Chapter 347: Chapter 347: The Most Beautiful Place
Daenerys had been moved to another guest room, and when Wright arrived, many nobles were gathered around, along with a septon and several silent nuns waiting by the door.
"Septon, please step aside."
"Lord Wright, I fear..." The septon stopped his words, leaving the others around to understand his meaning.
"I understand." Wright stepped into the bedroom and saw Daenerys lying on the bed, with Thoros and Qyburn sitting on either side, guarding her.
Daenerys's mind was clear, and when she saw him enter, she turned her head and, recognizing Wright, weakly said, "Ah, ah, ah."
Wright reached out and placed his hand on her forehead, casting a detection spell. The situation was indeed dire. "Qyburn, what's her condition?"
"The healing potions and recovery magic can only treat external injuries. Her wounds have healed, but the illness inside her body worsened after this injury. We have found no way to handle it." Qyburn said with some frustration.
On the cabinet in the bedroom were several alchemical tools borrowed by Qyburn, with Daenerys's blood inside them. The two had already tried some experiments before Wright arrived.
Only Wright knew that in the late stages of such a disease, seven or eight antibiotics would need to be used together, and a vast industrial chain would have to be established to manufacture them. However, the current technological level couldn't even approach this.
Daenerys, weak, looked at Wright, gesturing with her hands while making a few expressions. The general meaning was that she didn't want to die in this bed. She wanted him to take her away, to a place with beautiful scenery.
Qyburn, Thoros, and the nobles at the door all fell silent. Her soft whispers were heard, and the atmosphere turned somber.
Silver-gold strands of hair fell from the pillow. Wright helped her tidy her hair and moved the bangs that were almost covering her eyes to the sides. "I'll arrange it."
Waving his hand to signal Qyburn and Thoros to leave, Wright followed them to the door and said, "Septon, the funeral for Daenerys is canceled. I promised her that after she dies, she will be buried with her nephew outside Meereen."
"Based on my experience, Daenerys likely won't survive more than a week," Qyburn stated his prediction.
Wright calculated the time. "That's enough! I will take her to where she wants to go. After she dies, I will freeze her. After I return to King's Landing for the King's funeral, I will send her to Meereen."
"Lord Wright, this is my daughter's clothing, and it fits Daenerys. Please have the nuns help her change into it." The elderly Lord Tytos Blackwood of Raventree Hall pushed through, holding a set of new clothes.
"Lord Wright, could you ensure that Daenerys does not leave through the front gates? Let her leave the city with dignity." Ser Deddings, now middle-aged, also chimed in.
"Of course." Aside from Daenerys's mutated disease, this was also one of the reasons Wright was eager to take her away. With Robert dead and the last bloodline of House Targaryen still alive, he feared they might cause more trouble. Vampires were still lurking around, and with the King's funeral not yet held, Wright didn't want to resort to violence against humans at this time.
The silent nuns took the clothes from Lord Tytos and entered the bedroom, closing the door behind them.
---
It had been a long time since any proper meetings had been held in Pentos. Edmure had the servants clear out a small meeting room, where Wright and several members of the small council held a brief meeting.
"Lord Wright, we are all preparing for the King's funeral. Is there something important that you have called us for?" Seeing that no one spoke, the Hand of the King, Mathis Rowan, nervously asked.
The chair that belonged to the King was empty. According to the law, when the King is absent, the King's Hand may sit in the main chair and exercise some of the powers granted by the King. But now, the chair remained unoccupied, and everyone lowered their heads in silence.
It had long been rumored among the Seven Kingdoms that Wright was a merciless butcher who could kill without a second thought. There were three ways to calm him down: one was through his two women, Nymeria and Tyene, the second was through mountains of gold dragons, and the third was through his older brother, King Robert. Now that the King was dead, Wright could become even more terrifying than the vampires!
Looking around at the members of the Kingsguard, Varys, and Master of Coin Mace Tyrell, Wright didn't beat around the bush and directly asked:
"When will Stannis's succession ceremony take place?"
"We plan to hold it a month after the funeral," Mace Tyrell said, wiping sweat from his brow.
"Since King's Landing still needs preparation, that is the tentative plan," Rowan added.
Wright noticed Barristan Selmy, the captain of the Kingsguard, looked down with a melancholy expression, while Varys was taking notes seriously. However, Wright noticed a trace of mockery in Varys's eyes.
"I've read the laws of the kingdom, so who's delaying this?" Wright glanced sharply at Rowan.
Rowan, seeing Wright's gaze, quickly said, "Lord Wright, it's the Church! They are only willing to conduct the King's funeral and not Stannis's coronation ceremony. I'm trying to communicate with them."
North of the Bay of Crabs, the southern family alliance, led by House Tyrell, had come to aid House Rowan in the north, claiming it was to support the war effort, but the battle had ended disastrously. House Rowan fled to other places, and their castles and lands were nearly destroyed.
The clever Rowan had long suspected something, and Lord Mace had also received a letter from his mother. For a long time, the two had been secretly at odds, but the king's sudden death had forced them to ease their conflicts. First, they needed to deal with the vampires and manage King's Landing, and later, they would sort out their rivalry.
However, the church of Oldtown had interfered again, strongly opposing Stannis' coronation and spreading rumors that once the gambler Stannis became king, he would use all the lands of the kingdom for gambling and enslave the people to foreign invaders.
Wright leaned back in his chair. "Is that true?"
"Absolutely!" Lord Mace quickly relayed the information he had received.
Wright sat up straight. "The coronation of Stannis will take place on the eighth day after the funeral. That High Septon from King's Landing will be carried to the Red Keep if necessary!"
"Wright, the High Septon of King's Landing answers to the High Septon of Oldtown. Without an order from Oldtown, forcibly bringing him here may cause trouble," Varys said, his arms crossed in his sleeves, as though feeling a bit cold.
"By this time, the royal fleet and the gold cloaks will have sealed off King's Landing. Stannis is already on his way from Dragonstone, and will reach King's Landing in a few days. This is the moment to test your abilities. When the new king takes the throne, you must perform well," Wright said, standing up and leaving the meeting room.
These schemes and plots were best left to those who enjoyed manipulating things; Wright cared only about the White Walkers, vampires, and matters at the highest level.
---
The door opened, and Daenerys, dressed in a purple silk slip dress, was helped out by a nun, walking slowly. She was very weak but could still manage to walk.
Wright moved to her side, supporting her left arm, and Daenerys gripped his sleeve tightly.
Lord Blackwood quickly moved to her right side to support her as well.
The nobles rushed out of the narrow corridor and into the hall, while Wright and Lord Blackwood guided Daenerys down the stairs slowly.
"Qyburn, I expect to return before the king's funeral. These next few days, you and Thoros should take turns resting. Be sure to guard the king's body. When Renly arrives, escort him back to King's Landing together," Wright reminded cautiously.
"I will set up magical wards near the hall to ensure no one or vampires take control of the king's body," Qyburn, skilled in necromancy, said, fully aware that many mages could summon creatures now, and with vampires involved, they couldn't let Robert's body be taken.
If the body of King Robert were used to issue orders, would the knights and soldiers obey? After all, it was the king himself—even dead, who would dare confirm? The country would fall into complete chaos.
In the hall, the people of the Riverlands formed two rows, with elderly noblemen standing in the front, their expressions solemn. Their younger descendants stood behind, looking around.
As Wright and the others descended into the hall, walking past the wooden table where Robert's body lay, he thought about how many of these elderly and youthful nobles there were.
Daenerys cast a sideways glance at Robert's frozen body, her expression filled with hatred. Then, she relaxed, and her expression turned to one of relief and joy.
Wright saw her expression clearly and gently squeezed her arm. Her relationship with Robert was complex—both bitter enemies and the parents of a child. Wright, caught in the middle, had never fully acknowledged that bond.
As they walked through the hall, each elder noble they passed bowed to Daenerys. The line of well-wishers stretched all the way to the walls of the city.
"Qyburn, you go back to the city first. I don't know where to go now, but if there's a Rookery nearby, I'll send a letter to King's Landing," Wright called out. From afar, Qyburn waved and headed back to the city with the knights.
Odahviing stood in the river, his body still partially visible, and Wright lifted Daenerys up, jumping onto the dragon's back with a few swift movements.
The dragon's head bobbed up and down, shaking from side to side. It was too bumpy, so Wright set Daenerys on the dragon's wide back, letting her sit on a large red scale.
"Where do you want to go?" Wright asked, supporting her back.
Daenerys leaned against Wright's chest, gesturing with her hands to form the shape of a flower, then mimed the motion of water.
"Then it has to be my Tyrosh Castle."
Daenerys had been brought back to Tyrosh briefly for less than half an hour and had no particular memories of it.
"Now, aside from my castle, the main part of the city is finished. Only the expanded areas are still under construction," Wright said, confident about his home's environment.
Daenerys nodded, then turned her gaze eastward.
The rain soaked their clothes as the wind grew stronger after the dragon flew out from the clouds. Both of them were immune to flames, so Wright took her hand and conjured fire to warm her.
---
Nobles from all over the Seven Kingdoms received word, preparing to travel to King's Landing for the funeral and the yet-to-be-scheduled coronation of the new king.
The war in the Riverlands had gradually begun to show its effects, and the roads between Highgarden and King's Landing were now clear of any obstacles.
The western nobles had just attended Tywin's funeral. Jaime inherited his father's title, and before he could even rest at Casterly Rock, his men were urging him to head to King's Landing. He had no choice but to seal Casterly Rock.
The nobles from the Stepstones had also made their preparations, with only a few left behind to guard the island. All the rest were ready to leave, some even already at sea.
When Wright returned to Tyrosh, all the noble ships had left the harbor except for his own ship, the Wave-Rider Knight.
He let Odahviing circle above the island as he showed Daenerys the significant buildings of the island.
The warm sea breeze was pleasant against their skin, and Daenerys leaned closer to Wright, looking down at the endless white houses and neat streets on the vast island. "I always thought Tyrosh Island was small—just a castle and a ring of walls."
"That was the old Tyrosh! Including the undeveloped lands, Tyrosh is about the size of a Westeros Kingdom on the mainland." Wright pointed to the island's center, where large construction projects were underway. Further south, there were vast orchards.
After showing her the whole island, the dragon slowly descended. Before it landed, Wright jumped off the dragon's back, holding Daenerys, and they floated into the castle tower.
"The castle is also white. It's painted with lime to protect against moisture and insects," Wright explained as they entered.
"We have many artworks here, but none of them were bought by me," he added.
As they walked down the stairs, Daenerys looked around with curiosity. They had just entered the long corridor when four women approached from the other end.
"Haha, Wright, you finally went after a woman!" one of them called out.
"Did you finally get it? Haha, tonight she sleeps in my room," another teased.
"You're holding her, but never held me," a third pouted.
"Excellent magical potential, but unfortunately, her life is short," the fourth commented.
In the dim light, Daenerys couldn't make out their faces, but hearing their words, she looked up at Wright.
"This is Daenerys Targaryen," Wright introduced. Daenerys had been standing on the dragon's back before and hadn't met Nymeria or the others.
As they approached, Nymeria, the tallest among them, walked up to Daenerys, gesturing at her own height with her hand. Then she reached out and pinched Wright's face before giving him a big kiss.
Daenerys stood by, and Wright gently pushed Nymeria away.
"Is she a guest or a captive this time?" Nymeria asked, slightly puzzled.
"Quaithe, take Daenerys to her room," Wright instructed, handing Daenerys off to Quaithe as he led the other women back to his chamber.
As soon as Wright sat down, Nymeria hopped onto his lap, her legs tightly wrapped around his waist. Ranna took a seat on one side of the sofa, and Tyene sat on the other, all three gripping Wright tightly.
"I think Daenerys has a problem!" Tyene leaned forward, sniffing Wright.
"She's got a terminal illness. Any skin contact will spread it. I've been using fire magic to cleanse the poison, but she won't last more than three days," Wright said, giving Nymeria, still on his lap, a playful smack on the backside. "Especially you—don't get any ideas! Or who knows how many women in the city will die!"
"Then why let Quaithe stay with her?" Kona asked, using the opportunity to lean closer.
"Quaithe has a prophecy. She's got another ten years or so. She'll be fine," Wright said, struggling for air as the three women practically smothered him.