Chapter 394: Riding a Dragon to Rush the Update
The arrow sliced through the freezing air of Queenscrown, passing with a swish just a hair's breadth from the target before burying itself in a snowbank. If the first to miss was the loser, then the outcome was decided. Whether Theon was destined to miss that shot or if his aim faltered at the last second due to the distraction became an eternal mystery.
The unexpected thrill of this peak duel had kept everyone so focused that when Theon missed, the audience first erupted in a chorus of disappointed groans before they finally began to panic at the sudden blast of horns and the tolling of alarm bells.
However, after a moment of chaos, everyone lapsed into confusion.
This was because neither the horn blasts nor the bell tolls followed the communication protocols of Queenscrown. No one had any idea what was happening.
First, there was the single horn blast.
Along the Wall, a single blast signaled the return of rangers from a patrol. But this was Queenscrown. Without a seven-hundred-foot wall of ice obstructing the view, the guards on the battlements could identify returning patrols with a single glance; there was no need for a horn. Thus, the horn signals here were only two blasts or three. Since the Wildlings were no longer a threat, two blasts signified a revolt by the New Gift folk, and three signified an attack by the White Walkers.
Of course, there was another explanation: the sentry only had time to blow once before being cut down.
But what about the bells? In Queenscrown, the number and frequency of bell strikes carried specific meanings: opening or closing gates, starting or ending work shifts, meal times, curfews, or assembling for war. Even in the most urgent of emergencies requiring continuous ringing, there would be a rhythmic frequency and pause.
Now, the bells were clanging "clang-clang-clang" in a rapid, non-stop frenzy. What did it mean?
The horn-blowers and bell-ringers belonged to different departments and were stationed apart. When both methods of communication glitched simultaneously, what could possibly be happening?
Though equally bewildered, Egger dared not be careless. With no time to overthink, he immediately assumed the worst-case scenario: a White Walker attack. He began assigning tasks—evacuating the spectators, dispatching men to lead troops to the outer gates. If the enemy hadn't reached them yet, they would organize a relocation of refugees from outside the walls to the inside. If the enemy was already at the doorstep, they would have to cut their losses, seal the gates, and lock the unlucky souls who couldn't make it inside out.
However, setting aside the impenetrable line of the Wall and the Gorge guarded by soldiers every mile, Queenscrown itself had a patrol and warning network extending over ten miles outward. Unless the White Walkers had taken ships around the fleets of Ice Bay and Eastwatch, landed in the North, and marched up the Kingsroad from the south, how could they have bypassed this seamless double insurance to suddenly appear outside Queenscrown?
"Master! Master! Master!" Arya, having reclaimed her spot beside Egger, shook his arm and shouted. "Quick, go hide 'Lightbringer'! And—give me a few, I can help too!"
"... go gather all the Lightbringers and bring them back. As for you... stop dreaming." Egger pulled his arm from Arya's grasp and pushed her toward the nearest Winterfell soldiers. "Take your lady back to the inner keep. Watch her closely—don't let her wander!"
"No! Let me go!"
"Hey, look!" Myrcella pointed toward the sky in shock. "Is that a dragon?"
A dragon? Egger turned toward where the little princess was pointing. Sure enough: against the grey canopy of the sky, a massive black shadow appeared a hundred meters up. it approached rapidly and swept over his head, its wings and tail clearly discernible. What else could it be but a dragon?
The flying behemoth circled and lowered its altitude toward the tournament grounds. It let out what was likely a lighthearted screech for its kind, but to the ears of the crowd, it sounded like rolling thunder.
No wonder the horns and bells were chaotic!
Egger felt an instant wave of relief: it wasn't that the patrols or guards had failed; it was that in the emergency plans and communication protocols he had designed for the Gift, he had considered every possibility except telling them what to do when they saw a dragon flying toward Queenscrown.
The patrolling soldiers had seen the dragon, but they dared not transmit a false alarm nor could they remain silent. They could only use whatever means they had to warn the rest of the town as best they could!
It wasn't just one dragon. Soon, two more figures of slightly lighter colors appeared above the black dragon. As if to make up for Egger's disappointment at not seeing dragons during his last visit to Dragonstone, Daenerys had brought all three of her children at once. The black dragon she was riding flew lower and lower, while the other two smaller ones playfully dived and soared high in the sky. More people in the crowd noticed the existence of these winged monsters. The timid shoved their way toward the exits, while the brave stood their ground, staring up at the miraculous scene, wondering if this was another program Egger had arranged.
Fortunately, the arena was not an enclosed structure; those with any agility could hop the fences to flee. Under the desperate efforts of the Logistics Department soldiers to maintain order, no trampling incidents occurred. The culprit of the commotion circled the arena several times, likely confirming there were no threats like scorpions below. Finally, the black dragon chose the emptiest part of the range to descend, landing atop a small earthen mound.
As she was being forcibly dragged away by her guards, Arya didn't forget to remind Egger one last time: "Master, don't forget, that is... that is the Mad King's daughter!"
Egger waved her off. "I know. Go with them. You definitely don't want to make friends with her!"
Melisandre's religious colleague, Moqorro, had seen his script come to fruition. This Dragon Queen had truly come to Queenscrown for that non-existent Volume II of The Prince. Egger was somewhat mentally prepared for this, he just hadn't expected Daenerys to pick such a specific day.
"Collect everyone's bows!" Egger roared at Warner, the current commander of the Queenscrown guard. "Move all troops who aren't Logistics Department employees away from the field. No one is to act without my command!"
To dare come alone to the far North of the North, a place she had never been... she was a brave ma... a brave woman. Egger both admired the Dragon Queen's courage and disapproved of her excessive boldness. Queenscrown was currently a chaotic mix of people. While the Night's Watch was technically neutral, Beric Dondarrion's group were direct vassals of King Stannis, and the Mountain Clans were nominally subjects of the Starks—not to mention the small squad of Winterfell soldiers here to look after Arya.
Why did Arya emphasize that she was the Mad King's daughter?
Because the War of the Usurper began because Aerys Targaryen burned her grandfather and uncle alive. This was a true blood feud!
If someone could kill this widely recognized last Targaryen, it wouldn't matter how many dragons she had—the war would be over. How would the always-just Stannis Baratheon reward such a brave assassin?
Packed into this small town were hundreds of people with reasons to strike at Daenerys. If the situation spun out of control and someone attempted to attack her, whether they succeeded was secondary; if they provoked even one of her three dragons into unleashing dragonfire, everything would be lost. All of Queenscrown's preparations were for fighting the Night King: they had no scorpions, and the walls and warehouses were filled everywhere with Wildfire, Dragonglass bombs, and gunpowder—dangerous goods incredibly sensitive to fire. And they had no fire brigade!
After a series of frantic orders were issued and the initial panic subsided... seeing the field was mostly cleared, Egger tidied his appearance. Taking a few of his most trusted guards, he walked toward the black dragon—the Queen's mount—resting on the small mound in the center of the field.
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