We are going South

Ser Arthur Dane didn't know why but it felt like home here.

Looking at the prosperous city of Neverwinter his heart started to beat faster, was it just the city that he was looking forward to seeing again or was it something else?

The last years that he spent in the service of young Lord were probably best of his life up to now.

Never before saw he so many people smile and praise someone without any hidden, ulterior motive.

Yes. There was Prince Rhaegal before, but as his close friend and confidant no one better than him knew that it was just a game that the Crown Prince played.

The Sword of the Morning glanced to his side where his dear friend looked worriedly at the monstrous castle being built in the distance.

"You worry to much Smallspear." the Dornishman leaned on the rail while taking a jab at the man he came to like, respect and treat as a real comrade.

"And you don't worry enough." from the short reply Ser Arthur knew his friend was still angry at their Lord.

He couldn't know that it was not only about that as when the Northman said his words a figure of beautiful Lady passed through his mind making his heart feel warm.

"What's done is done. Better get back to being your usual self or Lady Dustin will have us flayed." being aware that it's best to leave his companion to himself at times like this he moved around Sea Glory to one last time look at the enormous convoy.

The rest of the time passed swiftly and they docked with another 50 ships to start unloading the goods.

Since the docks were not large enough to fit all of them at the same time, they had to move in groups of 50 to unload the cargo.

When the two men stepped on the land they immediately were welcomed by Lady Barbrey, two wolves and a small girl looking around frantically like searching for someone.

The wolves sped up after welcoming the men and started to run around the ship while whining.

Both men knew what the animals were doing and one look on the exited Lady Dustin and little Bri made them a bit fearful to convey the news.

"My Lady." they knights said at the same time and dropped down on one knee like they were waiting for judgment.

Lady Barbrey just glanced at them and said nothing, taking her time to extinguish the disappointment in her heart.

"Why are two of my son's sworn shields here and yet he is not?" her cold tone more threatening than a unarmed charge at a full Legion size force.

"By order of the young Lord my Lady." Ser Bryce was the one to answer. He wanted to explain, but as it was not the time nor the place he just looked at the woman in front.

Lady Dustin understood his intentions and held herself back from asking anymore questions... for now that is.

With one last glance at the fleet she gave her orders and went back to the castle with the young, disheartened Bri following her and behaving like a young, proper lady should.

"Speak." Lady Dustin just entered her solar with Ser Arthur, Ser Bryce and Ser Hadrian and already demanded answers as her patience grew thin.

"Lord Brendan had a dream." they didn't hide anything and started to explain everything from the time they left the North.

Patiently listening to their story Lady Dustin laughed at some of her son's antics, cringed at others and released her blood lust especially while hearing how wounded her boy got.

Even Ser Hadrian, the man of stone as he was called in the castle had a small smile listening to their young Lords story.

"So what you're telling me is that my son went to hunt the fractured Khalasar of this... Khal Aggro that Ser Gerold killed, with 16 thousand of his screamers just after healing from his wounds and that was 8 moons ago?" she alone could not believe the words that came out of her mouth.

Seeing her body trembling even Loki and Laika hid behind Ser Hadrian quietly.

"Yes my Lady." the men thought like they were staring at the eyes of the beast ready to devour them.

"And why two of my child best knights are not with him in this stupid and dangerous endeavor?" after her words a chill came through their spines.

"The youn..." before Ser Arthur managed to finish Ser Bryce cut him off.

"During the last ritual by his Magi before he left, the Lord saw you dying with your throat slit and sent us here for your protection." the knight words were so unbelievable that Ser Hadrian furrowed his brows and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword and yet the Northern knight was not finished. "Lord Brendan took Noya and his blood riders with him, leaving the Khalasar in New Lhazar. 1st Aries Legion and 1st Aries Equites are guarding the city with the second Arionia Legion and 2nd Arionian Equites being formed there while the city defenses and mineral mines are being built." he said fast not allowing anyone to disturb him.

"Aries? Arionian? Equites?" Barbrey didn't knew the words.

"Yes my Lady, we asked young Lord about that as well. It's a fancy word for ram as it is what the Lhazareens believe in, Arion is a divine stallion as the Legion is mostly composed of Dothraki. The word Equites is for the Lord to fancy call cavalry as the two legions are only composed from heavy and light cavalry with all of them trained in archery." this time it was Ser Arthur who explained.

"So he already has 12 thousand infantry and the same number of cavalry guarding his city?" the woman was shocked, it was not so long ago that her son left the nest and flew away and now that?

"Well..." the men were hesitant to continue and she caught on.

"What else did my son do?" she calmed down enough to hear more.

"Actually he has even more troops..." Ser Bryce whispered.

"And how does my son plan to feed all of them!? How does he plan to pay for all of that?!" now she was angry that her hand slammed on the desk. They just finished some project and the gold was slowly flowing in and now that!

"The ships brought few hundred tons of food back... the young Lord ordered the Lhazareen to change as much land as possible to farms and pasture... we now have similar number to half of the whole Reach..." the bomb was dropped.

Lady Dustin just froze and said nothing, so the men continued while taking out a map to show her.

"Here young Lord wants to have 5 Legions and 5 Legions Equites guarding the City and the land around from slavers, mercenaries and the Dothraki. He calls it the New Lhazar or Lhazareen province. Including his Khalasar to the North of it," he moved his finger up. " they will be unbeatable there with food and resources from the mountains and farms. We brought ships filled with iron ore, gold, silver and a lot more from what the Lord ordered us to excavate while they mined for rocks to build the wall around the city." looking at their Lady indescribable expressions they imaginary patted themselves on the back in their heads.

"Do I even want to listen to the rest of what my son did?" the Lady felt a headache coming.

"My Lady, we should get it out of the way." Ser Arthur bit the bullet.

"Continue..." she just waived her hand and the men obliged.

"Here..." he marked the area of Slavers Bay and Winter Fort "we are training 1st Pretoria Invicta Legion, 2nd Pretoria Bruma Lupin Legion, 3rd Pretoria Aquila Legion." one look from the Lady was enough to explain.

"Pretoria is the name he gave to the Elites, the dedication and loyalty that they showed made the young Lord name them the protectors of House Dustin so each Legion with "Pretoria" in name sole purpose is to serve the house and only you, my Lady and him can command them. They wore black castle forged steel armor with a yellow sign on their hearts as distinction in and out of the armor. They are the best and most loyal from each Legion and they enjoy the highest privilege and honor in all the army. To join, the troops need to serve 5 year term in infantry, 3 years in Cavalry and if there is no problem with their service record, honor, mentality and behavior they will be admitted as a trial run for two years and formally after." he finished describing the process.

"10 years process..." Ser Hadrian couldn't believe what he heard.This must be one of the hardest units to get into not counting the Unsullied.

The first three Pretoria Legions are made from our men from the first batch and the ex Northern sell-swords that want to return here after service."

"Is my son not afraid of betrayal?" she trusted her son, but being cautious wouldn't hurt.

"No my Lady, the Magi Rina guaranteed and Magi Mirri seconded." the two men were sure after seeing what she could do in their time before leaving.

"So where will my son station them, these Invica and the rest?" they couldn't take them to the North, at least not yet.

"As they are trained to, equipped and able to perform from infantry, cavalry to even engineering or archers role. The 1st Pretoria Invicta meaning the invincible will be stationed here in Neverwinter, there are only the men and women we took with us. 2nd Pretoria Bruma Lupin Legion or Winter Wolves with 3rd Pretoria Aquila meaning the eagle Legion will make a name for themselves as Winter Company in disputed lands with Lady Cerea's help from Winter Fort. There will be more Legions stationed in Slavers Bay after we take Astapor, Yunkai and Meereen officially." they thought if there is more to add about it, but nothing came to mind.

"My Lady, here is the letter for you from young Lord and the document he asked us to guard with our life as well."

Lady Dustin still a bit in a daze after hearing the name Winter Wolves and listening to her son's plans grabbed the paper and slowly inspected and broke her son's seal on it.

"What did you mean by officially Ser Arthur?" she asked before reading.

"Zizlaz has been in Meereen since the moment we arrived, organizing support to his revenge against the Great Masters. Now, young Lord ordered Rina to join him and travel around the cities with her people as New Lhazar is secured. The last report confirmed they are making progress and in 3 years all should be ready for us to act upon and take over mostly, quietly except Astapor as the Lord stubbornly wants to take it himself." Arthur showed a gesture of disapproval.

The Lady did not ask more and started reading the letter and the more she read the more her hands massaged her forehead subconsciously.

The men just looked at her and waited for orders.

"Call for Ser Davos! Now! and prepare my carriage and escort Ser Hadrian. We are going south." She said and already cursed her boy for making her life harder than it should be while burning the letter.