"Did you see his physique?" Viserys emphasized to Daenerys. "Mercenaries live by the sword, and failure means death. The head wolf has never lost; he is the liberator of the Disputed Lands, just like Aegon the Conqueror. That's how he climbed so high, so fast!"
"But I'm not very willing!" Daenerys replied softly.
Daenerys looked at Gendry; his eyes were dark and bright, full of strength, determination, and occasionally some passion and warmth. His gaze was captivating. He also had an agile physique; the King had broad shoulders and the strong arms characteristic of a blacksmith.
Daenerys guessed that even if he were an ugly man, Daenerys would still need to marry him. Viserys would hit her when he awakened the sleeping dragon's rage, but he was not like this man, who was as untamed as a head wolf. Daenerys felt a bit flustered; she understood this was a transaction, and from now on, she would leave this place and follow a stranger.
"Viserys, please, please, let's go home? Brother!"
"Home!" Viserys immediately grew angry, though he kept his voice low. "Our home was lost long ago! How can we go home?" This was not their home; their home was the lost Dragonstone, King's Landing, the iron throne.
"I don't know!" Daenerys's eyes welled with tears. Was that her home?
"I want you to play this drama well!" Viserys said sharply. "Marry the Mercenary King; we need his army. As long as we get an army, twenty or thirty thousand soldiers, two hundred warships, I'd be willing for you to sleep with every one of those soldiers, even horses, and warships. Now you only need to sleep with the King; you're already very lucky. Pull yourself together!"
Daenerys immediately wiped away her tears. The plump Magistrate, full of smiles, walked towards them, laughing along with the mysterious King. Viserys told his sister to hold her head high and puff out her chest, as her chest was indeed quite flat.
Gendry walked in front of them and then took Daenerys's hand.
Daenerys had not yet set foot on Westeros and had no impression of war or the usurper. "All the flowers tonight are not half as beautiful as you, Princess!"
Daenerys was certainly petite and delicate, with a small chest. But beneath her beautiful face, these were all negligible. After all, her beauty was unique and would later be famous throughout the known world.
Gendry's voice was like steel, a charm of masculine strength. Daenerys hesitated for a moment, then timidly agreed.
The fat Magistrate smiled very happily; it was a wonderful thing, and this marriage alliance was a success!
"Magistrate, I think our treaty needs some changes! I really like the good deed you've brought about!" Gendry looked at Illyrio.
Illyrio's face froze again, not expecting such an unexpected turn.
"I like Princess Daenerys very much, but I want to wait until the Princess comes of age before marrying. Until then, I will act as her guardian."
"Buzz, buzz, buzz!" Illyrio felt his head being struck repeatedly by a large bell, constantly dizzy. With the delay, the cunning Mercenaries would definitely not send troops now. Daenerys was only thirteen years old.
"Whatever the Magistrate wishes, so be it!" Illyrio suppressed his helplessness and said magnanimously. These Westerosis were still more cunning than the Khal. Since this brat was not friendly, then I will reveal all the secrets.
"Then I can take my fiancée for a stroll!" Gendry no longer paid attention to Illyrio and Viserys, taking Daenerys to another part of the estate.
"This won't do, will it? The usurper sits on my father's throne, how much longer must I wait!" Viserys's eyes froze; he couldn't wait even a second. "If I had known this, I might as well have given my sister to the Khal!"
Gendry couldn't be bothered with Illyrio's attitude. The advantage of the cheesemonger and the spider lay in information asymmetry; their biggest weakness was their army. They were like beggars, scheming to use others' strength, but it wouldn't be that easy!
Gendry's Unsullied guards coldly watched Viserys. The Unsullied's eyes were like iron, and Viserys finally learned to stop his cursing.
Illyrio shrugged his broad shoulders. "Great King, you have waited for most of your life, what's a few more months… even a few more years?"
Ser Jorah added, "The Commander-in-Chief will not forget your friendship! He will repay you with a gift, but everything must be according to the Commander-in-Chief's wishes! Those of lower status who beg for help from the powerful still need to pay attention to their tone and demeanor, rather than being arrogant."
Viserys angrily said, "Mormont, you better watch what you say, or I'll cut out your tongue. I am no person of lower status; I am the dignified King of the Seven Kingdoms, a true dragon descendant will not grovel."
Jorah looked at Viserys with disdain, and then Illyrio again smiled apologetically, trying to calm Viserys down.
"Considering you're a rude northerner, a true dragon won't stoop to your level. But you should know, a true dragon never, ever forgets!" Viserys said fiercely… Gendry took his fiancée to a more secluded garden. The Free Army soldiers dismissed all personnel, including the Unsullied stewards sent by the fat man; Gendry didn't trust them.
Gendry gently invited Daenerys to sit on a garden bench. Though there were many flowers tonight, none could compare to a Rose.
The night was cold, as chilling as ice water. Gendry took off his cloak and draped it over Daenerys's silk dress.
Daenerys was very shy, but she finally overcame her fear. She told herself, "I am Daenerys stormborn, Princess of Dragonstone, with the blood of Aegon the Conqueror flowing in my veins."
Daenerys was also very confused, wondering if the King was so impatient as to immediately engage in crude affection upon meeting. Yet, the King could clearly choose to marry now, rather than waiting for her to come of age.
"I will send you a beautiful gift, my Princess!" Gendry told Daenerys, then presented her with a gift.
"This is!" The crown was delicate, in the shape of a dragon. The dragon's body was made of gold, suitable for a woman to wear, and it was inlaid with red gemstones, representing the Targaryen family colors, as the dragon's eyes.
"Queen Rhaella's crown!" Gendry smiled. Obtaining this gift was quite costly. He had put in a great effort, and merchants didn't dare offend the rising Mercenary King too much.
Gendry understood Daenerys's current state; she was merely a thirteen-year-old exiled princess, far from the later Dragon Queen, who would experience the deaths of her husband and Child, and endure numerous betrayals. She was just a delicate princess longing for the protection of powerful strength.
Gendry possessed power, was handsome, had no language or etiquette barriers, and was willing to put in effort. Manipulating an exiled princess was easier than a barbaric Khal.
"I thank you!" Daenerys held the crown, as if she had found her lost dignity.
"I want, I want to see you!"
Gendry took off his mask, and Daenerys saw a flawlessly handsome face, bright, masculine, and beautiful. His hair was thick and dark as ink, and he had a pair of beautiful blue eyes, so incredibly blue.
"Do you want to know my past, Dany?" Gendry asked her.
Daenerys nodded.
"It's a secret; I've only told you!" "I am like you, a homeless person, who escaped from King's Landing to here! I used to be a blacksmith in King's Landing, and later came to the Disputed Lands to be a Mercenary."
Daenerys's eyes widened, feeling that the King's exile was also a kind of legend.
"Then what about your family?" Daenerys asked tentatively.
"I am a bastard. My mother is dead. I have a very powerful father, but he never cared for me; he only liked various wild women. His wife wanted to kill me! If I didn't run away, I would have been assassinated like my other bastard brothers and sisters."
Daenerys's head was buzzing; the truth was somewhat jarring. She thought of the most terrifying speculation. Rumor had it that the usurper was as strong as a bull and very bloodthirsty.
"I am the usurper's bastard, an abandoned person! Like you, I hate House Lannister."
Daenerys's heart was pounding. She didn't know how to face the truth. She liked Gendry; he was strong and provided a sense of security, and he had even gone to the trouble of finding her crown. But why was fate so cruel?
"We are abandoned people; thank the Gods for bringing us together!" Gendry held Daenerys's hand, and Daenerys did not refuse.
"I will give you a home!" Daenerys thought for a moment and said, then kissed Gendry. Daenerys's kiss was somewhat cold.
I am a descendant of The Conqueror; I am fire. The usurper's bastard, having escaped through hardship, was at least sincere in his attitude towards the iron throne and herself; he had not deceived her. Daenerys first convinced herself; she now had a people-pleasing personality, having never met such a strong man who was so kind to her.
Daenerys was different from Viserys and was still easily changed. The stories she knew were not her personal experiences, and before a real assassination, she had no sense of purpose.
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