Chapter 183: If My Brother Ever Needs a Paramour…

The smoke of war had dissipated, leaving behind a faint scent of lime in the air. The sky over Tyrosh had returned to a clear, bright blue, signaling the end of bloodshed and fire. But even as the city began to heal, life had to go on.

Manfrey, who had stayed behind in Tyrosh, was eager to secure more benefits for Sunspear. Although looting slaves was out of the question, he hoped to bring back valuable goods or skilled craftsmen. However, Dany, known as the Young Mother to the freed slaves, held the most valuable parts of Tyrosh firmly in her grasp, with the 500 Unsullied left by Viserys and the three battalions under the old commander ensuring her control. If Manfrey wanted to challenge her hold, he would have to drop his pretense of cooperation.

Recognizing that seizing Tyrosh had been an unexpected victory, Manfrey decided it was best to wait for Viserys's return before negotiating the distribution of spoils. In the meantime, he took responsibility for the city's defense. But that didn't mean he was idle. Despite House Martell's reputation for being hot-blooded, they were also known for their cunning.

At Manfrey's urging, Arianne spent nearly every day by Dany's side, tirelessly promoting her younger brother, Quentyn, as a potential match. During this time, Dany had to endure Arianne's relentless chatter while assessing the damage Tyrosh had suffered.

"Prince Dany, Quentyn is truly a remarkable young man," Arianne would insist. "Even Ser Barristan has praised his skill and character!"

Ser Barristan the Bold, whose reputation for honor and virtue spanned the Seven Kingdoms, was the embodiment of the knightly spirit. Arianne, of course, was exaggerating Quentyn's virtues. In truth, Barristan had never praised Quentyn's martial prowess; he had merely acknowledged that Quentyn was a decent young man. Arianne's enthusiasm stemmed from her awareness of the secret marriage pact between the Targaryens and the Martells.

Knowing she was destined to marry Viserys, Arianne was less concerned with securing her position as heir to Sunspear and more focused on strengthening the bond between their houses. Viserys had already informed Dany of the marriage pact, and after all they had been through together, Dany needed no further explanation.

Still, Dany found Arianne's constant promotion of Quentyn a bit tiresome. Trying to maintain a polite demeanor, she replied, "Princess Arianne, it sounds like Prince Quentyn is indeed a fine young man, but can we discuss this later? Many people in Tyrosh are hungry, and we need to ensure everyone is fed first."

Having endured hardships alongside Viserys, Dany understood the pain of hunger all too well and felt deep sympathy for the common people. Viserys had also impressed upon her the importance of controlling the food supply, knowing that whoever controlled the food would control Tyrosh.

However, Dany's attempt to deflect the conversation didn't have the desired effect. Arianne responded dismissively, "I really don't understand why people would do anything for a mere mouthful of food. Isn't there more to life than eating?"

Dany's expression grew serious, the polite smile she had been maintaining fading. "Princess Arianne, not everyone in this world is born a princess. For most people, survival comes first."

Meris and Kyla, who had shared similar hardships with Dany, felt their already low opinion of the Dornish princess drop further. Arianne, sensing the shift in the room's mood, merely shrugged. She had never known hunger and was indifferent to Dany's words. But having grown up in the aristocracy, she was keenly aware of others' emotions and could tell that Dany wasn't enthusiastic about the proposed marriage alliance.

Still, Arianne didn't care. She was more than satisfied with the idea of marrying Viserys. This 'sister-in-law's' attitude didn't bother her much. But then a realization struck her—Targaryens traditionally married within their own family. 'Could Dany harbor ambitions to marry Viserys herself?' The thought of her sister-in-law becoming a rival suddenly sparked a sense of urgency in Arianne.

Pressing on, she said, "Princess, you must realize that without the fleet from Sunspear, the attack on Tyrosh wouldn't have been so successful. If Viserys is to reclaim the Iron Throne, he needs a strong enough ally!"

Dany stopped what she was doing and turned to face Arianne, the tension between them thickening the air.

"And alliances come at a price," Arianne added pointedly.

Dany, though clever, wasn't one for deep political maneuvering, and she had already reached the limit of her patience with Arianne. She decided not to engage in a debate over who played the most crucial role in the capture of Tyrosh. Instead, she changed the subject entirely. "Alright, I understand. If my brother ever needs a paramour, I'll make sure you're first in line."

With that, Dany turned and left, taking Meris and Kyla with her, leaving Arianne behind, shaking with anger.

Arianne wanted to retort but couldn't find the words. Dany had subtly asserted the Targaryen superiority over House Martell. While the two Targaryens might still be relatively weak, it was clear that once Tyrosh was fully under their control, their power would surge. The alliance between Targaryen and Martell had grown beyond a simple marriage contract; it was now about shared political ambitions.

The magic Viserys had promised, Doran's gout-ridden condition—Viserys and Dany now held more cards and had more options. House Martell would be overreaching to expect more than one marital alliance. With all the commotion in the Free Cities, House Tyrell in Highgarden couldn't afford to remain indifferent. The frequent tensions between The Reach and Dorne only added to the complexity.

Dany was also aware of Viserys's efforts to hatch dragons and firmly believed they would return. In her mind, the Targaryens didn't need to share their future success with too many others. This belief fueled her firm stance.

But Arianne was not one to back down easily. Prideful as ever, she resolved to stay in Tyrosh after the war, determined to compete with Dany on her own terms.

...

Dotnere and Lightnere sat in a dark room, staring at each other, the silence between them thick with tension. As time dragged on, the brothers' unease grew into a gnawing despair. They were captives now, with no sign of the warship that had once been their escape. Whether Pentos fell or not, their fates seemed sealed—death if the city was lost, or life as bargaining chips if it wasn't.

"Why do you think the Griff is attacking Pentos?" Lightnere asked, his voice laced with confusion. "We've never even seen him before, have we?"

Dotnere, growing impatient, replied, "How should I know? Maybe he's using an alias. The old man has plenty of enemies."

What Dotnere didn't reveal was that he had secretly stashed a significant sum of money for Kurland in the Iron Bank. If things spiraled out of control, he planned to use the money to buy his freedom. But he couldn't shake the nagging doubt—how could he ensure that the enemy would let him go after getting the money?

Meanwhile, in Tyrosh, besides Manfrey, the busiest person was Feles. He knew Viserys had gone to Pentos, but the exact reasons remained unclear. However, with the Pentos army detained and their warships seized, it was obvious what was happening. Such a bold move inevitably sparked panic among their "allies."

Just days earlier, Myr had sent someone to report on the situation, and they had even begun reaching out to the Golden Company. With tensions rising, all Feles could do was support Manfrey while keeping Myr's Cassius and the two men who had arrived two days ago under close watch.

Cassius, fully aware of Manfrey's detention of the Pentos army, was understandably on edge. He refused to leave his fleet for even a moment, maintaining constant communication with Myr. Fortunately for him, he believed that Feles was just as in the dark as he was, and Feles made a point of visiting him nearly every day.

"The leader of the Windblown is truly remarkable. He seized the perfect opportunity to strike at Pentos," Cassius remarked.

"Yes, and he managed to bring House Martell on board. It seems he's determined to take Pentos," Feles agreed, though privately, he suspected this bold move had Viserys's hand all over it. Still, the sheer audacity of the strategy made it hard to believe.

"Lord Feles, I have a proposal," Cassius interjected, shifting the conversation.

"It's been over ten days since the leader of the Windblown left. Whether or not Pentos has fallen, he should be returning soon. I believe we should form an alliance."

Cassius was quick to grasp that whatever the outcome, Pentos would no longer be a major player at the table. With the Windblown already allied with Sunspear, he knew he needed to secure his own alliances quickly.

Feles's interest was piqued, and he responded, "Your proposal is timely. I will inform Lys of this development."

Feles understood the situation clearly. Pentos and Myr had contributed little to the battle for Tyrosh, which had been won largely due to the slave army organized by Viserys. Under these circumstances, Viserys would be reluctant to concede much of the spoils. But Feles couldn't make such decisions on his own, so he needed to buy time.

Cassius, sensing the necessity of forming an alliance, suggested, "Why don't we arrange a meeting with Prince Tregar tonight?"

Feles, having already pledged his loyalty to Viserys, knew he couldn't allow this "alliance" to take shape. However, outright refusal would risk revealing his true allegiance. As he pondered how to delay things further, one of Cassius's guards entered and announced, "My lord, the Windblown and Sunspear armies have returned. They request your presence at the palace."