"It seems the gods of that world know of my visits. The last time I went, it seems their avatars were descending to fight me," Simon chuckled.
"But as Makara told me, they took care of it," Simon said and shrugged.
The family looked at each other and smiled wryly before Edwina clapped her hands. "Let's eat," she said, and dinner was prepared.
Edwina doted on Aaric and fed him, and to her happiness he was not even a little embarrassed to be fed at that age.
In King's Landing, during Robert's rebellion
(Ra, custodian of the Nightshade, POV)
I was born on Nightshade Island, as we call it. It is more like a country than an island, but that is not the important thing.
The people of Westeros call it Goldmere because the little trade they have done with us shows the vast wealth our lands possess.
I am more than two hundred years old. I even saw one of our kings, or gods? I do not know what to call them. I heard his name was Simon. The people in the know say they are a family of gods.
I was an orphan when I met him, about seven years old. I could not talk to him then, but I did play with his wolf. I remember he called the wolf Volkrin.
The important thing is our lands are truly magical. Dragons and phoenixes roam the sky, basilisks slither the ground, and they live with us in harmony.
After our meeting, I wanted to be just like Simon. I bought a toy sword and would go around the town with it strapped on my belt, helping anyone who needed help like a true knight.
My life changed when I stumbled into a cave near Nightshade Castle. I met a colossal golden dragon. It had two backward sweeping horns and beard like tendrils hanging from its chin.
Most surprisingly, the dragon could speak. I apologized to the dragon and bowed low, hoping I had not angered the ancient one.
I only heard him chuckle and feel a gentle force lift me up. I started visiting him regularly after that, and he seemed happy. I would bring my friends as well.
"I wish to be a knight and protect our rulers," I remember telling the dragon.
The dragon then taught me and my friends all about combat and fighting. It seems because we were in the presence of a dragon, we even became capable of some magic.
"I will make you all custodians of the Nightshade," the dragon told us one day. "And my sons." He said that and gave us his own blood.
Drops of red shimmering blood floated in front of us and entered me and my friends.
The blood changed every part of our bodies. We were all taller, much taller than most humans. I am eight feet tall myself, and we live long as well.
"And I bestow upon you the name Ra, the golden sun." The dragon, my father, named me.
I was given golden armor made by the goblins of our island. I chose a halberd as my weapon, and my twenty one brothers and I stood guard of the royal palace like true custodians.
We never stopped training, never stopped improving. We would stand on guard without food or water for weeks.
About a hundred years ago, a new batch of custodians were added. We called them little brothers and would train them whenever we could.
Some years after that, my father called for me, his golden eyes full of wisdom and affection. He told me, "I wish for you to travel the world and become familiar with it."
I remembered denying the request profusely. "I am a custodian. My vigil has not ended," I said stubbornly.
My father sighed then, resting his massive head on his forelegs, thinking of how to get through my thick skull.
"Do you know why they will arrive here?" he asked me and I shook my head. "They will come here to simply help. They wish to help the weak," he said.
I remember him hardening his kind eyes. "You and all your brothers combined cannot face any being that would be a threat to them. You will be helping them the most if you travel the world and help the people around it." I remember the effect his blunt words had on me.
And so I went out into the world. I took the help of a merchant vessel that was sailing from Nightshade to the north, one of the Seven Kingdoms.
I traveled the world, met new people, and protected the innocent. Once, about seven years ago, I freed quite a number of slaves and searched for a place for them to live.
That is when I met Oberyn Martell, a prince of Dorne. He helped the slaves by giving them a home in his kingdom. All he wanted in return was my friendship.
About a year and a half ago, he requested something of me. "It seems there is a war brewing in the Seven Kingdoms, brother." I saw desperation in his eyes.
"I know I ask too much. Please, protect my sister," he begged, and I accepted.
I was sent out as a Dornish guard, assigned to protect their princess. Elia Martell is a good woman, strong and beautiful, and I do not regret coming here as a guard, she deserved my protection.
It did not take long for war to break out, the war of the Seven Kingdoms. Elia's husband had kidnapped and raped a northern girl. I gripped my halberd in anger at the thought.
As I remember my past, I am cutting down Lannister soldiers sent to kill Elia and her little children.
I have been fighting for the past hour while Elia and her children are in the room behind me.
I started by cutting down the brute they call the mountain and all his men.
After that came waves of Lannister soldiers I have been cutting down for the past hour. My golden armor, made of Celestium, is covered in blood as men come in droves and die in droves.
They stopped coming after that and stood at a distance as I stayed where I was, halberd in hand and back straight.
(Image here)
They cower and hesitate, looking at each other, not wanting to be the first to die.
It took some time, but it seems the mad king is dead and the rebels have entered the city, ready to claim the throne.
I know the Lannisters will not try to kill the princess now, so I clean some of the blood from my armor and knock on the door softly. "It's me, princess," I say to reassure her.
She opened the door, looking tired and clutching her infant, her little daughter hiding behind her.
"The rebels must be in the throne room. Please come with me," I crouch a little and ask her gently.
She nodded, trusting me, and smiled. "Can you hold her as we walk there?" she asked, referring to her daughter.
I look at my metal gloves and hesitate. "My gloves might hurt the little princess," I tell Elia, and she smiles gently.
"If I know one thing, it is that you will never hurt us," she says, and I remove my cloak and drape it over the little princess to make her comfortable. I scoop her up in my arms.
I hold the princess in one arm and my halberd in the other as we walk to the throne room. "Don't look, little one," I say to her, and she closes her eyes and leans into my chest plate as we walk through the Lannister corpses.
We reached the throne room to find Robert, Jaime Lannister, and Ned Stark.
They were bickering about something as Jaime defended himself. The mad king lay dead to the side like trash.
They turned to me as I entered and their eyes widened. Elia walked beside me, head high and eyes fearless as she looked at the men.
"Thank the gods, there is one less tragedy this day," Ned Stark sighed in relief, grateful to see the princess and her children alive.
Robert growled as he looked at the children. I gripped my halberd defensively as the little princess hugged me and closed her eyes.
"You are scaring the children," Ned chided Robert. "Rhaegar's children," Robert said as if it were not obvious.
I gently put the little princess down beside Elia and covered Elia and her kids with my massive cloak.
I gripped my halberd and stood in front of her. "They are victims of Rhaegar as well, and it is not fair to blame his wife and children for his crimes," I tell those present.
Jaime seemed relieved that the children were safe. I took note of that and looked at Robert, locking eyes with him, daring him to take a step.
Ned agreed with me. "The custodian is right, Robert," he said, and Robert sighed.
It took us some time to negotiate, and a lot of intimidation on my part, but Robert vowed not to harm the children or Elia on the condition they stay in the castle where he can "snuff out treason if it rears its head," he said as he looked at the infant boy.
A/n: Please, give me your thoughts on the chapter before leaving.
Power stones and reviews, please.