Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 459 Euron's Daughter—Ekaterina

On the battlefield, still thick with the stench of blood and the tension of war, how to deal with the elderly and children left behind by the Kumocao tribe became a real and cruel problem.

Someone suggested, "Kill them?"

But it was immediately rejected by many with their eyes – this was too inhumane, violated the basic laws of war, and would sow the seeds of hatred for future rule.

The other faction advocated for leniency: "Not kill?"

The ensuing thought is that if they were left to fend for themselves on the grasslands, they would soon die from hunger, disease, or raids by other tribes, having lost the protection of able-bodied men. This would be no different from killing them.

In this silent dilemma, Euron pondered for a moment, then thought of the more distant seas and islands, and said calmly, "Send them to the Serpent Islands and Great Morak Island. They are sparsely populated and need people to cultivate the land and replenish the labor force. Give them a way to survive, and we will also enrich our frontier."

The walls of Qarth are scarred by war, with deep, bone-revealing cracks crisscrossing like a dried-up riverbed, and charred marks silently telling the story of those bloody days.

After the war, craftsmen carefully filled every missing piece with white stones sourced from afar, allowing this protective wall to shine with an ivory-like luster again under the sunlight.

On the seventh dawn after the city wall was restored, the entire city was enveloped in a festive atmosphere.

In the central square, the broken flagstones had been replaced, and deep purple and silver-white brocade—the colors of the Garfield family—was hung along the way. People, dressed in their finest attire, stood on tiptoe, craning their necks behind the human wall of guards, eagerly awaiting their arrival.

The sound of bugles suddenly pierced the sky, followed by the sound of orderly footsteps.

Lisa Garfield appeared at the end of the square, wearing a white robe embroidered with silver thread, the hem flowing behind her like water. Sunlight shone on her golden crown, a crown inherited from her great-grandmother, polished to a gleaming shine, every jewel sparkling.

As she stepped onto the red carpet leading to the platform, a figure appeared beside her at just the right moment. Euron Greyjoy wore a well-tailored dark grey tuxedo, with a dark green cloak, a symbol of the Guardians of Qarth, draped over his shoulders. His movements were fluid and precise, as if he had practiced countless times as he slightly bent his right arm, pausing in mid-air for a perfectly timed moment.

Lisa's fingertips lightly touched the crook of his arm, a gentle yet incredibly solemn gesture.

They began to move forward in unison, each step perfectly in time with the horn's melody. Euron maintained a half-step distance, both as a supportive figure and as a way to subtly support Lisa's somewhat frail frame with his upright posture. His hand would occasionally adjust its angle with minute precision, and when Lisa stumbled slightly under the heavy hem of her robes, his arm became her most steadfast support.

The road to the throne was both long and short. When Lisa finally stepped onto the last step, Euron's arm, having fulfilled its purpose, fell naturally to his side.

"Your Majesty Queen Qarth!"

Countless people knelt down and shouted!

Lisa turned amidst the cheers, her gaze sweeping over the bowed heads, her eyes devoid of joy or sorrow, as she looked towards the new city wall in the distance. She finally sat down, the back of the throne perfectly framing her and Euron.

In the palace of Qarth, the sea breeze, carrying the scent of spices, drifted through the openwork stone windows, gently stirring the parchment scrolls scattered on the desk.

These trade agreements and port tax records from the nine city-states, like an endless gray ocean, made Euron frown.

He recalled the anecdotes he'd heard about Robert Baratheon in Westeros. The conqueror, invincible on the battlefield, had avoided the ledgers presented by the Master of the Treasury. Whenever the time came to "count the coins," Robert would find some excuse to slip away to the drill ground or head straight for the wine cellar. Now, Euron stroked the heavy bronze seal in his hand, a newfound understanding of Robert dawning on him.

"These numbers are more dizzying than ocean waves." He threw the quill on the table, the ink splattering on the ledger like a dark drop of blood.

Just then, the door to the bedchamber was gently pushed open.

Lisa's figure appeared where sunlight and shadow met. She wore a loose silk robe, her fingers unconsciously stroking her lower abdomen—a newly formed habit that had become increasingly frequent lately. She watched Euron surrounded by documents.

Seeing her predicament, a gentle smile appeared on her lips.

"My King." Her voice was soft, but Euron immediately looked up.

Lisa didn't speak immediately. She walked slowly to him, took his hand, and gently placed it on her still flat stomach.

"Qarth's merchant ships need guidance," she gazed into her husband's eyes, "and our fleet is finally about to welcome an heir."

Euron's hand froze in mid-air; those hands, accustomed to wielding swords and stained with blood, trembled slightly. He leaned down gently, pressing his ear close to his wife's abdomen.

The news spread like wildfire throughout the palace and the entire city of Qarth.

Maids exchanged knowing smiles in the corridors, while old scholars stroked their long beards, their eyes filled with renewed hope. In the port taverns, sailors raised their glasses in celebration, cheering for the arrival of their heir.

Since the city defeated the arrogant Dothraki and Lisa became queen, it has been like a parched plant finally receiving rain, with every corner bursting with new life.

As the sun set, Euron and Lisa climbed to the highest point of the city wall. They gazed at the merchant ships returning on the distant sea, their white sails drifting like clouds in the twilight.

"He will fall in love with this sea." Euron's hand remained protectively around Lisa's waist.

"Or she," Lisa corrected with a smile, "will become a princess that Qarth can be proud of."

The sea breeze swept across the newly laid city bricks, carrying the salty moisture and the scent of hope, surrounding the soon-to-be parents. Not only them, but the entire kingdom awaited the arrival of this new life.

The entire kingdom was like a clock that kept running in perfect order.

Euron stood on the highest terrace of the palace, his gaze sweeping over the orderly streets and port—eight hundred Ironborn held up the city's defenses like an iron backbone, while his flagship, the "Zhiyuan," rested like a silent behemoth in the deep waters, its bronze ram gleaming in the sunlight.

Everything was peaceful, too peaceful. For Euron, who was used to waves and conquests, this tranquility made him uneasy.

He raised his hand and made a sweeping motion in the air, and ripples appeared where his fingertips passed, as if an invisible door was slowly opening in the air.

The power of the Door-Door Fruit allows him to traverse mountains and rivers.

Through the swaying door, one can already smell the unique scent of Women's Island—a salty sea breeze mixed with the sweet fragrance of gardenias, and a hint of the coldness of polished metal.

The transformation of space happens in an instant.

When Euron set foot on solid ground again, he was on the black sand beach characteristic of the Isle of Women. The air here was even more humid than in Qarth.

The ground was moist, and vines hung from the branches of the ancient trees reaching for the sky. In the distance, the shouts of female warriors during their drills and the crisp sounds of weapons clashing could be heard.

The residence of the warrior queen Alicia is perched atop a cliff.

When Euron pushed open the door carved from a single piece of coral, he was confronted by Alicia's pale face. She reclined on a couch covered with a snow bear skin, her prominent belly making this queen, known for her bravery, appear exceptionally fragile. Sweat soaked her bangs, but her eyes remained as sharp as an eagle's.

"Why didn't you come later?!" Her voice was hoarse from the pain, and her fingers dug deep into the bear skin.

Youlun knelt on one knee in front of the bed and took her cold hand in his.

"Finally, just in time!" He omitted the intense headache he felt while passing through the portal. The Door-Door Fruit always came at a price for its use over extremely long distances, but none of that mattered at the moment.

The midwives and maids moved quietly through the room, like a group of well-trained soldiers. As the first cry broke the dawn, the sea was just beginning to lighten.

The baby girl in Alicia's arms had her father's iron-gray hair, but her mother's emerald green eyes. This child, born at the crossroads of two worlds, gripped Euron's outstretched fingers tightly with astonishing force.

Outside the window, the warriors of Women's Island had spontaneously lined up, rhythmically tapping their shields with the hilts of their swords.

This is not the drumbeat of war, but a celebration of new life.

In faraway Qarth, the child in Lisa's womb is growing; and here, another life flowing with his blood has already let out a loud cry.

Overwhelmed with the joy of becoming a father for the first time, You Lun Ji Ping forgot the passage of time. His broad hands gently stroked his daughter's soft baby hair; his fingers, usually accustomed to wielding swords, were now as soft as a feather.

Euron wanted to stay on the island and watch this little life open its eyes and smile for the first time.

But the laws of Muscat of Women are as hard and cold as the surrounding reefs.

At dawn on the third day, an elderly woman with a full head of silver hair arrived uninvited. The spear in her hand was not merely decorative; its weathered surface was engraved with ancient battle patterns. Despite her age, her posture remained as upright as a pine tree, and her eyes, which had witnessed countless vicissitudes, showed no sign of compromise.

"The time has come, stranger." Her voice was hoarse but undeniable, the tip of her spear gleaming coldly in the morning light. "The soil of Women's Island is not suitable for a man's roots to take deep root."

Euron's brow furrowed sharply, his warrior instincts nearly driving him to reach for the weapon at his waist. But when he caught sight of the sleeping baby in Alicia's arms, his rising anger subsided, and he remembered the ancient customs of this land.

Euron bent down and placed a light, dew-like kiss on his daughter's tender forehead. As he straightened up, his gaze met Alicia's emerald eyes, which held both the fortitude of a warrior and the tenderness of a new mother.

"Don't worry," Alicia's voice was softer than the sea breeze, yet carried an unwavering promise, "She's here, and will..."

To provide the best protection.

Euron's gaze remained fixed on the baby's gently rising and falling chest: "I know, she hasn't been named yet."

Alicia's lips curved into a slight smile, a rare gentle expression on her face. "You choose one." She paused, then added with the straightforwardness characteristic of a warrior, "Use whichever I think sounds good."

Euron gazed at the horizon where the sea and sky met, where the first light of dawn was breaking. He paused for a moment, then whispered, "Catherine."

Alicia softly repeated the name, the sound lingering on her tongue. She looked down at her daughter in her arms, who had just opened her eyes. Her emerald eyes, inherited from her mother, were now reflecting the light of dawn.

"It's not too bad." The Warrior Queen finally gave her assessment, her tone still maintaining her pride, but the arms holding the baby unconsciously tightened a little.

Euron's lips curled into a slight smile at the answer. He knew Alicia too well; this was the highest praise she could offer. The sea breeze suddenly picked up, whipping his long, iron-gray hair and ruffling the stray hairs on Alicia's forehead. In that instant, they seemed to be transported back to the battlefield where they first met, two proud warriors.

Reaching the edge of the cliff, Euron faced the boundless sea and let out a low, long whistle that pierced through the waves and reached the deep ocean.

The sea began to churn, as if boiling.

A colossal creature emerged from the waves. It possessed the robust physique of a hippopotamus, covered in a strange, thick, pinkish hide, as it approached...

It gleamed like pearls in the sunlight. A spiral rhinoceros horn grew from the center of its forehead, and its thick limbs possessed the power to split mountains and shatter rocks. Most astonishing was its gentle gaze; in those deep blue eyes, a wisdom and loyalty that transcended species shone.

When this fantastical behemoth stepped onto the beach, the entire island seemed to tremble slightly.

The colossal pink beast lay docilely in the bay of Women's Island, like a mobile fortress. It slowly walked to the foot of the cliff, lowered its massive head towards the direction of the baby, and emitted a soft, lullaby-like groan. It would become the daughter's guardian spirit, and a new legend for this land.