Chapter 146 Orphan-Maker Reappears
Three magic dragons hovered high in the sky, screeching, then slowly began to descend.
Rhaegar looked at the devastation of Governor Dario's mansion on the ground, with unextinguished fires occasionally burning. The havoc caused by Dragonflame was like a miniature version of "Rage of the Land," but with less damage to stone. Rhaegar thought of the crooked main building of Harrenhal, but he had not heard of Dragonflame completely destroying a main structure made of giant stones. Perhaps the flame intensity was insufficient, as giant stones are the most resistant material to intense fire in the world. Even Balerion, the Black Dread, burning Harrenhal could not completely melt the giant stones. However, given the small dragons' size and age, achieving this much was already remarkable. In previous years, dragons under ten years old going into battle were almost certainly going to their deaths. Rhaegar had strengthened the small dragons with magic and runes, making them appear exceptionally fierce.
Rhaegar's three dragons repeatedly swept through Dario's mansion, turning it into scorched earth. The bright Dragonflame had ignited the small fortifications where Dario made his last stand, from the reception hall to the study, kitchen, granary, and even the stables. However, Dario was not entirely despicable; he had released all the servants in the mansion beforehand, so only his die-hard supporters were burned to death.
Originally, Rhaegar didn't need to sweep with Dragonflame; he could have fought a war of attrition. But with the Myrish people arriving, the rebels in the city had to be dealt with quickly, which was also why Great Lord Sirae and the High Priest agreed.
"Fire brings warmth, and also destruction," Rhaegar murmured, then was the first to step into the ruins. Rhaegar saw the crumbling walls of Governor Dario's mansion, black as the dominant color of the world, the ruined scorched earth, and the charred, terrifying corpses of warriors. He did not love war, but war came to him, and he could not avoid it.
The nobles of Tyrosh silently watched Rhaegar's figure. The Dragon King's wrath was enough to cause rivers of blood. Governor Dario's demise was the fate they wished to avoid. The small boats of Tyrosh, Lys, and Myr had completely capsized; now they could only bind themselves to the Iron Throne.
Shireen was the first to follow, then the High Priest, then the Commander of the City Watch, the Admiral of Tyrosh, and the nobles of Tyrosh followed Rhaegar's footsteps.
Dario's body had been pulled out, burned beyond recognition, and could only be identified by a few small marks.
"The Myrish fleet is about to arrive. Immediately search Dario's mansion. Property and slaves will be confiscated. Pay attention to finding the bodies of Lysene and Myrish people; we need them for negotiations. Also, temporarily postpone the announcement of the public enemy list until the Myrish have retreated," Shireen said as she walked, giving orders to her guard captain. Her instructions were clear, as if she were a born power animal.
"It's time to show the prowess of our Tyroshi navy, Admiral. I order you to go and stop the Myrish fleet from landing first. The High Priest and I will be behind you," Shireen said.
"Yes, Archon!" The Admiral, who hadn't slept all night, had bloodshot eyes. The threat of the Myrish had already appeared on the sea, and he could not delay.
"Don't worry, the magic dragons are dancing, and Ser Thalassar's fleet is also heading this way!" Rhaegar said, cheering everyone on. Even if the Myrish came in full force, relying on Tyrosh's terrain and the support of the Stepstones forces, there was no need to worry too much. Rhaegar had already seen the arrival of Corlys's fleet through the flames.
"High Priest, you were my father's mentor and also mine. Do you agree with my decision?" Shireen asked.
The High Priest stroked his beard. "You are the Archon; there's no need to ask me about such minor matters." He was a humble man and was very satisfied with Shireen's performance. If not for the fear of civil strife in Tyrosh, he would not have stepped forward. With the High Priest's statement, the other Tyroshi nobles dared not speak.
Shireen's guard detachment also entered Dario's mansion to begin searching and calculating. Dario came from the noble class of Tyrosh, a wealthy merchant, and was rich in family assets; otherwise, he couldn't have been an enemy of the Archon for so long, with Lysene and Myrish people investing in him. This largest prize, of course, belonged to Shireen Darry.
"Come out! Come out!" In a certain part of Dario's mansion garden, in a place decorated with giant stones, the guards found a secret room after searching.
A gorgeously dressed middle-aged woman, pulling a small boy, appeared before everyone. The middle-aged woman also held a long box. The purple-haired woman was beautiful in appearance, but now she showed more fear and dread. The victor becomes a king, the defeated a bandit; she also came from the noble class and naturally knew the consequences of a failed rebellion.
"It's Governor Dario's wife and child," someone recognized their identities.
Dario had been declared a public enemy, and the lives of his family were now in the hands of Shireen and the High Priest.
"Dario is already a public enemy, so should his family also be executed?"
"Executing Dario's wife is certainly no problem, but this child is too young."
"Eliminate evil completely. If this child picks up his father's weapons and seeks revenge on us eighteen years later, you will understand how foolish today's softheartedness was."
The sound of arguments erupted from the crowd, completely disregarding the mother and son. They were already fish on a chopping block; Dario was dead, his retainers completely wiped out, and Dario's family property was about to be confiscated.
"Spare our lives! Prince Rhaegar! I am willing to offer this item for our lives!" Dario's wife saw the magic dragons flying in the sky and the silver flash in the crowd, and suddenly spoke tremblingly, pulling her child to kneel on the ground.
Rhaegar took the box; it was a sword. A long Valyrian steel sword, gleaming with black light, its blade dark as black smoke, with ripples. It was not a two-handed greatsword like Ice, but narrower than a greatsword, more like a hand-and-a-half sword, one of the most perfect swords.
It's Orphan-Maker, Rhaegar thought, the most fitting longsword. This longsword wasn't Blackfyre, but an Old Valyria longsword was also a rare treasure.
"Spare our lives, Prince Rhaegar!" Governor Dario's wife pleaded earnestly. Her eyesight was still sharp; Rhaegar possessed the fiercest martial power and stable authority. Although he didn't speak much, his words carried immense weight, and Shireen and the High Priest would give him face. Shireen or the High Priest, both deeply hated Dario, might not necessarily show mercy.
A man cannot get rich without ill-gotten gains, nor a horse grow fat without night fodder. Rhaegar accepted this sword. Orphan-Maker was the ancestral sword of House Roxton, but its last few owners were contemptible and trash. The black-hearted Jon Roxton served the Greens, using it during the Dance of the Dragons to kill Lord Footly and Hugh Hammer. This man slept with the lord's wife and also killed the lord along the way. After Jon's death, the sword was claimed by the notorious scoundrel and schemer, Lord Unwin Peake, and its whereabouts later became unknown.
Now House Roxton has completely died out, and House Peake is also a recognized old guard of stubborn rebels, having supported the Blackfyres for a long time and been suppressed by the Iron Throne many times, with only one of their three castles, Starpike, remaining. Maekar I also died in battle there. Now many members of House Peake are employed by the Golden Company, considered an ancestral anti-Targaryen Blackfyre force. This longsword in Rhaegar's hand felt justified and honorable.
Rhaegar raised the sword, and it shimmered with light. Rhaegar was delighted by the find. He already possessed several Old Valyria weapons, but who would ever have too many such divine weapons?
Achievement: Collector: You have collected multiple Valyrian weapons, enough to make a claim.
Aside from the lament of the Royce family that needed to be returned, Rhaegar himself now directly possessed three Valyrian steel weapons: the true dragon spear, the shadow cleaver, and the treasured sword Orphan-Maker. He had never been so wealthy, such a wonderful beginning.
"How did you obtain it?" Rhaegar asked Dario's wife. The sword came from House Peake, and its current displacement likely related to war.
"Back then, House Peake repeatedly supported the Blackfyre Rebellions, and their population dwindled. Even one of your ancestors, King Maekar I, died in battle at Starpike. During the chaos of war in Starpike, a distant relative of the Peake family stole the sword and fled to Tyrosh, where he revealed the famous sword after drinking too much. An elder in our family used some unsavory means to acquire the sword."
Rhaegar sighed, realizing it was indeed a twist of fate. If not for the butterfly effect, this sword would still be gathering dust. The many wars in Westeros and the rise and fall of families led to significant losses of Valyrian steel weapons.
Heroes have always loved treasured swords, especially a priceless Old Valyria steel sword. The Commander of Tyrosh's City Watch and Shireen's guard captain all gazed longingly at the Valyrian steel longsword, drooling with desire. Even the High Priest himself was very tempted. But with the magic dragons roaring and Prince Rhaegar having crushed the rebels, no one dared to make a request.
"Although you seek my mercy, this child is only four or five years old, indeed too young. However, the affairs of Tyrosh should still be decided by the Tyroshi themselves. I will listen to Archon Shireen's opinion. Perhaps this sword should still be kept by the Tyroshi." Before Rhaegar finished speaking, the Commander of the City Watch quickly denied it. Any fool could see Prince Rhaegar's covetousness for Orphan-Maker; who would dare offend the Prince like that?
"Prince Rhaegar is our friend. I consider this child too young and should indeed not be killed. Captain Gael, escort this mother and son to the Temple of the three-headed god first, and I will decide later!" the High Priest declared. He still had to give Rhaegar face, after all. Shireen also had no objection; Rhaegar had only said so, and if there were any future complications, Shireen would still not be soft-hearted. Captain Gael accepted the order and departed.
Rhaegar received the most bountiful spoils of war. The remaining assets were registered and distributed by Shireen, and any treasures on the dead were also plundered. Besides the mansion, Dario's family also owned merchant ships, shares, and farms in Tyroshi vassal cities.
House Darry's guard detachment showed great vigor, leaving no corner unsearched in Dario's mansion.
While House Darry's search party was digging three feet deep, an incident occurred.
"Who's there! Come out quickly! If you don't, we'll set fire to it!" Shireen's guard captain shouted at a pile of giant stones on the edge of the war-torn ruins.
The giant stones made a dull sound, and after being pried open, a living person indeed emerged: a half-naked, towering strongman, his upper body covered in scars and wounds, his face blackened, with obvious burn marks and abrasions on his body. He was six feet seven inches tall, with stiff red-black hair, a broad, hard face, iron-like eyes, holding a mud-stained shield and a solid iron club. He looked like a Meereenese gladiator.
Rhaegar's eyes lit up; this man felt even fiercer than a hammer, a true master.
Shireen's and the High Priest's guards immediately surrounded him. Bright swords, spears, and crossbows were already aimed at the gladiator.
"Who are you!" Rhaegar said to the intimidating gladiator.
"Noble Prince Rhaegar, Great Lord Sirae of Tyrosh! I am a eunuch gladiator of Meereen, the undefeated legend, Revas the Iron Mountain. I am overjoyed to see your esteemed faces." The tall gladiator quickly dropped his weapons and knelt before Rhaegar.
"I have a hundred arena experiences and have never lost a single match. I am strong, faster than a galloping horse, fiercer than a lion or tiger, and very willing to serve you, my lords. I beg you to spare my life… I was bought by the Lysene and given to Governor Dario. Now that the Governor is dead, I am a free man. I can offer devoted service to you, my lords. I wish to live a little longer, Prince, Archon." The tall gladiator began to pray frantically.
Rhaegar found it somewhat amusing; how could this gladiator be so fluent, so quick to adapt? Rhaegar, Shireen, the High Priest, and others were all entertained by this gladiator.
"How did you survive!" Shireen asked.
"When the magic dragons roared, I guarded Governor Dario until the last moment; the gods themselves praised my loyalty. Unfortunately, the Governor had gone mad. He had his wife find a secret room, drove me away, and locked himself in the room. I escaped to the edge of the battlefield, dug a temporary shelter in the ground, and hid inside," Revas rattled off.
Rhaegar looked at Revas. There were reckless gladiators, and there were old gladiators, but there were no reckless and old gladiators. This Revas was skilled and quick-witted. Meereenese gladiators were always known for their loyalty, making him a good choice for a guard.
"Get up. You say you want to live, but you must prove your worth!" Rhaegar said. "Attack me!"
Revas hesitated, then swung his solid iron club, attacking Rhaegar. Rhaegar casually wielded a longsword, striking back.
What great strength, Rhaegar felt that Revas was indeed a top-tier fighter. Revas's powerful iron club, heavy with force, created a terrifying presence in the air, as if an iron mountain were collapsing. But Rhaegar remained at ease. Rhaegar also gradually increased the force in his longsword, and Revas found it increasingly difficult to resist.
Revas was continuously forced back by the heavy sword strikes, throwing down his iron club and begging for mercy.
"Prince, you are no mortal; your strength might rival that of longhorns and elephants in the arena. I am willing to go through fire and water for you," Revas said bitterly, completely convinced.
"You are also very good! But your service isn't for me," Rhaegar praised. Revas's technique and stamina were indeed terrifying, but Revas had been burned and his stamina wasn't at its best from being trapped in the shelter, so defeating him was relatively easy.
"Since you choose to live, I will gift you to Great Lord Sirae. You must be willing to sacrifice your life," Rhaegar said to the gladiator Revas.
Shireen was startled at first, then accepted the gift. She indeed needed such a formidable guard; a top-tier fighter was very rare.
"Thank you for Prince Rhaegar's kindness. Take Revas down and have our medical slaves treat him."
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