Chapter 355: The Situation

Viserys, clad in gleaming Valyrian steel armor, his silver-gold curls cascading over his armor, was a sight to behold. His handsome face, high nose, violet eyes, and warm smile made him a heartthrob for many.

Viserys hopped off the dragon's back, waving to the crowd of onlookers.

"Pentos is more prosperous than I imagined," he remarked.

Mia, following closely behind him, was seeing Pentos for the first time. The city's prosperity and strength, viewed from the sky, had left her astonished. The towering white city walls, the massive red temple, the orderly square brick towers, the bustling port, and the palace at the top of the hill overlooking the sea, with its soft sandy beach below, all contributed to the city's grandeur. Pentos was even more prosperous than her hometown of Volantis.

Pentos had always been economically strong, though militarily weak. Now, with the Targaryens in power, the city's weaknesses had been addressed. Viserys had brought a powerful army. With wealth and a strong military, Pentos had risen to prominence, surpassing Volantis and firmly securing the second position among the Free Cities. It even had the potential to challenge Braavos for the top spot.

The knight, clad in a bright lady's armor with a snow-white cape draped over her shoulders, held a plain white shield in one hand and a simple longsword at her waist. She exuded an air of gallantry.

"You're quite popular in Pentos," she observed, looking around curiously at the people of Pentos who were cheering for Viserys.

Viserys simply smiled, "Having the support of the people is the foundation of a king. If a king doesn't have the people's support, that's a big problem."

"You're right," the knight agreed, nodding thoughtfully.

"Your Grace."

"Your Grace."

The soldiers outside the palace, seeing Viserys and the unfamiliar white-robed knight, quickly saluted.

Boom!

The palace doors were pushed open.

Inside the palace, everyone had already come out under the leadership of Princess Rhaenys to welcome them.

Seeing Viserys, Rhaenys ran over and gave him a big hug, "Viserys, you're finally back."

Rhaenys held Viserys tightly, feeling the cold Valyrian steel armor on his body. Viserys, in turn, ruffled her hair. This time, Rhaenys didn't cry. Perhaps she had gotten used to Viserys's departures, or perhaps she had grown up and understood the need to maintain the dignity of a princess.

Mia stood behind Viserys, one hand on the hilt of her sword, the other holding her plain white shield. She took a deep breath, straightening her shoulders and chest. She noticed many people watching Viserys and the girl hugging, and also casting curious glances at her.

This girl must be Rhaenys...

Mia thought to herself. Viserys had mentioned her before they arrived. He had a niece, Rhaenys, who was left in charge of the kingdom, and they were very close. He also had a younger sister, Daenerys, but she was still young.

Viserys then released Rhaenys and looked around at the familiar faces.

"Your Grace."

"Your Grace."

Everyone was curious about where Viserys had gone and why he had been out of touch for several months. Even Rhaenys didn't know that he had gone to explore the Valyrian ruins.

Viserys didn't explain anything, he simply nodded and introduced the knight to everyone.

"This is Ser Mia, a member of the Kingsguard I knighted during my journey."

"Ser."

"Ser Mia."

The fact that Viserys had brought back a female Kingsguard member surprised everyone. If they remembered correctly, this was the first female member in the history of the Kingsguard.

However, Viserys was known for his strong leadership in the new dynasty, so even though the council members were a bit surprised, especially Jon Connington who seemed to want to say something, they didn't voice their thoughts.

Viserys then briefly introduced Mia to the others present, and she greeted them in return. Then, they all returned to the great hall.

Viserys naturally sat back on his throne, and an attendant brought a chair for Rhaenys to sit beside him. Mia, the white-robed knight, stood behind her king, her hand on the hilt of her sword. As a seasoned mercenary, Mia was an excellent swordsman.

Her skills were practical and deadly, honed through countless battles. She could single-handedly kill the creatures in the Valyrian ruins. Although she was a woman, she was probably a match for anyone present, except perhaps Oberyn. Jon might be on par with her, but his talents lay elsewhere.

Viserys listened to Rhaenys's report on the recent events in Pentos and the latest news from across the Narrow Sea.

"The entire North has fallen?" Viserys asked, his face turning serious upon hearing Rhaenys's words. The

rapid development of the war in Westeros had taken him by surprise. He had thought that the Baratheon dynasty, in its prime, would be able to hold its own against the White Walkers. But they had suffered defeat after defeat, and were now retreating to their third line of defense, the Neck.

"If the Neck falls, we'll be in real trouble," he said. Without the Neck as a barrier, the White Walkers would have free rein over the 'maiden' - the vast, flat lands of the south.

"So, do we march now, Your Grace?" Mys Toyn asked eagerly, his spirits lifted.