Foreign Language: -Hello-

True Tongue: #Hello#

———————————————————

An old grizzled man looked at the tracks in front of him, he'd just left Vaes Dothrak as he tracked his quarry at the behest of his king. Barristan Selmy got back on his horse and followed the horse tracks, he wasn't quite sure what he would do once he caught her but his heart told him that delivering her to the king would be wrong. She did nothing to deserve such a thing except look too much like a dead woman, he didn't want to shoulder any more regrets in his life than he already did. He should've taken the black or allowed himself to be executed, he failed his Prince something that still haunts him.

Perhaps people were right when they laughed and joked behind his back 'Barristan the Old' was an apt nickname, he didn't make it in time to save his Prince nor did he try and make it to Rhaella. Sometimes he believed he didn't even deserve the title of knight.

He kept riding following the only single set of tracks that led away from Vaes Dothrak, a trader he had met who had told him a girl matching the description of Lyarra was going after the person responsible for creating all this carnage in the city. And carnage it was, in all of Barristans long years had he never seen such a sight, he'd seen Maelys the Monstrous rip a man's arm straight off his body but it still did not prepare him to see streets dyed red in people's blood. It made him all the more desperate to catch up to the girl as whoever was capable of such an act is too dangerous to face alone or even with company.

He'd find her and then take her somewhere safe, he'd use the coin that was allocated to him and set her up somewhere, preferably where the king would not be able to find her. Though he hopes that the king sending Barristan was the last of it and that he wouldn't think to send anymore.

———————————————————-

Daenerys was currently pouting as she sat on a horse in front of Aegon as they travelled somewhere. Aegon had not said where they are going but had said they were preparing for a journey into the unknown. What made her unhappy was the beautiful priestess of R'hllor that rode with them, she could tell they had a close relationship as many times she had kissed him on the cheek or knelt before him. Daenerys wanted to be the ones doing those sorts of things but she was innocent when it comes to matters of love, she hoped Aegon would find her enticing enough to initiate it on his own but he had not yet, which left her puzzled as sometimes she could feel his length press into her from behind when she leant into him.

Viserys was glad to be rid of this place, the whispers were still there, the shadows that danced in his vision but at least they lessened and he didn't need to be knocked unconscious by the knight. He was enamoured with the beauty of the Red priestess, on more than one occasion he'd thought about using his royal prerogative to take her to bed and experience her. But in an uncharacteristic moment of clarity, he thought better of it, though it may have something to do with the look that Aegon gave him when he saw him staring at Melissandre.

"Stop! Here!" Aegon suddenly shouted as he jumped off his horse and ran over to a large tree that hung crooked, Aegon placed his head against the tree. The forest was silent and the wind was still and yet the sound of wind rustling the leaves of a tree could be heard. Aegon had done this a lot recently and most of the group did not understand. While Arthur understood that he must have a reason, Daenerys was concerned for him and Viserys just believed that he had the touch of Targaryen madness.

But to Aegon, it was as if he had lived his whole life till now in only grey and now his mind had been opened to a symphony of different colours. He could hear them whispering, the trees and plants though some of their voices were not as loud as the others. The trees with carved faces almost seemed to be alive, if Aegon tried to he believed he should be able to connect to them like the children of the forest do to the weirwoods, though what he would experience when he did he does not know.

This side effect of the blood ritual was not expected but it was very welcome. The only thing Aegon wished to gain from the ritual was the ability to speak the true tongue. Words have power and Aegon had studied languages far and wide and for magic he found that High Valyrian, Asshai speech and Old Tongue have real power in their words. But that wasn't good enough he wanted to speak the song of the earth, the original language of the people who had a closer connection to nature than men ever will.

The Children of the Forest shattered the arm of Dorne with a combination of Blood Magic with words spoken in the True Tongue. This is why he needed to speak it, he now can shake the earth as the children once did, though perhaps not to the same level as that would require a number of sacrifices that Aegon wouldn't be comfortable with. But he could at the very least sink a city into the ocean.

But for now, he would talk to the trees and listen to their words, he would speak to them and understand nature as the wood walkers do. He did feel guilt over what he did to the wood walkers, but it had to be done. Men and the children joined together to face the Long Night and they barely survived, there are so few children left and men have forgotten about what terrors stalk the night so he needed all the power he could obtain.

It wasn't just the trees but the water and the fire that seemed to speak, he found it hard to understand almost as if they were speaking a different dialect of the same language it made his body quiver with excitement, that there were so many secrets to unfold and he had just reached the tip.

They kept riding through the forest until the sun started to set "Let's rest here for tonight, Arthur gets some wood, and Melisandre starts the fire" Aegon commands and they all obey. Aegon however takes a seat on a fallen log and pulls out his lute, this is something he has wanted to do since he gained his new ability.

He played a low and sweet melody with his pale weirwood lute and then he started to sing, though that is what he knew himself to be doing, to the others around him it was a sound more beautiful than they had ever heard in their lives, a song was the last thing that came to their minds. Even Viserys sat and listened to the ethereal sounds playing with his eyes wide, Daenerys felt tears fall from her eyes at the beauty, it wasn't only the sounds that came from Aegon's mouth but the way she heard the area around them seemed to join him in song. It was the most amazing thing any of them had ever seen.

———————————————————-

Aegon washed in a lake within the forest, he liked to wash the sweat off his body after being intimate with someone, and he had just been intimate with Melisandre for a while, he couldn't help but smile as he washed his body in the refreshing water, someone had been watching him for a while.

He stepped out of the lake his naked body exposed to the air, he brushed his silvery hair that shined in the evening sun behind his ears as he stretched, the water dripping down the muscles that shifted across his body when he stretched. He then grabbed his sword in its sheath placing it over his shoulder over his shoulder as he appears to walk back to the camp leaving his clothes, though he was actually walking in the opposite direction. He then starts to sing in a loud voice

A bear there was, a bear, a bear!

All black and brown, and covered with hair.

The bear! The bear!

Oh come they said, oh come to the fair!

The fair? Said he, but I'm a bear!

All black and brown, and covered with hair!

Aegon jumps out of the way as a slash arcs down to where he was previously standing. In front of him was a young girl with shoulder-length black hair who wore dark leathers, a tunic and breeches, she held a longsword in her hand and she had an angry look on her face though she was clearly affected by Aegon's state of nakedness.

And down the road from here to there.

From here! To there!

Three boys, a goat and a dancing bear!

They danced and spun, all the way to the fair!

The fair! The fair!

With a growl she slashed at Aegon who leans out of the way and whips his hand to the side the sheath of the sword flying off and hitting the ground, he then parried another sideways slash and sidestepped a thrust his cock flopping around in the wind. Their blades clashed and they entered into a contest of strength though it was easily one-sided with Aegon being a lot bigger than the girl.

Oh, sweet she was, and pure and fair!

The maid with honey in her hair!

Her hair! Her hair!

The maid with honey in her hair!

The girl only seems to get angrier at the fact that she's not being taken seriously, she whips her sword in several downward strikes in rapid succession, each being blocked by Aegon. With the final strike, Aegon pivots his foot and she ends up overextending her right foot and being forced forward, Aegon who is now at her side grabs the back of her hair and yanks it backwards while placing his foot behind her. She falls roughly to the floor as Aegon walks away from her a smug smile on his face.

The bear smelled the scent on the summer air.

The bear! The bear!

All black and brown and covered with hair!

He smelled the scent on the summer air!

He sniffed and roared and smelled it there!

Honey on the summer air!

The girl pounds the floor with her fist as she stands up, even now he didn't take her seriously as he walked away from her, she rushes him again launching a kick that he sidesteps and catches with his hand before throwing upwards making her fall to the floor once more "Turn around and fight me, warlord!!!" She shouts at him, Aegon raises his eyebrow at her. He'd never been called that before though he has pissed off a lot of people over the years so it must be something he did.

Oh, I'm a maid, and I'm pure and fair!

I'll never dance with a hairy bear!

A bear! A bear!

I'll never dance with a hairy bear!

Aegon turns as he brandishes his sword watching her stand up, she blushes a bit more as at one point she's eye level with his length between his legs. She'd seen this man and his companion knock out the man whom she assumed was her uncle while her aunt stood there obviously too scared to move. She had to beat him otherwise who knows what this man would do to her last remaining Targaryen family.

The bear, the bear!

Lifted her high into the air!

The bear! The bear!

I called for a knight, but you're a bear!

A bear, a bear!

All black and brown and covered with hair

She swiped her sword diagonally, Aegon leaned out of the way before he swiped upwards at her hands, she had to switch to a one-handed grip to avoid the blade, her arms were now widely spread leaving her open to the kick that Aegon launched to her chest. Her anger started to boil over, she'd been getting played with the entire fight and it infuriated her affecting her thinking. She growls as she stands up again throwing a sloppy swing, Aegon pivots while swiping up and her blade flies out of her hands falling to the floor. He holds his blade up to her neck, she goes to speak but Aegon holds his finger up in a gesture telling he to wait.

She kicked and wailed, the maid so fair,

But he licked the honey from her hair.

Her hair! Her hair!

He licked the honey from her hair!

Then she sighed and squealed and kicked the air!

My bear! She sang. My bear so fair!

And off they went, from here to there,

The bear, the bear, and the maiden fair.

The girl stood there glaring at him as he finished the song "A fine song wouldn't you agree my lady" he says with a smile.

She doesn't say anything and looks at him with contempt as she clenches her fists looking for any opening to exploit "So may I know the name of my ambusher?" He asks the smirk still on his face.

"Lyarra Snow," she says through gritted teeth.

Aegon raises his eyebrow "A Westerosi? I haven't been there for a while, I can't imagine what I did to piss you off so badly that you followed me to come out of the back forest in Essos"

He then walks behind her pushing his sword into her back forcing her to march forward "You are a warmonger! I saw how you slaughtered everyone in Vaes Dothrak! Where is your army what are you planning on doing next!" She says loudly while facing forward.

Aegon couldn't help but sigh at the reminder of his past deeds "It is regretful what happened to them, however, if it had to happen to anyone I'm glad that it was the Dothraki, their entire culture is based on the pillaging and enslaving of others"

Lyarra was not well versed in other cultures as she had mostly focused on the study of the sword, the only thing she knew was that they were some of the best horse riders in the known world. The new information made her feel a bit more conflicted, but it didn't waver her resolve to save her aunt and uncle.

Aegon whistled as he walked Lyarra back to his camp, he could tell she was a good swordsman she was almost his equal, however, she was too hotheaded and let minor things distract her such as his naked state and singing. Aegon also made use of a new ability he'd managed to figure out, if he listened close enough to the wind he could hear the song it sung. The wind was different to the plants and the trees as it only ever sang when it moved, using this he could tell where Lyarra was and where she would strike.

As they walked to camp Lyarra felt herself grow more and more desperate to do something, but the cold steel poking her in the back prevented her from acting, when they arrived at the campsite her uncle was still sprawled out on the floor while the rest sat around the campfire as her aunt was forced to cook for them.

As they come into view Arthur stands up with a sigh as he sees Aegon fully naked and holding some poor girl at sword point, he goes to his companion's knapsack and grabs him some fresh clothes and approaches them "Truly I find there is no hope for you, even in the middle of nowhere you find a way to subject women to your perversions" he says while shaking his head.

Aegon looks offended "She ambushed me, I subjected her to no such perversions"

"Lyarra, I suppose it is time we introduce ourselves," He says to her in a serious voice as he walks around her sword still pointing in her direction.

"I am Egg, and this is Ser Duncan the Tall," he says as he points to himself and then Arthur, Daenerys covers her mouth as she can't help but smile while Melissandre smirks too.

Lyarra raises her eyebrow at him "I may be a bastard but I'm not an idiot, he's clearly not Ser Duncan the Tall, he's not even that tall" she states matter-of-factly.

Aegon leans in a bit closer "Not his height I was referring to" he says with a quick wink.

"I actually have a song I could sing that would-" Arthur pushed Aegon and he falls on the floor while laughing.

"Such strange times we live in that a Lord is assaulted by his very own sworn sword" Aegon says dramatically as he lays on the floor.

Arthur shakes his head "Clothe yourself" he simply states before looking at Lyarra.

"Why are you here and what business do you have with us, I know he's a cunt but what led you to assault him" Arthur questions sternly, he didn't want to kill her but in recent years he found that he had to do many things he didn't want to.

Lyarra didn't answer fearing what would happen should they but tipped off about her intentions, Arthur shook his head as he withdrew his sword, Daenerys quickly stood up from the fire "Arthur I don't think you need to go so far, let her sit and rest first" Arthur grunts and then puts his sword back in and goes to sit down by the fire.

Lyarra found herself becoming confused, since when did captors listen to their prisoners, her confusion only increased when Daenerys knelt by the one who called himself Egg and smiled and whispered in his ear earning a smile from him. Though nothing prepared her for the scream that came from her uncle who was still on the ground he got up from the floor brushing the dirt off his body before sitting next to Arthur taking an offered drink.

"What in Seven Hells! Is going on here" she shouted getting the attention of the group. Though her sudden shout caused Aegon to nearly fall as he was putting his breeches on.

Daenerys walks up to the girl and smiles "Are you okay?" She asks kindly, while she didn't like that the girl had attacked Aegon she knew better, if Aegon was not angry then there must've been a reason why.

Lyarra looks into the violet eyes of her aunt "These men... they kidnapped your right? So why are you all acting so friendly? Have your minds been lost?"

Daenerys looks at her with visible confusion "Kidnapped? They saved me from being married and raped to a Dothraki Khal" she stated.

Lyarra still felt confused, her aunt had no reason to lie but it still left questions unanswered "But why would they do that? What could they gain from such chivalry"

Aegon placed his arms around Daenerys as she leaned back into him her eyes closing in contentment "I need no reason to not help family, she is my aunt after all" he says with a smile.

Lyarra felt her heart beat out of her chest as she realised the implications of what he had just said 'There is no way... he can't be' she thought to herself.

"I am Aegon Targaryen, and my companion here is Arthur Dayne, and Melisandre, going by your reason to come here you know the others"

"Now why don't you explain to me why the bastard daughter of Lord Stark is so interested in the Targaryens" he states with humour in his eyes.

———————————————————-

The sounds of drinks clinking together and people laughing filled the night air as the men of the second sons watched their evening entertainment. They all cheered as a dwarf who rode a pig and was dressed in a mock knight outfit jousted against another dwarf only this one was female and she rode on a dog.

The men loved this entertainment, it was some of the best mummeries they had ever seen and they all shouted and screamed in applause. The second sons were a large enough band that they often attracted camp followers. Whores, traders and often mummers would follow them around and camp with them earning quite an amount. Though eventually the whores would walk bow-legged and the mummers would find their show not drawing as big a crowd.

The life of a camp follower was not preferable, it was usually the life for those who had nowhere else to show off their trade, at least with these men there was hardly any competition to be had unlike in the cities. And they were mostly protected as anything bad that may happen would lead to the men having little to do when they did not have any duties. And they were often allowed to sup with the men.

This mummer duo had been going for hours and were exhausted, but it was something they had to do, they had found themselves on the wrong side of a famous mummer in Pentos and had to quickly leave less they are discovered with their throats slit in an alleyway. They'd had to work hard and try to make a new start in another of the free cities.

The men finally seemed to be getting past the point of being tipsy and were now fully drunk, this usually meant their attentions would shift to the whores that had situated themselves on the laps of men and sometimes even served them. The two dwarves led their animals back to the tent they had been gifted by one of the leaders of the company. The female let her hold of the dog go before collapsing on the group of pillows that served as her bed.

The male had tied the pig outside their tent and came in "Penny get out of the outfit before sleeping we can't afford to ruin them, they're the only ones we have for our show"

Penny groans as she sits up and sticks her tongue out at the man "Go away Oppa I'm exhausted and my groin aches horribly, I now know the pains a courtesan must go through" she says as she collapses back onto the pillows.

Oppa walks next to his sister kicking her leg and making her moan "How much did you manage to earn" he says making Penny sit up again.

"Mostly coppers and a few silver, that man gave a gold again..." she said saying the last part in a low voice.

Oppa frowned "We won't have to do this much longer, just a few more months and we can set up in any city we want" he says encouragingly.

Penny nodded her head solemnly, she had been getting weird looks and lusty stares from one specific man, Penny and Oppa lived by their father's advice which was to never trust big people and to always make yourself seem funny to them. Penny was pretty, she didn't have the same shaped head as her brother, hers being rather small she had a small button nose that had a dusting of freckles over it, she also had rosy cheeks and thick curly brown hair with large eyes. While the fact she was a dwarf managed to ward off the advances of most, some looked at her like this man and it made her shiver.

But she shook off her thoughts as she got up and started to take off her mock knights armour, she looked into a bowl of water they had and saw her face was still marred by a frown, she reached her small fingers to her mouth and pulled them upwards into a smile. She liked being a mummer but sometimes she wished for a bit more, a lot of the time it felt like she was just being laughed at for being a dwarf rather than doing something that amused them.

She liked to sing and act and she wished she could learn an instrument as well but they had never gotten the chance to get one, her brother just wanted to focus on what their father had taught them which was the mock joust. She washed her face before getting changed into an overly large tunic that she used for a nightgown before lying on her pillows and going to sleep.

———————————————————-

A woman emerged from a tub full of blood, she sensed something shift and her glass candle lit itself without any prompt. The woman's body was smooth and curvaceous and her face was beautiful though she was covered in blood that still stuck to her skin and hair giving her the appearance of someone who was completely red. She walked over to the glass candle her footsteps marring the floor with bloody prints.

She focused on the candle and lost herself as her body was seemingly catapulted through the sky, though this wasn't a literal effect it was simply her consciousness that travelled across the sky at speeds that were too fast to follow. She crossed deserts and oceans and grasslands finally arriving at a forest where a dark ritual took place, a man with silver hair mutilated a group of wood walkers and stole their inherent ability to speak to the earth.

The woman's eyes widened as this had never been done before, she had never even heard of such a ritual, but she knew who this man was Aegon Targaryen, she would have to watch him closely.

Though it seemed to be harder than she thought it would as if she got too close he seemed to be able to tell she was watching him. It sent chills down her spine when she saw him look straight at her, such powerful magic she hadn't seen in over 70 years.

He must truly be a formidable man to wield such power, he has to be the one that the prophecies spoke of. Never had she seen a man of his calibre.

———————————————————-

Lyarra watched as her Brother and Arthur argued over who should get the last wineskin, it made her sigh as she sat down on the ground in the plains of the Dothraki sea, she started to doubt that Aegon was the one who had massacred the Dothraki people, he seemed more like a fool than a warlord. She had kept her identity a secret as she tried to get the measure of them, she didn't trust that they were who they said they were quite yet. She had never met Arthur Dayne before and as far as she knew the others had not either, he could be a crabber for all she knew. Aegon and Arthur were both said to have died years ago, she wouldn't reveal her identity until she was completely sure that they were who they said they were. Being a Targaryen was a dangerous affair these days.

Daenerys smiled as she watched Aegon run from Arthur as he downed the wineskin, she was glad to get out of that forest it had been a strange and uncomfortable place, the Dothraki sea felt more peaceful, she let her bare feet on the ground letting the grass go between her toes. She wondered if Lyarra would stay with them, she had been pretty tight-lipped, though Daenerys felt she must be a friend as she came all this way because she believed she and her brother were in danger. Though why she came was a question that she left unanswered, Aegon with his usual smirk just shrugged his shoulders, he said that she would have to stay with them until they reached their destination and what she revealed was her choice.

The strangest thing about the trip was Viserys, he was unnaturally quiet a lot of the time now, he hadn't ranted or raved about being king or finding an army for a while he mostly kept to himself, Aegon had worried her when he said that the forest had broken him, but then he said it was a good thing as he had a chance of coming back better than he was.

Aegon stopped running and stood still prompting Arthur to do the same, he threw the wineskin back at him as his eyes narrowed. The spot he looked at seemed to be empty but to Aegon and Melissandre they could tell they were being watched, something Aegon did not like, unfortunately in the middle of nowhere there was no way to ward against such things. Besides he had bigger things to worry about, he knew Lyarra was his sister the moment she told him her name.

It made his heart beat fast seeing his beautiful younger sister alive, while he had only speculated before actually seeing her in the flesh almost made him want to hug her tightly right there. Though it seemed she was being cautious of them which was okay he would allow her the time it took to get comfortable, he thanked the gods that he managed to find one of his sisters, now he just needed to find the other though if what he saw in the flames was any clue it would be difficult.

Aegon walked back towards the campfire they had set when he felt it, his heart raced and he dropped to the floor surprising everyone there. He placed his ear to the floor and he felt it more clearly, the vibrations of hooves, how many? He didn't know but they were close.

Aegon turned around and looked at Melissandre -Blood Seal, for the girls quickly- he said in Assahi speech.

The Blood Seal was a simple magic binding that was practised in Valyria before the doom, those who wished to keep their family bloodlines pure could place Blood Seals on the females of their house, what this did was burn anyone who tried to touch them who did not share blood with them, this allowed only the men of their house to touch and fuck them. Aegon knew Melisandre could take care of herself the other girls would not and judging from what he heard it sounded like they were going to be captured.

They both chant in High Valyrian with Aegon supplying his blood for both girls. Lyarra looks dubious of what they are doing, while magic was accepted in the North it did not mean she was not cautious of those who practised it "Lyarra I promise this is to protect you in my life" Aegon stated dropping his usual comedic facade he couldn't afford to have her fight him on this as they didn't have much time.

She felt conflicted but nodded her head, he smiled and drew a tunic Symbol on her chest before he started chanting once more, Melissandre did the same for Daenerys and the rune seemed to glow before dying down "Arthur touch Daenerys" he asked, man sighed and did so but quickly pulled his hand away as if he touched scalding hot water.

Aegon finally satisfied sat down and waited for the incoming enemies, fighting now would be stupid so they would have to bide their time otherwise they could end up in a lot worse position than they currently were.