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Chapter 17 - Aftermath

Daemon found himself drifting, where? He did not know, how long? It could have been a few minutes or thousands of years, he was devoid of all his senses as he drifted. Though he soon found himself falling as the dark void started to light up, his senses opened up one by one until he disappeared from the void.

Daemon's eyes opened as he started gasping for air, his body ached and felt stiff, his eyes were blurry and he had trouble focusing on anything. He tried to move but discovered a pain coming from his stomach, he soon remembered what had transpired before and he felt himself grow concerned 'I hope the Queen is okay, but since I'm still alive I can imagine she is' he thinks to himself as he collapses back onto the soft bed.

He then just realised that he was in a soft bed and looked around, this was the Queen's wheelhouse more specifically her bed. He groans and puts more effort into getting out of bed, he manages to sit up on the edge he sees that he has breeches on but nothing else, his upper body had been bandaged but he could see the blood had soaked through slightly. He stands up but immediately falls to the ground only barely catching himself on the side of the bed.

He lifts himself on shaky legs holding the sides of the wheelhouse as he walks forward, he sees that Viserys is not in his cot. The light is pouring into the Wheelhouse from the cracks of the door and windows, he pushes the door to the wheelhouse open and the fresh air hits him, it does make him feel better as he closes his eyes letting it run across his skin. He steps down the stairs of the wheel house but his legs lose their strength and he falls to the ground.

He tries to push himself up but struggles, however, he then finds himself being lifted "Careful now lad, be a shame to have you die on us now" he hears someone say, he looks up and sees Barristan who was helping him up. He puts his arm around his shoulder and helps him to a seat that was next to a fireplace about a couple dozen feet away from the Wheelhouse.

Daemon's body feels relief as he no longer had to carry himself under his strength "Is Rhaella okay?" He asked getting a chuckle from the man. He was a good lad, even after coming close to being taken by the stranger he still worried about Rhaella.

"She's fine lad, she showed up just as I killed the last of the bandits that had shown up" Barristan replied as he gestured a servant over and whispered into their ear before they hurriedly went off and he sat next to Daemon.

Daemon knew she would be fine but it was nice to be reassured he slowly slumped into his seat, his body felt a tiredness that he hadn't felt before, he wondered if this was how his uncle felt being an old man. "What happened after I passed out," Daemons asks

Barristan smiles "When the Queen brought me and the rest of the guards to her wheelhouse we saw you still holding onto the Assassin even close to death you never let your grip falter" he says with pride in his voice.

"I had to use my aura to even peel your hands away from the corpse of the assassin," he said with a chuckle.

Daemon's eyes widened "Corpse? How did he die? He outclassed me in every way there's no way he could've died just to me holding him"

Barristan nods his head "You're right lad, but that's not the reason he died... tell me what do you know about the man who attacked the Prince yesterday?" He asked

Daemon shrugged his shoulders "He was strange he had an aura I've never seen before I couldn't even connect to it using my ability" he stated.

"You got incredibly lucky last night, the man you fought was a Faceless man, the most lethal assassin and killer in the world, and the reason his aura was strange was because it wasn't the same type that we use" Barristan explained.

"Our aura comes from our life, what they use comes from death, it is dark and powerful as it has no aura categories allowing them to use numerous abilities" he continued.

Daemon's confusion only grows, however, "Then how did he die? Surely if he was that powerful he could've escaped"

Barristan shook his head "Power comes at a cost and every faceless man is bound by a contract, if they fail to send their target to the stranger then their life is forfeit and they're cannibalised by their aura, turning them into shrivelled husk"

"He most likely realised that he wouldn't be able to beat me now that he'd lost the element of surprise and so he failed his contract making his life forfeit" he finishes, getting a slow nod of understanding from Daemon, he then realised how lucky he had gotten, he'd never heard of the faceless men before but if Barristan implied that he'd struggle in a fight with one it's a miracle that he didn't die.

However he is snapped out of his thoughts when Rhaella runs into him hugging him tightly making him groan slightly in pain "I'm so glad you're well Daemon, words can not express how grateful I am for saving me and my son" she whispers into his ear as she holds him tightly.

Daemon groans at the increased pressure making Rhaella realise what she was doing and quickly let him go "I apologise I was just overwhelmed with joy seeing you well" she said sheepishly.

Daemon smiled and shook his head "Think nothing of it your grace I simply did what anyone would've done" he said naively.

Barristan chuckled and shook his head "You do yourself a disservice, no one short of a Kingsguard would fight a faceless man to protect someone... even the most honourable knights would find themselves faltering in the face of their malicious aura"

Daemon smiles at them, he believes Barristan may be exaggerating but he appreciates the words "You've done a service to the crown Daemon, if you have a request then it shall be granted if it is within my power" Rhaella states as she takes a seat across from him.

Daemon thinks about it for a few seconds before shaking his head "My only goals in life are to grow stronger and to live a life with those that I care for, I do not need anything else other than that. So I appreciate the offer of your grace but I have no requests"

Rhaella's eyes soften at his words and even Barristan smiles, after spending so long in Kings landing meeting such an earnest person was a refreshing experience "Very well Daemon, if you change your mind I will always listen to any request you may have"

Daemon smiled at her and nodded his head "For the meantime however you will be going back into the wheelhouse and getting some rest, the Maester has said as long as you suppress your aura you should be healed up by the time we get to Lannisport" Rhaella commands

"I won't impose on you any longer your grace, please take your bed back I am perfectly fine with my own" he tries to reason, however, it all seems to fall on deaf ears.

"Nonsense you will take my bed until you have healed, if it makes you feel more at ease think of this as your queen's command," she says with a small side smile as she with the help of Barristan take him back to the wheelhouse.

(AN: So the Faceless men abilities have been revealed slightly. I think it's a decent way to explain their power, I mean a Nen Vow of that kind would be pretty dangerous.)

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