A/N: Hope you all are staying safe. And as I said before, I might run into some delays with the writing due to other things going in my life. But I will try to be consistent with the writing.
Daenerys walked through the deep, dark halls of the House of the Undying, her priority being the recovery of her children. She could feel their distress, their need of their mother, and she had to move quickly if she wanted to be reunited with them after the warlocks under Pyat Pree kidnapped them.
Jorah and her bloodriders wanted to follow closely behind, but lost track of her as she ventured further in. But even as the torch began to flicker, she started to feel cold and realized that something was off about this place.
Finding herself faced with a door, Daenerys opened it and went inside. But instead of continuing down a hallway, she found herself midair. Letting go of her torch, she felt herself falling and screamed before a black shape flew underneath and caught her just in time.
Getting her bearings, Daenerys grabbed onto the spines as best as she could and sensed something familiar about the shape she was holding onto. Realizing that it was a dragon, it stared back at her and roared to her Don't worry, hang on.
Drogon? Daenerys felt immense pride at how her biggest child had grown and allowed her son to guide her through.
Soon, she heard three more shrieks. Looking around, she saw the fully-grown forms of Rhaegal, Viserion, and the red dragon flown by Daeron, the comely young man that she had met through her visions. All circled each other, roaring playfully as they enjoyed the freedom that came with flying through the air.
But soon, Daenerys heard a groaning sound. Looking down to her left, she saw another winged shape fly towards them. That's not a dragon, she thought as she sensed something off about that creature.
Rhaegal, Viserion, and the red dragon also noticed the newcomer and bellowed in hostility towards the winged creature that tried to pass as one of them. And before the winged creature, which Daenerys recognized as a wyrm from what Viserys had described, could close the distance with Drogon, Viserion and the red dragon pounced on it and immediately caused severe burns while tearing it to shreds.
Shocked at how quickly and unexpected the sight was, Daenerys looked back up and saw that Drogon was entering a thick cloud. Closing her eyes, she then felt the spines disappear and herself walking on solid ground once again. The mistiness that surrounded her also dissipated, to reveal a tent that was similar to the one she shared with Drogo.
Daenerys felt herslef enter this tent, but instantly knew something was wrong. Looking around, she then saw Daeron holding who appeared to be a Yi-Tish woman in his arms and crying profusely over her dead body. It reminded her of how much pain she felt when Drogo died, and she knelt down to pat his shoulder.
Daeron felt her presence, looking up and then turning to see the other Targaryen in the world.
"Hello, Daeron," Daenerys tried to answer as softly as she could, given the situation he was in.
"Hi, Daenerys," Jon smiled sadly at her.
"I must have come at a bad time," Daenerys tried to jest.
Daeron sniffled. "I guess you have."
Daenerys looked at the dead Yi-Tish woman's body. She's pretty. "Who was she?"
"My first love, and the one that I had failed to protect," Daeron managed while almost tearing up again.
Daenerys felt her heart clench, as those were the same feelings she had when she tried to bring life back to Drogo. "I'm so sorry, Daeron."
Daeron closed his eyes. "I got vengeance on those that killed her, but I know now that it won't bring her back. It should have been me that they took."
Daenerys grabbed his cheeks and forced him to look at her. "No, no. You are the blood of the dragon, as you have proved. I've lost too much family already and I will not lose more."
"What good is having a dragon when you couldn't save the one you loved?" Jon shot back bitterly.
Daenerys, to his surprise, bobbed her head. "I understand how you feel, Daeron. And you want the whole world to burn while you don't give a damn about the consequences. Believe me. I know that feeling. But it's those feelings that made me jump into the pyre, and that's how my children were born. Whatever force that proved cruel to me apparently blessed me and I believe that you are part of it."
Daeron raised an eyebrow.
"Besides my dragons, your existence brought new life to me. I am not alone anymore, and that's all I need to know for me to step forward without losing hope. And I don't want to lose my family again," Daenerys grabbed his hand and kissed it, feeling the warmth in his palm.
Daeron's eyes softened, torn between being happy at Daenerys being there for him and being mournful for his first love.
Daenerys placed her hand on the woman's forehead. "What was her name?"
"Chanhee," Daeron managed.
Daenerys closed her eyes, as if she was speaking to Chanhee's spirit through her touch. "Chanhee, a beautiful name. Thank you for taking care of Daeron and for showing him what love can be. I will remember your name and what you did for my family."
Daeron smiled in gratitude. "Thank you, Daenerys."
"I look forward to finally meeting you," Daenerys said with hope.
"Likewise."
But before they could continue talking, Daenerys felt herself be pulled away from her vision with Daeron, but managed to say, "Be sure to stay alive!"
"You too!" he called out.
As the vision ended, Daenerys found herself chained by the wrists and facing Pyat Pree. Behind her were her children, also chained.
But no longer afraid of the dangers in Qarth and what others may await her, Daenerys tightened her fist and smirked at the warlock. "Chains do not fit a dragon and I shall be free," she said with renewed confidence.
"I wouldn't worry myself with delusions, mother of dragons," Pyat Pree tried to dissuade her.
"Not delusions," Daenerys answered before letting her dragons loose on the warlocks.
Joon had forgotten how uncomfortable he really was when he attended court many years ago. He expected nothing to have changed, since the very bureaucracy that had allowed the types of people coming from mean backgrounds to become officials would continue to allow such men to dominate court affairs. But to see such men not only remain, but their scheming to become worse than what he was accustomed to was… I really want to go home.
Not that he looked down on those of humble origins. In fact, he had been in gatherings where only those of noble blood were allowed and he thought that those occasions attracted the most boring and uninspiring sorts that he had ever seen. The only reason why my family was able to keep our lands and titles was because we remained vigilant against those that would try to take both from us, something that those fools have forgotten.
That's why he enjoyed being in the army, because there was a higher probability of being surrounded from those that came from many walks of life. Farmers, merchants, craftsmen, and nobles had to rub shoulders with each other if they wanted to stay alive in battle, although the cavalry was almost always led by those with titles and Joon was no exception. More importantly, a diverse composition led to a wider range of solutions offered, as nobles could only think in a certain way and the same applied to the commoners and those of other mean origins. They can think one way, the others can think more ways, and a combination of both can lead to interesting proposals.
But very often, the examination system allowed those who were not exactly morally scrupulous to enter positions of authority as long as they passed and pleased their higher-ups. What was especially worrisome for Joon was that sons of merchants were being allowed to enter imperial service, either in the army, fleet, or as an official. From his experiences, merchants were the worst types out there, as their bottom position in society combined with their financial resources led to a deep desire to move up with whatever means were available to them. Such was the case of his Adjutant Dae, whose family purchased noble status after doing a favor for the Prime Minister, Hudam Shu. And Adjutant Dae exhibited a tiresome sense of superiority, since he could live like a noble and spend lavishly on himself for all to see. His family's massive coin possessions and new titles make me fear on what lies in the future for the nobility.
Compared to when he was last in court, Joon could see how much influence was spread because of money, as the number of the officials coming from mercantile slime had increased. While bribery was still a problem, he was shocked to discover that he had to pay more for the privilege. He thought that the past monthly rate of three hundred silver taels to the previous Minister of the Economy was ridiculous, but the current Minister, Duan Min, required one thousand and two hundred to be paid before they could make proposals before the court.
As the emperor's master of the horse, essentially making him commander over all of the imperial cavalry, Joon had to say his piece in court if he wanted to perform his duties sufficiently. And since the Minister Min held control over the imperial purse, he could make things very difficult for Joon if he was offended. Good thing the emperor gave me an additional forty thousand, or I will have too much to worry about.
On the bright side, many of the officials that Joon made adversaries in had either long retired or were assigned elsewhere in the empire. He also heard that Princess Khiara was developing relationships with the admirals in the fleet, who were much more agreeable to Joon than the army generals in the south since they knew how to wisely use resources and the sea made them strong in the mind. In contrast, the southern generals were too often lured by wealth and thus very susceptible to the more unscrupulous types at court, making them very dangerous since the southern armies outnumbered those in the northern provinces.
Joon was able to have words with Yingjie Okamoto, now the First High Admiral of the Fleet, as they enjoyed their dinner.
"The last time that I had seen you, Admiral, you were a mere captain and the spare to Lord Kenji Okamoto," Joon drunk his arakju.
"The last time that I had seen you, Field Marshal, you were a man marked for death," Okamoto answered. Joon laughed at how much truth there was in that statement. "You made many enemies that day, with your support of the fleet. But for that, I must thank you. We were able to mount new cannons and refurbish our ships with the money that the emperor gave us."
"The fleet is important to the security of the empire, Admiral, because we must protect our seas. Just like the northern armies protect the empire from the barbarians that live in the plains," Joon put a piece of sashimi in his mouth.
"True," Okamoto sipped his soup. "Especially given that the southern armies failed colossally in achieving their objectives before they sent you to clean their mess up."
Joon groaned. "Why couldn't they have just left it alone? We already had peaceful relations with the Jogos Nhai and we could have taken care the jhat Detu without their interference."
"That's also true, but then again, they needed some way to justify their massive expense accounts. You can't have a large army that doesn't fight."
"But one hundred thousand men lost? Either the Crown Prince made poor choices of commanders, or he wasn't educated properly in the art of war, but both do not explain such massive amounts of losses in terms of men and equipment," Joon revealed his thoughts on the matter.
"I concur. But… I'd say this is an opportunity," Admiral Okamoto drank his arakju.
Joon became curious. "For what?"
"Even though most of your past adversaries are not in court at the moment, my lord, your affiliation and sheltering of those white devils certainly did not do you any favors with the officials, especially those aligned with the Prime Minister."
"I saw that," Joon admitted. "They only see them as upstarts, even though Prince Daeron has a dragon."
"Exactly. You insulted them by showing that one didn't need to spend years studying and putting in hard effort to rise up in power. When you come right down to it, you showed them that there were other ways to progress and that alone offends their traditionalist way of thinking."
"How is this connected to what you said about an opportunity?" Joon had some idea, but he wanted for Okamoto to say it out loud.
"Prince Sumeng will have to answer for this, as even the smallfolk will not tolerate the losses that he's responsible for. And given his connection to the Su-young Shu…"
Oh, now I see, Joon thought. "You see to damage the Prime Minister in some way by attacking Prince Sumeng."
Okamoto nodded. "I'm not alone in thinking that. Her Highness the Princess Khiara wants to hurt the Prime Minister in any way she could, since we both agree that the Shu family are becoming too threatening. They need to be checked before they become too powerful to deal with."
Joon sighed. "I'm correct in believing that the Princess can call on support from the fleet?"
"The Prime Minister has the southern army commanders in his pocket, alongside the more financially-inclined interests in the southern provinces. The only way to balance them out is through the fleet, where we and Her Highness have common interests."
Gods help me. "And where do I fit in all of this?"
"You have supported the fleet before, and we benefitted greatly because of you. And our potential partners in the northern provinces cannot be alienated from court, lest we invite divisions in our empire. Perhaps you can join us."
Joon calmly set down his cup of spirits. "I have a family to provide for, a son and two daughters. And the only reason why I'm still alive after that incident in court years ago was because the emperor appointed me the Governor of the Northwest Province. And I am not going to jeopardize my family by being involved in whatever schemes you have concocted."
"Careful," Okamoto warned him. "Those schemes have the Princess' endorsement. By rejecting me, you are rejecting her. Besides, I don't think you have a choice, because of your support of those white devils and what duties you have now."
"I don't know much about this Hudam Shu, but I can tell from what I had seen at court that he's not a man to be trifled with. And should Prince Sumeng and Princess Su-young have heirs and we move against them, not only will our lives become forfeit, our families will suffer the consequences," Joon allowed his worries to be in the open.
"I wouldn't say so," Okamoto shook his head. "Regarding the heirs."
"What do you mean?"
"Let's just say that the heir to the phoenix throne partakes in certain pleasures that threaten the succession," Okamoto said cryptically.
But Joon's eyes widened, completely understanding his meaning. "You mean…"
"With Chenyin Dao, Captain of the Imperial Guard," Okamoto confirmed.
"How do I know that's true?"
"Sumeng has been married to Su-young for two years and they still haven't produced an heir. And certain people of confidence in the household have seen their liaisons."
"Be careful of what you say, Lord Yingjie. That is slander and treason."
"Come now, Lord Joon. I'm sure you have seen how unfit he is for governance and how much arrogance he possesses," Okamoto was not buying Joon's warning of treason, which was already weak given his tone. "Should the throne pass to him, a man who buggers other men and thus imperils the imperial family with his accolades, our empire shall be threatened from within."
Prince Sumeng was not the first one of the emperor's blood to have intimate relationships with men, but such bonds were tolerated only after they had children, especially sons. But there was something more that Joon could sense. "You're afraid that if Prince Sumeng either inherits the throne or doesn't sire a prince, his half-brothers might pursue the throne themselves."
"It's Prince Yujin I'm worried about," Okamoto was genuinely frightened at that prospect. "The only thing that man is good for is holding a grudge. He's ten years older than Prince Sumeng, but everyone knows how much he resents having to submit to his younger brother. Plus, he doesn't know restraint, largely because of his assassin teacher. I don't know what caused the emperor to hire a shinobi to teach his son."
Joon had heard the stories of Yujin's outbursts and lack of self-control. Although deadly with a sword, he was the worst type of fighter in that defeating the enemy would not be enough for him.
"So as of now, it's either giving the throne to Hudam Shu or letting Prince Yujin step in. But both would spell disaster. Therefore, we must control the Prime Minister while also making sure that the throne is outside of Yujin's grasp," Okamoto continued.
"All right. Say I do want to side with you. What is the first thing that I should do? All I hear are your reasons that I should side with you, but I don't know what I can do," Joon was gauging how he would respond to that.
"I heard that the emperor will conduct an investigation of the Crown Prince's misconduct. When the time comes, advocate a punishment that will negatively affect Prince Sumeng's reputation, but not to the point where the emperor will consider replacing him by decree. He does value his family, so he could force it through if pushed, and that's another outcome we want to avoid."
Joon thought on Okamoto's words as he sat in court, with all present awaiting the emperor's entrance. But unlike most sessions, this was probably the first time that they saw the Crown Prince on his knees before the phoenix throne, a sign of what was to come. A prince on his knees and dressed in white robes meant that he had to pay penance for an extraordinary crime. And since this was a session only meant for the Crown Prince, Princess Khiara, Prince Yujin, Prince Kaijin, and Daeron were not present.
"His Augustness the Emperor!" the herald called out, with all of the officials including Joon standing up and bowing as he entered court and sat on the phoenix throne.
"As you were," the emperor sat straightly on his throne. "This court has been assembled to begin investigations on the conduct of my son, Crown Prince Sumeng. There has been no catastrophe greater than the loss of not one, but two armies entrusted to his care and command. Such actions put doubt on his ability to rule as the next emperor of the azure line. If such doubts persist, our empire will be imperiled."
The Prime Minister, Minister Min, and the other members of his faction were stoic in the face of the emperor's tranquil fury, but some other officials nodded in agreement.
"Your Augustness, I feel compelled—" Sumeng tried to speak, only to be silenced by the emperor's Grand Secretary.
"Hush, Your Highness! You are before the Emperor's Augustness," the secretary hissed, earning Sumeng's glare.
"While the investigation shall take place, the stain of guilt upon my son's honor is undeniable," the emperor then eyed towards the entire court. "All of you. What is a fitting punishment for my son in light of his failures as a commander of troops?"
"Send him into a monastery, Your Augustness," one of the officials recommended. "A few years amongst the austerity of the monks should teach him much on humility and contrition."
"A prince in a monastery? You surely jest," another official scoffed. "If there is anyone to blame, it is the commanders under him and not His Highness himself."
"The emperor said that his guilt is undeniable," another official called out. "I say remove him from the succession."
"Treason!" a member of Prime Minister Shu's faction shouted. "Hold your tongue against those of the emperor's blood!"
"Or what? We all know that you are the Prime Minister's creature and you will do anything to see his blood on the throne!" another accused.
"My only concern is for the safety of the empire, but removing Prince Sumeng jeopardizes that," the Prime Minister defended.
"Bah! You have designs on the throne, and we all know it!"
At once, the Prime Minister's faction erupted in defense of their leader as pandemonium broke out in the court. The emperor remained silent, observing the bickering amongst his officials with indifference. It was not the first time that he had seen such things happen and in fact, it happened so often that he no longer frustration at it.
Deciding to take matters into his own hands, and seeing that the arguments were going nowhere, he called over an attendant and whispered in his ear, "Have the herald call out my name," before slipping him a single silver tael. The attendant complied and ran over to him, who nodded while staring at Lord Joon.
"SIIIIIIIILEEEEEEEENCE!" the herald mustered his loudest voice. Gradually, the court quieted down. "Field Marshal Kitara has something to say."
The Prime Minister, his faction, and the other officials turned their attention on the Lord of Kushiro.
"If it pleases Your Augustness, I have a recommendation that can accomplish justice while maintaining His Highness' dignity."
"You may, my lord," the emperor allowed him.
"Unlike the rest of you, I led the efforts to have His Highness freed. Only with the intervention of myself and Prince Daeron and his Chogo companion was he able to be liberated." Many of the officials were displeased that a steppes woman was involved, which Joon shrugged off. "And I helped bury the bodies of the men slain under Prince Sumeng's command, of which there were too many and thus I had to pay citizens to help me. The prince must know the consequences of his mistakes."
Some of the same officials who nodded at the necessity of Prince Sumeng punished bobbed their heads in assent, while others continued to listen.
"At the same time, he is still a young man and thus has time to learn from his mistakes, however serious they may be," Joon eyed Sumeng, who became confused. "I suggest that he pay penance by visiting the villages and provinces where the troops who died were born and apologize to each of the families for losing their sons. Having to deal with the families that he directly affected should teach him a lesson in humility, while his willingness to condescend himself for the lives lost might also repair the damage done to his reputation."
The emperor rubbed his chin in thought, while the court remained silent. But at the same time, there were murmurings amongst the officials, many of whom became attracted to Joon's solution.
"I like it, Lord Joon," Admiral Okamoto stepped forward. "Apologizing to each of the families who suffered a loss will allow our prince a chance to redeem himself in the eyes of the population while teaching him that his actions have consequences, which will affect the stability of our empire."
"Agreed," the Minister of War stepped forward. "Some of the families might also forgive him and thus creating stronger base of support for Prince Sumeng."
"Why should the Crown Prince apologize? The families can mate like rabbits and thus replace our losses soon enough," an official callously answered.
"With that attitude, we won't have troops left to call on eventually," Joon shot back.
"And that is what he will do," the emperor projected his voice. "My son shall depart the capital and visit the southwestern and southeastern provinces, where the troops who were killed hailed from, and he shall hold sessions in the major villages, Jinqi, and Asabhad to apologize to the families who had lost their son. Let's hope that this trip will be valuable to my son's development, for he has a long way to go still."
Prince Sumeng shook before placing his forehead on the floor. "I shall follow your commands, Your Augustness."
"I am glad that we were able to quickly find a solution," the emperor ignored his son before leaving the court, with the officials bowing as he exited.
Joon twiddled with his thumbs as he passed by the many officials, some who commended him while others kept their distance. As for Admiral Okamoto, he gave an approving look to Joon, satisfied with what he did. May the gods protect me, for every action I take will get me enemies that want to kill me.
Jon rode on his horse, with Ghost plodding besides him and Meleys flying above, as he traveled next to Prince Sumeng. They had just entered the southeastern province, very close to the Shadowlands of Asshai, and would soon reach their first destination in Jinqi, where Sumeng would hold his first session to apologize to the families.
While Jon was not going to complain about traveling to another place, the circumstances tempered his excitement considerably for the trip. He was not looking forward to seeing Sumeng apologize to the families that he had affected, both because the pain from the families would be hard to look at and since Sumeng didn't even know how to make a sincere apology to those he considered beneath him. He would have to endure many moments of insincerity from the prince's part, which Jon didn't want.
At the same time, he did hear that the meat dishes in Jinqi were the best in the empire, as the eastern provinces had developed ways to cook meat without adding much flavors or other sauces. Some of the dishes included pork belly and beef ribs, those made by the smallfolk since those parts were the only ones that those more well-off would not touch but became popular. Sam would have liked it, but the Minister Steward assigned him to Prince Kaijin and thus couldn't come. At least he's with the one good prince from what I hear of Kaijin.
After about two weeks of traveling, they finally made it to Jinqi, former capital of the kingdom of the goryeo people but still their cultural center. The city was built up on over twenty square miles of space, with a radius of approximately six miles, roughly bisected into eastern and western halves of the river delta. That river was the source of major conflict in the pre-Golden Empire times, as the river was a route used by those traveling between the Mountains of the Morn and Leng.
The city was still bound the walls that had been originally erected, which were defined by the four mountains that connected them. The city was bordered by eight mountains in total, as well as the more level lands of the river delta plain and southeastern areas. Due to its geography and recent times, Jinqi was a very polycentric city. It also had the largest number of Shadowmen outside of Asshai, with their quarter right on the edge of the river delta.
"How do you like your rank, Lieutenant?" Prince Sumeng asked as they entered the city.
"The golden jacket is making the heat worse," Jon wiped the sweat from his brow, as the wetness of the south became very uncomfortable to him.
"We shan't be long, Prince Daeron," Sumeng assured him. "We'll travel to some villages in this province before moving by ship to Asabhad. After that, we can return to the palace."
Sumeng clearly didn't enjoy what he had to do, but he felt comforted that someone he knew was with him. At the same time, Jon was not relishing his new position despite the prestige it came with.
He also wasn't used to having his own guards and servants wait on him, for he had none at Winterfell. As he was a prince, he was entitled to an entourage of forty men and sixty servants, compared to the Crown Prince's own of two hundred men and two hundred servants. However, the massive differences no longer overwhelmed Jon, as the last week spent at the palace dulled the parts of his mind that still wouldn't have gotten used to the opulence that he had witnessed.
As that would bother me now. Jon had more important worries on his mind, all of them stemming from his new station in the empire. Although not recognizing it at the time, he started to realize the importance of the emperor elevating him as "Prince of Dragonstone," as the he was recognizing Jon's claim to the Iron Throne while not offering material support yet. More than rewarding him for rescuing Sumeng, having a potential claimant to the Iron Throne had its value should the emperor find reason to back him in the future. I can't stay here long. The sooner he recognizes my claim, the sooner I can get the men and support I need and return to face the threat from beyond the Wall.
Whether the emperor even knew of the existence of his aunt Daenerys and her own claim to the Iron Throne was unknown, but the uncertainty of it all made Jon all the more anxious. I should think that my own existence would not be a secret forever, as someone might inform the stags that there is not one but two Targaryens gathering their strength. And he really did hope that his aunt was working on obtaining those that would support her as he was.
Going back on his present situation, Jon began to become more familiar with his new duties. The Imperial Guard comprised of the best soldiers the empire had, and appointments were usually for life. But unlike the kingsguard, each member retained considerable freedom in that they could marry and start families. More importantly, there were important differences between the soldiers and officers, with the latter having the ability to resign and that officer positions could also be honorary. It thus surprised Jon that Lord Joon was listed as "Honorary Lieutenant of the Imperial Guard," thus explaining why he could wear the golden jacket. But due to the prestige of the Imperial Guard and how few men had the privilege of wearing the golden jacket, officers rarely resigned and were only removed if they did something heinous.
But Jon's duties were not honorary, and he had to cooperate with Chenyin Dao, since he technically outranked him despite being a prince. What was more surprising was that as Captain of the Imperial Guard, Dao was equal in rank to the Supreme Marshal of the Army and the High First Admiral, so Jon himself also outranked the majority of the empire's officers. Lord Joon probably will not take that well.
Besides his duties with the Imperial Guard, which included conversing with other military officers and dealing with the security affairs of the imperial household, Jon also had to fulfill his obligations as assistant quartermaster to the commander of the Yin garrison. Remembering what Quartermaster Shin did for Lord Joon, Jon had to sift through several pieces of paper that concerned with supply issues to the capital garrison troops and more importantly, intelligence. This was probably the first time that he had even interacted with secret affairs, which would have become too much for Jon to handle had it not been for the garrison's head quartermaster, the one he had to answer to.
A professional just like Lord Joon and Quartermaster Shin, Quartermaster Choi was kind enough to take Jon under his wing and teach him the basics of his new position. But he told him outright, "After a point, you're on your own. I can't interfere with how a prince is educated, especially in a position as important as yours."
Although a lieutenant in the imperial guard, Jon was also a prince and therefore not bound to be at Sumeng's side when he held his sessions. So, he decided to explore Jinqi and get a taste of its food.
Walking through the streets, he was struck by how similar and different Jinqi was in compared to Yin. Unlike in Yin, signs were posted in both guanhua and in goryeomal, signifying how both cultures coexisted. But like Yin and Asabhad, life was vibrant and the sounds and smells that defined any major city were present. He also saw more soup pots being boiled in the open, which showed that soup dishes were among Jinqi's other specialties.
Jon eventually caught his eye on a shop, with a sign that read "Song's Cow Rest" in goryeomal. Not exactly an exiting title. Entering with Ghost and Meleys, who flew down and clawed after him, he entered the shop and scared many of the patrons with his creatures.
"Hey, you!" one of the cooks emerged from the kitchen. "You can't bring your animals here! Take them outside!"
Jon had to be impressed that the cook ignored Meleys. "I don't want any trouble. I just want something to eat," he spoke in goryeomal.
"Well, I don't serve white devils. Go on with you!" the cook tried to push him out, only for Ghost and Meleys to bare their teeth. To his credit, the cook was more concerned for his customers and thus paid them no attention. Interesting.
"Song," a man stood up from his table. Jon was struck by how his body was covered in tattoos and more importantly, his face covered by a red lacquered wooden mask. "He's clearly new here and said that he wants something to eat. Is this how you run your business?"
"You've been here for years, Ardroon. I never seen him here before," Song eyed Jon suspiciously.
"Are you blind, man? He is wearing the golden jacket and has a dragon by his side," Ardroon gestured to Jon. "It would be very unwise to deny him, especially since he has silver to spare."
Song sighed. "You'll vouch for him then?"
"Just put his meal on my tab. Allow him to eat in peace," Ardroon argued for Jon.
"Fine," Song decided. "But if his animals want to eat too, it costs extra."
"Whatever you say," and Song went back to the kitchen while Ardroon motion for Jon to sit at his table, ignoring the uneasy stares from the other patrons.
"Thank you," Jon said to him in goryeomal. "You didn't have to vouch for me."
"It's what you would do for me, I trust? Given that we're both strangers in this land," Ardroon shrugged while speaking in the common tongue.
Jon smiled good-naturedly and said nothing of his ability to speak the common tongue, given the things that he had witnessed so far. "You are from the shadowlands, aren't you?"
"Yes," Ardroon nodded.
"What brought you here?"
"Would you rather a half-truth or the full truth from me?"
"The latter."
Ardroon chuckled. "I was a reaver who got enough loot to settle here and establish a legitimate business in this city."
Jon blinked. "I grew up with a Greyjoy, and you don't strike me as a reaver."
"The ironborn?" Ardroon shook his head. "They're good at reaving, but they're not good at long-term thinking. The purpose of any illegitimate enterprise is to eventually achieve legitimacy. It's safer, and you make more coin over time."
"Not the reasons that an ironborn would give."
"As I said, they only see what their dicks point towards and that's why they haven't progressed. Meanwhile, I'm not the only reaver in this city to make something of himself."
Jon was struck by how openly Ardroon talked about his pirate past, but he chose not to offend him as he did ensure that he ate.
Eventually, the cook came with two plates of stacked beef ribs while a boy brought two other plates of raw beef.
"The meat for the animals will cost extra, Ardroon. And I must have the payment now," the cook said.
"They're not animals," Jon corrected him. "Ghost is a direwolf and Meleys is a dragon."
"I don't care," the cook dismissed. "The only reason why I am letting you eat here is because your golden jacket makes it clear that you are connected to the Crown Prince."
Jon took a bite off of the beef ribs and found himself loving the sweetness and tenderness of the meat. "And the only reason why I am eating here is because I like this beef. But since you know that I am connected to the Crown Prince, I promise that your behavior towards me will be reported to him. I'm sure that he has the power to shut you down and make you be a beggar before the week is out."
The cook gulped.
"Be nice to the man, Song," Ardroon told him. "After all, he might be a repeat customer."
The cook said nothing as he went back to the kitchen. As for Jon, he pushed the beef plates to Ghost and Meleys. "Enjoy." The direwolf quickly munched on the ribs while Meleys cooked hers with her fire, startling the customers who also watched with interest.
"So, you're of Westeros, I take it?" Ardroon asked Jon.
"Yes."
"You know that there is a war going on there?"
"I know."
"Well, the war might end soon, since one of the contenders has suffered a setback."
That got Jon's attention. "Who do you mean by that?"
"You know Stannis Baratheon?"
Robert's brother? "Vaguely," Jon lied.
"Well, he tried to sail towards the red castle with his entire army and fleet and he almost won. But then comes the lions and the roses, who struck from behind and drive him away."
Stannis lost? This was certainly news for Jon, as he didn't know how the war in which Robb was fighting was going. "How did you hear of it?"
"Let's just say that I have a connection with someone who has a certain confidence with this 'King' Stannis," Ardroon took a bite out of his beef ribs. "Although it's been years since I last saw her."
Jon didn't know who exactly Ardroon was referring to, but he also became uneasy with his new acquaintance despite his help and the news he brought.
"Any other news that you heard of the war in Westeros?" Jon pressed him.
"Well… there is this boy king called Robb Stark that is winning victories against the lions, but I hear that the odds are against him since he can't hope to run his war forever with the numbers he has. He might not be long for this world."
Jon was immediately offended at Ardroon's words. "Be careful of who you speak of. That is my blood you are talking about."
"Blood?" It was then that Jon realized what he had just said. "How is this boy king related to you?"
Jon cleared his throat. "I am his cousin, by his aunt Lyanna Stark and her husband, Rhaegar Targaryen."
Ardroon stared at Jon, then at Meleys, who ignored him as she continued to eat her meal. "Right. A secret Targaryen. But I have to admit that I have seen stranger things happen in the shadowlands."
He's not surprised. But for once, Jon saw Ardroon's reaction as refreshing. "Thank you, for not doubting me."
"It wasn't hard to believe what you just said. Besides, my day was getting boring and I needed someone to talk to while I ate," Ardroon admitted.
Jon grinned, appreciating the former reaver's honesty. "Well, then. How about I treat you for some spirits? Only seems fitting that I do so."
Ardroon nodded, while Jon could sense that he was smiling through his red mask. "I'd like that… Targaryen."
Jon spent the rest of the day and night with Ardroon and his other shadowmen companions, but he was sad to leave them when Prince Sumeng eventually left. "I know where you'll be, so we'll see each other again," Ardroon assured him.
Jon nodded as he proceeded to move from Jinqi, and towards another village where Sumeng had to say his apologies. I guess this is what I have to do. Go outside of the palace and meet people I would never talk to in normal settings. From there, I can develop what I need to return home in strength.
And that was the stratagem that Jon would follow during his time here.
A/N: A lot of political intrigue and exploration of another part of the empire. Things will get more complicated from this point.
I felt that Daenerys communicating with Jon and returning the favor for what Jon did when Drogo died seemed fitting. And oh boy. The alternate vision can only spell an ominous sign for both Jon and Daenerys.
Joon might be an able political operator, but he doesn't enjoy it. At the same time, he's willing to set aside his personal feelings if it means safeguarding the empire, especially against the Prime Minister and the unrestrained Prince Yujin.
Also, Jon's conversation with Ardroon will not be the last one and Jon will have many more conversations. And here, we hear the results of the Blackwater Bay. But after this, the events of the show will take a different turn, as I promised. We will see how have our characters been faring while Jon was in the east.
