Chapter 318: Quaithe’s Prophecies

Quaithe is to Daenerys what the Greenseer was to Bran—both mysterious figures who provide cryptic warnings and subtle hints. Quaithe's prophecies to Daenerys are numerous, detailed, and often perplexing. For instance, she once told the Mother of Dragons:

"If you want to go north, you must journey south. To reach the west, you must go east. To go forward, you must go back, and to touch the light, you must pass beneath the shadow."

While this prophecy is vague and open to interpretation, other visions from Quaithe are clearer warnings:

The 'Glass candle' symbolizes the return of magic.

The 'Pale mare' foretells the plague in Meereen.

The 'Kraken' represents Euron Greyjoy.

The 'Black flame' refers to Benerro's follower, Moqorro.

The 'Lion' points to Tyrion Lannister.

The 'Griffin' refers to House Connington.

The 'Sun' hints at House Martell.

The 'Perfumed Seneschal' alludes to Varys.

The 'Mummer's Dragon.' suggests Aegon the Imposter, though now, due to Viserys, he has been reduced to Young Connington.

However, in this altered timeline, Viserys has already conquered or neutralized most of these so-called "symbols of power." Even Varys, who usually remains unaffected, is under relentless pressure. The cryptic message—"If you want to go west, you must go east; if you want to go north, you must go south"—seems almost irrelevant when Viserys has seven rapidly growing dragons and hundreds of thousands of troops under his command. He can go wherever he pleases, without needing to decipher riddles or follow ambiguous paths.

Yet, one part of Quaithe's prophecy still haunts Viserys: "And to touch the light, you must pass beneath the shadow."

Viserys mulled this over before asking Daenerys, "How did she get aboard your ship? What did Shiera say?"

Dany replied, "Shiera told me it's a unique ability of the Shadowbinders. They can project illusory versions of themselves."

'Similar to the abilities of dreamers,' Viserys thought. But can Quaithe's projections cause harm?

"What exactly did she tell you?" he asked.

"She said, 'To touch the light, you must pass beneath the shadow.'"

"That's it?"

"That's all."

Viserys was now 70% convinced that Quaithe might not have pure intentions. First of all, why hadn't Quaithe come to him directly? Or why didn't she reveal herself when he was with Daenerys? He had always been attentive to Dany, ensuring her needs were met. If Quaithe truly had a mission for Daenerys, why wouldn't she trust Viserys to help?

Second, the methods Quaithe and the Greenseer used seemed eerily similar. Quaithe's cryptic, "To touch the light, you must pass beneath the shadow" appeared to be guiding Daenerys toward the Shadow Lands.

The Greenseer, on the other hand, was leading Bran beyond the Wall, toward the Land of Always Winter. Both figures were drawing their chosen individuals to dangerous, mystical places for purposes that remained obscured.

But were they choosing saviors?

Viserys scoffed at the thought. He had risked his life over and over, gathering an army, uniting dragons, and preparing to stand against the White Walkers. If all that didn't qualify him as a savior, then must the world really rely on these shadowy figures with unclear motives to bring salvation?

He thought for a moment and said:

"I will come to you soon. If the Shadowbinder finds you again, tell her that unless she shows herself to me directly, I will travel to the Shadow Lands and seek her out myself. If she doesn't care, give her this message…"

Viserys then described several symbols: a 'Pale Mare,' a 'Griffin,' a 'Lion,' and the 'Perfumed Seneschal.'

He had heard from Benerro that the prophecies had shifted after the Red Comet's appearance. If Quaithe had performed her divinations before the comet, she might have seen the visions from the original timeline. By now, she should have noticed the changes in the images. When Dany delivered these words, telling Quaithe they came from him, she might become either curious—or even fearful—of Viserys.

She would have two choices: either she would come to him of her own accord, or she would retreat into the Shadow Lands and never dare interfere again.

"Understood, brother." Seeing the cold intensity in Viserys' eyes, Dany nodded obediently.

"Has there been anything strange about Pree lately?" Viserys asked.

"No, we're not even on the same ship," she replied.

"Stay cautious. Once we deal with the Warlocks, we'll go home."

"Yes! Home!" Dany's eyes brightened at the thought, her mind drifting to Westeros, the land she had yet to set foot on.

Through the dream, Viserys learned that Dany had already crossed the Ghiscari Strait and was about halfway to Qarth. Satisfied, he chose his general direction, gathered some supplies, and took off with his two remaining dragons.

...

Flying really is something special, he mused, as the wind whipped through his hair.

In this world, only two kinds of people could truly travel with freedom: navigators and dragon riders. Being the latter was undoubtedly the superior experience. No cramped, swaying ship, no stagnant air in a cabin—just the endless sky and speed that no ship could match.

If there was a downside, it was the wind, which could dry out one's face. A full-face windbreaker wouldn't be a bad idea, he thought with a smirk.

He set off at noon and reached the ruins of a city in the Red Waste by sunset. It was here that, in another timeline, Daenerys had incinerated Drogo's body and hatched her dragons, naming the ruined city after him. But in this timeline, Viserys had kept her from suffering so much after their journey across the sea. Had he been less protective, she might have ended up in this barren wasteland.

They said this land once belonged to the Lysene, but desertification had turned it into an eerie ghost land, lifeless and dry.

After a short rest in the shadow of two gnarled trees, Viserys continued his journey.

After two or three days of flying, he arrived in the southern reaches of the Red Waste. The flight itself was easy—finding people, however, proved to be more difficult. So, Viserys rode his dragon, following the known flight paths, searching for Dany's ship in the vast, unforgiving landscape below.

"Look! A dragon! It's a dragon!"

As Viserys neared the busy shipping lanes leading to Qarth, the number of merchant ships increased. Some vessels bore sails with a circular emblem—likely the mark of the Thirteen. Their cargoes emitted the rich aroma of spices, revealing their connection to the merchant houses of Qarth.

Viserys flew over the bustling lanes, scanning the horizon for Dany's fleet. He had to rely on their connection to correct his course, unlike Pree, who remained smugly confident in his plans. In Pree's mind, the future was already written—Viserys's life force would soon belong to him, and he, not the Targaryens, would emerge victorious.

The thought filled Pree with satisfaction.

Stepping onto the deck of his ship, Pree glanced up at the four dragons circling overhead—silver, green, black, and red—each one brilliant and unmistakable in the sky. The silver dragon shimmered in the sunlight, its scales gleaming like polished armor. A few scales loosened and fluttered down, glittering as they fell.

For a brief moment, Pree marveled at their beauty, but his gaze quickly shifted back to Dany's ship. A look of hunger flickered in his eyes.

The blood of two Dragonlords—Viserys and Daenerys—was more valuable than anything he'd ever tasted. The vitality of ordinary people was bland, like water to the Undying Ones. But Valyrian blood, especially that of Dragonlord descendants, was like rich, nourishing milk—something he'd never had the pleasure of consuming, yet its allure filled him with ravenous desire.

Compared to them, all the life forces the Undying had consumed before were nothing more than tasteless appetizers.

Suddenly, he saw guards escorting Daenerys onto the deck. She seemed to be scanning the sky for something. Pree followed her gaze.

There, in the distance, three dark shapes were rapidly approaching.

As the figures grew closer, Pree's heart sank. He could make out their unmistakable forms.

"Dragons! Viserys!"

His pupils widened in disbelief as he saw Viserys riding atop one of the dragons.

"He's been in Slaver's Bay for almost a month, and when he traveled, it was always by ship. How does he suddenly know how to ride a dragon?"

Pree's mind raced with questions, but he didn't have time to dwell on them. To his surprise, Viserys didn't head toward Dany's ship but instead made his way directly toward Pree's vessel.

The wind roared as the green and blue dragons hovered above Pree's ship, their wings creating powerful gusts. Then, with a mighty flap, the yellow dragon descended onto the deck, its talons scraping the wood as it landed.

Viserys leaped from the dragon's back, striding purposefully toward Pree.

"Lord Pree, thank goodness! I've finally found you!" Viserys exclaimed, his voice ringing with false warmth.