Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Madwoman - Moroya Hightower

Morning light streamed through the stained glass windows of the towering tower, casting dappled shadows on the marble floor of the reception room.

Jorah Mormont walked through the dappled light, his heavy bearskin cloak, which might be a symbol of majesty in the North, seemed particularly somber in this southern castle.

"Lord Euron," Jorah's voice carried the directness characteristic of those from the North. The confusion of heartbreak from last night's banquet had faded, replaced by the fortitude of a warrior. "What can I gain if I join the Iron Islands?"

Euron stood by the window, gazing at the harbor of Oldtown, the masts of hundreds of ships appearing and disappearing in the morning mist. He slowly turned, a meaningful smile playing on his lips. "What you gain depends on what you give and how capable you are. Join the Iron Islands? Don't forget you're the Earl of Bear Isle. Bear Isle ultimately belongs to the North, and I don't want to cause a conflict with House Stark over this. Are you going to give up your ancestral lands and vassals?"

Jorah frowned deeply: "Then what did you say at the banquet yesterday—"

Euron picked up the conversation at the opportune moment, tapping lightly on the windowpane with his fingers. "Therefore, you can only join our next operation as a franchisee. When I have prepared my fleet and am about to unify the Stone Steps Islands, if you are still interested, you are welcome to lead the Bear Island warriors to join my allied forces."

"good!"

The reply was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation, even prompting Euron to raise an eyebrow: "You agreed so readily?"

A bitter smile tugged at Jorah's lips. "If anyone else had said those words to me, I would have pondered for three days and three nights before refusing." He looked up, the flame in his eyes rekindled by Linise the night before. "But these words came from a sea monster..."

"Since it's the word of the 'Lord,' it must come true."

Euron laughed loudly; he patted the northern man on the shoulder: "Good! Wait for my news."

Euron's eyes flashed with admiration as he watched Jorah stride away.

The Mead River flows quietly at the foot of the university city, and the morning mist shrouds this temple of knowledge like a light veil.

The stone arch bridge connects countless towers and domes, with the halls on the bridge layered upon each other, like a labyrinth built with wisdom.

The green sphinx statues standing on either side of the main entrance appear particularly mysterious in the morning light—a lion's body, an eagle's wings, and a serpent's tail. One is a man with a resolute face, and the other is a woman with an inscrutable expression. Their gazes seem to pierce through time, guarding the countless secrets behind the door.

Just as the guards were about to stop her as usual, Morroia Hightower appeared in front of the Citadel gates, and the maesters stationed there involuntarily made way for her.

The eldest daughter of the Hightar family, known as the "Madwoman," wore a deep purple robe, her silver hair adorned with strange moonstones. Her eyes, as fleeting as morning mist, shone with an all-seeing light: "The temple of knowledge should not close its doors to those who seek it."

The scholars looked at each other, and in the end, none of them dared to stop the true bloodline of this towering tower.

Moroya Hightower bowed slightly and said, "The Academy City will naturally give face to the Lord of the Sea Beasts. But please remember, some knowledge..."

Knowledge is more dangerous than swords. Now, I will lead the way for you to see the Academy City.

66

"Thanks!"

Euron stood between the two sphinxes, gazing up at the City of Inquisition, which had rejected countless princes and nobles. The sea breeze carried the scent of the harbor behind him, creating a strange contrast with the parchment and herbal aromas wafting from within the City of Inquisition.

Euron's lips curled into a slight smile as he slowly walked forward, the twin swords at his waist gleaming softly in the morning light. As he passed, the two sphinx statues seemed to come alive, their stone eyes gleaming with an eerie light. This was the Citadel's first probing of visitors, a gaze that had deterred countless others from venturing forth.

Euron simply raised his hand slightly, his fingertips tracing an invisible path in the air, and the pressure of his gaze quietly dissipated.

Passing through layers of archways, Euron's gaze swept over the maesters hurrying through the corridors. They carried ancient books and astrolabes, their black robes concealing the power to change the world. At one corner, he glimpsed a half-open iron door, behind which a rotating bronze instrument emitted a low hum: on another high platform, several maesters were observing the sky through enormous lenses.

Moroya's guidance turned the visit into a wonderful journey.

Under her guidance, Euron, along with his three wives and four children, entered this sacred place where outsiders were forbidden.

Passing through layers of archways, the first thing that comes into view is the vast library. Darren looked up and exclaimed in amazement. The entire tower of books spiraled upwards, and tens of thousands of books, illuminated by the light from the dome, resembled a long river of knowledge leading to the heavens.

"This collection contains rare books that have survived from before the end of Valyria." Morroia's fingers lightly traced a particular book.

On the shelf, dust danced in the beams of light. Alexander intently deciphered the Valyrian script on the cover of an ancient book, while Caesar took a keen interest in a forbidden book bound in dragon skin.

In the laboratory area, the various strange instruments made Renis's eyes widen. Glowing liquid flowed in crystal tubes, a copper planetarium rotated slowly without being touched, and a specimen that looked like dragon scales was even sealed in a glass container.

"Watch your step," Moroya warned young Darren, who was about to touch an alchemical device, her voice unusually gentle. "Some knowledge requires waiting for the right opportunity to be accessed."

When they reached the top of the Tower of the Wise, the entire old town was laid out before them.

Morroia smiled and said, "Knowledge is both power and curse. What you see today may, at some point in the future, change the fate of the Seven Kingdoms."

The waters of the mead river shimmered with golden light under the setting sun, casting their long shadows on the stone path on their way home.

The four children were still excitedly debating what they had just seen in the Citadel—Darren marveled at the magnificence of the Spiral Book Tower, Caesar couldn't stop thinking about the Alchemy Lab, and Rhaenys was full of curiosity about the Sphinx statues.

Morroia Hightower walked beside Euron, her deep purple dress swaying gently with her steps.

The eldest daughter of the Hightar family, who rarely appeared in the social circles of the old town, was indeed stunningly beautiful. Her silver hair cascaded like a waterfall woven from moonlight, and her purple eyes held a depth that was beyond the reach of ordinary people. However, her status as a woman who was still unmarried in her twenties, as well as the rumors that she had been living in seclusion atop a towering tower for many years, studying forbidden books, made the nobles of the old town keep their distance from her.

Her voice was soft as she asked, "Lord Euron, I've heard that you can wield magic of fire and lightning."

Euron then realized that the "madwoman's" real purpose in offering to lead the way today might be hidden in this seemingly casual question.

He smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping over the ravens perched atop the distant atop the Citadel. "Magic, with the disappearance of the dragons, has long since faded from this continent. And," he paused deliberately, looking meaningfully at Moroya, "if I remember correctly, weren't the Citadel's rules explicitly forbidding the study of magic?"

A barely perceptible smile curved Morroia's lips, a smile both mysterious and rebellious. "The commandments forbid dangerous attempts," she said softly, "but they have never forbidden the pursuit of knowledge. Some truths lie hidden in the dust of history, waiting for those who know how to decipher them."

Magic is a wondrous thing; it's either incomprehensible and impossible to grasp, or once you delve into it, you become obsessed and unable to extricate yourself. The more talented a person is, the more they will become engrossed and deeply immersed in it after understanding it. The Lord of Shadows once told Euron this about magic in Assassin.

Euron shook his head slightly, a helpless smile playing on his lips: "I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you. Those powers are as natural to me as breathing. I can use them, but I don't know how to teach others." He had always told others that the various wonders were the awakening of bloodlines, and this explanation had been universally accepted.

Moroya paused slightly, a fleeting hint of disappointment flashing in her violet eyes as she silently gazed at Euron.

Euron laughed and said, "The bloodline of the Grey Sea King is like the dragon-riding talent of the Targaryen family; it flows in his blood and cannot be taught."

As dusk deepened, the lights of the university town gradually came on.

Morroia carefully studied Euron's expression, finally convinced that every word he spoke came from the heart. She sighed softly, a sigh as gentle as an autumn leaf falling: "Therefore, between knowledge and talent, there is ultimately an insurmountable chasm."

Euron changed the subject, saying, "During my past travels, I met three people who were proficient in different magical arts. If you would like, I would be happy to introduce them to you."

Moroya's previously dim eyes suddenly lit up, like a ship navigating at night spotting a guiding lighthouse. She leaned forward unconsciously, her voice filled with barely suppressed anticipation: "Where are they?"

"The three of you are all in Qarth now." Euron paused, a meaningful smile appearing on his face. "They are exploring the mysteries of the shadows. If you truly yearn for the essence of magic, I can pave the way for your studies when I sail east again."

The towering tower in the distance gradually lit up, like a giant awakening from the darkness. For Moroya Hightower, this night might illuminate the path of magic she would pursue throughout her life.