Chapter 132: Khal Drogo's Banquet (5)
"As you can see, Master Yada now serves me," Daeron interjected smoothly. "And I intend to present him to His Majesty Viserys, to become one of the Kingsguard."
He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "So, if you hope to have Master Yada fight for you, perhaps you should first ask His Majesty for his opinion."
"Viserys?" Hazan repeated, his gaze flicking to Ambassador Olanto.
He had never had any dealings with the Beggar King, but he had certainly heard the many unsavory rumors that followed the man. Hazan had always dismissed them as a joke, never imagining a day would come when he would have to beg the Targaryen prince for anything.
Before Olanto could respond, however, Ian leaned toward Daeron and spoke in a voice deliberately lowered, yet just loud enough for the ambassador and the prince to overhear. "Governor Illyrio reminded us not to involve ourselves in the politics of Pentos. In any capacity."
Daeron's expression hardened. He turned to face Ian, his voice ringing with formal gravity. "Lord Darry, I admit my profound admiration for you. Your wisdom and talent have convinced me utterly, and for a long time now, I have been content to act as your subordinate."
He met Ian's eyes. "But at this moment, I must remind you that we are vassals of His Majesty Viserys, not of Governor Illyrio."
"There is no conflict," Ian retorted, almost as a reflex, before catching himself. He quickly reached out, placing a hand on Daeron's shoulder in a conciliatory gesture. "We can speak of this later. I will explain everything to you."
With a sharp crack, Daeron slapped Ian's hand away. His stance was unyielding. "No matter what, on this issue, I will obey only the orders of His Majesty Viserys."
Ian's face instantly darkened. Aware of the eyes on them from all around, he answered with extreme reluctance, "Of course. If that is His Majesty's wish, I will carry it out with my life." He then added, as if trying to salvage the situation, "However, Governor Illyrio is His Majesty's most important ally. I trust His Majesty will not simply ignore the governor's wishes."
At these words, a spark of understanding lit up Prince Hazan's eyes. He suddenly recalled the cheese seller, Taro Byrne, speaking of Ian in almost reverential terms when delivering the invitation. He studied Ian's face again, searching for any trace of a performance, any hint of artifice.
He found nothing. Ian's eyes were filled only with anxiety and embarrassment, entirely lacking the cunning he had expected to see.
"But what if His Majesty's will is inconsistent with the governor's?" Daeron pressed, his question hanging in the air. The surrounding Pentoshi nobles, who had just witnessed Ian swear his oath to Viserys, watched intently, seeing the trap close around him.
"Then I will naturally be loyal to His Majesty," Ian replied, his voice strained as if the words were forced from him.
Having received the answer he sought, Daeron gave a single, satisfied nod.
Ambassador Olanto waited until their tense exchange had concluded before speaking. "Lord Ian Darry," he said calmly, "I can assure you, Illyrio will not object to this. Nor will he make things difficult for you."
Ian looked surprised. According to his own calculations, Olanto should be aligned with a rival faction to Illyrio's supporters back in the party struggles of Braavos. For the ambassador to speak with such certainty made Ian question his own theories. Had he misread the situation entirely, or was there some hidden dynamic he had yet to uncover?
"I hope so," Ian said, not pressing the matter. His tone remained polite, but his mood was obviously soured.
Ambassador Olanto said no more, turning his attention back to the Water Dancer, Yada.
Ian allowed himself a small, internal sigh of relief. The first stage of his performance was complete. If Illyrio's spies later reported the details of this encounter, the facts would show that he had stood firmly on the governor's side. His final concession could easily be explained as having been made under duress.
Now, all that remained was to see if Prince Hazan and Olanto had understood his subtle hint, and whether they could successfully persuade Viserys.
The conversation between Illyrio, Drogo, and the others did not last long. Soon, the entire party returned to their original places, with Daenerys beside them. Olanto and Hazan wisely held back, allowing Daeron and Jorah Mormont, who had been waiting patiently, to step forward and swear their oaths of fealty first.
As he watched the ceremony, Ian felt a soft tug on his sleeve. He turned to see Daenerys standing beside him, her small face etched with a hint of nervousness.
"Your Highness," Ian said, offering a slight bow.
"Ser," Dany replied, her use of the title still unpracticed. She had learned the proper etiquette of Westeros but had never had occasion to use it.
"You are now my brother's knight, aren't you?" she asked, her voice soft. A glimmer of hope shone in her violet eyes.
"I am also your knight, Your Highness." The words were meant as simple flattery, but seeing the pure, unreserved joy that bloomed on Dany's face, Ian felt a complicated and unwelcome pang in his chest. It was an instinctive discomfort, something he had never felt when deceiving her brother.
But it was only discomfort. For a man who had now spent nearly three months in the world of ice and fire, the notion of a moral bottom line had long since been erased from his dictionary. As someone far removed from this world once said, lying, cheating, and stealing were the very nature of the game of power.
"Are you a relative of Ser Willem? Are you all from House Darry?" Dany had no memory of the house itself, only of the man. She remembered the burly, grey-bearded knight bursting into the nursery on Dragonstone as the usurper's fleet began its massacre. It was Ser Willem Darry who, with four loyal men, had rescued her and her brother, spiriting them away to the safety of Braavos.
With that memory came the fondest recollections of her childhood. Dany could still picture the big house in Braavos with its red door, and the lemon tree that grew outside her bedroom window.
"Yes," Ian replied, "though I have no real impression of him myself." This was true enough; his knowledge of the knight came only from the memories Dany held in the books. He offered a plausible explanation. "I was too young when the Usurper's War happened. I didn't understand what was taking place. The only thing we truly share is the loyalty that flows in our blood."
"Yes, Ser Willem was a loyal knight," Dany said, nodding in firm agreement. "And so are you."
She seemed to believe him without a second thought. They had fled from Braavos to Myr, from Myr to Tyrosh, and then through Qohor, Volantis, and Lys, before finally settling in Pentos. Throughout all their travels, her brother had spoken constantly of the usurper's assassins hunting them. But Dany had never once seen so much as a shadow of one, and so she had never learned to be suspicious.
Besides, she felt a strange cordiality toward Ian. It stemmed partly from the noble reputation of the Darry name, but also from the fact that he had rescued her from Viserys's 'Wrath of the Sleeping Dragon.'
Although Ian had come forward only to swear his allegiance to Viserys, Dany remembered clearly that he had been watching from a distance at first. It was only when he saw her brother bullying her that he had approached so quickly.
That simple act had been a great comfort to her, and she had not forgotten it.
---
⭐ $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.