NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 33: 33
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186 AC
Harrenhal
Daenerys Targaryen
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Aerion looks ready to throw up or cry as he looks around Harrenhal from the window, he aches to leave home he just started working on. But the Prince of Pentos has gotten desperate and offered an impossible-to-refuse bounty for a Khal and his Khalasar. I would go for him and handle it, he has never actually burned a large army and I am worried for him. But I am pregnant and we both want to take this pregnancy as carefully as possible. There is also the matter of protecting the dragon eggs and one dragon needs to be here for that purpose.
"It won't even be that long of a flight, you are crossing at Stonedance and flying straight to Pentos so it is roughly the same distance from Harrenhal to Kingslanding. We can make the trip to Kingslanding in less than half a day if we are not in a rush and quicker if rushing." He grumbles and scowls at the wall, he really doesn't want to part with his castle or me.
Which he doesn't want to part with more I have no the faintest idea, but the flicker in his eyes as he glances at my hips might be a clue.
"I will stop at Stone Dance, House Massey is already expecting me and I will leave there tomorrow morning and make Pentos with enough time to get a plan together. I feel more like I am hunting a bandit or rabid animal than a massive gathering of horse riders. But with the approval of Daeron, I really have no reason to deny it when the pay is so good." I nod and kiss his cheek as I work my way onto his lap.
Daeron is more than happy to have an example to keep the Lords in order and in fear, who better than a foreign army that is viewed as savages? Most Lords will get the silent message of staying in line or get the same treatment, it only needs to be a refresher for their recent histories. That and relations with Pentos are expected to drastically improve and maybe some other Free Cities.
The gold is also nice, but not being targeted by plots saying we are going wild with power is nice. People will still talk after what happens but no one will go out of the way to kick up a fuss about some 'Horse Lords'.
"I am concerned about the negotiations though, the Prince only has so much of his assets in Golden Dragons. He is going to be paying in a lot of other items and valuables and the Velaryons are supposed to carry it for me, side note I need a fleet. But ignoring that I feel like I am going in without my hands and without having anyone at my side, I get that sounds 'weak' but I like to have you beside me during discussions." I fight back a smile as I rest my head on his shoulder, his hand drawing a circle over my womb.
I do feel bad about him going entirely on his own but we don't have any other dragon riders yet that can fly their own dragon. If someone went they would have to ride with him and he doesn't like to do that for just anyone, even Ser Richard has only been up a few times. So if someone went with him it would have to be someone who can both help him with negotiations in person and he likes the company of.
My mind immediately narrows in on one option but I am not sure how I feel about Aerion on his own with her shortly after our brother asked him to spread his blood. Even if he just wants some 'nameless' dragon riders to build the numbers of our House I can't help but feel off-put by that. I do not like the idea of Aerion having encounters with women I have no control over, it makes me feel helpless.
I was planning on bringing one or two into our bed when I was concerned about how relentless he was but things have calmed enough I can manage. There are still nights I feel like I am going to give out and die impaled on his manhood but they are less frequent. But the thought of him purposefully trying to make a child with another woman has me feeling sick. But I also agree that the dragons need to come back in full force and if it turns out only our blood can make that happen I will have to rethink things.
First, our baby needs to hatch an egg to prove something is going on with us and I already know there is with the nature of our eggs hatching. They should not have hatched but they did and no one else has been able to since, even with fresh eggs. So the likelihood we are special is most likely true, meaning Daerons plan is not the worst. The kids of just Aerion and me could manage on their own to bolster numbers but I can look at the history of our house to see the foolishness of that. Targaryens die without rhyme or reason at any random old time and it could likely happen to us or our kids leaving no dragons once more.
That opens up the next thing that 'could' happen once my own baby has proven it can hatch an egg, that would be Aerion having another kid without me. If Aerion's baby of another woman can hatch an egg then it proves the plan could work to build our numbers quickly. But even if this is a possibility I do not even want to humor the idea of someone unknown taking his seed and growing it in their womb.
Leading my stray thoughts back to my aunt who very well could accompany Aerion to help him with the Pentos deal. Elaena Targaryen is on the top of the list of women I would approve of to birth the new dragon riders of House Targaryen. She has her head on straight and is unquestionably loyal to House Targaryen, she is also a massive help in our daily life. She is available and interested as well as a capable individual making me feel annoyed to recommend her to fly off with him.
"Take someone with you then." I speak up after a long silence where he just rests with me and admires my flat stomach.
"Who?" He doesn't look up and keeps his eyes focused on what his hand is doing and how it makes my legs clench from the ticklish feeling.
"Elaena is good at negotiating and can help you, she is also already involved in our finances so it won't be a stretch to take her to a meeting like this. She would enjoy a break from the stresses that have been building with all the workload in Harrenhal." He shakes his head with a low chuckle that tickles my ear.
"Taking her to go burn an army is a good way to escape from stress? Danny I really need to talk to you about this burning thing..." He trails off as he nips at my ear.
His hands find my hips and hold them tight as I try to squirm out of his grasp. His mouth lightly closes around the base of my neck on the left side where he starts to leave a mark. It seems he didn't really want to 'talk' about my 'burning thing'.
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186 AC
Pentos
Aerion Targaryen
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"First time I have actually seen a Free city in person and not in a story or a report, it reminds me of Dorne with the capped roofs. The canals are pretty cool though, I have no idea where we are supposed to meet the Prince at though." I shift awkwardly in the saddle as we circle the city of Pentos.
The locals are likely scared shitless at the sight of Moonfyre hanging in the air above them, her glittering and gleaming scales catching their eyes easily. Pentos votes for a Prince to defend them and be their figurehead whenever another prince fails to defend the city after killing the old one. So there is no massive palace as I think the Prince just rules from the comfort of his own villa.
"Land in the port and let's just ask where the Prince is, I need to walk around to get my legs to stop feeling numb." I almost thought we were lost in a void other than the sea beneath us as we flew across the narrow sea.
It may be called narrow but it was a long enough flight to make me worry I got turned around somehow and flew aimlessly. I was not expecting to find the city right away after seeing land but thankfully I managed. That or Moonfyre managed, she is my lucky charm after all.
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"I can't believe he agreed to two million outright, I assumed he would settle for a bit over a million but his business must be much better than I thought." I look over the contract one more time and shake my head in disbelief. "I half expect him to try and weasel his way out and not pay once the job is done..." Elaena scoffs and points at Moonfyre tearing into a cow or buffalo of some kind.
"I don't think it would turn out well for him if he refused to pay after the job is done, he will find himself in the same boat the Dothraki are soon to be in. If he does try to wiggle out you could always just lay claim to the city and demand the payment of the contract and compensation for being lied to. The real men with power will have him chopped up and offered on a plate along with all his riches before the day is out. You don't need to worry about what he does when everyone fears what you could do." I purse my lips and nod as I watch Moonfyre finish her meal, a glance in her direction causes her to raise a brow.
"So everyone fears me?" I find myself grinning as she rolls her eyes.
"Well maybe not everyone, you are quite the tamed little kitten under the rough exterior of being one of two living dragon riders. I would honestly rather face you than Daenerys if it came to it, that girl can be ruthless." She rubs her wrists with a far-off look in her eyes as she mentions Danny.
"Ok, first of all, I am not a kitten and I am known as one of the best swordsmen alive if not the greatest, there is no soft and fluffy here. But I agree I would rather face me than Danny, she would not even hesitate for a moment to use Dragon fire once the thought enters her mind." My positive and friendly persona I sell to the public does have a bit of a drawback.
I try to look kind and approachable to work my magic and make a ton of gold, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar after all. But it also has the double edge of making me a bit too approachable and easy to talk to. This is another reason I am fine with burning an entire Khalasar, it shows I am willing to do so. But my moral compass doesn't take a big hit because these horse riders do some pretty fucked up shit and I feel nothing knowing they will die. More will replace them before anyone even knows it and will be just as horrible upon the people of Essos.
Maybe Danny is rubbing off on me more than I thought.
"Well regardless Moonfyre is done eating and we can go track down that Khalasar and get this over with. We know the rough position and thankfully have a proper map but this might take days if we are unlucky." I nod in agreement and approach Moonfyre to climb up first to help her onto the saddle.
I toss down a rope with a loop on the end and she steps on the loop and grabs the rope before I haul her up to where she can grab a spine and get the rest of the way on her own. She slings her leg over and drops into the saddle with a soft grunt, her silver hair with a gold streak whips around freely in the blowing wind.
"Let's go find a horde." I grab the reins and pull the once letting Moonfyre know we are ready.
With a massive gathering around cheering us on as if we are not on the warpath to kill a bunch of people Moonfyre roars and launches from the ground. Her powerful wings flapping and gain elevation as I guide us out toward the east and into lands I have never seen. My curiosity burns almost as much as my desire to see this over so I can be done with all this and see my wife and castle.