[Edric's POV]
On the morrow, I felt like shit.
My body was crying from all the abuse I put it through. Those two stone pillars I received in the back gave me a taste of an elderly person's back pain. The large gape created by the arrow wound had also turned into scales - which wasn't the prettiest sight nor did it feel great. I felt a deep itch to rip them out but knew it would only open up the wound again. As for my left arm, well, it didn't look as bad as before.
When I'm bloodlusted, I have to be a sadist… because no sane person is melting through a shield and just casually enduring molten steel falling on his arm.
Or was it my instincts finding it insignificant - why would a dragon fear its own fire? Unfortunately, my resistance wasn't the best quite yet. Yet… is that how I improve on it - by burning myself? Might need to test that one out.
I got dressed and left the chamber I had slept in. It seemed to be one of the few that didn't have a corpse inside of it.
In the aftermath of my atrocities, the nobility of Volantis had been purged. They would never challenge me again. As for the rest of the city, its wings were cut off. There was no wealth left, only ruins of a city that was already crumbling before I even set foot inside of it. The slaves were freed, the landowners were humbled and the city had lost all of the foundations it had been built up on. Valyria had fallen centuries ago and its last remaining, true, echo had at last followed.
Their arrogance had been their downfall, in the end.
But… I was not too remorseful. They left me a treasure trove. Valyrian steel by the hundreds, from axes to swords, daggers, spears to even jewelry. All in all, I had looted a bit over three hundred weapons… which was absolutely absurd. These 'heirs' to the Valyrian Freehold guarded their treasures quite well.
[It might seem like a crazy number but there's apparently 227 blades in Westeros alone and thousands in the world, so it's safe to say that the oldest and most prevalent Valyria's remaining colonies had a good chunk of that. I might even be low balling how many they would have… Edric will forge something better either way :C]
There was not a single dragon egg, which I had expected more of. Did they try cracking them open over all the years? Perhaps Daenerys' miracle made them believe they could do the same.
It was unfortunate, I did want one for my first child with Daenerys. Targaryen tradition and all. Maybe one of her dragons would be kind enough to cough one up. A living egg was far better than one that has turned to stone, after all…
Speaking of, I hoped that she wasn't too upset about what I did.
…
Daenerys was in a black, regal, dress as she overlooked Volantis from its thick black walls. They were tough to crack. Unsullied lined both sides, straight and perfectly organised, not moving a single inch. As dull as they were as individuals, they were a majestic sight to behold. Suppose they weren't trained to be jesters… only spears.
"Doing well on this fine morning?"
"Well enough."
"Sorry about earlier, I was a bit impulsive. When a Baratheon's fire gets going, it's a little hard to put out. Has only gotten harder, in truth."
"I… did not mind it."
"Are you certain? I wouldn't want you to bottle up any distaste towards me."
"I am not as fragile as I look, Edric. What I didn't like was your cruelty to everything else."
"You kill the father, what do you expect the children who would inherit Volantis to desire more than anything? Given the surge in magic, some of these lineages that can trace themselves back to Valyria would awaken great talents and would most certainly possess the will to use them. I put an end to that flame early."
"I don't take pleasure in killing children, but, in some ways it's a kinder fate than letting them live their entire lives with only vengeance in their hearts… only to fall to my blade regardless."
"How could you be so certain that every last one would act the same?" She questioned.
"I couldn't, but the Old Blood of Volantis is proud. Their mothers would whisper to them the song of revenge, and most would follow that path… some were truly innocent, no doubt. They only have their fathers to blame for bringing their doom."
"Or was it that you could not rein in your own fury?"
"Tell me why every servant left without a scratch," I replied, shaking my head. "I do not kill without reason. It might not be pretty, but these are the consequences for opposing me. I hope the rest of the world is wiser in the future… which would avoid such atrocities happening again, saving more lives than I took today."
"That is one way of seeing it."
"Oh, and… I got this for you."
I withdrew one of the Valyrian steel necklaces I had taken. The best-looking one, in my opinion. It was almost pure black with a purple dragon symbol. No doubt, it was ancient… and could have had quite the history.
I wrapped it around her neck and completed the chain.
"If I push you away again, you have my permission to chain me up and do as you wish," I jested, stroking her hair. "It would only be fair."
"I hope it won't come to that,"
Daenerys touched the necklace, looking a little pleased. Flowers, chocolate, jewellery, my mother used to tell me. The holy Trinity of gifts for a woman. The Summer Islands should have cacao, no?
"I found quite the crown as well, but… I think it's better if I have a good friend of mine rework it into something just for you."
"I look forward to it. Though, it's oddly considerate of you."
"I wouldn't want my queen to walk around with a second-hand crown. Besides, my father used to say that a happy wife meant a happy life… usually."
"I find it hard to believe the Usurper would say that. Didn't he have a notably poor relationship with his wife - to the point that she slept with her own brother and birthed three bastards?"
"Ah…" I laughed. "I was joking, of course. Although he never said it, his life was those words in reverse. It's difficult for a man to find happiness if his own wife is miserable and makes life difficult for him because of it. Although Cersei was her own creature, Robert was as well. He was someone with a great appetite, and no woman was quite good enough to make him loyal only to her. They were a horrible match."
"I believe most women would be for your father."
"Unless she's into watching her husband plough other fields… or simply doesn't mind it."
"Is that the fate that befalls me?" Daenerys glanced at me.
"Sharing with one isn't quite as bad as half the Seven Kingdoms, I think…" I shrugged. "I am not him. If anything, I prefer true connection rather than the pleasure that comes from the act itself. It's temporary, fading with the wind. It's entirely meaningless without an anchor to it. When do you see me sleeping around simply because I can?"
"Fair point. It's hard enough for me to get you into bed."
"... That won't be the case anymore," I smiled.
...
I decided to scout any worthwhile craftsmen, adding them to my navy with fair wages. Most of them were freedmen... so it was not difficult to convince them of a contract that favoured me. I hired many freedmen who had been slaves on a ship, adding all of the finer vessels of Volantis' fleet to my own. There was a good reason I didn't outright sink all of them... and this was why; to restore the Royal Navy.
No, not just restore it... to form the mightiest navy in the world.
This was one large step forward towards that goal.
(The British urge to have the best navy... historically. We don't talk about befell it during modern times.)
Lys was next, but first... the Orange Shore.
...
I landed at the Orange Shore, crushing the nearby Volantene settlements before gathering all of my men along the shore. I stood on a cliff that overlooked all the thousands of men - recalling the events of the great battle along the sea. So much had happened there.
"Given the desperate and uncertain straits of before, we never truly had a moment to halt... a moment to remember. Thousands upon thousands of good men and women had been taken by that very sea. They were all heroes, every last one."
"On this day, I wish for us all to honour their sacrifice. It was their valour, their courage and their ferocity that allowed all of us to live on. Asha Greyjoy, Theon Greyjoy and the thousands of the Ironborn that accompanied them... my unfavourable history with them is no great secret, but... they fought hard and true. The men who were claimed by the Kraken, what could be more terrible than that? The men from the Westerlands who held the rear, the Reachmen who held the centre, the Crownlanders and all of the warriors who were at the very vanguard."
"They have my undying, eternal respect. May they rest at ease, knowing that judgment awaits all those who wronged them. It has come to Volantis already... now comes Lys!"
There was a roar of agreement amongst the royalists, while the Unsullied and Iron Legionnaries had a harder time understanding what I had just said. Language barrier and all... yet some Unsullied began stabbing the butt of their spears against the ground, which created a wave that consumed the rest.
Lys, would, indeed... be next.
[Arthur's POV]
Sailing to the Jade Gates required no effort on his part. Rhaerra and her captains were well-organised and far superior navigators to him. That being said... he never had to navigate a fleet before. The taste of freedom, however, felt oddly thrilling.
Edric gave him a clear task to complete, but how he went about it was all up to him.
His fleet was made up of all of the men Rhaerra had turned to Edric's side, along with her own guildsmen, leading to about six thousand men in sixty ships of larger sizes. Volantenes aboard had a taste for battle and sailing - along with the experience to match. In truth, many of them had been bred for that very purpose.
The way the slave trade worked made Arthur shiver... but he couldn't deny their ability. Now, at least, they were free and working for something worthwhile. Rhaerra paid each man his worth and gave them purpose.
The lack of anything to do while sailing, he would find himself spending more time with Sansa - who had come along with him for this journey. In eachother's cabin's, namely. They were quite close to simply sharing one, though it would've been inappropriate.
"Why did you choose to come with me, all this way? Edric was going to return to King's Landing soon enough."
"That's a little thick, even for you," Sansa giggled warmly. "Why would I want to be away from you for so long?"
"Still... it's quite a commitment to make. I don't take you for one to seek adventure."
"Really?" Sansa looked surprised by this. "I am not my sister, running about everywhere, but... I do love songs of adventure. It's exciting to see new places you wouldn't even dream of before. I'd be the first Stark on that side of the world..."
"I'm sure Arya will be bitter about that," Arthur chuckled.
"I might've had a couple of fights with her, and there were plenty of times we didn't see eye-to-eye, but... she does deserve better. Edric was cruel to break their arrangement, never mind for whom. A Targaryen."
"She's a strong girl," Arthur replied. "She will overcome this event and grow from it."
"But why is she in that position? Did she do anything wrong? You know Edric better than anyone."
"No... the fault lies in Edric... or rather, his circumstances," Arthur tried to explain, shaking his head. "He never disliked her or meant any harm in the decision. Simply, they were not a good match."
"The three dragons and ten thousand Unsullied were a better selling point, weren't they?"
"For the good of the Realm..." Arthur nodded slowly. "He does not bear the title of protector lightly. Such is his burden."
"It's not fair... but I understand," Sansa sighed. "I don't imagine her recovering easily, however. She wasn't too interested in marriage before Edric, and well, it may even be worse now."
"There's plenty more to life than marriage," Arthur shrugged. "I gave that up when I donned the white cloak, and it didn't even concern me."
"Well... what about now?" Sansa raised an eyebrow.
"Arya is a lively, talented, independent and intelligent girl with plenty of goals of her own. She will make a great swordsman, hunter, explorer, steward... whatever suits her and find happiness in that. I believe so, anyway."
"Cleverly deflected. For all your disdain in politics, I feel as if you'd make quite a great lord."
"Eh...?" Arthur laughed. "Gods, no. I only have one true talent... my sword skill."
"I think you're selling yourself short, Ser..." Sansa tilted her head slightly, her auburn hair swaying to the side. "I believe you to have many more talents than just that. Otherwise, you wouldn't be sailing past the Jade Gates with this great task Edric could only trust you with."
"Your flattery is improving, my lady..." Arthur remarked, chuckling. "I might just turn red one day."
"That's the goal," Sansa smiled, her deep blue eyes sparkling so warmly.
There were times Arthur wanted to drown in them.
...
"The Pureborn of Qarth and what remains of their fleet guards the Jade Gates..." Rhaerra informed him. "I've gotten you to this point, but the battle will fall into your hands. I hope you've not gotten rusty from sitting around with your lady."
"Not at all," Arthur smiled, shaking his head. "I've kept my sword sharp. We'll smash right through them and pay Qarth itself no further heed. If they are wise, they will scatter swiftly."
"You won't aim to take the city?" Rhaerra looked surprised.
"Not as of now... Edric's task takes priority. Besides, we can gain a larger force on the way back, making the siege a simpler affair. My magic will also be greater by then."
"Thinking of the long-term? A little surprising from you."
"It pains me for the slaves of Qarth to suffer longer than they have to, but I have to think of our men as well," Arthur nodded.
"Yes, Commander," Rhaerra nodded. "Still... Qarth's navy is no jest."
"I will simply take a page from Edric's book."
Arthur replied with confidence.