"Hehehe, hahaha—" someone clutched their belly and burst into uncontrollable laughter.It wasn't Dany.
The red-nosed old scholar pointed at Dany, laughing so hard that tears streamed from his eyes. "Serves you right for showing off your cleverness, for always flaunting your brilliance, for being so smug! Who overthrew the Targaryen dynasty? You forgot, but others remember it very clearly!"
"Wait a moment, I have something to say!"Barristan spread his arms and stepped protectively in front of a grim-faced Dany. He said to Lady Stoneheart, "Lady Catelyn, your concerns are unfounded. Her Majesty is merciful, righteous, kind, and just—"
But with each word of praise for Dany, the red, flayed face of Lady Stoneheart darkened further. Seeing this, the white knight had to stop, sighing, "Her Majesty Daenerys still held compassion for Robb Stark. How much more for other innocent children? In Qarth, at the House of the Undying, Her Majesty saw a prophecy about the Young Wolf and has been restless and uneasy ever since—"
"Ahem, don't make it sound so sentimental. I've been eating well and sleeping just fine." Dany lifted her chin, avoiding Catelyn and Barristan's eyes. "I just happened to run into a northern sea trader. I never intended to save Robb Stark."
"Sigh, you're always so modest," the white knight said with emotion.
"Are you finished? If you're finished—go die!" Lady Stoneheart said coldly.
"No, not finished!" The white knight waved his hands quickly and rushed to explain how, back then, the dragon had drawn up the 'Red Wedding Plan' and handed the blueprint to Captain Jordan Snow of the Maiden of the Ginkgo.
"Jordan Snow?" Lady Stoneheart looked to Harwin.
"I don't know him. Maybe we could ask around in White Harbor," the big bodyguard replied.
"The human heart is unpredictable. I… I won't trust anyone easily anymore." Lady Stoneheart's voice was hoarse and emotionless.
"You may get a name wrong, but never a nickname. Your kindness, your compassion, your humanity—all of it was left behind in R'hllor when you were resurrected." Dany sneered.
Like a viper flicking its tongue, Lady Stoneheart hissed a single word through gritted teeth: "Kill!"
Leggy Jeyne, Thoros, and the others hesitated. Even the big Harwin looked conflicted. But the third-generation Hound, Lemon, roared "Kill!" and immediately charged forward with two bandits.
Clang—scrrrrch!Barristan suddenly reached out with his right hand and caught the descending sword. The blade scraped against his iron gauntlet with a screeching, tooth-grinding sound as sparks flew.
Bang!The white knight followed through with a swift kick to Lemon's gut, sending him flying two meters away. Then, with the seized longsword, he blocked the attacks of the two other bandits.
"Impossible!" the large bandit howled in disbelief from the ground. "Go! Kill them—kill, kill, kill!"
The bandits, who had previously hesitated, now surged forward.
But Dany had been waiting for this moment. The outer stone cavern was spacious, and the bandits were scattered, making her Dragon Roar less than fully effective earlier. Now—
"Bold!"A visible arc of shockwave radiated from around Dany. The firelight from the wall torches stretched into a horizontal blaze. Dust in the air froze for a second, then exploded outward. The charging bandits instantly felt like they'd plunged into an abyss. Cold yet searing claws seemed to seize their souls. Their minds remained clear, but terror froze them where they stood.
Worse than the horsemen struck by the Dragonhorn that day—thin lines of blood seeped from their noses, eyes, mouths, and ears. Staggering as if drunk, they couldn't even stand, let alone fight.
Lady Stoneheart, hiding in a crevice behind Dany, had not been hit by the True Dragon Roar. Seeing her underlings writhing on the ground, her grotesque face twisted in rage and fear. Trembling all over, she pointed at Dany and shrieked, "You—are not human. You're a demon!"
Dany, her dragon soul awakened, now had vertical pupils. Her smoky violet eyes burned red at the edges. She whipped her head around and stared down at Lady Stoneheart sitting on the wooden chair, cold and haughty."Trash."
Boom—The True Dragon Roar surged again. The cone-shaped shockwave crashed onto Lady Stoneheart like a thousand-ton stone. Crack! The high-backed wooden chair splintered. Her hair flew wildly, her tattered clothes exploded off her, and she was hurled into the corner, clutching her head and howling.
"Holy shit!" Perestan's eyes nearly popped from their sockets. "What kind of sorcery is this?"
"What, you want to learn it?"
Maintaining her dragon-possessed state, Dany merely cast a glance his way. The old scholar immediately collapsed, turning his head aside. "H-haha, I—I don't…"
She swept her gaze around. Brienne, Hyle Hunt, the old priest—one by one, they met her eyes, then quickly looked away in fear.
At last, Dany looked toward Lady Stoneheart, still groaning in the corner, and spoke coldly:"I won't kill you. If I did, R'hllor would just revive you again, taking a portion of your soul and the things that matter most to you. In the end, it would be the common folk and innocent travelers who suffer."
"Remember, you are not without ties—you have two sons and two daughters. You must act with a line you won't cross. The gods in the heavens are watching. Today's cause will bring tomorrow's consequence. Do some good—for your family's sake."
"Let's go!"
With that, she walked over to Perestan, took back Clear Sky, hooked it to her waist, and strode outside. The white knight had already cut the ropes binding Brienne and Hyle, hoisted the old scholar onto his back, and followed her quickly.
At the entrance to the stone crevice, Dany paused and looked at Thoros of Myr, whose expression was conflicted."What, you planning to stop me?"
Indeed, when the others had charged at Dany, Thoros had stood still, several times seeming ready to speak, as if wanting to stop Lady Stoneheart.
He too had been struck by the True Dragon Roar, but only wavered briefly. Holy fire surged three stories high in his eyes before quickly dimming. It seemed he had used up about a tenth of his magical power to break free of the soul-freezing state.
"I felt the aura of a true dragon," Thoros said hesitantly. "Has the dragon… returned?"
"Your information is seriously outdated. Come with me."Dany strode past him. The surrounding bandits—or rather, ragged, emaciated farmers, women, and half-grown children—immediately stepped aside under her gaze.
After exiting the enormous cave, they encountered a dozen guards at a bend in the tunnel. But under Thoros's persuasion, the guards gave up trying to stop them.
The stale, rotten air was swept away by a cool, refreshing breeze. They emerged from the labyrinthine tunnel into a damp, mushy forest.
At the entrance of the earthen cave, the old monk led his donkey away. Its back was now empty—bandits had taken all the food. The dog circled around him joyfully.
Suddenly, the dog stiffened, positioned itself protectively in front of the monk, lowered its body, and let out low growls of "woo-aoo, woo-aoo," laced with fear.
The group suddenly realized that the surrounding forest was eerily silent—not a single bird call or insect chirp could be heard. An oppressive atmosphere permeated the air.
"Scree-kraa—"
"Scree-kraa—"
It was early morning. Mist rose from the rain-drenched forest, and the sky was overcast with a dull gray. But when the terrifying roars of beasts echoed in the air, everyone instinctively looked up—only to see two massive black shadows descending from the sky.
"Crack, crash!" Branches snapped and were crushed under immense weight. The black dragon and white dragon landed beside Dany, steam and droplets of water trailing behind them.
"Dragons, giant dragons—they really are dragons!"
[Latest chapter first published on 69 Books Bar!]
"The true dragons have returned!"
Brienne, Thoros, and several others were stunned. Even Septon Meribald was dumbfounded, as if witnessing the Seven themselves manifesting before him.
But Barristan, the red-nosed old man, looked proud, as if basking in reflected glory. He said smugly, "The dragons were reborn two years ago. They brought magic back into this world. Thoros of Myr, you should feel it more than anyone."
"It's exactly because of their return that the tides of magic have begun to rise. You, who once relied on wildfire tricks, now gradually possess sorcery and the divine power to commune with the Lord of Light."
"Septon Meribald, return to Maidenpool. Don't keep wandering. In some time, I will have a shipment of grain brought in through Crackclaw Point to the Trident. You can help with its distribution."
"How long will that take?" the old monk asked hesitantly.
"Within half a year, depending on the transport speed of the grain merchants across the Narrow Sea."
"When will you march into Westeros with your army?" the old monk asked with concern.
"Likely the year after next summer."
Dany stood before Drogon, hands clasped behind her back, gazing up at the empty sky at a 45-degree angle. With deep emotion, she said:
"The people are already suffering so much. If another war sweeps across the Seven Kingdoms, Westeros will become a living hell.
And the Iron Throne means little to me. I have no interest in the game of thrones. I only care about seeking justice for my lost loved ones, and for this trampled and humiliated world—to restore its dignity.
I will not wage war on the Seven Kingdoms during the entire winter. The people are innocent. I refuse to add insult to injury. But I can offer aid in their time of need. This journey is to assess the disaster in the Seven Kingdoms."
"Your Grace, the Seven Kingdoms are fortunate to have you. The people are blessed by such a benevolent ruler," the old monk said, his eyes brimming with tears, his body trembling with emotion, and directly addressed her as 'Your Grace.'
Brienne, Thoros, and Hyle Hunt all looked at Dany with admiration, moved by her grand vision and compassion.
But the red-nosed old man smacked his lips and said dryly, "Oh please, you never intended to land in the Riverlands in the first place. If not for me—"
Barristan frowned and quickly explained for the queen, "You know nothing. Back in Slaver's Bay, we had already planned our route: Qarth—Volantis—Lys—Sun Spear—Oldtown—Riverlands.
Her Majesty came to Westeros mainly because she heard that winter had come, and yet the Riverlands, due to war, had no stored grain. She wished to investigate in person.
But in the Citadel's archives, we gained detailed information about the Riverlands and most of the Seven Kingdoms. That's why we changed course and headed to the more dangerous Wall.
Her Majesty believes famine can be relieved, but the Long Night is harder to guard against. She is deeply concerned that the rumors of the White Walkers might be true. And you know this—we sent you to the Wall to investigate them."
"Are the White Walkers real?" Brienne suddenly recalled that when they first met, the old maester had joked about going beyond the Wall to fight them. They had thought he was joking.
"Why not go see for yourself?" As she spoke, Dany climbed up onto the back of the white dragon.
"Your Grace, wait!" Hyle Hunt jogged over, casting a nervous glance at the white dragon. He called out loudly, "Your Grace, I pledge my loyalty to you. Please take me with you!"
"Young man, don't make a fuss. Keep pursuing Brienne. The Earl of Tarth suits you better," Dany said, scratching her nose with a lazy tone.
"I can be a White Knight. I won't marry," Hyle bit his lip, trying to compromise a little.
The White Knight commander snorted and scolded, "Get lost. Don't disgrace the White Knights!"
(End of Chapter)
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09