Chapter 39
Deep in the bowels of a gleaming white castle, the torturous screams of a man in agony reverberated off of the thick, stone walls. The man cried out pathetically.
"NO!" he yelled. "Not again … PLEASE!" the man begged. Hovering above him was a scorpion being held by the tail. Its eight legs were wiggling back and forth wildly, as though the little beast was filled with excitement. The two pincers in the front were clicking away in anger at being manhandled. The scorpion was lowered closer and closer to his bare chest. The man thrashed wildly, but his chains and manacles were ungiving. The large plank of wood that he was chained to wouldn't even budge as he violently thrashed.
On his chest was a collection of angry, red bumps that were beginning to ooze pus. His body was growing feverish, and his blood felt as though it were beginning to boil.
"Just tell me your name and who sent you," the honeyed voice of the Dread Lord filled his ears. "And I will show mercy on you."
The man swallowed hard. If he confessed, his family would surely pay for his failure … possibly the entire city of Meereen. He closed his mouth resolutely, even though his lips were quivering. He whimpered as the little wiggling legs of the scorpion tickled his sweaty stomach. "You are admirably tough," the Dread Lord complimented him.
"Spotted Scorpions from Dorne are small to be sure, but their venom packs a punch. The venom is necrotic and will continue breaking down the flesh around the sting. That, however, is a long-term effect. The worst part is the itching. Men have been driven mad by the unending itch, and yet, somehow you are managing. Do you not feel it?"
He could feel it. It was driving him insane. All he wanted to do was get his hands free so that he could dig his nails into his flesh around the stings and relieve the cursed itch.
"Can you feel how it makes your skin crawl," the Dread Lord teased, dropping the scorpion on his belly. Once, twice, three times it stung. The man bowed his back and screamed before the scorpion was picked up once again. Through blurry vision, he watched as the Dread Lord took the little creature and placed him in a glass case filled with sand. "I use their venom in potions, but they did come in handy today," the Dread Lord said happily.
Suddenly, in his hand was a very sharp-looking knife. Its metal blade was curved and cruel. It glinted in the dull candlelight that illuminated the room. "You are quite stubborn," the Dread Lord told him. "Seeing as you are fighting so hard to avoid confessing, it tells me that you are protecting someone you care about. Possibly family?"
The man flinched hard, and the Dread Lord began chuckling. "Of course," he finished chuckling. "Now I just need your name," he said as he moved closer to his side.
His body was already going into shock from being stung by the scorpion so many times. As such, he only felt moderate pain along with a pinching sensation before the Dread Lord lifted up one of his severed fingers. "Name?" he asked nicely, tossing the detached finger over his shoulder. "Come on now. You've got plenty more where that came from," he warned, tapping the blade against his naked thigh.
Now that he had seen what the Dread Lord was doing, a sickening feeling welled up in his belly, and his hand flared with sudden, intense pain. He screamed loudly as he began to panic. His skin was tearing against the metal cuffs that were holding his wrists and ankles to the large sheet of wood. "Suit yourself," the Dread Lord said, grabbing another finger.
The next hour or so was a blur to him. He was continuously moving in and out of consciousness. He was surprised that he hadn't bled out yet with how many fingers had been removed. He was sure that one hand was only a fingerless stump by that point.
Harry dropped the removed eyeball onto the ground with disgust. Sure, he could have just used his powers to take the information from the man's mind, but that would have been letting him off easy. It was the principle of the thing. If someone was actively working against his city, Harry wanted to make them pay. The man, however, was as tough as nails. Harry slapped the guy in the face to wake him back up. He had been feeding the man his powers to keep him from dying. When his one good eye fluttered open, Harry immediately saw terror in it. Harry was starting to get annoyed. If physical pain wasn't going to work, perhaps he needed to try some psychological torture. Taking a quick peek into his mind to find out what terrified him, Harry pulled out and smiled. With a snap of his fingers, the man was suddenly freed. Sadly for him, he was in such bad shape that he couldn't even lift his head. Harry reached down, grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him up. Suddenly, they were gone.
The sudden shift in temperature had the man curious. The cool air of his dungeon had turned hot and humid. He blinked with his one good eye. The sun was shining in his eye. All around him was nothing but trees and water. Looking down, he gasped. They were hundreds of feet in the air. Without a word, they were flying through the air before slipping through the trees. He wasn't sure how long it went on, but eventually, they stopped. He was spun around.
"Tell me your name or I'm tossing you in there," the Dread Lord threatened. His eye spotted something that made his stomach drop. Inside a deep pit in the ground were around a dozen of the largest spiders that he had ever seen. With what little strength he had left, he tried desperately to break free.
Harry laughed menacingly as the man tried to break his grip. He had brought him to a pit where Harry kept the male spiders that were a little too violent. They often fought and killed any smaller males that tried to breed with the females. While normally this would be a fine example of natural selection at work, Harry didn't need quality … He needed quantity. Because of this, he moved them to the pit to keep them away from the other spiders. While there, his drones would milk their venom until they ended up killing one another.
"Please," he begged, digging his heels in the dirt to avoid being thrown in. He had a terrible fear of spiders. When he was a child, he was woken up by a tickling sensation on his face. He wiped his face and quickly sat up, only to see a big, hairy spider crawling all over him. He screamed and wet the bed until finally, his mother came in to rescue him. Since then, just seeing them sent shivers down his spine.
"Well … If you are not going to speak, then you are useless to me," Harry said, pushing him until he was right up to the edge.
"Hoxhoahr Pahl!" he yelled as loud as his damaged throat would allow.
"The Pahl family from Meereen?" Harry asked for clarification. He knew of only the richest families in Meereen, but he didn't know much more about them.
"Yes!" he cried. "They just wanted one ship, that's all! Now, please let me go!" he begged. Without another thought, Harry shoved him in the back. Hoxhoahr Pahl tipped forward and fell painfully into the pit. Before he could even get off the ground, the hungry spiders grabbed his arms and legs in their pincers. They pulled, and Harry watched his body stretch until his arm and a leg were ripped clean from their sockets. His horrific cries soon died down as the spiders ripped into his flesh, hungrily devouring everything but his bones.
"The Pahl family from Meereen," Harry smiled wickedly. "That's good to know."
The Dread Lord of Essos
Harry ordered his armies at the ready. His ships were always ready to go, but now he was pulling them back to port. He just needed to have them stocked with supplies. There was a buzz around the city. People wondered who was unlucky enough to earn his ire. Harry was sure that many of the wealthy merchants were desperate for news. They had families in the various Free Cities around Essos, and they would like to know if they were going to be attacked. Harry, of course, always kept his plans tight-lipped and only told whoever needed to know. At the moment, he only told the Captain of the Unsullied forces. Not wanting to go in blind, Harry went to scout Meereen to find out more about the Pahl family.
Meereen was located at the northeasternmost point of Slaver's Bay, at the mouth of the Skahazadhan River. The city connected to Volantis through a long trade route called the Demon Road. To its left were the sandstone foothills of the Painted Mountains. To its right was the Khyzai Pass, the mountain path that connected the slave city with Lhazar. To the city's north was the great Dothraki Sea where the horselords roamed. Meereen was the largest city in Slaver's Bay and the most secure. The harbor was well-guarded by warships, and the city hosted a fighting force of warriors that had been bred and trained in the famed fighting pits. Their warriors were tough to beat hand-to-hand. Only the strongest and most talented survived the pits.
Hearing the word pit, one might think of two dirty men knife-fighting down in a large, dugout hole in the ground while men hooted and hollered from above. This couldn't be farther from the truth. The largest and most popular of the fighting pits, Daznak's Pit was as large as the Roman Colosseum back on Earth. It was a perfect circle of descending-tiered, stone benches, each a different color. From high above, it would appear to be two rainbows connected to make a circle. Above the Gates of Fate where the names of all Gladiators who have died have been engraved, stood the massive, bronze statues of two warriors in the act of killing one another … one with a sword and the other an axe. The fighting pits were a crucial part of the city's economy and brought many tourists.
The walls guarding the city were among the tallest and thickest in all of Essos. Bastions and defensive towers beaded the walls, and bronze harpy heads with open mouths were situated on the walls to allow boiling oil to be poured on its attackers. The walls would be near impenetrable for a normal army.
The city skyline was dominated by the twenty or so pyramids that rose high into the air. The largest of which was the Great Pyramid which was located in the central plaza. All other pyramids were owned by the noble houses that ruled the city. Each was painted in the colors of the house that owned it. The Pahl's pyramid was the second largest in the city and was colored pink and white.
Harry invisibly soared through the air, tracing the perimeter of the city walls. Attacking from the Dothraki Sea would probably be the safest, Harry thought, but it just wasn't feasible. He would be bringing his armies by ship, and there were no harbors close enough where he could unload. Then the armies would have to march long distances without being spotted, which was impossible. No, Harry would have to attack from the bay. He would have to hit them hard and fast without giving them time to prepare. Harry soared high into the air and looked down at the city below him. He snapped his finger and created a detailed map of the city. Unfurling the large paper, he smiled at the accuracy of the map. He magically sent it back to his office. With that done, he flew into the city proper. As his feet hit the ground, he magically altered his appearance to resemble that of a respectable freeborn citizen. He became visible and walked out of the alley.
He walked down the main streets and the lanes and visited the brothels, inns, and taverns. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. There was no tension in the air. No one suspected that war was on the horizon. That was a good thing, in Harry's opinion. After a bit of investigating, he found that the Pahl family, like so many other wealthy families in the area, had amassed their fortune through the slave trade. Visiting their pyramid, he could see that they weren't kind masters either. Branded slave children ran around half-naked working in the hot sun. Their sweaty backs were crisscrossed with welted scars darker than the skin around them. One older slave was skinning and gutting a dog. Cooked dog meat was a favorite dish in the city.
Disembowelment and crucifixion were among the favorite ways the Great Masters of the city liked to dish out punishment to the slaves. It was a very common sight to see someone nailed to a wooden post. If they were lucky, they would die fast. If unlucky, they would remain alive for days in abject misery. It was a sorry sight to see, Harry thought. Needless to say, Harry would not be taking it easy on any of the Great Masters or the rest of their families.
He spent the next few hours visiting strategic points in the city and taking notes on any defenses or fortifications. With that done, he faded back home.
The Dread Lord of Essos
Harry smiled as he watched Dany and Myrcella joking around and laughing. Myrcella had been sad that her mother and brother had returned to King's Landing, but she was happy that she wasn't forced to follow them. She was quite happy that she didn't have to go back to that horrid place. Growing up, she didn't realize just how horrible the city truly was. It was only after coming to Seven Swords that she discovered the truth.
In King's Landing, the air was constantly permeated with the stench of human and animal waste along with the smells of dead and rotting animals. There was no way to avoid it. Even in the relatively clean Red Keep, the smell somehow lingered. She would be a happy young woman if she never had to smell a city's worth of shit ever again. That was a thought that most would agree with. There were other reasons why she didn't wish to return.
For one, King's Landing was just too dangerous. When her mother decided to return, her cousin sat her down and explained it to her. He told Myrcella that she could return with her if she truly wanted to, but he preferred to keep her there. The entire continent was still at war, and there were many that would love to get their hands on her. That thought made her shiver in fear. She almost immediately agreed to stay with him, earning her a handsome smile. She remembered how her cheeks reddened, and her face grew warm.
Another reason was that she actually had real friends there in Essos. As much as her mother had disliked it, she almost instantly struck up a friendship with Daenerys. There were many nights when they snuck into each other's rooms and gossiped about the goings-on of the city. One of their favorite topics was the handsome and gallant ruler of these lands. They loved lying in bed together and talking about him. Neither girl had any experience when it came to the opposite sex, and they knew for a fact that Harold had plenty of experience. She wasn't sure how things had started, but it wasn't long before she and Dany were sharing a kiss. They were only practicing in case Harold wanted to kiss them, they told themselves. Still, they couldn't deny how good it felt to have their warm bodies pressed tightly together as they rolled in the sheets.
Later that night, Melisandre came into Harry's office and smiled. "They are together again," she told him. There wasn't much that went on in his castle that Harry didn't know about. Harry, of course, knew about the girls fooling around. It wasn't anything to be alarmed about. They were just a couple of young women discovering their sexuality. He knew Cersei would have a different opinion if she were still here. Harry had done what he could to keep the information from her. Now that she was gone, it didn't matter anymore.
"Did you have your ear to the door?" Harry teased his busty, redheaded confidant. Melisandre smiled and walked up to him from behind. Harry was still at his desk, even though it was late at night. The upcoming attack on Meereen was taking most of his time. Melisandre placed her soft hands on his shoulders and began massaging his aching muscles. Harry hummed and closed his eyes while trying to fight off the tiredness that he felt.
"Yes," she admitted while smiling. "I could hear them moaning and breathing heavily. I was tempted to join them," she said, teasing him this time. Harry smirked and reached behind him. He slipped his hands through the slits in her red, silk dress. His hands began caressing her soft, smooth skin. Melisandre's skin always felt warmer than the other women he fucked. He thought maybe it had something to do with her religion. She was a Red Priestess after all.
"I'll admit … I am also tempted to join them," he responded. "They are quite lovely."
"Then why don't you?" Melisandre wondered. "They would not deny you their bodies."
"Soon," Harry answered, tickling her perfectly smooth skin. The girls were old enough to take lovers, and who better than him, he thought happily.
"Are you sure that it is wise to give the Targaryen girl Meereen once you have conquered it?" Melisandre asked, moving around him and dropping down on his lap. Harry placed his hand on her thigh and let it travel north.
"We will see. If she cannot handle it, I'll bring her back. I know that inside of her, there is still a deep-rooted desire to take back Westeros," Harry admitted. "She desires to rule."
"She may not wish to give up her friendship," Melisandre warned. Harry nodded. He already knew that she would likely want Myrcella to go with her.
Harry had thought about eventually giving Myrcella a city of her own, but the princess was just too sweet and kind-hearted to properly rule on this brutal world. She wouldn't be able to do what was necessary to keep control of her lands. Dany, on the other hand, was more than capable. Harry could see it in her eyes. She had the fiery Targaryen blood in her veins. He just hoped that she wouldn't eventually go too far. The Targaryens were well-known for their madness. He would visit often and keep a close eye on her. Hopefully, having sweet Myrcella with her would help keep her mentally grounded. Harry yawned and rubbed his tired eyes. Melisandre hopped off of his lap and grabbed his hand. She pulled him out of his chair and led him back to her room where she would relieve his stress before letting him get some well-needed rest.
The Dread Lord of Essos
While Harry owned plenty of blacksmith shops in Westeros and many in his city, he needed more than could be produced by them. His armies already had weapons, but they were getting old and had been used for training. If they were going to go to war, they needed better equipment. The best place to produce that amount in such a short time was in Sothoryos.
At his industrial-sized forges, he had hundreds of drones pounding away with their hammers. Sparks flew in every direction as their heavy, metal hammers clanked against the hardened steel of the anvils. When done, they dipped the searing blades into hot oil to temper them. The blades were then sent down the line where even more drones sharpened them to a razor's edge. Further down the line, the hilts were added. Hardened steel guards were first placed on before handles wrapped in auroch leather were added. To cap the hilt, steel pommels were screwed on. There was nothing overly fancy about them. They weren't decorated or engraved. They were simply high-quality swords that were to be used for one thing … war.
There were other stations creating spears, shields, and light armor. Thin clothing made of spider silk would be given to his best troops, while the rest would have to do with cotton. He simply didn't have enough spiders to outfit a hundred thousand troops in such a short amount of time. That was fine, Harry thought. He didn't plan on the fight lasting too long.
Harry walked down the lines, examining his drones working harder than any man had ever worked. None of them broke a sweat in the hot and humid conditions even though they swung their hammers relentlessly. Winter was definitely nearing. The days were cooler than normal, but not by much. Snow would never fall on the dark continent, Harry was sure. It would continue to produce even while everyone else froze. Harry moved further down and picked up a finished sword from a crate. He tilted the blade and examined the shine in the beating rays of the sun. It was almost perfectly smooth … almost no wobbles at all. Such a sword would fetch a high price at any high-end weapon shop. Harry placed it back in the crate where dozens more waited before one of his drones nailed the top on. He then lifted it up, a feat that no human would have been able to accomplish, and carried it down to the docks where it was to be loaded and shipped back home. Harry smiled. The time was near.
Chapter 40
Dany stood on the balcony of her beautiful room and shivered. She was wearing a thin, silk dress, and the air was very crisp so early in the morning. Dany loved waking up early so she could watch the fiery morning light bathe the city that she had grown to love. In fact, she had stood out there so often that she would wager that she could draw every building from memory. The only thing that had changed recently was the fact that Harold's army had been marching and performing drills practically nonstop. It made her both excited and nervous. Dany shivered again.
"Are you cold?" a masculine voice said from behind. Daenerys jumped and gave a short yelp in fright. She never heard him walk up. She was about to look over her shoulder even though she knew exactly who the voice belonged to. Instead, his warm hands touched her bare shoulders. Dany's cheeks suddenly felt as though they were on fire. Her face turned pink before letting out a shuddered breath. His hands were caressing her skin. It was made even better by the fact that the thin straps of her dress had already slipped down her shoulders. His touch instantly warmed her body.
"I'm alright now … Thank you," she said, trying to sound confident. She became even warmer when the front of his body pressed against her back. Trying to be subtle, she pushed her bottom against his trouser-clad crotch. Harry ran his fingernails gently down the length of her upper arm, making her body tremble. She jumped slightly when he began speaking in her ear.
"How would you feel about ruling Meereen in my name, Dany?" Harold asked her. She obviously knew that he was about to make a move on the slaver city. He had told everyone close to him almost a week ago. Everyone in the city knew that something was afoot. The constant military drills were an obvious clue. They just didn't know who the unlucky party was. Dany, however, never thought about who he would put in charge of the city. When the words had left his mouth, her heart began pounding. Everything suddenly felt very real.
"R-Right now?" she asked. Dany closed her eyes. She wanted to kick herself for sounding like a frightened child. Harold, however, chuckled.
"I haven't taken the city yet, Dany," he reminded her. Dany blushed red in embarrassment. Harold continued to chuckle in a kind manner. He gently spun her around, and Dany buried her face in his chest, trying to hide her embarrassment. She bit back a moan when his hands slid down the delicate skin of her bare back. Her dress was in the typical style for the young, beautiful, and rich women of Harold's city. As such, there was a lot of bare skin on display. The men of the city certainly loved the latest fashion trends of the city. Even the less wealthy women were getting in on the action. Local vendors were keen to make dresses of similar styles, only out of cheaper material. At the moment, she was very pleased that so much of her skin was on display. It made it easier for Harold's hands to touch her.
"When will you take it?" she asked, removing her head from his chest and looking up into his perfect, green eyes.
"Soon," he told her. "The armies are sailing out today. I'll catch up with them once they pass the Isle of Cedars."
"So soon?" she asked, her eyes wide with shock.
"Winter is nearing. Once winter sets, I will have my hands full and will likely not have much time for war and conquering. Instead, I will look to improve my standing among the other Noble houses of the world through trade."
Dany nodded, understanding. "So you wish me to go to Meereen … alone?" she asked, very nervous.
"Only if you wish to rule … and not alone. I hope that Myrcella will accompany you," he said. That instantly made her feel better. Knowing that her best friend would be there to help and support her was a huge load off of her mind.
"Do you think that I'm ready to rule?" she asked. She greatly valued his opinion after all. Harold smiled at her.
"I don't expect you to leave right away. I can handle the city on my own for a while. If you wish to help me rule my expanding lands, I'll teach you how before letting you take over leadership of Meereen."
Dany let out a deep breath. It was hard for her to concentrate when his hands were sliding up and down her back, and his thumbs were tickling her ribs. She wasn't going to lie to herself. She really loved this city, and she would be more than happy to live the rest of her life here. However, ruling Meereen would be a huge opportunity for her. It was an opportunity that many would kill for, and she meant that literally. She always dreamed of being a Dragonlord and ruling her own lands. While Meereen might not technically be "hers", she would be the woman in charge. Not only that but in a way, it bound her to him. Her face blushed harder when she thought about being his Queen. Harold seemed to be of the same mindset. She gasped as she felt him begin to lower her dress.
"Of course, I would need to make sure that you are loyal to me. Are you willing to give yourself to me, Dany?" Harold asked her. "Mind, body, and soul?" he teased as her dress slipped past her breasts. Her small, perky tits hit the chilly morning air and instantly became rock hard.
"Yes, please," Dany choked out as her thin dress slid down to her waist. Harry stopped there and let the dress rest on her widening hips. His fingers tickled her slim belly. As his fingers climbed up her front, Dany's entire body trembled with wanton need. She had never needed something so badly before. Not even Myrcella's soft kisses could make her body cry out for more like Harold's barest of touches. Her hands shook when his fingertips reached the bottom of her peach-sized breasts. Dany whined as Harold teased her and let his fingers brush over the incredibly soft skin underneath her breasts. Her pink nipples were straining and begging for attention. She tried to squirm around so that his fingers would find the hard, little nubs, but Harold made it clear that he was the one in charge.
"Yes what, Dany?" she heard him ask with more than a little playfulness in his masculine voice. He slowly turned her body back around so that her back was pressed against his front. She could feel how hard he was. It was pressed against her bottom, and Dany couldn't help but rub herself against it.
"I'm yours!" she gasped out as his hands moved higher, encompassing her entire breasts. With her declaration made, one of his hands left her breasts and pushed her dress the rest of the way down. It pooled on the ground at her feet, and before she could step out of it, she felt herself being lifted into his arms. Her lips were captured in a searing kiss, and Dany moaned deeply into his mouth. Her thoughts immediately went to the only other person that she had ever truly kissed. Though she would never admit it to Myrcella's face, Harold was a much better kisser. His soft lips expertly danced against hers while his tongue massaged hers. The sensation of their kiss alone made her ache between her legs. It was an ache that she had never felt before. It was as if her body was begging to be bred. That was why as soon as her back hit the bed, her legs opened, revealing that she was wet and ready.
Harry smiled as his newest conquest opened her smooth legs. As she did, she revealed that her little, pink slit was completely soaked. The look in her eyes was practically manic, Harry thought as he slowly removed his clothes. She was needy, and she was desperate. She wanted him to claim her for his very own. Harry had no problems with that. Daenerys had a lovely face and a beautiful smile. Her violet eyes were big and bright, making her look younger than she actually was. Her silvery-gold hair was tied back in one long fishtail braid that fell over her shoulder and covered one of her small breasts. Harry brushed his hand across her chest and moved it away. Her little, pink nipples were hard, and her breast shook slightly as she lay there trembling, clearly nervous. His eyes lowered down her body and over her slim belly. Her skin was perfect and flawless. No doubt that in her youth, her brother had kept her from roughhousing or any other childish activity that might spoil her body. To him, she was a commodity to be traded. The world was better off without him, Harry thought. Dany certainly was.
Her small belly button was just as cute as the rest of her body. Her hips were starting to flare out from her thin waist. Nothing like Melisandre's womanly form, of course, but then again, most women couldn't compete with the Red Priestess in that regard. Dany was still growing into her body. Harry couldn't wait to see how her body looked once she was done growing. Until then, he would have plenty of fun with the body that she DID have.
Just below her belly button was her smooth, hairless mound. Harry reached out and gently brushed his fingers over it. Her skin was soft and warm, and she gasped when he touched her. Below her mound was her hairless slit that was damp with moisture. Harry could see that her clit was swollen from arousal. The scent coming from between her legs was maddening. As he stepped out of his clothes, his cock was so hard that it was beginning to hurt. Dany's eyes left his and lowered to his erection. She seemed fascinated by it. Slowly, her hand dipped down between her legs, and her fingers began playing with herself. Dany seemed to be acting on autopilot because as soon as she remembered that he was watching her, her hand quickly moved away, and she blushed deeply. Her legs were about to snap closed, but Harry had other plans. His hands snapped out, and he pried her legs back open. His eyes were zoned in on her damp opening. He joined her on the bed and settled himself between her parted thighs.
Dany couldn't believe what was about to happen. Ever since they first met, she fantasized about him constantly. She thought about him during the day and surrendered to him in her dreams. She couldn't count the times she woke up from a dirty dream about him with her hand between her legs. She even thought about him when she was with Myrcella. She watched with bated breath as his head dipped lower. Her legs were wide open, and her womanhood was dripping wet. When his hot breath washed over her virgin pussy, Dany shuddered, and her body squirmed. His lips first touched her mound, and he peppered it with kisses. Dany had never really liked Cersei. She doubted that any other woman in the castle did, besides her daughter, of course. If she was being honest, she thought the older woman was a bit of a bitch. She did, however, teach her a lot of useful things … one of them being that a proper woman of a Noble family should always remove the hair from her body. "Only peasants and back-alley whores walk around with hairy cunts," Cersei had told both her and Myrcella. Now that Harold's face was so close to her womanhood, she was glad that she had listened.
"Oh!" Dany squeaked as he kissed all around her wet slit. Her young body was practically thrashing around by that point. Her hands lay at her sides while her fingers ripped at the luxurious, silk bedsheets that Harold had provided for her. Lifting her legs up, she rested them over his shoulders and threaded her fingers through his hair. Her chest was rapidly rising and falling as her excitement grew. Dany whined when his lips suddenly moved to the insides of her thighs instead of her hard clit. It still felt good though, she thought as he kissed her up to the inside of her knee. Suddenly, he grabbed her by the back of her knees and pushed her legs forward. Her body was folded, and her lower half was completely exposed. Every hole was ripe for the taking, she realized as she turned her head in embarrassment. When his finger tickled her virgin asshole, Dany squealed and quickly turned her head back to him with wide eyes. Harold was staring into her eyes while smirking. He was the one in control, and they both knew it.
"You're so wet, Dany," he told her. Dany didn't verbally answer. Instead, her face just turned a darker shade of pink. She watched as Harold ran his finger up and down the length of her slit. With her body folded in half, her lips looked extra plump, she suddenly realized. His finger would push between her smooth, damp lips until it slipped through the top. When he dragged his arousal-slickened finger back down, he made sure to rub it against her asshole. Dany couldn't take it anymore.
"Cum-ming!" she cried out in a slight stutter as her body bucked hard. She could feel a torrent of pussy juice leaking out of her spasming cunt and dripping down over her tightest hole. Her pussy was contracting, and her asshole was puckering. Meanwhile, Harold had her body pinned in the same position. It appeared that he wasn't done having fun with her just yet.
Dany was thrashing around and didn't notice that he had moved her into position until she felt something very big resting against her sensitive pussy. Looking down, she gasped as she realized just how big he truly was. With his cock fully hard and resting against her pussy and belly, it looked as though it might tear her insides apart if he were to fully thrust into her. She never got the chance to communicate her fears. Harry thrust back and forth, running the underside of his cock along her damp cunt. Dany closed her eyes as her orgasm began to flare again. The thick head of his cock hit her clit which made her squeal before he placed the tip against her opening. She felt him put a slight amount of pressure, causing the head to slip inside of her. He didn't go any further.
"Are you ready to become one of mine?" he asked her seriously. Dany nodded her head so fast that she feared that she might have looked comical while doing so. He hooked his arms underneath her knees and pushed forward. Dany cried out as she was properly penetrated for the first time. Her voice was muffled by Harold's mouth as he captured her soft pink lips in a deep kiss. Wrapping her arms around him, Dany melted into the kiss and even deepened it further. She could feel his massive girth stretching her insides. When he first pushed in, it hurt very much, but suddenly, for some strange reason, the pain disappeared and it began to feel incredible. Her walls tightened and clutched his thrusting cock. After only a few thrusts, the sounds coming from below were incredibly wet and lewd. Her body's first instinct was to wrap its legs around his waist and keep him buried deep inside of her, but the best she could do was clamp down on his shaft while trying to milk a thick load from his bloated, cum-filled sack. Whatever she was doing was working, she thought as Harold moaned into her mouth. Her face flushed with happiness at making him feel so good. Trying even harder, she squeezed down on him which made his hips move even faster.
The coil in her belly continued to grow with every thrust. Dany had experienced plenty of orgasms before, some by her own hands and some by Myrcella's. None of them felt as big as this one was shaping up to be. Her eyes were fluttering, and her hands were clutching his muscular arms. Her insides were hugging him tightly as the tip of his magnificent cock drilled deep within her, ramming into her g-spot before battering her cervix. Her breathing intensified just as her vision was growing cloudy. The intensity of it all was actually scaring her slightly.
"H-Harold?" she begged as he pushed forward a bit more, causing the head of his cock to stimulate her g-spot even more. Instantly, Dany's toes curled, and her back arched violently. Lights flashed behind her eyes as her mouth opened wide with a silent scream. Her pussy squeezed his cock so tightly that Harry was surprised that it didn't snap off. He moaned deeply into her delicate, slender neck. Her body was shaking and thrashing while her hips bucked wildly. Meanwhile, Harry continued to fuck her with wild abandon. If she wanted to be one of his, she would need to know what was in store for her. Still, she WAS fairly young, and he did want to take it easy on her. As such, he flipped her onto her belly and lifted her ass up by the hips. As his eyes lingered on her wet cunt, he could see fat drops of arousal leaking down her slit and dripping off of her swollen clit. He palmed her pussy and rubbed her juices all over her mound and lower belly. Her entire lower half was drenched in her juices. The scent of sex was thick in the air, and Harry wouldn't have it any other way. Placing the tip of his cock against her asshole to tease her, he pushed down on her little hole causing Dany to squeak and clench her cheeks shut. Harry laughed heartily as the young woman continued to spasm from the intense orgasm that she had just had.
Dany's small hands gripped the sheets tightly while biting down on them. Behind her, Harold was slapping her slick cunt with his cock like a club. When he slipped back into her, Dany was stretched from a new angle. She choked out a gasp into the bed as he pushed all the way forward until his hips slapped against her ass. She was breathing heavily as he waited for her body to adjust. Harold held her firmly by her slender waist and rubbed her lower back lovingly. Not long after, he had had enough waiting. Gripping her waist tightly, he slammed his hips forward hard enough to make her cheeks ripple. She squealed into the sheets as he seemed to hit completely different spots inside of her than before. The new spots were just as pleasurable as the others.
There wasn't much that she could do other than lay there face down, ass up as her newest lover sculpted her body to fit his massive size. Over and over she came. Once, she even passed out and woke up soon after. The brute behind her never stopped fucking her. He treated her body as though he owned it. Suddenly, she remembered that she agreed to be his. She offered herself to him … mind, body, and soul he had said. Dany had agreed. She belonged to him now. She didn't know why, but that thought immediately made her cum harder than ever before. She cried out pathetically as her slick walls squeezed him for all they were worth. She heard him grunt, and Dany suddenly felt him release inside of her. Her insides became warm, and Dany mewled sexily at the thought of being seeded by him. Unable to control her new urges, she dropped down onto her back and begged him to join her. As soon as he lowered himself, she kissed him passionately, not wanting to let him go.
Harry, of course, didn't mind. The coming days were sure to be long and exciting. He was more than happy to spend some more time with his newest minion.
Chapter 41
The wind was howling, and the seas were churning as the storm buffeted the long line of ships that were crossing through the strait between the Isle of Cedars and the mainland. The hurricane-force winds made the spider-silk sails snap violently while the ships rocked from side to side. All of Harry's ships were enchanted for stabilization, but that could only do so much.
Twenty-foot high waves slammed into the bow and broke, sending water spraying over the deck. Everyone except Harry's drones was below deck, relatively safe from the storm's rage. Unfortunately, quite a few had become seasick from the constant rocking of the waves, which made for an unpleasant trip for everyone else.
At the front of the line, the lead ship rose high into the air, riding the massive wave before the bow tilted downward. The ship rode the wave back down, sending several of Harry's drones tumbling overboard. On the lead ship with them, Harry was keeping track of the number of drones going the sides of each ship. When they did, he simply vanished them and created a new one to take its place. The rain was practically coming in sideways, drenching his drones to the bone. Harry, on the other hand, had a small force field of magic covering him to keep him dry and warm.
He was thankful that they weren't sailing directly into battle. There was nothing worse than having to fight while being seasick. No, the majority of his navy would anchor as close as possible to Meereen before going ashore. They would then make camp, recuperate, and then make for Meereen the following morning. Meanwhile, a smaller portion of his navy would sail directly to the slaver city and begin softening it up with his catapults and ballista. The storm, while a nuisance, was also a blessing. No one would notice the several hundred ships sailing by, nor would they be able to send their carrier pigeons to warn the Great Masters of Meereen. If the storm held on for another six or so hours, they would likely go completely unnoticed by the city's forward scouts. No doubt that his men wished for the storm to subside as quickly as possible, but they would be better off in the long run if it didn't. The ship groaned deeply as the thick, wooden boards and beams flexed and rubbed together. Had they been anyone else's ships, many would have already been at the bottom of the sea. The war would have been over before it even began.
The Dread Lord of Essos
Harry was glad to see his ships unloading their soldiers and supplies at the dozens of piers that he had secretly created the night before. Roughly twenty miles west of Meereen, in the dead of the night, Harry used his magic to create the temporary harbor. The following morning, all that his men would need to do was pack up and move North a couple of miles until they hit the Demon Road before beginning their march East. If everything went according to plan, their jobs would be much easier upon arrival.
Fifty ships didn't stop and unload. These ships had no soldiers or supplies. All they had aboard was the firepower needed to help bring down the city. Even then, the catapults and ballista couldn't do it on their own. The city walls were too thick to topple from weapons of war alone. They were amongst the highest and thickest in the region. They would need to concentrate their efforts on one single stretch of wall. Harry smiled as the large city came into view. By then, the sky was blue without a cloud to be seen. The sun was shining bright, and the waters were calm. It was the polar opposite of the previous day. Harry was very thankful for that, even if he was sure that they could now see his ships approaching. As if on cue, the sound of a loud, deep horn reverberated from afar. Only a few seconds later, more horns began blaring. The warnings had been sent. With that, Harry disappeared from the deck of the ship.
The Dread Lord of Essos
Nohklaz Pahl's head was hammering painfully. Of all the worst times to hear the city's war horns booming, it was right then, he thought as he gathered his gear.
The previous night was spent indulging himself with a variety of spiced wines from all over Essos. His family had the money to enjoy the finer things in life. He particularly enjoyed Arbor Gold. It was fruity but still had a nice kick. Normally, he refrained from getting drunk while on duty, but seeing as a brutal storm had been passing through, there was little else to do. That was why he looked the other way when his men broke out their own bottles. Soon, whores were added into the mix, and they had themselves a raucous party. It was a night to remember, but he paid for the fun the following morning. Waking up, he vomited in his mouth and was forced to swallow it. He could feel his head pounding while his mouth was as dry as the Red Waste. His vision was blurry, and he could barely think straight. The only remedy for such a hangover was more wine. He grabbed a half-finished bottle and drank greedily from it, not caring that there was pipe ash floating around in the lukewarm liquid. Beside him, the whore in his bed woke up.
When the bottle was finished, he fell back into bed and ordered his whore to "wake him up properly". He was halfway through a blowjob when the first horn began to bellow. His eyes widened drastically, and he cursed. Pushing the whore's head away from him, he jumped out of bed and nearly fell over. After the world stopped spinning, he steadied himself on his feet and threw on some clothes as quickly as possible. The whore didn't bother waiting around. She was dressed and out the door before he could tell her to leave. He barely got his boots on when more horns boomed across the city. This was something major, he thought with some panic.
When he finally exited his private quarters, he saw that hardly any of his men were awake. Down below, the barracks were likely filled with snoozing members of the City Guard, desperately trying to sleep away their hangovers. He walked over to a large chain hanging down from the ceiling. He preemptively winced before pulling. As he pulled the chain, a loud bell began ringing. There was no way the rest of his men would sleep through that, he thought. The loud sound echoed through his skull and rattled his brain. His pounding head felt about ten times worse now. Nohklaz very much hoped that he could get his hands on the person responsible for all of this so he could wring his neck. "UP! GET UP!" he yelled loudly as his men finally pulled themselves out of their drunken stupors. They stumbled up the stairs and into formation. He had to admit, they looked even worse than he did.
"The war horns are blowing … You know what to do," he told them. "Get into positions while I assess the situation." They all nodded and went down into the bowels of the building to grab their gear. With his men up and running, he grabbed a skin of water and exited the building that housed the City Guard. He only made it less than fifty yards away when he saw a massive shadow pass over him. He stopped and looked up. He saw nothing … not even a cloud in the sky. Shaking his head, he carried on. He took a few more steps before he saw the shadow again, only this time, the shadow remained in one spot. The shadow grew larger, and he looked up. As he did, the sun partially blinded him. All he could make out was a large, dark figure. Before he realized what it was, the black mass pulled up and began gliding parallel to the ground. He watched on, his alcohol-addled mind unable to comprehend what he was seeing. It was heading directly for the City Guard. His men hadn't even had time to leave when the monstrous beast opened its deadly maw and engulfed the entire building in flames.
The concussion of the blast along with an intensely hot wind hit Nohklaz right in the face. He was blown off of his feet as stone and wood were launched high into the air. All around him, the pieces of one-quarter of the building were raining down. The town's folk were screaming and covering their heads, afraid of the red-hot stones falling down on them. He was barely able to make out the doors of the City Guard bursting open. Four men spilled out into the street, each of them fully on fire. One spun around wildly while another rolled on the ground. The two others ran off, only managing a few steps before dropping dead. The sound of stones crumbling brought him out of his daze. He turned his head back to the building just as the rest of the roof completely caved in. There was no doubt in his mind, the rest of his men were dead.
Nohklaz cared nothing for their lives. He was a member of the noble Pahl family. He was better than them in every way. The problem was that he was the commander of the City Guard. It was his job to protect the city. Now, suddenly, he had no men left. The Great Masters were a superstitious bunch, including some members of his own family. If the battle did not go well, the blame would be placed on him and his family. That was definitely not a good thing. He did not want to be sacrificed to the Gods for something that he had no control over. Pushing himself to his feet, he began running toward the Western Wall. Within minutes, foul-smelling sweat dripped down his forehead, belly, and back, making him feel incredibly uncomfortable in his pink and white tokar. Like most wealthy citizens of this great city, Nohklaz was out of shape. The only exercise that he regularly got was from fucking whores and his bed-slaves, and even then, he made them do most of the work. One hundred yards away from the upper wall's entrance, he stopped short as a massive rock slammed into the cobbled floor. Those unlucky enough to be close by were peppered with stone shrapnel. Those that were really unlucky were hit by the thundering stone which was as large as a pot-bellied pig. The sight was quite sickening. After the initial impact, the stone continued to skip down the street. One master and his two slaves were instantly crushed before the stone slammed into a bathhouse, punching a hole right through the wall. He heard terrified screams within. The sight of the master and slaves made him want to vomit in his current hungover state. The master was nearly flat. His guts were splattered all over the road. One slave had his skull caved in, while the other's body was bent and twisted into odd angles. Shaking his head, he suddenly remembered what he was supposed to be doing. He needed to get to the bastion on top of the wall! He looked up just in time to see something glowing red coming over the wall.
When this one slammed into the ground, the noise wasn't nearly as deafening. Although, the aftermath was all the more terrifying. Somehow, a large section of a tree trunk that was glowing with embers slammed into the ground, sending red-hot charcoal and embers all over the place. Those that weren't panicking certainly were now. Everyone screamed and ran.
Nohklaz coughed violently and tried to cover his eyes. The ash and smoke carried by the sea breeze were choking his lungs and stinging his eyes. Suddenly, the ground shook, and he instinctively ducked for cover. The sound of stone shattering made him cover his ears and cry out. That sound could have only been one thing. A boulder had just slammed into the city wall.
The Dread Lord of Essos
On the back of Daemon, the city whipped past him as he flew over the top. They banked hard to the left, and Harry could see that his ships were beginning to pound the wall. Harry sent a mental ping to his drones to stop firing for a moment. The dark dragon flew over the Skahazadhan River and skirted the edge of the city. When they came back around, they flew low, only a hundred or so feet above the Western wall. Daemon's chest and neck expanded as he sucked in a deep breath. When its mouth opened, a jet of flames spewed out and covered the entire stretch of wall that his ships were aiming at.
The Dread Lord of Essos
Nohklaz had only taken a single step into the stairwell that would lead him up to the top of the wall when the black shadow whipped by. The shadow was instantly replaced by a flash of bright, orange light. After the quickest of rumbles, he was blown out of the stairwell by a blast of intense heat. He hit the ground hard, the back of his head slamming into the cobblestones. For a moment, he was knocked senseless. He wasn't sure what had happened or where he was. When his vision cleared and his ears stopped ringing, he noticed that his clothes were on fire. Needless to say, he was instantly awake. He screamed in pain and rolled around until the fire was snuffed out. Groaning, he slowly pushed himself up. His face felt tender. He touched it gently and winced. Not wanting to do that again, he stumbled back toward the entrance of the stairwell only to see smoke billowing out from it. Looking up, he gasped when he saw that the entire upper half of the wall was burning. The massive stone blocks that made up the wall were beginning to glow from the heat. Again, what sounded like thunder made him duck as the trembling of the ground made him stumble. They were attacking the walls again, only this time, it was continuous. The ground shook beneath his feet, making it nearly impossible to get where he wanted to go. All around him, flaming logs were slamming into the ground and tearing through the walls of buildings and shops. He decided that he needed to get out of there right away. 'Great Masters be damned!' he thought to himself. He didn't want to die for them or the city. He was too important!
It was easier said than done though. He realized that they were covering the ground with embers and chunks of flaming wood to keep reinforcements away from the area being attacked. Unfortunately for him, it made it very difficult to escape the area. The smoke was getting thicker, and it aggravated his lungs. His eyes were watering and stinging as he tried his best to avoid large pockets of burning debris. The constant assault on the wall wasn't helping either. The ear-splitting noise, the rumbling, and the vibrations in the ground, they all made for a terrifying trek to freedom. To his side, he saw the body of an older woman. She was clearly a freeborn. From the color of her tokar, she had belonged to the Merreq family. She made for a grizzly sight. Her bottom half was trapped underneath a massive slab of burning wood. The tokar covering her upper half was burnt and torn, exposing her old, saggy breasts and blistered belly. Frozen on her face was a look of pure agony. The worst part was the smell. Nohklaz could smell her flesh being roasted, and he could have sworn that he heard the sound of her body's fat and juices sizzling as if it were a pig roasting on a spit. He fought the urge to vomit and pushed on.
He was just able to jump over a large scattering of embers and slip around the pile of rubble that was once a granary just as another flaming log hit the ground near them. More embers scattered everywhere. Nohklaz covered his face and mouth to protect himself from the small particles that were continuously damaging his throat and eyes. As he hid behind the pile, he heard the muffled cries and pleas of the building's workers that were trapped beneath the mound of broken stone and wood. Obviously, he ignored them. They were nothing to him but a distraction from his true purpose … escaping this hellstorm and making his way to freedom. His safety was the only thing important. From behind the rubble, he saw the black beast in the sky coming closer. As it made another pass, more fire erupted from its open mouth. The entire stretch of wall on either side of the main gate was an inferno. The air was so thick with smoke and ash that it no longer appeared to be daytime. Clouds of black, acrid smoke were blocking the sun, turning day into night. The only light was the burning wood scattered across the streets and squares. All around him, the tiniest of embers danced and moved with the strong wind currents that were blowing in the direction of the fire. The firestorm was consuming everything now … even the air they breathed. Not wanting to be there for another second, Nohklaz bolted from behind the rubble and made a break for it.
It took some maneuvering, but he finally made it to a stretch of road that was far enough away from the wall that the catapults couldn't reach. That was all he needed. As fast as his legs could carry him, he ran in the opposite direction. He knocked an old lady down as he fled, and he never looked back. Slaves chained to the sides of buildings were begging to be released, but he paid them no mind. Children crying in the street … he simply ran them over or knocked them to the side. His only thought was to get back to the familiar pink and white pyramid that his family called home. Members of the City Guard from deeper within the city were now coming his way. He hid his face, not wanting to be pulled back into the fray.
"Nohklaz!" he heard the voice of his second in command. "Thank the Gods I have found you."
He cursed as he saw the painted red hair styled into wings that he was so familiar with. "Teroq … I was just …" he said, trying to come up with a valid excuse as to why he was moving away from the action.
"The Great Masters are having an emergency meeting! They demand your presence!" Teroq told him.
"Oh … Yes, of course … I will go at once!" he stated as his friend nodded and ran down the street to catch up to his men. Turning toward the Great Pyramid, he began running as fast as his feet could carry him.
The Dread Lord of Essos
"Where are our ships?!" one of the Great Masters asked furiously, banging his hand on the table. "Why are they not defending the port?"
Many of the others were standing out on the balcony, high above the rest of the city. They were looking on as the Western part of the city was taking a severe beating. Black smoke plumed high into the air. Nohklaz stood in front of the table, sweating profusely.
"The attack happened so fast … We never had a chance to …" he started before being cut off.
"And you did not notice dozens of ships sailing into our waters until they began firing at our walls?" another asked, his eyes narrowing.
"The storm! We did not …"
He tried to use the only valid excuse that he had, but it was clear that they didn't want to hear it. He suddenly heard the rest of the Great Masters cry out in panic as the black dragon flew past their balcony. He ran out to join them, desperate to gauge the situation. The dragon flew back to the burning wall, its massive wings flapping to keep it hovering above. Just like before, a torrent of fire rained down on the wall. By then, the blocks of stone were cherry red. As the dragon flew off, another well-aimed strike hit the wall with incredible force. They heard the cracking of stone all the way up at the pinnacle of the pyramid.
"What does the Dragon King want?" one cowardly master asked, his legs and knees shaking uncontrollably. "Why is he attacking us now?"
"We have done nothing to him!" another shouted as dozens of massive stones slammed into the crumbling wall. Just then, a pigeon fluttered into the room with a note pouch attached to its leg. It landed on the table, and the master wasted no time in snatching the bird up and removing the note inside. He read it silently.
"An army marches down the Demon road," he said, practically numb at this point. "At least fifty thousand strong … They will be here by nightfall," he read, crumpling up the paper and tossing it on the table. Then his anger exploded. He threw the pigeon with all the strength that he had. It slammed against the wall with an explosion of feathers.
"What is the plan?!" he shouted, standing up. No one said anything. The only sound in the room was the terrifying roar of the dragon flying in the distance.
"Nohklaz Pahl! Your City Guard will defeat this Westerosi bastard or it will be your head!" he threatened.
"Be careful what you say," another man dressed in pink and white said, walking over to them. "I will not have you threatening my brother!" the man glared.
Nohklaz felt lucky that his older brother was one of the Great Masters of the city. That was all he felt lucky about this day. The burden of war still rested on his aging shoulders. The roar of the dragon sent shivers down his spine. Could he possibly win? He thought about it for only a second or so. No, he could not. His only hope was to stall long enough for their allies to come to the rescue. He was suddenly brought out of his thoughts by the scream of a man. " … coming this way!" is all he caught.
He looked toward the commotion. His eyes widened as he saw the black dragon heading directly for the balcony. Its mouth was beginning to open! The Great Masters cried out and began pushing toward the stairs. Nohklaz joined in, pushing down a member of House Loraq in his bid to escape. He had just flung himself downstairs when the entire room was filled with fire. He yelled in pain as he bounced down the stone stairs, hitting the wall before landing on a soft pile. The pile beneath him grunted. When he rolled off of it, he saw that it was a pile of bodies that were beginning to move. These Great Masters were the lucky ones. He heard the others' torturous screams as flesh melted off of bone. Their screams didn't last long though. They soon fell silent, and only the roar of the flames could be heard.
Chapter 42
The constant barrage of stones against the city wall was really grating on the nerves of everyone in the city. Most were cowering in their homes, too afraid to go outside and see for themselves what the state of the city was. Those with slaves sent them out. The smart slaves simply found a relatively safe spot to hunker down until it was all over.
All night, the relentless pounding of the wall had the remaining Great Masters on edge. They had moved further down into the belly of the Great Pyramid where it was safer. They had their steel-reinforced doors shut and barred, which was the best they could do. They only hoped Nohklaz Pahl was doing his job.
The Dread Lord of Essos
Hiding in the basement of his mistress's house, Nohklaz Pahl was downing another cup of sweet wine with shaking hands. He had told the Great Masters that he was returning to the city to lead his men to victory, but in reality, he went straight to his mistress and convinced her to let him hide in her home. He didn't know what he was going to do in his current situation. The only thing that he was certain of was that he needed another glass of wine. He grabbed the bottle and poured it into his glass that was sitting on a scuffed, old table in the basement. The small, underground room was only illuminated by a candle sitting right next to the wine bottle.
"What will we do?" his mistress asked in a shaky voice. With every loud boom, dust fell from the floorboards above their heads. She coughed and rubbed the dirt from her eyes.
"I don't know," he truthfully told her. "Try and wait it out, perhaps," was the only answer that he was able to give. Suddenly, the next boom was quickly followed by the sound of breaking rock. It was a loud, violent cracking sound that sent shivers through his spine. He immediately knew what the sound was. A portion of the wall had finally collapsed. Nohklaz placed his head in his hands. Things were about to get even worse.
The Dread Lord of Essos
His army roared and cheered as the wall came tumbling down. Daemon flew by with Harry sitting on his back. Harry smiled as he looked down. Soon, his army would be inside the city, securing it street by street. Harry did his best to avoid destroying too much of the city below. He didn't want to destroy the city, he wanted to rule it. There were also tens of thousands of innocent slaves down there, and he didn't want them to die. Unfortunately, the innocent were never spared during times of war. Slaves would die. It was unavoidable. Harry just wanted to spar as many as possible.
Daemon landed close to his army, and Harry hopped off. The black dragon immediately flew back into the air and began circling the city once again, occasionally dodging ballista fire. Decked out in his black battle armor, Harry was ready for the next portion of the fight. With the walls and rubble still incredibly hot and the surrounding streets covered in red-hot embers, they would never be able to get in without serious injury. Fortunately, Harry had a little trick up his sleeve. Unseen by anyone, Harry waved his hand, and dark clouds began forming high in the sky. After a few minutes, the first rumble of thunder met their ears. After a few minutes more, big, fat drops of rain began falling. The sizzling of water being instantly boiled against the hot stones was louder than Harry thought it would. For nearly an hour they waited until Harry walked up to the rubble and began climbing over. He reached down and touched a broken block that was many times heavier than he was. It was still very warm to the touch, but definitely passable.
"We move!" Harry called out to the Captains. Within seconds, war horns were blaring, and his army fell into position. Standing on top of the rubble, Harry pulled out his sword and pointed it toward the city. His Captains called out their orders, and they all pushed forward.
Harry slid off of the rubble easily, never losing his footing. His army wasn't so lucky. Some tripped and fell. Some twisted their ankles, and there were even a very unlucky few who broke their legs trying to pass over the shifting slabs of broken stone. The vast majority, however, made it across unscathed.
It was eerie just how silent the normally bustling city was. Only the rain could be heard. Out in the bay, ships loaded with goods and slaves to sell immediately turned around when they saw the sails sporting black lions upon a cream-colored field. Those who were already there were shit out of luck, as Harry would say. Harry silently led the men that had already made it across the shattered remains of the wall. He heard coughing behind him. Smoke still covered the area, even though most of the ash had been settled by the magical storm that Harry had conjured. The ground was covered in a layer of black goo and chunks of charred wood. Ignoring this, Harry pushed on. The buildings closest to the wall had been ravaged by his relentless assault. Some walls and roofs had holes punched in them, while other buildings had completely collapsed. Harry could even hear the cries and moans of the trapped buried below the piles of wood and sandstone. He ignored their plights and moved on.
Two blocks down from the wall and there was still no one to be found. There was no doubt that everyone with working legs had high-tailed it out of the area the moment his ships had opened up. The buildings here had far less damage, though some had clearly caught fire.
With his hood up, the rain was unable to touch him. His men most likely found the cool water refreshing, even though the wet clothes and armor only added more weight for them to carry. Continuing on, Harry marched another block toward the city's center. With the rain pounding on rooftops, he never heard the sounds from above. He only heard the screams of his men who were peppered with arrows from the roof of a nearby building. Arrows bounced off of Harry's Valyrian Steel armor set while his men pulled out their shields to try and block the falling arrows. They locked shields above their heads, creating a solid slab of hardened Black Wood, though some of the men weren't so lucky. A young soldier dropped to the ground near Harry with an arrow buried deep in his neck. Suddenly, the entire upper half of the building completely exploded as Daemon flew by and raked it with his massive legs. Stone, wood, and men fell to the ground around them. A few of his men were crushed by the falling debris, but most escaped unharmed. The same could not be said for the enemy that had been firing down on them. The City Guardsmen were strewn across the ground, some dead, some groaning in pain. His men had little sympathy for them. Almost as soon as they had hit the ground, his men pounced on them, driving swords and spears into their chests to finish them off. Harry motioned for them to continue.
The deeper they pushed into the city, the more dangerous it became. As Harry started to cross an intersection, a massive projectile nearly took his head off. It flew by so close that Harry stumbled backward. Looking to the side, he saw a small group of men in the distance frantically trying to reload another bolt into their ballista. Harry's eyes narrowed. These were just one group out of many that had been firing shots at Daemon all day and night. With his sword in hand, Harry began to trot toward them before breaking out into a full run. He heard screaming behind him and knew that his men were following. Only five or so meters in front of them, they aimed and fired.
The Dread Lord of Essos
"Hurry up, you fool!" Preznos Ulti cried out.
Growing up poor, Preznos had been delighted when he was accepted into the City Guard. His family had been so proud the day he finally finished his training. Now, he was wishing that he became a fisherman like his father. He had been spending hours taking shots at the horrid beast flying over their heads. When he saw the enemy enter the intersection, he quickly turned his small ballista, aimed, and fired. The bolt shot out, cracking the air as it flew toward the enemy. Sadly, it whizzed right past him and tore through a brothel's wall. It was then that he noticed the man's armor. It was made of black and rippled metal with a dark hood covering his armored face. His cape was flowing behind him, snapping in the harsh wind. Even through the downpour, he knew who this was. Preznos's eyes widened. "D-Dread Lord," he cried out in a hushed voice. "Reload!" he yelled.
Preznos nearly wet his pants when the Dread Lord began charging him. He called for his men to hurry. "Loaded!" one of his men called out. Preznos wasted no time. With the Dread Lord only feet away, he aimed and fired. His heart sank when the Dread Lord simply swung his dark sword and cut the metal ballista bolt in half, never breaking his stride. Preznos threw out his hands. "No … Please!" he begged, but the Dread Lord cared little for his pleas.
Preznos found himself tumbling through the air when the Dread Lord violently kicked the front of the ballista. Fierce pain erupted in his belly as his body rolled across the hard, stone ground. When his body stopped, he saw the remains of the ballista that he had been behind still tumbling away from him. He groaned in pain, holding his belly. Lifting his hand up, he saw it covered in blood. Beginning to panic, he looked down and saw a large piece of splintered wood sticking out of his stomach. He yelled in fright and panic, grabbing the piece of wood and giving it a tug. The pain it caused made him instantly release it. He began to panic. He thought about his mother and father. He thought about the woman that he wished to marry. He had already put the down payment on his first home and had purchased his first slave. He was supposed to live a long and happy life. That was the reason why he had been working so hard. All around him, his men were screaming. Kelhan stumbled and dropped to his knees with one arm missing. A sword was driven through his back and exploded out the front. Mozlheern, his friend who loved to get drunk and piss on passing slaves, was pushed to his knees right before his head was taken off. His vision was suddenly blocked by a tall, dark figure looking down at him. Drops of fresh blood were dripping off the tip of his dark sword.
The rest of his life flashed before his eyes as the Dread Lord gently placed the tip of his sword against Preznos's neck. He reached up and grabbed the blade, only to have his hand nearly severed by the razor-sharp edge. "S-Stop!" he begged as the blade was slowly pushed down. He felt the tip pierce his skin. It was only when it was an inch deep that the pain truly hit him. The sensation of being branded with a white-hot iron started at the point of penetration and spread throughout his body like an uncontrolled wildfire. He thrashed around as his body gained a burst of adrenaline, and he desperately tried to save his own life. The thrashing and clawing did nothing to save him. Only a second later, he was resigned to his fate, and he stopped fighting. A strange sense of calm passed over him as he gurgled on his own blood. Perhaps dying wasn't so bad, he thought to himself as the blade cut his spine in half.
The Dread Lord of Essos
Harry pulled Fiendfyre from the neck of the young man just as his men had put the rest to the sword. "Move out!" Harry ordered. As they moved from street to street, the rest of his army was climbing over the rubble of the shattered wall. They began clearing streets and buildings as well. They were ordered to free any slaves that they came upon.
They had to be careful as they traversed the streets surrounded by densely-packed, tall buildings. There were City Guardsmen in many of them, waiting to fire arrows or even worse, poor flaming oil down on their heads. A small group of his men found that out the hard way. They spread out away from Harry, some going left to clear the buildings and some going right. Those that went right almost immediately began screaming in agony. Harry quickly turned to see them completely engulfed in fire. No matter how much they rolled on the ground, the sticky oil continued to burn, despite the rain. It wasn't long before they stopped moving, and their bodies continued to burn. Harry ordered another squad to run over and break through the door before any more oil could be tossed. They did as he ordered and barged into the house. It wasn't long before members of the City Guard were tossed from the roof. They hit the ground hard, and Harry could clearly hear the crack of their bones over the sounds of the torrential rain. Those men were also put to the sword.
With his men spreading out, Harry carried on with a small group of Unsullied warriors who were holding shields and spears. It seemed that every nook and cranny held danger for them. As they crossed the front of an alley, one of his Unsullied was forced to use his shield to deflect a large stone that was thrown at them. From the shadows, a group of ten men ran at them with swords in hand. Harry stepped up to the front of the group, his sword at the ready. As they arrived, Harry blocked the sword strike of the first to reach him. His momentum carried him forward, and Harry hip-tossed the man behind him. The screams told him that the rest of the Unsullied had made quick work of him.
Harry parried another attack, and an Unsullied spear slipped by his side and pierced the enemy in the gut. The man crumbled to the ground, holding his wound. With several of the guards dying, the rest began moving back. Harry and his men began pushing forward. Harry swiped at the neck of a man, but he was staying well out of range. Annoyed by this, Harry lifted his blade over his head and threw it at the man. The black sword became impaled in his chest, and the rest of the men cried out and ran. His Unsullied ran after them, their war cries loud and terrifying. Harry walked up to the man on the ground who was gasping for breath. Harry pulled the sword from his chest, making him cry out in pain. The shallow puddles of water around him first turned pink, then red as blood leaked from his body. Harry ignored him and pushed on.
The Dread Lord of Essos
Slaves that were unshackled at the time of the attack ran down the lanes trying to avoid the battle that was raging around one of the fighting pits. By order of the Great Masters, every pit fighter was to fight to the death. They were to meet their enemy and force their retreat if possible. If not, they were to stall them as long as possible. If any pit fighter retreated back toward the center of the city, they were to be executed for treason.
It wasn't only the slaves that were fleeing the fight. The city had been filled with citizens of other cities and kingdoms. They certainly didn't want to get caught up in a battle that wasn't theirs to fight. Sadly for them, many died at the hands of the City Guard who perched on the roofs of tall buildings and fired at anything that moved back toward the city's center. They had their orders after all.
The pit was filled with carnage, and Harry was right in the middle of it all.
"Free the lions!" someone shouted. Roughly twenty lions began running into the sunken coliseum through steel gates that were being raised. Those who ordered this didn't care that their own men would get mauled as well. They were desperate.
Harry ducked under a mighty hammer swing from a particularly large dark-skinned man. The pit fighter had muscles on top of muscles, and he swung his warhammer with ease. As Harry stood back up, he was forced to dodge as the man lunged forward and jabbed at his gut with the head of the large hammer. Again, Harry slid to the side when instead of pulling the hammer back, the man swung it upward, trying to shatter Harry's jaw. Harry was having the time of his life. He swung his sword, but the man blocked it. Harry would wager that he was at least as good as King Robert was during the former King's hay day. As Harry's sword bounced off of the hammer head with a loud clank, the man kicked Harry right in the gut, sending him stumbling backward. Before he could regain balance, the man was already attacking again. Harry ducked, and he dodged. The man was sweating profusely, and his thick arms were bulging. Harry could see the corded muscles flexing underneath his dark, scarred skin. When he jabbed again, Harry was ready for him.
Harry caught the shaft of the hammer underneath his arm. Harry yanked it toward him, causing the man to stumble forward. Harry's headbutt was vicious. His Valyrian Steel mask smashed into the man's forehead, and he fell back on his ass. Harry swung his sword down, but the man rolled out of the way. As quick as a cat, he was back on his feet. Blood was dripping down his face, and Harry could see a deep gash where his face plate had connected. The man used the back of his hand to wipe away the blood. By then, he was starting to breathe heavily. The constant swinging of the heavy hammer and the hot temperature was starting to get to him.
Beside Harry, one of his Unsullied cracked a man with the butt of his spear, swung it around with a graceful move, and slit the man's throat. Blood began pouring down the front of his green and yellow tokar. The sound was disturbing. He tried to breathe, but only a wet whistling sound came out of the exposed windpipe. His Unsullied showed no mercy and finished him off by driving the spear right into his chest.
Harry's foe screamed and swung the hammer down right where Harry's head would have been had he not jumped aside. The hammer struck the stone floor, shattering a brick, and sending sharp shards and dust into the air. Harry backhanded him, and the man fell, his hammer slipping from his grasp. It was a shame the man needed to die. He had fought honorably. Harry was on him in an instant, and he drove his sword down, only to be surprised when the man slid to the side, avoiding the sword's tip. Harry was barely able to catch the man's hand as he thrust a dagger at his thigh. Harry knelt down and drilled his knee into the man's gut. He grunted in pain, and Harry twisted the man's arm and pushed. The man's eyes went wide as his own dagger began lowering. The man pushed with all his might, but it was no use. The tip of the dagger easily slipped into his chest, and with a hard shove, Harry drove it down to the hilt. Still, the man fought to his last breath. Once he stopped moving, Harry stood up.
Lions were ravaging anyone stupid enough to get close to them. Harry grabbed a spear from a dead Unsullied and threw it at a lion. The spear buried itself deep in the lion's side, knocking it off a dead Guardsman whose insides had spilled outside. Harry laughed as he watched one of his Unsullied jump onto a lion's back and repeatedly stab it with a dagger. They truly were fearless.
The Dread Lord of Essos
A spark flickered off of the chain as the links snapped in half. The released slave fell to the ground before picking himself up. He moved to cower with the rest of his recently saved brethren. Chained beside him was a girl no older than fifteen. She was nude from the waist up with only dirty, shredded rags covering her lower half. On her upper arm was a slave brand that Harry knew nothing about. Harry swung his sword and cut the chains holding her arms above her head. His sword easily cut through the cheap metal and even sliced into the stone wall that she had been chained to. Like the others, she fell to the ground. Harry saw that her back was laced with long, thick scars likely made with a whip or a cane. She quickly scampered to huddle with the other slaves.
In the upper portion of the home that they were in, their Master was currently resting on the floor with several spear holes in his body. "Gerimo!" Harry called out, pulling his hood down and removing his face plate. The pattering of feet could be heard coming down the stairs, and a young boy ran over to him holding a water skin. Harry took it and drank deeply. The boy was training to be a member of his army when he was older. Not being able to fight, he and many boys like him were in charge of bringing in the supplies as they pushed further into the city. Harry wanted plenty of supplies within a few minutes walk of the front lines.
"Give them water and food," Harry ordered, indicating to the freed slaves. "Then move them away from the front lines."
"Yes, Your Grace!" Gerimo stood at attention. "R-Right away!" he stuttered and instantly ran back up the stairs.
Harry was letting his men rest. The air outside was humid now that the rain had slowed to a drizzle, and while Harry didn't mind the heat, his men did. Being Unsullied, they wouldn't complain or show any sign of weakness, but Harry knew that the heat and humidity were slowly sapping their strength. They needed time to eat and rest just like anyone else. Another boy came into the room and escorted the slaves out of the house.
They had been at it most of the day. It was now late in the afternoon, and the sun would soon be setting. Perhaps twenty percent of the city had been captured, so Harry knew that there was still a long way to go. Casualties were light with less than a thousand dead and several times that injured. The injured were getting fixed up by trained healers that were hanging back behind the lines. Their push forward had slowed. His army was tired and needed rest, so Harry gave the order to stop for the night. Camps were being set up and guard duty was being assigned.
Harry already had two other camps set up. One was for the freed slaves, and the other was for the citizens of the city that they had come across. Surrender didn't guarantee anyone's safety. Anyone owning slaves was immediately executed. Only children were spared from this fate.
He found it amusing that even war didn't stop the local whores from trying to earn some coins … especially since it was from the invading force. Harry had provided several chests of gold to pay every whore in town to have a good time with his men. Hopefully, they would have a good night, because many would surely die before they sacked the Great Pyramid.