The slave masters in Meereen lived a life of ease and boredom, so they found various ways to entertain themselves.Besides the taverns with singing and dancing, one of the most popular pastimes was watching gladiatorial combat. The city was filled with arenas of all sizes, with different events happening every day. Some featured battles between men, while others showcased fights with fierce beasts. The largest arena was even bigger than the jousting tournaments in King's Landing, able to accommodate team combat.
In one such arena, the crowd was roaring as four slaves armed with simple weapons fought against a massive Heraka.
Herakas were large white lions that lived in the Dothraki Sea, their name coming from the Dothraki language. Capturing a white lion was considered the highest honor among the Dothraki. A warrior of lower status or younger age could sell the lion to the Slaver's Bay for some wealth, but the higher-ranking Dothraki usually killed the lions and used their pelts to make clothing or blankets.
Every roar of the lion, every scream and cry from the slaves, stirred the blood of the spectators in the stands.
In a room within the arena, a secret meeting was taking place. A dozen people wearing Sons of the Harpy masks were gathered, and Wright stood at the back of the crowd, wearing his own mask.
The masks were all the same golden variety, obscuring their faces and identities. The only way Wright could distinguish them was by their attire.
Blue Button: "Daenerys has been with her two dragons in the Dothraki Sea for two months. She'll be back at the latest in two months. What do we do then?"
Green Attire: "My opinion is, we send assassins to kill her the moment she enters the city."
Blue Button: "Her husband's family is not easy to deal with. With at least five hundred of her guards and Unsullied, how many assassins would it take to break through and kill her? It would be no different than a direct confrontation."
Green Attire: "Assassinations don't only use swords. Archery and poisons can be just as effective."
Blue Button: "Directly killing Daenerys is too risky. If it fails, it would mean war for Meereen. I think we should start by eliminating the important people around her."
"I agree."
"Good idea."
The surrounding individuals hadn't yet made up their minds about formally going to war with the Loraq family. They were hesitant to target such a powerful family and preferred to start with others. Wright felt that their plan was unlikely to succeed.
Green Attire: "Do any of you have a list of targets for the assassination?"
A woman in white stepped forward: "Theon Greyjoy and Asha Greyjoy are Daenerys's right and left hands. They must die. I can arrange the assassinations."
The voice was unmistakably that of Asha herself. Wright realized she had infiltrated the Sons of the Harpy. It seemed that she and her brother had not forgotten their mission.
Asha Greyjoy, dressed in white, was quite muscular, with arms that could rival those of any male knight, even visible beneath her robe from her powerful forearms. Suggesting that she personally carry out the assassination was an indication of her sharp mind. She could control the outcome herself and avoid any failed attempts or other potential threats.
"Agreed," the others chimed in.
Asha continued: "Daario naharis, the leader of the Stormcrows, also has to die. He's like a dog, always at Daenerys's side."
Green Attire: "He won't be easy to deal with. We should start with his subordinates. I'll take care of it."
Another voice spoke up: "The Golden Company's intelligence officer, Lysono Maar, also needs to die. He's provided a lot of information."
"I disagree. The Golden Company hasn't openly pledged allegiance to Daenerys or the Loraq family. They are just mercenaries. We can't afford to make enemies everywhere." Asha firmly opposed this suggestion.
As a high-ranking member in Daenerys's camp, she was well aware of the Golden Company's true power, which extended far beyond just being the first mercenary group.
This newly-formed group, the Sons of the Harpy, hadn't even killed Daenerys yet, and they were already antagonizing the Golden Company. If the Golden Company retaliated, Meereen wouldn't be able to hold out, and it could allow Daenerys or the Loraq family to gain more power.
"Then we could target the Unsullied officers. Without them, the Unsullied's combat strength would be greatly reduced."
"Agreed."
"And we must also kill the families supporting their claim to the throne!"
A newly-formed secret organization, not yet powerful, but one thing Wright appreciated was how brief their meetings were. Once matters were settled, the participants immediately dispersed.
As they crossed several hallways inside the arena, Asha had just tucked the mask into her clothing when a hand grabbed her neck from behind.
She was exposed!
Asha raised her leg, and with her right hand, she quickly drew the dagger hidden on her thigh, thrusting it backward while simultaneously lowering her body, attempting to break free from the grip on her neck.
Her hand swung backward, left and right, but she didn't hit anything. The hand that held her neck was like an iron clamp, unmoving despite Asha's struggles. Then, it lifted her body off the ground.
Just as Asha was about to kick backward into her assailant's groin, she was lowered to the ground, quickly turning around. She saw a tall man, also wearing a Sons of the Harpy mask.
"What are you trying to do?" Asha took two steps back. The man's strength was overwhelming, and she could be in danger at any moment. But she had been released, so she decided to ask about the situation, gripping her dagger tightly behind her.
"You did well," Wright said, removing his golden mask and smiling at Asha.
"Lord Wright?" The last time they had met was before the War of the Five Kings. Asha hesitated, unsure if it was really him as she looked at his face.
"It's me." Wright's hand glowed with yellow light as he cast a healing spell on Asha, healing some of her hidden injuries.
Now certain, Asha knelt on one knee. "It really is Lord Wright. How did you come to Meereen?"
Wright helped Asha to her feet. "Get up and tell me about you and Theon's recent activities."
After standing up, Asha looked around. "It's not convenient to talk here, with so many people coming and going."
Wright smiled. "Don't worry, I'm here. No one can hear what we say."
Asha relaxed, knowing that with a wizard here, her identity wouldn't be exposed.
"Lord Wright must have already received the letter we sent from Volantis. After that, Theon and I came to Meereen," Asha began recounting the events after they arrived in the city.
After the War, Volantis formed an alliance with the Seven Kingdoms. They met with people from the Golden Company, claiming they feared arrest by Volantis officials. With the help of the Golden Company's leader, they fled to Meereen and made contact with the Stormcrows.
Theon and Asha worked for a while as temporary hires within the Stormcrows, taking on small jobs in Meereen as a probation period. Later, Daario naharis, the leader of the Stormcrows, introduced them to Daenerys.
Daenerys, through the Golden Company, already knew everything about the two most famous fugitives in the Seven Kingdoms. After a warm reception, they discussed their attitude toward the Baratheon family. Asha and Theon shared the story of the Ironborn rebellion and her father's beheading by Robert, gaining Daenerys's trust.
Asha became one of Daenerys's personal guards, and Theon was appointed as a squad leader, commanding a group of about ten soldiers.
Now, besides the Golden Company members, there weren't many other useful people around Daenerys. After completing a few small tasks, Asha, although not as skilled as many male knights, quickly rose to the position of captain of the personal guard due to her status as a woman. No one objected. Theon also became Daenerys's naval commander, despite only having two ships.
The explanation was concise, but Wright noticed some inconsistencies and asked, "Do you have a grudge against Daario naharis, the leader of the Stormcrows? Did you put him on the list?"
"Uh…"
Asha hesitated, surprised that Wright had caught that detail. "It's a small matter. I slept with Dario, but now he's always by Daenerys's side. I just want to castrate him."
"You deal with it as you see fit."
Love? Wright didn't think Asha was someone who would be lost in love. Clearly, Dario must have angered her with his words, and this poor guy was in trouble.
Wright then asked, "How's Theon doing?"
Asha replied, "Theon went with Daenerys to the 'City of the Great Stallion', Vaes Dothrak. Daenerys is preparing to ally with one or more Dothraki tribes."
Wright thought for a moment. "The Dothraki are divided into many tribes, but once united, they're a huge problem. They're all cavalry, with no interest in agriculture. Wherever they go, they bring only plunder and destruction. Do you know the names of any of the Khals?"
Asha said, "Not really. The Golden Company has been the one making the contacts. After Lysono Maar, their intelligence officer, came to Meereen, Daenerys moved north with her people, and her two dragons followed."
Wright asked, "Then why didn't you, the captain of her personal guard, go with them? Why did Theon go instead?"
"Because I'm her personal guard, Daenerys asked me to stay in Meereen to represent her in contacting the families that support her husband." Asha then listed a few family names for Wright.
Asha asked, "Lord Wright, how many people did you bring this time? Do you need me and Theon to assist you going forward?"
"One is enough for me. You and Theon should stay close to Daenerys and do what you must. Just make sure you send me any important information. But you should keep an eye on the Golden Company, especially on young Griff."
Asha thought for a moment. "Young Griff? He has a high standing in the Golden Company, I heard they are grooming him to be the next leader?"
Wright spoke gravely to Asha, "The King and the members of the small council have confirmed it. Young Griff is Rhaegar's son, Aegon Targaryen. His sister, Rhaenys Targaryen, is also still alive. He is Daenerys's nephew, though he is three years older than her."
"Lord Wright, the Rhaenys you executed was a fake?" Asha, who had stayed in Meereen, was only aware of this news.
Wright responded, "I just randomly selected a Dornish criminal and had them executed. It seems you don't know how Daenerys and the others reacted. Let's stop here for today. I'm staying at the Pahl family's pyramid, it'll be easy to find me."
"I'll go back now," Asha said, bowing. She was relieved to have passed Wright's questioning, but there was much she had not dared to tell him about Theon.
Daenerys Targaryen, whom many envied, was said to have three dragons, a husband, and three dogs in private gossip. Theon was one of those "dogs."
The Dothraki Sea wasn't really a sea, but a vast grassland, nearly half the size of Westeros, occupied by more than twenty Dothraki tribes. The only major settlement on the grasslands was the holy city of the Dothraki, Vaes Dothrak, also known as The City of the Great Stallion.
In a place like this, finding someone was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Wright could only wait for more accurate intelligence in Meereen. Bored, he visited Berricio Stangoni, who made him a black iron mask. With a fabricated identity, Wright entered the arena to kill time, fighting in the gladiatorial pits.
Wright had always been interested in battling wild beasts. Growing up in the southern parts of Westeros, many dangerous beasts had already been driven away, and even wild boars were considered fierce creatures.
Fighting such beasts was undoubtedly a good way to pass the time. Their attack methods were completely different from humans, and each animal had its own unique approach.
For instance, today, he faced two male lions. They had sharp fangs capable of biting through a man's neck and powerful forelegs with claws strong enough to rip through armor. Without armor, just a single slap from a lion could cause deep wounds.
"Iron Mask! Iron Mask!"
The crowd roared in excitement, chanting his nickname. Wright wore only a kilt and sandals, his legs and torso exposed.
Wright raised his hands in response to the crowd's cheers, his tall and strong physique making the women in the stands cheer louder than the men.
One of the lions lunged at Wright from behind. He sidestepped quickly, almost as if he had eyes on the back of his head. He picked up a short dagger from the ground and began to face the lion.
Wright focused all his attention on his body, suppressing his magic and other abilities to their lowest levels. If he didn't, with the animal's heightened instincts, a single look from him could make the lion cower on the ground.
"Iron Mask!"
The lion lunged again, and Wright sidestepped once more, his dagger quickly stabbing three times into the lion's neck. When they faced off again, the lion's body wavered before collapsing to the ground, blood pouring from its neck.
The other lion, more timid, hesitated after seeing its brother fall. It lost the will to fight, no longer daring to meet Wright's gaze. It circled the arena, looking for a way to escape.
"Seen like the show is over."
Competing as a free citizen, the crowd had no say in the life or death of the combatants. But satisfying their desires could bring greater fame and more money. Wright didn't care about that, though. He dropped the dagger and ignored the crowd's cheers, walking out of the arena.
A bucket of cold water was poured over him. He wiped his body down with a towel, still wearing his mask, before packing up and preparing to return to the pyramid.
Just then, several women with black hair approached him.
"Iron Mask, ten gold coins. My master wants you to fight in a winery outside the city."
"No interest!" Wright rejected immediately.
Through several matches, his swift and decisive kills had sparked interest among slave owners.
Many figured out that Iron Mask was an expert fighter and wanted to hire him as a bodyguard. Some female slave owners even wanted to buy him to serve them in bed, but Wright turned them all down.
"Iron Mask, you're one of the strongest gladiators in Meereen. This time, you'll be fighting the Dothraki. If you win, you'll earn a great deal of wealth and the highest honor in Meereen."
"Dothraki?" Wright turned to look at the women, all in their teens, wearing fine clothing, with one of them standing out. She was the youngest of the five, likely no more than ten years old. Although they all seemed to be local, her appearance was unusual.
She had a flat, round face, dark skin, and striking golden eyes. Wright had never seen such a look before.
"Fight the Dothraki? Have they come to Meereen?" Wright asked, following her lead.
The little girl spoke up, "If you agree to represent Meereen in the fight, my master will give you twenty gold coins, and the prize money will be yours to keep."
Wright raised an eyebrow. "Who's your master? If they're a family known for breaking promises, I'm not interested."
The girl responded quickly, "Theon Greyjoy!"
Damn! Am I going to become his subordinate?
Wright knew Daenerys's group had returned, but since they hadn't entered the city with the Dothraki, he was curious about Theon's intentions.
"Only twenty? My entrance fee is worth fifty gold coins!" Wright decided he wasn't going to sell himself short.
"Deal. Iron Mask, be at the northern city gate tomorrow. Our people will be waiting for you," the little girl replied, speaking quickly but clearly.
As they walked away, Wright felt something was off. It was too much of a coincidence for him to be chosen. This had to be Asha's doing; she was the only one who knew about his alias, Iron Mask, in the arena.
Not wanting to think too much about it, he decided to rest for now. He also wrapped his giant sword, the Bloodskal Blade, in cloth, just in case there were two dragons nearby—he was ready for a fight.