In Firegrass Manor in the Disputed Lands, Gendry quietly wiped his mace. The dark, heavy mace was cold, and though made of fine steel, it showed wear from battle. Two more weapons had appeared in Gendry's room: an arakh belonging to a Meereen Gladiator, and the Morningstar, a relic of his teammate "Rust." The arakh was forged half like a sword and half like a scythe, a favorite weapon of the Dothraki.
Gendry longed for a Valyrian warhammer; there was nothing sharper in the world than a valyrian steel sword.
[Bloodline: Storm's Blood (Activated, Awakened 33%)]
Gendry saw the improvement in his bloodline. Combat, especially high-quality combat, strengthened Gendry's Storm's Blood. Gendry felt his physical strength and power continue to climb. Only between life and death, with an arrow on the string, could Storm's Blood be better stimulated.
"I, too, was once so obsessed with my steel necklace, until I discovered the vastness of the world and the grandeur of magic!" Maester Qyburn said. "Westeros people are like being in a dim room, yet they want to extinguish the candles lit by magic. Rather than being like grey sheep, covering their ears and hearing nothing, it is better to obtain the truth!"
"Maester Qyburn, what you crave is truth! What I pursue is security, a free and unburdened life." Gendry put down his mace. Gendry yearned for a safe and relaxed life, the kind of happiness only an unrestrained noble young master could enjoy.
Gendry's identity was too awkward, too close to the vortex of power. The Baratheon Dynasty was already unstable, and fluctuations in power would inevitably affect Gendry. Rather than being a chess piece, it was better to be a player. Gendry was older than Joffrey and was actually the King's eldest Child, while Joffrey was the product of adultery; even the existence of a bastard was a threat. House Lannister, and even his own uncle, could potentially threaten him. Gendry knew the fate of his bastard brothers and sisters; except for the noble bastard Edric, who was hiding in Storm's End, the others would undoubtedly die if discovered by the malicious Cersei.
"The family relationships of kings are occasionally just as bad. The families of Viserys I, The Usurper, and the Mad King were all a mess, and King Robert was no better. The King didn't care about his Child, and the Queen was ambitious, a path to disaster." Maester Qyburn complained, knowing about the legitimate children and feeling it was a powder keg.
Gendry was also aware of these kings; their jokes were still being spread in King's Landing. Viserys failed to handle the succession issue, leading to the Dance of the Dragons. The Usurper indulged in his desires, sowing seeds everywhere, eventually laying the groundwork for the Blackfyre Rebellion. And the Mad King, as his name suggests, was not only insane but also suspicious of his wife and children.
"So be prepared! Maester Qyburn, whether my identity is exposed or not, House Lannister will be our formidable enemy!" Gendry faced his opponent directly. House Lannister was powerful and wealthy. The population of the Westerlands was only second to The Reach, but The Reach was fragmented. Under Tywin's iron fist, the Westerlands were a unified entity, and even the victorious usurper Robert ultimately chose to marry into the lion family.
"The situation is urgent, and we need manpower. This is also regrettable; I cannot experiment on that Meereen Gladiator! I think he would be perfect to become a tireless, invincible warrior!" Maester Qyburn was still reminiscing about the deceased gladiator "Rust." Gladiators who could emerge victorious from Meereen had extraordinary physical qualities.
"Just like the Kingsguard in King's Landing, you should also have such guards by your side! An invincible warrior might even surpass a White Knight, because a White Knight is always subject to emotions," Qyburn mused.
"There will be an opportunity! But not now!" Gendry stopped Qyburn's lament. They were currently just Mercenaries within a Mercenary company, and conducting such brutal experiments in the Wolf Pack Company would inevitably lead to their expulsion.
"Besides transforming invincible warriors, I am also very interested in those substances where magical elements jump. If we could acquire a dragon egg, it would be even better. Your Highness, you also have a bit of dragon blood, perhaps you could hatch a dragon!" Qyburn said ambitiously. "If you obtain a dragon, even a small one, it will greatly aid your cause!"
"Dragons! There are already enough fools who have awakened dragons, but this matter is too difficult! Besides us, I think there is also a pair of exiled siblings who have never given up!" Gendry knew the whereabouts of the three fossilized dragon eggs, in the hands of the fat governor of Pentos, but the conditions for hatching fossilized dragon eggs were numerous and harsh. He was more interested in searching for dragon eggs in other places, more vibrant dragon eggs, which might have a greater possibility of hatching. Dragonstone, King's Landing, Summerhall.
"You mean the Beggar King siblings, right!" Qyburn thought for a moment. "Their dragon blood is indeed the purest, but there are precedents of other families riding dragons. For example, the children of the Sea Snake; the Sea Snake himself could not ride dragons, but his children, and even his bastards, rode dragons."
"Actually, we have other ways to acquire allies! Although there are pros and cons, it is a shortcut!"
"Are you talking about Daenerys?"
Qyburn nodded. "Yes, Daenerys should be the most beautiful girl in the world! That girl has the blood of dragons, the blood of the ancient Valyrian gods! However, her beauty is just one of her many shining qualities; she also possesses hidden power. You wouldn't truly believe that all the supporters of the Dragon Kings have vanished, would you? Think of Dorne, think of the Claw Peninsula."
"Is that girl really that beautiful? How can you be so certain?" Gendry asked. Given Qyburn's age and experience, he likely hadn't even met Daenerys, yet he was also a Daenerys fan.
"The true dragon family has always been known for their inhuman beauty. I have never heard of an ugly person from House Targaryen. Moreover, although I haven't seen this girl, I have seen Prince Rhaegar." Qyburn shook his head, then fell into a memory. "Rhaegar was tall and handsome, with indigo blue eyes and silver hair. Those melancholic purple eyes, I guarantee they would make all girls scream! Prince Rhaegar's sister must be a peerless beauty."
Rhaegar's beauty was world-renowned, and even after so many years since his death, Cersei and Griff, among others, still remembered him fondly. Daenerys's beauty in the known world was also first-rate, unmatched.
"You are very right, but we!" Gendry thought for a moment; the crazy plan was worth a try. "We are enemies!"
Qyburn, however, shook his head. "Fortune and misfortune change with circumstances, love and hate change with interests. Once, Lord Orys was so loyal to House Targaryen that he even had an arm cut off by the Dothraki. Could Aegon the Conqueror recall that it was the descendants of his good friend who overthrew the true dragon throne? Everything changes, and furthermore, you both hate House Lannister and both need that iron throne."
"I must admit, you are a good persuader! Maester Qyburn!" Gendry smiled. He couldn't have his cake and eat it too; uniting with Daenerys to restore the kingdom would certainly offend many people. But if he wanted to touch that crown, he had to exert all his strength.
"A girl who has been hiding and surviving in fear since childhood, and a crazy, crown-obsessed brother! What would she want?" Qyburn analyzed calmly. "She would need a pair of arms, strong and powerful arms, a handsome, unrestrained, and invincible warrior! Your Highness, you possess both beauty and charm, and you do not lack strength. We only lack a faction to recruit the Princess. You can be steel, or you can be silk; as long as you appear before her, we have a chance!"
Gendry had to admit that Qyburn was right. The honey trap was very effective for those in love, especially in an era that valued appearance. But how to intercept her required a good timing! Daenerys's value was not just in her beauty; Daenerys was also one of the keys and opportunities to awaken dragons.
"We will get news of Viserys and Daenerys from the smugglers!" Gendry said. "The Disputed Lands have a long coastline, and those smugglers and pirates have extensive information!"
"I would be delighted to facilitate this beautiful matter!"