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207 AC
Volantis
Aerion Targaryen
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"So things are at a stalemate as they stand." Looking over a map of the city of Volantis as I lean over a table I frown.
Not because of the state of the 'war' but because of the 'Goddess' sitting not far from where I am standing. It is one thing to hear my crazy red priestess speak about my Son marrying a divine being and another to actually lay eyes on her. I think everyone was a little thrown off and also a little proud of him... but mostly we are all heavily confused.
Why?
I have no doubt she is who she says she is, just meeting her gaze was enough for me to 'feel' the truth.
But why the hell did she marry my Son?!
I might have a pretty good idea... but that scenario hurts my head even more to think about so instead of confronting the reality of a God sitting in the room I will instead focus on taking this city.
Volantis is where I planned to rule from for the foreseeable future until either we could find a way to settle a part of Valyria or maybe build something somewhere else. This city is not in a bad position with having access to the Sea and the Rhoyne river, it also has two connections to the 'Dragon Roads' of old.
It's not a bad city to settle the new throne in... but I like to keep my options open.
That and this place smells worse than Kingslanding which is an accomplishment if I have to be honest, it's so bad the dragons looked a bit sick when we landed.
"Father?" I shake off the thoughts and turn to lock eyes with Gaemon who shrinks a little as I narrow my eyes at him.
Lucky fucker.
After this meeting, I need to gather 'the boys' and call dibs on the next Goddess.
I won't be able to rest easy until I do.
"We won't burn them out, they only have a third of the Tiger Cloaks and a few hundred Unsullied. I hate to say it but it would be far better to fight them without the dragons destroying this particular city." I still plan to blow the gates off the Ringed black wall that has stood since Old Valyria built them, taking the gates without the dragons would require a blood bath.
Unless I end up deciding to rule from the Red Temple which is three times the size of the Great Sept of Baelor, I will need the inside of those black walls intact.
I will purge the Old Valyrian blooded 'Tigers' and 'Elephants' but those not of the old blood are of no concern to me. Once they are wiped out no one has a better claim to this city than House Targaryen, not only are we the Blood of Old Valyria but we also have the blood of the dragon.
My New Valyria will officially be born from the first Daughter of Old Valyria.
It's quite fitting if I do say so myself.
"The Fiery Hand are eager to show their skill, if you would allow them of course." Turning to look at the High Priest of Volantis, a dark-skinned man of skin and bones who looks like a breeze could kill him if it blew the wrong way.
I am just glad they stopped trying to kiss my feet after I made it into the temple thanks to this guy. However, I can see the same fanaticism in his eyes that I find in Melisandre's which both puts me at ease and worries me.
I do not fear betrayal from him and his men, I am ready for it but I do not think it will happen.
If even half of what Melisandre said comes to pass... well there would be nothing for me to fear from those worshiping 'R'hllor'.
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207 AC
Volantis
Gaemon Targaryen
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"Sit boy." I scrunch my nose and with a heavy sigh sit across from my Kepa and Muna... and Muna Mya.
I am just glad only half of my Muna's are here, only my Wife knows what would happen to me if they were all here. That and my niece is distracting quite a few people, I will buy that little fat-cheeked baby a present for her assistance.
"I just want to start off by saying I regret nothing." It's hard to have any regrets waking up next to a Goddess.
Not that anyone living but me would understand that.
"Good, if you regretted it I would have to tan your ass for not only getting married without my knowledge but also for playing with a 'Goddesses' heart." My birth Muna quickly speaks up with her face going a bit red and her fists clenching. "Do you know how much I looked forward to seeing my children wed?" I purse my lips and stay silent knowing if she doesn't get this off her chest she will likely put a 'potion' in my drink later.
"I don't." I shake my head after letting her question hang in the air for a moment. "We have not had a public ceremony and plan to do so with the whole family present." Muna Mya nods in approval with a small smile and I feel hope light up in my chest.
"Will I even get Grandchildren from you now?" I quickly look back toward my fuming Muna and find her looking deathly serious at me after that question.
"Of course." I want children, why would she think I suddenly won't have any because I married a Go- oh.
Will I have children?
I haven't actually brought it up with my Wife... but she is called the 'Mother' Rhoyne so surely she would not mind the idea.
Right?
"Shiera." My Kepa sighs and shakes his head. "We don't know enough about our new 'Good Daughter' to assume anything... so maybe ease up a bit." I nod slowly agreeing with my Kepa's words even as he earns himself an unamused look because of his words.
"What happened to all the anger you had?" I keep nodding along with that question as now that we are sitting here it seems that he is not all that mad.
Will I live?
Is there hope!?
If he does kill me at least we are at the Red Temple, I might get brought back with the Last Kiss... if not maybe my Wife will save my soul or something.
Gods can do that... right?
"Oh I am frustrated,-" My heart sinks. "-just not with either of them, they are free to do what they want." Huh?
I watch as my Kepa bounces his head from side to side.
"I am mostly frustrated because I know this will lead to future problems with people making backroom plans involving Gaemon." Purple eyes lock with my own and a tired smile stretches across his face. "Lots of people will focus on Gaemon in the future and I am having to come up with all new plans... plans that might be thrown out if Melisandre is right about the future." The Red Witch?
"What did she say?" I can't help but ask, it's odd seeing my Kepa actually put some real consideration into the words of the red woman.
She has been around for a while but I have never seen him really listen to her ramblings.
"Well-" I find myself holding my breath as I turn to look at the fireplace that my Kepa turned to look at. "-lets just say that your Wife won't be the only God in the family if things go the way the crazy woman says they will." Turning back to look at my Kepa in confusion I find him absent-mindedly running a hand through Muna Mya's hair as he looks into the flames with uncertainty.
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207 AC
Volantis
Belian Steanon
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"They are bigger than I thought they would be." I mutter as I lean on the balcony looking out from the highest tower toward the Red Temple.
Dragons.
I saw them once when I was at a tourney in Westeros, I was making a trade deal with some Riverland Lords. I saw the silver one when it was only a third of the size it is now, to see its great growth over the years I can't help but worry.
I didn't believe a word that came down the Rhoyne, I thought it was madness.
But now I am forced to see the truth.
The Targaryens are conquering Essos.
The Dragon Lords are returning home to their ancestral lands... or at least however close they dare to approach the smoking corpse of Old Valyria.
How are we going to face them?
The first I heard of them arriving in Essos was almost five moons ago but they have likely been here for a few more than that. Pentos bent the knee and if word is to be believed then also Braavos did as well which makes no sense to me.
Well... they are the 'Breakers of Chains' as far as I have heard... so maybe Braavos is supporting them to put an end to slavery?
Braavos is run by the Iron Bank, not the Sealord, and the bank funds the Faceless men who are the real danger of the 'hidden' city. The Iron Bank will thrive in a united Essos where there are no open conflicts, they likely are already joined in hands with the Dragon Lords. Thinking of this only makes me feel more hopeless as even if I had the coin and the time to send for a Faceless man to come and kill Aerion the 'Emperor'... they likely would not accept the contract.
The greatest defense we had was our Scorpions which took down a Targaryen dragon in Dorne.
But when more than half of the Tiger Cloaks revolted and went to support the Targaryens more than a month ago they burned them. They torched as much of the food stores inside of the black walls as they could as well, then put the black walls under 'siege'.
No one in and no one out.
They won't let us out to get food or surrender.
We won't let anyone in to even give terms of surrender.
The damnable Tiger party is killing us with their aggression, they killed the Red Priest who came to speak to our Triarchs. They would rather burn to ash with swords in hand than surrender and let the Targaryens take the city.
Which they will do anyway, it's only a matter of time at this point.
They have their own men and the majority of the slave soldiers who revolted.
A single dragon could also attack at night and we would burn or choke on the smoke.
The only chance of survival is to escape and surrender... and pray they are kind enough to spare our lives.
Thanks for reading!!!
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207 AC
Volantis
Aerion Targaryen
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"I was wondering when we would speak with one another." The Mother Rhoyne herself titters as she sits down across from me in the large 'office' I have been provided in the Red Temple.
"Good-Daughter." I purse my lips as she smiles and once more I find myself 'feeling' the strangeness around her that practically screams at me I am in the presence of a higher power.
"Good-Father." She responds playfully while crossing one tanned leg over the other.
There is so much I want to ask her.
Where to start?
"Why did you marry my Son?" Probably the most important question if I am being honest.
I need to know her goal.
Why Gaemon?
"It is meant to be." She smiles and I almost groan seeing how this might be going.
"Could you not be cryptic and just give me a straight answer." I have enough problems knocking around in my head, I don't need a Goddess plotting under my nose.
She tilts her head and smiles lightly, my skin feels as if it's being covered in ants as my instincts tell me to escape.
"Gaemon is meant to be my Husband and I am meant to be his Wife, it is as simple as that." The feeling fades and I rub my arm where some goosebumps formed.
Is this how people feel when I show up with dragons at their city?
That they are opposing something they can hardly even understand let alone combat.
It makes me feel small.
I hate feeling small.
I nod my head slowly while gathering up my courage.
"What is your plan here?" She tilts her head. "I want to know what game you are playing, you are likely countless years old and there are no records or even stories of you marrying before. I highly doubt you just woke up on a different side of the bed and decided you wanted to try out marriage." She remains silent as she straightens her head back upright and looks thoughtfully at me.
"Do you know how a God dies?" I blink in confusion while she shakes her head. "Likely not... or I would not have to explain this." She sighs and slumps a bit in the chair looking far more casual all of a sudden.
"You are dying?" I guess and she frowns.
"No." She shakes her head slowly. "I am not dying... but I could." Leaning forward I set my elbows on the desk and lace my fingers together to rest my chin on.
"Oh?" She snorts and rolls her eyes.
"Not by your hand, at least not without a lot of effort on your part." I wasn't really thinking about killing her, but I would not turn down the 'method' to kill a God.
"How could I hurt my own family?" I smile and she deadpans making me feel a bit awkward.
Does she think I actually want to kill her?
"There are those on the Greenblood in Dorne who still worship me... I have heard their prayers about you." I raise a brow before a pit forms in my stomach. "A 'Family member' of yours happened to pray quite often about you... so forgive me if I have reservations about you staying your hand from someone in your family who is not blood-related." I have a good idea who was the one praying.
That... is kind of true.
She is no direct kin of mine and I would have little problem killing her if I had the chance.
Not that I would want to or have a desire to.
"I see..." Shaking my head I meet eyes with the River Goddess. "You are the one who brought it up, what for if not to tell me?" Why ask if I knew how a God dies if she won't tell me how one dies?
"Gods are much like other living beings I suppose... we die when we are forgotten." My eyes widen and I immediately understand why she said I could not kill her with my own hand.
It would take a lot of effort to purge all knowledge about her from both memory and written text. More effort than I likely have time to give if things don't work out with how things are shaping up.
"This has something to do with marrying my Son?" I have a few guesses but they leave me with uncertainty if any of them are right.
"It does." She nods before looking around the room absent-mindedly. "Gaemon would have replaced me if I had not become his Wife, now he won't and instead he will find another position to take." I frown and she snorts as she looks back toward me, amusement dancing in her eyes. "Marrying your Son was the simplest option to keep my own life and even gain more power in time, I won't hide or lie about that fact. But I also love your Son and will continue to do so for as long as I may yet live, it might not be easy to believe but it is the truth." Oh God, this is getting more complicated.
You know what?
I think I am happy I am not the one the Goddess jumped onto and married.
If I want to have a divine Wife I will just make one of my current Wives a Goddess, it seems far easier at this point.
"I will believe you for now." A smile graces her face and she relaxes even more seemingly believing me. "Alright let's move onto my next issue-" She smiles even wider and I feel a chill down my back. "-got any recommendations for me with this whole 'Son mantling the Father' prophecy I got going on currently?" Boy oh boy do I hope she has some hints.
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207 AC
Volantis
Daenerys Targaryen
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""Land!"" Not that I need to tell Drogon, he sees Moonfyre and is more than eager to reunite with his mate.
I share the sentiment, though it was a bit hasty and I feel I will have to likely return to Meereen before I would have liked after leaving. But Aerion sent word with Aemon that we are all needed at Volantis for some kind of 'ceremony' that would be best if done sooner rather than later.
I wish I knew what that actually meant.
But I will find out soon.
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"Danny." Aerion smiles wide as I enter a large room with no one in it but my Husband and he is surrounded by books and sheets of parchment.
"What is going on?" I raise a brow looking around at all of the things he has collected in this room.
Most of them look old.
Aerion's hands grab both sides of my head before his lips seal my own stopping any further questions. I wrap my arms around his neck enjoying his presence once more by my side, the separation was not as long as I thought it would be but it was more miserable than I could have ever imagined.
"You are early." He speaks up after breaking the kiss and placing his forehead against my own.
"You said we needed to all be here, I packed everyone up and had us fly over after making sure the council of Meereen where informed of our absence and ready to bear the burden of ruling for a time." He nods before kissing me once more but before I can enjoy myself he pulls back and moves my arms.
"We have... a lot to talk about." I raise a brow as he gestures for me to follow behind him and I do with an odd feeling in my gut.
"What about?" This... seems strange.
"Prophecy and Gods and-" He turns on his heels and holds up a hand silencing me as I look at him strangely. "-have you met Gaemon's Wife yet?" I shake my head and a smile appears on his face. "That comes first so you won't think I am crazy... which you might already be doing." Shaking his head he grabs my hand and tugs me toward the door. "Let me introduce you to the 'Great' Mother Rhoyne and then we can talk about the ascension." I shake my head feeling a pounding headache.
I leave for a short time and everything goes crazy.
I will need to have a word with Shiera, she was supposed to keep his belly full and his balls empty so he would not get up to anything too crazy.
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Looking at my supposed 'Good-Daughter' I feel even tenser than before.
Aerion might not have gone crazy.
I am not sure if that is a good thing or not while looking at the Goddess of the Rhoyne River.
Oh how much simpler it would have been to drag my Husband out of a manic state.
"Can we start from the beginning?" I ask while shaking my head.
My odd stirring emotions settle a bit as I look down in my arms at my Granddaughter who is sleeping and possibly the most precious baby I have ever seen. This I was expecting, Aemon told me about Aeria and I was looking forward to holding her for the first time. My heart aches knowing I missed my Daughter giving birth for the first time but I will be there for every other birth to make up for it.
This I swear.
"Long story short it started with a vision in the flames that pretty much told the story of me taking R'hllor's place as the Lord of Light and Life." Aerion cuts straight to the point making me sigh in frustration at the lack of details.
Maybe splitting up was a bad idea, I captured the Bay but at what cost?
My family seemingly flipped over and went a bit insane and I missed a new life coming into the world.
"Aerion." Shiera nudges his side and Aerion purses his lips.
"Fine, I will tell the whole story but I hope you are listening carefully because it gets confusing the more I explain." I slowly nod while rubbing my cheek on my granddaughter's soft forehead.
This is not how I imagined my first experience holding a Grandchild would go.
But... I would be lying if I said this was not one of the best moments of my life.
"Sweet baby." I kiss Aeria on the head and she lightly gurgles in response bringing warmth and joy to my heart.
Warmth and joy I hope will carry me through the no doubt madness-filled story my Husband is about to tell.
We shall see.
Thanks for reading!!!