Queen Visenya, On route to Volantis...
The ship was cruising through the calm sea, the winds and tides were with them as they moved towards their next destination, the biggest and possibly the richest of all of the Free Cities...Volantis.
The city was the last stop of their original plans and the Prince would then have to decide just where they went next but for the moment there was a lot to do when they finally arrived at the city.
But the Prince as he stood on the deck watching as Kara flew around the deck, diving between the rigging and around the hull, amazing the men while scaring them too as they had not imagined such a creature being onboard and so close to them but none of them would never dare cross the prince who they noticed seemed to have the beast well under control.
Haeron smiled as Kara was getting better and better at flying, the dragon was still far too small to carry a rider but it was getting faster and faster and with more exercise and the rich diet of spiced meat Kara was getting bigger and bigger each day. Soon he would need to expand the inside the chest to make sure Kara could stay on the ship he thought with a smile but he could do that.
Turning to the deck he saw that Jonos was doing his duty as a septon and giving a service to the crew. He was Haeron had to admit with admiration a very good speaker and had all of the crew, including Jaime and Alicys and Kelis listening in rapt attention.
"The Father said we must do to others as we would like them to do unto us. As we travel we will see many strange and wonderful and terrible things but remember at the heart of every man, woman and child we see and meet, they are not so unlike us. They have hopes and dreams and beliefs and wants just as we do, so however different they appear on the surface...they are the same as us underneath." Jonos told them.
Haeron smiled, glad that the septon was trying to ensure that the crew saw beyond the surface and to treat others with respect if they wanted it back in return. But he also added jokes to keep things from getting so heavy that it depressed everyone, even dirty jokes at that but weaved a good message into it at the same time.
"So the man goes into the tavern, he gets drunk and is taken home by two women. They all end up in bed together and he has the night of his life. Both women love him and but he treats them like whores, so they take him for all he is worth as each one bears a child and saddle him with them forever. The moral of that story, treat people well or they will make you pay."
Dock near Storm's End, the Stormlands, Westeros...
The ship carrying Lord Steffon and Lady Cassana Baratheon had arrived only hours after a devastating storm had hit the area, had it approached the coast in those conditions it would almost certainly have been sunk or smashed to pieces on the rocks but thanks to their prolonged stay in Lys to aid the Prince they had been delayed long enough for the storm to lose strength and return home safely.
Waiting for them on the docks was Robert, home from the Vale to act as lord while his parents had been away and alongside him Stannis who like his elder brother was looking at the pair of them as they disembarked the ship with complete disbelief. Robert ran forward and grabbed them in a hug before they could say anything and caught both his mother and father completely by surprise.
"Thank the gods! We thought you were dead!" Robert said with joy in his voice as he and Stannis had watched the ship they had thought that they had been on be smashed to pieces on the rocks. When Robert finally put them down and they were able to breathe Cassana touched her eldest son's face and told him.
"What do you mean Robert? I know we are late but we are fine." She reassured him and he started rapidly speaking and it was hard to understand him. Steffon saw his younger son was looking rather more emotional than normal and went over to him, putting his arm around Stannis' shoulder and pulled him into a manly hug which Stannis surprisingly returned eagerly.
Steffon looked between his two eldest boys and wondered what had happened to make them both think he and Cassana were dead and would look forward to telling them the adventure he and their mother had in Lys but for now he and his wife comforted their sons and let them just enjoy the moment of them being alive.
- x -
The Red Keep, Kings Landing...
The Red Keep was still enjoying something of a relative peace as Aerys spent every waking moment with his new dragon egg, seeming to think it would hatch any moment if he held it long enough. He would spend hours just staring at it with complete devotion and in a world of his own as he had a dragon that would obey his every command and burn his enemies to ash on a whim.
That meant for the moment at least everything was peaceful in the castle, no burnings or other insults. Lord Lannister effectively ruled as the Hand of the King in his absence and everything was well.
Rhaella too had some unexpected news of her own, one that she had yet to share with anyone...she was pregnant again.
The sound of another child as it always had brought intense feelings inside her, the fear of losing the child as she had so many others and yet the chance that she would have another boy or girl to love was the dearest and greatest feeling in the world. She loved her sons and her daughter, they were the only real light and joy in her life and she would protect each of them fiercely against anyone that threatened them.
She had been more lucky in recent years with her pregnancies, the last three had gone smoothly so she could only hope that maybe this one would too. She was somewhat nervous as she had been supported by Haeron the last few times and he wasn't here for this one, she knew he had to be away right now and that had ironically calmed Aerys down as he was not feeling as threatened without him here.
She knew would have to be strong and take care of the others she thought with particular attention to Shaena, Daeron and Viserys not to mention this new one inside her. Rhaegar she wished she could depend on more but her second son was lost in a world of his own she thought with dismay and possibly would be wed soon given Aerys was now looking for a bride for him.
She just placed her hand on her belly and knew that the tiny child growing inside her would need her to be there for it. She promised that to herself that she would not fail her children...not again.
Queen Visenya, On route to Volantis...
Kara was flying high into the sky and squealing in delight before circling around the ship, then settled on the top of the mask and started screeching. Everyone looked up and saw the dragon seemed to be pointing towards the horizon ahead of them with some urgency, Haeron looked up at his dragon and could feel that it had spotted something that it wanted them to know about. So he took the telescope or Myrish glasses as they were known and looked in the same direct that his dragon was pointing in. His frown turning into a look of concern as he saw what his dragon had seen.
"What is it your grace?" Davos asked with worry that they were about to be attacked but Haeron told him something else.
"Ship in distress." Haeron told him calmly as they began to get closer.
- x -
Eventually after what seemed like an eternity the ship closed in on the other vessel, seeing it was now completely capsized and sinking by the stern. Debris in the water made them drop their speed to avoid a collision and the crew scanned the water all around them for any sign of any survivors, but they saw nothing at first.
Then they noticed two figures clinging tightly to a large piece of driftwood as the other ship went down, Haeron stripped down to his breeches and shirt before diving straight into the water which was thankfully calm and relatively warm. He powered through the water towards them and saw two young women about his age or younger struggling to hold on to the wood. He grabbed the youngest first who was noticeably having a harder time and supported her as they swam back to the ship, a rope harness quickly swung down from the ship and he secured the woman in it before swimming back for the other one while she was pulled from the water.
The second was a little older and her hair very silvery blonde but that mattered little to Haeron who helped her as she was clearly exhausted from the effort of clinging to the wood and helping the other one and leaned on him heavily as he helped her into the harness, both of them were hoisted out of the water and onto the deck. Dripping wet they were both grateful to be on deck and men came forward with blankets to wrap themselves up with.
Haeron gratefully wrapped up in the blanket Jaime gave him while the two women shivered in their own, now out of the water he was able to get a good look at them.
One was Valyrian, the silvery blonde hair and pale blue eyes that seemed huge. She was extremely beautiful and men on the deck were staring at her with awe even in her half drowned state.
The other young woman had some similar facial features and the same huge luminous eyes but she had hair that was a strange brown, some strands darker but some almost the same silver blonde as the other woman like her hair couldn't decide just what colour it wanted to be.
"Thank you." The older girl said eventually as she managed to speak.
"It was our pleasure my ladies. What was the cause of your ship's foundering?" Haeron said, wanting to know if there was something around here they needed to worry about. But the younger girl just shook her head and said quickly.
"A collision, we had a slow leak in the hull after striking a reef. It took a long time for us to even notice that the cargo hold was filling up. The cargo we carried broke free and the water made it slam into the hull, cracked it and the ship just flipped." The girl said with a tremor in her voice. "Most of the men were below deck when it tipped...he was below deck." She started saying with tears forming in her eyes as her grief clearly struck her hard. The older one put her arm around her and started whispering sweet words of comfort in her ears before continuing on the explanation.
"Our father was the captain of the ship, Alton Tarth. I'm Evelyn Tarth, this is my younger sister Grace." Evelyn now said to identify them. Davos seemed to remember something.
"Not the former heir to Tarth, Alton Tarth? The one that ran away to marry a woman from Dragonstone and abandoned his seat to his younger brother Selwyn?" Davos asked remembering it being talked about, it had been quite a scandal back in the day. The two young women glared at him before saying.
"He loved our mother, he gave up everything for her so they could sail the seas together as free as they wished." Evelyn said coldly to Davos who took a step back from her cold anger.
"I meant no offence my lady." Davos said putting up his hands as if in surrender.
"That's better...Merde." Evelyn said under her breath at all of this happening.
That word however immediately caught Haeron's attention, that curse word was not of this world. It belonged to another, a language that you would never find on this planet. He and Hermione had gone to France on their honeymoon and having a French sister-in-law he had heard in several times before. He was immediately both concerned and wondered how she had come to know that word.
"Lady Evelyn, might we have a word in private?" Haeron asked and the request seemed so out of place that it shocked every one, more Evelyn when he tested the waters by saying. "Immédiatement."
Her reaction to the word showed he was right, her eyes were as shocked as he had been when he had heard her speak French.
"I think that might be best." Evelyn said with a suspicious cold expression on her face, Grace didn't like her sister going off like this but she gave her a look of encouragement before discarding her blanket and walking with Haeron into the private quarters while everyone looked on in confusion.
The moment the door was closed and they were out of sight of everyone, Evelyn tried to cast a stunner on him but Haeron's reflexes easily let him block the spell and she conjured a fireball but the effort of holding seemed too much and she fell to the deck winded.
The momentarily weakness allowed Haeron to use his legimency to read her mind, he encountered occulmency barriers which only increased his suspicions and finally as he accessed the surface thoughts he saw a familiar face, one that he had never thought to ever see again.
"Fleur?" Haeron said in shock at his sister-in-law who looked up at him in shock. The name made her look up in shock that he had actually said her old name but then he helped her stand up and she stared at his face before breathing out his name in a whisper.
"Harry?" She could hardly believe it. They stared at each other in shock as they had both long ago resigned themselves to never meeting anyone from their old lives again. Both silent in their shock before he held out a hand to her and she took it even if the touch left a surge of awareness run through her just to make sure he was real.
"Do you know how we ended up here?" Haeron asked her, the last thing he remembered was going to be sleep in hospital surrounded by his children, adopted children, their own children and their children's children. He knew that he had died, he had been very old and sick by then and Hermione had passed away only a week before and it had been so hard to keep going without her. They had lived an extraordinary life together, raising all five children, watching them get married and start families of their own. Hermione becoming Minister of Magic, him Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and then Headmaster of Hogwarts. They had travelled the world together, studied magic and other things and made a home and beautiful life together. That hollow pang inside him made him miss Hermione again as he thought of his late wife and how much he wished she was here with him.
"No idea." Fleur said with honesty, she had been sleeping in her own bed as an old woman by then herself, Bill had been gone by then too and she had been living with her eldest daughter Victoire and her family at the moment and trying to enjoy what time she had with them to to ease the pain of her own grief. Her husband Bill had been the best husband and father she could have ever hoped for and living for years without him had been the hardest challenge she had ever faced. Her own children had been so worried for her that they had insisted she move in with them and spend time with them and their children.
"Its been so long, I never expected to find anyone else from Earth." Haeron said, not sure what to say as he and Fleur had not been on the best of terms since Hermione had married him rather than reconcile with Ron like Bill had wanted. Bill had been one of the Weasleys that had cut them off although Fleur had only done so to not cause any trouble in her marriage.
"Neither did I. What now?" Evelyn said with no idea just where to go with this but one thing was for certain, she didn't want to be alone again. Haeron didn't either and he said.
"We'll head to Volantis and make a decision there. How was it? Being raised on a ship? Were your family good to you?" Haeron asked her and she smiled.
"The best, in this world I was the daughter of Alton Tarth and a woman from Dragonstone, a dragonseed as they call them there. Since she was Valyrian and the Tarth family had some Valyrian blood from an ancestor a couple of generations back hence why I look the way I do. Grace has more of our father's family. Where did you end up?" Evelyn/Fleur asked him and he smiled before telling her.
"That's a long story."
- x -
Out on deck Grace meanwhile was telling those out on deck her and her sister's life story.
"I wonder what the Prince and your sister could be talking about?" Alicys wondered out loud and Jaime nodded in agreement, wondering the same thing. Jonos and Davos both had an idea given the woman's great beauty which unfortunately her sister had already thought too.
"My sister usually has that effect on men. Can't say I ever have." She said with a look of both sadness and self-doubt. But then a voice called out with annoyance.
"Do not say that! You are beautiful, the world lights up when you smile." Evelyn said as she came striding out of inside the ship. Her face gorgeous even in its anger and Grace looked down as her elder sister came over to her and forced her to look up and meet her in the eyes. "You are the most good hearted person I know with a light that is so warm and loving. Anyone would be lucky to have you." Evelyn told her and Grace tried her hardest to believe that but in the presence of her pure Valyrian sister she still felt like a mongrel.
"Either way, our next port of call is Volantis." Haeron said, briefly reminded of Neville and how inferior he had thought he was once when he saw how Grace felt compared to Fleur...Evelyn he thought who even in this life seemed to have retained some of her Veela allure. It wouldn't be easy growing up with that insecurity he thought before finding them quarters with Kelis and Alicys.
Regardless of what they did in the future, Volantis was their next stop either way.
Volantis, Essos...Two Days Later...
The largest of the Free Cities and a true rival for Braavos in terms of influence and power, Volantis was an awesome sight to those that were seeing the city for the first time.
The enormous harbour of Volantis was the largest that any of them had ever seen, the ships present were so incredibly varied that the Queen Visenya hardly even merited any notice compared to any other. They came into one of the city's largest docks that were usually only used by the largest slave galleys or Swan Ships of the Summer Islands, but one of the few in the city that could manage such a large ship.
Haeron walked down the gangplank as it lowered and met with the port officials, he paid for the berth and secured their place for a week or so.
Kelis being a former slave stayed aboard with Davos and the others while Haeron went into the city with Jaime, Alicys, Evelyn and Grace. Haeron first went to the merchants around the docks and paid for the ship to be reprovisioned before wandering into the city, one of the first places that came to was the Fishmonger's Square where the fishermen of the city sold their catch, the smell was very strong but as they walked into the city, Haeron gave Jaime and Alicys a lesson on the history of the city.
"The city was the first colony of the Valyrians outside of their own home. They used this as a trading post at first protected by the enormous Black Walls that still stand." Haeron told them as they looked over between a gap in the buildings and saw the enormous dark walls that surrounded the old city and where power was controlled from.
"As the centuries passed through both trade and wars Volantis grew more and more powerful and wealthy. The large natural anchorage making it the best harbour on this side of Essos." Haeron said as they moved through the city and then Evelyn smiled as she held her sister by the shoulder and told them.
"But the best way to tour the city is by elephant. So let's do that." Evelyn said with a smile as she pointed to a place that allowed the lending of elephants which she had noticed. Haeron raised an eyebrow while Jaime and Alicys looked slightly nervous at the idea.
Grace however managed a small smile for her sister, knowing she was doing this to try and cheer her up. Her sister had always been the strong one, the one that had tried to take care of her and try to teach and help her. Evelyn squeezed her shoulder gently in reassurance.
"Ride...an elephant." Jaime said with some fear as he looked at the enormous beast and Alicys gripped his shoulder as she felt the same way.
"It will be an interest experience." Haeron said with a small grin which Evelyn returned as Jaime and Alicys were slowly urged forward the steps that led to the small cab on the top of the elephant while a 'driver' took hold of some reins that started the elephant off.
The ride was somewhat uncomfortable but the height of the elephant allowed them to see more of the city, Evelyn and Haeron pointing things out as they came to each one. While Jaime was initially nervous he soon got over his fear and started to appreciate the ride although Alicys still clung to him as she was still deeply unnerved by the elephant.
Grace seemed to relax now and enjoy herself which Evelyn appreciated as they rode around the city, passing the enormous and grand Temple of the Lord of Light as he was known although both Haeron and Evelyn choose to steer well clear of those zealots that burned people alive. Perhaps it was the left over hostility towards how the muggles had once tried to kill them not to mention it was a particularly horrible way to die or just their revulsion of the idea of sacrificing anyone but neither Haeron nor Evelyn would have anything to do with them if they could help it.
Eventually they returned to the place where they had rented the elephant and disembarked before they then went to a place that Haeron had already heard of before coming to this city. Sitting among the brothels, storehouses and taverns that made up the area was a large four floored building known as Merchant's House. Many merchants and traders came here to do business and so it was the best place in the city to find people to join the Merchant Guild Haeron had created.
Entering the large building the smells from the kitchens instantly filled their noses and lively music filled their ears, people milling about and chattering to each other. Seeing this Haeron gave Jaime some money and told them.
"Get yourselves something to eat, I'll ask around for any potential new recruits." Haeron said and so with their bellies rumbling a little due to the smell of the food in the air they all sat at a table where a server came over and took an order from them. The food and drinks soon arrived and they tucked in with relish.
Jaime had never tasted this fish before, it was a strange shape to the other fish he had seen before but it was delicious and with the right vegetables and seasoning was divine in how well tasted. Alicys too was enjoying the same meal and smiled broadly at him as she asked him in-between bites.
"Can you believe how far we've come?" She said with excitement at travelling so far away from home. Jaime himself was grinning as widely as she was and told her,
"I know, and we still can go further. I would love to see the Summer Islands, what about you?" He asked, wondering just where she wanted to go. Alicys thought for a moment, biting her lip gently in a way that Jaime just couldn't look away from before telling him.
"Yi Ti, I have always heard such weird stories coming out of that place."
The pair of them continued talking about the places that they wanted to go, meanwhile elsewhere on their table Grace and Evelyn were speaking more quietly to themselves.
"What are we going to do now? Now the ship and father are gone." Grace asked her older sister, the death of their father was like an open wound for her but Evelyn told her with a calm determination to be strong for her sister.
"We keep going, the Queen Visenya seems like a good ship." Evelyn said but Grace frowned which gave Evelyn pause before asking her. "What is it?"
"Don't you want a home that isn't constantly moving?" Grace asked with a certain yearning in her voice. "A place where you know just what each day will bring? Not fighting through fog or pirates?" Grace told her with downcast eyes.
Evelyn was stunned as she had never thought that Grace felt that way, that she wanted to stay on land rather than sail. Maybe she thought her sister needed that stability that came from having a permanent home and pondered on just how they might give that to her.
Haeron unknown to all of them was watching and listening, smiling from the excitement of Jaime and Alicys while frowning slightly at Grace and Fleur/Evelyn. He was glad that Jaime and Alicys were excited to go to more places as they would likely be sailing onwards to more foreign ports soon but he had not decided just how far they might go yet.
But that was when he was summoned by the owner of this establishment.
"The Widow will meet with you now, follow me." An attendant came over and told him, Haeron nodded and followed the young man to a meeting room in the back of the large tavern. Sitting at a well appointed desk was an old woman with many lines on her face, a slight hump and thin grey hair.
"Greetings and thank you for seeing me...Widow of the Waterfront." Haeron said with a slight bow to the woman who was one of the most powerful people in the city. A former bed-slave she had come to own not only this large tavern but also several piers, docks and even shipping lanes in Volantis. That made her one of the most influential and wealthy people on this side of the Black Walls and someone who can rapidly get information from across the city and whisper in many ears.
"And to you Prince Haeron Targaryen...or do you prefer the Red Dragon?" She asked and Haeron merely shrugged.
"A name is a name, what matters today is what we can do for each other and more importantly how to make money." He said coming straight to the point and she chuckled in her rasping voice.
"Good, I like a man that gets straight to the point. Saves a lot of time rather than speaking pointless words." The Widow told him and they laid out the basis of their agreement and she signed up to his alliance. It would be a great benefit to her and to him as well but then she brought up a matter that might be of benefit to them both.
"One of the Triarchs, a member of the Elephants that has a rather...large problem. If we were to aid him with this issue then he would be in our debt and using that could bring several other wealthy and powerful merchants and moneylenders into this alliance. Enough to expand the network to the far east. Do you think we might seek to aid him?" She asked him with a grin and Haeron raised a questioning eyebrow before asking her.
"What sort of problem?"
- x -
It took a day for the Widow to get a message to the Triarch in question who responded much more quickly than Haeron had suspected and had allowed himself and Evelyn to go to meet the Triarch in private, perhaps because unlike the rest of their crew they looked Valyrian.
They rode horses the length of the Long Bridge, a long span with great pillars that looked like it had been made of a single long piece of stone. Built at the height of the Valyrian Freehold it was a marvel and the longest bridge in the world, houses lined both sides of it as they rode along it and then up to the large gates of the Black Walls which were open and allowed them to enter the Old Volantis district where the Old Blood as they were known ruled from.
The Eastern district and the oldest of the city was a complex maze elaborate palaces and decorative courtyards, not to mention huge towers and pretty cloisters all linked together with well maintained bridges and roads.
The amount of wealth on display was so over the top it made Haeron and Evelyn share a look of disgust, Haeron being a prince had been raised in the Red Keep and was used to displays of wealth but nothing on this level and Evelyn having spent most of her life on a ship so life had been far more practical for her. They were escorted through the streets until they reached an enormous palace with dragon shaped statues and decoration.
The pair of them stayed aloft as they were led inside, the displays of wealth inside were even grander than those outside and they had to restrain themselves from rolling their eyes at the pathetic showing off.
"Triarch Saraenia will see you now." A steward said as they arrived and showed them into an elaborate parlour where the man was waiting for them.
He, being one of the three Triarchs, Ryen Sarenia was sitting on a throne like chair, he was one of the 'Old Blood' who could apparently trace their lineage all the way back to the Valyrian Freehold. Typical of a Valyrian he had silver hair that was now going white with age, pale blue eyes and a face that was deeply lined with all of his years. Haeron was however aware that he was perhaps the wealthiest of all of the Old Blood in the city, enough to make House Targaryen look like peasants in comparison. There was a woman sitting at his side, many years younger than her husband but at least twenty years older than him and Evelyn. Even considering this she was still stunning in her beauty, taller than her husband with a figure of a woman half her age and fair skin, not to mention long silver hair that looked like silk and haunting alluring violet eyes. This was his wife Saenys Rosti, daughter of a rich family from Lys and mother to his four children.
The three eldest were sons, all grown and a few years older than Haeron himself. The three of them not well built and seemed to have larger bellies, probably from a lazy lifestyle as all their needs were catered to by an army of servants/slaves. They had never had to lift a finger in their entire lives and it showed, something that both Haeron and Evelyn who knew what hard work was disliked immediately.
"Greetings Prince Targaryen, welcome to Volantis. I see you have brought your paramour with you." Ryen said which immediately made Evelyn blush slightly which confused Haeron as she had never been so modest about such things before but he politely corrected the statement.
"Your invitation is most welcome Triarch Saraenia, however while she is a great beauty the lady at my side is not my paramour. This is Lady Evelyn Tarth, of the noble house of Tarth in Westeros." Haeron said calmly and while Evelyn preened at being called a great beauty she did seem somewhat disappointed at not being his paramour.
Haeron did notice this which confused him slightly but knowing this was not the time or the place he pressed on or would have if they had not been interrupted by one of the sons.
"Then perhaps she might be willing to grace our home for company?" He said with a sleazy look on his face which was echoed by his brothers but their mother to her credit censured them.
"Cael, Rorix, Talmar...she is a guest in our home and a noble lady! Respect her and the Prince too. I apologize to you both for their rudeness." Lady Saenys said with a glare that made the boys look quickly away before coming to the point of why they had been invited. "It is for our daughter that your aid is needed. Our only daughter Harmony has gone missing, along with her friend who is also of the Old Blood Vaena Baelerys. We are certain they have not been kidnapped as no ransom has been demanded and given the wealth of our family and the Baelerys they are worth far more alive than dead. We have tried ourselves to find them but to no avail, we hoped that you might be able to succeed we're we have failed." Lady Saenys told them with some urgency given how worried she was although whether it was for her daughter or their reputation it was hard to say.
Haeron and Evelyn both now understood what they needed although how they were supposed to find this girl they had no idea. They might try with magic but whether that would work who could tell.
"She was named Harmony due to how we met." Ryen said, smiling as he took his wife's hand who squeezed it back despite their fear for their daughter, taking comfort in each other. "I was on a trip to Lys for business and found this most beautiful woman under a tree singing to herself. It was the most incredible sound that I have ever heard from that day to this and when we were graced with a daughter, there was no other name that would suit her."
The love between Ryen and Saenys was surprisingly genuine, they really did love each other despite the age gap and it was something of a nice shock to Haeron and Evelyn it did not change the fact they would need to find these two girls. Evelyn asked one thing before they left.
"Do you have a possession of hers that we could borrow? It might aid in finding her." Evelyn said and like magic a hairbrush appeared literally only a minute or two later.
Recognising that they had been dismissed they took the brush and left, being escorted all of the way out of Old Volantis and back to the ship as if to make sure they did not linger in the same area as them.
Both of them went to Haeron's cabin and locked the door, not bothering to speak to anyone and making sure they were alone before they spoke.
"Do we even want to try this? Wasting our time and energy on trying to find some likely spoiled brat?" Evelyn said with a dismissive sneer which again seemed a bit much but Haeron shrugged.
"Having the favour of a Triarch might help many long term goals. Besides, hopefully we will not have to do much. A tracer spell should work now we have the brush." Haeron said with calm resignation but Evelyn frowned and seemed surprised.
"You can use your magic?" She asked, seeming shocked that he had found a way. "I have been trying for years and can barely summon anything but a tiny part of my allure and very basic spells for brief moments. How can you do it?" She asked him with a mystified look on her face.
Haeron held up his ring and let her see it as he explained.
"I discovered that a fire opal can act as a foci, the gold isn't as effective but the opal helps with magic. Not to mention when...Hermione and I were travelling the world later on in life we stayed in India for a time. There we learned their meditation arts of channelling magical energy. It helps open up the pathways for it to flow through the body and build its strength. That's why I'm much taller in this lifetime as I was practising it through puberty along with fairly intense physical exercise." Haeron explained to her and Evelyn seemed shocked at this while her hand touched his ring and the softness of her touch was sending a sensation through his body as his touch did through hers.
They stayed like that for a moment before breaking apart, not sure what to make of what was happening and eager to change the subject Haeron got a map of the local area and further afield in case she wasn't close by and put the brush on top of it. This was the most elaborate spell that he had done in years and he held his ring as he chanted.
"Monstra mihi, Invenite eos, super hac mappa, invenite eo." He repeated over and over, his magic connecting to the echo of the missing woman that had attached itself to the brush, this spell was something else that he and Hermione had learned on their travels but it while it was effective it could be easily blocked if a target was actively trying to hide so it was useless in hunting anyone trained in magic.
The brush began to lift upwards which showed it was working and then with the pointed end of the handle, stabbed into one part of the larger map which made both Haeron and Evelyn look in dismay.
"Why there?" Evelyn said with a sigh as she realised just where they were going to have to go. She would rather go through the entire Triwizard Tournament all over again than go there but it was where the useless tart was.
"I don't know but if she was dead then it would have taken twice as long to find her, so she is alive somehow." Haeron said as he massaged his temple in frustration at the journey they would need to make.
"It could take days of riding to get there and portkeys are no good as we have never been there before. So apparation is the only option." Evelyn said with a frown as she had not managed to apparate since she had been reborn in this world. Haeron grimaced as he had not managed it either let alone with carrying someone with him but he would have to try.
"We'll need to make sure that no one notices our absence while we're gone." Haeron said with a resigned look. Evelyn nodded in agreement as given how much non-magicals feared magic but it would only be a problem for them if anyone found out they had it.
Haeron then heard a worried moan and turned to see Kara was poking their head out of the special trunk he had made, Haeron smiled and went over to his dragon and gently rubbed their snout, seeing the dragon shocked Evelyn who had not yet met the dragon. He beckoned her over and she gently petted the dragon who preened at the attention.
Seeing her relax with his dragon made Haeron think about the two eggs he had and perhaps now that Kara was larger, it was time to do something about it.
- x -
The following day, Haeron and Evelyn dressed in rugged travel clothes told the crew as they went to a pair of horses that had been provided for them.
"We are riding to the mountains due north to find the missing lady, when we find her we will attempt a rescue on our own. If the odds are too extreme we will return for more help." Haeron told them and they all Jaime especially looked unsettled.
"I should be going with you." He said and Haeron nodded before telling his squire.
"Maybe, but sometimes what matters is being where we need to be and that for you is being here on the ship with Davos and protecting everyone else. There will be other times." He told Jaime who reluctantly nodded as Evelyn said goodbye to Grace and gave her a hug.
Before their nerve failed they gave a nod to everyone else and walked down the gangplank and mounted their horses, riding off and out of the city as quickly as they could.
They rode for sometime until they came to a tree that was isolated and in the middle of nowhere, tying up their horses they made sure no one was around and Evelyn took hold of Haeron's arm, they both shared one last look as this was the very last chance to back out before with a pop, they vanished into thin air.
Valyria, the Valyrian Peninsula...
The two of them reappeared in the middle of what had once been the capital city of the Valyrian Freehold, gasping for breath the moment they arrived until Haeron quickly cast the bubble head charm over both of them and allowing them to breathe properly, after getting their breath back they looked around and saw what remained of Valyria for themselves.
It was a like a scene from the apocalypse, the sky was so thick with dark grey clouds being whipped up by a strong and powerful wind, the sun was not visible at all through the clouds and the only light came from the volcanoes around them that seemed even now after all of these centuries to be erupting if not extremely slowly, leaving small rivers of lava to run all over the place. The many towers and buildings of the city still stood which was a testament to their strong construction, withstanding the Doom as well as they had even if some damage was clearly done with scorch marks all over them and the top of the towers missing or damaged.
Dust and debris covered the ground but sticking out of the ground they were standing on hands, legs, torsos and heads of blackened and twisted bodies of both dragon and human alike. Who the humans had been was totally impossible to tell, whether slave or Valyrian they had been rendered unrecognisable in death.
It was a humbling thought to both of them as they looked at the vast number of bodies that stretched out as far as they could see, it mattered not who you were in life as in death...everyone is equal.
They both shared a look and went to look for their target, they could see no movement in the ruined city but then as they looked down in the dirt that their feet sank slightly into as they walked they saw vague human shaped footprints that were not their own, seeing this as a good sign they began moving into the city with great care following the footprints as they honestly were sure that a single wrong move in this place would likely get you killed.
As they looked out over the rivers of lava they noticed something moving inside the molten rock, just before a massive serpent like fire worm burst free of the lava, glowing with the intense heat and began snarling, the two of them running for it before it took notice of them but as they did so they only just managed to stop before plunging into a pool of black ooze that was steaming with heat.
As they stopped and hung on the edge of the pool they saw that something moving inside it, just on the surface. Reflexes made Haeron draw Crimson Heart and just in time as a creature burst free from the ooze and leapt at them, he moved and cut it in two with his sword, steam rising from it as it hit the ground in two pieces. It resembled a snake in shape but with limbs, three clawed legs on each side and quills sticking out of its back. Backing away from the ooze Haeron remembered something he had read in Septon Barth's Dragons, Wyrms, and Wyverns: Their Unnatural History, how Aerea Targaryen had died and such creatures came out of her body, dying from the cold ice bath that they had put her in.
Uncomfortably now he could guess how Aerea had become infested with such creatures, she would not have had a sword to defend herself with if one such creature had lunged at her but seeing more pools of the same ooze around them he grimaced, seeing why apart from the gases in the air which would surely choke you to death no one ever returned from Valyria. Evelyn who was more afraid than she would care to admit having never seen anything like it in all of her days, she clung to Haeron for comfort and security. He pulled her close to him and held her in one arm as he too more afraid than he would like to admit himself but knew they had to keep it together. They moved away from the pool quickly to avoid any more of the creatures.
Then just as they thought things couldn't get any worse, a loud roar echoed through the air so loudly that it caused their ears to actually hurt from its incredible volume. They looked around for the source as what ever it was roared again and their eyes widened in both shock and fear at what they saw.
A massive creature was moving through the air above them, screeching in that terrible way but what really was frightening was its appearance. It was a dragon, but not one like either of them had seen in this world or on Earth. Its size was immense, flying so quickly and at a distance it was hard to judge it accurately but it had to be at least four hundred feet long maybe more. Not to mention it had pitch black scales but all along its body were glowing orange lines that glared fiercely with their own inner light.
Then as both Haeron and Evelyn were staring at this creature it seemed to notice them and turned to them, seeing its red eyes lock onto them but what was even more disturbing about this was that there was no pupil in those burning red eyes, it was just a burning red light.
It opened its enormous mouth and let out a blast of green flames that roared into the air. Haeron knowing they were in great danger grabbed Evelyn and pulled them towards the nearby towers which were close enough and large enough to provide some protection, they felt rather than saw the demonic dragon hit the ground with its strange green fire and the wave of heat was burning their backs as they fled.
They kept running and heard it screeching again before ahead of them they saw a palace like building with a large door that surprisingly opened ahead of them and to their shock a woman with silver hair and dark skin waved at them.
"COME ON!" She shouted and seeing it was better than staying out in the open they both raced inside and the strange woman slammed the door closed behind them. She turned to them and glared.
"Well, you certainly stirred up a mess now!" She scolded them but Haeron glared at her with Evelyn who told her sharply.
"We wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for you! I assume you are Vaena Baelerys?" She asked and the woman blinked at the mention of her name before frowning.
"You found us here?!" Vaena exclaimed in shock as she had assumed they were here to seek the riches of Valyria like they had been. But if they had been sent after them that was worrying that they had not only managed to track them here but follow them at the same time.
"You're using the bubble head charm! How do you know that spell?" Another voice demanded and Haeron and Evelyn turned to see Harmony Saraenia standing there, her face suspicious and holding a necklace with a fire opal in it.
"How do you?" Haeron asked back and held his ring out.
The stalemate held for a moment as they threatened each other, the fact that both of them had a fire opal meant they both knew magic and how to use it. Evelyn and Vaena looking nervously between them as they wondered if they were about to kill each other. Both studying the other before any kind of attack.
Harmony was exceptionally beautiful; her legs were long and her waist small, her teats large, her skin clear and seeming to almost glow and her silvery blonde hair falling to her mid back. Her penetrating violet eyes staring intently in his.
Haeron meanwhile was also being studied by her and she was somewhat flustered by what she saw.
Something about the stare he was giving her, she couldn't help but be reminded of the only man that she had ever known with as strong a glare as that.
At the same time he was seeing that look in her eyes, so intelligent and yet strong minded. Reasoning and logical but with so much compassion.
They both lowered their hands, knowing each other as only those who had years of friendship and love between them ever would.
Both Vaena and Evelyn were confused at this sudden turn of events before they read each other's minds, letting their barriers down so they could see into each other's minds and confirm their identities.
They could hardly believe it, they had never expected to meet again...resigned themselves to never see each other and although both of them were now in different bodies and looked very different to how they had before...they knew who each other was.
They walked over to each other and each held out a hand, their palms touching and the bolt of energy flowed between them, whispering to each other so only they could hear.
"Harry." Harmony whispered and then Haeron whispered back.
"Hermione."
They stayed like that for a long time before Haeron took a gentle hold of her hand and placed a kiss on it much to the shock of their audience. Harmony blushed but also grinned.
"Let's talk." She said calmly before they all sat down in the hall of the building. Evelyn not sure what was going on took a seat in what looked somewhat like the main lobby of Gringotts.
"This is Fleur." Haeron told Harmony who looked at Evelyn in surprise who just shrugged before he told her. "And you remember Hermione."
The fact that Harmony was Hermione made Evelyn/Fleur blink in surprise but at the same time she was slightly jealous which was something she had never really felt before at least towards another woman. Seeing Hermione who was now in some ways more beautiful than she was in her previous life and without her own allure made Fleur feel less than them. They had found a way to channel and use their powers while she had not.
However Haeron put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder to comfort her much to her surprise Harmony also smiled at her before telling them just what they had been doing all of this time and why.
"Vaena and myself have been friends since we were little." Harmony told them with a smile to her friend who was still very lost in just what was happening but nodded in agreement and managed a slight smile. "She designed my necklace. She has a natural gift for jewellery design and is a dedicated healer, learned from her grandmother." Harmony said holding up the necklace for them to see and it was an amazing piece of work Haeron and Evelyn thought with nods of approval. Inside a set of interlocking triangles made of gold was a fairly large fire opal. The design was intricate and well made. They had to admit Vaena was very talented.
"But both of us hate the slavery and we have been trying to help as many as we can escape, but every one we rescue ends up being recaptured since they have nowhere to go. Our families have been trying to distance themselves from us as they both enjoy profits from the trade. So we came here in the hopes of finding the resources to get them somewhere safe." Vaena said as spoke up turning to Harmony who smiled in agreement before admitting to them just how they had gotten into this mess.
"Protected by her magic we managed to go through the cities of Valyria, we found everything that was left after the Doom before that creature showed up and started chasing us around." Vaena told them, meaning the dragon outside obviously. "I think its defending its territory but how it survived the Doom I can't guess at."
"If it had been here during the Doom it would have died, there are enough Dragon skeletons out there to prove that." Evelyn said with certainty although it still confused her just where it had come from before Haeron remembered the immediate history after the Doom, a story not just from his own house's history and also something that he had read in Septon Barth's work.
"Not all of the Dragonlords died in the Doom." Haeron said with a worried look on his face. "There was one named Aurion, he gathered an army and his dragon and went into the ruins of Valyria to reclaim the Empire. He disappeared and was never heard from again, but if he died and his dragon didn't then it would become wild. Then nearly two centuries later Balerion the Black Dread returned to Valyria with Aerea Targaryen, something here injured him. The most powerful of all Targaryen dragons, it would need to be at least that thing's size to do that to him." Haeron said with a grimace at the danger this represented to them.
"The dark magic is strong here, dragons live at least three centuries and if he was exposed to that dark magic for all of those years...then he will have mutated into a monster like the one we saw outside." Harmony said with a look of compassion for the poor creature even if it was trying to kill them.
"Well we can debate this all we like but it doesn't change that we are still stuck in here. That thing just doesn't give up, it followed us through all of the other cities of Valyria and now it has us trapped." Vaena said sternly trying to get them back to the real problem. Haeron nodded to her in agreement before asking.
"Just what is this place?" He asked seeing it was extremely well fortified. Harmony smiled before telling them.
"The Valyria Bank. All of the Free Cities have one and Valyria as it turns out was no different. Its a merchant bank like the Iron Bank in Braavos so it was heavily reinforced to deter thieves." Harmony said and Haeron nodded before the ground shook hard followed by a tremendous roar. They all looked around as dust was shaken into the air and the furniture was knocked around while they gripped each other.
"It's trying to dig us out!" Vaena cried out in fear and Haeron gritted his teeth before telling them as he got to his feet.
"Take cover. I'll be back in a minute." Haeron told them and Harmony looked at him with worried eyes.
"Your aren't going to do something stupid are you?" She asked and he checked his two swords said.
"I prefer to think of it as bold."
"So yes then." Harmony said with fear.
Haeron just gave her a grin before apparating away, both Vaena and Evelyn turned to Harmony and Evelyn asked with fear.
"What's he going to do?"
"You know Harry, something stupid and daring that is probably going to get him killed if his luck doesn't hold out." She said with a depressed resignation, clearly he wasn't so different in this life as he had been in his last.
- x -
Haeron reappeared on top of one of the nearby towers, the height was intimidating but the dragon below was what fully too his attention. Haeron gritted his teeth as he saw it attacking the merchant bank building, clearly trying to rip it open or scare them out so it could get at them.
He had never faced a creature like this before but he was not a Gryffindor for nothing and he held his hand up and yelled out.
"Lumos solem!"
The intense blast of light appeared from his hand and that combined with the yell managed to get the mutated dragon's attention. It stopped attacking the bank and turned to face him, screeching as it did so and took flight, charging straight at him.
Haeron apparated again in time to avoid the blast of green fire as it hit where he had just been standing with, melting the top of the tower but appeared instead of appearing on the ground or another tower, he appeared in the air just above the dragon itself. He free fell for a moment, just long enough to draw his swords and them as he landed on the back of the dragon he stabbed them both into its think hide.
The creature seemed to hardly feel it but felt him and was enraged at someone daring to be on its back, it thrashed around wildly trying to throw him off but clinging tightly to his swords Haeron managed to stay on as it flew through the air wildly.
His muscles strained with the intense effort required to stay on the dragon's back, his face tight with concentration but he was not going to be able to stay there forever, knowing that this was his only chance he pulled Blackfyre free and managed to stay on by clinging onto Crimson Heart until he was able to stab Blackfyre further up the dragon's back and then did the same thing with his other sword to make his way up its back.
The dragon continued to thrash around to get him off but Haeron held on with all that he was worth, working his way slowly up the dragon's back until he reached a point near the upper chest around and with all of his remaining strength as the wind thundered through his ears and buffeted his face, he plunged Crimson Heart into the dragon's back again and hoped that he hit what he was aiming for.
The pained scream of the dragon let him know the blade had found its mark, while the belly of a dragon was large its actual heart was further back and more towards its neck. He had seen the diagrams Septon Barth had left about dragon physiology and knew where the heart was and apart from the brain it was the only real vulnerability a dragon like this had.
The dragon struggled in vain against death but Crimson Heart had special properties that let it resist and even defeat magic, as it had done against the ghost of Harren Hoare. The dragon could not hold itself in the air and it came down hard against the ground and slid along with the force of its impact, sliding dangerously close to a lava pit before thankfully coming to a hard stop. Haeron still gripping his swords which were buried in its back, he stayed there breathing heavily for a moment as he tried to regain his wits and calm his racing heart.
Eventually he pulled both of his swords free and used his breeches to wipe them clean of blood before returning them to their scabbards. He slid off its back and turned to see the others approach him and stare in amazement or in Harmony/Hermione's case annoyance.
"Still pulling off crazy stunts I see." She said with her arms folded crossly but he just grinned at her and she sighed in frustration knowing that this was who he was and all of it was done to save them so how could she be mad. Instead she held her necklace and concentrated her magic, the corpse of the dragon shrinking before their eyes. Vaena had clearly seen this before as she did little but blink at how the massive creature was now so small it could fit inside the preserving pouch that Harmony had. As Haeron and Evelyn meanwhile stared she told them.
"The leather will be good, given the age of the dragon and the magic not to mention there will be a lot of it due to the size." Harmony said and told them with a sigh. "I suppose we should show what we have managed to salvage so far." She told them and as she turned to return to the bank her coat parted enough that the scabbard of a sword at her waist and the hilt of one, more slender than usual for a long sword became visible.
"I didn't think you were the sword type." Haeron said to her with a grin and she smirked before telling him.
"It's growing on me. Found this in Rhyos, one of the ruined cities." She told him before turning back to the bank with a noticeable sway to her hips. Haeron who had never seen her this way was smirking too, glad of her greater confidence. Evelyn he could see was struggling with her own and he took her hand to guide her as Harmony and Vaena went to show them what they had managed to salvage so far.
Leading them into the vaults of the bank they were amazed at all that they were seeing. The vaults of the bank had piles and piles of gold, silver, platinum and precious stones of all kinds that were not only the bank's own stocks but also some which had been looted from the cities by Harmony and Vaena and some in the form of jewellery and objects made of such materials. The immense fortune was likely beyond anything any of them had ever dreamed but that was not all that they had found. Moving to the next vaults a level down there were a number of vaults full of Valyrian steel weapons and armour, all kinds of designs and shapes to suit all kinds of people, among them was a large horn about six feet long made of a material they could not identify with a black sheen and bands of red gold and Valyrian steel around it.
Then there were vaults containing magical objects such as glass candles and bows made of dragon bone. Going down to the next level the vaults were filled with pieces of art; paintings, statues, sculptures, murals from buildings and more before the next level was filled with books and scrolls, seeing the vast amount of books here Haeron could not help but smirk alongside Evelyn and said.
"I see old habits don't change." He said to Harmony who ignored the jab and gleefully told them.
"All of the knowledge of Valyria...well as much of it that survived the Doom anyway." She admitted with a shrug before Vaena then showed them something very interested.
A large glass tank with plants inside and on those plants were a large number of worms, the sight of them confused the two newcomers before Vaena told them with excitement.
"Valyrian silk worms. They make the finest, softest, most durable silk in the world." Vaena told them and then as she checked to make sure the worms were doing well before explaining. "We found this colony in Tyria, how they managed to survive I don't know but they are the last colony that we have found in existence."
"Speaking of endangered species, that brings us to the last level." Harmony said as she led them down to the final level of the bank's underground stronghold. Inside were chests all about the size of the ones that they had all had a Hogwarts, all red with markings which looked unremarkable until Harmony opened one and showed them what was inside.
A row of six scaly looking eggs, all a different colour with different patterns. Haeron in particular knew what they were having seen several and three of them very recently. He smirked as they looked around the chests that held the eggs preserved and if each one held six...they now had a lot of eggs, more than enough to give one to all members of House Targaryen with the exception of Aerys and still have plenty for future generations.
"From the hatcheries in Aquos Dhaen and Rhyos." Harmony said proudly before adding. "We still have to check this city though. The other cities were destroyed by that mutant dragon so anything else that is left is here."
"So...let's go." Vaena said with excitement now that the monster dragon was gone and they could finish their search of the city.
Haeron noticed though that Evelyn was fixated on one of the dragon eggs in the still open box. It was a nice shade of pale blue, the same colour as the robes worn by the students of Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. He smiled and went over, closing the box much to her disappointment but keeping it separate so they could find it again. He then told them with a smile.
"Dragons use their own fire to hatch eggs, and I have a dragon already hatched. Enough for you all to have a dragon of your own. So let's get this done and get out of here." He told them with excitement as this was a boon unlike anything that he had dreamed of. The other three girls quickly began to look excited too as they all wondered on just what was out there.