Game of Thrones: Rise of the Supreme Dragon Queen

"It seems we might need to try eating some dragon... ahem, dragon essence, by incorporating its essence into our meals," Jorah murmured, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"You too?" Dany's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Princess, haven't you noticed? Dragon essence can help resist the effects of the dragonhorn and might even have other uses," Whitebeard said, lowering his gaze solemnly.

"I just fear..." Dany glanced around at the group, who were licking their lips and looking expectant. With a sigh of exasperation, she muttered, "I fear even that little bit of dragon essence wouldn't be enough for all of you."

"Perhaps we should feed the dragons more and ensure they don't defecate anywhere randomly," Jorah suggested.

"Fine," Dany said, cutting off the topic. She had no intention of discussing dragon excrement any further. No matter what happened, she wasn't eating it.

She opened the redwood chest before her, which was as tall as half a person. Inside, a suit of jet-black, gold-trimmed armor was neatly laid on plush silk.

The armor was dark as smoke, with crimson-gold edges to the scales. Its surface was adorned with spiral patterns, runes, and mysterious symbols.

She suddenly remembered. Euron had worn this armor before, but to gain her trust, he had left the armor and sword behind on the Silence.

Dany picked up the helmet, as large as a watermelon, and tried it on. It felt like wearing an XXL-sized outfit on an M-sized frame—far too big.

However, it was surprisingly light due to its thin design.

Valyrian steel, known for its "eternal, unyielding" properties, didn't need the thickness of regular iron to provide protection. After all, Valyrian steel was still a form of steel—forged using magical techniques. Its thinness made it naturally lightweight.

Unfortunately, the armor was designed for a hulking warrior, and Dany couldn't wear it.

She set the helmet down and glanced at her Bloodriders, Jorah, Whitebeard, and the others.

Some of them seemed to guess her intentions. When Dany looked their way, Jorah straightened up immediately, Whitebeard set his cane aside and stood tall, exuding an air of vitality. Even the chubby eunuch Belwas took a deep breath, trying to turn his Buddha-like belly into a flat, taut stomach.

Only a few Dothraki horsemen looked on in confusion.

"Who wants this armor?" Dany asked, touching her nose.

"I don't need iron armor. A brave Dothraki warrior never hides behind metal," Aggo declared loudly, as if offering him the Valyrian steel armor was an insult.

"Dothraki don't wear iron armor. Everyone knows that," Jhogo added.

"Yes, everyone knows that," Rakharo and Qotho echoed in unison.

For the first time, Jorah Mormont felt genuine affection for the straightforward and brave Dothraki, as well as their collective "everyone knows that."

With the Bloodriders out of the picture, who could challenge him, the Queen's loyal knight, for the armor?

Sure enough, Dany tilted her chin toward Jorah and said, "Alright, Ser, it's yours."

"Wait a moment, Princess," Whitebeard interrupted, blocking Jorah, who was heading toward the chest with a grin. "I don't deny Ser Jorah's bravery, but his loyalty is... questionable."

Jorah's expression darkened, and his hand instinctively went to his sword. "Old man, I've warned you before—mind your tongue."

"Am I wrong?" Whitebeard met his gaze fearlessly. "Can you swear, on your father's and House Mormont's honor, that you've never betrayed the Princess?"

"He's my sworn knight and has saved my life many times. I trust him," Dany said, stepping forward to push Whitebeard aside. She bent down, picked up the helm, and handed it to Jorah. "If I can't trust the person who has saved my life so many times, who can I trust?"

"Princess, I swear on my father's and House Mormont's honor that I will protect you with my life," Jorah said, his eyes reddening as he accepted the smoky-black helm with trembling hands.

"Your Grace!" Whitebeard stomped his foot in frustration but ultimately held his tongue.

No matter what had come before, from this moment onward, Jorah Mormont's loyalty was beyond question. The old man had unwittingly given Dany a priceless assist.

Dany smirked inwardly at the thought.

The armor could only go to Jorah.

There were three Bloodriders, plus Qotho the dragon guard. Even with the armor, there wasn't enough to go around. Giving it to one would only create strife among the others.

As for Whitebeard...

Dany had long guessed his identity: Ser Barristan Selmy, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard—a man who would never betray his liege lord.

In Game of Thrones, Dany remembered someone like him, but his appearances were too brief, and he left little impression. His death was especially underwhelming, so she hadn't even recalled his name.

But in this world, with all the information she had gathered, Dany understood who Barristan Selmy was and what his name signified.

Simply put, the ten-year-old boy who had earned the moniker "the Bold" from Prince Duncan (the first "broken engagement" prince who married Jenny of Oldstones—Dany's great-great-uncle) was essentially the Guan Yu of Westeros.

However, unlike the Chinese general, this "Guan Yu" wasn't loyal to a single person but to the royal lineage. His honor came first, not loyalty to any one individual.

If you replaced "royalty" with Liu Bei and "honor" with loyalty, Barristan Selmy was Guan Yu incarnate.

In the Battle of the Ninepenny Kings, Barristan Selmy single-handedly charged into the Golden Company and successfully defeated Maelys the Monstrous, the last Blackfyre claimant. This act ended the Blackfyre rebellion once and for all.

Contextual Notes:

The Ninepenny Kings: Refers to the Fifth Blackfyre Rebellion, which occurred over forty years ago. This rebellion involved the Seven Kingdoms and the Free Cities, with the Blackfyres forming an alliance called the "Band of Nine." These so-called kings, including exiled princes and infamous pirates, proclaimed themselves rulers. They were mocked as "Ninepenny Kings" for their ultimate failure, as history is often unkind to the defeated.

The Golden Company: A legendary mercenary group founded by Targaryen bastards in exile. With over 10,000 warriors, they aimed to reclaim the Iron Throne for the Targaryen lineage. The Golden Company is reputedly the strongest mercenary force in the world of A Song of Ice and Fire.

Blackfyres and Targaryens: Targaryen bastards bore the surname "Blackfyre" and used a red-on-black dragon sigil, as opposed to the red dragon on black used by legitimate Targaryens. The Blackfyre rebellions stemmed from a Targaryen king granting his bastard son the ancestral sword, Blackfyre, sparking decades of conflict over claims to the throne.

Barristan Selmy is a legendary figure, revered by all knights of Westeros. He represents the final remnant of the great era of chivalry, where knights were paragons of virtue, skill, and honor.

The Two Eras of Knighthood:

The Great Era of Knighthood: About half a century before Jaime Lannister joined the Kingsguard, Westeros saw its golden age of true knights—men of unmatched martial skill and unyielding integrity.

The Current Era: Following the Kingslaying by Jaime Lannister, the image of knights as noble protectors was tarnished. The Kingsguard became embroiled in scandals of treachery, cowardice, and dishonor, epitomized by figures like the Hound, who abandoned their vows, or those like Jaime, who betrayed their king.

Barristan's allegiance to Daenerys would carry immense significance should he swear his loyalty to her. His influence and reputation could eclipse even Jorah Mormont's contributions.

However, Barristan Selmy, the "Brother Guan of Westeros," has become a "Servant of Three Lords."

As a Kingsguard, he served Daenerys' grandfather, Aerys II (the Mad King), and later the usurper Robert Baratheon for 14 years. He even briefly served Joffrey Baratheon.

This places him in the peculiar category of a "Servant of Three Lords," akin to Guan Yu's servitude under three masters.

The irony is that despite his illustrious service, Barristan was dismissed by Joffrey, becoming the first knight to be expelled from the Kingsguard.

In the Targaryen dynasty's glory days, the Kingsguard were lifetime appointments. Even during King Aerys' reign, when half the Kingsguard were incapacitated, they were honored with dignity and respect until their deaths.

Though he now finds himself seeking refuge under Daenerys, Barristan maintains his pride. He refrains from revealing his identity outright, observing Daenerys to judge her worthiness as a ruler. Until she proves herself, he will withhold his allegiance.

For Daenerys, this means Barristan remains an outsider, unworthy of the precious Valyrian steel armor.

As for the eunuch Belwas, introduced by Illyrio Mopatis, Daenerys values him less than even a common Dothraki warrior.

The following afternoon, while Daenerys lay on her bed studying the Valyrian runes inscribed on the giant horn, a sailor came to inform her maid, Doreah, that Euron Greyjoy had awakened.

Daenerys instructed her guards to prepare a meeting at the stern deck. Twenty Dothraki warriors formed two rows, though the lack of a "Justice Served" plaque above their heads was somewhat regrettable.

Clad in his smoke-black armor, Jorah Mormont escorted Euron to the deck.

"Ah, what a haul!" Euron remarked with a grin as he scrutinized Jorah, who stood imposingly in the Valyrian steel armor. "Even my armor ended up in your hands. I was thinking of buying my freedom, but it seems my treasures have become your spoils instead.

"Tell me, did you plan to rob Valyrian explorers all along? Conveniently, I gave you an excuse to indulge your darker ambitions, didn't I?"

Euron's appearance was pitiful—most of his hair was burned off, his once-opulent silk robe scorched and tattered. His face, arms, and chest were marred with blackened scabs that cracked and bled as he spoke.

Note:

The mention of the Ninepenny Kings and the Blackfyre Rebellion serves to lay the groundwork for upcoming plots involving Bronn, Illyrio Mopatis, and Varys' conspiracy, as well as the eventual appearance of the Golden Company.

(End of Chapter)

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