14

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294 AC

Braavos

Eragon Targaryen

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Rhaenyras face, as we walk home, shows her discomfort, her shoes make wet noises every time she takes a step. It seems that someone got them soaked while we were playing, I don't know who that could have been though.

"Eragon, give me your shoes since you got mine soaked. This is uncomfortable to walk in, it's like I am walking in mud while barefoot." I look at her, shocked at her accusation. Nata giggles from Rhaenyras other side and she earns a glare from the grumpy dragon. "It's not funny Nata, he did it on purpose and then pretended as if nothing happened."

"That's a lie, I did no such thing." I still lean against the wall causing them to stop walking as I slide a shoe off and hold it up to her while I balance on one foot. "Hurry up before I change my mind." Rhaenyra looks surprised before smiling wide and leaning against the wall next to me. I just don't want to listen to her complain the whole way back and this will shut her up.

"Thanks, Eragon." she puts on the dry shoe and stands on it while taking off the other wet one. Nata just watches the interaction, looking thoroughly amused.

"What are you smiling at?" I ask her while feeling annoyed, she shakes her head before responding.

"Nothing." She looks around while we finish swapping shoes. "I was wondering if you two wanted to play again sometime. I haven't made any friends yet since we moved to Braavos." She purses her lips, I look at Rhaenyra who was caught off guard by the question. Soon a smile spreads across her face and she eagerly nods, good.

"I would like that, we can play again when we get the chance." This works out well for me, gives me time to find out if she is the girl I am supposed to meet. If it's even a thing, to begin with, it was just odd how I remembered the advice to make a friend when I saw her the first time. And then meeting again so soon also is a bit weird.

"That's great, Eragon do you remember where you helped me buy that food?" Seeing me nod she continues. "I live near there in a big white building with green curtains." I pretend to try and remember and then snap as if I suddenly remembered. It would be creepy if I said I already knew where she lived, she might try to avoid me in the future.

"I think I remember that building, I should be able to find it if it's near where that stall usually sets up anyway. I like to go there now and then so I am familiar with the area." She goes from smiling to a bit awkward of a face which confused Rhaenyra at her sudden change of emotion.

"That's good, just knock on the door on the side, and when someone answers the door ask for me. They will come and get me if I am allowed out then." She pulls both of us into a quick hug. "Alright I will see you too when you come over, I need to get back before my mom worries." She quickly turns around and walks at a fast pace.

"What just happened?" Rhaenyra asks as she looks over at me.

"I think you just made your first friend." I shrug and jump forward as she tries to punch my shoulder, the water in the shoes squishes out the sides causing me to cringe at the feeling.

"I have friends!" She says defiantly before letting out a grumble and looking disheartened. "I can't help it, it's not like I have many chances to make friends anyway." Now I feel like an ass.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings. Let's head back and get in some clean clothes before mom catches us." I bring her into a side hug and she nods as we begin to walk I pull away so she can walk better but she grips my hand.

"Let's go, if we get in trouble it's going to be all your fault Eragon." She pulls ahead of me and I have to keep up while stepping awkwardly into her smaller-sized and wet shoes.

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"And what were you two doing?" Mother's voice causes Rhaenyra and me to freeze in place after entering into the house.

"Swimming?" I ask and mom smiles while nodding her head in agreement.

"That much looks obvious with your still wet clothes, but I am asking what you are doing because you are dripping in the hallway." We both turn around and see a wet trail following us through the house. The wet footprints of mine made it obvious we didn't dry off enough.

"I am sorry momma." Rhaenyra says in a pitiful voice which causes mother's eyes to roll, she only calls her mom when she wants something.

"It's fine, just get changed out of those wet clothes quickly." She kisses Rhaenyra on the head after closing the distance between them. She does keep her distance enough so she doesn't get wet in the process though.

We both part ways as we go to our rooms to change, opening the door to my shared room with Daenerys I see the curtain is closed, and it's dark. I close the door behind me and walk toward where I know the curtain is in the dark and crack it so I can see.

I pull out some new clothes and start to take off my dirty ones, hearing a loud snot filled sniff behind me I almost leap out of my skin.

"Who is there!?" I turn around and don't see anything till I spot the bulge in Danny's bed. Purple eyes peer out from the crack in her covers, the light ray coming into the room reflecting off her eyes causing them to look like there alight. "Danny?"

She slips further back and buries her face, I can only hear her try to clear her nose by sniffing. It seems she is sick, or crying but I don't know why she would be crying. Grabbing my clean clothes I walk over to the bucket of water in the corner of the room. Using a washcloth, I dip it in the water, wipe myself down, and get fresh clothes on.

"Are you alright Danny?" After freshening up, I walk over to her bed and poke the sniffling mess under the sheets. A kick comes out and hits me in my stomach, coughing I grab her foot and keep myself from falling. "What the-."

"Let go of me!" she struggles and uses her other foot to try and kick me off and free her leg. I manage to grab the other one and keep them both in place as she tries to get the sheets off her.

"What are you being a little shit for?!" She throws the sheets off and in the dim light, I can tell she was crying and isn't sick.

"I am not a little shit, you are the little shit! You are going to leave and go live somewhere else!" I loosen my grip after being confused and she snatches her legs back.

"What in the seven hells are you talking about?" She frowns and glares at me, where did she even get an idea like that?

"Mom said that you are engaged, so that means you will get married. People who are married live together, so you're going to move to where your new wife will live." Huh?

Since when have I been engaged and to who?!

"When did she say that? I didn't agree to marry anyone!" Her glare eases up and she stops looking like she wants to hit me.

"She said it earlier when we talked, she said you were engaged awhile back, apparently to a girl from the Velaryon family on Driftmark." I stand there pretty shocked by the news, Velaryons are Valyrian like us but that doesn't explain why I would marry one.

I turn my back to her bed and jump backwards onto it, facing the ceiling now I can't help but wonder why mom did this. Other than being Valyrian I know they are known as Lords of the tide and have ships and do trading, they also have always been loyal to House Targaryen.

"Did she say why?" I ask and Danny puts aside her frustration and lays down next to me.

"No, she didn't say why, we can go ask her together if you want." I wonder if it's for ships, that's the only strategic resource they have at this point.

"Alright, let's go ask her I guess." I wasn't expecting this today.

----

Walking into moms room she notices both of us, she smiles at us and we stand Infront of her.

"Danny told me you said I was engaged, is that true?" Her smile slowly becomes a thin line and she nods.

"It is, though keep in mind many things change over time. There have been countless engagements made between infants that have ended for one reason or another. So don't worry about it Eragon." I look back at Daenerys confused, she made it seem like I was bought and sold.

She meets my eyes and goes red before looking away, she was crying over nothing. I shake my head at her antics and look back at mother.

"I see, I was told by my sweet sister here that I was sold off and being shipped to live with strangers and we would never see each other again." I see Danny look at me embarrassed and wants to interrupt me and deny but I put the nail in the coffin. "She even cried her eyes out while telling me I can't leave her all alone." Mom looks worriedly at Daenerys and pulls her into her arms.

"You could have just asked me if he was leaving, I wouldn't send your brother away for anything. You didn't have to cry, my sweet child." Daenerys turns her head sideways in the hug and I see her side-eyeing me with an evil intention behind her beautiful eye. She breaks out of the hug but keeps close to mom and speaks up.

"I was just worried my stupid brother would get himself lost out there without me to guide him, I didn't cry at all though." The puffiness from crying would beg to differ but neither of us calls her out.

"I see, well if you are so worried about him then you can just help him pick out a good wife so he won't get ' lost '." With a small smile, she comforts Danny and I shiver, if I have to get Danny's approval I might as well not marry.

"Let's just put that talk on hold, for now, no need to get her riled up." I interject for my future happiness, Danny can be extremely headstrong and picky with even basic things. Giving her even a modicum of power over marriage, will doom me like old Valyria.

"You don't trust your twin to look out for you?" Mother smiles and I catch the mischief in her eyes, she is using me as the butt of the joke. Danny is quick to jump on and drag me down for being a bad twin and not trusting her.

"I do trust you, but by your logic, you would have to get my approval as well to marry." I smirk when she opens her mouth to retort but can't find the words.

"That's too bad, I guess I won't be getting any more grandkids if you two hold each other's, marriage hostage." She gives each of us a troubled look, before the conversation can continue a knock on the open door is heard and we all look toward it.

Shiera stands in the doorway with her hand hovering over the door where she just knocked on it.

"Can I come in, I was feeling lonely reading alone." Mother waves her in and we all take seats and get back to talking, though the topic isn't as embarrassing as before.

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294 AC

Red keep - hidden room

Varys

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A message from Illyrio has come, giving me an update on the wellness of my sister's children. Growing well, according to Illyrio the boy reminds him of when he was younger and a Bravo. At least that is good news, ever since things took a turn I wasn't expecting I have been worried about the outcome of those kids. Illyrio has likely had them raised to fulfill my sister's dream of putting our blood onto the iron throne.

Things were looking to go to plan until it went a little too far and spiral out of control, the mad king's descent into madness and the eventual hero coming to save the realm. It would have been a story for the books and songs, but Rhaegar acted beyond my expectations and started a war. The realm was to suffer under his father and to cast a shadow over the Targaryen name, and then a Blackfyre would rise to replace them.

But then Roberts's rebellion ruined that little plan, now we have to recover and come from a different angle. A whoremonger king who beggared the realm and was sending it into ruin, to be replaced by the rightful king who will come to save the realm.

With all of Roberts's tourneys and lack of care for spending, the realm is already in debt. Counting coppers would save you if you took the time King Robert.

I burn the letter from my friend and pull the second one that came from Essos. From Braavos, an update on the red dragons. A few sightings here and there, but no moves have been made.

It would be a wasted opportunity to kill them, they can be a good distraction and weaken Roberts's hold when they push their claim. It would open an opportunity for our black dragon to push his own.

And with Jon having convinced Robert to not send any hired blades to snuff them out I don't even have to interfere to save them. How the old man talked Robert out of sending an army to hunt them down in Essos I will never know.

Burning the second letter I stand up and push my chair back into the desk, turning and pushing a stone to open the door I take the torch with me. With a few twists and turns and another false wall moving out of the way, I step out into a storage room and make my way out into the light outside in the hallway.

I have to thank Maegor for building the passageways, they have enabled me and my little birds to hear many secrets and remain undetected as we move around.

"Lord Varys." a servant girl gives a quick bow as she gets out of the way and continues with her duty. Oddly, they call me a lord, a form of respect I am sure. They don't want me telling anyone their nasty little secrets so they all show at least a token of respect.

Heading into the throne room to pass into the small council chamber I take a side glance at the heap of metal called the iron throne. One day my nephew will sit on the chair, I just need to play my part and it will be sooner than I realize.