Chapter 4. Life and Death

Grey Worm faced off against his mentor, his father figure, his master. Both men are armed with twin practice swords. Grey Worm is now sixteen and has mastered hand to hand combat, the bow and arrow, crossbow, quarterstaff, spear, daggers, and the sword. He also was a master of unarmed combat. Grey could speak Dothraki, old Volyrian, Qartheen, and Summeri.

Grey Worm and Heim stalked each other both mentally calculating the best way to gain the upper hand. Grey Worm makes the first move striking with his left hand. Heim counters and thrusts with his left which is blocked. The two dance around each other and lock swords. Heim shoves Grey Worm to the ground, but he leaps back up from his back and performs a windmill attack. Heim counters attacking high with his left and low with right. Grey flips his right sword pummel out and blade pointing inward. Heim uses the opportunity to disarm the right hand. Grey Worm swings his left towards Heim's right rib section and switches sword hands before Heim can block. He throws the left sword into his right hand and quick as lighting brings the sword to Heim's neck.

"Dead!" Grey Worm declares smiling. Both are breathing heavy and are very sweaty.

"Well done! But don't get cocky…" Heim replies ruffling his hair.

They both wipe the sweat from their bodies, "What is it like?" Grey Worm asks.

"What?"

"What is it like killing someone?"

They sit on a wooden bench, "Depends on the person. Some like to kill for sport…Others take pleasure in it…Most kill to survive especially in war or the fighting pits…the arena of Mereen…"

"How many wars have you been in?"

"Too many to count…Come I have a surprise for you…"

Grey Worm follows Heim to the forge where Musar the house blacksmith is finishing up armor for Grey Worm. His chest and abdomen are covered, his right arm with chain mail. Grieves protect forearm and lower legs. Chain mail protects his legs. A worm with two swords crossing behind it is etched on the chest area.

"Well don't you look bad ass…" She pulls Heim on the side and whispers to him.

Meanwhile Grey Worm runs off to show Gizelle. She walks around him touching his chest his back and stops to stare into his brown eyes. "You look decent…" She says flirtatiously.

"And you look beautiful as always…" She blushes and turns to walk away, but he grabs her wrist, "Wait…I…that day I was whipped I wanted to say…I have always wanted to say that I love you…" A single tear falls down her cheek then she kisses Grey Worm on the lips, both the same height of five feet eleven inches. Then she runs of smiling leaving Grey Worm alone.

The next day Grey Worm is in the stables preparing horses for his Heim, Loen, and five house guards. "Please take Grey Worm with you!" Grey Worm turns his head to see Mandely in tears. He listens to the drama as he works.

"Why?"

"Because he is the best swordsman in the house…No offence Loen…"

"None taken…" Loen places a hand on Heim's shoulder, "My friend, never ignore a woman's intuition…Bring Grey Worm…"

"Look the two of you worried for nothing…It's a public place what could happen…"

"What if they hired the faceless men?" Mandely asks.

"You forget I have trained faceless men before and I have friends in the house of black and white…They would never accept a death contract against me…" He kisses Mandely and mounts his horse. Then Mandely and Grey Worm watch as he leaves.

"Grey Worm." She looks at him, "Have I ever asked you for anything?"

"No!"

"I am asking now…Go with them and watch his back…"

Grey Worm kisses her on the cheek and takes his horse riding bareback. He follows Heim through the city at a safe distance. After a mile and half an old woman steps into the path causing his horse to rear. Grey dismounts his horse and when he walks up to the woman he gasps because her eyes are white like snow.

"A great and many terrible things you will suffer Grey Worm…" The old woman says before he can speak. "Fall you shall and far…only to rise high…King they will call you…Your enemies shall call you King your allies will follow you into the seven hells…Many wars shall you fight…And true peace shall you bring to the Free Cities …"

The old woman starts to walk away, "Who are you?"

She keeps walking away, "Your master is in the skylight tavern a trap he walks into…" She yells without looking back. Grey worm mounts his horse and rides off. He had seen the skylight tavern before and gallops through the streets to save his master.

Heim

Slaves are not allowed in the skylight tavern named so because the ceiling could be pulled back to the open sky. When Heim enters the Tavern there are a few people inside, unusual because the Tavern is using bustling this time of day. "I don't like this." Loen says his eyes flying from one man to the next.

They walk up to a table where a hooded man is sitting, "Adnan…" Adnan is the brother of the man Heim fought in a duel over his wife. The Haczaar family wanted Heim to give them Azheme and make him apart of their family. Adnan remained silent, "Enough with the dramatics you called this meeting what do you want?" Heim asked at the point of yelling.

The hooded Adnan stands up, "You are not Adnan!" Heim says looking under his hood.

"Master Barak sends his regards!" Barak is the man whose son was attacked at Azheme's fifteenth name day four years ago. The hooded man draws a crossbow from beneath his robes. He fires point blank into Heim's face, but Heim shocks the man and snatches the projectile out of the air then he slams the arrow into the hooded man's throat.

"Return my regards from hell…" Heim replies as blood gushes from the mouth and throat of the shocked man. The other patrons in the tavern rise drawing their weapons from hidden places.

"MASTER!" Grey Worm screams swinging down from the roof into the Tavern. He beheads a man as he lands and kicks a second in the chest. That is when the others break into action. Loen disembowels two men with one swing. Meanwhile Heim spins from one direction to the next batting arrows out of the air. Some are cut in half others slapped to the floor. He finally grabs a man and uses him as a human shield.

Grey Worm is about to attack a man on Loen's left, but he is caught around the throat by a whip. He gags struggling for air then he rolls backwards and lands on one knee stabbing both swords over his head impaling the man. Then he throws his right sword at the man. Loen leans to the side and the man is struck in the chest. Loen salutes Grey Worm, who gets to his feet and slashes the neck of the man in front of him.

An hour later it is over the proprietor had been tied up and placed in the cellar. City militia shows up and collects statements. Both the houses of Ism and Dabal have to pay fines to Heim. When Heim returns home Mandely runs into his arms and kisses him passionately. Later after getting settled Heim makes his way to Grey Worm's room. He is on his cot staring out the window.

"How do you feel?" Heim asks.

Grey Worm shows Heim his shaking hand, "I…It was…"

Heim sits down next to Grey, "I know…It was worse for me the first time I took a life…I actually vomited…"

"Well…I didn't vomit…"

"Oh really…" Heim says grabbing Grey Worm's head and ruffling his hair. "Come with me…" They walk to his study and Heim pours Grey Worm a cup of wine…drink it will relax you…" they sit in silence for a few minutes. "You saved my life…" Heim says breaking the silence…" Out of the six men he bought with him only Loen and one other survived. "If you had your freedom…what would you do with it?"

Grey Worm smiles, "Maybe become a sell sword save my gold and buy my mother's freedom and Gizelle's move to Braavos maybe…"

Heim nods, "You are a fine young man Grey Worm…any father would be proud of you…"

'"You are my father sir…" The two just sit and enjoy each other's company.