126

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208 AC

Harrenhal

Aerion Targaryen

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Sitting up abruptly I feel someone slide down my upper body and rapidly grab ahold of them so they don't fall off of the couch and hit the floor. My actions earn a grumble of dissatisfaction from my youngest child, Nerah grips my shirt with both hands as she blinks her eyes in confusion.

"K-Kepa?" She pouts her lips and her mismatched eyes look up at me and narrow a bit.

"Sorry... bad dream." I smile and she grumbles in response but soon lays her head against my chest as I sit up with her hands holding onto me as she tries to fall back asleep. "Go back to sleep, I will put you in bed." She shakes her head and whines as I swing my legs off the couch and stand up.

"Sleep with... Kepa." I smile as she wraps her legs around me as best she can, a lazy attempt at keeping herself with me.

"Kepa wants to get back to work." The more I learn about the past, the more I worry about the future.

I was 'scouting' the past with my powers hoping for answers... all I earned myself was a headache and more worry.

I didn't even know she decided to join me on the couch or I would have been more careful.

I guess she saw an opportunity and took it, I don't sleep like normal anymore and so she only rarely gets to join me when I 'rest'.

Sweet girl, I miss it when all of my children were just like this.

nowadays instead of cuddling with them, I plan to send them off to melt away Eldritch structures off of this planet's surface.

That thought brings an increasingly bitter taste to my mouth.

"I will sweep in the Solar." Nerah slurs her words a bit as I adjust her to lay her head on my shoulder as I head up the stairs.

The bitter taste is washed away as I kiss the side of her head by her ear.

"Sounds good." I whisper back and she nods before her grip on me slackens.

Coming to a stop at the top of the stairs heading up to the 'second floor' of the 'penthouse' I look around at the various bedroom doors.

Some are shut tight, others are left open revealing various of my Wives sleeping or still awake doing their own things. I catch Shiera as she works on a dress with Narha, they both turn and look back probably having heard the soft snores coming from Nerah. Narha rolls her eyes with a smile before nodding toward the other side of her room and I step into the doorway to see Syrella and Ariel both sleeping on a couch. They seem to have passed out while watching Shiera and Narha both work away at various outfits.

"Cute." I shake my head when I turn back and see Shiera offering with a gesture to take the sleeping Nerah. "I got her." I turn not wanting Shiera to try and convince me otherwise and with quick steps I flee toward my Solar.

My baby.

Leaning my head against my daughter's head, she stirs against me with a slight groan as each step slightly bounces her head making her cheek rub against my beard stubble.

"Noooo... bad." Her little hands come up and push against my face causing me to laugh a bit as I push the door to my Solar open with my foot.

I however freeze after stepping into the room and finding someone already here.

"Gwenys." I sigh and shake my head, making sure to avoid prickling my Daughters soft skin this time around.

"Ah, you're finally awake." Gwenys smiles wide before noticing the little monkey in my arms and she rolls her eyes. "Seems I must continue to work alone..." She huffs jokingly before returning her attention back to whatever she was working on.

I ignore my workaholic Wife and walk toward the most expensive couch in the world.

In reality, it was 'free' but I know it's likely priceless and would never fetch what it's worth if sold, even at a high-end auction.

Dragon wing Leather and Weirwood, the cushions are stuffed with the softest of feathers and then padded with fine wool from a special type of sheep I am almost convinced is magic that only lives in the Far East.

It's a custom job, I don't even fuck on it for fear of it getting damaged.

Laying Nerah down onto the couch she only grumbles for a bit before curling up almost in a fetal position and going still as a statue other than the rising and falling of her chest.

Cute.

Turning toward my desk I prowl toward my oblivious Wife as she flips a parchment over, silently slipping behind my chair I quickly snake my arms around the chair and my Wife.

"Careful now..." She warns as she points toward the ink not far from her arm.

I open my mouth to spit out a quick response before tickling her a bit, but my body tenses and I can't find words as my gaze sinks into the pitch-black ink.

Memories of the recent event and the things I have seen in my 'dreams' flash before my eyes as I gaze into the dark almost taunting ink.

I slowly lower my head and purse my lips before pressing them against the pleasantly warm skin of my wife's neck. The body heat of my Wife helps banish the worries and I turn to look down at what she is working on.

Taxes.

Never mind, I would rather think about Eldritch beings.

"What's wrong?" Gwenys asks after returning the 'favor' by kissing my own neck after I lift my head a bit.

Her silky smooth voice with only a slight huskiness to it stirs a fire in my stomach but I push it aside as I slide the chair back. I work quickly and lift her out of my chair before I sit down on it myself, I gently set her down on my lap and she squirms to find a comfy position.

"Nothing is wrong... I am just anxious." She nods knowing exactly why I am worried, the more I explain to my Family what it is we are likely facing the more they sink into the paranoia with me.

A double-edged sword.

They are not clueless in the dark, but they are also suffering in the light of knowing the 'truth' alongside me.

It sucks, but this is for the best.

I can't just hope and pray away the threat that is likely deep into this world, far deeper than I would like at least.

In fact, people are praying to me to do something.

I can hear them even now, those that suffered in Oldtown, their whimpers about losing their homes and the destruction the fight caused.

Strange.

They do not even know I am a God... at least not all of them.

But they still pray.

Because I 'saved' them?

Probably... or maybe being a God is starting to take effect on those who witness me.

I have no idea.

I am still painfully new to this, I doubt I have even started taking my true baby steps as far as being a God goes.

That is both exciting and terrifying.

"So much to do..." I sigh and Gwenys chuckles lightly.

"When is that not the case?" She asks simply and likely thought little about her words.

But they carry a heavy weight as they settle down upon me.

She is right.

When is there ever not a lot of things for me to do?

I have been doing and doing and doing... nonstop since I could practically walk in this new life.

"Huh." I mutter before smirking and turning to look at the side of my wife's face.

She wordlessly raises a brow and I shake my head not wanting to admit I missed something so... simple.

This... this is new and unexplored territory to me.

Being Ascended, having people worship me.

But... in a way... it's only the 'next step' if I am honest, unless I 'settled' with World Conquest, this was the next step.

When I was just a Prince of House Targaryen I still had countless people affected by my decisions and actions.

The board just got bigger.

The 'people' sitting at it just got 'bigger' as well.

But it's still... familiar.

"Haha..." The revelation of what I already knew but just did not fully connect fills me with a bit of euphoria.

"Alright, now I know something is wrong." Gwenys mutters but does not lift her gaze from the letter she is reading.

"No." I state with growing conviction. "Nothing is wrong." I feel like... I have finished a puzzle. "In fact, I would say this is the best things have been in a while." The feeling like I was just stumbling through events happening around me slowly lifts as I start reorganizing plans.

I was already on the path I needed to continue walking, I knew what was needed.

The Complete subjugation of this world.

I started on this path and getting to the end is the only real option I have if I want to avoid troubles such as I faced in Oldtown. Only when I know for a fact what is happening in each of the dark corners of this world will I ever be certain of the safety of not only myself and my family but everyone living on this planet.

Relatively at least.

I am sure there are still things I need to learn, threats I will face.

But I feel like I just stood up onto my own feet.

I knew everything I needed to, I just... didn't accept it.

A part of me was reluctant to accept what was going on.

Too much dropped onto my plate at once, I was trying to bite off small pieces.

But that is not possible to continue to do, the cat is out of the bag and I have to deal with it.

Which is what I was already doing... hesitantly.

"Let me help." I smile as I reach out and take a sealed letter and break the seal in a smooth practiced motion.

That won't do, reluctance and hesitation will only see me make mistakes.

I was not planning to take things slow, but I was still making plans with a heavy amount of caution.

That won't do at all... fortune favors the bold after all, and that is what we will be when facing this threat that could consume us entirely.

Bold.