Quaithe the shadowbinder
I was about to walk away when my attention was grabbed by my Magi who was now asking the girl named Rina.
"Who is your master child?" my head moved from one woman to the other after hearing it.
The defiant girl kept her mouth shut but Cerea answered for her.
"It's Quaithe of the Shadow oh Wise one!" Cerea dropped on her knees, tears streaming out from her eyes. "Please Wise one! Please! Spare my aid! She just wanted to help me achieve my goal of revenge!" I could see the dedication she has for her people. Especially since the one to blame doesn't seem to be willing to repent for her actions. Commendable but futile, if you want to help your people then learn how to give them chances to progress with new things and get better, and not by allowing them to roam free and do as they please.
I'm sure the master of the girl will be trouble, but since no magic works on me as proven before it should be alright for the time being.
I turned back and walked out not wanting to see anymore of the useless pleading.
I stopped in front of the house and looked at the almost setting sun, that was one hell of a day.
It's so different here than in my old world... Fresh air, untainted and untamed nature all around...
From the stories I read in my old place there weren't many MC's who stopped and enjoyed the nature.
I can feel it clearly... Each harmonious waive of the grass and thousands of animals using it as a fuel to increase their life force, the wind gently touching my face like a child happily running around while laughing... I closed my eyes to enjoy the relaxing feeling for a while waiting for my sworn shields to finish giving orders to the guards that waited in front of the door.
Few minutes passed when a voice brought me back from my mystical state.
"Great One..." I looked and saw Magi Mirri Maz Duur standing behind me, the feeling of fear replaced by a bit of trust and willingness to give her the chance she deserves after protecting me.
"Mirri..." my gentle tone made the woman smile naturally. It wasn't the most beautiful one, and yet it was a similar one to a mother looking at her treasure.
"Great one... could you... give the girl to me?" it looked weird seeing the strong and usually unwavering, powerful woman to be so unsure.
"What is the reason for you request Magi?" my face was stern and Mirri probably blamed herself for my change after showing her my trust as her body deflated a bit.
Now her smile changed to one of defeat, not one in battle, but like the one I saw in the movies when something had to be done even if it earned the person doing it a scorn of the whole world.
"Don't look so down Mirri. I'm not blaming you. Even I want the girls gift for myself, but we can't control her and without it... it might as well be our calamity." I said waiting to hear my advisors thoughs on the subject.
"There is a way little one..." her way of addressing me changed, I felt happy for being able to shorten the distance between us. "and she is willing to take it... Under the condition you will aid her friend in her quest." after hearing her I knew why she was so worried. They can't check by clairvoyance or read my mind so they don't know...
I revised all I knew one last time while my men that got curious about our conversation came closer, each pare of eyes now rested at me waiting for my decision.
"Can you guarantee her submission?" the attention shifted to my Magi.
"I can little one." I couldn't hear even an ounce of hesitation in her reply.
"How?" Arthur asked the million dragons question.
"Blood ritual Ser Arthur." it feels bizarre seeing Mirri use the Westerosi titles, but it looks like we are not the only ones changing here. "The girl willingly will put her life in submission as a slave to our Great One, it's not a common or easy ritual, even I am not sure if I can complete it, but the girls talent can't be wasted." Mirri's sight stopped at each of us for a moment, even on my guards that now understood the issue.
It's really hard not to as the person who you personally led to a different house comes back to the same place. Correction. She never left the house, just the room. Now we know the rest was influenced on their minds because of illusion.
Mirri explained to us that the girl can't use her magic whenever she wants as she has to replenish it from the nature and this might even take years for one small spell like that.
"So she will bond to my will in this ritual right?" I asked just to make sure.
"Yes little one, she will not be able to go against your will and her life, even if with free will, exists just to aid you." she confirmed.
"But didn't you say it's dangerous? We can't expose our Lord not knowing the consequences." from the head nods I observed that Arthur, Bryce and Noya who said it are against it. Even the rest of my Elites are thinking the same from the looks they give her.
"You don't have to worry about that, the ritual is dangerous... but not to your Lord but to the other party. The girl might die, but I would never place our little one in any danger." there is that nice motherly smile again. "And if I know her master as good as I think I do, this is the only way she won't retaliate." after hearing her words I started thinking about the name, I had the feeling that I know it from somewhere...
Quaithe... Quaithe...
No way! "Quaithe the shadowbinder!" I involuntarily shouted earning myself surprised looks from the party.
How can I not shout! On GOT wiki she was one of the more mysterious characters! Some even dare say that she was as powerful as Melisandre the red priestess! Fuck! Dodged an arrow there!
Now I have some explaining to do. I sighed and started to fill the hunger of curiosity that I felt in emotions coming from the gathered group.
I slowly explained who the woman is, as always blaming the knowledge on my dreams. What I did not expect was that she and Mirri knew each other from Asshai. My Magi confirmed my words as the evaluation of the girl's master power.
"Looks like the decision was already made for us. We can't afford to fight with an enemy in the shadows and the girl is willing." Ser Arthur said what was on everyone's mind.
"The question, My Lord now is what about the rest? We do not have any confirmation the Lady is a Reyne and even if. Can we really help her?" Tanea asked not sure the deal is worth it. She was one of my Elites recruited from the Neverwinter small folk the first time we did so.
I still remember the faces of the "old" knights in our service when she beat them in a fist fight during training. No one dared to make fun of her after that.
"The Lanisters are not the problem. Even now the Old Lion tries to sabotage our merchant fleets so, now or later, we will have to deal with them, we might as well get something from it." Derik, another one of my trusted Elites said.
These people were the cream of the crop, with me in every battle, most of my days were spent with them, and I trusted each and everyone with my life. There weren't many secrets between us. They even have access to some of our Whisperers reports. No. Not the high level ones, but they need to know who is who where we are at the time, geography, useful information about the location like herbs and water sources, potential threats and assassins etc. They need to be informed.
After getting their education during their mandatory training in House Dustin's army we encourage them to learn as much as they want to. Providing and paying for teachers in every aspect from leadership to languages, we allow them to further their knowledge in the subject of their interests.
I can have thousands of men or women who know how to swing a sword, but by choosing the brightest and fastest learners I'm trying to create leaders. Old Gods know that each of them might lead their own Legion or Legions in the future.
My thoughts drifted home where my mother should have started implementing some of the projects I left for her, two of them being Military and Naval academy.
I just love it when there is a debate like this one, it shows my time to educate them is not wasted.