章 14: Chapter Fourteen
Astapor. Esso.
"The Unsullied have stood here for a day and a night without water," the translator said
She was translating for her master, Kraznys... something or other. I'd already forgotten his name. I didn't see much point remembering it since he'd be dead soon. I'd run my plan by the Lord-General and he'd agreed that the lords of this city needed to be removed from their places of authority and that their lives were forfeit due to their needlessly cruel practices. Which I felt sure were too close to the kind of things the Archenemy got up to for his liking, assuming that he knew about such things. Given the Imperium's need to know the policy and it's less than effective means of interstellar communication he might have been in the dark about such things, but given his rank I doubted it.
Once I'd done to The Good Master what Dany did in the show, and for mostly the same reasons, I'd have the slaves, who would soon be my serfs, take everything of value before I began shipping everyone off to the Stepstones to begin the conquest of the islands. But before then I had to finalise the deal as I needed to be holding the whip when I ordered the Unsullied to cleanse the city of its corrupt rulership. I didn't think it would work if I just took it. The Unsullied would need to see their ownership be transferred to me.
"The things will stand until they drop, they are so obedient," Kraznys continued, speaking in Valyrian.
Melisandre repeated the statement, without any pride, in the common tongue. I needed no translating, as I understood everything I heard thanks to the teaching engines. They were a cool bit of barely understood teaching technology that could be replicated and maintained by the Ad-Mech, just not in great amounts so their use was limited to high ranking humans such as myself and elite warrior such as the Space Marines.
As for Viserys Targaryen, who I had allowed to tag along, he spoke Valyrian because he was a Valyrian. I'd brought the beggar king with me because he wanted to see what progress I was making to put him on the throne and because this would be a good demonstration of my power. So far Viserys hadn't annoyed me too much, the Imperium did have ways of dealing with mental issues and so while he was still arrogant at least he was going around yelling at people about being a dragon every time something bothered him. Hopefully, he'd stay on whatever meds the doctors were giving him.
"They may suit my needs," I said, trying to sound casual "Tell me of their training".
It was amusing that both the Good Master and I had to pretend that we didn't understand each other because of some social protocol. I wondered if he did really think that I didn't understand Valyrian.
"The foreign lord is impressed but speaks no praise to lower the price," Melisandre informed her master. "He wishes to know how they are trained".
Harshly would be my answer.
"Tell him what he wants to know and be quick about it" Kraznys ordered " The day is hot, and I grow bored"
Which the translator soon did. Given that she was doing all the work she should be the one sitting in the fancy chair.
"They begin their training at five in the morning. Every day they drill from dawn to dusk until they have mastered the short sword, the shield and the spear. Only one boy in five survives this rigorous training." Melisandre informed "Their discipline and loyalty are absolute. They fear nothing".
While looking at them it was easy to believe that.
"Can they ride a horse, or withstand a charge?" asked Viserys "We don't want them run down by calvary".
Kraznys sneered upon hearing this. Not bothering to wait for his slave to speak.
"Tell the foreign fool that they are far better trained than those horse fuckers" the Good Master said to his hard-working translator "and not to talk of matters of which he knows nothing".
Now I took solace in knowing that the disgusting slaver would be dead soon. Ro is fair to Viserys he'd be wondering how they'd do against a cavalry charge of lance carrying armoured knight from Westeros, not against the horse rapists. Which might be a concern if we had to conquer Westeros. It sounded as my future brother-in-law was actually listening to his tutors.
"My master assures you that they more than make up for not being able to ride with their training and their discipline," she said "They will not be defeated nor will they run".
Only Space Marines knew no fear.
"I have heard tell of the discipline of the Unsullied, and I am sure that it is impressive," I said "But any man can be defeated in battle".
After Melisandre did her job, Kraznys sneered again, then he went and cut off one of the nipples of an Unsullied The soldier didn't even move.
"Tell the Good Master there is no need to do that," I said to the slave.
Kraznys must understand my words as he replied before his translator spoke. He was indeed just pretending not to due to some silly social protocol as I'd suspected.
"Why is he worrying about nipples?" asked the slave master "We already cut off their balls".
Melisandre did her best to spin her owner's words.
"Master Kraznys points out that men don't need nipples," she said.
Soon things got back on track.
"Before his training is complete an Unsullied must go to the slave quarters, find a newborn, and kill it before its mother's eyes before paying a silver coin for the trouble," Melisandre's told us
Even Viserys was shocked by this.
"Why do they do that?" he asked.
He soon got a reply.
"This way, my master says, we make sure there is no weakness left in them," she told us.
Things progressed quickly. The payment had already been arranged behind the scenes and I'd handed over a lot of the old Lord-Captains junk along with some guns and my dragon's egg that had been a gift from Magister Illyrio, as the eggs he'd given to the two Targaryens. I only cared about getting my egg back as while I wouldn't hatch one of them, as that involved magic and an Inquisitor was hanging around, but it was a pretty bauble of mine and worth a king's ransom just as a decorative object.
Now it was time to hand over the merchandise.
"Is it done then?" I asked of Kraznys, as I took the whip "They belong to me?".
This was the moment that would decide if I was strong enough to do what needed to be done to survive in a cruel multiverse.
"It is done. He holds the whip" said the slave master "The foreigner has his army".
"It is done. You hold the whip, and so they will obey your orders." the translator informed me
I went over to Melisandre.
"Stay close to me" I ordered her "You're about to need a new job and I require a handmaiden for my future wife".
I raised the whip.
"You might want to close your eyes" I suggested to the local woman.
She followed my advice as I worked my will upon her.
"Attention!" I shouted in Valyrian.
The Unsullied slammed the butts of their spears on the ground and listened as I told them to kill all the Good Master while freeing any slave that they came across. I told them to harm no children and to only fight those who resisted my taking over this city. What happened next was a slaughter at my command and while it made me feel ill I didn't do anything to stop it once it began.
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