XXIX.

"[Wake up my little she-wolf.]" Nys said practically in a sleepy sigh while she opened and closed her eyes, adjusting them to the light that penetrated the room through the drapery of the window.

"[The sun has already risen. We have to have breakfast, talk with the prince and at noon we have the meeting with the council that governs the city.]" she exhorted her Hāedar with a tremulous voice, meanwhile she left the embrace in which they were.

Arya's only response to her was to roll onto Nys' chest and flop down beside her on the wide bed provided by her in-law's family.

"[Come on Arya!! I don't want to go to the mess family hall alone.]" Nys insisted again to her sister with an annoyed tone, at the same time that she gently pushed Arya on the left shoulder. But Arya only let out some incomprehensible murmurs from her lips, then snuggled into the pillow.

'It seems that even if I don't want to, I'll have to face Oberyn Martell alone.' Nys thought with a shudder to herself, at the same time that she let out a resigned sigh from her mouth.

'You can't blame Arya for that. She deserves a break, Nys.' The other voice inside her replied.

'I know, Rhae. I know. But the last thing I want after all yesterday shit show is to be alone with my maternal uncle. I think that with our shared past with Dorne and the Martells, you can have some empathy in that. Honestly, once the farce was uncovered, I would prefer to negotiate directly with the council of priests and nobles, than to have to speak again about my past or about our life in common.' she replied with a certain tension and vehemence, inappropriate for how little awake she still was.

'But you won't be alone. You never have been alone. Like me neither. We will always have each other. We made a miscalculation due to our lack of knowledge in the past. But now we have all the information. And even more than your maternal uncle can ever have.' Rhae answered and reassured her with overflowing confidence while blaming both of them on the big mistake they made in the past.

In hindsight it had been clear that relying on the historical-political knowledge of a girl with just three days of her name, wasn't the best political-military guide to follow. Following this strategy, led to both of them to the conviction that if she was a descendant of Martell, it was because she had taken Dorne during the Conquest. There was no other explanation in their minds.

Once brought back to life, maturity and in the last place, the acceptance in the timeless and one- person bond that they had between both, Meria Martell and the seven-time-cursed Hellholt Castle showed to them how wrong they were in their conceptions.

Deciding that Rhae was right, Nys got out of the bed and proceeded to dress herself for what she knew would be a long day.

When her uncle and prince of Dorne, Oberyn Martell, mistook her for her brother Aegon and recognized Arya's kinship, he set in motion a process in which the speed of Nys' actions would be key. Actions which she would have to improvise on the fly.

The plan that Arya and her had in an origin was simple. Nys was posing as a bard and Arya as his brother and assistant. They would attend feasts and banquets of the Norvosi nobility, they would locate Mellario of Norvos, and once her character was judged, they would discover themselves before her to arrange a meeting with the rulers of the city. After this she would work her magic and relocate a large part of Norvos' population to Ny Sar. Simple, easy and without any ties to Dorne or the Seven Kingdoms.

However, assuming that things in Norvos would be like Westeros, or even Braavos or Volantis, was the first and biggest planning failure.

'Who would have imagined that a wandering bard could not step on the ground of the upper city?'

Nys wondered with resentment, as she put on her tights of black scaled leather with red trim on the

sides.

Don't asking Bran for a prior reconnaissance of the city had also shown another major miscalculation

'How in the seven hells was I going to think that Oberyn Martell was going to be in Norvos? Mellario came back from Dorne two years ago leaving behind her daughter and sons, estranged with Doran to the knowledge of all Westeros and Essos, but it turns out that Mellario maintains a friendly relationship with her brother-in-law!'

Nys clicked her tongue in her mouth and frowned as she pulled on her stockings and knee-high leather boots.

Above, today she was simply going to wear an exquisite scarlet silk cloth, which hung from her neck in two strips that covered just enough to avoid exposing her nipples, and which was knotted at her hip in a sash. It was like going practically naked from the waist to the neck. Although her chest wasn't Nys' greatest physical asset, today she had to take advantage of all her weapons. And she knew how distracting her physique could be to men.

And that was something she needed.

Although she did not trust her uncle Oberyn, it was this one whom, while she and Arya flew in Axes for their satchels hidden in the cave, convinced the city watch first and some members of the city council later that her dragon hasn't come to the city to destroy it and that Nys come in peace, to visit her relatives.

The intervention of the Dornish prince was key so that the situation did not escalate to greater at the return of the two sisters of the Dragon Reborn. But didn't subtract an iota of suspicion in the Norvosis regarding Nys' intentions.

'And the truth is that they are not wrong. Or not completely. The city of Norvos is not important in our plan. Its human resources yes. Hence they are not correct that we intend to raze their city. At least with the slaves and free people still residing in it.'

Picking up the tiara that served as her crown from the dresser, she looked back at her reflection. Nys' pale complexion seemed to glow in the polished silver in front of her, only disturbed by the contrasting strips of scarlet silk. Her eyes looked like two sparkling amethysts. A pair of black locks, like oil charcoal, and another pair, glowing like the light of a full moon, arched over her silver left eyebrow.

She nodded to herself and wrapped the tiara of one ofBaelor's the Blessed sisters around her temples, feeling the cold of the metal against her nearly hairless head on the sides and nape of her head.

Before leave the room, Nys casted a last fond look in the direction of Arya's sleeping figure, for then proceeded to leave the room and into the hallway that would lead her to the Family Room of her aunt in-law's manse.

Upon reaching the bright room, Nys could see that with the exception of a few maids placing breakfast on the long table, to her fortune and relief, neither the owner of the manse, nor her uncle had yet made an appearance.

Knowing that it was better to face her uncle as soon as possible, Rhaenys turned to one of the girls whom were setting the table, gently grabbing her left arm to get the maid's attention.

With a warm voice and a smile on her face, Nys said "[Good morning. Could you please let the Prince of Dorne know that Queen Rhaenys Targaryen is waiting to have breakfast with him?]"

It is seen that the maids were so absorbed in their task that they had not noticed Nys entry into the stays, because when hearing her hissed tones of her way at speaking Valyrian, Nys felt how eight pairs of eyes were on her.

The reactions to seeing her, although customary, did not stop surprising her. Not in this, not in her previous life. They were faces that showed amazement, disbelief, and a certain reverence mixed with fear.

After the momentary shock in which the maids seemed to sink, they lowered their gaze to the ground and made several attempts to bow and bow their heads. Including the maid Nys had grabbed by the arm and whom almost accidentally hit Nys' shoulder when she tilted her head.

"[Immediately, your divinity]" the maid pronounced in broken Valyrian and with barely a thread of voice, referring to Nys by the proper title of the priests of the city council, slipping from her grasp to leave through a side door of the stays.

After the maid left, another one grabbed the chair to the right of the head of the table and moved it, while another leaned her arms in the direction of said chair, indicating that this was Nys' place.

As Rhaenys sat down, the maids began to place different fruit cakes in front of her, oat bread with bits of dates, candied apple and orange peel, a jug of milk flavored with cinnamon, cloves, sugar and almond milk, and another jug of boiled water and tea leafs with Lemon.

'Arya is going to love this breakfast.' Nys thought internally, knowing the quality and variety of the food during the march, while contemplating the quantity, quality and variety of the food presented now before her.

"[Your Grace, if you need anything else, we are at your disposal]" said in an attempt of bastard Valyrian the one whom by appearance must be the oldest of the maids in the room, while the others retired discreetly to the background, almost merging with the walls.

Although the servants of her aunt-in-law were not slaves in every sense of the word, deep down you could tell that they were not entirely free people either. And that was shown in a very accentuated way in the interactions that until now Nys had had with the different maids and stewards of the manse.

Nys looked warmly at the woman whom by appearance would had more than thirty days of her name, and by the correct use of Nys' title she sensed that the maid should had been in Mellario's service for some time. Smiling at the maid, Nys nodded, to then take on the breakfast.

While eating a strawberry tart, accompanied by some of the spiced milk, Nys pondered what her next conversation with Prince Oberyn might bring.

If already before the events of Robert's Rebellion, Nys knew about the absence of love between her parents and the sterility of her mother, as well as the annulment of the marriage between them and of her false brother, the knowledge contributed later by her grandmother, Jaime and in the last moons, by her father, brother and by Brandon Stark, made Nys even more than suspicious of the intentions that her maternal family could have.

It was ironic that both, Nys and her brother had a certain distrust and mistrust of their maternal houses, caused by totally opposite reasons, although centered around the same thing. Who and

what Egg and she were.

Eddard Stark completely denied Nys' brother's identity. He fabricated a fake identity for Egg and made him live a lie, because after all, Aegon wasn't a Stark and Eddard Stark didn't want to honor Nys' brother's birthright. For her part, Nys knew for a fact that her uncle Doran Martell, knowing that she was still alive, would have done everything possible to put her on the Iron Throne, but not because it was Nys' right, but so that Dorne and house Martell could gain more power. An uncle viewed his nephew as a danger to his friend and his family. The other uncle saw his niece as one more piece on the Westerosi political board, as a mean of gaining power through her. Because Nys wasn't a Martell after all.

The great underlying problem in both cases lay in the same thing. 'A Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing.'

Only a dragon is capable of being the real family of another. The history, both of Nys' descendants and her own recently, showed it.

It is precisely because of this, because of the bond with magic and dragons, that incest had always ruled the marriage between the families of the Forty. To keep power and blood within the same family. So that outside families could not access power through one of them.

Nys could point out some exceptions outside her house that could be trusted. The Velaryons, the Celtigars, the Blackwoods, the Daynes and some of the Starks like Cregan in his time, or those who now were accompanying them in their journey.

In Nys' case, she and Lyanna had formed a pleasant friendship, with certain moments of discomfort. But that was something normal within the abnormal situation they were living.

Nys' stepmother is a wild beauty, sweet, honest, willful and without kinks. But at the same time, her mother- in- law is often excessively outspoken, sometimes too temperamental and sharp around the edges. On certain occasions, Lya had somewhat manly behaviors, showing a childhood and youth surrounded by men. At other times, Lyanna gave the appearance of simply being a girl madly in love with Nys' father. Something that her father Rhaegar greatly reciprocated and that Nys could understand.

But it was almost impossible for her to see Lyanna Stark as Aegon's mother. For Nys, Valaena Velaryon is and would be, always Aegon's mother. Aegon's, Senya's and hers.

'Although I will undoubtedly see Lyanna as the mother of my future valonqar.' Nys was looking forward to a possible valonqar to care for and spoil rotten. One of them without the duty of the world over the shoulders.

And Arya is Nys' little she- wolf.

If there was one thing Rhaenys had always wanted, it was to have a younger sister, close and attached to her. One that she could mold and that would return the love that she gave her. A little sister who if she ended up choosing to love her brother in the Targaryen way, she would receive her with open arms in her bed. She would be more than delighted if, as it seemed, Arya ended up maturing the way Lyanna had. Arya was everything Nys' dreamed Senya would have been when they grew up together in Dragonstone.

'Too bad Arya doesn't have the blood of the Forty.' Rhae internally lamented when thinking this, knowing that Arya will never be able to experience the bond with a dragon as she, her brother or

her father do.

Nys, despite her at the moment conflicting feelings about her, loved and respected Senya. But except for the first years of marriage between the three of them and a few loose moments, there was never any warmth.

For Senya everything was duty. If you are her family, she loved you and would give her life for you, because it was Senya's duty. If she fucked you, she did it because it was her duty. And if Senya did a fucking ritual of fire and blood magic, emulating the one that led to the Doom of Valyria, Nys' mandia carried it out because Senya understood that it was her damn duty...

Sometimes more passionate, often less, but always doing her actions because Senya understood that she was doing them because of her duty. Nys never saw her big sister do anything for pleasure.

'I'm sure Maegor was a post-ritual product, where Egg wouldn't even know where he would be and because she would be convinced that her son would be the prince that was promised and therefore it was Senya's duty to get pregnant.'

"I see that the Bard who was planning to conquer Norvos is ahead of me when it comes to getting up. Strange, I thought your she-wolf would keep you in bed until late." A voice said behind Nys in a somewhat sly way, pulling her out of her reverie.

"You can leave us alone, girls." the voice sounded again, now closer to her.

Although Nys had known him for a brief time, her uncle's almost permanent carefree and playful tone was something she was beginning to recognize as part of Oberyn Martell.

In four feline strides, the Dornish prince moved to the side of the chair in front of her and in a totally nonchalant movement sat on it, wielding a mischievous grin from ear to ear.

Rhaenys stared at him coldly as she continued to eat her cake, not deigning to play the game the prince had posed.

"Don't you think that you should at least thank my intervention before the priests and the city watch? If not for me, you and your brother would be dead by now, niece." Oberyn Martell said patronizing and reproachfully.

'Such insolence and shamelessness!! Who does this damn Dornishman think ... '

Nys momentarily cut off her bond with Rhae, because if in the second sentence that the Dornish prince asked her today, Nys' partner was about to call Meraxes, she had no idea how she was going to control Rhae's temper the rest of the talk.

Raising her right eyebrow as she closed her gaze on her uncle, at the same time that Nys pursed her mouth in disgust, this time she did answer.

"[Prince Oberyn. Are you aware that without your actions, neither my sister nor I would have had to come out of the anonymity, nor would we have been exposed to the alleged danger that you adduce? You also speak of danger, without being aware of who are those whom are really in danger. Yesterday you were talking about a story that happened a not a long time ago and that ended badly. Possibly you're right that it ended badly, or at least not in the way planned by the Bard and the Knight of the Laughing Tree. But remember also the story of the place where the story you referenced began and what happened when Harren the Black woke up a dragon.]"

Nys' perfect High Valyrian hissed coldly and with a certain threat her tone. Then she rested the

forearms on the edge of the large mahogany table and extended her hands to the front. Letting her marvelous ring gleam on the left middle finger of Nys' left hand, courtesy of Bloodraven.

"Would you be able to carry out your threats?" the prince asked her again, this time in a challenging way, in common tongue again. And once again, showing no respect or courtesy for titles.

Closing her gaze on the tanned prince, with a smile that certainly from outside would be similar to that of Meraxes before falling on her preys, Rhaenys answered in a relaxed and nonchalant way.

"[It would be neither the first, nor the last time I do, My Prince. In Dorne known well what happened to Planky Town when my words were not taken seriously.]"

No doubt remembering the episode where she and her dragon killed hundreds of people in a few hours, destroying the settlement in the process, was not what her uncle expected.

'Jaime is more my uncle than this man.' Nys thought to herself, seeing how the dark-haired prince tried to get over her answer, surely looking for an witty reply.

However, she didn't want the conversation to revolve around the ritual or her past life. Therefore she decided to continue speaking.

"[Yesterday in the Tavern, when you started this whole situation in which we now find ourselves.]"

Nys' Valyrian almost whispered coldly, with disgust linked in the pronunciation, moving the arms around her, while inwardly she searched for the invisible thread of fire that tied her with Meraxes.

When the dragon roared above the manse, Nys continued to speak to the prince who seemed to be losing the relaxed demeanor for a more serious and constricted.

"[You said things about my brother and husband, and about his mother, my mother-in-law and my father's wife, that in the territories under the rule of house Targaryen they are punished by the loss of the tongue. Yet you claim to be my family. I don't know how I can see as a family someone who doesn't respect my real family. Someone who is not even capable of granting the minimum respect that is asked of our citizens, who have it. Also, if you really care so much about the memory of my mother in this life, you know perfectly well how much Elia wanted me to have a brother, even if he was from another mother because she couldn't give him to me, and she would have treated him as if he had been hers.]"

The prince's expression changed suddenly when Nys mentioned her mother in this life, showing pain and sorrow evident in his features. The dark eyes of the prince fixed on her, seemed to moisten. The arrogance and conceit that she had begun to associate with the prince seemed to have evaporated from the person in front of her, to give way to a person broken by the mention of a name and his exclusion as Nys' family.

"Rhaenys, I can understand that with what you partially explained that you have lived and what you have heard from house Martell, right now you do not consider me part of your family. But I am neither my father, nor my mother, nor Doran, nor Meria Martell and I can swear by your mother, whom is the one I loved the most in this cursed world, that I am not your bloody enemy, nor will I do anything against yours or your brother's house."

The prince said in a low, shaky voice, in what Nys understood was almost a prayer that she would believe what her uncle was saying.

She took a deep breath to herself, thinking about exactly what to do.

Nys knew that she was judging her uncle for the real and imagined sins that had been perpetrated by Dorne and the Martells against her and her family. But at the same time it was Nys' blood, because in this life, by luck or fate, she was a descendant of Martell and everything about the prince seemed sincere.

'But if your uncle gets involved, sooner or later he will see that your father and Lyanna have also come back to life and are expecting a new child. Without a doubt, blood magic involved or not, if the news reaches Dorne, they will not be very happy. And remember what they tried to do to Aegon when they were not very happy with our offer of submission.'

Interrupted in her thoughts the melodic whispered voice from within herself from the dragon's sister, with some apprehension for what could derive from this ill-fated encounter in Norvos.

'But think of his well-known and proven combat prowess. He could serve us in the campaigns to come and especially in the War Against the Others. Also with his support and my blood, plus the Daynes and the Stony Dornishmen, it could serve as a basis for paving the submission of Dorne in the future. Looking forward to when we turn our gaze to Westeros.' Nys replied defending Prince Oberyn and the justification of giving him an opportunity to serve her cause.

'And what will your uncle and Dorne think when they know that until you feel like having children, possibly in ten days of your name at the earliest and always if it has been won against Death itself, the heir to the throne would be the future child or girl born to Lyanna? Six and ten years after it all started with Lyanna's crown for herself, with your father as public intermediary?'

Rhae posed a question that Nys didn't know how to answer at the time and the answers that came to mind only loaded Rhae's argument with reason.

'The son or daughter of Lyanna Stark, it will be our sister or brother and a Targaryen. Would you deposit the life of one of us in the hands of the man in front of us?' Rhae questioned Nys again, taking advantage of the fact that the steel was still hot.

In truth, Nys couldn't deny the arguments that she was presenting to herself, but at the same time Nys wanted to believe that she could build bridges with her maternal family and at least, win them over to her cause, without being betrayed in the process. Nys had to find a compromise solution and she believed had found it.

"[Very well Prince Oberyn. I will stop considering you my enemy. For the moment.]" Rhaenys said to her uncle in a cold voice, now returning to melodiously intoning in her hissed High Valyrian "[My brother always said that the way to judge someone is through their actions. If you are faithful and loyal to our cause, maybe when the time comes I will have to rethink about considering you my family.]"

As she was finishing the words, the prince's sorrowful and broken face seemed to regain the joy and vitality that she seemed to have previously sucked from him with what she had said.

However, Nys still had to explain to the prince how she would test his loyalty and fidelity, which was the form of commitment she had devised at the time.

"[Before you start to celebrate, wait to hear what my conditions will be.]" She announced with a half smile on her face, fixing her gaze on her uncle, while raising the right palm to let him know that she hadn't finished with what she had to say.

"[As you have mentioned before, yesterday I only partially explained the circumstances of myself and being here today. What you don't know is that behind it there is a destiny, doom or fate,

depending on how you want to see by yourself, by which my brother, or my sister, or my father or myself, this also varies depending on the point of view, we'll be those in charge of defeating a darkness that begins to congregate in the distant and cold lands of Always Winter.]"

Nys explained, trying not to tremble at the mention of the threat of her dream, nor to show her apprehension in the tone at the time of talk about destinations and fates.

'Between my father and Bran I already have enough of that, to start thinking about it now.'

Nys' uncle stared at her, as if waiting for the moment when she confirmed that she was lying.

Although she, her brother, her father and Lyanna had an easy time proving that they had died and were now alive, it wasn't as easy to make believe in a Second Long Night. And it was much more difficult to make someone believe and understand that both she and her brother, when they died, had lived in the bodies of the Conqueror and his sister-wife for more than twenty days of the name.

"Are you talking about the Others and the Long Night? ¿Azor Ahai and Nissa Nissa? ¿The Last Hero and The Prince That Was Promised? And why do you say that one of those four will be? Your father died fifteen years ago and if your account of the dragon's sister is true, Visenya Targaryen has been dead for more than two hundred and fifty years..."Prince Oberyn inquired her.

'Shit. I have spoken in the future when referring to my father.'

Nys cursed herself inwardly, losing her composure for a moment, to recover it at the next.

Nodding and now in common tongue, she extended her explanation,

"If indeed my brother or I are ultimately responsible for defeating this legendary threat, some merit could be attributed to my father. Which, it was no secret, had a fondness bordering on obsession, with the prophecy of the Prince that was Promised. Prophecy announced by the woods-witch friend of Jenny of Oldstones."

Nys answered, without lying, although without being totally sincere about her father and the origin of the prophecy.

'Nothing you have said is a lie, nor would it be ruled out either.' the dragon's sister reaffirmed her from within. 'Plus I keep the conversation where I want it. In that everything that has happened and we are doing is in pursuit of defeating The Long Night.' she replied to Rhae.

Not with everyone they carried out the same approach.

'We rally the braavosis to our cause through the promise of unimaginable riches and control of prices, production and trade in the Freehold. I convinced the clans, villages and hamlets of the Velvet Hills and Andal mountains in exchange for giving them relevance in the world and a power like they never had. In Qohor it is being through making us owners of the lands. Here in Norvos I will appeal to a theoretical independence and autonomy with respect to the Freehold, allowing to maintain a certain status quo, customs and taxes, in exchange for receiving wealth thanks to trade with the Freehold. The North will join the cause because it has no other choice and because it will also be the battlefield against the Others. If I want the loyalty and fidelity of Prince Oberyn, I have to be as sincere as I can without incurring the great secrets that can wait until better moment, since I need to always have him under observation, therefore he will end up in contact with the inner circle.'

So Nys decided to continue to emphasize the direct and indirect action-driver in the actions of

House of Targaryen for the past three hundred years.

After taking a drink from the jug of spiced milk, she wiped her mouth with the cloth napkin she had to the right and after dropping it, Nys rested her right elbow on the table and extended the index finger in the direction of her uncle, she addressed him.

"If I hurry, even my insane and vile grandfather, for whom, I smelled too Dornish and for whom my mother, Ashara Dayne's son and I stayed at King's Landing which ended in our deaths, could have merit in the final defeat of the Others. Wasn't it but the prophecy of the woods-witch the one that tied my grandmother and Aerys into an unhappy and unwanted marriage? As for my sister and wife, I can assure you that she is alive. I don't know how, or where she will be at the moment, but sooner or later Senya will reveal herself to the world and will come along with my brother and me, you can be sure of that. If my lives have taught me something so far, it is that magic flows through the blood of my family. And this makes the absoluteness of death and time very relative."

Nys concluded with total seriousness and sincerity, with a firm and cold tone.

"Prophecies are something dangerous in which to deposit one's beliefs and as the engine of one's actions."

The prince replied, now with a more serious tone, showing a certain dislike towards the subject.

"There is a story about prophecies coming from Yi-Ti that tells the legend of King Layeix of Te-Ba. When Layeix' wife, Yicastix, gave birth to their heir, Aedipux, Layeix brought the newborn before an oracle so that he could prophesy the fate of the future king. The oracle told the King Layeix that his son would kill him by his own hand and end up taking all that was Layeix's as his own. Layeix faced with such a prophecy, decided that he had to get rid of the baby before returning to the palace. But Layeix could not kill him so as not to sin in the eyes of the gods. Therefore, when he passed by a shepherd, he paid to the shepherd to go with the baby as far as possible from Layeix' kingdom, because he did not want him to grow up, and there he would kill the baby. The shepherd accepted the payment and marched in the indicated direction, towards a poor kingdom of shepherds and mountains. Upon arriving at his palace, Layeix explained to Yicastix that their son had died on the journey falling down a hill. Due to this, the relationship between the King and the Queen was degraded to the point that she ended up being unable to have heirs with the king. Layeix continued to reign, but more and more despot and tyrant, out of frustration and anger at the absence of an heir. Meanwhile in the neighboring kingdom, the shepherd in charge of killing the baby took pity on the boy and raised him as if he were his own son. Over time the young Aedipux, raised under another name, grew, becoming an incredible warrior and a great leader who was followed by the different clans of shepherds that were in that kingdom of mountains. In a short time, Aedipux was chosen by the people themselves as king of these, leading them to great prosperity and the inevitable clash with the neighboring kingdom of Te-Ba, whose sovereign was, without him knowing, Aedipux father. For whom Aedipux believed to be his father, was the first victim in the war between the two kingdoms, passing under the veil of darkness without being able to reveal the secret to Aedipux. Given this, Aedipux unknowingly went to the same oracle as his real father, to know if it was a good time to attack the Layeix's kingdom because of which Aedipux had lost the one he believed was his father. The oracle prophesied success, but dismissed Aedipux with an enigma as he left. If you fulfill this prophecy, your wife will be the grandmother of her own children, the oracle told him as last words. Aedipux, ignoring that farewell, kept the part of the prophecy that predicted his absolute triumph against Layeix. So it was. When Aedipux's forces attacked Te-Ba, a large part of the population, fed up with the tyrant they had for king, collaborated with the invading king. When Aedipux finally reached the palace, he defeated Layeix in a singular duel. After this, Aedipux is introduced to the old king's wife, Yicastix, both of them falling in love instantly. Within days they were married, and within a year, Aedipux was not only king of Te-Ba

and his mountain kingdom of shepherds, but also the father of his first male child. As the oracle had been correct in what had prophesied regarding Aedipux's successes, Aedipux went with his newborn son and his wife, Yicastix, to see the oracle. It was upon reaching the oracle, that he received the king by the name of Aedipux, when both mother and son realized what had happened. Aedipux gouged out his eyes, while Yicastix threw herself down a ravine."

Finished with severity in the tone and coldness in his eyes, the prince.

Without giving any option for Nys to reply, Oberyn continued speaking.

"I have studied in the Citadel and I know that magic exists in this world, but since the Doom it has been disappearing. You have at your call a dragon that fits completely with the descriptions of the Dragon's sister, does nothing but make many valid points in your account. It is evident from the scar on your back that you were killed during the Sack... But I find it hard to believe that both you and your brother have died, to go to the past, carry out the Conquest and then come back to life, to now face a Darkness of legend and by the way, since you are at it, re-establish the Freehold of Valyria, but without slavery."

Nys' uncle Prince Oberyn answered her, disbelief in his tones, ill-concealed disgust when referring to Aegon, practically mocking her when he made reference to the greatest undertaking they were carrying out and looking at her practically with pity, as if Nys was mad as her grandfather.

"But the truth is, my prince, that it was a dream of mine own, announcing the return of Darkness from the lands of Always Winter that led to the Conquest. Without my dream, my brother Aegon would have done almost three hundred years ago what he is doing now, re-establishing the Freehold. As it was our obligation, duty and right as the last with the blood of the Forty. With the return of the Darkness and the current political situation in Westeros the re-establishment of the Freehold is not an end as it could have been in our previous life before my dream, but rather the means by which to be prepared to claim what it's ours first, and face the Darkness afterwards."

Nys replied vehemently, being melodious in her tones but firmly in them, while she stared hard at the Dornish prince.

In view of the fact that Oberyn still seemed not to believe in her yet, looking at Nys practically as if she were Aerys the second of the name returned on earth, Rhaenys decided to give her uncle a lesson in humility. The prince spoke of legends from Yi-ti. She would speak of facts in Westeros.

"You speak to me of legends. Let me tell you a few things that are true for a fact. You said that you've studied at the Citadel and that is why you know what you know about magic. It seems impossible to me that in the Citadel teach the least about magic, when the purpose of its Conclave and the Arch-maesters of the Citadel is to end any vestige of magic in the world. Being them the great responsible in the shadows of Robert's Rebellion. And had hand in almost all the conspiracies and plans to injure and overthrow house Targaryen since the Conquest. From the moment my sister Visenya sent her famous scroll throughoutWesteros,they have been working, plotting and scheming against house Targaryen. And against magic since even before we conquered Westeros. They are behind situations like those of the alliance of Rickard Stark, Jon Arryn and Hoster Tully. They're responsible for slaying our dragons and for many fertility problems in women of house Targaryen, Stark or Martell. You, My prince, said that you know about magic when those whom have taught you about it, are those responsible for the fragility that my mother possessed. Because the Martells, like the Starks, the Blackwoods and other westerosi noble houses, are also in the Citadel sights because of the blood that they possess. Blood which it is capable of being related to the magic of the world. Do you think your brother Doran's gout is natural and do they really treat him to cure it? You have no idea what magic is, my princely uncle. I know perfectly that gods have

never existed, because I know persons whom could be mistaken for gods because of the affinity and attunement they have in relation to the magic that flows through the world. And that isn't to mention what I myself have lived and know that I am capable of doing. I am telling you the truth of House Targaryen actions since I stitched the first sigil of the Scarlet three headed Rampant Dragon on Black Field, to this day. If you want my trust, you must trust me first. And for that, you must accept that if I am alive, like my brother and our dragons, it is because the Long Night is to come."

Nys concluded terminally, somewhat indignant with her uncle and furious with the role of the Citadel in the ills of her family and others in Westeros.

Her uncle stared at her in horror, reacting as if he had been hit on the head by a morning star.

Prince Oberyn seemed to be trying to pronounce something, but was only able to stammer. After coughing, Prince Oberyn finally managed to find the words he seemed to be looking for, although the prince's tone was shaky.

"How do you know all that? Is it true what you say about the maesters being after Elia and Doran's health problems?"

'If I told him everything I really know, he would take me for even more madder than he must have taken me just now.'

Nys spoke to herself and with Rhae

'And what Brandon will know, and that he will reserve himself for the moment that he sees fit to

reveal.'

Was the reply of the dragon's sister within herself.

Just as it happened to Nys in Rhae's time with Melony, it happened to Rhae with Brandon Stark now.

The Dragon's sister had a healthy suspicion towards the three-eyed raven, because as she just confirmed Nys, she suspects that he isn't saying everything that he knows. At least in relation to the ritual and the magic of the world that makes the return of the Others possible.

'Politically and in history, I have no doubt that he says everything he knows, or that it is necessary at the time. Remember that if it wasn't for Brandon, Aegon would have charged alone against the Army of Death.'

Nys came out in defense of the one who by blood is her political cousin, almost a little brother, but whom at times, Nys had to admit, was difficult to categorize as a human being.

However, this wasn't the time to debate with herself the nature ofOne-EyedBrandon or Branraven.

'It is time for your uncle to define himself as a believer in the cause or as a possible obstacle in the future.' Rhae expressed within Nys herself.

And Nys got ready to do it.

"We are talking about real magic my prince. Arya's brother, without going any further, is the Old Gods in one person. When believers in the old gods speak to a Weirdwood Tree, they are actually speaking to my husband's cousin. And when I refer to Old Gods believers, I mean to those ranging

from the time of Garth to the ones who may be praying in front of one of these white trees right now. If there is a Weirdwood Tree, Bran can see everything that has happened or is happening in that area, from the beginning of time to today."

She explained while gesturing with the right arm.

Nys clicked amused her tongue, and continued with what she wanted to say to the prince

"It's ironic, but the Andals were right in that their enemies could see them through those trees...The matter my prince, if you want my trust, you have to trust in what I say. The long night It's at our doorstep. And only by gathering all the human potential within our reach, with our dragons and our magic, we'll be able to face it. Everything that House Targaryen has done, although many of my descendants did not know it, has been in pursuit of this moment. And at this moment I am going to talk about tangible and visible things."

She paused in her explanation, to finish the jug of spiced milk, after which Nys prepared to expose everything that she would say to her maternal uncle for the moment.

If after that, Oberyn decided to continue distrusting her, Nys would have no choice but to end any attempt at understanding between them.

"Apart from my thrice great-uncle Aemon, my grandmother and her lost children if they are still alive, my brother and I," Nys began, omitting any mention of knowledge of the whereabouts of her uncle Viserys and her aunt Daenerys, from her alive father, the future son or daughter of the equally alive Lyanna, Visenya where the hells is she or Jaime's and Cersei's real father.

"As the last descendants of the Forty, we are the only ones with the right to claim dominion over the Nine free cities. As you and I speak, my prince, we have Braavos under house Targaryen control and submission. City which is called again as it was originally called, The Lost Daughter. From the Titan hang banners of the Freehold of Valyria and those of House Targaryen. The Iron Bank has ceased to exist and in its place is an institution totally dependent on my house, which is the Free Bank of Valyria. The Faceless Men are part of our security and intelligence entourage."

If before Prince Oberyn looked at her as if she were a madwoman, now he was looking at Nys as if she had suddenly grown a second head, becoming half pale, stiff and rigid in his posture in the chair.

Ignoring the gesture of her uncle, with passion and melody in Nys' tones, she continued to proudly enumerate the achievements made by her family in the last five moons,

"The North has bended the knee to my brother. The wildlings beyond the Wall have sworn to my brother and my house, and are now living in the Gift and on the eastern half of the Wall. There they have evidence from the Army of Death, that when the time is right, they'll send us to this side of the Narrow Sea."

'You were confused about your previous assessment. Now is when he looks at you like you've grown a second head!' Rhae told Nys humorously from within herself.

Of course, when Nys looked at Prince Oberyn's wide eyes, she couldn't help but agree with herself. Taking advantage of the shock at the news she was revealing, Rhaenys now planned to secure what

she intended.

Her Uncle Oberyn would prove Nys' trust in serving her cause, or he would show his true intentions.

"For a couple of weeks now, Lorath has been a Free City Federated to the Freehold of Valyria and Qohor must be less than two moons away from being called The Daughter of Steel. Under our aegis there are now more than three million people. We have a sworn army under the exclusive command of House Targaryen of over twenty thousand men. Twelve hundred of them are currently under the direct command of my brother and Lord Commander Ser Jaime, heading out of the Velvet Hills in the direction of Ghoyan Drohe and then Ny Sar. In about a moon, these twelve hundreds will become more than eighty hundred, thanks to the reinforcements from the Lost Daughter. My intention with Norvos, if the meeting this afternoon with the priests goes well, is to leave it as an autonomous half-independent entity, with control only in the lands around the city, abolishing slavery and servitude, to offer these freed men and women the citizenship of the Freehold and take them south to Ny Sar. Place where we are going to build our eastern capital, Valyria on the Rhoyne and where all our power will soon converge."

Nys concluded with total confidence in what she spoke. The Norvosis would never turn down her offer. Qohor would be part of the Freehold before or after what she had said, but it would become part of it. And the palace of Nymeria will be the site where the palace-fortress from which they will rule Essos will rise.

Rising from the chair, while resting her right palm on the table to lean herself and stand fully upright, Nys extended her left arm towards her maternal uncle and pointed at him with her index finger.

Closing the gaze on that of the prince, with a firm and imperative voice, capable of imposing on the Great Lords, she said to the prince.

"Are you willing to help me and my family in our enterprise, swearing to me and to house Targaryen with what this implies? You will not be able to contact your brother, except to get rid of your maester or if we tell you so. Nor can you go back to Westeros until we do. You will not be able to make decisions, or carry out actions without consulting them with one of the rings," she said, pointing with her right hand to the ring that rested on the middle finger of her left hand.

"You will not be able to tell anything you know about us, our actions or our plans, unless we tell you when, what, how and to whom you have to tell. When we ask you for advice and counsel, you must tell us everything you know. You will not be able to carry out acts that are considered an offense or go against my house, under penalty of death if you do so. You will have to protect first and foremost the members of the Targaryen family, above your own life if must. And trust me, uncle, we have a way to verify all of this. So what do you say to me, My Prince? You say you aren't my enemy. I can believe it. Are you my ally and my possible family?"

Sixteenth day of the eleventh moon, 297AC. Ny Sar, Essos.

After arriving at Ny Sar with the first lights of the day, once Nys had verified that there really were no people in the area, she let Meraxes go hunting for her silver friend to eat, while she and Arya decided to explore the deserted and ancient city each on their own.

As she was somewhat exhausted from her time in Norvos, where she lived a frenzy of activity, always thinking about the best way to get what she wanted, Nys decided that she deserved a break.

Sitting herself on a stand while leaning her back against a wall that was still half standing, Nys decided it was as good a time as another to play her mandolin. Something that had always relaxed and centered her.

As she began to stroke the four double silver strings of her esteemed mandolin, the notes coming out of the instrument seemed to resonate throughout the abandoned city. These were the first notes of a song that spoke about a Lyseni girl who was never satisfied with her destiny, nor with the role that was assigned to her.

"Sera was never an agreeable girl Her tongue tells tales of rebellion But she was so fast

And quick with her bow

No one quite knew where she came from Sera was never quite the quietest girl

Her attacks are loud and they're joyful But she knew the ways of nobler men And she knew how to enrage them She would always like to say

Why change the past,

When you can own this day? Today she will fight

To keep her way

She's a rogue and a thief

And she'll tempt your fate

She would always like to say

Why change the past,

When you can own this day? Today she will fight

To keep her way

A rogue and a thief

And she'll tempt your fate

Sera was never quite the wealthiest girl Some say she lives in a tavern

But she was so sharp

And quick with bow

Arrows strike like a dragon

Sera was never quite the gentlest girl Her eyes were sharp like a razor But she knew the ways of commoner men And she knew just how to use them She would always like to say

Why change the past,

When you can own this day?

Today she will fight

To keep her way

She's a rogue and a thief And she'll tempt your fate She would always like to say Why change the past, When you can own this day? Today she will fight

To keep her way

She's a rogue and a thief And she'll tempt your fate ..."

"Nys! Nys! Come here! Look at this!!" startled Nys out of her reverie, the voice of a totally excited and laughing Arya, causing her words to echo between walls of pink and green marble, now crooked and crumbling. Spreading Nys little sister's voice over the fallen green towers, the once pink broken domes and among the rows of cyclopean greenstone pillars and rotten wood pillars still standing. Getting lost the echos of Arya's northern tones among mud-clogged streets, covered in purple moss.

The abandoned city of Ny Sar, perched on the western bank of the Rhoyne, must have been at least ten times the size of Norvos.

Rhaenys stepped off the stand, leaving the mandolin against the wall at ground level. After that, she headed towards the direction that Arya's voice had sound.

After a stroll, when she got to the place where Nys thought Arya's voice was coming from and didn't see Arya anywhere, Nys turned her head up and to her left, in the direction that light footsteps could be heard.

As Nys did so, she could see Arya peering through the remains of the balustrade of one of the upper galleries that still stood in what was once Nymeria Palace. Though covered in a layer of moss and climbing plants, it seemed stoically to withstand the passing of the centuries.

'Possibly it will stay standing as a result of that.'

Rhae added from her insides, while in a couple of steps Nys was a few meters below where her sister was leaning.

Arya's right hand frantically pointed to the object that she was holding with the left hand and that was taller than Arya herself. Looking closely to it, Nys could saw a half rotten and split wooden stick, which in its day must have been a spear. The bronze pike was green due to the degradation suffered in the metal.

She looked around, finding no way to access the upper level where Arya was on, at the same time noting scratches, bruises, and a few wounds on Arya's bare and slightly sunburned torso.

"How did you get up there?" Nys asked puzzled, unable to understand how Arya had gotten up there. "Be careful where you step and where you support your weight. I doubt that the floor is very stable," she added with a certain concern and protective instinct.

"I have climbed up a branch that hung from what remains of the palace's facade until I reached a half-broken windowsill on the floor above this. Then I lowered myself down the inner wall, until I reached stays that seemed to be quite intact."

Arya replied with total normality, while shrugging the shoulders.

"Seeing the state it was in, I decided I might find something interesting. I was right! Look at this spear! Nymeria herself could have used it in her day!" Arya exclaimed excitedly, at the discovery she had made.

'No doubt how she got up there explains the scratches on the arms and the wounds on her abdomen. I don't know how Arya's mother thought she could be a pretty Westerosi Lady, when it's clear that Arya will never be like that!' cried from within herself Rhae, against whom was probably the person she most hated in all Planetos; Catelyn Stark.

Ignoring her inner alter ego, Rhaenys carefully observed what Arya was holding. She knew that this spear was hardly old enough to be contemporary with the Warrior Queen and the Spice Wars, but she had no intention of taking away Arya's illusion and happiness.

Since Nymeria sailed with her ten thousand ships in the place where they now were, to begin the journey that took Nymeria first to the Basilisk Islands, then Sothoryos, Naath and finally to Dorne, almost a thousand years had passed. Undoubtedly what Arya had in her left hand was a spear abandoned by some combatant during the skirmishes that took place during the Century of Blood.

"Drop it over here. I'll take care of taking it with me as you come down to the river level again. We have yet to find a place to shelter us for the next five or six nights and we have a lot to explore. We have to think about how to use Meraxes in the most effective way. Something that will have to be done before the column commanded by Prince Oberyn and your two Nymerias comes. By the time they reach our doorstep, there has to be room here to accommodate more than eighty thousand people, along with the animals, livestock, and food they carry with them. And right now, this is a tangle of debris hidden in a jungle and a quagmire."

Rhaenys exhorted to Arya, opening her arms to indicate the state in which the deserted city was. "Are you sure that Meraxes can help with this? Maybe we should wait for Egg and Balerion"

Arya interjected doubtfully, as she sat on the edge of the gallery, letting her legs dangle a couple of meters above Nys' head, using the spear as a handhold for the left arm.

"I know you haven't seen her yet, but Axes has a much more powerful flame than Vhagar's and, as you tell me, my father with just one moon of bond with him was able to open trenches with his flame. Trust me, little she-wolf. By the time our future citizens arrive, there will be a wonderful esplanade with the river on each side, and nothing else."

"If you say so ..." Arya replied shrugging. "But I think because of your heritage, you should leave at least one wall or pillar intact, as a reminder of who you are and who you descend from."

Arya concluded, making the gesture of encompass the destruction of the surroundings and what was left standing of the palace with her right arm.

'The truth is that it is a good idea. You'll honor your Martell family and at the same time the

Forty.' added the Dragon's sister.

"We'll see." Nys answered thoughtfully at the two. "Now come down before you do something to yourself more than wounds, scratches and bruises. If something happens to you, Egg first and then Lyanna will feed me to their wolves."

Nys finished saying with feigned fear, albeit exuding real concern for Arya's well-being, while she pointed out with the right hand at the different cuts and scars that began to populate the body of Nys' little sister.

Her little sister's response was a vulgar laugh that resounded throughout the abandoned palace, at the same time that Arya pointed her right index finger to the huge bruise that was on the left side of Arya's waist and that seemed to hurt terribly, if the expression of Arya when touching with the finger indicated something.

"This bruise is courtesy of crossing swords with our brother." Arya said with a smile from ear to ear, an excited voice and exuding certain pride. Almost proud off their brother sweeping the floor from where they practiced with her, every time they did it.

'How weird she is sometimes. Especially in terms of her fondness for brandishing a sword. Visenya found no pleasure in knowing how to fight. It was her duty.'

Thought Nys to herself, watching then as Arya brought back her right index finger to the gash above Arya's right eyebrow.

"This is a gift courtesy of Lya's Myrish stiletto in our first and last training with live steel." After the which, Arya shrugged her shoulders again while scratching the back of her neck, without stopping smile for a moment. Looking at Nys with her huge gray eyes and with a playful tone, Arya continued her explanation "I don't think that because of a couple more scars or marks, they will feed you to their wolves. Especially our brother. You could be the one responsible for the return of the Long Night and Aegon would exonerate you the moment he found out, for then blame it on Visenya, or your father, or the Citadel. You know as I do, that Egg is unable to see a fault in you."

Arya concluded in a definite and convinced way.

Despite Nys momentary outrage at her Haedar, she knew Arya was largely right. But for that reason she wasn't going to shut up and accept it.

"You are the one to speak...that even if you walked around Braavos as you are now dressed, Egg would break out in laughter, ruffle your hair and then encourage you to continue doing it ... Remind me ... Who gave you Needle?"

Nys responded melodically and with a half smile, while crossing her right arm to the chest and looked at Arya with the head tilted to the left side and with Nys's left hand pointed towards the small sword that hung from Arya's hip.

Arya responded by biting her lower lip, while putting herself something red on the cheeks, and then shaking the head vehemently.

"Meh" Nys' little sister exhaled reluctantly "I trust you'll keep Nymeria's spear and know how to get back to the palace dock. See you now."

Arya said quickly, dropping the spear to the ground suddenly, as she almost jumped up and ran into the depths of the gallery until Nys lost sight of Arya's bare and half burned by the Sun, back.

The impact of the spear reverberated throughout the palace, echoing throughout the decrepit and gloomy building. Bending down to pick up the object that Arya had left with so much noise, Nys couldn't help but shaking her head in amusement, as she smiled at the attitudes and ways of her little she-wolf.

'She'd face one of the Others rather than face an uncomfortable truth.'

Nys thought humorously, remembering the third morning at Norvos, when Arya woke up rubbing herself against Nys' leg like Arya was her she-wolf in heat. As Nys woke her, Arya realized what she had been doing with Nys' leg, she turned the color of the three-headed dragon of Nys' sigil, jumped out of the bed and almost ran to train with Nys' cousin Nymeria. Nys' cousin with which Arya had hit it off, much to Nys' tremendous chagrin.

However, the presence of the Dornish-Volantine daughter of prince Oberyn was something that Nys was beginning to accept as something that came in the price of seizing three-fourths of Norvos population and six-eighths of the lands previously in the possession of the city of the Noyne.

She guided her steps toward the pier on the Rhoyne where they had landed with Meraxes. It was the place where they had left their satchels, their bags and near which was the stone bench where Nys had been playing her mandolin before. In addition, Meraxes had made her burrow in the only parcel of dry land without vegetation in the area, which was adjacent to the pier.

Carrying the broken bronze spear Arya had found in her right hand, Rhaenys thought about what had happened nine days ago.

Although not in the way she had originally planned with Arya and with some additional cost that Nys would have preferred not to pay, such as the incorporation of her uncle Prince Oberyn into her company, Norvos had become part of the Freehold of Valyria.

As she had guessed at the time, the meeting with the Norvosis ran in the form in which she had told her uncle Prince Oberyn that would. The presence of a red priest named Moqorro announcing her as The Prince that was Promised, as well as the unconditional support of the new magistrate in theAdministration of the Freehold of Valyria in theFederated Free City of Norvos, Lady Mellario, only served to make the agreement easier.

In exchange for abolishing slavery, the payment of wages and giving freedom of movement, belief, trade and profession to people who were under Norvosi rule. And above all, in exchange for signing a mutual alliance agreement and a commercial one with the Freehold, eliminating the existence of customs houses between the territories of both jurisdictions and promising mutual assistance in case of need, the priests and nobles who had wanted, maintained their titles, their upper city and the dominion in the territories up to ten leagues from the upper city. As well as the maintenance of the theocratic political structure and the religion that was intrinsic to it. Those who owned lands or industries outside the lands that now have come under the direct control of the city now federated to Nys' house and dominions, would be compensated.

The latter subject forced Nys to spend part of the last eight days of her life,stamping payment documents of the Free Bank of Valyria. The amount was not specified in any of them, only that it would be in accordance with the evaluation of the special representatives of the Free Bank. Forcing Nys to send a messenger to Lorath and another to Qohor in search of Beqqo Nestoris and the clerks of the Free Bank, whom were beginning to form part of the backbone of the administration in the Freehold of Valyria.

The Federated Free City agreement with Norvos was in perpetuity and if the Norvosis so wished, they could appeal to the Great Council of the Freehold requesting their incorporation into it.

'Something that I am sure, they will end up doing. For this they must abide by the laws of the Freehold, so it will be at the time they decide to get rid of the Theocracy as a form of political government .' Rhae contributed from within herself.

The Norvosis had also accepted the installation of a representation of the administration of the Freehold, which would be under the command of Nys' political aunt, Mellario, who would stay in the city. Also for this reason Nys had to send a messenger in the direction of the Lost Daughter, for Gyleno Prestayn to send cadres of bureaucrats and scribes to form the same in the city of the Noyne.

In exchange for this, Nys had to promise to buy grain and food from Norvos for more than one hundred thousand people and for six moons.

'I may have spent about a million, a million and a half dragons on Norvos. I hope that Fugger understands that it was a necessity and that it has saved lives, unnecessary efforts and at the same time ensured the future disappearance of Norvos as an autonomous entity.'

Nys thought, anticipating the moment when she would have to justify the reason for such an expense.

'More than half of the gold that Tywin will pay for crimes against house Targaryen without him knowing it, spent in less than ten days.' Was the other thought that caused Nys some happiness. Knowing that it was her who was using for the growth and progress of house Targaryen the gold that would come from the one who wanted her dead and who will want her dead, produced a great internal satisfaction, close to morbid pleasure in Nys.

The plan she devised before leaving for Norvos with Arya consisted especially of that. End with Norvos, without physically ending the city.

'It is true that it still exists and has relative wealth, but possibly the richest Norvosi is less wealthy than the maritime merchant citizen in the current Lost Daughter.'

The influx of gold and silver that Nys' father's plan had established, was turning those who previously barely had with what to live, into citizens who could live comfortably. Which in addition to the privileges of being citizens, enjoy the monopoly of the Freehold in production, markets and prices.

'Between that and the sudden depopulation that Norvos is suffering, possibly in less than a decade, it will be nothing more than an abandoned village of no importance, north of the great capital of the Freehold.' She concluded to herself.

On the other hand, although Nys still did not consider them family, she had begun to see Prince Oberyn and Lady Mellario as possible allies.

Ironies of fate, the three messengers she had had to send, were none other than the three men whom once raised their swords against Nys in the Norvosi tavern and whom turned out to be sworn swords to Nys' Norvosi aunt.

That morning after Nys' talk with Prince Oberyn, after which the prince ended up on his knees swearing by the memory of Nys' mother everything that she had asked him to swear to, in addition to serving Nys in everything she need, Rhaenys decided to share a little more of her life in exile with Ser Jaime, grandmother and the Seaworths, but without mention Gerion.

Thus Nys learned that her uncle Oberyn had spent the last fifteen years waiting for the right

moment to take revenge on Tywin for Nys death and that of her mother. Something that had cost the prince some temporary exiles in Essos decreed by Doran. Although they never met, it turned out that they were at Myr and Lys on the same dates. Also in that later and more relaxed conversation between the prince and her, she learned that the prince already harbored suspicions of the role of the Citadel in the political shadows of Westeros and therefore one of Oberyn's bastard daughters, of whom he seemed to have in infinite numbers, was posing as a man to study as acolyte in Oldtown.

With the arrival of Arya in the mess family hall first, later Lady Mellario and finally that of the bitch with attitude of Nymeria Sand, Nys's cousin, between Nys and Arya told the official version of Aegon's life and the position of the North. Next, Nys' little sister narrated The Call to the True Fight , which was the heroic tale that described how Rhaenys' husband had rescued the Free Folk from the Others and had the Crows give Aegon part of the Wall and the Gift.

It had similarities with what Nys knew through her brother-husband, her father and Lyanna, but exaggerated many things and made up a few others.

'Unless he hasn't told me, Aegon has never faced in singular duel with a giant Skeleton.' Nys thought every time she remembered Arya's fiery and emotional tale in the cozy family mess hall of Lady Mellario.

Finally, from the point of view of each one, Arya and Nys narrated the last three moons, Aegon's coronation and improvised speech in the Freehold Square included. Often mentioning the destruction that Balerion did almost unintentionally in the cyclopean building of the extinct Iron Bank, the total submission of The Lost Daughter, the increasing numbers that their army was beginning to have, the projects that were being executed and those that were to be carried out.

When it was almost time to leave for the meeting, Nys explained the future plans for Norvos, Essos and the Freehold of Valyria, without making any mention of what would happen once these plans were finalized, or about the long night. Nor of the knowledge of the possible location of her uncle and aunt. Nor of Aerys and Joanna Lannister.

She basically gave the general outlines of what would happen in the next three to four years east of the Narrow Sea and west of the Bone Mountains. Arya knew the same as Nys, so she wasn't going to learn anything that she didn't even know before Nys herself. Prince Oberyn knew what Nys wanted him to know. Which is practically everything except topics that, at the moment, could be overly sensitive. Lady Mellario would know what she needed to know, and Nys disliked Lady Nym terribly. The latter was because, since the night before, shortly after making theofficial introductions, lady Nym practically demanded that Nys go with Meraxes to Casterly Rock for avenge Nys' own mother because everything had to 'End in blood, as it began. It will end when Casterly Rock opens, so the sun can shine on the worms and worms inside. It all ends with the total ruin of Tywin Lannister and all his works.'

'Who does she think a descendant of Old Blood and Rhoynar, with all due respect to you Nys, to question a Dragon?' Rhae exclaimed with revulsion and disgust as she remembered the words and attitude of Prince Oberyn's second daughter.

When they finished counting everything, Nys' cousin Nymeria applied for citizenship and to enlist herself in the army immediately, also requesting a seat on the council for her ancestry as offspring o f old Volantine blood, something that was confirmed by Nys' uncle Oberyn. She accepted the first two things, taking the double oath and making Lady Nym sign the contract, but conditioned the last petition on the permission of the current council. That is, Nys' family and rings, Davos, Gerion, Forel, Prestayn, Fugger and the Nestoris.

Lady Mellario was the next to apply for citizenship, although because there was not going to be a change of political regime in Norvos, she asked Nys to keep her current titles. Nys accepted, and to Lady Nymeria's visible anger, a certain humor on Arya's part and barely concealed amusement on Nys' uncle's part, then she appointed Lady Mellario as a member of the council and proclaimed her magistrate of the administration of the Freehold. With the exception of Arya and Nys herself at that time, the highest authority of the Freehold in the city.

The freed slaves and those without trade or profit, were those whom she found easiest to convince for join her cause. Much to Nys' annoyance, the red priest had a lot to do with this. For was whom had apparently been preaching for weeks about Nys' coming to the city of the Noyne to liberate them. Her appearance and that of Meraxes only served to convince the vast majority of serfs and slaves that they did not profess the religion of the bearded priests at all, but were practically Zealots of R'hllor.

In a way, Rhaenys felt that she was deceiving them, because they were not joining her cause because she had freed them or because they were going to be citizens of the Freehold, but because their god told they so. But as the saying goes, on a gifted horse it is better not to look at its tooth.

It was those men and women who were free beforehand, as well as a minority of the Norvosi lower and middle nobility, where Nys' ideals and plans for Essos most penetrated. The most obvious example was when much of the city watch, learning of the salaries offered and the granting of lands when serving in the Targaryen Army, took less than two days to form long lines at the gates of Lady Mellario's manse to enlist themselves.

In the absence of Aegon, her father, Ser Jaime or Gerion, the Dornish prince was the best and most trusted at hand for her, so Nys' maternal uncle went on to join the ranks of the Army of the Freehold of Valyria. The Dornishman commitment reached the point of renouncing his titles in Dorne, to Nys' grief. Since it annulled that option for the future. But it seemed like a gesture to be reckoned with on the part of Prince Oberyn, showing just what he was willing to do for be with her.

'I just hope I'm not laying the groundwork for a civil war in Dorne.' Nys thought to herself bitterly, letting out a sigh.

Looking around, Nys realized that she had reached the stone jetty, hardly realizing how deep in thought she was.

The ruins of the city grew taller as the land narrowed, until the city ended at the point of land where the remains of the colossal palace of pink and green marble stood, its collapsed domes and broken spirals that loom above rows of arches covered in branches and moss.

Rhaenys observed the rotting wooden piers weathered and broken by the passage of time and the lack of repair and care. Fifty ships may once have docked at each of those half-sunken and shattered piers, now used by the area's large tortoises to sunbathe. It was at this point where the strip of land on which the city was located ended, where the Noyne and the Rhoyne joined.

Still holding the spear in her right hand, Nys approached the edge of the stony jetty to gaze out over the eastern bank of the river and wait there for Arya.

She could only hear the sound of birds chirping, the water flowing through the river bed, the turtles submerging and emerging from the water, as well as the occasional gust of wind shaking the branches of the towering trees, relieving the muggy heat that was doing.

'It's not that the heat bothers me or I even notice it excessively, but from what Arya tells me, it's unbearable.' Nys was thinking about why Arya was running around the ancient ruins with only her

riding breeches on and Needle on her hips.

Nor is it that Nys was dressed to go to a feast, because she was in underclothes. Although unlike Arya, Nys did it for comfort and because it was not very common to have the level of freedom that the ruined city allowed them.

'The gods know well the few opportunities I have had to get out of the protocol in Norvos.' she

muttered resignedly, knowing that a queen does not only have to be, but appear so.

'But at least we can enjoy these days a freedom and security that we have not experienced since we were children in Dragonstone.' the Dragon's sister reminded her from within.

She felt strangely in conflict within herself, despite the tranquility that existed in the place. Nys felt like she was invading the place, but at the same time it felt like home. As Rhae had mentioned, it felt like Dragonstone in her childhood.

"Splaash!!!"

Suddenly, a jolt of water that splashed onto the dock distracted her and caught her attention. It was another turtle, but unlike the dozens of turtles she had seen on the Rhoyne or Noyne, this was an enormous horned turtle. With its dark green carapace mottled with brown and covered with water moss and crisp black river mollusks. The huge turtle raised its head and howled, a deep throat roar louder than any war horn Rhaenys had ever heard, causing the split spear she held in her hand to slip, cutting her.

It would be from the rusty bronze pike, but Nys' blood at the time seemed to have a greenish tinge. Just as suddenly as it appeared, the huge turtle disappeared, leaving almost no trace except great

ripples spreading over the Mother Rhoyne's water.

Because the cut did not stop flowing blood and the rust of the spear seemed to have impregnated her hand, Nys decided to go into the legendary river to wash the wound and, incidentally, refresh her body.

Nys closed her eyes as she stepped into the mythical warm waters where the Mother Rhoyne reunites with her Wild Daughter, the Noyne.

As Rhaenys sink in, she could feel the soft, sandy river bed beneath her feet. She could feel the odd aquatic plant brushing against her legs. She felt how the current of the river as it flowed produced a sound that lulled her. A sound that called her and that at the same time awakened memories hidden in her blood.

Although she tried to open her eyes when she began to feel strange sensations the moment the water covered her up to her chest and came into contact with the cut on her hand, it seemed that there was something preventing her.

She didn't know if it was from the pain radiating from the cut on her hand while cleaning herself or what was happening, but suddenly she felt transported. As if she were no longer surrounded by water, nor under a radiant sun.

Suddenly it was as if she was in a hall full of soldiers. In front of her, she saw the monstrous throne made by her brother.

'The Iron Throne! That means I'm in King's Landing! How did I get here? What witchcraft is this?' Nys thought desperately, trying to scream, but no sound came out of her mouth. It was as if she had

no control over her body or actions and Nys' body was heading on her own accord towards the dais on which the mass of blackened swords was erected.

When Nys reached the base of the dais, she saw that sitting on the throne was a huge man with black hair and bright blue eyes. The man showed discomfort on the throne and his crown seemed to sink on his head. Another man advanced, this one dressed in red and gold armor. He knelt before the throne and spread out a large bundle and two other small bundles wrapped in a crimson cloak. From her position, Rhaenys couldn't see exactly what was in the bundles, but the faces of the crowd looked shocked. Nys looked into the bright blue eyes of the King and saw no hint of sadness, only hatred.

"I don't see children, only dragon spawn." echoed the King's voice in such way that it produced her tremors like those Nys had had during her dream.

She wanted to flee from there, but her body did not respond to her. Nys tried to close her eyes, but when she opened them again, she saw herself and Ser Jaime on the bank of the Blackwater, as the city burned like a torch.

In less than the blink of an eye, she was looking at a river again, but it wasn't the Blackwater. It was another river that she couldn't identify, but in which a battle was being fought between two huge armies. The waters were dyed in red and in the midst of the chaos two figures seemed to dance between them, while everyone around them looked expectantly.

By seeing the armor and sigils Nys was able to recognize where she was and what she was seeing. Nys' father had just land a terrifying shoulder-to-hip cut on Robert's right side, but the Usurper seemed barely affected, violently swinging the giant hammer at her father's chest direction.

"NO,NO,NO,NO,NOOOOOO!!!!" she screamed in despair, but to her horror she could only see how the huge warhammer struck brutally against her father's chest, snatching him all life. "NOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed with infinite sorrow and tears flowing wildly from her eyes.

Before she even could recover from the shock of watching her father die, Nys found himself back on the back of Meraxes, flying over a castle in the desert.

"NO! NO! This can't be happening. Not again!" cried out with vehemence and passion Nys knowing what would come next. But no one listened to her pleas, for she was soon engulfed in the blaze that enveloped her and her dragon, consuming her again. She closed her eyes prepared to feel again the extreme pain she once felt. But this never came.

When she opened her eyes again, she realized that she was once again submerged in the waters of a river, but the water seemed tinged with red and green. In the background the wind seemed to whisper a conversation.

"We'll all be slaves unless we unite to end this threat." a powerful voice of a man rose, causing an eruption of approving voices at what they had just heard, plunging Nys' thoughts and soul into an ever-increasing hubbub.

"This is a war that we cannot win." seemed to answer a female voice as powerful as that of the man, but with resignation in her tones, which was received with boos and insults.

"As long as we stay near the river, The Mother will protect us." The male voice resounded powerfully again, accompanied by cheers, exclamations of approval, and oaths to fight together. While the conversation took place, in the background seemed to sound like a mother's wail for her children, but this was quenched by the roar of a dragon that sounded like it was ten times bigger

than Balerion.

Immediately a stench that she recognized very well began to invade her senses. The smell of meat, hair, and metal burned. The putrid smell of tens of thousands of dying and whom seemed to huddle in the current of the green-red river around her. Nys' hearing was overwhelmed by the screams, the curses, the insults, the moans, the wailing, and the pleading of those still alive.

She felt how the water of blood and green seemed to boil, peeling the skin from the bones of the bodies huddled around her. But she gave the impression of being immune to the boiling water, for it seemed that she herself was the source that warmed the thick and viscous fluid that ran through the current of the river.

It felt like she was staining the waters with her presence and that she was to blame for the fluid she floated in.

"Daughter of the Mother, Daughter of the Flames, your blood is the blood that feeds and flows through this river. You are like this river. Learn from your power and rise to heights as only in songs are remembered." seemed to recite the mother who had been wailing before.

"Nys stop! Nys!! Nys Stop please! You're going to kill us both! Make it stop!" she could heard Arya's pleading screams in the distance.

'I have to help her. I failed Aegon and Aenys. I can't fail Arya,'Nys thought anguished to unsuspected limits, while a feeling of helplessness and terror seemed to clamor every corner of her body.

She tried to take a deep breath, closed her eyes and could hear Meraxes' desperate roar, this time with clarity and closeness. When Nys opened her eyes again, she was horrified and shocked at the daunting scene that was unfolding around her.

Waterspouts everywhere ravaged the bed of both rivers and the triangular esplanade of land where a few minutes ago she had been wandering. There were no longer remains of a majestic palace, no lush vegetation. Now there was a gigantic esplanade of land completely deserted assaulted by violent waterspouts.

The esplanade that had been created looked like an inverted triangle, in which she was the lower vertex and the Rhoyne and Noyne its sides. The effect of the water made it seem as if the earth had been torn by the hand of a vengeful god, destroying and erasing everything from the face of the earth, except for a gigantic, cyclopean and towering pillar of solid green stone to what Arya had clung to, as if Arya's life depended on it.

Something that was very possible, because with Nys as center and base, a bestial whirlwind of water, which threatens to destroy everything around it, rose to the heights, where in the sky Meraxes roared desperately, as if trying to fight against the mass of liquid that seemed to rise up like gigantic walls.

"ARYA!" Nys yelled desperately, starting a running movement towards where Arya was.

As she moved, the waterspouts that overflowed the beds of both rivers seemed to subside and with a crash that must have been heard in Westeros, the walls of water revolving around Nys, stopped turning.

The next thing she could register was a great mass of water covering her completely, dragging her to the very base of the cyclopean stone pillar that Arya had clung to for her life.

After coughing and expelling all the water that Nys had swallowed, she went almost exhausted and on all fours to where Arya was. Her little sister seemed fine, except for being covered in mud and with some added cuts and bruises to what Arya previously had, but the expression in Arya's eyes was one of utter panic.

When they exchanged glances, Arya asked almost shouting, her voice shaking and cracking

"What in the seven hells was that !? How did you do that?!"

"I have no idea" Rhaenys replied in a small voice, still unable to process anything that had happened. "But I am convinced that it has something to do with my blood, my magic and the magic of this river. I think ..." she doubted for a moment herself and what she knew she was going to say, because it was insane. "I think I have done water magic, without even knowing how."

Arya stared at Nys with a totally disheveled face and practically screaming, she replied, "Fuck me, I haven't noticed "