Chapter 2: Shadows of Trust
Morning After –
Pentos, Illyrio's manse, morning The morning sun filtered through the intricate lattice of Illyrio's manse, casting long, dancing shadows on the polished marble floors. The air was thick with the scent of jasmine and exotic breakfast pastries. Daenerys sat at a small table, a cup of honeyed wine in her hand. Her face was a mask of contemplation, her eyes distant. Adam sat across from her, his posture relaxed, a cup of unsweetened tea in his hand. The silence was comfortable, a stark contrast to the chaotic, violent night. Adam had just revealed the basics of his system to her, leaving out the parts that would sound like pure insanity. He focused on the utility, the alchemy. The tools. She was a queen. She needed tools.
"Inner monologue: She's trusting me. She's not running away screaming. That's a good sign. She's smart. She's a survivor. I'll give her just enough to make her curious. Just enough to make her want more. She's an ally, not a pawn. We're in this together. And Viserys is a pest I'll squash. He's a fly in the ointment. I'll get rid of him when the time is right. For now, he's my punching bag."
She looked at him, her eyes a clear, amethyst-hued question. "What are you, truly?" she asked, her voice a whisper, a silent plea.
Adam took a slow sip of his tea, the warm, bitter liquid a familiar comfort. He looked at her, a small, knowing smile on his lips. "A guy with tricks," he said, his voice a low, gravelly hum, "to keep snakes in check."
A loud, boisterous argument erupted from the other side of the manse. Adam heard Illyrio's booming voice, a chorus of old, wrinkled merchants, and the high-pitched, whiny protests of Viserys. Adam's lips twitched in a grim smile. Time for another prank. Another humiliation. Another step in his long, drawn-out revenge.
AXII SIGN USED. STAMINA: 10/100. QUEST: HUMILIATE VISERYS, 50 XP.
The noise of the argument died down, replaced by a sudden, stunned silence. Then, Viserys's voice, clear and loud, rang through the manse. "She's wiser than me!" he shrieked, his voice a frantic, forced confession. "She is a true queen! A leader!" The old men were staring at him, their faces a mixture of confusion and disbelief. Adam grinned into his tea. "He's his own clown now," Adam muttered, a low chuckle rumbling in his chest.
Daenerys's lips curled into a small, tentative smile. She was beginning to understand. She was beginning to trust.
Dothraki Sparring – Pentos outskirts, noon The sun was high in the sky, a blazing inferno. The air was thick with dust and the smell of sweat. Adam was sparring with a group of Dothraki warriors. They were fast, ferocious, a whirlwind of steel and muscle. Adam was faster. He moved with a supernatural grace, a fluid, deadly dance. His sword was a blur, a glinting arc of steel. He used Quen, a shimmering blue shield, to block a powerful arakh strike, the force of the blow barely registering. The Dothraki warrior stumbled back, his eyes wide with disbelief.
QUEN SIGN USED. STAMINA: 10/100. QUEST: PROVE STRENGTH, 100 XP.
"Fire-walker's unbreakable!" one of the Dothraki warriors bellowed, his voice a booming, guttural sound. Adam didn't even break a sweat. He disarmed the Dothraki with a single, brutal strike, his sword a whisper of steel. He gave the Dothraki warrior a small, grim smile. "Call it a warm-up," he said, his voice a low, mocking hum.
He saw Daenerys watching him from the sidelines, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and awe. He walked over to her, his movements fluid and easy. He had impressed them. He had proven his strength. Now he had to solidify their bond.
"Inner monologue: They see me as a fighter. That's good. But she needs to see me as more. As a protector. As her anchor. The dragon eggs… they're a symbol of her power. Her future. And they're my mission now. I'll protect her. And I'll protect her dragons. No one touches them. Not while I'm alive."
He sat next to her, his gaze drawn to the three dragon eggs, a trio of precious, fragile treasures. They pulsed with a faint, internal heat, a quiet, slumbering power. "You're more than a fighter," she said, her voice a whisper, her eyes soft.
Adam nodded slowly. "I am," he said, his voice a low, firm promise. "You and those eggs are my mission." He took out a small vial of red liquid, a Swallow potion he had crafted. He gave it to a wounded Dothraki warrior, who drank it with a look of suspicion, then a look of shock as his wounds began to heal. Adam gave the warrior a small, cold smile. The Dothraki's eyes, a savage, predatory glare, now held a new emotion: respect.
ALCHEMY LEVEL 1, SWALLOW POTION CRAFTED. 100 GOLD USED. 50 XP GAINED.
Viserys's Folly – Illyrio's courtyard, evening The sun was setting, painting the sky in a fiery, orange hue. The air was cool, the wind a gentle caress. Adam was sitting in the shadows of the courtyard, a silent, unseen specter. He had used Disguise, a simple, unobtrusive spell, to make himself blend in with the shadows. He had heard the whispers, the snide remarks, the secret plans. Viserys was plotting. Again. The fool.
DISGUISE SIGN USED. STAMINA: 15/100.
Adam's blood ran cold as he heard Viserys's voice, a low, hateful hiss. "She's getting too powerful," Viserys said, his voice a venomous whisper. "The Dothraki respect her. And that fool… that Witcher… he's turning her against me. I'll make a deal. I'll find a way to get rid of them both. I'll get my army. My crown."
Adam felt a familiar, cold rage flare in his gut. A silent, simmering inferno. He had to stop him. He had to show him that he was nothing. A hollow shell. A pathetic, broken boy.
"Inner monologue: One wrong move, and you're done. You're a dead man walking. You think you can plot against her? You think you can threaten her? I'll show you what a threat truly is. You'll never see me coming. You'll never know who did it. And you'll never see a crown. Only a pauper's grave."
Adam emerged from the shadows, his presence a sudden, jarring shock. He used Axii, a subtle mental compulsion, on Viserys. He made him confess. He made him tell the truth. To his own face.
AXII SIGN USED. STAMINA: 10/100. QUEST: HUMILIATE VISERYS, 50 XP.
Viserys's face contorted, a mask of agony and rage. "I fear her power!" he shrieked, his voice a high-pitched cry. "She's a threat! She's… I fear her!" He stumbled back, his eyes wide, his face a ghostly white.
Daenerys, who had been listening from a distance, came closer, her face a mask of cold, unadulterated contempt. "Keep plotting, snake," Adam said, his voice a low growl, a promise of violence. "I'm always watching. And you're always losing." He handed a small, exquisitely crafted dagger to Daenerys. "For you," he said. "A reminder. You're your own shield. But I'll always be here to help." She took the dagger, her fingers trembling. "You're my shield now," she said, her voice a whisper, but with an undercurrent of steel.
Starlit Plans – Pentos rooftop, night The night sky was a vast, inky expanse, dotted with a million pinpricks of light. Adam and Daenerys were sitting on the rooftop, a silent, contemplative duo. The air was cool, a welcome relief from the day's heat. Adam had been explaining his plans. The journey to Qarth. The egg ritual. The fire. The dragons. Daenerys listened, her eyes wide with a mixture of fear and wonder.
"Inner monologue: She's a visionary. She dreams of a throne. I'll get her there. But I have to do it my way. I'm not a politician. I'm a weapon. And a weapon needs to be used wisely. Qarth is a nest of vipers. But I'm a monster hunter. I'll get her there. And I'll protect her. We're a team now. A queen and her Witcher."
"Qarth is dangerous," she said, her voice a whisper, her eyes distant.
Adam's lips curled into a small, grim smile. "Danger's my playground," he said, his voice a low hum. "I've been in worse places. We'll be fine."
He heard a sudden, startled shriek from below. Viserys's tent, a gaudy, opulent structure, had suddenly, inexplicably, collapsed. A loud, high-pitched wail of protest, of agony, of utter frustration. Adam had used Aard. A simple, telekinetic push.
AARD SIGN USED. STAMINA: 10/100. QUEST: HUMILIATE VISERYS, 50 XP.
He heard the sound of footsteps, a group of guards running to help the 'prince.' He heard their stifled laughter. "I… I trust you, madman," Daenerys said, a small smile on her face. Adam looked at her, his eyes a cold, unwavering light. "I'll get you there," he said, his voice a low, firm promise. "And I'll make sure everyone who stands in our way pays a price. Starting with your brother."