Chapter 222: The Golden Company, the Dragon Queen, and Young Griff

Volantis guards the mouth of the Rhoyne, the largest river in the known world; the Rhoyne nurtured the great Rhoynar civilization and also birthed Volantis, the "Queen of the Rhoyne" and the "First Daughter of Valyria."

Volon Therys is merely a satellite city to the west of Volantis, yet its scale is larger than Oldtown or King's Landing, and what is even more terrifying is that Valysar to the north and Selhorys on the east bank of the Rhoyne are of the same scale.

Daenerys's fleet arrived at the port of Volon Therys, where the fleet replenished its fresh water and food.

Back in Meereen, Volantis was once Daenerys's mortal enemy because Daenerys's conquests in Slaver's Bay left behind a trail of smoking cities, severely damaging the slave trade; therefore, the slave-holding cities of Yunkai, Volantis, New Ghis, Tolos, Elyria, and Qarth united to encircle and suppress the Queen of Meereen, Daenerys.

Now, Daenerys has abandoned Meereen and is returning to Westeros with the Brotherhood Without Banners, the Beast-Face Army, the Dothraki tribes, the Unsullied legions, the Stormcrows, and the Second Sons; the slave city-states are eager to send away the plague god that is Daenerys as soon as possible, taking the initiative to provide fresh water, food, and other supplies for Daenerys's fleet, and Volantis is no exception.

Outside the city of Volon Therys, the Golden Company is waiting for Daenerys.

The Golden Company was founded by Aegon IV's noble bastard, "Bittersteel" Aegor Rivers; after the Blackfyre Rebellion was suppressed by the Targaryen Dynasty, Aegor Rivers took the descendants of Daemon Blackfyre and fled across the Narrow Sea to Essos, drifting through Free Cities like Lys, Tyrosh, and Myr.

At that time, the nobles who followed Aegor Rivers, in order to make a living, saw many knights join mercenary companies to fight in the Disputed Lands; fearing that the number of families supporting the Blackfyres was dwindling, Aegor Rivers organized the Golden Company.

The wars of the Golden Company mostly took place in the Disputed Lands, and initially, these members were all from Westerosi nobility and their descendants.

Today, the Golden Company has become increasingly international, with Summer Islanders, Dothraki, Ibbenese, Qohorik, and people of other ethnic groups joining, reaching a total of ten thousand men, but it is still dominated by the descendants of the Westerosi nobles who participated in the Blackfyre Rebellion back then.

The Golden Company is also recognized as the most powerful mercenary company in the Disputed Lands; Daenerys's Stormcrows and Second Sons combined only total over a thousand men, yet the Golden Company's numbers exceed ten thousand, possessing five hundred knights, five hundred squires, over two thousand horses, several hundred elephants, and one thousand archers.

Daenerys stood at the prow of the *Balerion the Conqueror*, as soldiers of the Brotherhood Without Banners moved barrels of ale, wine, and red wine, fresh water, bread, and baskets of pumpkins and oranges onto the ships.

Varys wore a fawning smile, "Your Majesty, the ten thousand warriors of the Golden Company are ready and waiting; they will accept your leadership, follow the banner of the True Dragon, and win back the Iron Throne and the Seven Kingdoms for Your Majesty!"

Daenerys said coldly, "Back then, my brother Viserys once hosted the commanders of the Golden Company in Tyrosh; Viserys begged them to win back the Iron Throne for him, but in the end, these commanders enjoyed Viserys's feast only to mock Viserys as a beggar king with delusions."

Now, the remains of Prince Viserys have been placed in an urn by Daenerys and brought back to Westeros.

Viserys was a manic and irritable man who often abused Daenerys in the final years of his life, but Viserys had, after all, taken care of his young sister; now that the Mother of Dragons is returning to Westeros with a great army to seize the Iron Throne that her beggar king brother dreamed of and longed for, Daenerys will not leave her brother in a foreign land.

When Khal Drogo crowned Viserys with molten gold, Viserys's skull was preserved intact, and Viserys's golden skull will return to Westeros with Daenerys's army.

This is very similar to the tradition of the Golden Company; back then, the founder of the Golden Company, Aegor Rivers, required his soldiers to boil the flesh from their skulls after death, gild them with gold, and place them atop the regimental banners to follow the Golden Company across the Narrow Sea to reclaim the lands of Westeros.

Subsequent commanders have continued this tradition, and the gilded skull has become the symbol of the Golden Company.

Varys said with a sycophantic smile, "Those so-called commanders whom Prince Viserys feasted back then were mostly charlatans! The true commanders of the Golden Company have deep feelings for the True Dragon; many of them are descendants of Westerosi nobles."

"Harry Strickland, the captain of the Golden Company, will soon bring the commanders to see you; in addition, there is our old friend, the Magister of Pentos, Illyrio, the former Hand of the King, Jon Connington, and the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, Your Majesty's nephew, the True Dragon Prince Aegon."

Prince Young Griff, is it? Daenerys became increasingly convinced that Prince Aegon's identity is a fake, but since Prince Aegon currently has the support of the Golden Company, Daenerys naturally cannot directly expose Prince Aegon's identity.

Daenerys possesses three magic dragons; once Daenerys secures the support of the Golden Company, she can naturally figure out Prince Aegon's true identity.

Varys said, "In addition, there is a mysterious guest who wishes to welcome Your Majesty back to Westeros."

Daenerys was curious, "Who is it?"

Varys said, "A noble from Westeros; allow me to keep a little bit of suspense for Your Majesty!"

That afternoon, on a hill by the river, the Unsullied commander Grey Worm, the Queen's Guard Ser Jorah Mormont, the eunuch bodyguard Strong Belwas, the Dothraki commanders Aggo, Jhogo, and Rakharo, the Stormcrows captain Daario Naharis, the Second Sons captain Ben Plumm, and others joined Daenerys to welcome the arrival of Prince Aegon and his party.

Jon Connington brought Illyrio, the Golden Company captain Harry Strickland, and a large group of Golden Company commanders before Daenerys.

Daenerys could not help but wonder which one in the crowd was her nephew, Prince Aegon.

Jon Connington was clean-shaven, his eyes lined with wrinkles, his face resolute, and his red hair had begun to turn gray.

"Your Majesty, I once had the honor of serving as Hand of the King to your father, Aerys II; I was once a close friend of Rhaegar Targaryen. I have drifted across the continent of Essos for many years, always hoping to follow the banner of the True Dragon back to Westeros to avenge Rhaegar Targaryen."

Daenerys said, "Ser Jon Connington, I have heard of your deeds. Are you aware that Rhaegar Targaryen has already been reborn in Westeros?"

Jon Connington gritted his teeth, "Indeed. That damned Cersei resurrected Rhaegar Targaryen, and she drives him like a dark servant. Now the undead are ravaging Westeros, and both the commoners and the nobles are longing for the return of the True Dragon; we will certainly be able to save Rhaegar Targaryen."

The fat Magister Illyrio said, "Your Majesty, when you left Pentos with Khal Drogo, you were still a little girl. Now, you have become the Mother of Dragons, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, The Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains, Mhysa."

"Countless slave city-states tremble at the name of the Mother of Dragons, Daenerys; soon, Westeros will also feel this fear."

Daenerys had complex feelings toward Magister Illyrio; back then, it was Magister Illyrio who took in the desperate Viserys and Daenerys, sold Daenerys to Khal Drogo, and gifted Daenerys three dragon eggs at her wedding.

Illyrio is a friend, but also an opportunist who follows the wind.

Daenerys smiled, "Magister Illyrio, you have always been my closest friend."

Subsequently, Jon Connington introduced the captain of the Golden Company, Harry Strickland, to Daenerys.

Harry Strickland was round and plump with a kind face, looking less like a warrior and more like a merchant; before being promoted to captain, Harry Strickland had served as the paymaster in the Golden Company.

Subsequently, Jon Connington introduced the commanders of the Golden Company to Daenerys; these men all bore resounding surnames such as "Mudd," "Cole," "Peake," and others.

The Mudd family was once kings of the Riverlands, the Cole family produced "The Kingmaker" Criston Cole, and the Peake family had participated in rebellions many times and been suppressed.

These are all descendants of exiled Westerosi nobles whose families had long ago been stripped of their lands; they long to follow the banner of the True Dragon to win back their ancestors' castles and territories.

Subsequently, Varys brought over a man wearing a silk coat with an ordinary appearance.

"Your Majesty, this is the mysterious noble I mentioned to you, Prince Quentyn Martell from Dorne; he is the eldest son of the ruler of Dorne, Doran Martell."

Although Quentyn Martell is the eldest son of Prince Doran, he is not the heir to Dorne, as he has an older sister, Arianne Martell. In Dorne, men and women have equal rights of inheritance, and the eldest is the heir.

Prince Quentyn was not tall, with an ordinary appearance, a sturdy build, and a few silver strands in his black hair.

Seeing the Prince of Dorne, Daenerys's eyes held a smile.

"I know that back then, Dorne fought for the Targaryen family until the very last moment; the main force of the army my brother Rhaegar led at the Trident was the soldiers of Dorne."

Prince Quentyn said, "Your Majesty, Dorne will continue to follow the banner of the True Dragon; Dorne can bring Your Majesty fifty thousand Dornish warriors."

Daenerys was curious about which True Dragon Dorne would support; after all, Prince Aegon now also claimed to be a True Dragon. If Prince Aegon really was the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, then Prince Aegon would be the son of Princess Elia Martell of Dorne and the nephew of Prince Doran; it is hard to imagine Dorne abandoning Prince Aegon to fully support Daenerys, who has no blood relation.

Daenerys saw several Dornish nobles following behind Prince Quentyn, mostly from the Ilynwoods family, and Daenerys asked curiously, "Prince Quentyn, how long have you been away from Dorne? Have you been with the Golden Company all this time?"

Prince Quentyn said, "I only arrived at the Golden Company's camp three days ago; this is a letter my father, Prince Doran, asked me to deliver to Your Majesty. Inside is a contract signed by Dorne and your former guardian, Ser Willem Darry."

This move surprised even Varys, Jon Connington, and the others; clearly, Quentyn Martell had never mentioned the secret contract to anyone in the Golden Company.

Queen Daenerys opened the letter, and after reading it, she looked at the yellowed contract.

Ser Jorah was curious, "Your Majesty, what exactly is written in the letter?"

"Fifteen years ago, when Ser Willem Darry took me and Viserys to take refuge in Braavos, Prince Oberyn and Ser Willem Darry signed a secret contract, witnessed by the Sealord of Braavos. The contract stipulated that Viserys was to marry Princess Arianne Martell of Dorne; in return, when Viserys landed in Westeros with an army to seize the Iron Throne, Dorne would raise its banners to support him with all its might."

Daenerys turned to Prince Quentyn.

"It is a pity that my second brother, Viserys, was crowned with molten gold by my husband, Khal Drogo, in the holy city of the Dothraki; he is already dead and cannot marry your sister, Princess Arianne."

Prince Quentyn took a deep breath.

"Your Majesty, my father Prince Doran's meaning is that since Viserys is already dead, I should be the one to marry Your Majesty; through a marriage alliance between you and me, this contract can be continued."

Daario immediately squeezed over and said contemptuously, "The True Dragon Queen needs a man's company, not a little boy like you."

The Dornish Knight on the side immediately began to curse, shouting that they wanted to slaughter the Tyrosh Mercenary.

How should she refuse the Dornish? Prince Quentyn clearly did not meet Daenerys's criteria for a spouse, but once refused, she might lose the support of Dorne; Daenerys was in a dilemma.

At this moment, Varys relieved Daenerys of her predicament.

The eunuch said in a syrupy tone, "Prince Quentyn, this contract was for Prince Viserys to marry Princess Arianne Martell. Since Prince Viserys is already dead, the contract is naturally and helplessly cancelled."

"Your Majesty longs for a marriage alliance with Dorne and is also very satisfied with you personally, but according to the traditions of the Targaryen House, Queen Daenerys should marry her nephew, the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, of True Dragon blood, Prince Aegon!"

Illyrio said, "Yes! Your Majesty is the Mother of Dragons, possessing the very Valyria blood that allowed Your Majesty to hatch the True Dragon; Your Majesty's marriage matters should rightfully follow Valyria tradition."

Prince Quentyn still refused to give up, "I also possess Valyria blood, True Dragon blood. Back then, Daeron the Good adopted a marriage alliance method, marrying his sister Daenerys to the Prince of Dorne, therefore, the Martell House has Dragonlord blood. I have True Dragon blood in me."

Ser Jorah said indignantly, "You arguing so openly about the Queen's marriage is a sign of disrespect to the Queen."

At this moment, the Magic Dragon Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion flew across the sky, the Magic Dragons' wings blotting out the sun.

The members of the Golden Company and the nobles of Dorne were seeing Magic Dragons for the first time; everyone was dumbfounded, and some were so scared that cold sweat streamed down.

Daenerys said coldly, "My marriage matters can be considered slowly. I will not easily agree to Prince Quentyn's proposal, nor will I easily marry my nephew Prince Aegon. You are all suitors and can compete fairly."

"Where exactly is my nephew Prince Aegon?"

Warden Illyrio brought Prince Aegon out from the crowd.

Prince Aegon was thin and tall, well-proportioned, and handsome; he possessed violet eyes and long silver-white hair, which was strong proof of his Valyria blood.

The fat Warden Illyrio introduced, "This is Prince Aegon; he has suffered the Usurper's hunting for years, fleeing through the various Free Cities."

Prince Aegon smiled, "Queen Daenerys, I request to marry you."

Although Prince Aegon was the nephew and Daenerys was the aunt, Prince Aegon was several months older than Daenerys—if this truly was Prince Aegon.

Prince Aegon excitedly introduced his team to Daenerys: Ser Rolland Storm was responsible for teaching Prince Aegon martial arts, Septa Lemore was responsible for teaching him the faith of the Seven, the former Hand of the King Jon Connington taught him military strategy, and Maester Haldon taught him languages and history.

"Aunt, these years, I have been studying hard, hoping you could be happy."

Daenerys was not happy after hearing this. As fellow exiles, Prince Aegon's life was clearly much better than Daenerys's; those ambitious men had found a Septa, a Maester, and even a former Hand of the King to tutor Prince Aegon, while Daenerys and Viserys could only hide and dodge, begging everywhere like beggars.

If Viserys had had the guidance of a Maester and a Septa back then, he certainly would not have become such a madman.

Daenerys squeezed out a smile, "Prince Aegon, you are very excellent; I believe Rhaegar Targaryen would certainly feel doubly proud of you."

Prince Aegon said indignantly, "The Corpse Queen Cersei resurrected my father Rhaegar Targaryen, making the noble Rhaegar Targaryen a Death Knight; I must personally lead a great army to defeat the Lannister and the Usurper's lackeys!"

Varys said mournfully, "Prince Aegon, the Corpse Queen Serxi has already turned King's Landing into a city of the Undead; she not only resurrected Rhaegar Targaryen, but the Usurper Robert Baratheon was also resurrected by Serxi and transformed into a Death Knight."

Prince Aegon clenched his fists, "I want to personally slaughter the Death Knight and avenge my father Rhaegar Targaryen."

Daenerys realized Prince Aegon was as immature as green grass, rash, reckless, and like a child, thinking himself infinitely powerful and invincible.

Prince Aegon might have undergone the careful cultivation of Maesters, Septas, and Knights, however, Daenerys had experienced the betrayal of the witch and a miscarriage.

She had hatched Magic Dragons from the flames, she had led the broken Dothraki tribe out of the Red Waste, conquered a series of cities in Slaver's Bay, and made the slave owners of the whole world tremble.

Such experiences were things Prince Aegon could never learn in a lifetime.

If Prince Aegon was Young Griff carefully crafted by ambitious men, he was simply vulnerable before a True Dragon.

Daenerys was instantly filled with confidence, and she said to the members of the Golden Company, "Many of your ancestors lost their fiefs and homes because they participated in rebellions; you are the homeless, and I will take you home."

Afterwards, Daenerys turned to Prince Quentyn.

"Dorne will fight side-by-side with the True Dragon; as a reward, I will certainly bestow lands and castles upon Prince Quentyn."

Daenerys's Magic Dragons let out a roar, and the Golden Company and the Dornish nobles cheered in unison.

"Long live the Queen!"

"Long live the Mother of Dragons!"

Varys and Illyrio were clearly somewhat uneasy, and Daenerys said, "We are about to return to Westeros, so, where should we choose as a landing point?"

Prince Quentyn said, "The Dornish lands are the perfect landing point; Dorne can directly threaten the Stormlands and the Reach. Relying on the giant dragons and Dornish warriors, we can easily occupy large territories of the Reach and the Stormlands, and then we can head north to wipe out the Usurper's lackey Eddard and the Lannister."

Golden Company commander Harry Strickland said, "I suggest attacking White Harbor and Gulltown directly, to strike at the North and The Vale. The Wolf King Eddard is already a dominant power in Westeros. Now the Wolf King Eddard is in the Riverlands, stalemated with the Lannister Undead army from King's Landing; the North and The Vale are relatively empty of defenses."

"The North is the heart of the Stark; the Wolf King Eddard has built the North into a land of plenty, with sufficient grain reserves and countless armor and weapons. If we occupy the North, we can shake the Stark's rule and, together with the Lannister in the south, nibble away at the Stark territories from north and south."

"First wipe out the Wolf King Eddard, the Lannister, and the Tyrell ilk; they are not worth worrying about."

Jon Connington was very dissatisfied with this proposal.

"To win the support of the followers of the Seven, we must first deal with Joffrey Baratheon and Cersei, who blaspheme the Seven in King's Landing."

"Now that the Undead are rampant, it would be too unwise to go to war with the Stark. We should unite with the Stark, first occupy the islands of the Narrow Sea, then destroy Cersei in King's Landing. After seizing the Iron Throne, the Targaryen House's rule will be justified, and then we can sow discord among the nobles of the Westerlands, The Vale, and the Riverlands to defeat the Stark."

Thanks to Lonely Person, Dove in the Flames, Lin'an Farmer, 20220427171134201, and Sofa Youmuyo for the monthly tickets sent; thank you for the support!

(End of this chapter)