Four months after Jaime Lannister's dismissal. King's Landing. Red Keep.
Miriel and Daemon sat in the Godswood, where they were going over the last week's material, repeating and rehearsing what Daemon had already learned. As he had always done, Daemon recalled and repeated everything that was taught to him without any difficulty or problem, as he had a perfect memory and could memorize even slightest of things and recall even after a long time. However, unlike in the past, today Miriel noticed that just like for last few months, Daemon was not as enthusiastic or passionate about learning, and simply did it out of habit and necessity. His old personality of a cheerful, kind and innocent child seemed to have changed, and now, more often than naught, Miriel saw in Daemon's eyes coldness, and at times even fire, a Dovah's fire.
She knew that the boy had changed and that this change after his fight with Aegon and visit of former Kingsguard Jaime Lannister, who most likely had revealed to Daemon the truth about his parents and their attitude towards him. As much as she may've disliked the man for hurting the boy, she was thankful to him for doing what neither she nor Anarion could not muster their courage to do, though it was important that Daemon learned how Rhaegar and Lyanna truly felt about him. Her kind and soft nature refused her to hurt the child more than he was already, and Anarion wasn't any better, as despite his seriousness and pragmatic nature, he too has grown attached to the boy and couldn't just do what needed to be done. At least now that it was done Daemon would be able to heal and move past it, or at least that is what Miriel wished for the child, yet her mind spoke that it won't be as simple as that.
If he had only been the reveal of his parents' attitude, then Miriel and Anarion would be able to properly help Daemon move past it, but Rhaegar, in his thrice-damned wisdom, had gone above and beyond in making his son's life miserable. Daemon had been literally locked up his chambers for three months, without any opportunity or right to leave, with all of his books being taken away, his paintings and anything that could be used to alleviate the solitude or isolation. They took practically all that they could, before sending in a member of the Faith of the Seven, one Septa Unella, a harsh and zealous member of the Faith, to preach him about his sins and make him repent, along with further demeaning him. And the Septa took her new duties as serious as she could, going above and beyond her call of duty to do what she perceived to be the duty to the gods.
For long hours, she would be sent inside Daemon's cell, remaining with him alone, announcing condemnations of him, listing him his sins, demanding repenting and confessions, striking and hitting the child when he tried to object. The only reprieve that Daemon had were when Miriel would come for his lessons, but even then, Unella would remain, standing akin to a headsman, preparing to take the head off its target. On a number of occasions, Miriel tried and demanded that the woman leave, but instead she stated that she was here on the orders of Faith and the King, and no one had the authority to make her leave. The Kingsguards that were posted outside the room could not and would not intervene in the demeaning sessions, even when they heard clear cries and pleas from Daemon.
Miriel did everything she could to help Daemon get through this damned time, but the psychological and physical torture inflicted by overzealous Septa has left deep marks and scars upon the boy. He lost much of his weight and color on his skin due to both sun deprivation and punishment, and where he once head a full head of black hair, there were streaks of grey mixed in as well. The child's persona suffered and withered under the pressure, but where there was once an innocent babe, Miriel now could see a Dovah. The terrible event has caused the boy to lose his innocence and begin to see the world in a different way, and it also unshackled his Dragon inside him. Miriel knew that if the Dragon was to be unleashed now, Daemon would not be able to control him, and so once the punishment was over, Anarion and Miriel did their best to heal Daemon to the best of their ability.
She knew that it had worked to an extent, but the boy would never be the same and never will go back to the days of his blissful ignorance and innocence. She only prayed to the Nine and One that they look after the child. Noting that they had recited all that they could and that Daemon was still troubled by something, Miriel put away the papers and pens, before speaking up.
"Daemon, what is plaguing your mind so much, that you barely pay attention to my questions?" Miriel asked of him directly, with Daemon snapping out of his thoughts and looking at her with a surprise. "If it is something that you do not know, you can always ask me to tell you about it."
"I… I don't think you would know anything about it, Miriel." Daemon told her in an unsure way, lowering his head a little.
"I may not, but we won't know it if you don't ask." Miriel softly chuckled, with Daemon agreeing with her logic. "What are you thinking about, Daemon?"
"Miriel, do… Do Gods really hate me and have they cursed me?" Daemon asked of Miriel, morbidly surprising and stunning her. "Septa Unella… She kept saying that I am a spawn of lust and sin, and that the Seven demand that I repent of my sins and confess, but… What did I do to them to make them so angry at me? Why do Gods hate me so much, that they've… They've made me a freak." Daemon asked of Miriel, who saw tears forming in his eyes.
Taking out a hanker of her sleeve and wiping Daemon's tears, Miriel silently cursed Unella and the Faith of the Seven, hoping to herself that some Daedra Prince take their souls for themselves. The effect of the torturous months was even more prolific upon Daemon than she had first realized, and it was clear now that the boy's spirit and self-esteem were effected even worse than she had anticipated and noticed. Septa had filled his head with things that a child his age has nothing to do with, and it is affecting him in the worst way possible.
It was then that Miriel decides that if she is to help Daemon, then it may be the time for him to learn the truth, of not just himself, but also of the Nirn, Mundus and Aedra. She and Anarion had not really planned to tell him of Aedra and his divine nature until later on, but now… Now things had long since gone out of their control and it was time for them to adapt and change as well. She will give Daemon all the answers he will need, and reveal to him, that true Gods, the beings that deserve it's title, are with him, always. After wiping his tears away, Miriel softly touches Daemon's cheeks and speaks to him in a voice full of seriousness and care.
"Daemon, the Gods do not hate you, and never have cursed you in any form or manner. What that woman told you are lies and falsehood that she has been taught by ignorant and arrogant men. All they know are lies and misinterpretations, which were told and changed thousands of times." Miriel told Daemon. "The Gods, the true ones, do not hate you, for it is because of them that you live, and it is by their will, that Anarion and I came to this land, hundreds of years ago."
"What? What do you mean?" Daemon was confused as to what she told him, while Miriel gently rubbed his cheek.
"You asked me about the Gods, and I will give you an answer you deserve to know. I will show not the dogmas of fanatics and zealots, but the truth. Now, close your eyes, and listen to my voice." Daemon trusted Miriel, and did as she told him, and then he heard her speak in a language he never heard before. "KORAAV HAHNU VAZEEM."
When Daemon opened his eyes, he found himself not in the Red Keep, or even in the King's Landing, nor even anywhere. All around him, there was nothing, a completely empty void that filled all and everything, with Daemon not being able to see anything other than himself. It was almost overwhelming him, and only the appearance of Miriel calmed him down a little bit.
"Where… Where are we?" Daemon asked of her. "How did we get here?"
"Our bodies are still in Red Keep, but our minds are right now joined, and this… This is a projection of my mind, what I thing and remember." Miriel stated to Daemon. "This is the first memory that I and Anarion both have, given to us by our father, Akatosh. This is the universe in it's purest form, Aurbis."
"Aurbis? I… I do not understand anything." Daemon told her. "How does this have anything to do with the Gods and me?"
"I know, but I assure you, that all will be explained and told. And as for the connection to the Gods, it is here that I best start telling you, so you understand where all had begun, and how it came to you, Daemon." Miriel told Daemon. "For now, forget everything that you were told of the world by Septa, books and others, because they do not know the truth in its fullest form."
"But you do?" Daemon asked of her, and Miriel nodded to him. "Are you… Are you a Goddess, Miriel?" Miriel simply smiled to him and answered.
"For some, I could be considered a deity, but compared to those that have created us and our world, I am far from being a true Goddess." Miriel told him, before she and Daemon saw two orbs, a white and dark one appear. "To understand how everything had begun, you need to understand that all existence and life came first from the void of Aurbis, and first two existences in were Anu and Padomai, two halves one being, Order and Chaos in it's purest form."
"Are they… Are they the true Gods?" Daemon asked.
"They are beings that began the life and Gods, Daemon. They are, quite literally, the origin of our life." Miriel told him, before the scene shifted into a new one, where many formless orbs floated around them, glowing and simply existing.
"Who are they?" Daemon asked of Miriel.
"They are Et'Ada, the Original Spirits, first true beings that came from Anu and Padomai and who filled the void of Aurbis. They are beings of purest energy and power, those that mortals perceive as Gods, spirits, demons and so forth, creatures of power beyond the grasp of Men." Miriel told Daemon. "These beings filled the Aurbis and Void in it, but you need to understand that this was happening when there was no such thing as time, space or even this world. It is from them that our world came to be, and the time of their birth, creation of our world and establishment of Mundus is called the Dawn Era."
"Dawn Era… If these beings created our world, then how did they do it?" Daemon asked of Miriel, who turned his attention to one of them.
"Our world came to be thanks to this Et'Ada, a being that would later become known as Lorkhan, or as I and most of my kin call him, Shor." Miriel told Daemon, who looked at it. "Shor proposed an idea to other Et'Ada- use their power to create a new plane of existence, a plane where all of them could live and prosper, filled with life. His plan required all to pour a portion of their being and power into the world, so it would be made, and while most agreed at first, some rejected the idea. But those who agreed to it and stayed true to the plan would later become known as Aedra, the ancestors and Divines, progenitors of existence and our world where we live, Mundus and Nirn." Daemon saw how from nothingness came Nirn and world that he knew, looking around and seeing it form and become what it is.
"Wow…" Daemon said, as the world came to existence around him, with Miriel smiling to him.
"That was the reaction that I and my kin also had when we first saw it." She revealed to him. "Thanks to Shor, Nirn was born, but unfortunately, there were problems with it that came to be once it appeared. Most of Et'Ada that first participated in it's creation found it impossible for them to part with their power and might, and instead of staying and finishing their work, decided to leave the Mundus and return to the plane where they could retain their power and form, creating Aetherius, the plane from which comes magic into Mundus. You can even see it now, from the holes that were left in fabric of Mundus." The sun and stars sprang into life, filling Nirn with light and warmth, with Daemon understanding what it meant.
"So the Sun and Stars are gates to this Aetherius, through which these beings left?" Daemon received a nod from Miriel. "But what about those that stayed? What happened to them?"
"Most of those that stayed finished the work they started, but because the Magna Ge, as those who left became known, did not finish their work, those who stayed had to pour much more power into Nirn, essentially binding not just their power, but also their own souls and existence into Mundus. These Et'Ada became Aedra, progenitors of Nirn and life, and Shor poured all that he had into Nirn, including his life and Heart." Miriel showed to Daemon a council of Aedra, showing him them in their current forms. "When the work was finished and all was said and done, it became clear that Nirn, as all living and breathing beings, needed a core to exist, something that would give it life. And so Shor sacrificed himself and his right to remain in Mundus like other Aedra, and Aedra Trinimac, by the order of Akatosh, carved out Shor's Heart, before giving it to Akatosh. Akatosh sent the Heart far away by attaching it to an arrow and firing it from his bow, and where the Heart landed later became known as the Red Mountain, one of the largest volcanos. It is from this moment that the Dawn Era ends, and begins the Merethic Era, as it is known in Tamriel, or Time of Mortals, as it is known to Aedra."
"Tamriel? Is this some other land in Nirn?" Daemon asked, with Miriel nodding.
"Yes it is. The world that you know is only part of the larger plane that is known as Nirn. There are many more continents and lands, with many other races, of both Men and Mer, or Elves." Daemon saw the many different races, some, which looked like humans, and others that did not and looked like beasts, snakes and other stuff. "Tamriel itself is one of the largest continents in Nirn, divided like Westeros into different lands, with many different races comprising it's population. It is very far from Westeros, and one would need many months to sail the ocean to the West or East of Essos and reach it, or to use secret passages that Shor has left to those that know where to look for them, but that is for another time. What you need to know, Daemon, is that Tamriel is where the Aedra are most popular and worshipped in their truest form."
"Can you tell me more about the Aedra and Shor? Are they the true Gods, not like the Seven and the Old Gods?" Daemon asked of Miriel eagerly.
"They are the Seven and the Old Gods, Daemon, for they are Aedra. Most people that worship their Gods worship the Aedra in one form or another. All Aedra represent certain aspects of reality and existence, and every race and people has their own name and interpretation of them. They may not worship all of them, but nearly all of Gods that people worship, be their Men or Mer, are Aedra. For Andals, they are the Seven, for First Men, they are the Old Gods, and for those in Tamriel and me, they are Aedra." Daemon understood what Miriel meant. "Over the thousands of years, some Aedra have died, either because of their own inability to live like this, or they were killed by Daedra."
"Daedra? What are they?" Daemon was curious.
"Daedra are the Et'Ada that did not contribute a thing to creation of Nirn, yet refused to leave for Aetherius. Instead, they each created their own personal realms out of their own beings, becoming known as Daedra, and they can also be considered Gods, but you must understand, Daemon, that Daedra are different from Aedra in many ways." Miriel told Daemon. "Daedra sees all mortals as pawns for their own games for power, constantly trying to use them to increase their own influence and might. There are Daedra that can be seen, as benevolent and kind, but never forget, that to them, we are simply servants in their own games for power. Each Daedra also represents a certain aspect of existence, positive and negative, and they too have certain followings, dedicated to them, but to us now, they are unimportant, for none of the Daedra had contributed to creation of Nirn, and to your creation."
"Oh, so they are basically like the Andals, trying to take what's not theirs?" Daemon asked of Miriel, recalling from their history lessons. "And Daedra aren't friends with Aedra, like the Faith with the Old Gods, or at least how people say it."
"In some aspects, you a correct, and while most of the times Aedra and Daedra are not friends, there are moments when some Daedra have to help out the Aedra, most of the time only because that the only way they themselves will get something out of it. But as a general rule, Aedra and Daedra aren't friends, but they don't actively fight each other. Only when Daedra actively get themselves involved in the affairs of Nirn and Mundus do Aedra take actions, in one form or another." Miriel explained to Daemon. "Now, when speaking of Aedra, there are many of them, and the majority of them are lesser Aedra, not as powerful as those who fully participated in the creation of Nirn. But the ones that you wish to know, are the true Aedra, and currently there are 10 of those beings, each of them having blessed you in one form or another." At that moment, ten figures appeared before Daemon and Miriel, and she began her tale.
"Each of these Aedra, or Divines, as they are known, have actually given you a small portion of their power, which in turn manifested itself, or yet needs to be discovered. I shall start with those whose gifts I have already found in you." Miriel told him, as she turned to the first god. "The Aedra of knowledge, wisdom and logic, Julianos, he is the god of laws, knowledge, contradiction, history and sciences. Through Julianos, a Men, a Beastfolk and Mer are capable of learning and grasping any subject or matter and learning it. His gift to you is a subtle one, but may be one of the most precious- your keen intellect and sharp wit, coupled with your excellent memory. Julianos teaches us that all knowledge is precious, but it is only through wisdom and logic that one must apply and study it."
"So he is like the patron God of Maesters." Daemon noted, with Miriel agreeing to him.
"Yes, Julianos values those who seek and preserve knowledge, but where Maesters earn his ire is through stagnation and refusal to learn more." Miriel added up, before turning to the next Divine. "Dibella, the Aedra of beauty, arts and music, she can be stated to be the most frivolous and even obscene Aedra, since she promotes acts of love, passion and even lust, but only to an extent. Yet it is also through her that all living creatures learn the joys of music, artwork and imagination. Her gifts to you are in your obviously good looks, and in how you apply yourself in works of art, like with drawings or when you sang several times in the past."
"So Dibella is like Maiden in the Faith of the Seven?" Daemon asked.
"When it comes to the aspect of beauty, yes, but Dibella isn't the Aedra of love and maternity. That is Mara, Aedra of love, maternity, family and hearth." Daemon looked at Mara, and felt a sense of certain peace towards her, like he knew her for as long as he recalled. "Mara is the Aedra who represents love in its purest form, blessing people for love and their family, as well as promoting familial bonds, and though it is often assumed, she doesn't advocate love as something that can only happen between two persons. In Mara's eyes, love can come to more than a pair, but to most people, polygamous relations are something that is associated with only Dibella and her… specific arts. Aside from that, Mara is the wife of Akatosh and mother of all his children, the Dovah, or Dragons, in a more common language."
"Wait, but how can she be a mother to Dragons, if Dragons come from eggs? And you mentioned Akatosh before several times. Is he a Dragon?" Daemon impatiently asked of Miriel.
"To explain you all about Akatosh and Dragons, allow me to first tell you of others, because I doubt you will be as interested in finding out the rest afterwards, if I told you straightaway. All I will say right now, is that Dragons of Valyria and those that I refer to as Dovah and Dragons are two distinct and separate things, though connected to each other." Miriel chuckled, before moving a new Aedra. "Though Mara is Aedra of love in it's pure form, it is Stendarr who is the Aedra of compassion, righteousness, law, justice and mercy. He represents justice not as an absolutely uncompromising and soulless matter, but as a righteous, lawful, with right for repentance, and true forgiveness. In this sense, he is similar to Father in the Faith of the Seven, but Stendarr does lack the Father's absolute uncompromising nature that the Septons and Septas are trying to preach."
"The more I hear about them, the more I am starting to like them Aedra." Daemon noted. "Is there someone like The Smith among Aedra?"
"Zenithar, Aedra of hard work, craftsmanship, trade and honest work, who brings wealth and prosperity to those that toil and put their back into it. In case of him, Faith of the Seven portrays him pretty close to how he actually is, though he is a patron of trade and commerce as well, rewarding honesty with wealth, and punishing those that mean to swindle people from their money. Given his field of work, Zenithar is the patron of all traders, smiths and artisans, and in Tamriel he is one of the more popular Aedra that one can find, even if he isn't as revered as the next ones." Miriel continued, and then they moved to next one. "All life has a beginning and an ending, and Arkay is the one who determines who lives and dies, and when. The Aedra of life and death, you could compare Arkay to the Stranger of the Seven, though there is no malice of bad in the Aedra. He is the one who maintains the balance in Nirn of living and dead things and sees the souls of the dead to their afterlife, caring for them there."
"Hopefully Arkay has given me a long life, though with the life I have now, I kinda have doubts about it's length." Daemon commented, with Miriel patting his head.
"Arkay and Aedra do not punish people who are innocent, nor do they give people trials that they can't finish, and those that dare to anger them, sooner or later will find themselves answering before them." Miriel assured Daemon, as they moved to the next Aedra. "Talos, an Aedra who took the place of Shor in the pantheon, his successor and creation. Aedra of war, battle and martial prowess, born a Man, he ascended from, his mortal form and took place next to Akatosh. A unique case, one where an Aedra is born from the deeds and power of several mortals, which were combined into a new being, yet his might and power are beyond questioning, and his gift to you is the martial talent and instinct for battle, which Anarion has been developing in you."
"So, a mortal can also become an Aedra?" Miriel nodded to him, as he looked at Talos. "But if Shor is dead, how could he be made from him?"
"Shor is not dead in literal sense. His physical body had been destroyed and his Heart powers our realm, but he still exists in a form of a spirit, ruling over his own realm of Sovngarde in Aetherius. Aedra aren't so easily destroyed, and only through complete destruction of Nirn one can extinguish it." Miriel explained to Daemon, who nodded to her. "And to destroy Nirn, one would need to eradicate all life and nature in it, and to do this, they would have to face the one I serve. Kynareth, or Kyne as she also known, is Aedra of skies, heavens, nature, life and mortals, wife of Shor and the one who gave life to this world. Men, Mer, Beastfolk and other creatures owe their existence to Kynareth, and one whom dares to disrespect and abuse her gifts will find themselves facing her ire, and not even Dovah are safe from it. She is the one to whom all Kaan'Dov serve, the Dovah who abandoned their scales and wings and took forms of mortals and walked among them, serving and protecting life and Nirn." Miriel and Daemon exchanged looks and it was clear that Daemon understood what she meant by it.
"You are a Kaan'Dov?" Miriel nodded to him. "Then that means…"
"Anarion and I are children of Mara and our father, Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time and Space, leader of Aedra and primary creator of Nirn, alongside his brother and twin, Lorkhan. It is to them that we all owe our existence and they are the, along with Kyne and others, who gave you your life." The two men appeared, before Daemon saw skies filled with majestic Dovah, flying around, heard them speak and commune. "All Dovah are children of Akatosh and Mara, lesser Aedra that were created so as to protect this realm and oversee the races of mortals as they developed and grew into their own. For a very long time, we Dovah served this purpose, standing near them when the Long Night began and driving back The Others. We were defenders and shepherds of Men and Mer for thousands of years, but we were not them. Dovah are beings of power and might, with the desire and instinct to dominate, command and assert our will, and one day… Our leader and firstborn of Akatosh, Alduin, decided that it was time for Dovah to take control and power for themselves." Daemon saw a massive, black as void dragon, whose roar seamed to split the skies, and he shouted words and spewed magic from his maw.
"What… What happened then?" Daemon asked of Miriel, and she looked with sadness.
"The majority followed Alduin, for he was the strongest of us, and Dovah follow the mightiest of our kind, seeing his word as the true one, but there were those who rebelled and tried to stop him. We remembered who we were and why we existed, and so we tried to strike at Alduin, but we underestimated his power, brutality and thirst for might and power. Many mighty and noble Dovah became his victims, their souls empowering the Hungry Worm and enhancing his desire for more power. The remaining rebels were able to escape his hunger and wrath thanks to Kyne and Shor, who granted us safe passage to Sovngarde, where we swore our full allegiance to them, become Kaan'Dov." Miriel continued her tale. "For thousands of years, we battled and fought alongside the mortals, while Alduin subjugated and conquered land after land, and in the end, it seemed like we would lose against him and Dovah. Then Kynareth, Akatosh and Shor gave mortals one more gift- they gave us Dragonborns, mortals born with blood and soul of Dovah, capable of wielding same power and magic as Kaan'Dov and Dovah. It gave us and mortals the edge needed to turn the time of the war, but even then, none could strike and kill Alduin, for he was invincible in Nirn. Only through trickery, sacrifice and greatest magic he was finally removed from the world, and war was won."
"Is… Is Alduin dead?" Daemon asked of Miriel, who shook her head.
"No, Alduin is alive, simply unable to return to our world, but he will return, and sooner than later. And when he does, there shall be far too few Kaan'Dov to stand against him, and none of Dragonborns. None, but one." Miriel turned to Daemon, who realized what she meant. "Shor, Akatosh and Kyne gave you life, with other Aedra gifting you as well, but it is those three that made you who truly are. Your father may claim himself to be a Dragon, but he is only a man, whereas you are the Dovahkiin, the Dragonborn, blessed and empowered by the Aedra, holding the potential to be the best of the mortals."
"I… I am a Dragonborn?" Daemon asked shocked, with Miriel nodding and moving closer to him. "But… But if I am a Dragonborn, then why do people treat me so badly? Why don't the Aedra do something about it? Do they hate me?"
"They do not hate you, and Aedra do not have the power to make people do what they want on the whim. Like they, mortals are given the freedom of choice, and they decide what do. Rhaegar and Lyanna made their choice and it was a bad one, and you must know, that they do not know nor understand what it means to be Dragonborn. Lyanna was given a vision of you, a possible future of you, but she misinterpreted it and came to believe that you are a monster from birth." Miriel knelt before Daemon and cupped his cheek. "Daemon, you are blessed with powers and gifts that are beyond reach of any mortal, and it is your choice on how to use them. Aedra may have given them to you, but it is you who will use them, and how to use them will be up to you entirely. I know that the Royal family had been cruel and merciless towards you, but I swear to you, by Kyne and Shor, that from this day forth, it will different, and Anarion and I will show you, who you can be, and how to become the Dragonborn Aedra hope to see you.
After this, the dream ended, and both of them opened their eyes, finding themselves back in Red Keep, with Daemon walking away from Miriel a little, contemplating what he had just learned from her words and senses.
During their time in this magical trance, Miriel only talked, but also transferred deeper knowledge of things that spoke of, so that Daemon could better understand and realize what she meant. And Daemon was now going through those memories, sensations and knowledge, accumulated by the immortal Kaan'Dov, finding truth in what Miriel spoke of and feeling himself not just comprehending and understanding all that she spoke of, but also accepting it, both through his mind and heart. Aedra, Dovah, Shor, and Akatosh- it all seemed to fill in the void in his knowledge and dispel the doubts in the mind of the young boy, replacing the deranged rhetoric of the zealous Septa.
For all his life, Daemon had felt that he was different from everyone, and if before learning the truth about his family he had tried to become accepted by them and dreamed of it, now he simply was lost and didn't know what do and how to be. When Septa came and started her torturous preaching, Daemon's confusion became only greater and grew to the point where he faced an existential crisis, inability to understand what he was and why he existed.
The Faith of the Seven seemed to state that his entire existence was brought by sins and vile desires, and he was to suffer and answer for his sins, yet Daemon committed nothing, nor did anything that could possibly anger the Gods. When he tried to speak to Septa and explain himself, she simply shut him up through insults or beatings, continuing on with her pervasive duties.
For three months, Daemon was subjected to a torment that brought him to the brink of trying to end it all, and had it not been for Miriel, explaining how the world was created, and who the true Gods, or rather Divines, were. This revelation and reveal had brought Daemon consolation and needed resolution, along with filling in the void in his mind, answering all the questions.
Now Daemon understood that Aedra weren't after him or hated him, but rather looked out for him in one way or another, giving him life and gifts that other did not have. They did not make demands of any repenting or confessing any false sins, this was what Faith of the Seven demanded, or rather Septa and the King. Aedra were different, as they gave him his life and a choice to be who he wanted to be, and it was up to Daemon to decide what he wanted to do.
He could now understand that he was different from all others, and could even sense it, as he turned and looked at Miriel, noticing that around her, there was a certain aura that he could now perceive. The more he looked around, more of strange and unknown things he could see, before realizing that this was the energy of Aedra, power of Kyne. Daemon's eyes were opened to magic and he could clearly understand that the world was not devoid of magic in the slightest, but brimming with it. Aedra became flesh and bones of Nirn and through stars and sun came magic, and Nirn absorbed that magic. '
So many things were new for Daemon, and yet also so easy to understand and comprehend, but one of the was more important than anything else, and that was the fact of him being the Dovahkiin. He scoured his newly received memories and learned all he could from them about what it meant, and what he truly learned was incredible. Dovahkiin, or else known as Dragonborn, were mortals blessed by Dragon Gods Akatosh and Shor, possessing the blood and soul of Dragons, capable of wielding their power, the Voice, or Thu'um, as the Dragons called. The power that allowed changing the very nature of this world with but mere words… It was as exhilarating as it was frightening to realize for Daemon.
With this realization came also the need for the decision- what was Daemon going to be? He sensed that he couldn't simply continue as he did, as he didn't want to continue living in the darkness, surrounded by those that would see him shackled and destroyed, if not physically then in spirit. The Targaryens claimed themselves to be Dragons, but they were nothing like true Dovah, nothing like what Daemon could and wanted to be. He learned of Beindiiv and how they came to be, and instead of awe and amazement, he felt disgust towards these foul beasts, who were unworthy of being called Dragons. Targaryens could keep them, if they could resurrect them, but Daemon… Daemon doesn't need a Beindiiv to become a Dragon, not when there is someone who can show him the right way, the Way of Dovah.
And with this, the boy has finally made his decision, and he turned to Miriel with hope in his eyes.
"Miriel… Can you show me the Way of Dovah?" Daemon asked of her, with Miriel smiling to him, as she rose and walked towards him, before she hugged him.
"I will, Daemon, my Kul." Miriel affectionately told him the last in Dovahzul, and the two stood together for some time, before the unwanted guest interrupted them.
"Well, isn't this just disgusting to look upon." The snide, filled with venom and bile voice of Prince Viserys Targaryen forced Daemon and Miriel to separate from each other, as they looked upon him and accompanying him Ser Oswell Whent, before lowering their heads before him.
Of all the Targaryen family members that were currently alive, there were none who once terrified Daemon as much as Viserys, and he was probably the only one whom he didn't want to make friends with, as his foul persona and dangerous antics were known throughout the Red Keep, and even Daemon has heard of them. The 16-year old Prince was known to possess the worst qualities of his late father and grandfather of Daemon, King Aerys II Targaryen, with his complete lack of manners, dangerously mercurial temper and fits of rage and rage, which he took out on the servants of the castle.
Anarion and Miriel both called Viserys completely unhinged and even deranged on several occasions, especially when Anarion had heard rumors of Viserys raping a servant girl in the dungeons, before setting her on fire. Nobody could completely confirm if that was true or not, but somehow Daemon felt like Anarion and Miriel knew the truth and that, the story with the servant girl was no lie. Of course, Viserys did at least try and pretended to act like a loving son, brother and uncle to Rhaella, Daenerys, Rhaegar and his family, but it was clear to anyone that Viserys could care in the least about them all. Add to that more than a few of drunken comments of how he would later on take his rightful throne, and quite a number of courtiers had begun suspecting that the young Prince was turning out as bad as his father, if not worse.
Even Queen Mother Rhaella knew what her second son was and tried to limit and restrain him, but her efforts were futile and led to nothing more than failure, as Rhaegar seemed to be ignorant of all that his brother was doing, believing most of it to be simply foul rumors and nothing more. The King felt that a far greater threat was Daemon and his obsessive paranoia and sense of danger towards a soon to be seven-year-old child made the man oblivious of threats far closer than to him and his heart. Anarion, Rhaella, Elia and a number of others had tried on a number of occasions to persuade Rhaegar to open his eyes to what his brother was doing, but it was to no avail, and he continued to be oblivious.
Now that foul young man had come strutting here, and Daemon dared to look upon his uncle and saw that he was no Dragon or even a snake, but a foul man. Viserys always strutted around and stated himself to be a Dragon and that all who dare speak to him against his wish risked waking the dragon. Only Daemon looked upon the snarling Prince, and found no Dragon inside whatsoever, and Viserys seemed to catch on the fact that his despised nephew seemed to look upon him intently. The simple fact of it triggered his temper and boiled his rage, as he took it as an offence that this wretched whelp dared to look upon his better without any permission or right. No matter, he was going to teach the little scamp where his place was, or better yet…
"What is it that you are looking at, half-breed?" Viserys asked in a condescending tone, as he moved closer to Daemon, who quickly lowered his head. "I asked you a question, or are you too dumb to even understand what your betters are telling you?!"
"No, Your Grace. I was simply surprised to see you here." Daemon responded in a neutral tone with a lowered head, before Viserys grabbed Daemon's chin and brought his eyes to meet with his.
"Are you trying to say that I, Prince of the Seven Kingdoms, require a permission, from some discarded bastard of my brother?" Viserys asked with a dangerously low tone, one that Miriel knew too well.
"Your Grace, he merely meant…" Miriel tried to respond, but Viserys decided not to listen, as his left backhand struck the woman and sent her tumbling to the cold floor.
"Silence, you Lysene whore! Did I give you permission to speak or look at me?! No, I did not!" Viserys shouted at her, before turning his Kingsguard. "Whent! Teach this slut what it means to wake the Dragon!"
"Yes, Your Grace." Oswell Whent moved towards fallen Miriel, before grabbing her arm then striking her in the face, shocking and enraging Daemon.
"Stop it!" Daemon screamed, but Whent simply hit her again while Viserys watched with glee.
Seeing that his words would do nothing, but be fallen upon deaf ears, Daemon resorted to more drastic measures to stop this from happening. Mustering all the strength he could, Daemon stomped on Viserys' foot and made him cry out in pain, before being pushed away and nearly falling onto the ground. Whent saw what was happening and immediately forgotten about Miriel as he moved to Daemon and prepared to beat the boy to a pulp.
"Wretched scum, you dare to…" Whent was about to strike Daemon, when Viserys' voice suddenly stopped him.
"Whent, hold that bitch down! I'll deal with this bastard myself!" Viserys proclaimed, and Oswell when to restrain Miriel, as she tried to get between Daemon and Viserys, while the latter moved with an enraged look to Daemon. "You… You dare strike a Dragon?!"
"You are no Dragon." Daemon simply responded to him, further enraging him, with Viserys taking out a dagger and bringing it close to Daemon's throat.
"On your knees and kiss my boots and maybe, I'll let you off easy, half-breed!" When Daemon refused to do it, Viserys brought his dagger above Daemon's eyes and began to cut his flesh with it, bringing it down.
"You… Are just… A pathetic worm…" Daemon said, flinching from both pain and rage, before nearly crying out when Viserys jerked the blade down and cut open his cheek, before he was punched by him on to the ground.
"Your Grace, stop it!" Miriel shouted, when she saw Viserys hovering over bleeding Daemon, as he began to beat him. "Stop him! He is going to kill him!" Miriel shouted to Oswell Whent.
"A good Kingsguard does as he is commanded, and doesn't defy his orders." Oswell Whent simply replied, to which Miriel began to try and get out of his hold. "Hold still, you witch, or I'll beat your teeth out of your mouth."
"You woke the Dragon! I'll make you suffer for waking the Dragon!" Viserys screamed as he continued to beat Daemon, while Miriel tried to break free from the strong Kingsguard, nearly succumbing to her Dovah instinct to burn them both.
But she was denied that opportunity, as it would not be her to give Viserys a taste of true might of real Dragon. As Daemon lied down and took swings and hits of his uncle, reeling from pain and holding back his whimpers and cries, he felt something inside him. This feeling was familiar to him, the burning sensation inside his heart and soul, a searing desire to punish and bring pain to those that dared make him hurt. He felt it before, when Aegon attacked him like he did, but now… Now it was far stronger and far more intense, as it didn't whisper into his mind and ear, but screamed and demanded.
Daemon only now understood that it was his own soul that demanded to strike against Viserys, his Dragon blood and soul boiled and turned to fire with each strike and curse. Young boy did not resist to this burning temptation and only needed the way to respond against Viserys, and then a memory came to him, a memory that Miriel had transferred to him. It was one of a battle between Dovah, the battle of their Voices, and Daemon listened to their words, and he felt a resonance with them inside his soul. One of them was etched deep into his mind and he understood what he needed to do, as his hatred became the flame, and Dragon's way of greeting and war was one with fire.
He was a Dovah, a Dragonborn, and Fire was his soul!
"Burn…" Daemon, battered, bruised and bleeding from his wound, suddenly locked eyes with Viserys, before speaking again in a language that this land has not heard in ages. "YOL!" And at the moment that Daemon's Thu'um had left his mouth, he unleashed his wrath in form of fire.
Viserys Targaryen was doused in a stream of fire, his upper body engulfed in it, sticking to him like oil stuck to the ground, and then he screamed as flames burned and scarred him. His screams were heard throughout all of gardens and in the Red Keep itself, with Daemon managing to push away the burning mad man off him. It took a few seconds for Oswell Whent to even realize what was happening, as he was in too deep a shock to comprehend what he had seen or heard, and these seconds were enough for Viserys' whole body to become engulfed in fire as he continued to scream.
Only after that small fraction of time did Whent move and ripped his heavy cloak off his back and covering Viserys with it, trying to douse the flames and save the life of the Prince. Daemon carefully rose up on his feet, with Miriel coming close to him, looking with shock at him, but also with relief that he was alive. Daemon was also glad that Miriel didn't suffer as much as she could've, but when he looked towards screaming and wailing Viserys, he felt no shame or misery for the man, only satisfaction. The man had attacked him and Miriel, tried to beat him and her to death, and he did what he had to- defend them, defended the only family he had here. He showed this foul worm who is the true Dragon here, and Daemon felt… Complete, like a part of him was awakened and returned where it belonged.
When he saw several other Kingsguards running towards them, he turned his head and locked eyes with shocked King Rhaegar and Queen Lyanna, as their eyes were filled with fear, and for the first time in years Daemon was able to lay his eyes upon them. And when he did so, he felt neither elation, gratitude towards the Aedra or anything that a child like him would feel towards his own parents.
Instead of love, care and gratefulness, there was cold hatred and void, one that was clearly reciprocated by his parents.
Several hours later. Throne room.
The grand hall of the Red Keep was filled to the brim with courtiers, nobles, lords, ladies and knights, all of whom were summoned to see the justice of the Faith and King be rendered upon Daemon. There was also the High Septon in attendance, who took the role of the accuser, which as some of the wise men, knowledgeable of the laws of Seven Kingdoms, was against the law, which was set by King Jaehaerys I, which prohibited the Faith to pass judgement and enact punishments. However, today nobody dared to question the decision made by King Rhaegar Targaryen, as it was he who called upon the Faith to render justice upon his accursed son, and who called upon all of Lords and Ladies, so that they bear witness to the justice of Gods made true.
This was a move made with several purposes, one of them being to show the people that he was a benevolent and lawful monarch, who did not jeopardize justice by his own wishes, and hence left justice in the hands of the most capable person, a man closest to the Seven. This was also a move to enhance the relations between the Faith and the Crown, and finally, this was his play to finally get rid of Daemon for good. When he saw what the boy had done, there was no doubt left in his mind that the boy was not a simple one. He set his brother Viserys ablaze, burning him an unholy fire and made him suffer as none had suffered before him. He and Lyanna clearly saw the stream of fire leave Daemon, and they witnessed the burning happen before their eyes, and hence they were finally left without a doubt, and with a pretense to finally put an end to Daemon.
Rhaegar and Lyanna ignored the fact that Daemon was bruised and had two deep cuts on his face, above and below his face, they were deaf to words of Rhaella, Elia and Miriel, who pleaded and tried to explain what had happened. No, Rhaegar didn't need to know what was before that point, that was unimportant to him, all that he needed to know he knew. He knew that his brother was mangled and burned to the point where he was near unrecognizable, having a great chunk of his skin burned black, with all his hair having been destroyed in fire, as well as Viserys' capacity for producing children. Once beautiful and proud member of Targaryen family was reduced to a scarred monstrosity through foul sorcery, and Daemon was going to answer for it with his life.
Rhaegar looked down upon his son from his seat upon the Iron Throne, chained up, standing on his knees, locking eyes with him and seeing neither fear, nor regret. Instead, Rhaegar saw something that he didn't expect to see in the boy- defiance, a sense of absolute disobedience and courage in the face of certain death. When he last saw the boy, Rhaegar saw a meek and foolish child, one that could be easily controlled and one that he and other did not need to fear, but now… Now he could see the makings of the second Malerion, and he would not allow that monster to return into the world in full. Having removed Rhaella and Elia, he could fully begin this process of ending Daemon's existence.
"High Septon, you have the floor." King Rhaegar told him.
"As you wish, Your Grace. Good people of King's Landing and Seven Kingdom, you stand here before the light of the Seven to witness the divine justice be done upon this monstrosity." High Septon theatrically pointed towards Daemon. "Do not be swayed by his innocent looks and unassuming nature, for this child, nay, demon had committed the worst crime that is conceivable- he utilized foul sorcery and attempted to murder Prince Viserys Targaryen through summoning fires!" Gasps of shock and cries of outrage filled the room, as curses and shouts were thrown towards Daemon.
"Demon! Kill this foul spawn!"
"Whelp of demons! Burn him!"
"Disembowel this Kinslayer!"
"Breath easily, my dear people, for Prince Viserys lives, but poor man is still on the brink of death and may Father and Mother be merciful and save him from the clutches of the Stranger." High Septon continued, before he turned and walked towards the boy. "However, this is in no way excuses or forgives this abomination from his actions. He willingly stooped to using foul magic to kill a member of his family, driven by lowest of desires and instincts, like his entire kind are. This thing has been marked since birth, one that signified his vile nature!" At those words, guards that stood near Daemon ripped off his shirt and showed his birthmark.
"This is the mark of sorcery and demonhood, and it is only because of gentle and kind nature of our beloved King Rhaegar and pleas of the mother of the child, that this thing was allowed to exist." Daemon nearly scoffed at that one. "However, while their kindness and forgiveness are commendable, the crimes of attempted kinslaying, sorcery, collusion with demons, heresy and worship of false idols can't be absolved or forgiven! Your Grace, the verdict of the Faith, of the People and of the Seven is one- death by burning." The hall supported this idea completely and fervently demanded it, before Rhaegar stopped them with his raised hand.
"Before the verdict is made, the law demands that the accused be given the right of word. Daemon Targaryen, what say you in your defense?" Rhaegar decided to allow this formality to persist, unknowing how he has just played into the hands of Daemon, Miriel and Anarion.
"Only that if the Seven are the ones who pass judgement, then I want their verdict, not the verdict of Men. I demand a Trial by Combat!" Daemon shouted with defiance, shocking all inside. "By laws of Gods and Men, I have that right, and I use it. You accuse me of sorcery, attempted kinslaying and everything else? Let's find out what the Gods really think of it."
"Wretched fiend, do you honestly think that anybody in this room, much less in the Seven Kingdoms, will come to your defense after what you had done?!" Lyanna almost screeched at him.
"I will defend him!" All heard a powerful booming voice of Anarion, as he moved past the crowd, taking his place near Daemon and looking with defiance and readiness at shocked Rhaegar.
"Ser Anarion, I order you to withdraw yourself from this." Rhaegar commanded to him.
"No, I will not." Anarion said to him, with Rhaegar unable to comprehend what was happening.
"Ser Anarion, I gave you a direct order…" Rhaegar tried to command, but Anarion interrupted him.
"The Laws of Men and Gods are crystal clear about the trial by combat: any man may choose to willingly enter it on the side of the accused, and not even King has the right to remove him." Anarion reminded Rhaegar, who looked as if he had been betrayed. "Now, if you are done with this mummer's show, go ahead and pick your champion, Your Grace." Rhaegar looked perplexed and for a second could not decide what to do, until he collected himself and made his choice.
"Ser Arthur Dayne, you shall represent the Crown in this Trial." Rhaegar decided, with The Sword of the Morning accepting the responsibility. "The trial shall take place today, at the dusk. Combatants have until then to prepare themselves, or withdraw from the trial."
Later.
The people were gathered, the near entirety of the Royal family were in attendance, safe for Prince Viserys, prepared to watch how Daemon Targaryen will be brought down and destroyed, along with his foolish champion. Daemon stood near Anarion and Miriel, observing the reactions of his family, and finding complete lack of sympathy or anything good from them, only seeing contempt, anger, fear and desire to see him dead. Only Queen Elia and Queen Mother Rhaella looked at him with sadness and grief, as even they weren't certain that Anarion would win in this battle, but Daemon and Miriel were completely certain that this wasn't going to be the end for the boy.
Daemon looked at Ser Arthur Dayne, his father's finest Kingsguard and arguably most loyal friend and servant, as well as the deadliest Knight in Seven Kingdoms, wearing the gleaming white armor of the Kingsguards, and holding his great and near mythical ancestral greatsword Dawn. The milk white blade seemed almost like it could glow to others, while for Daemon, he could see and sense it's magic in it, etched deep into it. He did not know how and through what means this blade was made, but it was clear to him that there was magic in him and that it was not a simple sword.
However, no matter how mighty a blade or warrior were, young Dragonborn knew that against one like Anarion, it would not make a significant enough difference. Miriel's memories showed the boy the truth of his swordmaster, and it was clear to Daemon, that Arthur Dayne, nor any other Knight in the Realm had stood a chance against him. Anarion had lived in this form for over five thousand years, and all these years he had honed and perfect the art of war, learning and mastering every weapon he could find. Countless heroes, knights, fiends, monsters and Dragons- all found death at his hands, and today one more will join their ranks. Daemon thought that he should feel pity for the Sword of the Morning, but the man showed no pity to him and kept him locked up as a beast, even though it was under the orders, and he did not belittle him in any form or manner.
Anarion was finishing up putting his armor on, which consisted of a mixed suit of plate and scale armor, crafted for him by one of Kaan'Dov kin ages ago. The metal used in it was Ebonite, tempered and hardened through Dovah fire and blessed waters of freezing Atmora, giving it black and dark blue hues and drawing the eyes of others who have never seen an armor like this. Plates covered Anarion's torso, legs and wrists with shoulders, while scales, akin to ones of Dovah, covered the rest, elegantly laying on him and giving him maximum mobility and defense.
The armor had decorations in form of Atmoran runes, with Dovahzul being incorporated into it as well, all of which were inscriptions of enchantments for the armor. Anarion knew that his armor was impervious to the attacks of nearly any weapon, from blunt to piercing, as both material and enchantments upon it would mitigate the effect. Not even Valyrian Steel was capable of as much as scratching the armor, made of out of crystalized blood of Shor.
Anarion finished up putting on his armor, ending it with his barbute helm, with had the decoration in form of Dovah wings on the side, with a small visor covering his eyes and nose, with most of his face safe by helm. Once he had been over with his armor, Anarion's hands moved to the weapon of his choice and the one, which he trusted the most to do its part.
It was a greatsword, with a wide dark blue blade, made of same material as the armor, with blade's width being greater than most swords that people had seen. Long and imposing, runes in Atmoran and Dovahzul were etched into it as well, with the weight of the entire thing being well balanced and distributed, allowing Anarion to wield this massive blade with mastery and art. This rune greatsword had served Anarion for over four thousand years, and has brought him countless victories, which made this sword a legend among Aedra, Daedra and especially Dovah. It was his former Dovah kin that have given this sword a name, Krahdovfeyn, or Cold Dragonbane in language of mortals. It was one of those few instances where Dragons were the ones to give name to a weapon, and it had earned its name.
Picking up his sword, he felt the rush of power and chill coming from it, almost biting into his hand, yet smoothly calming him. Casting a small Conjuration spell to disable the enchantment on it, since he did not need it today, Anarion moved the greatsword and walked towards the center of the arena that was chosen for the fight. Arthur Dayne moved towards him as well, piqued with the armor and weapon that his opponent was bringing to the fight, having never seen it's like, but remaining confident in his ability to bring Anarion down. He knew that the man was a formidable warrior and fighter, but not even was able to win against the Sword of the Morning all those years ago, and today will be no different.
"As per code of chivalry and law of Men and Gods, I offer you to withdraw from this Trial, Ser Anarion." Arthur Dayne spoke to Anarion, who did not seem to reach to it at all. "There is no shame in withdrawing from this Trial, as His Grace himself had seen what had happened, and it is all but known that the boy is cursed and will be a bane to House Targaryen. All know of your attachment to the child, and how you raised him, akin to his father, but your feelings are in the way of justice and wishes of the Seven and His Grace…"
"Can we start this already?" Anarion ignored Dayne's pleas and turned to the audience, addressing them directly. "You people demand justice of the Gods, yet you are the ones who are stalling it!"
"Ser Anarion, The Faith of the Seven grants you the opportunity to withdraw yourself from this trial. Given who you stand in this Trial against, the Faith and good people of the Seven Kingdoms will not think any less of you, if you…" The High Septon tried to say the same thing as Dayne, but Anarion was not listening to him.
"Rhaegar!" Anarion shouted at the man, shocking everyone with such blatant disrespect towards the King. "You wished to make this a trial. Start this match, or declare Daemon innocent! Make your choice!" Anarion demanded of the King, and he finally gave the signal, and trumpets sounded it.
Anarion and Dayne turned to face each other, bringing their blades into fighting position and preparing to make their moves, with each looking for the hints of when their opponent would make the attack. For a few seconds, the two men looked for signs, showing nearly no intention of making the first move. This lasted until Anarion decided to make the first attack, swinging his blade from up to down and intending to cut Dayne. Arthur parried and moved the blade away with his Dawn, using the opportunity to go on the offensive and quickly strike at Anarion, swinging his sword at Anarion's right, but missing, as Anarion evaded and moved back.
Dayne didn't give him room for maneuver, as he attacked again, trying to bring him down with the attacks from sides, which Anarion parried and blocked with his own sword, until he suddenly swung his sword directly at Dayne's Dawn, striking and blocking it's movement. In that moment, Arthur Dayne was surprised and shocked at the amount of strength that Anarion held, as he was not just holding him in place, but overpowering him, bringing his own blade down and slowly making an opening for him. And the sword his used… This was no simple sword, as for a second Dayne looked at where the blades connected, and was shocked to see something that never was thought possible- another blade had chipped the Dawn, while remaining completely intact.
A second of hesitation, look of uncertainty and complete disbelief were a combination that would bring defeat to even the strongest warriors, and Anarion wasn't going to let that opportunity go. Thousands of battles had instilled in him the demand to fight efficiently and without any making any show out of the act of battle. Find a weak spot, exploit it and then strike and end it quickly, that was his motto. He came to this fight because his and Miriel's Kul was endangered by these people, and he wasn't going to leave anything to a chance. His runic armor, Krahdovfeyn, no hesitation or inhibition in this fight- Anarion was done downplaying his abilities for the sake of secrecy. When Dovah's child is threatened, it is always a fight to the death!
Mustering all of his forces, Anarion pushed Dawn down with such speed and power, that Arthur Dayne had nearly dropped it down from his hands, before Krahdovfeyn moved… and in a single clean cut to Anarion's right, Arthur Dayne's head was severed from his body and fell down onto the ground with the helmet still on it. Anarion brought his blade down and began to walk away from the body, before it dropped down a few seconds later, with the blade of House of Dayne unceremoniously falling down and becoming stained with Arthur Dayne's blood.
The audience was in complete shock and disbelief at what they had just witnessed, having expected to witness a performance of artists with blades. Instead, they saw the very finest of Knights and swordsmen in all of Seven Kingdoms defeated and beheaded by some foreigner, killed like it was nothing. The Royal family too was in disbelief, with only Daemon having a small smile at the fact that he had won and will now be allowed to go, though it was clear that there still will be consequences for him and others.
Rhaegar and Lyanna looked upon Anarion with faces that were completely devoid of color and life, seeing how their chance to be rid of Daemon was gone, destroyed by Anarion in a single swing of his strange sword. Rhaegar knew that Anarion would grow attached and close to the boy, but to so openly defy him, to all but proclaim his allegiance to Daemon… Rhaegar felt a sting of pain in his heart, seeing this as nothing short of betrayal of the friendship and all the warmth and respect he held towards Anarion and his wife. And Rhaegar wasn't going to let this slide so simply, and it was obvious that Daemon will not remain here. After gathering up his confidence and strength, Rhaegar rose up and spoke up.
"The Gods… Have rendered their judgement. Daemon Targaryen, you are… allowed to live." Rhaegar stated, with Anarion simply moving towards the boy and ruffling his hair, while Daemon accepted it with warmth. "However, this does not excuse your crime of attempted kinslaying, and since the Gods have deemed you absolved of death, I shall grant you your life, but not as a Prince, Targaryen or free man. For all your crimes and vile deeds, you are hereby stripped of your royal status, will all your rights as noble and Prince being removed. Your name shall be erased from the records of our family, and your name is now taken from you, but so all known of your vile nature, you shall be now known as Daemon Feldrake. Tomorrow on the dawn, you shall be sent to the Night's Watch, where you shall atone for your crimes for the rest of your life."
Shortest chapter yet, but packed to the brim with the material, and though I do apologize for the lack of Starks here, rest assured that they will be featured in the next chapter heavily.
Now, as you have seen, Daemon has finally learned the truth about himself and what he really is, and has even used his first Shout. For those who may be asking how was he able, Dragonborns are stated to have instinct knowledge to use Thu'um upon hearing or seeing it, with Wulfhart having learned a Shout observing a battle between Shor and Alduin, with Daemon learning his first Shout from memories given by Miriel.
Their contact has also triggered his Dragon nature to awaken in a stronger manner, so yeah, expect him to be exhibiting a more Dovah character, though not to the extremes.
As for Arthur Dayne, I am aware that he is a fan favorite and I may just have made a bunch of enemies by killing him like he was some grunt, but… Take into account that Anarion has THOUSANDS of years of experience, very powerful enchanted armor and a sword that even DOVAH know… Not even Dawn was capable of tipping this in favor of Dayne. Blame Rhaegar for his death, as he wished Daemon to die more than he valued his friend's life. He even went as far as to go agaisnt the law, bending it to his own favor, not even allowing Daemon to go free after Trail, which will still bite him and others in the arse.
Now, as always, feel free to comment on the chapter, give you opinion, offer suggestions in terms of romance, events and other stuff. Oh, and as for romance and characters, I am quite open to accepting characters from other forms of media, like anime, games, etc.
Next time: Parting of ways; She-Wolf howls at Wyrms for her Dovah; New Kaan'Dov come into play.
