Some might find it strange, but she had never ridden a horse. Never.
So when she came face to face with having to sit in the saddle and ride a horse... She was a little scared. And the little dragon looking at her happily from the bag didn't encourage her at all.
"Put your left foot in the stirrup, push off the ground with the other and swing to the other side." she looked at Ser Arthur with a not-so-satisfied look and didn't move from her spot. She held the saddle with her hands and assessed her chances of making it.
"I can't ride a horse." she said completely seriously.
"So you'll learn." he can't be serious... He's supposed to defend her, not try to kill her! "Come on, we won't stay here until the end of the world, you wanted to go to Astapor."
In fact, they could stay here forever, it was even warmer here than in the capital and the sun was pleasant on her skin. But not only did the weather seem friendlier to her, her attitude began to change. She slowly stopped fearing that Tywin Lannister could reach her here, on the other side of the Narrow Sea. Some of the tension had already disappeared from her, but another one was piling on top of her - what next? What happens when she meets his aunt?
"Can't I ride with you?"
"You can. But are you going to hide behind someone's back for the rest of your life?" this question knocked her out of her rhythm a bit. She watched him as he passed her and approached the other horse.
But he didn't get in yet, he was still waiting for her to make a move.
And she was actually considering riding in the back until she heard this question. This was probably the first time someone had spurred her ambitions... And she wasn't going to just give up. She took a deep breath, held the gathered reins in one hand and at the same time clung to the saddle, with her other hand also holding on to it. She put her left leg into the stirrup, pushed off the ground with the other, and climbed into the saddle.
"Use your calf." he instructed her further when he himself was sitting on his horse and Vis put her other leg in the stirrup.
"And what if I don't stop it?"
"It'll listen, take it easy." he smiled gently, explaining to her the basics of horse riding. Calmly, without unnecessary nervousness, and then they could move forward on their journey.
Looking at her, he had this strange feeling, like he was looking at his long dead friend. Seventeen years had already passed, it seemed that the image of Rhaegar had already faded from his mind, but when he saw her for the first time, on the ship... All the colors came back to his memories.
In the daylight he could definitely tell that Visenya looked much more like her father than her mother. The most striking thing was the same purple eyes and silvery hair, usually tied in a single braid, flowing down the back.
As for her character, it was hard for him to say, firstly, he hadn't known her for quite a long time, and secondly, she had spent seventeen years practically in captivity, and considering the circumstances she was holding up very well.
"Why?" she asked after a long moment of silence. "Why wouldn't you rather settle in one of the free cities and live a peaceful life? Why did you decide to follow me, you don't know me at all, ser." she asked questions to which she could not find answers.
"Everyone believes in something, including me." although believing in prophecies and some prophetic dreams is one of the things I wouldn't expect from myself... "I'm a knight, I want to die like a knight."
"I don't want you to die." these words spoke the childlike, good side of her that didn't want anyone to get hurt.
Just like Selaria...
He involuntarily smiled at her words. She seemed so delicate at that moment, as if no one had ever hurt her, as if she had no painful memories.
She seemed to be starting to feel more and more comfortable around him, and that made him happy. Perhaps one day she will gather herself enough to trust him?
She may not always have had the gentle demeanor of someone filled with kindness, but her appearance would suggest that.
The same for her aunt.
When you looked at these two women standing next to each other, at first glance, someone could mistake them. Daenerys was younger by about nine months and was also slightly shorter than Visenya, but not by much. Besides, Vis had slightly softer facial features and lighter, purple eyes. Their hair was the same shade of silver, which cascaded down their backs (at least the ones that weren't tied into any braid).
In fact, they were both very happy to meet and have the opportunity to get to know each other.
Although Vis felt a slight shiver when she saw the knight accompanying Daenerys... She saw the exact same man in her dream. He was the one who attacked her for some reason, what if this is the future? For now, he seems neutral towards her, but what if that changes?
She shouldn't worry about it for now, but the thought lingered in the back of her mind as she got to know her aunt as they walked through Astapor. They had a lot to talk about, life stories to tell, future goals to talk about.
Listening to her story, Visenya thought that her aunt was the person she saw in her dream. In the dream where she found out what to do with the dragon egg.
They only really separated in the evening. Vis was present when Dany went to see The Unsullied. And she heard every word Kraznys said, even understood every word, although she didn't say anything about it. The translator, who was an enslaved woman, very... gently translated the words of this insolent man.
Moreover, all four little dragons became acquainted with each other that day. They seemed to like each other immediately, and - what was a bit strange - they all seemed to like both women in the same way. Is it because of Vis and Dany's almost identical appearance? Or was there some other reason, somewhere deeper?
In any case, as already mentioned, they separated in the evening, when Vis was still walking around the market, trying not to look at the slaves crucified as punishment.
"You look happy, Your Grace."
Your Grace. Who should be her grace now? Visenya is older, but Daenarys is the daughter of the last reigning king of their dynasty.
This was probably the only topic that was important that they did not touch upon in their conversations. Perhaps because it seemed the most complicated...
Although who knows, then Visenya might be willing to give up in favor of her aunt. Then.
Because that was about to change.
"You would also be happy if you met someone from your family." she replied before thinking about her words. Then, when she saw a flash of sadness on his face, she remembered what had happened to Ser Arthur's sister. "Sorry, ser..." she looked down a bit, she shouldn't have said that. But then again, who hasn't had some unpleasant family situation in this cruel world?
"Nothing happened." he assured her, even forcing a soft smile.
She wanted to say something else, but her attention was drawn to the sound of a flute coming from one of the stands. She turned her gaze there and slowly walked to the stall where a man was playing a flute and a snake was moving to the melody.
The snake's scales were the same shade of deep red as Visenya's clothes.
In Westeros, she wasn't allowed to wear red, only because it was her house color. It didn't matter that red was also on the Lannister's sigil. Red was a forbidden color for Visenya, so now she took extra joy in wearing it.
The man continued to play his melody, staring at her with his green eyes. He couldn't have been more than thirty, although in fact his dark beard and deeply tanned skin might have aged him.
He finished his melody, but the snake didn't hide back in its basket, instead it too looked closely at Visenya, being perhaps a little too close.
"I think it likes you." said the man, pointing to the snake.
I wouldn't say that.
"You're good at playing." she said in an uncertain tone, trying not to pay attention to the snake watching her all the time. In fact, she was a little relieved when Ser Arthur moved closer to her left, slightly in front of her, thus separating her from the animal.
"Nice music doesn't fill the belly." he shrugged and glanced briefly at the box in which there were several copper coins. "Don't worry, it won't bite her." he said to Ser Arthur.
I'm not so convinced.
In fact, she saw poverty for the first time. She may have been nothing more than a slave herself in Westeros, but her stomach was always full, she never sat dirty, her fair skin was never exposed to the harsh sun for too long.
This man was free, but he lived a life no better than that of a local slave.
"You have truly Valyrian beauty. And a knight." he said, his gaze moving over both of them. In a slightly dangerous way for Arthur's taste. "You are not a slave."
This man was suspicious. At least for his taste, and he seemed too interested in Visenya.
"No, I am not." she felt the meaning of these words only when she said them. She did what she wanted. From the moment she escaped from the capital, she began to really live her own life, make decisions on her own, and no longer had to submit to anyone.
And it should be like this forever.
"There was another one like you, but she seems too proud to talk to simple people like me."
These words surprised her, because she didn't have the impression that her aunt carried herself with great pride. Or maybe he was talking about someone else?
But then again, she hasn't met anyone who looks like her...
"I think I know who you're talking about..." she said in response, looking out of the corner of her eye at the snake slowly retreating into its small home. "Are you here every day?"
"Yes, my Lady." he confirmed.
"So maybe we'll see each other again." he didn't answer her anything, but he smiled in a way that suggested that he hoped for another meeting with the beautiful girl.
And he seemed to know more about her than he should.