Jon and Daenerys looked at each other for a long while, until footsteps sounded in the distance.
It was Jorah Mormont.
Unable to put his mind at ease, he had followed them here despite the danger.
He did not come any closer, because from the moment he drew near, the dragon had fixed her gaze on this unfamiliar visitor.
As he approached, threatening rumbles sounded in her throat, as though she would attack the instant he took another step.
Jorah could only look anxiously at Daenerys.
He wanted to speak, but feared angering the dragon.
From the walls of Pentos, Viserys stared fixedly at the scene.
When he saw Daenerys walk up beside the dragon without suffering any harm, a thought slowly took hold of his mind.
Dany could do it.
Why could he not?
He was a Targaryen too.
The blood of the True Dragon flowed in his veins as well.
At that thought, greed gradually swallowed his fear, and strength returned to his legs, which had gone weak moments before.
After waiting a little longer and confirming that his sister would not be attacked, he could no longer restrain himself.
He hurried over to Illyrio Mopatis, still shouting as he came.
“Did you see?”
“It accepted her.”
“She is a Targaryen.
The blood of the True Dragon runs in her veins.”
“So it will accept me as well.”
Seeing his frenzied state, Magister Illyrio thought for a moment, then asked, “Prince, are you certain you wish to go over there?”
Viserys nodded impatiently.
“Hurry and prepare a horse and guards for me!”
His head had been completely turned.
He was already imagining himself riding the dragon back to Westeros.
“Once I have that dragon, I will make you my Hand of the King!”
A flicker of contempt passed through Illyrio’s eyes, though the respectful smile remained on his face.
“Of course, Prince.”
Inwardly, however, he was calculating.
This was just as well.
Viserys could test the dragon first.
If the dragon truly was willing to accept him, what came next would be much easier.
Illyrio glanced again at the dragon on the hill, his gaze gradually deepening.
As for whether Viserys might be hurt, or even lose his life…
That was no concern of his.
He ordered a nearby guard to prepare a mount, then commanded the guards to open the city gates.
Viserys mounted his horse and galloped out through the gate, charging toward the hill while muttering to himself all the while.
He, too, had to continue on foot.
Once he reached the foot of the hill, he could hardly wait to shout.
“Have you come for me?”
When Jon saw the man’s silver-gold hair, he immediately guessed his identity.
Viserys Targaryen.
He merely glanced at him and paid him no mind.
That cold indifference made the smile on Viserys’s face stiffen for a moment.
But he quickly turned his attention back to Frostflame.
Inside Pentos, the people saw three figures approach one after another, yet the dragon had not attacked any of them.
Their fear began to give way to curiosity.
More and more people came out through the city gates and gathered toward the hill.
The noise drifted over from afar, growing clearer by the moment.
Frostflame’s huge purple eyes moved away from Viserys and turned toward the growing crowd below the slope.
Deep in her throat, a low roar began to rumble.
“Screeaaah!”
The crowd at the foot of the hill shuddered in terror.
Those who had only just mustered the courage to gather around fell into complete chaos in the blink of an eye.
Many scrambled and crawled back in panic, wishing they had a few more legs to run with.
A moment later, the once-crowded hillside was empty.
In the end, only Viserys, Jorah, and a handful of bold souls remained where they were.
Jon patted Frostflame’s neck.
“Lykirī.”
At the command, Frostflame gave a low rumble and slowly lowered herself to the ground.
Only then did the crowd finally tear their eyes away from the dragon.
They discovered that beside the dragon stood a tall, slender young man.
His black hair was slightly tousled by the mountain wind, and his deep gray eyes were calm and sharp.
His pale skin made his features seem even more distinct.
His black cloak stirred lightly in the wind, and Longclaw at his waist glinted coldly.
A dreadful thought rose in everyone’s mind at once.
Could it be…
This young man before them was the legendary Dragonrider, vanished for a hundred years?
Viserys watched the scene, the wild joy on his face quickly giving way to confusion.
He could not help shouting aloud.
“Who are you?”
Jon still ignored him.
Being ignored a second time made Viserys’s expression grow darker and darker.
“Dany, who is this man?
Do you know him?”
Daenerys seemed not to hear her brother’s question.
She stood quietly beside Jon.
From the moment she arrived, her eyes had held only the man and the dragon.
She feared that if she looked away, this person who had stepped out of her dreams would vanish like a dream.
After being ignored again and again, the greed in Viserys’s eyes gradually turned to jealousy.
He could bear it no longer and staggered forward.
“Prince!”
Behind him, Jorah shouted a sharp warning, but Viserys was no longer listening.
“This dragon is…”
Before he could finish, Frostflame rose from the ground once more.
Her massive body pushed itself up, her wings spreading slightly, and another low roar sounded in her throat.
Scorching breath burst from her nostrils.
Viserys could even feel the heat washing over his face.
His steps stopped dead.
Jorah’s expression changed at once, and he looked to Daenerys.
“Princess, get away from there!
It’s dangerous!”
Daenerys did not move.
She did not even turn her head.
From beginning to end, her gaze remained on Jon.
Jon looked at Viserys as he rushed closer, his hand immediately settling on the hilt of the sword at his waist, his eyes narrowing.
When Viserys met Frostflame’s cold purple eyes, his whole body began to shake.
He opened his mouth as if to say something, but not a sound came out.
Jon looked around at everyone present, then said in a clear voice, “I am Aegon.”
“Aegon Targaryen.”
This was the identity he had already chosen on the road to Pentos.
As for whether his black hair and gray eyes would invite suspicion, he had no intention of explaining himself to anyone.
As soon as those words fell, many faces in the crowd changed.
After that, he paid the crowd no further mind and said to Daenerys, “Dany, I have many things to ask you.
Come with me.
Let us leave this place first.”
Hearing this, Viserys set aside his fear of the dragon for the moment, and his face darkened at once.
“Aegon?”
“Why are you taking my sister away?”
Then he shouted an order at Daenerys.
“Dany, come back to me at once.”
Hearing his tone, Jon turned his gaze back to him.
“Because I am a Targaryen.”
“Because I have a dragon.”
“Because I can protect her.”
Viserys opened his mouth.
He wanted to argue.
As Daenerys watched, the tension that had gripped her heart for so long finally began to ease.