Chapter 19: The Serpent's Gambit and the Corsair's Pact
The grand designs Viserys had unveiled to his inner circle in the dusty confines of the Nexus were no mere flights of fancy; they were the meticulously crafted blueprints of an emerging power, drawn by the steady hand of Alistair Finch and fueled by the burning ambition of a dispossessed Targaryen king. The months that followed the Nyx's return from her harrowing southern voyage were a whirlwind of clandestine activity, as Viserys began the complex, perilous process of extending his Hidden Hand into the treacherous waters of Slaver's Bay and the pirate-infested labyrinth of the Basilisk Isles. He felt like an artificer, indeed, but one working with volatile, often unpredictable materials – human lives, shifting allegiances, and the ever-present threat of discovery.
His first major undertaking was the establishment of a permanent, if heavily disguised, outpost on the fringes of Slaver's Bay. He codenamed it "Dragon's Tooth," a private, grimly ironic nod to its location and its ultimate purpose as a forward listening post and commercial foothold in the heart of the dragon-less Ghiscari empire. After weeks of analyzing the intelligence gathered by Captain Valerion Qo and cross-referencing it with ancient Valyrian charts and Alistair's historical knowledge of trade routes, Viserys selected his location: a small, somewhat dilapidated former trading station near the mouth of the Skahazadhan river, a day's sail north of Yunkai. It was close enough to the major slave cities for trade and intelligence gathering, yet sufficiently removed to offer a degree of autonomy from their suffocatingly rigid social structures and the ever-watchful eyes of the Great Masters. The station was owned by a minor, indebted Ghiscari family who were eager to lease it for a modest but steady income, asking few questions about their new "Tyroshi" tenants.
To lead this critical venture, Viserys chose a combination of his most trusted operatives. Ledger (Brynn), with his meticulous attention to detail and unwavering honesty (at least towards Viserys's interests), was tasked with establishing the legitimate trading front – dealing in local commodities like olives, dates, and the hardy grasses used for Ghiscari matting – and managing the outpost's finances. His cover was that of chief factor for the same anonymous Tyroshi merchant prince who ostensibly owned the Nyx. For security, Viserys dispatched a small, handpicked contingent of guards – Braavosi bravos who had fallen on hard times and been vetted by Shadowfoot, their loyalty bought with good coin and the promise of steady employment away from the city's cutthroat rivalries. Morrec, his grim presence a deterrent in itself, was sent to oversee this security detail and to ensure Ledger's safety.
The most crucial role, however, fell to Kipp. The one-eyed youth, now nearly thirteen and hardened by his experiences in Pentos, was entrusted with establishing the outpost's intelligence network. His mission was to replicate his Braavosi success: to cultivate a network of local informants – disgruntled slaves, overlooked servants, minor officials susceptible to bribery – and to feed a steady stream of information back to Viserys regarding the political climate in Yunkai and Meereen, the movements of Dothraki hordes, the strength of the slave armies, and any whispers of Targaryen lore or dragon sightings, however faint. Kipp traveled to Dragon's Tooth aboard the Nyx on its first resupply mission to the new outpost, his cover that of Ledger's personal attendant and translator (Kipp had a surprisingly quick ear for the guttural Ghiscari dialects).
Setting up Dragon's Tooth was fraught with challenges. The Ghiscari bureaucracy, even in such a minor port, was a morass of corruption and inefficiency. Ledger had to navigate a labyrinth of palm-greasing and veiled threats to secure the necessary permits and ensure their goods could pass unmolested. The pervasive slave culture was a constant source of moral revulsion for Alistair Finch, who resided within Viserys, and a practical nightmare for Ledger, who had to maintain the facade of a typical Essosi merchant without directly participating in the buying or selling of human beings – a delicate balancing act that required all his ingenuity. Kipp, meanwhile, found the Ghiscari populace far more insular and suspicious than the cosmopolitan Braavosi or even the Pentoshi. Slaves were terrified to speak, their lives forfeit for the slightest infraction, and freeborn Ghiscari were deeply xenophobic. Yet, slowly, painstakingly, using the methods Viserys had taught him – patience, empathy where possible, and the strategic application of small kindnesses or well-placed bribes – Kipp began to weave his web.
Simultaneously, Viserys initiated his audacious gambit in the Basilisk Isles. Alistair Finch knew from history that pirate confederations, while formidable in their collective nuisance, were often riddled with internal rivalries, greed, and a lack of long-term strategic thinking. These were weaknesses Viserys intended to exploit. Based on Valerion Qo's detailed reconnaissance, he identified a potential candidate for his dangerous alliance: a relatively new pirate captain named Kiera, known as "Redfin" for the distinctive crimson streak in her dark hair and the blood-red sails her swift, surprisingly well-maintained corsair sloop, the Sea Viper, sometimes flew. Kiera Redfin was reportedly of mixed Lysene and Summer Islander heritage, a fearsome fighter, ruthlessly ambitious, and currently engaged in a bitter feud with a larger, more established pirate lord named Grolvo the Gut, who controlled a key anchorage in the northern Basilisks. Kiera was a predator, but Viserys sensed she might also be a pragmatist, hungry for an edge over her rivals.
The approach was made with extreme caution. Viserys would not risk the Nyx or Captain Valerion directly in such a volatile negotiation. Instead, he used a captured pirate from a minor raid the Nyx had successfully repelled on her previous voyage – a desperate, low-ranking Tyroshi reaver named Malacco. Malacco, facing certain death or enslavement, had eagerly pledged his loyalty (however dubious) in exchange for his life. Viserys, after Archivist had thoroughly "debriefed" him and Shadowfoot had subtly ensured his continued cooperation through methods best left undescribed, tasked Malacco with carrying a message to Kiera Redfin.
The message was unsigned, delivered on unassuming parchment, but its contents were designed to intrigue and entice. It offered Captain Kiera regular, discreet shipments of high-quality Braavosi steel (for weapons and ship repair), potent healing salves (from Lyra of Lys's stores, their efficacy now legendary among Viserys's own men), and, most crucially, accurate intelligence on the movements of lightly defended merchant vessels – specifically those belonging to Grolvo the Gut's known associates or trade rivals of Viserys's own anonymous "Tyroshi patron." In return, Kiera was to provide a "finder's fee" – a share of any plunder obtained through this intelligence, to be delivered to a pre-arranged dead drop – and to scrupulously avoid attacking any vessel flying a specific, innocuous signal flag (a small, dark blue pennant with a single silver star, which the Nyx and any future vessels in Viserys's shadow fleet would employ). The message also contained a veiled threat: the anonymous benefactor possessed extensive knowledge of the Basilisk Isles and the means to bring ruin upon those who betrayed his trust.
Kiera Redfin, as Viserys had hoped, was intrigued. She was struggling against Grolvo's superior numbers, and the offer of quality steel, medical supplies, and actionable intelligence was too tempting to ignore. After a tense series_of indirect communications, facilitated by the terrified Malacco, a pact was struck – a dangerous, volatile alliance built on mutual self-interest and the constant threat of betrayal. Viserys had his first Corsair ally, a deniable weapon he could potentially wield against his enemies and a source of laundered income.
Managing these far-flung, high-risk operations stretched Viserys's capacities, and those of his Hidden Hand, to their limits. The Nexus in Braavos became the nerve center of an increasingly complex web. Archivist was indeed overwhelmed, not just with intelligence from Dragon's Tooth and the Basilisk Isles, but also with the need to create ever more sophisticated ciphers and forged documents to support their expanding activities. Viserys, recognizing the strain, authorized Archivist to discreetly recruit and train two assistants – former scribes whose loyalty and skills were rigorously vetted by Shadowfoot and Ledger.
Shadowfoot herself found her role shifting from active infiltration to counter-intelligence and internal security. With Viserys's operatives now scattered across several cities, the risk of infiltration or betrayal was magnified. She focused on watching for any signs of Illyrio's agents in Braavos, on ensuring the security of their communication lines, and on developing protocols for vetting new recruits or contacts made by their operatives abroad. Lyra of Lys, their new Chirurgeon, found her skills in constant demand, not just treating injuries but also preparing specialized medical kits for the Nyx and Dragon's Tooth, and even concocting discreet, fast-acting sedatives or incapacitating agents at Viserys's request for "special circumstances."
The strain of command weighed heavily on Viserys. Alistair Finch, the detached scholar, could analyze the strategic necessities, but Viserys, the thirteen-year-old boy, felt the crushing weight of responsibility for the lives of those who served him, even as he made decisions that placed them in mortal danger. His exploration of his nascent mental powers became both a refuge and a desperate tool. He found that in moments of extreme concentration, particularly when focusing on one of his distant operatives like Kipp or Valerion, he could sometimes achieve a fleeting sense of their emotional state – a surge of fear, a flare of triumph, a dull ache of despair. It was not communication, not clairvoyance, but a fragile, empathic resonance that gave him a ghost of a connection, a whisper of insight that occasionally guided his decisions. He also discovered, during a particularly grueling self-imposed training session in the Titan underworks where he pushed his healing factor to its limits after a severe fall, that he could, with intense focus, marginally accelerate the initial stages of mending, though it left him utterly drained. These were small, uncertain developments, but they hinted at a potential beyond the purely physical enhancements of the serum and the X-gene.
Daenerys, now a young lady of eleven, continued to be Viserys's anchor to a world beyond shadows and schemes. Her dragon dreams persisted, growing in clarity and intensity. She now spoke of vast, vaulted caverns beneath a smoking mountain, of eggs of stone, and of a terrifying, exhilarating heat. Viserys, using Archivist's research into obscure Valyrian lore, began to gently guide her interpretation of these dreams, suggesting they were not portents of madness, but echoes of their blood, a connection to the lost magic of their ancestors. He taught her more of the High Valyrian language, focusing on ancient poetry and prophecies that spoke of dragons and dreamers, hoping to provide her with a framework to understand and perhaps eventually master these visions. He saw in her not just a future queen, but a potential inheritor of a power he himself was only beginning to glimpse.
Her growing intelligence, however, also made her more aware of the dangerous undercurrents of their lives. She noticed the grim determination in Kipp's eye when he returned from his first stint at Dragon's Tooth, the way Shadowfoot now moved with an even greater economy of motion, her gaze constantly scanning for threats.
"Vizzy," she asked one day, as he was showing her a newly acquired map of the Dothraki Sea, "the people who serve you… like Captain Valerion, and Kipp, and the lady with the scarred arm… do they serve you because they love House Targaryen, or because they fear you?"
Her question, so innocent yet so penetrating, struck Viserys deeply. "Loyalty is a complex thing, Dany," he said after a moment's thought. "Some serve for hope of reward, some for shared purpose, some out of past obligation. And yes, some may serve because they understand the consequences of betrayal. A good leader inspires a measure of all those things. But ultimately," he met her gaze, "I hope they serve because they believe in what we are trying to build – a future where our House is restored, and where justice, our justice, prevails." It was a carefully crafted answer, true in its own way, yet glossing over the colder realities of his command.
The first test of his Corsair's Pact came swiftly. Viserys, through his anonymous channels, provided Kiera Redfin with precise intelligence on a convoy of three merchant ships sailing from Tyrosh to Myr, carrying a cargo of high-quality timber and iron ore – goods that Grolvo the Gut, Kiera's rival, desperately needed for his own fleet. The convoy was lightly armed, its usual escort having been diverted by rumors of increased Ironborn activity (rumors Viserys himself had subtly amplified through his network).
Kiera Redfin, with her swift sloop the Sea Viper and two smaller allied pirate vessels, struck with brutal efficiency. The merchant crews, caught by surprise, offered little resistance. Two ships were captured intact, their cargo a rich prize. The third, attempting to flee, was run aground and plundered. Kiera, true to their pact, delivered a significant share of the spoils – mostly in Tyroshi silver and valuable trade goods – to Malacco at the designated dead drop, a deserted cove on a remote island. She also, as a gesture of goodwill, sent Viserys the captured captain of one of the merchantmen, a man known to be a key agent for Grolvo the Gut. This captain, after a "persuasive" debriefing by Archivist and Shadowfoot, provided Viserys with a wealth of information on Grolvo's operations, defenses, and vulnerabilities.
The success of Kiera's raid sent ripples through the Basilisk Isles. Grolvo the Gut was enraged and humiliated, his resources diminished. Other pirate captains took note of Kiera Redfin's sudden rise in fortune and firepower. Viserys, the unseen puppet master, had successfully instigated a proxy war, destabilizing a powerful pirate lord while simultaneously enriching himself and gaining a valuable intelligence asset. Alistair Finch acknowledged the ruthless elegance of the strategy. Viserys Targaryen merely noted it as another successful step.
News of the Greyjoy Rebellion's conclusion eventually reached Braavos: Balon Greyjoy defeated, his sons Theon taken as a ward by Eddard Stark, the Iron Fleet shattered. Robert Baratheon's victory was absolute. Viserys analyzed the reports with cold detachment. The rebellion, as Alistair knew it would, had failed to significantly weaken the Usurper's grip. But it had bled his treasury, sown further discord among the Great Houses (particularly between the Lannisters and the Starks over the conduct of the war), and perhaps, most importantly, demonstrated that even a powerful king could be challenged. The Ironborn, though defeated, remained a fierce, independent people. Viserys made a mental note: the Iron Islands, with their maritime traditions and inherent rebelliousness, might one day prove useful, if their pride could be bent to a new purpose.
The moral compromises inherent in his new ventures, particularly at Dragon's Tooth, became starkly apparent. Ledger sent a coded report detailing a difficult situation: a local Ghiscari official, crucial for securing ongoing access to the river trade, had demanded a "gift" that went beyond simple coin. He wanted one of the young Braavosi guards in Ledger's contingent – a strong, handsome youth – for his personal pleasure, implying that refusal would have severe consequences for their entire operation. Ledger, horrified, sought Viserys's guidance.
Alistair Finch felt a surge of revulsion. This was the casual depravity of Slaver's Bay. Viserys, however, saw only the strategic imperative. Dragon's Tooth was too valuable to lose over the fate of one guard, however unpleasant the circumstances. His response to Ledger was cold and pragmatic: "Ensure the guard's 'cooperation' is rewarded generously afterwards, and that his discretion is absolute. Find leverage over the official to prevent future such demands. The needs of the enterprise outweigh the discomfort of individuals. This is a lesson all who serve us must understand." He knew it was a monstrous decision, but he made it without flinching, the Forgemaster sacrificing a small piece of his own humanity to protect his larger design.
Viserys stood alone in the Nexus late one night, the only light the faint glow from his map table, where charts of the Basilisk Isles and Slaver's Bay lay spread out like a dissected beast. He was no longer just a boy playing at intrigue. He was a spymaster, a merchant king in waiting, a commander who made life-and-death decisions affecting people hundreds of miles away. The Serpent's Gambit in Slaver's Bay was slithering forward, its fangs seeking purchase. The Corsair's Pact in the Basilisks was bearing bloody fruit. His power was growing, his reach extending. But with each success, the shadows around him seemed to deepen, the moral lines blurring further, the weight of his secrets and his choices pressing down like the fathoms of the darkest sea. He was shaping his destiny, yes, but he was also being shaped by it, forged in fires of his own making. And the boy who had once been Alistair Finch wondered, with a chilling detachment, what manner of king this new Viserys Targaryen was ultimately becoming.