty brings trouble." Syrio looked at the several Myrish portraits in Viserys's hands and made a joking remark.

House Prestayn wanted to sign a gifted singer like Viserys, and they also wanted to better promote the courtesan known as the "Mermaid Queen."

Of course, the young masters of House Prestayn were also simply jealous of the way Viserys moved through crowds of beautiful women.

The Myrish portraits had a relatively realistic style. They depicted Viserys dancing with Black Pearl, the courtesan's skirt fluttering gracefully, the image vivid and lifelike.

In these paintings, the courtesan was the protagonist, while Viserys was merely a supporting figure. Even so, he still looked striking.

"They truly are beautiful." Ser Roland also praised the elegant Myrish style.

"If beauty and power become entangled, the trouble only grows worse," Viserys said.

Rhaegar had been like that back then. Taking Lyanna Stark away had been one of the triggers of the War of the Usurper.

Lyanna was said to possess a wild northern beauty, not the especially refined bearing of a highborn lady.

When Rhaegar presented her with the crown of the Queen of Love and Beauty, people said Robert had laughed heartily. But those who knew him claimed that from that day onward, Robert had never forgiven his cousin Rhaegar.

Not to mention that Lyanna Stark had already been betrothed to Robert when Rhaegar took her away.

Viserys could not say how much Robert had truly loved Lyanna. Perhaps he drank, gambled, visited brothels, and fathered bastards by the dozen, yet still believed himself to be a devoted romantic.

In truth, he was probably like two different people before and after getting into bed.

Rhaegar's actions had been even more utterly absurd, because he already had a Dornish princess for a wife and heirs of his own.

That move had been the equivalent of grinding several great houses' faces into the dirt at once.

"We still have two princesses. There may be even more trouble in the future," Ser Roland reminded him softly.

"And those two as well." Viserys ran a hand through his hair. Although Rhaenys and Daenerys were still young, their inhuman beauty had already begun to reveal itself.

Combined with their unique bloodline as descendants of the Dragon King, they would be far more alluring than any courtesan.

Beauty was a scarce form of wealth in any age. It was as though Viserys himself carried priceless jewels everywhere he went.

Without power and force to protect them, that would only invite a scramble to seize them.

You could be a thief for a thousand days, but you could not guard against thieves for a thousand days. He could only let the world know that Viserys himself was covered in thorns.

"No matter what, safety comes first. Let's see how House Prestayn makes its move," Viserys said after some thought. Waiting calmly for the enemy to act was the best approach.

He was not worried about Syrio. Even a fallen tiger retained its frame, and Syrio still had connections among Braavos's upper class.

The more troublesome ones were Ser Roland and Moro, his companions.

Roland was his guard and instructor, while Moro had been borrowed from the Female Swordswoman.

Viserys and the two girls did not go out often, so there was not much danger for the moment.

The others nodded in agreement.

"The Titan's Bastard, Mero. Have you heard of him, Syrio?" Viserys asked.

"He's a dangerous killer, but he drinks like his life depends on it and loves women. He's always short of money. If you haven't mistaken him for someone else, Mero may currently be serving as Yoko Plestan's guard," Syrio said, recalling his impression of Mero.

"I understand." Viserys nodded. Knowing himself and his enemy would make victory easier.

Mero, like Lyn Corbray, had always lacked money.

This Mero still had a role to play later in the story.

He would probably leave Braavos later and become the captain of the Second Sons again.

He would lead the Second Sons into infamy and disgrace, then later be brought down by Daenerys's wine trick. When he attempted an assassination, he would be killed by Ser Barristan Selmy, and Brown Ben would replace him as captain of the Second Sons.

"Black Pearl arranged for you to meet the captains of the Rum Association. House Prestayn probably won't dare take such a risk," Syrio assessed. "That was a clever move too. After all, the crab catchers of the Rum Association have conflicts with House Prestayn as well."

"Conflicts?" Moro and Ser Roland knew nothing about these internal disputes.

"That's right." Syrio nodded. "Braavos has a profession called insurance brokers. They make insurance contracts with captains. If a captain's ship is wrecked in a storm or seized by pirates, they promise to compensate him in full according to the value of the ship and cargo. It is essentially insurance."

"That sounds like gambling," Ser Roland said.

"It resembles gambling, but every captain would rather lose." Syrio said, "The sea is a cruel woman, cold and indifferent. When captains lose their ships, they usually lose their lives as well. The sea is dangerous, especially in autumn."

Viserys sensed the cruelty in it. "Even if these captains truly suffer storms, the insurance brokers will find all sorts of excuses to refuse payment or delay it. The captains' families will still end up living in poverty."

"Exactly." Syrio nodded. "Every great house has its own businesses—banking, fishing, or trade. House Prestayn is involved in insurance."

Insurance brokers had always been like this, using all manner of elaborate clauses to restrict others' rights.

The first person Arya killed as an "apprentice" had been a greedy insurance broker.

"Some captains are easy to deal with, but others are not. Crab catchers also have the highest death rate among all fishermen, and their insurance payouts are the highest. To teach those insurance brokers a lesson, the crab catchers smashed several of House Prestayn's insurance offices and beat up some of their people."

After hearing this, Viserys felt that Braavos's relationships were indeed tangled and complex, though he had at least grasped part of the structure.

The waters of Braavos flowed wherever they pleased. On the next gloomy rainy day, Viserys received Black Pearl and the distinguished guest she had brought.

The leader of the Rum Association and head of the crab catchers, Lingo.

"Lingo Komas. I am Braavos's finest crab catcher, and I catch only the fiercest Sea Lord Crabs." The middle-aged crab catcher leader introduced himself. He smelled of smoke, salt, and fish, like an experienced old captain.

He had gray hair and a sturdy build. Judging by his strength, he was also a dangerous warrior.

Viserys was curious whether these crab catchers had seen White Walkers, Wights, or Ice Dragons when they traveled to the distant north.

"Viserys," Viserys said. "The Silver Traveler. The Violet Swordsman."

"Your fame has already echoed throughout Braavos, you splendid and dangerous young man." Lingo laughed loudly.

"My troubles were caused by my reputation." A man's name was like a tree's shadow.

"I've long disliked those insurance brokers reeking of copper. We even fought House Prestayn before. Not to mention that the previous Black Pearl once did me a favor."

"It was mutually beneficial, just a small effort." Black Pearl smiled faintly.

"It was no small effort. My ship capsized back then, and your mother lent me a low-interest loan, giving me the money to buy a new ship," Lingo recalled.

Black Pearl's family had endured for four generations. Their network and inheritance were beyond anything any courtesan could compare with.

"Have a drink." Viserys invited the two of them.

"I brought liquor as well," Lingo said. "Black rum, the sailors' favorite. I wonder whether a descendant of the Dragon King can get used to it."

"Is that so difficult?" Viserys smiled. Rum was also supposed to be his next great opportunity. "Drink the liquor of whatever place you're in."

"Good." Lingo, the Crab Tycoon, greatly appreciated his frankness. Sailors hated the arrogant airs of nobles who considered themselves above others.

Their cups clinked together, and the air filled with the scent of rum.

The rum, black as tar, was cheap, yet it was the sailors' favorite drink.

It had a peculiar flavor and went to the head easily. It tasted sweet upon entering the mouth, but left behind a fierce aftertaste that scorched the tongue.

"I've wanted to meet the Silver Traveler for a long time. Five Hundred Miles is also one of my favorite songs. Sailors always miss home. I never expected a crab seller like me to share a drink with the Dragon King." Lingo said.

"Like sailors, I am a traveler." Viserys felt that he too was a drifting sailor.

"I told you he was a jack-of-all-trades, not an ordinary dragon." Black Pearl smiled.

"Having drunk black tar rum, you are now a friend of us crab catchers, Your Grace Viserys. And those insurance peddlers of House Prestayn were never friends of mine to begin with." Lingo admired Viserys. "You truly possess a captivating charm."

"To friendship."

Braavos's canals twisted and wound, while its streets and alleys were even stranger. Within that mist lay the tangled stage upon which the courtesans moved.

Viserys had gained the powerful support of the Crab Tycoon, but that did not seem to mean the story would proceed smoothly.

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Moro's Death

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