Almost three years ago, when the Dragon Queen opened her "Dragon Zoo" at Zallo's estate, the Laurel Wind happened to pass through Qohor. Upon learning that dragons had returned to the world, Captain Kukuru Mo, as a visitor to dragons, brought gifts and his daughter to pay respects to Daenerys.
In gratitude for the "homeland news" Kukuru had brought from Oldtown, the Dragon Queen even had Drogon paint him a "Dragon Audience Portrait."
After that, Kukuru continued his voyage around the Jade Sea, while the Dragon Queen went to Astapor to begin her legendary journey.
The next time they met was three months ago in Braavos, when the Laurel Wind and the black dragon crossed the Titan almost at the same moment.
But that time, the Queen herself was not present—only Drogon came.
Later, when the Dragon Queen caused chaos in Braavos, many local merchants lost their ships to fire, and some even perished in the turmoil. Foreign merchants, fearing the dragon's wrath, fled the city overnight.
This plunged the city's trade into a deep freeze, and Kukuru was delayed more than a month before he finally cleared the Jade Sea goods from his ship.
Taking advantage of Braavosi merchants selling off supplies at low prices after the disaster, he bought up a batch of northern Essosi specialties, planning to sell them in Oldtown, Westeros.
By chance, he encountered the Night's Watch coming from the Wall. When they sought a fast ship to Oldtown, they approached the Laurel Wind.
At the time, the Watch proclaimed loudly that they served Daenerys, hoping to borrow the Queen's fame to gain favor.
Kukuru immediately took Samwell and the others aboard and even promised to stop at Dragonstone for a few days when passing Blackwater Bay. The black captain wanted another chance to see the Dragon Queen.
Even after waiting several days at the docks, with Sam gone off to King's Landing, his daughter Koja growing anxious, Kukuru remained calm. He had no intention of abandoning the Night's Watch to head to Oldtown alone.
That very morning, in his captain's cabin, Kukuru had just risen and was carefully wiping the dust from the glass covering the "Dragon Audience Portrait" when he absentmindedly told his daughter:"Once we finish this run, we'll return to Tall Trees Town and wait out the Long Night, wait until the war in Slaver's Bay is over. As long as I can see the Dragon Queen once more, wasting ten days or half a month doesn't matter."
Then he heard sailors shouting loudly on deck.
"The black dragon is here, the Dragon Queen is here!"
"The dragon is coming!"
"Deathwi—"
"Hush, do you want to die? The black dragon is clearly the Great Champion of Light now. Call it by the wrong name, and you'll be snatched into the sky to answer riddles," another sailor quickly clamped his companion's mouth shut, whispering nervously.
The yellow-toothed sailor pulled free and shouted, "You don't understand, that's exactly what I want! For this day, I read countless riddle books and prepared for so long."
Seeing his companion's bewildered face, Yellow Teeth sighed. "Haven't you heard? Every time Braavosi singers tell the story of the 'Dragon's Riddle,' that fool Hanks is always the most important supporting character.
Once just a nameless sailor, Hanks is now sung about by poets and dramatists alike, famous across the world!"
At that moment, Yellow Teeth's wide face showed a complicated mix of envy, jealousy, resentment, but also confidence, nervousness, and anticipation.
"I'm smarter than him. Maybe I'll guess the riddle right, defeat the dragon in wit, and become the protagonist of a legendary tale!"
"Uh… Jimmy, you really are clever!"
The crew first gaped, then sighed in admiration.
In the next instant, almost everyone cupped their hands around their mouths and shouted at the top of their lungs:"Deathwing! Deathwing!"
They too wanted to ride the dragon's fame and become part of the legendary story.Even as side characters, that would be enough.
Unfortunately, Drogon was too fast. In the blink of an eye, he had landed inside the castle, far beyond earshot of the dockside calls.
By the time Kukuru rushed up to the deck, even the dragon's shadow was gone.
But he did not feel regret.
After bringing Sam to Dragonstone, he had deliberately visited the castle in the name of an old acquaintance of the Queen. As long as he gave his name, he might not be taken to her directly, but he would certainly be reported.
As expected, when he explained the situation at Dragonstone Castle, the guards immediately went to inform the Queen in Aegon's Garden.
The Dragon Queen had not forgotten him.
She was simply too busy to reminisce with him at that moment.
Still, that evening, there would be a banquet to celebrate the initial completion of the magic node, and she sent an invitation to father and daughter.
When the sunset gilded the sea in gold, the Dragon Queen arrived at the dock riding Drogon, her guards hurrying after her. Meanwhile, Kukuru sat in his cabin, having his beard and hair groomed by Koja.
Then, to his surprise, he heard the shouts again:"Deathwing! Deathwing!"
"Captain, the Dragon Queen is heading our way."
Before he could ask, the first mate burst in to report.
Kukuru froze, then flew into a rage, cursing:"Those idiots, desperate for fame! Don't they fear offending the Queen? Even if they're not afraid of death, I'm ashamed of them! Go, Koja, make them shut up."
It was already too late.
"Skreeee!"
Drogon swooped down to the dock ahead of Old Crab and the others.
"Deathwing! Deathwing!"
Under the Queen's curious gaze, the sailors leaned over the rail, faces flushed red, shouting louder than ever.
Daenerys never imagined they were trying to bask in Drogon's fame. She only thought "Deathwing" was too famous a name, and that Drogon had simply encountered an enthusiastic crowd of admirers.
Not until Kukuru rushed out in his yellow-green feathered cape, beating and kicking the Summer Island sailors before awkwardly apologizing to the Queen, did the truth become clear.
"Hahaha, such ambition!"
Thinking of what was to come, the Queen narrowed her violet eyes with a trace of cunning, then smiled as if unconcerned."In fact, I do have a chance for someone to become part of legend. Which brave sailor wishes to try?"
"Me!"
Before the others could recover from shock at her graciousness, Jimmy puffed out his chest, stepped forward, and cried out in excitement:
"Your Majesty, let's begin! Let Deathwing test me with the hardest riddle. Even if I fail and get thrown into the sea, I'll be content."
"You are certain?" Daenerys asked with a strange expression.
"Of course." Thinking of his soon-to-be place in legend, Jimmy bared his rotten yellow teeth in a foolish grin.
"Very well." Daenerys nodded. "But I need at least two people. Who—"
Before she could finish, a crowd of sailors shouted at once:"Me, Your Majesty, I volunteer!"
Kukuru shot them a sharp glare, then turned back with a sheepish smile, rubbing his hands."Your Majesty, I am willing as well."
"It is dangerous," Daenerys warned.
"I am skilled in the water. I fear nothing," Kukuru replied confidently.
And he had every reason to be confident.
First of all, he was more learned than the other sailors, having read more books, and therefore had the best chance of solving a dragon's riddle. Secondly, he had lived his life at sea for decades, an excellent swimmer who would not drown even if he fell into the ocean from a height of a hundred meters.
"Father, give this chance to me instead," Blackie urged anxiously.
She too wanted to become part of a legendary tale.
"How about this—we state the riddle first, and everyone can try to guess."
Dany clapped her hands to quiet the crew, then pointed at the deck and said, "Take a guess. What's on the rudder?"
"Uh… the rudder?" The crew stared blankly.
What kind of riddle was that?
Though confused, Kuhulu blurted out first, "Seaweed? Lately the rudder's felt a little stiff, maybe a bundle of seaweed is tangled there."
"Scallops?" Koja quickly followed.
Hearing the captain mention the rudder was stiff, Jimmy's eyes lit up and he guessed, "Fishing nets?"
"Tattered clothes?" another sharp sailor added.
Dany waved her hand and smiled. "If you want the answer, then dive into the sea, wrap the rudder quietly with a net, drag it ashore, and the truth will be plain to see."
"This…" Kuhulu's face darkened.
The Dragon Queen was clearly hinting that the rudder was neither covered in scallops nor tangled with seaweed, much less caught with rags or fishing nets.
Something alive was clinging there. Something that could escape, and dangerous enough that a net was needed to catch it quietly.
"Jimmy, James, Aden, Tony—you four go down."
Sensing trouble, Kuhulu immediately abandoned the chance to be the hero of a legendary tale.
At that moment, Boron and Old Crab arrived with a group of guards.
Kuhulu's expression tightened when he saw the guards' weapons: purple-black crystal daggers and spears.
Dragon glass?!
And there were crossbows too, their bolts tipped with dragon glass.
This…
Kuhulu was first bewildered, then shuddered as cold sweat drenched his body.
"Guard the stern and wait for my orders."
The Dragon Queen's face grew solemn as she deployed the crossbowmen and spearmen.
Before the four sailors even entered the water, the Dragon Queen had already sent guards into small boats. Seventeen or eighteen boats, with dozens of guards carrying casting nets, surrounded the Laurel Wind in two tight rings.
And that wasn't all—the Queen even had Old Crab's fleet of ten longships lay out two more rings of nets outside the small boats.
Even those four glory-seeking fool sailors now realized something was very wrong.
Why would the Dragon Queen take such precautions?
They didn't know, but the sheer weight of it terrified them.
Yet there was no chance for them to back out now.
The four sailors, trembling, carried the thickened whaling nets made by the Ibans. From eight meters away, they slowly closed in on the stern, careful not to stir a ripple.
"Your Grace, please try this."
As they waited on the stern deck, Koja deftly set up a chair with a backrest for the Dragon Queen, while another sailor placed a small table beside it. The captain, draped in a colorful feathered cloak, approached like a chef, carrying a large white porcelain platter.
The pristine dish was filled with freshly scrubbed clams, oysters, and mussels, along with a dish of vinegar and another of reddish-brown sauce.
"I learned the spice blend from the head chef of the Yidi Imperial Palace. They say Emperor Buhao most enjoys dipping raw seafood in this sauce."
The thing clinging to the rudder was far too terrifying, and Dany had little appetite.
But seeing Kuhulu's obsequious face, and remembering it was his ship, she realized eating his food also symbolized a friendly guest relationship.
She pried open a clam, dipped it in both sauce and vinegar, paused briefly at her lips—once she was sure Drogon sensed no threat, she boldly swallowed it down in one gulp.
"Not bad, not bad, the flavor is excellent."
"Ahh—so cold!" Suddenly, Jimmy, already near the ship's side, let out a scream.
"Gods, the sea just froze! I saw it freezing!" James shouted in horror.
Crash!
The next instant, water splashed violently around the rudder as if a small shark had shot out from beneath the hull.
Rushing to the rail, Dany caught a flash of icy light.
Crack!
The net—torn!
Rottooth Jimmy, split in half by a single sword stroke.
"Ah! What kind of monster is that!" the crowd screamed in terror.
(End of Chapter)
Want to read the chapters in Advance? Join my Patreon
https://patreon.com/Glimmer09