Over the Narrow Sea and in the Red Keep a man shot up from his bed clutching his chest while gasping for air. Baelon couldn't get those images out of his head no matter how hard he tried. That woman was someone he didn't recognize and she was covered head to toe in blood Baelon thought. And most important of all things why the fuck did he see Hightower flags behind her.
Jumping up he walked to the balcony and breathed in as much fresh air he could in King's Landing. It didn't help that this dream nightmare, whatever it was, appeared when he started to sniff around the Hightowers. He noticed that some of his men from the city watch had been disappearing and slowly being replaced with knights from Highgarden. Not only that but tax reports from Oldtown have started to look inconsistent.
This means a lot of things coming from this whatever this is. He knew his bloodline was proclaimed to have Dreamers but he knew for sure that he was not one. Yet it still didn't explain why it felt so real to the point he almost grazed the skin of the woman. Shaking his head he rid himself of these thoughts. After all, he still needed to get ready for the day and whatever chaos Daemon brought.
***
"What happened"
After that chaotic moment, Adira had made up her mind and looked for Kinvara immediately . She decided that she needed to fully train her abilities before she accidentally kick started a war with it. Knowing her luck it wouldn't be long until she offended someone powerful. Currently she needed to keep pace with the red witch in the crowd of thousands. They were going to the Temple of R'llor to meet the council of Red Priests.
"Well, I was having such a lovely night when I dropped dead into bed when that dream or whatever it was had woke me up," Adira stated grumpily before continuing, " Oh can't forget that a bunch of floating furniture almost crushed me."
"Interesting, you might be more powerful than I originally had suspected but it also means you're going to need a more harsh and intense training session." Kinvara informed with a hint of awe in her voice. After all she hadn't met someone who could surpass her in power besides the High Priest. However this young dragon had the potential to eclipse her and maybe even that smug bastard High Priest.
Her words made Adira much more grumpier which made Kinvara chuckle lightly at. The young dragon knew she would need intense training but that didn't mean she wanted to do it. But she knew that if she didn't learn to control her abilities it would come back to bite her in the ass. Pushing those thoughts aside she focused her attention on keeping up with Kinvara.
"So, why does this council need to see me if I am not exactly Azor Ahai?" Adira questioned. She knew that she wasn't the prince/princess who was promised since there wasn't a lick of Targaryen blood in her which she made sure of. It wasn't that she didn't want to be one of them but rather that she didn't want to be called a Kinslayer when she saw Viserys. He was king but turned a blind eye to everything that happened. Thankfully he wasn't king yet when she learned that the year was 90 AC.
"It is just so they know you're here and real but they most likely know that now with what happened at the inn." Kinvara stated with a slight smile as she watched the young woman trip over a rock.
However it was also so she could rub it into their faces that she was the one who found this powerful dragon lord. Although she didn't know if Adira had a dragon she just had a feeling. Oh how Kinvara couldn't wait to laugh in that irritable and annoying High Priest's face as he realized that not only was she the one that gets to train her but that Adira is not exactly the weak woman he expects. It was not a rumor in the Temple that Kinvara didn't get along with the High Priest due to his prejudice against women, especially those who are powerful.
Little chuckles came from Kinvara and while it was barely heard Adira could still hear it due to being close to her. The young Valeris slightly backed away from the manic looking priestess and followed quietly behind her. Maybe she should've just trusted her gut and ignored the woman the first time she saw her.
After walking for a few more minutes they finally reached the entrance of the Red Temple. There were people crowding the temple entry and it was hard to get through the front. Luckily the temple builders knew that in difficult times the only thing people held onto was faith. So they built another way to get in which was hidden.
The red priestess led Adira through the hidden entrance and brought her to the council chambers. Kinvara knew that by bringing the young dragon to the council's doorstep that the High Priest would have to let them in instead of trying to hold the meeting off and he wouldn't dare to make grudges public. She came to understand that he didn't like when someone he couldn't control rose to power. By bringing Adira to the front line she would be completing her goal of successfully pissing the High Priest off. Kinvara also picked up that he was displeased with her discovery of one of the direct ancestors of Azor Ahai besides the Targaryens.
Unlike the energetic priestess, Adira tiredly continued to follow her until she saw a group of people surrounding a table. She noticed a man who was dressed in a modest manner giving her a certain look she couldn't quite decipher. It was almost like he was trying to put her into a category in his mind.
"Welcome, young one, we have been waiting for your arrival since our dear Kinvara first envisioned you," The High Priest announced with a smile that almost looked insincere, "Come sit down and rest your feet."
When Adira heard him speak it felt less like a welcoming and more of a judgement. The young Valeris always trusted her gut instincts in both of her lives even if it was little things and it was telling her not to trust this man. Narrowing her eyes she lowered herself onto a chair not out of compliance but calculation. On the other hand Kinvara stood standing like she was ignoring the man's word.
This did little to ease the tension in Adira. From the brief time she spent with the older woman, she gathered that Kinvara was sensible enough to sense impending trouble. It certainly didn't help that she caught a flicker of annoyance in the High Priest's eyes when she refused to sit down.
Adira wasn't stupid she knew that this was some sort of test but she was tired and hungry after the ordeal this morning. This added to the fact that the High Priest was underestimating her in a way. However it was also something that she prepared for since coming to this world. With it being in a medieval time frame Adira had expected to meet some pushback because she was a woman. Maybe not so soon but it was bound to happen sometime. Pushing those thoughts aside she took the initiative to start this much needed conversation.
"So, what did you need to talk to me for?" Adira questioned seriously. She didn't have the patience to go around bushes.
"I'm glad you asked young one, you see we have gotten a glimpse of the future which is rare and it seems to involve you in a way," The High Priest stated before continuing, "And the Council has decided to give you a choice: Stay and get proper training or Leave and forget this ever happened."
This made Adira blink in surprise at his words. She expected this had to be something she would fight for. It made her all the more cautious of the man speaking. Adira so badly wanted to look into his head but knew that wouldn't do any good besides make that man suspicious of her. For Kinvara it was hard to maintain her stone cold face since she had already figured out what he was trying to do. The High Priest was smart and cunning to try to leash someone as powerful as Adira to him. Sneaking a glance at the woman beside her, Adira took note of her expressionless face.
Staying meant she would get proper training for her abilities and potential allies. It also meant that she would have to be careful around the High Priest. Adira couldn't put her finger on it but something did not feel right about him. But leaving would put her at a disadvantage with no power or allies. It was safe to say that the High Priest had backed her into a corner.
"I'll stay but I have conditions of my own," Adira countered, "I want Kinvara to be the one training me and I would like the scrolls on Azor Ahai." After all they came looking for her on their own precedent.
Most of all she refused to be treated like a pawn for someone's game. This caused mixed reactions and people to start to stir. Even Kinvara was shocked at this request from her. While the High Priest didn't show any reaction to this request she saw his hand twitch a little. Nobody really knew of the scrolls of Azor Ahai besides the ones who wrote currently dead or the priests who spent long grueling years putting the scrolls back together.
"May I ask how you came to know of these scrolls we spent decades rebuilding?" The High Priest questioned.
"The ancestors of my house had something the other houses of Old Valyria didn't really have. House Valeris had dreamers so often it was unwise not to listen to them. They knew that the doom was coming and tried to warn the others but were ignored. Instead of staying they built a place far from Valyria and from then on survived on that island with little to none outside connection until now. I am the last of my house for tragedy has befallen my parents," Adira glanced around, " I do not need all the scrolls just enough to understand what future I am facing."
Even though she didn't need the scrolls she just wanted to confirm something before she jumped on it. Although some of the stuff she spoke about wasn't true she had to say it to get the trust of the red priests. Besides, even if they used magic to look through her head they would face an iron wall and mental backlash. The Council along with the High Priest turned their backs towards them for their discussion. After some time and a little bit of yelling on their side they finally faced them again.
"This Council has talked and decided that you will get the request you made however you will only get half of the scrolls," The High Priest declared, " Do you accept"
"Yes, I, Adira Valeris, accept this arrangement'' Adira announced.
*
After that whole exhausting ordeal, Kinvara gently took Adira by the arm, guiding her down the dimly lit corridor toward her designated guest quarters. The tension from the evening still hung heavy in the air, leaving them both drained and silent. As they passed the heavy oak door Kinvara stopped and firmly pulled Adira aside and into her own dimly lit room.
"And what caused this to happen?" Adira questioned while raising an eyebrow tiredly.
"You are hiding something from me and if I am going to train you I need to know everything that has been happening to you," Kinvara stated before sitting down, "You have already started to cause problems for the High Priest which I find funny but it has brought attention to you which is not ideal."
"Okay, but I can't tell you here, follow me," Adira uttered quietly before walking her way out of the temple. Once they were out she started to explain, "Before I came here I was stuck on the island my ancestor built his stronghold on and it was lonely at first until I started to feel something like a cord inside me tight. So since I had nothing to lose and was bored I decided to pull it. At first nothing happened until something big came knocking on my doorstep: A dragon but instead of trying to kill me, we bonded."
They finally made it past the city gate and were nearing a cave until Adira stopped right in front of it. Kinvara was silent and was looking at Adira, a look that screamed bullshit.
"And I'm the King of Westeros," Kinvara remarked.
Kinvara looked at the cave closely and noticed that it looked like something clawed out the insides so it would fit. She wanted to believe her soon to be apprentice so badly but it was a known fact that among the surviving dragonlords the Targaryens were the only one who had dragons.
"Look, believe it or not but you said you wanted to know what I was hiding and I told you." Adira spoke before walking further into the cave. "Matter of fact, why don't you look for yourself."
Kinvara looked in the cave and everything looked like how a cave would. Just as she was about to turn around she saw the cave breathe and leaned in closer. This wall breathing and warm had white scales. Strangely enough a low, bass-like hum vibrated through the soles of her boots. Everything in her froze.
The back wall of the cave was moving. It expanded outward, held a steady pause, and then slowly collapsed inward with a soft, shuddering hiss. What she had thought was textured granite was actually a dense pattern of massive iridescent white scales. They slid against one another with a faint metallic rasp as the creature took another deep, slumbering breath.
"Oh" Kinvara whispered in awe.
It was a peaceful moment until the dragon's eyes opened up to a beautiful gold color that held intelligence and fury in both of them. Twin pools of liquid gold stared straight at her watching her every move until Adira moved between them. Once Vaelys saw her rider any anger she held towards the red witch disappeared but the she-dragon kept an eye on the priestess.
"Rytsas, ñuha gevie riña" Adira cooed at her dragon. (Hello, my beautiful girl)
"How" Kinvara stammered out.
"I told you, I called her and she came." Adira stated like it was a normal thing to say outright.