Chapter 216: Dragon Mother's Choice, The Frost Dragon Dreamfire, and Conspirators Serving Their Respective Masters

From Riverrun to Harrenhal, the Imp Tyrion had been trembling with fear the entire way.

Being a Giant Eagle Knight was not easy; lying on the back of a giant eagle without any reins, looking down at the rivers, hills, and farmland hundreds of feet below, Tyrion had nearly wet himself several times.

At the beginning, Tyrion, the squire Podrick Payne, and the Wolf King Eddard rode a giant eagle together; when they arrived near Raventree Hall, the Wolf King Eddard caught up with the Prince of Giant Eagles Michu, Brienne, the Lightning Lord, the Red Priest Thoros of Myr, and others.

The Wolf King Eddard began riding the magic dragon Feilang, and Tyrion was filled with envy; since he was a child, Tyrion had dreamed of being a Dragonknight, and he was obsessed with magic dragons, reading books about dragons almost every day—Tyrion knew more about dragons than many a Maester.

However, when he truly encountered a magic dragon, Tyrion began to feel afraid; after all, Feilang was a magic dragon that could swallow a living person in one gulp, and a single breath of the magic dragon's Dragonfire could turn a human's heart and lungs to ash.

The one riding the giant eagle with Tyrion had become the beauty Brienne. Brienne was not beautiful, with crooked teeth and brown hair as messy as a squirrel's nest, but Brienne's eyes were very beautiful, blue eyes that looked exactly like sapphires.

Tyrion sat in front of Podrick Payne, and Brienne sat behind Podrick Payne; Brienne rode the giant eagle, her thick arms wrapping around Tyrion and Podrick, making Tyrion feel just like an infant in his mother's arms.

"Lady Brienne, you are truly so strong. Are all the girls in Tarth as sturdy as you? I feel that you are even stronger than my older brother Jaime."

Brienne said coldly: "On the battlefield in the Westerlands, I crossed swords with the Kingslayer; it is a pity that I failed to kill him."

Tyrion said in surprise: "You fought with my older brother Jaime and weren't killed by him?"

Brienne said calmly: "The Kingslayer is a formidable opponent, but I am not bad either."

The women Tyrion had the most contact with were prostitutes; this was the first time he had encountered a female warrior like Brienne.

In a way, Brienne and Tyrion were both freaks. As a noble lady, Brienne put on armor and dreamed of becoming a Knight, and because of this, she suffered all kinds of cold looks and mockery. As a dwarf, Tyrion understood that feeling.

Along the way, Tyrion got along well with Brienne, and even Podrick Payne grew fond of Brienne.

"Brienne, just you watch! When we reach Harrenhal, I will kill several of the Undead and let them taste the power of a Giant Eagle Knight!"

However, on this night of slaughter, when the giant eagle truly arrived above Harrenhal, Tyrion hugged the giant eagle's feathers tightly and shivered.

A few feet above the city walls, Brienne, the Lightning Lord, and the Red Priest Thoros jumped off the back of the giant eagle one after another, landing on the wall; subsequently, the Red Priest Thoros chanted a spell, and the longswords in the hands of Brienne, the Lightning Lord, and Thoros began to burn with fire as they fought with the Undead.

Brienne had the instincts of a warrior; she spun and slashed, cutting down a skeleton, and then split the head of a blue-eyed wight.

Tyrion was far more embarrassing; the giant eagle Tyrion was riding was attacked by a Giant Bat, and Tyrion was sent flying, crashing onto the wall, where a group of wights immediately surrounded him.

If not for the squire Podrick fighting hard to block them, and Brienne, the Lightning Lord, and Thoros rushing over to relieve him, Tyrion would likely have perished under the blades of the Undead during his first encounter with them, turning into a blue-eyed living corpse.

The Prince of Giant Eagles Michu maneuvered the giant eagle to attack the Giant Bat with its talons; in front of the giant eagle, the Giant Bat's offensive power was much weaker, and some bats were torn apart by the giant eagle.

Seven griffins helped the giant eagle in the air, besieging the Giant Bat.

The Weirwood Bracelet on Eddard's right wrist emitted a blood-red halo, while the Skull Bracelet on his left wrist emitted a blue light.

The power to control the Undead undoubtedly belonged to Mind Control; could Eddard control the Undead just as he controlled the direwolves, magic dragons, and giant eagles?

Riding on the back of the magic dragon Feilang, Eddard attempted to control the Undead on the walls of Harrenhal, and as expected, he failed.

But Eddard believed that one day, he would be able to control the Undead.

In that way, the Stark Workshop could obtain a tireless labor force.

The Undead did not eat or drink, had no personal pursuits, and were devoid of personality; they were the perfect objects for exploitation.

The shrill cries of the Giant Bat pulled Eddard's thoughts back to the battlefield at Harrenhal.

On the ground, the Black Bear, White Bear, and Terrorbird fought back hard against the defenders, while the magic dragon Feilang, the Magic Dragon Koi, and Eagle Eye bathed the ground in Dragonfire from the air; the Undead on the walls died in heaps, their bodies, purified by the flames, falling to the ground.

Before dawn arrived, the Wolf King Eddard finally led the defenders of Harrenhal to victory in this defensive battle.

Arya rushed up to embrace the Wolf King Eddard, Sansa sobbed in Eddard's arms, and finally, there was Catelyn.

Catelyn kissed Eddard's cheek, "Eddard, you have finally come. The Undead are becoming increasingly rampant; Prince Rhaegar seems to be able to bring a brand-new army of the Undead to besiege Harrenhal every night. I once doubted that we could hold out until reinforcements arrived."

Eddard stroked Catelyn's beautiful hair, "Do not worry, from now on I will personally hold Harrenhal."

The Magic Dragon Koi and Eagle Eye affectionately licked Eddard's beard; during Eddard's absence, the Koi and Eagle Eye had grown to the size of oxen.

Seven griffins surrounded Eddard, licking his palms with their file-like tongues.

Back then, in the Godswood of Harrenhal, under the watch of the Old Gods, Eddard had hatched the red magic dragon Magic Dragon Koi, the silver-white magic dragon Eagle Eye, and seven griffins; in the eyes of the magic dragons and griffins, Eddard was their parent.

The magic dragons and griffins were able to grow up healthily because of the giant Xixi; Xixi was the wet nurse for the Koi and Eagle Eye, and furthermore, she was also the wet nurse for Robin Arryn.

Xixi had sustained some injuries, and Eddard immediately arranged for a nurse to treat her.

The soldiers of Harrenhal brought pork, mutton, and fed them to the magic dragons, griffins, and giant eagles. Feilang, the Koi, and Eagle Eye, the three magic dragons, feasted together with the giant eagles and griffins. The magic dragons could eat a lot of food every day, which was why they grew so quickly.

Subsequently, Eddard introduced the new members to Catelyn.

"Lady Brienne is the daughter of the 'Evenstar' Lord Selwyn of Tarth. She served Renly Baratheon; she and Ser Loras followed Renly Baratheon and began to fight for the direwolf."

Brienne said: "Lady Catelyn, I swear to use my sword to protect the Wolf Prince and his family."

Catelyn was very satisfied; she took Brienne's hand, "Lady Brienne, welcome to the hearth and hall of the Stark family!"

Subsequently, Eddard introduced the Imp.

"Tyrion has abandoned his allegiance to the Lannisters and has turned to serve me."

Catelyn was somewhat confused, "Tyrion, why have you betrayed your family?"

Tyrion said gloomily: "Because my father and my older brother taught me a vivid lesson when I was thirteen. Lord Tywin and Jaime lied, claiming that my Lady Tysha was a prostitute; Lord Tywin sent an entire barracks of soldiers to ravage my wife Tysha and forced me to watch the whole time. Then Lord Tywin drove Tysha away."

Catelyn frowned, "This story is very bizarre."

Tyrion shrugged, "It is the truth. I only want to find my Tysha now and then take revenge on the Lannisters. A Lannister always pays his debts."

Eddard placed his hand on the shoulder of the Acting Castellan Lord Rickard, "Lord Rickard, you led Harrenhal and held out against the Undead for so long; you are our great hero."

Lord Rickard said: "Actually, Lady Catelyn, Lady Whent deserves more credit; they boosted morale. I only did what I was supposed to do."

Catelyn said: "Eddard, how is the war in the Westerlands?"

Eddard said: "I believe that Robb and Ser Brynden Tully have already captured Lannisport and Casterly Rock. We will relocate all the Lannisters of the Westerlands to Wolf Castle on The Wall and root them out completely. From now on, the Westerlands belong to the direwolf, belong to the Stark family."

Catelyn revealed a gratified smile, "With the Lannisters defeated, Riverrun will be safe. All along, my father Lord Hoster worried most about the Lannisters of the Westerlands and the House Frey at the river crossing."

Eddard smiled, "House Frey suffered heavy losses on the battlefield in the Westerlands, and the whole family was loyal and heroic. Aenys Frey, Hosteen Frey, Walder Rivers, Raymond Frey... these Freys you know all died under the swords of the Lannisters."

"I hope Lord Walder can hold up while looking at the bones of his descendants; at his age, he must not be overcome with grief!"

Catelyn said in surprise: "I never expected House Frey to become so loyal and brave."

Because Eddard arranged for House Frey to charge and lead the vanguard every time, it was hard for them not to be heroic.

Lysa approached, "Wolf Prince, it is certainly a good thing that our army has defeated the Lannisters, but bad news has come from the Vale of Arryn."

"The Ironborn have attacked the Three Sisters."

Tyrion widened his mismatched eyes, "After the disastrous defeat at the Heatwave River, King Balon actually went all the way around to attack the Three Sisters?"

Lysa Arryn glared at Tyrion with disgust, "It was not King Balon, but another sea monster. Euron Greyjoy."

The one-eyed pirate was on the beach, violating three beautiful sisters.

Wolf King Eddard had long since heard this prophecy from Jenny, the ghost of High Heart; at the time, Eddard had deduced that Euron Greyjoy might attack the Three Sisters and even wrote to warn the lords of the Three Sisters, and now, the attack had indeed occurred.

Eddard sighed, "What is the situation at the Three Sisters?"

If Euron entrenched himself in the Three Sisters, he could directly threaten White Harbor and the Five Fingers; this would be equivalent to opening a new battlefield in the rear of the Vale and the North.

Catelyn said: "According to letters sent by Warden of the Vale Nestor Royce and Lord Sunderland, Euron led a pirate fleet, pillaged the town, abducted hundreds of women and children, and then the pirate fleet headed south."

"Lord Wyman of White Harbor has already dispatched the Beijing Donghaian Fleet to station in Sisterton and restore order, and Lord Sunderland has already begun to rebuild the defenses of Sisterton."

Euron Greyjoy had pillaged and left, so Eddard felt slightly relieved. Eddard said coldly: "Euron Greyjoy must pay the price for his crimes! As for the Three Sisters, I had already warned the lords there to be wary of pirate attacks, yet they were still easily taken by Euron."

Catelyn said: "That could not be helped. It is said that the night before Euron attacked the Three Sisters, a storm destroyed the fleet in the port of Sisterton, while Euron's pirate fleet remained unscathed in the storm. With their fleet gone, the Three Sisters could only let the pirates ravage them."

Eddard said: "Immediately have Maester Norman write to Warden of the Vale Nestor Royce at the Eyrie, asking him to assist the Three Sisters in rebuilding their fleet, and order the shipyards of Snakewood, Coldwater, and Gulltown to accelerate shipbuilding."

"Write to Lord Wyman of White Harbor, telling him to be on guard against threats from the sea at all times, and from now on, the Beijing Donghaian Fleet will be stationed directly at the Three Sisters."

"Write to Lord Sunderland of the Three Sisters; if the Sistermen have any magical horns, artifacts, or similar things, send them to Winterfell immediately, otherwise, they might be targeted by Euron."

During the war, construction in the North, the Vale, and the Riverlands never ceased for a moment; wheat, oats, corn, and pumpkins were planted in fields everywhere, and with Eddard constantly purchasing grain from across the Narrow Sea, the Reach, and other places, the granaries everywhere were overflowing.

In the Riverlands, just like in the North, farmers who joined the Stark Estate could use military-colony livestock, curved plows, and other farming tools to plant high-quality grain seeds cultivated in the North.

Now, many farmlands in the Riverlands had joined the Stark Estate, and because yields had increased, the tax revenues of local lords had also risen accordingly; thus, the Stark Estate had gained the support of the nobles of the Riverlands and the Vale.

Shipyards everywhere were building longships, armed merchant ships, galleons, and oared warships every day. Even if the Three Sisters' fleet was destroyed by the storm, Eddard could restore the defenses of the Three Sisters in the shortest possible time.

Tyrion frowned, "Autumn in the Narrow Sea is stormy, but how could the fleet in the port be destroyed by the storm while Euron's fleet suffered no losses at sea? How is that possible?"

Eddard said calmly: "The only reasonable explanation is that Euron Greyjoy used magic. It is said that in the few short years Euron was away from Westeros, he pillaged many ports, and even the Free Cities could not escape; he has been to Asshai and the Valyrian Ruins, and keeps many sorcerers on his ships."

"In this era where the undead ravage the land and magic dragons are reborn, I would not be surprised at all if Euron Greyjoy has mastered the ability to create storms."

Catelyn was secretly alarmed, "If Euron has mastered the ability to create storms, how can the Northern fleet defend against Euron's attacks?"

"It must be King Balon; it was King Balon who directed Euron to attack the Three Sisters. Euron's next target could be White Harbor, or Gulltown, or even Maidenpool or Saltpans."

Eddard said: "Catelyn, you are overthinking it; King Balon certainly has nothing to do with this attack. In fact, when Euron had an affair with Victarion's salt wife, King Balon exiled Euron, drove him out of the Iron Islands, and ordered that Euron be forbidden from returning to the Iron Islands unless King Balon was dead."

"Now that King Balon has been crowned king, his kingdom is just a pile of rocks in the vast ocean, and he has suffered a crushing defeat in the North, but the attraction of the Driftwood Crown to Euron is such that I analyze that Euron is very likely to return to the Iron Islands."

Catelyn was skeptical, "You just said that King Balon forbade Euron from returning to the Iron Islands. King Balon is in good health and will likely live for several more years; even if Euron returned to the Iron Islands, he is destined to have no part in the Driftwood Crown."

Eddard said: "If King Balon dies, the situation will be different. The Lord Harlaw we captured in the North, the Reader Roderick, once told me that Euron is a madman; it would not be surprising at all for such a person to become a kinslayer."

Catelyn said: "I always thought King Balon was the most dangerous sea monster, but I didn't expect Euron to be even more dangerous. If Euron has mastered dark magic and becomes King of the Iron Islands, the coasts of the Riverlands, the North, and the Westerlands could all suffer attacks from the Ironborn."

Eddard said: "Let the sea monsters kill each other! Even if Euron dominates the seas, there is no need to worry; the Starks have dragons."

At the necessary moment, Eddard would send troops to attack the Iron Islands and rule them in the name of his ward, Theon.

Theon was still in the Westerlands and would return to Harrenhal with Robb shortly.

Tyrion said: "Wolf Prince, I am curious, if it were only to plunder wealth and population, why did Euron choose the Three Sisters? The Three Sisters is a godforsaken place, a pirate den, poor and dilapidated; White Harbor, just across the sea, is much wealthier."

Eddard said: "I believe there must be something that attracted Euron."

Catelyn took out the letter sent by Lord Sunderland of the Three Sisters, "The letter mentions that Euron pillaged the ancient Temple of the Lady of the Waves and stole the Wave Horn from within."

"According to ancient legends, the Wave Horn can be used to control the seas, create waves, and even create tsunamis!"

Lysa Arryn said disdainfully: "If the Wave Horn of the Three Sisters were really that magical, the Sistermen pirates would have used it long ago; would it really be Euron's turn, an Ironborn pirate, to come and steal it?"

Eddard said: "The Wave Horn could very well be a piece of junk, but one cannot be sure that the horn does not truly possess magical power. Do not forget, magic dragons are reborn, the undead are ravaging the land, and ancient powers have already awakened."

Tyrion smiled nervously, "Fortunately, the Wolf Prince possesses direwolves, giants, giant eagles, griffins, skinchangers, and magic dragons; we have no need to fear Euron's horn."

Afterward, Tyrion and Podrick turned to go get bones to feed the dragons.

Catelyn stared at Tyrion's back, "Eddard, the Imp cannot be trusted. Don't forget, he is a Lannister."

Eddard said: "You are wrong; no one can be trusted. Our army has occupied the Westerlands, but there is still a long way to go to conquer the Westerlands. Only by accepting surrenders and defectors can one rule the world."

Rickard Karstark said: "Wolf Prince, now that you have defeated the Lannisters, the Westerlands have been incorporated into the territory of the direwolves; now, your domain stretches from Beyond the Wall, the North, the Vale, and the Riverlands, all the way to the Westerlands."

"House Stark has been the King in the North since ancient times, and our army is the mainstay in the fight against the undead; I believe you should be crowned king."

Eddard said: "With the undead ravaging the land, the matter of being crowned king can wait for now."

Afterward, in the godswood of Harrenhal, Eddard met Jenny, the ghost of High Heart.

"Have you had any green dreams lately?" Jenny's dreams often came true and possessed the ability to predict the future.

Jenny said: "Yes, I have."

"I dreamed of frost dragons ravaging the earth, spraying cold frost toward the castle, freezing the land."

Frost dragons had always been a huge threat, and Eddard decided to invent gunpowder to let the undead's frost dragons have a taste of the musketeers' power.

"I dreamed of the king of blood and fire, marching in lines out of the graves, shouting that he wanted to rule the world."

"I dreamed of crows landing on the shoulders of pirates; wherever the pirates walked, the crabs died one after another."

"I dreamed of the silver-haired, purple-eyed queen, bringing three magic dragons, a mule legion, griffins, and Young Griff, with gold and skulls, marching toward the west."

It seemed Daenerys was coming back, with her magic dragons and fury.

That noon, Eddard, along with the Alchemist Hallyne and Tyrion, entered the alchemist's laboratory.

Tyrion asked curiously: "Wolf Prince, are we going to make wildfire?"

Eddard stroked the saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur with his hand, "No, I am going to invent gunpowder."

In Meereen, Daenerys Targaryen sat upright on the throne in the council chamber of the Great Pyramid.

Dragon Mother Daenerys had silver hair and purple eyes; almost everyone who saw Daenerys with their own eyes thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world.

Varys, in a silk robe, knelt on the ground, "Queen Daenerys, your beauty is as dazzling as the legends say."

Daenerys looked at the letter in her hand; it was a letter sent by Magister of Pentos Illyrio.

"Varys, you were once my father's Master of Whisperers. It was my father who brought you from the Free Cities to King's Landing, making you a noble and a member of the Small Council, yet you betrayed my father and became a lapdog for King Robert."

Varys's expression seemed hurt, "Your Grace, I humbled myself to serve King Robert only to protect the last of the Targaryen bloodline! I protected Your Majesty many times on the Small Council; every time the Usurper plotted to assassinate Your Majesty and Prince Viserys, it was I who sent word."

Ser Jorah Mormont shifted uneasily, "Your Grace, Magister Illyrio is an old acquaintance of Varys. I believe Magister Illyrio would not deceive us."

Daenerys looked at Varys and said, "I do not trust you; trust must be earned. Illyrio says in his letter that you have always served House Targaryen, and considering Magister Illyrio once gifted me Dragon Eggs, I will keep you for now."

"Rise! How is the situation in Westeros?"

Varys stood up and said in a syrupy tone, "Your Grace, I beg you to march on Westeros immediately! Westeros is fractured; Joffrey, Stannis, the Iron Islands, and the Wolf King each occupy their own territory. Westeros is bleeding and needs a Targaryen Queen to close the wounds."

Back when Varys was in King's Landing, he had joined forces with the Imp to attempt an assassination of the Undead wizard Ogbeta. After the assassination failed, Varys fled by ship to Pentos, where he found his friend, the Magister of Pentos, Illyrio.

Subsequently, Varys traveled across the sea and arrived at the side of Queen Daenerys.

Daenerys said, "I cannot return to Westeros for the time being. Meereen needs me. Yunkai has allied with Volantis, Tolos, Elyria, Qarth, and other city-states. The enemy is marching, and the people of Meereen could be enslaved again at any moment."

In the past, Daenerys's husband, Khal Drogo, led Dothraki mounted warriors to sack a Lhazareen town, carrying out a barbaric massacre and raping women. Daenerys saved many women from beneath the horses of the cavalry, among them the maegi Mirri Maz Duur.

At that time, Khal Drogo suffered an arrow wound. Daenerys trusted the maegi and let Mirri heal him, but as a result, Khal Drogo became a vegetable, and Daenerys herself was cursed by the maegi to miscarry, her unborn son becoming a deformed monster. Afterward, Khal Drogo's tribe of one hundred thousand collapsed and fell apart.

The tribal members who remained by Daenerys's side were all the old, weak, sick, and disabled. Khal Drogo became a vegetable, and Daenerys, heartbroken, smothered her husband to death with a pillow.

Daenerys turned her grief into strength; she sacrificed the maegi and Khal Drogo to hatch three Magic Dragons.

Daenerys named the three Magic Dragons Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion, to commemorate her husband Khal Drogo, her eldest brother Rhaegar Targaryen, and her second brother Viserys.

The rebirth of the Magic Dragons won Daenerys the support of the tribal warriors. With the help of Ser Jorah Mormont, Daenerys took her pitifully small tribe across the Red Waste, leaving behind a long trail of corpses.

In the days that followed, Daenerys's followers regained their strength in Qarth. Magister Illyrio of Pentos sent a fleet to welcome Daenerys back to Pentos. On the advice of Ser Jorah, Daenerys launched a surprise attack on Astapor, liberating the eunuch army of Unsullied; the Unsullied greatly increased Daenerys's strength.

Subsequently, Daenerys crushed Yunkai, which was famous for training Bed Slaves, forced Yunkai to abolish slavery and surrender their slaves, and then conquered Meereen, famous for its Gladiator arenas, becoming the Queen of Meereen.

Today, Daenerys's rule in Meereen is precarious. Because Daenerys liberated the slaves, disrupting the slave trade in Slaver's Bay and the Free Cities, she has been besieged by city-states such as Yunkai, Volantis, New Ghis, Qarth, and Tolos, and the enemy is gathering their armies.

Daenerys sat on her throne, "I cannot abandon Meereen. Once I leave, the slavers will put shackles on my people and enslave them again. In Meereen, those who have gained their freedom call me Mhysa; this word in Ghiscari means mother."

Varys said, "Your Grace, you have a kind and gentle heart, but how will you fight the great armies sent by city-states like Qarth, Volantis, New Ghis, Yunkai, and Tolos? You have become the public enemy of the slave-trading world. Even the Dothraki oppose you."

"After all, without the slave trade, the Dothraki cannot sell the civilians and enemies they capture in war. According to intelligence, Yunkai has sent envoys to the Dothraki Sea, attempting to recruit several tribes with heavy gold to deal with Your Majesty."

Ser Jorah Mormont said, "I agree with Varys's point of view. Your Grace, you cannot rule Meereen for long. The Ghiscari once vied for supremacy with the Valyrians and were defeated by dragons. Meereen is the descendant of the Ghiscari; the people here hate dragons, and they will kill them at the first opportunity. The Meereenese worship the gods of the Ghiscari."

"The Ghiscari love to eat dog meat, they worship the Harpy, and they enjoy watching death-defying spectacles in the arenas. Their Red Priestess spreads her legs in the Temple of the Graces to entertain the gods. You are a stranger here, but in Westeros, you would be the Queen of House Targaryen, the sister of Rhaegar Targaryen."

Daenerys looked at the young scribe Missandei nearby, and the handmaidens Irri and Jhiqui; they were all once slaves, and it was Daenerys who liberated them and made them free women.

"Once I set out to return to Westeros, what will become of my people?"

Ser Jorah Mormont said, "We have enough ships in the harbor of Meereen. The Free Folk who are willing to follow us to Westeros can come with us; those who are not willing can stay in Meereen and fight for their own freedom! Your Grace, you cannot liberate every slave in this world; someone must always endure injustice and slavery."

Daenerys was still hesitating when Varys said, "Your Grace, do you wish to see your eldest brother Rhaegar Targaryen?"

Upon hearing the name of Rhaegar Targaryen, Queen Daenerys seemed to instantly revert to a little girl.

"I have heard many stories about Rhaegar Targaryen, but unfortunately, he is already dead."

Varys sighed, "There is terrible news that I have not had the heart to tell Your Majesty. Rhaegar Targaryen is indeed dead, but now, Cersei, who rules King's Landing, has become a Corpse Queen, and she employs the Undead wizard Ogbeta to persecute the followers of the Seven."

"The Undead wizard resurrected Rhaegar Targaryen; the current Rhaegar Targaryen, like Robert the Death Storm, is a Death Knight."

Daenerys was shocked, "Rhaegar Targaryen is resurrected? Then is he a living man or a dead one?"

Varys said, "Rhaegar Targaryen is an Undead, a puppet of the Great Other. He has become Cersei's servant. When I left King's Landing, Cersei would often seek the Flame servant Nurus and Black Kong Tabit to sleep with her at night. Sometimes, Cersei would have Rhaegar Targaryen stay in her bedchamber for the night."

"What exactly is that harlot doing with Rhaegar Targaryen? It is hard for the pure me to imagine. However, I swear on the manhood I lost, Cersei has enslaved Rhaegar Targaryen."

In Daenerys's purple eyes, anger flickered.

"That damned woman Cersei dares to treat my eldest brother Rhaegar like this! The Usurper killed Rhaegar, and his lapdogs killed Rhaegar's wife and children. Years after Rhaegar's death, they used black magic to manipulate his soul. Damned Lannisters, they have awakened the dragon's fury!"

"I will personally lead my army back to Westeros, kill the harlot Cersei, and make every lapdog of the Usurper pay the price."

Ser Jorah was overjoyed, "Your Grace, you are finally going to take me home."

Daenerys said, "Ser Jorah, pass the order down: tomorrow, the Dothraki cavalry, the Unsullied legion, the Beast-Face Army, the Stormcrows, and the Second Sons will leave Meereen by ship. As for the Free Folk, those who are willing to leave can board the ships and depart with us."

The Red Priestess Quaithe wore a Red Lacquer Mask. This Red Priestess had followed Daenerys since Qarth and possessed powerful prophetic abilities and Magic.

Quaithe said, "Queen Daenerys, you have made a wise decision. I have seen it in the holy fire: the Undead are ravaging Westeros. If humanity loses this war of Fire and Ice, then all living beings in the world will die and become the Dark Servants of the Great Other. This is a more terrible slavery, and the shackles can never be broken."

"Black Flame" Moqorro is a dark-skinned Summer Islander. He is the person sent by the High Priest of the Red God, Benerro, from Volantis to assist Daenerys.

Moqorro said, "The war in Meereen is not worth mentioning compared to the war in Westeros. If Westeros loses the war against the Undead, the continent of Essos will also become a land of death. By then, Meereen will be but a grain of dust in a desert of death."

It is time to go home, time to find that red lacquered door, and time to see with one's own eyes the "land of ours" that brother Viserys spoke of.

Daenerys resolved to leave Meereen to the Harpy and begin the journey home.

In King's Landing, Cersei sat on the Iron Throne and said with a trembling voice, "The Stark Army has taken Casterly Rock and Lannisport? Are you certain?"

The Skull Scepter in the hand of the Undead wizard Ogbeta emitted a blue light, "I have seen it in the darkness: thick smoke rising from Casterly Rock, and Lannisport is filled with the fires of war and weeping."

"Golden-haired men and women are being put in shackles and escorted to the North."

Cersei forced herself to stay composed, rubbing her hands that had nowhere to rest.

"Could your prophecy be mistaken? Casterly Rock has never been breached by an enemy since ancient times."

The Undead wizard Ogbeta said, "Your Queen Mother, there is no benefit in self-deception. This is not a prophecy, but a fact that has already occurred; it is only because of the distance that news from the Westerlands has not yet reached Casterly Rock. The Raven is on its way."

"Casterly Rock and Lannisport have all fallen; there is no mistake. The power of the Great Other grows stronger; I gaze into the darkness and the abyss, and I see it clearly."

When the Stark Army was ravaging the Westerlands, Cersei remained indifferent. She refused Lancel Lannister's request to send troops to support the Westerlands because when King's Landing was besieged, the Lord of Lannister, Tywin, had a powerful force at the time but did not send a single soldier to support King's Landing.

Cersei hated the Lord of Lannister, Tywin, and she hated Jaime because they abandoned her when she needed them most. She thought she would be hard-hearted and not care about the life or death of her father and twin brother; however, when the news of the fall of Casterly Rock and Lannisport arrived, Cersei still felt heartbroken.

Casterly Rock was the ancestral castle of House Lannister, where generations of Lords of Lannister had resided. It was where the Lord of Lannister, Tywin, married Lady Joanna, where Cersei and Jaime were born together, and it was in Casterly Rock, in the bedroom, that Cersei and Jaime first kissed and first tasted forbidden fruit.

It was also in Casterly Rock that Cersei dreamed of marrying Rhaegar Targaryen, and outside Lannisport, the young Cersei met the terrible toad witch and received the terrible prophecy of the golden Shroud.

Now, Casterly Rock and Lannisport had actually become the territory of the Direwolf. Cersei was furious, heartbroken, and desperate.

"I never expected the lion to be defeated by the Direwolf."

The Undead wizard Ogbeta said, "It is not just the Direwolf, but also the Trout of House Tully, the crescent falcon of House Arryn; the forces of the North, the Riverlands, The Vale, and the Wildlings are all united around the Wolf King Eddard."

Cersei said in a flat tone, "Are the Lord of Lannister, Tywin, Jaime, Uncle Kevan, and Aunt Genna Lannister still alive?"

The necromancer Ogbeta said: "Even if they are dead, Your Majesty the Queen Dowager need not worry; the Great Other can resurrect them, turning them into the undead to guard Your Majesty's side."

Cersei would rather they were alive; Cersei knew all too well the difference between the living and the undead. Rhaegar Targaryen was utterly devoid of passion in bed, and if Jaime were resurrected after death, lacking body heat, lacking scorching skin and fiery kisses in bed, would he still be Jaime? Cersei would find him repulsive.

At this moment, Joffrey Baratheon was wearing a butcher's apron, gripping a blood-stained butcher's knife in his hand, with foul-smelling pus oozing from the wound on his scalp, followed by seven blood-soaked corpses behind him.

Every day, Joffrey personally wielded the blade, killing followers of the Seven to sacrifice to the Great Other; now, his knife skills were becoming increasingly refined, and Joffrey had begun practicing the technique of slow slicing, with many people enduring over a hundred cuts before dying.

The dark magic created by wailing, fear, and pain was entirely absorbed by the dark artifact, which shone upon the giant dragon skeleton nearby.

Joffrey said: "My grandfather, Duke Tywin, was a useless man to begin with; back then, my father killed Rhaegar Targaryen with a warhammer at the Trident, while Duke Tywin hid in Casterly Rock, not daring to come out."

"Now that Duke Tywin has been defeated by the Wolf King Eddard, what is there to be surprised about? I shall dispatch my father's Death Storm to march into the Westerlands and retake Casterly Rock and Lannisport."

The necromancer Ogbeta revealed a fawning smile.

"Your Majesty Joffrey, once the undead army captures Storm's End and Harrenhal, the undead army can ravage the Stormlands and the Riverlands; the Westerlands will sooner or later be annexed into the undead kingdom."

Cersei was somewhat unhappy.

"But the problem is, our army has been slow to capture Storm's End and Harrenhal. Didn't you say that the Wolf King Eddard had already returned to Harrenhal? The Wolf King Eddard, along with that damned Stannis, are both masters of war. I heard that Stannis has formed a Holy Knight Legion at Storm's End, and after the Wolf King Eddard conquers the Westerlands, he will inevitably assemble his troops at Harrenhal to threaten the Crownlands and King's Landing."

"When exactly will we be able to capture Storm's End and Harrenhal? Don't forget, the Wolf King Eddard's magic dragon is growing larger by the day, and that Beggar King's sister also has magic dragons in her possession."

The necromancer Ogbeta turned and glanced at the dark artifact.

"Your Majesty the Queen Dowager, the magic absorbed by the dark artifact is already enough for us to summon an ice dragon. I shall immediately summon an ice dragon for Your Majesty."

Joffrey and Cersei immediately revealed greedy gazes.

Cersei sat on the Iron Throne, leaning forward.

"Is it Balerion the Black Dread?"

The necromancer Ogbeta shook his head, "No, our current dark magic is temporarily insufficient to resurrect Balerion the Black Dread. The magic dragon I intend to resurrect is Dreamfyre."

Cersei was somewhat disappointed, "Dreamfyre? I've never heard of it; it must be an obscure magic dragon."

The necromancer Ogbeta said with a fawning smile: "Your Majesty the Queen Dowager, Dreamfyre was once the mount of Princess Rhaena, the sister of Jaehaerys I Targaryen. She lived through the reigns of many kings, including Aenys I, the cruel Maegor, King Jaehaerys, Viserys I, and Aegon II, living all the way until the Dance of the Dragons. During the Dance of the Dragons, Dreamfyre became the mount of Queen Helaena, but Helaena was mad, so Dreamfyre did not enter the battlefield, and ultimately Dreamfyre died in the riot that attacked the Dragonpit."

"Dreamfyre once laid many dragon eggs on Dragonstone and Fair Isle. The most critical point is that once Dreamfyre is resurrected, her size will far exceed the magic dragons in the Wolf King Eddard's possession: Flying Wolf, Koi, and Eagle Eye."

At the Dragonpit, tens of thousands of King's Landing citizens gathered before the Dragonpit, witnessing the birth of the ice dragon with solemn expressions.

The citizens of King's Landing ate contaminated grain, bread, ale, and other foods every day, and many had already become followers of the Great Other.

Dreamfyre's giant dragon skeleton was placed on a high platform; at the four corners of the platform stood four statues of Dark Acolytes, and on each side of the platform were thirteen undead acolytes.

The sky was overcast, and the necromancer Ogbeta hunched his body, the skull scepter in his hand emitting a light mixed with blood-red and deep blue.

"Great Great Other, grant me power, and resurrect your servant, the magic dragon Dreamfyre, for me!"

"Let her become a bringer of death, let her become an ice dragon!"

The dark clouds in the sky formed a giant skull pattern, overlooking King's Landing; Cersei and Joffrey hurriedly knelt down, leading the Black Robe Army and the followers of the Great Other.

Beams of blue light swirled around the dragon skeleton, and the dragon skeleton began to be covered in a thick layer of frost; subsequently, the dragon began to develop layers of thin, rotting flesh, and then the dragon's hollow eye sockets turned deep blue.

The ice dragon let out a roar, flapped its wings of death, and flew into the sky above the Dragonpit.

Cersei, Joffrey, and the citizens of King's Landing shouted together.

"Long live the Great Other!"

The Dragonpit, which had once birthed many magic dragons, today gave birth to a shadow of death.

Joffrey was incredibly excited, "Ogbeta, I want to become a Knight, I want to ride the ice dragon and go kill all the magic dragons and griffins at Harrenhal!"

The necromancer Ogbeta said: "Your Majesty Joffrey, please be patient. Our next target to attack is Tumbleton!"

Cersei raised one eyebrow, "Tumbleton is the town in the Reach closest to King's Landing, and it is the territory of House Footly. The Reach has plenty of wealthy regions; why choose Tumbleton specifically? Just because it is close?"

The necromancer Ogbeta explained: "Your Majesty, resurrecting an ice dragon requires not only a dragon skeleton but also a dragon soul; both are indispensable."

"The reason Dreamfyre became the first resurrected ice dragon is because her size is large enough, and furthermore, she died in the King's Landing Dragonpit, so both the dragon skeleton and the dragon soul were here."

"Many of the dragon skeletons stored in the Throne Room did not die in King's Landing; some dragons died in Tumbleton, which was during the Dance of the Dragons. We need to go to Tumbleton to collect the dragon souls."

Cersei revealed an evil smile, "You are pushing hard to attack Harrenhal and Storm's End also because of the dragon souls, right? I remember that near Storm's End and Harrenhal, there have been witnesses to falling dragons and the deaths of magic dragons."

The necromancer Ogbeta said with a fawning smile: "Your Majesty the Queen Dowager is truly brilliant."

"We have another potential threat: after Euron Greyjoy raided the Three Sisters, his pirate fleet is killing its way south."

Euron Greyjoy stood in Lord Celtigar's castle on Crab Isle, tasting fine wines and spirits such as the Blue Noble and Arbor Gold treasured by Lord Celtigar.

Lord Ardrian Celtigar had taken his family soldiers to Storm's End to help Stannis garrison Storm's End, and therefore, the defenses of Crab Isle were empty.

The defenses of the nearby sea were not empty; the Royal Fleet and the fleet of the Lysene mercenary Salladhor Saan had strengthened patrols of the waters near Claw Isle and Crab Isle according to Stannis's orders, but the autumn storms scattered the Royal Fleet and Salladhor Saan's fleet, and Euron Greyjoy's fleet easily captured this castle.

Lord Ardrian Celtigar was known for being wealthy and greedy, and his castle was piled high with rare treasures: Volantis glass, pearl utensils, Myrish carpets, Norvos tapestries, a Valyrian Steel Axe, and many chests filled with rubies, in addition to crystal goblets engraved with the Seven.

Euron Greyjoy wore a suit of Valyrian Steel Armor, stroking the spoils of war, the Valyrian Steel Axe.

"If I had known Celtigar's castle was this rich, I should have raided this place long ago."

A wizard presented the Kraken Horn found in Lord Ardrian Celtigar's warehouse; legend had it that once this Kraken Horn was blown, it could summon sea monsters from the depths of the ocean.

Euron Greyjoy was full of ambition, "Finally obtained the horn. Send the pretty girls on the island to my ship; I want to celebrate properly."

Euron returned to the seaside, and the captain of The Squealer, the bearded Ibbenese Davison, said: "Euron, what should we do with this man from the Five Fingers?"

Petyr Baelish was bound hand and foot, kneeling before Euron Greyjoy, his eyes filled with fear.

Back then, Petyr Baelish had fled King's Landing with a great deal of gold under the pretext of going across the Narrow Sea to hire mercenaries for the Lannisters, arriving at Pentos across the Narrow Sea, and never dared to return.

Petyr Baelish lived under an assumed name in Pentos, using the Lannister gold he had swindled to purchase several ships and becoming a ship king; in order to avoid the pursuit of the Wolf King and Cersei, Petyr Baelish had purchased estates in Braavos, Pentos, and Lys.

Some time ago, he had just gone to a merchant house in Lys to deposit a sum of gold, and Petyr was traveling to Lys on his private merchant ship, The Littlefinger; on the return journey to Pentos, he unfortunately encountered Euron Greyjoy's pirate fleet in the Narrow Sea, and Petyr Baelish's ship was not as fast as the longships, so after a chase, he was eventually captured.

The captain of The Littlefinger was drowned and offered to the Drowned God, and the crew all had their tongues cut out; when it was Petyr Baelish's turn, Littlefinger shouted: "Euron wants to be King of the Iron Islands and rule the world, how can he kill a clever man like me?"

Euron had the pirates bring Littlefinger before him, and after some questioning, he learned that the man before him was the famous Master of Coin, Littlefinger; Euron ordered men to bind Littlefinger and throw him on the ship.

At this moment, Euron stood before Littlefinger, and Littlefinger revealed a sly smile.

"Lord Euron, if you keep me, I can serve you; I am, after all, Robert Baratheon's Master of Coin."

Euron gave a light snort, "I am accustomed to raiding; what use is a copper-counter like you? Kill him!"

The pirate's dagger pressed against Littlefinger's throat, and Littlefinger was drenched in sweat from fear.

"Besides counting Copper Coins, I can do many things. I know many secrets of King's Landing, the Tully, and the Stark, and I know the weakness of the Wolf King Eddard."

"Keep me, and I can help you conquer Westeros!"

Thanks to TCOGMX, Lonely Person, Man-Made River, Peach Blossom Wind, 150729202248201, Nonsense Talker, and Everyday Fighting for Books-a for the monthly votes sent; thank you for the support.

(End of this chapter)