Chapter 573: The Blood Play Troupe

Having reaped abundant gains, Viserys bade farewell to the chieftain of the Crannogmen. He mounted his dragon, ready to set out for King's Landing.

"Roar—"

Balerion gazed down at Howland Reed, sensing a mysterious magic about him. The dragon, highly sensitive to the presence of magic, could detect that this mysterious 'little one' was quite adept. It unleashed a powerful, deep roar.

Boom—

With a mighty push from its powerful hind legs, the dragon's vast wings sliced through the air, creating a roaring gust. Breaking through the clouds, it soared away from the hidden floating island within the Greywater Watch marshes.

The Crannogman chieftain stood before the castle, watching Viserys leave. The dragon's departure had left him covered in dust and mud, coughing from the gusts of wind and snow.

The journey back from the Neck to King's Landing was long, and while Balerion could fly it in one stretch, it needed to rest and feed. Unfortunately, the Neck was barren, offering no sustenance fitting for a dragon.

Viserys didn't feel the need to rush back to King's Landing. There was nothing urgent awaiting him there. He decided to take a detour, to enjoy the world from above and to relax.

Perhaps he was unfit to be a king. No good king would prefer wandering to staying in his palace.

Sigh—

Once they had left the Neck, the warmth of the southern lands greeted them. Viserys decided to rest in the Twins for the night, contemplating whether to go to Casterly Rock or just head home.

"Roar—"

Suddenly, the dragon unleashed a powerful roar, diving from the sky. Below, a group of strangely dressed, fierce-looking members of the Brotherhood without Banners had taken over the abandoned Twins.

They lit torches to fend off the darkness, flying a flag bearing a black goat. Roughly a hundred in number, they looked diverse, each one seeming tougher than the last.

"Dragon!"

"Damn! It's a dragon!"

"Run!"

The sight of Balerion diving towards them struck terror into the Brotherhood, and they fled in panic, leaving their ill-gotten gains behind.

Viserys felt sorry for startling these rogues, but he had merely stopped by and had no intention of confronting them. However, the gruesome scene they had left behind — severed limbs and heads — was unsettling.

Having witnessed countless battles, Viserys was unfazed by such gore. With a nod from him, Balerion spewed dragonfire, cleansing the place of its filth.

The captives, imprisoned in the stables, looked terrified, except for one young girl with black hair. Her hands showed signs of combat. As the dragon landed, her eyes sparkled with hope.

"Is that... Viserys?"

Elsewhere, the fleeing Brotherhood members whispered among themselves.

"How many dragons are there in this world?"

"That black dragon must be Balerion, which means its rider is Viserys."

To these criminals, a king was an untouchable entity. Yet, here was one, traveling right by their camp.

"How grand he looks!" one murmured.

"What is the king doing outside his Iron Throne?" the Brotherhood's lanky leader with a goatee muttered.

An idea flashed in his eyes. "Imagine the ransom if we were to kidnap the king of the Seven Kingdoms."