To Aegor's surprise, the Queen's expressions of heartache and anger flashed across her face but quickly vanished as she regained her composure.
Daenerys had indeed experienced a brief moment of emotional instability. But with the noble mission and ideal of "breaking the wheel of history" before her, and the first "comrade" in the world who truly understood her and seemed capable of helping her achieve her goals sitting across the table, she did not want to lose her composure in this setting.
"I understand. The Reach cannot be my loyal and reliable foundation. Their active surrender is merely a hope that I'll help them deal with Stannis quickly, so they can return to their usual position, where no one controls them, and everyone must rely on them for grain," she nodded, summarizing the point Aegor wanted to make. "But, at least they haven't openly turned against the Targaryens. They still have soldiers and grain. Why not feign agreement for now, and after using their strength to unify the Seven Kingdoms and rest for a bit, find a way to counter and weaken them later?"
---
Daenerys's thinking was correct. Countless rulers in history had chosen this route: conquer the realm first, then settle scores with the powerful lords.
After all, no matter how advanced one's philosophy of governance or how grand their reform blueprint, they needed land to implement it. What if the war itself wasn't won? Wouldn't it all be nothing more than empty talk and mockery?
With her original temperament, she likely wouldn't have considered such caution. After all, she had three dragons. She could simply burn her way through.
But after landing in Westeros, the defensive system Stannis had built around King's Landing and the emergence of the dragon-hunting ballista had significantly diminished her previous overconfidence and arrogance. She now understood that the era when dragons were invincible was over, and she could no longer follow the same path as her ancestor, the Conqueror.
Logically, this was a good thing. Who wouldn't want their ruler to be more rational and composed?
However, in practice, Aegor now found it somewhat troublesome. Although Daenerys was right, her path wasn't the one most aligned with his own interests. With the powerful advantage of firearms, he was confident he could be unmatched on the battlefield, break the stalemate with force, and avoid unnecessary detours.
But while firearms had a devastating advantage over cold weapons, his own brain was still anatomically the same as the people of this world. He had no illusions that his limited background in ethics, political theory, and a few psychology books made him capable of manipulating all the old nobles of Westeros like puppets.
Political struggle was far more complicated than chemical reactions.
Recruiting people first and settling scores later sounded easy, but required skill and precision. It wasn't something he was good at. Open attacks were easier to guard against than hidden ones. Instead of messily pulling a large number of interest groups into their faction and then engaging in covert battles to seize the spoils after open war, it would be better to make a clear plan from the start, keep the circle small, and make himself the one and only indispensable hero.
Unfortunately, firearms were his trump card, and he didn't want to reveal them too early, not even to Daenerys. Although he instinctively wanted to tell the Queen." Aegor suppressed that thought and continued with the original plan.
Without exposing his trump card, what argument or reasoning could he use to refute Daenerys's seemingly correct plan?
---
"Your Grace's plan is reasonable, but not optimal. We must analyze it from both objective and subjective perspectives. Let me summarize first, then elaborate. First: strike while the enemy is weak. Second: the principle of one-time damage."
"Go on. I'm listening," Daenerys nodded. She liked hearing Aegor explain these unfamiliar new concepts. Whether it was Littlefinger or Varys, when assisting her, they tended to "get things done for her" or "tell her what to do." The Night's Watch Commander before her, however, was genuinely trying to make her a better ruler by explaining everything in the most straightforward way.
"The first point is simple. The Reach, which Your Grace currently faces, has just experienced four major wars: campaigning in the Vale with Robert, backing Renly's claim, resisting Stannis's retaliation, and supporting Aegor against the Crownlands and Northern armies. Though their military casualties may not be as heavy as in other kingdoms, their resources have been seriously depleted. Objectively speaking, they are in their weakest state in centuries. Your Grace's idea of resting before acting against them is sound in theory, but it overlooks one key fact: the Reach, with the most fertile and densely populated lands in Westeros, has the greatest capacity for recovery. Given time to recuperate, their gains will far exceed what you can gather from the Crownlands, Riverlands, and Stormlands combined."
"The second principle is more nuanced, mostly due to subjective factors. People's tolerance for repeated harm has its limits. When you return to Westeros to reclaim the Iron Throne, whether friend, foe, or bystander, even if they don't support you, none will say you're unjustified. After all, everyone has the right to seek justice and reclaim what was taken. No matter how much destruction it causes, people will only sigh and say, 'This is war, losses are inevitable,'" Aegor glanced at Daenerys and confirmed she was still listening before continuing. "But what if, after finally reclaiming the Seven Kingdoms, you rest for just two years and then initiate another war to incorporate the Reach into your centralized system? Do you think the people will view the Reach's 'rebellion' as shameless, or see you as fickle and ungrateful, saying, 'This wretched Queen, can't she just let us have peace for once'?"
"This is the essence of the principle of one-time damage: when you conquer the Seven Kingdoms, people already expect a certain level of destruction. No matter how much damage you inflict, they'll see you as powerful, even admirable. They will endure the losses and not plot revenge. But if you conquer them once, then unify them again, and then launch a massive reform… even the most peaceful souls will snap. At that point, they won't care about the beautiful world you promised to build. They'll simply rise up in droves against you, the new 'Mad Queen.'"
...
When goodwill reaches a certain level, even blunt criticisms are tolerated. Daenerys wasn't angry about the "Mad Queen" comment. Instead, she pondered Aegor's words with a serious expression and finally admitted he made some sense.
"Alright. I won't form an alliance with the Reach, not even temporarily. But their envoy is likely already waiting for me outside King's Landing. I can't just run out there and say, 'I'm preparing to annex the Reach and build a new King's Landing, so don't help me. Go home, wash your necks, and wait to die.' My Unsullied and Free Company are strong, but they can't fight on two fronts."
"This is exactly why I asked you not to reveal this plan to anyone before. Although Lord Petyr Baelish and Lord Varys are loyal to you, they still represent the interests of the old nobility. Talking to them about breaking the wheel will only invite opposition or ridicule, and worse, leaks that could make the Reach your enemy too early. My suggestion is this: keep your true plan hidden for now and propose some harsh conditions—such as restricting noble privileges or increasing taxes. Control the degree carefully so that you neither alienate the Reach completely nor let them grow suspicious. Wait until the Night's Watch finishes dealing with the White Walkers and marches South for your cause. Once the Iron Throne is yours, then reveal your real intentions and, in one move, sweep these old nobles into the dustbin of history."
"I assure Your Grace, winning the war is not something you need to worry about. Leave that to me."
...
Silence returned to the room. After a long moment of stillness and eye contact, the Queen's solemn expression gradually softened into understanding.
Though she didn't know why the Night's Watch, with only tens of thousands of men, believed they could defeat the Reach and its millions, the Night's Watch Commander's legendary life and confident bearing made her strangely willing to trust him.
"You've thought it through thoroughly. I have no more questions," Daenerys said easily. "The reason I came today so urgently to speak with you is because I must return South. As you said, I must clarify my stance to the Reach envoy."
...
"Hm?" Aegor was surprised. "Let him wait. Do the Tyrells dare declare war on you just because you didn't meet with them on time?"
"Meeting with the Reach envoy is not the only reason I must leave, Commander. You must have noticed—I've been waiting idly in this tower for three days." Daenerys's expression was gentle, but her tone was serious. "I'm not complaining, but my Unsullied and Free Company are still fighting on the front lines. Envoys from various Lords are waiting to negotiate. Representatives from all walks of life are gathered in King's Landing. No matter what, I cannot keep wasting time here. I need to clarify my policies and attitudes towards the other kingdoms. Even just appearing in the sky on dragonback will help stabilize morale and deter enemies."
As if fearing Aegor might misunderstand, she added, "It's not that I think dealing with the White Walkers is unimportant. I just need to know exactly when this great war of ice and fire will happen before I can continue waiting. How about this, Aegor—either you find a way to locate the enemy, and I will lead the Three Dragons and the Night's Watch in a preemptive strike to end it swiftly, or you let me return South to handle urgent affairs and then come back later. What do you think?"
A preemptive strike? The image from the show of the Queen rashly losing a dragon still lingered. Without the Wall's magical protection, the White Walkers, imbued with the power of the cold god Beyond the Wall, could kill dragons. Aegor would rather not have the Three Dragons' assistance than adjust the established strategy and haul tons of Wildfire and Dragon Crystal Bombs north... to fight the enemy on their home ground.
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Grace, but the Night's Watch strategy is already set and will not be changed at the last minute. I also remind Your Grace, if you truly see the Three Dragons as your children, never fly them across the Wall under any circumstances. I stood atop the Wall and was nearly pierced by a White Walker's ice spear." Aegor instinctively did not want the Dragon Queen to leave, but he had no grounds to stop her, so he made no attempt to persuade her. "As I said before, you are a guest in Crown Town and may come and go freely. Our agreement never included remaining here to wait for the great war. But if you return South and the White Walkers strike during your absence, how will we notify you to return for the battle?"
"You needn't worry. Moqorro's ship brought carrier ravens—there are cages for Dragonstone, Crab Claw Peninsula, Duskendale, and Rosby. If anything happens, release them all, and one will surely reach me," Daenerys replied calmly, clearly having planned ahead. "That's also why I waited until the ships arrived before bidding you farewell. I assure you, Commander, if the White Walkers attack, no matter when, where, or what I'm doing, I will immediately mount a dragon and return to the Wall to fulfill our agreement."
At this point, what more could Aegor say? He could only thank the Queen for her sincere promise, then stood up and personally led her to the open area of Crown Town closest to the central lake. He remained there with her... until the black dragon landed with a roaring gust of wind.
Perhaps sensing its mother's goodwill toward the man in black, even Drogon didn't glare or snort at Aegor this time. Daenerys elegantly climbed onto the dragon's back using the fleshy ladder the beast extended, grasped the saddle, and after nodding toward Aegor, who had retreated to a safe distance, she spread her wings and soared into the sky. The other two dragons joined her, and she flew south without hesitation.
...
The Queen had come suddenly and left just as quickly. Watching Daenerys and her dragons fly off and become three tiny black dots in the sky, Aegor, having just lost a powerful ally, inevitably felt a twinge of disappointment. Fortunately, it was only disappointment. The Night's Watch was fully prepared for battle and would not panic or suffer a loss of morale simply because the dragons were absent. As the supreme commander, Aegor's thoughts at this moment were focused on something else entirely:
If the White Walkers did attack while Daenerys was away handling southern affairs, and the Night's Watch dealt with the crisis alone, how would that affect the agreement they had made?
Clearly, either the agreement would be rendered void, and Aegor would need to find another springboard, or it would have to be renegotiated. After all, his promise that the Night's Watch would fight for her was based on her dragons reducing the casualties and resource cost to the Gift army and civilians. If she missed the battle but still wanted the Night's Watch, a bulldozer that could flatten the Seven Kingdoms, to follow her, she would have to pay a... greater price.
Standing beside the dragon landing field, letting the cold wind blow over him for a while, Aegor still couldn't sort out his thoughts. He shook his head and, with a group of guards, returned toward Hogwarts Town's Inner Keep.
What Aegor didn't know was that aside from the soldiers and townsfolk of Crown Town who watched Daenerys's departure, high in the sky dozens of miles north of the Wall, there was also an invisible and formless yet truly existing "eye" that remained fixed on the presence of the Three Dragons. It did not dissipate until the dragons vanished from its range, at which point it burst into powerful magical fluctuations, scattering invisible signals across.
(To be continued.)
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