Chapter 313: The Liberation of the Unsullied IV


    Both the ve owners of Astapor and Viserys were eager to close the deal as quickly as possible. No matter what price they offered, Viserys was prepared to ept, knowing the situation demanded it. But for the ve owners, the stakes were higher, and they had much more to consider.


    "He might not think we’re nning anything yet, but if this happens too smoothly, he’ll grow suspicious," Tall Grazdan murmured during their discussion. "If we set the price too low, it’ll definitely raise red gs. Let’s just quote the fool the original price."


    As they discussed how to price the Unsullied, it became clear that they weren’t really negotiating. Their goal was to find a figure that wouldn’t make Viserys suspicious. A high price might provoke his anger; too low, and it would make him wonder what they were hiding—especially after Missandei’s unexpected warning.


    Though no one spoke it aloud, they all knew Viserys was already growing wary.


    In the end, the ve owners settled on a calctedpromise. They took into ount Missandei’s actions and the fact that Viserys was the biggest buyer of Unsullied in history. Fully trained Unsullied would be sold at 30% of their original price, while the trainees would go for 50%.


    If this had been a genuine deal, most of the ve owners would have felt their hearts bleed. But even though the sale was a farce, when Viserys suggested paying in installments, a ripple of unease still passed through the group.


    "Your Grace," Kraznys began hesitantly, "perhaps the Iron Bank could provide a loan? I’m sure they’d be eager to serve a royal family. It’s not that we object to your n, but..." He paused, thinking better of his words. He had nearly mentioned the recent dip in the ve market—a downturnrgely caused by Viserys’s reforms. Instead, he quickly corrected himself: "Rather, there have been some minor financial difficulties in ver’s Bay..."


    Before he could finish, Viserys waved his hand, signaling his men. They brought out severalrge boxes, which were opened to reveal a dazzling collection of dragon scales in a spectrum of colors.


    The ve owners’ eyes widened as they beheld the treasure before them. Red, blue, silver, yellow, green—each scale shimmered like a precious gemstone, radiating a mesmerizing glow. These scales were evenrger and more vibrant than the ones Viserys had gifted Pree earlier.


    Sometimes, Viserys felt as though he had discovered seven gold mines rather than raising seven dragons. The dragons grew rapidly, shedding scales as they did, and so he had people follow them, gathering the valuable remnants. In fact, the dragon scale business had nearly be its own industry in Tyrosh.


    "You know the value of dragon scales," Viserys said smoothly. "I’ll use these to offset some of the costs, and the rest will be delivered to you in due course."


    While the ve owners marveled at the dragon scales, their true desirey elsewhere: the dragons themselves. This entire negotiation, the bargaining and haggling, was nothing but a charade. They knew it, and so did Viserys.


    After a brief exchange of private words among the ve owners, Kraznys raised his hand and said, "Deal."


    Following his lead, The ''Fat,'' ''Pointy Beard,'' and ''Tall'' Grazdan all raised their hands in unison, echoing, "Deal."


    An older Good Master, draped in a pearl-embellished toga, added his voice, "Deal."


    One by one, the eight most powerful Good Masters of Astapor—relieved and nearly jubnt—sealed their agreement with Viserys.


    "Your Grace Viserys," Kraznys said with a sly smile, "the 19,000 Unsullied in za of Pride await your inspection. Would you like to review your new army?"


    "Of course," Viserys replied, managing to suppress his own excitement. <em>If I don’t inspect them, how can I execute the n to wipe out the ve owners?</em> he thought, masking his true intentions behind a calm exterior.


    The ve owners breathed a collective sigh of relief. All that remained was to lure Viserys fully into the city, and their plot would unfold without a hitch.


    However, as Viserys prepared to bring nearly a thousand men from his entourage into Astapor, the ve owners grew visibly uneasy.


    "That young ve," Regis remarked with conviction, "is the second person in ver’s Bay to warn Your Grace. You are responsible for the Nine Free Cities and the Seven Kingdoms. A little caution never hurts."


    Reluctantly, the ve owners agreed, convinced that there was no real danger. <em>Surely,</em> they thought, <em>Viserys wouldn''t be reckless enough to kill them all within Astapor’s walls. No one would be so foolish as to defy all of ver’s Bay inside the city.</em>


    With that, on the eighth day after his arrival at the port, Viserys finally entered Astapor.


    As he crossed into the city, a long, mournful horn echoed through the streets, a signal that reverberated throughout the city.


    In the center of the za of Punishment, Missandeiy weakly inside arge cage. For seven or eight days, the ve owners had only tossed her scraps of rotten food. Yet even with that meager sustenance, she had barely touched it. Her spirit was crushed, and she had lost the will to eat.


    The greatest sorrow, it seemed, was not physical suffering but losing hope entirely.


    However, when the low, mournful horn echoed through the city, she twitched involuntarily and then shot upright, startling the guard who had beenzily watching her.


    Dyman, a ve loyal to Viserys, was stationed near the cage. Both Viserys and the ve owners had agreed to post guards around Missandei, each trying to prove they were acting in good faith—and to ensure no one interfered with her fate. Dyman had been ced in charge after Young Connington was reassigned to protect Dany.


    Recognizing Dyman as one of Viserys’s men, Missandei suddenly called out to him, her voice strained but urgent. "Has the silver-haired king entered the city?" she cried, once in Valyrian and again in the Common Tongue.


    Dyman, startled by her frantic tone, nodded silently.


    "Quick! Get him out of the city! The Good Masters n to kill him—hurry!" she screamed, her voice piercing the still air.


    Dyman had been present when Viserys met with the ve owners. He had also witnessed Missandei''s desperate warnings before, but he didn’t fully understand her motives. His only instruction had been to watch over her, so he remained impassive, taking no action.


    "Please—save your king! They will kill him!" Missandei’s voice cracked with desperation, but Dyman remained unmoved.


    "Shut it, or I’ll shut it for you!" the Astapor guard barked, brandishing a whip to silence her.


    Missandei’s chest heaved as she realized no one was going to help. No matter how much she pleaded, Dyman wasn’t going to intervene. Her heart sank as the weight of hopelessness pressed down on her once more.


    <em>The hero who could have saved the ves is going to die here, in this cruel ce,</em> she thought, despairing as she slumped back against the bars of the cage.