Chapter 19

- Astapor - Several Moons Later -

Aegon walked with Daenerys, Jon Connington, and Ser Jorah Mormont while they took their little tour of the Free City Astapor. Home of the Unsullied. The most efficient slave army fighting force in all of the known world and feared for it. While just about everyone in Westeros would frown at the Unsullied, a slave army from Essos, marching throughout the Seven Kingdoms, Aegon had other plans for them.

He just wished the fucking "Wise Master" wasn't such a pompous ass who thought so full of himself while insulting his clients in the High Valyrian tongue. Since so few people in the known world outside of Essos spoke the ancient language, this man thought he could get away with insulting all of his clients without them knowing, and use his translator to filter out the insults.

Pity the fool didn't know Aegon could understand and speak the language fluently. Just like his Aunt. Still, they knew revealing such knowledge would make negotiations with the stupid fool even more difficult.

Which is why the two Targaryens pretended they didn't know what Wise Master Kraznys mo Nakloz was saying to them. The translator was a young girl roughly their age, named Missandei went on to explain the details of the Unsullied and how they were trained. She was carefully filtering the Wise Master's words in a way where the client would not know what the man's crude words had been toward them.

The Wise Master had no shame when speaking ill of Daenerys, Aegon, Jon Connington, and Ser Jorah when talking in High Valyrian without worry or fear. Several times, Aegon had to keep his own anger in check when Kraznys spoke ill of Daenerys and the Prince's Mother. The crude man also made fun of the helmet Aegon wore and was very close to have having his throat and spine crush with the Force. But if there was one thing Aegon had learned both as Jon Snow the bastard and Aegon Stark Targaryen the apprentice of Count Dooku, it was patience.

Though Aegon imagined that even Dooku himself would have little patience for this shit of a man currently walking ahead of them in the hot Sun.

They all walked through Astapor and the large training grounds of the Unsullied. A truly impressive sight, if it wasn't for the fact it took so much in the ways of horror to forge a slave army such as this one. How they were numb to pain of any kind, did not fear death no matter what. How they had to prove themselves as Unsullied by performing one final gruesome task. One that made Daenerys go pale at hearing the Wise Master's ever proud explanation. Even more so when the Wise Master told him how many of the Unsullied were currently in stock with more on the way.

By killing a child in front of its Mother. Barbaric. It was no wonder that Essos had such a high population of people when compared to Westeros. They had to constantly breed like it was sport and needed to multiply rapidly in order to keep up with the traditions such as these.

"8,000 dead babies. All to make 8,000 men who are made less than men, and cannot have children of their own one day," commented Daenerys when they were alone.

"Unfortunately, it's more then 8,000 my dear Aunt. Remember, out of four in the training program, only one comes out of it alive. Multiply the total number of Unsullied here by three. The total number of dead is 24,000," said Aegon with Daenerys gasping and the two men beside her wincing since they didn't factor those who failed the training into it either.

"Barbaric. All of it. Makes you want to sack this city just to stop any more of slaves from being used like this in the near future," commented Jon Connington before spitting on the ground.

"Agreed. But the results are undeniable. The Unsullied are considered one of the greatest fighting forces for a slave army. Whoever commands them properly can win almost any victory in any battle and any war," added Ser Jorah while Aegon nodded to both men.

"Better their talents be used by us for all the right reasons over someone else with less than noble intentions," said Aegon while seeing the slaves in the distance who were all whipped and crucified in order to make an example of other slaves.

"How will we buy them? Even with the wealth taken from the Magister's vault, it won't be enough to buy them all," said Daenerys though she had misgivings of using a slave army.

"Don't worry Aunt. I have a plan to obtain all of them. I cannot tell you what it is just yet, but when I make my offer, do not agree with it right away. After ending my initial talks and negotiations with the fool, I will explain everything," replied Aegon with the others nodding.

- Astapor - The Next Day -

"My Master wishes you welcome my Lord and awaits your offer," said Missandei while she silently felt intimidated by the masked man.

"My offer is simple. I want them all," replied Aegon with Missandei was confused by the offer and the Wise Master looked somewhat amused, yet still insulted.

"Excuse me my Lord, but did you say all of the Unsullied?" asked Missandei with Aegon nodding.

"All of them. All 8,000 Unsullied and the 5,000 still in training. If the Unsullied here fall in battle, I will need the others here to replace them since reproduction through natural means is out of the question at his point," replied Aegon with the Wise Master laughing at him.

"He wants all of them and more?! Ha! The masked fool cannot afford to buy them with the wealth he has in his pouch. He can have 3,000 Unsullied. Maybe 5,000 if the silver haired slut with him sucks my cock right now and fucks me like a whore in public for all to see for three moons. But not all of them and certainly not the ones still to be marked as Unsullied," replied Kraznys while glancing at Daenerys with lust practically bleeding out of his eyes when he did.

"Wise Master Kraznys says your offer is respectfully rejected. You cannot afford all and more that you wished to purchase. He said there maybe a chance to purchase a little over half of the Unsullied for a few generous concessions on your part," translated Missandei after carefully, yet quickly choosing her words wisely when speaking to Aegon.

"I'm sure we can come to some kind of an arrangement. Say...a single dragon for all that I wish?" asked Aegon with the Wise Master's head snapping toward him with interest.

"A dragon? Surely this masked fool jests and claims false of such things," said Kraznys in disbelief, yet hope all the same of it being true.

"Wise Master Kraznys is interested in the offer, but is skeptical given how dragons have not been around for some time," replied Missandei while Aegon nodding.

"I understand. But I have three. And willing to part with one in exchange for what I wish to purchase here as previous stated," replied Aegon while those behind him were shocked and a little worried.

"My Lord, is that wise?" asked Jon Connington while knowing the Unsullied here were indeed a formidable force, a single full grown dragon was worth so much more.

"I know what I am doing Jon," replied Aegon while glancing back at Jon, who reluctantly nodded.

"I want all three!" demanded Kraznys immediately with greed in his voice and face while holding up three fingers.

"Wise Master Kraznys wants all three dragons and everything you wished to purchase will be yours," said Missandei while Aegon shook his head.

"No. One dragon," countered Aegon while holding up one finger to emphasize the point.

"Three!" countered Kraznys in the common tongue while holding up three fingers angrily as if one dragon was not enough.

"One dragon. Or I take my business elsewhere. I know I can get an army three, if not four times what you have here for one of them. What you are getting is generous on my part Wise Master. Don't push your luck," responded Aegon coldly while making it clear to the Wise Master that he was not some fool you could trick into giving more then what he was offering.

Much to the Wise Master's dismay and anger.

"Biggest one," said Kraznys in common tongue with Aegon nodding since all three of his dragons were equal in size right now so it didn't matter.

His plan would work all the same.

"Add in this translator and it is done," replied Aegon with a nod and it made the Wise Master smiled and nodded in agreement since losing Missandei to his service was merely a minor loss by comparison.

Besides, he could always train another translator.

- Transfer Ceremony Stand - Short Time Later -

They walked to the main stand where the 8,000 Unsullied stood. There backs straight, the shield and spear in each hand. Each of them trained in harsh conditions no man should ever have to go though to become something so lethal that calling them living weapon was being polite at this point. All of them waiting to be given orders to be carried out by the Master assigned to them and to obey his or her Will to the letter. Their thoughts on what they believed to be right or wrong did not exist, as they were stamped out during the training.

Slaves did not think. They listened. They obeyed. They followed orders and commands given. Anything else was insubordination and you were to be punished with the whip or the a blade through the heart.

And now they awaited this moment all of them were trained for. What their purpose in life was for.

This masked man in black standing beside the Wise Master who oversaw their training and held the whip. The one who held the whip was their Master. The one they would obey until death came. This was the transfer ceremony. One they were told would one day happen to them. When the Wise Master would transfer ownership to someone who would use their skills and talents for his or her ambitious gains.

And that time had come. At last.

"One Unsullied army for one dragon. My prize?" demanded Kraznys angrily.

"As promised," replied Aegon before making a hand motion and from the sky came the black image of Vaderon flying over the area.

His size was now bigger then a horse and it was clear to Aegon that this one, if not all of them, would become as large as the dragons of old who could cast shadows over an entire city.

The Wise Master must have thought the same thing if his scowl left him and was replaced by that disgusting smile plastered on his face.

Vaderon landed right beside Aegon, as if to show he was the Force users property, and was giving those around him not with the Prince a beastly glare. As for his two brothers Drogon and Revanchist, they were flying nearby in case their Father called for them as backup. Not that Vaderon would need such a thing, but they all three dragons knew it was better to have such backup and not need it over not having backup and needing it.

Contrary to what most thought of dragons, they were not dumb beasts. They were highly intelligent and one could see it when looking into their eyes. In fact, they were arguably smarter then most men in the Seven Kingdoms. Simply because they could tell instantly who was friend and who was foe. Who would betray and who were loyal. It was a special sense they had and one that could not be bested so easily when tried.

"Give!" demanded Kraznys while Aegon walked with Vaderon towards toward him.

"The whip," countered Aegon with his hand out.

"Here!" said Kraznys rudely before putting the neck binder on the dragon with the chain and smiled in the belief this symbolized him claiming a dragon as his personal slave.

"They are mine now?" asked Aegon while glancing at the Unsullied, who all saw him holding the whip in hand.

"You now hold the whip my Lord. They saw the transfer. The Unsullied are now yours to command," replied Missandei while moving to his side and accepting her new role as his servant.

"Why won't you obey me?! I am you Master! Heel! OBEY!" exclaimed Kraznys while the dragon in front of him refused to obey the Wise Master.

"Fool. A dragon is not a slave. You would know that if you studied the history of such creatures," commented Aegon with amusement.

"Tell this idiot that all are slaves to the Wise Masters of Astapor!" countered Kraznys while not realizing Aegon had understood him or remembered Missandei was no longer in his service.

"I am hardly an idiot you greedy son of a whore," said Aegon in flawless High Valyrian with Kraznys and Missandei looking at him in shock at how he could speak the ancient tongue.

"You speak High Valyrian?!" asked Kraznys with Aegon looking at him in shock.

"Of course. What dragon doesn't know his family's mother tongue. Which means I know every word you ever said to us during this meeting. Every single insult. Every single thing you wished to do to my Aunt. Every. Single. Sentence!" exclaimed Aegon with the Wise Master getting worried since he had set a lot of ugly things to his client and his group.

"It matters not. I have your dragon. It is mine! MINE!" countered Kraznys with Aegon letting out an amused chuckle.

"No. He's not. Dracarys!" commanded Aegon with Vaderon opening his mouth and let out an impressive stream of fire that burned the Wise Master to death.

And all the while, the Unsullied stood by watching. Unmoving for they were not given orders to move.

Until now.

"Unsullied! As you know, I hold this whip in my hands. By the training and conditioning you have endured since birth, I am now command you. My word is law. As such, I will now give you orders to carry out to the letter!" stated Aegon in High Valyrian with the Unsullied now standing even straighter and awaiting orders.

"Your Grace, surely you don't intend to use them," said Ser Jorah with Aegon looking back at him for a moment.

"This is my command to you all. Kill the Wise Masters. Kill their guards. But do not harm the children or those in training. Kill all those who would seek to whip and bind you in chain!" commanded Aegon with the Unsullied springing into action per his orders.

The Unsullied proved their worth and what their training could do when put to the test against others. They were flawless in their execution of their strikes. Flawless in killing who they were told to kill. Guards fell and Wise Masters screamed. Vaderon took to the air, his chains melting from the heat of his flames, and began unleashing more fire on the enemy of his Father.

In the end, not a single Unsullied or boy in training to be one was killed that day when it was all said and done. Both Revanchist and Drogon had returned to join their brother in the air during the attack and the burning the enemies of their Father. Now all three of the dragons were feasting on the flesh of their fallen burned prey since fish from the sea and other small animals only kept them fed for so long.

"You have won your Grace. This is a great victory for House Targaryen. One of many in the years to come," commented Ser Jorah with Aegon looking at the destruction before him.

"Victory? No Ser Jorah. This isn't a victory. This wasn't a battle in a war. This is merely a goal I envisioned being completed. Nothing more. The real battles are out there! The real victories I intend to achieve are out there! Where our enemies are waiting for us out there sitting in their positions on high!" stated Aegon while pointing his finger harshly out into the world beyond Astapor.

"Surely you don't intend to use a slave army to win those victories, right Nephew?" asked Daenerys with Aegon standing in front of the Unsullied.

"Unsullied! You were trained for the purpose of serving a Master. One who would have you fight for him. Whether a few of you to be bodyguards. Or many to fight in his wars and battles to become some warlord. To many here in Essos, you are slaves. You have no rights. No freedom. No ability to choose. No feelings of self worth. As of right now, that changes through me!" stated Aegon before raising his hand holding the whip for all the Unsullied to see and crushed the handle in his hand.

When Aegon slowly opened his hand, the pieces of the item symbolizing slavery to the Unsullied were destroyed at the man's feet.

"I now give unto you members of the Unsullied a power, which none of these so called Wise Masters, who mutilated you as children, would never give to those they deem to be inferior to themselves. That power, is the power...of choice! I give you now, without fear of retaliation, torture, and death at the hands of others, the power to choose your fate from here on out. You can choose to march out those gate. One at a time or in groups. It does not matter. You can venture out into the world to do what you see fit. You can hire yourself to be a Sell Sword. You can hire yourself as a bodyguard. You may even find yourself caught and resold again as slave by one of the other Free City Wise Masters, said Aegon with his hand pointing to gate behind the Unsullied.

"OR, you can join me, as free men, fighting against the tyranny and oppression that made the Wise Masters use to bind you and others like you in chains! Join me, of your own free will, and together we will break the chains of those who are enslaved. Break their chains and give them a chance to be something beyond mere slaves. Beyond being mere slave soldiers. Beyond being pleasure slaves, who consist of small children to adults trained to bringing pleasure to men and women with different preferences. Beyond mere slaves who clean, cook, and work their fingers sometimes quite literally to the bone while living in fear of being cast out or killed. So I ask you now, as free men, with the power to choose, what will you do?! What path will you take?! What say you?!" asked Aegon while he was watching them all with interest at how they would react.

And slowly, one by one, the Unsullied stomped the base of their spears onto the ground, signaling their intentions for the future. Soon all of them were doing it as one. They did not speak much and if they did, it was never loud. The Wise Masters did not want to sell slaves who could think beyond their station much less those who could speak more then said required. No. The only way for an Unsullied to truly speak loudly beyond words was through actions they carried out to signify their intentions.

And they were making their intentions clear right here in this spot.

They would serve the dragon loyally. Not because they had to serve him. No. They chose to serve willingly.

"I think you have their answer your Grace," commented Jon with Aegon nodding.

"Indeed Lord Connington. Now we have an army. Onto the next phase of the plan," said Aegon while he mounted his horse while the others did the same.

"And what is the next phase of the plan your Grace?" asked Ser Jorah since Aegon only really confided in Daenerys about his plans.

Even Jon was kept out of a few things. Though Aegon had said it was necessary should the future spell disaster for the Rooster and was interrogated about the Targaryen's plans for the future. While Jon would take any secrets with him to his grave, Aegon had told him that there were ways to break even the most loyal of men against their Will. This wasn't a "I don't trust you" thing, it was a "I do trust you, but I need to ensure no one can get to me because I do trust you" thing.

"Conquering the Free Cities. Breaking the chains of slaves. And when the time is right, we march on Westeros to restore the Seven Kingdoms to what it once was before the Usurper stole from my House," said Aegon with a grin behind his mask.

The time had come. The dragon had finally awakened. The wings were spread and his roar was loud. Soon it would be heard for what happened here in Astapor and his deeds would reach the Seven Kingdoms. Aegon could only imagine how the Usurper would react to this. How the Falcon and the old Lion would react when they heard the dragon had returned and knew it was only a matter of time before he crossed the Narrow Sea back to Westeros.