Northern Conqueror

Chapter 50: Gilded Suitors

Chapter 50: Gilded Suitors

"This should be enough, yeah?" Euron asked sat in his quarters as three men inspected the scaled horn on the table between them.

A bald man missing his earlobes ran his remaining fingers across the horn. "It radiates. Warm to the touch as if it were a dragon itself."

"And these?" Euron asked looking at the set of dragonglass shards laid across the table. "This was all they could get us. They didn't look any different," Euron noted, glancing to the men with a hole in his chest hanging from the corner of the room, "so what's missing?"

"The Children of the Forest were supposedly ancient even before the First Men arrived," said a curly haired man with no nose. "Their magic very well could be innate to them. Pushing those into a man's heart may kill him because we lack whatever link they possess."

"Dragons could help," said the ashen haired man, the only of the three gaunt blue lipped men lacking any visible mutilation. "Think on it. Before that girl birthed her dragons half our work was tricks and charades. Once the world heard her dragon's song our work bore fruit. I'd imagine that would only be stronger near them. Use the dragonbinder and you may find yourself capable of what would otherwise be impossible."

There was a knock on the door and when the crewman opened it he found Euron sat with his three bastard boys who turned to look at the door. The mute man gave a quick signal, warning they were coming to shore.

"Make sure the golden twats are ready," Euron said waving him off. Once the door was closed he got to his feet. "Drain the body and dump it while I'm gone. Next'll have to wait."

King's Landing for all it's opulence seemed dim before a host of twenty thousand men of the Golden Company. Their splendor edged to decadence with golden rings across their arms for every year served, glittering jeweled swords and fine silks beneath gilded armor.

The earth seemed to shiver as not only did they ride atop fine stallions but a dozen giant elephants with canopies and golden silk banners across their sides. The bulk of the force moved to the fields around King's Landing while a smaller group made its way to the Red Keep with Euron Greyjoy and the city watch, their gold cloaks seeming pale and matte in comparison to those of the men they led.

Within the Great Hall of the Red Keep Cersei Lannister sat atop the Iron Throne. Qyburn stood to her right beside a woman in black cloth and armor with a hood over her masked face leaving only her black eyes visible. To her left was Ser Gregor Clegane and her Queensguard all in their black plate armor. For a gilded lioness the only gold in the room was her hair and that on the men following Euron to the dais.

"My queen," Euron began, motioning to the men behind him, "the Golden Company and their captain-general, Daario Naharis."

Standing beside Euron was the Tyroshi sellsword, his hair slicked back with leather and gilded mail over silks while his hand rested on the golden head of his arakh hilt shaped like a naked woman.

Qyburn's brow knit in confusion. "I thought your captain-general was Harry Strickland?"

Daario arched his brow and smirked. "Harry stepped aside to let me take his place."

Qyburn noticed the man had no golden rings on his arm, marking him as not having spent even a year among the company. "Why exactly?"

Daario looked from him to Cersei with an enticing smile. "Because I told him I'd conquer the dragon queen as I have before in Mereen."

Cersei's brow rose. "Is that so?"

"I made her beg and plead many a night," he assured.

"And that matters because..." Qyburn began.