chapter 107 part 2
The Hand of the King leaned back in his chair. "Varys, I hope you will do your utmost. We must always be prepared for the possibility of unrest."
Varys bowed respectfully, his face a mask of reverence. "Lord Arryn, rest assured. I will not let a single clue slip by!"
The Hand of the King nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction on his face.
After a moment's pause, the Hand of the King spoke again. "Varys, there is one more thing. What is your opinion of Lord Glynn of Crackclaw Point?"
Varys clasped his hands together, looking slightly surprised. "Lord Glynn is a fine young man, is he not?"
The Hand of the King nodded in agreement with Varys's answer.
"So young, yet so steady. It is very rare."
Only then did Varys follow up with praise. "Yes, it is rare indeed. He is also very diligent."
The Hand of the King chuckled, his tone affable. "An interesting young man."
Suddenly, the Hand of the King's tone turned serious. "Actually, it is Queen Cersei that I worry about. We must be wary of her willfulness. Lord Glynn is her chief steward, and Crackclaw Point has always been loyal to the Queen."
"Lord Arryn, are you asking me to keep an eye on Lord Glynn?"
Lord Arryn shook his head slightly. "I want you to monitor the army of The Whispers."
Although he had already sent Glynn away from Westeros, the army of The Whispers remained on Crackclaw Point.
Lord Arryn was taking precautions.
Once his investigation into the royal lineage was exposed, Queen Cersei would not just be willful; she would become mad.
Crackclaw Point was located in the Crownlands. The Hand of the King had to be on his guard.
This matter was too significant to confide in Varys just yet, so the Hand of the King found a half-true excuse.
"Varys, maintaining the peace of the Realm is the highest honor for us on the Small Council. Lord Glynn is young and easily swayed by the Targaryen remnants. Crackclaw Point is also a rather special place. Just consider it an old man's paranoia."
Varys nodded slightly, his tone solemn. "Lord Arryn, I understand your concerns. You are doing this for the stability of the Realm. I will make arrangements immediately. If I discover any unusual movements, I will report to you at once."
Varys's head was bowed low, but his eyes flickered.
Varys had already sensed that something was amiss. He felt as though the Hand of the King was concealing something.
Ever since the secret passage in the Hand's solar had been discovered by Glynn, Varys could no longer obtain direct intelligence on the Hand of the King as he once had.
The Hand's solar was, after all, a vital part of the Realm. For the time being, his Little Birds had no other means of access.
But this was no great obstacle for Varys. If the Hand of the King was indeed plotting something in the dark, he was bound to leave traces. He only needed to uncover these traces to guess the Hand's true objective.
Related to Queen Cersei... Varys's heart skipped a beat. Could it be that *that* matter had been exposed?
...
...
Daenerys leaned against the window, gazing out at the bay. From here, she could hear the chanting prayers of red priests as they lit their nightfires, and the laughter and clamor of children playing outside the high walls.
Right now, she was like a piece of merchandise, waiting for her brother to trade her for the soldiers he needed to reclaim his Iron Throne.
Even if it meant wearing ragged clothes, Daenerys wished she could be outside with them, running barefoot and playing.
A sad expression was etched on Daenerys's face, her pale purple eyes dim and lifeless.
Across the Narrow Sea, in the light of the setting sun, lay a land of green hills and flower-strewn plains, where deep rivers rushed to the sea. There stood great black stone towers soaring amidst majestic, pale blue peaks, and knights in iron armor carrying bright banners as they rode to tourney grounds.
In the Free Cities, people called that place Westeros, or the Sunset Kingdoms.
But her brother Viserys had a simpler name for it. He called it *our land*.
In the past, Viserys often promised her, "My sweet sister, one day we will return to our homeland and take back the Iron Throne that belongs to us."
Now, Viserys's words had changed. The promise no longer included "us," only him.
Daenerys's eyes were red and swollen, her lips trembling slightly.
Daenerys had pieced together the past in her own mind from the stories Viserys had told her.
Her eldest brother, Rhaegar, had fought the Usurper to the death on the ruby-studded Trident, dying for the woman he loved.
The forces of House Lannister and House Stark had sacked King's Landing.
Princess Elia of Dorne had begged for mercy, only to watch as her and Rhaegar's own flesh and blood were torn from her, the babe still at her breast brutally murdered.
The polished skulls of the last great dragons, hung high on the walls of the Throne Room, watched with blind, empty sockets as the Kingslayer raised his golden sword and slit her father's throat.
She vaguely remembered Ser Willem Darry, who used to call her "little Princess." At that time, they lived in a house in Braavos with a big red door. That was the only home she could remember.
After Ser Willem died, they began their years of wandering. He always said the Usurper's assassins were close behind, yet Daenerys had never seen a single one.
At first, the governors, archons, and merchant princes who ruled the various Free Cities were happy to welcome the Targaryen descendants. But as the days went by and the Usurper sat more securely on the Iron Throne, their own days grew harder.
They sold all their jewels, even their mother's crown.
People gave her brother a nickname: the Beggar King. Daenerys dared not imagine what they called her.
"You're standing there again."
The sudden sound of Viserys's voice made Daenerys's body flinch as if by instinct, shattering her reverie.
Daenerys quickly wiped away the tears that had not yet fallen with the back of her hand, afraid Viserys would see.
Viserys stood beside Daenerys, looking out the window. "My sister, do not be impatient. Over there..."
Viserys pointed across the Narrow Sea. "My land. I will take it back very soon."
Daenerys said timidly, "Brother, when you go there, what will I do all alone? You are my only family. I don't want to leave you."
Viserys looked at Daenerys and smiled faintly. "Daenerys, I will not forget your contribution. I will reward you with more jewels than you could ever spend."
When she accidentally woke the dragon, her brother would bully her. But Daenerys was even more afraid of being abandoned by him.
Her eyes filled with pleading. "Brother, I'll never defy you again. I only beg you not to leave me behind. Please, I... I'm so scared!"
The smile vanished from Viserys's face in an instant, his tone sharp. "Aren't you defying me right now? If I take you with me, what will I trade for an army? Do you wish to wake the dragon again?"
Daenerys sobbed quietly. "I wouldn't dare. I don't want to."
"Very good!"
Viserys smiled, affectionately stroking Daenerys's hair. "I have a task for you. If anything goes wrong, I will let you see the dragon's true wrath!"
Daenerys, however, misunderstood the meaning behind Viserys's words. She thought her brother had changed his mind and would not marry her off to a savage.
Daenerys couldn't help but feel overjoyed, her tears turning to a smile. "Brother, I promise you, I will absolutely not let you down!"
(end of chapter)