Chapter 25: Slavers
Jace woke up with his eyes blurry and his head throbbing. He squinted, trying to make sense of his surroundings. The room was dark, with very little light save for a dim torch attached to the wall, casting flickering shadows. He pushed himself onto his hands and knees, feeling his stomach churn violently. He retched, emptying the contents of his stomach onto the cold stone ground.
"That's disgusting," a voice said from the darkness. Jace collapsed onto his side, his head pounding and spinning. His eyes closed against his will, and he slipped back into unconsciousness.
When he woke again, the room was still dark, and the stench of his bile now permeated the air, making his stomach twist. His head pounded worse than before, a relentless throbbing that made him wish he could fall back into the dark oblivion of sleep. At least he was still wearing his cloak, which shielded his eyes somewhat from the harsh light of the torch.
"Hey you, you're finally awake," a voice called from the shadows.
Jace struggled to sit up, eventually managing to push himself against the rough stone wall for support. "Who's there?" he croaked, his throat dry and raw.
"I have many names and many faces," the voice replied, echoing eerily in the confined space.
Jace's heart pounded harder in his chest. "You know me as the Stranger," the voice continued.
Fear seized Jace, his mind racing. "What... really?" he asked, desperately looking around for anything he could use to defend himself.
"Of course not, you idiot," the voice replied, tinged with amusement. Out of the shadows stepped a girl around his age. She had wavy black hair and stormy grey eyes. She wore thick woollen clothes, though she had torn the sleeves off them.
Jace's head throbbed relentlessly, and his vision blurred as he tried to focus on the girl in front of him. "Who are you?" he managed to ask, his voice hoarse and weak.
"I'm Sara, though I'll most likely have another name soon enough," Sara said with a wry smile.
Jace's head hurt too much to argue. "Where are we?" he asked, struggling to sit up straighter.
Sara shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, but from what I've heard, the men who took us are slavers."
Jace frowned, his mind working through the haze of pain. "That's not legal in Westeros."
Sara barked out a laugh, slapping his shoulder. "You better tell them that."
Ignoring her, Jace felt the cloak he wore starting to stifle him. He ripped it off, trying to get some relief. Sara's eyes widened slightly as she caught sight of his silver-gold hair and striking blue eyes.
"You a bastard or something?" she asked, her tone curious.
Jace groaned, the fuzziness in his head making it hard to think. "Or something," he replied, leaning back against the wall and waiting for the pain to abate.
Sara studied him for a moment longer. "Well, or something, we're both in the same mess now."
Jace looked around, trying to make sense of his surroundings. He was in a large cell with wooden bars. The dim torchlight flickered, casting eerie shadows across the rough stone walls. Other children huddled in the corners, curled into themselves and stayed as far away from the cell door as possible. Their eyes were wide with fear and hopelessness.
As Jace's mind started to clear, he realized with a jolt that Cregan was not there. Panic surged through him. "I need to get out of here," he groaned, his voice strained with worry.
"You and me both," Sara replied, her tone dry but resigned.
Jace was deeply worried about Cregan, but he knew his friend could handle himself. For now, he had to focus on his own escape. He pushed against the wall and slowly stood up, his body still aching from the earlier assault.
"What're you doing?" Sara asked, watching him with a curious frown.
"How long has it been since they threw me in here?" Jace asked, his heart thumping with anxiety.
Sara made a thoughtful face, one that Jace found oddly funny despite the situation. "Maybe six hours."
Relief flooded through Jace at her words, and he started laughing, the tension releasing from his body. Sara raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled. "What are you laughing at?" she asked.
"It's still night, so I have time," he said, his voice filled with relief.
Sara sighed. "Why'd I have to get stuck with an idiot?" she mumbled to herself. "Still have time for what?"
Jace, still feeling nauseous, began stretching his limbs, trying to remove the numbness from his body. "To get out of here and get back home before my mother realizes I was gone," he replied.
Sara looked at him, dumbfounded. "I think you have your priorities a bit backwards there, friend. We're probably going to be shipped across the Narrow Sea to whorehouses. Well, I would. You're pretty enough to make a wife to some Volantis magister."
"I'm a boy," Jace said with an annoyed look.
"I know," Sara replied, rolling her eyes.
"If my mother finds out I was kidnapped, then I'll be stuck in a prison of another kind," Jace said as he walked forward and started inspecting the cell.
"Did you not hear me?" Sara said, standing up. "We are going to be shipped across the Narrow Sea and sold into slavery!"
Jace snorted. "I'd like to see them try to take me on a ship," he whispered to himself, but Sara was close enough to hear.
She frowned, her curiosity piqued. "What're you talking about?"
Jace ignored Sara's question and turned his attention to the other children huddled in the corners of the cell. Their faces were pale and gaunt, eyes wide with a haunting emptiness. He couldn't understand why they seemed so utterly defeated.
"Why are they like that?" Jace asked, nodding towards the children.
Sara's smirk faded, replaced by a serious expression. "They've been here for months," she explained. "Some of them were taken from their homes, others snatched off the streets. They've probably faced all kinds of horrors."
Jace's heart sank. "What kind of horrors?"
Sara sighed, looking away. "Beatings, starvation, maybe worse. Slavers aren't known for their kindness. These kids have likely seen their friends sold off or worse. It breaks you down, and makes you lose hope."
Jace turned to Sara, curiosity in his eyes. "Why aren't you like that? Why aren't you as broken as they are?"
Sara shrugged, her expression guarded. "I've only been here a few days. I've barely seen any of the slavers. Guess I haven't had the pleasure of their hospitality yet."
Jace moved around the cell, inspecting every inch of the wooden bars and stone walls. He ran his fingers along the edges, testing for any weakness or loose stones. His mind raced as he tried to formulate a plan to escape. Meanwhile, Sara leaned casually against the wall, her arms crossed over her chest. She watched Jace with a smirk, clearly amused by his intense concentration. "You know, you look like a rat searching for crumbs," she teased.
Jace shot her a brief glare but continued his inspection. He pushed against one of the wooden bars, feeling it give slightly under his weight. "This one's loose," he muttered to himself, a glimmer of hope in his voice.
Sara chuckled. "Good luck breaking that without making a racket. Might as well invite them to come watch."
Jace looked around the cell, his mind racing as he took in every detail. He glanced at the other children, then back to Sara. Finally, he smiled, an idea forming in his head.
"I have a plan," he said to Sara.
She raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Oh yeah? Let's hear it."
Jace ignored her again much to her displeasure. He moved over to the loose bar and began to push it with all his strength, making it creak loudly. The noise echoed through the cell, catching the attention of the guard outside.
"Hey, what are you doing in there?" the guard shouted, coming closer.
Jace continued to push, acting as though he was trying to escape. The guard, a burly man with a scowl, unlocked the cell door and stormed inside. He grabbed Jace roughly by the collar, pulling him away from the bar.
"You think you can escape, boy?" the guard growled.
Jace used the opportunity to slip his hand into the guard's belt, skillfully pickpocketing the dagger. He quickly hid it behind his back, acting terrified and apologetic.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Jace whimpered, cowering. "I didn't mean to, I swear!"
The guard shoved him to the ground and spat. "You better behave, or you'll regret it."
The guard turned to leave, and Jace nodded at Sara. Once the guard was out and the door was locked again, Jace revealed the dagger.
"Now for part two," he whispered.
Jace moved to the cell door's hinges, working quickly and quietly to loosen them with the dagger. The metal was old and rusted, making his task easier. Sara kept an eye on the guard, who had returned to his post but wasn't paying close attention.
After a few tense minutes, Jace managed to loosen the top hinge. He moved to the bottom one, repeating the process. His hands were shaking slightly, but he focused on the task, knowing their escape depended on it. Finally, the last hinge came loose. Jace carefully pulled the door away from the frame, with Sara helping to lower it gently to the ground to avoid making any noise. They were both of a similar size so they struggled slightly, but months of training had given Jace a lot more strength than a boy his age should have.
"See, nothing too difficult" Jace whispered, a triumphant smile on his face.
"Aye and what next? The slavers are still here and I don't think they'll be too happy seeing the cell open," Sara said crossing her arms across her chest.
Jace rolled his eyes and asked, "Are you gonna complain the entire time or help me?"
Sara snorted. "A little bit of both, I imagine."
Jace sighed, rubbing his head. The throbbing pain was worse than anything he'd felt since falling off his dragon in Valyria. He walked over to the door leading out to the corridor, cursing his short stature as he couldn't see through the bars. "Distract the guard," Jace said.
"What?" Sara's eyes widened in surprise, but before she could protest further, Jace banged on the door, making a loud noise, then quickly hid to the side.
The guard stomped down the hallway, his footsteps heavy and angry. "What in the bloody hells is goin' on in there?" he barked. He flung the door open, only to see Sara standing in front of him. They both paused for a moment, sizing each other up.
Sara did the first thing that came to mind. She grabbed a rock from the ground and threw it at the guard, hitting him square on the forehead. He snarled, his face twisting in anger. "You little bitch! I'm gonna make ya regret that," he spat, moving closer.
Before he could grab her, Jace sneaked up behind him and kicked the back of his knee with all the strength he could muster. The guard dropped to one knee, and Jace quickly drew the stolen dagger, slashing the man's throat open. Blood sprayed out, splattering onto Sara's face.
Sara's eyes widened as she felt the warm blood on her skin. Jace carefully lowered the man's body to the ground, wiping the dagger clean on the guard's clothes before sheathing it. When he looked up at Sara, she jolted slightly at the dead expression on his face but quickly composed herself, mentally chiding herself for being scared.
"Are you okay?" Jace asked, a hint of sympathy in his voice.
Sara nodded, wiping the blood off her face with a shaking hand. "I've seen death before, but never quite so close..."
"I hope you won't have to see it again," Jace said as he stood up. Suddenly, he felt a thump on his arm from Sara.
"Seven hells," he muttered, rubbing his arm.
"I'm not a bloody damsel," she said with a huff.
Jace grabbed the guard's sword from his belt and tossed the dagger to Sara, who caught it easily. "Come on, we need to go."
Sara didn't move. "What about the others?"
Jace looked back, his expression hard. "We'll come back for them."
Sara frowned, so Jace continued. "We won't be able to escape with them slowing us down. This is the best we can do for them."
Sara hesitated but finally nodded. "Aye, alright. Let's get outta here."
Jace and Sara moved cautiously through the dark corridors. It was the dead of night, and Jace hoped most of the slavers were asleep. Every step they took was deliberate, and careful to avoid making any noise. The building was old and creaky, but the darkness provided some cover. They had a few close calls. At one point, Jace grabbed Sara and pulled her close into the shadows as a guard walked by. They held their breath, waiting for the guard to pass. When the coast was clear, they continued moving, their hearts pounding in their chests.
"How many more of these guards are there?" Sara whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Hopefully not too many," Jace replied, glancing around each corner before moving forward. He hoped they had more time before anyone checked on the children or realized one of their numbers was missing. They finally reached an open shutter, and Jace motioned for Sara to go through it. "You go first," he urged.
"Why aren't you comin'?" Sara asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
"I still need to find my friend," Jace said, his voice firm.
"We should stick together. You said yourself we can come back later why go back," Sara argued, her brows furrowing in concern.
"It's different... he's my friend and I don't even know if he's being kept here," Jace stated.
Sara looked conflicted. "Yer mad, ya know that?"
"Maybe, but I can't leave him behind," Jace said, a look of finality in his eyes.
Their argument was cut short by the sound of a commotion deeper within the building. Voices raised in alarm and the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the halls. Jace and Sara froze, exchanging a worried look.
"Sounds like trouble," Sara muttered.
"I need to go check it out," Jace said, his grip tightening on the sword.
Jace left Sara by the window and quickly moved through the building, peeking into rooms as he got closer to the commotion. When he arrived at the centre room, he saw a dead guard lying on the floor and Cregan being beaten by an older man. The man was cursing him, his voice filled with venom.
"Ya think ya can kill my friend and get away with it? I'll make ya regret the day yer mother spread her legs for yer father!" the man snarled.
Any other child might have folded and apologized, but Cregan looked up, blood trickling from his mouth, and spat in the man's face. Jace started formulating a plan. There were four men inside the room, which made things difficult. He had to come up with a way to free Cregan, who was tied to a chair, and get outside. As he was thinking, someone bumped into him. He almost drew his sword but realized it was Sara. He pulled her away from the room before whispering, "What are you doing here?"
"I forgot to grab my bow and dagger," she whispered back, showing them. "And I refuse to leave I'm not a coward and won't run away."
Jace slapped his hand to his face. "It's not about being a coward. If you're here, who's going to get the guards?"
"The guards...," Sara said with a sheepish smile on her face.
"You're an idiot," Jace sighed.
"Well, you didn't exactly make it clear," Sara said defensively, though it was a weak excuse.
From the main room, Cregan shouted, "Yer nought but a sword swallower, ya ugly bastard!" Sara's eyes widened, and she pushed past Jace to look into the main room. Jace grabbed her shoulder before she could go in and whispered, "What in seven hells are you doing?"
"That's my brother," she said, her eyes now filled with worry.
"Your brother?! You're Sara Snow? Cregan's sister?" Jace said with surprise.
"Yes!" she said a little louder than was safe. "What're you doing here? Cregan said you were in the North, that your father wouldn't allow you to come to King's Landing."
"My father is a cunt, no other explanation needed. Now can we focus on my brother?" she whispered.
Jace breathed heavily before nodding. "How good are you with that?" he said, gesturing to the bow.
"Best in Winterfell," she bragged.
Jace nodded. "I'm being serious," he replied.
"Cunt," she said with a smirk.
"Alright, provide support," Jace instructed. Sara nodded and aimed. With a swift motion, she released an arrow, hitting one of the men in the eye socket. He fell to the ground instantly, causing chaos.
Jace rushed inside the room, making it seem like he had fired the shot. Two of the men immediately ran after him. Jace led them on a chase, jumping and rolling over a crate. He heaved his sword with both hands, throwing it into a spinning arc toward a rope pulley. The circular iron torch holder crashed down, striking both men. Jace quickly grabbed a short sword from one of them, ending their lives.
The leader turned, furious, and started walking toward Jace. He avoided an arrow shot by Sara, which immediately revealed her position. He rushed toward her, but Jace intercepted him, jumping onto a crate and then onto his back, dragging him to the ground.
"I'll gut ya like a fish, ya little shit!" the man cursed, trying to shake Jace off.
Jace rolled out of the way as the man stabbed the ground where he had been. He slashed with his short sword, but the man avoided it. They circled each other, exchanging blows. The man was stronger and more experienced. He lunged at Jace, who barely parried the strike. Jace countered with a quick thrust, but the man sidestepped and delivered a brutal punch to Jace's gut, knocking the wind out of him.
Jace staggered back, gasping for breath. The man didn't let up, swinging his dagger in a vicious arc. Jace ducked, feeling the blade whistle past his ear. He slashed at the man's legs, hoping to cripple him, but the man jumped back, avoiding the blow.
The man laughed, a cruel sound. "Ya fight well for a whelp. But it ain't enough."
He charged again, this time ramming his shoulder into Jace's chest, sending him crashing into a crate. Jace groaned, rubbing his shoulder in pain. He felt agitation through his bond with Vermax, something muted until now due to his earlier drunkenness and concussion.
"Oh hells," Jace said out loud.
A loud roar shook the building, causing the leader to stop in his tracks, almost shaking. Cregan laughed. "Now ya've done it."
"Shut up!" the leader shouted.
Jace got up, letting his cloak fall to the ground. "You stupid cunt, you didn't check who your men kidnapped," he said, his voice cold. Another loud roar echoed through the building. The leader put two and two together, the dragon's roar and the Targaryen-looking boy before him. He dropped his sword and went to his knees.
"I'm sorry, my prince. Please forgive me. Please let me go," he pleaded, shaking as the building shook from the dragon's presence.
Sara rushed over to her brother, freeing him. "What are ya doin' here?" Cregan asked.
"I'll explain it all later," she replied.
Jace approached the leader. "I didn't want things to end this way. With such a big spectacle, my mother is sure to find out I've been sneaking out of the Red Keep. I'm going to be punished for it, for continuously losing my guards... it's a hassle."
He then looked to Cregan. "Are you okay?"
"Aye," Cregan said.
Jace turned back to the leader, his eyes cold. "Where were you taking us?"
The man hesitated, but another loud roar from Vermax made him speak quickly. "We were bound for Lys. They're paying a premium for Westerosi children."
"When is the ship arriving?"
"On the morn," the man replied.
"Any other prisoners on the ship?" Jace asked.
The man shook his head. "No."
"Good," Jace said before thrusting his sword through the man's throat. "Be grateful I'm not feeding you to Vermax."
Jace wiped his sword clean and swiped the man's coin pouch before turning to the others. "Let's get out of here."
They left the building and found Vermax perched on a neighbouring structure. With a flap of his wings, the dragon hopped down. They were lucky to be in the warehouse district, where there was plenty of space.
"You did wonder what it was like to ride a dragon, didn't you?" Jace asked Cregan with a smirk.
Cregan laughed uneasily. "I might walk back."
"Stop bein' such a woman," Sara said, dragging him toward Vermax, who growled.
"Āeksia, Vermax," Jace said. ("Calm, Vermax.")
They climbed onto the dragon, and Jace guided them into the sky. They flew over the city, the wind rushing past them. Jace dropped Cregan and Sara off in the courtyard before flying up to his room's balcony. He jumped off Vermax and rushed inside, hoping to pretend he had never left.
His hopes were dashed when he saw his uncle Daemon sitting at the table, drinking from a cup of wine. Daemon looked at him, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Interesting night?" he asked, noticing the bruises and blood on Jace.
Jace sighed, knowing he was caught. "You have no idea," he replied.
(AN: Not too happy with this chapter, it's pretty unrealistic as things go. I struggle to write kids as MCs but I'll be rectifying that soon. After the tournament there will be a time skip and Jace will be like 14-15 these chapters are more me setting up his power base before we let it grow for a few years. Anyway I hope you enjoyed the chapter.)
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