Chapter 112: Illyrio's Task
"I've already told you I'll arrange for you to meet His Grace at the appropriate time."
"I would know when that appropriate time might be."
Illyrio stopped carving a leg of lamb and looked up at Ian. "Ser Ian, are you displeased with your accommodations here?"
"Of course not. Compared to Your Grace's manse, Darry was little better than a country pigsty."
"Then why such urgency? You've only been here three days."
"It's not impatience, Your Grace. My waiting until today to seek audience with you demonstrates considerable patience. Normally, after verifying our identities, you should have arranged our meeting with His Grace that same day, or at most the following morning. Or do you still harbor doubts about us?"
"Not at all," Illyrio shook his head with a smile. "I actually intend to introduce you to His Grace at a more formal occasion. At that time, we shall announce to the world that Westerosi nobles have begun pledging their swords to His Grace, thus setting a precedent for other lords of the Seven Kingdoms."
"And when will this formal occasion take place?"
"Khal Drogo—that is, the khal who will wed Princess Daenerys—will hold a feast at his manse here in Pentos, the one we jointly gifted to him. Many of Essos's great lords will attend.
I believe it most fitting to arrange for you to swear your oaths to His Grace at that time, whereupon he shall restore to you and Daeron your rightful titles."
Khal Drogo's feast! That was the opening scene of the show, nearly two months away!
"As I understand it, Drogo and his khalasar are still quite distant from Pentos," Ian said, resisting the urge to throttle Illyrio's corpulent neck, speaking in a reasonable tone. "Perhaps we could meet His Grace privately first, and then hold the formal ceremony at the feast you've mentioned."
"I'm not asking your counsel, Ser Ian." Illyrio's face maintained that genial smile, but his tone brooked no argument. "Or do you have some pressing reason why you absolutely must see His Grace immediately?"
"Well, I..." Ian did have one, but Ian Rivers shouldn't. "Very well, I'll admit it, Magister Illyrio. I'm eager to obtain a family name. I'm desperate to shed my bastard status, and only His Grace has the authority to legitimize a bastard and grant him a proper surname."
"That's all?"
"You have no idea what it's like to be a bastard! The entire purpose of my coming here was..." Ian burst out passionately, but stopped abruptly midway, looking away as though he could no longer bear to meet Illyrio's gaze.
"Very well, as you wish." Ian abandoned the argument and resumed his meal.
The best way to handle a clever man like Illyrio was to cater to his sense of intellectual and social superiority, letting him believe he'd seen through your intentions and forced your submission.
Only when he thought he could easily control you would he lower his guard and extend greater trust.
Why did Ian need more of Illyrio's trust? His new plan required becoming one of Illyrio's trusted agents.
Working for Illyrio would not only unlock additional optional quests quickly, but also provide opportunities to use Illyrio's intelligence network to deal with other players lurking in Pentos.
Ian could see from Illyrio's expression that the magister was satisfied at having so easily manipulated Ian into revealing his true motivations.
In this way, Ian had achieved at least one of his two objectives in seeking this audience with Illyrio.
However, Ian still had questions about the timing of meeting the king.
Why was Illyrio reluctant to let him see Viserys sooner?
What was so significant about the timing of Khal Drogo's feast?
Ian quickly deduced the answer.
In the original story, Jorah Mormont—Daenerys's most devoted follower—had been introduced to Viserys at that very feast, shortly after arriving in Pentos.
Illyrio probably didn't want Ian meeting Viserys too early, lest he gain the Targaryens' trust before Jorah Mormont arrived, thus marginalizing this pawn of Varys.
Indeed, Jorah Mormont was someone Varys had placed beside Daenerys to monitor the exiled royals, not to assassinate them.
This could be deduced from two facts: first, after being introduced to Viserys, Jorah Mormont never attempted to harm the exiled siblings, which was inconsistent with an assassin's role.
Second, even after falling in love with Daenerys, Jorah had still managed to send intelligence to Varys one final time in Qarth—if Jorah hadn't known all along that Varys would never harm Daenerys, he wouldn't have continued reporting to the Spider.
Of course, at this point, Illyrio might not even know whom Varys was sending as his agent, but he'd already reserved a place for that piece on the board.
"Magister Illyrio," Ian spoke again after completing his assessment, "I have accepted your arrangements, which will leave us with precious little to do for nearly two months. I cannot abide idleness. If we wish to make preparations for His Grace's great enterprise, do you have any suggestions? Or is there anything we might do to assist you?"
"Assist me?" Illyrio's interest was piqued.
"You are His Grace's patron and our most vital ally, so naturally I hope to forge a deeper bond with you."
"That doesn't sound like something a noble knight of Westeros would say. To a merchant of such low birth as myself, you should be maintaining courtesy while secretly holding me in contempt."
"No one is lower-born than a bastard," Ian said with a bitter expression. "I'll work with anyone for a name and honor."
Yes, I'm talking about your 'Young Griff'—hurry up and bring me into your schemes!
"Very well," Illyrio nodded. "Since you wish to help me, I do have a problem that needs addressing."
"You remember Tarobyne?" Illyrio continued.
"The cheese merchant who gave us the invitation. I recall you told me not to concern myself with that matter." Ian was somewhat surprised.
"Circumstances have changed. Tarobyne has vanished."
"Vanished?"
"Tarobyne departed Pentos through the northern gate the day after meeting you. This was a perfectly ordinary action—the north is where his cheese-making operations source their milk, and he travels there periodically.
But this time he didn't return, and he left all his possessions in Pentos behind. My men discreetly investigated his residence and discovered his servants packing up his valuables."
(End of Chapter)
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