Disclaimer: I don't own any Marvel, Game of Thrones or Witcher characters seen, mentioned or used.
Before today, Peter had never been to the city of Qohor.
Oh he's heard the stories of the 'City of Sorcerers', the rumors of the various practitioners of magic that lurked within it, and how the people of Essos's eastern most Free City worshipped a dark god called the 'Black Goat of Qohor' that required daily blood sacrifices. With such a sinister reputation, people and way of life, Peter half expected Qohor to look like something out of a nightmare when he first laid eyes on the eastern most Free City.
Safe to say, he was less than impressed with the city that's garnered such a dark reputation.
"That's Qohor?" Peter said as he squinted at the city just a mile away from where the khalasar.
It was fairly large, bigger than Pentos at any rate, but aside from a rather dark colored stone wall with massive tapestries displaying a black goat head with red eyes on a grey in color background. He could also see dozens of Unsullied amassed at the main gate of the city, vetting and inspecting any and all caravans, wagons and travelers seeking to enter the Free City.
"Yes." Ser Jorah nodded as he stood beside Peter and stared at the city with a thoughtful look on his face.
The exiled Knight was clad in a hauberk with a think green vest over that, a simple leather belt wrapped around his waist holding a worn looking scabbard with a simple long sword tucked way within, dark brown trousers and black boots crusted with dried mud. If Peter hadn't seen the man's plate armor, he'd assume he was just some wandering sellsword, which he technically was thanks to his exile.
Ser Jorah raised his arm and pointed towards the walls of Qohor "The large tapestries displaying their Black Goat God is a sign that a important holiday, usually a religious one, has or will commence soon. On those holy days, the Qohorik sacrifice condemned criminals instead of animals to their God."
Peter couldn't help but smirk at this "Well that sounds baaaad for any law breakers in Qohor."
"Indeed." Ser Jorah said dryly as he lowered his arm and leaned towards Peter slightly "I highly recommend you keep the goat jests and puns to a minimum, my lord. The Qohorik aren't very tolerable of those that seek to make a joke of their patron deity. Even the Khal will not protect you from their wroth."
"Well that's a shame." Peter sighed with a headshake "Then again, I herd the Qohorik can be very pleasant when things 'goat' their way."
"I'm being serious my lord, please stop." Ser Jorah said as he pinched the ridge of his nose and let out a sharp exhale of nose.
"Fine, fine, I'll stop Ser Jorah. No need to worry yourself, I was just 'kidding'." Peter rolled his eyes with amusement before gently poking the man with his elbow "See what I did there? Because a baby goat is called a 'kid'-"
"I'm aware, my lord." Ser Jorah said as he gave Peter an annoyed look before looking over his shoulder towards the Dothraki as they began to set up camp.
Once they were settled, the Khal will send word to have Qohor's leaders bring him their tribute, meet with the merchant lords that wish for the Khal to escort their trade caravans to Vaes Dothrak and stock up on provisions for the journey ahead. The old knight doubted they'll be here for longer then a few days, which meant that if Peter wanted to find someone that might be able to figure out what was happening to him, he needed to do it.
Today.
"Come." Ser Jorah said as he gestured for Peter to follow him down towards the city.
"You know where you're going?" Peter asked as he followed after the man, taking a moment to pull his hood up to cover his face as the sun began to creep out from behind the clouds above them.
The sun didn't seem as bad today as it has been the past few days, but it was still just a bit too much for him to be comfortable with.
"There's a street along the city's southern wall that's known to be inhabited by many of Qohor's so called sorcerers." Ser Jorah explained "We'll bound to find somewhere there that can help."
"Do we need to bring some kind of specific payment?" Peter inquired with a frown "Like an animal for them to sacrifice? Gold? Or do I cut my hand open and allow them to take some blood for later use and pray they never curse me down the road?"
"Most take gold, which will be the ones we deal with." Ser Jorah said as he held up a small pouch and shook it, causing the coins within to clink together "And the Khaleesi will have my head if I led you to a sorcerer that demanded blood for payment."
Peter chuckled at this "Don't be so glum about it Ser Jorah, she'll be taking mine too for agreeing to pay a sorcerer with my blood in the first place."
"You'll keep yours though, unlike me." Ser Johan laughed.
The trek to the gates of Qohor passed without issue, and soon the two had entered the city and Peter was greeted to the sight of hundreds if not thousands of people from seemingly all corners of the known world. YiTish men and women, their towering cousins from the island of Leng, Summer Islands with skin as dark as polished jet, squat and hirsute Ibbenese men, and even the Dothraki's distant kin from across the Bone Mountains, the sallow colored skinned, pointed skull men of the Jogos Nhai.
"Lot of people here..." Peter whistled as he watched men and women from lands he's only heard and read about going about their day.
Ser Jorah nodded "Qohor is considered the most exotic of the Free Cities given that most trade over land from the far east comes through here before spreading out to the rest of the Free Cities. None save perhaps Volantis can compete."
"You ever been that far?" Peter asked as he tore his gaze away from what he assumed was one of many markets within the city to look at the exiled Knight "To the Far East I mean."
"No, the farthest east I've ever been was Vaes Dothrak." Ser Jorah said before he nodded towards a particularly busy road with dozens of tented wagons going both deeper into the city and departing for the city's gate and to lands known or unknown "This way my lord, and stay close."
Peter nodded as he followed the old Knight, passing stalls, shops and wagons filled with a wide variety of wares that Peter felt dizzy just looking at. Just about everything you could imagine was being sold, traded or bought; from jewel encrusted cups and pottery, to freshly forged steel in the forms of swords and daggers and armor. He could also see furs, timber, and small exotic birds from the Summer Islands on display, and make out the shouts of various merchants trying to draw in potential customers, or insulting another.
'Before we leave, I need to bring Dany here.' Peter thought with a nod as he and Ser Jorah made their way through the busy streets and even alleys towards Qohor's southern districts.
The city was structured much differently then Pentos, Braavos, Myr and Norvos. The buildings were tightly packed together in some places, and reached up towards the sky like fingers in others. He also noticed that a majority of the buildings he was passing were all made of wood, unlike the mostly stone constructed domiciles of the Free Cities in the West. The walls of these wooden structures were all in some way sporting carvings depicting what Peter assumed was their Black Goat God in various displays of power, command, protection and guidance. Or at least, he thought so, it was hard to tell given how wild some of the engravings were. Some showed the Goat fighting what appeared to be horses, which he assumed were meant to be stand-ins for the Dothraki, and another facing off against a Dragon.
Others showed women lying with the Black Goat and producing it's spawn or perhaps a child blessed, or cursed, by the deity.
"Where did this religion spring up from?" Peter asked as he and Ser Jorah passed a small square where a man, a priest it seemed, was reciting passages from whatever kind of holy books the Black Goat's religion authored.
"None know for sure, my lord, though some say that the Black Goat was the original deity of the Valyrians, before they discovered and tamed Dragons and created the Freehold." Ser Jorah said, casting a brief glance towards the priest before he and Peter continued onwards, his hand lightly gripping the pommel of his sword.
"Well they were known to be shepherds once, so worshipping a Goat does sound in line for those kind of people." Peter mused with a chuckle as he imagined the likes of Viserys and Dany praying to a goat.
"I'd advise you not to say such things around the King and the khaleesi." Ser Jorah warned, casuing Peter to roll his eyes.
"Please, like I'm dumb enough to say anything like that around his majesty. Dany would probably get a kick out of it though. In fact, given how much she loves goat cheese and milk, she'd probably try to convert. Of course, the sacrifices might not sit well with her, she's never really been one for violence, but I'm sure she'd get used to it in time." Peter said.
Now Peter was stuck with the image of Dany bowing before a alter depicting a black goat, surrounded by bowls of goat cheese and silver chalices filled with goat milk while a lamb was being sacrificed before her.
"As you say, my lord." Ser Jorah sighed as the two reached a street that was lined with shops, stalls, and curtained off alleys.
Peter winkled his nose at the smell of something burning, blood, animals, wine, rotten food, and mud "Have these people never heard of sanitation?"
"I'm sure they have, but I'm told sorcery can be dirty work depending on the spells they wish to concoct." Ser Jorah said as he scanned the street for a moment before finding what he was looking for and gestured for Peter to follow him "This way."
Peter followed the man, being mindful to avoid bumping into anyone or anything. Thankfully, they didn't have to go far and before Peter knew it, they were inside a cramped tavern, the tables all full with men and women, speaking in hushed whispers with one another. A few gave Peter and Ser Jorah brief glances when they first entered before they returned to ignoring them in favor of whatever conversation they were in prior, or what food and rink they had.
"Is there something special about this place, Ser Jorah, or are you looking to grab a drink first?" Peter asked dryly.
"This tavern is a frequent haunt for mystics in this city." Ser Jorah said.
"If that's the case, what do we do next? Go from table to table and see if any of them are interested in examining me?" Peter asked while Ser Jorah scanned the tavern for a moment before speaking loudly in Bastard Valyrian.
"This man beside me is suffering some sort of curse. They'll be duly compensated for their time and receive the gratitude of Khal Drogo and his khaleesi, Daenerys Targaryen." Ser Jorah proclaimed, his accent a little thick with some of the words, but otherwise understandable to Peter and the many 'sorcerers' in this tavern.
A number of the mystics suddenly turned to regard the newcomers with interest while a few continued to whisper to one another, seemingly uninterested in what Ser Jorah was offering.
"What's his ailment?" one of the supposed sorcerers towards the back asked.
"It's-" Ser Jorah began before he stopped and turned to look at Peter with a frown "How would you best describe what your afflicted with?"
Peter rolled his eyes at this before he stepped forward, much preferring to explain himself than allow the exiled Knight to "I was given a mirror by a strange man in a dungeon I was being held in that seemed to take me to some dark realm where a old man bit me and now I have something crawling around in me."
At this, a number of men and women turned away and resumed whatever it was they were doing prior, leaving only a few left that seemed to be interested. One of them, dressed in a moss green colored rob with his hood drawn stood. He was old, Peter noticed, his face lined with winkles, grey eyebrows and what looked to be wisps of grey hair handing from his brow.
"My lord, my name is Gath of Asshai, I may be able to assist you." he proclaimed in the common tongue of Westerosi.
"Deal!" Peter said before Ser Jorah could say anything.
Gath bowed in acceptance and quickly made his way to the Tavern's entrance and gestured for the two to follow him.
"How long have you been suffering from this ailment of yours?" Gath inquired as he led the two through the busy street.
"Couple of weeks now." Peter shrugged "Month and a half at most. I honestly stopped counting after the first few days."
That and traveling across Essos week after week tended to cause the days to sort of blend together.
"Have you noticed any changes to yourself because of it?" Gath asked as they neared a simple looking two story building that looked to have seen better days.
"I'm bigger and stronger than I used to be. Don't like being out in the sun as much as I used to." Peter said as he and Ser Jorah followed the man into the building.
Gath hummed at this as they entered a room lined with tables and shelves stacked with all manner of vials, jars, strange instruments, books, scrolls, stacks of parchments, partially dissected animals and plants, odd looking gems and figurines and a heavy scent of something burning. Gath pointed to a stool for Peter to sit down on while he began to wander about the room, going from table to table, shelf to shelf, looking for whatever it is he'll need.
"What sort of sorcerer are you, if you don't mind me asking." Peter said as he took his seat and pulled his hood down before removing the cloak entirely and setting it on the ground by his feet.
"I'm a alchemist by trade." Gath said as he withdrew several small books from a shelf.
"Did you study under one of the guilds, or a master?" Peter inquired, curious of his examiner's education.
They sure hoped he was well educated, the thought of a amateur or a novice poking and prodding at them didn't sit well.
"The Order of Alchemists in Asshai." Gath said.
"How many years?" Peter asked with a frown.
Gath paused for a moment to glance at Peter with a raised brow "Twenty."
"What practices did you excel in?" Peter pressed, casuing Ser Jorah to glance at him with confusion while Gath held his gaze.
"Transmutations, particularly with wooden and gems. I've also spent four years learning to brew potions, and another two years studying the bodies of men and beasts and how my arts can be applied with materials from both." Gath explained as he slowly turned to appraise Peter "Not many ask about my education."
"I want to make sure I'm being seen by someone with some sense to them, not a con man." Peter shrugged.
"You're smarter than most." Gath grinned "I take it you've been dabbling into alchemy?"
Peter nodded "While I was living in Pentos, the magister I was staying with only had so much information on them, and a man that spent a few years studying under the Alchemists from Lys. I'm hoping when I return to Westeros, I'll have a chance to study with or under a master from the Alchemist guild, or someone from the Citadel."
If he had made it to the Citadel, Peter had no doubt he would be dabbling in alchemy by this point.
"I wish you luck then" Gath bowed his head "It's refreshing to see someone interested in this art. It may not be as... exotic, as the use of say blood magic or the elements themselves, but it's not lost it's potency as many of the practices have."
"Why is that?" Peter asked, half curious, he's never really given magic much thought on account he'd only ever seen two examples in his entire life, and even then, only at a distance.
"They say it's because there's no more Dragons, my lord." Ser Jorah answered, drawing Peter's attention back to him "It's said magic began to die following the Doom of Valyria and once the last dragon was taken from this world over a hundred years ago, so too was magic."
"In Westeros perhaps, but Magic still manages to cling to life in Essos, and undoubtedly some of the other lands as well. Just not as much as it used to." Gath explained.
"Huh, guess that means somewhere out there, there might be a dragon or two left." Peter mused before a grimace formed on his face "Don't tell Viserys, he'll be insufferable."
"My lips are sealed, my lord." Ser Jorah said with a amused smirk as Gath came and set a stool down in front of Peter's and gestured for the boy to open his mouth.
Peter did and waited patently as the man brought up a thin rectangular wooden block and pressed it down on Peter's tongue as the man leaned in close to examine his mouth.
"Curious..." the man muttered, his eyes narrowing in thought.
"What is it?" Ser Jorah asked, his hand resting on the handle of his sword, his gaze never once wavering from the hooded man.
"I see... black veins, I think, simmering in the back of this man's throat, just under the flesh, and along his gums, though these are faint, barely noticeable." Gath hummed in thought before he stood back up and went to retrieve a small table to set beside himself.
Peter closed his mouth and watched the sorcerer begin setting up for further examinations of his body. It was when the table was set down, that Peter noticed a scar on the man's arm, a rather grim looking one if his eyes were showing him true.
"What happened to your arm?" Peter asked, nodding towards the ragged looking scar that started at the man's wrist and went up his arm and under the confines of his robe.
It didn't look fresh, but it didn't look old either, instead it seemed to sit some place in-between and seemed to have only just started to scab over.
The sorcerer glanced down at his arm and chuckled "This? Nothing but a reminder from a very temperamental woman I'm afraid."
"What'd you do to earn that?" Peter asked as Gath went to retrieve a few more small tools to help him with further examinations "Unfaithful? Said she looked fat in a dress? Both?"
"Nothing of that sort I'm afraid, though I think it'd ironically be worse if it was." Gath said with a small shrug as he retrieved what he needed and began to set the small instruments down on the table's surface. The items consisted of several small wooden and ceramic bowls, iron tongs, simple towels and sheets of parchment and ink to write down his observations "Now, is there anything you'd like for me to know before we begin?"
Before Peter could answer, it was Ser Jorah, who had since silently drawn his sword and held it loosely in his hand "You won't be keep any blood of his. I'm going to watch you clean your hands, your clothes, and your tools when you're done."
Gath's eyes flickered to the drawn sword in the man's hand before giving him a reassuring smile that Peter thought showed more teeth than necessary "I have no desire to keep any of his blood for any supposed blood magic you think me to be practicing."
"I said nothing of blood magic." Ser Jorah's gaze seemed to darken, his knuckles almost white from how hard he was gripping the sword.
"Ser Jorah, can you save the threats until AFTER I'm seen rather then BEFORE? I'd like this man to have no reasons to work below his usual standards out of spite." Peter said as he looked between the two men with a frown.
"I'm just ensuring this 'mystic' doesn't try anything that'll come to haunt you down the road." Ser Jorah said, his eyes still on Gath "This city's reputation is well earned. It's residents, doubly so."
"You are a very suspicious man." Gath scowled.
"One has to be if he expects to survive long in Essos." Ser Jorah fired back.
As this was happening, Peter sighed and reached up to rub his brow in annoyance.
This was the last time he was going anywhere with Ser Jorah.
...
With Peter seeking possible answers to his affliction in Qohor, and Viserys having decided to visit the Free City's brothels to indulge in his lusts, Dany was left to herself, wandering the massive tent city of Drogo and her's khalasar clad only in her riding leathers, which even now still felt stiff and uncomfortable to her, despite having worn them several times prior. In truth, she'd rather be in her own tent, tending to her stone eggs, or reading one of the story books Ser Jorah gifted her, but Khal Drogo was meeting with representatives of Qohor and the young Targaryen had no desire to sit and witness it.
Of course, Drogo had sent her away before the delegation even arrived, so she supposed it wouldn't matter if she wanted to watch or not.
"Do you wish to see the city, khaleesi?" Doreah asked as she trailed slightly behind Dany with the Dothraki handmaidens, Irri and Jhiqui, and behind them four Dothraki riders of her Khas, a personal guard, as Ser Jorah described it, consisting of Quaro, Jhogo, Aggo and Rakharo.
"Perhaps..." Dany said as she glanced towards the distant city with a thoughtful look on her face.
She, her brother and Peter had never been to Qohor before, and Dany was curious to see the possible wonders the 'City of Sorcerers' possessed. It would be the last bastion of true civilization she'd be able to enjoy for some time, it would be wise for her to not let the opportunity pass.
It'd also give her the excuse to be with Peter without having to worry about someone within the Horde seeing them.
'Of course, I'd have to find a way to send them all away first.' Dany thought as she glanced back at her Khas and handmaidens.
Doreah she might allow to continue being in her presence, her loyalty was at least, not to the Khal and thus unlikely to say anything to him. Of course she could say something to Viserys in an attempt to get back into his good graces, but Dany believed she was smart enough to know that wouldn't happen.
When one crosses her brother, he'll never forgive or forget them.
She was also rather fond of Peter, too fond for Dany's liking, but she believed the former pleasure slave wished for no more harm to Peter after her last attempt to seduce him had ended with them both in Illyrio's dungeon.
'Speaking of dungeon...' Dany thought as she suddenly stopped and turned towards her handmaidens "The woman that was caught, where is she?"
"Which one, Khaleesi?" Jhiqui asked, confused.
"The one that was found in my friend's tent, the white haired woman with the scar on her cheek." Dany said, doing her best to keep the anger and annoyance out of her tone.
She had no idea why that woman chose that tent in particular, Peter has never shown interest in whores like her brother has, and she doubts he'll start to now that they are courting each other behind her husband's back. If it was some kind of trick by her brother, or perhaps even Illyrio as a way to drive a wedge between her and Peter, she would know the truth of it now, before the Dothraki kill her.
"As you wish, Khaleesi." Jhiqui said with a small bow before she gestured for everyone to follow her towards the part of the camp reserved for captured slaves.
Dany couldn't help but frown at the state of it all, men, women and Gods above even children, dressed in tattered rags that made even near naked whores seem modest in comparison were chained or tied to stakes, posts and each other to keep them from wandering. Many of the slaves, Dany saw, were in poor health, covered in bruises, scars, sores and injuries from their travels.
"Do the Dothraki not care for the slaves?" Dany asked no one in particular as they passed a wooden cage hastily constructed to keep more comely women detained, likely for the Dothraki to rape at their leisure.
It was Irri who answered "Many of them are from rival khalasars, Khaleesi. They are weak, undeserving of braids any longer, or fit to ride a horse. They are seen as below even the slaves given to them by the Free Cities. They aren't worth selling, their worth is serving their betters until they die."
At this, Dany frowned and glanced at her "How did you come to be in my service then? You and Jhiqui are from khalasars my husband defeated, are you not?"
"Khal Drogo thought you would prefer to be surrounded by beautiful women." Irri said with a faint blush.
"I see..." Dany said as they continued to pass more and more slaves, some looking to be only a few miles march away from dying, while others seemed to be rotting away before her very eyes.
Mercifully, they reached where the unknown woman was being held, and Dany was surprised to see she wasn't the only one to have come seeking her. Standing in before the wooden cage housing the stranger, was Silver, with two of her Wild Pack, men clad in enameled scales of silver, ivory and steel, helmets that looked like the heads of wolves, carrying long spears made of some sort of black wood, the spear heads curved and hooked slightly.
Silver seemed to hear them coming as she and her guards suddenly turned.
"Good morrow, Khaleesi." Silver spoke in High Valyrian with a grin and a slight bow of her head, her guards watched Dany's own with hidden expressions behind their wolf helms.
"My lady." Dany nodded in return as she gestured for her escort to stop while she approached the three.
Silver's guards did and said nothing as Dany passed between them, their gazes focused solely on the Dothraki. Silver's grin brightened even further as Dany came to stand beside her and gaze at the woman the caused so much trouble in the horde with her presence.
"This is her?" Dany stared at the woman that had apparently appeared in Peter's tent, broke his nose, blackened the eye of a Dothraki screamer, and attempted to flee the camp.
Her arms and legs were bound tightly with ropes, while a slave collar had been fastened to her neck and the chain anchored to a stake that's been hammered into the ground to keep her from fleeing. Her face was, to Dany's mild surprise, largely unmarked save a dark bruise on the left side of her face, and a split lip with some dried blood and aside from mud, her clothes weren't torn and bloodied as a result of any raping the Dothraki might've felt to inflict upon her.
She was beautiful, Dany noted, even with that scar on her cheek.
"Yes, this is her." Silver nodded.
"I'm surprised she's been left untouched." Dany commented.
"The Dothraki think she's cursed, that she might be afflicted with whatever it is that your friend, Peter, has. They won't touch her. Even the more ravenous ones in the khalasar. That bruise on her face, the rider who gave her that has already cut his hand off, terrified it was cursed." Silver said.
"So all it takes to keep a Dothraki from raping you is being supposedly afflicted with some kind of curse?" Dany asked with a raised brow "Would've loved to have known that some time ago."
The thought of Drogo cutting his cock off because he discovered she was cursed and may have infected him brought a grin to her face.
"Many would." Silver agreed with a rueful chuckle as she leaned against the cage and observed the woman carefully "She doesn't speak any language I've heard before, and I know six to the point native speakers believe me to have been born speaking their tongue. And her style of clothing almost appears Westerosi, but it's not quite. She's a strange one to be sure."
"Has she shown any signs that she can at least understand us?" Dany questioned with a brief glance thrown towards the older woman only yo see her shake her head. Humming at this, Dany returned her attention to the mysterious woman "So what will be done with her? Is she to be left here? Sold? Or will she be killed?"
"Still being decided last I heard." Silver sighed as she pushed herself off the cage and gestured for Dany and her small entourage to follow her "Your husband will have final say regardless. He might seek to make her a example. After all, sneaking into his khalasar's camp, and attacking several of his people? Rivals, both within and without might see it as a sign he's growing weak as a Khal. He'll want to erase those assumptions and reaffirm his strength and right to lead."
Dany made to follow, only to stop and glance back at the woman with a expression that was almost sympathetic. While it gulled her that this woman attacked her friend after sneaking into his tent somehow, she didn't seem to be particularly cruel or hold ill intentions. After all, she could've very easily kill anyone during her infiltration and attempted escape, but instead, she only left a few men bruised, their pride equally so.
The woman seemed to sense Dany's gaze on her and turned her head as far as the ropes and slave collar she had on would allow her and met the Targaryen's violet colored eyes with her own emerald green. Time seemed to almost slow as the two held one another's gazes, seemingly searching for something in one another. Dany was certain they'd be staring into one another's very souls before long when Silver placed a hand on her shoulder and forced her to follow, casuing the women's gaze to break from one another.
"Tell me Daenerys, have you ever been to Qohor?" Silver asked as the small group made their way through the camp, passing tents, slave pins, parked wagons and the grazing beasts expected to pull and carry them all when the horde was on the move.
"No." Dany shook her head "We have not. Viserys believed the city held no one of real value that could help us. He claims it was filled with drunkards believing their mystics and conmen."
Silver laughed at this "Then I suppose we should change that, no? Qohor isn't so bad, once you get pass the worshipping of a goat god and the daily sacrifices."
"Splendid." Dany said dryly, casuing Silver to giggle as she suddenly stepped in close and threw an arm around the Targaryen's shoulders, and pulled her even closer.
Dany flinched at the sudden contact while her Khas suddenly started shouting in Dothraki, drawing their arakhs and pointing them towards Silver's back. In response, the two Wild Pack guards brought their spears to bare and held them at the ready, to either impale or strike any Dothraki that dared to attack their lady. Silver simply glanced over her shoulder at the riders with mild interests before she shrugged and returned her attention to Dany while keeping her arm firmly on the younger woman's shoulders, as if she was unbothered by the fact several Dothraki meant to do her harm with her actions.
"Order your dogs to sheath their fucking arakhs before I cut them down." Silver said in a amused tone.
Dany blinked at the woman before her eyes darted down to see what weapon Silver would use to do that considering she was dressed in a silver and blue colored tokar, intricate platinum and gold chains that reached up from her elbows and connected to silver clasps sewn into her tokar, and lace up sandals. Dany briefly considered Silver had knives hidden within the confines of her dress, but with how tightly she been pulled against the woman's body, something caused her face to flush red and her heartbeat quicken, she doubted it.
"Khaleesi?" Irri asked nervously, her eyes darting between Dany's Khas and the Lady Silver's two guards, who seemed to ready to be the ones to strike first.
Giving the Dothraki girl a smile of assurance, she waved at the Khas "I'm fine, the Lady Silver was simply expressing her affection for me. Please tell them I'm in no danger and do not require help. They can put their weapons away."
Irri looked unconvinced but nodded and relayed Dany's words to the Dothraki in their guttural language. They looked as equally unconvinced, but sheathed their arakhs and resorted to simply glaring at Silver, who returned their looks with smug amusement as her own guards seemed to relax.
"Good dogs." Silver whispered as she leaned her head in closer until her lips were just barely grazing Dany's ear, casuing her to scowl as her heart to flutter and her cheeks adopt a faint red hue.
"Please refrain my antagonizing them, they barely listen to me as it is." Dany scolded the elder Valyrian.
Silver's brow furrowed at this "They should be obeying you without question."
"Khal Drogo has yet to grant me such power. And even if he did, his riders don't respect me yet." Dany sighed as she reached up and gently removed Silver's arm from her shoulders.
"Well I suppose that'll have to be changed." Silver said in a thoughtful tone before she glanced at her two guards and gave them a dismissive wave "Leave us."
Dany watched, envious and surprised by the bows the men gave Silver before they turned and left without a word of protest. Silver noticed this and chuckled in amusement as she nodded towards the departing guards.
"They know I can handle myself. If anything, their presence is meant to be a barrier between me and whoever has earned my ire." Silver said with a look of pride on her face.
"Do they often succeed?" Dany asked.
"No, but they try none the less." Silver said with a giggle as she slid her arm through Dany's and began to pull her in the direction of Qohor "Come, we'll only be in Qohor a few more days and I refuse to let you stay in this camp the entire time we're here. There's a lovely street towards the city center that's known for it's wood carvings."
With a resigned sigh, Dany let herself be pulled towards the Free City, all the while Silver described her past visits to the City of Sorcerers and what history she knew of it. Dany did her best to pay attention, but as the small party reached and entered the city, Dany's attention began to wander and she found herself looking down alleys and streets for signs of Peter. She hoped he was fine, Qohor had a rather sinister reputation after all, and her beloved seemed to attract trouble to him like a corpse does maggots-
"How did you two meet, if I may ask?"
Dany turned to look at Silver to see the woman was looking at her with a thoughtful expression on her face "I'm sorry?"
"Peter, your... beloved friend." Silver teased with a knowing grin "I know how he ended up in Essos, Ironborn from I'm told. But how he came across you and your brother?"
"We, or rather I, found him on the side of a road just outside of Tyrosh, near a ruined estate that once belonged to some long dead noblemen I believe. He'd been living on the streets for close to a year and a half by that point." Dany said with a saddened expression on her face "He was half starved, I could make out each individual rib of his, I could wrap my hand around his arm and he was riddled with ticks, fleas and ants. If he hadn't made a sound when I passed him, I would've believed him to be dead."
"What brought you by his way?" Silver asked.
At this, Dany adopted a shy smile as her cheeks colored "My brother and I had no money by this point, or food. We tried to steal some bread from a stand but were caught. We split up and agreed to meet back at our... what was our 'home' at the time, and I took a particularly long route back."
She later told Viserys that the guards kept after her a bit longer so she fled towards a few long abandoned estates that hugged the coastline with the hope of losing her pursuers amongst the ruins. The truth was, the day was lovely and the sea looked so inviting, that Dany wanted to swim for a few minutes before returning to face the disappointment and sullenness of her brother for failing to obtain more food for them to eat. She had seen several long dead bodies littering the road before coming across Peter, and though saddened by the sight of them, she didn't let them deter her from making her way to the coast, to a cove in particular that children tended to frequent and swim in.
To this day she thanks the Gods, old, new and unknown she didn't allow those bodies to turn her back, if they did, she never would've met Peter.
"And I suppose the sorry state you found him in moved your young, little heart and you saved him?" Silver finished with a chuckle.
"No, I gagged at the smell and sight of him and kicked away the hand he reached out to touch me with." Dany shrugged, causing Silver to blink owlishly at her "I didn't know him and I was alone, how else would you expect me to react?"
After the initial shock had worn off, the state of Peter did in fact move Dany who proceeded to move Peter into some shade so he wasn't rotting under the sun before she made to fetch her brother to help her move him someplace safer. But then Peter whimpered and begged in a hoarse whisper for her to stay with him, and she did. A few hours later, Viserys found them both and after some begging from her, the Beggar King reluctantly helped Dany carry Peter back to their hovel.
After that, the two cleaned and shared what food they had and he stuck with them ever since.
"I'm surprised your brother allowed him to stay with you two." Silver mused "It's hard living on your own among the Free Cities, especially as children."
"He was kinder than." Dany answered with a sigh.
Peter and Viserys were, as the saying goes, thick as thieves in those days, almost to the point that at times Dany found herself a little jealous. It was Viserys that began teaching Peter High Valyrian and assured him that when he regained his throne, he would be richly rewarded for not only his loyalty, but friendship. Dany treasured those days, after Viserys was forced to sell their mother's crown, he'd slowly began to grow cruel with her, and just about everyone else, but Peter's presence, for a time at least, seemed to warm whatever coldness had begun to grow in her brother.
Until she had her first moon blood.
The two, along with Dany's small retinue continued it's wat through the bustling streets of Qohor. The ever present, almost overbearing iconography of the city's principle deity, the Black Goat, unnerved the young Targaryen. The statues were the worse, she thought, with how life like the black stoned goats were, how their ruby eyes seemed to follow her. The various minor sacrifices she was seeing before small, local alters of cats, dogs, rats, and birds didn't help, and filled some of the streets they walked down with the tangy iron smell of blood.
'The sooner we are gone from this place, the better.' Dany thought as she, Silver, her handmaidens and guards entered a small square.
Sitting in the center was a large slab of black stone twice as high as herself, the top carved into the head of a goat. On one side of the square, a number of small stalls had been erected, selling all manner of black and grey colored dresses made from wool, while the other side was occupied by numerous beggars, some half dressed and covered in filth, holding out hands, bowls, hats, anything that could be used for a passing person to drop what money they were willing to spare.
Suddenly Dany heard Peter's voice, shouting really, and she turned her head in the direction she heard it coming from before breaking off into a run. She heard Silver call after her along with her handmaidens, but Dany paid them no mind, her focus was on finding Peter before something bad happened. Thankfully, she didn't have to run very far, she'd only entered a street adjacent to the square she was in to see Peter, alone, standing before a tented wagon that had been set up as a improvised merchant stall, arguing with it's proprietor.
"-be damned if I give any kind of coin to your craven filled cesspit you call a house!" Peter snarled at the man, who Dany saw was Westerosi, who was replying with a glare of his own.
The man was rather large, with a belly so big it was unlikely the man could even look down to see his feet anymore. He had a long, bushy black beard that reached down to his waist almost with strands of grey in it, and was dressed in rich brown, red and yellow colors. Dany assumed the man was a merchant from Westeros, selling the wares of their country and likely looking for goods to bring back with him-
"Fuck you, bastard!" the man snapped as he held up a knife and pointed it at Peter.
"What, horses aren't cutting it anymore?" Peter hissed as Dany ran over and grabbed his arm.
"STOP IT!" Dany yelled as she began to pull Peter away from the man.
"RUNNING AWAY ARE YOU!? I EXPECT NOTHING LESS FROM A RAVEN'S WORM RIDDLED CUNT!" the man the man yelled out towards Peter, raising his free hand and displaying a rather rude gesture.
"I'D RATHER BE RIDDLED WITH WORMS THAN A HORSE FUCKER!" Peter yelled back before Dany turned him around with a forceful yank on his arm and continued to drag him away from the yelling merchant.
"What has gotten into you?!" Dany hissed with a glare, her grip on his arm so tight it'd leave bruises.
Peter looked over his shoulder to spare the merchant one last glare before he turned back to Dany and stared at her with puzzlement "What do you mean?"
Dany stared at him with an incredulous expression before she pointed back towards the stall "That?!"
"Oh that?" Peter said with a slight tilt of his head "It was nothing, just a Bracken is all."
Dany waited for Peter to continue, but when she realized he wouldn't, she huffed in frustration and pinched the ridge of her nose "Are you telling me you almost fought a man, because he was a Bracken?"
"Pretty sure he's selling stolen goods. Brackens wouldn't know how to make something half descent if it slapped them in the face." Peter explained.
"Please tell me you're jesting." Dany said with a exasperated expression.
"Normally, I wouldn't give filth like him a second thought, but thanks to that valiant knight of yours, Ser Jorah, I was in a bad mood." Peter growled before he stopped and closed his eyes as he took a deep breath before he slowly exhaled through his nose "Sorry, it's just... *Sigh*, He accused an alchemist that was seeing to my condition, for trying to poison me. Or take my blood for a spell. Honestly he kept demanding to know what he was doing every few minutes and eventually the alchemist stopped and began to argue with Jorah. So, I got up and left and I've been wandering around ever since."
Dany frowned at this before she placed a comforting hand on his arm "Than I shall speak with Ser Jorah tonight."
Peter shook his head at this "Don't bother, I got everything I needed to know before it all happened."
"What did you learn?" Dany asked.
At this, Peter rolled his eyes with as scoff "In short? Nothing like it was ever seen before and I can't be helped. The best I can do is hope that I'm not actually cursed or dying."
"So we're back where we stated?" Dany said worriedly.
"More or less." Peter shrugged before he took a moment to look around and see what the street they were on had to offer.
It was lined with various merchant stalls and tables, selling all manner of wares that could be found in the other Free Cities and even among the larger towns and cities of Westeros. He supposed he'll have to find another market if he wanted to find something a bit more... exotic, for Dany. Perhaps he'll even find something from Old Valyria he could gift her, a small memento of her heritage.
Gods knows the Dothraki will do their best to try and make her forget it before this was all over.
"Perhaps we can find another, someone that can-" Dany began before she suddenly felt some place their hands on her waist from behind as their chin rested on her left shoulder.
"There you are!" Silver teased with a chuckle before giving Peter a small nod "Peter."
"My lady." Peter responded with a nod of his own before he looked over her shoulder to see Dany's handmaidens pushing their way through the crow before coming to a stop a few feet away, and behind them, four annoyed looking Dothraki.
Doreah's eyes seemed to brighten at the sight of him before she gave him a coy grin and wave that left him feeling a little nervous. Irri and Jhiqui simply stared at him, and the Dothraki riders seemed more interested in glaring at the people passing them all by than wanting anything to do with him.
"Oh, do call me just Silver when it's only us, dear." Silver said with a grin as she lifted her head from Dany's shoulder but kept her hands firmly on the shorter woman's hips "I'm told you sought out a sorcerer to discover what ails you, any luck?"
Peter shook his head at this, casuing Silver to frown "Rotten luck, but you still have a few days before we all leave. If needs be, I can assist you. I'm owed some favors here."
"That won't be necessary, Lady Silver." Dany said as she slipped from Silver's grasp and came to stand next to Peter and link her arm through his "I'm sure you have many duties that require your attention."
"I do..." Silver said as she quirked her heard to the side slightly as she observed the two, her gaze lingering on their interlocked arms the longest, before a sly grin appeared on her face "But, nothing that can't be postponed until we leave. It would be irresponsible of me to leave you two to wander Qohor by yourselves. The trouble you can find yourselves in best not be dreamed of I say."
"What sort of trouble could we get into here?" Peter asked over the slowly approaching barks and growls of a trio of nearby dogs, skinny, mattered looking hounds that made some of the beggars Peter's seen in his time look fat in comparison.
"The... fun kind, I wager." Silver mused, casuing Dany to scowl at her with rose cheeks.
"I fear the 'magic' fumes of this city are getting to you, Lady Silver. Perhaps it is time for you to return to the camp?" she stated hotly over the barks and growls of the dogs.
"It seems the air is already affecting you, my dear. Turning you into such a grumpy goat." Silver teased.
Peter snickered at this, which seemed to cause the dogs that were now only a few feet from them all to bark and howl even louder as if to spite him "Perhaps we should all leave then before things- *ARF!*-before things-*ARF!*- before-*ARF!*
Suddenly Peter turned towards the trio of barking hounds, his face pale, his eyes now a pale milky white color, the pupils missing, and his eye sockets seemingly growing and curving upwards for a brief moment as his jaw opened and his teeth were now like needles.
"SHUT UP!"
Dany and Silver both flinched at the loud, it was a metal scraping like echo that erupted from Peter, as did a number of other people near them. Silence quickly descended on the street as everyone turned from what they were doing to eye the three of them, Peter specifically, with weary, or even frightened eyes. The dogs that were barking only moments ago were now as quiet as a crypt and had dropped low to the ground, their ears tucked against their heads, their bodies seemingly frozen in terror. Peter's glare remained locked on them for a moment longer before he closed his eyes and slowly exhaled through his nose before turning his attention back to Dany and Silver.
Silver's gaze was guarded and a bit weary, her body tense, while Dany was looking at Peter with worry in her eyes. His face had mostly returned to it's natural appearance, but around his eyes and along his temples, she could see the black veins, seemingly pulsating. His skin was paler than she's ever seen it, making those previously mentioned black veins of his stick out even more so, and when Peter opened his mouth to speak, Dany swore his teeth were still shaped like needles.
"Sorry about that." he grinned sheepishly, his hand reaching up to rub the back of his head "Didn't feel like trying to talk through a bunch of barking hounds."
"I-I-It's fine." Dany said with a strained smile as she struggled to not flinch at the horrific appearance Peter had taken.
It was everything but fine.
...
And done.
Next chapter, The Dragon and the Wolf...
answers to reviewers' questions or statements:
Angeyapy8507: The language Ciri speaks is more or less Polish to the people of the ASOIAF world, in how it sounds at any rate, where's their language, the Common Tongue/Westerosi specifically, is more or less Old English to Ciri.
Jebest4781: More is coming.
War Sage: Let's just say that a ship has indeed sailed. Ah, Ciri will be fine, compared to the 3 Witches of the Bog, the Dothraki aren't that bad in comparison. Granted their bad in other ways, but at least Ciri won't have to worry about being partially eaten by them and given to the Wild Hunt, or what's left of them.
Gzilla54: Haven't seen the show yet but I heard it was surprisingly good, despite Disney and Marvel's attempts to further degrade the franchise.
Slim A Lou Prime: In certain lighting, Silver's hair looks kinda white-ish. But gods help Peter if he ever finds himself in Lys, the capital of white-ish looking, silver-gold, haired women lol.
ForgotMyAccount: Ciri's heartbreak and betrayal may have more to it then it seems. Regardless, it will be tragic. I mean to be fair, Peter isn't exactly a happy person, lot of times he's borderline depressed, even when things are going good for him. Peter isn't a cruel person in this universe, he might be a bit cynical and a little selfish, but he's not the kinda person to trample over the small folk to get what he wants. Oh Peter is gonna have demons, don't you worry. And it won't be just him that's affected by it.
gontheone: No, Ciri won't be a slave, but she's not exactly free to go where she wants at the moment. Took it down, didn't like how it playing out, so I'm in the midst of rewriting it.
Harbinger Of Kaos: It's going to be a very deep, and very dark hole.
BrotherofaStudio: Let's just say that Dany isn't very appreciative of other women attacking Peter.