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RIN
It had been a few days since we had first arrived at Storm's End. Our days and nights had been spent taking in the sights and sounds of Storm's End. Planning to kill R'hllor meant figuring out how much time I would be away from Jorah. I would have to fly to Essos and then to Sothoryos. In each place there would still need to be time spent doing tasks that wouldn't be completed quickly.
"You never have any trouble." Jorah said and put his hand on my shoulder. "You never do."
"And I trust Bronn." I agreed with a nod. "Conflicts could still arise quickly while I am gone. I don't want you to be caught in something where I can't be by your side."
"I held my own during the War for the Dawn."
"You had Jon back then."
Both of us looked sadly at each other and then to the bag. It contained enough supplies to last me a few months of rationing. If there was any problems along the way I could hunt for what I needed. Even after centuries of living with 'civilized' people I had not been able to get rid of my instincts. That had been a good things when times got rough enough that towns and cities were more than a few miles away.
[I have no wish to leave the city.] Jorah reassured me. [I will not go to look for Jon.]
[I can hear the truth in your thoughts.] I said and kissed him gently.
There was a knock on the door and Bronn came in. He had a disgruntled look on his face and I could imagine why. He had a simple life that he had been enjoying until I showed up. Or at least a life he had convinced himself he enjoyed. In truth he had had problems with his life which caused him to walk around at night.
"You ready?" He asked and tried not to look too long at me.
Bronn was also conflicted between the confusion I brought and an innate lust for me. I nodded at him and put my bag around my shoulder. Once I had to start walking I would probably change the position of the bag to be more comfortable for me. Though the majority of my trek would be done by flying.
I gave Jorah one last kiss before following the former sellsword into the night. The stars shown brightly and I recalled the names for every one of them. The stars in Sothoryos were always odd and different. It was like they were a part of an entirely different world. One that was not mine to live in. That most likely was due to the Nieth and their magic to keep outsiders away.
"You're really leaving me with him." Bronn said as we made our way to the beach.
"He won't cause any problems." I reassured the man. "He will wear his mask and remain silent. No one is looking for him and so you don't need to worry about those kinds of troubles."
"And if someone asks questions about how he looks so similar to the king?"
"Idle gossip isn't a sure sign of trouble. The enigmatic presence my husband will exude will invite rumors. But if they aren't strong enough to reach King's Landing, what do you need to worry about?"
In response Bronn huffed as his need to complain had been halted. He and I would both be strong enough to repel any attacks that might happen on our way down to the beach. Either he trusted me or his own abilities. I couldn't tell which. In either case it had the same effect. I let the scent of the sea wrap me up in its embrace. The scent was a reminder to me of the most peaceful time I had ever had. It also reminded me of sitting on the Iron Throne.
"Did you leave me on good terms?" Bronn asked.
"For a short time you were Lord Commander of my Queensguard." I replied. "After that you became Lord of Storm's End."
"I'm assuming Gendry didn't mind me taking his birthright."
"Gendry had died defending me from an assassination attempt."
"That boy would do something so foolish."
While the former sellsword's words were harsh, his tone wasn't. Whatever the man would say out loud, he did admire the Baratheon on some level. I remembered that moment on Dragonstone. I was in a planning session with my men when a Shadow had appeared. It had been sent by Daenerys. I had used my wildfire powers and managed to push the creature away but it was not destroyed. Instead it sent the Shadow to another target: Gendry Baratheon.
The sounds of waves crashing on the cliffs became louder and I saw Bronn become a little more nervous. He was always cocky and self-assured no matter what he really felt. He didn't like his true feelings getting out and I understood why. He had a reputation to maintain and if others saw his weaknesses, they would attack. While ruling the Seven Kingdoms and running the Mormonts I had learned the cost of leadership. People would rather follow gods than humans. All your weaknesses had to be erased for others to believe in you.
"So there's another me that wanders the streets at night." Bronn said with just a hint of pity in his voice.
"Not that I know of." I replied as we walked down to the shore. "Storm's End is the main trading area with the Nieth. I can imagine that version of you loathes having no peace of his own. He got a castle but he is forced to be involved in some very complicated politics."
"That's the kind of hell I could get used to. I don't imagine you could make it so that these Nieth come here."
"I am going to make an alliance with them so if I need them, they'll come when I call. But they won't migrate to Westeros unless there is a need. They don't like humans."
"There's one thing me and these people agree on."
Our boots finally touched the sandy shore. I waited a moment before transforming to look out at the sea. The seas and oceans were the most vicious of places. Only certain creatures were made to live in that treacherous terrain. And once I crossed that landscape there were more horrors that awaited me. I would again fight R'hllor and then visit Sothoryos. While both were common enough to me now, there was still some anxiety when leaving Jorah.
"You're thinking of staying here." Bronn said and I didn't have to look to see the eye roll.
"No, I know where my path leads." I told him. "It's just I never truly get used to everything that happens in my life."
"Do you ever want to return to what you had before everything happened?"
"No, I don't. I've changed too much and to dream about the past wouldn't help. I have to look ever forward while still remembering the lessons from the past. Do you prefer your life before you became Lord of Storm's End?"
I still dreamed of running with my direwolf pack. Of the life I had before I was human and burdened with the truth of the world. Sometimes my dreams took me to me leading a large direwolf pack and being the master beyond the Wall. Wildlings would be able to claim the titles they wanted to, but it was I who was the true wild.
Bronn refrained from speaking as to reply honestly would mean he admitted his own weaknesses. He had wanted a castle for a long time and was finally able to become a Lord of some renown. Yet he loathed each day of his existence here. Maybe he didn't reply as he knew I would be able to read his lie clearly.
"Hurry up, I need to sleep." Bronn said and I nodded.
I waded a short distance into the water. The water was cold and tried to go under my skin to freeze me. It was not cold enough to compete with the temperatures of the far north. I focused on the cold as this would be the last bit of cold I'd experience for awhile. Essos was not well known for their freezing winter months or chilly summer days. Once I was far enough in the water I focused on my dragon form.
My pale skin transformed into the white scales of my dragon form. Every time I grew my body's features became more dragon-like. My arms turned into wings and my legs turned into the deadly legs of a dragon. My tail came out of my rear. The entire change lasted maybe thirty seconds at most. I checked to see that I hadn't gone too far into shore. A quick glance showed me that Bronn was in utter awe of me. His mouth was wide opened. Bronn walked to me and put a hand on my tail. He was still trying to understand me. A moment ago I had been a mere woman in front of him. He found me attractive but I was just a woman. I might have been more mysterious than most, but I had still been just a mere woman. Now I was a dragon. It took a few minutes for him to regain his composure before he could say anything.
"Jorah must be a strong man to pleasure you." Bronn said.
I chuckled at his awkward attempt at humor. I had to be quiet as possible so not to alert the people in the castle. The sound that came out of my mouth should sound like nothing more than a rumble of the waves or the signs of an oncoming storm. In no case should anyone be suspicious that a dragon now stood in the waters of Storm's End.
Bronn stood back quickly as I went deeper into the water. It would not do to make my flight to Asshai so close to the castle so I would swim a short distance away. For a few minutes I drifted on the top of the water. The current was calm tonight and the water felt cool on my scales. It was extremely peaceful. If only Jorah was on my back right now.
Once the castle had faded into the background, I dove underneath the water. My body swam through the water like a fish, though it was hard to do so. It had taken me a few years to master this particular tricks. Dragons could swim a short distance underwater to hunt, but this was different. I would dive deep down and then propel myself back up.
When my lungs started to cry out, I turned back to the surface. I swam as fast as I could. I imagined a pack of rabid direwolves behind me to help me gain the needed momentum. My head broke the surface and the rest of my body followed. The moment my wings were out of the water I started to flap. I didn't stop the motion until the water was far below me. When that happened I glided as much as I could.
I made a small detour to pass by Storm's End. Jorah would be there until I returned. Nothing would happen to my love during my absence. If anything did...I would enjoy killing those responsible.
It was hard work to fly towards Braavos. It was dark which made it near impossible to find thermals to help ease the strain I put on my body. Then there was the fact that the water never provided much help to ease my journey across it. I rose higher once the sun started to come up and humans would have an easier time spotting me.
A few hours later Braavos was below me. Then my bloodsense picked up a scent I hadn't sensed in a long time. It was Cersei Lannister. I thought briefly about killing her but then reminded myself of the mission. It could be that her death by my hands would be quick, or there could be others factors I didn't know about. She could have allies that kept her safe in Essos. She could already be hunted by another faction which meant I would then have two opposing sides to deal with. Unless I eventually teamed up with the faction that wanted Cersei dead. But figuring out every possibility and planning for it would take time. Time I didn't have as I had promised Jorah to return home quickly and that we wouldn't get involved in this reality.
I continue to fly and decided if I stayed in this reality, I would help kill her. She had managed to avoid all her enemies to live life in a different land. If she hadn't yet decided to return to Westeros it meant she was still scheming or she had decided continuing to fight was useless. The fact I could sense her proved that she was still alive. If I followed her scent I would just get more involved which couldn't happen at this point. So I turned in the direction of Dragon's Bay. Daenerys still lived in this reality which meant she had renamed the bay. I flew towards the place where I had risked dying for her and helped her conquer yet again. If only my memories hadn't become tainted with the evil thing she had become. The thing that even she would not recognize.
The wind below my wings was warm and provided me an easy time flying. Yet I needed to rest before I reached the Raqus estate. For hours there were too many people as I was close to cities or Dothraki were roaming below. I was flying mostly in the clouds now and peaking out when I felt it was safe to do so. Finally I found a place where it was empty of any people for at least five miles. I dove down and turned back into a human the moment my feet touched the ground.
I lay on my back as the flight had been more taxing on me than I had allowed my conscious mind to realize. It took all my control not to fall asleep on the sand and take a nap. Nothing here could harm me fatally which meant it was safe. But I needed to get to the Raqus estate so I could get back to Jorah quicker.
My bag contained food and water which I consumed sparingly. It felt so good to sink my teeth into something after all the effort it took to get here. And this wasn't the end but merely the beginning. After thirty minutes I decided it was time to get moving and so I started to fly again. Fed enough and with the wind below me made me happy. I could spend days like this. Just eating, resting, and flying. If only human matters didn't concern me and ruin my chance at true peace.
I had known the Raqus estate would be destroyed if I didn't arrive. In a smaller reality I had the seen the effect of me being absent when the Unsullied attacked the place. Yet its ruins still sent a shiver down my spine as the sun started to set. I circled around it as if that would make the sight below me hurt less. It could be that I had never existed or I had died in my childhood. My life with my direwolf pack had not been an easy one and there had been many chances for me to die then.
I finally had to admit I was tired and needed sleep. It took just a few more minutes for me to find a place that would fit me before landing. My dragon form was small enough to fit but large enough that the remnants of the buildings held me in much too tight. Within less than a minute I was a mere human in the place that used to provide me such happiness. Without Father's help I would have never been cured of being a Stone Man.
My walk and musings soon brought me to my old room. At least the building that contained my room where eventually Jorah had taken my virginity. Before it had been a simple yet elegant building. Now it was merely a pile of rubble of pretty colors. I looked to see if there was a part of the top that would allow me to sleep without the chance predators would be able to easily get to me. It took a few minutes but then I started to climb.
If I imagined myself in a time before Jorah and Daenerys, then I could become perfectly calm. A smile came over my face as I reached the top and sat down. Even though I wasn't that far up, at least my position would make any predators rethink their desire to sink their teeth into my flesh. Any moves they made would alert me to their coming. I could risk resting the night but then I would have to continue my mission to kill R'hllor and get an alliance with the Nieth.
I took out more food and water from my bag and had a small dinner. In the morning I would hunt before leaving to Asshai. If I were to win against R'hllor that would take strength of a full meal. Besides the logical reason to hunt, it would be fun to run free in the place that used to be my home.
After I ate I went to sleep. At least the sleep I experienced. My senses weren't dulled when my eyes were shut, they were only sharpened to better protect me from the many dangers that lived in the dark.
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