The next morning arrived with a crisp chill in the air as Skoll and Hati stood motionless within the deep shadows of the harbor.
Skoll had woven a subtle layer of magic around them, an enchantment designed to slide the gaze of any observer away from their position. As long as they remained shrouded in the dark, they were effectively invisible to the bustling port workers and sailors.
The wolf and the man watched in silence as the final crate was hauled onto the deck of the ship from Dorne. Once the cargo was secured, the crew began their final preparations for departure.
Some of the sailors lowered a small rowing boat into the water. They carried an anchor that was connected to the main vessel by a heavy line.
The men rowed with steady strokes until they reached deeper water, where they dropped the anchor and signaled back to the ship before rowing back to join their comrades.
On the main deck, the crew worked in unison to rotate the capstan. The rhythmic clicking of the mechanism echoed across the water as the ship was slowly winched toward the drop point, pulling itself into the deeper currents of the ocean.
Skoll clenched his fist in triumph and felt a grin tugging at his lips beneath his helmet when he saw the massive sails finally drop. The wind caught the canvas, and the vessel began to cut through the waves.
"Hopefully it will be the last time these people are treated as cargo," Skoll muttered to himself. He reached down to run his hand through Hati's soft, thick fur, finding warmth in the wolf's presence.
The crates that had been loaded onto the ship returning to Dorne did not contain spices or silks. Instead, they held the people Skoll had spent his time freeing.
As he had promised, they were now on their way to the Dornish coast to begin new lives defined by freedom and opportunity rather than collars.
"Shall we?" Skoll asked. Hati answered by nuzzling his head against Skoll's side in a show of affection.
The two of them dissolved into the darkness, moving through the shadows of the city as they made their way back toward the Targaryen mansion.
Skoll reentered the mansion and emerged from the gloom a short distance away from his personal quarters. He stopped when he saw little Daenerys knocking insistently on his door while a nervous female servant stood beside her.
"He is likely still sleeping, Princess. We should leave him be," the servant pleaded. She clearly did not wish to risk disturbing the giant warrior.
The little girl placed her hands on her hips and shook her head with a look of pure disappointment. "Lazy old man," she grumbled, turning around to stomp away.
"Am I now?" Skoll asked from behind her. He let a playful glint enter his eyes, though his smirk and eyes remained hidden by his metal visor.
Daenerys spun around, her face instantly lighting up. "Uncle Skoll! Can I play with Hati?" she asked, throwing her arms up in excitement as if she had not just been insulting his work ethic.
"I suppose I cannot say no to a face like that," Skoll muttered. He reached down and carefully picked the girl up, placing her securely on Hati's back.
The wolf stood patiently as the girl gripped his fur, and the three of them began to walk through the wide hallways of the mansion.
"Always the helm," Daenerys muttered after a few moments, pointing a finger at his face. "Take it off. I want to see." She made frantic gestures, urging him to reveal his face.
"You don't think the armor looks good on me?" Skoll asked. He reached out and gave her a gentle nudge on the cheek with his finger.
"You look silly. Proper knights take theirs off when they are home," the girl said with blunt honesty. "See? Hati says so as well." She giggled when the wolf let out a soft snort from beneath her.
Skoll clicked his tongue and whispered, "Cheeky brat," under his breath. He reached up and unlatched the heavy helmet, pulling it free and clipping it to his belt.
"Are you happy now?" he asked. The girl responded by reaching her arms out toward him again. He chuckled and lifted her from the wolf, placing her comfortably on his broad shoulder.
"I will take care of her for now. Thank you," Skoll said to the servant who had been trailing them. To his surprise, the woman looked at him with significantly less fear than she had in the previous days.
She offered a quick bow and departed, giving Skoll one last look as if she had seen him for the first time.
"To mother," Daenerys commanded, pointing her small hand toward Rhaella's chambers. "Hati is better." She leaned down from Skoll's shoulder and patted Hati's head to indicate that the wolf was her preferred mount for the journey.
Skoll placed her back onto the wolf and they turned the corner into the hallway where Rhaella was staying. He was heading there regardless of the girl's whims.
This time, Skoll noticed that Ser Willem was not standing guard outside the door. He gave a small shrug and knocked before entering.
"Enter," Ser Willem's voice called from within. Skoll stepped inside to find the old knight sitting on a chair near the bed. The former Queen was sitting up, her brow furrowed in deep concentration as she tried to move her toes and fingers.
"This is harder than giving birth. Oh! you should take the helm off more often." Rhaella muttered, letting out a tired sigh before giving him a smile.
Skoll chuckled as Hati walked over and laid down beside the bed, with Daenerys still clinging to the wolf's back.
"Ser Willem," Skoll said, nodding to the knight. "I am surprised to see you sitting down for once."
"I was the one who told him to rest," Rhaella interjected with a shake of her head. It was clear that convincing Willem to abandon his post, even for a moment, had been a difficult battle.
Willem said nothing in his own defense. He simply gave Skoll a respectful nod and returned to his watchful position as he remained seated near the door.
Rhaella looked at Skoll and then tilted her head toward Willem, silently signaling how stubborn the old man could be.
Skoll shrugged in response and began opening the bag he had brought with him. He took out a brown glass flask filled with Dornish Red and placed it on the bedside table.
Next, he produced a small ceramic container. When he opened the lid, a fine silver powder could be seen shimmering inside.
"Thank you," Rhaella said. gesturing towards the wine before She watched with interest as Skoll began to mix the silver powder into the usual bowl of medicinal broth he prepared for her.
"I spoke to my father about your condition, and he provided this to help," Skoll explained as he handed the bowl to her.
Skoll had informed Luxarion of Rhaella's plight during a brief visit. Upon hearing the news, the gold dragon had immediately offered Skoll a rare silver flower known for its ability to strengthen the soul.
Luxarion had then tried to press a thousand other herbs and potions into Skoll's hands, even offering to fly to Tyrosh himself to handle the matter.
The gold dragon was often exasperated with his children because they so rarely asked him for anything.
With a massive horde at his disposal, he was always looking for an excuse to give to his children anything they would wish for.
This often meant that whenever a Custodian made a simple request, Luxarion would go above and beyond, which in turn made the siblings somewhat reluctant to ask him for favors.
Skoll had politely rejected the dragon's more extreme offers, taking only the silver flower before making a hasty exit through a teleportation circle.
"Please convey my deepest gratitude to your father for his generosity," Rhaella said between small sips of the broth.
Skoll nodded, though he had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at the mention of his father's "generosity" being an understatement.
"I have something else to tend to," Skoll said as he stood up and turned to the wolf. "You stay here and protect them." Hati remained where he was, resting his head on his paws while Daenerys continued to lean against him.
Skoll stepped out of the room and closed the door quietly behind him, making his way back toward his own quarters to prepare for his next task.