Author's Note: I wrote two versions of this chapter and honestly it was quite hard to decide which one to go with. I will talk about it more at the end note and explain why I went with this one there.
Chapter I, Part II: Leaving Thedas.
Upon exiting the eluvian, Aedan was met by a sight he did not expect to see at all.
Humans.
He had expected that they would encounter some form of intelligent life in this other world that Morrigan spoke of, for how else would an eluvian get there, but never in a hundred years would he think they would be his own kind.
I expected elves or something very similar to them, he told himself as he stared at the tall, muscular looking man dressed in noble clothing and the two knights wearing white plate armor and white cloaks. But not humans.
Standing not far behind the two men in white armor were another pair of men in white plate armor. Behind that pair was a long table that had a variety of men and women standing behind it.
The most notable of those that stood behind the table were the two that stood at the center of it and had crowns on top of their heads. The man was somewhat lanky and had long pale blonde hair and a beard to match it. The crown he wore was one that rivaled Caridin's crown in size, it was of red and gold with each point being that of a dragon head with red gemstones for their eyes. The clothing he wore had a few small stains here and there, but still looked quite regal.
As for the woman, she was smaller in stature and had long pale blonde hair just like the lanky man she stood next to. The crown she wore was much smaller than the one the man wore, and was gold with only a few gemstones. She wore a low-cut black dress that had a few red gemstones embedded into it.
Standing close beside them was another man clad in white, although unlike the others in white armor, this one had a greatsword strapped to his back.
The next person after them to stand out was a tall, broad shouldered, blonde headed man who wore black pants, black boots, and a black long sleeve that had golden buttons going down it from his collar to his lower belly. He had on the right section of chest, just above his nipple, a golden pin that looked like a hand.
Next to the blonde headed man was a man with dark skin and silver hair. He had a scar going down the right side of his cheek all the way to his jawline and wore clothing that was of sea green and white. To that man's left was a plump woman who had dirty blonde hair and wore a sea green dress with white accents.
To the plump woman's left was a chubby brown headed man who wore black pants and a gray top, and a tall woman that wore a black and yellow dress and had long black hair that curled at the end.
The only other person to stand out really besides these people was a young man dressed in black and red. He had long silvery blonde hair, a handsome, nay, beautiful face, and eyes that were so purple he could see them from where he was standing. Also standing next to him was another man clad in white armor.
"Well, this is unexpected." He heard Morrigan say from behind, her voice a mixture of amusement and surprise.
It was shortly after she said this, did the screaming and shouting started. The first one to scream was the man he concluded as the king of these people, it was the man that wore the large crown. He screeched at the top of his lungs all while pointing a long, boney finger at them.
Legion barked and growled in response as several yells followed. Aedan didn't know what they were saying, the language they spoke was unfamiliar to him, but the moment he saw swords were being unsheathed was the moment his own sword was unsheathed.
He drew the blade strapped to his back, and saw several eyes go wide at the sight of it. It didn't surprise him, Justice and Temperance had that sort of effect on people, what with their silver-blue metal and blue veins that had an uncanny glow.
One of the white knights aimed his sword at him and shouted what Aedan could only assume as, "drop your weapon, now!"
Aedan didn't lower his weapon, nor did he when men wearing black armor and red capes surrounded him. He kept his blade up and ready to strike at whoever dared to get too close.
He only lowered it when Morrigan got in front of him and said to him. "Wait, Aedan wait!"
It was at that moment he took notice of Kieran and his wails. His son had been woken up by all the yelling going on and was crying his little heart out.
After staring at Morrigan and his son for a long moment, Aedan turned his gaze to those that surrounded them. He did not want to sheathe his blade, but knew he had no real choice in the matter. He couldn't fight this many people while trying to protect Morrigan and Kieran, it just wasn't possible.
Giving Morrigan one last look who looked at him with eyes that said, don't be an idiot and listen to me, Aedan returned Justice to its sheathe.
He then turned his attention back to the white knights, and watched them cautiously approach with the red caped guards close behind.
Legion whined and moved closer to him as the white who shouted at him said something. Again, he didn't know what he said, but judging by the held up hand he assumed it to be. "Your weapons."
Aedan didn't want to part with his weapons and said in response. "No."
It was a futile thing to do, for the white knight most certainly wouldn't understand him, but Aedan didn't care. He would not hand his swords over to them, he didn't trust them, and saw their looks of awe and surprise quickly turn to lust and envy.
They wanted his blades, and he knew in his heart he would be a fool to give them up.
The man repeated his words, this time more harshly causing Morrigan to say in a low tone to him. "Aedan do as he says!"
Aedan looked at her and frowned. "I am not giving him my weapons, Morrigan. I-"
"Aedan, I am in no good condition to fight, and even if I was, I would rather not risk Kieran." Morrigan interrupted, her voice exhausted. "Just do what they want for the time being, please."
Turning his attention from her to the white knight, Aedan unstrapped Temperance from his waist and handed it to him.
"I take it you have a plan, Morrigan?" He inquired, his eyes straight ahead and on the white warrior who took his sword and gave it to one of the several men in black and red.
"I do, for now it is not to do anything foolish and try to do as they say." Morrigan told him as he proceeded to take off Justice and she proceeded to take off her staff.
"I see," was all he replied with before giving the white knight the blade that had been strapped to his back. He then took off his shield and gave the man that as well.
"Worry not, my love. Should things truly turn unsavory then I shall save us." Morrigan declared confidently. "All I will need you to do is take Kieran and keep him safe."
"Things aren't unsavory right now?" Aedan questioned, as he glanced at her, not caring about what was being said by those around him because he couldn't understand them.
"Tis not the first time we have had our possessions taken from someone." Morrigan pointed out. "If anything you should be used to it by now."
Aedan didn't respond at first, for what she said was indeed true. The number of times their weapons had been taken from them by some group of people was well beyond five times. If he had to guess the total number of times then he would guess nine.
"Let us hope then that this will not be our last and final time then." Aedan finally said seriously as he took off his helm and looked at her.
At this, Morrigan chuckled and said with a smirk. "What is it you've said to me in the past? Have a little faith in me? Perhaps you should do that, my love, for I am not without a plan."
Aedan stared at her for a good long and hard second before saying, "I trust you, Morrigan."
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The silver knight did not look like someone of Valyrian blood, nor did he look like someone from Essos. If anything, he looked like a Northerner with his pale skin and dark auburn hair, but that didn't make any sense to Rhaegar for the mirror he and the woman stepped out of was supposedly from the Valyrian Freehold.
The woman had somewhat of a Valyrian look to her, but she wasn't pure Valyrian. No, there was other blood in her, she was a mix of races. Regardless of that, Rhaegar could not stop himself from staring at her. She had a sharp look to her; despite her clothing and the babe she held in her arms.
He had assumed the silver knight to be her and the baby's protector, but after seeing how she looked at him and how he would gaze at her and the child, Rhaegar realized that wasn't the case. The man was more than just their protector, he was her lover, the father of the child she carried.
"I want them taken to the black cells and questioned thoroughly, Tywin!" He heard his father say loudly, which broke him from his thoughts and caused him to shift his attention from those that came from the mirror to his father and small council.
"My king, we cannot arrest them without proper reason." Lord Steffon said, a frown on his slightly grizzled face.
His father looked at Lord Steffon and yelled, "without reason? They broke into the Red Keep through that mirror you gifted me that is reason enough to arrest them!"
Two of his father's lickspittles, Lord Owen Merryweather and Lord Symond Stauton, were quick to agree with him, and Rhaegar had no doubt in their mind it was because they craved the silver knight's armor and weapons.
His father's face however quickly contorted after that to one of concern and fear. "What if it happens again? What if more come through that mirror? Was this your plan, Steffon!? To sneak people into my chambers through that mirror?"
Rhaegar's heart sank a little at Lord Steffon's shocked expression. He was a good, loyal man and hearing that from his father, a man Lord Steffon considered to be his best friend must've no doubt hurt him.
"Your Grace-"
"Silence!" His father said, not giving Lord Steffon a chance to speak and making many nobles look at his father anxiously. "I cannot trust you; I thought I could, but I was wrong. You… Ser Arthur seize Lord Steffon!"
Rhaegar heard several noblewomen gasp at this and was unable to stop himself from frowning. He knew Duskendale had changed his father, but never in his entire life did he think it would have changed him to where he would accuse Lord Steffon of treachery.
Meanwhile, Rhaegar's best friend, the white knight who had been standing next to his father, looked at him and said in an uncertain voice, "Your Grace?"
"Do it, I command you!" His father ordered, not caring at all how the court was reacting to this, and most certainly ignoring Lady Baratheon who was requesting Aerys and Ser Arthur to stop and wait.
"Ser Arthur you will do no such thing." Lord Tywin declared, his tone full of authority and causing Ser Arthur to halt in actions.
"You dare to give orders to my Kingsguard, Tywin!?" His father screamed, his purple eyes blazing with rage and his voice full of fury.
"Your Grace, Lord Steffon is your best friend, and has even said that what has happened wasn't supposed to happen. He is surprised by this turn of events just as much as you are." Lord Tywin stated in a neutral, unflinching tone.
For a moment Rhaegar believed his father was going to disregard what Lord Tywin said and repeat his command, but then he heard his father say. "You're right, you're right. Steffon, my best friend, my most faithful vassal would never plot against me. He is my friend."
Breathing a silent air of relief, Rhaegar watched as his father started to look around the hall. He scowled at everyone, but when his eyes landed on those that came from the mirror his scowl intensified.
"What are you suggesting we do with them then, Steffon?" His father inquired, his eyes on the silver knight and his woman.
Lord Steffon looked at his king before turning his attention to the people he was staring at. "They did break into the Red Keep, I will not deny that, but I cannot say it was their intention. The woman had looked surprised by the sight of us, and the knight didn't draw his blade until those around him drew theirs."
"So, what are you suggesting?" His father demanded as he looked at Lord Steffon.
"We have them stay at the Red Keep for the time being, not as your prisoners, but as your guests." Lord Steffon answered.
His father didn't look pleased by the thought, but in the end, he said, "fine. Steffon I leave finding out who they are to you. I also want thirty men to watch them day and night, including a member of the kingsguard."
Thirty men and a member of the kingsguard was more than necessary for a man, woman, baby, and dog, but considering how those they would be watching had walked out of the mirror as if it were a doorway, Rhaegar could understand his father's reason to a small extent.
"And the mirror, Your Grace?" Lord Symond Stauton inquired, breaking his silence. "What shall be done with it?"
"Have Pycelle look at it, and make sure it is guarded too!" His father declared after some time of thinking. "I want twenty men watching over it and making sure no more people to come out of it!"
Again, Rhaegar found that to be excessive.
"A wise choice, Your Grace." Lord Qartlon Chelsted said with an approving nod of his head. "It would be a waste to destroy it without first studying it."
His father simply huffed and said, "I am returning to my chambers."
With that said, his father left, but not before grabbing his mother by the wrist and dragging her along with him.
Seeing his mother be forced to go with him made Rhaegar clench his fists. He knew what his father was going to do to her, but he could not do anything to stop him. He needed allies first, people who he could trust and count on.
People who have no loyalties to my father or any other house, thought Rhaegar as he looked at those that came from the mirror. People like them.
Author's Note: Before I begin let me first say this shouldn't be a part. It should have been in the first chapter, but I was still hesitant on which version I wanted to do.
You see, I had two versions. I had one version where Morrigan uses some magic when weapons are drawn and this version where she doesn't. The reason why I went with this version is because it made more sense.
Morrigan has been pushing herself to activate these eluvians, she doesn't have much mana left in the tank and needs to properly rest. This also is a new world and I don't think she would want to immediately start fighting the regime. She would rather, in my eyes, handle it peacefully. Another factor is Kieran whom she doesn't want to risk.
That's my reasoning/justification for how Morrigan acted. I hope you can understand and respect it, and if you can't then I'm sorry to hear that.