Disclaimer: I do not anything from A Song of Ice and Fire or Game of Thrones. Everything belongs to George R.R Martin.

Chapter XXXIII - Astapor

Daeron POV

The ship had reached Astapor, one of the three slave cities in Slaver's Bay. Also known as the Red City. Watching from the bay at the early hours of dawn seeing the Astapor emblem facing the sea made entirely of gold. The Harpy of Old Ghis. We arrived two days ago, as the Captain and Ser Jorah went ashore to talk to one of the Good Masters. When Ser Jorah returned, he said a meeting had been arranged and to come the day after tomorrow.

While Daenerys was tending to the Dothraki Warriors with Irri who would be travelling with us, I was in deep thought. The question whether to buy slave soilders or not still rest in my mind. Then again, I can make my decision after arranging a meeting with the Good Masters. Ser Jorah had advised us not to speak Valyrian, to let the Good Masters get comfortable with us, and insult us, pretend that we are clueless. We had agreed and I wore a leather armor, and exiled Westerosi garbed. I made sure to add the sigil of both House Targaryen and House Martell in it, the Dragons, Suns and Spears.

Once done, I came out onto deck seeing Ser Jorah wearing his new armor. Back in Qarth, his metal plated armor became too hot since traveling through the Red Waste and in Qarth, so he custom made new armor. One suitable for the desert environment. What made it unique was the pauldrons have engraving that resembled dragons' tail while on the chest plate was a medallion of a bear. Subtle yet unique as the same with the scarab for his sword.

Daenerys wore her blue attire, hair in braids and also a Khaleesi belt along with a simple wooden necklace. Among us would be Rakharo and Irri. Irri was also dressed in blue, which I found quite odd, since I was used to seeing her only dressing in Dothraki garbs. It will be us five, since Ago and Kovarro were not well after nearly three months out on the sea. If we get what we desire, hopefully, we can travel by land instead of sailing to Pentos.

"Where to?" I asked Ser Jorah.

"To the Plaza of Pride," he answered, leading the way.

.o0o.

When we got to Astapor, we met a man and a girl at the Plaza of Pride. The open market where the Good Masters, allow their customers to view their purchases. In the center of the Plaza stands a red brick fountain with a golden plated harpy standing twenty feet tall. The man was tan, having a bald head with a trimmed beard dressed in white, green and yellow. Next to him was a ten years old girl with dark skin and dark tightly curled hair as a black leather collar wrapped around her neck. It made me sick seeing a girl, younger than Daenerys in chains.

"Welcome to Astapor, King Daeron, and Princess Daenerys," the young slave said. "May I have the honor of introducing you to my Master, Kraznys mo Nakloz. One of the Good Masters of Astapor."

"Thank you," I said. "We appreciate your time to show us your trade."

The woman slave translated in low Valyrian to Kraznys. He smiled, his brown eyes analyzing Daenerys though lingering at her breast and then looking at Irri. Daenerys smiled back, Irri moved behind to Rakharo immediately, while I held my disgust in what this man was doing, I swear that I will find a way to make sure the man loses his eyes. Meanwhile, Rakharo looked insulted at the way how Krazyns gazed at Daenerys and Irri, he was about to yell but Daenerys gave him a warning look, plastered with a false smile.

Once the introductions were out of the way, Kraznys escorted us out of the Plaza of Pride to see where a sample of the Unsullied was kept. Kraznys led the way talking about the Unsullied as he had sixty-five men stay out in the open all day and night to give an example.

The young slave girl spoke, "The Unsullied have stood here for a day and a night with no food or water."

Kraznys continued his explanation as he led us to one of the terraces where the Unsullied stood. All in light black leather armor holding spears and shields. On top of the head were helmets masking the majority of their face except for the eyes.

"They will stand until they drop." She said, as her master continued. "Such is their obedience."

Without a single word, the Unsullied did a half-face, stepping back creating an aisle allowing us to walk through and stand on the platform. They returned to attention and did an about-face, twisting their ankles until addressing us at attention.

"They may suit my needs," I said trying to keep my voice calm, instead of yelling, That's cruel. "Tell me about their training?"

The slave girl translated, "The Westerosi man is pleased with them, but speaks no praise to keep the price down. He wishes to know how they are trained."

"Tell him what he would know and be quick about it. The day is hot." Kraznys replied.

The Unsullied are probably hot too. You think you're the only one complaining? I thought deeply.

"They begin their training at five," the translator explained. "Every day they drill from dawn to dusk until they have mastered the shortsword, the shield, and the three spears. Only one boy in four survives this rigorous training."

Kraznys who stood next to me spoke as the translator repeated in common tongue.

"Their discipline and loyalty are absolute. They fear nothing."

"Even the bravest men fear death," Ser Jorah reminded.

The translator spoke to her master, "The knight says even brave men fear death."

Kraznys shrugged, "Tell the old man he smells of piss."

"Truly, Master?" the translator asked.

"No, not truly," he scolded, which made the woman flinch. "Are you a girl or a goat to ask such a thing?" He continued his rant, adding insults here and there. "

"My master says the Unsullied are not men. Death means nothing to them." The translator said.

"Tell this idiot to open his eyes and watch." He said, stepping down.

"He begs you to attend to this carefully, Your Grace," the Translator said. Kraznys gestured to one of the Unsullied over. He moved the man's shield arm and spear arm aside, exposing him. He took the dagger off the Unsullied belt and cut open the straps of his armor. I realized what he was doing and frowned.

"Tell the good master that there is no need for a demonstration," Daaenerys ordered.

"She's worried about their nipples?" Kraznys asked, pinching the flesh together getting enough before cutting the nipple off. "Does the dumb bitch know we've cut off their balls?"

Blood seeped from the wound as Kraznys tossed the discarded flesh onto the ground. I saw even Rakharo looked a bit disgusted. The Dothraki may believe in beatings and raping, but they do not believe in cutting off people's body parts.

"My master points out that Unsullied don't need nipples," the translator said as I looked at Krazyns in disgust. Kraznys fixed the strap and corrected the Unsullied posture back to attention.

Before playfully smacking his arm, "Here, I'm done with you."

"This one is pleased to have served you," the Unsullied said, then stepped back into his squad. Kraznys turned around facing us pleased that his Unsullied that he mutilated showed no sign of pain in his eyes or voice. He explained how the Unsullied become the Unsullied.

"To win his shield, an Unsullied must go to the slave marts with a silver mark, find a newborn and kill it before its mother's eyes. This way, my master says, we make certain there is no weakness left in them." The translator said.

"You take a baby from its mother's arms, kill it as she watches, and pay for her pain with a silver coin?" Irri asked and I was surprised to hear her speak.

"The Princess' handmaiden is offended. She asks if you pay a silver coin to the mother, for her dead baby," the translator told her master.

"What a soft mewling fool this one is, the Princess should control her servant's tongue." Kraznys murmured and continued.

"My master would like you to know that the silver is paid to the baby's owner, not the mother," the translator explained.

I took a deep breath, "How many do you have to sell?"

The translator told her master in which he lifted eight fingers. "Eight thousand."

"Tell the Westerosi beggar that he has until tomorrow," Kraznys informed.

"Master Kraznys asks that you, please hurry. Many other buyers are interested," the translator said before she and her master left. I stood there staring at the sixty-five Unsullied men. Comprehending what Kraznys and the translator told us about the Unsullied.

There are eight thousand men who are ready for battle. One out of four boys survive this brutal training. By the time they are ready, they must prove themselves by killing a newborn in front of the mother. The mother is not compensated, but the owner. I narrowed my eyes trying to do the math of the number of lives murdered. Basically, many babies had died of this deed

oOoOo

We left the Plaza of Pride making our way back to the ship. A lot was lingering through my head, as we were all bewildered in the practice the Good Masters have on the Unsullied. How Kraznys simply took a dagger and mutilated a man to make an example. What disgusted me the most is the thirty-two thousand dead children in order to make the eight-thousand Unsullied. And those are the ones in Astapor. This practice been going for centuries and no one stopped them. Rakharo and Irri walked behind us as Daenerys, Ser Jorah and I talked.

"Eight thousand dead babies," Daenerys said, baffled from the preview. We were walking our way back to the docks to return to our ships.

"The Unsullied are a means to an end," Ser Jorah agreed.

"Once I own them, these men…" I started.

"They're not men. Not anymore," Jorah interrupted.

"Once I own an army of slaves, what will I be?" I asked.

"You think these slaves will have better lives serving men like Kraznys or serving you?" Jorah replied. We stopped observing the dock seeing slaves and fishermen working together to get the latest products out to the market. On the pier was a young girl holding a ball. She smiled and waved at us. Daenerys waved back as she stepped down. Jorah and I followed her continuing our conversation about the Unsullied.

"You'll be fair to them. You won't mutilate them to make a point." Jorah said. "You won't order them to murder babies. You'll see they're properly fed and sheltered. A great injustice has been done to them. Closing your eyes will not undo it."

We stopped as Daenerys was playing with the girl. The girl smiled, rolling the ball over to her. Irri said something to Daenerys, but Daenerys shook her head and smiled back as she knelt down collecting it. The girl made a gesture to open it. Assuming it was a puzzle, Daenerys did so when all of a sudden, a man in a dark cloak attacked, knocking my sister down. Rakharo grabbed the man while Ser Jorah and I rushed to Daenerys but stopped as the ball opened and a creature resembling a jeweled scorpion came out. Irri shrieked, noticing that this was not any scorpion. It was a manticore. One sting could kill a man.

"Don't move," I whispered to Daenerys. She was on the ground, eyes widened. Slowly I tried to draw my sword hoping to stab it. However, it gave a hiss scurrying forward towards the attack. Daenerys tried to crawl back. Before it could strike the hooded man, who escaped Jorah hold and stabbed the scorpion with his dagger. Looking up, we stared at the little girl whose appearance changed, no longer looking innocent. As her face grew hollow and teeth turned black while her lips became blue. The hooded man went after the girl who ran away jumping into the water. I helped Daenerys up, noting the hooded man gazing at the wall. We followed his gaze seeing the girl giving a deviant stare.

"The Warlocks," Daenerys said.

"They want vengeance. It is known." Irri muttered.

I nodded since we did kill some of the warlocks and the Undying Ones at the House of the Undying. Their attempt at revenge. Should've burned the place to the ground before we left. Sighing, I stared at the man who removed the manticore off his blade carefully with a rag and stomped on it preventing its poison from being of use.

I walked over to the stranger, "Thank you for saving my sister, Ser."

"The honor is mine, my king." The man said in a Westerosi accent removing his hood. My eyes widen as if staring at a memory. Though he has got older and his hair has turned grey, his face and eyes still remain the same, with only slight wrinkles. Ser Jorah was astonished as I was while Daenerys stood there confused.

"You know this man?" Daenerys asked.

Ser Jorah nodded, "I know him as one of the greatest fighters the Seven Kingdoms has ever seen and as the Lord Commander of Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard."

"King Robert is dead," the man said. "I've been searching for you two, Daeron Targaryen and Daenerys Stormborn, to ask for your forgiveness. I was sworn to protect your family. I failed them." He bends the knee. "I am Barristan Selmy, Kingsguard to your grandfather and a good friend to your father. I served a Great King, a Good King, a Mad King and now I will serve you. Allow me to join your Kingsguard, and I will not fail you again."

"Rise Ser Barristan" I said with a smile, it was so good to see another familiar face, one before I left Westeros.

He looked at me with those blue eyes, as he drew his sword, "I will shield your back, keep your counsel and give my life for yours if need be. I swear by the Old Gods and the New."

I took a deep breath, trying to remember the vows and said, "I vow that you shall always have a place by my hearth and meat and mead at my table. And I pledge to ask no service of you that might bring you into dishonor. I swear by the Old Gods and the New. Arise, Ser Barristan Selmy."

Ser Barristan stood up sheathing his sword. Overwhelmed, I led them back to the ship. Daenerys was curious, so she asked Ser Barristan a question about King's Landing, about our family. Daenerys asked, "What was Daeron like when he was three?"

"He was a playful child, he and Princess Rhaenys would cause trouble for the servants." Ser Barristan answered. "One time he got lost in the secret passages in the Red Keep, your grandfather threaten to kill someone if he was not found and the castle searched for hours, until Princess Elia found him asleep at the cold ground. He caught a cold, but recovered."

"I don't remember that," I said as Irri and Daenerys chuckled. Rakharo and Ser Jorah gave a grin and I turned a bit red, fortunately I could blame it on the sun.

"It was a month after your birthday," Ser Barristan smiled.

"Is it true that my grandfather disliked my brothers and sister?" Daenerys asked. I tensed, as did Ser Barristan. Ser Jorah glanced at him to know the truth.

"Your Grace, may I speak freely?" Ser Barristan answered.

"You may." I said and Ser Barristan nodded.

"King Aerys never liked Princess Elia, because she was Dornish. When you and Princess Rhaenys was born, he would not hold any of you, claiming you both smell Dornish. He warmed up with you due to your coloring, but the Princess Rhaenys had dark hair and dark skin. And when Prince Aegon was born, he had dark hair despite his silver eyes. King Aerys disliked anything Dornish." Ser Barristan said and Daenerys looked at me surprised, no doubt thinking that Viserys hating Rhaenys, Aegon and I were a cruel joke. Sadly, it was true. Irri looked at us with sympathy.

"If you'll excuse me, I have some things I need to do," I said suddenly.

"Your Grace," Ser Barristan spoke.

"Yes, Ser Barristan?" I replied.

"When you have time, I wish to know what has happened over the years?" He asked.

I took a deep breath, "Alright." I led Ser Barristan to my cabin where Elianna laid on the bed. The golden dragon lifted its head giving a shriek to the knight. This startled Ser Barristan almost drawing his sword, but I stopped him going to the clay pot pulling out a chunk of meat and tossed it at Elianna. The dragon caught it in his mouth and ate it raw.

"Forgive Elianna, he is protective." I said, even though the dragon was named after my mother, I felt more comfortable calling Elianna a he, instead of a she.

Ser Barristan nodded, bewildered in seeing a dragon. I lead the knight to the windowsill pouring two glasses of wine. The knight sat down accepting the drink, still staring at Elianna who went back to sleep.

"The rumors are true, you both have dragons." Ser Barristan whispered.

"Yes we do." I nodded as I stroked my chin. "The Dragons are marvelous aren't they?"

"Yes, but deadly," he replied.

"Indeed," I agreed. "Now, you want to know what happened?" Ser Barristan nodded. "After my grandmother, Queen Rhaella passed away from a sickness, Ser Willem Darry smuggled my uncle: Viserys, my sister: Daenerys, and I out of Dragonstone to Braavos. For five years we lived as his ward, in the house of the red door. When he passed away from an illness, the servants kicked us out, and we lived on the streets until a host from a wealthy family took us in. We never stayed in one Host lodging too long, from Myr, Tyrosh, Qohor, Volantis, and Lys. Our last host was Magister Illyrio Mopatis in Pentos." I told Ser Barristan everything.

Those sadden blue eyes widened when I told him when Viserys forced Daenerys to wed the Dothraki warlord, Khal Drogo, from Viserys dying by molten gold, the raids in Lhazar, Drogo's death by the witch, the dragon's resurrection, and the events that transpire in Qarth. Not going over the specifics of magic, for even I don't understand it, then the consequences of pain and death. After I told him my side of the story, I asked Ser Barristan to tell me what has happened in Westeros.

He explained that Robert Baratheon become king; however, he was not able to save the woman he loved, Lyanna Stark. The woman who started a war. Not that I care about what Robert and Lyanna anyway. Instead, he married Tywin Lannister's daughter Cersei, who's twin brother was the Kingslayer. Over the years, the Kingdom fell into a neutral term, as Robert whore and drank his way through the Seven Kingdoms while Lord Jon Arryn took charge as Hand of the King.

When Jon Arryn died, so did the new dynasty of chaos. Ned Stark became Hand to the King, however he discovered the truth of the parentage of Cersei's children, being born from incest, warlock and bastardy. Then, Robert Baratheon being killed by a boar, Joffrey Baratheon demanding Ned Stark's head, but Ser Barristan told me that he is aware Ned Stark is alive, since he overheard Petyr Baelish speaking with the Usurper's wife about finding Ned Stark and his daughters. This started a war called the War of the five kings. Ser Barristan had heard news that there are five different Kings. Joffrey who was the Kingslayer's biological son, Renly and Stannis who were the Usurper's younger brothers, with Renly being dead. Robb Stark who declared himself King in the North, along with Balon Greyjoy who declared himself King of the Iron Islands and the North. Pretty much the same news we received in Qarth, just with more details

I asked how Ser Barristan managed to escape from the Kingsguard, Ser Barristan told me that he was banished for being too old. Kingsguards are for life, and the only reason he was banished because Cersei Lannister and her son wanted to name the Kingslayer as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.

"That boy is stupid. What can you say about this Joffrey?" I asked.

"That he is a spoiled cruel boy," Ser Barristan said. "Tormented his younger siblings, butchered small animals, and other things I dare not say."

I snorted and said, "And they say my grandfather was mad."

Ser Barristan nodded with a small smile.