NOVEL FROG Chapter 234: Killed by a Glance
"Prince Regent Viserys has arrived..." The guard’s announcement came a half-beat late but still reached the ears of the nobles and Dothraki before Viserys dismounted.
Drogo, though unfamiliar with the title 'Regent,' recognized the name 'Viserys' immediately. He carefully observed Viserys, starting with his physique, which was unmistakably that of a seasoned warrior. The posture of Viserys's horse indicated his excellent horsemanship as well.
As Viserys glanced in Drogo's direction, it was as if a purple flash swept past him. Drogo remembered what Jhaqo had told him before Drogo had executed him—Viserys was the most powerful warrior Jhaqo had ever seen. Though Jhaqo hadn’t said whether Viserys was stronger than Drogo himself, Drogo knew it would be wise to use all his skills against such a formidable opponent.
'What a pity.'
The black goat priest beside Drogo, however, felt a twinge of disappointment upon seeing Viserys.
Yet, he remained confident that Drogo would emerge victorious. The visions he had shown Drogo were not mere illusions but glimpses of the future. In other words, there would definitely be a silver-haired Khal with purple eyes ruling over the Dothraki one day. Judging by Viserys’s physical traits, he was certain this future Khal would be the offspring of the Targaryen woman and Drogo.
As Viserys's mount was led away by the guard, he noticed foam already forming around its mouth and nostrils. The horse would need careful attention to ensure it would last.
Viserys walked toward the nobles of the Nine Free Cities. When he finally appeared, Connington let out a long sigh of relief, as if the ice that had been weighing on his chest had melted into spring water.
"Prince," Connington greeted.
"We have what we need, and we can safely send our soldiers through The Sorrows," Viserys whispered, speaking only to Connington and one other. The news filled Connington with joy, and his bloodshot eyes brightened. He followed Viserys as he approached the group of nobles.
First, Viserys greeted the Roth and Methys, who had always been particularly concerned about him and his sister.
Although his appearance had changed somewhat over the past two years, they recognized him immediately. Viserys smiled and nodded specifically at the two of them.
As for the others, such as Alios, he gave them a brief nod before moving on without delay.
"So this is Viserys?" Mellario mused aloud, though it was unclear whether she was asking or merely thinking out loud. Now in her forties and the mother of Arianne, Mellario had decided to meet Viserys in private.
Dany was naturally the happiest to see Viserys return, but with the crowd around them, she forced herself to stay composed.
"Brother," she greeted softly.
"I've worried you," Viserys replied. "Did you bring the dragon eggs and the horn?"
Dany nodded.
"That's good."
At that moment, Benerro stepped forward. "Viserys, be careful of the man with the hood. He’s a follower of the Black Goat."
"Black Goat?" Viserys’s mind flickered to Mirri, who had been under his watch. It seemed that, under various circumstances, someone had taken her place.
"I still have a Black Goat priestess in my custody. I’ll hand her over to you later."
"Okay."
After a brief exchange with the others, Viserys turned to Drogo’s Bloodrider, Haggo. "No wonder you Dothraki have neither clothes to wear nor decent houses to live in. The leader does whatever he wants. Don’t your Khals know it’s their greatest responsibility to keep their people well-fed and warm?" Viserys’s words were meant to obscure his recent activities. He knew they would speculate about where he had been, but no matter how hard they tried, they would never guess he had ventured to The Sorrows and met the legendary Shrouded "Lord".
Haggo bristled, feeling that Viserys had insulted his Khal, and was about to retort when Viserys cut him off. "No need to say anything. Just take me to Drogo."
"I swear, if we met on the battlefield, I would have broken your limbs!" Haggo growled.
"Well, good for you," Viserys responded calmly, Haggo’s provocation failing to stir any emotion in him. To Viserys, the Bloodriders were merely bodyguards, not worth his anger.
Haggo was so stunned by Viserys’s indifference that he could not speak for a long moment. "Good?" he muttered in disbelief. "He said 'Good for you'?"
As Viserys approached, Drogo rose to meet him, with the black goat priest close behind. Thus, the two men of destiny finally stood face to face.
Drogo’s bronze skin gleamed under the sun, his long black braids reaching down to his thighs. Viserys strode forward, his silver hair restrained by a dragonbone hairband, and his black robe flaring out like the wings of a great dragon. Despite Drogo towering over Viserys by half a head, there was an inexplicable tension between them.
All eyes were on the two men. The air was thick with anticipation, and the surroundings fell into an eerie silence.
"Viserys, marry your sister to me and I will offer you my friendship," Drogo said in a deep voice.
"Bring all the Khaleesis of Dothrakis to my bed, and I will spare your life," Viserys replied in fluent Dothraki.
Instead of angering Drogo, Viserys’s words caught him off guard. The fluency of Viserys’s Dothraki surprised him, making Drogo feel as if Viserys knew more about him than he knew about himself. A sense of unease crept into Drogo's heart.
Viserys quickly noticed the black goat priest standing behind Drogo. Suddenly, the priest’s pupils turned square as he attempted to attack Viserys's spirit. But in the next moment, the priest's bones seemed to melt, and he collapsed to the ground, convulsing violently. Soon after, his mouth began to emit a grotesque sound, "Baa, baa, baa..."
"Khal Drogo!" Drogo’s three Bloodriders charged forward like madmen, shielding him with their lives as if Viserys were a dangerous beast. The bizarre scene drew the attention of everyone around them, causing a commotion among the crowd.
"What's happening? What’s wrong with Drogo's men?"
"Did they suddenly have a seizure?"
Chaos spread through the crowd as people tried to make sense of the situation.
"Go, protect the Prince!" Connington was the first to react, sending guards to Viserys's side. In response, Drogo sent more Dothraki warriors, and the two groups faced off, the tension escalating as a battle loomed.
"You despicable man, how dare you use witchcraft!" Haggo shouted angrily.
Being accused by such an insignificant person annoyed Viserys, but Drogo remained clear-headed. "It wasn't him!"
Though Drogo didn’t fully understand what had just happened, he knew he couldn’t blame Viserys. After all, the idea that someone could break a man’s spirit with a mere glance would devastate his warriors' morale. That would be the end of the story.
On further reflection, Drogo doubted Viserys was responsible. If Viserys truly possessed such power, why hadn’t he used it on Drogo himself? But then again, what if Viserys was merely trying to intimidate him? Regardless, Drogo knew they couldn’t stay here any longer.
The meeting between the two men, derailed by the provocations of the black goat priest, ended without resolution. Now, Viserys had another challenge ahead—dealing with the Faceless Men sent to assassinate him.
