Meeting with the Lords 1

**Vaenis's Perspective**

Vaenis gazed at his breakfast of boiled potatoes and corn, recalling the words his aide Daemion had spoken the night before:

"My lord, the stone men have breached one of our food storages. All the food in the storage was burned. However, the harvest is still three months away, and it seems the food we have left will not be enough."

As these words echoed in his mind, he sighed involuntarily. Then, he turned to Taela, the head servant waiting behind him for his orders:

"Take half of this breakfast and bring it for the evening meal, Taela. From now on, everyone's meals, including mine, will be halved—except for Lady Aera. Go and inform all the servants of this."

Taela, whose face bore the faint wrinkles of age but still retained her beauty, immediately left the room upon Vaenis's command and set about delivering the news to the servants. As the door closed behind her, Vaenis quietly ate the remaining potatoes from his breakfast. After finishing his meal, he rose from the table and made his way to the study that had been in his family for generations and had been his for the past three years.

As he stepped out of the door, he turned to the guard standing watch in his rusted chainmail armor:

"Naesin, go and fetch Captain Rhaenor for me. I need to speak with him about important matters."

Upon reaching the study, he settled into the most comfortable chair, crafted from wood gathered from the ruins. Through the window in front of him, he gazed at the remnants of the city of Oros and began to ponder the food crisis. As Daemion had said, the harvest was still three months away, and it was likely that this harvest, like the others, would be poor. The land had been losing its fertility over the years.

In his 18 years of life, Vaenis had known that food shortages existed even when his father was alive, but he had never seen it reach such a critical level. He was unsure of what to do, and this uncertainty unsettled him. Moreover, his wife Aera was pregnant with their first child. Thinking of his child, Vaenis felt the urgency to resolve this issue as soon as possible.

Lost in his thoughts, a firm but measured knock sounded at the door. Recognizing the style of the knock, he sighed and called out:

"Come in, Rhaenor."

With Vaenis's permission, Captain Rhaenor entered, clad in his slightly rusted chainmail armor, and closed the door behind him. Once inside, he stood in front of Vaenis's chair and awaited his orders.

Vaenis looked at Rhaenor, his father's old friend, now 36 years old, and sighed:

"Rhaenor, how many times must I tell you not to stand at attention when we're alone?"

Rhaenor replied with his usual stoic expression:

"There may be no one inside, but someone could enter at any moment, my lord. I assume you've called me to discuss yesterday's events."

Vaenis nodded slightly in confirmation:

"Your assumption is correct, Rhaenor. Aside from the losses at the food storage yesterday, were there any casualties among our guards? And were you able to find the servant Elenya?"

Rhaenor answered with his characteristic calmness:

"My lord, six of our men were killed while apprehending the stone men, two of whom were inside the storage. Fifteen others have been sent to the cells in the grand arena due to suspicion of the gray scale disease. Additionally, I've learned that Lord Vaelman and Lord Daemir have suffered similar losses, while Lord Baegor and Lord Beogon have no reported cases of the disease but have high death tolls."

After saying this, he drew a broken arrowhead from the scabbard at his belt and placed it on Vaenis's desk, continuing:

"My lord, using information from the servants, my men and I went to the well near the White Shield Manor. There, we found traces of one human and five stone men. Following the tracks, we saw five stone men pounding on the transparent barrier that gives the manor its name. However, there was no sign of Elenya. When we noticed the stone men, they noticed us as well and attacked. Although we killed all five, two of our men lost their lives, and six others were sent to the cells due to the risk of disease. After killing the stone men, we searched the area for Elenya. The only thing we found was this arrowhead and drag marks near the barrier. We found no trace of Elenya, my lord."

Rhaenor's words added new problems to Vaenis's already troubled mind. The origin of the arrowhead found where Elenya had disappeared, and who had used it, was a significant mystery. Could it be that the army led by the commander who had ridden a great fire-breathing beast in his ancestors' time had come from beyond the ruins? If this arrow truly came from outside, it might mean there was hope—not only to solve the food crisis but also to escape this dangerous place.

As he was lost in these thoughts, the door to the room knocked once more. Vaenis gestured for Rhaenor to open it.

Rhaenor opened the door to find Naesin, and behind him, between the rusted chainmail-clad Laenor and Vaerys, stood the servant Elenya. Naesin, who had raised his hand to knock, immediately saluted upon seeing Rhaenor and spoke:

"Sir, the servant Elenya was found by Laenor and Vaerys while patrolling near the White Shield Manor. She insisted she had something very important to discuss with Lord Vaenis. They brought her here, and I accompanied them to ensure the lord's safety."

Rhaenor turned to Elenya and asked:

"Is what he's saying true, Elenya?"

The servant nodded quickly and replied:

"Yes, sir! The matter I need to discuss with Lord Vaenis is truly urgent!"

At Elenya's response, Rhaenor turned to Naesin:

"All four of you, follow me into the room."

He then fully opened the door and entered.

Following Rhaenor's command, Naesin entered first, with Laenor and Vaerys flanking Elenya. Once inside, they saluted Vaenis and Rhaenor, who stood behind him.

Vaenis looked at Elenya and spoke sternly:

"Elenya, Rhaenor has told me everything. What is this important matter you need to discuss? Speak quickly, I have much to do. And where were you yesterday? We searched for you but couldn't find you."

At Vaenis's command, Elenya recounted what had happened to her and described the three new individuals she had seen at the White Shield Manor. She spoke of their physical characteristics, the task they had given her, and their life within the manor. When Elenya finished speaking, the room fell into a stunned silence. After overcoming his initial shock, Vaenis began to weigh her words in his mind. Though it seemed implausible—such as the sudden appearance of gray-eyed Valyrians no one had ever seen, or their control over the barrier at the White Shield Manor—it did explain how the new arrowhead had ended up there. But most importantly, it was the apple tree growing inside the manor that caught his attention.

The Cataclysm had rendered the soil of Oros so barren that only shrub-like plants remained. The only fruit-bearing plant had been the Flame Grapes, but even those had gradually stopped producing fruit. If there truly was an apple tree in the manor, as Elenya claimed, and it was bearing fruit, it could alleviate the food crisis to some extent.

As Vaenis pondered these thoughts, the silence in the room persisted. It was Rhaenor who broke it first.

"Elenya, are you lying to us? No one has been seen in that manor since the Cataclysm! Now you expect us to believe you saw not one, but three people, and that they spoke to you as if they were just ordinary lords?" he shouted.

Startled by Rhaenor's voice, Elenya replied fearfully:

"N-no, sir. I-I'm just telling you what happened to me and what they asked me to say."

Rhaenor looked as though he was about to shout again, but Vaenis intervened, stopping him.

"Enough, Rhaenor, don't yell at Elenya. If what she's saying is true, perhaps we've found a way out of this mess. But first, Elenya, have you seen this apple tree before? Is it really there? And how can we enter the manor?"

At Vaenis's question, Elenya, still shaken from Rhaenor's outburst, calmed slightly and answered:

"Yes, my lord, I truly saw the apple tree. In fact, I not only saw it but also ate its fruit. But I don't know how to enter the manor. Lord Vaegon was the one who brought me inside."

Vaenis frowned at her words.

"Vaegon? You mentioned there were three people earlier, but you didn't give their names."

Seeing Vaenis's furrowed brow, Elenya grew fearful again. Avoiding his gaze, she spoke in a trembling voice:

"My lord, there really are three of them… I just forgot to mention their names earlier. Lord Vaegon was the one who saved me from the stone men and brought me into the manor. He was the tallest of the three. Lord Vaelar and Darion are his younger brothers."

As Elenya spoke, Vaenis began to consider what to do next. Lost in thought, the room fell silent once more. Finally, he sighed in resignation and turned to Rhaenor:

"Rhaenor, go and inform Lord Vaelman Qelon, Lord Daemir Onys, Lord Beagor Gaern, and Lord Beogon Zaerd that I, Lord Vaenis Pekaerys, wish to hold a meeting at the White Shield Manor this afternoon. Tell them I have urgent news to share."

As soon as Vaenis finished speaking, a loud noise echoed through the room.

Everyone in the room was stunned. Only Elenya, excited, shouted, "You see, my lord! I wasn't lying to you! This is it! Just as Lord Vaegon said, he controls the manor and its surroundings! How else could this sound have happened?"

Elenya's words cut through the silence like a knife. While the others were still in shock, Rhaenor frowned and said:

"Don't be so sure, Elenya. Maybe part of the ruined manor collapsed. That's happened before."

Rhaenor's response dampened Elenya's excitement somewhat, but she had already made up her mind, and nothing could shake her belief. Just as she was about to respond to Rhaenor, Vaenis, who had been gazing out the window, spoke thoughtfully:

"Enough, Rhaenor. We'll go to the manor and see the truth for ourselves."

Rhaenor shook his head in disbelief:

"My lord, are you starting to believe Elenya? Please reconsider—what she's saying can't be true."

Vaenis rose from his chair, angered by the questioning of his order, and spoke sharply:

"Rhaenor, deliver the meeting invitations immediately and prepare the guards we'll take with us. I'll decide what's true once I see the manor. Naesin, you go and inform my aide Daemion that we're heading to the White Shield Manor."

At Vaenis's command, Rhaenor and Naesin quickly left the room, while Vaenis turned to Laenor and Vaerys, who remained:

"You two, take Elenya outside and wait for us."

With that, Vaenis left the room, followed by the others.

---

A little over half an hour later, after speaking with his wife Aera and explaining the situation, Vaenis joined a group of twenty men, including Captain Rhaenor and his aide Daemion. Seeing their lord setting out with such a large group, the people realized something significant was happening. Though curious about what was going on, they trusted their young and compassionate lord.

When Vaenis and his group reached the building where Elenya had turned right while fleeing the stone men, they encountered the other lords who had been summoned.

Lord Vaelman, forty-one years old, turned to Vaenis and asked:

"Vaenis, did you call this meeting because of the sound we heard?"

Vaenis, surprised, replied:

"Lord Vaelman, I only just summoned you. How did you get here so quickly?"

Beogon, who was the same age as Vaenis, answered:

"We set out as soon as we heard the sound. We met your messenger on the way and sent him back to you."

When Beogon finished speaking, Lord Daemir, a 39-year-old man with a scar across his face, spoke sharply:

"Just tell us, Vaenis! Why did you call this meeting?"

To Lord Daemir's harsh tone, Baegor, who was a year older than Vaenis, responded:

"There's no need to be so harsh, Lord Daemir. He'll explain the reason soon enough."

Once the lords fell silent, Vaenis took a deep breath and said:

"I'll speak if you listen without interrupting me. But first, let's go to the barrier protecting the manor."

At Vaenis's words, Daemir snapped angrily:

"What's the point? Let's talk here! Is something different going to happen there?"

When no one objected to Daemir's words, Vaenis replied with exasperation:

"Yes, we need to go there to talk. If no one objects, let's go."

At Vaenis's command, everyone turned right from the ruined house they were standing in. But as soon as they turned, they froze in place. Inside the White Shield Manor, they saw two large empty cages and one large cage containing several smaller ones.

Of course, the cages weren't the only reason they stopped; another reason was the sight of three individuals, their clothes mostly torn, standing near one of the empty cages and speaking.

Lord Vaelman, unable to believe his eyes, rubbed them and looked again. When he realized what he was seeing hadn't disappeared, he muttered in astonishment:

"How long have these cages and these people been here?"

Meanwhile, Rhaenor, standing to Vaenis's right, whispered:

"Elenya was right. There really are people in the manor."

Vaenis, on the other hand, felt a renewed sense of hope.

Thanks to the apple tree and fertile soil within the manor, the food crisis caused by the stone men would ease, and for the first time, they might not have to worry about food shortages after the next harvest.

Vaenis's thoughts were interrupted by Elenya's excited voice:

"I told you, my lord! See for yourself!"

It would have taken deafness not to notice the commotion, and the three individuals inside the barrier immediately stood up upon hearing the noise.

Seeing a crowd of people rushing toward them, most of them armored and armed, the trio drew their swords and axes and approached the barrier. By the time the crowd reached the barrier, they too had drawn their swords.

In an instant, 84 swords were drawn, aside from the trio's weapons.

But Elenya, ignoring all of them, shouted:

"My lord! Look, I've completed the task you gave me!"

The tallest of the three men fixed his eyes on Elenya and said:

"Well done, Elenya. I will reward you for your service."

At the tall man's words, Lord Daemir stepped forward, pointing his sword at the trio, and snapped harshly:

"Who are you to reward anyone? Introduce yourself first!"

To Lord Daemir's words, the middle-sized man among the trio replied with a mocking expression:

"And who are you to speak to us like this and demand answers? If you had spoken to me like this before, I would have had your tongue cut out." As he finished speaking, he struck the barrier sharply with his sword.

At this action, the tall man frowned and warned angrily:

"Shut your mouth, Vaelar! I'm the one speaking here! Or I'll shut it for you!"

At the tall man's warning, Vaelar, the middle-sized one, stepped back.

When the atmosphere calmed again, Lord Vaelman looked at the tall man and asked:

"I apologize on behalf of Lord Daemir. But truly, who are you?"

The tall man looked at Lord Vaelman with a haughty expression and said:

"I am Vaegon Belaegon, son of Aelayrs of House Belaegon and Jaenara of House Dracarysion, head of House Belaegon."

**A Normal Perspective**

When the trio left the Wyvern Garden and returned to their dragons, Vaegon said, "I've had an idea. I'll be transporting the patients, so most of my cage will be empty. I'm thinking of filling the empty space with small cages, as long as it doesn't exceed Anogrion's maximum carrying capacity. What do you think of this idea?"

Darion responded to Vaegon's words, "That makes sense. We can't let such high-quality iron go to waste. In fact, we could even use the small cages we've taken as shelters by enclosing them until new homes are built. I support this idea, and I think we should take as many small cages as possible."

Vaelar, on the other hand, stated his opinion: "I'll take as much food as I can if there's any space left after loading the supplies. But since we don't know how much food the survivors have, let's just fill Vaegon's cage for now."

After Vaelar shared his thoughts, Vaegon said, "Now that we've decided what to do with the small cages, who's going to the tower to retrieve Raeyes's bones? Let me say upfront, I can't go; I need to arrange the cages I'll be transporting."

When Vaegon brought up Raeyes's bones, Darion immediately suggested, "Vaelar should go. His dragon is the smallest and can easily pass through the hole in the wall using its size. That way, he can go and come back quickly."

Just as Vaelar was about to object, Vaegon cut him off, saying, "Then Vaelar, go quickly and come back. I'll bring your cage here."

With Vaegon and Darion's joint decision, Vaelar had no choice but to go to the tower. He gave up on arguing and went to his dragon, Aeloris, mounted it, and shouted, "Soves, Aeloris!" before taking off toward the tower.

After Vaelar left, Vaegon and Darion mounted their dragons and flew toward the area where the 14 large cages were initially located. They each took a cage and flew to the entrance of the Wyvern Garden, dropping the cages with a loud crash.

After setting the cages down, Vaegon shouted to Darion, who was flying on Vendieron, "Darion, I'll go get my own cage. You start bringing the small cages."

Darion signaled his understanding with a wave of his right hand. Vaegon then moved to retrieve his own cage. When he reached the cages, he didn't take one immediately. First, he instructed Anogrion to flip the cage so that its door faced upward. Then, he grabbed the door and began carrying it. After setting the cage down, he positioned Anogrion next to it and climbed onto the cage.

Balancing on top of the cage, he gripped the bars and forced the door open. Once the door was open, he jumped onto Anogrion's head, laughing as he shouted, "Catch me, Anogrion!"

To prevent Vaegon from falling, Anogrion quickly extended its head. Vaegon held onto Anogrion's head and settled into the space between its wings. Then, he shouted to Darion, who was watching from above, "Darion, I've opened the cage door. You can throw the small cages inside."

Darion showed he understood by tossing the two cages he was carrying with Vendieron's claws into the large cage. After loading 30 small cages into the large one, Vaelar returned on Aeloris.

Seeing Vaelar approaching from a distance, Vaegon, who was carrying two more cages, shouted, "Darion, let this be the last load. After we carry these, let's go meet Elenya!"

Without waiting for Darion's response, he continued carrying the cages. After tossing the last cages inside, he climbed onto the cage again, just as he had done when opening the door. Meanwhile, Darion placed the final two cages inside.

Once the last cages were loaded, Vaegon closed the cage door. He then jumped onto Anogrion's head again and settled onto its back. Looking at the large cage, now lying on its side, and the 34 small cages haphazardly thrown inside, he ordered, "Anogrion, flip the cage back over."

At Vaegon's command, Anogrion used its head to flip the cage upright. Once the cage was righted, Vaegon said, "Alright, let's take our cages and head to the meeting spot with Elenya."

The trio flew toward the spot where they had first seen Elenya, near the barrier, carrying their cages. When they arrived at the meeting spot, they first set the cages down and then dismounted their dragons.

Vaegon said, "I think we should send the dragons to the tower. If people suddenly see giant flying lizards, they'll be scared, and that could cause problems for us."

Vaelar objected to Vaegon's words, "No! The dragons should stay here, and we should show our strength to those people. If they're scared, it'll work in our favor, Vaegon. Remember, fear is power. And fearful people will kneel before us more easily."

Darion, however, said, "Both of you have a point. But I think we should be a little less intimidating at first. Don't forget, we're currently standing inside a barrier. When Elenya entered, she acted so strangely, as if she felt she shouldn't be here. Our presence inside this barrier will likely already be frightening to them. That's why I say we should send the dragons to the tower."

At Darion's words, Vaelar stomped his foot in frustration. But there was nothing he could do. His dragon was the smallest among them, and the other two had the upper hand. He was confident Aeloris could kill one of them, but he didn't want to lose his newly reunited companion.

And so, the trio sent their dragons back to the tower they had just flown from.

With nothing else to do, they decided to take a nap in one of the empty cages. After the three of them lay down in front of the cage, Darion asked, "What do you guys remember from our old world?"

Vaelar immediately replied, "I remember how to make fertilizer, half of the song 'Maçka' by İsmail Türüt, and a few other songs."

Vaegon added, "I remember how to make soap, some tactics from historical battles, military training methods, and the folk song 'Ayva Çiçek Açmış.' That's all I can recall for now; if there's more, it's not coming to mind at the moment."

Darion said, "I remember the oath I took in the tower, a bit about sailing, and the song 'Yüksek Yüksek Tepelere,' which is sung at henna nights."

When Darion finished speaking, Vaegon exclaimed in shock and frustration, "You're only realizing this now? We don't know how to make wine or alcohol, one of the best ways to make money in the Middle Ages and in Westeros?! Damn it, boy! I didn't look into it, but did none of you even try to learn, you fools?"

At Vaegon's outburst, Vaelar said, "Calm down, Vaegon, forget it. We have dragons beneath us and the formula for Valyrian steel. If we don't know how to make alcohol, we'll learn. Now, let me sing you the 'Maçka' song to cheer you up a bit." And he began to sing:

---

**Maçka Song** 

I'm from Maçka, from Maçka, 

I'll take two wives, 

One goes to the barn, the other washes the dishes. 

Maçka, Maçka, oh Maçka, 

You've made me fall in love. 

What's one woman worth? 

Two wives are something else entirely. 

A real man's wife will be two, 

A real man's wife will be two, 

If the older one gets upset, he'll hug the younger one. 

One wife on his right, the other on his left, 

Two wives suit this man from Rize just fine. 

---

When the song ended, Vaegon couldn't help but smile. Seeing this, Vaegon said, "Since you sang, I'll sing the song I remember too. But I'm warning you now, my voice sounds like a crow's!" And he began to sing:

---

**Ayva Çiçek Açmış (The Quince Has Blossomed)** 

The quince has blossomed, will summer come? 

Will my heart give up on this love? 

Will my heart give up on this love? 

Will what you've done to me ever feel like enough? 

I've burned, oh God, I've burned, don't burn me again, 

Don't wake me from deep slumbers. 

Don't deceive me by saying you love me. 

I've crossed the roads of Ayaş and come here, 

I've measured your height against mine and come here. 

I've measured your height against mine, my dear, and come here, 

From among the beauties, I've chosen you and come here. 

I've burned, oh God, I've burned, don't burn me again, 

Don't wake me from deep slumbers. 

Don't deceive me by saying you love me. 

Do I have a caravan on the roads of Ayaş? 

Do you have a decree to kill me? 

Do you have a decree to kill me? 

Do I have a cure for my weeping and wailing? 

I've burned, oh God, I've burned, don't burn me again, 

Don't deceive me by saying you love me, 

Don't wake me from deep slumbers, 

Don't deceive me by saying you love me, 

Don't wake me from deep slumbers. 

---

When the song ended, they all burst into laughter. The stress and anxieties about the future that had been weighing on them for a long time—even though it had only been two days—began to ease. Darion, having enjoyed the others' singing, wanted to sing his own song.

"Alright, you've sung your songs, now it's my turn. Listen to my song!" he announced.

Vaelar immediately said, "Are you sure, Darion? This song is usually sung at henna nights to make the bride cry."

Darion laughed and replied, "I'm sure, Vaelar. I don't think this song will make anyone cry this time." And he began to sing:

---

**Yüksek Yüksek Tepelere (High, High Hills)** 

Don't let them build houses on high, high hills, 

Don't let them give their daughters to faraway lands, 

Don't let them look down on their mother's only child. 

Let it be known to the flying birds, 

I miss my mother, 

Both my mother and my father, 

I miss my village. 

If my father had a horse, he'd ride it and come, 

If my mother had a sail, she'd unfurl it and come, 

If my siblings knew my way, they'd come. 

Let it be known to the flying birds, 

I miss my mother, 

Both my mother and my father, 

I miss my village. 

---

When Darion finished his song, he noticed that Vaegon and Vaelar weren't laughing; in fact, they seemed a bit emotional. "What's wrong? Are you two getting married to someone without telling me? What's with this depression?" he asked.

Vaegon sighed and said, "When you sang that song, I thought of my mother and father. I miss them."

At Vaegon's words, Darion said, "Sorry about that, guys. Anyway, let's clear your heads. For example, Vaegon, why didn't you choose Mantarys or Elyria and instead chose Volantis? Tell me."

Vaegon wiped a tear from his eye and, regaining his composure, replied, "The reason I didn't choose Mantarys or Elyria is that, as mentioned in the books, they've closed themselves off from the outside world. I chose Volantis because it's the largest and closest city that trades with all of Essos and Westeros. I thought we could get goods or slaves cheaper there."

Just as Darion was about to respond, they heard Elenya's cheerful voice shouting, "I told you, my lord! See for yourself!"

Hearing Elenya's voice, the trio quickly stood up. They saw a large group of armored and armed people running toward them. They swiftly drew their weapons:

Vaegon drew **"Deathbringer,"** 

Vaelar drew **"Blue Shadow,"** 

And Darion drew **"Star Killer."**

They extended their blades forward. The crowd stopped near the barrier and, in an instant, drew their own swords. A deadly silence fell for a few seconds. The silence was broken by Elenya's joyful shout:

"My lord, look! I've completed the task you gave me!"

---

This version includes the translated songs seamlessly integrated into the text. Let me know if you need further adjustments!

Vaegon turned to Elenya and said, "Well done, Elenya. I will reward you for your service."

At Vaegon's words, a well-dressed man with a sword scar on his face stepped forward, pointing his sword at the trio, and said in a harsh tone, "Who are you to reward anyone? Introduce yourself first."

Irritated by the man's words, Vaelar angrily retorted, "And who are you to speak to us like this and demand answers? If you had spoken to me like this before, I would have had your tongue cut out!"

As he finished speaking, he struck the barrier with his sword. Vaegon, angered by Vaelar's action, frowned and said sharply, "Shut your mouth, Vaelar! I'm the one speaking here, or I'll shut it for you!"

At Vaegon's warning, Vaelar stepped back. When the atmosphere calmed again, another well-dressed man stepped forward from the crowd and, looking at Vaegon, asked, "I apologize on behalf of Lord Daemir. But truly, who are you?"

Vaegon, with a hint of arrogance, replied to the man, "I am Vaegon Belaegon, son of Aelayrs of House Belaegon and Jaenara of House Dracarysion, and the head of House Belaegon."