"Quick! Pour water on him!" Viserys shouted.
Several servants immediately rushed over with buckets of water, but they didn't stop there—they also brought sand and mud. The water and sand mixed together, creating a thick slurry that helped to extinguish the flames still clinging to Illyrio's body.
The fire was out, but the damage was done. Illyrio's once-proud blond hair had been singed, and his beloved mustache was completely burned off. His double chin—or rather, his triple chin—was severely scorched, leaving him looking a complete mess. Covered in mud, he resembled nothing more than a pig wallowing in a filthy sty.
When Illyrio saw that Viserys was unharmed, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Uncle Illyrio! Uncle Illyrio!" Aegon, finally freed from Belwas's strong grip, knelt beside Illyrio, his voice trembling with anxiety as he called out to his uncle.
However, there was no response. The Red Viper, watching from the crowd, saw Aegon's anxious little face, and a murderous intent stirred within him. If Aegon ever discovered his true identity, they would inevitably become enemies. To eliminate any future threat, the Blackfyre bloodline had to be eradicated as well.
Viserys then checked Illyrio's breathing, which was faint but present, and reassured Aegon, "Don't worry. Step aside for now."
Though Aegon didn't understand what Viserys intended to do, he trusted him—after all, Viserys had just saved his uncle. No one in the crowd doubted Viserys's motives as they watched him climb onto Illyrio's body and begin pressing on his chest.
The onlookers recognized this method of 'resuscitation.' Living in a coastal city, they had seen it used on drowning victims, some of whom had been brought back to life after their breathing had stopped.
'You better start breathing soon,' Viserys thought, 'because I really don't want to resort to blood magic.' He continued the chest compressions, rhythmically in sync with an intense beat playing in his mind. If he wanted to, he knew he could easily break Illyrio's ribs.
After about two minutes, Illyrio coughed violently, expelling a sour-smelling liquid from his mouth. His eyes fluttered open, dazed and confused, as he realized there was someone sitting on top of him.
"You're awake?" Viserys asked, his tone more matter-of-fact than relieved.
As Illyrio regained consciousness, the servants rushed over, relieved that their jobs—and possibly their lives—were still secure.
"Uncle Illyrio!" Aegon called out, hurrying to his side.
Illyrio tried to reach out and touch Aegon's cheek, but a sharp pain tore through his body, making the effort agonizing. Despite the pain, he managed a smile.
At that moment, the Red Viper approached and saw Illyrio lying in a pitiful state on the ground. "I have medicine here," he said, handing a vial to a nearby servant. The Red Viper and Viserys exchanged a knowing look, understanding each other without a word.
...
The next morning, as Viserys and the Red Viper ate breakfast and chatted, Viserys asked, "Does he suspect us?"
"Why should he suspect you? Why should he suspect me? He should be thanking us," the Red Viper replied with a smirk.
Just as Viserys finished speaking, Belwas entered the room. "Lord Viserys, Lord Oberyn, Master Illyrio wishes to see you later to express his gratitude."
The Red Viper pretended to cough, struggling to contain his laughter. "No problem. How is Master Illyrio doing?"
"It's hard to say," Belwas responded. "Master Illyrio's burns are quite severe, but the healer says he was rescued in time and is not in danger of losing his life."
"That's great. We'll visit him after we finish eating," Viserys said, nodding.
Belwas thought to himself, 'What a kind man', before leaving the room.
As soon as Belwas was out of earshot, the Red Viper nearly burst out laughing, his body shaking as he put a hand on Viserys's shoulder. His laughter came out in stifled gasps, like a kettle on the verge of boiling over.
"Don't laugh, or you might not be able to keep it together when we see him later," Viserys warned, grinning. "We can't afford to reveal the secret."
The Red Viper took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, but his amusement was barely contained.
...
Later that day, when they entered Illyrio's new room, Aegon greeted them politely. Illyrio's original quarters were now uninhabitable, but there were plenty of rooms in his vast mansion. The servants had prepared a new room for him, filled with the strong scent of herbs. Illyrio lay motionless on the bed, wrapped almost entirely in bandages. He looked like a dried persimmon pecked at by birds.
The night before, Illyrio had lost something he cherished deeply—Serra's hand. Not only had he lost her hand, but much of her clothing had also been destroyed in the fire. His heart felt hollow, and the melancholy in his eyes made him appear even more pitiful.
Fortunately, Aegon was there to keep him company, offering comfort as Illyrio coped with his grief. Without Aegon, he might have felt as if he had already been buried alive.
"Master Illyrio!" The Red Viper was the first to reach Illyrio's bedside, but the moment he did, Illyrio let out a scream.
"My hand! My hand!" Illyrio cried out in pain.
It turned out that the Red Viper had accidentally sat on Illyrio's injured arm. "I'm sorry, Master Illyrio. I'm so sorry," he apologized quickly, realizing his mistake.
Illyrio winced, not only from the pain but also from the realization that the bottle of poison the Red Viper had given him earlier had been lost in the fire. Aegon glanced at the Red Viper with a hint of resentment but held his tongue. After all, Illyrio was still relying on the medicine the Red Viper had provided.
"No... it's okay," Illyrio said, his voice tinged with sadness. The bandages around his face obscured most of his expression, but his eyes betrayed his misery. The Red Viper and Viserys exchanged a quick, knowing glance; both understood that their "plan" was in jeopardy.
Illyrio, meanwhile, was feeling a pang of guilt. He had just been plotting Viserys's death, and now, ironically, Viserys had saved his life. But his alliance with Varys compelled him to continue with their plan. After all, while Viserys had saved him, he hadn't saved Varys or Connington. And if Connington ever learned the truth, Illyrio knew his own life would be in grave danger.
Deciding to make amends in another way, Illyrio spoke up. "Prince Viserys, I know you're interested in the dragon eggs. My fleet has just sent word that they've found three dragon eggs in the Shadow Lands of Asshai. I've already ordered their purchase. They should be in my possession within six months."
Viserys's eyes lit up at the news. 'These must be the three eggs that originally belonged to the Mother of Dragons', he thought—Drogon, the black dragon; Rhaegal, the bronze green one; and Viserion, the cream white one.
But with Dany not destined to marry the Horselord or bear his children, these dragons would likely have new names. 'I'll let Dany choose them', he decided.
"I'm grateful," Viserys said with a smile. "I'll raise the money I need. Of course, if you'll allow me to pay in installments," he added jokingly.
Illyrio quickly shook his head. "No, no, no. You deserve them. If it weren't for you, I'd have been burned to death. What good is money compared to that?"
Their conversation caught the attention of the Red Viper. 'Viserys is collecting dragon eggs', he thought, puzzled. 'What is he planning?' As far as the Red Viper knew, Viserys already possessed one dragon egg. If he added these three, he would have four. 'Is he trying to hatch dragons?' The Red Viper was stunned. If anyone else had such a plan, he would dismiss it as a joke. But with Viserys, it seemed entirely possible.
Illyrio had, of course, intended more than just expressing his gratitude with this meeting.
Although the plan to poison them had failed, Illyrio quickly devised another strategy. He turned to the young Aegon standing beside him and said, "Young Griff, I need to speak privately with the two princes. You can leave now."
"Okay, Uncle. Let me know if you need anything," Aegon replied before leaving the room.
Once Aegon was gone, Illyrio addressed Viserys and Oberyn. "Prince Viserys, Prince Oberyn, I have a secret to share with you."
Viserys and Oberyn exchanged a glance, each thinking, 'This man still believes he has secrets to reveal?'
"Young Griff is actually Jon Connington's son," Illyrio continued, revealing Aegon's true parentage. He explained that the coalition intended to bring Connington into their fold to assist them. On the surface, Connington had been the Hand of the King under Aerys, a man skilled in both governance and warfare. But secretly, Illyrio's true aim was to place Connington close to Viserys as a watchful eye.
As the saying goes, 'If the mountain won't come to me, I'll go to the mountain.' Since Connington was reluctant to join the Golden Company, I'll find a way to have him join the Windblown instead,' Illyrio thought with a sly smile.
Viserys, though inwardly unsurprised, feigned astonishment. "Really? That's unexpected," he replied, playing along. After confirming that Illyrio was out of immediate danger, the two princes left him to rest.
Once they had exited the room, the Red Viper wasted no time and turned to Viserys, eager to ask about the dragon eggs. "Tell me, are you planning to hatch a dragon?"
"Of course I want to hatch a dragon," Viserys admitted. "If I had a dragon, reclaiming the Iron Throne would be much easier! But where can I find a real dragon egg? Most of them have turned to stone by now. My main interest in the dragon eggs is to enhance my magic."
Viserys was as candid as he could be, though he withheld certain details. His apparent honesty made the Red Viper believe that this explanation was plausible. 'How powerful must the magic be to turn a fossilized egg into a living dragon?' he mused.
Later that afternoon, a messenger from Volantis arrived with news that the alliance had been finalized. Pentos would also send an envoy to accompany them to Myr. With everything settled, they decided to set sail for Myr as soon as possible.