92
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114 AC
Water Gardens
Daeron Nymeros Martell
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"This won't become a habit... right?" Rhaenyra raises a brow at me as she brushes the dyed blue hair of Narhia.
"No, surprise adoption is more of a 'feeling' and less of something I can plan out in advance." I shift Aegon from my left hip to my right and the whole time he keeps his eyes locked on the odd hair color he has never before seen.
"I see." My Wife seems satisfied with that answer as she finishes fiddling with the young girl's hair and pats her shoulder. "I will have someone come to your room in the morning and they will begin teaching you everything you will need to know." Narhia obediently nods while looking around the room with curiosity.
"Stay out of the pools unless someone is nearby, your swimming needs to improve before you can swim alone." I ruffle the girl's hair ruining much of what my Wife did and Narhia smiles as I do so before jumping up from the seat and heading for the door.
She will do fine here and it will soothe the little bit of guilt I felt for what is to come in the two newly conquered Free Cities. I am just glad I won't be directly over the management of either, Lys was enough stress and taught me to prepare quite a bit more before doing something like that. But I could not leave Daemon hanging when doing so might lead to him doing something VERY stupid.
"So you still think we will be fine to head to Oldtown first?" Rhaenyra asks as she heads for the cradle that both twins are sleeping in currently like a Mother hen she hovers over them with a satisfied look.
"It will be fine, it will be our first stop after staying in Dorne for so long so no one will think much of us leaving quickly... the only place I care to stop for long in the Reach is Highgarden and the Shield Islands." She nods with a slight smirk as she turns away from the cradle and looks at me.
"Good, I do not want to be around the lighthouse keepers for longer than I need to be." I hold my Son carefully with one arm and use my free hand to massage my brow at how vengeful she seems.
Wonder how she would react if she knew how things would have turned out... that lighthouse might just end up in the Sea if she knew.
"Sounds like a plan to me, I just want to peek around the Citadel for a bit and maybe slum it up with some of the underbelly I have heard so much about." I have heard more than once about a creepy cult from some of my Dornish sources who naturally have an affinity with the less-than-savory type of people.
Something about some dark fallen star or evil ruler who ate people alive or something... I have no clue why anyone would worship someone so plainly evil. It's like the Drowned God and the crazy Iron Islanders that I am not looking forward to visiting.
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114 AC
Oldtown
Hobert Hightower
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"The soon to arrive Guests accommodations have been prepared?" I ask the serving girl after she returns, her nod is all I need and I wave her off.
Turning my attention back to the aged desk I sit at I prepare to write another message to be sent off to my Brother. He has been sending raven after raven about the exploits of the 'Dragons in the East' and how much damage they are doing. I get the feeling he is not so subtly warning me of angering the Prince of Dorne who is soon to rest his head in my home.
The Stepstones claimed and properly built upon with fair toll established.
Lys conquered and slavery was done away with while the foundation of the pillow houses has been remodeled and the whores paid more than a fair share.
Tyrosh was taken with sickening ease as if an act, which I do not dismiss the possibility of a mummery, but either way another Free City claimed.
Myr... the one I really fear as I lay my head down at night.
The rich burned alive and the poor praised a Red God that sought to burn everything it could get its vile demon hands on.
I knew the Rogue Prince was a blight upon any lands he flew his cursed mount over, but this is the worst I had ever seen. A false God and apparently he even wed the mouthpiece of the demon, a red-haired witch.
My Brother does not need to worry about me though, he only needs to worry about his own duty. I can handle keeping up appearances and smiling while breaking bread with the Prince and Princess. I can sing praises and wish their children good health while gifting some lavish items that hopefully earn a little favor. No doubt they will depart with smiles of their own on their faces and I can rest easy knowing that my part for now is done.
...the only thing I fear in the near future is the Prince and Princess getting closer to the various Lords and Ladies.
I have heard many in the Stormlands singing genuine praise for the Prince of Dorne and the current heir to the throne. I do not want for them to replicate this in the Reach, especially not with the Tyrells, the up jumped stewards must not befriend the dragons. They only have Highgarden due to the dragons and I will not have them earn favor with them and maybe get their hands on a royal match.
That would not be good for my plans, my plans to see the real power of the Reach rise and named Lord Paramount and Warden of the South.
House Hightower will have its due.
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114 AC
Sunspear
Daeron Nymeros Martell
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"You two ready for our journey?" I ask Aemma as I ruffle Visenya's hair, the small princess frowns at me but does not speak up and instead puffs her lips.
"I will be sad to leave what has become a second home... but I look forward to the long flights and eventually seeing the Eyrie once more." I nod with a small smile as a sense of adventure fills me as I think about all the new sights I will get to see.
The large fields of the Reach.
The massive mines of epic proportion in the Westerlands.
The mountains of the Vale.
The winding rivers and thick forests of the Riverlands.
The North... seemingly endless and easily able to swallow two or three of the other kingdoms with a mix of everything they all have.
"I look forward to it as well." I leave Visenya's poor hair alone as I head for my place at the table, today will be the last time I eat with my whole family for at least a year but maybe longer.
I feel a sting in my chest knowing Myriah will be staying behind but it would not look good for her to go with us right off the bat. After having the child and spending some time in Driftmark with the baby she can eventually meet up with us. I look forward to it and feel like calling off the Progress till at least the baby is given a 'clean bill of health' but things are not working out that way.
Myriah herself giving the thumbs up and saying it would be best if the Heir of Driftmark was not smothered in love by his or her 'uncle' right out of the womb is the main reason I am accepting this.
But I certainly will be around for the child once the Progress is done and even am making plans now to Foster the child to 'promote closeness' between the Royal family and the family that seems destined to be the Master of ships.
...there is also the Essos trip we are planning but if we are going to follow through on that I will just invite the whole House Velaryon to come with us if that is what it takes.
For now, though I need to focus on what is before me and that is helping my Son eat some filling breakfast so he does not get fussy on the long flight.
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"You can't ride your dragon he is too small." I huff while strapping my Son into the saddle-mounted seat made for him with great care.
"Baler!" His future mount screeches as it ducks low and tries to fly closer to us but a single deep rumble from my own dragon is enough to scare it off.
"Boy." I pause in my actions and narrow my eyes at Aegon as he glares at me. "You need some hairs on your chest before you can look at me like that." I thump his forehead lightly with a finger and go back to strapping him down. "Be good and I will let you have some more sweets when we take a rest." He grunts but otherwise does not respond as I finish my careful handling of his seating arrangements.
Get out of that you little shit, there are like six straps.
"You ready!?" I shout from the top of my mount as I lean off the edge of the saddle to see Rhaenyra already relaxing with the twins strapped onto her own saddle.
The twins are each inside of an individual heavily padded crate that is strapped to the side of Syrax just beside the 'handles' of the saddle. They look like fancy saddlebags that were put on backward as they are on the front of the saddle. I can see the padded cushions from here and I know they are safely nestled into the 'car seats' but I still feel uneasy looking at them on the much smaller dragon.
I wish Rhaenyra just let me fly all the children on my much larger dragon... my heart could rest easier.
But I also know they have the habit of getting hungry randomly and unless she rode with me it would be hard to feed them every thirty minutes. They love to alternate and only eat a little at a time, the sweet girls are already a headache when it comes to their picky eating habits. I dread to see them when they are spoiled rotten and demand whatever food they crave... it will be a sweet nightmare.
"Ready!" Rhaenyra calls out after triple-checking the twins and I turn my attention to Dreamfyre and the visibly excited Mother-Daughter pair sitting on the She Dragon's back.
Aemma waves seeing the attention all cast in her direction as she holds Visenya in her lap with a strap going around both of them. The adventurous little Princess seemed adamant about riding in the front 'like the other little girls' instead of like Aegon who is riding behind me.
...it won't last long, Aegon will cry till I let him ride in my lap but I want to be in the air and going before I fiddle with him.
""Let go!"" Patting the spike before me my massive dragon gives the rare trill as he stands up and moves forward with thundering steps.
Time to get this show back on the road and see the Reach.