Two ravens had arrived to King's Landing from the Eyrie, one from Lord Arryn and the other from Maekar. It was only meant to be an update about the campaign against the hill tribes in the mountains. Historically, those hill tribes had caused the Vale and its inhabitants many problems. At one point, their raids caused a whole succession crisis to occur when the Lord of the Eyrie was slain alongside his sons, leaving one Lady Jeyne Arryn to rule. Even before Aegon's Conquest, the lords of the Vale and the remnants of the First Men had clashed over and over without a clear winner.
Now, as Daeron read the letters in his private solar inside Maegor's Holdfast, he realized that they were probably the most important letters he had received in his reign thus far.
'The campaign ended in a single day….'
And without a single death.
In his letter Lord Arryn heaped much praise on the crown for swiftly joining their efforts against the mountain clans, but Maekar's letter revealed the actual truth.
The campaign had ended so suddenly and efficiently because of Aenys and Vaeraxes. The pair had struck each camp with such ferocity that the enemy was unable to put up a proper defense. Maekar did not spare any details in his letter. He wrote a vivid account of the devastation that Vaeraxes' flames had rained down on the enemy. It was like a sea of fire.
Maekar also begrudgingly wrote that Aenys had flown with great expertise, not suffering a single injury. The reason for his youngest's reluctance to heap praise on his nephew was mostly due to how Aenys had acted without orders. The young prince had taken it upon himself to strike each of the camps himself. It was rash, certainly, but because of his actions the fighting had concluded in a single day.
And wasn't that the most terrifying part?
'The brutal efficiency of a dragon….'
Daeron knew his history. He knew what made something like the Conquest possible in the first place. It was not because Aegon had been a brilliant commander. The Field of Fire was still remembered and talked about to this day for a reason. And yet, it was one thing to have such an event occur in the distant past. To live through something similar….it shook Daeron at his very core.
It was unknown just how many of the barbarians were scattered in the camps, but based on Maekar's account there were certainly a couple of thousand of them at least.
And Aenys had killed them all.
Daeron knew what the lords of the Vale would be thinking after witnessing such a feat. He hated it, but he was not so naive as to think that their loyalty would not be swayed because of this event.
"What is it, father?"
Daeron looked up from Maekar's letter to see Baelor standing before him.
His firstborn son. His pride. His heir.
And yet not the heir that the realm desired.
Feeling tired all of a sudden, Daeron handed Baelor Maekar's letter for him to read. At times like this, his beloved would be with them in the solar, talking and strategizing together. Time was not kind, however. Myriah was a couple of years older than him, and the last two years had been hard on his queen. She had become noticeably weaker, and there were times when she was unable to leave the comfort of their bed all day. They were both already in their fifth decade of this life, so it was not anything out of the ordinary.
It still hurt to see the woman he loved be reduced to such a pitiful state.
Daeron didn't feel near as fragile, but he knew that he was far from a young man anymore. He did not know how much time he had left to rule, and despite the peace that he had been able to maintain for two decades the future looked more uncertain now than it did when he first became king.
What would happen when he passed? What would become of Baelor and his sons? What would the lords of the realm do when Aenys and Vaeraxes existed?
Daeron recalled the events of the Dance. Everyone was quick to forget the wishes of King Viserys I after his passing. The vows they had once made to accept Viserys' designated heir meant nothing in the end.
Baelor was no Rhaenyra, but ironically enough they found themselves in similar positions.
"So Aenys did it." Baelor finished reading through his brother's letter. He handed it back to Daeron.
Daeron studied his son's face. As expected, there was conflict in the man's face.
"Vaeraxes seems well trained," Baelor said, no doubt choosing a diplomatic response after trying to put his thoughts in order.
Daeron was not surprised. "The two go flying a lot."
He knew how much his grandson indulged his many cousins in their requests to go flying with him. And those requests were very frequent. If it were not for their mothers, Daeron was certain that most of his grandchildren would prefer to live on Dragonstone just because Aenys and Vaeraxes were there most often.
Maekar's third son, Aemon, was the most curious about the dragon from a pure academic standpoint. Not that the boy didn't also express his childish fascinations either, but Aemon's mind was already shaping out to be different compared to his other siblings.
"You do not seem happy, father," Baelor said after another moment's silence.
Daeron threw the question back at his son. "Are you?"
Baelor hesitated. "You should have predicted this. Aenys is a fierce warrior. He is not like his father. You know how gifted he is. So why did you allow him to go to the Vale?"
Yes, that was the issue, wasn't it? Despite being Aerys' son, Aenys was nothing like the man.
'No, I cannot say that either.'
His second son was no warrior, true. He was also no administrator. Not because he did not have the ability to do so, but because his mind was more focused on more theoretical subjects. There was no denying that Aerys had a capable mind, however. It was just that his son did not put in any effort to anything that did not interest him.
And by the grace of the gods, Aenys had inherited Aerys' mind. His grandson had the skills of a warrior and the mind of a capable ruler. The maester on Dragonstone reported as much. While restless, Aenys still completed his studies with as much competence as when he trained with the sword.
By all accounts, Aenys was the perfect heir any lord or king could ask for, save for one aspect.
The boy did not listen.
Daeron wondered if his grandson instinctively hated authority, or perhaps it was Daeron himself who had soured their relationship first after his many attempts to try and keep Aenys close to the crown and by extension Valarr. Perhaps his constant meddling was the cause of this. There were even times when Daeron had considered preventing his grandson from communicating with his other friends, most notably the heirs to Casterly Rock and Storm's End.
Both Tybolt Lannister and Lyonel Baratheon were proving to be impressive heirs in their own right if the rumors were true. Having such ties with powerful and charismatic heirs gave Aenys a lot of more political weight in the future. Hells, Daeron already knew that both Damon Lannister and Symeon Baratheon were more keen to crown Aenys as his successor than they were to swear to Baelor and his line.
It was certainly irrational and not the way Daeron liked to typically do things, but over the years he had come to accept some bitter truths about himself.
He was resentful. Daeron was not resentful at Aenys per se, but rather what he represented. He was another Daemon, except he reached greater heights than even his own half-brother. If his father were still alive, if he had lived long enough to meet Aenys, then Daeron knew what his father would say.
"He's nothing like you."
Daeron had been compared to Daemon many times when his father still ruled. Daeron knew that he was no warrior. He had his own charisma and his mind, but he lacked something special that made people be instinctively drawn to men such as Daemon and Aenys. He had felt jealous and resentful of Daemon then, and now he was feeling something similar when he looked upon Aenys.
The gods were cruel indeed. He was seeing more of Daemon in his own grandson than he saw of himself. Did the gods enjoy tormenting him at every turn? He was king, and yet Daeron felt nothing but despair and misery.
If his blood carried such potential, why had the gods not bestowed it upon him? Why was his grandson the dragonrider?
Daeron tried not to let such thoughts take hold of him, not after his familial ties with Aenys were already so fragile. It was very difficult sometimes, and it had pushed him to behave more strongly than he probably should have. Perhaps, somewhere deep inside his heart, he just wanted to control Aenys because he had been unable to do the same with Daemon.
'He's probably laughing right now.'
Daeron remembered his meeting with his half-brother at Summerhall. The way Daemon had looked at him with pity. Daemon must have foreseen this before Daeron was able to. His half-brother knew that Aenys would grow to become willful, unwilling to be cowed.
It was another hard truth for Daeron to swallow, to acknowledge that Daemon knew his grandson better than he did despite the two not sharing any close ties.
Daeron turned his focus back to Baelor who was still waiting for an answer.
"If I had told him no, what do you think Aenys would have done?"
Baelor grimaced. "To openly defy you is-"
"I know you're smarter than this, Baelor. You've seen him. Aenys respects my authority enough to not be branded a traitor, but I know not to push him too far. He's wanted a taste of battle for a long time now. To earn his knighthood in the heat of battle. Now he has it, along with Dark Sister."
That was something else that Maekar wrote in his letter. Now Aenys had a dragon and a Valyrian steel sword. It wasn't just any Valyrian steel sword either. No. It had to be one of the two legendary swords which had helped forge the realm.
Even if it wasn't the Conqueror's sword, it made for an inspiring image.
'Brynden, what are you thinking?'
Daeron would sooner believe that Aenys challenged Brynden for the sword than for the man himself to give it away, but that was exactly what had happened.
Sighing, Baelor said, "Father, you cannot be so indecisive. If you let Aenys think he can get away doing what he wants, what kind of precedent will that set?"
"Then what would you have me do, son?" Daeron didn't know what else he could do. "You know how vital it is that Aenys' blood remain tied to the crown. The gods must think it a jest to have bestowed such a blessing upon Aenys rather than you or your line, but it is the hand that we have been dealt. If Aenys decides to leave or gods forbid openly defy me or your line, what do you think will happen to the succession?"
Daeron knew that there was something he could be thankful for. Whatever faults he believed Aenys to have, Daeron knew that Aenys was no Maegor the Cruel come again. He had no machinations to turn on his family. But if Daeron pushed him too far, if he demanded too much, then there was the real possibility that that might change.
It was not a risk that Daeron was willing to take.
Baelor did not look pleased, but he did not argue. For Daeron knew that his heir held affection for Aenys too. Baelor did not wish to bring harm upon Aenys.
It was the realm they ruled which made such familial ties become strained.
'Perhaps I should have let Daemon take the damned throne,' he thought with bitterness.
Then perhaps it would be his half-brother fearing for his family after he was gone, not Daeron.
"We must focus on what we can," Daeron stated with as much conviction as he could muster. "Now tell me. How goes the hunt for Valarr's future bride?"
"The Tyrells have rejected us." There was frustration in Baelor's voice. "It was not a direct rejection, but Lord Tyrell said it was something he would have to ponder before making any decision."
A stalling tactic then.
Lord Leo Tyrell, the so-called Longthorn of the Reach, had plenty of granddaughters which would suit Valarr. Daeron knew that it would be a grand opportunity for the Tyrells to cement their authority over the Reach even further. And yet, they were not biting.
How unfortunate.
"Lord Reyne seemed amiable in his letters, but he has not given us a direct answer either," Baelor continued, clenching his fists at his side.
The Reynes were not as wealthy as the Lannisters, but their mines were impressive nonetheless. Not to mention that a union between Valarr and a Westerlander lady could very well divide the Westerlands if a conflict ever broke out.
"House Rowan might be the best candidate. They're formidable, and they carry some of the blood of the dragon."
Daeron remembered. One of Rhaena Targaryen's daughters with her Hightower husband had married into House Rowan. It was a similar situation with House Penrose, which was what drove Daeron to marry Aerys to Aelinor. That, and to help placate the Stormlands after his alliance with Dorne. And that union led to Aenys.
If the gods were merciful, then perhaps Valarr would give birth to a son who could rival Aenys and his line with his Rowan bride.
It felt like a laughable hope.
Daeron tried to keep his focus on the present.
"Then we shall extend a formal invitation to Lord Rowan. If we are lucky, then we shall have new allies in the Reach by the end of the year."
---
Aenys and Shiera did not arrive at Harrenhal until a day later. They could have flown directly from the Eyrie to the historic castle if they wished, but they decided to make a stop at Castle Darry before heading for Harrenhal. It gave them a chance to recuperate and bathe before they met with the current Lord Lothston who ruled over the ruins.
Aenys and Shiera were treated quite warmly by Lord Darry who welcomed them into his castle with open arms. The man was quite flustered by their sudden arrival as no raven had been sent warning him of the visit.
Aenys reassured him that they were in the Riverlands on a private matter and that there was no reason to fret over them.
It did not stop Lord Darry from hosting a feast to honor their presence in his castle while also ensuring that Vaeraxes was well fed that night. Many of the servants were both scared and in awe when they helped feed livestock to the she-dragon and watched with open fascination as Vaeraxes devoured several sheep and cattle with gusto.
Aenys had to remind his dragon not to go too far. House Darry was not a rich family. He did not want to make them go bankrupt in their attempt to sate his dragon's immense appetite.
The castle was small and nothing impressive, but Aenys appreciated Lord Darry's honest efforts to make him feel welcomed. Unlike some other lords that Aenys had met over the years, he could tell that Lord Darry was more honest and sincere with his actions.
It was refreshing, and it also helped that he spent that night exploring more of Shiera's body in the bath as they washed themselves and lay together once more.
He was finding that it was a nice way to relieve stress.
Aenys also accepted another truth. Now that they had been together once, there was nothing to stop them from doing it again and again. The restraints had been broken, and Aenys saw no reason to hold himself back, especially when Shiera was so eager to reciprocate.
Another detail that made the stop so restful was the fact that Lord Darry did not try to push any of his daughters on Aenys. Perhaps his daughters were already married or he did not have any as Aenys did not see them during his stay in the castle, but it was a nice change.
Aenys and Shiera set out the next morning after breaking fast.
Harrenhal was not too far off from where Castle Darry was located.
Vaeraxes flew at a leisurely pace, but even so they arrived at the massive ruins of the castle within the hour.
Even from the air, Aenys was able to make out that the stories did Harrenhal no justice. The castle was massive. It had five towers of immense size. Unfortunately, the towers were mostly ruined now, the stones melted and cracked from dragon fire. Against dragon fire, it was said that stone melted away like candle wax, and Aenys saw the truth of it with his own eyes.
The walls of the castle were just as impressive as the towers. They were of black stone.
Aenys was also able to spot the small town of Harrenton just outside of the western castle walls.
The many courtyards of the castle were big enough to fit Vaeraxes, and so Aenys decided to land in one of them after circling the massive castle a few times. He was sure that the servants of the castle had spotted Vaeraxes by now or heard her roars.
Vaeraxes enjoyed roaring, mostly because she enjoyed seeing how frightened people became of her when she did. At least, this was what Aenys sensed through their bond.
A rather cheeky dragon, wasn't she?
As Aenys predicted, a crowd was gathering around the courtyard where he guided Vaeraxes to land. The same whispers of awe and fear that had been common in the Eyrie were now present here as well. While the people of King's Landing had become somewhat accustomed to seeing Vaeraxes fly over the city, this was not the same for the rest of Westeros. This was the first time that Aenys and Vaeraxes were flying outside of King's Landing or Dragonstone.
"So easily frightened," Shiera murmured from behind him.
Aenys just chuckled as he prepared to dismount while helping Shiera do the same. As the pair touched down on the ground, the many servants made way for a group of four dressed in dark tunics embroidered with the pattern of black bats.
"Prince Aenys." Despite Aenys not announcing himself, the young lord leading the small group recognized him as he dropped to one knee with the others doing the same, including the servants and knights who were watching. "I bid you welcome to Harrenhal. We are most honored by your presence. I must apologize for not receiving you properly. We did not hear anything about your arrival."
Aenys studied the young lord. He had a thick head of brown hair and a well groomed brown beard and mustache. The younger one kneeling to his left, also a man, had shorter bright red hair. The third who was donned in armor looked older and had a more robust build. He had long brown hair that fell to his shoulders. Then there was the fourth and final one of the bunch. Unlike the first three, she was the only female of the group. She had long bright red hair that drew Aenys' attention.
He had never seen hair as red as hers.
No matter. He had more important matters to attend to.
"You may rise, Lord Lothston."
Aenys was not ashamed to admit that he did not know any of their names. It made little difference. He was not planning on sticking around for now.
Lord Lothston rose slowly, followed by the other members of his family and then the servants and the knights who were still watching him and Vaeraxes with great curiosity.
"I did not send word of my arrival beforehand, so you need not worry about decorum. I only came to inform you of my presence in the area."
"Your presence, my prince?" The young lord sounded confused.
"Yes. I will be flying to the Isle of Faces with my companion here, so I will not linger in your castle for too much longer. I do not know when I shall return."
The only reason Aenys was bothering to tell the Lothstons of this was because he didn't need them going into panic when they saw Vaeraxes in the area. The same was true for the smallfolk who lived nearby. A dragon had not flown in the Riverlands since the Dance, after all.
"I….see." It was clear that the young lord was still confused, but he did not question Aenys on his plans. "I wish you luck with whatever it is that you are looking for, my prince."
Hm. Aenys had half-expected for the lord to warn him about the island, but this worked better. He had already heard about the usual barriers that were in place by Brynden. They would not stop Aenys and Shiera from reaching the island, or so his uncle said.
"Until we meet again, Lord Lothston."
Saying his goodbyes, Aenys mounted Vaeraxes with Shiera again. Soon, they were back in the skies while the rest watched them go with fascination.
"That went better than I expected," Shiera said.
"Did you expect them to stop us?"
"To a degree. The Lothstons are not the most prominent of families in Westeros, but they have held Harrenhal for many years now. They must be aware of the nature of the island."
Aenys glanced back at the woman. "So that thing about a curse-"
Shiera planted a kiss on his cheek which silenced him. "We can discuss that later, don't you think?"
She was trying to avoid giving him an answer, wasn't she?
Humoring her, Aenys faced forward again as their destination started to slowly come into view.
"Very well. That can wait for now."
It was time to see who it was that wanted to meet with him.
---
Danelle Lothston, the youngest of her siblings, watched the only living dragon left in the world fly from the courtyard as the servants and knights whispered in fascination. There was also fear mixed in, for it was the first time that any of them were seeing a dragon.
Not for her, though. The sight of the beast as well as its rider only made her smile.
'Aenys Targaryen.'
It was not as strong as hers, but she had sensed magic from the infamous prince. More curious, the woman that was with him also possessed magic, only that her magic was stronger than even Danelle's.
It was the first time that she had met others who were attuned to the magic of the world, and it caused her to become excited.
Danelle was not alone in this world, after all.
Of course, none of her siblings cared to take notice of it as they walked back inside the large halls of the castle.
"So that was the prince who rides a dragon." Manfryd was the second youngest among them, and like Danelle, possessed red hair. He was named after their father. "Manfred will be angry that he missed it."
"H'mph, he'll be more angry that he missed seeing the famous Seastar." The oldest among them was Jon Rivers. As the bastard of their late father, he had not been able to inherit Harrenhal. Despite his status as a bastard, their father had raised him alongside the rest of them. Because of it, they had an amicable relationship. He was also the most robust among the three brothers.
"You've seen her at tourneys before, have you not?" Lucas was the current Lord of Harrenhal after their father passed around six years ago, so named after their grandfather.
Honestly, her two brothers were cursed from the start with such names. Both their father and grandfather left less than pleasant legacies behind, being known as the "o' the Black Hood" and "the Pander" respectively.
"Yeah, but never so close. And never wearing such an outfit." Jon smirked. "Her usual dresses leave little to the imagination, but that leather outfit was like a second skin. I would not mind seeing what's underneath."
"Don't be so foolish." Lucas scolded him. "If she's with the prince, then most likely the two of them have a relationship."
Manfryd looked confused. "Isn't she his aunt?"
"How do you know that?" Jon asked.
"I listen sometimes, brother."
"Enough." Lucas stopped them before they got into a petty argument. "You know as well as I do that the Targaryens have no respect for the laws of gods. They lay with brothers and sisters all the time. This would be no different. They are incestuous monsters."
"She didn't look like a monster to me," Jon muttered.
Danelle had to resist the urge to shake her head at her half-brother. He was always thinking with his cock, this one.
No matter. This was a good opportunity for her. Danelle did not know what it was that had attracted the two Targaryens to the Isle of Faces, but they would return.
Maybe then she could learn more about them.
---
Aenys sensed when the air shifted. Vaeraxes felt it too.
There was no noticeable change. It was just something….instinctual.
No, on second thought, there was something noticeably different too. The sky was altered. It was cloudy, almost stormy as they approached the island. But then, at a certain point, the clouds calmed and sunlight began peeking through.
It was almost as if they had entered a new space.
How bizarre.
"There are protective runes all over the island."
Shiera's voice reached Aenys despite the softness in her tone.
The beautiful woman was staring down at the island, her enchanting mismatched eyes studying every detail with precise care.
"When we approached, they activated, but then they stopped. As if they were made to."
Protective runes?
'Magic.'
Not just any magic. It was the magic of the First Men. Or at least, it was said to originate with the First Men. There were many tales that it was the Children of the Forest who taught the First Men the "language of the Old Gods," or something like that.
Aenys did not expect to find such ancient magic here of all places, but it made sense. There were reports that any who tried to approach the island were unsuccessful. They were either turned away by nasty storms, unnatural mists, and other powerful acts of nature.
Brynden said that there were barriers, but Aenys did not expect runes to be the source of them.
"It seems like we're being allowed in."
Shiera did not answer.
Vaeraxes flew over the island for a few minutes. From the air, Aenys did not see anything of note. Not right away. All he could see were the many trees that littered the island. The trees did not look out of place. They formed a beautiful forest. In fact, it was almost as if he was staring at a sea of green.
Yet, something about the peaceful and normal sight unnerved him.
"How interesting."
Unlike Aenys, Shiera seemed to have picked up on something. Her face showed her delight as she gazed across the forest.
Aenys was quiet for a moment before commanding Vaeraxes to land at the edge of the island. There didn't seem to be any safe place to land within the island. The forest covered it all, and the trees were enormous. If he wanted to secure a safe place inland, then he would have to make Vaeraxes burn down some of the trees, and something told Aenys that that wouldn't be a good idea.
The waters around the island were calm as Vaeraxes touched down on the sand. The sky was becoming more and more clear as well.
"It's powerful nature magic," Shiera explained, her voice full of joy as they dismounted from Vaeraxes.
Aenys could tell that she was loving this. If there was something in this world that Shiera loved more than anything, then it was magic.
'No, what she loves is uncovering the secrets of magic.'
There was a distinct difference.
Aenys secured Dark Sister as he peered out into the forest with Shiera by his side. Now that he was standing up close, the trees looked even bigger.
"Something doesn't look right."
Shiera laughed softly as she locked arms with him. "Remember our lessons, my love. What is the Isle of Faces known for?"
The realization came quick.
"Weirwood trees."
Aenys was embarrassed that he had forgotten about something so crucial. Now that he recalled that piece of information, he realized what felt off.
"The trees. Their leaves are green."
As far as he knew, weirwood trees were said to have distinct red leaves. Lyonel once told him that the weirwood tree at Storm's End had red leaves. The North was said to be full of them, and they were all like that.
So then what he was looking at now?
"Green hands," Shiera whispered.
Aenys' eyes narrowed as he pondered this. He recalled Brynden's words.
"Go to the Isle of Faces. You need not fear the usual barriers. The green hands will make way for you. Once you arrive, the ones waiting for you shall reveal what they want from you."
"Come." Shiera began to pull him inland, snapping him from his thoughts. "I can sense something waiting for us."
Vaeraxes took a tentative step forward, shaking the ground around them in the process.
"Stay, Vaeraxes." Aenys quickly reassured his dragon that he would return soon. Due to her size, she would have to wait for them here.
Vaeraxes was not pleased by the command.
He could sense her anxiety through their bond. Something about the island was spooking her.
To a lesser extent, Aenys could sense it as well. The magic that filled this place. It was heavy and almost oppressive. He trusted Shiera, though. If she was guiding him forward, then he had little reason to fear.
It did not mean that Aenys would let his guard down.
And so, the pair walked, observing their surroundings with great care.
Because of the oppressive feeling, Aenys expected to see horrors beyond his imagination when he and Shiera walked deeper into the island.
He was wrong.
The island was beautiful. Almost unnaturally so. It was a pure green, greener than anything Aenys had ever seen before in his life. It was as if nature had come alive to build something that could resemble the afterlife. The Faith preached the existence of the seven heavens, and if it was anything like this than Aenys might consider believing in their gods.
The flowers. The vegetation. The streams. The wildlife.
Everything looked so alive. It was almost as if a painting from a legend had been ripped from the pages and brought to life.
Aenys was amazed by what he was seeing. The oppressive feeling from before seemed to shift into something lighter. More welcoming even.
Most of all, Aenys was amazed by the weirwood trees. They were the most abundant sight on the island. They were massive, with their roots sticking out prominently from the ground. Their leaves were an emerald green. They looked rich in life like everything else on the island. More importantly, the faces carved on the trees looked at peace. The faces were nothing like the descriptions Aenys had read about.
The island was like a paradise.
At a certain point, the path became blocked by several roots from the trees.
It seemed like a good place for them to take a small break. They had been walking for quite some time.
Laughing, Shiera climbed on top of the roots and spread her arms out, almost as if she was inviting the magic around them to enter her, while Aenys made himself comfortable next to the face of the weirwood, resting on top of another one of the roots.
"This is not what I expected," Aenys admitted as he looked around.
Shiera continued to laugh. "A new mystery has been unraveled before our eyes, Aenys! Don't you find it amazing?"
He did. He would not lie.
And yet, as much as he was enjoying the feel of the island, as much as he was enjoying watching Shiera have the time of her life, Aenys knew that there was something else waiting for them here.
Something had called for him, and he doubted that he had been summoned merely to take in the sights.
As if the world had sensed his thoughts, Aenys spotted movement from behind one of the other weirwood trees nearby.
Instantly, the young prince was on his feet, his hands going to Dark Sister.
"Shiera-!"
He didn't have the time to warn the woman as there was more movement from the other trees.
Something was moving around the trunks.
'No.' Aenys squinted his eyes. 'It's….emerging from the trunk itself?'
Shiera's mood shifted as she spotted what Aenys was seeing.
There wasn't just one of them. There were more than a dozen and more were appearing by the second.
Aenys didn't even know what they were.
They were humanoid, that much was certain. As they moved away from the weirwood trees and walked closer to Aenys and Shiera, Aenys was able to spot more distinct features on these humanoid creatures. They had dark, green skin. No, perhaps it was a bizarre mix of green and brown. Their skin resembled that of the weirwood trees. They had antlers which featured almost proudly on their heads. Much like their skin, their eyes were a bizarre mix of green and brown.
They all stared at Aenys and Shiera as they continued to approach.
Aenys unsheathed Dark Sister as he went to Shiera's side, pointing the sword at the approaching creatures.
"Don't come closer, or I'll cut every single one of you down."
As if. Aenys had no way of knowing if he could even kill these things. But he would not go down without a fight.
The creatures stopped.
Aenys was taken aback. He had not expected for them to understand him. Could they speak Common?
The creatures gave way for one of their own to emerge from the back. To Aenys, this one did not look any different from the rest. And yet, it surprised him the most when it began to speak.
"You don't need to fear us, young dragon. We merely seek a pact with you. A pact of fire and earth."