Chapter 29: Jorah Mormont

"Khal Drogo's largest khalasar has over forty thousand warriors."

Illyrio's voice drifted in and out, and one had to listen intently to hear him clearly from the guest room above the garden. "Rest assured, Your Excellency, I have reliable information that his khalasar is currently near Dagger Lake in the Golden Fields, moving north along the Rhoyne River. It won't be long before they reach the vicinity of Pentos. When they hold a feast in his palace, I will certainly create an opportunity for you."

The laughter of the fat magister's guest rang out, "Haha, 'Shrewd Magister Illyrio,' your reputation is well-deserved. However, I don't understand when you developed an interest in the sea route from Tyrosh to Dorne?"

The voices in the garden grew closer.

"Hehe, land routes, sea routes, having multiple paths is never a bad thing." Illyrio chuckled slyly, "What do you think, Your Excellency?"

"Haha, that makes sense. If I had the business acumen of the Magister, I wouldn't be doing this thankless job as an envoy for my brother."

"Your Excellency jests."

The two men in the garden seemed to have already reached some agreement and were now merely engaging in customary pleasantries and banter.

By the time the maids had finished clearing the table in Dany's room and left, the conversation downstairs had shifted from business to the oddly dressed armored mercenary.

It was Illyrio who brought it up: "Your Excellency, the guard behind you, he must be a knight, correct?"

The word "knight" even caught Daenerys' attention. She quietly rose from her seat and tiptoed to stand behind her brother Viserys, who was openly watching from the window. She peeked down into the garden.

"A knight, without a doubt," the green-bearded Tyroshi envoy chuckled. "Anointed with the seven holy oils by the High Septon himself. . . Ser Jorah, come forward and speak with the Magister. Perhaps you'll find your next employer."

Dany saw the "knight" in the garden. He was a brawny middle-aged man, around forty years old, with thinning hair and dark skin. He wore chainmail and leather, with a dark green tunic embroidered with a black bear standing on its hind legs. Dany had heard from Viserys that this kind of attire usually indicated a landed knight, much like Ser Darry's brown tunic embroidered with a black plowman. The green field with the black bear must be his family crest, though it was one Dany had never heard of.

Dany glanced at her brother's expression and found it blank.

The knight in the garden began to speak, his voice rough and solemn: "Sell-sword Jorah Mormont greets you, Magister."

Illyrio asked with keen interest, "Ser Jorah Mormont, a knight anointed with holy oils—how did you come to leave Westeros and end up as a mercenary across the Narrow Sea in Essos?"

Jorah's tone was calm and grave: "I am no longer a knight. It is not a tale of honor—I committed acts that brought shame upon me, lost my sense of honor, and was exiled here."

"Just a trifling matter," the green-bearded Tyroshi envoy interjected on the sell-sword's behalf. "The 'Usurper' ordered his head for selling a few poachers caught on his lands to our slave traders instead of sending them to the Night's Watch. Ridiculous laws, really—everyone should have the right to dispose of their own property."

"It was all for money. My actions violated the laws of the Seven Kingdoms, and there was no honor in them." Jorah's voice was tinged with sorrow, as if there was more to the story. Soon, he regained his composed and grave demeanor.

"Now, I am but a sell-sword seeking my livelihood. Magister, once I have fulfilled the envoy's contract, if you have any tasks for me, feel free to ask."

Ser Jorah's words were unpretentious, but combined with his solemn Northern face, they had a kind of convincing sincerity. There was a natural sense of trustworthiness and reliability about him.

"So you were a knight," Illyrio picked up the conversation. "You must know a great deal about the Seven Kingdoms."

"I am a Northman from Westeros, Magister," Jorah replied. "If you wish to ask me about the North, I might be able to provide satisfactory answers. I also have some personal knowledge of the Iron Islands and the Westerlands. As for the other parts of the Seven Kingdoms, my knowledge comes from my family's education. For instance, regarding many matters of Dorne, I wouldn't know as much as the envoy here."

Jorah's words, though modest, were actually quite confident. Tyrosh bordered Dorne with constant trade routes, so he dared to say his knowledge was comparable to that of the Tyroshi envoy.

The people in the garden began to move, soon passing under the window of Dany's room.

Viserys had an idea. He turned to look at Dany and found her eavesdropping intently. He made a decision and eagerly said, "Come to my room."

They quickly left Dany's room and went into Viserys' room.

Outside, Illyrio was saying, "I went to King's Landing recently on business and happened to catch the tournament held for Prince Joffrey's name day. Unfortunately, I had to leave before the grand event ended. Many merchants were placing bets, but not knowing much about the famous knights of the Seven Kingdoms, I randomly bet on Thoros of Myr, the red priest. By now, the tournament should be over, but news has not yet reached Pentos. Do you think I have a chance of winning that bet?"

Outside, Jorah replied, "I would like to know, Magister, did you bet on the jousting or the melee?"

Viserys's room was now empty. The servants who had transported the dragonbone chests had left, leaving the boxes of dragonbone gifts in a corner.

Viserys led Daenerys into the room, eager to listen to the conversation outside. He didn't even bother to close the door, leaving it wide open. He had Daenerys sit by the window and went over to the table with the drinks, rummaging through the goblets.

Daenerys noticed her brother's unusual behavior. She shifted her attention from the garden outside to her brother, puzzled.

The table with drinks in Viserys's room was positioned between the door and the wall, and on the other side of that wall was Daenerys's room.

When Daenerys looked over at her brother, she saw him carefully placing an empty goblet near the corner of the door. After delicately pushing the goblet so it was tilted against the door, he stood there staring at the half-tipped goblet without moving.

Outside, Illyrio was speaking. "Does it make a difference?"

Jorah replied, "I know Thoros of Myr, the red priest. His flaming sword, coated in wildfire, has earned him quite a reputation among the mercenary knights of the Seven Kingdoms. His flaming sword can scare his opponent's horses, allowing him to win many melee tournaments in the Seven Kingdoms. But if it's a jousting contest, his flaming sword won't be of much use."

Illyrio's annoyed voice came through. "Ah, I should have known you sooner."

The Tyroshi envoy's laughter followed. "Looks like your bet isn't going to pay off, Magister Illyrio."

Daenerys had lost interest in the conversation outside. She held her breath and watched Viserys, realizing what he was trying to do.

At a certain moment, Daenerys saw Viserys narrow his eyes. A few breaths later, she saw the expressions on her brother's face change.

After a while, Daenerys saw her brother reach down to pick up the goblet at the door. Acting as if nothing had happened, he returned to the table and poured himself some wine.

Footsteps approached outside the door, and Daenerys looked up to see the maid Annie appear at the doorway.

She seemed to be heading somewhere.

"Oh, how convenient," Viserys said, holding his goblet and smirking as if it was a happy coincidence. "You're just in time. Clean my room while you're at it."

The maid nodded respectfully. "Yes, honorable guest."

Viserys didn't say anything more. He quickly walked over to the window with his wine bottle and goblet, continuing to eavesdrop on the conversation outside with Daenerys.

Outside, Illyrio asked, "Ser Jorah, who do you think will win the jousting tournament?"

"I've heard a bit about the tournament from sailors on passing ships at the docks, but I don't know the full details or all the participants," Jorah replied. "However, I heard Jaime Lannister's name mentioned, so it might be him."

"Oh? Why do you say that?"

"To be honest, Magister, I once faced him in a tournament. I've been impressed by him ever since."

"You've faced him?"

"Yes, a long time ago."

The voices in the garden gradually faded, and it took holding one's breath to listen carefully.

Daenerys wasn't particularly interested in the conversation outside anymore, but then Viserys asked her, "What do you think of him?"

The voices outside were no longer audible.

"Who?" Daenerys asked instinctively.

At the doorway, the maid quickly returned with cleaning tools. Since no one paid her any attention, she quietly began to clean the room.

Viserys said, "Who else? Naturally, the 'knight' mercenary below."

Daenerys's thoughts returned to the topic. From the mercenary knight's words, she had sensed a denied sense of honor, which reminded her of Ser Willem Darry from her memories.

But now, with Viserys asking, she wasn't so sure anymore.

"He is a knight, right?" Daenerys asked vaguely.

Viserys answered just as vaguely, "A knight in exile."

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