"Did you see his build?" Viserys emphasized to Daenerys. "Mercenaries live by the blade; failure means death. The Wolf King has never lost. He's the liberator of the Disputed Lands, just like Aegon the Conqueror. That's why he's climbed so high, so fast!"
"But I don't want to," Daenerys whispered back.
Daenerys looked at Gendry. His dark, bright eyes were full of strength, resilience, and occasionally warmth and passion. They were captivating. And his agile build—broad shoulders and the strong arms of a blacksmith—made him all the more imposing.
Daenerys figured that even if he was ugly, she'd still have to marry him. Viserys would wake the dragon's wrath and hit her, but this man seemed more like a proud, headstrong wolf. Daenerys felt a bit lost. She knew this was a transaction, and from now on, she'd have to leave with a stranger.
"Viserys, please, please, can't we just go home? Brother!"
"Home!" Viserys immediately got angry, though he kept his voice low. "Our home is long gone! How can we go home?" This wasn't their home; their home was the lost Dragonstone, King's Landing, the Iron Throne.
"I don't know!" Daenerys' eyes filled with tears. Where was her home?
"I want you to play your part in this little drama!" Viserys said sharply. "Marry the mercenary king—we need his army. If it means sleeping with every soldier, every horse, every ship to get an army of twenty thousand and two hundred warships, I'd say you're lucky to just sleep with the king. Pull yourself together!"
Daenerys quickly wiped her tears. The fat magister, beaming with a smile, walked toward them with the mysterious king. Viserys made his sister stand up straight, though her chest was indeed quite flat.
Gendry walked up to the two of them and took Daenerys' hand.
Daenerys, who had never set foot in Westeros, had no real impression of war or the Usurper. "No flower tonight is half as beautiful as you, Princess!" he said.
Daenerys was small and seemingly fragile, with a modest chest. But beneath her pretty face, those were minor details. She had a truly unique beauty that would later become famous throughout the known world.
Gendry's voice was like steel, the charm of raw masculinity. Daenerys hesitated for a moment, then shyly agreed.
The fat magister was beaming with joy. This was turning out to be a great success! The marriage alliance seemed to be sealed.
"Magister, I think we need to amend our treaty a bit! I like the match you've arranged!" Gendry looked at Illyrio.
Illyrio's face froze. He hadn't expected this complication.
"I like Princess Daenerys, but I think we should wait until she comes of age to get married. Until then, I'll act as her guardian."
"Buzz, buzz, buzz!" Illyrio felt like his head was being hit by a giant bell over and over again. Delaying the marriage meant the cunning mercenary wouldn't be sending troops anytime soon. Daenerys was only thirteen.
"The ruler wants it his way, then so be it!" Illyrio forced himself to sound magnanimous. These Westerosi were more cunning than the Dothraki. Since this little fellow wasn't being cooperative, Illyrio decided to spill all the secrets.
"Then I can take my fiancée for a stroll!" Gendry ignored Illyrio and Viserys and led Daenerys to the other side of the estate.
"This won't do! The Usurper sits on my father's throne, and I can't wait another second!" Viserys' eyes widened. "If I had known, I should have given my sister to the Khal!"
Gendry didn't care about Illyrio's attitude. The advantage of cheese-mongers and spiders was their information network, but their biggest weakness was their lack of an army. They were like beggars, always trying to use others' strength, but it wouldn't be that easy!
Gendry's Unsullied guards watched Viserys coldly. Their eyes were as hard as iron, and Viserys finally learned to stop his ranting.
Illyrio shrugged his broad shoulders. "Your Majesty, you've waited most of your life. What's a few more months... or even a few more years?"
Ser Jorah added, "The Commander won't forget your friendship! He'll reward you, but everything has to be done his way! Those in a lower position who seek help from the powerful should mind their tone and posture, instead of acting superior."
Viserys snapped, "Mormont, watch your tongue, or I'll cut it out. I'm not some lowly person. I am the rightful king of the Seven Kingdoms. A true dragon never bows."
Ser Jorah gave Viserys a disdainful look, and then Illyrio smiled and tried to calm Viserys down.
"For the sake of being a crude northerner, the dragon won't stoop to your level. But remember, a dragon never, ever forgets!" Viserys said fiercely.
Gendry led his fiancée to a quieter garden. The Free Army soldiers cleared the area, including the Unsullied butlers sent by the fat man. Gendry didn't trust them.
Gendry gently asked Daenerys to sit on a garden bench. Though there were many flowers tonight, none compared to a rose.
The night was chilly, cold as ice water. Gendry took off his cloak and draped it over Daenerys' silk dress.
Daenerys was shy, but she finally managed to hold back her fear. She told herself, "I am Daenerys Stormborn, Princess of Dragonstone, descendant of 'Aegon the Conqueror.'"
Daenerys was also puzzled. She wondered if the king was so eager that he couldn't wait to be rude and affectionate. But he could have gotten married right now instead of waiting for her to come of age. "I have a beautiful gift for you, my princess!" Gendry told Daenerys, presenting her with a gift.
"It's..." The crown was delicate, in the shape of a dragon. The dragon's body was made of gold, suitable for a woman to wear, with red gems representing the Targaryen family colors set as the dragon's eyes.
"Queen Rhaella's crown!" Gendry smiled. It had cost him a fortune. He had to work hard to get it. The merchants didn't dare to offend the rising mercenary king.
Gendry understood Daenerys' situation. She was just a thirteen-year-old exiled princess, far from the future Dragon Queen who would experience the death of her husband and children, and go through countless betrayals. She was just a fragile princess who longed for strong protection.
Gendry had power, he was handsome, there were no language or etiquette barriers, and he was willing to put in the effort. It was easier to win over an exiled princess than a barbaric Khal.
"I thank you!" Daenerys held the crown as if she had found her lost dignity.
"I want to... see you!"
Gendry took off his mask, and Daenerys saw a handsome, flawless face, bright, masculine, and beautiful. His hair was thick and black as ink, and he had a pair of beautiful blue eyes, so bright.
"Do you want to know about my past, Daenerys?" Gendry asked her.
Daenerys nodded.
"It's a secret, and I'm only telling you. I'm like you, a homeless person who fled from King's Landing! I used to be a blacksmith in King's Landing, and then I became a mercenary in the Disputed Lands."
Daenerys' eyes widened. She thought the king's exile was also a kind of legend.
"What about your family?" Daenerys asked tentatively.
"I'm a bastard. My mother is dead. I have a powerful father who doesn't care about me. He only likes various mistresses. His wife wants to kill me! If I don't run away, I'll end up like my other bastard siblings, assassinated."
Daenerys' head was buzzing. The truth was a bit harsh. She thought of the worst possibility. The rumors said the Usurper was as strong as a bull and very bloodthirsty.
"I'm the Usurper's bastard, the abandoned one! Like you, I hate the Lannisters."
Daenerys' heart was pounding. She didn't know how to face the truth. She liked Gendry; he was strong and gave her a sense of security, and he had gone out of his way to find her the crown. But fate, why was it so cruel?
"We are the abandoned ones. Thank the gods for bringing us together!" Gendry held Daenerys' hand, and she didn't pull away.
"I'll give you a home," Daenerys thought for a moment and said, then kissed Gendry. Daenerys' kiss was a bit cold.
I am a descendant of the Conqueror, I am fire. The Usurper's bastard, who has gone through hardships to escape, is at least sincere in his attitude towards the Iron Throne and himself. He didn't deceive himself. Daenerys first convinced herself. She now had a people-pleasing personality and had never met such a strong man who was so kind to her.
Daenerys was different from Viserys and could still be changed. The stories she knew were not from personal experience. Before being truly assassinated, she still lacked a sense of purpose.