On the other side, Clinton and the others learned the full story behind the shadow assassin.
Melisandre's explanation made everyone feel sick.
No one had expected shadowbinders to be such sinister beings.
"But Your Majesty need not worry.
The more nobles in Westeros who publicly swear allegiance to you again, the weaker Robert's king's blood will become.
It will be very difficult for him to carry out an assassination like this again."
Melisandre's additional explanation finally put everyone's minds at ease.
According to her, because Robert was no longer recognized by the nobles and common people of Westeros, the "value" of the king's blood within him had fallen dramatically.
Meanwhile, the value of Viserys's king's blood had risen at an astonishing rate.
This also meant that the amount of king's blood carried by the other members of House Targaryen had increased.
In other words, if Viserys wanted to use this kind of magic, Melisandre could help him.
"Then does this magic have to be performed through intercourse between a man and a woman?"
The moment Viserys asked this question, Arianne, who had been listening nearby, suddenly became alert.
She looked at Viserys, then at Melisandre.
Her hands tightened around her dress.
"No." Melisandre shook her head. "A sacrifice can also be offered directly, but the person being sacrificed will die immediately."
Viserys nodded.
Most of the people left the hall, leaving only Clinton, several Kingsguard, and a few maesters behind.
"I need to send someone to the Wall and bring Maester Aemon back."
The moment he mentioned Aemon, most of those present thought of Rhaenyra's son.
Clinton, however, quickly realized what Viserys meant.
There was another Targaryen on the Wall!
"Your Majesty, leave this matter to me. I'll send someone."
"Very well. Make certain the old maester is brought back safely. And take two ships of weapons and supplies to the Wall."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Aemon was simply too old.
Viserys had no idea whether he was still capable of riding a dragon.
Besides, he could hardly ride a dragon all the way to the Wall for something like this.
Otherwise, the Braavosi might simply find some bastard with suspected Targaryen or Blackfyre blood and use him to manipulate a dragon.
Viserys would then spend all his time running around dealing with such problems.
The war accelerated because of the failed assassination attempt.
An operation on such a massive scale finally forced the southern city-states to react.
Volantis sent one of its three triarchs, Nessiso, while Slaver's Bay and the Triarchy also sent their own envoys to Gohor.
Viserys received them in the garden.
After its renovation, the garden finally looked like a proper garden.
Some merchants from Pentos had even presented Viserys with several peacocks.
Their arrival brought a touch of elegance to the Dragon Palace and reduced some of its usual grim atmosphere.
Daenerys's young dragons were still tiny, no larger than chickens, so they were incapable of causing any real damage to the garden.
After arriving, Viserys chose a pavilion from which the entire garden could be seen.
The pavilion's design was inspired by the Rhoynar.
A fountain had been incorporated into the pavilion itself, bringing a pleasant coolness to the surroundings.
"My time is limited."
Viserys spoke casually before having his attendants hand each envoy a document.
"These are my terms for peace."
Nessiso's heart sank.
He had not even read the document yet, but he already had a feeling that this negotiation would not produce the outcome they wanted.
Sure enough, the moment he opened the first page, Nysso nearly fainted.
Viserys demanded the immediate emancipation of every slave.
Furthermore, each former slave was to be compensated according to an assessment of the value of the labor they had performed over the years.
Viserys would send designated officials, and even soldiers, to supervise the process.
Nessiso was certain that if he signed this document, he would be crucified the moment he returned home.
And even if he did sign it, the nobles behind the Black Wall would never agree.
The document given to the Slaver's Bay envoy was even harsher and more difficult to accept.
Take Astapor, the city famous for producing Unsullied.
The brutal, almost inhuman training inflicted upon them would require compensation for "psychological damages."
The amount demanded was so enormous that even if the slave masters sold their pyramids, they still could not afford to pay it.
"Your Majesty, I don't understand!"
Grazdan, the envoy from Slaver's Bay, spoke up.
After suffering defeat, he had not returned to Slaver's Bay. Instead, he had remained behind, transforming from a military commander into an envoy for the peace negotiations.
Grazdan continued.
"Are you not preparing to attack Braavos?"
"That's right."
"Then why..."
He pointed at the document in his hand, but for a moment he did not know what else to say.
What Grazdan meant was that since Viserys intended to attack Braavos, they had expected him to at least put on some kind of show when they came to negotiate peace.
Even if it was nothing more than a deception, waiting until Braavos had fallen before resuming the war would not have been difficult to understand.
But Viserys had simply placed such humiliating terms before them without the slightest attempt at pretense.
They could not understand it.
"What is there to misunderstand? From the very beginning of the war, I made it perfectly clear that I intend to free every slave."
Viserys looked toward the peacocks in the distance as he spoke.
Grazdan and the others exchanged bewildered glances.
They had always assumed that Viserys's declaration of emancipation was merely a weapon he was using against the coalition.
Now that they had taken the initiative to seek peace, why was he still refusing to compromise?
Viserys's attitude left them with only one thought.
'Ah, shit. He's actually serious.'
"Five thousand years ago, when Valyria was founded, this world became shrouded beneath the endless darkness of slavery.
My army and I will become the thunder that tears those clouds apart!"
Arrogant!
Utterly arrogant!
Presumptuous!
Outrageously presumptuous!
Shameless! Absolutely shameless!
"Do you really think we are the kings of Westeros from three hundred years ago? You should understand that we are far more powerful than they were!"
Nessiso frowned as he spoke.
It sounded like a threat, but in truth it was more like an attempt to conceal his own panic.
Three hundred years ago, Aegon had issued his first command to the various kings.
Those who surrendered their crowns to him could retain their lands.
Those who refused would see their entire bloodlines extinguished.
House Stark had produced a wise king who chose submission, which was why the North did not shed a single drop of blood during the Conquest.
Harren the Black had believed Harrenhal to be impregnable.
In the end, Aegon burned it until nothing remained but a blackened heart.
With the aid of three dragons, Aegon conquered every land except Dorne.
In the eyes of Nessiso and the others, Viserys was trying to imitate his ancestor and conquer the world!
Viserys, however, neither agreed nor disagreed.
Instead, he pointed toward the flock of peacocks.
"Among a flock of peacocks, there is always one leader. Once you tame the leader, the others will obediently follow.
If you refuse my terms, you can wait until I capture Braavos and then continue these negotiations.
Of course, you can also take advantage of my attack on Braavos and launch an assault on Gohor.
I'll be waiting."
With that, Viserys turned and left the pavilion.
___________
Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/BloodAncestor