The sun shone brightly.
Tiny, shimmering white scales of light danced across the calm, deep blue sea.
The captain was very happy.
The Harvest, a Pentos merchant ship, had sailed smoothly for two days since departing from King's Landing.
"The wind and currents are very favorable. Perhaps we can return to charming Pentos in four days. Praise the Sea God, that's two full days earlier than usual!"
To Elin, this captain was more than twice as fat as a captain needed to be.
The Iron Throne envoy nodded in response, "The Mother blesses us. I hope my mission will be completed as smoothly as this voyage."
Elin Lantel didn't interrupt.
Ostensibly, he had been sent by Crown Prince Joffrey to supervise the envoy's purchase of a Dragon Egg, but in reality...
Elin shifted his buttocks uncomfortably.
The captain's cabin at the stern was indeed lavishly decorated, with thick carpets and windows inlaid with stained glass, but the seats were unfortunately unsuitable.
Magister Illyrio Mopatis, the owner of the ship and its captain, was a man of immense girth. The leather chairs custom-made for him were naturally out of the ordinary. Elin even felt that the three of them could fit on just one chair.
The captain seemed to have little hope. "I've never even heard of the Dragon Egg you seek before. The Magister must attach unusual importance to it."
The envoy's smile was very restrained.
"Heh, Pentos and King's Landing are the closest of trade partners. I believe Magister Illyrio is wise enough not to refuse the goodwill of the Iron Throne."
"Of course, there are also Gold Dragons."
Even the captain heard the threat and temptation in his words. His breathing grew heavier, but he said nothing more.
Elin didn't care.
The Red Keep was full of such verbal sparring and veiled sarcasm all day long; he was long accustomed to this atmosphere.
He focused on the task the Crown Prince had assigned him.
The Dragon Egg was naturally to be secured, but after that, he had an even more important and secret matter to attend to.
Daenerys Targaryen, the Stormborn, Viserys Targaryen, the Beggar King. For over a decade, Elin had never associated himself with these legendary names.
Now, however, he was to serve his master faithfully by targeting them.
Whenever he thought of this, Elin couldn't help but feel a tingling tremor spread from his heart. Will I also be mentioned in songs, a treacherous villain? A long-suffering attendant?
But what he found most unexpected were the Crown Prince's words and actions at that time.
Elin believed he had long since figured out the Crown Prince's temperament over the years, never angering the capricious Crown Prince, and thus becoming a prominent figure among the thousands of servants in the Red Keep.
But four days ago, in the afternoon following the Crown Prince's tourney, Elin saw another side of the Crown Prince in the Godswood of the Red Keep.
"Find a reason to stay in Pentos, enter the Magister's mansion, find a way to gain the trust of the Beggar King and his sister. It would be best to bring them back to King's Landing, but if not, execute them."
Elin genuinely thought he was hallucinating.
What is the Crown Prince saying? Not to play a trick on some servant or courtier, not to play some strange game, but to have me assassinate the remnants of the dragons?! How did the Crown Prince know?
The Crown Prince's eyes were calm but terrifying, "What, you are unwilling?"
Elin replied reflexively, "As you command. Your loyal attendant is always at your service."
The large ship pitched more violently.
Elin silently watched the captain and envoy chatting happily.
He realized that he had never truly seen through the Crown Prince; that person before was merely a disguise.
That's good. Elin couldn't help but curl his lips.
Although he was the son of a humble merchant, growing up in the alleys of Lannisport, he was fortunate enough to see a broader sky.
Wealthy merchants and bullies, adorned with gold and silver, swaggering all day, were nothing but humble maggots when facing the Lannister Mighty Lion of Casterly Rock.
The Rains of Castamere, what a romantic, shocking, and infinitely powerful song.
From that moment on, Elin swore to follow the footsteps of the Mighty Lion for the rest of his life, to witness sights he should not have seen, to trample those he could only look up to into the dust, and to have a song of his own.
He had accomplished a part of it.
Even if he could only share a little of the Crown Prince's glory, he had reached the highest position a Lantel could attain.
He could live in Maegor's Holdfast in the Red Keep, watch Ser Jaime, the greatest knight in the Seven Kingdoms, pass by, had spoken with the King and Queen, and had met countless lords and nobles.
Now, he had an ambitious master, an opportunity to personally create history.
The Loyal and Clever Elin, The End of the Dragon, The Dragon-Slaying Lantel... bards would compose songs about me, making my name spread throughout the Seven Kingdoms, lasting longer than life itself.
I will not fail this opportunity!
The Harvest rocked more violently, making Elin, who was at sea for the first time, feel dizzy.
The sailors on deck let out cries of alarm.
"Look there! It's a storm!"
"Sea God陛下!! Do not abandon your devout followers..."
The captain immediately dashed out, returning shortly after, his clothes noticeably damp.
"Too sudden, too sudden, how could this happen?"
The captain's face was full of disbelief. "There was no warning, the storm just appeared out of nowhere. How is that possible?"
The Iron Throne's envoy also panicked. Was this supposed to be just a visit, only to end up buried in the Narrow Sea?
Elin's expression was the worst.
Salvation was right before his eyes, how could he silently become fish food?!
The sailors finally managed to furl the sails and secure the cargo, immediately scrambling into the gloomy cabins below deck. This cramped and crowded space now offered them the greatest sense of security.
The captain, with a few others, cleared out all unsecured heavy objects from the room before locking the thick wooden door. He trusted his captain's cabin more.
People struggled desperately, but compared to the fury of the boundless sea, it was utterly insignificant.
The colossal waves in the eye of the storm, blotting out the sky, approached unhurriedly. The scent of death grew thick and spread.
The Harvest was more helpless than peasant levies facing a cavalry charge.
Many crew members gave up hope.
"Allah, it seems today is my day."
"It's over, it's over, it's over..."
"Haha, all men must die, all men must serve, it's true! It's our turn to serve. God of Many Faces..."
Elin clung tightly to a large wooden table integrated with the cargo ship.
He silently recited the lyrics of The Rains of Castamere in his heart, drawing belief and strength from it.
I am a Lannister. Fate is with me!
The sea surface became increasingly turbulent.
The undulating waves toyed with the tiny ship, helping humans challenge their physiological limits.
Elin convulsed and vomited continuously.
First came semi-digested gruel, then waves of acidic bile, and finally air and stringy saliva.
Woo, woo~, woo~~
The noise grew louder. Without any instruction, normal creatures would understand that disaster was coming.
"..."
Heaven and earth suddenly fell silent. People shouted loudly but couldn't hear a sound.
The divine being kicked the ship, using the sea as its body.
Elin tumbled helplessly, his vision filled with distorted swirls. The Harvest must have spun several times in the air.
One moment his body was plastered to the ceiling, the next leaning against the floor, covered in a thick, nauseating mixture of solids and liquids.
As his consciousness blurred, the Crown Prince's words echoed in his mind.
"It's not just the Red Keep that's full of ears and eyes, that Magister is hostile to the Iron Throne, you must hide yourself well."
"You have a few months, you must act before Daenerys marries the Horse King."
His swaying, blurry vision gradually became tinged with patches of red light and shadow. He smelled the sea and blood, completely unable to distinguish if it was his own blood or someone else's.
"Try to find the exiled Ser Jorah Mormont, tell him I will grant a pardon, and ask for his help."
"Carry two hundred Gold Dragons with you, it might be useful."
Elin felt the ship beginning to break apart.
"Act however you see fit, I just need the person."
"Do this well, and I will not be stingy, I might even make you Hand of the King!"
Mother, have mercy. Warrior, please grant me courage and strength. Crone, please guide my path.
Stranger, not today, not today
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