Chapter 13: Viserys's Rhetoric

Viserys got to the point. "You intend to offer me the opportunity to gain a Dothraki army. Am I correct, Illyrio?"

"Yes, Your Grace," Illyrio admitted without hesitation. "That is precisely what I plan to do."

Viserys didn't dwell on how to acquire the army, hinting at different thoughts. Illyrio, too, refrained from discussing the details prematurely.

Viserys asked, "Do you believe that relying on this foreign army, I can reclaim the throne?"

Illyrio responded confidently, "Your Grace, the Dothraki cavalry is the most formidable force I have ever seen."

Viserys nodded, "I must commend you, Illyrio. You've conceived a plan that seems feasible to a certain degree."

Illyrio's smile faded, and he furrowed his brow, asking, "Your Grace thinks this plan is not viable?"

He appeared genuinely puzzled, masking his words with a subtle challenge, pressing Viserys for his true stance.

Their relationship was fundamentally a "partnership," with the "king and subject" dynamic only superficial. If Viserys did not endorse Illyrio's plan, Illyrio's submissive demeanor could quickly shift, hinting at a readiness to abandon the alliance.

Illyrio's reaction was normal. If the original Viserys were present, he might have perceived Illyrio as just another noble he had encountered, a lifeline hard-won. Such a stance might have prompted Viserys to lower his attitude, flattering and ingratiating himself.

"Of course not." Viserys was unimpressed by Illyrio's reaction and continued with his approach. "You are a remarkably perceptive businessman, Illyrio. I still believe that. Your plan is undoubtedly good, but it is not suitable for me at this moment."

Illyrio asked seriously, "Your Grace has another strategy?"

Viserys spoke confidently, "Illyrio, do you know what I need most right now? It's not an army; it's time."

Illyrio played along, "Time?"

"Yes, time." Viserys didn't explain further but looked at Illyrio's face, asking, "You seem skeptical?"

Illyrio looked up at Viserys, momentarily speechless: Do I look skeptical? Just say what you mean!

Feeling exasperated but maintaining a façade of eagerness to understand, Illyrio quickly explained, "Your Grace, I am not skeptical. Please, explain what you mean by 'time'."

Viserys didn't explain but posed another question, "Do you truly believe a Dothraki army can help me reclaim my throne?"

Illyrio simply stated, "I cannot imagine a king without an army reclaiming his throne."

Viserys withdrew his gaze from Illyrio's inscrutable face and looked ahead at the Dothraki riders carrying the "gifts" as they moved further away.

Why had Illyrio and Varys arranged for him to connect with the Dothraki?

These Dothraki warriors were unarmored, ruling the Dothraki Sea with savagery, relying on raiding for survival, and often massacring towns they plundered.

Using such an army to land in Westeros was not about reclaiming the kingdom; it was about becoming a target.

Even if Viserys did manage to borrow an army, these borrowed troops would not obey him. If these men massacred cities, the "Mad King's son" would become the new title for the Beggar King, and he might find himself under attack from the lords of Westeros.

As he spoke, he asked Illyrio the same question twice, trying to discern any anomalies in his expression, but Illyrio was slippery, showing no signs of ulterior motives.

"A king's side should not be without an army, but it's only temporary," Viserys declared flamboyantly.

Illyrio questioned, "May I ask, Your Grace, where will your army come from?"

"Of course from—" Viserys instinctively began to answer but quickly stopped himself, shifting to a new topic. "Tell me, Magister Illyrio, are you familiar with the situation in Westeros?"

Illyrio didn't mind Viserys changing the topic and responded accommodatingly, "I suppose Your Grace is about to enlighten me."

Viserys was pleased with Illyrio's answer, as if revealing a reality only he had perceived. "Can't you see, Magister Illyrio? Currently, in Westeros, there are three heirs under the Usurper's throne. The Seven Kingdoms are like wildfire barrels, ready to ignite with the slightest spark."

Illyrio had initially thought Viserys might reveal some earth-shattering secret and was almost taken aback by Viserys' dramatic tone. Despite the complex thoughts swirling in his mind, he continued to play along, "Please, Your Grace, I am but a merchant and not well-versed in politics."

Viserys then said, "During the Dance of the Dragons in House Targaryen's history, there were only two heirs, yet the fighting was brutal."

"Your Grace, pardon my ignorance. When you speak of the two heirs in the Dance of the Dragons, are you referring to Rhaenyra and Aegon of the Black and Green factions? And who are the three heirs you speak of now?"

The Dance of the Dragons was a bloody civil war in the middle of the Targaryen dynasty, originating from a succession dispute between King Viserys I's eldest daughter, Rhaenyra, and Aegon, the eldest son of his second wife, Alicent. This civil war led to the near extinction of dragons.

Viserys enumerated, "The first heir is, of course, Joffrey Baratheon, the eldest son and heir of the Usurper. The second is the current Duke of Storm's End, Renly Baratheon. And the third is the current Duke of Dragonstone, Stannis Baratheon."

Though he anticipated hearing something absurd, Illyrio was still taken aback, "How do you arrive at this conclusion?"

"This is where you are uninformed. Storm's End is the seat of House Baratheon, traditionally held by the heir of the Baratheon family. The foolish Usurper did not grant it to his designated heir, Joffrey. Do you see? In today's Westeros, the Baratheon dynasty is named after the Baratheon family, but the heir to the family seat is not the heir to the Baratheon dynasty."

Illyrio opened his mouth but found no words.

Viserys continued, "And Dragonstone is the seat of my House Targaryen, held by the prince designated as the heir to the throne. The Usurper claims the throne of Targaryen yet gave Dragonstone to Stannis instead of his heir. Think about it, Illyrio. Is this not a kingdom with three heirs? And what might happen between them?"

This theory was so absurd and full of holes that Illyrio did not know where to begin refuting it.

He finally asked, following Viserys' logic, "Even if this is true, King Robert, the Usurper, is still young. Even if he does not address the issue of the 'three heirs' during his lifetime, who knows how long it will take for them to start fighting each other?"

Viserys was prepared for this, "Do you really think the Seven Kingdoms are held together by King Robert? Even from the Free Cities, I hear the tales of the Usurper neglecting his duties, drowning in wine and women, and fathering countless bastards. You should also be doing business in the Seven Kingdoms. Can't you see that the real force holding the realm together is Jon Arryn, the Hand of the King? He is very old. I predict that when Jon Arryn dies, the Seven Kingdoms will descend into chaos!"

Illyrio was left speechless.

Even though Viserys' argument was far-fetched and could be seen as grasping at straws, some of his predictions and conclusions were not entirely without merit.

The Seven Kingdoms indeed had many hidden threats, and it was true that Jon Arryn was managing the affairs of the realm.

However, the real issues of the Seven Kingdoms were, firstly, King Robert's extravagant spending leading to a fiscal deficit of millions of gold dragons, and secondly, the incestuous relationship between Cersei and Jaime and the ambitious maneuvers of House Lannister.

With the gold they lent to the throne and the queen's influence, Lannisters occupied key positions in King's Landing.

Thirdly, Renly's power did threaten Joffrey's claim to the throne, as Renly had strong ties with the Reach and significant support from Stormlands lords.

Moreover, the true parentage of three children was a wildfire barrel waiting to explode.

Illyrio had heard that in King's Landing, Stannis, the most principled of Robert's brothers, was secretly investigating the king's bastards. The situation in the Seven Kingdoms was indeed complex. The success of Robert's Rebellion was built on the alliance of the Baratheon, Arryn, Stark, and Tully houses, and Robert's rule was maintained by Jon Arryn holding this alliance together.

But the king believed he ruled over the Seven Kingdoms while trying to court the Lannisters. Meanwhile, the Hand of the King, Jon Arryn, struggled to maintain stability through the alliance of the Baratheon, Arryn, Stark, and Tully houses.

Illyrio seemed genuinely shocked and asked, "So, as Your Grace suggests, are you already gathering forces elsewhere, waiting for the right moment?"

"Not at all," Viserys shook his head. "Illyrio, I told you, now is not the time to prepare an army."

Illyrio looked puzzled and asked, "Why? If Your Grace is convinced that the Seven Kingdoms will descend into chaos upon the death of the old Hand of the King, why not prepare in advance?"

"Have you ever seen beggars fight over scraps, Illyrio?" Viserys responded instead of answering directly. "When a new beggar appears, whom do the original beggars target first? The newcomer!"

Illyrio was stunned, "Are you suggesting that Your Grace plans to do nothing?"

"Of course not," Viserys said matter-of-factly. "Waiting is also a form of action! We wait. Trust me, Illyrio, unrest doesn't happen overnight. When the world changes and the time comes, you will find that waiting was worth it."

Illyrio furrowed his brow, still unable to understand fully, "Do you think an army will just fall from the sky when the time comes?"

"You are a businessman, Illyrio. Long-term investment is a business practice." Viserys didn't answer but instead posed a question to Illyrio. "Since you are willing to fund my restoration and make such plans, do you not have the patience to wait for an old and frail man to die? When the Seven Kingdoms are in turmoil, I am the true dragon. Why should I worry about not having an army?"

Illyrio's expression turned anxious. "If Your Grace has other plans, then what is my role in all this?"

"Illyrio, because of your current actions, I trust you. So, you don't need to do much more," Viserys adopted a conciliatory tone. "Provide me with shelter and a better environment to wait for the upheaval in the Seven Kingdoms, and that will be enough. In my exile, I've seen one noble after another, but only you have made a feasible plan for my restoration and have taken steps towards it. For that, Illyrio, I promise you, when I reclaim my throne, you will be my first Master of Coin!"

Illyrio was momentarily speechless.

This is the power of controlling the conversation: as long as you know you have some degree of choice, no matter how outlandish your words, by simply making a confident stance, you can create room for maneuver.

Viserys was well aware that Illyrio was eager to know where he believed this future army would come from, but he just wouldn't say it—he consistently claimed there was no army, while constantly hinting otherwise.

The truth was, Viserys himself didn't know where an army would come from, but he only needed to present an air of certainty.

Illyrio would be left to speculate where Viserys' confidence was coming from after today's display.

Even if Illyrio saw through Viserys' charade, recognizing it as mere bluster without any real threat, the conversation had already progressed to this point. What could Illyrio do now?

Moreover, Viserys' attitude forced Illyrio to consider the possibility that perhaps Viserys had already secured a tangible and feasible plan for restoring his kingdom from another source.

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