11
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294 AC
Braavos - house with the red door
Eragon Targaryen
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"So we aren't going to do anything? If you are just worried about everyone's safety then maybe I can travel on my own with Ser Barristan accompanying me." Here we go again, another speech about how we need to gather support to reclaim the throne. It is almost like if he doesn't see it soon he will die or something with how much he keeps pestering mother about it.
"Viserys we have talked about this, there is no sell sword company in Essos that is trustworthy that would support us even if we had the gold. The golden company would sooner see us dead than help reclaim the throne and there one of the few sellsword companies that don't break contracts. Who would you even ask for support?" Mother tries to talk him down as usual but Viserys is already getting red in the face.
"The Blackfyres are dead and so the Golden company should be willing to work for a red dragon rather than waste away in Essos until they eventually break apart. Numerous exiles from Westeros and those who ran instead of bending the knee to the usurper are in the company and want nothing more than to return home. The Company of the Rose is much the same, they didn't want to bend the knee to dragons and ran off instead but I am sure after all these years they are sick of being strangers in foreign lands and if paid well and promised lands they would join our cause to reclaim their ancestral homes." It doesn't sound all that bad to me, but I also don't share his enthusiasm, if they wanted it so bad then why are they still here? Why would they have waited all this time, are they specifically waiting for some perfect leader to follow back? Would the Blackfyres join us if we paid them and just forget the bad blood between our family and the founders of their company?
"What lands would you give to them Viserys?" He steps back as if struck, not having expected her to feed into the idea and just dismiss him as usual.
I lean forward in my seat waiting to see what is about to happen. She never humors his ideas about setting off to gain supporters and would rather us bide our time for some event we all are unaware of. The problem is I think she is also unaware of what we are waiting for unless it's just for us all to grow up and be at an age to marry for alliances which would make sense.
"I would give the lands from families that betrayed our family and give it to those who supported me in reclaiming what's mine. After helping to reclaim the throne they would be much more trustworthy than previous traitors anyway." Mother shakes her head.
"And would the people listen to their new lords who practically invaded and claimed the lands through force? Even if they were once from Westeros, most of them are looked at negatively and would be unwelcome in their old territory's and homes." Viserys sighs and sits back down after pacing around the table a few more times.
"So what? We just live in Braavos the rest of our days, hiding like rats fearing for our lives." He spits and his face flushes in anger.
"Viserys, there are many ways we can reclaim what belongs to our family, and invading with a foreign sellsword company will only have people look down on you and even unite to beat you back." He deflates slightly as she tries to talk some reason about emulating the Blackfyres and attracting a negative image. "The conquer title only worked for Aegon because he had dragons to scare people into submission, if a sellsword company won you the throne and you reward them then they could always just ignore you in your time of need later on. If people rose against you and wanted to take you down they would just pay off the people they know helped you get the throne for gold and you would be left in a bad position." I lean back into my seat seeing that nothing new is going to come of the situation, I was hoping we might go on an adventure. I love Braavos since it is all I have ever known and have all my good memories here. But I also want to see some new things, like some of the wonders of the world and even just some new landscapes.
"Then what are we to do mother?" He looks completely disheartened, don't let it fool you though, he will get himself worked back up by next week.
"I have told you before Viserys, we have other family out there who have a grudge against the usurper. Your niece and nephew in Dorne will surely want to avenge their father, but Dorne might also want to put Aegon on the throne as well." He grits his teeth.
"I am father's heir, he named me his heir and I should be the one to sit on the throne." And there is the real reason he doesn't want to wait and give the opportunity to Dorne to lead the charge so to speak. If they do most of the work then they will want the biggest prize and will push to put Rhaegars son on the throne.
"I wonder what Aegon is like." I muse and manage to earn a glare from my brother.
"It's been so long since I have seen him and I know he won't even know me, it makes me sad to think about it. I hope little Rhaenys at least will remember me, she was young but hopefully, she will remember me anyway." Mom reminisces and I choose now to speak up while she is already thinking about them.
"What did they look like?" Mother smiles and is about to speak up but Viserys barks from the side.
"Dornish, they looked more Dornish than Valyrian. Maybe that is why Rhaegar kidnapped the stark girl so she could give him some children that looked like his." Mother smacks her hand down on the table and looks furiously at Viserys.
"You will not speak about your own family like that, they are all that is left of your brother in this world. Would you say that Infront of him, I don't believe that you would?" Viserys stands up so fast that his chair fly's back and hits the ground.
"Well, he is not here! He got himself killed!" Then he marches off in a fury, hopefully not to break anything.
Mother sighs and slumps into her seat, here we were just relaxing, and Viserys storms in and ruins the mood. Though I also feel like getting out of the house and seeing some more of the world myself. All the big and wide open spaces described in the books I have read have given me a hunger to explore them and see the sights for myself.
"Mother." She lazily looks over.
"Yes?"
"Can you tell me what they were like now that he stormed off?" She chuckles and nods slowly.
"I sure can, Aegon was only a babe when I knew him and he did have a Dornish look to him as Viserys pointed out. But he also had a lot of Rhaegar in him and had Rhaegar's hair and eyes, Rhaenys on the other hand took after her mom almost completely. Rhaenys did have a lock of silver gold on the left of her head that her mom would braid and it would highlight her features beautifully. I haven't seen them in a long time so I don't know how they fare as of late but I am sure they have aged well." They usually don't talk much about them, not for a lack of us asking but because they would rather not think about it and so we usually lose interest. There is also another Niece that is out there somewhere that is Rhaegars by a different woman. Mother hasn't ever seen her before so there is no point in asking her about her.
"I see, I guess I will stop being lazy and go get some training in." She nods as I stretch and prepare to walk out.
"You better, you wouldn't want to fall behind Daenerys and Rhaenyra." She teases as I shake my head and walk out to see if the old knight wants to show me some more moves.
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"Very good, try and put more force into it next time." I consider his words and get ready as he prepares to repeat the move.
His sword comes down for a slash and I hold my sword at an angle, meeting his blade I push out with more force this time and step into his guard with my shoulder first to push him back. He grunts but doesn't move and I step back for his take on my new attempt.
"Much better, you still keep trying to ' flow like the water ' and that will be counterproductive when you are trying to outpower someone. Maneuvering around and draining their stamina and waiting for a killing blow differs from outright breaking someone's guard and overpowering them. You understand both well enough but you still have a little trouble implementing them at the right times." I nod and agree with him, even Cynthia said I am trying too hard to mix the two. She said it would be better to focus on trying to master one way of the sword and become the sword. But I also think it would be cool to be able to have my own style of fighting that would give me an advantage, but if it was that easy everyone would do it I guess.
"Thanks for helping me again today Ser Barristan." He takes a cloth and wipes the sweat from his brow.
"It's no problem my prince, it gives me something to do every now and then anyway." I return the smile and then turn on my heels to head to wash off. I still want to go and see if I can make it in time to my favorite stall and buy some honey cakes. It is nearly impossible to buy any on their early morning batch but in the evening they usually have some available from the last batch.
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I make it in time to the stall since I can still see some honey cakes on the rack and get in line behind a girl around my age.
"That one please." She points at the very same honey cakes I was also here to buy while speaking in a heavy accent that makes her Valyrian sound broken. Hearing the off way she is speaking I take a second look at her and her outfit is bright colors of red and green and blue which contrast her dark skin. An even bigger contrast is her platinum-white hair which is very wavy.
"She wants the honey cake." I help them both out since the lady behind the counter didn't quite catch what she said over the crowd all around us and also can't see her hand from over the counter. She nods and Grabs one and hands it over after seeing the girl present some money. "I want the last few that you have of the honey cakes." I put my money on the counter and also pull out a cloth I brought to wrap them in.
After getting my change and the cakes wrapped into my cloth I turn to leave and notice the girl from earlier standing behind me and eating hers while watching me. Her bright blue eyes look very beautiful in the light, I couldn't see them under the cover of the stall.
"Thanks for your help." Her accent is thick and makes it a bit difficult to understand but I smile and nod, she must be from the summer islands with that outfit and her skin tone.
"You are welcome." I nod and begin to walk off but something nags at the back of my mind.
A woman in a red priest attire with blood-red eyes, and a girl from the summer islands. Not a woman from the summer islands but a girl. I have seen quite a few people from the summer islands while working at the ragman's docks, but never a young girl, only men, and women.
I turn around and look for her in the crowd and spot her wavy platinum hair walking into a door a few streets down from the stall we just met at. I walk quickly to catch up, not entirely sure if this is a good idea since nothing good comes from the red god's religion.
As I close the distance I notice the building is a Brothel and my eyes go wide since I wouldn't think a girl that young would be working in such a place. I briefly remember that the summer islanders worship a goddess with like twenty breasts or something and see sex as a sacred act.
I awkwardly turn around not feeling comfortable walking in to look for her, what would I even say when someone asked what I want when I go inside? Hey, I saw a girl my age walk in here and I want to talk to her. They would probably just laugh me out the door.
I know just the guy to ask about brothels, and he happens to sleep a few rooms over from me.