Chapter 367: The Queen's Cheat Code (Part 1)
Incredible!
Everyone present froze for a moment, then turned in unison toward someone who, like Daenerys, had remained silent until now: Moqorro, the high-ranking Red Priest sent by the High Priest of the Red Temple in Volantis to guide the Dragon Queen and assist her on the path toward the fulfillment of the prophecy.
This tall Red Priest, back in Meereen, had spoken incessantly of the Long Night approaching, of darkness descending upon the North of Westeros, and of an ancient, unspeakable Great Other coveting the lives of all living beings... In short, he spouted a mountain of mystical jargon that had caused everyone's ears to grow callouses. Curiously, however, since Daenerys landed on Dragonstone, he had reversed his previous urgency and talkativeness, becoming remarkably Zen. Not only had he stopped urging the Queen to fulfill her responsibility as the Prince That Was Promised by heading to the Far North, but he also sat silently in the background during every meeting. His dark skin combined with his low-profile demeanor had led the council members—especially the newly joined Varys—to almost overlook his existence.
But no one had forgotten: not long ago, this massive man had said that the most powerful follower Daenerys could obtain—whom he had been cryptically rambling about for ages—would arrive uninvited from the Far North shortly after the Queen occupied Dragonstone, to meet and provide guidance to the true, legitimate ruler of the Seven Kingdoms.
Moqorro had already displayed too many extraordinary abilities since joining her service for Daenerys to view him as a common charlatan. Could it be that Petyr, Varys, and this Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, who had arrived today exactly as predicted, were the three heads of the dragon mentioned in the prophecy?
With a mix of surprise and anticipation, Daenerys looked at the Red Priest. Moqorro, wearing an enigmatic smile, turned to meet the Queen's gaze and spoke first: "Your Majesty, since the man has arrived, why hesitate to let him in?"
The ship Egger was on didn't actually have grey sails; it had black sails identifying it as Night's Watch property. However, the quality of dyes in this era was mediocre at best; after sun, rain, and several washings, the black sails had faded into a dull grey. Eastwatch was nearly a thousand miles from Dragonstone. To ensure speed, Egger had handpicked a team of the physically strongest oarsmen upon arriving at Eastwatch. Thanks to the good weather allowing for slow travel even at night and a cooperative wind, they had raced along, not even stopping at Gulltown, and entered the Crownlands' waters on the fifth day after passing the Vale.
About a dozen miles from Dragonstone, the Blackbird was intercepted by a large galley flying the Red Dragon sigil. After the sailors boarded for an inspection and inquired about their business, they escorted the Night's Watch ship to the military port of Dragonstone.
The island was still the same bird-dropping-covered rock, but the surrounding scenery had changed drastically. During the stretch between the interception and entering the harbor, Egger saw at least three large warships patrolling. As they neared the island, the military port—formerly home to Stannis's fleet—was now dense with warships and a forest of masts, with the Red Dragon banners of House Targaryen fluttering everywhere.
It was an expected sight, but among the Red Dragon banners, Egger spotted a few scattered flags that made his skin crawl: the Kraken of House Greyjoy.
What was this about? Asha and Theon Greyjoy were both at Queenscrown. Could it be that Euron had already made contact with Daenerys?
Wrestling with scattered memories of the original plot, the Night's Watch ship docked. After waiting a moment under surveillance in a small harbor outpost, the news that Dragonstone would grant him an audience arrived faster than expected. Led by a few of the Queen's guards in red and black armor—who bore a passing resemblance to the Night's Watch—Egger and Melisandre climbed the winding mountain path toward the fortress at the summit. After a thorough warm-up, Egger entered this magnificent but desolate castle for the second time.
The castle was more lively than during his last visit. Walking through the narrow, deep corridors, they were led into the astonishingly spacious and empty audience chamber of Dragonstone, quickly stepping into a famous scene.
The doors to the hall were pushed open. Melisandre, who had lived here for months, was intimately familiar with it, but this was Egger's first time inside this specific room. Before he could finish taking in the furnishings, a crisp, high-pitched voice rang out abruptly.
"Before you sits Daenerys of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lady Regnant of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, called the Mother of Dragons, the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains, and Stormborn." A petite, dark-skinned girl stood at the edge of the high dais and chanted loudly. "Visitor, state your name and business."
Despite the weight of his mission, Egger felt a strange sense of deja vu. Fortunately, after a brief lapse, the Lord Commander quickly gathered his wits—he didn't intend to act like a certain someone, sharing a foolish look with his companion before giving a dry, awkward self-introduction.
"I am Egger West, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, supreme commander of the Wall's garrison. I have come to see Her Majesty."
With a steady, dignified, and concise self-introduction delivered with a full voice, Egger straightened his back and looked up at the silver-haired woman standing not far ahead.
As he looked, a shudder that seemed to rattle his very spine surged up from his waist, racing like an electric current to the back of his neck and forehead, making his scalp tingle.
Before his transmigration, which character's chapters did Egger most prefer to skip when reading the original books?
Answer: Daenerys.
This little Queen, before her rise, had lived in exile with her brother, relying on each other for survival. Yet, just as she came of age, she was sold to a Khal by Magister Illyrio, deflowered by a barbarian under the open sky, and just as she found some hope in life, she faced the loss of her husband and was eventually deceived by a witch into a miscarriage... even her last hope, her child, was gone. Egger had no masochistic tendencies; this tragic and frustrating story made him want to skim through it and never look at it a second time.
And after her rise? Her style swung to the other extreme: she was a walking cheat code, sweeping through everything in her path. No matter the difficulty or danger, Daenerys always seemed to resolve things through luck, coincidence, or men falling at her feet. This typical protagonist template always made Egger feel like he was reading a generic web novel rather than A Song of Ice and Fire. The special treatment she received, so unlike any other POV character, made it difficult for him to relate to her.
And the Dragon Mother on the screen was yet another matter: quiet as a virgin, smiling like a brow-twisting monster, speaking like a Peashooter, with beauty that fluctuated between a one and a ten—often a single expression could ruin the immersion. While being entertained by her various parodies and memes, Egger, as a viewer, would often daydream: which actress could play her to better capture the essence of the most beautiful woman?
But at this moment, he suddenly understood: casting didn't matter at all.
Because... in the world before his transmigration, there was not, and could not be, any woman who could portray even one-ten-thousandth of Daenerys's beauty and aura.
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/MistaQuartz
On Patreon, you can explore Extra Chapters in advance!