Chapter 132: The Old Captain’s Real Name

When Archon Kambron announced his ambitious goal, Viserys kept a close eye on the Tattered Prince's reaction. If the prince had chosen to continue supporting Tyrosh, Viserys would have needed to persuade him otherwise. Fortunately, the prince's lack of enthusiasm spared him the effort.

On the journey back, the old captain remained unusually silent, until he finally sought out Viserys.

"Viserys, I want to end our cooperation with Tyrosh. What do you think?" His voice was hoarse, as though the decision had cost him considerable inner turmoil.

"You first," Viserys replied calmly, surprising the old captain. He had only confided in his old friend Denzo before, who understood his concerns but couldn't offer a solution. The captain had expected Viserys to be as surprised as Denzo, but instead, Viserys remained composed.

"You don't want to keep working with them, do you?" the old captain asked.

"He wants to dominate the Stepstones by himself. It's not that simple. It goes against the interests of too many factions. Even if he conquers Lys, the rebellions will come in waves, like the tide on a beach. If we're not careful, the Windblown could get stuck in the mire," Viserys explained.

Because of Viserys's involvement, the conflict between Tyrosh and Lys had accelerated. Originally, the war wouldn't have erupted for another two or three years. During that time, Archon Kambron had engaged in a series of diplomatic maneuvers—sending his youngest daughter to Dorne, securing Myr as an ally, and even attending the Mother of Dragons' wedding, likely to court favor with Pentos and the Horselords.

In the original timeline, Kambron had been more cautious. But now, emboldened by a string of victories, he was blinded by ambition, believing he could conquer Lys on his own.

"Yes, I see it the same way," the old captain agreed. "If we continue our partnership with Tyrosh, we might gain some short-term benefits, but in the long run, we'll be dragged into a quagmire that won't be easy to escape."

The old leader found himself in a dilemma. Continuing the alliance would likely lead to disaster for the Windblown. But ending the partnership might stir discontent among the mercenaries, a group of rough men who neither understood nor cared for strategic considerations. To them, if the Prince of Tatters couldn't secure profitable ventures, there was little reason to stick around.

Though many had signed long-term contracts of three to five years, some contracts were set to expire annually. If a significant number chose not to renew, it would severely impact the future of the Windblown.

Unless the mercenaries faced an immediate, tangible threat, they might not support the old captain's decision.

"Then we'll just have to show them the threat," Viserys said.

"How?" the captain asked.

"I have an idea…" Viserys began, explaining that his connections in Dorne could be leveraged. By demonstrating the threat posed by Tyrosh's monopoly over the Stepstones, they could rally the mercenaries. They only needed to make clear the stakes involved with controlling the Stepstones, and Lys's very survival would depend on it. As for Myr, Viserys suggested that directly confronting them would be too costly. Instead, they could first bring Pentos into the fold, and then approach Myr. With this strategy, not only would the mercenaries fall in line, but Tyrosh would also be forced to make concessions to secure the Windblown's loyalty. It would be a win-win situation, and Viserys would ensure he emerged victorious as well.

After hearing Viserys's plan, the old captain's expression turned perplexed. In a word, Viserys's "plan" seemed like a pipe dream. It wasn't just a plan—it was a grand scheme involving Lys, Tyrosh, Myr, and Pentos, four of the nine Free Cities! He even intended to reach out to Westeros. The old captain didn't know how to describe it—crazy? Bold? The risks were immediately apparent, and he swiftly dismissed Viserys's idea.

"No, it's too risky!" the old captain said firmly. "Lys isn't easy to negotiate with. Who could broker a deal with the Lys Magisters? I certainly can't, and the Windblown doesn't have any diplomats. And you? Lys's current predicament is largely your doing—they'd likely execute you the moment you set foot there. Then there's Sunspear—Viserys, you're still a wanted man by Robert Baratheon. You'd only be walking into trouble. And Pentos? What's your connection to Pentos? It's doubtful you'd even get an audience with the rulers there."

He then added, more sternly, "I'm telling you, we've amended the contract. You can't play your 'self-employed' games anymore. Without my permission, you're not allowed to act on your own. Military regulations allow me to deal with you!" Though his words were a threat, Viserys recognized them as expressions of concern.

"But we only signed a one-year contract, and now there are, what, two months left?" Viserys reminded him. The old captain's eyebrows shot up, and his eye bags tightened. He had privately allied with Viserys, believing that Viserys would help him conquer Pentos and that the Windblown would benefit from his ambitions. Subconsciously, the captain had assumed that Viserys wouldn't leave the Windblown. But now, he realized that their contract was nearing its end, and Viserys had the strength and power to walk away.

"Do you have to go?" the old captain asked, almost as if conceding defeat.

"There's nothing we cannot do, and no one we cannot offend. It's just a matter of the price we're willing to pay," Viserys replied. The Tattered Prince was struck by his words. Had they come from anyone else, he might have laughed them off, but with Viserys, he hesitated. He decided to convene a meeting to discuss the matter further.

After the battle, the old captain moved the camp to Dragon's Flame Fortress. With supplies from Tyrosh, the Windblown mercenaries were quite comfortable, basking in the glow of their recent victory and secure in the knowledge that they had a contract for the future. To the ordinary mercenaries, the future looked bright.

Viserys, along with Dick, Denzo, Caggo, and a few others, gathered in the old captain's room. The blue and white banner of the Windblown hung on the wall opposite the door, and the old captain sat beneath it, leading the discussion about Viserys's alliance plan.

When Dick and Meris first heard the plan, they thought it was a joke. But as they considered it, they realized it had a certain logic. Still, the scale of the plan was immense, and Dick, in particular, felt Viserys didn't need to take such a gamble.

"Viserys, you've done enough for the Windblown. There's no need to take such a risk. I think we can accept the loss," Dick said, his concern evident.

"Yeah, you still have to take care of Dany," Meris added.

Denzo, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. "Viserys, the rewards of taking risks can be great, but if you become addicted to it, one slip-up and you could lose everything you've built." His words were sound advice. "Fortune favors the bold," but the cost of failure could be devastating.

"I know you want to restore your kingdom, but you're not even twenty yet, right? You have plenty of time to take it slow," Denzo continued.

"He's not even seventeen yet," Meris interjected.

Viserys looked around at the group, realizing that they were all genuinely concerned for his well-being. It dawned on him that the old captain's "meeting to discuss" was actually an attempt to dissuade him with the support of the group.

"Viserys, it doesn't matter if some people leave the Windblown because of my decision. In my eyes, you alone are worth five battalions," the old captain said, making one last effort to convince him. Indeed, their arguments were not without merit. Viserys had already exceeded his goal of commanding a mercenary group of over a thousand within a year. While the Windblown didn't entirely belong to him, as long as he could hatch a dragon, people would flock to him, even if he hadn't helped the old captain take Pentos.

If he had stuck to his original plan, he could have rested on his laurels. But plans change. The Mother of Dragons had already shown him that using force to subjugate a people with their own beliefs and cultural systems was a daunting task. Even if Viserys managed to acquire over 10,000 Unsullied, he couldn't guarantee he could fully control Slaver's Bay. He might even find himself at odds with Daenerys over its security. While he might handle the situation better than she had, it would still require significant time—time during which he could only watch as a group of ambitious individuals tore Westeros apart.

For Viserys, the best strategy for Slaver's Bay was to raid it and move on. But he wasn't a nomad—he needed a stable foundation. To transport an army to Westeros, he required his own port and fleet, along with a secure logistics base to avoid any vulnerabilities. Tyrosh was the ideal choice, practically his "dream lover." As the closest Free City to Sunspear, it was perfectly positioned. From the Stepstones, it was just a half-day's sail to Dorne. Viserys didn't even need to fully conquer Tyrosh; he just needed to leverage his alliance to force Tyrosh to withdraw its troops and relinquish the promised benefits. This would give the Windblown a foothold in the Stepstones, providing the stability they needed. This was the real motivation behind his decision to send envoys to the other Free Cities.

Viserys smiled and said, "When have I ever taken a risk without being sure of the outcome? Take Lys, for example. Why would they choose death when they can survive? Joining the alliance is a lifeline for them—they'll be eager to cooperate. As for Sunspear, you might not be aware of Elia's significance. House Martell harbors nothing but hatred for Robert. Pentos and Myr may be trickier, but they'll see the danger in letting Tyrosh monopolize the Stepstones. They don't even need to send troops—just putting pressure on Tyrosh will suffice."

He analyzed each Free City for the old captain and the others, explaining that the operation wasn't as risky as it seemed. Seeing Viserys's confidence, the group began to view the plan as feasible.

"Should I bring some men with you?" Caggo asked, sitting up straight.

"No need for a large entourage. I'll just bring Regis. Those merchants are skittish enough; we don't want to scare them off," Viserys joked. He eventually convinced everyone, but before he left, the old captain pulled him aside.

"If you're heading to Pentos, I have some advice," the old captain said. Although Pentos was nominally controlled by 40 noble families, real power lay with the Berent family and its allies. The "prince" used for sacrificial purposes was never chosen from these families. The head of the Berent family, a man named Kurland, was formidable in appearance but, according to the old captain, was really a cowardly thief. He advised Viserys to take a tough stance in negotiations with Kurland, predicting it would yield unexpected results.

Finally, the old captain revealed a secret: "My real name is Hoyt Stewart, and no one knows it except Kurland."

"Sounds like you have a history with him?" Viserys asked with a smile, but the old captain's face grew serious.

"Viserys, I know you have many skills, but don't kill him. I want to do it myself." From Hoyt's tone, Viserys could sense a deep-seated hatred.

"For me, Kurland is my Robert and Tywin. The way you want to kill Robert and Tywin, I want to kill Kurland," Hoyt said, his voice chilling the room.

"I understand," Viserys replied.

"I want to go with you!" was Daenerys's immediate reaction upon hearing that Viserys was leaving.

"No, I need you to handle something else for me—something very important."

"Something else?" Daenerys asked, confused.