Chapter 131: Khal Drogo's Banquet (4)
Ian could only guess at Ander Poole's reasons for participating in the battle himself. Perhaps he possessed an unshakable confidence in his own strength, certain of victory now that he knew the two water dancers on Hazan's side would defect to him. With such an advantage, the risk would seem negligible.
Or perhaps he had no desire to compete at all, but having pledged himself to Suda so early, he had been commanded to fight. With all his assets and forces now tied to Suda, refusal was not an option.
Whatever the reason, Ian could not leverage Illyrio's power against Ander directly. That made this contest—a brutal affair witnessed by the great powers of Pentos, a fight that would not end until one side was annihilated—his final and most potent weapon. It was the perfect stage to end Ander Poole.
After all, Ian had no way of knowing the full extent of the resources Ander had accumulated while managing Suda's interests, nor the depth of his schemes within Pentos.
If Ian were to rely solely on the Black Falcon mercenaries, he could not guarantee success. Worse, he would risk Illyrio discovering his connection to them, which would undoubtedly lead to the same suspicion—and disappearance—that had befallen Ser Lucien.
Compared to that, killing Ander in this contest was a far cleaner solution.
Crucially, Ian now held the key: he knew the two water dancers were set to betray their prince.
With a little cunning calculation, the advantage could be turned. All they had to do was administer a slow-acting poison to the two swordsmen before the match—a toxin designed to take effect only after they had declared for Suda Tetrus, rendering them useless in a fight.
This simple act would eliminate at least one of Suda's champion slots. Once the first water dancer collapsed and the poison was discovered, Suda would surely not be foolish enough to send in the second.
Just like that, the odds would shift to seven against six.
Furthermore, before arriving at the banquet, Ian had sent Bronn to Suda's White Sand Arena with instructions to apply as one of his champions. His target, Ian had left to Bronn's own judgment.
If Bronn was certain he could kill Ander, he was to challenge him directly. If he could eliminate Ander Poole then and there, the rest of this tangled affair would be resolved.
If not, he was to pick an 'evaluator' he knew he could defeat, take his place among Suda's champions, and kill as many other potential applicants as he could. Ian had no doubt Bronn could secure a spot. Aside from a few monstrous exceptions, the sellsword's prowess was among the finest of mortal men.
Then, when the formal competition began, Ian would play their own trick in reverse. He would have Bronn feign defection and declare for Hazan, just as the water dancers had planned to do for Suda.
Suda would be forced to find a last-minute replacement, a warrior of undoubtedly lesser skill to fill the vacancy left by Bronn.
With these moves alone, Ian would have eliminated one of Suda's champions and severely weakened two others, as the replacements for both the poisoned water dancer and the turncoat Bronn would be inferior substitutes.
On his own side, Ian had a formidable roster: the master water dancer Yada Maul; the exceptional S-class knight, Kes; and Jorah Mormont, whose confidence had been enough to convince Ian to bring him aboard. Jorah's combat ability was a promising, if unproven, asset—after all, the story of him becoming the champion gladiator of Meereen was well-known, though his true skill in a life-or-death battle remained to be seen.
If the risks were calculated correctly, Ian could commit them all to the fight.
With Suda's side already down three effective combatants from the start, victory seemed all but assured. Sending in more of his own men would only increase the probability that one of them would be the one to kill Ander, allowing Ian to claim the man's power and absorb the resources of his network.
Of course, if new intelligence suggested the outcome was less certain or the potential for casualties was too high, Ian would scale back. He would send only Yada and Bronn to fight for Hazan. His primary goal was simply to ensure the prince's victory; he had no desire to see his own people die needlessly.
After the contest, Ian could find the right moment to reveal to Olanto and Hazan the identity of the man who had helped Suda at the Neptune Palace.
Hazan's mother would surely not spare the agent who had orchestrated the water dancers' betrayal and nearly cost her son his life. It was not unthinkable that she would dispatch the Faceless Men to deal with him.
As the wealthiest keykeeper of the Iron Bank, she certainly had the means.
If the plan succeeded, Ian would achieve at least three objectives.
First, he would eliminate Ander's faction, dismantling a rival power that had taken root in Pentos and was beginning to meddle in the political disputes of Braavos.
Second, he would forge a powerful bond with Ambassador Olanto and Prince Hazan, placing them deeply in his debt. Whether or not Hazan's uncle was ultimately elected Sea King was irrelevant; Hazan's mother would remain one of the most powerful keykeepers of the Iron Bank. When the time came for Braavos to decide on an alliance with the future 'Abolitionist of Slaver's Bay,' their voices in Ian's favor would be nearly impossible to refuse. If the purple-sailed fleet of Braavos could sail south to threaten Volantis, the dilemma the Dragon Mother would one day face in Meereen would be solved with ease. Without Volantis, Ian was confident he could crush the Yunkish and Astapori alliance himself.
Third, and by no means insignificant, were the economic benefits. A wealthy heir like Hazan would hardly be stingy with coin when rewarding the man who provided him with critical intelligence, powerful champions, and life-saving counsel.
But the first step was to secure an agreement with Ambassador Olanto, here and now, and force Illyrio to consent to it in person.
Ian gave a subtle nod to Daeron at his side, signaling him to proceed as planned.
"Your pardon, gentlemen." Daeron Grafson stepped forward, positioning himself before Yada Maul. "Prince Hazan, Ambassador Olanto," he said, bowing to each of them in turn. "If I am not mistaken, you seek Lord Yada's sword. You wish for him to fight for His Highness in the coming contest, do you not?"
"And who are you, ser?" Hazan asked, surprised that his purpose had been so plainly stated, though he maintained his courtly demeanor.
"Ser Daeron is my master," the water dancer said before Daeron could answer.
"Master?" For a moment, Hazan lost his composure. "Are you certain you use that word correctly? You call him…" He glanced at Daeron, noting the title. *A Westerosi knight,* he likely presumed, *one of those who came with Viserys.* "You call this knight *master*? You, who were nearly the First Sword of Braavos!"
"Ser Daeron saved my life," Yada stated flatly, his voice unwavering. "I swore an oath of allegiance to him. A water dancer keeps his word. It is as simple as that."
---
⭐ $5 Tier – Early Access!
Stay 50 chapters ahead of public releases on RoyalRoad, Webnovel, and Scribble Hub.
Latest available chapter: 182.
⭐ $10 Tier – Super Early Access!
Stay 110 chapters ahead of public releases on RoyalRoad, Webnovel, and Scribble Hub.
Latest available chapter: 242.
📖 Chapters are uploaded as soon as they're completed, so you'll always stay ahead of the curve.
💖 By joining, you'll be directly supporting the story while enjoying exclusive early access.
🔗 Patreon link is in My Profile/About.
⚠️ Please select your membership carefully, as I have multiple novels ongoing.
🍎 If you're on Apple, consider subscribing through your browser instead — it's cheaper for you, and I'll receive payments faster.