105

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207 AC

Volantis

Aerion Targaryen

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"So things are at a stalemate as they stand." Looking over a map of the city of Volantis as I lean over a table I frown.

Not because of the state of the 'war' but because of the 'Goddess' sitting not far from where I am standing. It is one thing to hear my crazy red priestess speak about my Son marrying a divine being and another to actually lay eyes on her. I think everyone was a little thrown off and also a little proud of him... but mostly we are all heavily confused.

Why?

I have no doubt she is who she says she is, just meeting her gaze was enough for me to 'feel' the truth.

But why the hell did she marry my Son?!

I might have a pretty good idea... but that scenario hurts my head even more to think about so instead of confronting the reality of a God sitting in the room I will instead focus on taking this city.

Volantis is where I planned to rule from for the foreseeable future until either we could find a way to settle a part of Valyria or maybe build something somewhere else. This city is not in a bad position with having access to the Sea and the Rhoyne river, it also has two connections to the 'Dragon Roads' of old.

It's not a bad city to settle the new throne in... but I like to keep my options open.

That and this place smells worse than Kingslanding which is an accomplishment if I have to be honest, it's so bad the dragons looked a bit sick when we landed.

"Father?" I shake off the thoughts and turn to lock eyes with Gaemon who shrinks a little as I narrow my eyes at him.

Lucky fucker.

After this meeting, I need to gather 'the boys' and call dibs on the next Goddess.

I won't be able to rest easy until I do.

"We won't burn them out, they only have a third of the Tiger Cloaks and a few hundred Unsullied. I hate to say it but it would be far better to fight them without the dragons destroying this particular city." I still plan to blow the gates off the Ringed black wall that has stood since Old Valyria built them, taking the gates without the dragons would require a blood bath.

Unless I end up deciding to rule from the Red Temple which is three times the size of the Great Sept of Baelor, I will need the inside of those black walls intact.

I will purge the Old Valyrian blooded 'Tigers' and 'Elephants' but those not of the old blood are of no concern to me. Once they are wiped out no one has a better claim to this city than House Targaryen, not only are we the Blood of Old Valyria but we also have the blood of the dragon.

My New Valyria will officially be born from the first Daughter of Old Valyria.

It's quite fitting if I do say so myself.

"The Fiery Hand are eager to show their skill, if you would allow them of course." Turning to look at the High Priest of Volantis, a dark-skinned man of skin and bones who looks like a breeze could kill him if it blew the wrong way.

I am just glad they stopped trying to kiss my feet after I made it into the temple thanks to this guy. However, I can see the same fanaticism in his eyes that I find in Melisandre's which both puts me at ease and worries me.

I do not fear betrayal from him and his men, I am ready for it but I do not think it will happen.

If even half of what Melisandre said comes to pass... well there would be nothing for me to fear from those worshiping 'R'hllor'.

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207 AC

Volantis

Gaemon Targaryen

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"Sit boy." I scrunch my nose and with a heavy sigh sit across from my Kepa and Muna... and Muna Mya.

I am just glad only half of my Muna's are here, only my Wife knows what would happen to me if they were all here. That and my niece is distracting quite a few people, I will buy that little fat-cheeked baby a present for her assistance.

"I just want to start off by saying I regret nothing." It's hard to have any regrets waking up next to a Goddess.

Not that anyone living but me would understand that.

"Good, if you regretted it I would have to tan your ass for not only getting married without my knowledge but also for playing with a 'Goddesses' heart." My birth Muna quickly speaks up with her face going a bit red and her fists clenching. "Do you know how much I looked forward to seeing my children wed?" I purse my lips and stay silent knowing if she doesn't get this off her chest she will likely put a 'potion' in my drink later.

"I don't." I shake my head after letting her question hang in the air for a moment. "We have not had a public ceremony and plan to do so with the whole family present." Muna Mya nods in approval with a small smile and I feel hope light up in my chest.

"Will I even get Grandchildren from you now?" I quickly look back toward my fuming Muna and find her looking deathly serious at me after that question.

"Of course." I want children, why would she think I suddenly won't have any because I married a Go- oh.

Will I have children?

I haven't actually brought it up with my Wife... but she is called the 'Mother' Rhoyne so surely she would not mind the idea.

Right?

"Shiera." My Kepa sighs and shakes his head. "We don't know enough about our new 'Good Daughter' to assume anything... so maybe ease up a bit." I nod slowly agreeing with my Kepa's words even as he earns himself an unamused look because of his words.

"What happened to all the anger you had?" I keep nodding along with that question as now that we are sitting here it seems that he is not all that mad.

Will I live?

Is there hope!?

If he does kill me at least we are at the Red Temple, I might get brought back with the Last Kiss... if not maybe my Wife will save my soul or something.

Gods can do that... right?

"Oh I am frustrated,-" My heart sinks. "-just not with either of them, they are free to do what they want." Huh?

I watch as my Kepa bounces his head from side to side.

"I am mostly frustrated because I know this will lead to future problems with people making backroom plans involving Gaemon." Purple eyes lock with my own and a tired smile stretches across his face. "Lots of people will focus on Gaemon in the future and I am having to come up with all new plans... plans that might be thrown out if Melisandre is right about the future." The Red Witch?

"What did she say?" I can't help but ask, it's odd seeing my Kepa actually put some real consideration into the words of the red woman.

She has been around for a while but I have never seen him really listen to her ramblings.

"Well-" I find myself holding my breath as I turn to look at the fireplace that my Kepa turned to look at. "-lets just say that your Wife won't be the only God in the family if things go the way the crazy woman says they will." Turning back to look at my Kepa in confusion I find him absent-mindedly running a hand through Muna Mya's hair as he looks into the flames with uncertainty.

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207 AC

Volantis

Belian Steanon

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"They are bigger than I thought they would be." I mutter as I lean on the balcony looking out from the highest tower toward the Red Temple.

Dragons.

I saw them once when I was at a tourney in Westeros, I was making a trade deal with some Riverland Lords. I saw the silver one when it was only a third of the size it is now, to see its great growth over the years I can't help but worry.

I didn't believe a word that came down the Rhoyne, I thought it was madness.

But now I am forced to see the truth.

The Targaryens are conquering Essos.

The Dragon Lords are returning home to their ancestral lands... or at least however close they dare to approach the smoking corpse of Old Valyria.

How are we going to face them?

The first I heard of them arriving in Essos was almost five moons ago but they have likely been here for a few more than that. Pentos bent the knee and if word is to be believed then also Braavos did as well which makes no sense to me.

Well... they are the 'Breakers of Chains' as far as I have heard... so maybe Braavos is supporting them to put an end to slavery?

Braavos is run by the Iron Bank, not the Sealord, and the bank funds the Faceless men who are the real danger of the 'hidden' city. The Iron Bank will thrive in a united Essos where there are no open conflicts, they likely are already joined in hands with the Dragon Lords. Thinking of this only makes me feel more hopeless as even if I had the coin and the time to send for a Faceless man to come and kill Aerion the 'Emperor'... they likely would not accept the contract.

The greatest defense we had was our Scorpions which took down a Targaryen dragon in Dorne.

But when more than half of the Tiger Cloaks revolted and went to support the Targaryens more than a month ago they burned them. They torched as much of the food stores inside of the black walls as they could as well, then put the black walls under 'siege'.

No one in and no one out.

They won't let us out to get food or surrender.

We won't let anyone in to even give terms of surrender.

The damnable Tiger party is killing us with their aggression, they killed the Red Priest who came to speak to our Triarchs. They would rather burn to ash with swords in hand than surrender and let the Targaryens take the city.

Which they will do anyway, it's only a matter of time at this point.

They have their own men and the majority of the slave soldiers who revolted.

A single dragon could also attack at night and we would burn or choke on the smoke.

The only chance of survival is to escape and surrender... and pray they are kind enough to spare our lives.