Chapter 6
Harren glanced at Lord Stark as they just made it past the main gates of the Capitol.
“Harrenhal is ready to receive you my lord, unless you wish to travel to Riverrun?” Harren asked the older man.
“No, I wish to see my children,” Ned said tiredly before glancing back at the carriage behind them. “How are they?” He asked in reference to Myrcella and Tommen.
“Healthy but disturbed, Myrcella especially. Tommen doesn't really understand how his mother and his uncle could have done this.” Harren said flatly. “Both will be treated well in my home and in time, they may yet move on from this.”
Of course, when one finds out their entire existence is a lie and that they could have been killed for simply existing did put a damper on ones mind. At least Joffrey's death was a boon, one that Harren was able to use to help further destroy the Lannister name. Soon all the realms would be told that Joffrey was in league with his parents to try and take the throne away from the Baratheon's. He would be declared a traitor and a reward would be posted for his arrest. Myrcella and Tommen would be spared even as they were declared bastards.
It was for the best really.
“Would you like to take the long way or the short way?” Harren asked to change the subject.
“None of the men know about you Harren,” Ned whispered to him with a stoic look.
“They are bound to find out at some point.” He returned. “This way they won't find out in the wrong way.”
Ned hesitated for a brief moment before shaking his head, “If it were just the men I would say yes but we have the children to consider.”
Harren had already considered them, but he shrugged all the same, “As you wish my lord.”
He had never been so angry in his life, the grip on his sword would have shattered the handle if it were not enhanced by his friend.
“Demetrius, please!” He turned from the frightened purple eyes in front of him to stare at the teary ones next to him. “Let him go,” Daenerys begged him as tears ran down her pale face. She was clutching the robe he had given her tightly.
“He is not supposed to touch you like that.” Despite his anger, he had manged to get the words out calmly.
“I-it is tradition for Valyrians to...be close to their siblings.” She offered, placing a hand on his shoulder. “And he was helping me bathe.”
“Do not defend him to me Dany,” Demetri was still saying things calmly but now a stern note had entered his tone. “It was clear that you didn't like him touching you.”
She grimaced and flinched a little when she glanced at her brother. Speaking of.
“If you ever touch her like that again I will cut you from balls to throat.” Viserys no longer looked frightened but he said nothing to the threat dealt to him. Mainly due to the blade pressed into his neck. Demetri cocked his head to the side. There was shouting from where Illyrio's solar was.
I knew those blue haired shits would be trouble, he thought with a frown. Harren had told him to be wary of those two but not to engage unless it was necessary. It seemed that it was necessary now.
“Dany, go to your hiding place, I'll come get you later after I check on something. Go,” Demetri insisted when she hesitated. After she scrambled away from him, he turned to Viserys. “Time for you to earn your keep,” Demetri removed his sword and dragged Viserys to their destination.
“Unhand me-”
“Keep your mouth shut,” Demetri snarled in a whisper. “You will do as I say, when I say it or else I will kill you now and be done with it.”
Viserys glared but kept silent. Even for all his madness and cruelty, he did know when to follow instruction. As they came to a corner that lead to the solar, he put Viserys in front of him. He cocked an ear and heard several men adjusting their grips on their crossbows, five in total if the heart beats he heard were any indication. There were three more men there, shifting in place by the double doors.
Viserys withdrew a dagger and turned to look at him, “Follow my lead peasant.” He held the blade upwards and close to his chest which he puffed up. Demetri stared in disbelief as the younger man charged around the corner with a battle cry. The cry was made all the more louder and pained as three bolts from three startled men were fired. Only two had hit Viserys, the other had passed by.
The rest were fired at Viserys who fell to the ground, breathing his last through an open throat.
“You idiot,” Demetri muttered with a sad shake of his head. He didn't care for Viserys, sure as hell wouldn't mourn him but he knew someone that would. He would have to tell Dany and watch her beautiful face crumble at losing another member of her family. And I let him die, He thought with a small sigh.
Demetri took a deep breath and ran around the corner. The smell of blood filled his nose after he released the breath he held. He barely glanced at the men he killed in the blink of an eye before he tore through the double doors with his strength.
As the splinters from the door filled the air he took note of the situation quickly. The younger of the two blue haired bastards seemed to have stabbed Illyrio several times but was now shielding his eyes from the debris. The older one had been blown off of his feet by one of the door pieces.
Demetri threw his sword at the younger man. He watched dispassionately as the boys body jerked suddenly as he was impaled to the wall through the chest. He glanced at the other man as he gasped.
“Aegon,” The man said quietly. When there was no response from the boy, he turned to him, eyes blazing with rage. “You fucker!” The man roared, grasping a sword and charging at him. Demetri blurred across the room and shoved his fist through the other mans chest. He retracted it, holding the still beating heart in his hand.
The man gurgled something out before he fell dead but Demetri paid him no mind. He placed the heart on the table and began to tend to Illyrio.
“Never mind me,” The fat man wheezed, shaking him off. “There is work to be done. See that case there,” He gestured to a chest in the corner. “Place it on the table and open it.”
Demetri zipped to the chest and back following the instruction. There were three dragon eggs in the chest. Demetri stared in surprise.
“Take blood from me, the boy, and Connington,” Illyrio wheezed again. “drop them on eggs.”
Demetri stared at him briefly but did as he was told. The man was dying, he could tell that much, so Demetri would honor the dying wish he was given even if he thought that Illyrio was insane. He crushed the heart over the eggs after he got blood from the other two. The eggs seemed to shine for a moment and Demetri swore that he could feel heat radiating off of them.
“Fitting,” Illyrio remarked quietly, eyes starting to droop. “His heart belonged to Rhaegar after all.” He murmured under his breath. “Take the sword from the boy and the sword above my hearth, they belong to house Targaryen now – they belong to Viserys and Daenerys.”
Again, Demetri listened, retrieving the swords in question, one that had a guard with two dragon heads. The other had a pommel and guard in the shape of gold fire. Both were made of Valyrian steel he noted after checking each blade.
Dark Sister and Blackfyre, Demetri thought with a small shake of his head. These two blades had been lost for ages, yet they were with a lad that barely looked like he could hold it properly and a gods be damned cheese monger.
“Give your lord my regards and the eggs. He will know what to do.”
Demetri sighed as he listened to last beats of Illyrio's heart and took in the scent of all the blood in the area. Before he had been reborn the smell would have made his throat burn and make him incredibly thirsty. Even in this new body the smell appealed to him even if the urge to drink it was no longer there.
Glancing around the room he looked for the spot that Harren had carved into the wall. Spotting the rune in the corner. He tapped it once, then twice before stepping away as the rune glowed red. He only had but a few moments to send whatever he wanted ahead and get Dany out of here before they wouldn't be allowed to leave.
He flitted across the room to gather anything of import and placing it on the table and wrapping them in one of the tapestries. He used one of his Portkeys to send them to his room and watched as they disappeared. His mind drifted briefly to a conversation he had with Harren about all this power he had.
“You say that you have problems with the nobility here, why not take a more direct approach?”
“Because I only plan on using my powers to influence, not to interfere directly.” Harren told him honestly. “I could be King of it all and no one would stop me, not even my mistress, because this world needs to be realigned to something resembling balance. I don't think that my influence needs to be so strong but I will take as many precautions as needed.”
Harren had only acted outside of his decision twice as far as he knew. Once in the deep North and again here in the East. He wouldn't say what he did but it must have been something drastic and something that would have made them all shudder given the look in his eyes. Demetri shuddered as he remembered that day before shaking his head to clear it. He took one last look around the room before leaving to find Daenerys.