Chapter 152: Nighttime Bath

Illyrio knew that completely hiding someone was nearly impossible. His expectations for the young Aegon were lofty—he envisioned him ruling all of Westeros. Aegon couldn't remain a "coy" hiding in a gilded cage; he needed to be a "dragon" soaring through the skies.

As the servants gathered to greet them, Aegon's blue hair immediately caught the Red Viper's eye. In that instant, he recognized the boy as his supposed nephew. Yet, it took only a moment for the Red Viper to realize that this was not Elia's child. Although Aegon was handsome, his features bore no resemblance to either Elia or Rhaegar. Most telling of all, the Red Viper felt no sense of kinship. As the saying went, 'Your son may not be your son, but your nephew is always your nephew.'

A flicker of disappointment flashed in his eyes, quickly replaced by a burning desire for revenge. If the boy was a fraud, then Varys had deceived House Martell. 'Varys, the Lannisters, and the Mountain... I will kill them all myself,' he vowed silently.

"Uncle Illyrio," Aegon greeted.

"Young Griff, have you finished your studies today?" Illyrio asked.

"Yes, I have."

Illyrio then introduced the others. "This is the child of a friend of mine. He's a mercenary. The boy's mother is from Tyrosh, which is why his hair is dyed blue."

"Well, he's a very handsome boy. Hello, I'm Viserys," Viserys said with a smile, though he felt no need to harm the boy. Aegon was merely a tool for others to achieve their ambitions.

"I'll have some food prepared for everyone," Illyrio offered.

"Thank you for your hospitality, my lord," Viserys replied, then turned to Feles. "Go and fetch Shinelli."

"Yes, my lord."

...

Meanwhile, in another part of Pentos, within the private domain of House Berent, Kurland, the patriarch, relaxed in the only hot springs in the city. This sanctuary was reserved exclusively for him, guarded by Unsullied soldiers. Kurland, a man in his late fifties, was as vigorous in spirit as he was meticulous in appearance. His white hair and beard were always carefully groomed, even when he bathed. He believed that his daily soak in the hot springs kept him in good health and full of energy. Kurland was a man in control—of his surroundings, of his schedule, and of himself. To him, indulging in pleasure was a loss of control, and he had no intention of letting that happen.

Kurland believed that Westeros could never thrive under the rule of a man like Robert Baratheon. As he finished his bath, a slender attendant whispered in his ear, "My lord, it's time."

This eunuch was responsible for keeping Kurland on schedule, and the patriarch adhered to his routine down to the minute. As he stepped out of the hot spring, two maids swiftly dried and dressed him. Just then, another servant approached with a message from Illyrio.

"Viserys? What does he want?" Kurland asked.

"Illyrio didn't say, only that Viserys wishes to see the Prince—and you as well," the servant replied.

"I'm not interested."

Kurland scoffed. "Hmph! He's not content to be a poet in Pentos; he's scheming again. Viserys' coronation feast was the laughingstock of the Free Cities. Though his reputation has improved somewhat since his victory over the pirates, there are still many who hold him in contempt. Tell him the Prince is unavailable."

"Yes, my lord."

Back at Illyrio's estate, the host relayed the message to Viserys with a look of contrition, though his voice betrayed none of it. "Lord Viserys, I'm sorry, but the Prince is likely busy."

Viserys's tone grew cold and hard, his displeasure evident to all. "What did you tell your friend? Did you inform him of my purpose here, or did you fail to mention it entirely?"

When Illyrio went to see Kurland, Viserys sent his seagull to follow, feeling that Illyrio's efforts had been nothing more than a perfunctory gesture. The very thought of Illyrio and Varys's repulsive conspiracy made Viserys want to punch him.

Illyrio was taken aback. In his past dealings with Viserys, he had seen him be both wise and volatile, but never had he spoken with such raw anger. The harsh tone both frightened and surprised Illyrio, yet he was not easily intimidated. Though primarily a merchant, Illyrio was also a skilled assassin, and mere words would not shake him.

"As you know, I'm only a merchant..." Illyrio began.

"I don't want to hear it!" Viserys snapped, cutting him off. "I doubt you even met Drogo, or maybe you're just deceiving us."

Viserys's sudden mistrust stemmed from two key reasons for working with Illyrio: introducing the Red Viper to young Aegon and securing alliances as swiftly as possible. If Illyrio proved unreliable, Viserys knew Feles, being Lysene, had official connections. At worst, they could bypass Illyrio and appeal directly to the true powers through the Prince of Pentos, though it would be more complicated.

"Feles, let's go straight to see this Prince of Pentos. I don't believe they'd refuse to meet an envoy!" Viserys declared, ready to take Feles and leave.

Illyrio grew concerned. He realized that if he wanted Viserys to continue cooperating, he couldn't keep stalling. More troubling was that Viserys was beginning to doubt his ability to connect them with the Horselord—a crucial element in Illyrio's plan. Marrying Daenerys to the Horselord and launching a "Western Expedition" was central to his scheme. If Viserys chose not to cooperate, everything could unravel.

"I am truly sorry, Prince Viserys," Illyrio said hastily, his tone shifting. "Perhaps I wasn't clear yesterday. I'll go again today."

"If I don't see Lord Kurland by noon tomorrow, I'll go myself!" Viserys warned.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you meet him," Illyrio promised, clearly anxious.

Seeing Illyrio's desperation, Viserys allowed a smile to surface. "Then I'll leave it to you."

As Viserys's demeanor shifted so quickly, Illyrio couldn't help but feel somewhat manipulated.

'Pressure is indeed the best motivator,' he thought to himself.

The next day at noon, Kurland agreed to a meeting. Viserys knew that House Berent controlled over 40% of the trade in Pentos, with a significant portion linked to the Disputed Lands. He planned to leverage this connection, and with the Red Viper's involvement, the alliance would soon be within reach.