Chapter 40: Astapor

On the ship...

They were sitting in Shiera cabin listening to the woman's story of what happened after she had left Westeros during the reign of King Aerys I, wanting to leave the bloody politic of the Seven kingdoms behind, and visit her mother's homeland. Lys.

"Now as you can see, things did not go as planned, though before I got caught by the warlocks I visited the Wall when Bloodraven was sentenced to take the black," the woman said, almost with sadness, and Daenerys, despite the great curiosity she was having about the Wall, didn't have the courage to ask about it to her. Not in this moment. However, the woman seems to sense her hesitation and curiosity, and said, "It is beautiful, little Princess. Tall and made of Ice, but it is the magic that truly holds it up."

"First men?" asked Rhaella.

"Doubt anyone knows," the sorceress said, after shrugging her shoulder. "He didn't deserve to join the Night's Watch, you know? Years and years of serving your family, defending them against the Blackfyre pretenders, defending the throne from every enemy, and what is the prize your dear grandfather gave him once he came to power? Banishment to the Wall."

"There was no other way-"

"Your dear grandfather was a week," the sorceress said to her mother. "He let everyone see that. Look what happened to you. His action lead to your downfall."

"My husband's actions lead to our downfall."

"Really? And do tell me, dragon queen, was he or your grandfather to give the Stag a royal princess after he lost the rebellion?"

"That has nothing to do with Robert Baratheon."

"It has everything to do with Robert Baratheon, Queen Rhaella, because Robert Baratheon, even though hates the Targaryen seed, he based his claim on his Targaryen blood too, as his grandmother was a Targaryen. Westeros railed behind him because of that. They put him on the throne because of that. Rickard Stark, Jon Arryn, and Hoster Tully plotted your downfall basing it on that. Robert's blood that came from Rhaelle, his grandmother, give him the throne."

Silence fell upon them, after what the sorceress said, with her mother looking down, pensive, while Daenerys, to break it, asked, turning to the sorceress, "Have you met him?"

"Yes. But only when he was a little boy and squire of Duncan."

"I'm going to see Ser Barristan and ask him how long till we reach Astapor," her mother said, getting up, and exiting the cabin, leaving only the two of them inside, as silence fell on them again the moment the door closed.

She was still sitting on the bed, looking down, and folding with her dress, not know what to say to break this time the silence, however, it was Shiera the one to break it, by saying, "Do you want to try something?"

And Daenerys immediately looked up, seeing her get down from the bed, and immediately pull out some black candles, before returning to the bed.

"What is that?"

"A glass candle, Daenerys. With them, you can see across mountains, seas, and deserts. You can give men visions and dreams, and you can communicate with another sorcerer half a world apart."

At hearing those words, Deanery immediately asked, "Can you communicate with Jon? See how he is…It has been weeks since we saw each other…and I have no news about him," with a heart full of hope and pleading eyes.

"No," the sorceress replied, and Daenerys lowered her head, sighing sadly. "But you can."

And she immediately looked up, with her heart again full of hope, "How can I? I'm not a sorceress."

"You are more than that, Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen," Shiera said, getting up, and heading towards the middle of the cabin, sitting on the wooden floor. "You and him, are linked by destiny. Come, Princess. I will help you reach the love of your life."

Daenerys obliged, getting up immediately and rushing where the sorceress was.

"Give me your hand and be ready to follow my words and with an open mind," Shiera said, stretching her hand and when she placed it, the sorceress stabbed one of her fingers for blood, saying words she could not understand.

"Jon," he heard himself being called, like in the days when he was only a pup but refused to open his eyes, hugging his sword more, and shifting in his place. "Jon. Wake up, Jon."

"No. I'm tired. I need some rest," he mumbled in his sleep but opening his eyes for a moment, seeing a beautiful girl with silver-golden hairs and beautiful amethyst eyes, before closing them back, knowing he was making a beautiful dream.

But hearing that chuckle he loved so much, Aenar immediately stood up, seeing that she was indeed standing there. "Dany? Is it really you? Or am I dreaming?"

"It's me…more or less I must say," his beautiful wife said, and he looked at her in confusion. "Qarth fell and I managed to free the sorceress. She is the one helping me with this. I wanted to see you, Aenar. Or should I call you Jon?"

"Call me however you want because I only want to hear your lovely voice," he said, approaching here, but not daring to touch because he didn't want this moment to end. "How are you, Dany?" he asked, glancing at her belly, seeing that she was already showing a small baby bump.

"I am well. We are well. We managed to strike a deal with the Brotherhood from Qarth," Daenerys said, while he stopped a few inches from her. "but-"

"I miss you," he said, instead, not wanting to hear a report about her journey.

"I miss you too. We both miss you," and he sighed, glancing down for a moment. "What happened in the North?"

"Death is coming for everyone," he whispered, with the gaze down, however, when he looked up, she disappeared.

"What happened?" Daenerys asked, finding herself back in the cabin before she could hear Jon's stories about the north.

"You are not strong enough yet to maintain a long connection, but I hope that what you get was enough to ease your heart," the sorceress replied getting up and heading to the table to drink some wine. "You call him Jon?"

"Yes. It is a long story."

"I have all the time," the sorceress said, and Daenerys didn't know from where to start, hearing her add, "But I like for the stories to be short and quick since I got bored quickly."

"It's how we meet the first time in my dreams. HE said his name was Jon, and since then I call him Jon, well, in public and sometimes privately, I call him with his Targaryen name."

"I see. And your mother? How does the good queen Rhaella call her lover?"

"By his Targaryen name, of course."

The woman grinned, finishing her goblet before returning back to her spot, saying, "Now what would say if pay someone a little visit?"

Astapor. This was the southernmost of the slaver cities in Slaver's Bay, and the only one of the three cities to offer the most feared foot soldiers of Essos. The Unsullied.

She shuddered at the mere thought of what those young slave children suffered to become such soldiers. Such a horrible fate. These slave masters truly deserved to be destroyed with fire and blood that they themselves shed of many innocents.

"From a distance, it looks like a rare beauty," said Ser Barristan, approaching. "But the truth is, it was built with the blood of slaves."

"Yes. And you don't agree with the reason why we are here. Am I right Ser Barristan?" she replied, glancing at the old man.

"No, I don't. When your son marched on the trident to fight the Usurped, the men followed him because they believed in him, because they loved him, not because he bought them at a market."

"No, he didn't and yet, he lost. He was outnumbering the enemy and lost because they were bound to a lord and not to the crown," she said, not liking what the old knight was saying. "Do you want that same fate for my daughter and my grandson?"

"No, your grace. But if I can be blunt, the loyalist lost because your son died not because of a lack of loyalty." And she has to agree with the knight on this. "I only think that this is a mistake, your grace. Not because of their skills, but because of what the Seven Kingdoms may think. It is already bad that heis leading an army of exiles whose history is well known, and in what army there is now also a high number of savages in the Targaryen army, adding the slave soldiers would be too much."

"I admire your judgments, and I am grateful for your advice, Ser Barristan, but I ask you to stay in your place in this, which is protecting your king not judging his decisions, since last time you failed that," she said, looking at the man, and chin raised, and the old knight immediately lowered his head. "Now it's best if I go and inform my daughter that soon we will be in Astapor."

With those words, she left him there, heading below the docks, and back to their cabin.

Riverlands...

Orys was standing in the middle of a river full of blood, and red rubies. Looking around he saw two High Towers, twins to each other, and all around him were corpses on the ground, with dragon and deer coats of arms.

Suddenly he heard being call, and turning around he saw a young man, with visor lift up, who added, "At last we meet cousin."

He was wearing a dark suit of armour with a twisted dragon, and wielded in his hand a sword, with two dragons head on the hilt, and holding a round shield in the other hand, with the red three-headed dragon on a black background. The helmet, once the visor fell down, was black but on top of it there was the same three-headed dragon as on the other ones. But what attracted the most attention were the man's eyes that could be seen through the helmet's visor. They were a fiery red, burning, and fierce, full of wrath and anger. Orys did not know who he was, but he might have a suspicion.

They began, circling each other never taking their eyes off each other, and it was Orys the one to attack first with his hammer. After several blows went awry, Orys managed to take down his enemy, driving his hammer into his opponent's chest. His enemy fell to his knees, and just as Orys was about to strike the final blow, a sudden snowstorm hit him, and men in ice armour appeared around them, everything went dark, and from the impending storm from the north, a figure appeared. Blue eyes and a crown on his head, the figure had, and he was flanked by a beautiful woman with the same features, but a hood on her head to cover her white hairs. He spoke in a language that was unknown to Orys, and was like the hiss of ice on a frozen lake. But then the Ice king grabbed his sword from behind his back and with one slash cut off the Targaryen's head before stabbing him through the plate steel, and the body become of ice.

Then turning towards him, the Ice king threw an ice spear, which pierced him in through the armour, and getting to the other side. However, as he was hanging midway from the ground, Orys felt the ice from the spear started to spread within him and he woke up immediately, screaming.

What the hell was that. What a bad nightmare. Orys was all sweaty.

Getting out of bed, he walked over to the tower window to look out, seeing that it was still dark, and that means the castle was still sleeping.

After taking on the chain mail and the tunic over it, he left his chambers starting to wander through the dark, and silent hallways of the cursed fortress, feeling the coldness inside it, that made her skin shoulder. By the Seven, this place was truly evil.

On his way, Orys saw that busty servant girl that he had fucked the night they took Harrhenal. Smirking, and with hand on the sword, he said, "Well, well, well...isn't it a bit too late for a walk under the moonlight?"

"Isn't it a little too soon for a young stag to wander through a place haunted by many dangers?" she replied, with great cockiness.

"How impertinent of you," he replied, approaching her, with crossed arms, and starting to round her, he added, shaking his head, "Such words deserve to be punished?"

"And will you punish me, my Prince?" she asked, almost releasing a moan.

"Aye. I will punish you sorely."

"And will you make me scream?" she said, following him with her eyes.

"So loud…that these melted walls will crumble," he whispered, hissed, and the girl, said, "Follow me then," opening a secret passage through a wall, and starting to climb down the stairs.

For all the walk, he keeps his eyes on her ass, already feeling excitement built, and his cock starting to harden, but all the excitement went away, the moment he was brought into an old room, full of webs.

"What is this place?"

"Old Harren's hidden armory," the girl replied, starting to untie her dress, as he approached a side of it that had some covered things an full of dust. "I'm read, my Prince."

But he ignored her, taking off the cover, revealing arrows and bolts, made of wood. Why by the seven someones would make arrows and bolts with the wooden point, knowing that they were useless against armour.

"My Prince?"

"Tell me the story of this place."

"I don't know much about it, only that King Harren saw in a vision the way to kill a dragon, but of course it never happened," the girl replied very curious about, as he took one of the arrows in hand. Strange wood indeed it was.

"My Prine. Do you-"

"Leave," he said, not having the mood for a fuck, and glancing at her, he saw her hesitantly, pick her clothes, and leave, while he started to inspect the room, in the search of more.

He was sitting in front of the fire inside a cave from the Riverlands, sharpening his sword and thinking what his next move was, as the men were celebrating the victory against the Mountain's men.

Word spread quickly regarding the dead of Tywin Lannister's mad dog, and the Lion sent men in their search as Jaime Lannister keep besieging the heart of the Riverlands.

"What a night," said, dropping next to him, and throwing some more wood inside the fire, before starting to drink from his flask. "What ails you?"

"What ails me? Are you really asking me what ails me? I don't know, let's see. Maybe the truth you've been hiding from me for years?!"

"And what would you have done with the truth if I had told you, huh? Would you have gone to King's Landing to kill the King? Would you have gone to the Rock to stab the Old Lion?"

" Maybe! But it was not for you to decide my course of action!"

"Not me, but the Red God who brought you back to life."

" Spare me your Red God bullshit!" shouted Rhaegar, getting up and throwing his sword away. "Where was your god when the Lannisters were storming the Red Kee?!"

The Red Priest didn't answer, sipping from his flask, before saying, his gaze fixed on the flames, "Did I ever tell you why I'm here in Westeros?"

"No... but I don't see what it has to do with this," he replied, harshly, sighing, and passing a hand over his face.

"I was sent to your father's court to convert everyone to the Red God, but when I got there and saw what he was doing...I started to question my fate..." the man said, taking another long sip, before giving him the flask too.

Rhaegar took it, sighing and taking another sip, sadly, remembering how his father was, but now it wasn't that what was haunting him, but something else. Taking another sip, he asked, "How did they really die?"

"Are you sure you want to know?"

"Tell me."

"Well, I didn't say what happened, but only heard at things done. Gregor Clegane and Armory Lorch scaled the walls of Maegor's Holdfast, while your little girl runs to your rooms, hiding under your bed, holding her little kitten," the red Priest started, before stopped, to stretch the arm for the flask and take a sip, as Rhaegar felt his tears start to come down. "Lorch dragged the little girl from under the bed and stabbed her many times," and at hearing this, Rhaegar released a sob, biting his lips, and feeling the salat tears on them. It was all his fault.

"Do you still want me to continue?" the man asked, and with a broken heart, Rhaegar nodded.

"Gregor Clegane smashed the head of little Aegon in front of his mother, before raping and murdering her with his blood still on hands.

"Damn them!" cried Rhaegar, hitting the ground, as tears were coming down, and he was sobbing. Damn me and my actions! Damn Tywin Lannister and his hunger for power! Damn everything!

He keeps sobbing silently, hitting the ground, till he heard something he couldn't believe his ears. "But your other son is alive."

Sniffing looking up and cleaning his tears, he asked with a barely a whisper, "What did you say?"

"Your son with the Northern Lady. He is alive and well in Essos."

"Lyanna," he breathed out.

"Yes. That was her name. Lyanna Stark. I met her brother back in King's Landing when the city fell. He was disgusted by what the Lannister did to the people and to your family. He demanded that Lannister paid for what he did, and of course the head of the Mountain and Armory Lorch, but as you can see the Stag refused his friend."

"What happened to her?"

"Dead."

"Dead? She is dead too," he said, sadly, feeling tears come down again. The woman with who he fell in love, died too. And still because of him. "I lost two wives and I lost two children, while another one is alone in the world, with the Lannister for sure search."

"Not alone."

"What do you mean?"

"That he had your mother and sister with him."

"My mo-mother…and…si-sister?"

"Yes. Queen Rhaella is alive and well in Essos with your sister the Princess Daenerys who recently married your son."

"My son married her?" he asked not believing his ears and feeling disappointed at hearing those words.

"Yes," he replied, taking another sip, "And I see you disapprove it."

"Of course I do. The Targaryen incest had to end."

The Red Priest chuckled, patting his back, and lying near the fire, saying, "Tell him that when you will meet him."

"We didn't finish yet-"

"We did. Now sleep," the priest said, closing his eyes before Rhaegar could add anything else, and now that he was left to his thoughts, he started to think about what he should do. Go after the Lannister and Robert Baratheon or lave for Essos in search of his family? Such a big dilemma. Avenge his two children or go in the search of the remaining one?

East-Watch by the Sea

Their ship was docking the shores of East Watch, from where the Wildings will march south under his uncle's command, while he will fly back to Myr and get ready the army for the invasion. But his mind was still back at that moment, of Daenerys appearing in front of him.

"How are you feeling?" he heard a woman's voice say, as he was leaning against the wooden side of the ship, looking as the boats were carrying the wildings to the shore, and turning, he saw that it was the wilding Princess. "You were wounded. How are you feeling now?"

"Good, thanks to you I must say, but whatever you expect from me, my lady I can't give you, only my gratitude for tending to my wounds."

"I would disagree with that. When you defeat us and cam to that tent, killing the man that was standing there, who was my husband, you stole me, and from that day on, according to the law of the FreeFolke, I'm your wife."

"My wife? I don't think so," he replied, chuckling. "I have a wife back in Winterfell, who bore me children and who I love."

"Doesn't really matter to me. Or to the FreeFolke for that,"

But fortunately, a clearing troth stopped their conversation and saw that it was his nephew. "Is everything all right, Lord Stark?"

"Yes. We were only talking about W-FreeFolke traditions," he said, avoiding the woman's gaze.

"Good. If you have finished, Lord Stark, we have a lot of things to discuss before I take my leave," his nephew said, with seriousness on his face.

Moments later…

With the Lord Commander, his Lords and his nephew they headed to the keep of East Watch, where his Son and the steward, were waiting, for them the Dragon was flying in the sky, waiting for his master, but before that happens, they will have to discuss regarding what will happen when he will come to Westeros.

"Father. I'm glad you are alive," Robb greeted him, clapping his forearm and hugging, before turning his attention to his cousin. "Your grace."

"Enough with the pleasantries, Robb. We have plenty of things to discuss," Aenar said, and they got inside the gret hall, that seemed to be as cold as the others. While the steward of the commander was filling their cups, his son brought a map of Westeros, pacing it on the table, and Ned heard him say, "The Mormont and the Glover left the Wall, father. They are marching back home because their lands had been attacked by Ironborns."

"What?"

"Yes, a few days ago I received a raven from the Shadow Tower regarding their leaving," Robb said, and he was starting to get worried for Winterfell too. "I already give the order to our men at Castle Black and East Watch to return back to Winterfell, under Jory and command, defend till our arrival, and also sent a raven."

"Lord Stark? Is everything all right?" his nephew asked, and he nodded, not wanting to reveal the attack of the Ironborn, even though he knew that maybe using the dragon could be very useful in this. "As I was saying, back in Myr I had more than fifty thousand men ready to sail, and ten more will join me soon, but what I lack are the ship. I have a hundred of them at best, and maybe another eight hundred ships are going to join my cause."

"So what you are asking is that we sent all our fleet to Myr?" asked Manderly.

"Yes."

"If we do that, Lord Stark, then we will be open to the southron invasions from the Sea," Manderly said, to him, and showing on the map, and indeed that would happen, especially once the Riverlands will fall to the Lannister and the Vale to Robert.

"I need those ships, Lord Stark, to hasten the invasion and have the numbers to keep the enemy at bay during the conquest," his nephew said, almost in a pleading way, and he looking at Manderly, said, "How many ships do we have, Ser Willys?"

"We had eighty ships with twenty near the bear Island," Manderly replied. "We can renounce to a third of them, but the others need to stay in the north."

"So only 30 ships?" his nephew asked, in disbelieve, and Ned nodded. "Then it is somewhere else where I will have to find."

"Where do you intend to land, your grace?"

"On the Dragonstone I intend to land 5 thousand men and take it, while the main army will land in the Riverlands and take Harrhenal," his nephew said, and at hearing that cursed place that broke his family, his heart started to race, and his skin shuddered.

"Why Harrhenal?"

"It's where everything started and is almost the only fortress that can fight off a bigger army and have an open field were to burn them."

"Harrhenal is cursed, your grace. Whoever goes in there never leaves," he said, trying to change his nephew's mind on the regard.

"I visited far more dangerous places than Harrhenal, Lord Stark," his nephew said with confidence, trying to hide the smirk, before adding looking at the two northern Lords and him, "But I expect your army at the trident when I will face the usurper."

"We will help you take the bloody throne," Lord Umber said, "For the She-wolf of winter we will do that."

"Thank you, Lord Umber," his nephew said, "Now it is time for me to leave. A long journey awaits me but hopefully, we will see each other again at Harrhenal."

With those words, ad after drinking a cup of wine, his nephew, left the hall, followed by his son Robb.

"What's haunting you, Lord Stark?" the old bear Jeor Mormont asked, seeing him sigh, and Ned shook his head. "Nothing, just that those damn wars never end."

"It's the way of life, my Lord. They will always be wars," Mormont said.

"Lord Commander don't seal the tunnels yet," Ned said, and Mormont stopped looking at him in confusion. "My Son, Brandon, he is still out there with a northern party."

"We will try to keep them open as long as possible, but if the enemy arrives at the Wall, I will be forced to sell them, my Lord," Mormont replied, and Ned nodded, as they left the hall. He will have to ask Lord Manderly to send ships along the eastern coast beyond the wall searching for bran.

"Try to not die before my arrival, cousin," he said as they were walking towards Caraxes, outside the walls, and Robb chuckled.

"I will try. After all, it's not only your arrival that we will wait."

"Yes, yes…she too, to some extent, but your mother won't like a bastard as your bride," he replied, remembering Lord Stark's words on this regard.

"She doesn't have t like. My life is my life ad she doesn't choose the one who is for me," Robb replied scoffing and dismissing the topic of his mother with a scoff. "We will see each other at Harrhenal," Robb added, as they clapped the forearm before he climbed on his dragon, and after releasing a loud roar, Caraxes rose up in the sky.

Winterfell

Since her husband and son left for the Wall with the army, and then beyond it, she was the one to hold court to it, receiving many complaints from the people, because the men were missing and there was no one who could help to get ready for the winter that was coming. She tried to do her best, but it wasn't enough as she didn't want to leave Winterfell without men, especially considering that she only had 500 hundred men to protect it.

Suddenly she saw Ser Rodrick Cassel march in, saying, "Lady Stark! Word came that Thorren's Square is under siege."

"Under siege? By whom?" she asked, fearing that the Lannister sneaked somehow in the North since they are besieging Riverrun, where her father and brother are.

"Ironborns. Lannister. I fear I don't know my lady, but I can take men from Winterfell's garrison, and go to help them if you allow."

"Maester Luwin? What do you think?"

"I don't know, my lady. If we send men, Winterfell will be unprotected, but if we don't protect our lords then we are unworthy of their loyalty," the old man said. "They sent their men with Lord Stark, my lady."

"I will go," Benjen said, stepping forward. "You need to stay her and defend Winterfell from possible attacks, Ser Rodrick. You are a far better commander than me, and know this castle even more than me, not to mention the fact that the men look at you."

"Then I will go and get ready the best we have for you to ride out, my Lord," the old knight said, bowing and leaving, while her brother in law turning his attention back to her said, "Should this be a trap to lure us out, and besiege Winterfell, you need to hide in the crypts my lady with a very small force and wait till Eddard or we arrive. I will send a raven to Moat Caillin and ask the assistance of my army to break the siege of Torrhen's Square."

She nodded, as her good-brother left the hall, and dismissing the people who were present, left the hall too, dragging Rickon by the hand.

A few days later…

It was already past the Hour of the Owl and approaching the Hour of the Wolf. Almost all Winterfell was asleep, but not Ser Rodrick who was standing on guard, on the walls, and patrolling the streets with the men, despite her telling him that there was no need for that and that he could rest.

Benjen left days ago with the most part of the men, as Moat Cailin was under siege too, and the army could not leave. Ironborn were attacking their land, now she knew, and she loathed them even more now. Damn raiders. And Theon Greyjoy was in her too.

She starts to turn and turn in her cold bed, missing her Ned, even though he had hurt her before leaving for the Wall, but still missed. And besides this loneliness she was feeling, her mind and heart were so worried for her other children who were away from Winterfell.

Little Brandon north of the wall where those…things she didn't want to believe, lurched, with only a handful of men were protecting him. Robb at the wall amidst traitors, rapists and all the worst scum that the good and honourable Seven Kingdoms rejected. And that wild of her little daughter, her Arya, she was across the Narrow Sea, and in the free city that the men call Myr, under the care of a woman who before her was Ned's lover, whom he dumped for her.

Sighing, she got up from the bed, and putting on her fur coat, Catelyn left her chambers, seeing a guard at her door.

"My lady. Is everything all right?"

"Yes. I need to stretch my legs and take some fresh air. You may wait here," she said, stopping the guard, and continuing to head towards her children's chambers. She wanted to check and make sure that they were all right. Little Rickon and her sweet Sansa.

They were just a few miles from Winterfell, approaching it with the cover of night, and the missing moon in the sky. Two hundred men were with her, lightly armed, to be fast but deadly with the sole aim of freeing her brother, and if possible taking a Stark as a prisoner, to keep the wolf at bay when they take the castles by the sea.

Her uncle has sailed to Moat Cailin, with the bulk of the fleet, while the others were attacking Thorren Square and Deepwood Moat, to draw the remaining armies of the North there. She did not agree much about saving her brother who might be her rival for the Iron Islands, but her father forced her to do so.

To attack Winterfell, she sent ten men to climb the wall and swim the moat, knowing the castle was almost unprotected and knowing its weakness, thank to someone from the inside, after a little service she gives him.

They were only at a small distance from the walls, and in the inside, she could hear the clash of swords, the screams, and the bells blew.

Winterfell was under attack by an enemy whose colors he could recognize, and because of that, he was hiding behind one of the houses not knowing what to do and whose take. The hand holding his bow was hanging down, and with the other he was holding an arrow, ready to shout should someone attack him.

"Well, well, well…what do we have here? A little shit hiding from the Ironborns," came a laughing voice and he, turning in that direction, saw four Ironborns approach him, grinning in the night, and whetting their blades.

"I'm Theon Greyjoy, son of Balon Greyjoy and heir to Pyke," he said to them, nocking the arrow.

"A Greyjoy, eh? The lost son of Balon Greyjoy," laughed the man, but their attention was suddenly drawn away by a rising fire, and he saw many parts of Winterfell start to burn. "It seems the wolf's den is burning down."

"Take me to your commander at once and I will prove to you that-"

"We're here for you, little cunt. Now shut your mouth and follow us to your sister," the bearded man said, leaving him stunned for a moment. His sister was here? How was it possible that she was the one leading the attack? She was but a toddler when he was taken away by Lord Stark as a ward.

Through the streets, as he was following the men, Theon could see houses burning, and the blood flowing. Dozens of Northerners and Ironborn were lying there, dead or wounded, but among them, he was not. Ser Rodrick wasn't lying dead on the ground, which was both good news and bad.

Moments later, he was brought to the main keep, where the Ironborn were trying to break down the door, and he saw a woman, wielding sword and axe, spurring them on.

"Yara! Look who we found," the bearded man said, pushing him forward, and the woman, his sister, smirking said, "Well big brother. We finally meet."

In the meantime, in Astapor…

They have been here for hours, and the Slave Master's still didn't agree to a meeting with them, saying that they were too busy with the foreign envoys to grant an audience to a beggar Westerosi woman.

Daenerys was starting to lose her patience, because of this and had half in mind to use Syrax and burn this damn place freeing all the poor souls that were slaves. And beside this, the way those slave soldiers were trained.

Suddenly the door of the inn opened, and she saw Ser Barristan step in, "They accepted for a meeting in the Plaza of Pride."

"Well, then it's time, mother, Shiera. Ser Barristan. Leave some men at the guard of the ship."

Moments later…

As stated, the meeting took place in the where ten ranks of a hundred Unsullied were standing, and of which the Slave-master did nothing but boast and at the same time insult them at every answer he gave, and that the little translator, a little girl of no more than ten, with a round flat face, dusky skin, and eyes like molten gold, who was with him was trying to save what she could and take off the insults. What a fool he was to think that they did not understand the Valyrian.

"Maester Kraznys ask if you are pleased by what you saw and if your grace is ready to discuss the price for them, you are invited-"

"Tell your Maester that there is nothing to discuss. The price is decided. But before I reveal it, I want to know how many Unsullied do you have to sell," Daenerys said, and the little girl immediately translated to the Maester who showed the number with the hands first and then.

"Eight thousand fully trained and available at present," the little girl said.

"Then I will buy the eight thousand Unsullied and all the ones that are still in training," Daenerys said, glancing between the girl and the Slave Maester, as the translator was telling him their request.

"Tell the slut that she cannot buy the untrained ones. If they fail on the battlefield, they will shame Astapor, and no one will ever want to buy them again," the Slave Master said in Valyrain, to the little girl, and Rhaella was pleading to all her strength to restrain her hand from pulling out the knife that Aenar give ver and cut that dirt tongue of his.

"Master Greizhen says they cannot sell half-trained boys. If they fail on the battlefield, they will bring shame upon all of Astapor."

"I will have them all or take none," Daenerys replied, with confidence, taking a step forwards, as the slave Master was standing on the top side. "Where I'm going there will be plenty of wars to fight. Many will fall in battle. I'll need the boys to pick up the swords the old ones drop."

"The slut cannot pay for all of this," Kraznys said in Valyrian, smirking, gazing down at Daenerys. "What she has on the ship will buy her three hundred Unsullied, no more. And this is because I like the curve of her ass."

The little girl glanced at her Master for a moment, before turning towards Daenerys, saying, "Master Kraznys says you cannot afford this. Your ship will buy you Because Master Kraznys is generous."

"So, ask this beggar queen how she will pay for the remaining 7,700 Unsullied?"

"Master Kraznys asks how you propose to pay for the remaining 7,700 unsullied."

"On the ship, in a cabin that you didn't saw, I have one of the most precious and envied prizes of all the World, a wonder I would say," her daughter said, starting to patch. "A dragon." And Rhaella could see the shook on the little girl's face as well as on those who were accompanying them, and when she saw that the Old Knight wanted to intervene, she gives him a look to keep his mouth shut.

This left the Slave Master speechless for a moment, before climbing the stairs, saying in Valyrian, "Ask the slut why she would exchange a dragon worthy a thousand men for eight thousand Unsullied?"

This time the little girl took ore time in translating, as she was struggling to find the proper words, but in the end, she used his words, "Master Kraznys asks why would you exchange a dragon worthy a thousand men for eight thousand Unsullied?"

"I have cities to conquer and no intention to destroy them. The dragon is useless to me," Daenerys replied, as the little girl was translating.

"Done," the slave girl translated.

"The Unsullied will learn your savage tongue quick enough," added Kraznys mo Nakloz, pushing the little girl forward, "but until such time you will need a slave to speak to them. Take this one as our gift to you, a token of a bargain well struck."

"Master Kraznys is gifting me to you, in order to teach the Unsullied, the common tongue."

"Then I shall accept you at my service," said Daenerys, bowing her head, and leaving, with the little girl right behind, while the Unsullied made them way, and once they were far enough, she, intertwining her arm with hers, and leaning, said, "I'm proud of you, Daenerys. You remained cold and indifferent to their insults."

"I swear mother, I was on the verge of erupting in rage. The way he spoke…the way he called us-"

"Men are like this when they deal with a woman. You will see it plenty of time. All around the world. The secret is to not show that they affect you. Just like what you did in the plaza."

Daenerys nodded, and Rhaella turned her attention to the girl, and asked in High Valyrian, "Do you have a name, or must you draw a new one every day from some barrel?"

"That is only for Unsullied," the little girl said, only to realize that the question had been asked in High Valyrian. Her eyes went wide. "Oh."

"Your name is Oh?"

"No. Your Grace, forgive this one her outburst. Your slave's name is Missandei, but …"

"Missandei is no longer a slave. I free you, from this instant," Daenerys said, stooping and bending. "If you stay with me you will serve as one of my handmaids," she added before getting up, and start to walk. "But you may leave my service whenever you choose. If you have a father or mother, you will soon return to them. I promise."

"This one will stay," the girl said, smiling. "This one … I … there is no place for me to go. This… I will serve you, gladly."

"We can give you freedom, but not safety, Missandei," Rhaella, warned the little girl, knowing what they will face in Westeros. "I have a world to cross and wars to fight. You may go hungry. You may grow sick. You may be killed."

"Valar Morghūlis," said Missandei, in High Valyrian.

"All men must die," Rhaella agreed, "Now let's go back to the ship. We need rest and get ready for tomorrow's meeting with the masters."

The next day…

With the small group that made up the Targaryen escort, of which he himself was part, as he still had her sworn shield, as she said, Daenerys Targaryen made her way through the lines of the Unsullied towards the side of the plaza where the Good Masters stood by, with the harpy's whip to command the Unsullied, in hand.

The Dragon, on the other hand, was placed in a big wagon, with a chain around his neck, ready to be bargained for the army, stepping quickly next to the girl, and leaning, Grazdan whispered to her, "Why do you exchange a dragon worthy an army for something like the Unsullied."

"Because I'm going to conquer the Seven Kingdoms, not destroy them," she replied, before adding, glancing, "Armies conquer, Dragons destroy."

After those words, he took a step back, glancing around, and seeing the sorceress's eyes on him, despite having the hood on. He will have to kill her before she can reveal his identity if she knows him.

Fear. That's what he could smell in the air as they stood in front of the good masters. All of them were afraid of the dragon, that was in the cage.

"Here they are," Kraznys said, in High Valyrian, giving her the whip with one hand, while stretching the other to receive the dragon. "But first the price."

The girl nodded, waving to the others to bring the goods, and at the same time free the dragon, who once out, stretched his big wings. He was truly magnificent. Kraznys on the other hand, had an arrogant grin on his face, and when the Targaryen girl give him the chains, and he the whip, Grazdan heard her ask, "Is it done, then? Do they belong to me?"

And the little girl with dark curly hair, translated to the slave Master, who replied, insulting, as the dragon rose up, and the men trying to hold him down. What a fool this Master was not realizing that the Targaryen understand the High Valyrian.

"It is done. You hold the whip," the translator little girl said.

Daenerys Targaryen, turning to the Unsullied, screamed in High Valyrian, raising her hand, "Dovaogēdys!" and the army comes to attention, locking their shield and spear. "Naejot memēbātās!" and the Unsullied marched forward. "Kelītīs!" and they stopped just like good obedient little soldiers, but he knew perfectly well that he should not underestimate them, as he paid the price with the legions of New Ghish. ("Unsullied! Forward march! Halt!")

"Tell the bitch her beast won't come," Kraznys said, as the dragon was flying above in a place, and Grazdan wondered why he didn't rebel yet.

Turning to Kraznys, Daenerys Targaryen said, "Zaldrīzes buzdari iksos daor." ("A dragon is not a slave.")

"Nyke Daenerys Jelmāzmo hen Targārio Lentrot, hen Valyrio Uēpo ānogār iksan. Valyrio muño ēngos ñuhys issa," the girl said, as the man looked at her in horror. ("I am Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, of the blood of Old Valyria. Valyrian is my mother tongue.")

Turning to the army, she screamed, "Dovaogēdys! Āeksia ossēnātās, menti ossēnātās, qilōni pilos lue vale tolvie ossēnātās, yn riñe dōre ōdrikātās. Urnet luo buzdaro tolvio belma pryjātās!" and they immediately started to kill every soldier who was there. ("Unsullied! Slay the masters, slay the soldiers, slay every man who holds a whip, but harm no child. Strike the chains off every slave you see!")

"I am your master," Kraznys screamed, as everyone from the girl's party pulled out their swords, as the men keep screaming towards them, "Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!"

"Dracarys!" roared the dragon princess, and her dragon unleashes his fire breath upon the man, consuming Kraznys, who screams in agony as he burns. The Unsullied on the attacked the few guards that were in the plaza, and almost everyone who had a weapon in hand.

Some of the guards that were near the Good Master, charged at them, in desperation, and he was forced to defend the damn Targaryen girl.

Once almost everything in the plaza that belonged to the Good Masters was turn to ashes, a white mare was bought to the Dragon Princess, and Grazdan saw her ride towards the center of the army, starting to scream words in High Valyria, words that he couldn't understand, not all of them at least.

However, a few moments later, he saw her throw the whip into the nearest fire, and the Unsullied, one by one, started to hit their spear on the ground.

But when he saw the sorceress step next to Rhaella Targaryen, he approached them too, and started to listen to their conversation, but at the same time, trying not to be too obvious.

"Now she has her own army. An army loyal only to her, and that will obey only her," the hooded woman said While the other, the Targaryen girl's mother, added, with a sneer, "And Aenar's."

"No. They will not. Never before until now has a queen consort had a personal army. And that will make him angry. It will enrage him, and it will make him feel weak," the woman whispered almost like a hiss. Perhaps this was the right time in breaking them, in setting them against each other.

"Perhaps," Daenerys Targaryen's mother said, glancing at him, and Grazdan immediately turned in another direction, trying to not show that he was listening to them since she didn't trust him. Rhaella Targaryen was a far too clever woman for his taste. He will have to kill her before he breaks the others.