108 108
----
207 AC
Volantis
Melisandre
----
They almost seemed ready to cheer.
The freed people who once wore collars and chains.
They gathered to watch tonight's ritual.
It was easy to see how they were pleased at the thought of their old Masters dying miserable deaths.
But as more and more stacks of wood were gathered.
As the number of pyres grew.
The mood of the crowd shifted.
A lot of people are going to die.
Pure deaths by fire.
Screaming.
"You haven't lost your mind yet have you?" I turn with a smile to face Empress Shiera who has crossed her arms under her ample bosom.
"I have not." Despite the fact I have been told I have more than a few times.
I just have seen things others have not, they wish to not believe and the easiest way to do so is to call me mad.
"Good." She narrows her multicolored eyes at me. "Because if this does not work and makes us all look like fools..." I can almost taste her doubt, even Aerion who is pushing for this to happen also carries a heavy amount of doubt as well.
But he follows the path.
He prepares to take the mantle.
Soon his doubt will shift like sand when his own eyes are opened to the truth.
By fire, he will walk the way he was always meant to.
Life will grow like never before under his meticulous care.
The light of a new age is upon us, his light.
"I understand." You will not care about looking like fools by the time the morning comes.
The Sun will rise and show the truth.
With that truth, everything will change.
----
207 AC
Volantis
Daenys Targaryen
----
I wish I had dreams of the future like my namesake.
I feel like I have before but never about anything that I care about.
It would make things easier if I could glimpse into the future and know what needs to be done before the time comes to do the thing.
"How are you feeling?" Valarr asks from beside me and I purse my lips.
"I am well." I am not.
Meeting eyes with Valarr I feel even more conflicted, the looming decision that seems to hand over my head every day if I should agree to marry this man and be Queen of Westeros one day is heavy.
I already am worried about what will happen tonight... I really don't need the extra stress.
It's not his fault though.
He did as he was bid and followed us across the Narrow Sea and he has been... tolerable to be around.
Is that enough I wonder?
I know I want children one day despite the fact I prefer the company of Cerelle.
Should I just accept the engagement with Valarr as I know he is decent as far as men as concerned?
If not him... then who?
No one.
I do not fancy any of my brothers and I refuse to marry and bed someone not of Royal birth.
I am a spoiled Princess and I accept that about myself, I do not deny it.
I will not accept marrying 'below' myself.
That is where the problem lies.
Is Valarr 'below' me?
I do not think so.
He will be King of Westeros, he would make me Queen of Westeros and my children would be the Heirs and spares to the throne of Westeros.
It's a dark thought, I admit.
But I still can't stop from thinking it.
It's hard not to when Valarr takes so much from his Martell ancestry.
He is not unpleasant to look at by any means.
He is lean and tall with a fine amount of muscles to appreciate.
His face is structured like a Targaryen.
But his hair and to an extent his eyes.
Brown hair and blue eyes.
His hair has streaks of silver.
His eyes have flecks of purple.
Watered down.
That is the thought that comes to mind when seeing his appearance.
I feel horrible thinking that about him, but it comes naturally even though I have been taught not to judge a book by its cover.
It is not helped that the dragons also seem to be in agreement with these dark thoughts though.
There has not been a single other Targaryen to claim a dragon other than those who come from the Dragon twins.
My Kepa and Muna Danny.
"Are you sure you are not feeling unwell?" I shake my head realizing I have gotten lost in thought after hearing him speak up.
"I am fine, I was just thinking about what is to come." I think I can hardly do better than Valarr despite the dark thoughts in the back of my mind.
I am not guided by impulse.
I might indulge in my impulses but I will not let them control me.
Valarr brings more to the table than any other option I have for marriage.
A crown, acceptance of my true love, and friendship.
I will speak with Kepa when this night is over and he has time.
I believe after recent events I have made a decision I can live with.
I will tie the Westeros branch and the Essos branch of House Targaryen together if he accepts.
----
207 AC
Volantis
Aerion Targaryen
----
"Lots of people are watching." I mutter while looking around at the crowds of people in the streets surrounding the Red Temple and even some people are on roofs so they can watch.
Those street vendors are making a killing... I should have put up some stands.
Hmm.
Actually, it's probably pretty screwed up to take the coin from the freed people that just started earning some small wages in return for labor.
"Are you bothered by that?" Daenerys asks as he stands beside me.
"Not really." I am not ashamed or anything of what I am about to do so I do not care if there is an audience.
The audience might even be useful if things work out, word will likely need to be spread and the more eyewitnesses the better.
"Preparations are complete." A skinny male red priest approaches and lowers his head with shaky hands.
I wonder how the Red Priests feel that are not completely batshit like Melisandre.
Some of them are just good old folk who like to spread the faith of light and life while ignoring the burning of offerings.
How do they feel about me burning pretty much all of the Old Blood of Valyria that once ruled over this city?
I imagine they are not feeling all too confident in their decision to support House Targaryen.
Meh.
If this works it won't matter.
If it fails... it will be a problem for future me.
Not all of my eggs are in this basket so to speak and I have more than a little wiggle room to escape from any real trouble. But it will be annoying to rebrand the Conquest when there is still almost half of Essos to conquer.
Hmm.
I think I am overthinking things.
"Tell the other priests to stand back." I order before looking back at Drogon and Moonfyre who look as ready as they ever will be.
"It will be done, your Grace." I hum as the man swiftly leaves and my Wife takes my hand in her own.
"I can do it with you if you want." I lower my gaze to meet her own and wiggle my brows suggestively at her words and she scoffs. "Alright, you must be fine if you are willing to play around." I chuckle lightly as I squeeze her hand before letting go of it.
"I will be fine." She nods and with one last smile turns and heads back toward the rest of the family who are waiting a good distance back higher up on the steps while I wait at the base of the steps with the two largest dragons we have. ""You two ready?"" I speak up loudly which earns me a trill from Moonfyre and a low rumble from Drogon.
Guess so.
Time to make history then.
Either I cement myself as a madman in the eyes of everyone forever or I quite literally ascend.
Regardless, people will talk about this day for a long time to come.
Stepping forward the ground quakes a bit as Drogon and Moonfyre follow after me with their hulking scaled forms. The crowd stirs seeing the two dragons move toward the 'loaded' pyres with bound and crying 'offerings'. Each step forward feels like it's taking ten times the effort that it should, but I press on regardless.
I can admit this is probably the most messed up thing I have done.
Burning part of a city during the capture of it and killing people in the flames... that is one thing.
Catching bandits and rounding them up to burn in mass as a message to other bandits to high tail it out of my territory... that is also not that 'bad'.
But what I am about to do feels... different.
It's not.
I am just doing more of the same, I am under no delusion that everything I have done in my life is 'just' and 'upright'.
But this feels like I am crossing a line.
Why?
I can't figure it out.
Coming to a stop I look down at the closest people who are tied together and their sobbing and hateful looks do nothing to my odd stirring of emotions.
This is not about them.
"Dracarys." One simple word that I feel like I have said thousands of times at this point.
I feel a slight change in the temperature around me as the air around me suddenly turns painfully dry. I purse my lips as dreadful wails escape some of the captured Valyrians who are thrashing on their pyres.
No... this is about me.
I am not feeling this way because of them.
Silver and black flames consume the largest of the pyres in but a few moments and the heat turns searing as it does.
But oddly enough I feel no urge to step back away.
Dragon flames are beyond just 'hot'.
But despite the fact I can feel an abundance of heat I do not feel like I am in danger of being burned.
No.
In fact, it feels comfortable.
Like a nice hot bath.
That revelation brings a true smile to my face despite the deaths happening before my eyes.
I likely look like a madman grinning at the flames.
But I could not care less at this point, the reservations I was feeling have been burned away by dragon fire and I feel my resolve turning into Valyrian steel as I take a confident step forward.
Time to have my own fiery rebirth like my Wife once did.
