Asha and Theon changed into the prepared merchant outfits and left Meereen that very night.
At the same time, they left behind what information they had for Wright, who then gathered Meereen's Great Masters and the Windblown's high-ranking members for a discussion in a small meeting room.
"Daenerys's husband, Hizdahr, has now openly declared himself Lord of the Skahazadhan River and King of Meereen. His lineage traces back to the ancient Ghiscari Empire, with relatives spread throughout Slaver's Bay. New Ghis, Yunkai, Astapor, and the city of Tolos have already recognized his title and are sending troops toward Meereen," Wright stated emotionlessly. This had always been Meereen's problem to deal with; they needed to figure out their own solution.
The Great Masters listened to Wright's report, pointing at the map on the table as they discussed.
Wright continued, "That is the first faction—let's call them the Southern Army. In the north, three khals, claiming to command sixty thousand riders, are coming to avenge Drogo. The Golden Company has fifty-five hundred infantry, while Qohor and Norvos have also dispatched thousands. They say they're coming to kill me and 'rescue' Daenerys."
Wright spoke lightly, but upon hearing this, the Great Masters' legs trembled, and they all looked up at him with their mouths agape.
"Pentos and Myr originally intended to send troops as well, but the Stepstones have blocked their sea routes. After sending a few letters condemning me, they've gone silent," Wright added.
"T-This… Lord Wright, how did you manage to offend so many people?" one of the Great Masters asked.
"This isn't just about me personally! The nominal commander of the Golden Company is Harry Strickland, but its real leader is Aegon Targaryen. This is the lingering curse of Westeros's old and new dynasties clashing!" Wright explained.
"Aegon Targaryen?" The Tattered Prince, being older, had witnessed Robert's rise to power and had many Westerosi exiles under his command. He was quite familiar with this piece of history.
Wright continued, "His identity was only speculation before, but after I stabbed Daenerys, she thought she was dying and started confessing her last words. She confirmed his true identity herself. By now, all of Westeros's upper echelons are aware."
Meereen's heat meant that people wore thin clothing. Only now did they realize that the long, unsightly scar running down Daenerys's abdomen was Wright's doing.
Even such a beautiful and delicate woman couldn't escape his cruelty! The Windblown's chief torturer, Pretty Meris, glanced at Wright and licked her lips. So, he liked this kind of thing? She suddenly felt an urge to exchange torture techniques with him.
"This is a Westerosi conflict; we shouldn't—" One of the Great Masters wanted to suggest that Wright leave Meereen, but before he could finish, the others cut him off.
Aegon was Daenerys's nephew, and Daenerys was Hizdahr's wife. Meereen's enemies and Wright's enemies were practically family. Even if Wright left, their enemies wouldn't split their forces. With such a powerful army, they would surely take Meereen first before going after Wright.
After weighing his options, Wright had also decided not to leave just yet. First, there was Daenerys—he couldn't send her to King's Landing until he had dealt with her dragons. Second, he wanted revenge on the Golden Company! They had spent years spreading rumors about him. Now that he had Daenerys, it was only a matter of time before they showed up.
"Tattered Prince, is the Windblown open for hire right now? I have a job—defending Meereen."
"We're available." The Tattered Prince glanced at Wright. They had already agreed to work for him, but now they were getting paid twice for the same job. He couldn't help but smile.
The Windblown had less than two hundred men in Meereen, with the bulk of their forces camped outside the city. With the contract signed, their entire army entered the city within a day and began participating in its defenses.
Back in Tyrosh, the Windblown had been Wright's enemies. Now, they were allies. As they set up fortifications, Wright toured the defenses with the Tattered Prince. They stood atop the northern gatehouse, watching the mercenaries work efficiently.
"No doubt about it—your company has years of battlefield experience. Your defensive arrangements are truly professional!" Wright sincerely praised.
"Lord Wright flatters us. These are lessons my brothers learned with their lives." Hearing the compliment, the Tattered Prince didn't look pleased. Instead, his expression carried a trace of sorrow.
The Windblown had once helped defend the city of Tyrosh. Had it not been for the unexpected factor of Odahviing's dragon, they might have managed to hold out for a month, until their food ran out and they were forced to surrender.
If the Windblown had such combat prowess, then the Golden Company, a similarly long-established mercenary force, was not to be underestimated. With ten thousand battle-hardened veterans, once they set foot in Westeros, how could those noble lordlings, who had never fought a war in their lives, possibly stand against them? They would have no choice but to sacrifice several times their number in lives, and if the tide of battle turned against them, they would surrender and collaborate!
The development of the Golden Company had to be contained! After his inspection, Wright immediately sent a letter to King's Landing.
The bounty on the Golden Company must be increased, intelligence networks need to be expanded, and praise for the Baratheon dynasty must be spread to win allies. Meanwhile, rumors should be circulated to tarnish the reputations of the Golden Company, Aegon, and Daenerys. Robert's mercy in not hunting them down had left a festering danger. The situation had grown beyond the responsibilities of the Lord of Tyrosh and the Protector of the Stepstones; royal treasury funds must be allocated to support it!
The second letter was addressed to Volantis, urging them to send both land and naval forces immediately to support Meereen.
---
The Great Masters of Meereen had begun receiving shipments of grain from all over, and merchants spoke of nearby cities that had apparently been locked down.
Time passed quickly. The number of caravans coming to and from Meereen dwindled, from a thousand people a day to just a handful of departures. Soldiers patrolled the city walls, while piles of stones, rolling logs, boiling oil, arrows, war drums, and horns were stockpiled around the towers.
Throughout the streets, Windblown mercenaries could be seen training the slave soldiers. Meereen's regular army was few in number, and its officers were well aware of their limited combat abilities, so they were more than willing to let the Windblown handle the training of the slaves.
Daenerys and her four handmaidens were locked away in the top floor of the Great Pyramid, with all metal items removed from the room, leaving only wooden furniture. A dozen soldiers stood guard at the door at all times. Aside from her room, the only place she could go was the terrace. To escape by jumping would be suicide, but if her dragon were large enough to carry her, it would align with Wright's wishes.
A scout rode into the city, and soldiers at the gates pushed aside the spiked barricades, one after the other. Soon, he arrived at the Great Pyramid, which had been repurposed into the war command center, the last line of defense should the outer city fall.
"Latest intelligence: A southern army has been spotted, coming from Yunkai with at least fifty thousand men. They will reach Meereen in three days. In the north, the Golden Company's banners and Dothraki forces have been spotted, and they are expected to arrive in three days as well."
With enemy forces closing in, the tension within Meereen rose. This war would not only determine the future of Meereen but also the wealth and future of its people.
"Three days?" Wright mused while sipping wine in the hall. He calculated whether it was finally time to summon Odahviing. That tardy beast could be called upon now.
Summoning him too early might scare the enemy away. Aegon had no magic and could blend in with the crowd, so Wright couldn't find him. He would have to wait until they gathered near Meereen to try using wide-area magic to kill him. Alternatively, Aegon might continue hiding and avoid the conflict, but Wright was certain he wouldn't pass up the chance to make his mark. Even if he couldn't kill him, he would make sure the Golden Company was utterly defeated.
A lone rider on a skeletal horse left the city, galloping until the Great Pyramid was no longer visible. Only then did Wright use his dragon roar to summon Odahviing.
With the magic's acceleration, the distance from Tyrosh to Meereen meant Odahviing would need about two days to arrive. Wright gave him an extra day—hoping, for once, that Odahviing wouldn't be late.