Game of Thrones: Rise of the Supreme Dragon Queen

"Master, should I translate what you just said?" asked the hesitant young interpreter.

"What did I say?"

"You said the Unsullied are fiercely loyal, while the Golden Company is untrustworthy."

Smack! The fat slaver angrily slapped the interpreter's head. "Of course you should translate something that helps the deal! You stupid sheep, why are you even asking?"

The interpreter, rubbing their head, continued hesitantly, "But then you also said that the Golden Company never breaks a contract, and they've already signed one with the city-state of Myr. Queen Daenerys of Westeros won't be able to hire them."

The slaver hesitated for a moment, tugging at his sweat-soaked robe in irritation. "First, ask her how she plans to hire the Golden Company."

After the interpreter relayed the question, Daenerys responded, "The Targaryen family has a blood pact with the Golden Company. They will help me reclaim my throne.

After all, the founder of the Golden Company was a Targaryen bastard, and many of its core members are descendants of Westerosi exiled nobles.

Given the chance to return home as lords and knights, they wouldn't choose to remain mercenaries in foreign lands, living on the edge of survival."

Both Whitebeard and Jorah stared at Daenerys in astonishment, shocked to hear she had such a card up her sleeve.

"That... seems plausible," the slaver muttered, stroking his forked, steel-like black-and-red beard. He sighed and said, "Tell her she can go back and consider it. I'll hold this batch of Unsullied for her, temporarily."

This stingy man hadn't even offered lunch by midday. After standing on the square all morning without even a sip of water, Daenerys had to endure watching that fat pig of a slaver guzzle chilled grape wine and gorge on fresh fruits.

As she politely took her leave, Daenerys cursed the slaver silently in her heart.

Crossing through the Plaza of Pride, she retrieved her horse and ox from a corral at the street corner. While the horsemen hitched the ox to her cart, Jorah quietly asked, "Your Grace, do you really have a pact with the Golden Company?"

"Of course not," Daenerys replied, climbing onto the cart herself before beckoning Whitebeard to join her. "Viserys once took me to visit Myles Toyne, the commander of the Golden Company at the time. He spent the money he got from selling our mother's crown to host a lavish feast for the officers of the Golden Company, hoping they'd help him reclaim the throne.

Ha! Those men ate and drank their fill, only to burst into laughter after Viserys finished making his request."

"Myles Toyne?" Whitebeard muttered, lost in thought for a moment before sighing. "Blackheart Myles died three years ago. The Toyne family is now extinct. The current commander of the Golden Company is Harry Strickland, known as 'Homeless Harry.'"

Sensing his unease, Daenerys asked curiously, "Was the Toyne family well-known?"

"The core members of the Golden Company are almost all descendants of noble families from the Seven Kingdoms.

A hundred years ago, after the First Blackfyre Rebellion failed, some nobles who supported Daemon Blackfyre surrendered, while others followed Aegor Rivers in supporting Daemon's son and fled overseas. Their lands and titles were confiscated by the Crown.

Aegor, witnessing many exiled knights and lords joining other mercenary companies to survive, feared the diminishing influence of Blackfyre supporters. So, he decided to form his own company—the Golden Company."

The cause of the "Blackfyre Rebellion" can, ironically, be traced back to the so-called "Blessed" Baelor the Beloved.

Remember the Maidenvault Baelor built in the Red Keep?

Baelor, a devout believer in chastity, broke off his engagement to his cousin Daena and locked her and his two other sisters in the Maidenvault.

He didn't want himself—or anyone else, for that matter—to be tainted by "sinful" desires.

But as the saying goes, "a woman scorned is a dangerous thing."

Daena escaped the Maidenvault and found herself a lover—her cousin, no less.

Before long, Daena was visibly pregnant, and the scandal could no longer be hidden.

So how did Baelor handle the situation? He went to the Great Sept to fast and pray. After fasting on and off for over forty days, he starved himself to death.

Baelor, having lived his life as a celibate, had no heirs. The cousin who had fathered Daena's child—Aegon IV—ended up inheriting the throne.

Though both Daena and Aegon were Targaryens, their son Daemon was born out of wedlock, making him a bastard. As he was born near the waters of King's Landing, he was given the surname Waters.

Later, Aegon IV publicly legitimized Daemon and gave him the Targaryen family's ancestral sword, Blackfyre. Daemon adopted the name Blackfyre, solidifying his claim to the throne.

"The Toyne family was one of the noble families involved in those rebellions. Forty years ago, during the Fifth Blackfyre Rebellion—also known as the War of the Ninepenny Kings—I, uh, I heard that Ser Barristan killed Myles's father, Simon Toyne."

Whitebeard gripped his staff tightly, clearly agitated, and almost let something slip.

Daenerys glanced at him and remarked, "You seem to know an awful lot about Ser Barristan's exploits, even minor ones like killing Simon Toyne."

"That was no minor matter," Whitebeard protested, struggling to recall the Toyne family's illustrious history. After a long pause, he hesitated and said, "The Toyne family had a proud martial tradition. Every generation produced several formidable knights, and one of them even became a Kingsguard!"

"Hmph!" Jorah snorted from his place by the ox cart. With a meaningful tone, he added, "Why don't you tell Her Grace what that Kingsguard did?"

Whitebeard was startled. "You know about that, too?" he blurted.

"Of course," Jorah said with a wry laugh. "There's only ever been one Kingsguard bold enough to cuckold the King himself!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he slapped his helmet with a loud "bang" and exclaimed, "Ah, I was wrong. Now we have Jaime Lannister to consider as well. That guy has surely made the White Bull, who cloaked him in the white robe, regret his decision from the heavens. Ser Jaime single-handedly shattered all the sacred vows of the Kingsguard."

The old man with the white beard listened with a grim expression, his lips tightly pressed together, saying nothing.

These words were irrefutable.

Jaime Lannister had entered the Kingsguard through the most formal rituals, making him more "authentic" than the Kingsguards of Robert and Joffrey. Yet his deeds—kingslaying, incest, and sleeping with the king's wife—were just as real.

"Ser Jorah, you're also a Kingsguard now," Dany interjected, breaking the awkward silence.

"This man had no sponsor, no recognition from the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, and his name isn't recorded in the Book of the White Knights. He's not a legitimate Kingsguard," the old man advised Dany. "Your Grace, I believe you should reconsider. Even though Ser Jorah has proven his loyalty, you can reward him in other ways.

The Kingsguard's reputation is already in shambles; it cannot afford further disgrace!"

"Bang, bang, bang!" Jorah angrily banged on the small window of the ox cart and shouted, "Old dog, come out! I challenge you to a duel, life or death!"

The white-bearded man retorted, "Put on a new set of armor, and I'll even fight you with one hand!"

"Cough, cough. Have you both forgotten the situation we're in?" Dany interrupted, shifting the topic. "Let's talk about the Unsullied. One by one—Arstan, you go first."

"I advise Your Grace not to purchase them," Arstan said earnestly. "The nobles and commoners of the Seven Kingdoms despise slavery. Enslaving others is a grave sin in the teachings of both the Old Gods and the Faith of the Seven.

If you bring a group of slaves into Westeros and use them to conquer the Seven Kingdoms, all the lords of the realm will oppose you."

"Arstan, do you truly trust Illyrio?" Dany asked, her violet eyes fixed on his melancholic blue ones.

"This…"

Seeing his hesitation, Jorah sneered. "Only fools would trust that fat spice merchant. Entrusting your life to a merchant is far less practical than hiring the Unsullied.

The masters of Slaver's Bay and their slave systems are evil—that I agree with—but the Unsullied themselves are exceptionally useful. They win battles without pillaging, and they don't violate women.

Tywin Lannister's Westerland army, on the other hand, looted all of King's Landing and violated countless women."

"That's exactly why I believe Ser Jorah is unfit to be a Kingsguard!" Arstan said angrily to Dany. "He himself was once a slave trader. Think of what he did on Bear Island, and you won't be surprised why he's urging you to buy slaves here in Slaver's Bay. He's an expert at it!"

"Old man, I've had enough of you!" Jorah snapped, his temper flaring. He turned to Dany and said, "Your Grace, I recommend you immediately get rid of him and that fat eunuch as well.

For all we know, Illyrio is just like Xaro Xhoan Daxos in Qarth, scheming for your dragons. He sent them here to lure you to Pentos alone.

Once you're on his turf, he'll have complete control over you!

Now that we've arrived in Slaver's Bay, we don't need a big ship anymore. Let them both return to Pentos!"

"You're spouting nonsense! How could I ever help a Pentoshi merchant deceive Her Grace?" Arstan's face turned red with anger as he protested vehemently.

"Your Grace, your concerns about Illyrio are valid. Merchants cannot be trusted. But you must understand that to win the loyalty of the Seven Kingdoms, you need the support of its people.

Why not return to Pentos first? I have connections and can help you gather a group of loyal nobles. From them, you can select knights to serve as your personal guard."

Dany opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, the ox cart suddenly jolted to a stop.

From the front, Jhogo's voice rang out loudly: "Make way for the Mother of Dragons! You slaves, hurry up and clear the road. Don't block her path!"

Dany lifted the curtain and poked her head out. At the crossroads ahead, a long line of slaves, dragging heavy chains on their feet, trudged forward silently and wearily.

They were ordinary slaves with tan skin, black hair, and almond-shaped eyes. Dothraki? Lhazareen?

Normally, it was easy to distinguish between Dothraki and Lhazareen at a glance.

Aside from their braids and clothing, the two peoples had entirely different demeanors. The horse-lords carried an untamed arrogance, with an air that screamed, "I fear neither gods nor men. Try to kill me if you dare!"

But these slaves were all expressionless, their eyes dull, their spirits utterly broken.

Everyone was naked, including the women. However, there were no children among them; they were likely sent to train as Unsullied.

Walking alongside the slave column was an overseer. Behind him, a man and a woman from Astapor rode white donkeys.

The man wore a red silk tokar, while the woman had black-and-red hair adorned with an ivory comb. She wore a face veil and a blue linen dress inlaid with pieces of pale blue gemstones, exuding the exotic flair of Ghiscari culture.

The pair had been laughing and flirting until they heard Jhogo's shout. The man glanced casually at Dany's entourage, made a gesture to the overseer to speed up the slaves, and then resumed bantering with the woman.

(End of Chapter)

Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon

https://patreon.com/Glimmer09