Conqueror's Holdfast, the Council Chamber.
Outside the window, wind from the Narrow Sea moaned through the gaps between the towers, sweeping up fallen leaves in the courtyard.
The sky was a leaden gray, and low clouds weighed heavily on the battlements, as though they might collapse at any moment.
Chai Yi sat gracefully in the high-backed chair opposite Liu Qian.
She had just completed the arduous task Liu Qian had assigned her in Westeros, and the weariness of travel had not yet entirely left her.
Chai Yi said softly, "Your Majesty, disguised as Varys, I personally delivered Tyrion Lannister to Viserys's ship. At first, Viserys wanted to execute Lannister, but when he learned that the Lannister before him had killed Tywin with his own hands, he readily appointed Tyrion his Hand of the King."
She paused. "Then I informed Viserys of his marriage pact with the Dornish princess, Arianne Martell.
"The look on his face was as though a great hammer had struck him squarely on the forehead. He was completely stunned.
"He probably never dreamed that, while he was leading a band of Dothraki toward Westerling, his great undertaking to restore his kingdom had acquired a Dornish queen."
With an amused smile, Liu Qian asked, "And how did Tyrion react?"
Chai Yi smiled. "He seemed to be adjusting quite well. His mind works faster than most people's blades, too. Before Viserys had fully digested the news, Tyrion had already analyzed Dorne's value to the Targaryens and advised him to send a messenger to Sunspear immediately to join forces with Dorne.
"Then Tyrion suggested that the army should strike straight at the Stormlands. Renly was dead, Stannis was holed up on Dragonstone, and the Stormlands were leaderless and at their weakest. Before the Lannisters could react, Viserys should muster the