-Chapter 132-
-Chapter 132-
-POV Johanna Swann-
-1st day of the 1st moon of the year 117 AC-
URRAX'S ROAR
I lifted my gaze from the fabric my tailors were presenting to me when I heard the powerful roar of a dragon.
'A roar I recognized but one far more powerful than the one I had heard in the past,' I thought, as I had been fortunate enough to be close to several dragon riders and their dragons. I had learned to recognize the roars of some of them.
I gestured for everyone to leave the room.
The only one who stayed was Evelyn.
"Come help me get ready. I must be perfect," I said, signaling her.
"You're not going to greet him personally?" Evelyn asked, surprised that I wasn't taking a more humble posture with Aemon.
'Aemon loves what he can't have, like most men,' I thought.
I cast an amused look at Evelyn before turning back to inspect my figure in the mirror and said, "It's been many years since we last saw each other. I don't want to make a bad impression."
Evelyn smiled softly, knowing I had found a new target, and then she said, stepping behind me, "Very well, My Lady."
---
-POV Aemon Targaryen-
As soon as I landed, I immediately knew I was on the territory of a wealthy Lyseni family, for before Urrax settled down, the gardens were magnificent—freshly trimmed and featuring an expansive array of fountains.
'Let's hope the owner of this place is magnanimous enough not to hold our… intrusion against me,' I thought, looking at one of the broken fountains and the flowers that Urrax had crushed as he landed.
"Is my mother here?" Baelon suddenly asked, breaking his silence since we left Bloodstone.
"You've finally decided to talk to me?" I teased my little brother, who still hadn't let his guard down around me.
'I should have expected it. I burned everything he had ever known and took him with me without even asking what he wanted,' I thought, fully understanding why he kept his distance from me out of caution.
'After all, it hasn't even been a full day. I must give him time and work to earn his trust,' I thought as I opened my arms for him to jump off Urrax's back.
He hesitated slightly before doing so, and when he did, I caught him.
'It's just a small gesture, but over time, he'll come to jump blindfolded into a sea of lava for me because I'll earn his trust,' I thought before turning to face the new arrivals.
A troop led by slave soldiers approached us imposingly, guarding a convoy of slaves carrying what looked like a large pig.
'He reminds me of Jabba the Hutt,' I thought, recalling the character from a movie franchise I had seen in my previous life.
• [Name: Aerthoreon Haen]
• [Age: 57]
• [Title: Patriarch of House Haen, Magister of Lys]
• [Allegiances: House Haen, Lys]
• {Attributes}
[Constitution: 31]
[Strength: 35]
[Endurance: 19]
[Dexterity: 23]
[Agility: 21]
[Speed: 21]
[Intelligence: 67]
[Willpower: 36]
[Charisma: 45]
[Perception: 39]
[Wisdom: 89]
Once they were a few meters from me, the troop of slaves stopped, and the bearers gently lowered the chair, visibly relieved to be free of its weight.
"Your Excellency," said the man, apparently the owner of the gardens where I had landed.
'More humble than I expected. We've been at war with the Triarchy for a long time,' I thought.
"Are you the owner of this magnificent place?" I asked, making an effort to be polite, as I had just ruined a good portion of his garden, and this Aerthoreon did not have the typical arrogance of Lyseni nobles.
'That's the Urrax effect,' I thought, noting how the man in front of me couldn't help but glance up every time Urrax made a 'sudden' movement.
"Don't worry. Urrax is a good boy as long as no one threatens his rider," I said, stroking Urrax's scales.
Seeing the gleam in the Magister's eyes, I asked, "Would you like to try?"
His eyes widened like saucers, and he pointed at himself, asking, "Are you sure?"
"Come," I said, noticing his fascination with my dragon.
'It's the same everywhere for those with Valyrian blood. Wherever I go, they all imagine themselves in control of a dragon,' I thought, trying to establish a good rapport with this Magister, who, according to the vague whispers I'd heard, was quite powerful and led one of Lys's many factions.
'It's a stroke of luck that I stumbled upon this person. I might as well take advantage of it,' I thought, trying to lay the groundwork for a cordial relationship.
'First impressions matter,' I thought.
Since the start of this silent war, my plan had been to establish myself more deeply and seriously in Essos to counter the stranglehold and pressure the entire kingdom, under Viserys and his faction, had placed on me.
Aerthoreon cautiously stepped forward and extended his hand slowly until he touched Urrax's warm scales.
He was surprised by the heat and pulled his hand back, looking at me.
I smiled and encouraged him to try again, refraining from laughing as he looked like an awestruck child.
"It's incredible," he managed to say before turning to me and asking, "What brings you to our magnificent city?"
"Besides its beauty?" I said, genuinely admiring the paradisiacal surroundings.
'If you overlook the crowd of slaves hidden in this city, slaves who will either die under their masters' whips or seek to escape a lifetime of servitude,' I thought, loathing it from the depths of my heart.
'Unfortunately, burning these cities won't change it forever,' I continued, realizing little difference between the treatment of slaves here and the serfs of Westeros.
'Except for the chains, they live under the same conditions,' I thought, observing the slaves, terrified at the mere thought of meeting my gaze, terrified of attracting my attention.
'Understandable, given that even their master fears me,' I thought, finally focusing on my interlocutor.
"I came to this city to finalize a matter with the Black Swan."
"You're courting her too?" Magister Aerthoreon Haen asked, his brows furrowing not in anger but in what seemed like fear.
I shook my head and replied, "I've known the Black Swan for many years. We are very close friends, and I came accompanied by her son, Baelon Targaryen, my half-brother, the rider of Sheepstealer."
"Ohhh," the Magister said, impressed, looking at Baelon, who slightly raised his chin upon being mentioned.
"May I ask where the Prince's dragon is?" the Magister asked, to which Baelon lowered his eyes, all his pride and arrogance vanishing instantly.
I placed a hand on my little brother's shoulder and said, "Baelon is still young and doesn't yet control his dragon well. But once he is older, he will become a force to be reckoned with. Rest assured, I will make him a dragon rider fiercer than our father."
"The Rogue Prince, if my information is correct," said Magister Aerthoreon, his tone questioning, though I could tell he already knew the answer.
"Prince Daemon gave us a hard time in the Stepstones," he added.
"He gave you trouble? I thought it was pirates?" I said, raising an eyebrow at the man's slip, which rendered him speechless, his eyes wide.
"Forgive me, that was just a joke," I said, easing the tension before adding, "I imagined that since we got along so well, we could skip the formalities and joke like good friends… unless you don't consider me your…"
"Of course we are!" the Magister quickly replied before adding, "And to celebrate our budding friendship, I'll organize a feast in your honor, my Prince. Tonight, I will invite only some of my closest acquaintances."
'Jeyne has likely already finished the task, and the boy won't endure another journey. I can stay tonight and leave tomorrow morning with Willem and Baelon,' I thought, hesitating to accept the invitation.
"The feast will be in honor of Princess Jeyne Targaryen's child, who is in labor as we speak," I said, extending a hand to Aerthoreon, who couldn't hide the bright smile on his face.
'He's likely thinking of using our friendship to secure the position of First Magister of Lys,' I thought, adding internally, 'You'll get it, but I'll become the undisputed Master of the Narrow Sea and the Triarchy thanks to you.'