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Pentos thrived on gossip, but most rumors washed over Alex without a ripple. He listened, remembered, sorted — but rarely acted unless the information intersected with his long-term plans.
This time was different.
He was in the marble courtyard of the Merchant's Rest tavern, nursing watered wine while his animal spies — pigeons on the roof and a dog at his feet — kept a steady sweep on the crowd. A pair of Lyseni merchants sat at the next table, voices low but careless enough for Alex's trained hearing.
"…the girl is a Targaryen, you fool," one whispered. "Silver hair, violet eyes. The last dragon princess."
His companion scoffed. "A girl in exile is no dragon."
"Perhaps. But Magister Illyrio shelters her and the brother. And Illyrio never keeps guests without purpose."
The Name
Alex didn't react outwardly, but his mind shifted into sharp focus. Daenerys Targaryen. The name carried weight — not for what she was now, but for what she could become.
In his old world, he had watched the arc of her rise and fall. She was a symbol — first of innocence in exile, then of unyielding ambition, and finally of fire and conquest.
But here… here, she was still moldable. Still free of Drogo's shadow. Still unwed.
Alex sipped his wine, turning the pieces in his head.
If he could position himself before the Dothraki alliance, he could rewrite her story — and bind her future to his.
The Reconnaissance
Over the next week, Alex deployed a mix of human and beast informants to track her movements. She rarely left Illyrio's estate, but when she did, it was with her brother Viserys, who strutted through markets like a man already crowned.
Alex kept his distance. No direct approach yet — only observation.
Pack Instinct let him detect patterns in their behavior.
Viserys spoke too much, revealing plans without realizing it.
Daenerys walked silently, eyes scanning, a wariness born from years of being moved like a chess piece.
Their guards were competent but complacent, assuming Pentos was safe ground.
It wasn't.
The Opening
The first real opportunity came in the form of a market crowd swell.
A shipment of spice from Asshai had drawn half the city to the docks. Illyrio had brought his guests for the spectacle. The guards struggled to keep the path clear.
Alex, masked by Face of the Many, moved through the crush as a nondescript dockhand. He didn't need to speak to her. Just close enough to touch.
He brushed past her arm, as though pushed by the crowd.
Passive Analysis – Human Detected
Name: Daenerys Targaryen
Copyable Trait: Dragon's Resilience (Level 0)
→ Increases resistance to heat, fire, and disease.
→ Enhances recovery rate from injuries.
→ Minor boost to willpower under stress.
→ Level 0 duration: Passive, permanent once copied.
Daily Human Copy Limit Remaining: 1 / 1
Copy Initiated – Dragon's Resilience (Level 0)
Trait Stored Successfully.
Alex pulled back into the flow of bodies, his mind already working.
A passive trait. Permanent. No cooldown. No activation cost.
Fire would be part of the wars to come. Disease, too, in siege camps. And willpower? That was currency no amount of gold could buy.
First Contact
Two days later, Alex engineered a real meeting.
He intercepted them in the Garden of the Moon, where Illyrio's guests often took afternoon walks. Disguised again, he stumbled near a koi pond, sending a stack of ledgers tumbling. Viserys sneered, but Daenerys knelt to help gather the pages.
"Thank you, my lady," Alex murmured.
She glanced at him — a faintly puzzled look, as though trying to place his face. "Be careful with your steps," she said softly. Her voice was quiet but not timid.
That was enough. The seed was planted. People remembered small acts of courtesy more than grand gestures.
The Analysis of Her Position
Back in his loft, Alex drew a chart. On one side: Illyrio's goals. On the other: Daenerys's likely trajectory. The middle was the thread he could weave between them.
Illyrio wanted influence in Westeros through Viserys. That much was clear. But Viserys was unstable. If Alex could undermine the brother's position without making it obvious, Daenerys could become the key figure — and Alex the key adviser.
Marriage was not the immediate goal. Not yet. Influence came first.
Testing the Waters
Alex began small — quiet interventions that made Daenerys's life easier without drawing attention to himself.
When Viserys berated her in public, a distraction in the form of a barking dog disrupted the moment.
When a merchant tried to cheat her over silk, Alex (in another face) stepped in as a "concerned passerby" to correct the price.
When Illyrio's kitchens served spiced wine too rich for her stomach, Alex arranged for a gentler brew to appear.
Each act built familiarity. Recognition without suspicion.
The First Conversation
It was at the harbor balcony of Illyrio's estate that they spoke privately for the first time.
She was watching ships depart for Myr when Alex, dressed as a merchant's clerk, approached to "deliver" a package. The guards, already used to his disguised faces, didn't stop him.
"You watch the ships as though they matter to you," he said quietly.
"They go to places I will never see," she replied without looking away.
"You might," Alex said. "If you choose to."
Her gaze shifted to him, searching. "Choice is not mine."
Alex let the silence linger before answering. "It will be, one day."
He bowed and left. The hook was set.
The Political Weight
Securing Daenerys's trust would mean threading a needle between Illyrio's control and Viserys's paranoia. Too fast, and suspicion would rise. Too slow, and events would overtake him — Drogo's marriage offer could come at any time.
Alex decided he needed another trait to cement the next stage — one that would let him inspire loyalty not just in her, but in anyone watching.
That search would lead to the mercenary captain in Chapter 16. But for now, the focus was on keeping Daenerys in his orbit.
Closing the Gap
He made himself useful to Illyrio in subtle ways — delivering messages, smoothing trade negotiations, arranging for "accidental" meetings with valuable merchants. Each success gave him more legitimate reasons to be near the estate.
Daenerys began to greet him without prompting. A nod at first, then a few words. Questions about the city. About the weather. About why the sea smelled different here than in Braavos.
She was learning to speak more. That was important. It meant she was growing more comfortable.
The Calculation
Alone in his loft that night, Alex reviewed his system log.
System Summary – Current Key Traits:
Dragon's Resilience (Level 0) – Passive fire, disease, and injury resistance; willpower boost.
Venomous Gaze (Level 0) – Paralysis by eye contact.
Mask of the Many (Level 0) – Temporary facial disguise.
Beast Mind-Link (Level 2) – Mental control over linked animals.
Pack Instinct (Level 1) – Heightened senses and group coordination.
Tactical Memory (Level 2) – Enhanced recall for plans and battlefield layouts.
Dragon-Forged Edge (Level 0) – Magical weapon durability and penetration.
Each piece was falling into place. He had the tools. Soon, he would have the allies.
And when the time came, Daenerys Targaryen would not marry Drogo.
She would marry him.
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