Because the wind and waves were not strong, the telescope, though sailing fast, did not rock much. The ship would travel along the coast of the Stormlands, then past the front of the Stepstones, heading to Myr.
An old man and a young man, the ancient mad Maester Qyburn and the robust The Boy Blacksmith, sat facing each other.
"Forgive my presumption, Child. I surmise you might be the product of a wild and romantic liaison." Qyburn poured Gendry a cup of hot fruit juice.
"You don't have to fear angering me, nor do you need to be so indirect, Master Qyburn. I am indeed a bastard. The truth is like a swift knife, but we will all be cut by it sooner or later." Gendry didn't mind. Qyburn, as a man of learning and experience, was certainly among the very few in the known world.
"It seems my guess was correct. You don't need to be confused, Child. Although I don't study noble history, I study human anatomy, bloodlines, and genetics. Noble lords generally have good diets and living conditions, plus their ancestral bloodlines, and are mostly known for their tall and strong physiques, like the lion, the stag, and the Direwolf." Qyburn fiddled with the human model in his hand, showing it to Gendry.
"By looking at a person's teeth for neatness and wear, their height, their muscle fullness or looseness, as well as their clothing and appearance, one can often determine if they are a noble or a commoner, even a bastard. You are tall and well-built, yet you are alone, your clothes and shoes are cheap and unadorned with jewelry, and nobles would not allow a legitimate Child to become a blacksmith and travel alone, so the answer is obvious."
"You not only understand medicine but also have a keen eye for observation!" Gendry praised him. Qyburn was indeed a shrewd man.
"I'm growing to appreciate you more and more, Gendry! Frank and fearless. This is the demeanor of a strong man. In fact, we are in the same boat; I am also a bastard! When I was a teenager, when others called me a bastard, I would still consider it malice and humiliation, even anger, pain, and tears. In this regard, I cannot compare to you." Qyburn laughed and then began to tell his own story.
"I was born into a minor noble family not far from Oldtown. You know The Reach is the granary of the Seven Kingdoms. It has the largest population, and also the most assorted proud nobles. My mother was a washerwoman by the river and somehow became pregnant with the lord's Child. By the time I was a teenager, my father was long dead. My elder brothers gave me three choices; they would never allow a washerwoman's Child to become a knight. A sum of money, the Wall, The Citadel, or the faith? The Wall was too cold, the faith too boring, so in the end, I chose to become a Maester. Of course, I don't have your physical condition, otherwise, I might have also become a blacksmith." Qyburn chuckled playfully.
"What a fascinating life, Master Qyburn!" Gendry said.
"I had already forged necklaces and rings, and I thought I would spend the rest of my life in The Citadel, but I was still expelled. I admit some of my experiments were unethical, but they concerned the nature of the world!" Qyburn sighed.
"The nature of the world?" Gendry was a bit confused by this phrase.
"Exactly, Child, the nature of the world is magic and diversity, not science and truth as The Citadel preaches. The world is stirred by magic, which causes the climate changes, the flight of dragons, and those miraculous bloodlines, the White Walkers legends of the North!" A fiery glow appeared in Qyburn's eyes. "But power also comes from the person themselves. The human body is a treasure trove. The combination of medicine and magic can not only heal but also create invincible warriors."
"That's very crazy, Master Qyburn! You need to be careful!"
"It's a bit comical to talk about this now. Having left The Citadel, I first need to make a living, and there are no such good experimental sites anymore. Perhaps I'll join some unknown Mercenaries; no one needs a sorcerer, but a doctor is always needed." Qyburn reined in his ambition, self-deprecatingly.
"What were those miraculous bloodlines you just mentioned?" Gendry asked. He was interested in this, as he truly had a diverse bloodline.
"Most nobles claim to have the blood of gods or heroes, the green hand, the storm god, and so on, but only a few have truly manifested power. The bloodlines of the Targaryen family, House Baratheon, House Stark, and House Martell all seem to possess some kind of magic. The Targaryen family rode dragons, the Rhoynar bloodline inherited by House Martell could summon great rivers in the past, and the warriors of House Baratheon were like a storm.
If these bloodlines were activated, perhaps they could create ancestral miracle warriors. Unfortunately, these are not people I can provoke. Some gifted commoners are also good. I heard that under Lord Tywin, there is a seven-foot-tall giant." This seven-foot-tall giant was, of course, the Mountain, the most dangerous knight in the Seven Kingdoms.
"These nobles are not people we can afford to provoke." Gendry felt that Qyburn might also be obsessed, too deeply immersed in necromancy and unethical live experiments.
"You're right, Child. But I think there might still be a chance to return to Westeros, and by then, Westeros should be engulfed in war!" Qyburn said mysteriously.
"War!" Did Qyburn also foresee war?
"It's not just my guess, Gendry. Many people probably think the same. The King won the war but didn't expand on his victory. Robert giving Stannis Dragonstone was for his merit, giving Lord Renly Storm's End was out of love.
But the Stormlands belong to Renly, the youngest son after the second son. Is there any legal basis for this? It will only make his younger brother arrogant due to favor. His second brother Stannis received Dragonstone but is full of resentment. And King Robert himself? He has the Crownlands. By the Seven Gods, the King could consider uniting the Stormlands and the Crownlands, then the royal family would be unrivaled, but he didn't. He is King in name, but in reality, he is only the leader of a great alliance."
"There are so many ministers under the iron throne, surely one or two can see the situation clearly?" Gendry asked intentionally.
"There are many ministers in King's Landing, but I don't think any one of them can persuade our proud King!" Qyburn concluded. "Wine and women are the King's favorites. As for the rest, leave it to the Seven Gods and our Old Arryn! Anyway, the country was handed over to Old Arryn, and the court to Lannister. We have The Usurper, and we have the Merry King. The Usurper was too eager to prove himself, while the Merry King doesn't consider tomorrow or the future."
"However, this is just my speculation. After all, the great alliance of the wolf, fish, eagle, stag, and lion is still the strongest on the surface. I just fear that some ambitious individuals, restless from wildfire, covet that iron throne that easily claims lives!"
"You're talking about Renly!"
"I hope not. I am from The Reach, and I know Lord Renly seems too close to The Reach. You see, House Tyrell is also being pushed out of the core."
Gendry thought about it; it was indeed so. Although Stannis harbored resentment, he was at least loyal to his brother. But Renly, this man was very ambitious, especially with House Tyrell being openly marginalized, they were also not content to remain idle.
"You need to speak softly, Maester Qyburn. In King's Landing, saying such things would cost you your head!"
"You're right, Child. My old head isn't worth much, but you are still young. But we are both insignificant, a down-and-out blacksmith and a disgraced Maester. I don't think even the ravens and spiders will notice us!"