Chapter 367: I Want to Board the Pirate Ship

Bronn had arrived.

He brought with him three cargo ships, forty sailors, two hundred fully armed mercenary knights, and dozens of chests filled with gold and silver treasures.

He came along with his foolish wife, his bastard son, and a disobedient maester.

His ships bore both Bronn's own banner of burning chains and the Targaryen three-headed dragon banner.

It was eye-catching and immediately stirred up a commotion at the docks.

"The True Dragon Queen is summoning the old Crownlands lords to prepare a counterattack on King's Landing!"

Dock merchants and sailors rushed to spread the news, both alarmed and excited.

Daenerys treated everyone equally, showing no prejudice toward the dishonorable background of the Earl of Blackwater. She personally rode her dragon to the docks, accompanied by the White Knight and a group of noble lords.

Well, Bronn's original surname was uncertain, but during the Battle of the Blackwater, he was responsible for raising the chain across the river at the perfect moment—an absolutely crucial task in that battle.

Bronn performed his duty excellently, and Cersei and Tywin rewarded him with a knighthood.

He took great pride in it, calling himself Ser Bronn of the Blackwater, even designing a sigil of burning chains engulfed in wildfire.

The day Daenerys promised him he could name his title after his own surname if he performed meritorious service, Bronn reverted to the name "Blackwater."

"Skreeeee—" Drogon circled in the sky before landing beside the White Knight. Daenerys leapt down from the dragon's back.

"Your subject, Bronn of Blackwater, greets Your Majesty." Bronn approached with his wife and bowed.

"Lord Bronn, Lady Lollys, greetings," Daenerys nodded, then quirked a brow and asked curiously, "You haven't been drifting on the sea all this time just waiting for me to arrive at Driftmark, have you?"

"No, we just happened to arrive today," Bronn said.

"Yes, we've been floating at sea for days," his plump wife Lollys giggled foolishly at the same time.

Bronn's expression darkened, and he shot her a resentful glare, which made her shrink her neck in confusion and fear.

"Your Majesty, I…" Bronn began to explain awkwardly, "I wasn't sure of House Velaryon's stance. What if they captured me and sent me to King's Landing, then—"

Daenerys waved it off casually, mounted her horse, and gestured for him to ride alongside her toward Driftmark Castle.

"Your caution was justified. I'm very pleased you managed to arrive on the very day I hoisted the three-headed dragon banner," Daenerys said with a smile.

Bronn sighed in relief and smiled bitterly. "I stationed a scout at the High Tide docks. The night you left, I began packing. It took two days to travel from Stokeworth to Duskendale, then only a few hours by sea to Driftmark.

I waited at sea for three or four days. If you hadn't come, I was going to quietly turn back and continue being the Lord of Stokeworth."

"Hahaha, very clever. A cautious plan," Daenerys laughed heartily.

She then explained the whole situation regarding the White Walkers from start to finish. "The Wall is far more complicated than I expected. That's what delayed me."

"So… the Long Night is coming?" Bronn asked, his voice trembling.

"If the legends are true, and the White Walkers bring the Long Night, then yes—the third Long Night is coming," Daenerys said, uncertain.

Her uncertainty lay in not knowing whether the Long Night brought the White Walkers, or the White Walkers brought the Long Night—or if they had always existed in the far north, simply moving with the snow and wind.

Daenerys even suspected that the White Walkers had never truly been exterminated.

"Then, what are your plans for the future?" Bronn asked after a moment of thought.

After a hearty lunch, the plates and bowls were cleared away, and a long wooden table was covered with a sea-blue Myrish tapestry. The lords and knights remained in their seats, listening to the Dragon Queen unveil her "Dragon Party's Long Night Battle Plan."

At this point, the open power of the Dragon Party in Westeros consisted of three earls—Bronn, Monterys, and Adrian—seven knights, and over forty landed knights.

A bit pitiful.

But the three earls weren't discouraged; on the contrary, they were brimming with excitement.

The young earl didn't understand anything. Surrounded by people—and dragons—he was simply thrilled by the spectacle.

Adrian was the undisputed elder brother figure of the Dragon Party. Since the Dragon Queen had dragons, and was bound to win, of course he was excited.

Bronn also had confidence in the Queen who rode dragons. Not only did she not look down on him, she even included him alongside Velaryon and Celtigar as one of the Dragon Party's "Big Three."

By the Seven, that was Velaryon and Celtigar!

To sit beside them, directly beneath the Dragon Queen's throne, Bronn was trembling with excitement.

"Let me talk about our plans for the coming years of winter,"

Daenerys looked solemnly at the eager or anxious expressions of her followers and said seriously, "First and foremost, we must always remain on the moral high ground, and sincerely uphold the honor of nobles and the noble spirit of knighthood.

Regardless of what the Lannisters or other nobles of the Seven Kingdoms choose, we must make defending against the White Walkers our core guiding principle.

Is that clear?"

"Your Majesty is absolutely right," the White Knight agreed first.

"What if the Iron Throne refuses to believe in the White Walkers, or insists it's fake? What if they ignore the Long Night and just send troops to attack us?" Bronn raised the same question that the Crab's Second Son had asked earlier.

"I will stand for the people of the Seven Kingdoms, for justice, for all of humanity, for light and summer—and I will destroy them," Daenerys declared solemnly, in a speech full of exaggerated heroic flair.

"Dragonstone is too close to King's Landing, easily within their reach. But at the same time, I think burning the Red Keep would be quite easy too. Just a two or three hour flight west."

"Then why not just take King's Landing?" the Crab's Second Son shouted.

"If I take King's Landing, I'll have to hold it. Then comes purges and power struggles. A year or two spent stabilizing the city, and then more years subduing dissenters in the Crownlands.

After that, do I have to conquer the Westerlands, the Vale, the Riverlands, and the Stormlands as well?

By the time I finish reenacting Aegon the Conqueror's great feat, the entire realm will be in ruins, overrun by the White Walkers, and we'll all die in the Long Night," Daenerys stared sharply into the eyes of the Crab's Second Son, her tone pressing.

"Maybe… it won't be that bad," he murmured, lowering his head.

"Maybe? You're telling me maybe?" A trace of scorn crept into Daenerys' icy gaze. "Always assume the worst when anticipating your enemy! Don't think dragons are invincible. And never assume your enemies are fools. If we can't survive the Long Night, a hundred Iron Thrones are nothing but scrap metal."

"Her Majesty is right. Even if we take Westeros now, we won't be able to feed all those people," the old crab murmured thoughtfully.

"With the coming of the Long Night, the islands have instead become the safest place. We can fortify Dragonstone, stockpile enough food, and then just stay hidden on the island.

Once the Long Night passes and the Seven Kingdoms are exhausted, the Queen can easily claim the Iron Throne. Many of our enemies probably won't even survive the Long Night," Bronn said slowly.

Barristan frowned, clearly displeased with the three Dragon loyalists for thinking solely from a personal interest perspective.

Why can't you learn from Her Majesty the Queen—putting the public above herself, sacrificing personal gain for the greater good?

"Even though Her Majesty does not vie for the Iron Throne, she will still fulfill her duties as Queen," he said, sharing Daenerys's plan to purchase grain and provide relief to the Trident region.

"No way! In the old nanny's tales, the last Long Night lasted a whole generation. Most of the lords starved to death. We might not even have enough for ourselves—why should we care about those lowborn peasants? They're not even your subjects!"

Second Crab bellowed in anguish, as if Daenerys were using his money and food to feed the masses.

"Rhaegar!" First Crab tugged his brother's sleeve and said sternly, "Her Majesty Daenerys is a true queen. You should feel honored to serve such a monarch."

Hearing that, Daenerys's expression finally softened a little—at least one of them had some sense.

These noble followers had less awareness than the newly freedmen from Slaver's Bay.

The Dragon Queen was somewhat vain, liked to show off, and enjoyed appearing heroic and righteous in front of others. She always tried to present herself as a brave, great, just, and benevolent queen.

But she never truly believed herself to be all that righteous or noble—she only did what was within her power, without any real sense of sacrifice.

Yet compared to the nobles of Westeros, she suddenly felt truly righteous, noble, and kind—almost like a saintly lotus.

As expected, even the ugliest flower can seem like a heavenly blossom if the surrounding leaves are ugly enough.

"Let me tell you one more thing," Daenerys continued. "Even if the Long Night ends and the Seven Kingdoms lie in ruins, I may still never sit on the Iron Throne."

"What do you mean?" Everyone was shocked.

"I made a sacred vow at the Wall: the one who ends the Long Night shall be king. If someone kills the Night King, House Targaryen will submit to them—well, I won't. I'll go be Queen in Slaver's Bay. The title of Duke of Dragonstone can go to my descendants."

At that moment, except for Little Lord, Barristan, and old Maester Aemon, everyone's faces twisted in disbelief.

A herd of ten thousand llamas seemed to thunder across their hearts, while a million MMPs (Chinese expletives) spammed their minds.

The three Dragon loyalists were on the verge of mental collapse.

"Then… what should we do?" Bronn asked blankly.

"Don't worry! First of all, I have dragons—and I have all of you, brave and skilled knights. With my leadership and your fearless efforts, we have the best chance of defeating the Night King and ending the Long Night."

Fearless? That word made my skin crawl and my heart race.

If we lose our lives, what good are titles and fiefs?

And besides, I don't even have a son yet—if I die gloriously, won't all my inheritance go to that bastard Tyrion?

Bronn regretted everything. Cersei might be difficult, but she's still easier to deal with than the Night King!

He could already picture Cersei's strategy for the Long Night: hide far behind the frontlines, with tall walls and deep moats, well-stocked supplies. Gleefully watch as the righteous queens, knights, and lords fight the undead, then swoop in after the Long Night and stab the last hero in the back.

—That was his style too. He wanted to do that very thing!

Why, why does Her Majesty have to be so honest, noble, brave, and compassionate?I'm more like that shameless schemer Cersei—what madness made me switch sides and join "Saint Dany"?

Daenerys had no idea that the Blackwater Earl was inwardly cursing her "noble character"—which, frankly, she didn't possess at all.

She continued, "Even in the unlikely event that someone else takes my head and becomes the hero who ends the Long Night, I still have the right to be a duchess.

King's Landing was founded by the Targaryens. The Crownlands were cultivated by Targaryens and their vassals. I have every right to reclaim my ancestral lands.

Just like how Winterfell has always been associated with the Kings in the North.

If the new king wants to occupy King's Landing, they must offer me another territory of equal value. In any case, House Targaryen is guaranteed at least a duchy and lands befitting that rank.

And I'll make sure each of you gets a guaranteed reward—fiefs, titles, gold—none of that will be lacking."

Barristan added, "And most importantly—honor! The Queen will lead us down a glorious path never seen before. Compared to that, titles and land are nothing."

Of course… you people are all alike. I joined the wrong crew. I should've boarded Cersei's pirate ship instead!

Bronn thought bitterly, his heart aching.

(End of Chapter)

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