Game of Thrones: Rise of the Supreme Dragon Queen

"Is that all?" Dany raised an eyebrow. "The Ghiscari have been trading slaves for thousands of years, yet they've never faced a worthy enemy?"

"Two reasons are enough to deter the horsemen from attacking. As for Astapor, located in Slaver's Bay, while Meereen and Yunkai may compete with it in trade, they are far from enemies.

The inland regions to the east are almost entirely populated by fellow Ghiscari, while the Lhazarene, though a different race, are merely 'sheep people' and pose no threat."

"If..." This time, Dany pondered for a long while before asking slowly, "If slavery were abolished, who besides the Ghiscari would suffer great losses?"

"Your Grace, what are you planning to do?" Ser Barristan asked in alarm.

"Me? What can I do?" Dany shrugged and smiled. "Anyone involved in the slave trade is guilty—your own words, not mine. I just want to know who the greatest culprits are in this world, aside from me."

Ser Barristan studied her for a long moment but couldn't tell if she was joking.

"The slave trade is a central pillar of maritime commerce. Cities like Qarth, Volantis, and Lys rely almost entirely on slaves. It's not as though no one has ever tried to abolish slavery, but..." He sighed helplessly before continuing, "Your Grace, you know the Andals originated on the continent of Essos, correct?"

"I've heard they established a kingdom in Andalos, in the northwest of the continent," Dany replied.

The old knight nodded and asked, "And now?"

"It seems they've disappeared," she said.

"The Andal civilization, along with the Faith of the Seven, originated in Essos. Yet on this continent, they have nearly vanished. In Westeros, however, the Andals are the dominant culture.

I don't know what happened back then, but it is a fact that the Faith of the Seven has waned here, even though it staunchly opposes slavery."

He paused, then asked, "Do you know how Braavos was founded?"

"In Qarth, I heard an old zebra trader—Joqo Ga—tell the tale. A group of Valyrian slaves, guided by the Moon Singers, escaped the Dragonlords and founded a city on the northernmost point of the continent," Dany recounted.

"That's right. Braavos was built by slaves. Today, it is the mightiest of the nine Free Cities.

A century ago, the Sea Lord of Braavos waged a war against Pentos to abolish slavery. The conflict lasted over ten years, and Pentos lost, promising to abolish slavery.

But tell me, Your Grace, do you think there are slaves in Pentos today?" Ser Barristan asked, looking at her.

"There are. I've seen many servants wearing slave collars in Illyrio's mansion," she admitted.

"So, you understand?" The old knight gave a bitter smile and sighed. "Unless the Seven Gods themselves descend and remain among us, slavery can never truly be abolished.

Anyone who even entertains the notion makes themselves an enemy of the entire world.

Even Braavos does not truly sympathize with slaves. Their anti-slavery stance is a political tool to gain dominance over the upper Rhoyne plains."

"I see..." Dany lifted her head suddenly and asked, "Barristan, how skilled are you with a sword?"

"What?" The abrupt change of subject left the old knight momentarily stunned.

"I've heard that Aegon the Conqueror's sisters were formidable knights. Visenya wielded Dark Sister and once saved Aegon from an assassin."

Dark Sister was a Valyrian steel sword, crafted delicately for a woman. Its last known owner was Brynden Rivers—"Bloodraven"—one of the Great Bastards (and half-brother to Daemon Blackfyre).

King Aegon IV's reckless decisions brought ruin upon his descendants; both ancestral swords of House Targaryen ended up with bastards and are now lost.

"Ah, yes," Ser Barristan said, still trying to follow the shift in conversation.

"Do you think I could match Visenya's talents?"

"Oh, you want to learn combat skills!" The old knight brightened, saying enthusiastically, "I can teach you! I'm certain I could train you to become a formidable knight."

Fearing she might doubt herself, he added excitedly, "Prince Rhaegar was obsessed with books as a child, and many feared he would become another Baelor the Blessed.

But one day, after reading something, he suddenly resolved to become a warrior.

At that time, he was about your age. Yet with determination, he quickly became a celebrated knight on the battlefield."

"What did he read?" Dany asked curiously.

"That..." Ser Barristan hesitated, shaking his head. "I'm not certain. Perhaps it was a prophecy, something about Azor Ahai. Maybe he realized his destiny... But, well, I can't say for sure."

Training to slay the Others?

Oh, Rhaegar, you thought too highly of yourself. You were never the prophesied hero.

Hearing she still had the potential to become a skilled fighter, Dany felt both elated and hesitant.

If she could only ever be a mediocre swordswoman, she thought, training with Barristan would still be worthwhile, even just for fitness. But if there was a chance to become a true master, she couldn't settle for less.

"I think women are better suited to being Water Dancers," she said thoughtfully.

If Westeros embodied a knightly culture, the Free Cities epitomized a maritime and assassin culture.

In the trade city-states, those who train in martial arts often choose the path of the assassin. They value agility, stealth, and the ability to conceal themselves skillfully.

Water dancers are a type of swordsman within this tradition. Their swordsmanship is swift and lethal, emphasizing quick, graceful movements, stealth, and balance.

According to legend, the most skilled water dancers can fight on the surface of water without creating even the slightest ripple.

Notably, Arya Stark, one of the fiercest and most formidable women in Game of Thrones, is a water dancer.

While third-rate water dancers are no different from mediocre knights, those who reach the pinnacle of this art find it especially suitable for individuals with lesser physical strength, such as women.

When Daenerys explained her reasoning, the white-bearded man nodded and said, "Your Highness, your considerations are thorough. If you become a water dancer, your future achievements could indeed be extraordinary. However, the question remains—why do you wish to learn martial arts?"

"To lead armies and protect myself from assassination," she replied.

"Then you should become a knight instead. Water dancers are offensive assassins. On a chaotic battlefield, their survivability is often lower than that of an average knight, as they lack armor."

He pointed to Jorah as an example and continued, "The First Sword of Braavos, tasked with protecting the Sea Lord, is the strongest water dancer. Without armor, he could defeat ten knights like Ser Jorah without a scratch on himself."

"That's nonsense!" Jorah erupted, his temper flaring.

The white-bearded man waved a hand to calm him down and continued, "But if Ser Jorah wore this Valyrian steel armor, he could easily kill ten First Swords."

"If on the battlefield, 100 knights clad in standard armor faced off against 100 First Swords, the knights would annihilate the swordsmen effortlessly."

Daenerys pondered the elder's words and then said thoughtfully, "But you also mentioned that the First Sword's role is to protect the Sea Lord. If I go to war in the future, I'll be riding a dragon, so protecting myself from assassins in daily life is more critical."

"I believe protecting you from assassins is the responsibility of the Kingsguard," the white-bearded man remarked, casting a glance at Jorah. "Otherwise," he added dryly, "this fine Valyrian steel armor would be wasted."

Jorah puffed out his chest proudly, understanding that the old man still resented losing the right to wear armor.

Indeed, if the white-bearded man revealed his true identity, the armor would undoubtedly belong to him.

"Your Grace," Jorah suggested, "a water dancer's keen perception is what a Sea Lord values most. They are skilled observers and can detect assassins in advance. You could begin by learning the knight's way and later, when you meet a master water dancer, learn their techniques. The two approaches are not mutually exclusive."

"Very well," Daenerys agreed. "Tomorrow, I'll train in swordsmanship with the old man."

The next morning, before the sun had risen—around four or five o'clock—Daenerys donned leather armor, trousers, and boots and went to the deck to train with the white-bearded man.

There was no specific regimen for stances or strength training. The old man first adjusted her balance and then taught her the proper way to grip and swing a sword.

He explained that once she could maintain her balance while swinging, he would teach her footwork.

When Daenerys asked about strength training, the elder replied that she was already doing it through sword practice.

At first, she didn't understand. But by the time the sun rose and she had swung the heavy two-handed sword 300 times, the streams of sweat running down her legs and into her boots made her realize the old man wasn't lying.

It was indeed strength training.

The knight's greatsword was so heavy!

Her morning practice concluded around eight or nine o'clock. Afterward, she returned to her room, bathed, changed her clothes, and was eating breakfast when two Astapori men arrived.

They were scribes sent by Kraznys to assess Daenerys' wealth and purchasing power.

The day before, Daenerys had asked the slaver to reserve the Unsullied for her.

Daenerys glanced at Groleo with a smile and asked, "If I sell Governor Illyrio's goods, will he be upset?"

"Well…" Groleo hesitated, glancing at the Peaceful Dawn anchored nearby. "You already have a ship full of gold, silver, and jewels from Euron, don't you?"

"Perhaps it's not enough," she said with a sly smile.

"How many Unsullied are you planning to buy?!" Groleo exclaimed in shock.

"How many? I didn't catch that. How many slaves is our esteemed Queen planning to purchase?" Kraznys stood abruptly, demanding clarification from the stunned interpreter.

With a confirming look from Daenerys, the interpreter stammered, "Her Majesty wishes to purchase all the Unsullied in Astapor… all of them."

Later that day, Daenerys and her entourage walked through the red-brick streets to the Plaza of Pride.

Kraznys' pyramid, which overlooked the plaza, served as his home and "yard."

This time, his servants led Daenerys to a rooftop garden atop the pyramid. The 150-square-meter garden was carpeted with grass and surrounded by persimmon and apple trees. The golden persimmons and red apples hanging from the branches created a stunning scene.

To the north of the garden was a pool where one could soak while enjoying views of the harbor.

Once again, twin slave girls wielding fans attended to Kraznys, who reclined on a tall wooden chair that resembled a throne.

Daenerys sat across from him on a low, two-meter-long couch, while Jorah, the white-bearded man, Jhogo, and Missandei stood behind her.

A maid held a massive beige parasol over Daenerys' head to shield her from the sun.

"Master," the interpreter said hesitantly after receiving Daenerys' approval, "Her Majesty wishes to purchase all the Unsullied in Astapor. Every single one."

(End of Chapter)

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