The Volantene army took over the defense of Meereen, with soldiers bearing fierce tiger tattoos on their faces patrolling the city in groups.
Wright returned to his office at the top of the Great Pyramid. Only when he was present did Daenerys have the opportunity for temporary freedom.
Using the few messenger ravens that the Volantene forces had brought along, Wright reestablished contact with Tyrosh. Today, he was at his desk writing letters, while Daenerys' handmaiden, Missandei, acted as a temporary scribe beside him.
Missandei carefully spread a piece of parchment open and used a small lamp flame to meticulously heat every part of the paper. With the plague still raging, Wright had to be cautious—everything sent to Tyrosh had to be disinfected first. The carriage carrying the ravens was also specially protected with magical wards.
Wright sat in his chair, eating fruit while observing her actions. Missandei was one of the most intelligent people in this world. Although she lacked the aptitude for magic, Wright still planned to have her work for him in the future.
As for Daenerys, she would remain a prisoner under house arrest. Robert wouldn't have her executed, and she would want for nothing in terms of food and clothing, but she might never leave the Red Keep for the rest of her life. Wright had left the other three handmaidens with her, but Missandei would accompany him to Tyrosh.
Regarding her loyalty, Wright had ordered the slavers of Meereen to investigate. A ten-year-old former slave knew little of loyalty—she would follow whoever treated her well. She had been given to Daenerys as a gift by an Astapori slaver and had been with her for less than two years. Daenerys had neither rewarded her significantly nor assigned her any special duties, treating her more as a companion, respecting her dignity, and never beating or scolding her.
Wright's attitude toward his subordinates was similar—outside of formal occasions, there was barely a distinction in rank. The four Baratheon brothers were all much the same in this regard.
Missandei had several brothers. Wright had the slavers search for them but only found a few corpses covered in mold that matched her description. After she identified them, Wright allowed her to perform a funeral in the Naathi tradition before burning the bodies.
On top of that, Wright gave her a long lecture about how women held high status in Tyrosh. Gradually, she began to work earnestly. If Wright couldn't handle a ten-year-old girl, he would have lived in vain all these years.
Wright first wrote to Robert, reporting that Aegon Targaryen and the three dragons had been killed, and the Golden Company had been reduced to scattered remnants. Slaver's Bay was still in the grip of the plague, and once it passed, he would take Daenerys to King's Landing.
Daenerys, sitting nearby, was gorging on fruit. With her mouth full, she asked Wright, "Did you really erect a tombstone for Aegon? I don't believe it."
Knowing that she was hoping he would take her to see it, Wright continued writing as he answered, "The tombstone is near the Valyrian Road. I'll let you see it on the way back."
Hearing his response, Daenerys fell silent and continued eating. She was lost, uncertain about her future. She had always held one goal in her heart: restoring House Targaryen. But now, she had lost almost everything, and she was a prisoner. She kept wondering if she would spend the rest of her life locked in a dungeon.
Just then, two people entered the room—Asha and Theon.
Both were clad in full armor and armed. When they reached Wright's desk, Daenerys and Missandei, recognizing them—a captain of the guard and a naval commander—were momentarily confused. Had they been captured? It wasn't until they saw the two bow to Wright that Daenerys shouted, "Traitors! You two traitors!"
Asha stood straight, turned to Daenerys, and gave a noble's bow before taking out a slip of paper from her pouch and handing it to Wright.
Theon, hearing Daenerys' accusation, opened his mouth as if to speak but hesitated, his expression full of conflict and bitterness. He hadn't expected Daenerys to be here today.
Wright observed them both, then read the note. It listed the remaining members of the Golden Company still alive. Most of the names were unfamiliar to him.
"The main members of the Golden Company have all died from the plague. As for these remnants, I won't let them escape either."
Wright rummaged through his documents and pulled out a map of Tyrosh, spreading it on the table. Then he picked up a candleholder and handed it to Asha. "King Robert and I made you a promise years ago. Now, it will be fulfilled. Based on your merit, wherever you place this candleholder, that land will be yours—to you alone!"
The candleholder's base was square. Wherever she placed it, Wright would trace its outline on the map, marking the land as her fief. He showed no hesitation in giving it away.
Asha glanced at Theon. She hadn't expected Wright to separate their rewards, granting her a title but not Theon. She wasn't sure if he would receive anything later. Studying the map, she placed the candleholder on a coastal area near the Myr River. "The Greyjoys can't have a fief that doesn't touch the sea!"
"This land suits you well." Wright drew the borders on the map accordingly, then turned to Theon. "Theon Greyjoy, do you know why I granted your sister a title but not you?"
Theon had initially expected that Wright might grant him some reward, but upon hearing this, he realized he would receive nothing. A flicker of anger crossed his face, though he dared not lose composure in front of Wright. His voice, however, grew slightly louder.
"Lord Wright, my sister and I abandoned our honor for the king's and your mission, risking our lives across half of Essos. I understand that my sister performed better, but does that mean I'm unworthy of any reward?"
"Theon!" Asha pulled at his arm.
"Don't worry, sister, I'm perfectly calm. I'm simply stating the facts to Lord Wright." Theon shook off Asha's hand.
Wright straightened in his chair. "Very well, let's go over this point by point. The only significant contribution you made was relaying intelligence about the Purple Fleet during the Tyroshi war. Even then, you weren't alone—you did it alongside your sister and the Onion Knight's sons. For that, I can credit you with a merit. Based on that, I could grant you a knighthood. And after that?"
Theon wracked his brain, trying to recall anything else of worth.
"If you can't remember, let me remind you," Wright continued. "Since you and your sister left Pentos, every strategic decision and intelligence report came from Asha. You, on the other hand, spent your time in taverns and pleasure houses. When you weren't brawling, you were chasing women. Then, when you arrived in Meereen, Asha was gathering intelligence on Daenerys's inner circle. She even secretly infiltrated the Sons of the Harpy."
Wright pulled an old mask from his drawer and tossed it onto the table. "And what were you doing during that time? Trying to catch Daenerys's attention, competing for her favor with her other lovers."
"I did no such thing!" Theon shot a glance at Daenerys, lowering his voice in protest.
Wright smirked. "The vineyard estate—how did Daenerys's bathwater taste?"
Asha's eyes widened in shock. Theon gripped the edge of the table, his fingers digging into the wood as he wished he could disappear.
"You disgraceful traitor, drinking my bathwater!" Daenerys's face flushed red as she pointed at Theon in outrage. Her insults, however, were rather lacking in creativity.
Wright glanced at her before turning back to Theon. "Everyone admires beauty, especially a woman like Daenerys—one blessed with noble lineage. Countless men have been enchanted by her. Stories and plays are filled with knights and princesses. But be honest with yourself—besides her face, do you truly desire her? That scrawny body—is that really your type? Do you love her for who she is, or for what she represents?"
Theon looked at Daenerys.
"Shameless traitor who drank my bathwater!" she spat, making Theon lower his head in embarrassment.
With his dignity thoroughly shattered, Wright finally got to the point. "Theon! While you may not have provided valuable intelligence and wasted your time on women, at least you never betrayed me. That's something. So, I'll give you a chance to prove yourself."
Wright rummaged through his papers and pulled out four wanted posters, handing them to Theon. "Find these two men—Ramsay Snow and the one they call Littlefinger, Petyr Baelish. Kill them both."
Wright was well aware of the chaos these two could bring. He had neglected Westerosi affairs for a time, and already the Riverlands were descending into turmoil. They had to be eliminated.
Theon examined the posters. "Four posters for just two men?"
Wright nodded. "They operate under multiple identities. Kill them, and I will have the king restore your house's noble status."
Asha understood what this meant—Wright had granted her land, but Theon's status remained uncertain. Without legitimacy, her landholdings were meaningless. Moreover, it seemed Wright intended to separate their fates, creating two distinct Greyjoy branches.
"I'll continue assisting Theon," Asha declared.
"That's between you two to decide," Wright replied, clapping his hands. Missandei pulled out a pouch of gold coins from beneath the desk and handed it to them—wealth scavenged from abandoned houses in the city.
Wright raised a finger. "This is for your travel expenses. A warning—these two men aren't skilled warriors, but their cunning is unmatched. Be careful not to fall into their traps."
"Thank you, Lord Wright!" Asha and Theon accepted their mission and left the study, deep in discussion.
"My body—is it truly unattractive?" Daenerys lifted her skirt, revealing her thigh.
Wright didn't fall for the bait. He glanced at her before returning to his work. "Like a chicken's claw."
"Go to hell!"
A fruit came flying at him, but Wright caught it midair and placed it back in the fruit bowl. "These are difficult times—don't waste food."
---
Time passed quickly. Wright remained in Meereen for nearly a month, ensuring that the plague had fully subsided before preparing to depart for Tyrosh.
Through his correspondence, he learned that several significant events had occurred during this time.
The high-interest bonds of Myr had already reached their third batch, with market demand driving up their prices. A few nobles from Westeros had also joined the purchase frenzy. Wright ordered Andrew to keep track of these individuals' principal investments, ensuring that once Myr's wealth was harvested and the bank shut down, their initial capital would be returned.
In Dorne, several noble factions had already clashed, making the situation increasingly complex.
Wright and Prince Doran engaged in a heated exchange of insults, both using the opportunity to find a way to de-escalate tensions. However, just as they were nearing an understanding, House Yronwood intervened.
House Yronwood had mobilized its troops, marching a contingent to Sunspear and demanding a marriage alliance. Their proposal: Prince Doran's only surviving son, Trystane Martell, should wed Gwyneth Yronwood. The argument was that both heirs had suffered similar losses and were of comparable age—Trystane at thirteen, Gwyneth at twelve—making them an ideal match.
Caught unprepared, with no time to muster his own forces, Prince Doran had little choice but to agree, though the decision left a bitter taste in his mouth. However, many Dornish nobles immediately voiced their opposition, questioning why House Yronwood should be granted such a privilege. They insisted their own families had suitable daughters, and even their knights and soldiers disapproved of the arrangement.
At this point, the situation was still somewhat contained. But everything changed the day Oberyn Martell returned to Sunspear with a few of his retainers.
The docks of Sunspear were swarming with Yronwood soldiers patrolling the area. Oberyn was spotted as soon as he disembarked, and word quickly reached Lord Anders Yronwood, who arrived at the harbor to confront him.
Tensions flared instantly. Anders furiously denounced Oberyn as a disgraced prince—an exile who had murdered his own father, conspired with Targaryen rebels, and whose son-in-law, Wright, had been responsible for the deaths of Daemon Sand and his own son.
Oberyn, ever the provocateur, smirked and played along. "I'm just a banished prince. If Wright had people killed, what concern is that of mine?"
The look on his face, half-amused, half-mocking, only fueled Anders' rage. Yet, despite his fury, Anders retained enough self-control not to strike him directly. Instead, he ordered his men to slaughter all of Oberyn's retainers on the spot. Then, they clamped shackles onto Oberyn's wrists and dragged him behind a horse, parading him through the streets before locking him up in the palace.
No matter how diminished his status, Oberyn was still Prince Doran's brother. Such treatment was a grave insult to House Martell.
But Anders believed he had the right. After all, he was the father of the future princess and, by extension, the grandfather of Dorne's heir. When Prince Doran convened his council, Anders took it a step further—demanding a formal trial for Oberyn, with the death penalty as its inevitable conclusion.
House Uller of Hellholt was the first to object, raising their banners and calling for war. They accused Anders of attempting to usurp control of Dorne's succession and declared their intent to bring him down. Given the long-standing animosity between the two houses, it was unsurprising that the Ullers would seize this opportunity to challenge the Yronwoods.
At first, the other Dornish nobles remained silent, observing the unfolding conflict. But then, a fire broke out in Sunspear's palace.
Though both Doran and Oberyn survived, they suffered severe burns and fell into comas.
Speculation ran rampant. Some claimed Oberyn himself had started the blaze in an attempt to kill his brother, though this theory seemed unlikely—he stood to gain nothing from Doran's death. Others blamed the Ullers, but their forces were still confined to their own lands, making it implausible that they could have infiltrated Sunspear.
The most popular theory was that Anders Yronwood had orchestrated the fire. After all, with both Martell brothers out of the picture, thirteen-year-old Trystane would become the sole ruler of Dorne. And who would govern in his stead? His soon-to-be father-in-law, Lord Anders Yronwood.
If the logic of "who benefits most is the prime suspect" held true, then Anders was the clear mastermind. More and more Dornish nobles began to rise against him.
Nymeria wasted no time. She sent ravens across Dorne, calling upon all noble houses to rally against Anders Yronwood and vowing to rescue her father, Oberyn, and her uncle, Prince Doran.
Nymeria had long been legitimized as a true Martell and had full inheritance rights. The moment she called for war, numerous noble houses pledged their support.
House Dayne of Starfall.
House Dayne of High Hermitage.
House Jordayne of the Tor.
House Fowler of Skyreach.
House Qorgyle of Sandstone.
House Manwoody of Kingsgrave.
With the Ullers already in open rebellion, half of Dorne was now aligned against Anders Yronwood.
After the palace fire, Anders had relocated his daughter Gwyneth and Trystane to his military encampment, claiming it was for their protection until the fire's cause was determined. But by removing Trystane from Sunspear, he only reinforced the accusations against him. Now, no matter what he said, the label of a usurper would not wash away.
With Dornish lords choosing sides, skirmishes had already begun breaking out across the region. Some suspected that a larger scheme was at play, but by this point, war had become inevitable.