Chapter 217: The Alliance Against Viserys

Half a month ago, Tyrosh's harbor was transformed into a scene of both horror and triumph. Thirty towering pyramids made of human heads lined both sides of the main road, each nearly three meters high. Merchants and pedestrians passing by were initially terrified, but when they learned that these gruesome displays were made from the heads of defeated Dothraki, they felt a profound sense of security.

"Now we don't have to worry about the Dothraki raiding our caravans anymore. Lord Viserys is a good Archon," remarked a blond merchant as he gazed at the pyramids.

"Yes, Viserys is practically a patron saint of merchants. It's said that he wiped out the infamous pirate leaders in the Disputed Lands shortly after he arrived, and now he's defeated the Dothraki!" another merchant chimed in.

"Hey, how many times do I have to tell you? Viserys is not an Archon, he's a Regent!" corrected a third.

The harbor buzzed with merchants praising Viserys's deeds, but there were also murmurs of doubt.

"I don't think it's that simple. The Dothraki will retaliate sooner or later," one merchant warned. Those who frequently traveled across the Great Grass Sea knew the true power of the Dothraki, particularly of Khal Drogo, who was now the most formidable Khal in history. To them, the war between Viserys and the Dothraki was far from over, and the Great Grass Sea remained a dangerous place.

"So the war isn't over yet?" the blond merchant asked.

"Of course not. Can't you see the ships from Myr and even Pentos in the harbor? Those are the ships of noble lords, here to see Prince Viserys. They're here to discuss the next phase of the war with the Dothraki!"

"Make way! Make way!" Suddenly, the merchants heard the shouts of a coachman behind them. They turned to see a procession of magnificent carriages entering the city, causing everyone to step aside.

"That's the carriage of House Rogare," one of the merchants recognized the lead carriage. Since Feles Rogare had gradually taken control of the military and become Lys's top noble, he had redesigned his family crest to feature a dragon atop a crescent moon.

Behind the Rogare carriage followed the carriage of Tregar Ormollen, another influential member of the "Confederation Council." Inside one of the carriages, Shinelli peered out the window, her face turning pale at the sight of the grisly pyramids.

"So many heads! How many enemies has Prince Viserys slain?" Shinelli muttered in shock.

"Looks like there are six or seven thousand, maybe even ten thousand," Feles estimated, judging by the height of the pyramids.

Viserys had been strategic in constructing these mounds—he had ordered the craftsmen to create a tapered, elongated base and then use a special adhesive to 'inlay' the Dothraki heads. This clever trick made it appear as though an enormous number of enemies had been killed, amplifying the visual impact and making the scene even more imposing.

"So, the Prince plans to declare war on the Dothraki?" Shinelli asked.

Feles sighed deeply. "Of course. If the Prince intends to reclaim the Iron Throne, he needs a secure and stable base. The Dothraki stand in his way."

Feles gazed toward the Tyrosh Palace, his thoughts drifting. He had an unshakable sense that nothing could impede Viserys's path. Neither House Fregar of Braavos, nor the Company of the Cat, nor the pirates, nor Kambron, nor even the Dothraki would be able to stop him.

Initially, Feles had thought Viserys would need at least two or three years to consolidate his power after capturing Tyrosh. However, Viserys had drastically accelerated the process with his invention of the cigarette. While inexpensive, cigarettes had become a hard currency as valuable as gold. When Feles recruited alchemists for Viserys, all he had to mention was that cigarettes would be provided, and they flocked to him—some even coming from the alchemy guild in King's Landing.

'Viserys always finds a way,' had become one of Feles's guiding principles. As time passed, it became clear that Viserys had risen to be the most powerful figure in the Nine Free Cities. His influence stretched across Tyrosh, Pentos, and Lys.

This was especially evident after Viserys appointed Jorah Mormont as the head of the Windblown's branch in Lys. Tregar Ormollen felt the shift in power acutely. His concubine, Lynesse, began treating him coldly and frequently met with Jorah, as if rekindling their past relationship. Though Tregar dared not express his frustrations publicly, he quietly began plotting to diminish Viserys's influence.

In secret, Tregar contacted the Golden Company, whose business in the Disputed Lands had suffered, and began forming an alliance with Myr to oppose Viserys. On his opulent private ship, Tregar dismissed all the servants, leaving only himself and two others. One was Cassius of Myr, who had played a key role in the siege of Tyrosh on Myr's behalf. Cassius, adhering to the principle of "use it as much as you like," had since taken charge of all matters related to Tyrosh.

The other was Harry Strickland, a captain-general of the Golden Company. Strickland hardly looked like a warrior—his round head, large ears, and sparse hair gave him more the appearance of a bureaucrat than a battle-hardened commander.

As a financial officer, he was known for his cautious approach to warfare, always calculating the perfect moment to engage. Even in the original story, Jon Connington had little respect for Strickland, especially when he backed down upon realizing he might face Viserys. If not for the substantial rewards offered by Tregar and Cassius, Strickland likely wouldn't have involved himself in this conflict at all.

"Now that Viserys has defeated Drogo's most powerful Ko and is poised to start a war with the Dothraki, he'll undoubtedly look to consolidate his power even further. This means we'll likely have to relinquish a significant portion of our military strength, and perhaps even more authority. If we want to maintain our current position, we must stop him from going to war with the Dothraki," Tregar observed, pinpointing Viserys's strategy with precision.

But Viserys's impact on the region extended far beyond military matters. "He's already damaged Myr's interests without even going to war," Cassius added. Myr, the central hub for the slave trade in the Disputed Lands, was feeling the effects of Viserys's policies. By introducing a slave tax in Tyrosh, Viserys had increased the cost of using slaves, forcing Tyroshi slave owners to hire free men instead. This shift had significantly reduced the demand for slaves in Tyrosh.

The desire to overthrow Viserys was strong among those who had suffered under his policies, but that ambition remained a distant dream. The harbor of Tyrosh still displayed thousands of bloody heads—a grim reminder of Viserys's unassailable rule.

As for the Golden Company, they were hit particularly hard. The existence of Viserys's Confederation had slashed their business in half. Mercenary groups, large and small, had been forced to close their operations in Tyrosh. Not only was there no new 'business,' but they were also losing personnel. Veterans who once would have joined mercenary groups were now lured away by the Windblown, who offered generous compensation. Even some members of the Golden Company, whose contracts had expired, opted to join the Windblown instead.

This exodus of talent didn't affect just the Golden Company; nearly half of the mercenary leaders across Essos were cursing Viserys in private. But when they saw the severed heads on display in the harbor, they all chose to keep their grievances to themselves. Mercenary groups wouldn't start a conflict with such a formidable force without a compelling reason, particularly one as fiercely capable as Viserys's.

A consensus quickly emerged among them: under no circumstances should Viserys and the Horselord be allowed to fight. If Viserys won, he would claim the lion's share of the spoils; if he lost, they would all suffer the consequences.

"Didn't Drogo express interest in marrying his sister? We could offer him a generous dowry and remove the Horselord as a threat," Cassius suggested.

"But you know how the Targaryens are. They marry their own siblings—probably to keep their bloodline pure," Tregar countered.

"We should at least try," Strickland interjected. "Viserys is fixated on reclaiming the Iron Throne, right? Which is more important to him: the Iron Throne or his sister?"

The two men exchanged glances, their expressions showing tentative agreement. Tregar and Cassius hoped to defuse the looming Dothraki invasion through diplomacy, believing it could give them leverage over Viserys and prepare them for the day when they could remove his influence entirely. Viserys, however, sought to use war to eliminate the Dothraki threat once and for all, further consolidating the power of his Confederation.

"Perhaps you should consider an alliance with the Dothraki?" Strickland suggested, his voice tinged with malice. "You could approach the Horselord personally, signaling that you have no desire to participate in the war. After all, it's commonly said that 'a good day is a day without Viserys.'"

The Golden Company was indeed interested in weakening or even toppling Viserys, fully aware of the origins of the derisive title "The Beggar King." They knew that if Viserys became strong enough, he might turn his wrath on them. Therefore, they had no intention of seeing him rise to power unchallenged.

However, all their schemes and bravado evaporated the moment Tregar, Cassius, and Strickland disembarked and saw the grisly spectacle Viserys had ordered to be constructed. The sight of the towering human-headed pyramids, each three meters high, left them speechless. Tregar, who had little experience in war, was visibly shaken, while even the battle-hardened Strickland turned pale. The sheer visual impact of the scene far exceeded anything they'd heard in reports—it was as if they could smell the stench of decay from the Dothraki heads, though in reality, they had been salted to prevent any odor.

...

In a room within the Tyrosh palace, a servant helped Viserys and Daenerys prepare for their audience. Dany, through her owl, surveyed the palace from above, her thoughts drifting back to two and a half years ago. She remembered the nervousness she had felt when she first laid eyes on the magnificent Sealord's Palace.

Back then, Viserys and Dany had been just two among many nobles waiting for an audience with Sealord Ferrego. Now, an entire hall of dignitaries awaited their arrival. The drastic change in their circumstances made it all feel like a dream. But before the official meeting, Viserys needed to see Feles and the others.