Game of Thrones: The Road to Pirate King

Chapter 389 Guardianship - Island of Innocence

As the sun gradually sank below the horizon, it painted the sky a warm orange-red.

Freya was enthusiastically showing Alicia the newly brewed mead, recounting the subtle flavors produced by adding acacia pollen.

They had been chatting for a long time, from the twenty-seven ways to preserve mangoes, to how to extract the finest threads from coral shells, and to which type of grapes picked under the moonlight are best for making sweet wine.

Alicia took a sip of mead and, listening to Freya's gentle voice, almost became intoxicated by the peaceful atmosphere.

It wasn't until she inadvertently caught a glimpse of Euron's silent figure standing quietly under the tree that it served as a stark reminder, abruptly waking her from this pleasant conversation.

She gently set down the ceramic cup and grasped Freya's hand, which was still gesturing the famous weaving technique: "My dear friend, there is actually another important matter we would like to discuss with you during our visit."

Freya blinked her large amber eyes, nodded gently, and still wore an innocent smile on her face.

Alicia pointed to Euron, who stood still by the waves, her voice filled with reassuring certainty: "He is the legendary Lord of the Sea Beasts, capable of commanding those ancient behemoths of the deep sea. Just as the docile Halsien obeys his call, only those beings slumbering in the distant ocean are far more majestic and terrifying than Halsien."

She turned to Freya, her gaze earnest: "As long as his flag is raised on your shores, those vulture-like pirates and human traffickers will never dare to approach the land of Nas again."

Freya's amber eyes widened slightly, as if she had heard a fairy tale that was too beautiful to be true: "Really? Then—"

"That's wonderful." But after the joy subsided, her slender eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she murmured, "But what can we give back to our kind friends who have offered us shelter? All we have on Nas Island are sweet fruits, rare silks, and the mead we brew ourselves."

Euron's voice carried on the wind, calm yet undeniable: "You don't need to give anything in return. Raising my banner means you are my subjects, and that's enough."

Freya shook her head firmly, the floral crown in her hair trembling slightly: "We cannot let our friends sacrifice alone. We must express Nas's gratitude with the produce of our own hands."

Euron's lips curled into a faint smile: "In that case—let's offer half of your silk production as a reward. Nas's silk is priceless, no matter where it is."

"Since we retreated into the mountains," Freya explained softly, her fingertips unconsciously twirling the rough stitching on her skirt, "the amount of silk we can weave has become increasingly scarce—but we are willing to give everything we can."

Euron gazed at the beautiful, now deserted coastline, bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun, and made a solemn promise: "When the seas are calm again, I assure you that you will be free to return to every inch of this beach, to live and play in any corner of the island—this is a promise I have made myself."

Alicia paused slightly, unconsciously glancing at Euron beside her. She clearly remembered that when they discussed this matter on the dragon's back, his words were filled with calm planning and calculation. But this promise he made now carried an unexpected sincerity.

Before she could withdraw her probing gaze, Euron had already turned his head. The twilight gilded his silhouette with a dark gold, and unusually, there was no mockery in his heterochromatic eyes, only a calm, almost gentle glimmer.

Euron's lips curled slightly, his voice so low that only she could hear: "No need to doubt."

In the distance, Freya was weaving freshly picked flowers into the scales of her dragon wings, while the children's silvery laughter drifted on the sea breeze.

"I just wanted to protect something—" Euron paused, his gaze sweeping over the innocent figures dancing on the beach, and sighed, "something I was destined never to have in this life."

Alicia followed his gaze and saw the Nas man's untroubled smile. Suddenly, she understood—this pure land contained the most distant and precious reflection of the man before her on his journey of blood and fire.

Freya twirled lightly across the grass, her long white dress blooming like a night-blooming cereus in the twilight. She carefully adorned Halsien's scales with flowers until the behemoth became a breathing garden, then ran back to Euron with a clear laugh.

She knelt down on the bluestone beside him, the petals in her hair swaying gently with her movements. "You're going to the Serpent Islands, aren't you?" she asked suddenly, blinking her amber eyes.

After receiving Euron's affirmative response, the starlight in her eyes dimmed slightly: "There—there are many kidnapped Nath children. If we meet them, can we take them home?" Her voice was filled with a cautious reluctance.

Euron gazed at her profile bathed in the glow of the sunset and answered without the slightest hesitation: "If we meet, I will bring them back on my ship."

"Thank you," Freya's eyes instantly lit up with tears, like amber filled with starlight, "You're a good person."

Freya suddenly flew into his arms like a bird returning to its nest, her soft lips landing a light, floral kiss on his cheek. The sudden kiss left Euron frozen in place, a rare occurrence, with only Halsien making a gurgling sound, shaking off the fragrance emanating from him.

The Nas people's mead swirls in the earthenware cup, its golden liquid infused with the fragrance of laurel and tropical fruits.

Euron's promise was like the finest wine, immersing Freya in a pleasantly tipsy bliss all night. Holding her ceramic cup, her eyes shone brighter than the stars in the sky, and with each lift of the glass, the sweet wine transformed into a smile on her lips.

As night deepened, the excess mead finally brought two rosy hues to her cheeks. The blush spread from her ears to her neck, like the last rays of the setting sun on a snow-white beach. She leaned her head against Alicia's shoulder, the petals in her hair rising and falling with her soft breaths, even in her dreams she still wore a sweet smile.

As the moonlight spilled over the treetops, Nass reluctantly dispersed, not forgetting to add freshly picked fruit to Halsien's plate before leaving.

Freya led the way, carrying a firefly lantern, through a flower path draped with night dew, and finally stopped under a huge acacia tree.

Intertwined vines hang down naturally, weaving with blooming night-blooming jasmine to form a flowing curtain, behind which a couch covered with herbs can be vaguely seen.

There are no walls here, no doors—in the eyes of the Nas people, the gentle breeze and bright moon should not be obstructed, and man and all things should be connected.

Sharing a breath and sleeping together is the proper norm.

"May you sleep peacefully under the starlight." Freya hung the firefly on the vine, the warm yellow light startling a few resting night butterflies. Then she turned and left, her hair brushing against the hanging vine, bringing down a shower of petals like fine snow.

Alicia reached out and gently touched the flower curtain swaying in the wind. Here, even dreams are connected with the starry sky.