Chapter 339: The Return

The next morning, just before dawn, Astapor's old nobles gathered again, bringing with them a significant sum of gold.

"You are all so generous," Lady Urho said, her satisfaction evident as her gaze fell on two large chests filled to the brim with gold coins.

"We've handed over the gold; now we trust that the Company of the Cat and the Long Lances will fulfill their promises," one noble said.

"They will. By tomorrow, Astapor will be reborn," Lady Urho assured them with a smile, signaling her servants to carry the chests away. She then turned to the assembled nobles. "To avoid suspicion, please remain here for a while longer before leaving in smaller groups."

The nobles readily agreed.

As Lady Urho exited the building and stepped into her carriage, Cleon, the former butcher, approached her eagerly.

"So, did they all hand over the gold?" he asked anxiously.

"Of course," Lady Urho replied.

"Good. Now, how do we deliver the money to the mercenaries?"

"There's no need," she said with a laugh. "The payment has already been made."

"Already paid?" Cleon was stunned. "By you?"

"How could I possibly afford such a sum?" Lady Urho chuckled. "It was paid by the Thirteen of Qarth. Astapor's ban on slavery has angered more than just us. Qarth, Volantis, Ghis—these city-states built on the backs of slaves despise those so-called liberators far more than we ever could.

Why else do you think so many mercenary companies have been flooding into Slaver's Bay recently?"

Cleon needed a moment to process her words. When it clicked, a new worry arose in his mind.

"But what if the other nobles find out you've taken their gold?"

Before Lady Urho could respond, shouts rang out from behind them.

She smiled slyly and gestured for him to look.

Cleon pulled back the curtain of the carriage and turned to see flames engulfing the very building they had just left.

"See?" Lady Urho said nonchalantly. "That problem has already been solved."

Cleon stared at the burning structure in disbelief.

"You... you did this? But... won't this lead to..."

"Me?" Lady Urho interrupted with a scoff. "No, this was clearly the work of those foreign conquerors."

"The foreign conquerors..."

"Exactly," Lady Urho said with a wicked grin. "Spread the word. Let the people's anger ignite."

Cleon stared at her, a chill creeping up his spine.

He had been a butcher for years and considered himself ruthless. But compared to these nobles, he realized he was as naive as a lamb.

---

When Ser Katu learned that a fire had broken out in a residential district, he paid little attention at first. After all, it wasn't another granary.

But when the Unsullied reported that those who perished in the blaze were prominent members of Astapor's noble families, Katu realized the gravity of the situation.

Astapor was on the brink of chaos.

As he prepared to issue citywide emergency orders, worse news arrived:

Two mercenary companies were approaching the city, preparing for an assault.

Katu immediately understood that the hidden conspirators had revealed their fangs, ready to deliver a fatal blow.

Indeed, with the news of dozens of nobles perishing in the fire spreading quickly, the city was gripped by panic.

Fears over grain shortages remained unresolved, and agitators stirred up resentment toward the conquerors from Westeros. Even those slaves who were freed suddenly found that their lives did not become better as they had expected, but became more difficult, and even insecure. Their original gratitude turned into resentment and dissatisfaction.

The city was spiraling into chaos, and scattered conflicts erupted everywhere.

Katu struggled to maintain order but found his forces stretched to the breaking point.

To make matters worse, the Unsullied were ill-equipped to handle such complex unrest.

Astapor's former stability had relied on the old noble families and their scholars, guards, and priests. With those groups now refusing to cooperate—or dead—the city was descending into anarchy.

Meanwhile, Cleon, guided by Lady Urho, incited mobs to gather at the eastern granary.

"The Westerosi are abandoning us!" he shouted. "They're taking all the grain and leaving us to starve!"

"They can't take the grain!" the people cried, growing increasingly agitated.

As more and more citizens gathered at the granary, demanding food, Katu was forced to leave the situation unchecked. His focus had to remain on defending the city walls, as the mercenaries outside had already begun their assault.

---

"Is the battering ram ready yet?"

Outside Astapor, in the mercenary encampment, a towering man with fiery red hair and a long braid barked orders.

This was Bloodbeard, leader of the Company of the Cat, a name well-known across Essos.

"Almost ready!"

"Hurry it up!" Bloodbeard snapped his whip through the air, producing a sharp crack.

He called over one of his men and gave an order:

"Tell Gillot of the Long Lances that we attack in one hour. My company will take the north gate, and they'll focus on the east gate!"

"Yes, sir!"

---

One hour later, Bloodbeard gave the order to advance.

The assault was brutal and bloody from the outset.

Even professional soldiers often balked at the prospect of storming a fortified city, let alone mercenaries fighting for gold.

Astapor's walls were not particularly formidable, but they were still enough to unsettle Bloodbeard's troops.

The only thing driving them forward was Bloodbeard's promise of three gold coins for every man who breached the walls.

Unfortunately for the attackers, the defenders were equally unprepared. The Unsullied, trained exclusively in the use of short swords, shields, and spears, lacked both archers and proper siege defenses.

Instead, Katu had the Unsullied hurl stones and wooden beams to slow the attackers. Only when the mercenaries reached the walls did the Unsullied engage in close combat.

What followed was a grisly, grinding battle.

As mercenaries scrambled up the walls, they were met with the cold, unflinching efficiency of the Unsullied.

The Unsullied's discipline, fearlessness, and expertise in close quarters made them devastatingly effective. Small squads of Unsullied moved in perfect coordination, their shields and spears forming deadly formations.

The walls became a blood-soaked slaughterhouse. Corpses piled up, and rivers of blood stained the red bricks an even deeper crimson.

By mid-afternoon, deserters began to appear among the Company of the Cat.

The Long Lances, primarily a light cavalry force, fared no better. Ill-suited to siege warfare, they struggled to scale the walls, facing the same fate as their counterparts.

Though their leader, Gillot, executed a deserter to restore morale, even he felt his confidence wavering.

"Tell the men that we have allies inside the city. If we hold on a little longer, Astapor will fall into chaos!" he declared, though he was unsure himself.

Night fell, and Astapor still held firm.

As his men suffered increasing casualties, Gillot's mood grew increasingly gloomy.

"My lord, it's getting dark. Do you want to stop the attack for now?"

"Withdraw the troops first."

"yes."

After giving the order, Gillot headed in the direction of the Cat Group.

Suddenly, he seemed to sense something and raised his head.

Unfortunately, all he could see was the dark night.

"Did something fly past just now?" Gillo asked his men.

"Maybe it's a bird." The man looked up and saw nothing.

It shouldn't be a dragon, Gillot consoled himself.

After all, the nobles of Astapor assured that there were absolutely no dragons in the city.

---

High above, Samwell rode his white dragon, Cleopatra, surveying the chaos below.

He descended into the city, where Katu rushed to greet him.

"Your Grace, you've returned at last!" Katu exclaimed, relief evident in his voice.

Samwell nodded. "Gather every Unsullied soldier and deploy them to the south gate."

"All of them?" Katu asked, startled. "What about the other gates? The granary? The Great Pyramid?"

"Leave them," Samwell said coldly, his eyes glinting. "If they want chaos, let them have it."

Understanding dawned on Katu, and he saluted. "Yes, Your Grace!"

(End of Chapter)