chapter 157 part 1
Chapter 157: The True Dragon's New Lair
Essos, the city-state of Qantes, Governor's Manor.
Inside the great hall, Viserys stood beside the Governor's high seat, slowly surveying the room with a somewhat smug smile on his face.
"Daenerys, my sweet sister, you truly are lucky."
Below, Daenerys turned her small face away. Everyone could see her sorrow, except for Viserys.
Ser Jorah Mormont, standing to the side, couldn't help but speak up. "Your Grace, luck alone cannot conquer a city. It was Princess Daenerys's decisiveness that allowed us to stand here."
Viserys was in a good mood for the time being, so Jorah Mormont's "defiance" did not awaken his Dragon's Wrath.
Viserys sat down in the Governor's seat, looking down upon the crowd from his high perch.
He declared loudly, "In the name of Viserys III, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, and Protector of the Realm, I hereby decree that the city-state of Qantes shall be renamed the city-state of Viserys."
"In the name of the true king of the Iron Throne, I bestow glory upon this city."
As Viserys's excitement-laced words fell, a sudden silence descended upon the hall. Everyone was stunned.
Seeing that no one was seconding his proclamation, Viserys's handsome face twisted. He roared, "Are you deaf? Are you planning to defy the King's command?"
The more he spoke, the angrier he became. He shot to his feet and shrieked, "What audacity! How dare you defy the King's command?"
Still, no one spoke. Nor did anyone fall to their knees to beg for mercy as Viserys had imagined. The battle had just ended, and most of the people below were still stained with blood.
No one was afraid, and no one was angry. They simply gathered around his sister in unusual silence.
Their gazes were calm, seemingly devoid of any emotion, yet this sight sent a shiver of panic through the enraged Viserys.
Viserys's face flushed crimson. He quickly dispelled the inexplicable fear in his heart. He was the true dragon, and a true dragon knows no fear!
Viserys's body trembled with a bellyful of fury. He needed an outlet. He slowly swept his gaze across the faces below, and finally... his eyes landed on the downcast Daenerys.
A cold smile appeared on Viserys's somewhat twisted face.
"Daenerys… sister…"
Viserys's chilling voice echoed. Of all those present, only Daenerys's body trembled involuntarily.
Daenerys, who had been grieving the loss of so many soldiers, snapped back to her senses. She raised her head to look at her brother, high above.
The corners of Daenerys's eyes were red. For some time now, her brother had stopped cursing her, had stopped hitting her. The two of them had entered a rare period of "peace" since they had grown up... but for some reason, the memory of the brother who used to play with her and tell her stories... was growing blurrier in her mind.
That was the warmest place in the depths of Daenerys's memory. She had always prayed for that brother to return, but... why was it becoming harder to remember what he looked like? Was that brother abandoning her?
...
A single hot tear escaped the corner of Daenerys's eye, slowly trickling down her cheek.
Viserys naturally saw Daenerys, who he had frightened into tears. His eyes lit up with an unusual excitement. This was the consequence of waking the Dragon's Wrath!
Viserys chuckled a few times and sat back down in his chair.
He raised his chin arrogantly and said contemptuously, "My sweet sister, did you hear my command?"
Ser Jorah noticed something was wrong with Daenerys. He turned his head to look... the Princess's eyes were vacant. She was weeping silently, tear after tear.
Ser Jorah's heart ached. He was just about to speak when Viserys's voice cut him off.
"Daenerys, why don't you speak? Are you trying to wake my Dragon's Wrath?"
As Viserys's words fell, Daenerys's petite body trembled uncontrollably once more.
The vacant look in Daenerys's eyes gradually faded, and a glint of light appeared in her violet irises.
Daenerys raised her hand, her gaze falling to her own palm. This was her hand. It was still trembling slightly. It was betraying her will.
Daenerys closed her eyes. She seemed to have found the answer.
That brother was a memory she held in her heart. But the brother of today... with his curses and beatings, had Viserys left only painful memories on her body?
Why did the brother who had accompanied her through the long, arduous days of war have to leave her... She understood now. That brother had discovered someone else could take his place.
That brother wasn't abandoning her... that skinny, small brother finally revealed a relieved smile.
...
Ser Jorah's tall frame shifted, blocking Viserys's line of sight.
"Your Grace, I wish to remind you, this is Essos, not Westeros. A proclamation like this will only bring us more, and stronger, enemies!"
Viserys's fury blazed. Ser Jorah raised his head to meet his gaze, not yielding an inch.
Viserys gritted his teeth. "Mormont, I will have your head sooner or later!"
Why was Viserys so eager to lay claim to the city-state of Qantes? Because Viserys had long been dissatisfied that everyone only took orders from Daenerys, while ignoring the true king of the Iron Throne... He felt that today was the perfect opportunity for him to seize power.
As for why Viserys felt today was the best time to seize power from his sister... he had no carefully calculated reason... He was the true dragon. If the true dragon felt it was the best time, then it was definitely the best time. That reason was enough.
As for the potential dangers Jorah Mormont spoke of, they had nothing to do with him... To Viserys, seizing power was about gaining the authority a King deserved. It had nothing to do with anything else... because Daenerys had already promised him that within the one-year agreement, he would get ten thousand soldiers to return to Westeros.
In short, his opportunistic takeover of the forces under Daenerys's command and his acquisition of troops from her were two separate matters.
...
Dirk had been standing respectfully beside the Governor's chair all along. He now enjoyed Viserys's deep trust and could be said to be the only subordinate Viserys had to display his kingly authority.
As Viserys and Ser Jorah were in a standoff, Dirk quietly glanced at Daenerys.
At that moment, Daenerys was wiping away her tears with a handkerchief. She seemed to sense Dirk's gaze, paused, and gave an almost imperceptible nod.
After receiving Daenerys's order, Dirk's eyes darted about habitually. He leaned close to Viserys, bowing as he whispered, "Your Grace, handling the people's petitions is more important. The people will know who the true master of this city is."
Hearing Dirk's suggestion, Viserys paused. As long as he sat here and handled petitions, the people would know who the true master was... This was a truly brilliant way to seize power!
Viserys first shot Dirk a look of satisfaction, then he spoke again, "Mormont, I'll give you a chance to atone. Go and announce to those outside that starting tomorrow, I will personally receive the people here and handle their petitions."
Ser Jorah's face instantly darkened. He was once the lord of Bear Island; of course, he understood what it meant for Viserys to handle petitions.