A storm is coming

15th day of 5th Moon, 259AC

Dorne, Yronwood

"The storm seems imminent." Doran comments looking at the sky. "The sky is cloudy and the wind begins to roar, soon the first drops of rain will fall."

"It would be better if we finish the training as soon as possible then."

The prince looked at his sworn shield and nodded.

They have been in Yronwood for several days, during each night Doran snuck into different parts of the castle and searched for any evidence of the plot. Anything, a letter, a contract. Every night he searched and searched, and the dawn always found him empty-handed. After eavesdropping on various conversations between Edgar and Yon Yronwood, they have no doubt of the plot.

Yon was a friend of the late Bittersteel and together they planned the fourth Blackfyre Rebellion, failing that they decided to change tactics. His new plan was to secure a stronger position on the mainland before bringing in the Black Dragon forces.

To achieve that they needed two things: weaken the Targaryens and loyal powerful allies.

The intellectual author of the plot to weaken the Targaryens was initially Aemon Blackfyre (brother of late Daemon III Blackfyre) and is currently Edarion Blackfyre (son of Aegor Bittersteel). Doran didn't find out all the parts of this plan, just the general details, Aemon and Edarion used every opportunity to spread damaging rumors to the Crown, making them lose their pillars of support and turning their allies against them. Doran still doesn't know how but the riots a few years ago among the smallfolk were sponsored and started by them.

The prince was horrified at the reach of his enemies, especially Edarion (to think that he had him within arm's reach, that he could have disposed of such a formidable foe... Doran deeply regrets letting Edarion escape so many months ago, yes. If he had known the true identity of that enigmatic man...). Edarion is not even 30 years old and he has already created an immense fortune and network of contacts. He is intelligent, cunning, cruel and charismatic. A very dangerous combination.

From the prince's point of view, Edarion is the most dangerous enemy on the Blackfyre side. Matched only in danger by Maelys, who despite not having her cousin's resources or intelligence is a highly unpredictable, fierce, ambitious, cruel and sadistic man (his grandmother`s spies' description of Maelys gave Doran horrific flashbacks of a withered woman with curly hair and wild eyes).

Maelys is a formidable warrior, but what makes him as dangerous (maybe even more dangerous) as Edarion is how unpredictable he is. That man moves through all of Essos in an apparently volatile and random way, but the decision and confidence in his actions raised many flags in the spies of the Princess of Dorne.

Daemon on the other hand is more predictable, the spies described him as a man who deeply values ​​honor and duty. He is a brilliant commander and charismatic leader, but it is warfare where he truly excels. It is Edarion who takes care of the political side of things.

("Together they are a terrifying combination, a ruthless politician and a brilliant commander. But if they were to be separated, if one of them were to die... That is their weakness, the power of the Blackfyre lies with these two men. It only takes kill one so the other is left vulnerable." the Princess of Dorne said to her grandson)

Doran can't help but feel guilty, he feels that Edarion is his responsibility. Not just for what happened months ago - Doran has introduced a wide variety of potions in recent years, and those potions are sold in many places, Essos included. Dorna's spies found out that a few years ago Edarion was seriously injured in a confrontation with one of Maelys's men, the wounds were infected and the Blackfyre was practically doomed.

Fortunately for Edarion, Slytherin Apothecary they just opened a shop in Pentos and Daemon bought a wide variety of potions, including antiseptic, healing and blood replenishing potions. It was Doran's potions that saved Edarion's life and the prince feels responsible for it, he feels that any damage that Edarion Blackfyre causes is somehow his fault.

As for the bandits in the Yronwood lands, they are, as Doran surmised, mercenaries and peasants hired by Yon Yronwood.

But it seems that Yon did not leave a record of his activities, Doran thinks that it is this caution that saved him from punishment in the last rebellion (The prince hates himself a little for admiring his enemy).

Lothar and Doran grabbed training swords and simple iron-rimmed shields. The two braced themselves as they analyzed the opponent's moves. Doran adjusted his shield and looked the knight up and down.

Lothar is a man of average height in very good physical shape. He moves with a sure but swift step, like a cat before lunging for his prey. The prince knows very well how fast and skilled the renowned knight is.

Lothar seemed relaxed, holding his shield and sword low, he seemed to be enjoying the breeze.

On the contrary Doran looked tense, he was holding his shield in front of him and was giving a few light blows with the sword, getting used to the weight and length of it (they are training with longswords, Doran has more experience with bastard swords).

"Until one of us is disarmed." Lothar speaks in a calm voice.

"Yes." Doran nods and looks at the knight, waiting for him to make the first move. Lothar just looks at him nonchalantly and starts to whistle.

`He wants me to lose patience and make the first move,` the prince realizes. Doran doesn't plan to fall for that trick, this duel is on a whole different level. Lothar is one of the best swordsmen on the continent, he is an experienced knight and his teacher. He knows that he doesn't have much of a chance to win, but he doesn't plan on making it easy on his mentor either.

"Are you ready, ser? You look a little tired, if you want we can leave the training for another day." Doran gives him his best haughty grin.

"I am feeling great, what about you my prince? You look a little pale. Aren't you cold?" Joke Lothar.

Doran just growls in response.

`Tsk. Provoking him is useless, when he wants, Lothar has the patience of a saint.` Doran has to admit that this provocation was quite lame. He could have attacked Lothar on his weak points, which he knows very well, but that could sour his relationship with his closest confidant. Not worth it, not for a mere duel.

After a few minutes Lothar moves like lightning, if Doran hadn't been watching him carefully the attack would have caught him off guard. The blades collided with a loud crash, Lothar's greater strength causing Doran to lose ground quickly.

The prince took a step back hoping to throw the knight off balance, for a split second Lothar seemed to stagger but he quickly regained his footing and moved towards Doran like a viper.

Lothar kicked Doran's shield square in the center, the force of the blow knocking Doran to the ground- But the prince quickly recovered, Doran rolling to the side and raising his shield just in time to block Lothar's sword.

"You don't make it easy." the prince growled.

"You'll never learn if I take it easy." Despite his words Lothar took a few steps back giving Doran time to get up. "Good reflexes, you didn't stay lying on the ground, you moved immediately. That's good, on the battlefield falling to the ground and standing still is the greatest stupidity. If you don't move you are an easy target, you could be trampled by horses, victim of some arrow or enemy..."

("But they could also leave you for dead, wouldn't that be good if you're hurt?" asked 8 years old Doran to his sworn knight.

"After each battle, the winning side inspects the battlefield, kills most of the enemy soldiers who survived, and captures those of any value. That would be your case, but remember that being captured is often a fate worse than death. If you fall, get up. Never forget it." Lothar replied)

Doran smiles wistfully remembering that old lesson.

"You taught me well." The prince replied.

"Um. Let's see how well." Lothar hums in response.

Lothar attacked the prince again, his sword colliding with Doran's shield. This time the prince dropped the shield and took advantage of the fleeting moment in which the shield was in the air to direct a slash towards Lothar's side. The knight blocked the sword with his own shield.

"Good, that was clever." Lothar congratulates him as he tosses his own shield aside. The two surrounded each other for a few moments.

Doran was the one who attacked first, with just a single movement Lothar deflected the blow, his eyes analyzing Doran`s form. For a few minutes the knight only defended himself, Doran's attacks were fast and fierce, each blow trying to open a hole in Lothar's defenses. Unfortunately for the prince the knight could predict each one of the hits and by moving his blade quickly and effectively he deflected each attack without leaving any gaps in his defense.

Lothar decided to test Doran's intuition in the middle of a duel, deliberately opening a small hole in his defense—a small one that was hard to distinguish for most. The prince took a few moments but he saw the hole and to Lothar's pride he did not fall for it. If he had attacked that spot it would have been very easy for the knight to disarm him.

`Good, that's my prince!` Lothar bites his lip to suppress his proud smile. `A year ago he would have fallen into that trap. His skill is on par with most green knights, he just needs a bit of experience and he'll be good to go.`

The duel continued for another hour, Lothar testing both Doran's offense and defense multiple times.

"Well fought, Doran." Lothar put the sword aside.

"No one was disarmed." Dorian protest.

Lothar looks at him with a raised eyebrow, the prince is covered in sweat and can barely keep his sword steady.

"Tomorrow we will go hunting with the Yronwoods, you need to rest."

"Oh, I almost forgot." Doran sighs and puts the sword back on one of the shelves. "Ormond seemed very excited about it."

"And you? The last time we went hunting was on Lord Tytos's nameday last year, you seemed to enjoy it."

"The fun part was hanging out with my friends, and none of them are here."

"But you seemed to enjoy the Yronwood boy's presence?" Lothar lowers his voice considerably.

Doran looked around, in that courtyard there were only the two of them, the closest people were some Martell knights who were about twenty meters away.

"Yeah well, that was before we confirmed our suspicions." Doran whispers.

"What are we going to do with that? No proof..." Lothar crosses his arms and glares at an Yronwood banner hanging on a wall.

"If we can't find proof, we'll have to create some." The prince responds with a gloomy expression.

***

4th Moon 259AC

Naath, Astra

"What are the other companies called?" Sirius asked curiously.

"They have some weird names, Hogwarts Toy Company and Slytherin Apothecary"

Sirius choked on his own saliva.

"!!!"

"My king?!" Malgor pats the king on the back and looks at him with concern. "I'll call a healer!"

"Wait." Sirius grabs his shoulder before he calls for help. "Just- Those names. Repeat them!" The king looks at him with eyes clouded with confusion, hope, fear, and a hundred other emotions.

"Hogwarts Toy Company and Slytherin Apothecary?" Maglor looks at him questioningly but Sirius doesn't say anything, he stares into space with a haunted face.

"Hogwarts, Slytherin... Could it be? It must! Those names- But who? A Death Eater? An ally? Has anyone else fallen through the veil? Harry? - No! He- Remus was there! I saw how he hugged him- And Dumbledore's patronus said he'd be there right away." Sirius started pacing back and forth muttering to himself.

Malgor looked at him puzzled since the language in which the king spoke was unknown to him.

`Could this be his native language? `

The politician continued to watch his king move from one place to another muttering in that unknown language for a few minutes, not knowing if he should interrupt him. Whatever it was that startled him so much must be important, Maglor had known Sirius for 20 years and had never seen him so upset.

`It is even worst that when Daena was giving birth`

Maglor is a childhood friend of the queen and a distant cousin of hers, so he is very familiar with the behavior of the king, and this is not normal.

The politician's dilemma is interrupted by the arrival of the queen, who looks at her husband in bewilderment. Sirius notices her presence and runs towards her, and starts babbling at full speed.

"-Harry, but I don't think it is-"

"Sirius!" Daena calls out her husband's name. Seeing that that didn't work, she slapped him hard across his face. This time Sirius stops talking and blinks at her like a deer in headlights. "I could barely make out two words you said. Take a deep breath and tell me what happened."

Sirius rubs his flushed cheek and tells his wife about his theories.

"Are you telling me that there are some trading companies that bear names from your old school, and that you suspect the boss of these companies is from your old world?"

Sirius nods.

"And you think that THAT someone is a Death Eater since he or she is using the name Slytherin?"

Sirius nods again.

Daena sighs and rubs her temples.

"I married an idiot..." She looks at him with dead eyes. "It's stupid to assume they are a Death Eater based on a name alone, not all Slytherins supported that Voldamart. Didn't you tell me your cousin Andromeda was also a Slytherin? From what you told me she was the opposite of a blood purist."

Sirius ducks his head and nods again, this time like an embarrassed child.

"Well, we can't know the truth by speculating." Daena turns to the politician who was looking at them more and more confused, since everything they spoke was said in the language of another world. "Maglor, invite those foreigners to the palace."