Game of Thrones: Viserys the Three-Headed Dragon.

Chapter 22 Gift
Viserys hoped that Illyrio would focus more on the "them" he mentioned and give him more time.

Viserys knew that his plan was not a wise one and that the implementation was somewhat clumsy and crude, but his goal from the beginning to the end was Illyrio's dragon bone resources. This goal was clear and straightforward, and he even asked Illyrio for it directly many times.

But the more straightforward it was, the more Viserys felt that in Illyrio's eyes it seemed like a cover-up or preparation for some other purpose, especially since he had set up so many traps, which should have some effect.

In fact, to some extent, Viserys's foolish behavior and his pretense of stupidity were probably a test of Illyrio's tolerance. And the facts proved that the governor was a man of deep scheming and would not easily act on impulse.

After the meal, Illyrio cleared his throat and said, "Your Majesty, I have always kept your needs in mind. It's just that I left in a hurry and didn't ask you for details." After he finished speaking, he raised his hands and clapped his hands. Soon, the butler came in with two exquisite gift boxes.

He waved his hand to instruct the butler to place the gift box in front of Viserys, and signaled Viserys to open it with his eyes.

Viserys opened the box and found two sets of exquisite jewelry. Each box contained a dragon bone hairpin, two dragon bone brooches, and cuff pins and brooches, small dragon bone accessories that could be used to decorate clothing.

"Two sets of dragon bone ornaments, Your Majesty, as a small gift from me to you and Daenerys," Illyrio said. "But I don't think this is what Your Majesty actually needs. So please tell me what kind of dragon bones you need and how many you need?"

"Thank you for your generosity," Viserys accepted the gift graciously, then asked, with a hint of interest, "What are the common types of dragon bones?"

"Please allow me to explain. Dragon bones can be used as raw materials, as luxury goods, as swords and bows, or as purely decorative items." Illyrio spoke eloquently. "Does Your Majesty have any special needs?"

Illyrio turned a broad concept into a concrete object. Viserys smacked his lips for a moment, trying to see if there was any other hidden meaning in Illyrio's question, but he couldn't think of anything.

Viserys looked at Illyrio and answered hopefully, "I see. I'll take a little of each, then. I'd like twenty to start with, five of each style. Is that a problem?"

Illyrio agreed. "At your service, my lord."

Viserys had thought that twenty pieces was an exorbitant request. After all, when he first arrived, the Fat Governor had only displayed nine pieces of his dragon bone collection. Now that Illyrio had agreed without hesitation, he had no room to maneuver his prepared rhetoric.

After all, it is better to have less trouble than more. It would be best if Illyrio agreed immediately. Viserys nodded with satisfaction and said very seriously: "I will remember what you have done for me, Governor Illyrio." These words really came from the bottom of his heart.

But Illyrio obviously didn't take it seriously: "This is what I should do."

"Regarding the political situation in Westeros, Magister Illyrio," Viserys promised, seeing that the facts were already established, he began to make up for his previous poor answer. "I will give you a convincing answer."

Illyrio seemed unfazed by his previous gesture and replied with a kind smile: "I look forward to it very much."

-

What is going on here?

When the topic at the dinner table ended and her brother and the Fat Lord seemed to have gotten what they wanted, Daenerys felt very confused. She was walking back to her room. Viserys walked in front of her, holding two gift boxes from the Fat Lord. His steps seemed brisk and his face was not gloomy, but he said nothing. Dany felt that he was not like that in his heart. Dany felt a vague sense of uneasiness, but since Viserys didn't speak, she didn't dare to ask.

They walked in silence until they reached Daenerys's chambers, and Viserys closed the door behind him as usual and sat down at the tea table by the window overlooking the sea.

Under Dany's gaze, Viserys poured himself a glass of lemonade and drank it, then opened the gift boxes in his hands. With satisfaction on his face, he smiled at Dany: "There is one box for you, it's really beautiful, come and sit over and take a look, I'll change it for you to see if it fits."

Dany sat down on the chair next to his seat and looked at the exquisite gift box that her brother opened: "Is this for me?"

"Of course." Viserys ran his fingers over the dragon bone ornaments in the box one by one, as if he was carefully selecting them. He finally chose a hairpin in the second box. "Put it on and see."

Dany reached out to take it. The hairpin was black, small and delicate, with a hint of warmth as if it had been exposed to the sun.

Viserys was smiling, looking at her expectantly, as if expecting her to change her hairpins.

Dany said nothing. Magister Illyrio was a merchant, a dealer in spices, gems, and dragon bones. He had connections in all the Free Cities and as far east as Vaes Dothrak and the legendary lands along the Jade Sea. He was well-informed and wealthy. Arnie, the maid, would sometimes tell her about this when they were alone. He had slaves too, too, the flower growers with copper collars in the courtyard, the dog keepers, the women who boiled water in the kitchens. There was a slave trade ban in Pentos, but it did not apply to the homes of the powerful. Dany could hardly imagine such a powerful man being so humble in front of them, and she could sense that Viserys himself was wary of the merchant governor, but she could not understand Viserys's behavior.

Dany was full of doubts. But she moved silently, reaching out to comb her hair and then securing it with a dragon bone barrette. When she was done, she asked, "How is it?" Viserys looked up and down with a critical look, looking at her hair for a moment, then staring at her face for a moment, as if trying to read something from her face.

Dany waited in silence for ten breaths before Viserys finally spoke: "Not bad."

Dany didn't know why Viserys seemed to have other expectations of her. These days, she had become bolder in talking to her brother, so she asked, "What's wrong?"

"Hmm." Viserys seemed to have thought of something. He picked up the dragon bone brooch from the box and pinned it on her clothes himself. He also casually smoothed the hair on her forehead and helped her adjust the hairpin on her head. "This will be more elegant."

Viserys did this quietly, then sat back down to stare at her, leaving Dany confused and sitting up straight. After a moment, Viserys said to her, "Here, help me put my hair back on."

When Dany heard Viserys ordering her around, she rose.

As Dany fixed Viserys's hair, she saw a faint smile on his face and his eyes looking forward with determination.

During this time with her brother, Dany easily knew that this expression was fake, which meant that if she asked questions next, she would get perfunctory responses. So she kept silent, finished everything, and then sat back silently.

"All right?" Viserys asked.

"Yeah." Dany replied quietly.

Viserys paused, stood up and said, "Let's go for a walk."

In Dany's room, they decorated themselves with the dragon bone objects that Illyrio had given them, and then began their after-dinner walk.

This was another change in Viserys that Dany could not understand. Illyrio's courtyard was not small, but not too big either. She had only followed him a few times before she memorized all the routes. Now she could find the right path in the courtyard with her eyes closed. But Viserys never got tired of it. He walked the same route forward and backward every day without any sign of boredom.

There are endless stories to tell.

But today seems a little different.

They walked in silence for a while, and Viserys made no move to begin a story, as they walked along corridors into the gardens, past flowerbeds and evergreens, until they reached the pavilion by the sea.

This is a corner by the sea, and you can hear the sound of waves hitting the cliff below.

Only then did Viserys begin to speak. He stood by the pavilion and looked back at Dany. His face was serious and his voice was small and soft, like the sound of the wind: "Dany, if you feel anything unusual or dream anything, remember it and tell me quietly when you have the chance."

Dany thought she had misheard for a moment. She looked up and saw Viserys looking at her. His face remained serious, but his voice became louder. He said to her with interest, "Do you know what I think of every time I look at the sea here?"

Dany couldn't hide her surprise and asked, "What?"

Viserys patted her shoulder, as if to encourage and comfort her, and said: "Dragonstone, that is our home."

Viserys had already adopted the tone of a storyteller.

"About four hundred years ago, when the Valyrian Freehold still ruled the continent of Essos, our ancestors expanded their power to the Narrow Sea. They annexed an island that controlled the throat of Blackwater Bay and built a castle on the island, but did not continue to move westward. The castle tower was shaped from the rock by Valyrian magic, and it looked like a giant dragon, so the island was named Dragonstone. Before the Doomsday catastrophe, the daughter of the leader of the Targaryen family at that time, Daenerys the Dreamwalker, dreamed that Valyria would be destroyed by fire. The family leader believed her dream, so he gave up his family business in the Freehold and moved his entire family to Dragonstone.

It was with Dragonstone as the cornerstone that Aegon and his sisters and wives joined forces to launch a war of conquest and unify the six kingdoms.

You were born there, Dany.

Remember it, don’t forget it.”

(End of this chapter)