Margaery Tyrell's brown eyes showed surprise: "Count Kleber?"
Lady Olenna's eyes were deep, and her slender, wrinkled fingers tapped the armrest of her chair. She said, "I always thought that boy was deliberately approaching my foolish pig of a son because he was easy to fool, and that he used his nimble tongue to inflate his ego. But I've seen the wildling put his heart and soul into serving the Wild Boar Duke, and this old woman is starting to doubt her own judgment..."
With that, Lady Olenna looked at her granddaughter: "My Margaery, is your father truly favored by the gods? Otherwise, I can't find a suitable reason to explain why there are always so many helpers appearing by my foolish son's side."
Margaery's mind conjured the image of Greene Kleber, who only had eyes for Queen Cersei. She harbored doubts about Greene's sincerity.
She quickly recalled the dawn when they 'fled' King's Landing. At that time, Greene had no intention of letting Renly go, so she had to intervene. Yet, before she could say much, he chose to let them pass directly... Was it due to the charm of the Golden Rose of Highgarden? Perhaps, but only a little... More precisely, it was the charm of the Duke of Highgarden.
Little Rose's lips curved slightly. She remembered her father's proud expression, stroking his beard, after hearing about the incident. He couldn't hide the relief on his face, repeating several times: "Greene is a good boy."
So, everything Count Kleber said was true? Was he truly a great admirer of her father? At this thought, Margaery's heart was in turmoil.
...
Lady Olenna slowly began, "This old woman met that little fox in private before leaving King's Landing. Before we parted, he said something that left a deep impression on me. He said he believed the Golden Rose, under Duke Mace's leadership, would always have the power to choose."
Margaery's pupils contracted slightly, and she asked, "Why would Count Kleber say such things to you?"
Lady Olenna looked at her granddaughter's face with affection: "My Margaery, this is a hint without right or wrong, which is why I said Greene is an anomaly from a wildling den."
Margaery pondered her grandmother's words while saying, "Hmm, he's like a Southern knight."
After speaking, Little Rose frowned and continued to ponder, and her grandmother seemed to have read her thoughts.
Lady Olenna said, "My Margaery, in the game of power, you need to learn flexibility. This directly relates to what the final outcome will be."
Margaery nodded slightly.
Lady Olenna patted Margaery's fair and tender hand, saying, "This old woman is telling you all this to let you know that even without Renly, your grandmother has a way to place the queen's crown on her granddaughter's head."
As Margaery looked on in surprise, she continued, "Clearly, this old woman hasn't seen the possibility of Renly failing yet, so... when he sits on that iron chair in the Red Keep, I will come again, my Margaery."
"Grandmother..."
"At that time, Grandmother will teach you one last lesson."
Margaery's eyes were slightly red, and her head rested gently on her grandmother's small shoulder. Her heart was filled with reverence and gratitude for her grandmother.
Lady Olenna stroked Margaery's beautiful hair, saying, "The only thing that worries me is that Renly and your father are treating this war like a game... a grand tourney. They are like children engrossed in songs and stories, and children always think they are invincible."
She sighed, "I see danger, but I can't quite grasp it. And your father is so engrossed in the prospect of seeing his grandson on the Iron Throne in the future that he can't extricate himself. Any advice I give him now, my foolish son will just take as nagging from his old mother."
Lady Olenna huffed, "I'm not doing useless things."
After a pause, she sighed, "It's still the same old saying, we can't see the possibility of Renly failing, so I won't be that annoying old woman."
Margaery gently comforted her, "Grandmother, Father won't take your advice as nagging. He's just too happy."
Lady Olenna snorted, "Margaery, even if you believe you can see legendary dragons tomorrow, don't believe your father's idiotic head."
Margaery couldn't help but let out a soft laugh.
Lady Olenna patted Little Rose kindly, a rare smile gracing her face as she said, "Clever Margaery, remember your grandmother's words."
With that, she tremblingly stood up: "This old woman has to travel tomorrow, you should rest early."
Margaery linked arms with her grandmother and walked a few steps, then suddenly asked, "Grandmother, do you think Count Kleber can be trusted?"
Lady Olenna walked along, saying, "As long as you can remain vigilant, you can trust anyone, my Margaery."
Margaery nodded slightly. This was her grandmother's past teaching, which she never forgot.
Lady Olenna pondered for a moment, then murmured, "He speaks beautifully and acts beautifully; he truly is an anomaly."
...
...
Crab Claw Peninsula, Mermaid Port, Hall of Office.
Count Kleber leaned back in his chair, picking up Daenerys Targaryen's handwritten letter once more. The letter was filled with the purest love, the love between a man and a woman, in every line.
Lord Green, usually so composed, tapped the armrest of his chair with his slender fingers, one by one, frowning one moment and relaxing his brow the next, repeating the motion.
Lord Green's gaze was fixed on the first step toward the Iron Throne—the Vale. Through his constant maneuvering between various major powers, Crab Claw Peninsula had finally found an opportunity to challenge the Vale. However, given the overall strength of Crab Claw Peninsula, it could be said that there was only one chance.
If they won, Greene's strength would see a leap forward in growth. But... if they lost, or got bogged down in a stalemate, Kleber's Crab Claw Peninsula would truly be severely weakened, and would lose the strength and initiative to contend for power.
Greene had occasionally been tempted by beautiful women during his travels, but he had never seriously considered such matters, because a lord's marriage was not merely a romantic love story.
Greene dispelled the constantly appearing beautiful faces from his mind, forcing himself to think rationally... What changes would a marriage between Kleber and Targaryen bring to the chaotic situation in Westeros?
What kind of future did Daenerys describe? Greene assisting King Viserys in ascending the Iron Throne, and after his success, spending the rest of his life happily in the fertile Vale with the silver-haired princess... He had to admit, the picture was beautiful and tempting, but this was not Greene's dream.
Could King Viserys hold the Iron Throne? Daenerys's brother couldn't... Greene rose from his chair, walked over, and stood by the window.
Outside the window, a magnificent sea view unfolded. The boundless azure water stretched into the distance, like a brilliant sapphire set upon the earth.
Greene's eyes trembled slightly... There is only one Iron Throne. For the Targaryens and their supporters, as long as the person sitting on the Iron Throne is not a Targaryen, that person is their enemy.
The Targaryens were originally the final arrangement in Greene's path to the Iron Throne, but Daenerys's affection had introduced many uncertainties.
Did this change bring more benefits than drawbacks, or the other way around? Greene felt it was fifty-fifty.
Time... Greene suddenly chuckled. How could one precisely calculate human emotions... A young girl's love comes and goes quickly. Perhaps by the time he received this letter, she already had a new love. This is, after all, the world of Ice and Fire.
Greene reined in his wandering thoughts. Beautiful women truly did affect the speed of drawing a sword.
Thump-thump-thump.
Receiving a response, Herschel the steward, whose belly had grown even larger, chuckled as he entered, carrying a tray.
Once Herschel the steward had set out the food, Greene walked over and sat down, saying, "Thank you, Herschel."
Herschel the steward bowed slightly, his plump face full of smiles: "My lord, it is my honor."
Greene picked up a wine glass and took a sip, saying, "Herschel, the blockade of Blackwater Bay is expected to last for another six months or so. I hope you are prepared."
Herschel the steward couldn't help but sigh, lamenting, "If not for this blockade, Mermaid Port would have a considerable surplus this year. I had originally planned to invest that money in next year's port construction."
Greene put down his wine glass and said, "Duke Renly, with the support of the Duke of Highgarden, has already declared himself king in the South. I imagine Riverlands transport ships will soon be prohibited from entering Blackwater Bay."
Herschel the steward's pupils contracted: "My lord, our war reserves are still quite short."
Herschel the steward was referring to the grain transported by Riverlands merchant ships to Mermaid Port, which was Klaeb Territory's war reserve stockpiled for the war in the Vale.
Greene leaned back in his chair, saying, "Although it's not the best situation, our current reserves are sufficient for our needs."
Herschel nodded slightly, placing a hand over his chest and saying, "My lord, Herschel awaits your command."
After a pause, Greene said, "Blackwater Bay can be said to have entered a state of war. Stannis's Royal Fleet will no longer wholeheartedly defend against pirates as before, because they now have a more important enemy."
He continued, "Especially at a time like this, we must not neglect the port's defenses. If we're not careful, our hard-built Mermaid Port could be reduced to ashes, loyal Herschel."
Herschel the steward solemnly said, "My lord, please rest assured, I will remember."
...
...
Essos, Viserys (Qarth) City-State, Governor's Mansion.
Daenerys, supported by her handmaidens, entered the steaming bathtub. She felt the soothing comfort of the hot water and reached out to touch the fossilized dragon egg placed nearby.
Ever since receiving the three dragon eggs—green, white, and black—Daenerys had unconsciously grown fond of all sorts of stories about dragons. She heard that dragons originally came from the East, from the Shadow Lands beyond Asshai and the islands in the Jade Sea. She thought... perhaps some dragons still survived in that wild and treacherous land.
Daenerys withdrew her hand from the dragon egg and asked her new handmaiden, "Do you think I'll ever see a dragon?"
The new handmaiden knew much about dragons. As she helped Daenerys scrub her back, she said, "Princess, I've heard that dragons all died out a very, very long time ago... They're extinct."
Daenerys looked a little disappointed: "They all died out...? Even the dragons of the East?"
It was rumored that when the Doom befell Valyria and the Lands of Everlasting Summer, magic also vanished in the West. Spell-forged swords, weather-predicting bards, and dragons, all were irrecoverable. But Daenerys heard that the situation in the East was different. It was said that manticore still roamed the Jade Sea islands, and wyverns still coiled in the jungles of Yi Ti. She thought... if that's the case, why couldn't dragons still exist?
The new handmaiden moved to the side, lifting the silver-haired princess's slender, pale arm: "Princess, every part of your body is so captivating..."
Her other hand picked up a towel, and she added, "Brave heroes slew dragons because dragons were terrible monsters, so they are no more."
She continued, "A merchant from Qarth told me that dragons came from the moon."
Daenerys was both curious and puzzled: "The moon?"
The new handmaiden nodded: "He told me that the moon is an egg, and there were originally two moons in the sky, but one of them got too close to the sun, couldn't withstand the heat, and exploded.
Thousands upon thousands of dragons poured out of the exploding moon, and they absorbed the sun's fire, which is why dragons breathe fire.
He said that one day, the remaining moon will also kiss the sun, and then it will also explode, and dragons will return to this world."
Borona, who was sitting by the fireplace drying towels, spoke up: "How come I heard others say the moon is a goddess, the wife of the sun? I can't believe the moon would be an egg."
Daenerys chuckled: "Anything is possible."
After speaking, her violet eyes looked at the fossilized dragon egg. She wished it were a real dragon egg.
...
Daenerys, dressed in silk pajamas, was playing with the dark green-shelled dragon egg on her bed. In the moonlight, the dragon egg's scales shimmered with a bronze luster, very beautiful... Sometimes, she even felt as if she could draw energy from the petrified dragon inside the egg, making her strong and brave.
Daenerys Targaryen smiled faintly as she drifted off to sleep.
...
Early the next morning, Jorah Mormont requested an audience with the silver-haired princess.
Daenerys had a rare good night's sleep last night, and she was in a good mood. She greeted him proactively, "Good day, Ser."
Ser Jorah's tall figure stood before Daenerys, and he placed a hand over his chest, saying, "Good day, Princess Daenerys."
Daenerys smiled and said, "Ser Jorah, what can I do for you?"
Ser Jorah glanced at the smiling silver-haired princess and said, "Princess Daenerys, too many outsiders have flooded into this city because of King Viserys's tourney. Last night, there were many robberies, and the people are very uneasy."
Daenerys put down her teacup, her expression serious as she asked, "Many outsiders? Approximately how many?"
Ser Jorah replied, "An estimated thousand people."
He added, "Not only has public order become chaotic, but sanitation has also become a problem. The city stinks everywhere, and public dissatisfaction is growing daily. This is very dangerous, my Princess."
Daenerys pondered for a moment, then said, "Ser Jorah, are our soldiers not enough to maintain order?"
After a pause, Ser Jorah looked at Daenerys and sighed, "Princess, we still need to set aside a portion of our soldiers to act as guards to maintain order during the tourney."
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