KAZMA
"I can't believe Viserys is planning on marrying his sister off to the Dothraki," Lord Kazma Yirah said, quick to express his disgust as he walked beside Magister Illyrio Mopatis through a garden courtyard.
Illyrio chuckled a little at Kazma's bluntness. "Excuse my lack of knowledge, but is it an uncommon thing where you're from? That place…the, uh, Highwaters?"
"Highlands, Magister Illyro. My people and I come from a kingdom called the Highlands," Kazma corrected. His sharp gray eyes narrowed, causing the skin around his eyes to wrinkle. It really showed his age at that moment. "Viserys is so desperate that even a blind and deaf man could figure it out. He wants an army…so he's selling his sister like a piece of merchandise to get it."
"It seems like a fair trade, no? Kahl Drogo wants an exotic wife, and as far as I'm concerned… Daenerys is the perfect person."
"In a couple years, maybe. But Daenerys is still nothing but a child," Kazma grumbled.
"Don't you think your tongue is a little loose. Lord Kazma?" came a silk-smooth voice from behind them, but it clearly had hints of venom in the words.
Kazma and Illyrio turned around, spotting Viserys walking over to them. His handsome face was stretched into a wide smirk, dripping with bottomless pride to the point of absurdity. He clearly didn't like the way Kazma was talking and was more than willing to speak his mind about it.
"Lord Viserys, you must forgive me…." Kazma began, smiling politely, "but I'm far too old to give a shit about what I say to people. Especially those who never earned my respect."
Viserys flinched but stood tall against the wild Highlander, who was over half his height. Kazma's short brown hair began to grey with age, but his hands were large, rough, and still strong. They looked like they could snap a man's neck in two if he tried. But with this age came confidence and firmness. Viserys had always found it difficult to talk to him when he and his Highlanders visited Illyrio, discussing trade with him to earn money.
Viserys jaw tightened. "You best be careful with how you speak to me, Lord Kazma. Because when I'm King…the first thing I'm going to do is take the Highlands," he threatened, lips curling up into a sneer.
Kazma scoffed and even chuckled a little. He could hardly see that as a threat. It felt more like a child throwing a temper tantrum when he couldn't get what he wanted. "Kings of old have tried…and that's all they could ever do. So I guess the only advice I could give you for your future conquest…is good luck." He smirked and patted Viserys on the shoulder, but he immediately got swatted away. "Magister Illyrio, it's a pleasure seeing you again."
"As you, Lord Kazma." Illyrio said and shook Kazma's rough hand.
Viserys waited and watched as Kazma left the courtyard. Once he was gone, he spoke again, his face cringing up with disgust and hate. He despised not just Kazma Yirah, but all of the Highlanders. In his eyes, they were all psychopaths that loved to drink themselves into oblivion and fight with the utmost savagery. It had to be nothing short of a miracle that Aegon the Conqueror could never take control of the Highlands. Like he did with the rest of the Seven Kingdoms.
Viserys spat with the utmost hate. "Barbarians. That's all the Highlanders are. Worse than the Dothraki."
Illyrio chuckled and watched as Kazma's figure got further away. "Are you so sure? I've delt with both…and the Highlanders were always a bit more enduring then the Dothraki."
Daenerys sat unaffected in the boiling hot water of her bath and stared lifelessly at the balcony, displaying a stunning view of Pentosand the ocean. Her gaze was so focused that she didn't even feel the heat of the water. She wondered if it was even hot.
She was quickly thrown out of her transfixed state when she heard gulping noises. She snapped her head over and instantly shrunk away when she saw a giant Highland tiger with pitch-black hair and gold stripes. The tiger had been drinking the bath water and suddenly stopped. It lifted its head and stared at Daenerys with molten gold eyes.
"Alyona?" Kazma's voice echoed from out in the hallway. "Alyona."
Kazma turned the corner and waltzed right into Daenerys' room, jumping slightly when he saw her exposed skin soaking in the water. He stopped walking immediately and held up his hands to shield his eyes, hoping to save some of her modesty.
"Ah, my apologies, Daenerys. I was looking for Alyona," Kazma quickly said, turning his body around to give her time to cover herself.
Daenerys glanced over to the giant saber-tooth tiger known as Alyona. The cat seemed to have completely ignored Kazma's call and returned to mindlessly drinking the water.
"I think you've found her, but I'm the one who should be apologizing. I didn't know you were visiting today," Daenerys said and stood up out of the water. "There is no need to be shy, Lord Kazma. You said you had children, correct? Even a daughter?"
"Had a daughter," Kazma corrected, waiting for Daenerys to get dressed. "Once. A very long time ago," he finished solemnly.
Daenerys looked around the room and quickly picked up the robe she had discarded on the floor. She wrapped it around her body and walked up behind Kazma, grabbing his shoulder to let him know she was decent.
"You never told me how you lost her," Daenerys asked, letting her curious nature get the better of her.
Daenerys had known Lord Kazma for quite some time now. He had talked openly about his life in the Highlands but never once spoke about his family. He had always been…more reserved about that topic when it came up.
Kazma took a deep breath and sighed. His broad shoulders sank down, making him look small for a moment. "The same how others lost their own loved ones. It was war, my dear."
"Was this during the Highland War? How long ago was it?"
Kazma shook his head. "Five years? Honestly…I don't even remember anymore. I still have my sons, I think. But even I haven't seen them since the Highlands fell."
Kazma wandered off and headed over to the balcony. He leaned against the stone banister and stared at the ocean, hoping to glimpse Castle Sabriel, his home within the Highlands. He never did, though. The sea between them was far too great, and Kazma wasn't even facing the right direction. He had a better chance at seeing Kings Landing than Castle Sabriel.
Kazma and his group of Highlanders had only made the journey once across the Narrow Sea. It was on the day they lost King Lux Saber and Castle Sabriel. The war had divided the Highland army, and his half had no choice but to flee by boat since they were cornered by the sea. He would've gone back, but logic and duty had forbidden him. His men were injured and hungry, and the easiest thing to ensure their survival was to keep sailing for Essos.
"When…my men and I first docked here, we had no food or money. We had just lost our home and didn't even know where we were. I did what I could for all of them…and had to sell our only boat to get supplies. And now… we're trapped here, it seems," Kazma said with a gruff voice, still looking off toward the sea.
"I'm sorry, Lord Kazma," Daenerys spoke gently. She walked up to the balcony and stood beside the man. He was far taller than her and always gave off this feeling of strength and comfort. It was hard to imagine him anything less than that.
"As am I," Kazma said. He glanced down to his side and saw Alyona trotting over to them. She sat down beside him and looked up with expecting eyes, begging to be petted. Alyona loved it when someone stroked her fur. She would've let anyone pet her, even Viserys, if he wasn't so afraid to go near her. "I heard of what your brother did. He sold you to the Dothraki."
Kazma watched Daenerys closely, watching her face turn solemn and unreadable. She was masking her emotions.
Daenerys took in a careful breath, stiffening her lips into a neutral expression. "I…I did what I had to do…all he needs…."
"Is an army. I know, child." Kazma cut in gently, dropping a hand on her shoulder. He wasn't sure if he was allowed, but he was thankful Daenerys didn't wave him away. "Have you voiced your thoughts of this matter to him? Does he even know what you think?"
"No. He does not. I don't…want to wake the dragon."
Kazma scoffed. "There are no such things as dragons, my dear. And if you're referring to your brother…then he's more of a lizard than a dragon."
Daenerys looked at Kazma with wide eyes, surprised that he would even say that. To be so blunt and without shame. "You shouldn't say such a thing about him, Lord Kazma. He is to be King."
"Yeah, well…The only King I will ever follow is the King that carries the name Saber. Not Targaryen or Baratheon."
Daenerys had let her curiosity take hold of her once, so she dared try it again. She knew Kazma came from her country but not from the Seven Kingdoms. He came from a totally different kingdom. Something independent that doesn't run under the rule of Targaryen or Baratheon.
She wished to know more. She yearend it, actually.
"What was the war like?" Daenerys asked meekly.
Kazma lowered his head and tapped his fingers against the stone banister. He looked to be thinking hard about it by the way his face scrunched up. "I can't say much…despite being in the muck of it all. It came suddenly. Swiftly. Everyone was happy…until a single sword silenced it all. We weren't invaded. We…were betrayed by our own people. The same people we brought into our lands and welcomed with open arms. A group of people that were called the Nameless. No home, no name, no anything. Our King at the time, Lux Saber wanted to give them a chance to have a place they could call home."
"He sounded like a kind man. But to be betrayed… that's..." The idea was unfathomable to her. To be kind enough to take in people who didn't have a home…and for those same people to betray them.
Kazma nodded. "He was kind, but that had always been his biggest fault. His wife, Mara had always been the voice of reason to his compassion, but after illness took her, he had no one to tell him otherwise. So…he took in the Nameless. Little did we know that they were planning to revolt against us. Catch us at our weakest point and attack. We weren't prepared….and once the leader of the Nameless took Lux's life…the Highland army fell fast." Kazma's voice was brittle and heavy with regret as memories rushed back to him. "Sorry. This is quite a heavy topic for me."
Daenerys swallowed hard and felt guilt clutch at her chest. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."
"No, it's alright. Innocent curiosity isn't a crime," Kazma said softly, reaching down to pet Alyona behind the ears. "A lot of us took part in the war, soldiers and farmers alike. Even Alyona here took part in it."
Daenerys snickered a little and reached down to pet the tiger too. "She must've fought bravely."
"Oh, her whole family did. There was Alyona, Maira, and Smoak. Unfortunately though, all three of them got separated. She hasn't seen her mom or dad ever since Castle Sabriel fell. The same with my own two sons. So I guess we're both lost," Kazma finished with a distant look in his eyes. He sat back up and patted his leg. "Alyona, da."
"You're leaving already?" Daenerys quickly said when she saw Kazma turn away from her.
"Yes. I have my people to return to, and I had already finished my business with Illyrio." Kazma patted his leg again and physically gave Alyona a little shove. "Alyona. Come on, don't start being lazy with me."
It took a while, but Alyona reluctantly got up. She made her annoyance known with a low growl but was quickly pushed out of the room by Kazma playfully smacking her back. Her growl turned into a huff as she trotted out.
"I hope to see you again, Lord Kazma," Daenerys said, following the man to the door.
Kazma laughed and stopped in the doorway. He turned around and smiled at her. "Oh, you will. After all, I do have a wedding present for you," he said with a wink and left the room, his voice echoing down the hall after the stubborn cat. "Alyona, vaidi! Vaidi! Are you ignoring me? You oversized house cat!"