Three dragons circled above Maidenpool.
The Silver Dragon, the Purple Dragon, and the Black Dragon—everyone knew these were Prince Rhaegar's dragons, the only three remaining in the entire world.
The Silver Emperor, the Purple Sovereign, and the Black Tyrant.
The Demon Dragon spread its wings and soared, its huge leathery wings and black shadow inspiring awe.
Everyone in Maidenpool believed that Prince Rhaegar would gain even greater glory, as both the Prince and his dragons were growing rapidly. They had not forgotten Prince Rhaegar's decisive action and slaughter during the Turmoil of Maidenpool; the Prince possessed the blood of a true dragon.
After bidding farewell to Ser Mace Tyrell and Prince Lewyn Martell, Rhaegar received a new guest: a secret envoy from Tyrosh.
Tyrosh is an island located north of the Stepstones, and it is the closest of the Kingdom of the Daughters' city-states affected by the current pirate uprising in the Stepstones. Lys and Myr are slightly farther away.
The complex and chaotic warfare had greatly impacted Tyroshi trade. In particular, relations between Tyrosh and Lys were extremely poor. After the collapse of the Kingdom of the Daughters Alliance, the Daughters turned to bite one another, leaving only hatred and fury.
The Archon of Tyrosh was still hesitant and undecided about whether to fight or seek peace, but he was very proactive in contacting Rhaegar privately.
In the reception hall of House Lykke's Brown Keep, the Tyroshi envoy gracefully arrived, clad in a grey hooded cloak. However, judging by the graceful figure and scent, it appeared to be a girl.
The envoy removed the hood, and Rhaegar saw the familiar long blue-green hair and bright eyes.
"It's you, Miss Shireen." Rhaegar was slightly surprised, having not expected the envoy traveling all this way to be the Archon of Tyrosh's daughter, the Pearl of Tyrosh, Shireen Darry.
"Prince, you are a few years younger than I am, yet you are already fighting for the honor of the iron throne. Naturally, I can also attend as the envoy of Tyrosh, Prince Rhaegar," Shireen said with a smile. Her striking blue-green hair, beautiful blue eyes, and her cleverness made her appear graceful and exceptionally intelligent. Most importantly, she had a magnificent figure.
Beautiful girls are like floods and fierce beasts, and Miss Shireen might be counted among the fiercest.
"Does my perfume smell nice, Prince? You know we in Tyrosh are famous for a type of pear brandy, and my perfume is also pear-scented," Shireen said with a laugh. Her smile, like Tyroshi brandy, was easy to get lost in. Her skin was snow-white, her eyes a beautiful blue, and her blue-green hair carried a sense of playfulness, sweetness, and exoticism.
"Then let us get straight to the terms." Rhaegar did not want to get too close to Shireen; the pear scent was too intoxicating. The Tyroshi maiden, appearing as if from the heavens, carried a wild allure.
"Prince Rhaegar, you are truly boring. I feel like a ship crashing against a stiff rock. Has coldness become your armor since you became a soldier and a knight? You should think of your ancestor, Aegon; he was a king born for pleasure, and everyone says he had at least nine hundred women," Shireen said with a smile. Her gaze was gentle, her accent captivating, and her scent intoxicating.
"And then he contracted a venereal disease and died with his body covered in sores!" Rhaegar retorted. Aegon IV, the Wasteful King, left the nation nothing but hatred and war.
"Well, responding to a beautiful lady like that is very ungentlemanly, especially since I am an envoy from afar. Prince, you carry too many burdens, unlike my father, who is ignited by desire and ambition, pursuing fame and achievement. I won't tease you anymore; let's get straight to the terms." Miss Shireen dropped her beautiful facade, adopting the common cunning and pragmatism of a merchant from the Kingdom of the Daughters.
"I need warships from Tyrosh to reinforce the Stepstones," Rhaegar said.
"That is too dangerous. Although the Lysene fugitives failed in their election and fled wretchedly to the Stepstones, many of their relatives and connections are still hidden in Lys. If we directly deploy warships to help you, that means making enemies of Lys and Myr. The Lysene people currently ignore those fugitives, and the Governor of Lys might even wish them a painful death. But if Tyrosh gets involved, the Lysene people will no longer be so nonchalant. The Lysene hate those fugitives, but they hate us even more," Shireen analyzed.
"This is a win-win! Miss Shireen, please convey this to your Archon father! Both Tyrosh and Westeros need to expand their sea lanes and clear out the pirates and Lysene exiles from the Stepstones. The iron throne needs honor and strength, and Tyrosh needs it too. Piracy is rampant, and trade is severely affected. We in Westeros still have agriculture, but Tyrosh focuses more on commerce and trade. It would not be good for you if the Stepstones fell into Lysene hands," Rhaegar stated emphatically. He felt that the Tyroshi were unlikely to commit directly, but any help was better than none.
"You not only sound like a warrior but also like a merchant; I enjoy haggling with you. Tyrosh is a commercial city, where merchants are considered a more glorious profession than warriors. However, we will not provide warships, nor will we provide men. You know our army is not particularly large, and our cities rely mostly on slaves and sellswords," Shireen said.
"If not warships, then large merchant ships will suffice," Rhaegar said. Miss Shireen's red line was Tyroshi warships, but large merchant ships could be converted into good warships, and besides, he only needed big ships to transport troops this time; his biggest trump card was still the Demon Dragon.
"That's a decent proposal! We can discuss the price; this is business!" Shireen said.
Rhaegar struck while the iron was hot and began negotiating the price with Shireen Darry. Since it was wartime, selling large warships was naturally difficult, but large merchant ships were acceptable.
"We can lease large merchant ships to you, and the price won't be too expensive, but you will have to find experienced sailors yourselves," Shireen said.
"Agreed!" Rhaegar said. With the merchant ships, he could arrange sailors from King's Landing and Dragonstone, and Ser Thalassar could help.
The two parties continued to negotiate the detailed terms. Tyrosh would lease two large merchant ships at a price slightly above market rate. The duration and price of the lease depended on when the war ended, with the Tyroshi adding a time-based wager: the faster the war ended, the lower the rent. The sailors would not be official Tyroshi personnel, but Miss Shireen agreed to issue an employment decree on behalf of the Archon to help Rhaegar. It was a win-win: Tyrosh did not commit directly but still aided Westeros in deploying troops.
"Miss Shireen, you truly are an excellent envoy and negotiating merchant, calculating the price and terms so meticulously!" Rhaegar exclaimed.
"The feeling is mutual, Prince. You are not a candy-like prince; you are steel, fire, and a cunning fox." Shireen possessed a sweet smile and a shrewd, insightful charm. In the negotiation arena, she was also a warrior, fighting for the honor of Tyrosh.
"Cheers to our successful negotiation!"
"Cheers!" The two raised their wine glasses.
Rhaegar had to admit that Shireen's beauty and charm were unforgettable; her flirtatious manner and shrewd insight could captivate everyone around her.
Rhaegar suddenly thought of Roberta. The Red Rose and the White Rose seemed to each have their own merits.
"What's wrong? Thinking about your little fiancée?" Miss Shireen, her cheeks flushed, suddenly asked Rhaegar.
Rhaegar did not reply. He felt that Shireen now resembled a surging flood!
"She hasn't fully grown into a woman yet, but I have!" Shireen chuckled, her melodious voice full of temptation.
Rhaegar glanced sideways, saw Miss Shireen's pale chest again, and suddenly understood the dragon's fire.
The two continued to chat about various topics, but Rhaegar maintained some distance.
"If only I were a man, my father wouldn't be suffering like this right now. This task should have been handled by my younger brother," Shireen suddenly said, her voice low.
Rhaegar understood a bit of her melancholy. The political maelstrom involving Tyrosh, Lys, Myr, and Volantis was equally terrifying. Tyroshi politics were full of bribery and threats, bloody and cruel. Maintaining power was extremely difficult. The downfall of House Rogare in Lys was one example.
"Forget it, let's not talk about these worries. You have a Silver Dragon. Perhaps one day I will be the first Tyroshi woman to ride a dragon!" Shireen said, looking straight at Rhaegar.
"Princess, if you like the dragon, you don't necessarily need to like its rider," Rhaegar quickly said. Knowledge cannot be transmitted sexually.
Rhaegar then saw Miss Shireen off.
"Let me give you a gift!"
"This is a kiss for the Prince!" As she was leaving, Shireen suddenly wrapped her arms around Rhaegar's neck and lightly pecked his lips.
The sweet, sudden kiss took Rhaegar completely by surprise!
There are too many bad women; I am too easily deceived. Rhaegar thought. I don't have any problems; I just want to give everyone a home.
Some time later, the large-bellied tyroshi merchant ships sailed on the water, heading toward the Stepstones.
The Demon Dragon circled in the sky, and Rhaegar lit a flame in his hand. He was using Fire Sight to search for information about the enemy.
The Demon Dragon is about to reappear!
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