"I...am...a...friend."
"I...AM...GRRR...FRIEND," I growled out, Mother giggling as she rubbed the side of my neck while shaking her head.
"Almost. It's not 'grrr'. It's 'a'."
"I...AM...A...FRRRIEND."
"Good! Very good!"
"How can you talk the language of Mother?", Visenya asked with a growl and I rolled my eyes as Rhaenys looked just as miffed.
"You first need to master the language of the dragons before you can learn to talk the language of Mother."
"We can speak the language of the Dragons. We're literally speaking it."
"No, the language I use."
"The one where you're shouting like a stupid idiot?", Rhaenys asked with a raised eyebrow, making me narrow my eyes at her as Visenya growled with laughter.
"I am glad that you can speak High Valyrian, but I wish that I could understand the three of you."
"NO WORRY. THEY'RE...STUPID."
"We're not."
"Don't call your sisters stupid, Drogon. They may be somewhat slower than you, but that doesn't mean they're slower," She spoke and I rumbled with amusement as the two of them looked smug.
"FINE."
"Good."
"You're lucky you two are adorable. Anyway, why haven't you just tried to speak the language?"
"Okay. Fush Ro Bah!", Rhaenys growled, but I just turned my head to Visenya who shook hers.
"I am not as stupid as she is. How do we say it?"
"FUS...RO...DAH," As I finished speaking, the grown rumbled with the echo, Mother looking surprised as the shockwave slightly pushed the two back.
"FUS means Force, RO means Balance and DAH means Push."
"Then why not just say Force Balance PUSH?", The ground cracked at Rhaenys' words, Visenya looking just as surprised as the aforementioned dragon and I was as I looked at her.
"...Is that it?"
"That...is it. Visenya?"
"FUS ro DaH," She tried to replicate more what I said and it worked somewhat as the air vibrated while I felt a force pushing against my scales.
It was not enough to budge me, but it was enough for me to notice, a pleased growl coming from my lips as I pushed my head against Visenya with Rhaenys doing the same.
"What just happened?", Mother asked and I smiled as Visenya and Rhaenys let out happy growls that confused her even more.
"NOTHING...TO...FEAR..."
"Well, if you say so, then I trust your word, my son," She spoke as she ran her hand along my jaw, a happy growl escaping my lips before I rolled my eyes at Visenya and Rhaenys looking jealous.
"What?"
"Teach us another."
"No, you two don't even have that under control. First, learn to actually use that and be able to aim it in a direction before you can aim it at crowds."
"And then we learn more?"
"And then you learn more?", I nodded, not surprised when the two of them scampered away and left Mother and I alone.
"What did you tell them?"
"BE...PASIENT..."
" 'Patient' and what do they need to be patient about?", She asked, narrowing her eyes as I shrugged before we looked forward as Jorah and Belwas entered the courtyard.
"May I ask why you have disturbed me when I asked of you not to?"
"It is urgent, Khaleesi. We have received word that Astapor has been recaptured by an unknown militia group and that they handed it over to the masters that had survived the massacre."
'Great, as if we didn't have enough problems already.'
"What of Yunkai?", Mother asked immediately as she stood up, my grunt drawing the attention of Rhaenys and Visenya as I prowled beside the woman with a low rumble.
"Since the former slaves of Yunkai came with us, it was left empty and swiftly occupied by its new masters."
"And do these new masters have names?"
"No, unfortunately, we have not recognized any of the people involved or what their relationship is with the former masters. However, they are organised, far too organized to just be mere opportunists."
"The Golden Company?"
"That is what Belwas and the others think as well. The scouts say they've raised banners and drilled man in formation. That is how the Golden Company prepares for war," Belwas spoke and I watched Mother grimace before snapping my tail against the ground to draw their attention.
"SOLDIERS ENEMIES. DROGON KILL ENEMIES."
"Not from the start, sweetheart. I fear that they will see you and your sisters coming and have prepared accordingly for such a scenario. They have taken Astapor and Yunkai. That means they plan to come for Meereen last or are already here. Drogon, you remember how you detected assassins in the midst of our takeover?"
'Ah, so she wants me to detect any enemies that belongs to the group so that we can capture them and interrogate them. Got it,' I thought as I nodded, Mother smiling before she turned to Belwas.
"Get Grey Worm. The two of you along with Drogon take half of the Unsullied and round up every would-be assassin in the city. Visenya, Rhaenys, you two are to stay at my side along with Jorah, Missandei, Whitebeard and the rest of the Unsullied.
Once Drogon, Grey Worm and Belwas are done with the assassins, we shall then start our preparations to build up our army before moving on to Pentos."
"As you wish, Khaleesi. I...well, there is a second matter."
"What is it?", Mother asked, my gaze flickering to Jorah before I shook my head as I lumbered beside Belwas while the two of us left the area.
"So, dragon can talk now?"
"DRAGON CAN."
"Good. Which is better, human woman or dragon woman?"
"NOT FEEL ANYTHING FOR HUMAN," I did my best to speak it out for it and succeeded as Belwas raised an eyebrow at my response before nodding.
"Good, good. Then you are a lover of dragon woman, then?"
"ONLY DRAGON WOMEN...ARE SISTERS."
"And? We breed brothers and sisters amongst horses and dogs all the time. Why can't you do the same?"
"DROGON...NOT JUST ANIMAL."
"Hahaha! There is where you and Belwas disagree, my friend. You can speak now, my friend, and your sisters will speak too, but you are still a monster at heart.
A beast, an animal that would kill a human in the same breath that they would rescue one. You are just a smarter animal than most, but...you are still an animal," You know, of all the people that I expected to still treat me like the monster, Belwas was not the first one to come to mind.
Oh, he was up there, mind you, but honestly, I really didn't expect him to be the first one.
"Now then, let us go find Grey Worm and then we find those assassins," Snapping out of my shock, I flapped my wings and took the air, watching as Belwas began to jog to the Unsullied's pyramid before taking a deep breath.
"KRII LUN AUS!"
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"How many?"
"Thirty-seven, Khaleesi, and counting," Jorah responded, Daenerys staying silent as she watched her children help her Unsullied lead the criminals into the dungeons below the main pyramid
"How?"
"From the looks of it, they appear to have been planning a coup de tat to retake power, but whatever Drogon did knocked them into a weakened and exhausted state to where Belwas, Grey Worm and the Unsullied could easily round them up."
"Thirty-seven assassins in the very centre of my city. How is that even possible?"
"We believe that there may have been sympathisers amongst the slaves, those that were treated fairly and enjoyed their life as a slave ranked higher than the others or enjoyed serving their masters."
"So, now we have to worry about enemies knocking against the walls and the ones hiding inside the city itself. Missandei, have you spoken with the leaders of the freedmen?", Daenerys asked, turning away from the window to look at the woman in question.
"Yes, Khaleesi. Most sill swear loyalty, but others...they whisper that you've replaced one master with another. They say that the threat of war stalks at their door all because you wanted to be in control."
"They will learn that I did not break their chains to be their ruler. I broke them for justice and justice may be slow, but it comes."
"Justice does not fill their bowls, Khaleesi, and those that are desperate make hasty and stupid choices. I would know, Khaleesi," Jorah spoke, Daenerys' gaze flickering to him before she let out a soft sigh.
"What do I do hear?"
"Men who fear speak freely. Let Belwas make them speak," Belwas spoke up and Jorah nodded in agreement before he frowned as Daenerys shook her head.
"No, we are not butchers. There will be no torturing until we absolutely need to."
"I hate to agree with him, Khaleesi, but Jorah and Belwas are correct. Right now, you have enemies preparing to knock your walls down, enemies preparing to disrupt your kingdom from within and enemies that are awaiting across the Narrow Sea.
Unless you wish to be stuck here fighting a war for the next few years, I'd suggest doing something that will win you said war now even if it costs you a part of your humanity."
"That is the longest Belwas has heard you speak," The large man said to Whitebeard, but Daenerys continued to stare at the older gentleman staring at her before she nodded.
"Bring me the captain of the sellswords I spoke to earlier," She spoke and Jorah nodded as he left the room, everyone watching the young woman as she walked to the map table set out in the centre of the room.
Minutes passed as everyone wanted to ask what her plan was, but the intense focus in her eyes as she surveyed the map made them hesitate as the door opened and Jorah walked in.
Right beside him was a tan-skinned, dark-haired man with deep blue eyes, a confident smile on his face and the uniform of the Second Sons covering his body as he bowed his head to Daenerys.
"My Queen, how may my sword be of service?"
"How skilled are you with assassinations?"
"Pardon?"
"How skilled are you with assassinations?", Daenerys repeated her question as she looked up, everyone looking between her and the captain as he smiled.
"If the Queen points, Daario Naharis will bring their heads."
"I did not ask you that. How skilled?"
"Very."
"Can you sneak in and out of Yunkai and Astapor?"
"Easily," Daario nodded, everyone more confused by her questions as she hummed.
"Drogon!", She called out and the beating of wings soon followed, everyone watching as the horse-sized dragon hovered outside the meeting room.
"MOTHER?"
"Daario Naharis, you are to ride with Drogon to Yunkai and Astapor, where you are to then take the lives of the ones in command of the armies. Afterwards, Drogon...", Everyone watched as Daenerys' gaze flickered with hesitation when she looked at the map before she steeled herself and said something that surprised them all.
"Burn everything down to the last stone, both Yunkai and Astapor."
"Khaleesi, I must-!"
"I will not be challenged on my order!", She barked out, surprising Jorah who had spoken as she looked at him with a glare.
"You believe that I wish to order this? I do not find any pleasure in ordering the deaths of innocents, but if I have to pick between them and the people that we have fought hard for to save, then I will pick my people every time," Her voice cracked, but she stayed determined as Jorah looked away while Belwas nodded grimly.
"As my Queen commands. Heads for me and fire for your beast. It will be done."
"SON, NOT BEAST," Drogon corrected as he narrowed his eyes at Daario, who didn't look as confident anymore even as Daenerys' lips twitched with a smile.
"Y-Yes, of course. Son, it is."
"Drogon?", Daenerys called out as she walked onto the balcony, ignoring the winds billowing from Drogon's slow flaps as she reached out and brushed his snouth.
"This is not just war. I want you to show the other cities what it means for them when they try to take back chains that are broken. Show them what it means to wake the dragon. Fire and blood."
"FIRE AND BLOOD," The words flowed fluidly from Drogon's throat and the air sparked with power as Daario walked forward, grabbing onto Drogon's tail when it was offered to him before the dragon placed the rider on his back.
"This is quite uncomfortable."
"It will do. Now go," Drogon growled as he stopped flapping his wings and flipped backwards, Daario's heart sinking and grabbing onto whatever he could as the dragon dove towards the ground.
At the last second, Drogon flapped his wings, unleashing a powerful gust that threw them upwards and high into the air.
"STAY!", Drogon let out a roar as he saw Visenya and Rhaenys wanting to follow, the two letting out growls of their own as they tried to continue.
"Visenya! Rhaenys!", Daenerys called out with a stern tone, the two dragons stopping even with the unhappy looks as Daario and Drogon soared high.
"Hey, Drogon. What say we talk about women, eh? Well, I don't think you can unless you find human women attractive?", Daario asked, chuckling and relaxing as Drogon let off a shudder.
"I'll take that as a no. Well, then, the first woman that comes to mind is your mother."
"GODS...KILL ME."
"Too late. Now, she may be a bit young for my taste, but she is..."
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A rumble escaped my lips as I touched down, narrowing my eyes at the city of Yunkai in front of me.
However, I could no longer say that I recognized it at all given that it was fortified to the teeth with scorpions, trebuchets and almost every medieval anti-dragon weapon my brain could think up.
There was almost dozens of them lining the ground and more on the walls and the tallest buildings and along with that, the outside and the inside of the city was filled to the brim with sellswords and mercenaries, making me grimace as Daario hopped down onto the sand.
"Well, that...we have our work cut out for us," The sellsword murmured and I nodded slowly, hunkering down as I saw him doing the same.
"There. South-south-east," He pointed and I followed his finger, narrowing my eyes at the area of the wall that had the most concentration of people near it.
"I know what you're thinking and yes, it does have the most people. However, they are also the people that are the most spread out and most relaxed so I will be able to get in there the easiest. Once I do, I will cause distractions in the west, south, and north before escaping the same way.
Once you see the distractions, count to one hundred before you attack. Wait, you know how to count numbers, yes?", He asked and I just stared back at him with a flat gaze.
"Right, you're a talking dragon. What am I thinking? Well, my friend, watch as a master goes to work," He spoke with a grin as he tapped the flat side of his blade against my nail only to cough as I let out a puff of smoke.
Keeping my laughter contained as he waved it away, Daario just shook his head as he threw on a coat and walked. My gaze was focused on his form as I watched stalk closer to a guard that was a bit too far from the others, impressed when he easily and silently took him out with little trouble.
It was not long before I finally lost sight of him when he entered the city, leaving me to survey the world below and figure out just how I was going to do this.
'If I'm actually burning it down, I need to use that unique shout I learned after destroying the House of the Undying. The only issue is that it's not enough. What if...? Oh, that could work,' I thought as I continued my surveying.
Yeah, this could work.
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Drums were beaten and horns were blown as I took off into the air, alarms raised by people inside the city as I watched chaos spreading on the inside.
Whatever Daario did, it worked all too well, but right now, I needed to find him. Yes, our plan was to just go wild, but I had another one in mind and if used in the combination of the other Thu'um I had in mind, this just might work.
"DRAGON!"
"STRUN BAH QO!", As someone shouted that, I called upon the will of the skies, dark clouds gathering and pouring down rain in the same instance.
"FAAS RU MAAR!", Soaring up higher into the clouds, my Shout sent out a wave of intimidation down to the ground. I knew that it would be enough to make them cower in fear, but unfortunately, I wasn't here just to intimidate.
No, I was here for Fire and Blood.
"VEN GAAR NOS!", The clouds below me went from rumbling to damn near catastrophic as strong winds slowly began to blow them in a whirlpool that touched down and began making its way towards the city.
"VEZOF URZIN EDRUTA!", Using my unique shout, I watched as the storm cyclone mixed with the sea of crimson flames touching down upon it.
Soon, as I dove down through the clouds, I found myself staring at a storm of fire and rain tearing through everything in its path, leaving nothing but ash and blood in its wake.
'When a Targaryen is born, the gods toss a coin in the air and the world holds its breath to see how it will land. I wonder if that applies to dragons as much as their riders,' I thought as I dove down, expecting to feel some sort of emotion for the carnage below.
Surprisingly, I did, but it was not anger, sadness or regret. No, it was pure elation.
Elation at the fact that Mother's first enemy was gone, elation at the fact that I have proven myself to be the strongest and elation at the delectable taste of flesh in the air.
That made me wonder. I had been reborn as a dragon, most likely the most powerful in history, but what would it cost for me to reach that level?
My morals? My emotions? My loved ones?
'The gods throw a coin and the world holds its breath. I wonder how my coin will land.'
A/N: Carnage, carnage and more carnage. Drogon shows why he is the most powerful south of the wall and soon, the world.
Don't worry, though, as there is something waiting for him somewhere that will be quite the challenge.
What that is, hehehe~ We'll have to wait and see.
Next chapter: Going to Where It Began...For Real, this time.
Like always, you can go to my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories & even some that haven't been released out to this site yet. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
Anyway, as always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…
Ba-Bye~!!