At Mermaid Port, the the mermaid slowly docked at the East Pier.
On the bridge deck, Daenerys Targaryen, wearing a blue hooded cloak, slowly walked to the railing, gazing with interest at the bustling scene on the pier.
Greene Kleber came to Daenerys's side, pointed to the south, and said, "If the wind is favorable, it will take about one day and one night to reach Dragonstone."
Daenerys looked in the direction Greene pointed, and murmured, "Dragonstone..."
The Dragonstone Princess withdrew her gaze, her eyes somewhat hollow, and said, "Greene, Viserys told me that my mother... Rhaella Targaryen crowned him there, and then she died in childbirth, giving birth to me on a night of a great storm."
The corners of her eyes were slightly red: "My brother said I took his mother's life..."
As she spoke, she squeezed her wrist and continued, "Before, I was most afraid of Viserys remembering this, because every time he mentioned it, he would awaken his sleeping dragon's rage, and facing his punches and kicks, I could do nothing but beg for mercy... Actually, I was most afraid that my brother would abandon me one day, so I would rather..."
A crystal tear slid down Daenerys's cheek: "Being the object of my brother's venting of resentment also gives him a reason not to abandon me. My most desperate moment was when my brother wanted to sell me to the barbarians in exchange for ten thousand soldiers to retake the Iron Throne..."
She stroked her cheek and continued, "Viserys then suddenly ordered me to please a half-barbarian noble from Westeros..."
Before she finished speaking, Daenerys herself chuckled softly.
Greene smiled, put his arm around Daenerys, and said, "King Viserys made a wise decision."
Daenerys looked up at Greene: "Although there were conspirators involved in Viserys becoming like that, I still dislike him, even hate him, and yet I miss him."
She added, "Am I very contradictory, Greene?"
Greene shook his head slightly and replied, "Daenerys, you can dislike him for his abuse of you, and you can also be grateful to him for not abandoning you. This is not only normal but also very reasonable."
Daenerys nodded, paused, and said, "Greene, my alias will be Rhaella, Rhaella of the Summer Isles."
The Summer Isles are a verdant archipelago of over fifty islands located in the Summer Sea, south of Westeros. Each small island has its own prince and princess... whether within the archipelago or outside it, those bearing this title are countless. Daenerys's true identity needed to be concealed for now, so Greene referred to her public identity as a princess from a certain small island of the Summer Isles who had fallen outside.
As for the alias Daenerys chose for herself... Greene knew she was commemorating her mother, which was very Westeros.
The corner of Greene's mouth curved: "Princess Rhaella, I think the Kleber retainers would prefer to call you Lady Kleber."
Daenerys blinked, thought for a moment, and then smiled, saying, "It seems they are very much looking forward to your marriage."
...
Hall of Office of Mermaid Port.
Steward Herschel bowed, his face full of smiles: "Princess Rhaella, Herschel is at your command!"
Herschel's demeanor made Daenerys smile with pursed lips.
The chubby steward then looked eagerly at his lord, Greene rubbed his hair, and said, "The wedding will be held after the battle in the Riverlands. You can plan ahead."
Steward Herschel nodded quickly and said, "Tomorrow I..."
He paused, looked at the twilight outside the window, and continued, "There's still plenty of time; I'll start preparing in a moment, my lord."
Greene dismissed him: "You may leave."
As Herschel hurried away, Daenerys couldn't help but laugh.
...
The next day, Whispering City, bathroom.
Steward Surana served Daenerys while she bathed, glancing at the future mistress's "hairstyle," and her eyes dropped in thought... So Lord Greene likes... No wonder!
Soaking in the hot water made Daenerys feel both physically and mentally relaxed. She closed her eyelids, recalling everything she had seen and heard since entering Klaeb Territory.
Daenerys's impression of Westeros mostly came from Viserys's words and what she had heard in Essos. It was her first time setting foot on the continent of Westeros, and in the Klaeb Territory she passed through, she did not see the dirt and stench she expected. The white Mermaid Port occasionally made her mistakenly think she was in beautiful Pentos.
Under the sunlight, the Whispering City, with its white walls and blue spires, was charming, like a castle from a song.
The interior of Whispering City had no lavish decorations, but the seemingly simple stone and wood panels combined to form a different kind of splendor (Greene's micro-management and the minimalist beauty brought by the transmigrator).
Is this the territory of a half-barbarian noble?!
Why was Kleber called a half-barbarian noble?
Daenerys slowly opened her eyes; she seemed to have found the answer, and that was Greene.
"Ms. Surana, can you tell me Greene's story?"
Surana's personality was very direct: "My Lady, this is my honor."
...
Whispering City, Lord's bedchamber.
Greene was reading Cersei Lannister's personal letter: asking him to return to the Red Keep? His brow furrowed slightly.
Greene put down the letter. News of Stannis's fleet sailing south should have reached the Red Keep by now... He reread the wording in the letter.
Although the wording was ordinary, Greene, who was familiar with Cersei, detected a certain suspicion she held towards him in the lines... What happened in the Red Keep?
Greene picked up another letter; this was Tyrion's personal letter.
After reading it, and pondering for a moment, Greene's eyes trembled slightly... The Spider, it turns out Varys wanted him to return to the Red Keep.
Greene's eyes moved. There was another letter inside Tyrion's envelope, the paper's material... Joffrey?!
Greene broke the seal of the letter. After reading it, the corner of his mouth curved. The content of the letter was: In the name of Emperor Joffrey, conquer the Riverlands!
Tyrion Lannister truly was a reliable ally!
...
The door was pushed open, and Daenerys, with her headscarf re-wrapped, entered the bedchamber. She had already changed into a soft, pale gold nightgown.
Her gracefully curved figure moved within Greene's sight, and she handed him a cup of summer red.
"Greene, you seem to be in a very good mood?"
Greene took the wine glass, swirled it, and said, "The Red Keep sent a royal decree to conquer the Riverlands from the Crabclaw Point..."
He pointed to the letter on the table, and added, "Legitimate."
Daenerys moved, sitting on Greene's lap: "My knight, this is indeed worth celebrating."
Daenerys's nightgown slowly slipped off. She reached out a finger to gently lift Greene's chin, raising one eyebrow slightly, and said, "Lord, I hear you need an heir?"
...
Meanwhile, in a valley northeast of Whispering City.
The steady commander of the garrison, Mason Baker, couldn't help but fall to the ground, saying in disbelief, "Dragons... dragons?!"
The three small dragons, just released from their special wooden crates by Othana and her companions, arrogantly hissed at Kleber's household knights.
...
...
In the morning, crossing fields soaked by fine rain and stony, rugged hills, the massive Storms End stood against the sky, completely obscuring the ocean behind it.
The crowned stag sigil was outlined within the flaming heart on the banner, and the sun-colored banner fluttered beneath the light gray colossal stones.
King Stannis Baratheon kicked his horse's flank, and rode forward with his standard-bearer, who was dressed in fiery red and whose face was hidden beneath a crimson hood.
Seeing Stannis actively riding towards him, Renly Baratheon smiled playfully, then urged his beautiful mare forward. His standard-bearer was the stern-faced Randyll Tarly. On Lord Randyll's twelve-foot long spear, a black crowned stag leaped upon a golden field, and the wind from the sea drew endless ripples.
...
Separated by the length of one horse, the Baratheon brothers stopped their horses.
King Renly wore a crown adorned with Golden Roses, a jade and gold necklace hung around his neck, he was dressed in a green velvet tunic, and wore a silk cloak trimmed with squirrel fur. His scabbard was inlaid with countless large, finely cut black diamonds.
King Stannis wore a crown of red gold shaped like flames, and was dressed in a quilted tunic over a studded leather jerkin, a belt inlaid with garnets and topazes, coarse brown breeches, and worn boots. The hilt of his sword was set with a large, square red ruby.
King Stannis's jaw silently moved, and he said, "Lord Renly."
King Renly corrected him cheerfully, "It's King Renly, Brother Stannis."
King Stannis's face was taut, and he said, "Renly, I am your elder brother, and my claim comes before yours. By rights, I am the rightful king. You should be loyal to me and obey me."
"But the Seven Kingdoms are all denying you, my old brother!"
Renly shrugged helplessly, and continued, "The old man muttered denials on his deathbed, unborn infants kick and deny in their mothers' bellies, the Dornish deny you, the Riverlands deny you, the Stormlands deny you."
He sighed, and added, "My old brother, no one wants you to be their king. It's truly a pity."
King Stannis clenched his jaw, and said, "I once swore that as long as you wore that rebellious crown, I would never deal with you. I should have kept my oath!"
King Renly shrugged, and said, "Stannis, I'm curious. Since you believe you are the rightful king... King's Landing and Dragonstone are so close, why don't you occupy them, but instead come all this way to ambush my Storms End?"
"Your Storms End?!"
King Stannis's voice was filled with anger: "Renly, I am here to take back what is mine by right."
As King Stannis's words fell, King Renly's expression became serious, and his hand suddenly reached for his waist.
Stannis's eyes sharpened, and his hand quickly gripped the hilt of his sword, but before he could draw it... his brother pulled out a peach.
King Renly grinned: "A peach from Highgarden, want one?"
Feeling that he had been played by Renly, Stannis's teeth ground audibly.
Under Stannis's fiery gaze, King Renly took a large bite of the peach, chewed a few times, looked at the flaming heart banner, and suddenly said, "Stannis, what... whose banner are you fighting under, anyway?"
King Stannis's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said, "This is my banner."
Standard-bearer Melisandre spoke: "The sigil of Stannis I is the flaming heart of Rhllor, the Lord of Light."
Renly seemed to find it amusing, and he laughed heartily, saying, "Stannis, I wholeheartedly approve of this. Otherwise, if both of us flew the same crowned stag banner, it would be strange if the soldiers didn't get confused when fighting."
King Stannis said angrily, "Renly, if you only have nonsense for me, our conversation ends here!"
Having said that, King Stannis was about to pull the reins and turn his horse around.
"Oh, wait a moment."
King Renly, feeling rather bored, threw away the peach in his hand and said, "Stannis, I have a good suggestion."
King Stannis said nothing, looking sharply at Renly.
King Renly's smile faded, and he said seriously, "Stannis, I suggest you dismount immediately, kneel on one knee, and swear fealty to me."
King Stannis suppressed his anger: "You... will never get it."
King Renly said somewhat strangely, "Stannis, since you could serve Robert, why not me?"
King Stannis gritted his teeth: "Robert was my elder brother, and you are just my younger brother."
King Renly shrugged: "Yes, I am younger than you, I am more popular than you, I am more merciful than you, I am more generous than you..."
"Renly, you are a thief! You are a usurper!"
King Renly shrugged again, and said, "The Targaryens also called Robert a usurper, but that accusation had no effect on him, so... Stannis, I don't care either."
King Stannis took a deep breath and said coldly, "Renly, I am the rightful king, and you are just a traitor. Traitors will eventually meet their end."
King Renly scoffed, and said, "My old brother, don't casually accuse others of being traitors. What's the difference between you and me? You say you are the rightful king, but according to the laws of the realm, Joffrey is Robert's legal heir, followed by Tommen... So, according to your own words, both of us are actually traitors."
King Stannis said coldly, "My letter states very clearly that Joffrey and Tommen are not Robert's offspring, nor is that girl. All three are bastards born of incest."
King Renly said with a smile, "I've read it. It's indeed a wonderful story... I admit, I never thought you had such a clever scheme. Stannis, if we go by the story you've fabricated, you are indeed Robert's legitimate heir."
A vein throbbed on King Stannis's forehead: "Renly, are you doubting that I am telling the truth?"
King Renly sighed helplessly, and said, "My old brother, the more wonderful the story, the more it needs ironclad evidence. Are you sure you can produce it?"
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