He'd sailed around the known world many times over. From yi-ti in the Far East to the shores of sythoryos, the green hell. All In all, to say it was hard to surprise or impress Corlys would not be an exaggeration. So imagine his surprise when he found a journal in a trunk full of gifts he was given as a thank you to some ship captain or another who he'd inadvertently aided in some way.
This was no ordinary journal. This held the sigil any self respecting member of old Valyria's blood could recognize, the black dragon of house Valhalla.
(Image)
The Valhalla were said to be the first dragon riders. The first ones to show the other original 14 families how to tame the beasts.
And the journal I found was said to be owned by Jaenyx Valhalla. Reading through the book I found he was alive right before Valyria was turned to the wasteland it is today.
(From diary)
My grandson, Arthur, is a boy unlike any I've seen. He has the white hair and facial features indicitive of my house. However, his eyes are what truly draw attention to himself. Unlike the red pools my family possesses, he possesses the same color as his mother. An ethereal light Valyrian steel grey with specks of red like blood spray throughout. As well as a deep pool of red at the center of the eye surrounding the pupil. Like a painter had taken his brush and pushed it down to the bristles spread out wards. Then flicking the end of the brush to make spots on his eyes.
If I'm being honest, they're the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen. Which is why I keep him incredibly far away from the other nobles of Valyria. If they knew my son had stepped outside our territory for a wife I fear what would occur.
His mother, Lyra stark. Daughter of the kings of winter, A truly beautifully wild women. Deadly with a bow and arrow. And just as deadly with her tongue at court. Had she lived past the birthing bed I know she would've loved little Arthur as much as his father did. Poor Ragnar. My son died of a heart attack only moons ago.
His death has deeply impacted young Arthur. And as much as it hurts me, I must keep him at arms length. The need to run my household until he's ready weigh on my mind everyday. But push through I must. For if my Arthur is as special as I think he is, he will need to hate me with how I train and treat him.
It pains me more than he could ever know to do such things. But he's far too sweet a boy to survive on his own amongst the nobles here. If he must hate me for me to turn his body and mind into a Valyrian steel armor then so be it. But at least I will he confident in his survival when I enevitably pass on.
Reading the pages got me lost in thought. The first lord of Valyria marrying a stark? Why? What could've happened to allow them to even meet? Valyria was almost always at war in the east. What heir of the house could go find a cold Direwolf to snuggle with? Corlys continued to read. Enthralled by the head of house Valhallas story and that of his half stark grandson, just moons before the fall of Valyria.
My dreams last night were a wirlwind. I see myself surrounded by snow. It was freezing cold and before me stood a massive weirwood tree. What was spoken there I will not put down onto paper. For no man should have such information. I've learned the Targaryens were not wrong. Valyria is doomed. But the old gods said I could make a difference. 'Only death can pay for life' a debt I would pay a thousand times over for Arthur. Should he ever find this, I apologize my child. What's coming for you and the rest of the world is awful. Beyond the scope of any man's imagination.
However, I believe in you and your ability to handle any situation. You've always been special. The world will seek to attain gains or outright eliminate you. Be wary my boy and always remember, with a dragon comes fire, with man comes death.
Jeanyx Valhalla, lord of Valhalla.
Corlys sat in his solar aboard the seahorse in deep thought. The implications of what lord jaenyx wrote of was incredible. He would need to verify such suspicions. But he was nothing if not thorough, and who better than he to find someone long since dead with his thousands of contacts around the known world.
AN: just trying to get a little of his background out of the way while also introducing the characters I will be trying to embody in this fic. Leave suggestions and ideas below 💪🏼