Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 328 Reunion with the King

As the sun rises, the first rays of golden-red light pierce the horizon, spreading warmth across the land.

A massive army had already assembled outside Riverrun, the banners of the Iron Islands, the Riverlands, and the North fluttering in the morning breeze, as they set off for King's Landing.

Just before the troops were about to set off, Euron Greyjoy appeared leisurely at the entrance of his tent, as if he had merely taken an early morning stroll. Moments earlier, he had been in distant Sunspear, having quietly slipped away from the warm embrace of Elia Martell.

With the help of the ring's magical power, he crossed mountains and rivers with a mere thought and returned silently to his room in Riverrun. He seemed to still carry the slightly hot warmth unique to Dorne in the early morning, mingling with the moist morning breeze of the Riverlands.

Euron blended into the group as if he had never left.

With a command from King Coron, Duke Horst, and Duke Eddard, the massive delegation, bringing together the three powers, finally embarked on the King's Road to King's Landing.

On the other side, when Robert heard that Eddard and Euron's party was almost there, he immediately became excited like a child who had received a new toy, and clamored to go out of the city to greet them in person.

Prime Minister Jon Arryn reluctantly advised, "Your Majesty, you are now the King of the Seven Kingdoms. How can a king personally go to the city gates to greet his subjects? It is against etiquette."

Robert, however, waved his hand dismissively, his booming voice echoing through the Red Keep's Great Hall: "The coronation hasn't happened yet, so I'm not a true king! Besides, they're my friends, brothers who shed blood with me on the battlefield! I can't wait to have a drink with them and catch up!" He patted his broad chest, his tone tinged with impatience from being bogged down in official duties. "And staying in this damned Red Keep, all I do is watch you argue and sign documents—nothing to do, it's incredibly boring! Going out for a ride, riding horses, is much better than anything!"

In the end, the future king appeared at the gates of King's Landing with a retinue.

Beside him were the only two remaining members of the Kingsguard: the highly respected Barristan Selmy the Dauntless, and the blond, blue-eyed Jaime Lannister.

As Eddard and Euron came into view, Robert immediately roared with laughter and rode off to meet them. He first gave Eddard an almost suffocating bear hug, slapping him hard on the back, then turned to Euron, opening his arms with equal enthusiasm: "Hahaha! My good brothers! You've finally arrived!"

His heartfelt joy and unpretentious enthusiasm seemed to instantly transport the three of them back to the glorious years of fighting side by side and experiencing joy and sorrow.

After exchanging hearty greetings with Robert, Euron turned to the solemn-looking old knight beside him and greeted him in a calm tone, "Sir Barristan, it's been a long time."

Barristan Selmy's expression was as calm as a still lake. He nodded slightly, his voice steady and revealing no trace of resentment: "Indeed. Ever since I was defeated by your twin blades at the Trident River, I have remembered every single day since then."

Euron smiled upon hearing this, his tone tinged with humility: "I benefited from that. You had been fighting continuously and were already exhausted."

Barristan shook his head firmly, his knightly honor making such an excuse unacceptable: "No, a loss is a loss. Making excuses is cowardly. Your dual-wielding skills are indeed unparalleled, few in the world can rival you." He paused, a faint glint of past sharpness flashing in his eyes, "If I were ten years younger—" He didn't finish his sentence, but the faint regret for the passage of time and the loss of his peak was already evident.

Euron smiled faintly, but his face revealed unparalleled confidence. He thought to himself: Even if you are at your peak, I can still win!

Robert, his thick arm tightly around Ed's shoulder, joined the conversation in a booming voice, pulling everyone's thoughts back to the turbulent era of the uprising: "Hahaha! Speaking of the Trident River, it was a battlefield where a hundred thousand men gathered, a scene of carnage, a giant meat grinder! Every step forward meant stepping over corpses—"

The group of them stood at the gates of King's Landing, oblivious to everyone around them, discussing the war that had changed the fate of the Seven Kingdoms, recalling the thrilling scenes.

Standing behind Robert, Jaime Lannister's emerald eyes gradually dimmed as they recounted their passionate narration.

He never participated in any of these spectacular, history-defining battles. Throughout the entire uprising, all he did was serve as a magnificent ornament, day after day, by the side of the Mad King Aerys, listening to his mad ravings.

Finally, at the moment King's Landing fell, he pierced the heart of the king he had sworn to protect with his life from behind.

This decisive act, which he saw as ending tyranny and saving King's Landing, earned him not praise, but a lifelong, contemptuous title—"King Killer."

This profound humiliation and unacknowledged loneliness, in the midst of everyone's reminiscence of past glories, appears all the more chilling.

As night deepened, a room deep within the Red Castle was brightly lit, filled with the aroma of ale and wine.

Robert, Eddard, and Euron sat around the huge fireplace, the amber liquid in their glasses swaying with their boisterous movements.

As the wine flowed freely, the conversation naturally turned to the blood and sweat of the battlefields of yesteryear.

Robert, his voice booming, waved his goblet as he described the fateful blow at the Trident River; Eddard added calmly the hardships and sacrifices of the Northern army during the War of the Usurper; Euron laughed as he spoke of the Ironborn's frenzy on the battlefield and their dominance at sea.

Of course, we can't forget the Lannisters, who only entered the fray after the battle was already decided, participating at the last minute by tricking the city gates open, their family's strength remaining completely intact throughout the war; and the Tyrells of Highgarden, who, from beginning to end, maintained a fence-sitting strategy, offending neither side—

The firelight illuminated the faces of the three people, sometimes filled with passion, sometimes with reminiscence.

Robert and Eddard would occasionally drift into more distant memories, reminiscing about their youth in the Eyrie as Jon Arryn's adopted sons, recalling their training and mischief together. Robert would burst into nostalgic laughter, which would somewhat alleviate the heaviness of the war topic.

When the conversation inevitably turned to the upcoming wedding, Robert's cheerful smile vanished instantly, replaced by a deep pain and rage. He slammed his glass on the table, spilling wine everywhere.

"Rhaegar! That damned dragon bastard!" he growled like a wounded lion. "I could kill him a thousand times over! He ruined everything!" He was still heartbroken over Lyanna Stark's tragic death and filled with resentment and resistance towards this political marriage with the Lannister family.

Seeing his best friend in such pain, Ed's lips moved slightly, and the truth almost slipped out—"But she fell in love with someone else—and—" But this heavy secret could only turn into a silent sigh, pressing down on his heart.

In that instant, Euron and Ed's eyes met briefly and imperceptibly. The moment their eyes met was so fast it seemed like an illusion. Then, they both returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.

Euron raised his glass at the opportune moment, steer the conversation elsewhere, and skillfully defuse the tense atmosphere that was about to touch on a taboo subject.

Euron gently swirled the amber liquid in his glass, seemingly casually asking, "Robert, do you remember Stonehall?"

Robert, upon hearing this, was first taken aback, then burst into a loud laugh that seemed to make the candlelight flicker: "Of course I remember! It was a pretty embarrassing affair! That old fox Jon Clinton led his troops in a sneak attack in the dead of night, and I was forced to flee all the way to Stonehall, like a rabbit being chased by hounds!" His eyes gleamed with reminiscence, "They searched the town like madmen, but they never imagined that I was hiding right under their noses—"

Eddard Stark's usually composed face broke into a genuine smile as he continued, "I also remember when the clock struck and we led our troops into Stonehall, our hearts sank to the bottom. We thought you were either killed in battle or captured. Who could have predicted that you would suddenly leap out from the street corner, full of energy, and casually cut down four or five Clinton knights?"

Euron added the crucial location at just the right moment: "Not the street corner, but Peach Inn, a brothel."

"Yes, yes, yes! Let's call it Peach Inn!" Robert laughed even harder, slapping his thigh. "I was hiding inside, drinking ale and clinging to a girl, watching Clinton's guys frantically pacing the streets through the crack in the window, both anxious about when they'd arrived and finding the scene utterly fucking hilarious!"

Euron looked at Robert, who was lost in his memories, and calmly asked the real question: "Do you remember Alice?"

'

"Iris from Stonehall?" Robert's smile faded slightly as he fell into reminiscence. After a moment, he nodded solemnly. "Of course I remember. If it weren't for her risking her life to hide me in the attic, feeding me medicine every day, cleaning and bandaging my wounds, carefully changing my dressings, and bringing me food—I, Robert Baratheon, might have died in that brothel long ago." His tone carried a rare hint of gratitude. "Give me the chance, and I will definitely repay her properly—"

Euron's voice remained calm, yet it was like a boulder thrown into a still lake: "There's no chance anymore. After you left, she became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter. To commemorate you and the Battle of the Bell Ringing, she named her daughter Zhong'er."

"

Ed: "————"

Robert:

'

'

The air seemed to freeze for a moment. The firewood crackled in the fireplace, illuminating Robert's face, whose expression instantly became extremely complex.

Euron seemed oblivious to their silence, continuing in a calm tone as if discussing the weather: "We happened to run into her when we passed through Stonehall. I thought I should let you know, so I brought her and her daughter to King's Landing along the way. When you have time—go and see them. After all, they are your bloodline and need to be taken care of. At least they can't continue to stay in the brothel."

Robert opened his mouth, but in the end he just smiled awkwardly, picked up his glass, and took a big gulp. Clearly, this fearless warrior on the battlefield had never imagined that a past affair would leave behind an illegitimate daughter with his blood flowing through her veins.

Eddard lowered his voice even further, with the caution characteristic of those from the North: "It's best that Cersei doesn't know about this. I've heard that this jewel of the Lannisters isn't exactly known for her gentle temperament."

Robert, upon hearing this, let out a heavy, cold snort, carrying the unquestionable arrogance of the King of the Seven Kingdoms: "A woman, so what if she's covered in golden dragons? Does she have any power over me, Robert Baratheon?" He waved his hand as if to sweep away all restraints. "Besides, I am now the King of the Seven Kingdoms!"

Euron raised his glass at the opportune moment, a smile as warm as the sea breeze spreading across his face, skillfully dissolving any tension. "Well said! Let us then toast to freedom," he said, turning from the light to Robert, laughing loudly, "and another toast to our King!"

"Cheers!"

"For the King!"

The three looked at each other for a moment, then burst into unspoken laughter.