Chapter 19: Night Time Warning
Alaerya and Aeyrelis personally farewelled every ship leaving Valyria from now on. Their entire stores of wealth and possessions were on Valreos minus a minimal amount that will be brought with them. Today the remaining families of their alliance were departing, on each ship they had a navigator who had been to Valreos. Rionaron was leaving with his betrothed, Rhaenara. These two were still more friends than developing love for one another, Alaerya hoped a spark would grow between them soon. She watched them walking together with their bags following behind with servants. Rionaron hugged his parents, "How long until you leave?" He asked anxiously.
"We leave in a week or so son. We have some last business to tend to as well as helping your sister. We won't be leaving any later than that"
"When do you think the prophecy will happen?" Asked Rhaenara looking around wistfully at their home.
"We believe within the month the flames of Valyria will detonate. So we need to leave very soon and we need to get others out as well"
"Good luck with that mother, you've certainly got a lot to do with those people" smiled Rionaron.
"Hopefully the right ones take the chance" said Rhaenara sweetly, she was a sweet natured girl. Surprisingly she was a gifted archer and knife thrower which Alaerya found amusing considering her personality.
They all hugged once more and boarded their ship, the Valreons bid farewell the Aelleron family. Shaking hands and organising for the dragons to fly out that evening.
"All dragons will take flight in the dead of night, the blackest part of the night will conceal them. Vaella will fly with them" said Aeyrelis, Vaella had escorted two families dragons to the islands already. And tonight the remaining families will have their dragons escorted.
The Aellerons boarded. their luggage and remaining possessions had previously been loaded into the enchanted sacks.
Following was Rhaellyra and her betrothed Vyrion, whom had developed a close bond with Aeyrelis. They both favoured the element of air and enjoyed sparring one another.
Rhaellyra kissed her mother's cheek and whispered, "Please leave early mother I'm worried you'll leave it too late."
Alaerya smiled, "I wouldn't put our lives or your sisters in danger. We leave as soon as possible"
Rhaellyra hugged her father, "Father please try get her to leave earlier"
Aeyrelis chuckled, "When has your mother ever listened to what I have to say?"
Vyrion shook hands with Aeyrelis and hugged Alaerya, "She's incredibly anxious about you both. I know we will see you soon"
Vyrion smiled mischievously, he was definitely a comedian and enjoyed joking with people. He always lightened the mood where he went and Alaerya enjoyed this quality in him.
"Vyrion we will be there before you know it waiting to hear what mischief you've been up to while we haven't been there"
Blowing kisses Rhaellyra and Vyrion boarded followed by Jaedra family. Both families leaving today were large. They required multiple ships for family members and possessions. Once boarded and everything was in place, in unison they sailed away from the FreeHold and towards Valreos.
Alaerya and Aeyrelis began to leave the port, "Do you think people are wondering why everyone is leaving?" He questioned her quietly as they pushed through the crowded port.
"No one has bothered to notice yet. There has been magic set up to shield people from seeing exactly who and what is on each boat. It looks like they're just going out for a casual cruise of the Valyrian bays."
"Of course you set that up"
"They're always watching" she said simply in response as she watched the boats leave her vision.
Aeyrelis grabbed her arm and they made their way back to their home.
"What's next my Love?"
"Finalise the House and any other valuables we have to remove. Our children have gone, Allaria is almost ready to depart and I have a few more meetings to attend. Then we leave"
"Any plan on assisting others to join us?"
"Yes," she said quietly, "I'm planning on enacting that plan tonight"
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This time the meeting was held in House Valreon, the High Governor and the Governors council was present in its entirety, along with the Temples undergoing relocation.
The Governors were not impressed by most of Valyrias wealth laying outside the freehold now and they all looked in various states of anger, and frustration.
"You mean to tell me you've extricated the wealthiest Valyrian families for a prophecy? Don't you remember the others that have come and gone who foretold our destruction? None of those came to pass. Who do you think you are to orchestrate such weakening of our state?" the man spat his words at her, anger across his face, veins on the side of his neck bulging.
No one spoke, they turned to look to Alaerya for her response, "With respect sir we haven't weakened Valyria at all, we are strengthening it by preserving important Valyrian culture and religion outside of the main Freehold. Nowhere else has this been done, if anything happens to Valyria, ever, our way of life and our practices are not lost. If we continue as we are now it will all burn or drown in what is to come"
"You can't put so much into damned prophecies!" He shouted in response losing his temper quickly, "If we listened to these prophecies we would've had to evacuate ten times over already! You sound like a fanatic Lady Valreon and you could ruin Valyria by taking the wealth and power away!"
She smiled tightly, "Sir the prophecies of the past were never verified by flames..."
"I don't care what the flames have to say! You cannot and will not be leaving Valyria and taking the wealthy families with you! We will not allow it!"
He looked around at the other members of the council who all looked rather impassive, the High Governor remained silent. The meeting had no begun in a positive or proactive manner.
"Are you saying you will force me to stay here?" she replied with icy tones as the room became freezing cold around them.
He slammed his fist into the table making several people jump in alarm, "You do not rule Valyria! You never have and never will! Stop acting like it! You think holding magical talents makes you entitled to interfere with state affairs?! We will place you under guard and stop you leaving! Your vaults will be sealed...your assets acquired by the state..."
"Fine, here is my list of assets owned by our family, the seal for our vaults and the slaves we have here. I've signed it all over to the state, take it all. But I'm leaving, you can't or should I say, won't be able to stop me"
His face looked as though it might burst from anger, "Seize her" he said through gritted teeth.
She laughed a mocking laugh challenging them, and the other governors shifted uncomfortably.
One of the women cleared her throat, "We can't seize her Orys" she said quietly.
He rounded on his colleague and with fury he yelled, "Why not? We are the rulers of Valyria not her!"
Alaerya stood and the room was tense, "Because as of this moment, I have all of your children"
He looked at her in disbelief, his anger changing to fear, he slowly sunk into his seat as he realised by meeting in her house she had been able to orchestrate this whole plan.
"Where are my children?" He said through gritted teeth his anger and embarrassment building into an explosive mood.
"I'm not going to tell you am I? If I do that you will wage a war against my people which will result in the deaths of your children. You really have no choice here, either you accept Valyrias destruction is coming and heed my warnings. Or you ignore me and stay here to die, but I have your children, all of them. So if you wish to see them again you may join them where they are. I assure you they're being treated well" she smiled, but menacingly. The Council doubted she was treating them well and it was in this uncertainty that she knew she had won the game. She knew Valyrians prized their children along with their wealth, she had a vast network of spies and servants now that helped her enact the plan. They have synchronously obtained all their children without raising alarms.
The Council sat quietly, no one knew what to say, "What are the plans long term Lady Valreon?" spoke the woman.
"Follow your children to safety or stay here without them and see the prophecy come true for yourself. You have until tomorrow evening to notify us, do so by messenger. If you choose to go with the children pack your belongings and you will be summoned."
"So we place our trust in you blindly not knowing our true fate?" Spoke another.
"When have I endangered the councils lives before? We have never really crossed paths in this manner. You have nothing to fear, from me"
Orys laughed harshly, "You could have all of us and our families killed and no one would know. Then Valyria would truly be yours"
Alaerya walked to the door and looked back, "Yes you're right, guess you'll have to find out which one it is for yourself Orys. Temple Leaders as for you I'll expect your representatives to be ready to sail tomorrow."
She looked around the room, "Any attempt to stop me, one child will return in pieces and you can figure out for yourself which child it is"
She swept from the room and walked angrily out, slamming the door shut behind her.
The High Governors face matched the others, concerned and worried.
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She stormed to Aeyrelis office and entered without knocking or waiting for the door to open, her anger slammed the door open and slammed the door shut. He looked up from his work on the last details of their relocation and smiled.
"Go as expected?" he said simply.
"Exactly to plan" she replied as she poured them drinks, she poured three glasses.
"Did you use the line I mentioned?"
"About returning a child to them in pieces...yes. It had the desired impact"
Aeyrelis looked over his wife, "No one even got to lay a hand on you. Impressive"
"They didn't have time to, they were all imagining their children chained up in some dungeon starving to death."
"Where are the children really?"
"Your Mothers House is empty now, and no one knows she has left, they were taken there. They are in plain sight but hidden by magic"
There was a knock at the door, Aeyrelis opened the door from his desk. The High Governor entered and looked at them grimly.
"There are shields and protections in place" said Aeyrelis.
The High Governor looked relieved, "That went exactly as you said it would"
"Thankfully the Council is predictable." said Aeyrelis.
"Nobody suspected you" said Alaerya reading his troubled expression.
"I thought you wanted people to come to Valreos on their own free will?" He asked Alaerya.
She inclined her head in response and handed him a drink, "I did say that and I still want that. But the time for that is closing, very soon people won't have a choice. Even if they get ships out as the volcano starts erupting they won't stand a chance when the tidal waves strike"
He sipped his drink thoughtfully, "I don't like how this played out Alaerya. This isn't like you. You can't leave with their children, you know that don't you?"
"I know" she conceded, "but do I look back one day and acknowledge I used means that were underhanded or do I look back and regret not trying to save more people? I dont want that on my mind when I can start to take action now"
"When is the next Flame Council meeting?" said Aeyrelis.
The High Governor turned to him, "Three weeks. Is that enough time for any more to leave?"
"Get anyone you care about out of Valyria this week on one of our ships. The last ship leaves next week. It takes a week to sail to Valreos"
"Is Valreos safe from these tidal waves?"
"We will make Valreos safe sir" said Alaerya resolutely.
He looked at her quizzically, "I'm not surprised you have water magic too," he sighed, "I'm too old for this fight children. I will put my loved ones on tomorrow's ship and think about what I want to do"
"Please come" Alaerya pleaded, "I don't want to leave you here"
"My dear the choice is mine, someone needs to remain to ensure things run smoothly until the time comes. If all the Council leave then who will be left? The city will be in chaos"
"It won't matter very soon" said Aeyrelis coldly.
"It'll matter for your protection, you won't want people to come looking for you"
"Even if they do once we leave Valyria no one will find us, there will be measures in place to hide Valreos"
He finished his drink and began to leave, "I will let you know my plans"
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Tonight Alaerya plans to work the most powerful dream magic that has ever been conducted. Entering the minds of hundreds of people at once and showing them their fates in the destruction will be a huge act of magic. Nothing was written in any of the books about it and none of the journals of the previous First Dreamwalkers had detailed something like this.
She was rubbed down with a potent mix of oils by her servants and began pulling magic towards herself hours before she intended to work. By the time she was ready she was almost invisible from the shimmering magic she had accumulated.
Alaerya worked alone after the servants had finished rubbing her down and glided to her work space into the purple flame.
All over Valyria members of government and nobility put their children in bed and followed to bed shortly after. All over Valyria at different points in the evening they all closed their eyes and were pulled by Alaerya into their own personal dream state. Every Valyrian saw something different, but they all felt the burning heat on their skin, felt the anguish of watching their families burning alive or falling into chasms of earth opening up at their feet. They saw their family homes disintegrate and be swept away by tidal waves and their dragons powerless to escape the wrath of the destruction. They saw their bodies dead and broken, feeling every painful action that lay ahead for them. When the violence of the visions ceased they all entered a blank dream state where Alaerya poured healing energy into their bodies to reduce the sickness that can happen after dream walking the first time. Especially considering many were forced into it. Before they woke she appeared before each Valyrian and spoke to them, "The only way to make you all see what awaits us is to show you what awaits each and every one of you if you stay. I offer you a chance for survival but only for those willing to work together in a new world. Only this will ensure our survival, for those not interested in doing things a new way you do not have to accept my offer."
She showed the image of the islands waiting for them, "A new world awaits us, a world where Valyria will remain strong and continue to strengthen. If you wish to join me ships will be leaving daily to a new land, if you accept my offer you also accept the new life and new seat of power that has been created. And you will be willing to assimilate into it, Valyria is stronger together than broken apart and bleeding into the ground."
She showed the images of her ships, "Find these ships to find the new world." The images disappeared, "Forget this dream is you wish to stay".
The rest of their dreaming was dark and restorative, when the magic was complete Alaerya regained consciousness and retched from sickness on the floor of her workspace and collapsed.
Aeyrelis knew what Alaerya was doing and he had requested some servants accompany him to check on her after a few hours. He found her crumpled on the floor and sent for the Healer to come. After nursing Alaerya back to health following her assassination attempt, the Valreon's had hired the healer Aelyssa to their personal employ.
When Aelyssa arrived she tsked and fussed over Alaerya's limp form muttering about Alaerya overworking and endangering herself. They carried her up to bed and rubbed her down with oils for strengthening and healing, she was forced to drink a potent healing potion. She regained consciousness and when she saw Aeyrelis and Aelyssa she smiled, "I can always count on you two"
Aelyssa sighed irritably out of worry and brusquely said, "You enjoy testing my abilities my Lady. Just because I brought you back from the dead once doesn't mean I can do it twice!"
Alaerya smiled deliriously and flopped onto her bed, a cup of tea next to her bed for later.
"Make sure she drinks that when she wakes Master. I'll be in my chambers on this floor if the need arises for me to tend to her again"
"Thank you Aelyssa, you are very much valued by us" Smiled Aeyrelis, Aelyssa smiled back at him with exasperation and shook her finger at him, "You really make me earn my keep!"
She trotted out of the room to continue preparing healing potions for Alaerya. As he watched her leave he appreciated her humour and her attitude, she wasn't afraid to tell them what was on her mind. And he liked that about her.
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The following day several families arrived at the Valreon dome pledging their desire to follow Alaerya's warning. The servants waiting gave them each enchanted storage bags to take their possessions and gave them instructions on sealing the bags. They were given times to depart Valyria and the location of the ships. They were also told that upon leaving the dome they would be unable to discuss their arrangements with others who hadn't come to seek refuge. Valyrians arrived in groups throughout the day, some requesting to see Alaerya only to be told she was busy with temple duties. In actual fact she was recovering in bed, every time she moved the room spun and she was drinking strengthening potions every few hours. The only people allowed to see her was Aeyrelis, Aelyssa and the First Dreamwalker.
The First Dreamwalker appeared to visit Alaerya and sat next to her bed and touched her hand. His eyes went milky white, he walked through the dream state and found her waiting for him amongst the pastel clouds.
"Against all odds you managed to complete your greatest working of our magic, and survive." he spoke seriously but smiled as he approached her.
She turned to look at him and smiled slightly, "I only just survived, I could've easily died on the floor of my rooms had my husband not found me when he did"
"You've reached many people this way, the ships leaving daily will be full. Their names have been taken and they will need to be allocated housing upon their arrival on Valreos. Have you organised this from that end?"
"There is more than enough housing, they will have no trouble being placed in homes and be able to continue as they were here."
"What if people change their mind and the ships have stopped sailing?"
"There will be one last ship exactly one week before the destruction. That ship will arrive the day Valyria is destroyed. No other ship leaving after it will survive the conditions on the sea, and the magic behind the destruction is so turbulent I might die trying to control it."
"So you have started to admit you have limits then?" he smiled gently at her.
She returned his smile, "Every one of us is only human. We all have limits. Yes I'm learning how far to extend myself now, I won't be doing great works of magic for a while"
"Self awareness is what stops us thinking we are unstoppable"
"Oh I know I'm definitely stoppable, nearly being assasinated and nearly killing myself to save people has shown me that. I'll be careful in the future"
"When will you come back to your body? People need you here, and it's time to leave. Allaria is ready for her voyage."
"How has her training unfolded?"
He showed her visions of Allaria learning how to master and control the dream state, how to protect her body from the worst of the side effects and complete advanced dream walking practices.
"I'm impressed how much you taught her in such a short time sir" spoke Alaerya as She watched her daughter with pride.
"Be impressed with your daughter, she has your talents"
Inside she felt intense pride in her daughter, she was amazed at the people her children were becoming.
"When will you be departing sir?"
"My path isn't clear to me yet, I'm unsure if I should remain to ensure those fanatics are brought to justice or if I'm needed in the new lands."
"I need you there"
He shook his head, "No you don't, you've surpassed me in abilities after this recent working and shown yourself to be capable of taking my place"
"But I want you there, you're like the father I never-"
"I know child, but sometimes the hardest decisions make for the best outcomes. If it benefits your survival to stay here I'll do it. If there is a chance for me to leave I'll take it."
He looked her deep in the eyes, "I'm not afraid of the God of Death my dear"
