The alley was still blackened and smoldering from the flames that burned it and I stood beside a silent Mother. Despite her calm demeanour, her gaze was cold and fixed on the charred corpses in front of us.
"No," I growled to Rhaenys and Visenya who went to try and take a bite out of their kills. Both froze as I spoke and I watched as they both narrowed their eyes before flinching as I snarled louder.
"No, they are not to be eaten. They will be a message. Now, come over here."
"Khaleesi, what are your orders?", Jorah asked and Mother took a deep breath before exhaling softly and spoke.
"Ser Jorah, figure out where the House of the Undying is. Aggo, Rahkaro, Jhogo, inform the others that they are to stay in the manse until we return."
"As you wish, Khaleesi", Rakharo spoke with a bow as he, Aggo and Jhogo went on to do as she asked while Jorah looked as if he was wrestling with words he wished to speak before giving a slow nod.
"As you wish, Khaleesi."
"Visenya, Rhaenys, edruta issi, nuha tala (Visenya, Rhaenys, come here, my daughters)", Her Valyrian sounded like a melody to my ears as I heard her speak and both Visenya and Rhaenys perked up with chirps before they crawled towards us.
'I know Dragons cannot speak as we do not have the human vocal cords for it, but perhaps I could figure out how to mimic the Valyrian language with a dragon's vocal cords. After all, the Skyrim theme I heard when I first awoke in this body wasn't just there for fun, was it?'
"Drogon, syz, nuha vezhven (Drogon, come, my son)", Mother's voice drew me from my thoughts and I looked to see her giving me an amused smile.
"Come, my son", She repeated gently this time and giggled as I let out an annoyed chirp before flapping my wings and soaring into the air. The wind wrapped around me like a cool second skin that sent me soaring high and I let out a loud screech as Visenya and Rhaenys joined me with shaky flaps.
Making sure to keep my gaze fixed on Mother as she walked back into the manse, the three of us slowly circled the sky above the upper towers of the manse where all in the city could see us.
"Hear our cries…and fear our roars!", Rhaenys let out a piercing shriek as she spun through the air like a show-off, a snort escaping my maw as she nearly dived towards the ground before catching herself.
Not wanting to be outdone, Visenya soared a bit high while doing a corkscrew at the same time, spreading her wings wide and letting out a puff of smoke that scattered the birds around us.
'Oh, you think you're better than me?', I thought with a fanged grin as Visenya gave me a smug look, Rhaenys rumbling before I ducked my wings in and dove towards the ground.
Spinning rapidly as I got closer to the ground, I flared my wings out and flew back in an arc just a few inches away from the courtyard ground, my wings helping me shoot up past Rhaenys and Visenya.
Reaching the apex of my rise with a spin, I opened my maw and let out a devastating shriek, flames shooting from my mouth and rising up into the air before the embers fell down like a curtain of flames above us.
"Do not forget who's the leader", I growled with a grin as we hovered in the air, Visenya letting out a grumbling chirp while Rhaenys huffed and we began floating down.
'Okay, I've dominated my sisters in who's the best dragon. Now, time to burn down a building.'
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The streets were empty later that night when we made our way towards the House of the Undying, Mother leading the group as her silk dress fluttered with each step while she looked at nothing other than the tower in front of them.
Flying above them were my sisters and I, each of us drifting slowly through the air while I took a deep breath and frowned at the foul stench that assaulted my nostrils as the three of us floated down.
The fragrant scent of magic still hung in the air, but it was accompanied by the putrid stench of decaying corpses, making me scrunch my nose as we landed on the ground in front of the House's tall gates.
Staring at the large looming tower made out of a dark grey stone with no visible openings apart from the one tall door and surrounded by trees with black bark and ink-blue leaves, I turned to Mother as she stopped behind us.
"Ser Jorah, my children, with me. Blood of my blood, stay here and guard the entrance. No one exits or enters without my permission. Remember, if we do not return by nightfall…"
"We shall burn it to the ground", Jhogo spoke without hesitation and Mother before beginning to walk forward, my siblings and I crawling after her while Jorah took up the back.
As she lifted a hand to place on the gate, my eyes narrowed as they opened on their own, not with a sound of metal scratching against the ground but with the soft wails of ghosts and whispers that echoed in our minds.
'Okay, I can burn shit down, but I need to make sure they do not manipulate my mind', I thought with a frown as I flapped my wings and hopped onto Mother's shoulders, the woman only looking amused for a brief moment at it while I hissed to stop my siblings from whining.
You guys took too long so I took the spot. Deal with it.
Making our way through the main gate, my head swivelled back as it snapped shut behind us, a growl echoing from my maw as Ser Jorah was left out and I felt Mother's anxiety spiking.
"It appears our hosts wishes for us to be alone. Stay close, my children", Visenya and Rhaenys let out soft growls as I decided to hop off and walk in front of the group, my eyes flickering and focusing on every little movement in the dim lit corridors of the Tower.
The very atmosphere of the tower had the rich scent of magic and I frowned as I heard a soft melody in the air.
'They know they can't attack us outright so they'll try and manipulate us. What we need to do is-Where the fuck is everyone?', Panic took hold of me as I turned back to see neither Mother nor my sisters with me, looking to and fro as the humming and the melody grew louder.
Then, all of a sudden, it vanished, snapping me out of my silent panic and letting me focus on the new environment around me.
The familiar sight of the Red Waste was not comforting, but the changes and the new additions had me ready to just burn everything down.
Streaks of violet light were everywhere to be found in the scarlet sky and tears of fire and destruction were spilled by the vibrant stars above.
On the ground, corpses of fallen dragons laid in a ring around me, their massive wings shredded and maws split wide like they had let out roars of defiance in their final moments.
Dovahkiin~Dovahkiin~ Dovahkiin~
My eyes widened and a surprised chirp escaped my lips as their voices echoed in my head, watching their bodies vanish like ash in the wind before a throne of skulls began to rise from the sand.
It was the size of the surrounding mountains I could make out, blood pouring from the eye sockets and gold pouring from the mouths of the skulls, but that was not what made me gawk in awe at the throne.
Instead, I was focused on the giant dragon with black and crimson scales lounging on the throne, its blood red eyes focused on me while black and crimson flames slipped from its nostrils with every breath it took.
'Is…is that supposed to be me?', I thought as I stared at the dragon the size of a castle before the dragon flapped its wings, unleashing a sandstorm that blinded me for a brief moment before I blinked as the wind abruptly vanished.
Looking up to see if the dragon was still there, my eyes widened as I caught sight of Mother chained in the stars, her silver hair drifting weightless and her lips moved as if to speak to me, but I growled as I heard no sound.
"Mother…They think they can take you from me", I growled as flames stirred in my throat and my breathing grew heavy as the heat in my chest began to build up.
To awaken the dragon, one must remember they are fire.
"They dare to take your warmth from me."
To awaken the dragon, one must remember they are dominant above all.
"Today, they shall learn…"
To awaken the dragon, one must remember…
"Never to wake the sleeping dragon", Looking up and taking a deep breath, the heat in my chest made my eyes wide before I opened my maw.
They. Are. POWER!
"Vezof! Urzin! Edruta! (Fire! Burn! Come forth!)", The words echoed in my mind as a guttural roar came from my throat, the world around my shattering like brittle glass and the sky howling as a sea of crimson flames spewed from my maw.
Mother's eyes were wide as she stood in front of me, Rhaenys and Visenya clinging to her as my flames went around them and laid waste to the dozen shrieking spectres trying to escape my flames.
"YOU DARE THINK YOU ARE BETTER THAN THE DRAGON?!", I roared as I took to the sky, the tower crumbling around us and the flames melting anything coming close as I stared at the burning Pyat Pree.
"Know your place, vermin", With a huff, the flames began to die down, my wings helping me float back down and into the outstretched arms of my awed Mother as I chirped.
"That's…for you…", I tried my best to stay awake, but my limbs went slack and the last I saw was Mother's panicked look before I fell unconscious.
Syz. Dinagon zaldrizes, nuha tresy (Good. Awake the Dragon, my Son)
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A red haze lingered in the air over Qarth as Drogon's flames were still burning away at what remained of the tower, Daenerys letting out a soft sigh as she carried the cause of the flames in her arms while her daughters sat on her shoulders.
The last she could remember was the illusion made by Pyat Pree and his fellow warlocks of her beloved Drogo and their son Rhaego, an illusion she so desperately wanted to be real.
Unfortunately, she knew it was not and forced it away, shattering the illusion only to be surprised by Pyat Pree and his warlocks surrounding her while her children laid on the ground.
At first, her heart had stopped for a brief moment as she thought them to be dead, but Rhaenys' quiet whimpers, Visenya's snarls and Drogon's growls had put her worries to rest.
She had heard the warlock then speaking of how they were going to enslave her and drain both her and her children for decades to get their lifeforce, but before anything could even happen, she had seen nothing but red.
Scarlet flames as red as blood had burned away not only Pyat Pree but also every single one of his fellow warlocks, snapping Visenya and Rhaenys from their illusions as Drogon rose from his slumber.
She had heard the stories of the Black Dread's black and crimson flames and the anger that burned in his eyes whenever he flew from her brother, but witnessing her son flying protectively over her with a burning anger in his eyes…
'I dare say that he looked like the spitting image of the Black Dread', Daenerys thought with a soft smile before looking to Rhaenys as she chirped, smiling at her daughter's sparkling eyes before the dragon let out a soft purr when Daenerys nuzzled her.
"It's nothing to be concerned about, Rhaenys. Simply the worry of a mother wanting to ensure her son is okay."
"Khaleesi?", Daenerys hummed as she turned at Jorah's voice only to frown at the sight of Xaro Xhoan Daxos walking up to her, but he was not alone.
Walking besides him were twelve other handsome men and women dressed in formal clothing made out of the finest silk and trailing behind them were the five men from the Tourmaline Brotherhood along with an entourage of armed men behind them all.
Daenerys stood tall as she watched the group stopping a few feet away, Ser Jorah and her bloodriders having their weapons at the ready as Xaro stepped forward.
His usual smile was absent, his expression grave and as he took a deep breath, Daenerys frowned as she saw the Brotherhood's men readying their weapons.
"Daenerys Stormborn, we come with a message. The Thirteen and the Tourmaline Brotherhood have decided it is time for you to make your leave from Qarth."
"And why would I heed such a request? I am simply correcting a wrong that has been done upon my being and that of my children's", She asked, her voice cutting through the tension like a dagger as Xaro's expression faltered for a moment.
"It is not a matter of wrongdoing, Khaleesi. It is a matter of power. The Thirteen have come to a decision and the Tourmaline Brotherhood are in agreement with that decision. Therefore, you are not allowed to stay any longer", Daenerys just took a deep breath as Xaro finished speaking, looking at the gathered group in front of her before turning to Jorah as he spoke.
"Khaleesi, we are outnumbered and one of your children is incapacitated. We should move quickly and do as they say."
"…No, Ser Jorah. They will not force me to leave. I have come to quite enjoy the warmth of Qarth and I wish to experience it even more."
"I quite agree there, Daenerys Stormborn", A voice spoke up from behind the Thirteen and Tourmaline Brotherhood, making everyone turn towards it only for Daenerys' eyes to narrow at the huge man with a large belly and dressed in baggy pants, a yellow silk bellyband and a tiny leather vest with iron studs.
Standing beside him was an old man a bit taller than Ser Jorah with long white hair and a thick white beard, dressed in a brown tunic and a sceptre held in his right hand.
"Who are you, if I may ask?"
"I am Belwas and this is my squire, Arstan Whitebeard. We are agents of Illyrio Mopatis, sent here to bring Daenerys of House Targaryen to him."
"Well, we have urgent business with he-!", One of the Thirteen merchants went to speak, but was cut off by a low growl echoing in the air, everyone turning to Daenerys to see Drogon awake while the red flames around the Targaryen flared wildly.
"What does this Illyrio wish to ask of me?", Daenerys asked, ignoring the Brotherhood and the Thirteen while frowning as the burly man shrugged.
"Don't know, your…Grace? Eh, your Grace. He just paid me to make sure you get to him."
"Hmm, I shall stay in Qarth for a few more days to let you gentlemen rest before we make for Pentos if that is okay with you, ladies and gentlemen?", She asked with a raised eyebrow while turning to the group, to which they all looked at the snarling dragons on her person and nodded.
"That…is a very agreeable plan, Khaleesi", Xaro spoke with a nod and the others nodded in unison. The Brotherhood's leader bristled at the cowardice of the Thirteen as he went to speak before quickly silencing himself when he saw all three dragons staring directly at him with their teeth bared.
"Excellent. Come, Ser Jorah and my bloodriders. Let us return to the manse to rest and eat", Daenerys spoke with a confident smile as she walked past the group of Thirteen and Brotherhood, who parted and made way for her and her group to walk past.
"That was a risky move, Khaleesi", Jorah whispered as they walked through the empty streets of Qarth and Daenerys stopped smiling at Drogon going back to sleep as she looked at Jorah and nodded.
"It was, but there is one thing you'll have to learn about the dragon, Ser Jorah."
"And that is?", He asked, to which the woman smiled as she looked at him before continuing to walk with a confident strut.
"Dragons are conquerors. What we want, we shall have and anything in our path will pay the price of fire and blood."
A/N: Okay, in this story, I'm going with a more confident and sassy Daenerys as you guys can see. She's not overconfident to the point that she can be seen as arrogant, but when you have the only three dragons in the world, one can't help but feel a bit of ego.
Also, Drogon uttered his first Words of Power. Yes, it was only in his mind, but hey, maybe one day, we'll have a Targaryen lineage that can speak Dovah.
Anyway, next chapter: Aftermath and Making our Way to Pentos?…Wait, we're not?
Like always, you can go to my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories & even some that haven't been released out to this site yet. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
Anyway, as always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…
Ba-Bye~!!