Queen Visenya, Hours Later...
It was an exceptionally hard and long wait on the ship as they hoped to hear from Hraka, if they did not then it would mean that the city had effectively united against them. Haeron sat with Crimson Heart out and ready while Harmony and Evelyn set up ward stones around the ship to prevent the warlocks from entering it without their consent. Jaime, Alicys, Jonos, Davos and the others were all keeping a look out for any sign of trouble coming. Vaena meanwhile was reassuring the dragons who were all kinds of unsettled, all of the dark magic around making them uneasy.
When Hraka finally did appear whether it was a good thing or a bad didn't matter as it was at least an end to the awkward waiting.
"Your grace." Hraka said with a terrified look on his face as he greeted them. "The Pureborn are siding with the Warlocks and they have allied with Ancient Guild of Spicers against us. The Tourmaline Brotherhood hangs on for it survival and the Warlocks want not only yourself but the two ladies you have with you and the dragons." Hraka said with fear; referring to Harmony and Evelyn and Haeron used magic to read his mind to make sure he wasn't lying and to his relief he wasn't. But that still left them in a terrible position.
"Aren't there any other factions in the city we could ally ourselves with?" Alicys asked, coming up to them and Hraka nodded slowly.
"The Thirteen, a union of Merchant Princes in the city but even with them I am not sure we have the numbers to hold on. Not to mention there is a rumour that one of their number is conspiring with the Warlocks." Hraka told them with worry and Jonos frowned as Davos cursed.
"They would betray even their own?" Davos asked with anger but Jonos just shook his head.
"Fear can make people do anything, especially when combined with greed." Jonos said wondering just why they wanted the Prince or Harmony and Evelyn? The dragons he could understand but what they want with them too? He pondered, the ideas in his mind were not particularly pleasant ones.
"Then we need to not only even the odds by allying with the Thirteen, but root out this traitor and then eliminating either the Pureborn or the Ancient Guild of Spicers or both. Then the Warlocks themselves." Haeron said as his mind worked on a solution to their problem. He had no certain answers as to why the Warlocks wanted them but he could guess, the magic of the Warlocks was warped and twisted, gained or amplified by sacrifices. That was what they wanted if he had to guess, to sacrifice them to increase their own power temporarily.
The short-sighted greed of these wastes of flesh made him want to curse but he contained himself, how many other magicals had they killed solely for a quick fix? He asked himself with anger. This was more akin to drug addicts than anything else he thought with anger and only the soft hands of Harmony and Evelyn on his shoulders made him come out of his rage.
Getting himself back under control he turned to Hraka and told him with a plan now forming in his mind.
"You need to arrange a meeting with the Thirteen to get them on our side but also whatever it takes find out who this traitor is. In the meantime, we will deal with the Ancient Guild of Spicers." Haeron said which made them all blink in surprise.
"We will?" Jaime asked in surprise and Haeron nodded coldly, which sent a shiver through them.
"You and Alicys will attend the meeting with the Thirteen. Myself, Evelyn and Harmony will deal with the Spicers." Haeron said calmly, surprising them all with his words.
"Us?" Alicys asked in confusion. Harmony and Evelyn too looked worried at his decision so he felt compelled to explain the reasoning.
"If you meet with the Thirteen that will distract the others, I am placing responsibility for dealing with the traitor once Hraka finds out who it is in your hands." Haeron said which made Jaime blink.
"You are trusting us with this?" Jaime asked him nervously and Haeron nodded.
"Yes, there comes a time when you must learn to trust your own judgement and intelligence. For you and Alicys this in now. Take this...in case you need it." Haeron said handing Alicys a slender sword made for a woman from the stash they had on board and reclaimed Blackfyre from her. She took it and shared a glance with Jaime, neither able to believe this but nodded in acceptance. Haeron then turned to Jonos and Davos telling them. "You both and Vaena will guard the ship and the dragons while we are gone. If we do not return then you must sail for Westeros, deliver the dragons to my mother and siblings." Haeron said knowing there was great danger in this and he would not ask the crew to remain in danger for their sake.
Harmony and Evelyn both looked at him with grim resignation while Jonos and Davos both grimly nodded in acceptance. There was work to be done so no more was said, no words were needed as the great task lay ahead and they all had parts to play.
A Manse, Qarth...The Following Day...
The Thirteen given the threat posed by the Warlocks, Pureborn and Ancient Guild of Spicers had agreed to meet with the Tourmaline Brotherhood, in a manse that belonged to one of their members and so Hraka, Jaime, Alicys and some of Hraka's guards stood before the assembled Merchant Princes. They were all richly dressed men in elaborate robes, mostly pale skinned as was normal of the Qarthi except for one man who was darker skinned.
"You all know the Pureborn and Warlocks will wipe us out if we do not stand together." Hraka said with desperation. The Thirteen however were not convinced and one of them scoffed.
"We could simply stay out of it and be safe." He told them, getting a murmur of agreement from the other members.
Hraka looked crestfallen and Alicys in frustration spoke up.
"And what makes you think they will accept that?" She challenged them fiercely which made them all blink at her audacity to challenge them like that. "They can just kill you all and take everything you own, why would they just leave you alone?" She demanded and the fact that she was not even wearing a traditional Qarthi dress which would have left one of her tits hanging out seemed to offend them.
Jaime was only getting more frustrated and waited for the traitor to strike, the disrespect towards Alicys was what really annoyed him the most though. It was a relief that he saw out of the corner of his eye he saw the men of the traitor move, he drew Brightroar and intercepted them.
The men struck at twelve of the assembled Thirteen who all glanced up in shock but Jaime shocked them all by swinging the large sword with both ease and skill. He took each of them down with ease which was incredible given his age but he had been trained by arguably the best swordsman in Westeros and it showed. Once he was finished he had the sword's tip pointed straight at the traitor and smirked. Alicys smirked too before daring to ask the traitor some questions.
"So Xaro Xhoan Daxos...what did the Warlocks promise you to betray your fellow princes? Gold?" She asked him with a knowing smirk, while the other Merchant Princes all looked in shock at the man they had let into their ranks. The man himself was glaring at her and Jaime before saying.
"The assets of the others, to be King of Qarth." He said with a sneer, sure that he was safe due to the Warlocks but Jaime stabbed him straight through the throat and then pulling the blade free so blood could flow from the wound before telling the other shocked Merchant Princes.
"Now you have seen how little you mean to the Warlocks, will you join us?" He said with a smirk as Xaro died, drowning in his own blood as it flowed out of his ruined throat. The now Twelve merchant princes all grimaced before turning to Alicys and Hraka and told them what they wanted to hear.
"We will ally with you."
- x -
Palace of the Ancient Guild of Spicers, Qarth...Same Moment...
The palace that served as the main base of the Ancient Guild of Spicers was impressive in its grandeur and many members of the rich guild would take shelter there during times of trouble. It was well guarded with many soldiers but tonight that would be as nothing with what assailed it.
Haeron accompanied by Harmony and Evelyn, all of them dressed in armour walked into the palace, each going through one of the three gates it had. The guards tried to stop them but they found themselves being blasted off the high walls they were standing on and plunging to their deaths or painful injury if they survived the hard fall. They tried to close the gates but they just stood open as if they weighed an impossible weight, the guards frantically pushing against the heavy doors to close them before with a single wave of their hand the three Valyrians sent their weapons flying from their hands or waists. Then with either swords or with blasts of coloured light they ended the guards and any that had managed to survive the fall from the walls above before marching straight into the palace.
More guards came at them but the three were moving with a purpose, they were not using stunning spells as this time they had no interest in taking anyone alive. Not only to rid themselves of an enemy but also to leave no witnesses to their magic.
Evelyn who was more a witch than a swordswoman only used her borrowed blade defensively, casting out arrows conjured from thin air at the guards who dared charge at them, switching between that and blasting curses which would crush the chests of men in a single blow. She coldly watched them die as she moved through the palace, guards shaking in fear as she approached but it meant nothing as she killed them. These men were supporting warlocks that wanted to suck them dry for magic or to just enrich themselves, guard or member of the guild it didn't matter.
Harmony was more reluctant than Evelyn to kill, she was not a killer by nature but she knew in her heart that they had to eliminate them for not only her sake but the dragons, for Haeron and Evelyn. Not to mention any other magicals that might fall prey to the warlocks in the future or had done in the past.
This could not go on she thought grimly and so not only did the warlocks have to be eliminated, but also those that supported them. So she used her sword and magic to end them quickly. Reducto curses and cutting hexes would take heads clean off while her sword impaled people.
Haeron was the most ruthless of all of them, not only did he use Crimson Heart and Blackfyre to cut down men where they stood without a moment's hesitation but also he would cast spells on some as he moved through the palace.
"Expulso." He said as he gestured with his ring, hitting a leading member of the guard and easily blowing the man apart before conjuring a stream of fire from the same hand that engulf three more that came charging down the corridor.
Finally after eliminating most of the people in the palace the three of them arrived outside the main audience hall where the Ancient Guild of Spicers had hidden themselves, Harmony used magic to force the door open and then Haeron saw the two dozen or so men cowering behind a table. He advanced and then ended them with a constant barrage of cutting spells, ending their lives quickly.
"Was this really necessary?" Harmony asked with a sigh at the brutality of what they had just done but Evelyn shrugged while Haeron told her sadly.
"No one ever won the game by playing fair." Haeron said, knowing it wasn't right but it was a fact regardless.
Evelyn meanwhile found the documents that proved ownership of the warehouses, their fleet of twelve hundred ships and other assets.
"These will prove useful, if Jaime and Alicys succeed this will turn the balance of power in the city in our favour." Evelyn said as she started packing them up, Haeron told her with certainty.
"They will succeed. But we still have both the Pureborn and the Warlocks themselves to deal with." Haeron said as he considered their position and what to do next.
- x -
Back on the Queen Visenya, Kelis was standing on deck and sighed with annoyance at being confined on this ship. She had been hoping for them to just do their business and leave so she could go back to Naath, her frustration at the delay made her want to scream and despite being told to stay on the ship she walked onto the jetty. Davos and Septon Jonos were speaking to each other and the crew and failed to notice this, she just needed to get some time to herself she thought desperately.
But then from the dark alleyway near the ship shadowy figures like those that had ambushed them earlier in the Garden appeared suddenly, shrieking as they moved forward. Kelis saw this and screamed in fear before turning to run back to the ship but it was too late. The crew on the ship all turned to see Kelis being snatched up by the shadows and carried off into the city screaming all of the way.
Davos and Jonos looked to each other in disbelief and then in fear, no-one dared follow even when the others returned and Vaena emerged from inside the cabin having finally gotten the dragons to sleep.
"Where's Kelis?" Vaena asked in confusion as Haeron, Evelyn, Harmony, Jaime and Alicys re-boarded the ship and looked at them expectantly, needing an answer.
"They took her." Davos said with reluctance, feeling guilty as he should have noticed and kept the girl from leaving the ship, that way he wouldn't have let her get kidnapped. Septon Jonos himself was feeling the same guilt but Haeron frowned while the others looked shocked and worried.
"They want to use her to bring us to them. I will deal with the Pureborn, prepare for the Warlocks." Haeron said, feeling like a fool. He should have been more proactive in dealing with their enemies and this would likely have never happened.
Now a girl's life was in danger due to his negligence he thought with anger and he marched straight into the ship without another word. The others looked at him in confusion, wondering just what he could do on his own.
- x -
Hall of a Thousand Thrones, Qarth...An Hour Later...
The palace that contained the Pureborn and their supporters, acting as the legislative centre for the city was immense and well guarded by the city guards. Lavish for their comfort and with full food stores that could last for years if need be with reasonable rationing.
But that was nothing against Haeron's magic, he apparated into the cellars which were unguarded as the only way inside where the passageways from inside the hall itself. It had some large open spaces supported by pillars in case the place was ever breached and the Pureborn needed to hide. Haeron however cared nothing for this as he pulled a small object from his pocket. He put it down on the floor and with a wave of his hand it began to grow up to its normal size, he stepped back from it and held up his ring.
"Geminio." He said, using the Doubling Charm to make an identical second barrel right next to the first one and then kept using the spell, making copy after copy until over two hundred barrels sat in the hall's cellar. Haeron relaxed his spell and felt exhausted from making all of the barrels but did not stop, attaching a long wick to the first barrel and walking a short distance away. The copies of the barrel would not last long, maybe an hour or so but he wouldn't need that long. He set the wick down and then make a spark with his ring, his magic was drained but he still had enough left for this.
The spark caught the wick and set it ablaze, he made sure it was burning as it should before disapparating away, leaving the wick burning and moving towards the barrels. It moved along at a fairly quick speed and finally made it to the barrel which detonated immediately.
Haeron appeared back in his cabin on the ship before it happened, surprising Kara who perked up at his appearance. He smiled and gently petted his dragon while looking out of the window as the massive explosion ripped through the Hall of a Thousand Thrones in a huge fireball.
The sound of it was deafening although the wards around the ship protected them them somewhat from it and it still scared the hell out of them. Haeron comforted Kara while Harmony, Evelyn and Vaena all rushed out of the magical dresser holding their own dragons.
"What did you do?" Harmony demanded with shock and Haeron told her a cold calm.
"The Pureborn have been dealt with. A day to rest and prepare then we can deal with the Warlocks." Haeron said coldly. Kelis would be safe for the moment and going in there without being prepared would be extremely foolish.
"That was...ruthless." Evelyn said knowing the damage would be colossal, Haeron nodded as Vaena looked at him in fear.
"If I had been more ruthless earlier then Kelis would be safely on this ship." Haeron said with cold anger but it was directed solely at himself. "It also should make sure she is more useful to the Warlocks alive since they will want this secret. We eliminated an enemy that would have killed our entire crew or sold them into slavery while we and the dragons are drained for every tiny bit of magic we have."
The three women stared at him before reluctantly agreeing with him since it now meant the Warlocks stood alone against them but at such a cost. Harmony and Evelyn took his hand and Evelyn told him calmly with concern for his mind.
"You are a doing bad things for a good reason but sometimes Harry for our own sake we have to do something else." She said, speaking as Fleur and not as Evelyn for the moment, Harmony nodded.
"You've been carrying this burden for a long time and there was once a noble man beneath that hard shell you've made. We're all together in this and you will have us there to help temper you when you need it." Harmony said, speaking as Hermione this time.
Haeron sighed before nodding, he had killed a lot of people so far in this city and while it was their enemies it was still a lot of people, he needed to play the game as they referred to it but he also needed someone to remind him that underneath all of this he was Harry as well...not just Haeron.
He sighed, knowing he had been too ruthless this time. The only good thing was the grounds of the Hall of a Thousand Thrones had been large enough to mostly contain the explosion although debris had likely caused damage else where hopefully a minimal amount had been inflicted.
The destruction of the Pureborn and their bastion meant that the city was more or less in the hands of the Thirteen and the Tourmaline Brotherhood now. The Civic Guard now they no longer had the Pureborn to pay their wages easily turned to their side and that left the city all but in their hands. Now only one thing remained to do, one last thing before this business was done.
To face and remove the Warlocks.
Haeron, Harmony and Evelyn had spent the time preparing themselves...the rest of the crew especially Jaime had been ready to charge the tower or rather the House of the Undying as it was known to rescue Kelis but that would go badly as they were not ready to defend themselves against the Warlocks.
They looked to Vaena who hugged them, terrified about them going in there but they had no choice. They all had their weapons and armour on, their magical foci prepared and ready. They took the time to pet and feed the dragons to try and reassure them, Kara being the most anxious and had tried to follow them but Haeron told his dragon gently.
"No, you have to stay and protect the little ones and Vaena." He told Kara who was deeply unsettled and whined as he gently reassured her. "I will be back I promise but you have to stay here." He said warmly and Kara gently butted her head into him and he carefully petted his dragon, letting them know that he was not lying to her.
He reluctantly left Vaena and Kara with the other dragons while going out on the deck, seeing the crew look at them with awe at their bravery. Davos and Jonos both shook their hands and Haeron put a hand on Jaime's shoulder and told him.
"You head for Westeros, if we are not back by dawn tomorrow." Haeron told him and Jaime slowly nodded not wanting to stay on the ship or certainly leave them behind but accepting the orders. Alicys was likewise not happy about it but hugged Harmony and Evelyn before the three of them walked down the gangplank and mounted their horses, riding out towards the forbidding and bare looking structure at the near centre of the city.
They were all silent as they did so, it was too nerve racking to talk to each other as they approached the tall and bland looking tower. It was so different to the rest of the buildings in Qarth, made of sandstone and no decoration or even windows. They dismounted their horses and tied them to a post before walking towards the single large wooden door which ominously swung open for them on its own. The three of them shared a glance before taking a steadying breath and stepping inside the dark abyss beyond.
Torches sprang to life, igniting on their own and show long and rough looking corridors of stone with many simple doors. They crept forward, expecting an ambush at any moment but every second that passed without one only made them more tense.
The corridors seemed to go on forever and they quickly lost any sense of up or down so they had no idea if they were climbing towards the top or descending underground. They heard voices whispering but could not tell from where they were coming from.
They stuck together, knowing it was smarter to do that rather than split up and leave them as easier targets.
Then they came to a door that blocked their way and with some trepidation pushed it open, stepping through and finding themselves in a space that looked like a hall of some kind. A cat was proudly sitting with a dragon figurine in its teeth, they stared at it with confusion before it ran off into the shadows at the sides.
"These images aren't real." Harmony said wondering about all of the legends of this place, her voice worried. "The intense magic of this place allows visions of the past, present and future."
"Future?" Evelyn asked with concern as she looked after the cat, not sure she wanted to know what was to come and Haeron was feeling the exact same way.
"Knowing the future causes more problems than it solves. Let's keep going." Haeron told them, hoping that they saw the past from now on or events that were happening at the same time as them as prophesy had ruined one of his lives already and he really didn't want it to ruin another one.
Grabbing their hands Haeron pulled Harmony and Evelyn with him out of the room and into the next one, seeing what looked like the Map Room on Dragonstone with a man that resembled Haeron somewhat talking to many men around the map table. One of them looked very much like Steffon Baratheon and his son Robert and behind the Valyrian man who was leading the meeting two women stood. One was tall and voluptuous, dressed in armour and chain mail and while she was beautiful she was a hard woman with a stern look in her eye. The other was softer and while clearly in chain mail and Valyrian like them was not a warrior. She seemed almost bored by this meeting and seemed to be only half paying attention.
"Aegon the Conqueror and his two wives." Harmony said with awe before she suddenly realised something that had not really crossed her mind before. Three of them resembled Aegon, Visenya and Rhaenys in many ways.
She wondered if that in itself was a omen of things to come.
They carried on and saw a set of dragons with many eggs around them, then a large pair of cliffs with a massive gulf between them and then a bridge seemed to form before their eyes. They reluctantly crossed it and then saw another vision as they passed to the other side.
A dragon shedding its skin and becoming a snake and then biting a large and beautiful dragon and then wrapping itself around a dragon egg only for the egg to sudden hatch and then the young dragon bit and killed the snake.
But as they wondered just what all of these images meant they came to another, one that Haeron recognised quite well.
"The Throne Room...in the Red Keep." Haeron told them and then as they looked around they saw it was not as he remembered it. The roof was gone and the windows broken, everything covered in a fine layer of snow and looking towards the intimidating Iron Thorne which was abandoned and forlorn they could not help but feel this was important.
"Winter." Evelyn said her tone puzzled as they looked out over the city below from one of the ruined windows and then something else occurred to Harmony.
"Listen."
"What?" Haeron asked in confusion and she just gave him one of her glares and repeated the command.
"Listen."
So both he and Evelyn did as told them and listened but at first they had no idea just what they were trying to hear...only then did they realise what she was trying to tell them.
"Nothing but the wind...no sounds but the wind." Harmony said with a look of fear, not understanding how there could be no sounds of any kind but the wind.
It sent a wave of anxiety through them but that was when the finally heard a sound, a familiar voice calling out to them.
"HELP!"
They all knew the voice as it screamed and they rushed towards it, finally emerging into a chamber with several doors around it. In the centre was an ancient looking stone table and above it was a rotting human like heart, it was swollen to a ridiculous size and leaking an indigo coloured light as it kept beating. Being this close to it they could feel the intense magical energy that was locked up inside it.
But they were immediately drawn to Kelis who was chained up in an alcove at the other side of the chamber. She lit up when she saw them but then seemed to shrink into herself.
"No!" She called in anger and fear. "I won't be fooled again! You hear me! I won't fall for your tricks again!"
They frowned and grew even more angry as they saw she had been clearly been tormented by the Warlocks. Haeron with Crimson Heart and Blackfyre in hand called out to them himself.
"Give up hiding Warlocks. You wanted us here, well here we are." Haeron said as he looked around for any sign of them but saw nothing until they looked straight up. The ceiling of the chamber was a mass of darkness so thick it was impossible to see through it.
The three of them grimaced and then they heard the cackling of the Warlocks and Harmony then smirked as she had another idea.
"How about we put some positive light on the moment?" She said with a daring look in her eyes which confused Haeron and Evelyn before they caught on and started smirking themselves, nodding in agreement before all of them called out.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
Haeron's ring, Harmony's necklace and Evelyn's bracelet all glowed with an almost blinding light but while they did have to avert their eyes the three of them were all fine and even comforted by the light, the Warlocks on the other hand all screamed out in pain and dropped to the floor, surrounding them but now they were reduced to the withered old creatures they really were.
The three of them held their weapons and charged, staying together as they headed straight into the fray. The Warlocks began to blast them with magic but that only slowed them down, meaning they could cut deep into into three of them quickly before the Warlocks rallied and started surrounding themselves in shadows again and charging at them with elongated claws.
Kelis watched powerless as the three people that looked like Haeron, Harmony and Evelyn surrounded by the Warlocks who darted in and out trying to hit them, claw marks hitting them on the armour or face as they did so but every time they tried this at least one of them would be hit in return.
Haeron felt the claws hit him in the face, scratching at his cheek but fortunately missing his eye and managed to get another of the warlocks in exchange but they continued to swirl around them. There were so many of them that it was impossible to stop them all, some were bound to get through and sooner or later they were going to be worn down.
That was when Evelyn who had no gotten a few cuts in the armour and some through the chain mail who realised the key to their situation was right there and she called out to Haeron.
"THE HEART!" She called out and that confused Haeron and Harmony for a moment but then they realised just what she meant and while Harmony and Evelyn cast the Patronus charm again, creating a light that held the warlocks back who suddenly panicked at the threat but it was too late as Haeron slashed Crimson Heart in the floating rotting twisted blue heart.
The blast of indigo light it released as it was cut open all but blinded them, throwing them to the floor with the sheer force of it but the warlocks screeched in horror at the destruction of the heart, the living people present blinking to clear the spots in their eyes just in time that they managed to see the warlocks withering away before their gazes, their already frail skin falling into dust followed quickly by their organs and then their bones, turning into dust on the floor.
The three of them all got to their feet and with a quick motion Harmony cut Kelis free, the young girl was terrified and Harmony could see the great trauma that had been inflicted on her. She told her with a heavy heart.
"Don't worry, it will be fine soon." Harmony said before saying regretfully. "Obliviate."
The Memory Charm hit Kelis and wiped away the memories after she had been taken, letting her remember that but not what happened afterward. She would be spared all of the torment that she had suffered and not remember that they had magic at the same time. She fell into a deep sleep and would remain that way for some time, at least until they could get her out of here.
Haeron and Evelyn came over and hugged Harmony who hugged them back, it was horrible playing god like that with people's minds but in this it would help Kelis by sparing her the pain.
They stayed like that for awhile before Harmony asked Evelyn.
"How did you know to go for the heart?" Her curiosity stoked by the fact that she had figured it out. Evelyn grimaced before saying to them both.
"From an old story. Back on Earth ancient sorcerers used to use the hearts of magical creatures to store up stolen magical energy they would gather for rituals. Bill found some traces of that in his Curse Breaker days. Given the state of it, they must have been using it for centuries or more sacrificing anything with magic that they could find to fuel their powers. They couldn't exist without it." Evelyn said with disgust at the practice. "I can't help but wonder if they were the ones responsible for the decline of the land around here, maybe with the release of all that magic the land might flourish with time but it would still take generations if it does."
Haeron and Harmony both grimaced with disgust the mere idea of it but Haeron wanting to make sure there was no more danger here said.
"We need to sweep this place from top to bottom, make sure there are no more surprises." Haeron said, trying to not let his imagination make horrible images for just what they might find in this place.
"Agreed." Both women said together and smiled, feeling good now about their victory and maybe doing something real good for the local people at the same time while eliminating a dangerous enemy who had threatened every single creature with magic.
- x -
Without the Warlocks and the cursed heart the magic seemed to have escape the tower and now it was just a normal space again, making it much easier for them to find their way around. Haeron carefully carried Kelis with ease as the girl was so light while they explored the tower and seeing little but normal rooms where visions might once have been. Chamber after chamber yielded nothing which was both a blessing and a curse as they had hoped something useful might have been here but after some time they did find something good in one of the larger chambers underground.
"This must be their treasure room." Harmony said as the looked at five large chests, using magic to open them and seeing gold and gemstones piled inside. A pile of Glass Candles though got Evelyn interested.
"They must have used these to look for any magic that they could drain." She said with disgust but some of them were still usable so they gathered both them and the chests up but Haeron found another box buried towards the back. Carefully opening it he looked inside and found some other things of interest.
"I have heard of this, but I never expected to actually find it." Haeron said with a small smile as he pulled out a long sword made of Valyrian steel, the hilt being shaped in a pattern that resembled waves and decorated with small sapphires in the shape of a seahorse.
"What is it?" Evelyn asked in confusion.
"Wave's Edge." Haeron said with a raised eyebrow as he looked at the sword. "The ancestral sword of House Velaryon, they came from the Freehold too and they had a sword as well. They lost it when Corlys Velaryon came to Qarth on one of his voyages. Apparently he lost it to the Warlocks although whether they stole it or he traded it I don't know. Corlys was always reluctant to speak about it but he came back with enough treasure to construct a new bigger castle for House Velaryon known as High Tide so who knows." Haeron said with amusement, House Velaryon would certainly want this back he thought.
He strapped it to his waist with his own swords and then continued to look through the last box, finding little more than small trinkets with only two things worth even noting; one being a blue diamond the size of Haeron's fist which was impressive given how rare they were and a strange crown that looked like those that he had seen in museums and history books about Chinese Emperors back on earth. Silk threads with small pearls in a pattern down the threads and on the crown itself.
"That looks like the crowns of Yi Ti...the God Emperors." Harmony said with awe as she saw it while Haeron held it up. "Pearls...the crown of the Pearl Emperor. That would be something they really want back." She said, her mind trailing off as she considered the implications. Haeron smiled before nodding as it might get them some favour in Yi Ti.
Taking them and the treasure they continued to explore only to find something far more grisly.
In a vast empty cavern that sat underneath the tower they all blanched in disgust at the sight before them.
Bones...bones as far as they could see perhaps even further below the light their foci created.
Human bones were easily seen, presumably other magical humans that the Warlocks had drained but while there were a lot of them they were far from the only species here. They being from Earth and having taken Care of Magical Creatures as a class at their respective schools recognised the familiar shapes.
"Manticore, Troll, Occamy, Firecrab." Harmony said in horror as they looked around and picked out the ones that they did recognise. Evelyn continued with equal feeling of revulsion.
"Winged Horse, Sea Serpent, Chimera, Thunderbird, Fairies, Mooncalf, Diricawl." As they saw the twisted remained.
"Centaur, Hippogriff, Thestral, Unicorn, Dragons." Haeron finished as he saw those that he personally recognised but the two large dragons he saw were less that two hundred years old at a guess. He could only assume they must be Sheepstealer and the Cannibal, the two dragons who went missing during the Dance of the Dragons. Lying among the broken skeletons were magical objects that like the creatures had been drained for their power. He could only imagine just how much the Warlocks had destroyed to keep living their accursed extended life, they had probably driven any creatures that did survive into hiding. Maybe with time they might emerge but it would be years before that happened he reasoned given how the warlocks had taught them to fear humans.
"Let's get back to the ship." Haeron said with disgust at being in this mass grave, thinking it was better to leave these poor unfortunately to rest in peace. Harmony and Evelyn nodded in agreement, leaving the dead to rest and returning to the world of the living outside, pausing as they exited to repeat Haeron's earlier trick with the gunpowder and destroying the tower and burying the dead under the remains of the tower forever so they would never be disturbed again.
- x -
Returning to the ship on the back of their horses just as Kelis woke up provoked cheers from the crew as they arrived, Kelis looked a little stunned not remembering anything so Evelyn told her with a smile.
"They kept you in a magical sleep so you could not escape but everything is alright now."
Kelis blinked, not sure why they would have done that but smiled back just glad to be free. Septon Jonos warmly welcomed her with a hug which she returned and Davos smiled in great relief at their return. Jaime and Alicys came over with Vaena, smiling brightly and the dragons were crying out in joy. Harmony and Evelyn gently petted their own while Haeron dealt with the highly excited Kara who bounced around like an overexcited cat but he laughed and played with his dragon much to the surprise and amusement of the crew, thankfully doing that on the dock side where they would not rock the ship.
Manse, Qarth...Three Days Later...
The destruction of the Warlocks, the Pureborn and the Ancient Guild of Spicers had created a great power vacuum in Qarth, now the main contenders for power were the Tourmaline Brotherhood and the Twelve (Formerly known as the Thirteen). However Haeron met with them before his departure from Qarth, many of them had joined his Merchant Alliance/Guild which promised to make even greater wealth with Qarth and its control of the Jade Gates, able to levy lesser tolls to pass through them and spread Qarthi goods to the far west. Now all that remained for him to do was to make sure that he left things stable here.
"I know that you all want control of Qarth but despite the many differences that divide you there is one thing that is true of all here today...You are men of commerce...of business." Haeron said as he stood surrounded by the Tourmaline Brotherhood and Twelve. "Money, the key to power and all of us know its value. So instead of going to war with each other, why not make peace and business together. Keep Qarth as the magnificent city it is and yourselves rich rather than poor as war swallows gold like a pit in the ground. Form a new organisation that will allow you all to profit and keep a balance between you. A Conclave of the richest men in Qarth." Haeron said making his proposal and the businessmen in the city who had thrived in peace and had no stomach for fighting, more than that they did not like the idea of spending precious gold fighting when they could be growing their fortunes. Not to mention given how quickly and how ruthlessly he had dealt with the Warlocks, Pureborn and the Ancient Guild of Spices did not want to risk bringing his wrath on them too.
It did not take long for them to accept his recommendation and the Conclave made up of the now unified Tourmaline Brotherhood and Twelve was born. They laid out the agreement for it and then for their part in this great adventure, Haeron, Harmony and Evelyn were presented with a gift.
Three gifts to be precise; three crowns of incredible artistry. Gold bands that stretched around the head with black jade shaped like a dragon with its eyes, mouth and claws made of platinum and decorated with red diamonds. Made to look like the dragon was eating its own tail they were incredible pieces of work and the three of them thanked the Conclave enthusiastically for the gift before later that day taking the Queen Visenya and sailing through the Jade Gates to the lands beyond.
The Black Cells, The Red Keep, Kings Landing...
Rhaella was heavily pregnant and should be resting but instead she was standing in the Black Cells with her men surrounding a man that had been suspended by his wrists from the ceiling by chains. One of the hands at the farm which had provided the blueberries during some of her pregnancies, a senior one who was a bit older than her. He was a non-assuming looking like any other farm worker but as she had discovered one with some rather impressive delusions.
"So, the supposed bastard son of Aegon the Fifth. If that is even true then why did you try and kill my children." Rhaella demanded with a cold look on her face and the man who had no sign of Valyrian ancestry in him sneered back at her.
"While you lived in palaces my mother sold her body and then me to a farmer. Why should you get to have children too?" He said with a sneer and she just shook her head in dismay.
"Your mother was a whore, she slept with so many clients I doubt she could have named half of them but the biggest problem with you being his son...is that you were conceived during the Peake Uprising when Aegon was not in Kings Landing." Rhaella pointed out the real problem with him being a Targaryen bastard but as the man swore at her saying she was lying, Rhaella just turned to one of her men and nodding, the man understood the silent command and then slit his throat.
He seemed shocked and Rhaella didn't wait to see him die she just calmly walked out and went to dinner, hoping that it was the end of the threat.
- x -
Later that night though Rhaella had something else on her mind, she was at ease with having the poisoner killed as he had tried to kill her children and had succeed in some cases fulfilling the vow that she would not tolerate any threat to her children. But this would also be the night that she gave birth to her next child.
She was experienced by now and knew just what to do, but as much as she hated it she had to leave her children in the hands of her handmaidens as Rhaegar yet again was not bothering to be around when she needed help! She fumed as she went through her labour and had to worry about her children at the same time.
She would get some sense into that boy somehow she swore to herself!
Rhaella cried out but after a few hours at last her labours had a result as a crying babe was placed into her arms. She smiled as she looked down at her new daughter, a healthy little girl who snuggled into her. She gently kissed her forehead and rubbed her finger gently on her head.
"Elaena." Rhaella said proudly of her little girl and once everything was done she dismissed everyone so she could have some private time with her daughter. She smiled warmly, just enjoying the moment. She even took out the dragon egg that her other children had managed to save from Aerys and showed her babe.
"This is a dragon egg sweetling and one day we will hatch it into a fierce dragon that will rule the skies." She told the little girl who of course had no idea what she was saying and fell asleep as she was talking. That only made Rhaella smile and gently began to put the egg back when her hands which she had yet to wash and still had some blood and fluids staining them touched the egg.
Then the egg shocking began to heat up, before Rhaella's very shocked eyes the egg lit up along the scales which began to fall apart and in her hand a green coloured dragon emerged, looking up at her with surprised curiosity before snuggling into her.
Rhaella was so shocked that she had no idea just what to think, the egg had hatched! To her! She realised with sudden excitement before realising the great danger that this placed her in. Aerys had for the moment given his growing madness had forgotten about the egg but that would only last so long and how was she supposed to keep it hidden? She thought to herself and grimaced as the danger weighed on her but she had to think quickly and come up with a plan.
- x -
Despite being tired she summoned her children to her side so Shaena and Daeron came with Viserys having stayed asleep. She smiled as they approached and she told Lady Rowan.
"Thank you, now please let me and my children have some privacy." She said with a smile that was somewhat forced but Lady Rowan did as she was told and so she was left alone with Daeron and Shaena.
"Sweetlings...this is your new sister Elaena." She said with a smile as she carefully pulled back the blanket and let them see the little girl, a tuff of silver hair on her head. Daeron and Shaena leaned in and stared in awe at the little girl and smiled before Rhaella added carefully. "She's sleeping so best not to wake her but there is something else I need your help with." She told them and pulled back her bedding where the little dragon was hidden by the blankets having fallen asleep.
The sight of the little green dragon made Daeron and Shaena gasp in surprise. Rhaella told them as they stared.
"The egg you found hatched and now we need to make sure that this little dragon and us get to Dragonstone. We'll be safe there." Rhaella said quietly to them, letting them know this was important. "Your father will try to take the dragon if we don't so while I am arranging things I need you to watch the dragon. Understood?" She asked them and the two of them beamed with excitement at the idea of a 'secret' and being trusted.
"We will mother!" They said together with grins on their faces and Shaena asked her with an eager look in her eye.
"What's her name mama?!"
Rhaella hadn't really thought about it and looked down at the little green dragon who was so cute and lovable that she dreaded Aerys ever finding out about it. She didn't want this poor little dragon being hurt or twisted by her horrible brother/husband and so she needed to get them somewhere safe at least for now.
"Aurora." Rhaella said with a smile, thinking that the little creature looked so elegant and lovable she could think of no better name.
- x -
Rhaella the next day introduced her new daughter at court and showed her proudly, Aerys thankfully did not even notice that he had another daughter now while Rhaella proudly showed off her new daughter, Shaena and Daeron kept watch over the little dragon until the next day they boarded a ship together and sailed to Dragonstone. It raised a few eyebrows, her leaving so soon after giving birth but Aerys didn't care so nothing was done and it allowed him to enjoy himself with whores and the like more openly without restraint. Rhaella had her own people assume positions on Dragonstone and would stay here with her children and the little dragon for as long as they could and hopefully keep the dragon hidden for now until they could come up with a new plan.
Mountains, Border of the Riverlands and Westerlands...Same Time...
Tywin Lannister might have had something to say about the Queen's sudden flight to Dragonstone with her children but he was dealing with matters of House Lannister.
With Jaime out of the country and Tyrion being a stunted dwarf not to mention Cersei running off so foolishly (he had men looking for her but so far the girl had proven annoyingly elusive), it had become abundantly clear to him that he needed more children to not only maintain the family line but advance his cause. He could of course use the children of his own siblings but only Kevan and Genna at present had them and they were not exactly promising candidates for continuing the Lannister line, Genna's own get being Freys in particular. Not to mention he wanted his own bloodline to hold onto Casterly Rock and endure long past him.
So that meant he had to do something that he had sworn to himself that he would never do again, not after losing his beloved Joanna...he would need to marry again.
There had been many offers, he thought to himself coldly but many were from those hoping to replace Jaime and take away his birthright and replace it with their own he fumed. That was why he wasn't going to the main houses or the smaller ones that he might have at any other time. But a unique opportunity had been uncovered by him as he was looking for a decent enough match for himself.
So that was why he and his brothers, Kevan and Tygett along with some of their men were travelling into the mountains that stood between the Westerlands and the Riverlands heading for a place in the middle through the difficult paths that ran through the tall peaks. It was a majesty sight but Tywin only paid attention to this so he could avoid plunging to his death by falling off a cliff.
There were people who lived in this hard mountainous region but given it lay effectively in an area that no one really wanted to claim they were largely left alone by the rest of Westeros but in recent years after the Reyne/Tarbeck Rebellion Tywin had maintained eyes in these remote areas that might prove useful in making sure they did not rebel against him or collaborate with potential enemies.
House Weswick was the house that ruled this small area and at least officially they were vassals of House Lannister, they were so isolated by the mountains that little news ever came out of this area. The shrieking of hawks as they flew around them was echoing in the mountains revealed the reason that ravens rarely made it through the region alive. However they were a hardy people and skilled warriors who knew these mountains, had mastered raising hawks themselves and more so a potential gold mine there had reached Tywin's ears. More so House Weswick had suffered a recent tragedy as the sons of its lord had died in a climbing accident, leaving only the young daughter as heir to the small fiefdom.
A daughter that was now a woman flowered.
So he had made his offer to make her Lady Lannister and Lord Weswick had accepted.
Since there were no sons any child he had with her would inherit Westwick Castle which was a benefit but the extra children would be useful pieces to expand Lannister power.
Tywin was brought out of his thoughts when they arrived at the small town of Westwick with the castle in the middle it. Made of grey stone from the mountains it was somewhat bleak but sturdy.
"The narrow mountain passes make it easier to defend." Tygett said with a gruff voice, not happy to be dragged on this expedition by the brother he despised as he had always been in his shadow and yet was honour bound to serve.
"Will the girl be suitable?" Kevan asked, thinking it a more pressing concern. "Is she going to be a good woman to serve House Lannister?"
"Silence." Tywin said with a tired annoyance that showed he was in no mood to answer their stupid questions. Both men wisely fell silent as they rode on, passing through the town which attracted many stares from the residents on their way to the castle which he ignored. Passing through the castle gates he was greeted by Lord Westwick, an old man with thin grey hair who would have been of age with Tywin's own father if Tytos had still be alive but the man knelt to his liege lord all the same.
"Welcome Lord Lannister, it is a relief to finally meet you in person." Lord Westwick said in a gruff raspy voice. This hardly reassured Kevan who was worried the girl might be older than they had thought or at least ugly but then Lord Westwick introduced the girl that they had come to see.
"My daughter, the Lady Maylee Westwick." Lord Westwick said gruffly as he gestured to the girl standing behind him.
Tywin took a moment to take the girl in before taking her hand and laying a kiss on it. She was actually beautiful which was a blessing he had not expected and young at sixteen so she had many years of fertility yet and given her mother had produced five children including the girl in front of him she should hopefully be fruitful. She had dark chestnut hair which was cut at her shoulders unusually, a gentle heart shaped face with a slim figure but long legs and breasts that were a bit more than a handful. Highlighted by the leather outfit she wore which fitted tightly to her body and at her waist was the ancestral sword of House Westwick, Wraith. Acquired when one of her ancestors had fought as a sellsword for the Valyrian Freehold and saved a Dragon Lord's son in battle being given the sword as a thank you. According to what he had heard the girl was no novice using it either having been taught by her brothers.
She was no Joanna but she would do he thought, hating the thought of having to call another woman his wife as he had hoped to never have to again after losing his beloved wife. But he was a practical man and knew he needed more legitimate children so he needed a wife.
"Lord Lannister, I hope I do not disappoint." Lady Maylee said with a warm smile, her mouth wide and her lips full, her pale blue eyes were warm and strangely hypnotic if one stared into them for too long.
Tywin was surprised by her boldness, she wasn't scared of him which given he was much older than her and she was being forced into this marriage shocked him a bit but he had to admire the determination in her strangely warm eyes.
"You do not my lady." Tywin said simply, now interested by this girl. She was not what he had expected and she was not a wilting flower like most noble women. She was something different he recognised.
There was no time wasted and they went straight to the sept where they were wed quickly and without much of a feast as Tywin did not care much for that. Instead, they went to the guest room and did not leave until the next morning, now the girl was his wife and the marriage consummated before leaving with her in tow back to Casterly Rock. The girl's father did not even bother to see her off nor was she able to bring any servants with her, strangely she did not look upset about this which only increased Tywin's interest in her.
He would learn her secrets he thought to himself with calm interest.