44
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298 AC
Beyond the wall
Lagertha
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"That's got to be it." We are standing on a frozen lake and looking at a massive Weirwood tree with a tunnel going under the roots.
"Aye, that's it." I respond to Geor and we carefully walk across the ice to get to the tree.
I keep an arrow resting on my bow as we get closer and wait for something to come charging out but nothing is happening so far.
"We just walk into the dark tunnel with no idea what's actually in it? What if your dreams are leading us to our deaths?" Geor asks but shows no sign of slowing down as he takes the lead with his axe in hand.
"I guess if it will stop these visions and help me stop waking up inside the head of some bird I am willing to see what's in here." The man with his glowing red eye returns to my mind as I brace myself for what we are about to see.
"If I die down here I just want you to know it's all your fault." He comments as he crouches low to get through the tunnel, his head would hit the top of the tunnel if he didn't.
"Whatever just keep your ears open and be ready for anything, like short people with yellow eyes." He nods and after a few more steps forward stops in his tracks.
I almost speak up when I catch some light ahead of him and peer around him and see a small green and brown hand holding up a flaming ball that lights up the tunnel.
"Like that?" He asks while pulling his shield Infront of him slowly.
"Yea, like that." I pull the arrow back and aim from beside him but the little person doesn't seem to recognize the threat or doesn't care.
It holds up its other hand and waves its hand to follow it and turns around and slowly walks through the tunnel deeper into the ground with more roots intertwining.
"Fuck that." Geor grunts, I agree internally as they are much freakier up close than in the dreams.
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"How many turns are going to be in this damn tunnel!" Geor bellows and the tiny person looks over its shoulder with its wide yellow eyes looking at us.
"Stop complaining, we should almost be there." I hope at least, Geor is already starting to sweat and I know it won't be long before he feels trapped with all this dirt over our heads. He has always hated feeling contained and when people have tried to restrain him in fights he would always go into a rage.
He is only holding out because he knows this is important to me.
"Thank fuck." The fire Infront of us lights up a larger room where he can stand up fully and he shuffles faster to get to it almost knocking over our guide.
I stand up and brush myself off of all the dirt that fell on me and as I do I see more flames all around the room showing different tunnels but these are taller and can be walked through. The one who has been guiding us starts to walk down one that has some light at the end of it and I follow after.
"What is this place?" Roots tangle and spiral all around the tunnels and there are different entrances all around. It seems like some kind of shelter that was made by the tree, likely for more of these little people.
"I don't know but I think we are about to find out." Soon I can see the source of the light is a torch that is placed on a wall and lighting up a massive root going down the middle of the room.
Tangled in the roots in a man with White hair and a single red eye looking right at me, he has a blood-red mark on the side of his neck. The roots of the tree are growing through him and one is coming out of one of his eye sockets.
This is a fate worse than death.
"What the hell happened to you." Geor with all the subtlety of a bear walks up and looks at the man in the tree and observes all the roots digging into him. "That looks like it hurts."
"You made it." The man speaks with a dry voice that sounds ready to break like a twig.
"We did." I nod and his red eye seems to glow as he looks at both of us.
"There is much to teach you and even more to tell you about but we don't have forever so I will make this fast." I look toward Geor who is squinting while looking at the man.
"What is it you want from my sister tree man." A twitch on the wooden face and what could be described as a smile with no emotion spreads on his face.
"I am not tree man, I used to be called Lord Bloodraven or Brynden Rivers but those times are gone and the names are left behind for a new name, The three-eyed raven." Geor Grunts.
"What is it you want from my sister, three-eyed raven."
"To show you things and to teach you some things, to prevent tragedy."
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298 AC
Summer isles
Nata
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"So what did they say?" A man by the name of Teio Malis asks as we make it back from a meeting with a prince from Ebonhead.
"He said it's not his problem, he doesn't care if the surrounding villages get burned to ash and the people taken in to be sold. My suspicion of him being paid to not act is only growing after talking to the man myself." I respond as I lean on my spear.
Everyone we ask for support rebuffs us and is uncaring, the pirates are getting bolder and bolder and have no fear. We have only been able to gather up enough men to stop them from advancing inward into the jungles where the people have retreated to.
We need more people so we can counterattack and push them off of Xon, their base of operations, and where they hold the people before someone comes to collect them to take them to slavers bay.
A woman who escaped by hiding on one of their ships when they came to raid told us about the state of the prisoners. Beaten and molested, treated with cruelty and no dignity.
Yet the Prince won't lift a finger to help the people before his very eyes suffering, something is going on.
"All we can do is go around and try to recruit people to our cause and show the uncertain people that someone is trying to help. The people on Omboru and Walano also ignore our cries for help." I sigh, months and months of gathering people and nothing is getting done but it's all we can do at this point. When my mother told me back in Braavos that attacks were happening around Ebonhead I knew it was like the visions I once saw.
I wish they would have shown more of how the people gathered.
Eragon is also supposed to show up at some point, not sure when though. By that point will I already have people gathered up or will he help me somehow?
My father is the ex-prince of Ebonhead and even though he lost a sacred duel I was expecting more support to help defend the lands than this. I know another reason the prince sent us off without any support.
He doesn't want to help us because he is scared I will challenge him to a sacred duel like he did my father. I can't possibly do it now but if I clear out the pirate infestation then people would be willing to support me and help me challenge him.
"No point and sitting around, let's get out there and get something done." I push off my spear and start walking down the path while being followed by the small group of people I have gathered and my family.
Sitting around hoping and praying won't do me any good at this point.
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298 AC
Dorne - Sunspear
Eragon Targaryen
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I wake up to the sound of a clattering tray and sit up which tossed the heads laying on my shoulders to the side.
"Sorry..." Visenya says awkwardly as she stands over a tray that is covered in strips of cooked meat and Vhagar is ripping into them joyfully.
A good bath and a good night's rest are all I wanted and I got one but the other seems unlikely at this point. I put my arms behind me and scoop up the heads now laying where my shoulders used to be and slowly ease myself back as I slide under them.
Now that it's like I never moved anymore I close my eyes and try to fall back asleep but can hear the sounds of dragons claws on the floor distracting me.
Flapping of wings and girls lightly giggling causes Danny to groan and sit up.
"I take it back Eragon, there are your kids." She slowly slides away from me and off the bed.
"Yea yea, take them when there cute and playful and give them back when there keeping you from sleeping. Try riding a boat with them and having the captain come banging on the door every time one of them sets fire to something." Rhaenyra sighs on my chest as she puts her hand over my mouth.
"Stop talking and sleep." I roll my eyes at her and take my free arm that Danny slept wrapped around and wrap it around Rhaenyras waist. Turning sideways I pull her flush with me and set my chin on top of her head.
Fine by me, I wanted more sleep anyway.
----
I wake up to Rhaenyra wiggling out of my arms and off the bed, I lift my arm freeing her.
"Want something to eat?" She asks with a yawn while stretching her arms above her head.
"Sure, get me some of my favorite jam and something to put it on." Her arms drop to her side and she nods before heading over to the corner of the room. I watch for a moment and see that she had brought some spare clothes into my room to change into and prop a pillow up behind my head.
She starts to take off her night dress before pausing and without looking back at me she speaks.
"What are you doing?" She asks, no one else is here so obviously she is asking me. Now that I noticed it they ran off with the dragons without me and my heart starts racing but I soon calm down.
I can't always watch them and if I can't trust the ones the dragons bound with then I can trust no one. I have no intention of being a full-time dragon wrangler and I know the dragons also don't want a full-time wrangler. This can be the first of many tests to see how they handle taking care of them, though from now on they will at least tell me before they take them from me. I appreciate they were doing it likely so I can sleep more but I don't like they did it without saying a word.
"I am just watching something interesting." I yawn and put my hands behind my head and am about to stop since she might be uncomfortable but she grabs the straps to her dress and pulls them to the side.
Her night dress hits the floor and she steps out of it with her long hair barely covering her back. Seeming unbothered she begins to lay out the clothes she is about to put on and doesn't even say a word or give me a look as she goes about her business.
"Hot damn." I let out a sigh as she puts her underclothes on and I can see the side of her face going slightly red but she doesn't say anything. She even seems to slow down as she pulls them up tantalizingly slow.
Well isn't that something?