Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 461 The Joys of Raising Kids

The wind, carrying the sweet scent of citrus, gently caressed the courtyard.

Dorne's Prince's Palace is nestled deep within layers of orange groves, where the babbling of the flowing water gardens brings a touch of coolness to the hot afternoon.

Euron, led by his attendants, walked through a wisteria-covered corridor. Prince Doran Martell sat upright in his wheelchair, a light silk blanket spread across his lap. Despite his ailing health, his eyes retained the sharpness and clarity characteristic of a ruler.

"It seems the Eastern sun is even more scorching than that of Dorne," Doran said gently. "Congratulations, Lord Euron. We in Sunspear City have often heard of your achievements in this eastern expedition."

Euron accepted the chilled wine offered by a servant, the amber liquid swirling gently in the glass. "Your Highness is too kind," he said, raising his glass in acknowledgment, his gaze sweeping over the playful fountain in the courtyard. "It's merely following the direction of the waves."

The conversation proceeded slowly, like flowing water.

As Doran's fingers tapped lightly on the silk carpet, his voice deepened. "My brother Oberyn is still fighting alone in the disputed lands. And the Stone Steps Islands—" He paused, leaving the unfinished words hanging in the air, "are like a bone spur stuck in my throat, something I've never been able to fully control."

Euron gently placed the wine glass on the marble tabletop, the bottom of the glass making a crisp sound as it struck the stone. He said calmly, "Next time we go to sea, I will definitely solve all the problems."

Prince Doran leaned back slightly in his chair, his years of worries seemingly finding an outlet. A genuine smile finally appeared on his wrinkled face, a smile like the first ray of sunshine after the rainy season in Dorne.

"Dorn will never forget true friends." The prince raised his glass and smiled.

The sound of children practicing with twin swords cutting through the air drifted from outside the courtyard, mingling with the spray of the fountain to create a wondrous melody. The gazes of the two rulers met in mid-air, each understanding the deeper meaning—some promises need no further explanation.

Euron's return this time was not due to sails and waves, nor his dragon, but to the power of the Door-Door Fruit.

While this ability allowed Euron to instantly reach Dorne, it also had limitations. He could only cross the Void Gate alone, unable to carry massive creatures. Therefore, his thousand-year dragon Halsien and shadow winged dragon Flying Shadow still resided in Qarth, his flagship Reach remained anchored in Emerald Bay, and eight hundred elite Ironborn guarded this newly born kingdom of Qarth like an impregnable fortress.

The stability of the Eastern foundation requires the protection of these forces. Only after Qarth's rule is completely secure and the new policies are as indestructible as the white stones on the city wall will the Zhiyuan raise its flag embroidered with a golden sea monster, carrying the battle-hardened Ironborn and two colossal dragons that blot out the sky, and sail westward in a grand procession back to its homeland in the Iron Islands.

The morning light of Dorne filtered through the branches of the jujube trees, casting dappled shadows on the sandy ground of the training ground.

During Euron's absence, this place remained Asara's domain—she, wielding her training wooden sword, meticulously instructed Rhaenys, Alexander, Daeron, and Caesar. The children developed a solid foundation in swordsmanship, each move displaying Asara's characteristic precision and efficiency.

Everything changed after Euron returned.

"Father, teach us how to use dual swords!" Caesar was the first to run over, carrying two wooden training swords, his eyes shining with admiration. Alexander and Daren followed closely behind, and even the usually quiet Rhaenys looked on with anticipation.

This is not surprising.

Euron's invincible reputation with his twin blades had long since spread throughout every corner of the known world, carried on the songs of merchant ships and bards. From the white walls of Qarth to the ruins of old Valyria, from the deserts of Dorne to the snowfields of the North, all knew of this warrior who could wield two longswords simultaneously, and whose dragons were unstoppable in his slaying.

Euron looked at the children's longing eyes, and a gentle smile curved his lips.

"Okay," he answered crisply, taking the wooden sword from Caesar's hand.

In the days that followed, the unique rhythm of twin swords cutting through the air began to echo across the training ground. When teaching, Euren taught without reservation, imparting all his knowledge—how the sword in the left hand could become a sturdy shield, and the sword in the right hand a sharp spear; how the arms could achieve perfect balance, like waves and reefs that both resist and depend on each other.

However, the cruelest aspect of the dual-wielding technique is that it requires innate talent.

"Relax your shoulders," Euron gently pressed Alexander's right arm, "Don't strain your left hand." But no matter how the bright boy adjusted, his hands could not achieve that subtle coordination. In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, his movements had become stiff and unsteady.

On the other side, Renis frowned even more deeply. Her dominant right hand always subconsciously took over, making the knife in her left hand seem like a burden. "This isn't fair!" she finally couldn't help but complain, fine beads of sweat appearing on her forehead.

Only Darren and Caesar displayed remarkable talent.

Seven-year-old Darren possessed an innate dexterity in both hands. When he held the twin swords, it was as if he wasn't practicing, but rather playing some kind of innate melody. The two wooden swords moved lightly across his hands; though still immature, the fluid grace of his future was already faintly visible.

Caesar, on the other hand, resembles a young Euron, possessing a fierce, indomitable spirit. His movements may not be as fluid as Daeron's, but each swing of his sword contains explosive power. Even more remarkable is that his left and right hands seem to act independently, as if they possess their own will.

"Very good." Euron stood behind his two sons, gently supporting their forearms with his palms, guiding them to feel the flow of power. "Remember this feeling, like the two wings of an eagle."

On the sand not far away, Alexander and Rhaenys had given up trying and were watching with their chins in their hands. Asara had also arrived at the courtyard gate at some point, arms crossed, watching the scene with a complex expression. She watched Euron leaning over his two sons, and saw the same light shining in Daeron and Caesar's eyes as their father's.

In the afternoon, the scorching sun baked the sand until it was burning hot, and Euron would lead the children to that cool, azure expanse.

Dorne's coastline is quite different from the rugged cliffs of the Iron Islands; here, the beaches are white and soft, and the waves gently lap at the shore.

"Watch closely!" Euron was the first to leap into the sea, his bronze body tracing a graceful arc in the sunlight. The children rushed into the waves, like a group of joyful dolphins. Caesar tried his best to imitate his father's freestyle stroke, while Darren focused intently on practicing his underwater swimming, wanting to touch the coral on the seabed.

Tired from swimming, they lay down in the shade of the coconut trees. That's when Euron's story time began.

"On the shores of the Jade Sea, people believe that every ship has a soul. They carve dragon eyes on the prows so that the ships can see their way even in the fog." The children sat around him, and even the most composed Alexander listened with rapt attention.

"When merchants from Qarth sign a contract, they do not shake hands, but exchange a cup of spiced tea. The temperature of the tea determines the sincerity of the transaction."

Rhaenys's eyes widened. "What about Women's Island? Is it really all women? Do the girls there really all wield spears?"

"Not just spears." Euron smiled and brushed the fine sand from Rhaenys's hair, saying, "They learn to ride the waves from a young age, and can throw harpoons with precision even in storms. Their leader, the Warrior Queen Alicia, is virtually unmatched."

The children's eyes were filled with longing for the unknown, and that pure adoration warmed Euron's heart. He seemed to see in their eyes his younger self, a boy from the Iron Islands, yearning for distant horizons.

But the children's longing evoked completely different emotions in the mothers.

Ashara stood on the terrace, her handkerchief unconsciously tightening in her hand: "Look at Darren's eyes, they're exactly like his father's. He often tells me that his father set sail to plunder at the age of five, and traveled to the other side of the Narrow Sea at seven. He says that when he's a little older, he'll also travel the world with the merchant guild's ships!"

Ilya sighed softly, her gaze following Alexander as he gestured nautical signs. "I found a hand-drawn nautical chart under his pillow last night. Every man, no matter how young, has a heart that yearns for adventure."

The two women reached a consensus: this kind of thing cannot happen to their children!

One evening, as Euron was recounting the story of the golden temple on the Basilisk Islands, Ilya walked straight into their midst and shoved a stack of account books into Euron's arms. "Since you're such a good storyteller," Ilya said with a deliberately light tone, "why not teach the children how to count money? After all, voyages require capital."

Asara was more direct: "Go to sea? Sure. First, you need to be strong enough to defeat me."

The children groaned in disappointment, but Ilya remained unyielding.

Ilya looked at Euron with a gentle warning in her eyes—it was a mother's instinct that she didn't want her little child to want to leave her protection.

>