108
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298 AC
Summer Isles - The Cove
Eragon Targaryen
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During training I have been pressing harder than I normally would, I don't expect them to make some massive growth in ability in the limited time before we leave but I feel it's a bit necessary. I wasn't disappointed by any means, I got some cheap shots in and hammered home my intentions by winding them with a fist to the gut or sweeping their feet.
But they quickly adjusted realizing what I was doing and started to take it more seriously and I was put at ease when they were able to stand their ground. I still wasn't catching them off-guard with a punch to the face or anything or elbowing them but they seem to be opening their eyes to what I wanted them to see.
Rhaenys was using a spear as normal and was fighting Nata which usually gets pretty intense when I decided to join in and 'surprise' Rhaenys. It is a likely scenario to occur when fighting, a person trying to catch you off-guard and she responded well.
I tried to shoulder her after Nata noticed what I was doing and responded in a way to take all of Rhaenys attention. When I was in the process of actually shouldering her in the side she fell back onto her back and rolled out of the way. If I was a bit quicker I could have caught her spear and disarmed her but I wasn't expecting her to do what she did.
In reality, I would have just run her through with Brightroar if she was an enemy so I wasn't too bothered and instead double-teamed her with Nata.
"Fuckin hells... that was... something." Rhaenys sits on her ass in the sand while catching her breath.
"It was." I toss her my water skin and push my training sword into the sand while watching Nata lean against her spear and looking out at the ocean.
It's not like it's her first time-fighting multiple people, she and the sand snakes fight all the time and I have seen how rough they 'play'. Currently, the snakes are training with Danny and Rhaenyra and I am sure they are having 'fun'.
"Are you mad at me?" Rhaenys asks and I shake my head while sliding down into the sand behind her and leaning my back onto hers.
"I was never angry, I was concerned that it is stupid but I also realize you probably view me going without as much help as I can have also as stupid. I see both sides of the coin but that doesn't mean I have to like it, fighting to the death in an uncontrolled battle is dangerous. More dangerous than anything Danny or Rhaenyra have done so far and I am leaning toward that being true with you and Visenya as well." I won't even get into the Shiera situation, she is going to be the one watching the dragons and she can put her healing knowledge to use after the fighting.
If she wants to blast someone's head open then she can prove she can without being right Infront of the person. I don't doubt she can use her magic to defend herself, she has studied Melisandre's personal collection of books front to back multiple times.
Hundreds of years of collecting and studying magic make Melisandre one of the most knowledgeable people I have met when it comes to magic. In the whole world, few people can match that, and those who can are secretive about it. To top that off we have an unfair advantage as well, the magic that is steadily rising as far as we are aware is centered around me and the dragons.
That makes me feel uncomfortable and exposed, there are surely others who can figure this out and will seek me and the dragons out to bend us to their will. We will have to prepare for such things and the best way to do that is further our magic capabilities.
I shake my head and put the magic out of my mind for now, we will move it up the priority list once we have a more stable foothold and gold to spend on searching out more knowledge.
Rhaenys has her head leaning against the back of my neck, her sweaty and sticky bare skin presses against my own and makes me want to sweep her up and dunk us in the sea.
"We will be ok, I have faith and I know that is being optimistic but I feel confident. None of us are seeing this as a game Eragon and your concern is touching but also a bit smothering. It's not wise to underestimate your opponent but our opponent is a band of thieves and cowards who run at first sight of a real challenge. So overestimating them and getting too worried over it is also not good, can't let them win the fight before it starts because of concern." Not sure that is how to saying goes but I get her point.
We are doing the same as them and sneak attacking them, all the information that was obtained from captured pirates leads to them having an encampment on the north of Xon. We will land away from that encampment with half of our people and then have the other half sail straight at them.
While they scurry to their ships or attempt to flee inland to avoid outright confrontation we will push at them from the south. They will be left with no choice but to fight or try and sail away and that will be their death.
"I get it Rhaenys, I am over it and am focusing on making sure things go well." She shakes her head and it rubs her hair on the back of my neck tickling the skin.
"Good, let's go again but this time let's switch the teams up with me and Nata attacking you." I look over at Nata who smiles and nods at the idea.
"Sounds go to me." I stand up and pull my training sword from the sand as they walk to either side of me.
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298 AC
Volantis
Oberyn Martell
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Things are definitely getting interesting here in the Golden Company, I send information to Doran but he can't reasonably get information to me.
So color me surprised when I hear the red priest of Volantis practically worship Eragon Targaryen, saying the young prince is Azor Ahai reborn. I wonder what the hell even happened for them to believe such a thing, as far as I know, he hasn't even been to Volantis.
Hatching dragons?
I haven't seen any but from the news, we received in the Golden Company and the fact the red priest sings praises for the boy I am starting to believe. I would like to think my brother would inform me of such a thing but I could see why he didn't, I am right next to the 'enemy' after all.
Speaking of the enemy the Blackfyres are not all I was hoping for, all this time and they are just... disappointing.
They are no Maelys the Monstrous that much is a certainty.
The youngest I have only seen a few times, she isn't a fighter, unlike her older sister. Her sister Cirilla Blackfyre is an entirely different story, that girl is a black dragon for sure. Daemon Blackfyre is a toss-up, he has his moments and they come and go like the wind.
I had to restrain my laughter when the Triarchs basically told all of us we would get nothing more and if we wanted support we could go and buy some. Harry took it to the chin and walked it off, meeting with the red priest today and I won't be going. They are having a more private gathering and it is unarmed in hopes of no conflict sprouting up during the talks.
Cirilla looks an entirely different person without the sword Blackfyre equipped, this is only the second time I have seen her without it. The sword Aegon the conqueror wielded and was used by kings going down the line until Aegon the unworthy handed it over to the first one to take the name Blackfyre after the blade.
I wonder how the meeting with the High priest of R'hllor will go.
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298 AC
Dorne - Sunspear
Doran Martell
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Setting down my cup I look out the window as thoughts of the day breeze through my mind.
The next ships to leave to send men to the Summer Isles won't return until their mission is over. Marwyn the mage is planning to sail with the men I am sending, he has convinced me of his intentions and if even half of what he says is true about that candle then he will be helping them quite a bit.
The ability to see the land before they move in and attack, to get an accurate count of their men and their positions of them. I can only marvel at the magic of Valyria and deep down hope it is true, if they can figure it out then we can use it in the war for Westeros.
This whole Summer Isles thing is playing out to be a massive gain for our efforts, if they win that is. Winning will add a new kingdom to the Targaryen's power, I am under no delusion that Eragon will kneel to his brother but he will still fly the same banner.
The men I sent will get some blood on their spears and that alone could be a massive benefit in the coming war. The gold Eragon promised to pay and other resources are also nice.
The Usurper will be arriving at Winterfell soon, an unforeseen surprise that might help tip the north to one side. I hope it will be tipped in our favor obviously but with the death of Jon Arryn, we have the Vale. The Vale won't declare for House Targaryen immediately and instead will remain 'neutral' as we discussed originally with Aemma.
It is quite a coincidence that after we had her visit her father died and she became Lady of the Vale. I would be concerned she might blame us for it but the letter she sent put me at ease on that front. She believes it was someone at Kingslanding who wanted the 'passive' hand to get out of the way for one that would push for the war. Her father had a habit of being noncombative in his tenure as the Hand.
I shake my head and get rid of those thoughts as I think about the more recent problem that is growing. Growing is all the problem can currently do from within my daughter, she confided in me she is without a doubt pregnant with her husband's brother's child and not her husband's.
To that, all I can say is I am glad they look alike.
Would be a nightmare if they had different colored eyes or hair and the baby came out having that difference. Small blessings at least, and the child being of the father of dragons is actually a good thing in my mind. It increases the chance of the baby claiming a dragon in the future or at least their baby getting one.
Never thought in my life I would ever be thinking about a grandchild of mine riding a dragon.
Dragons that made the Rhoynar flee the Rhoyne river and eventually find themselves here in Dorne only to fight them again. The dragons Wroth all the way to now as I look forward to my blood sitting on the back of a dragon.
Rhaenys will sit one and she is my niece so the chances of me seeing it from my own line are pretty good with the current proceedings.
I shake my head once more and grab my drink.
Let's just hope Viserys doesn't find out about the child, after we killed Jorah Mormont he has been acting out. Seeing things in shadows and searching for ulterior motives in everything I do for him.
It was painfully obvious the man was a spy, the moment the Targaryens left for the Summer Isles he tried to contact an in-between man. He was caught red-handed and tried to beg Viserys to help him saying it was all a misunderstanding. It was quite unsightly and 'King' Viserys wanted to spare him until his mother had a talk with him and he begrudgingly allowed his Kingsguard to be hung.
We sent the bones to Bear Island, not sure how they will take that but Viserys wanted him returned home like he promised he would take him back there at some point.
We can hope they don't take it as an insult of some kind.