(Rhaenys POV)
It had been about a month since Aeos had left for Qarth. It had been a small dilemma for me. What to call him?
I might have preferred Aegon but he had never been called that and did not truly associate with that name. Jon? I was never comfortable using it either. It was a name bestowed upon him by the Starks. And though I did not hate the Starks for they too had suffered which pushed them in rebellion, it was still hard for me to feel positive about them. Although his identity as Jon Snow, bastard of Ned Stark was not really a secret anymore, Jon was a name which one would use in public. In the end, I went with the name by which the whole world knew him. Aeos. Lord Aeos.
A couple of days ago, we received a letter from one of his birds saying that he had departed from Qarth. The message contained no details, only that the purpose of his visit had been fulfilled.
Before receiving the letter, I had been slightly anxious. Both Sylvia and I were aware that something big had happened in Qarth. No, not because we shared some secret connection with Aeos, but because of the changes we felt inside ourselves. A new kind of power, an unfamiliar magic awakening within. We knew the source of that power was the blood essence Aeos had given us. And what had awakened inside us? The magic of the Stark bloodline. Ice magic.
Aeos had told us there may come a time when such powers would probably awaken, but we had never imagined it would happen while he was away in Qarth.
Technically, it was not the first Stark power we had used. The three of us, Melisandre, Sylvia, and I, could already warg. Of the three, I was the least proficient at warging, but the strongest in fire magic. As per Aeos, it was something tied to my Targaryen blood.
Yet now, with ice magic running through our veins as well, we have become even more powerful.
A few months ago, I would never have imagined becoming this strong. Not only in magic but physically too. The number of people who could match me in a duel or a physical fight had become almost nonexistent. Apart from Aeos himself, Melisandre and Sylvia, I doubted anyone had the ability to defeat me.
All these changes had been to nerve wrecking.
There was another matter that had kept me worried over the past month. My uncle and aunt, Viserys Targaryen and Daenerys Targaryen, the only two living Targaryens apart from us.
Truth be told, I had never had any connection with them. Even back when I lived as an ordinary girl in Braavos, I never had for once tried to reach out to them.
I knew it would be futile. Viserys was clamouring himself to be the king of Westeros and was always dreaming of leading an army to get back the throne. And that had almost been impossible. At least, that was what I used to think. Now seeing Aeos, I know that things were different. But let us be honest, we cannot really compare Aeos with Viserys.
Besides, the few rumors I had heard of my uncle, the Beggar King, Viserys Targaryen, were never flattering. His name carried more ridicule than respect.
I had long accepted my destiny to remain ordinary, with no interest in chasing a war that they were bound to lose.
But now that I was in a different position, probably with powers, maybe I wanted to find them. I am sure what exactly, I would talk with them once I met but the blood bond between us was calling me towards them.
I had broached this topic with Aeos a couple of times. He had not really given an answer to me. At first, he had not even acknowledged the question but then when I tried once more, he had answered. He had said that he would talk about this once he returned from Qarth. I do not know but I have a feeling that he has his own plans regarding Viserys and Danerys. What exactly? I had no idea. Even so, I want to meet them one day.
The sound of soldiers moving snapped my attention. The sun had already set and a regiment of soldiers were completing their last drill of the day. And I was the Assistant Commander of this regiment. Yes, Assistant Commander of these 2500 men. I practiced with them, sweated with them, and would soon be bleeding with them on the battlefield.
These 2500 men were the most loyal men in Aeos' army. These were the very first recruits whom he had freed in Astapor.
You may wonder why I had been appointed as the Assistant Commander. Well, I had been assigned a very special mission by Aeos. A mission which was of paramount importance to him. I was thankful for the opportunity and that he trusted me this much. But I was also a bit nervous and skeptical about being successful in this mission. But Jon had complete trust in me and my abilities. And here I was doing my best, to complete whatever he had wanted.
"My lady," my deputy, Treston, approached me. "We are done for the day."
I nodded. "Ok! Return to the barracks."
He nodded and was about to turn when I called him back. "Treston."
He stopped and looked back at me, "My lady."
"Start the preparation. Gather the supplies and weapons," I said. "We will depart for our mission in ten days."
Treston looked at me with slightly wide eyes before he nodded, "Yes, My Lady."
He gave a bow and then walked away crisply. It had been around a month since this regiment had been assigned to me and for the past month they had been training for this particular mission. They were not really aware of the entire mission but they had been made aware that this mission was of paramount importance for the Lord Aeos' empire.
Ten days. Before I leave Meereen to accomplish something.
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