117

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298 AC

Volantis

Cirilla Blackfyre

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"My goal as the sole Triarch representing Volantis until the elections are over is to show our new stance on the defense and restoration of Volantis. The offer of paying off the payment of the contract to just turn and leave is still available but we won't be giving anything else." Marinna the tiger Triarch sits at the table inside of her manse with quite a few of the decision-makers of the Golden Company.

"We were hoping you would support us with some other things the Golden Company is in need of, like ships." Harry speaks up and Marinna scrunches her nose.

"I am sorry to say but that is unacceptable, we will have plenty of use for our ships when we set out to restore Volantis to its full glory." A few looks around the table and I see most people are confused as well as I am.

"What exactly is this restoration you speak of?" Daemon speaks up after clearing his throat and a wide smile appears on Marinna's face.

"Why the reclamation of the lands that were stolen from us, the lands that have always belonged to the heir of Valyria." So they do want to reclaim the lands that Valyria use to make up.

They will likely start with Lys and then go for Myr, once they have Tyrosh they would be dangerously close to Sunspear. Sunspear housing one of our biggest threats and where we believe the dragons to be.

"You are going for expansion once more?" Harry asks with some interest that draws almost everyone's attention.

"Reclamation." She sternly responds and Harry has a gleam pass through his eyes as he looks around and then leans forward.

"We are also interested in the reclamation of our own, maybe we could help each other out." Marinna sits forward as well while raising her chin slightly.

"You want our assistance in taking Westeros in exchange you will help us reclaim the lands that are ours by right?" Harry looks around once more but no one speaks up so he takes a deep breath.

"We might, depending on the terms but I see both parties helping each other and profiting quite a bit." My eyes widen as Marinna seems to think it over, as of now she is the sole representative and with the election being a sham right now she and the high priest are the sole power of Volantis.

If she agrees to this it is likely something the high priest would agree to as well, but that begs the question of whether are we doing ourselves harm. They support Eragon Targaryen as their promised prince and that is a big problem for us.

Or is it?

They never claimed her would be king of Westeros, they claim he is here to beat the darkness. What or who is the darkness they are referring to?

For all I know and what I have heard the darkness could very well be a new long night like the original Azor Ahai defeated in the stories. The darkness could also be something else entirely like a sickness or a poor ruler like Robert.

The point is that we don't know what the red priests actually want from Eragon and could only seek to use him and have no intentions of serving him or seeing him on a throne. Viserys is the one who is claiming the Iron throne is his anyway. We very well might strike a gold mine so to speak in this deal, making gold of helping and then having them help us in our 'reclamation'.

The only reason Volantis failed the first time they tried was that Aegon on Balerion came to aid the free cities and beat back Volantis expansion. A weakened Volantis was then battered by Dothraki and forced to submit and stay passive as they have been until now.

"Then let's talk terms, I will still need to speak to my friends but I see no reason why we can't humor this idea." Marinna sits back in her seat and spreads her arms over the back of it.

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298 AC

Summer Isles - Ebonhead

Kinvara

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I have been traveling the summer isles for many months now, R'hllor sent me to spread his words among the people of the Isles. They are not hostile to other religions as many worship different versions of the same fertility false god but they also are not easy to bring to the right path.

I have still made good progress, out of every five men or women I talk to one will take to the Lord's light. One above all of those that brings me great satisfaction is none other than the prince of Ebonhead.

Xenioa, the Summer prince of Ebonhead and a man who will stand in the way of my prince in the coming times. The promised prince is so close but also so far, I don't see much of him but I know I was sent here to assist him. Having the people of the Summer Isles turn to R'hllor's light will help the prince greatly.

There is only so much I and the other priests who came following R'hllor's light can do but we are doing our best. We will follow R'hllor's will and aid the prince in becoming a prince of summer himself.

Ironic that he is said to bring an unending summer by defeating the darkness and slaying the 'other' and he seeks to gain the title of summer prince. It is very much a fitting title for him, I look forward to seeing him achieve what he has set out to do.

"High priest Kinvara, what do you think the flames mean by showing me what they showed me?" I smile and approach behind Xenioa, the man sees his coming death yet is blind to it another irony.

"What I think it means is you will find great peace with yourself and the lord by accepting the coming challenge." Joining R'hllor's light and passing on is a great peace indeed.

"So I will defeat the whore who has been doing everything she can to gain support, the white-haired bitch will feel my axe." He grits his teeth and clenches his fists.

I smile and let him take it any way he wants, that is the problem with man as we can only see so much even when R'hllor is willing to open our eyes.

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298 AC

Summer Isles - The Cove

Nata

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Training with Eragon today as it seems Rhaenys wanted to get a switch up, we are isolated to the side where we all usually gather. Eragon is practicing his nondominant hand as he sometimes does from my observations.

He steps to the side avoiding a thrust of my spear and grabs the shaft before pulling it and me toward him. My body collides with his and I feel the tip of his training sword between my breasts as I lift my head I see him smile slightly.

His head tilted to the side with some sweat on his brow and his skin looking ever so slightly darker from the sun exposure. It is odd how they maintain pale skin and spend so much time in the sun, magic in their blood no doubt. My eyes widen when I think for the first time I actually have that same magic in my veins.

An odd thought as I still haven't come to terms with the Balerion situation as of yet.

"You seem distracted, do I need to help you focus?" He leans on his training sword with it slowly pushing into the sand with his weight driving it down.

"I was just having stray thoughts." I shake my head and walk over to where my water skin is hanging from a chair we brought out here.

"If you are not ok we can take a break or I can go join someone else, I did want to talk a bit but it can wait." I look over my shoulder as I sip on my water skin and raise a brow at him quizzingly.

"I am fine, we can take a breather though in the shade while I cool off." I lead the way after finishing talking and make my way to a tree to sit at the base of it and lean on it.

Sitting down I exhale as I lean back and set my head against the tree and Eragon sits next to me also releasing a sigh. I look over and see him wipe his brow with the back of his hand and he looks out over the sand toward others who are still training.

I dig my toes into the cool sand and close my eyes as I relax in the moment, Eragons smell filling my nose. I internally groan as the scent reminds me of all the coupling I willingly listen to and only make myself crazy with desire. I don't even know why I don't just go for it, I am more than certain he will accept me as we will wed each other.

It isn't the other girls or anything like that as I would join in with the whole group of them if I could work up the nerve. I am not someone who gets nervous normally either which is the main concern for me.

I lean my head on Eragons shoulder and I feel him turn a bit as he looks down at me and snorts. His hand sneaks behind my back and grabs my waist before pulling me closer. I smile, at least I know when I do work up the nerve he will respond and take action.

I would be pissed if he just sat back and made me do everything when he is obviously the experienced one.

"Hey, Eragon." He grunts to let me know he is listing and I take a breath. "You would like to fuck me wouldn't you?" Being direct will get the answer I want, even if I already know the answer twice over with how many times he has smacked my ass during training.

He sits in silence and I have to look up when I get a bit concerned that I was somehow wrong and I might have made things awkward. The look he is giving me that seems to ask if I am stupid is my answer.

"I was just curious, I have been interested in joining in with the 'others' but I haven't been able to take the step. In other words your ceaseless joining with the others you plan to marry has me horny but I am nervous." He nods and leans back into the tree and hugs me to his side tighter.

"No need to rush it and join in with the madness that happens when Danny and Rhaenys get going. We could always go just me and you a few times and then warm you up with someone like Shiera joining in as she is pretty tame with a partner. Jumping into the deep end with Danny is not something I recommend, she has a lot of fire packed away in that body of hers." I spot the woman in question as she dodges around Obara and wonder if he is pulling my leg.

She is the smallest out of all of us but I guess you can't judge someone till you get into the act with them. I stand up and his hand loses its grip on my side and falls to the ground.

"Alright, let's head back and try it out while they all tire themselves out." Getting into it without stopping to contemplate it anymore is probably best.

I know it's what I want, it aligns with my goals and my feelings, and on top of that it really gets me going. With no downsides in sight, I should just jump into the dark water and figure it out once I make it inside instead of worrying about what is there.

On top of that since I brought it up my body is warming up and I am looking forward to it more and more. Strike while the opportunity is presenting itself and enjoy the ride, I never know what will happen once we enter combat in the close future. I would hate to have built up my expectations and then get stabbed and die and never know what was really going on with them all night long.