20

Olenna Tyrell had been waiting for a response from the petulant boy that fancied himself a King. She had never been a patient woman, and she certainly wasn't patient right then. Not when the safety of her and her family was at stake.

Of course, she would never dare to call the young man petulant … at least not to his face. The more she learned about him, the more nervous she became. She was afraid that he had already made up his mind about her family, and he was just biding his time. Thankfully, that didn't turn out to be true. Eventually, a response from him arrived around the same time as she received news from her spies in the capital. His response wasn't exactly what she was expecting. The old woman took her ornate chalice and sipped some plum wine from it. An expected knock on the door caused her to put her cup down.

"Enter!" she called out. In came her beautiful granddaughter who smiled at her as she closed the door. "Come sit," Olenna ordered. Margaery complied without complaint. "I have received a response to the letter I sent Harold Hill. He has stated that by the time I receive this, he will have already returned to Seven Swords in the Disputed Lands. He has, however, invited our family to come to his city and partake in negotiations."

"Will we take him up on the offer?" Margaery asked.

"I must speak with your father first, but yes, I can safely say that we will. You will, of course, be coming with us," she told her. Margaery smiled and nodded. "There is something else I must tell you …"

Olenna pulled out another letter and held it up. "I have heard from my spies within King's Landing. They tell me that Harold has indeed left the capital. They also tell me that he has taken Cersei Lannister and her children with them … excluding Joffrey, of course."

"That makes a difference for us?" she asked, confused. Olenna nodded.

"Harold is not particularly close with his family … That is well known. But I would not put it past Tywin to try and wed Princess Myrcella to him. It would, in essence, lock him down to the Lannister family."

"You think he will?" Margaery asked. "Lord Tywin I mean. You think he will try and have them married?"

"I would if I were in his shoes," Olenna admitted. "Of course, Harold would have to agree with it first. That's why our negotiations will be so important."

"Are we getting ahead of ourselves?" Margaery asked. "He has a dragon, yes, but he hasn't shown any propensity to use it against anyone in the Seven Kingdoms. We haven't even seen this land that he claims as his own. Perhaps the rumors are mistaken."

"We cannot take the risk. He is too much of a danger. As for his lands, we will wait and see. However, I do want you at the top of your game. If anyone's smile can win him over, it is yours," she told her granddaughter. Margaery understood exactly what she was saying.

"When will we be leaving?" she asked. They had returned to Highgarden only a week ago.

"Immediately, if I have my way," Olenna responded. Margaery knew that she almost always had her way. Margaery stood up.

"Then I must get some new dresses if I am to look my best," she said. Olenna smirked and nodded. The game continued, and she was hoping to be the next one to make a move.

The Dread Lord of Essos

Wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead, Harry placed a Cooling Charm on himself as he used his magic to dig deeper and deeper below his castle. By then, he was way too deep for any normal human to survive for long. Oxygen was low and other gasses like Methane were beginning to become prominent. A Bubblehead Charm took care of that, but even he didn't want to spend much more time down there. The reason he was digging so deep was to install a brand new Ward Stone. As his city further took shape, the amount of magic it was using was starting to become absurd. That much magic couldn't be pulled from the environment alone. Now he needed to tap into the magic that the planet itself produced. The only way to do that was with a massive Ward Stone.

Back on Earth, Hogwarts had a similar stone buried deep underneath it that powered all of its wondrous Wards and oddities. Harry had hoped to take the easy way out and use enchantments and runes, but that just wouldn't cut it anymore. He needed to bring out the big guns. Further, he dug, breaking through hundreds of feet of stone before he finally judged that he had gone deep enough. Fading from sight, he appeared back at the mouth of the hole. Looking down, he could see only a dark void. Beside him was a large block of petrified Weirwood Tree from the Lands of Always Winter. The white stone and the oily, black stone of Asshai and Yeen were the most magical stones on the planet. Harry found that the oily, black stone was made from petrified Shade of the Evening Tree. He would need to study both trees in the future. Mind-altering drinks could already be made from both of the trees. Harry wondered what else could be made from them.

The massive block of stone was carved with thousands of runes circling the entire thing. Hardly an inch of the surface wasn't covered with some type of magical script. Normally, placing a Ward Stone of this size definitely wasn't a job for one person. Thankfully, Harry was beyond the average man. Harry focused with all of his might. He concentrated and funneled his powers into the stone. After several minutes of this, Harry could feel the air around him getting hotter. The stone was starting to vibrate, telling him that it was time. Using his magic, he levitated the stone and made it hover over the open hole. Cutting off his magic, he let the stone fall straight down. Before it could hit the bottom, he transfigured the top of the hole into a solid slab of stone. It didn't take long for it to strike the bottom of the hole. He felt the slight tremble of the ground underneath his feet as it made contact. He wasn't worried about it breaking. It was magically strengthened with runes. It would still take weeks before it charged enough to begin using it. He didn't mind since he wasn't in any rush.

Beyond being able to add more wards and enchantments to the city, the stone would have the added bonus of making the area around the city more fertile and plentiful. Once it was fully powered, he would make sure to rent out the surrounding lands to farmers, which would draw even more people to the area. Harry wasn't sure how bad the area got during the infamous winters on this planet, but that was why he had added the Ward Stone. It would provide more than enough power to keep the city decently heated, and hopefully, keep the lands surrounding it bountiful. He would have to wait and see though.

Harry looked around his magical workshop that was in the lowest section of his castle. Besides his tools for enchanting, rune carving, and potion-making, he also had magical items that he had collected over his travels. One such thing was a glass candle that his drones had dug up in the ruins of ancient Valyria. Tall and twisted, the black candle rose up into a collection of sharp points. Harry had tried to find out all he could about the candles, but he hadn't been able to find out much. One day he needed to raid the Citadel and pilfer their collection of scrolls and tomes relating to magic. That, however, was for another day.

Harry had been so caught up in building his city, that he put his exploration of the world on hold. There were still so many new places to see. Even so, he had obligations here. However, he was already planning to take a few trips here and there. He figured that a healthy mix of fun and taking care of his responsibilities wouldn't be too hard to figure out. He hoped to be able to fill his workshop with magical items from all over the world. He walked up to the candle and ran his finger down it. On a whim, he decided to push some of his magic into it. Almost instantly, the candle ignited.

At first, Harry thought that the candle of twisted obsidian was nothing special. The candlelight it produced was very bright. Abnormally bright even. He knew that, at the very least, the candle was indeed magical. 'Perhaps they were enchanted by the Valyrian mages to act as ever-burning candles and nothing more,' Harry thought as he looked into the flames. That was when he noticed something. It wasn't the flames themselves that were awe-inspiring. It was the effect that they had on colors that were truly amazing. Whites seemed brighter than fresh snowfall, purples looked like amethyst that was held up to the light, and the shadows in the room seemed to come to life, morphing into bottomless voids. As he studied the effects of the candle, he heard a surprised yell. It wasn't a clear sound though. It crackled and sounded like a whisper from the other side of the room. Looking back at the candle, he could have sworn he saw a face in the light.

The Dread Lord of Essos

A short, squat man, thick in the neck and strong in the jaw cried out as one of the black candles that he had in his room suddenly burst into flame. Archmaester Marwyn Belmore, also known as Marwyn the Mage nearly tripped over himself as he ran to the other side of the room, fumbled to sit down at his desk, and peered deeply into the flames.

His fellow Maesters and Archmaesters had never shared his love of all things supernatural. They preferred the comforts of the Citadel. Marwyn, however, loved traveling the world, looking for rare books, and studying anything magical that he could find. He had toured the far east, learned from sorcerers, and studied with the famed Shadowbinders of Asshai. The one thing he could never do, however, was to get these cursed candles to work. Supposedly, you were able to see past the seas and mountains and communicate with sorcerers on the other side. All he saw was a near-blinding light. Trying to block some of the light with his hand, he looked deeply into the flames. He saw a face looking back at him. Handsome … very handsome, with long, black hair and dazzling green eyes. His face was only there for a second before the flame died.

"NOOO!" he cried out in frustration, grabbing the candle to examine it. Once he was sure that it wouldn't ignite again, he set it back on his desk in an annoyed fashion. 'Who was the man in his vision?' Marwyn wondered. As an Archmaester, he had long since learned to look at things logically, so that's what he did. The candle lit, which it had never done before. So what suddenly changed in the world? The one thing that stood out was the rumor of the new Dragon King of Essos. Sailors and Traders coming into Oldtown told tales of a magnificent city that sprung from the ground practically overnight. Marwyn knew that wasn't natural. There had to be magic at play. He had been wanting to go back to Essos to continue his travels. 'Perhaps it is the perfect time to begin my journey,' he thought to himself as he looked longingly at the black candle. Getting out of his chair, he decided to start making arrangements for a long journey.

The Dread Lord of Essos

Harry cut off the flow of his magic, and the candle went out. 'Strange,' he thought before shrugging. Who was in the flames wasn't very important to him at that time. He'd find out if he was meant to. Right then, he had more important things to worry about. He suddenly felt a ping from one of his Kingsguards letting him know that the Gold Cloaks needed his attention. His Kingsguard were nothing more than a group of his drones. Eventually, he would fill those spots with great warriors and people of importance. At the moment, his only choices were drones or the Unsullied, who he was already using as his version of Gold Cloaks, or the City Watch, which was their proper title. Fading away, he appeared in a hidden room near the front of his castle. Going outside, he mounted his horse and rode down the bridge and to the headquarters of the City Watch.

Their headquarters was located in the two towers that held the massive, steel gate that separated King's Garden from the castle bridge. It was there that several thousand Unsullied lived and worked. The rest were stationed at different strategic points in and around the city grounds. They were made into dozens of individual garrisons that protected the city from outside forces.

Stopping outside of the towers, an Unsullied soldier took control of his horse as Harry dismounted. Going straight inside, he met with the City Watch commander.

"There is a group who wishes to meet with you," the Commander told him.

"Who are they?" Harry asked. There weren't many that would warrant a meeting with someone of his status.

"A young man who calls himself King Viserys Targaryen," he responded. Harry raised an eyebrow at that. He knew of the Targaryens that had escaped the clutches of King Robert, he just didn't think that he would be meeting them so soon … if ever. There were many who wanted them dead, even with Robert out of the picture.

"Where is he?"

"His party is coming down Whitebridge Road. They will be here soon," Harry was told. He nodded.

"Allow them entrance. I shall meet them at the foot of my castle," Harry commanded. The Commander nodded and went back to work. Harry got back on his horse and rode back to the castle. Once there, he quickly donned his ceremonial armor and waited outside the castle entrance with Melisandre at his side. He liked having her close by during these types of meetings. Her sultry and otherworldly appearance and attitude always threw men for a loop. That day was no different. Her lovely, red hair flowed in soft, luscious curls down her back while her silk dress clung tightly to her voluptuous body. The neck of her dress was cut very low, revealing a tantalizing amount of her bountiful breasts. Even Harry, who was used to her raw sexuality, was having trouble looking away.

It wasn't long before a dirt-covered, wooden carriage pulled up flanked by several horsemen with swords at their sides and bows over their shoulders. Harry watched on as the driver opened the carriage door and out hopped a young man. He was a young man that was gaunt and unimpressive in height. He had the silvery blonde hair of those with Valyrian blood along with the bright purple eyes. Harry had seen others that possessed similar features. What set him apart was the wild, feverish look in his eyes. He looked like a man that was weak in the mind. Appearances could be deceiving, Harry knew, so he wisely decided to keep an open mind.

Viserys turned and helped a girl that was younger than him get out of the carriage. 'This must be his sister, Daenerys,' Harry thought as he watched her daintily step out of the carriage. The girl was slender of build with soft, feminine curves. Her breasts were small, but they didn't look out of place on her petite frame. Her face was lovely, with sparkling violet eyes and silvery gold hair that was tied in a long and elaborate braid that ran down her back. She wore a pretty, silk dress that was the color of freshly picked lavender. When she looked up, her eyes immediately locked with his. Harry smiled handsomely at her, which made her blush deeply. Her brother, however, wasn't looking at him. Instead, he had his head tilted toward the sky.

"Splendid! Absolutely magnificent!" he cried loudly, watching Daemon circling the city and flapping his mighty wings. "With my dragon, I shall easily topple the Usurpers and take back what is rightfully mine!" he loudly and proudly declared. What he didn't see was one of his escorts pinching the area between his eyes in annoyance. Illyrio Mopatis had sent him along to not only report back but to also help keep the young prince from offending their dangerous host. Of course, neither of them expected that the first thing to leave his mouth would be insulting. He heard the Dread Lord clear his throat. With more than a little trepidation, he turned his head to look at the imposing man. He was shocked to see him smiling.

"Your dragon?" he asked the Targaryan princeling. Viserys turned to him.

"Of course! For I am Viserys of the House Targaryen, the Third of his Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm. Most importantly, I am the Dragon King," he laughed out loud in glee. "Worry not though. For when I retake the Iron Throne, I shall lavish you with wealth and titles for hatching my dragon," he promised.

Harry thought it over and nodded his head. "Then you have my thanks," Harry told him. Shall I call Daemon down for you, Your Grace?" he asked. Viserys puffed up with pride, standing taller than he ever had.

"You may," he smiled. 'Finally, someone who understands my importance and power. He shall be rewarded greatly,' Viserys thought. Daenerys beside him looked very nervous about the prospect of facing a living dragon. A loud whistle made her jump in fright.

Viserys watched with wide eyes as Daemon flew in low and unfurled his massive wings. Flapping them wildly, he slowly lowered himself to the ground. He nearly forgot himself and ran over. He remembered that he was a King, and he needed to present himself as one. Walking up to the beast, he stopped short when it looked directly at him and let out a low, rumbling growl. He watched his host walk up and pat the beast on the nose, calming him down. Viserys took the opportunity to run the rest of the way and climb on its back. Almost immediately, the beast began to flap its wings, and before he knew it, he was in the sky.

"Woooooooooooo!" he yelled at the top of his lungs, punching the sky. Finally, he was a dragonlord of old!

"Woah! Wait … Stop you stupid …"

Down below, Daenerys watched in shock as her brother rode a dragon. At first, everything was okay … until the dragon did a barrel roll. " ....aaaaaaaaaaAAAAAAARGH!" she heard.

A wet, meaty crunch made everyone jump back. On the ground, in the middle of the group was the mangled body of Viserys of the House Targaryen, the Third of his Name, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Protector of the Realm. His head was twisted completely around and partially caved in from the impact. All of his arms and legs were twisted and broken, and a pool of dark red blood began to pool from underneath his wrecked corpse. Daenerys cried out in shock while some of her escorts wretched and vomited.

"I forgot to mention … Daemon doesn't like when others try to ride him," Harry said, smirking as he looked down at the pile of meat. "Melisandre, please escort the Princess inside. She doesn't need to see any more of this," Harry told her. Melisandre smirked and nodded, placing an arm around the frightened girl and escorting her inside the castle.