Game of Thrones: Rise of the Supreme Dragon Queen

Looking at the exquisite wooden box being handed over, Dany's smile froze for a fraction of a second before she nonchalantly asked, "Does Zaro like that yellow robe?"

"The master loves it very much and feels deeply sorry that you left so soon—he feels he didn't treat you well enough!" the steward replied respectfully.

Dany chuckled. "If we meet again, I'll gift him a hat adorned with three-eye feathers to match the yellow robe. That'll give him a truly unique experience."

She waved off the white-bearded man who was about to inspect the box, took it herself, and opened it.

Inside was a necklace, a finely woven gold chain encircling a gleaming green beetle. One glance was enough to tell it was exquisitely carved from top-grade jade.

"It's beautiful. I love it," Dany said, her face lighting up with a smile as she reached to pick it up.

"Princess—" the white-bearded man seemed about to stop her, but his eyes suddenly froze, and he stood there motionless.

The eighth steward lowered his gaze and murmured, "I'm sorry."

His voice was soft as a mosquito's buzz, as if he hadn't intended for anyone to hear it.

Dany turned the jade beetle over in her hand, inspecting it from all angles as she casually asked, "What are you sorry about?"

"Uh—" The steward, Quells, jerked his head up abruptly, his eyes bulging as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing. The scorpion-tailed beast hidden within the jade beetle was frozen stiff in her hand, as if it had truly turned to stone.

"You regretful types are so melodramatic. If you're going to kill someone, just do it. What's with the 'I'm sorry'?"

Dany shrugged helplessly. "If I were deaf or blind, maybe it wouldn't matter. But right now, I can hear your voice, see your lips move. The famous phrase from the Quells Assassin Guild—'I'm sorry.' Yes, I'm sorry too. I know all about it!"

"How could this happen?" The assassin was on the verge of collapse. Had the scorpion-tailed beast died? That made no sense. He was experienced and had successfully assassinated over a hundred people using similar methods.

"Khaleesi, he's an assassin?!" Argos and Kalaro finally caught on, drawing their curved blades and charging forward in fury to cut him down.

"Blood of my blood, stop!" Dany halted them, then turned to the assassin. "Consider it a gift delivery. I like this little creature. You may leave."

"You're not going to kill me?" The assassin was bewildered, his gaze darting between Dany's eyes as he cautiously backed toward the gangplank.

"Why would I kill you? The one who hired you is Pyat Pree, right?" Seeing his pupils contract suddenly, Dany knew she was correct. "You probably didn't notice earlier, but my white-bearded guard here already saw through your identity. Killing me is too high a price. Think carefully before accepting tasks in the future.

"At the very least, weigh the consequences of offending the Mother of Dragons against disobeying a warlock. Hmm, if their magic were so formidable, why send you instead?"

Thud, thud, thud. The assassin retreated to the edge of the gangplank, then turned and fled without a word, disappearing into the crowd moments later.

"Apologies!" Ser Jorah's face turned crimson. He had failed to spot the assassin, clearly lagging behind the shrewd white-bearded guard.

"Davos should apologize too. He didn't notice either," the stout eunuch chimed in, equally embarrassed and rubbing his hands awkwardly.

"You are warriors, not bodyguards. Gain experience slowly," Dany said calmly.

"Why didn't the scorpion-tailed beast harm you? Was it dead?" the white-bearded man asked, puzzled.

With a flick, Dany tossed the jade beetle onto the ground.

"Screech!" The beetle transformed like a miniature automaton, unfolding its limbs with a chilling cry. Its tail shot upward, revealing a grotesque human-like face larger than its body. The face was lifelike, with fully formed eyes, nose, and mouth, exuding an eerie, sinister aura.

From the center of its forehead, a deep purple, gleaming stinger extended and retracted rapidly, emitting a terrifying hissing sound that sent shivers down everyone's spine.

"The scorpion-tailed beast's venom targets the heart—a deadly poison. This one has been specially bred, its vivid color almost indistinguishable from real jade," the white-bearded man muttered.

Dany walked over to her black dragon and said, "Where the True Dragon gazes, all beasts submit!"

The black dragon had sensed the danger almost simultaneously with the white-bearded man. Without needing instructions from Dany, it had locked onto the scorpion-tailed beast with its mental force, rendering the creature as still as a trinket.

Once Dany tossed it aside, the dragon withdrew its suppressive power and resumed gnawing on bones, allowing the beast to move again.

Ser Jorah stepped forward and crushed the venomous creature underfoot. His expression darkened. "We must leave immediately."

Whitebeard Groleo shook his head. "The tide won't rise until nightfall, so the ship can't sail yet. Perhaps we should stop receiving visitors this afternoon?"

Dany considered his suggestion and agreed.

However, as the ship prepared to depart at dusk, a visitor did arrive. Zaro hurriedly arrived in an ox cart, surrounded by his servants.

Dany received him.

"That assassin wasn't sent by me," he said anxiously.

"I know."

Zaro paused in surprise, then sighed in frustration. "Those damned assassins. If they want to kill, just kill. Why drag my name into it? You are my sworn guest. If others believe I broke my oath and plotted against you..."

"My kind-hearted friend, my beloved star of paradise!" Tears flowed freely down Zaro's cheeks, forming rivulets that gleamed comically alongside the brightly colored jewels on his nose.

He suddenly lunged to Dany's side, gripping her hand with a look of despair, and cried out, "Help me, please. You must help me!"

"Help with what?" Dany replied, her expression twisting as if a slug had just crawled down her back.

"Help me clear my name! Announce to the world that the assassin wasn't sent by me! I didn't break my oath!" His voice climbed in desperation before he suddenly exclaimed, "Oh, curse it! I should've stationed a guard detail near this blasted ship until you fully left Qarth!"

"Hey, watch your words! My darling Sadulion is a fine vessel!" Captain Groleo retorted indignantly.

Zaro ignored him entirely, still wallowing in regret. "Such an oversight on the last day! I should've foreseen this! Those blasted warlocks have been scheming all along. Damn it! Once you're out of Qarth, they can assassinate, poison, or curse you as they please!"

"Ahem," Dany cleared her throat loudly, reminding the scoundrel she was still standing right there.

"Oh, my sweet star, what do you say?" Zaro pleaded, his expression pitiful.

"I'd love to help, but the ship is about to set sail," Dany replied, spreading her hands in feigned helplessness. "How about I leave a written statement?"

"No need for a statement; it would be useless. Justice and reputation rely on public perception," Zaro shook his head solemnly.

Hmm, this shameless man does have some insight, Dany thought, grudgingly giving him mental credit. "What do you propose, then?" she asked.

Zaro launched into a detailed plan. "The news of the assassination attempt has only spread within a small circle. We need to establish my good character to preempt any negative rumors.

"Here's what you should do: at every port you visit, tell everyone how warmly I hosted you and your… uh, warriors. Praise me lavishly. That way, when any malicious rumors surface, no one will believe them."

He let out another sigh, dramatically pounding his chest in frustration. "Ah, what a shame you're heading back to the Sunset Sea. Most of my trade partners are in the Jade Sea."

"Establish your good character?" Dany thought, disgusted. The onlookers on the deck stared at Zaro with blatant disdain in their eyes.

"Fine. At every city I stop in, I'll be sure to speak of your generosity and wealth," Dany replied, stifling a laugh.

"Oh, thank you, my heavenly star!" Zaro began to weep again.

"By the way, I must remind you of something else," Zaro added, noticing the skeptical looks from Jorah and the others and deciding to provide something of value. "Remember, Piat Pree also swore an oath to you on the Red Waste, but it means nothing to him.

"In Qarth, he cannot harm you directly, so he resorted to hiring assassins. But once you leave here, he and the warlocks can openly use their magic and curses against you."

"That explains it," Dany said, nodding in realization.

Zaro lowered his voice conspiratorially. "I've also heard that once the warlocks learned you were taking the sea route back to Pentos, they prepared a fast ship to follow you. Their destination is also Pentos."

"You've seen the abilities of the shadowbinders. The warlocks' powers are growing stronger. Be cautious when you reach Pentos," Zaro warned.

"Pentos isn't their domain," Groleo muttered defensively.

"True, but the warlocks aren't aiming to seize the city," Zaro replied with a dismissive laugh.

Before stepping off the gangplank, Zaro handed Dany a gift—a silver collar adorned with a magical amethyst crystal.

Night fell, and a line of hazy yellow lights glimmered in the distance—the lighthouse guiding ships through the dark waters.

Amid the sound of waves crashing against the shore, Groleo called to the crew to raise anchor. The first mate and a group of sailors heaved the sails into place, their chants filling the night.

The great white sails billowed in the wind, and the Sadulion began its slow departure from the harbor.

Dany stood at the stern with her Dothraki bloodriders, watching the brightly lit harbor market shrink and fade into the distance.

To her, the sailboat seemed unbearably slow. Despite training for days along the shore, the bloodriders were visibly unsettled by the vast, black sea. Their almond-shaped eyes widened, reflecting their unease.

Still, their pride kept them from showing fear in front of others. Stiffly standing at attention, their faces were blank, their bodies rigid.

Meanwhile, Doreah, a Lysene girl accustomed to sea travel, found the ship far more comfortable than horseback riding. However, the same could not be said for the Dothraki maids, Irri and Jhiqui. They had never even seen the sea until recently.

Both clung desperately to the railing as though clutching lifebuoys, their knuckles white with effort.

Dany quickly sent them to her cabin, but she soon regretted it.

As the Sadulion left the calm bay and entered the choppy straits, the ship began to sway gently, then more sharply.

"Bleugh!" The two Dothraki girls turned pale and promptly threw up.

That first night, Dany couldn't sleep. It wasn't until Groleo begrudgingly handed over two pieces of orange-scented sugar cubes that the two girls finally settled down.

"This is a secret remedy made by an apothecary, using Northern hawthorn and Dornish blood oranges," Groleo explained, his tone pained. "It's infused with mysterious ingredients I can't identify. It prevents seasickness, cures colds, and is very rare. One silver moon can only buy twenty pieces."

That's pricey. A copper coin is worth about five local coins, and a silver moon equals 800 copper coins. So, one piece of candy costs about 200 bucks.

"Sigh. Just bring it all out. There are still women and children below deck. Have someone give each of them one piece," Dany ordered, sitting at the edge of her bed.

"But," Groleo hesitated, "if the sailors fall ill, we may not have enough left."

"We can always buy more at the next port. There must be something similar available," Dany replied firmly.

And besides, we're not even heading to Pentos.

(End of Chapter)

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