chapter 109 part 1
Chapter 109: Targaryen (End)
A few days later, Glyn, dressed in blue silk, was invited by Illyrio to the Magister's manse.
The manse was surrounded by twelve-foot-high brick walls, topped with a row of iron spikes.
It was a lavishly decorated residence with a commanding view of the entire harbor of Pentos.
At the main gate, Glyn saw the Unsullied responsible for guarding the manse.
The Unsullied were widely used as guards in the Free Cities. They were castrated slave warriors, trained from a young age in Astapor, characterized by their absolute obedience to their masters and their fearlessness in the face of battle.
The most famous battle of the Unsullied was at Qohor, where a mere three thousand Unsullied withstood the assault of over fifty thousand Dothraki led by Temor Qao.
When he arrived at the main hall of the manse, Glyn saw the portly Illyrio Mopatis.
Gems sparkled on every one of Illyrio's fingers, and his oiled, forked yellow beard shone as if it were made of real gold.
Glyn took the initiative to place a hand on his chest and bow. "Good day, Magister Illyrio. It is a great honor to be received by you."
Though corpulent and obese, Illyrio, despite his origins as an assassin, moved with surprising lightness and grace.
Illyrio's tone was amiable. "Good day, Lord Glyn. Welcome. May the Lord of Light bless you."
As he drew closer, Glyn smelled the heavy scent of perfume on Illyrio.
Glyn's smile had the unique purity of a young man. "Magister, thank you again for your assistance, and thank you to Lord Varys for the recommendation."
Illyrio chuckled. "Varys and I are old friends. It is a pity that after he went to Westeros, we have not been in contact for a long time. I was overjoyed to see a letter in his own hand this time."
After a pause, Illyrio added, "Lord Glyn, for Varys to recommend you, you must be an exceptionally outstanding young man. I trust my old friend's judgment. It was a trivial effort; no need to be so courteous."
Glyn smiled and nodded, following Illyrio into an inner hall.
After they were seated, servants brought exquisitely made cakes and a milky white pear brandy.
Glyn took a small sip of the pear brandy and then set down his glass.
"Magister Illyrio, forgive my forwardness, but I wish to see the Targaryens."
As Glyn's words fell, the hall suddenly went silent.
Illyrio stared at Glyn for a moment, then suddenly smiled and shook his head. "One truly cannot underestimate my old friend. He certainly thinks highly of you."
Glyn looked slightly startled, a trace of awkwardness on his face.
Illyrio sighed softly. "Since Varys had you meet me, you must have learned a great deal. To your King, they are the Targaryen remnants, but to me, the war has already been decided. They are just pitiful children with no home to return to."
After a moment of silence, Glyn spoke, "Lord Varys feels the same way... Magister, I agree with this point. House Baratheon has already won the Iron Throne, and the Targaryens have already left Westeros. I feel the matter has reached its conclusion and should end here."
Illyrio looked regretful. "The pursuit from Westeros leaves them unable to sleep or eat in peace. The two young people are like wanderers with no fixed abode. They are only staying here with me temporarily. All I can do is provide them with fleeting shelter."
Glyn clenched and then relaxed his fist. "Magister Illyrio, I now understand Lord Varys's kind intentions. Hunting down the Targaryens is not an honorable affair."
Glyn bowed his head. "Your benevolence is not only worthy of praise but also admirable."
Illyrio watched the change in Glyn's expression, the corner of his mouth twitching imperceptibly.
Glyn first frankly recounted the past of House Cleyber and their awkward status.
Seeing that Illyrio was listening intently, Glyn continued, "King Robert has never trusted House Cleyber. Coupled with the lack of results from the hunt over the past decade, he has appointed me as the person in charge of pursuing the Targaryens to test the loyalty of House Cleyber."
"And you?"
Illyrio's expression showed undisguised vigilance.
Glyn shook his head slightly. "Please rest assured, Magister. You can convey to His Highness the Prince and Her Highness the Princess that as long as I am in charge, I will ensure they are not disturbed. Please tell them to be at ease."
Illyrio scrutinized the sincere-looking Glyn and finally sighed.
"Lord Glyn, today I finally understand what fearless loyalty is!"
Faced with the high praise from Illyrio, Glyn merely sighed softly.
Illyrio's eyes shifted slightly, his tone carrying a note of concern. "Lord Glyn, if you do this, won't it be difficult to answer to Westeros after some time has passed?"
Glyn shrugged. "No one will pursue the matter for the time being. I trust Lord Varys."
An idea sparked in Glyn's mind, and he continued, "However, Lord Varys is a rare and kind man. I do not wish to push all the difficulties onto him."
With that, Glyn stood and placed a hand on his chest. "Magister, forgive my forwardness, but at an appropriate time, I would like to arrange a charade of a hunt in Pentos. This way, it can be considered a report of sorts... This will require your consent."
Illyrio asked doubtfully, "A charade of a hunt?"
Glyn nodded in reply. "It's an act for others to see. There are many people traveling between Pentos and Westeros, so this will make it easier to appease certain interested parties. I think it will also make things easier for Lord Varys on his end."
After hearing this, Illyrio appeared to agree on the surface, but a trace of vigilance rose in his heart.
"Indeed. Pentos is surely hiding many spies. It is best to be more cautious."
Then, Illyrio asked in a natural tone, "How will the Prince and Princess need to cooperate?"
A fake show can also be made real... Illyrio was testing him. Despite Varys's recommendation, he would never trust Glyn as easily as he appeared to. The human heart was the most difficult thing to grasp.
The two Targaryens in his hands had different values in different places.
For example, if placed before King Robert, Glyn would surely receive a great reward and could also solve the trust issue that had always plagued him.
...
Regarding Illyrio's question, Glyn first shook his head in denial.
"Magister Illyrio, after all, they did not appoint me to this task out of trust. We still need to be wary of hidden assassins in the shadows. This is what Lord Varys and I are most worried about."
"It is enough for my men to create some commotion. The Prince and Princess must not show their faces. This is also to ensure their safety. I believe they are safest here with you."
Illyrio agreed, "You have a point. I was thinking too simply. For the safety of the Prince and Princess, it is not excessive to be more cautious."
Illyrio added, "Rest assured, I will arrange for people to cooperate with you when the time comes."
*What an old fox,* Glyn thought, his face showing gratitude as he bowed his head in thanks.
Illyrio spoke in a gentle and amiable tone, "As for meeting the Prince and Princess, I will convey today's matters to them exactly as they happened. I believe they will be very happy to meet you."
Glyn thought silently: *But.*
After a moment's hesitation, Illyrio continued, "His Highness Viserys has vivid memories of the war from over a decade ago. Coupled with the constant pursuit... he is somewhat resistant to people from Westeros."
Glyn expressed his understanding. "Anyone in the same situation would have bitter memories. I greatly admire the resilience of His Highness of House Targaryen."
Illyrio nodded slightly in agreement. "I imagine Princess Daenerys will be very willing to meet you. Although she has no memory of it, she has always been very curious about Westeros. I have never seen a purer girl than her. Princess Daenerys is like a spirit of this world."