Chapter 91 Two Targaryens
The Throne Room became empty and silent.
The Guards, Bronn, and the dragged-away Tyrion and Shae, had all vanished.
The torchlight cast eerie shadows on the black Targaryenbanners.
Only two people remained in the center of the hall:
Aegon on the iron throne,
and Sansa Stark, standing like a statue at the foot of the steps.
Aegon slowly descended from the grotesque iron chair.
The 'clack, clack, clack' of his leather boots on the flagstones echoed in the silence.
He walked in front of Sansa.
The young King, a head taller than her, looked down at her with a scrutinizing gaze.
Sansa did not move.
Her hands were hidden in her sleeves, her nails digging deep into her palms.
She was filled with lingering fear.
Her back was already soaked with cold sweat.
She had been but a step away from death and destruction—
just one word from Tyrion,
just one moment of hesitation from herself.
"You were afraid just now."
Aegon stated a fact.
There was no comfort in his voice, only amusement.
"You thought I would sacrifice you."
Sansa slowly raised her head.
Her icy blue eyes showed no warmth in the firelight.
"You would have."
Her voice was hoarse but firm.
"If Tyrion had chosen to accuse me, if Shae's 'testimony' could bring you greater 'pleasure,' you would have unhesitatingly included me as a 'traitor' in the reckoning... wouldn't you, Your Majesty?"
Aegon froze.
Then, he burst into a deep, hearty laugh!
"Hahahahaha—! Good! What a 'winter raven'! You understand me even better than I thought!"
His laughter abruptly ceased.
His black Dragon eyes became cold once more.
"You're right. I would have."
"In this game of power, Sansa, you and I are both players, but also pieces.
You are my piece, and I am 'fate's' piece.
The only difference is who can survive to the end and overturn the board."
He reached out and gently lifted Sansa's chin with his gloved finger.
The gesture was full of possession and warning.
"You passed my test.
You proved your worth.
You are no longer the 'little bird' who needs to hide behind others.
You are the sharpest dagger in my black heart scheme.
Tyrion and Shae are useless; their reckoning is over.
Now, go handle your next task."
"What task?" Sansa asked.
"The 'rats' in the Red Keep have been caught, but there are still many in King's Landing."
Aegon turned and walked back to the throne.
"Varys's 'little birds' are still flying everywhere. I need you to take over his 'intelligence network.' I want you to become the Red Keep's new'Spider.'"
Sansa's pupils contracted sharply!
Master of Coin,
now Master of Whispers?
He wanted to turn her into a second Varys?
"As you command, Your Majesty."
She suppressed the turbulent emotions in her heart and bowed deeply.
"The raven will peck out all eyes for you."
... Far away in Meereen.
Inside the Great Pyramid.
Daenerys Targaryen had not slept for three days.
She had sent everyone away—Missandei, Grey Worm.
She had only kept Barristan Selmy.
Her "Bear," Jorah Mormont, had been exiled.
This betrayal had hit her harder than losing an army.
Her heart was filled with the anger of deception and a profound loneliness.
"What else did he write?"
Daenerys's voice was hoarse.
She was referring to the "poison letter" from Westeros.
Ser Barristan's expression was grave.
He hesitated for a long time.
"Your Majesty... this could be another trick from the enemy.
He mentioned a person in the letter."
"Who?"
"... Aegon."
"Aegon?" Daenerys frowned, "He already signed the letter, didn't he? That one who calls himself King..."
"No, Your Majesty." Barristan interrupted her, "The letter says 'Aegon VI.'
He refers to you as 'aunt' in the letter.
He claims to be... Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and Princess Elia Martell's son... Aegon Targaryen."
Daenerys's breath hitched.
Her purple eyes instantly widened!
"Impossible!"
She retorted sharply!
"Aegon died! Along with his sister Rhaenys! Smashed to death by the Mountain in King's Landing!
All of Westeros knows it!"
"Yes, Your Majesty. I always believed that too."
Barristan's face was filled with pain and struggle.
"But, Your Majesty... this letter accurately pointed out Ser Jorah's betrayal.
How could a 'liar' far away in Westeros know a secret that even I didn't know?"
"This means his intelligence is terrifyingly accurate!
If his accusation about Jorah is true..."
Barristan dared not continue.
"Then what if his claim about his own identity is true?"
"..."
Daenerys stood up.
She paced anxiously around the room.
"No!"
She stopped abruptly.
"He's fake!
He's a liar! An usurper!
He's a 'Blackfyre' found by those Pentos Magisters! He's a dragon from a circus act!"
(Blackfyre is a bastard branch of the Targaryens, generations of enemies to the legitimate line)
A rage stronger than what she felt against the slave masters burned in her heart!
She had always believed herself to be the last of the Targaryen bloodline.
She was the true Dragon.
Westeros was hers!
The iron throne was hers!
Now, a "nephew" who appeared out of nowhere had not only landed in Westeros first,
but had already sat on her throne!
And even wrote her a letter in the tone of an "elder" to "clean up the household"?!
This was not "family."
This was a "thief" more detestable than Robert Baratheon!
"Barristan,"
Daenerys turned, her eyes no longer holding sadness.
Only a Queen's resolve and a Dragon's fury.
"That 'Aegon,' he thinks he won?
He thinks he can rule the Seven Kingdoms with schemes and a black dragon?"
"No.
He's wrong.
He's merely 'cleaning up' my enemies for me.
He's 'warming up' my throne for me.
My Dragons haven't grown up yet,
my army isn't strong enough yet,
but now I know, I must hurry."
She walked to the balcony and pushed open the door.
Meereen's night wind stirred her silver hair.
In the sky, three young Dragons circled under the moonlight.
"Listen, Barristan.
I am Daenerys Stormborn.
I am the mother of dragons.
I am the only Queen of the Targaryens.
Westeros has no 'King,'
only a usurper who will soon be purified by dragonflame!"
... The same day.
King's Landing, Tower of the Hand, study.
Aegon was writing a letter.
A letter destined for Casterly Rock.
"To Lord Tywin Lannister:
Your son Jaime Lannister is in my hands.
Your son Tyrion Lannister is also in my hands.
The Lannister gold has run dry,
but your bloodline has not.
I give you two choices:
One, swear fealty to the iron throne as Warden of the West, and offer fifty percent of Casterly Rock's gold reserves.
I will ensure your two sons live 'decently.'
Two, refuse.
Then, you will first receive Jaime's 'golden hand,'
then Tyrion's 'tongue,'
and finally my Night Fury and its dragonflame.
Fire and Blood.
Your King, Aegon Targaryen VI.
(Note: I hear you're very fond of 'The Rains of Castamere.' Coincidentally, I'm also very fond of 'burning.')"
He sealed the letter with black sealing wax.
"Daario."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Send the fastest raven to Casterly Rock. I want that old lion to lose sleep tonight."
Chapter 92 The Lion King, the Raven, and the Dragon Mother
Casterly Rock.
The colossal fortress of House Lannister, standing for a thousand years.
Inside the study, Lord Tywin Lannister sat alone before the fireplace.
The letter, sealed with black three-headed dragon wax, lay open on his desk.
The room was unlit.
The flickering firelight reflected on his somber and stern face.
"... Burn."
Tywin softly read the last word of the letter.
His anger did not show outwardly like others, but was deeply hidden, like a volcano about to erupt.
It was a terrifying pressure capable of dragging all of Westeros into a sea of fire.
"Jaime... Tyrion..."
His two sons.
One, his proud heir, now a crippled hostage; the other, his shame and disgust, now also a bargaining chip.
"He has a Dragon."
The monster called "Night Fury."
One Dragon was enough to burn a fleet, one Dragon was enough to turn Harrenhal to ashes.
One Dragon.
Plus a "King" who had already ascended the iron throne, and whose methods were more cruel than Aerys, more cunning than Maegor.
For the first time in his life, Tywin Lannister felt what it was like to have "no cards left to play."
"Thump, thump."
The door was knocked.
His brother, Kevan Lannister, walked in.
"Brother." Kevan's face was pale, "The letter... I've heard everything.
What should we do? He wants our gold mines! He wants us to surrender!"
Tywin did not turn around.
He simply stared coldly at the flames.
"He doesn't want surrender, he wants humiliation. He wants House Lannister, the lion of the West, to grovel like a dog at his feet."
"Then we..." Kevan asked anxiously.
"We have no choice." Tywin's voice was utterly cold.
"If I refuse, he will kill Jaime, he will kill Tyrion.
Then he will come riding his Dragon, and 'burn' Casterly Rock.
By then, we will have lost not only our bloodline, but all our gold and lands.
House Lannister will be utterly extinguished."
"So... you're going to agree to him?" Kevan was incredulous.
"... How does 'The Rains of Castamere' go?"
Tywin slowly stood up.
His figure remained tall in the firelight, but it carried an unprecedented desolation.
"A lion roars in its den to gather strength... not to wait for death."
He walked to the desk and picked up the letter.
"Reply.
Tell that 'King':
Lord Tywin Lannister, Warden of the West, accepts His Majesty the King's 'kindness'.
He will personally go to King's Landing... to swear fealty.
And, to celebrate the unification of the Kingdom,
He will offer half of House Lannister's gold reserves as a gift."
"Brother!" Kevan was shocked.
"Go." Tywin waved his hand, "Let all the lords know. House Lannister... has bowed its head."
After Kevan left, Tywin stood alone in the darkness.
"You won this round, Aegon Targaryen.
But the game is not over yet.
As long as I live, one day, I will find your weakness... Dragons, too, can be killed."
... King's Landing, Red Keep.
Sansa Stark's new residence.
This was no longer a master of whispers' office, but a true "intelligence center."
A large map of King's Landing hung on the wall, and the table was piled with various dossiers and ledgers.
"... I don't know any'spider'."
A thin boy (about ten years old) was being held down by two Guardss.
He was one of the "little birds" Sansa had caught from the kitchen's ventilation shafts.
"I was just hungry, trying to steal some bread..."
Sansa sat behind the desk.
She wore her silver-rimmed glasses, her expression cold.
She did not threaten, nor did she torture.
She simply waved her hand.
The Guardss dragged the boy up.
At the same time, another servant brought a steaming plate of meat and a glass of milk.
The boy swallowed.
"Your'spider' has already fled."
Sansa spoke calmly.
"He abandoned you. He used to bribe you with sweets and preserves because your information was only worth that much."
She pushed the plate of meat over.
"But it's different here with me. Work for me, and you can eat this every day. You will have a warm bed, clean clothes. You can even learn to read and write."
The boy's eyes lit up.
"... Or."
Sansa's voice changed.
"You can continue to serve your'spider'. Then, I will send you to meet the woman named Shae right now. Her body should still be hanging at the dungeon entrance, half her tongue already eaten by crows."
The boy's body trembled violently.
He looked at the steaming meat and then thought of that terrifying image.
"... I... I'll tell..."
The boy cried out.
"Lord Varys... he really left. But he left a secret message. He wants us to do nothing... just 'observe'."
"Observe what?"
"Observe... observe you and His Majesty the King. And Lord Melisandre. He said, new players have arrived in the Red Keep... the game has become interesting."
Sansa's brows furrowed.
Varys.
He hadn't truly left.
He was lurking.
He was watching too.
"Very well." Sansa motioned for the Guardss to release the boy.
"Eat. After you finish, take him to bathe. From today, you are my 'little raven'."
She stood up and walked to the map.
"Now, tell me. How many more 'rats' like you are there in the Red Keep? And where are all your 'rat holes'?"
Sansa Stark's "spiderweb" officially began to spread at this moment.
She would use the power granted to her by the King to establish a kingdom of her own in the shadows of the Red Keep... Meereen.
The Great Pyramid.
Daenerys's anger had subsided, replaced by an unprecedented calm and resolve.
She summoned all her commanders.
Barristan Selmy.
Grey Worm.
"... Your Majesty, are you saying we are abandoning Meereen?"
Ser Barristan's face was filled with shock.
"Those slaves you freed..."
"I am not abandoning them." Daenerys interrupted him.
"I am 'entrusting' them. Grey Worm."
"Yes, Queen."
"I entrust Meereen to you and your Unsullied.
This is where you regained your freedom, and from now on, this is your home.
You are no longer my 'army', you are the 'Guardians' of Meereen."
Grey Worm was stunned.
For the first time, an emotion other than "obedience" flickered in his eyes.
"... Does the Queen no longer need us?"
"I will always need you, but you no longer need me."
Daenerys's voice was gentle.
"I gave you freedom, now you must learn how to defend it."
"As for me..."
Her gaze turned to Daario.
"I need a true 'army'. An army that can cross the Narrow Sea and reclaim the throne for me."
Daario grinned.
"My Queen, you've finally come to your senses.
The Second Sons and the Stormcrows are your sharp swords!"
"And the Dothraki." A trace of reminiscence flashed in Daenerys's eyes.
"Khal Drogo's bloodriders are still waiting for me. I will gather the largest Khalasar in history!"
"Your Majesty!" Barristan was anxious, "You mean to take the Dothraki across the Narrow Sea?! Westeros will not accept them..."
"They will accept them." Daenerys said coldly.
"Before dragonflame."
"I have lingered too long in Essos. I play 'mother' here, while a shameless 'nephew' plays 'King' in Westeros."
She walked onto the balcony and pushed open the door.
Meereen's night wind stirred her silver hair.
The three young Dragons in the sky were circling in the moonlight.
"Ser Barristan. I want you to immediately find ships. Go to Pentos, to Volantis, to Braavos! At all costs, find me a massive fleet!"
"I don't care if that 'Aegon' is real or fake. I don't care if he has one Dragon or ten Dragons."
"Tell the whole world:
The mother of dragons is coming home.
There can only be one Targaryen in the Seven Kingdoms... and that is me!"
Chapter 93 Lion's Shadow, Spider Web and Fire
King's Landing, Red Keep.
Small Council Chambers.
Tywin Lannister's reply was like a giant stone thrown into still water, stirring up a huge commotion in the center of power in King's Landing.
"...He, he agreed?"
Lord Mace Tyrell—the newly appointed Master of Ships and Master of Coin—held the letter, his hands trembling.
"He's coming to King's Landing himself? To offer half his gold?! Ha! Hahahahaha!" Lord Mace let out a thunderous laugh.
"His Majesty the King! You are destined by heaven! You made the proudest old lion bow his head without shedding a drop of blood!"
Grand Maester Pycelle also chimed in, trembling beside him:
"Yes, Your Majesty. Tywin Lannister has finally recognized reality. The glory of House Targaryen will surely reappear. This is a prelude to the kingdom's unification!"
The entire council chamber (except for House Tyrell) was filled with an almost false sense of optimism,
as if the war had already ended.
Aegon sat expressionless on the iron throne.
He did not look at the gesticulating clowns.
His gaze fell on the person standing in the shadowy corner, responsible for recording—Sansa Stark.
She wore a simple but dignified dark gray gown, with silver-rimmed glasses.
She was the only one in the room without a smile.
Her face was as pale as paper.
When she heard the name "Tywin Lannister," her hand, holding the quill, trembled slightly.
The man who orchestrated the Red Wedding.
The mastermind behind the slaughter of her mother and brother.
He was coming to King's Landing.
"...Sansa."
The King suddenly spoke.
The hall instantly fell silent.
Sansa stepped out of the shadows and bowed slightly.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"You are afraid," Aegon stated.
Sansa's body stiffened.
She looked up, her ice-blue eyes meeting the King's gaze directly.
"No, Your Majesty. I am anticipating."
Her voice was soft, yet it carried a chill.
Aegon smiled.
"Very good. It seems only you and I know: that is not a surrendering lion; that is a shark voluntarily swimming into a pond."
He stood up.
"Mace Tyrell."
"Here."
"Do you really think he's coming to offer gold?
He's coming to see how well I've been mining his 'gold mine.'
He's coming to see if my throne is stable.
He's treating himself as the sharpest dagger, personally delivering it to my heart's door!"
The King's voice echoed through the hall, sending shivers down the spines of those who had just been celebrating.
"He thinks I am a child. He wants to play his dirty political games in my palace, right under my nose."
Aegon walked down the steps.
"...He is terribly mistaken."
He walked in front of Sansa.
"winter raven.
He is coming, coming into your 'net.'
Your father's enemy.
The destroyer of your family.
He will soon eat, sleep, and breathe in this castle.
You are my Master of Whispers.
From now on, I want you to know every word he says.
I want you to know every person he meets.
I want to know how many cups of wine he drinks each day.
I want your 'winter ravens' to fill every corner of his room... I want you to become his 'nightmare.'"
Sansa took a deep breath.
The hatred almost overflowing in her chest intertwined with icy fear,
ultimately transforming into a morbid excitement.
"As you wish, Your Majesty."
She curtsied.
"I will make him experience... the 'warmth' of the North."
...That night.
Red Keep, secret passages.
It was dark, cold, and filled with the smell of dust and rats.
Sansa carried a lantern.
Behind her was Tom, the little bird she had subdued.
He had changed into clean clothes, and his face had regained some color.
He was filled with awe for Sansa.
"My Lady, this is it."
Tom pointed to a wall.
"Lord Varys often used this path. This route bypasses all the Guardss and leads directly to... the Tower of the Hand."
The Tower of the Hand—
Aegon's 'respectable' residence given to Tywin Lannisterin King's Landing.
"What else does he know?" Sansa asked.
"A lot," Tom whispered, "Lord Varys is like the king of the underground. But his 'maps' are all hidden in his mind. However, we little birds also have our own methods. We use this."
He pulled out a small piece of charcoal from his pocket.
"We mark the intersections we pass."
Sansa looked at the almost imperceptible scratches on the walls.
A vast and secret underground kingdom was slowly opening its doors to her.
Varys thought he could abandon these little birds, but he didn't know that what he abandoned was the 'key' to the entire Red Keep.
"Very good."
Sansa took out a small pouch of gold coins from her sleeve and handed it to Tom.
This was much 'heavier' than the sweets Varys gave.
"I don't need you to make marks.
I need you to 'listen.'
Starting tonight, form your 'winter raven' squad.
I want you to be the 'ears' of this castle.
Everything the walls can hear, I want to know."
"Yes, My Lady!"
Sansa stood alone in the dark secret passage for a long time.
She held the lamp, looking at the dark entrance leading to the Tower of the Hand.
There was no fear on her face, only the unique focus of a hunter staring at her prey.
"Tywin Lannister."
She whispered in a voice only she could hear.
"Welcome to my spider web."
...Red Keep, Sept.
Melisandre's prayer room.
The Red Priestess was kneeling before the fire altar.
Her forehead was covered in sweat, and her face was pale.
She had been divining for three consecutive days.
Ever since Tywin's letter arrived, she had felt an ominous premonition.
"...R'hllor, please guide me..."
She sprinkled the last bit of powder into the flames.
"Whoosh—!"
The flames suddenly shot up, turning a bizarre green!
That was the color of wildfire!
"No..."
Melisandre recoiled in terror.
She saw horrifying visions in the flames.
She saw King's Landing burning.
She saw a golden lion turn to ashes in the flames.
But before the lion died, its sharp claws also tore the wing of a black dragon!
She saw Sansa Stark's cold face flickering in and out of the flames.
She saw three giant dragons in the distant East, riding the waves with towering rage!
Finally.
She saw the North.
The Wall was collapsing.
Blue eyes glowed in the snowstorm.
The army of the dead was marching south.
"...No... it's not like this..."
Melisandre collapsed to the ground.
"The King... he has too many enemies... The lion is at his feet.
The winter raven is at his ear.
The squids are lurking in the sea.
And the true'storm' is about to land.
He is playing his game of power!
He is settling scores with his enemies!
But he has forgotten the true 'war'!"
Melisandre trembled all over.
She had to warn the arrogant King.
His 'black heart scheme' could help him win the iron throne, but it couldn't win against the 'Long Night' that was about to devour everything.
Chapter 94 The Prophet, the Great Wall, and the Cage
King's Landing, Red Keep.
Inside the King's study, Aegon was reviewing a military report from the Vale.
Petyr Baelish—that "Littlefinger"—had gone silent after hearing that dragonflame had incinerated the fleet and that the King had "graciously" approved Sansa Stark's status.
Like a cunning fox, he declared the Vale of Arryn"neutral".
"Your Majesty."
The door was pushed open, and Daario Naharis walked in with a frown.
"That Red Woman, she insists on seeing you. She says... it's about 'fire' and 'death'."
"Let her in." Aegon didn't even lift his head.
He knew she would come eventually.
A fanatical religious person always becomes anxious when she finds herself unable to fully control the "messenger" of "God".
Melisandre walked in.
Gone was the usual fanaticism and confidence from her face, replaced by a deep weariness and fear.
"Your Majesty." She didn't bow, walking straight to the desk, her red eyes fixed on him. "You are playing with fire."
"I am fire, my lady." Aegon put down his pen.
"No!" Melisandre's voice was a little sharp. "You are not! You are merely a vessel for 'fire'! You are playing your game of schemes here! You are plotting against that old lion! But your enemy is not here at all!"
"Oh?" Aegon showed an interested expression. "Then where is my enemy? In the East? That aunt who calls herself 'Dragon Queen'?"
"She is a threat, but not the enemy!" Melisandre pressed her hands on the northernmost land on the map. "...There! Beyond the Wall! The true enemy is gathering! The Long Night is coming! And yet you are gloating over a summer throne!"
"...Others." Aegon spoke the word. "My lady, I thought those were just bedtime stories nannies used to scare children."
"Then is this also a story?!" Melisandre suddenly pointed towards King's Landing. "I saw it in the flames! I saw green fire burning beneath this city! I saw the lion die in green fire! I saw his claws gravely wound the 'Black Dragon' before his death!"
Aegon's pupils suddenly constricted.
"...wildfire? The legacy of 'Mad King' Aerys?"
"Is that all you care about?!" Melisandre was almost on the verge of collapse. "Your threat comes from the 'Great Other' in the North! It's..."
"Enough." Aegon stood up, interrupting her.
"My lady. I thank you for your information. The part about 'wildfire' is very valuable. But about the 'Long Night'..."
He walked in front of Melisandre, looking directly into her red eyes.
"I don't believe in 'Gods'. I only believe in myself."
"In my game, there is no place for 'Gods'. If the 'Others' truly come, you tell your 'r'hllor'... to get in line."
"For now, I need to deal with the immediate threat."
"Your Majesty!"
"Daario." Aegon no longer paid attention to her. "Go summon Sansa Stark. It's time for our 'raven' to go into 'hell' and find those green 'rats'."
Melisandre watched his cold and rational back in despair.
She knew that this man's heart was black, blacker than the scales of a Night Fury.
Fire could not illuminate him... Far North.
At the training ground of Castle Black, Jon Snow was instructing the newly arrived Night's Watch recruits.
The cold wind howled.
He was now the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, with a few more scars on his face and a weariness that did not belong to his age.
He had just finished dealing with disputes between the wildlings and the remnants of Stannis Baratheon's forces.
"Lord Commander!" Samwell Tarly ran over, panting, with Maester Aemon following behind him.
The old maester's eyes were completely blind, and he could only rely on Sam for support.
"Jon... Jon..." Maester Aemon's voice trembled. "...A raven. A raven from the Citadel."
Jon stopped his training and took the letter Sam handed him.
The letter was short, an official announcement from the Citadel.
"By the will of the Seven Gods and the King. The old days are over. His Majesty Aegon Targaryen VI has ascended the throne in King's Landing. Dragons have returned. The Seven Kingdoms are reunited."
Jon's hand froze. He stared blankly at "Targaryen" on the letter.
"Targaryen." Jon's voice was dry. He remembered his "father" Ned Stark, he remembered the war that overthrew the "Mad King", he remembered Rhaegar... "He has come." Maester Aemon suddenly spoke. "Sam, who does the letter speak of?"
"It's Aegon... His Majesty Aegon Targaryen." Sam whispered in reply.
"Aegon..." Tears streamed down Maester Aemon's old face. "...Rhaegar's son... my grandnephew... he's alive... he's alive... the dragons have truly returned."
Jon's mind was in turmoil.
A new Targaryen King? In King's Landing? What about Stannis... what about Daenerys... this world has gone completely mad.
"Lord Commander!" A ranger rushed in through the gate in the Wall. "...Something's happening beyond the Wall!...The Others, they... they're attacking Hardhome!"
Jon suddenly looked up, throwing away the letter from the South.
"Sound the alarm! Everyone! Prepare for battle!"
Kings and games of power in the South? To hell with them. Here, there was only one war—the living against the dead... King's Landing.
King's Road, Mud Gate.
Ten days later, the gates of King's Landing slowly opened.
A procession slowly entered, not with the imagined decay of "surrender," but rather an extreme "display" of might.
A thousand Lannister guards, clad in brand new scarlet armor and golden lion cloaks, marched in perfect unison, each step resonating in the hearts of King's Landing's common folk.
They escorted fifty carriages, their wheels deeply rutted, loaded with "half" of Casterly Rock's gold.
In the very center of the procession, Tywin Lannister wore no armor, only a black velvet tunic embroidered with the Lannister lion in gold thread.
He rode a tall warhorse, his back perfectly straight, his face devoid of any expression.
He passed through the Mud Gate, through Grain Street.
His gaze swept over the numb commoners of King's Landing, finally rising to look at the towering Red Keep.
On the highest tower of the Red Keep, the massive black banner with the three-headed dragon fluttered in the wind.
A faint, cold smile appeared on Tywin Lannister's lips.
"...I have come." He murmured to himself.
The Lion King enters the Dragon's Den.
Chapter 95 Dragon's Lair, Lion's Fang, and Wildfire
The iron throne's Great Hall.
This was the most oppressive day the hall had seen since Aegon's ascension to the throne.
There was no music, no cheers, only hundreds of torches burning in dead silence.
Black three-headed dragon banners hung from every pillar.
Aegon sat alone on the twisted iron chair, not in armor, but in simple black Targaryen royal attire, embroidered with dragon patterns in red thread.
His face was expressionless, displaying only the calm of a predator.
Night Fury was not present.
The King wanted everyone to know: today was a game for 'men', not for 'dragons'.
His courtiers were arrayed below the steps.
Mace Tyrell and his men looked tense, feigning composure;
Grand Maester Pycelle hunched his neck;
Melisandre stood in the shadows, her red dress like blood;
Sansa Stark, wearing a long grey dress, spectacles, and holding paper and pen, stood behind the King's throne, like an emotionless scribe.
The great doors slowly opened.
The sunlight was blocked by a tall and straight figure—Tywin Lannister.
He walked step by step on the red carpet, without Guardss behind him, all alone.
But his thousand elite Guardss were stationed outside the Red Keep, their presence more palpable than anyone in the hall.
"Clack."
"Clack."
"Clack."
The sound of his riding boots on the flagstones was the only sound in the hall.
He walked through the entire hall, reaching the steps of the iron throne.
He raised his head, and his pale green lion eyes met the deep black dragon eyes on the iron throne.
One was the embodiment of the old order, the pinnacle of strategy and ruthlessness; the other was the tyrant of a new era, a convergence of transmigration and power.
Time seemed to freeze.
Seconds later, Tywin Lannister slowly knelt on one knee, his movements precise and powerful, without a trace of tremor or unwillingness.
"I, Tywin Lannister, Duke of Casterly Rock, Warden of the West," his voice was loud and clear, echoing through every corner of the hall, "hereby offer my gold, my sword, and my loyalty to His Majesty Aegon Targaryen VI, the true King of the Seven Kingdoms."
Mace Tyrell nervously swallowed.
He almost believed it was true.
Aegon leaned forward slightly: "Your loyalty comes too late, Duke. But your gold comes just in time."
He leaned back in his chair: "Rise. I accept your 'surrender'."
Tywin slowly stood, his face still devoid of expression.
"Your Majesty, I have obeyed your command and brought gold and allegiance. I trust you will also exercise a King's mercy. My sons Jaime and Tyrion…"
"They are not bargaining chips, Duke." Aegon interrupted him, "Jaime Lannister is the Kingslayer; he betrayed my family. Tyrion Lannister is the Kinslayer; he betrayed your family.
"They are both sinners. However…" Aegon showed a playful smile, "Seeing your sincerity, I permit you to visit them in the dungeon. But release them? That depends on your future performance."
This was naked humiliation—treating Tywin Lannister as a subordinate who needed to earn rewards through performance.
The corner of Tywin's eye twitched imperceptibly: "…Your Majesty is merciful."
"Very good." Aegon clapped his hands, "You may all withdraw. Duke Tywin, please stay, I have some family matters I wish to discuss with you alone."
...A moment later, the hall became empty, leaving only Aegon on the steps, Tywin Lannister below the steps, and Sansa Stark standing silently in the shadows.
"Are you settling in well at the Tower of the Hand?" Aegon asked casually.
"Everything is as before." Tywin replied.
"Very good." Aegon walked down the steps, "My kingdom has just been established, and everything needs to be rebuilt. Mace Tyrell is a good money bag, but not a good manager. My Small Council lacks someone truly knowledgeable."
Tywin's eyes narrowed.
"Your brother, Kevan Lannister," Aegon said, "I hear he is a pragmatic and loyal man. I intend to appoint him as my hand of the king."
"As for you, Duke Tywin, you will remain in King's Landing as Master of Laws."
Tywin's mind raced. This was a trap!
Making Kevan the Hand was to divide Lannister power and stabilize the Westerlands;
Making him, Tywin, Master of Laws, was to firmly lock him, the most dangerous hostage, in King's Landing, right under his nose!
This was not promotion; this was imprisonment!
Aegon walked up to Tywin, half a head taller than him.
He said in a very low voice: "You will accept, won't you? …For Jaime, for Tyrion."
Tywin looked at the young yet terrifyingly abyssal King before him, and slowly lowered his proud head.
"…As you command, Your Majesty."
"Very good." Aegon smiled, "Withdraw, go see your sons. Oh, by the way, enjoy the Tower of the Hand, the view there is quite nice."
Tywin turned and left. That straight back, for the first time in Sansa's eyes, revealed a hint of "distress."
"Sansa." Aegon spoke.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Melisandre's warning, investigate it. Since he likes the Tower of the Hand so much, let your 'ravens' check the 'foundation' of that tower. I don't like 'surprises'."
"I understand." A chill rose in Sansa's heart. She knew what the King suspected—green flames… That night, the secret passage beneath the Tower of the Hand.
Sansa, holding a lantern, was led by Tom through cobwebs and dust. The air here was incredibly foul.
"…My lady, just ahead." Tom's voice echoed in the narrow passage, "This is a secret passage built by Maegor; it's directly beneath the Tower of the Hand."
"Stop." Sansa suddenly spoke. Her nose caught a strange smell—a pungent, chemical, extremely unsettling odor.
"My lady?"
Sansa said nothing.
She left Tom where he was and walked alone with the lantern to the end of the passage.
There was a small vent there, leading to a deeper, larger cellar.
Sansa cautiously raised the lantern.
The light shone through the vent, illuminating the scene below, and her breathing instantly stopped.
It wasn't a cellar; it was an armory.
Row upon row, barrel upon barrel, hundreds of wooden barrels were covered in dust.
But the seeping, eerie, green liquid shimmered with an ominous glow under the lantern's light.
"…wildfire." Sansa's lips trembled.
The legacy of the "Mad King" Aerys was hidden here! Hidden directly beneath the Tower of the Hand! Hidden directly beneath the bed where Tywin Lannister now slept!
Melisandre's prophecy was true!
"The lion dies in green fire!"
"His claws also severely wounded the black dragon!"
Sansa instantly understood Tywin Lannister's true trump card! He hadn't come to surrender at all; he had come for a "mutual destruction"!
He knew this wildfire was here!
He had made himself the man sitting on a barrel of gunpowder.
If Aegon dared to touch him, if Aegon dared to kill his sons, he would not hesitate to ignite this place!
He would trade his life for this Red Keep, for this new Targaryen King!
These were the true fangs of the mighty lion!
"Quick!" Sansa suddenly turned, "We must go back immediately! Quick!"
Chapter 96 The Green Stalemate
The King's Study.
It was almost midnight.
When Sansa Stark pushed open the door, Aegon was standing in front of the giant map of Westeros.
He didn't turn around, as if he had anticipated her return.
"Speak," his voice was calm.
Sansa's face was paler than the moonlight outside the window, but her voice was incredibly steady.
She had learned to maintain absolute rationality in the most extreme fear.
"Your Majesty, Melisandre was right. Directly beneath the Tower of the Hand, hundreds of barrels in the old cellar are wildfire."
The study fell into a deathly silence, as if even the flickering of the candlelight had stopped.
Aegon slowly turned around. His face showed not the shock or anger Sansa had expected, but a cold appreciation mixed with sudden realization.
"The Mad King's legacy," he murmured to himself, "Tywin Lannister..."
He laughed, a low laugh that sent shivers down Sansa's spine.
"What a move, what a Tywin Lannister. He knew I had dragons, he knew he couldn't win, so he never intended to fight at all."
Aegon walked up to Sansa.
"He didn't come to surrender, nor did he come to negotiate. He came to die with me."
He understood what this meant more than anyone else in this world.
"He's tied himself to those hundreds of barrels of wildfire. He's betting I won't dare touch him, he's betting I won't dare kill his sons."
"My Night Fury can burn a fleet, can melt Harrenhal. But I dare not let it near the Tower of the Hand. One spark, and the entire Red Keep, the entire King's Landing, will be buried with him."
Aegon's fist clenched suddenly!
"He won this round. He used my ancestor's madness to checkmate me... a perfect stalemate."
"Your Majesty, what do we do now..."
"We can do nothing," Aegon interrupted her. "We can't send troops to move the wildfire; it's too dangerous. A small friction could ignite it. We can't arrest Tywin; he must have a contingency. We can't even displease him."
He took a deep breath.
"Sansa."
"Yes."
"Your mission has changed. I don't need to know what he's plotting; I need to know where his 'fuse' is."
"...Fuse?"
"Yes." A glint of a modern strategist flashed in Aegon's eyes. "He's a control freak; he won't leave the power of detonation to 'accident.' There must be a person, or a device. A loyal fanatic? An alchemist? A fuse he's hidden? Or... a will? If he doesn't appear at a fixed time, his people will light it?"
"I want your Little Raven to fly through every inch of shadow in the Red Keep and find that 'fuse.' Until I dismantle this 'bomb'... Tywin Lannister is the most 'honored' guest in the Red Keep."
"As you command, Your Majesty."
Sansa bowed and withdrew. As she walked into the dark corridor, she realized her back was drenched in cold sweat.
The game between the King and the Lion had gone beyond swords; it was a high-stakes gamble on destruction... Red Keep dungeon, black cells.
This was the deepest, darkest place in Westeros.
Tywin Lannister held a lantern, having dismissed all the Guardss.
(Aegon had "mercifully" allowed him to speak "privately" with his sons.)
The firelight illuminated the first cell: Jaime Lannister.
His 'golden hand' reflected faint light in the damp air; his hair and beard were dirty and long.
He was no longer the dashing Kingslayer; he was just a decadent prisoner.
"Father," Jaime's voice was hoarse. "You came... Did you really kneel to him?"
"I did what I had to do," Tywin's voice was cold.
"For what?" Jaime gave a bitter smile. "To save me? Or to save him? Or for the 'honor' of the Lannister name?"
"For the 'future' of the Lannister name," Tywin corrected him. "You will get out, you will return to Casterly Rock, marry, have children, and continue our bloodline."
"I have no 'future' left," Jaime raised his golden hand. "...And I don't want one anymore."
"Whether you want to or not is irrelevant." Tywin's gaze shifted to the adjacent cell. "You will do as I say."
He walked to the second cell: Tyrion Lannister.
Unlike Jaime's decadence, Tyrion was sitting on a pile of straw.
He was clean; he was even drawing something on the ground with a small stick.
"Father," Tyrion looked up, revealing a characteristic sarcastic smile. "Welcome to my 'new home.' I'm glad to see you've come too, although your 'cell' is much larger than mine... I should address you as Master of Laws, shouldn't I?"
Tywin looked coldly at this lifelong disgrace.
"You seem quite pleased."
"Oh, of course." Tyrion spread his hands. "Why wouldn't I be pleased? Joffrey is dead, Shae is dead, and I'm still alive. And you... you knelt to a Targaryen. Your 'Rains of Castamere' can't be sung anymore, old man."
"Shut up," Tywin's voice lowered. "I'm not here to listen to your quips; I'm here to warn you."
"Warn?" Tyrion laughed. "Warn me about what? That the rats here are bigger than outside?"
Tywin slowly leaned closer to the cell bars, the firelight illuminating his bloodless face.
"You're very clever, Tyrion, cleverer than your brother. You used that thing at the Blackwater, you know its power."
Tyrion's smile froze.
"I'm here to tell you," Tywin's voice was as soft as a serpent's hiss, "to behave, don't try to make any 'deals' with that King, don't play your little games in front of him. You and your brother will stay here quietly... until I take you out."
A flicker of genuine fear flashed in Tyrion's eyes; he understood, he completely understood.
"Gods," Tyrion gasped, "You madman, you actually..."
"I will preserve the future of the Lannister name at all costs," Tywin interrupted him. "...Even if the cost is the present. Do you understand what I mean?"
Tyrion looked at his father's cold green eyes; he knew it wasn't a threat, it was a fact.
His father had turned the entire Red Keep into his "hostage."
"...I understand," Tyrion dropped all sarcasm. "I'll be very 'good.'"
"Very well."
Tywin Lannister straightened up, holding the lantern, and turned to walk into the darkness, leaving Jaime in bewildered silence, and Tyrion trembling in fear... Meanwhile, near the entrance to the Tower of the Hand's cellar.
Sansa's Little Raven (Tom) was hiding in a ventilation shaft, executing Sansa's new order—to find the "fuse."
Suddenly, he heard a faint footsteps, not the heavy boots of Lannister Guardss, but a lighter, stealthier step.
Tom held his breath.
He saw a person wrapped in a black cloak walk to the cellar entrance. The person didn't go in, but instead tucked a small object into a crack in the stone bricks at the entrance... It looked like a rolled-up piece of paper.
Then, the person quickly disappeared into the darkness.
Tom waited a full quarter of an hour before daring to crawl out.
He lit his tinderbox and saw the paper clearly.
There were no words on it, only a simple drawing... a "torch."
Tom didn't dare to delay, immediately taking the paper and disappearing into the secret passage.
There seemed to be more than one "fuse."
Chapter 97 Torch, Parliament, and Shadow
Sansa Stark's new study—the Raven's Roost.
Tom, the scrawny "Little Raven," placed the note with the "torch" drawing on Sansa's desk.
"My lady, he dropped this and left. He was very wary, and I didn't dare follow too closely."
Sansa, wearing silver-rimmed spectacles, meticulously examined the crude symbol.
There was no fear in her heart, only a cold focus.
"... 'Torch'."
She immediately understood: this was not a person's name, but a "command" or the code name of an "organization."
Tywin Lannister's "fuse" was not a mere assassin; it was a system.
"You did well, Tom." Sansa's voice was calm. "He will return. He will return for new instructions. Your mission is not to capture him, but to track him. I need to know where his lair is."
"Yes, My Lady."
Sansa picked up the note and immediately headed for the King's study... It was early morning, just before dawn.
Aegon had not slept all night. The map before him was no longer Westeros, but a diagram of the Red Keep's underground structure, procured from the Citadel.
"He activated them." When Aegon saw the "torch" symbol, he immediately reacted, "The Alchemists' Guild."
"Your Majesty means?"
"'Mad King' Aerys's 'pyromancers'." Aegon's voice was icy. "I thought they had disbanded after the fall of King's Landing... Evidently, Tywin found them, or rather, 'restarted' them. 'Torch' is likely an internal code name for them, representing those fanatics still loyal to 'wildfire'."
Aegon's finger tapped on the table.
"This is more troublesome. One assassin is easy to deal with, but a 'Guild'... an organization of 'madmen' and 'arsonists' hidden in the shadows of King's Landing..."
"This is also good news." Sansa countered, "Your Majesty, a system is made of parts. If there is a messenger, there is a recipient. As long as we can find this messenger and follow the trail, we can find the torchbearer."
Aegon gave her an approving look.
"winter raven, you learn quickly. Go, let your 'Little Ravens' fly. I don't care what method you use—coercion, enticement, or deception—before Tywin knows we've noticed, I want you to 'extinguish' his 'torch' for me."
"... As you command."
"Now," Aegon stood up and adjusted his royal robes, "we should go to the'Small Council' meeting... to see our 'esteemed' 'Master of Laws'."
... The Small Council chamber.
This was a bizarre meeting, one that would be recorded in history.
King Aegon sat at the head of the table.
To his left was the newly appointed hand of the king, Kevan Lannister.
Duke Kevan was restless, his forehead covered in sweat. He was caught between his nephew and his brother, as if sitting on pins and needles.
Opposite him was the Master of Laws, Tywin Lannister.
Duke Tywin was expressionless, as if he were not a "prisoner" but genuinely performing his duties.
Beside him was Mace Tyrell (Master of Coin and Master of Ships), who was pretending to study the wood grain on the table intently.
Grand Maester Pycelle was dozing (or pretending to doze) at the side.
Sansa Stark (Master of Whisperers) and Melisandre(Advisor) did not take their seats. One in grey, one in red, like ice and fire, they stood behind the King.
"Regarding the issue of the Vale." Kevan read the report dryly, "Petyr Baelish still claims 'neutrality'. He refuses the King's envoys entry into the Vale of Arryn."
"A mere clown." Mace Tyrell snorted disdainfully.
"He is not a clown; he is biding his time." Tywin Lannistersuddenly spoke, his voice steady and powerful, "... He is waiting, waiting for a 'winner'."
"I believe the 'winner' is already quite clear." Aegon said with a smile.
"Not necessarily for Littlefinger." Tywin calmly met the King's gaze, "His bargaining chip is the entire Vale. He is waiting for Your Majesty's 'dragon' and the 'Dragon Queen' from the East to first determine a victor."
The temperature in the hall suddenly dropped several degrees. This was the first time Tywin had mentioned Daenerys in public.
"Speaking of safety." Tywin changed the subject, looking at Pycelle, "Grand Maester, I hear that some'storerooms' beneath the Red Keep are in disrepair, especially those left from the 'Mad King's' time. This is very dangerous."
Pycelle's beard trembled: "Your... Your Grace... those have all been sealed..."
"Sealing does not mean safety." Tywin's gaze turned to Aegon, "Your Majesty, the safety of King's Landing is paramount. I suggest that the 'Master of Laws' and the 'Gold Cloaks' jointly conduct a thorough 'investigation' of the'safety hazards' beneath the Red Keep."
This was a threat, a naked showdown! He was telling Aegon: I know where those things are, and I intend to "legally" "take them over."
Aegon's smile grew wider.
"An excellent suggestion, Duke Tywin. I had the same thought. However, a full investigation is unnecessary; it would cause too much commotion and might lead to 'accidents'. I have already fully entrusted my Master of Whisperers."
He waved his hand lightly, pointing to Sansa behind him.
"Lady Sansa will ensure the castle's 'foundations' remain as solid as ever in her own way. After all, her 'ravens' are more adept at working in the 'dark,' aren't they?"
Tywin's green eyes and Sansa's blue eyes clashed in the air.
Sansa curtsied slightly: "Your Majesty speaks truly."
"Bang!"
Just then, the doors of the council chamber were suddenly thrown open!
A messenger from the "Black Dragon" Guard rushed in. He ignored all the ministers and knelt directly before Aegon!
"Your Majesty! Urgent report from Eastwatch!... Dragonstone is under attack!"
"What?!" Mace Tyrell stood up in shock.
"Who is it?!" Aegon's voice deepened.
"It's the Iron Islands! It's Euron Greyjoy! His fleet appeared suddenly, and..." The messenger's voice trembled, "He also brought a monster! A sea monster brought back from Valyria!"
"He also brought a message for you."
"Speak!"
"He said he heard the Targaryens had returned... He came to claim his 'bride'... If the bride isn't there, he'll dismantle the bride's 'dowry' first!"
... That night, deep within King's Landing's slum, Flea Bottom.
The Alchemists' Guild's headquarters, the "Dust Palace," was dark and damp, filled with the smell of various herbs and chemicals.
Sansa's "Little Raven" Tom was curled up on a rafter, having tracked the "messenger" all the way here.
He saw the "messenger" (a Gold Cloak disguised as a beggar) enter a secret room.
In the secret room sat a man whose face was covered in burn scars, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism in the darkness.
He was the current "Wisdom" of the Alchemists' Guild, the true "torchbearer."
"The 'torch' is in position." The messenger whispered, "... The Master's instruction is, everything as usual, stand by."
"Stand by... stand by..." The man called "Wisdom" laughed nervously, "What a wonderful stand by... The holy water can't wait... It's singing, do you hear it? It's calling us..."
Just then, the door to the secret room was kicked open with a "bang"!
Daario Naharis and his "Black Dragon" Guard rushed in like black reapers!
"Seize him!" Daario ordered, "The King wants him alive!"
The "torchbearer" let out a shriek! He hadn't expected to be exposed! He snatched a bottle of wildfire from the table.
"For the holy water!!" He roared, smashing the bottle of green liquid at Daario!
Chapter 98 Torch, Sea Monster, and Authority
The Palace of Dust.
The headquarters of the Alchemists' Guild.
"...For the 'Holy Water'!!!"
Hallyne, the torch of "Wisdom," let out an inhuman shriek.
He hurled the entire bottle of liquid, glowing with an ominous green light, at Daario Naharis!
Time seemed to slow down at this moment.
Daario's pupils constricted. He knew what it was. His Guardss raised their shields, but they knew it was useless.
"Bang!"
A heavy stone brick fell from the sky!
It didn't hit "Wisdom" directly, but instead struck his wrist, the one that had thrown the bottle, at a tricky angle!
"Ahhh!"
Hallyne cried out in pain, his hand twisting.
The bottle of deadly wildfire lost its aim, flying upwards and crashing against the hard stone arch of the secret chamber's ceiling.
"Smash!"
The bottle shattered.
"Whoosh—!!"
A small, devilish green flame exploded!
A wave of scorching heat rushed forward! The flames burned on the ceiling, not igniting anything else.
"Sand!!!" Daario roared.
His Guardss were well-trained.
They immediately threw the sandbags they carried! Sand rained down, forcefully extinguishing the green fire before it could spread.
"Grab him!"
Daario lunged forward, kicking down the still-screaming Hallyne. He pressed his dagger against Hallyne's throat.
"...Got him."
In the shadows of the rafters, Tom held his breath.
He glanced at the already loose brick beside him, then vanished into the darkness like a wisp of smoke.
Mission accomplished...Midnight, the King's study.
When Daario threw the gagged and still whimpering Hallyne onto the ground, Aegon's face was grim.
"...Your Majesty. The 'torch' has been captured," Daarioreported. "He's a madman. His mouth is full of talk about holy water singing. His palace has been cleared by my men. We found several other bottles of wildfire, but no more 'fuses'."
"He's the 'head'," Sansa stepped out. "But Tywin is the 'brain'."
"Your Majesty, we cannot be certain if Tywin knows Hallyne has been captured. Moreover, given Tywin's character, he would never leave only one contingency."
Aegon nodded.
"The stalemate isn't broken. We've just temporarily disarmed one of his 'guns'. His 'bomb' is still there."
Aegon's finger tapped heavily on the map—not King's Landing, but the island to the east.
"...Dragonstone."
"Euron Greyjoy."
The name hung in the room like poison.
"He attacks my ancestral home at this time...He's not 'robbing', he's 'demonstrating'."
"Your Majesty!" Kevan Lannister, standing nearby, turned pale. "The Iron Islands fleet is the strongest of the Seven Kingdoms, not to mention the rumors of the 'Kraken'...You cannot personally..."
"I must go personally." Aegon stood up.
"This world has forgotten the majesty of dragons. Euronthinks I'm just a child hiding in King's Landing playing politics. He and his Kraken need a lesson."
His gaze swept over everyone present.
"I will deal with the Kraken. You deal with the lion."
"Daario."
"Here."
"Imprison this 'Torchbearer' in the deepest, driest dungeon. Pry open his mouth. I want to know how many more 'Torchbearers' Tywin has. Also, your 'Black Dragon' Guards will Guards the Red Keep. No one is to approach the Tower of the Hand's cellar without my command."
"Kevan."
"...Here, Your Majesty."
"You are the 'hand of the king'. Your duty is to keep King's Landing running 'normally'. Control your 'elder brother' Tywin. Keep him 'happy', keep him 'busy', make him 'feel' like he's still in control of everything...But do not let him out of your sight. Not for a single step."
Kevan swallowed hard.
"As you command."
Finally, Aegon's gaze fell upon Sansa Stark. All the men in the hall looked at her.
"Lady Sansa."
Sansa looked up, her ice-blue eyes as calm as a winter lake.
"Your Majesty."
"While I am away...you will represent me fully in handling the internal security of the Red Keep. Your ravens are the eyes of the castle, Daario's Guards is your sharp sword, and Kevan's state affairs must be reported to you."
"I grant you the power of regent."
Kevan gasped. Daario, however, showed a bloodthirsty smile.
"Your Majesty..." Sansa's breath also hitched for a moment.
"Tywin will test you." Aegon looked directly at her. "He will see my departure as an opportunity. He will use his position as Master of Laws to pressure you. He will use every means to test your limits."
"Do not let him win. Show him the claws and teeth of the Northern Raven."
Sansa took a deep breath and slowly curtsied.
"Winter is coming."
"I will not fail your trust."
...Dawn.
Red Keep, Dragon Square.
Night Fury was already waiting there. It sensed its master's fighting spirit and let out a low growl.
Aegon mounted the dragon. He took one last look at the castle he was about to temporarily leave.
In the highest window of the Tower of the Hand, Tywin Lannister stood with his hands behind his back, watching the square with an expressionless face.
There was no fear in his eyes, only cold calculation.
On the battlements of the city wall, Sansa Stark wore a dark grey gown, the cold northern wind stirring her red hair.
Aegon's gaze swept across the entire square, meeting Sansa's. He nodded slightly.
Sansa also nodded slightly.
"Roar!"
Night Fury's wings flapped! It shot into the sky like a black lightning bolt! Amidst the shock and prayers of the people of King's Landing, it sped across Blackwater Bay, heading towards the eastern sea!
The dragon flew away.
On the Tower of the Hand, the corner of Tywin Lannister's mouth curved into an almost imperceptible arc.
"...A foolish child. He made the most fatal mistake a king can make...He left his 'chessboard'."
And on the city wall, Sansa Stark looked at Tywin's distant figure and pulled her cloak tighter.
"...No." She murmured to herself.
"He just changed 'players'."
The war between the King and the Kraken began.
The cold war between the lion and the raven also began.
Chapter 99 Dragons and Sea Monsters
A storm.
Black gales, mixed with icy downpours, swept across the Narrow Sea.
Night Fury weaved through lightning and thick clouds.
Aegon's cloak was already soaked, and the cold rain stung his face.
But his blood was hot.
As he passed through the last layer of clouds, the outline of Dragonstone appeared before him... and a terrifying sight.
Dragonstone was burning.
Ancient Valyria stone carvings collapsed in the raging fire.
At least a hundred Iron Islands longships were anchored in the bay.
They were frantically looting the undefended (former) royal stronghold.
And in the center of the fleet, on the turbulent sea, an indescribable 'monster' was wreaking havoc.
A gigantic sea monster.
It was so massive that Aegon initially thought it was several capsized warships.
But then, that 'warship' moved.
Dozens of mountain-thick tentacles rose from the sea, covered with blade-like barbs.
Three of these tentacles were wrapped around Dragonstone's'Sea Dragon Tower', and the hard black stone was cracking inch by inch under its immense power!
...Gods.
Even Aegon was shaken by this Lovecraftian scene.
And in the shadow of the sea monster, a dark warship with a blood-red kraken flag, the Silence, stood motionless.
On the deck, a man looked up at the sky.
Euron Greyjoy.
He wore an eye patch, and his other eye gleamed with a mad blue light.
He saw the black figure rushing out of the dark clouds.
Far from being afraid, he showed an ecstatic smile.
...He's here.
Euron raised the ancient, rune-carved warhorn in his hand.
"For my 'bride' (Daenerys), a welcoming salute!"
"Whoo—!!"
The ancient horn blast echoed through the sky, as if even the sea was trembling.
The gigantic sea monster released the tower.
All its tentacles turned towards the sky!
Towards Night Fury!
Rage burned in Aegon's eyes.
"He thinks his'squid' can contend with a dragon?"
"Night Fury! Show him what the 'King of the Sky' is!"
...Fire!!
Night Fury let out a sharp roar!
It folded its wings and dove down like a black meteor!
"Whoosh—!"
A blue-violet plasma energy blast accurately hit an Iron Islands longship!
"Boom—!!"
No flames.
The longship and the pirates on it were instantly vaporized!
Not even sawdust remained!
"Fire! Fire!!"
The Iron Islands men frantically retaliated with the scorpion crossbows on their ships.
But Night Fury was too fast!
It moved nimbly between the giant ships.
"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"
Each dive took out a warship.
"Roar—!!"
The sea monster was enraged!
Its dozen tentacles shot out from the sea like giant whips, smashing towards the sky!
Night Fury flew at high speed through the gaps between the tentacles.
"Now! Hit its eye!" Aegon ordered.
Night Fury made a sudden stop and flip!
"Whoosh!"
The plasma energy blast accurately shot towards the sea monster's single eye, as huge as a lighthouse!
"Puff—!!"
Green liquid and flesh exploded!
The sea monster let out a deafening wail!
In pain, all its tentacles wildly thrashed the sea, raising monstrous waves!
"It's not over!"
Aegon was preparing for a second attack.
Suddenly!
...What?!
Among the wildly dancing tentacles, a larger main tentacle, hidden underwater, shot out like a venomous snake!
This was a trap!
Night Fury evaded with all its might!
But it was too late!
The end of the tentacle tightly wrapped around one of Night Fury's hind legs and its tail fin!
"No—!"
The giant dragon lost its balance in the air!
The sea monster pulled with all its might!
Aegon and Night Fury were forcibly dragged into the cold, dark deep sea with a loud crash!
...Seabed.
Suffocation.
Cold.
And infinite pressure.
Aegon clung tightly to the dragon saddle.
His lungs were about to burst.
Night Fury struggled wildly, but the tentacle, like steel, wrapped around him tighter and tighter!
The giant sea monster's blasted eye was rapidly healing. It wanted to strangle the dragon to death at the bottom of the sea!
"Damn it!"
Aegon's consciousness began to blur.
"You think you've won?"
"No one has ever defeated me in my BGM!!"
(A shout from Lin Hao's chuunibyou soul.)
He used his last strength to pat Night Fury's neck.
...Night Fury!!
"Alpha Mode!!"
"Boil... this sea for me!!"
"Roar—!!!"
Night Fury felt his master's will!
His body stopped struggling.
Instead, his spine, dragon wings, and even all the scales on his body began to glow with dazzling blue-violet light!
He was accumulating energy!
The sea monster also seemed to feel the threat and wrapped itself even tighter!
"Now!!"
"Boom—!!!"
Night Fury unleashed his Alpha Pulse at the bottom of the sea!
A silent, world-destroying energy shockwave erupted with him at its center!
The seawater was instantly vaporized!
The giant tentacle wrapped around him was cooked in one-tenth of a second, then carbonized!
The giant sea monster didn't even have time to wail.
Its massive body was literally shaken to death and cooked in this underwater plasma storm!
"Splash—!!"
The surface of the sea suddenly exploded!
Night Fury shot up from the seabed like a black cannonball!
Steam was still rising from his body!
He roared angrily in the air, declaring his victory!
Aegon gasped for fresh air, soaked but high-spirited.
"It's over."
He landed on the battlements of Dragonstone, looking at the sea.
The massive body of the sea monster slowly floated to the surface.
And Euron Greyjoy's fleet was fleeing in disarray.
Aegon didn't give chase.
He saw Euron Greyjoy standing at the stern of the Silence.
He showed no signs of a desperate escape.
Across the vast sea, he raised his wine cup to Aegon.
Then... he saluted.
As if saying, "Test over. You passed."
Immediately, the Silence disappeared into the storm.
...Madman.
Aegon wiped the seawater from his face.
"A guy even crazier than me."
He knew this enemy hadn't been eliminated.
He would return... Meanwhile.
King's Landing, Red Keep.
Sansa's regency.
"Lady."
Daario Naharis stood in her study, a hint of impatience on his face.
"The old lion's Guards has arrived. He delivered this."
Daario dropped a letter sealed with the Lannister lion's wax.
"The hand of the king and the Master of Laws have jointly summoned me... to the Tower of the Hand. The reason is to interrogate me about the crime of 'illegal kidnapping' of the Alchemists' Guild leader (Hallyne)."
"Hmph. Those two old men want to bypass you and put pressure on me."
Daario cracked his knuckles.
"I'll go 'interrogate' their 'necks' right now."
"No."
Sansa's voice was cold and calm.
She stopped Daario.
"You're not going anywhere."
She picked up the sternly worded'summons'.
She didn't even look at the content.
She simply flipped the letter over.
On the back of the proud lion seal, she dipped her pen in ink and began to write.
"What are you doing?" Daario asked.
"I'm replying to them."
Sansa finished writing and blew on the ink to dry it.
She handed the letter to the arrogant Lannister Guardswaiting at the door.
"Take it back," Sansa said calmly.
"Tell the hand of the king that I am pleased he is so concerned with state affairs... I order him to come to my study within an hour... to report to me on the food reserves of King's Landing."
"As for the Master of Laws."
Sansa looked up and met the Guards's gaze.
"Tell him. His Majesty the King has entrusted me with full authority over the internal security of the Red Keep... Commander Daario is acting under my orders."
"If the Master of Laws has any questions about my security measures... please submit his report in writing... to my office."
"Now, get out."
The Lannister Guards's face turned beet red.
He looked at Daario's hand resting on his dagger hilt.
He didn't dare say a word.
He grabbed the humiliated letter and retreated in a hurry.
Daario looked at Sansa.
He paused for a few seconds.
Then, he showed a genuine (bastardly) smile.
...'little bird'... your 'claws' have grown.
Sansa ignored his teasing.
She walked to the window, looking at the silent Tower of the Hand.
"The game has begun, Lord Lannister."
Chapter 100 Father's Lies
Tower of the Hand.
Tywin Lannister's study.
The arrogant Lannister Guards humiliatingly placed the written'summons' back on Tywin's desk.
...My Lord, she... she said exactly that.
Kevan Lannister's face turned purple.
She... she dares! She dares to command me! I am the hand of the king!
She is just a northern little bird! She is usurping the King's authority!
...No.
Tywin's voice was cold and calm.
He picked up the letter, looking at Sansa's delicate yet firm handwriting.
She is not 'usurping'.
A flicker of admiration, beneath extreme anger, flashed in Tywin's eyes.
She is 'exercising'.
What?
Kevan didn't understand.
She did not accept our 'test'.
Tywin said slowly.
She didn't send Daario, nor did she come herself.
She saw through our attempt to suppress her 'regent' status with the 'Master of Laws' title.
So, she fought back.
She used her 'regent' status to suppress your 'hand of the king' status.
She is reminding us... who is the 'master' in this castle now.
Then... what should I do?
Kevan panicked, "Do I really have to report the grain to her?"
Where will I put my face?!
Your 'face' is not important.
Tywin stood up.
You will go. You will bring all the account books.
You will report every grain of wheat in King's Landing to her in detail.
You will play the role of a loyal and diligent hand of the king.
Tywin!
Kevan couldn't understand.
She blocked the main entrance.
Tywin walked to the window, gazing at the tower where Sansa was.
We will enter through the'side entrance'.
Go, brother. Play your role well. And... observe her.
Observe her weaknesses.
...'Raven's Nest', Sansa's study.
The atmosphere was solemn and grave.
Duke Kevan Lannister, the hand of the king, stood awkwardly.
His assistants held thick account books.
Daario Naharis stood like a door god, arms crossed, leaning against the doorway, his face full of mockery.
Sansa Stark sat in the main seat, wearing her glasses.
Lord Hand.
Her voice was not loud, but clear.
Thank you for coming. His Majesty the King specifically instructed me before he left to ensure the stability of the people's livelihood in King's Landing.
Please begin. Regarding the reserves in Grain Street.
Yes, Madam.
Kevan laboriously opened the first account book and began to read the dry numbers.
Currently, the city has three hundred thousand stones of wheat in reserve... the price of bread remains stable at...
This was a silent transfer of power.
Sansa did not humiliate him.
She was simply performing her duties.
But this pure 'business-like' approach itself was the greatest'suppression' of Kevan and Tywin behind him.
She was using the power granted to her by the King to establish a new 'order'.
Just as Kevan was speaking until his throat was dry.
A raven flew in and landed on Sansa's windowsill.
Sansa raised her hand, signaling Kevan to pause.
She took the letter.
The letter was from Dragonstone.
It bore the King's seal.
Sansa quickly opened it.
Her gaze swept over it rapidly.
("...The kraken is dead. The fleet is scattered. Euronescaped.")
("...Night Fury's tailfin is injured, needs repair. I am unharmed.")
("...Returning in three days.")
Sansa's heart first relaxed (he won).
Then it tightened again (he wouldn't be back for three days).
She put the letter away.
She looked up at Kevan.
Sorry for the interruption, please continue.
...Regarding the supply of the fish market.
Kevan looked at her unperturbed face, a sense of powerlessness rising in his heart.
This girl's cunning was already unfathomable... Three days.
Sansa knew she had to face Tywin Lannister alone for three days.
And Tywin also knew he had three days.
After Kevan finished his report and left.
Tywin immediately took his second action.
He no longer tried to challenge Sansa's power.
He went to the dungeon... the black cells.
Tyrion was drawing a complex spiral on the wall with a stone.
...Here again, Father?
His voice was full of mockery.
Did that 'little bird' peck you again?
I heard she lectured Uncle Kevan like an apprentice. It was truly magnificent.
The King's dragon is injured.
Tywin ignored his mockery and got straight to the point.
He won't be back for three days.
Tyrion stopped his hand with the stone.
...Oh? That's really 'good news'.
That girl is now the 'master' of this castle.
Tywin looked at him.
She is very smart, but her foundation is too shallow.
...This is our chance.
'Our'?
Tyrion laughed, "Father, when did your 'our' include me?"
Tyrion.
Tywin's voice suddenly softened.
His tone even carried a hint of... (false) weariness.
I am old.
Jaime is crippled.
The smile on Tyrion's face disappeared.
He looked at his father in disbelief.
That 'torchbearer' was my 'insurance'. But he was captured, and that girl did it.
She is more ruthless than I imagined.
Now, the King's dragon has defeated the kraken again.
We don't have much time.
What exactly do you want to say?
Tyrion asked guardedly.
I need a 'mind'.
Tywin looked directly into his eyes.
Not a madman who only knows how to light fires.
But a mind that truly understands this castle, understands wildfire, and understands human nature.
I need you.
Tyrion was stunned.
You hate that King; he humiliated you.
You also hate that girl; she betrayed you.
(Tywin thought Sansa and Tyrion were in league.)
We have common enemies.
What do I get?
Tyrion asked hoarsely.
Tywin was silent for a moment.
He said the words he never thought he would utter in his life.
I misjudged you, Tyrion.
All this time.
Jaime can no longer inherit Casterly Rock.
Help me.
Help me turn the tide in this game. Help me create new bargaining chips.
Help me survive.
I will appoint you as my legitimate heir.
I will give you Casterly Rock.
...The dungeon was deadly silent.
Tyrion looked at his father's face.
The face he had hated his entire life.
He searched for traces of 'deception' on that face.
He found them.
He knew it was a complete lie.
Casterly Rock?
Heir?
These were the things he had yearned for his entire life.
And now, this old liar was using them to 'buy' him at his lowest point.
Tyrion laughed.
He laughed until tears streamed down his face.
He knew it was a lie.
But... what of it?
Father, oh, Father.
Tyrion wiped away his tears.
You are finally willing to say 'nice' things to me.
Even if they are fake.
He stood up and walked to the cell door.
Well then, this 'game' seems to have become interesting.
Your torchbearer was captured.
But do you know?
Mad King Aerys, he didn't just hide 'treasures' beneath the Tower of the Hand.
Tyrion revealed a devilish smile.
He hid them all over King's Landing.
Hallyne only knew about the 'warehouses'.
And I.
I found maps during the Battle of the Blackwater.
Tywin's eyes lit up.
Good son.
Then,
Tyrion said, "My 'good father'."
What is your first task?
You can't expect me, your 'heir', to stay in this damned cell forever, can you?