บท 4: Chapter 4: For the Night is Dark and Full of Terror
Winterfell 300 AC.
Daemon.
Flying on Lyanax never got old and certainly never boring, she liked to play and over the years Daemon had recognized the signs, so as they were over the Riverlands she flew higher and higher before she dived. He was bent close to her body making as small a target for the wind as he could, he'd learned the hard way what happens when she met wind at this speed and had been lucky to hang on more than once. It took her less than a moment to travel from the highest point in the sky to no more than a couple of feet above the water.
When they'd flown before she had kept hidden only showing herself when they had no choice, on the flight to Dragonstone it had annoyed her. She was a dragon, the top of the food chain and stealth was a poor substitute for the majesty of seeing a dragon in all it's glory. Now that she was no longer a secret she wished to show off and Daemon too wanted the world to know, a dragon was as much a deterrent as a weapon and so he gave in to her whims.
"Come girl, playtime's over." he said patting her neck, she responded by dipping her wing in the water forcing it to splash up at him and making him splutter.
Eventually though she rose again and he felt the change as they crossed into the North, the Neck lay beneath him and as he flew over the dark almost ruined structure that was Moat Cailin he saw the Kings Road. He told Lyanax to follow it knowing it would take them straight to Winterfell, he felt the excitement build within him, long had he wished to see the castle of his mother's birth, to finally gaze upon her final resting place.
When he was a boy he had hoped to visit one day just like Aegon or Rhaenys would go to Sunspear he had hoped to go to Winterfell but he had been forbidden to do so and even his grandmother couldn't disobey that order. So instead he had filled his head with as much information as he could get, learning of the first men and of the old gods his mother worshiped, of all the Starks throughout the years. While he had never set foot in Winterfell or the North, apart from recent events he doubted there was a man alive who knew as much of it as he.
When he saw it come into view he couldn't help but smile, the keep of his mother, his grandfather and uncle, his ancestors. Daemon was a dragon, perhaps given Lyanax the first real one in over a hundred years, but he was a wolf too and this was the Wolf's Den. He saw the rows of tents and looked around for somewhere to land, seeing an empty patch of land he directed Lyanax down and heard the shouts of the men as he did so. He had just climbed off her when the riders approached, two large men dressed in furs along with some guards, he told Lyanax to go find food for herself and waited.
"Who are you?" he heard one of the large men say as they reached him.
"My name is Daemon Targaryen and I've come to see my uncle."
"You lie, Prince Daemon died eight years ago." The other one said.
"Still warm the blood that courses through my veins." Daemon said with a chuckle "Rumors of my death it would seem were greatly exaggerated, I've come to see my uncle at the behest of Benjen Stark."
"Benjen, what have you done with him?" the first man said angrily..
"Done, Benjen is my uncle and nothing is more damned than a kinslayer my lord?"
"Umber."
"Lord Umber my uncle Benjen and your son are safe and well and should along with Lady Dacey be on their way back here as we speak, They sought aid and I've come to offer it."
"Alone, you came alone." The other large man said.
"No my lord I brought a dragon, did you not see? she was very large." Daemon said and Umber laughed loudly.
"He has you there Jorah, come I'm sure Ned will wish to speak to you."
He was at least given his own horse as one of the guards doubled up with another and they rode down the hill and into Winterfell itself. For Daemon his eyes were everywhere as he tried to take in the sights, the keep was far larger than the Red Keep, it's grey walls were dark and imposing and it was full to straining. The North was gearing for war in earnest he thought as he saw banner after banner, the Manderly mermen, and Glover iron fist, the black bear of the Mormonts and flayed man of the Boltons. He smiled when he saw the Direwolf of the Starks and the wolf standing on a mountain of his grandmother's house, the Flints had come when called as always.
"We'll need your arms lad." Lord Umber said as he dismounted.
"It'll take more than you to take them my lord, I'll accept guest right but I'll not hand my arms over, force of habit and one which has kept me alive these many years I'm sure you'll understand." Daemon said he saw how the giant lord almost laughed before he nodded.
After being given bread and salt he was brought into the Great Hall, what had been a boisterous gathering suddenly went quiet, he looked to the high table to see a man who could only be his uncle sitting in the center. His dark hair and grey eyes marking him clearly as a Stark beside him sat a man of Daemon's age his auburn hair and blue eyes marking him as a Tully his cousin perhaps?, there was a large fat man a Manderly by the look of things and some other's sitting there including a fierce looking woman.
Daemon's though eyes were focused on his uncle who was looking directly at him, he took his helm off to gasps as his purple eyes marked him out, his dark hair was tied behind his head. As his uncle looked to the two lords beside him for answers Daemon strolled to stand in front of the table, unsheathing his sword to silence he knelt.
"My sword, my dragon are yours to command Uncle." he said and the room began to fill with noise once again.
Elia.
A dragon changed things drastically and no one knew that better than her, she didn't need to hear the conversation between her brother and daughter, nor did she need to follow her son and his companions to know of what they spoke. She had been stunned to see it and apart from her husband only Daenerys had been more excited than worried, for her though it was the knowledge the plotting would continue that plagued her thoughts. Whatever chance she had of pulling people back from the brink was gone now, Daemon had a dragon and Aegon would fear being replaced even more.
It tore through her heart to think like this and she cursed Pycelle and his part in her families problems, had they known of the Maester sooner, had they suspected then perhaps she would have recovered early enough to change things. It had been Daemon who had brought it to her attention, Daemon who had informed her of what he found and had she not already cared greatly for the child, she'd have loved him for that alone.
" My queen, why does this smell so?"
" It's my medicine Daemon, sometimes they smell."
" But this it smells like the purple plant."
" We use plants making such things Daemon."
" Oh." he said his brow furrowed.
" What is it Daemon?
" It's just grandmother always tells me not to go near the purple ones, they're bad." he said.
" Not all the purple ones are bad Daemon." she said smiling at the eight name days old boy.
" But this one smells like the ones grandmother warned me about my queen."
When she had asked him to fetch her one he had and she knew then what he had said was true, calling for her brother she had him test the medicine and found that she had been poisoned and had been since she was young. Pycelle had killed himself rather than face justice and Caleotte too had taken his life, both of them poisoning her and in Caleotte's case Doran too.
Had it not been for Daemon's worry for her she would never have recovered, oh they didn't want her dead just ill enough to be set aside. She did recover though and grew stronger, it took time and despite her best efforts she couldn't bridge the gap between her family and the Dark Prince as some called him. She had been too ill to do anything when he disappeared, too ill to force her husband to act a father and by the time she'd recovered enough it was far too late.
"My queen, Lady Ashara has arrived." Lenor her handmaiden said.
"Thank you Lenor, where is she?"
"In the gardens my queen."
She rushed to the gardens, Ashara had been visiting her family when Daemon arrived and would no doubt have loved to see the boy once again. Where Elia had been too ill, Ashara had tried to be there for him, tried to get close and only managed to do so on occasion. Rhaella had warned her grandson about the vipers in court and even being the sister of his mentor was not enough to make Daemon fully trust her friend.
As she walked into the garden she saw her friend was not alone, she'd brought her daughter Allyria with her, to everyone else she was her sister but there were no secrets between her and Ash. Allyria was just as striking as her mother though there was some of her father's wildness in her too, she had no doubt wished to meet her cousin. Elia smiled as she hugged the girl first followed by her mother, bidding them to take a seat she sent for tea and poured it once it came.
"Is it really Daemon?" Ash asked.
"It is, he's well though he's much changed Ash."
"Changed?"
"What he's been through it's changed him, he's more outspoken more direct, but that's not even the most important thing."
"What?"
"He has a dragon Ash."
"What, a dragon, that's impossible." Allyria said excitedly.
"No it's not, I've seen it, seen him call it down and mount it before he rode off."
"He's gone?" Allyria said sadly.
"He said he'll be back within the moon, he's gone North Ash, gone to stop a war before it begins or to end one."
They spoke about him some more before they were joined unexpectedly by her brother and daughter, her nieces following behind as always.
"My sweet sister." Oberyn said kissing her cheek.
"Brother?" she raised an eyebrow looking at him.
Rhaenys kissed her cheek too before smiling at Allyria and Ashara and taking a seat, she watched as her brother spoke to Ash before he turned to speak to her.
"So what were you speaking of?" he asked looking at her.
"Oberyn you may be my brother but I'm your queen, you don't get to ask me that."
"So the bastard then."
"Oberyn." she said raising her voice.
"Were you speaking of him mother?" her daughter asked pointedly.
"I was speaking of your brother yes." she said and heard her daughters snort "He is your brother Rhae lest you forget and were it not for him you may not be speaking to your mother now." she said and was relieved to see some shame in her daughter's face.
"Where did he get a dragon?" Rhaenys said and Elia almost smiled at the put out way she said it.
"Who knows, only that he has one. You need to make peace with your brother more than ever now Rhae."
"Peace, I'll not make peace with him." Oberyn said and she shook her head.
"Careful brother, you don't want to go to war with a dragon."
"We killed one once." Nymeria said.
"We got lucky once." she said looking at both her brother and daughter.
"Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken." Obara said stepping forward and she watched as Oberyn smiled proudly.
"But not Unburnt." she said as the smile faded.
Aegon.
He rolled off the whore and stood up, taking a damp cloth he wiped her stain off his cock and drank the wine from the table. He had been rougher than normal, taking his anger out on the whore when it was his brother he had been mad at. Though he had not hurt her too badly he had left marks, his hand prints covered her arse where he'd spanked her heavily. Despite finding his release he felt no sense of peace, he poured another glass of wine and began dressing before throwing the gold dragon down more out of habit than remorse.
He knew that Joffrey would do far worse so he had saved the girl from that and she should be grateful she at least would walk tonight, her sister wouldn't for only a week if she was lucky. As for Gerold he almost smirked, apparently being humiliated by his brother had left him with a bit of performance anxiety. Something Theon teased him for knowing that Gerold couldn't harm him as he was, though it didn't take too long for the Darkstar to wipe the smile off the kraken's face.
" I find it amusing you can jest so, when you're people are so close to their doom."
" The North, you must be jesting. Not that we would invade such a paltry kingdom, but should we then they'd be not match for our might." Theon said laughing while caressing a whore's arse.
" He hasn't heard." the Darkstar said laughing humorously.
" Heard what?"
" The Dark Prince fancies himself a Kraken for supper my squid friend."
" What would I care what the bastard does." Theon laughed.
" You should be worried what his dragon might." the Darkstar said and Theon laughed only for him to realize no one else was.
Aegon couldn't help but laugh as he finished dressing, Theon was his friend but he was at times an insufferable prick, seeing him go pale had been fun though he hated it was his bastard brother who had caused it. Like everyone else he had been shocked to see a dragon land in the Dragonpit, to see his brother mount it had been almost too much. Bad enough he walked around in that Valyrian armor or that he carried those swords, where he hid them he had no idea though it was not for lack of trying, but now he had a dragon too.
He was the crown prince, the future king, all the treasures all the trappings of being a Targaryen where his by right and yet this bastard, this stain on his family was the one walking around with them. He felt his temper rise and only the scream of pain from the girl beside him made him realize he'd sat down and was squeezing her arse hard, he threw another dragon down and walked from the room.
"Loras come we need to go see Jon." Aegon said knowing Loras would be the only one available right now.
"At once my prince."
He along with Loras and Ser Daemon left the brothel and made their way back to the Red Keep, Jon would no doubt be with his father and so he'd need to wait but he needed to make some plans. The bastard being back was bad enough, but tale would spread of the dragon and should he help the North, his fame would only grow. He knew he should have sent men to intercept Stark, but he had counted on his brother being a hero, of him wanting to help, what he hadn't counted on was his father's interference nor a damn dragon.
Instead of the Tower of the Hand he headed for the Maester's quarter's, Marwyn would no doubt be like a giddy boy at the idea of dragons back in the realm, he would also be the best source for information. Surely his brother couldn't be the only dragonrider, surely a trueborn like him would bond better with a dragon, after all there was dragonblood on both sides of his line not filthy wolfsblood like the bastard.
"Head's up my prince." he heard Ser Daemon say and saw the eunuch walking towards him.
"My prince." Varys said with a nod.
"Lord Varys, I find it rather strange that the Master of Whisperers was unaware of a dragon.?"
"Little birds can be burned my prince, they know what to stay away from and so I heard no whispers." Varys said his face full of mock sadness.
"So you heard nothing on Daemon?"
"Not then my prince, though now it seems my birds sing many songs." Varys tittered.
"Such as?"
"Now my prince its your father I serve." he said scoldingly.
"Today my lord, today, but what of the morrow?" Aegon said and saw Varys smile.
"I have heard that the prince is fond of Lions my lord, a young lioness cub in particular."
"Myrcella what would he want with a simple girl like her?"
"I do not know my prince, only that they're friendly." Varys said "If you'll excuse me your father awaits."
He watched as the eunuch shuffled off, Myrcella Lannister, she was pretty enough he supposed, though she kept her legs far too tight together for his liking, still perhaps he needed to reacquaint himself with the young lady. Maybe he should have something before the bastard took that too, yes he'd invite her to dinner, dangle a betrothal and when the bastard came back he'd find his lioness had already been plucked.
Daenerys.
By the gods her brother was tiresome when he was in this type of mood, ranting and raving about how Daemon was not a true dragon, how he had stolen his birthright. She had to laugh at that one, how could he have stolen the dragon from Viserys when it was never his in the first place. One could not simply take a dragon, her reading had confirmed that to her, a dragon is not a slave, not a thing to be given, a dragon chooses its rider and this one had chosen her nephew.
"How did the bastard find an egg? I tell you it was mine, our brother hid it from me to give it to that wolfspawn."
"Daemon has been missing for years brother, when would Rhaegar have been able to gift him an egg?"
"They must have planned it, done it in secret, all to deny me, me a true dragon just like father."
She sighed, her brother could be sweet at times even if it was normally only to her, but he also had delusions, days when he felt he should be king and the world was out to get him, days when he forgot their father's madness. On days like those he would tell her that she didn't know father like he did, she hadn't been born yet, but he, he was to be father's heir, he was a true dragon. Usually once he got his cock wet from some whore or conquest he retreated from those thoughts, but the twins hadn't sated him and she was growing tired of his ranting.
"Enough, I've heard enough, you claim to be a dragon then be a dragon, stop whining Vis." she said loudly.
"I'm not whining." he whined.
"You are, you're not to be king, you know this, our brother is king. Would you depose our brother, would you become a kinslayer?" she said and watched as his shame rose to the surface.
"Dany, Dany, I'm sorry." he said and she walked to him and hugged him tight feeling him sob against her.
"I know brother."
"I just..I just. I want a dragon Dany." he said softly.
"I do too brother, I do too." she said meaning every single word.
With Viserys calm she helped him to his rooms and went to her own hoping the girl would be waiting. Dany had two real pleasures in life, one was corrupting innocent maidens and the other was finding a girl who felt the same. Some of these relationships fizzled out, but the one with Missandei had endured longer than any. As she entered the room she saw the dark skinned girl laying on the bed, her breathing making her firm breasts rise and fall and Dany felt the tingle between her legs.
Hours later she rolled out of bed, she was completely and thoroughly satisfied as she always was with Missandei, what that girl could do with her fingers should be illegal, what she could do with her tongue she was sure was. She called for a bath to be drawn and once it was she lay languorously in it, feeling the water casually caress her. How long she lay there for she did not know only that the water was cold when she got out.
"Come back to bed my princess." Missandei said and her eyes promised many things.
"Not right now my love, I've things I must do."
Her handmaiden's helped her dress and she walked with Ser Jonathor to the Maester's quarters, she and Marwyn shared some unique interests. Neither of them cared about ruling or the intricacies of court, oh they both could handle them but Dany had no desire to be a part of them. Her interests in their family strayed more to the magical and seeing Daemon riding that dragon had stirred them up. She was not surprised to find Marwyn awake, nor that he was studying his tomes and books relation to dragons and their riders.
"I expected you earlier?" he said as he walked into his room.
"I was busy." she said smirking as she remembered Missandei's moans.
"I had thought you'd be the first to seek my counsel, it seems your nephew beat you."
"And what did dear Aegon wish to be counseled on."
"The same as you my princess."
She sat with him for a number of hours, the knowledge though interesting as it spoke on how dragons bonded to a rider and would allow no other, something she bet really annoyed Aegon, wasn't very helpful. There was nothing about where to find an egg, even less about how to hatch one, it seemed she in the end was no closer than Aegon was. Marywin went to grab another tome and as he was gone she saw it, little notes and place names.
Winterfell.
Summerhall,
Dragonstone.
Castle Black
Night Fort.
Underneath them were more place names, though these had been scrubbed out but the writing was what caught her attention.
Possible location for dragon eggs.
Ned.
His banner men were baying for blood for moons and when the report came in suggesting that the raids were part of something far bigger he had no choice but to act. It was simply impossible to leave men everywhere on the coast, the temporary garrisons of men he'd put at Sea Dragon Point and the Stony Shore had stopped attacks there, but they'd just moved on. What was becoming as much of a problem was that he needed to feed those men, keep them supplied and that was proving costly.
It was when their food shipments from Essos began being threatened, when White Harbor's trade starting being vulnerable that he had made the decision it was to be war. Cat had left to go to her sister to try and bring the Vale on board, how he wished his foster father was still alive, not only could he use his help but his advice just as much. When the raven came saying the Vale wouldn't help he had no choice but to send to the crown for aid though it pained him to do so.
They had friends in the Riverlands but with House Darry as Lord Paramount, the aid they received was more in the form of supplies than men. House Mallister being a house who'd dealt with the Iron Born more than most was eager to help, Cat's family too had helped but House Tully was a shadow of its former glory. So as he sat in the Great Hall and listened to the griping of his Lords he had been stunned when the shouts of Dragon were heard.
"My lord a dragon's been spotted." Alyn said rushing in to shouts from all around him.
"Have you been drinking man, there are no more dragons." Lord Wyman said before Ned had a chance to.
"I speak the truth my lord, Lord Umber and Lord Jorah have taken some guards to find it."
"My nephew is with him?" Maege said jumping up.
"Get my horse ready, we'll go after them." Ned said.
"I think you should stay here my lord, should it be true we'll need you safe." Wyman said and Maege nodded changing any thought of him going.
"I'll go father." Robb said suddenly.
"No son, we'll wait the Greatjon will return he may spoil for a fight but even he won't go up against a dragon" Ned said and Maege chuckled.
It felt like an age before they arrived back and the man who walked with them wore the most incredible armor he had ever seen, if there were such a thing as dragons and dragonriders then this is how they'd look he thought. The man took off his helm and Ned looked as his face, his purple eyes were so dark they were almost black and he frowned as he looked at them, he had only ever seen eyes like those twice before, the man was a Targaryen.
""My sword, my dragon are yours to command Uncle." the man said as he took a knee and unsheathed his sword.
Uncle, it couldn't be, could it? He stared closer at the man and when he saw him smile he saw her, his sister, not in the smile itself but more in how his whole face seemed to burst into joy because of it. How he seemed to go from serious to happy instantaneously, something Lyanna was a master at. No matter how many times he japed with her she could hold her features steady before just bursting out laughing and how she looked when she did so her son had certainly inherited.
"Daemon?" he said softly.
"It is Uncle."
Ned jumped from his chair and ran towards his nephew bidding him to rise he grabbed him in an embrace, the first between them in seven and ten years, he was happy to feel himself being embraced just as warmly. As he broke from it he looked his nephew up and down more closely, the boy had grown into a fine young man, he was taller than him by half a head, stockier too though he didn't seem it given the height.
"Father?" he heard Robb from beside him.
"Robb this is your cousin, Prince Daemon." Ned said and watched as his son looked on in shock
"I thought he had died?" Robb said.
"I feel pretty good for a dead man." Daemon said and Ned laughed "Well met cousin." he said his hand out which Robb shook.
"How? Where were you?" Ned said and Daemon just shook his head.
"Stories for another day uncle, as I said I'm here to help, Benjen explained some of it but could you tell me the rest?"
"Benjen you saw him?"
"I did, he should be on his way back, we met in Kings Landing."
"My daughter is she safe?" Maege asked moving to him.
"Lady Dacey?"
"Aye."
"She is as far as I'm aware my lady. I left before them but told them to come back straight away, my uncle said he would so I've no doubt it's true." Daemon said and Ned saw the relief on Maege's face."
"When did you leave Kings Landing?" Wyman asked.
"This morning." Daemon said and Ned saw the questions his own included about to be asked "Dragons fly fast my lords."
"It's true then you have a dragon?" Maege asked.
"Aye it's true Maege big fucker it is too." the Greatjon said his voice booming.
"She." Daemon said seriously.
"Aye, she." the Greatjon said.
Daemon explained that he and the dragon had come to help, something the lords were overjoyed about, he felt the sense of relief inside himself then, a dragon, they had a dragon. He didn't even mind the lie when Daemon said it about his father, he knew he was speaking as a Prince of the realm then and as a son, but Ned knew the truth of it. Rhaegar had denied them aid, had Daemon not been there they'd have been left to face this alone, but with him on their side things would run far smoother. He was smiling and laughing with his nephew when Luwin came rushing in.
"My lord, a raven from Seagard." Luwin said and Ned could see the panic in his eyes, he grabbed the open scroll and almost collapsed to the ground, no, no it couldn't be.
"Father?"
"Uncle."
"Ned?"
The voices mingled and he couldn't differentiate one from another, all he could concentrate on was the scroll and what I said.
"Father Please?" he heard Robb say,
"They have your mother, they took my wife." he said loudly as the hall silenced.
Myrcella.
Her upset at prince Daemon's departure was both exasperated and relieved by the news they received when breaking their fast the next morning. She and her uncle Tyrion had been speaking on the dragon and what it had been like to see such a mythical thing up close when her mother arrived with a large smile on her face.
"Something's made you happy this morn sister?"
"It has, father is coming." her mother said.
"Grandfather is coming here?"
"He is, he's left the Rock already by now, should be here within the moon."
"He's riding here?" Tyrion asked.
"No he's coming by ship, he wishes to be here quicker, Jaime's coming with him." her mother said and Myrcella saw the reason for her mother's good mood.
"Uncle Jaime's really coming?" she asked excitedly.
"He is yes." her mother's smile beaming.
Myrcella was both wary at her grandfather's arrival and ecstatic at her uncles, Grandfather was coming for one reason and one reason only, a betrothal. While her mother had ambitions, her grandfathers' far outstripped them and sometimes to the cost of those he wished to use to further them. Her mother told her he had mellowed in this regard somewhat, but Myrcella knew he desired a royal match.
Joffrey had attempted to woo both princesses only for them to laugh to his face, something that Aegon had basically done to her too. But Daemon seemed different, he looked at her differently, there was desire there of that she was sure but it seemed more than that and when they spoke he actually listened to her. During their lunch Tyrion had asked him of his travels and Daemon while being vague had mentioned Asshai, when she had brought up the things she knew of the place he had been surprised and the smiles he gave her genuine.
Now though with her grandfather coming she feared his ambition would make Daemon think less of her, think her like all those other girls here, as someone grasping for a place at the royal table. She didn't want him to see her like that, to see her as ambitious and only interested in his name, her interest in him ran much deeper than that.
"Myrcella are you listening?"
"Sorry mother."
"I was saying Joff came by last night, apparently prince Aegon has invited you to sup with him and his family which I accepted on your behalf."
"What?" she said angrily.
"Myrcella he's a prince if he invites you must go my dear, no matter how unpleasant he or the evening is."
"You know why he's inviting me mother."
"I do."
"Very well, I'll go." she said sighing.
"I know it's not what you want my love, but he's a prince we cannot seem to be unwilling."
"I don't think you should go niece, I think you should play ill."
"Uncle?"
"Tyrion." her mother said shaking her head in annoyance.
"No listen sister we know why he's inviting her now, you may not have seen how he and Prince Daemon interacted but both Myrcella and I did, the brothers do not like each other."
"I know that Tyrion."
"But it's more than that sister. Aegon will try and take whatever Daemon has, if he thinks Daemon is interested in Myrcella.."
"You think he'd force himself on her, on my daughter." her mother said almost shouting as her anger rose.
"No, I don't think even he's stupid enough for that, but he may seek a way to either dishonor her publicly or just to do so in his brother's eyes."
"You think Daemon would take it badly if she supped with him?" her mother asked.
"I do sister." her uncle said and her mother nodded.
"You do actually look quite ill my love." her mother said with a smile as she got up to send a message declining the invite.
"Do you really believe Aegon would go so far uncle?"
"What? oh I've no idea, most of that I just made up." her uncle said laughing as he took a drink.
"Uncle?"
"Well my niece didn't want to sup with the boy, so what are uncles for." he said and she got up to kiss his cheek.
"Thank you uncle."
Thoros.
He had been sober for three days and was feeling more like his old self again, he had trained regularly once the shaking of his hands had stopped, was eating three meals a day and doing his best to build his strength up. His prince had ordered him to and so he would do it, he would be ready for him upon his return, ready to take up his rightful place by his side. For three years he had been lied to, he had lost his faith and he still found it hard to trust himself, his fellow priests and even his god.
"Why did you forsake me R'hllor?" he said looking into the flames "Why did you let me believe he was dead?"
He would kill Benerro when next they met, he had vowed it the morning after seeing the prince, the high priest had no doubt been behind it, jealous that not only was it Thoros who had found the prince, but that they had grown so close. Daemon listened to Thoros because he never lied to him, never tried to use him for his own gain, Thoros was a servant of R'hllor and Daemon was his chosen, something Benerro had taken issue with and obviously schemed to use to his advantage.
So rather than continue his journeys with the prince it was to here he had been sent. His mission was to convert the Westerosi and he had failed, then to add to that failure the news came of the prince's fall. He had searched the flames and found nothing to contradict it, no sign that the news was false and it had broken him, he had wept not just for the prophecy being a lie but for the loss of the boy he met so long ago.
Volantis eight years earlier.
"What is your name boy?" the guard asked the small dark haired boy.
"Daemon."
"Daemon what boy?"
"Daemon Ta… Daemon Snow."
"You're a bad liar boy, you'll not last long in this town."
"Let him be Jared." Thoros said seeing the guard with the boy.
"Thoros, I'm sorry I was unaware you were back." Jared said his voice shaky.
"Who is the boy Jared?"
"A stowaway Thoros."
"Is that it, are you a stowaway boy?"
"I was looking for my grandmother my lord."
"Ha, not a lord just a priest, well let me help then where did you lose her?" Thoros said with a chuckle.
"She was going to Dorne."
"We're a long way from Dorne boy." he shook his head.
"Daemon." the boy said
"Well Daemon, my name is Thoros, come we'll get you fed at least."
"Thank you Thoros."
"Don't mention it." he said with a smile before leaning in to whisper to the boy his voice full of mirth "Seriously don't mention it, I have a reputation to uphold." the boy started laughing as they walked away.
Kings landing now.
As he stared into the flames he smiled thinking back, he had meant to feed the boy and let him on his way, but the boy had nowhere to go and so he had brought him back to the temple. While there he had the vision that changed his life, a path which led to strange lands and adventures, they had traveled extensively and he had trained the boy himself. He had seen him do things no one should be able to and when he woke the dragon from stone, Thoros had pledged his life to him.
Over the five years that they spent together and in the three they'd been apart, Thoros had come to think of the boy as more than just the answer his god had sent to their prayers, more than just the culmination of a prophecy. Daemon was more than just his prince, he was as close to a son as he would ever have, as he drank the water and looked into the flames, he hoped his son would return soon.
Daemon.
Seeing how broken his uncle was at the news had affected him greatly, he had tried his best to offer comfort but it was his children he needed and not his nephew. The other lords had ranted and raved and threatened retribution but Daemon knew such threats were empty, they needed more direct and immediate action so Daemon had left the Great Hall and asked to be shown to a quiet room with a fire. Once he was alone there he knelt down and stared into the flames, Thoros and others had shown him how their visions worked, but his own were different.
As he cut his hand and let the blood drip into the flames he remembered what Melisandre had told him.
" There's power in kings blood my prince, and more in yours than any, for you are his chosen."
So he looked and he waited and R'hllor rewarded his patience.
The woman was dragged by a large man in grey towards a boat, they were on an abandoned strip of coastline and they rowed to the ship anchored just off it. More and more men in grey laughed at the woman's screams as her clothes were torn from her back, she was pushed and fell to the ground and then she was dragged by the hair before being locked in a damp cell beneath the deck. The man grinned at her and held his hand to his crotch moving it suggestively while licking his lips, the ship sailed west and he saw the grey islands come into view, the ship docking away from the others at a quiet small cove.
Daemon jumped up, he needed to speak to his uncle, he ran from the room and went in search of him finding a guard who eventually took him to a room where he could hear sobbing. He entered and found his uncle and Robb along with a red headed girl, a dark haired girl and two younger boys both with the same auburn hair as Robb. What surprised him even more were the wolves in the room. Scattered around menacingly and yet none of the five wolves moved a muscle at his prescience.
"Uncle, the raven who was it from?" he asked to silence "Please uncle it's important?"
"I… I can't. I don't remember." his uncle said.
"It was Lord Mallister cousin why?"
"Seagard, is there a map anywhere?"
"I have one" the oldest of the two younger boys said.
"Bran go get it." Robb said.
Daemon waited, the red haired girl was holding her father her eyes were tear filled while the dark haired girl was doing the same but she seemed more angry than upset, good anger was good, anger when directed at those who deserved it was righteous. The boy came back and Daemon looked at the map, Seagard to the Iron Islands wasn't that far, he closed his eyes and called for Lyanax, his dragon was close, good, they hadn't much time.
"I'll be back on the morrow." Daemon said turning to leave.
"Where are you going?" Robb said.
"To rescue my aunt."
He walked outside and asked for a horse his cousin following behind him, he tried to talk his cousin out of riding with him, but he and his guards insisted so he allowed it, but asked they stay at the base of the hill. When they arrived Robb almost demanded he take him with him, if he was going after his mother than he needed to be there too, she didn't know him so why should she trust him?.
"Lyanax won't allow you ride her Robb." he lied.
"I… here. Give her this, she made it for me she'll know it was me who sent it." Robb said handing him a small handkerchief with a grey wolf motif.
"I will. She's here." Daemon said smiling as he felt her presences.
"Where I don't see… oh by the gods its true that's a dragon."
"She is. I'll be back on the morrow look after your father and the lords until then, you have to be the lord now Robb."
"Aye I will, bring her back, please."
"I will, either both of us or none of us." he said and his cousin nodded.
He mounted Lyanax and they took off, she flew high and fast and he felt her excitement, his dragon loved pleasure rides as much as he did. When they were on a mission, when they were doing something important though she fed off his excitement as much as he did hers, their bond making them both stronger for it. It didn't take them too long to reach the cove and he saw the ship below him, looking through Lyanax's eyes he saw that the ship was full of men.
Landing down on the ground behind the hill he stayed on his dragons back as he closed his eyes and went looking, finding what he needed very quickly. For the next hour the rat covered practically the whole ship, ten and seven he counted, far too many for a full frontal assault, he could probably take them but he couldn't risk his aunt, they'd kill her before he got to her.
He climbed off Lyanax and leant against her back, taking the chain off he cut his hand once again and allowed the ruby soak up the blood, it would need more so he allowed it to flow. When he felt the pulsing was steady he began to chant.
"Hen hen bantis nyke brōzagon ao, hen ezīmagon se ōños ao māzigon. Syt Bantis zōbrie issa se ossȳngnoti lēdys." (Out of the night I call you, out into the light you come. For the night is dark and full of terrors).
He was on the ship then, everywhere and nowhere, stepping from the shadows on deck, below deck, at the cells, in the room where they drank, he was one, he was seven and there would be blood spilled this night.
"Did you see that Argghhhh" the man gurgled as a blade came through his throat his two companions on deck didn't have a chance to speak as a black shadow was upon them, the first lost his head, the second felt his stomach open up, both were dead as they fell to the deck of the ship.
Four men sat around laughing and drinking their last drinks though none of them knew it, when the shadow came towards them only one had time to draw his sword and react as one by one his three companions fell. He swung his sword only to find to his horror that steel passed shadow, as he raised it again he cried out as felt himself be impaled on what felt like a spear.
Two men slept and dreamt of salt wives and the taste of northern women, it would be a pleasant dream but they'd not awake to see it to fruition. The shadow axe instead taking their heads one by one.
Daras moved towards the woman tied to the bed a maid who was not long for the word, she'd been beaten and was breathing her last though he cared not, she was still warm. Suddenly he was against the wall the hand around his throat began to crush his windpipe, he was naked and tried to fight whatever this thing was, he looked to the bed to see the maid smile as the knife unmanned him and then they both breathed their last.
Three men rushed to the sound of a scream, two of them held swords while the other carried an axe, they saw the shadow in front of them kneeling down and they heard the whoosh of air as the arrows hit. One after another they fell, two hit in the heart, the other in the eye, all dead within moments of each other.
They hid like cowards in the bowels of the ship, they were young though far from innocent, they'd committed their own share of crimes while reaving. They saw it carrying a greatsword, it's form almost too big for the room they hid in. they quietened their breathing hoping it would let them be, it was a forlorn one though as it turned and gazed upon them. The greatsword shouldn't be able to be maneuvered in such a small space he thought but shadows bend and he saw it cut Bars in half before it impaled him lifting him from the ground, his eyes closed as he was thrown against his friends legs, the top half of Bars body over at the other side of the small room.
He held up his cudgel, looking to the body to his right, the daggers had been quick and Fat Orwys had no chance, but he was made of sterner stuff, he was a reaver for forty years. He had earned the drowned gods favor with all the offerings he'd made, he was chosen.
"I'll send you to meet my god demon." he shouted as he ran at the shadow, but he was wrong for there were no gods here, only monsters.
Daemon opened his eyes the pulsing had stopped it was done, he climbed on Lyanax and flew to the ship. Climbing off his dragon he walked the gangplank to see the chaos he had unleashed. The blood was everywhere and yet he felt no shame, no remorse, not one of these men were innocent and the suffering they'd inflicted was at an end now. He walked down below deck, checking for survivors before he made it to his aunt.
The maid had died and he covered her as best he could, he made it to the cells, his aunt was the only prisoner and she huddled naked against wall, he walked to the man with the cudgel, putting his hands in the blood-soaked clothes he found the keys and opened the cell. She squirmed away from him and he began to speak as softly as he could, there was no point telling her who he was if anything it may make her more wary.
"Lady Catelyn, I've come to take you home, to Ned, to Robb and Bran. My lady I swear it I'm here to help, please we must leave."
She looked at him before turning back to the wall, her eyes almost hopeful yet so full of fear that he knew she would not believe him.
"My lady, Robb he gave me this, said you made it for him." he said handing her the handkerchief, she took it and cried as she looked at it.
"Robb. My son, is he safe, have you harmed him?"
"My lady I swear it on the old gods and the new, I'm here to help, please we must leave."
She shivered then as she nodded before realizing she was naked, Daemon took off his cloak and she wrapped it around her shoulders, protecting her modesty if nothing else and he cursed himself for not bring her a change of clothing. He told her to close her eyes so as not to see the bodies, but it seemed she wished to and so he led her onto the deck, he called for Lyanax who he was surprised to see wasn't waiting for him.
"Where do you think you're going with my prize boy." he heard a voice say and looked to see five men one of whom was wearing an eye patch on the deck in front of him.
"You should leave now while you still can." Daemon said.
"Leave, I'm the Crow's Eye boy, people run from me not the other way around." he said laughing though the others with him didn't make a sound
He felt his aunt move behind him, he could feel her fear, he looked again to the man in front of him he had a Valyrian armor breastplate on him and Daemon could see the sword was special too a lions head pommel interesting him.
"I thought I was the only one with armor like this, it seems today I get a full set."
"Do you believe in the gods?" Daemon asked,
"You're speaking to a god boy, Euron Greyjoy the greatest of all the gods."
"Hmm, looks like I'm going to kill a god then." Daemon said with a smirk.
Quick like a shadow from a fading sun
Fierce like a Dothraki charge
Sharp like a scorpions tail
Resolute like an unsullied spear
Lethal as a dragons flame.
He drew his swords as he whispered the words, the first man he took with his long blade before spinning and taking the second with the shorter one, the third and fourth he took together each getting a blade in the stomach, he ripped upwards and as he pulled the blades out their insides came too. Turning he faced the Crow's Eye, the man stood holding a Valyrian steel greatsword in his hands, he moved towards him as he brought the sword down upon where he'd just been standing and with his longer blade he removed his hands, hearing the man scream as the sword crashed to the deck.
He smacked his head against Euron's face feeling the bones break and watched as he lapsed into unconsciousness, his aunt he could see breathing a sigh of relief. Daemon bent down and grabbed the sword, before removing the breast plate, there were far better men than he who deserved it. He helped his aunt off the ship and Lyanax arrived a moment later, he told her she had nothing to fear and she nodded as he helped her up on his dragon.
"You're leaving him alive." his aunt said and Daemon just smiled taking off he looked down at the boat were Euron was just stumbling to his feet.
"Dracarys." he said and Lyanax covered the boat in flames.
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