I sat upon my floating palanquin as several slaves placed food upon the edge that they could reach. It was the feast that Malaquo was throwing for me in celebration of my successful visit to Valyria. The night was truly well in; the moonlight peeking in through the high windows told me so. We had been feasting and celebrating for some time now, and I had been jovial in the beginning, but now I was starting to become irritated.
Rathari was nearby, and he had been very excited about the festivities as this was his first party in many… many years. The man was usually stoic and serious, or at least that's how I remember him, but given his prolonged extension from humanity, I guess he wanted to cut loose a bit.
But then I glanced over to the host of this party. Malaquo had been the center of the party more than me but he did it without uttering a word. And what was more was that he was plotting something. He felt no ill will toward me, and he didn't intend to go back on our deal or betray me. I didn't have Jaesa to confirm but by his surface feels he was excited for something. Both of the dragon eggs I got for him were sitting on his own palanquin, and a simple wooden one held up by slaves. My own stone beast of a platform was impressive and the Triarch wanted me to use it as much as possible.
Both Midwan and Saarai were in their swords, slumbering soundly. It was a restful state that I was grateful for. I rather not deal with their bickering as I was already irritated by the length of this feast and the fact its host had something planned for me that I did not know of. At the moment they were resting on pillows in the middle of the room where my former bed slaves and new holy woman were still sleeping. If anyone attempted to sneak into my suite for whatever reason, those two would be quick to deal with them.
"I wonder who would be the worse fate, Midwan would be slow and painful, but Saarai would make it utterly humiliating." I mumbled to myself as I picked up a small dumpling stuffed with pork and peppers. The food here tended to be on the spicy side and always came with some sort of vinegar sauce on top of it. It wasn't bad but I'd really like something a bit more fresh than the heavy and wet food they have here. The feast continued on for a while longer until only the most core visitors remained. The immediate family of Malaquo Maegyr and his strongest supporters in the Tiger party. Now that only favored and trusted people were here I dropped some of my pretenses. "About fucking time, at least in Westeros they know to stop stuffing their face. All good times it was, but I do have a ship to catch in the morning." I grunted before glancing over to Malaquo, who just barked laughing at my bluntness.
"You truly are a great man Darth Nagash, I could count the number of men that are willing to speak to me like that on my hand." He continued to laugh and it was sincere. His supporters weren't too happy with my candor, and neither were his family though to a lesser extent. The latter seemed to know how their patriarch liked things and shrugged my words off.
"There's a deeper reason why I'm here Volantian. Now tell me as I have a great deal of planning to finish before my night's rest." I already had the logistical planning done but again… I was itching to get out of here. More than anything I wanted my time in Essos to be concluded. I worried about how things were back in Westeros. Were Lyarra and Joanna safe in Winterfell, how was the order coming along, and I had a trip to the northern mountains to make.
"Yes, insightful, you are Darth Nagash. I do have another reason for you to be here." At that Malaquo waved for his youngest son to be carried over to the head of the hall. These fucking Old Bloods really liked to make their places so damn big so they can be carried everywhere. I'm thinking laziness is more prevalent than a need to stay clean as they so proclaim. "May I introduce my youngest true born son, Harlello Maegyr."
I looked down at the young man who couldn't have been more than sixteen years old. He looked much like the people of this region, tanned skin and black hair. He was handsome and fit, certainly had a princely quality to his looks… I'd like to think he'd be perfect to play Aladdin. From the surface of his mind he was nervous, that was coming from me. I was an unknown but there was also a bit of hurt and betrayal that was directed toward his father. Ah… I see what's going to happen.
"He doesn't have the Force if that's what you're asking, and I already have an apprentice. And she set the bar quite high, I would need someone of equal talent and potential as her to even consider." I said and both men felt a ping of annoyance at that. Not liking that I was elevating a woman above a True Blood male. I might as well put the fear of Jaesa in them to ease their bruised egos. "Also my current apprentice would likely gut, maul, and de-man anyone that would claim to be my other apprentice. She's quite possessive of my attention." I said with an amused dark chuckle that quickly made the men in the room fearful for a moment.
"No Darth Nagash, I am not seeking you to take on my youngest as a mystic trainee." I narrowed my eyes at the explicit denial that had been given. Because that meant he wanted me to take this kid on in some other way. "I want you to take him in as your ward, show him how to be a man as strong as you. One who can brave old Valyria and return as you did."
That was not something I wanted to do. For one thing, I didn't want to take on any wards at this time. I had enough brats back at Harrenhal, or at least should. But this was a teenager and one who was the son of a perverted old man like Malaquo. I really missed Jaesa telling me just who everyone was really. These surface thoughts were only good in the moment rather than a complete character profile.
But the second biggest reason why I didn't want this was Aerys. The Targaryens and the Old Blood of Volantis were not on good terms with one another. One side thought the others were nothing but a banished family that got lucky and the other side considered the other with complete bitter disdain. Word would most certainly come back to Aerys about what I did, that I traveled to Valyria. When he learned that I didn't bring him back a trinket like I did for Malaquo… he would not be pleased. I wasn't giving that madman anything as it would both improve his authority among the Targaryen loyalists and boost his ego to a level I might not be able to control. Thus, when I return and have nothing physical for him as I did have a few other things from my trip, he will not be in the best of moods. Me coming back with a Volantis Old Blood as my ward would be an extra slap in the face. And Malaquo should know this. While I don't expect him to be fully versed in Westerosi politics, he should be at least aware of Aerys and his temperament.
Now, if I refused this… that also would not be good. Malaquo held the slaves that I needed for Harrenhal. And while he wouldn't break the deal between me and him as this was never stated in the original agreement, he still could find ways to fuck me over. A few hundred of my new slaves turned into old men and children or maybe there were a few rebellious slaves that would try to kill me or something equally troublesome. He could also make it very difficult to operate out of the Free Cities and Slaver's Bay. He was the Tywin of Essos in many ways. He had a lot of money, a lot of connections, and a reputation that could be thrown around to get things done. He was also favored by the militant sectors of Volantis and many sellsword companies.
On one hand I could maintain my relations with the Maegyr family and take a hit to my relationship with Aerys. I could control the mad king to a large degree if he was on the Iron Throne and to a lesser degree when he wasn't. Also that control was minimal when I wasn't in King's Landing. But I still had a good deal of influence and there was zero threat of him calling for me to burn. Not at least until the Sith Order was set up and there was a good replacement in line. By that time Aerys will be dead and I wouldn't have to deal with him anymore. But Malaquo still had years on him. He was still the Tiger Party leader by the present day in the books, I had to assume he would last in this world too.
And now on the other hand… I could piss off a powerful man in Essos who could seriously impede my plans in this area for many years to come. I don't really have any means to butter him up after poisoning the well between us. And he's known for being super stubborn and holding a grudge. There's a right answer here.
Corren was a Seeker of the Sith, a title that carried both respect and hatred from common people and nobles alike. The respect was only because the King had decreed they give the Seekers respect. So it was the kind that was only in your face and never in people's hearts. Corren knew all about that kind of respect, he respected the pit boss of Flea Bottom for keeping a tight crew while respecting the nobles that ruled over them. And the hatred that people had for the Seekers had begun to fade… at least when it came to the small folk. Word was getting around that people were in fact getting a big chunk of coin if their kids were sent to Harrenhal to get turned into Sith. Though the highborn still hated them cause they got squat.
But they never had to deal with people that would actually possibly kill them. Sure they had dealt with a few bandits on the road, that's how they lost Darren, but Lily was sweet and way better looking than Darren ever was so Corren thought it was a good trade. What they now were dealing with was the very first harvesting of the Iron Islands. And Corren's team of Seekers picked the shortest straw of the bunch… they had come to Pyke.
"Are sure we need to check this place?" Corren muttered as he stared up the massive gates of the ancient keep. He had seen the rickety bridges that connected each of the spire towers and knew that they would have to cross at least one of them. Markas grunted and nodded to their Seeker Stones and that was Corren's answer. They had to find the Force Sensitive… and take them.
"Don't worry, I'm sure that Lord Grayjoy will be understanding." Corren did not share the newbie's hopeful nature. Lily was a nice girl that had joined the Seekers after a month of living in Harrenhal when she came to the keep with the rest of her family. Her little sister had been harvested by a team of Seekers and she wanted to join because women could and she felt like it was giving something to the small folk. Corren just thought it was a good way to make coin and throw some shade in the face of snotty highborn.
"Oh sure… and there will come a day when the Governor isn't a colossal pain in the ass." Darna grunted and the other men nodded in agreement while Lily just chuckled nervously. Pyke's gates slowly began to open with a small squad of Ironborn soldiers standing in the gatehouse as this died down. The normal confrontation occurred between the Seekers and the local guard, only with an actual fist fight breaking out between the Ironborn and Darna when one of the Ironborn made a move to grab Lily's ass. "And I'll take that hand if you fuckers try to touch my friend again." Darna glared daggers and painful dismemberment as she kept her fellow woman away from the still leering men. Two of which were dragging away their knocked out friend.
"Listen, just let us in and talk to Lord Grayjoy. We could report back to the Governor of Harrenhal, he'll talk to Darth Nagash and he'll talk to the King." Markas explained and the Ironborn still looked unconvinced. That's when Brack stepped in to finish them off.
"And the King will go batshit crazy and call for all of Pyke to be burned down." Brack said bluntly and without a whiff of sympathy. It was so certain and cold in the way the Seeker said this, the Ironborn couldn't help but feel like the sea had washed up and drenched them in cold water. Then the idea of the Mad King raging for their keep to be burned down for refusing his orders warmed them up in the wrong way. They quickly then led the Seekers through the halls of Pyke's gatehouse and across a stone bridge to the Great Keep. There they came to the throne room where the great Seastone Chair was set into the back wall, with Quellon Grayjoy sitting there with his wife and young son.
Before the Seekers had taken ships to the Iron Islands, Corren's team had been given special instructions by Quinn and Pierce. They were the ones going to Pyke and so had been told everything about the current Lord Reaper. That he was an oddity among the surly Ironborn. Quellon Grayjoy was a man that was trying to reform his people's ways and would no doubt be at the very least willing to abide by the King's Orders and not kill the Seekers if they were to take his sons. And considering the direction the Seeker Stones were pointing, that was a good bit of knowledge to have.
"Lord Quellon of House Greyjoy, we of the Seekers of the Sith have come into your home seeking a child blessed with the Force." Markas started and Corren knew that their face of the group had gotten perfect at approaching lords and small folk alike after so many times.
"As my guards told me." The Lord of the keep said with a frown as he leaned back into the Seastone chair. A massive black stone seat shaped into the visage of a kraken. Behind him in the arch of one of the throne's tentacles was his wife holding onto a young boy of about eight years old. "And did you find any children for your harvest?" A few of the Seekers flinched at him saying that word, Markas had told them many times that people would not like them calling their duties that.
"By the laws set by King Aerys Targaryen, we are in our rights to take in any child, noble birth or not, into the custody of the Sith Order. The Sith will raise and educate them until such a time when they have proven themselves and attained rank of Sith." Markas continued and Lady Greyjoy held her child closer, knowing that it was going to be him that was going to be taken. That was why Markas was saying all this, to remind them that they had no choice or they would be subject to the King's wrath. News had already spread around that the youngest of the Stark children had been taken, if not even a member of the Great Houses of Westeros could avoid being taken, no one had a chance. "And by our Seeker Stones, it would appear that-"
"Father!" Markas was interrupted by someone yelling and one of the side doors to the Great Hall slamming shut. "I have return from… the capital." The Seekers all turned to see a young man barring Greyjoy features entering the hall and scowling deeply at the sight of the Seekers before him. His frown deepens even further as he quickly figured out what was happening. "Out… get out of my keep!"
"Your keep? watch your tongue Balon. You might be eager for my title but I still breathe and thus still your Lord." Quellon boomed softly and Corren had to give it to the aging lord, he still had a good deal of authority in his voice. Balon seemed to seethe with fury but slunk back into the shadows of the edges of the hall. Lord Grayjoy then turned back to the Seekers and his own frown was deepened by the interruption his son gave. Corren looked to Markas and the man had remained as cool as ever throughout the whole thing.
"My Lord, your son… the stone points to him." Markas said as he held up his own Seeker Stone and held it up to show that it was indeed pointing to the younger Grayjoy boy.
"You can't take him! Victarion belongs here!" Again Balon interrupted and a stern glare was given to him by his father but this seemed to anger Balon more. The heir to the Iron Island took a step forward and held his hand firmly on his sword. "You cannot show this weakness father, you can't any longer!" There was a tense moment between the two and the Seekers were slowly reaching for their own swords. The guards in the hall didn't know what to do, so they focused on those not of salt and sea.
"You better be fuckin' sure about this boy." Quellon whispered just loud enough for all to hear but there was a storm brewing behind his eyes. Corren had seen men like this before, they were soft and weak when it came to most things but then there was that one fucking thing that set them off. The Iron Islands was it for Quellon. He saw the threat of fire and blood that the King could bring down on the Iron Island if he refused the Seeker's demands. He saw the threat that Balon's recklessness and aggressive tendencies posed to the Iron Islands. He wasn't backing down.
"Enough of this." Everyone looked to Lady Grayjoy who was escorting Victarion to the Seekers, she stopped him once he stood next to Markas and then walked over to her eldest and summarily slapped him across the face. "If you're going to try to threaten your father, back it up and be ready to follow through. Salt Wives on Blacktyde could hear your knees shaking." With that done she returned back to her place beside her husband. The Seekers were totally floored by what they had seen and knew exactly who was the true power in Pyke.
"Fucking fuck this is stupid… it's a cheat code… that's what this is." Melisandre heard faintly as she stirred awake. She felt great, better than she had in years. In fact… she hadn't felt like this since she started to grow old and withered. When she had begun listening to flames and doing as they told her. And for the first time in her life she found that was a strange set of timing. That when the flames had started telling her to murder, scheme and burn everything around her and she started doing it she began to turn in the hag she really was. For the first time in her entire life, she thought that one might have to do with the other. But as she slowly began to open her eyes those thoughts were shoved to the side. "Oh… you're awake."
Melisandre tiredly blinked her eyes as she focused on the man responsible for her being unconscious. He was holding her head and intently staring at her forehead. Why she didn't know but her voice was silenced before she could ask. Not by him but by the memories of what happened to her. The sight of this glorious power crashing down on her, it was more magnificent than any blazing inferno had been before. It was real, there was a true voice commanding her instead of a faint whisper.
"My lord." He seemed to burrow his brow at her saying this and she wondered if she had done something to displease him… again.
"I'm gonna say this once, I am at best, at best, an avatar of divinity not divinity itself. I. Am. Not. A god." He said locking eyes with her and while this did contradict with what the last thing she remembered him saying, she couldn't think about that now. All she could do was stare into his eyes and memorize every detail she could while they were so close. She had always put her love for the Lord of Light before any emotional feelings for another human being. Sex was learned to further her talents as a priestess and seductress. But now she desperately wanted to feel the love she had for a god in a physical sense.
"Please my lord take- ow…" She winced as he gave a flick to her forehead.
"Calm the tits down, I have more than enough women willing to jump on my dick to be able to refuse a chance at fucking whenever I want." He casually said before grabbing her head again and returning his focus back to her forehead. "The only reason why you're here, I'm this close, and I'm not stabbing you in the eye right now is because of this rune in your forehead." He said and Melisandre blinked at the words that came from her lord's mouth. What rune? He rolled his eyes seemingly picking up on what she thought and dropped her head back.
He walked away and this gave Melisandre the chance to sit up and see just where she was. It was a ship, that she could tell. A private room with several beds, a few of them had some of the women that had been with when she was last awake. Then her lord returned and he had a mirror in his hand. He held it up and she saw the strangest mark on her forehead but also down her body as well. She had never seen markings like these in her life and while she worried a bit about them, she took comfort in the fact that she had her lord watching over her. If he was only concerned about one of these runes than certainly it wasn't too bad. But then she noticed something. Her choker was gone.
"What happened to my choker? W-what… how am I still…" She caught herself before she finished that sentence. She was unwilling to verbalize her greatest shame even if the only person able to hear her knew all about it.
"Part of what I did to you specifically locked down the form that the choker gave you. It was crude Mask, one that needed an external source of power to use instead of using your own. Though it did mean you could use more advance powers without breaking the Mask." He said as he leaned on an unused bed next to her own. The way he looked at her was like a scholar at a new book, wondering what secrets were inside. She both enjoyed the feeling and felt uneased. But it did give her some insight into the man, he was an intellectual with a curious mind. "However now it is… I guess you could say it is screwed onto you now. The Runes are essentially acting like screws, keeping the Mask on you forever. This does mean anything you do that will try and break free of the Mask will be horrifically painful. Say… giving birth to a Shadow demon."
"What don't you know about me? But that can only be expected from you my lord." She chuckled but then slowly touched her neck where her choker usually was. This body, it was real now. It was a second skin that would never come off. Her powers may be limited now but she was far from useless. And in the end, the vanity of looking like this was a fair trade in her mind. This was a new day, a clean slate and the chance to become a new woman. "What is it that you need of me, my lord?" She asked now looking up to him as he frowned, still displeased by her for some reason.
"I do not enjoy the kind of attention you are giving me. Submission and lust I do enjoy, holy reverence not so much." He lightly growled as he crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes turned partially yellow and bore into her like a drill. "You and I will come to an understanding; I am not a god. I am at best an avatar of an arguably divine force of reality. And even that is me giving you what you want to hear."
"But you said-"
"That was not me speaking. That was the Force acting through me, channeling into me and taking me further than what I would normally want. Also some personal issues thrown in for good measure." He then lifted a finger and Melisandre felt herself lift off the bed and into the air. Her limbs suddenly stretched out, pulled at the force of some unseen power. "This is what happened to me though unlike you, I had no clue it was even happening to me. So for the final time…" He said and Melisandre felt her muscles strain as her body was beginning to be pulled apart in every direction. And by every order, she could feel every speck of her body pull out away from her very center core. "… I am not a god. Do not treat me as one, if you must treat me as anything treat me as the world's prophet of the Force."
He dropped her back down in the bed she awoke in and left her with her words. She watched as he walked out of the room and closed the room behind him. She leaned back in the bed with so many thoughts swarming in her mind it was a beehive of words and ideas. Melisandre understood the threat, even if she disagreed with it. While he might profess not to be a god he was to her. The sheer power was beyond human and wasn't that the ideal of divinity, beyond mortal.
"Davos! You're not happy I burned down the cobblecat and killed the rest of the crew, tell the truth." I asked as I stood at the bow of one of the three slave galleys that were taking us to King's Landing. Davos and Rathari both stood behind me, though Davos had no idea just who the other man was. And Rathari was equally confused as to why I had such an interest in Davos.
"No… given you said you would give me the cobblecat once the journey was done." Davos said and he was miffed but at the same time not. I guess he had come to enjoy my company or at least he disliked his old crew more.
"It was a piece of junk and we both know it." I said with a little so-so wave thrown in there. I then waved to a few of my newly freed slaves, roughly about ninety percent of whom had agreed to follow me to Harrenhal to work as freed and paid men and women. The ones who I waved to brought along a chest of coins from all across the Free Cities. It was a chest that could easily buy a good boat or even commission one. It was dropped down at the feet of Davos. "That is your payment Davos, and I hope you remember who it was that gave you your chance at a better life in the future." I said making sure to choose my words carefully.
"I will milord, thank you very much. I promise that this will be a new day for me. No more smuggling and just honest work." He said and went to pick up the chest but stopped at it nudging away from his hand. He looked up, knowing full well my powers.
"I never said that I wanted you to live an honest life. Honest work is being honest with yourself. You are a smuggler, own it and never forget it because it is what provides for those you love." I said as I turned back to him. Half of this was bullshit because I needed him to remain as he was, still wasn't sure how Robert's Rebellion was going to play out but I wanted as many pieces in the same places as possible. Davos was one of them and I was trying to earn my way into his heart, in a firmer place than Stannis will. "If you become a trader, you'll be outclassed by those that have been doing so for years. You have no credentials as a merchant, and in that world it's all about who you know and who can get you the best deal. A smuggler short cuts all that and goes right off the goods that people truly want."
"Aye… your right on that." Davos chuckled and I could feel him get cold feet at the thought of trying to pass off as a respectable trader when he had ripped off many of his would-be customers and suppliers in his days on the cobblecat.
"Good, now take that chest and get yourself a ship and crew you can be proud of." He pulled the chest up and walked off pleased with the weight in his hands. I smirked as I looked back to the rolling seas. "You speak your mind too Rathari."
"I won't begin to question what you have in mind for that man, Force only knows that you tend to have a talent for picking out the best in the masses of people you meet." He said as he took a few steps to my side. We stayed in silence as we both watched the ocean turn and flow forward. It was a peaceful moment before a serious discussion. "What situation am I walking into?"
"Up north I have a ship, crashed but it can be fixed. Now with the resources you are providing me I see the reconstruction maybe a year rather than several. It moves up a few time tables and some in not the best way." I sighed as while I was looking forward to going back into the stars, I also had to get Harrenhal and the order to a place where I could be gone for weeks and maybe months at a time without anyone questioning. This little trip I took to Essos would help lay the reputational groundwork for the idea I frequently took trips for vague reasons. "Vette is working on it and Broonmark is having fun with the mountain clans, I'm sure he'll run out of prey eventually and I'll set him further north. He's uh… an interesting conundrum for the times we find ourselves in."
"Yes… the Republic and Empire are not as we remember them." Rathari had been given a rundown of the visions that the Force granted and it also brought up a new puzzle and possible threat. As while I was explaining the current state of affairs in the galaxy I realized. The timeline was wrong. We were a few thousand years into the future and yet Rathari was in the time stasis for a few hundred. That was not happenstance. That pointed to an active party summoning people to this world through time. I would need to investigate something, but I only had a handful of theories of who it could be. It had to be local, meaning Essos or Westeros as that's where I and the True Followers ended up.
"Eventually we can deal with them my friend, but for now let's stay grounded. I have gotten a report from Quinn, we have a total of three hundred and fifteen children ranging from five to thirteen." I said and Rathari frowned, both because he would be teaching these kids in the Force and because that was way too high a number for a limited area like Westeros. It was a big place from a planetary perspective but normally a planet would naturally produce roughly a dozen of Force Users every few years. It's why Sith liked the fact the Force could be inherited so much and made sure to abuse that fact as much as possible. "Ignore the oddities for now, we have pressing matters and having more Sith for once will make the process better."
"Your reforms will see to that." Rathari said with a chuckle. He wasn't a true follower for nothing. He also agreed that the Sith's old cutthroat system for both their academy and overall culture needed to be cut back. Not entirely as death should be a punishment for failure but only if that was truly a fucked up failure of no return.
"Yes. I'm nearly finished with those reforms." The Rule of Three Sith, as that seemed to be what things are called now… Rule of Two… Rule of One… three is a holy number for the Force so why not a Rule of Three. Plus the New Sith Order was so bland. I nearly had the structure finished but I still need to iron out a few things. By the time I address the kids I should have everything done.
Rhaella watched with the rest of the royal family as three large galleys docked in King's Landing's port. For the first time in this city's history slavers were being welcomed. Technically the slavers weren't the ones being welcomed as they were still scorned and spat on, but the cargo they carried was another story. The now former slaves were going to be granted the king's blessing to live in his realm. She glanced forward at her husband and brother, he wasn't pleased by the words delivered to them from across the seas but he still believed in the Sith's promise.
"Mother, why does father give the Sith so much? It seems strange when they are not even from here?" Her son Rhaegar asked quietly, he stood next to her and they several feet away from Aerys. It still wasn't far enough in her opinion. The magic that Naraiz had used to still Aerys' hand toward her had lessened and he had started abusing her once again. And it was for the worse as during that time of freedom she had been able to peacefully live. She regretted that a part of her missed the pain he caused but enjoyed the peace of mind far more.
"Hush sweetie, the Sith are important and that's all that matters." She longed for Naraiz to return to King's Landing and do whatever he did to her husband once again. The cost however she hoped wouldn't be too high.
The royal family watched as the ships pulled into the docks. Then continued to do so as the planks were dropped and the first of the many waves of former slaves were unloaded from the ships. There were jeers toward the slaver crew from the assembled crowds, and from Rhaella's perspective the slavers seemed to be eating it up, enjoying the Westerosi revulsion. But then the crowd turned to cheers as the man of the hour walked off the lead ship, the Queen didn't know how genuine these cheers were though. The common people were still divided on their opinion on the Sith, some still distrusted them and believed the Faith's claims of evil while others started seeing them in a more positive light. A group that could bring real change and possible elevation to families lucky to be born with the Force. The stories of Darth Nagash lifting the curse on Harrenhal and now the news of him freeing slaves was also helping his image.
But then he was followed by two men, one had similar features and attire as Naraiz while the other was clearly from Volantis and part of their nobility. She knew on which her husband would focus on as it confirmed some of his rants when word came back to Westeros that he had been a favored man of one of the Volantis Old Blood. And now he was returning with a noble from the Free City, that Rhaella knew would not play over well with her husband. This was confirmed by Aerys scowling and turning his back to start his way back to the Red Keep. The Queen gave a sigh of relief now that he was gone but knew that this would not end well for Naraiz. But as she watched the man himself walk up the stairs to where the royal family had been waiting for him, it was clear that he was not pleased as well.
"Your Grace, it has been too long since I have seen your lovely face." Naraiz said as his face changed to one of charm and warm friendliness. But he knew that she had seen his previous mood and it was only a barely-there type of mask. Something more for her sake than his own. She appreciated the gesture.
"Thank you, I do hope that you have missed our shores these eight months as much." Rhaella said before looking at the two men that stood behind Naraiz. There was also a woman in red several steps behind the trio that was looking serene yet smug at the same time. "And who are these gentlemen who have with you?" Naraiz nodded and motioned to the pale large man that wore similar robes and armor as Naraiz did.
"This is Rathari, he is a Sith like myself. He left the Empire earlier than I did and wandered the world until he came upon Essos. Traveling past the Summer Isles and into the bay of Volantis. We met and he has taken an oath to serve me and my new Sith Order." Naraiz explained and Rhaella knew that this would make many worried that there could be more Sith out there in the world. That would hear of Naraiz and his efforts and might come to join, further bolstering the power he already had. She nodded politely and then he turned to the Volantene. "And this is my new ward Harlello Maegyr, of the family Maegyr of the Volantis Old Blood. He will be living with me at Harrenhal and learning under me on how to rule and govern."
"My Queen, it is a pleasure to be in your lands." Harlello spoke clean and perfect High Valyrian, Rhaella supposed that he thought he was being respectful speaking the tongue of their common ancestors but it reeked of a smell of superiority in her mind. She narrowed her eyes and nodded slowly at the young man. She couldn't get a good read on him but she hoped that Naraiz would keep him under control.
"Rathari, you have my authority. Make sure that our new friends make their way out of the city and prepare for the journey to Harrenhal." Rhaella was surprised by that, she had hoped that Naraiz would stay for a few days but maybe that was a fool's dream. Before any further word could be said one of the Gold Cloaks came up to them.
"Apologizes your grace, but Darth Nagash has been requested by the Hand of the King." Naraiz looked to the city guard with a careful eye and Rhaella could have sworn that a spark of murderous intent flash across his eyes.
"Come with us, we were to return to the keep regardless." Rhaella said quickly and Naraiz gave her a curious glace before sighing and dismissing both his fellow Sith and the Volatnene. She hoped that all of this could be resolved without too much hatred being stoked. She wanted peace and Naraiz's favor in order to have a peaceful life back.
"By Order of King Aerys Targaryen, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm and ruler of Westeros, the Sith Order is barred from raising any men at arms or militant force beyond their own ranks." Tywin read off the scroll with a barely hidden smirk and I hated it. I also hated that Aerys was a coward and had abstained from the Small Council's little meeting. The Queen was also here and she was not happy at all, she wanted me to renew the Force Persuasion over Aerys to have him ignore her and this in her mind would hamper those efforts.
"I assume that the Seekers are exempt from this?" I asked as I knew that they wouldn't take them away but I needed to confirm it. If they did that then I would find Aerys and make him rescind his decree by any means.
"They are, but they are to never number above three hundred." Tywin clarified and I could work with that. The Spartans proved what three hundred men could do. But the entire concept of me never having any armies of my own was a massive handicap. True, one Sith was on this world worth a whole army in of itself… relatively speaking. But it would be many years before any of the children that were currently found would be called true Sith. And I'm sure a good number of them would leave the Order once they reached the fork in the road that I had given them. "Now, this council will oversee the exactness of your return back to Westeros."
"The trade deals with the Free Cities, the details of which I need." The Master of Coin, Qarlton Chelsted, asked with a greedy look in his eyes. I could sense that he was looking forward to going over everything I had with a fine toothcomb. Ready to tax and grab up as much money as possible. Too bad for him. I snapped my fingers twice and Xhola, now dressed in finer clothes, brought over a tray of various documents. All were written agreements with the Free Cities that I had visited. "What are these?" Qarlton asked as he gave a look of confusion and growing dread as he read the scrolls.
"My deals with the Free Cities. Future promises that the Sith will be recognized in their lands and be given proper respect and possible work should any Sith visit Essos. I will in turn grant them secrets of the Force, and by that I mean I will send teams of Seekers to Essos every year to see if any of the noble children of the Free Cities have the gift. If they do than I shall take them in and teach them all I know. Trade!" I shouted like it was the most obvious thing in the entire world. None of the men looked too pleased by this, most of all Tywin and Qarlton who looked quite disappointed at the lack of actual coinage that existed in this deal.
"Yes…" Tywin dragged out before pulling over another document. "Now for the issues of the people you have brought into our lands. Totally in six thousand, five hundred, and forty six. They m-"
"Are granted citizenry effective immediately." The Queen interrupted Tywin and let her cool mask slip a bit to show how pleased she was to do this. Tywin glared at her furiously but she had a response to that. "My husband does not wish for the Sith Order to be without a support structure. The Maesters have Old Town to support them, these former slaves shall help the Sith." I had to hand it to Rhaella, that was a good bit of bullshitting. Tywin mulled this over before tossing the document in his hand aside. His good mood that had started at the beginning of this meet was drying up.
"Very well, next on our agenda is the apparent ties you have formed with Volantis. Namely your new ward. The King is quite concerned with this, news has also reached us that you procured Dragon Eggs and a crown for Malaquo Maegyr."
"A circlet, not a crown." I corrected and I could tell Tywin didn't care for the difference or even the fact I got little bobbles for the Volantis nobility. This was just another point for him to attack me without looking like he himself was attacking me. Odd given how much he hated Aerys but now he uses the man like this. "I didn't just bring back those sole items from Valyria, I brought another special item and knowledge that the king will be very interested in. But first Tywin! A gift." I said and Tywin furrowed his brow as I snapped my fingers.
Xhola then returned, now with a large seethed sword with a veil thrown over it. I was in fact lifting it a bit off the ground with the Force to help the woman lift it, having never held such a large sword in her life. Tywin and the rest of the Small Council peered over the table as Xhola walked over and with a flourish of my hand the veil was lifted. The look on Tywin's face was priceless. His eyes widened and his jaw slightly dropped at seeing his family's ancestral Valyrian sword before him. He slowly reached out and Xhola dropped the sword in his hands. The Lion stood up and pulled Brightroar from its sheath and just admired it for a moment. He then looked to me and instantly his mood was ruined. Oh boy… it's about to get worse.
"I thank you Darth Nagash, this is a great honor you did for my family." He said, choking down the bile that was rising in his throat. I soaked up the moment, knowing I was about to utterly destroy most of the worth that sword had.
"I accept that honor Lord Lannister." I said with a nod as Tywin sat back down and the room grew silent. I'm sure that someone wanted to say something but they all didn't feel they could penetrate the growing heavy air. "Now, as to my gift to the King that should ease his worry about my loyalties. I have come back from Old Valyria with a mighty secret of long lost lore. I have rediscovered the means to create Valyrian Steel." All but the Queen and Tywin stood up and began demanding that I give them the secret now, for the good of the realm they all professed. Rhaella was smirking at the play I had done to Tywin. Who also instantly realized what I had done. I had just given him back his House's Valyrian Sword only to now diminish its value by creating the situation and future of Valyrian Steel becoming increasingly more common.
"Enough!" The Queen shouted as it was far time that they should start behaving like adults. Thank you. "Darth Nagash shall not be giving out such a secret to anyone but the royal family. That is final." Rhaella said as stood up and began walking to me. "I believe that was the last of these thinly veiled threats to you, let us speak with my husband." She said and I gave them all one last devilish grin and stood up to follow the Queen out to the throne room where Aerys was hiding. The two of us walked through the stairwell and halls that connected the Tower of the Hand to the Throne Room with Rhaella's King's Guard and Xhola both behind us. I formed a barrier of no air between us and the man giving us some privacy.
"We have until the end of the walk to talk plainly. You want me to renew the spell I casted on your husband." I said bluntly and quickly. We had about ten minutes at the pace we were going to speak and I wanted this to be over quickly. Rhaella picked up on this and also recovered quickly.
"Yes, the two months that it lasted were some of the best of my life." Rhaella was desperate to have that peace again. I could sense it and it was great enough to pierce the normal sea of calm that existed in Rhaella's mind.
"It won't be free this time." I said and she sighed like she was expecting this.
"I don't have much to give." She answered and this was where I could feel real turmoil.
"Your body?" I suggested but the words lacked any real offer to them. I won't lie… I had thought about turning Rhaella into one of my Force Slaves. But like Lyarra and Joanna she had to choose it willingly.
"I have to refuse." Expected, though not terribly expected. She didn't strike me when I first suggested it, and didn't seem to be too against back then but here she was, refusing me. This didn't happen that often and it was the first time with me… the new me. "I know about Lyarra, you don't sleep around with whores or chambermaids. And what you need is something I can't give. My heart is something I save for my children and no one else. So my body is the one thing you want that I can give but won't."
"I see." That was disappointing, and fuck you Aerys. You ruined her for any other emotional relationship, damaging this poor woman to the point where opening herself up would hurt more than the toxic relationship she currently has. Maybe this could change, maybe I could help her… I should stop. Rhaella was a woman that now only lived for her children. "I'm sorry to hear about your son, to die that young is tragic." She looked back with a genuine look of gratitude at both my words and respect. I guess maybe her apprehension toward getting involved with me could be just due to the still heavy heart of her recently perished newborn child, but I would still keep my distance for the time being. For now. "Then it will be your children."
"What?!" She shouted and thankfully had the mind to keep walking.
"Sorry… couldn't resist. One day, your son will be king, and I hope you can help him see that my order is worth supporting. Your influence over them is what I mean." She looked a little miffed at my joke but her features relaxed greatly. Nothing came from her lips which I took as she was mad at me but agreeing to my terms. We eventually entered the Throne Room where Aerys sat on the Iron Throne.
In roughly ten minutes I had him under the ignoring suggesting about Rhaella, had him back to loving me and the Sith, though I couldn't do a thing about the whole no armies thing. That would be pushing it, if I did change his mind on that then the rumors about how I could control Aerys would spawn in minutes. It was irritating but it was something I could deal with. Afterall… eventually this madman would be dead and a new monarch would be sitting on the throne. One that I could use to enact all sorts of changes, disguised as reforms of a new royalty.
I rode my horse as we made our way down the King's Road, the first part of my journey back to Harrenhal. I had with me roughly seven thousand people with me, several hundred of my freed slaves were staying in Westeros not in my service or were heading back to Essos on the first trader vessel willing to let him hitch a ride. But there were also a number of people from King's Landing that were coming with me. So while I didn't have the original six thousand and five hundred slaves I had gotten from Volantis working for me, I still came out with more than enough..
What I needed was the craftsmen and stonemasons that would be critical to fixing Harrenhal. Many of them knew how to fix dragon fire melted stone, they were keeping those secrets close to themselves. But so long as I had them in my employ I was sure I could cox those secrets from them. The theory I think they were convinced of was that once I got that secret I would get rid of them in favor of the Westerosi. I wouldn't. For one thing, these Essosi slaves were much more dependent on me and my favor than any people from the Seven Kingdoms. Plus it was pointless to get rid of good workers, the cruelty of the slavers of Essos certainly made this lot cautious.
The second most important group in my population of former slaves were the teachers and learned men and women. As they would be responsible for educating the younglings in everything not the Force. Freeing up time for me and Rathari to focus only on the Force. And get Qyburn out of the classroom, that was a funny report when Quinn told me of his arrival but the idea of having that wonderful freak teaching kids was a no-no. The teachers were already doing their job with many of the Essosi the Common Tongue, who would in turn teach their families and so on and so on. They would all need this skill to properly thrive in Westeros. I would never try to make them change their culture and I'm expecting a thriving Essosi district to form in the city I was planning on turning Harrenhal in.
The fortress was far too large to simply act as a castle. Two of the five towers that dominated the skies of Harrenhal would be torn down, the Tower of Ghosts and Dread. They were the outermost towers and the smallest. Turning the area within the current walls would be the primary residence of the Sith and future Sith, while outside would become a new sprawling city. On par with Lannisport or King's Landing. Soon industry would be making its way into Westeros so jobs would be plenty, the same effect the Industrial Revolution had in Europe would happen here in Westeros.
Initial Population could always be drawn from Essos or good old fashioned immigration from other kingdoms. In the future however I would need to make sure to implement some policies to keep birth rates high as to avoid the Industrialization Demographic trap. On the farm kids are free labor and there is plenty of space for them. In the city however they become expensive pieces of furniture. Plus the more free time and education women get the bigger the dip in birth rates. I can offset a lot of these issues with tax policy, planning out good housing and urban design.
The end goal for me was to create a central city of Westeros that can sustain a good enough population to gather more Force Users. This world's effect of higher rates of naturally sensitive children was something that needed to be cultivated. But also I couldn't do so at the complete detriment of the other kingdoms, I didn't want to leech off their entire population so going the immigrant route was a no-go. So long as I can keep children from being a financial burden and erode the prudishness of Westrosi society then I'm sure that my city's population will be secure. That will keep giving me dividends on future Force Sensitives. Which I will need, we were vastly out numbered by the Jedi and so I needed to pull every trick I could.
"My lord, the red woman… she is starting to become a concern." Rathari spoke as his horse approached mine. He had been riding back with the escort of Targaryen soldiers, keeping watch over them. He wasn't nearly as assured as I was when it came to the Westerosi. I guess since the Targaryens were one of the Dragon Lord families, families that had risen up against him and his fellow True Followers, he wasn't too keen on the black and red banners around us. Even if the Targaryens had abandoned the Freeholds before the betrayal of the Doom.
"Exactly what is she doing?" I was curious. Melisandre had been quiet since coming to Westeros, she spent time with my personal attendants and Harlello most of all. She seemed to be doing a lot of thinking… that was dangerous but she was under my thumb so it was theoretically dangerous to everyone but me. The Whisper Rune behind her ear assured that.
"She is speaking with the former slaves, preaching that the Lord of Light is but a small player in the grand scheme of the Natural Order. All gods in fact if you listen to her. That the Natural Order, or the Force as I think she is trying to give a new name, is a great and cosmic force that controls all but without direction." That made sorta sense for a person with very little knowledge on the truth of the matter. And I could tell she was spinning this in the best means possible to attract people without alienating them too much. Converting took a great deal of charisma and time, though it helped if you could prove yourself right. "Let me guess, she's saying that I am a prophet or something of this Natural Order."
"No… the words she used was Most Enlightened. I am simply just a normal Enlightened." He said with a mock disappointed voice that I laughed at. Rathari had a self-deprecating sense of humor that I found very amusing at times. "Seems she has taken the few lessons you gave about the Force to heart. Those of the Light Side she calls the Tranquil and the Dark Side the Passionate. She says that you will seek out the chosen among the mortal and bring about perfect Enlightenment to the world."
"She's not wrong!" I barked in laughter as this was all true but with a hooky religious spin. I was now Sith Buddha, which was better than Sith Jesus. I don't want to be a god or even a prophet but this spin was acceptable. Though I wasn't about to let this way of thinking root itself in my new Sith. I calmed down from my laughter before looking back to Rathari. "We and Jaesa are going to be the first of many, the Rule of Three shall become strong and destroy the Jedi and fools that masquerade as Sith."
"Glory to the Sith." Rathari smirked as we looked at each other. Both of us were hungry for revenge toward the Orders that ruined all that we worked toward. The Jedi and their absolute self-righteousness and the backstabbing and power hungry sect of the Sith that we both despised.
"Glory to the Empire." I returned and we looked up to the blue skies. Up there were stars waiting to be conquered and ruled by the true masters of the galaxy. One chapter was closing on this story. I looked at the waves of people moving toward Harrenhal where the first batch of younglings were waiting. The next chapter of my new life was to begin soon.