The formerly dry rivers carried water again. Water clear as a crystal, spreading out like arteries from the Poison Sea that was now the heart of the region. Beating once more after centuries of cardiac arrest. The rivers spread mostly south and south-west one even going so far as connecting to the Summer Sea. While its tributaries were flowing through a few abandoned cities like Vaes Tolorro.
Much more happened than the revitalisation of the Red Waste. With the many people new to the city it was no problem to find farmers and the like to cultivate the fields. It was, in fact, the very first action Harry did after waking up from his unconscious state.
"What happened?" Harry moaned as he woke from his slumber. Rubbing his eyes to get the sleep out of them he last remembered fuelling the ritual and then nothing.
With a groan he righted himself while taking a look around. He was in his quarters with all his wives around him like it was another night like any other so far in this land. One after another they stirred but didn't come awake just yet.
'The ritual must really have done a number on us.' he thought with a grimace. The calculated amount was just under the amount they could spend. Narrow like the hairsbreadth all of them were away from total magical exhaustion. 'I have to remember to thank Bella for calculating it so precisely.' mental note made he woke every one of them with the usual kiss. Either he did it or they. It depended on who woke first.
The last was Narcissa who slung her arms around his neck, pulling him tighter while moaning into the kiss. After half a minute she pulled away and sighed in content with a smile on her face. "How long were we out?" she asked while stroking his cheek with her right hand.
Harry frowned and replied. "I don't know." getting up he escaped the prison that was made of his wives bodies and said. "Lets ask." it was done without complain and shortly after being dressed in some of their normal robes, still charmed like their armour to hold a temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, the five of them made their way outside.
Walking through the door the group came immediately upon Melisandre who was just in the process of entering.
"Ah, good to see you Melisandre. Can you tell us how long we were asleep?" Harry inquired politely. So far he was the only one comfortable around the red woman, though that could be because he had experience with highly dangerous woman with a dark past. Or maybe because he had no regards for his own safety, something his wives all would agree with.
The woman in question only nodded. "Certainly, my Lord. I and some other people brought you here after the ritual was complete. You slept for two days."
The raised eye-brow was the only indication that Harry heard her. "Thank you, but why are you referring to me as my Lord now?" he was kind of used to it, in the form of master and not Lord, but it was basically the same thing.
His wives seemed pleased by the address, only because they thought it fitting and that it showed the respect he deserved.
Unperturbed Melisandre responded while they all walked to the dining room. "I thought it disrespectful not to do so, after all you're the Lord of Light's chosen one!" she exclaimed passionately.
That stopped Harry short along with his wives. His gaze which resembled now more of a glare was fully focussed on Melisandre. "What did you sssssay?" he hissed low and dangerously, slipping unconsciously into Parsel-tongue. Eyes narrowed and expecting an answer post haste. It sent shivers down the spines of his wives and the target of his displeasure.
Coming quickly to grips with the new experience of having Harry's ire on her Melisandre responded. "I said that you are the Lord's chosen. The prophecy foretold it and you fit the description and were shown to me in the flames." thinking about how he controlled the waters of the salty Poison Sea and stood amidst the smoking corpses of his enemies. Other than that it also could've been the time he erupted from the Summer Sea, leaving it behind steaming, being reborn as a dragon.
Harry was silent for a good minute. "We'll discuss this later and I will explain why it doesn't apply to me." with that he strode again to the exit of the palace. At the moment there were more pressing matters to attend to. Though, he heard beside him where Melisandre walked.
"As you wish Azor Ahai." she wasn't deterred from her path. He controlled magic not even the Valyrians had at their disposal. The Lord had shown her the way and the saviour. However, it seemed he needed time to accept.
The group didn't have to search for long. Mirri Maz Duur was already in search for them. "You are finally awake." she exclaimed as the six of them left the palace.
"Finally? We were asleep for not more than two days." said a puzzled Andromeda, hoping that nothing disastrous happened in the time they were out.
"Yes finally. There is already grass growing directly outside of the city. We have much to do." exclaimed the plump woman, her posture indicated that she waited for instructions, the same was expressed by the expectant look she had on her face.
Sighing Harry began instructing. "Yes, gather all farmers and the like outside of the city." turning to his wives he said. "Marcella get all the woodworkers and carpenters there too. We need to build farms, orchards, fences for livestock and so forth."
Next came the rest as Marcella and Mirri went to fulfil their tasks. "Narcissa you take Mirri and the few healers she has with her and show them how to plant and handle the magical plants we need for potions and the like, after she instructed the farmers."
Giving her the trunks with all the seeds necessary he went on. "Make sure the area is secure, we don't want to lose these resources." It would take a while but healers were of utmost importance. They had to look later for a few people like Mirri who had an affinity for magic and wanted to heal. Potions could only be created with magic after all. A muggle trying to do it would get just sludge that was poisonous, useless and vile.
Having all task delegated Harry also made his way to the Bridge of Dreams. From the bridge they all could see that grass already stretched out a few hundred metres from the water. One could nearly see it grow.
Once at the end of the bridge he pulled the trunk for the potions out of his pocket. Harry hoped that soon all was ready and set, so that they could also free all the magical beasts in stasis. Pulling out the Cauldron of Plenty he removed the lid, revealing a rich green bubbling potion in it.
Another bottomless bag with their seeds sorted by type was taken out. There were fruits, nut fruits, vegetables, spices, grains and all manner of trees in form of seeds. He dunked the bag into the cauldron and let the seeds absorb the potion.
Then they waited for the farmers to arrive. It didn't took long only half an hour together with the woodworkers. It was fortunate that Harry could duplicate the wood from Qohor he acquired. So it didn't cost a fortune, but one beam of wood of the biggest sort was enough. There was now a full warehouse with these big wood beams, that duplicated them as soon as something was taken out. Using the original beams as templates.
Once Mirri arrived he bid her over. "Is everyone here?" when she nodded he mentioned to the bag lying on the ground an the cauldron besides it. "Good." next he gave her the bag for the plants and instructed her how they were sorted and in which order he wanted them planted. After she distributed them all she and Narcissa went to another part to plant the magical plants with a few other healers.
Harry, Bella, Andromeda, Marcella and even Melisandre were helping the woodworkers to build up orchards, farms, wind and water mills to process grains as well as paper mills. Olive presses were also build to make olive oil later on.
In a matter of three months the surrounding lands of Chroyane contained countless orchards, farms and the like and had their first harvest already, having lived on multiplied food for the duration of these three months. They had fruits in form of apple, pineapple, apricot, avocado, banana, blueberry, pear, bramble, cranberry, date, strawberry, fig, water and honey-melon, mango, pomegranate, grapefruit, raspberry, cherry, kiwi, lime, lemon, orange, mirabelle nectarine, papaya, olive, passion fruit, plums and grapes. A good variety of nut fruits. Hazelnut, walnut, peanut, almonds, chestnut, cashew, coconut, and macadamia. All infused with the Essence of Evergreen.
Vegetables in form of carrots, pumpkin, aubergine, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, fennel, cucumber, potato, garlic, kohlrabi, leek, onions, spring onions, mangold, horse radish, normal radish, lettuce, peppers, many beets ranging from red beets to sugar beets, aspargus, spinach and tomatoes. Different from the fruit and nut trees these couldn't be prepared with the Essence of Evergreen, but with the help of Herbology and the nature magic learned from the druids in form of wards the harvest of them could be done up to four times a year.
Grains in the form of wheat, spelt, rye, barley, oat, corn and sorghum as well as hops. Flour was made from wheat, rye and spelt and could obviously be used to make bread. Flour mixed with water and semolina, a bi-product from the process to make flour, made into noodles . Barley and oat was used to feed the various animals with barley also used for whiskey. Corn as food for animals and humans. Malt won from the various grains, hops and water was distilled into beer.
Harry had briefly considered to implement crop rotation, but with their knowledge of Herbology it wasn't needed. Instead he instructed the farmers for the grains to use crop circles, which enhanced their growth rate, strength and size.
Butter and cheese were made from the milk of the goats, cattle and sheep. Harry pulling no stops with the food. He wanted to have as much as possible. So that the many dishes he could cook wouldn't fade into obscurity.
Of course, flesh was the most rare in times such as this. Sheep being the most plenty was the only kind at the moment that could be slaughtered. Cattle was used to plough the fields with a plough he had Horor and his smiths create. Goats and chickens were the rarest, but only goats had any magical use with how their stomachs could create bezoars. It was good that they had mountains near them to expand to. The minerals the goats swallowed were responsible for these after all.
Luxuries were also added. Sugar cane and the sugar beet were used to obtain sugar. The bi-product of bagasse could be used as food for the sheep, cattle and goats, but they had enough of that. No, it was used to make paper instead. The bi-product of treacle was processed into rum. The Coffee plant and cacao-tree were also planted, the products obvious. Nutmeg and drumstick trees delivered also very expensive and useful things. Among them nutmeg, mace and the leaves of the drumstick tree being nearly as good as livestock, an essence of them could even be used to purify water.
The last was ceiba or the silk-cotton tree. All these who could were processed with Evergreen. They even had honey from bees the group had also taken with them to act as pollinators.
Under the luxury goods were now chocolate, cotton, nutmeg, coffee, olive oil, honey and sugar. Things not really abundantly encountered in this world or at all. Alcohols were beer, vodka made from potatoes, rum and some wine from the grapes. The Firewhiskey and normal whiskey was Harry most proud of. The cleansed water of the Poison Sea perfect for it, with all other ingredients it made for a strong brew together with the magic in it.
Spices were also among the luxuries. Basil, vanilla and all spices included in curry, which were cinnamon, curcuma, coriander, cumin, chilli, ginger, black pepper, lemon grass, sweet pepper, clove, curry leaf, Chinese pepper, nutmeg, mustard, allspice, poppy seeds, which was also used for milk of the poppy, lentil, cardamom as well as many more.
A garden for all magical plants was build. Under the instructions of Narcissa, Mirri and her apprentices in healing had learned how to handle most of the plants with the exception of the more dangerous ones that required magic to restrain.
The garden was protected by the Silverthorn Spruces and Whoomping willows. Access was given through various vanishing cabinets. The ones for entry were stationed at the three Apothecaries in the city and keyed to the ones in the garden. Everyone looking for entry through other means would be made into a pincushion or punching-bag.
Of course this required a good amount of workers, but surprisingly it posed no problem. Word of their city got out and it was apparent that the Lharzeen had enough of Dothraki and Ghiscari seeking to enslave them. So they took their chance and wandered east and in some cases north-east. A continuous stream of people arrived, filling the city.
Melisandre told them a number akin to one and a half to two million Lharzeen lived in the vast lands of Lhazar. So it was fortunate that Harry's group had so many new jobs to give and that these didn't take years to learn. The months in which the plants grew had been quite enough.
On the other hand the word of their city wasn't limited for Lharzeen ears, of course. Four months after planting the crops the Ghiscari were scouting at the edge of their land, the same with some Dothraki hordes and did so for seven months. Only the Qartheen were content to stay away. If it was because of the distance or that the Red Waste wasn't completely gone was up for debate.
One thing was for sure. They needed troops for the attempts to invade that would surely come, which was why Harry, his wives, Melisandre, Mirri and Marwyn currently were discussing what they should do about it in the Palace of Love. Despite Harry's weak protest the last fourth of the Palace was now his home.
"I think we can all agree that the Dothraki would sooner die than negotiate with what in their opinion are Maegi." commented Andromeda idly as she lounged on one of the couches with velvet cushions, she made herself. She only got nods in response. The Dothraki would try all they could to kill them, now that word has spread a little.
"What with the Ghiscari?" asked Marcella. "I don't think they have anything against magic just now."
Mirri snorted derisively. "No, but just one glance at the now fertile land and the many expensive and exotic goods you taught us to produce is quite enough. Meereen, Astrapor and Yunkai will ally in a heartbeat to conquer us, hire sellswords and enslave all woman and children, doing as they always did."
That didn't paint a favourable picture for the Qartheen, but it had to be asked, something Bella did. "And these Qartheen with their city that always will be or some such?" which got some chuckles from the group. Bella was never someone to listen to things she found unimportant. Important things being in order Harry, sex, her sisters, fighting, reading and enchanting things.
All eyes were this time on Melisandre, she was the only on who visited the city. "The Qartheen are stagnant and prideful. They may have a standing army and fleet, but I doubt the men fighting in them will have any experience outside of the yard. The Qartheen haven't fought a war in a long while. Only the Unsullied purchased from Astrapor will be of any use to them. Like the Ghiscari the Pureborn of Qarth are greedy and sooner or later we will be either in trade with them or they hire sellswords to fight us. Though, I would look out for the Warlocks I warned you about. They surely now know about magic having returned."
Harry only nodded grimly at that. She warned them about the warlock who much like Marwyn had a glass-candle. It was fortunate that the scrying obscuring ward now was up. Besides that Melisandre still persisted he was some messiah spoken of in some prophecy. Even after he explained to her how prophecy worked only when one believed in it.
Harry had a foreboding feeling that she would get others to believe it too and that it would cause a chain-reaction. Much like with Voldemort who was the only one of the two of them to believe in it. And it came true as well. He sure as hell hoped this would not come to pass.
Now Marwyn chimed in rubbing his chin with a glint in his eye. "You forget one faction."
A brow raised with her usual Ice Queen mask on when it had something to do with the maester Narcissa asked coldly. "Which would be?" she didn't forgive him for his disrespectful and sometimes creepy staring. She would've if he wouldn't do it time and again.
Harry grinned as he saw Marwyn grow uncomfortable under Narcissa's stare. He too found the man's near constant ogling vexing. He answered none the less. "That would be the Patrimony of Hyrkoon. The fortress cities of Kayakayanaya, Shamyriana and Bayasabhad guard the entrances of the three streets on the eastern Bone Mountains, the Steel road, the Stone road and the Sand road from Jogos Nhai and other invaders like brigands, outlaws and wild men."
"And why would they be willing to aid us?" inquired a curious Andromeda. She doubted very much that these people were that different from the rest.
Still fidgeting Marwyn answered, but became more sure of himself the longer he spoke and the more he didn't look at Narcissa. "You have made the Red Waste fertile again and it just so happens that the Patrimony too has a desert in direct vicinity, that makes it difficult to grow things."
Now a light went on in their heads with Marcella voicing their thoughts out loud. "And you want us to make their lands fertile in exchange for an alliance?"
Marwyn nodded his head. "Yes, the Great Sand Sea like it is called was once a land of rivers and lakes, but something the people there call the Dry Times happened that dried all the water up. If you would make their lands fertile again then I am sure the Patrimony would lend you aid."
Despite wanting to agree Harry wanted more information. "So these cities are governed by men only?"
From the muttering of his wives. "Typical that men were in charge and not women." he knew they weren't particularly happy about it. Though they narrowed their eyes as Marwyn murmured something under his breath they couldn't hear.
"What did you say?" asked Bellatrix sharply.
When the man shook his head Melisandre, who sat beside him and having heard it, answered after sipping a bit of the newly made wine from her goblet. "He just said that you probably wouldn't like what the Patrimony practises." she was enjoying herself immensely. When she couldn't sacrifice the annoying man to R'hllor then she at least could torment him a bit for the year she had to endure in his company. Although, she herself knew what they practised.
Now all head snapped to Marwyn. "Speak!" Marcella ordered hissing through her teeth. She and her sister-wives grew more angry when he only quivered in his seat. All the while imagining the horrible things these men would do to the women. They couldn't be further from the truth.
While all this happened an equally amused Mirri found it time to tell them and release Marwyn of his stuttering. So she cleared her throat loudly to get the attention. "I could tell you what you want to know, too." having been to the Jogos Nhai herself to learn from the Moonsingers Mirri had to pass through one of the cities controlled by the Patrimony.
"Then do so." Bellatrix waving her hand imperiously, having lost her patience with this worm of a man. At least he was useful to teach children the basics of reading, writing and numbers.
"Gladly." she nodded her consent. "Well, despite what one might think the woman aren't the victims of the Patrimony." upon seeing the slightly baffled expressions and raised brows she elaborated. "It is true that they are ruled by men, but the woman are the warriors in this case. All other men than the Great Fathers like they are called are gelded and live their lives out as eunuchs."
"Then how does on get to be one of these Great Fathers? Get they elected or what?"inquired Andromeda now not longer lounging on the couch but sitting up right in attention.
Shaking her head Mirri answered. "No, it Is hereditary. Only the most promising males, the largest, strongest and most comely are permitted to mature and breed, becoming Great Fathers in turn."
Horrifying realisation set in as Harry nearly fell over. "But that would mean..." he couldn't say it out loud.
Mirri nodded her head and said grimly. "Yes, that the fathers geld their sons in some cases the mothers do it."
The next moment Bellatrix exclaimed equally as horrified, while clamping onto Harry with all her might. "I won't let them anywhere near Harry's cock. If one of these so much as tries they will get pain beyond their imagination." she wouldn't lose the sex-life she now had. Not to some sick people fascinated with gelding.
Heck, in these lands it seemed everybody did it. The Unsullied, the sons of these Great Fathers and if her guess was right something akin to half the male slaves were gelded. It was nearly a fashion statement.
Despite the situation Andromeda's, Narcissa's and Marcella's lips twitched upwards and Andromeda reassured the distraught witch. "We won't let them either, but these people are our best option of having an alliance with." as bad as it was to admit that, it was the truth. Andy only got growling in response so she sighed.
"How do we defend the land when we aren't present?" asked a concerned Marcella. She liked her new home immensely. Sure many projects were still in progress, like the school, hospital, orphanage, the harbour and a place for the magical beasts. Their currency too had to be remade, but that was the least of their worries.
Rubbing Bellatrix's tits in thought with his chin unavailable, Harry got a grin on his face, which wasn't seen with Bella still smothering his head between her bosom, trying to protect him from imaginary foes intent to cut of his manhood and enjoying his attention. Struggling a bit he managed to get free, though regretfully, it was one of his favourite places to be after all.
"I think I have an idea." seeing that he had the attention of the room he continued. "In the book from the Rhoynar there was another spell we haven't used yet, which could help us out."
Pouting at Harry having escaped her Bellatrix asked. "Which is?"
Harry had a smug smile on his face. "The spell that lets the very waters rise in our defence." the spell was called Mother Rhyone's Embrace it even had ward like qualities with how it apparently whispered into his head when an attack was imminent. However Harry only wanted the watery protection, otherwise it was too expensive magically.
A giddy Narcissa jumped a little in her seat beside him and shortly after engulfed him in her own bosom. "Brilliant! With how these savages fear any form of flowing water or sea we would put terror in them with that alone." Happy that they didn't have to engage the bigger Khalasars of more than ten-thousand men in battle. Not that these wildlings could've taken Chroyane with its siege-wards and an active shield spell enhanced by a Fianto Duri. With this spell extra the city would never be conquered by land or sea. Only the sky was a weak point somewhat, but nobody in this day and age had dragons like the Targaryens.
So the group did just that with the help of Melisandre, Mirri and even Marwyn. Mirri and Marwyn were currently merely an extra source of magic. Melisandre with their tutelage was a different matter.
They found out during that time that the magic here was more primal and the people born here could not use all their brands of magic. Potions, runes, rituals, blood magic, illusions and elemental manipulation could be used just fine. Charms, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Magical Theory and Alchemy was out of their range of possibilities. These were too refined for this worlds people to work with.
People with the gift, so to speak, could call magic out of their cores, but these weren't the same as Harry's or his wives cores. Changed and adapted through centuries of evolution and magical evolution. Something that on this planet wasn't as progressed. Well there was also divination, but that seemed different from home. Apparently it was something that was practised very much. It was still vague with many metaphors and such, though that it could be used consciously was somewhat of a shock to the five of them.
It took only a few days to prepare the ward-stone, Harry himself prepared the spell or more precisely ward for its activation and implementation into the main ward-stone, with Melisandre's help, this time. His wives were out at the moment to look for scouts or armies. He didn't think it would happen so soon, but better to be prepared than not.
As he chiselled the runes into the stone, intertwining them with the already existing ones Harry heard Melisandre speak up calmly as ever. "You still haven't me told why you are so adamant that the Prophecy does not apply to you, my Lord." she had been patient in these past months, but even her own could run out without noticeable improvement.
Looking from behind the square obelisk Harry looked her in the eyes and a small rueful smile appeared on his lips a bit later. "I have not." he agreed. "We were very busy though weren't we?" remembering all the stuff they had done and still to do.
"Indeed." Melisandre concurred and again waited for him to answer while she herself too was focussed on chiselling the runes. Such useful things. However she couldn't wait for him and his wives to show her real fire-magic. Fiendfyre, Gubraithian Fire that Harry said could burn forever, Bluebell flames that were cold to the touch and only burned things held above them, as well as many more.
Although, she knew that they would only do so when they fought her trustworthy. Something harder to achieve than originally thought.
A sigh escaped him as Harry thought about telling her the truth. The whole thing was behind him so he saw no reason not to. "You mean besides what I already told you about how I see prophecy?" at her nod he sighed again. "Ok, then let me tell you after we are finished here." it took only a few more touches here and there and it was finished.
The ward-stone flashed up into a gentle blue light that seemed to settle down into the water after awhile.
Once he had admired his handiwork Harry walked to one of the many benches of the plaza and motioned for Melisandre to sit beside him. After she did so gracefully with the ever present seductive swing of her hips he began to explain. "It all began when my parents were killed as I was one year old. Some Dark Lord heard a Prophecy saying that apparently I was the one who would destroy him. But in his attempt to prevent that he created the very situation he wanted so desperately to avoid as something happened nobody could foresee. His curse rebound on him, leaving him as nothing more than a wraith, having bound his soul to the mortal realm through anchors."
Looking that his audience was listening he continued. "Due to my parents death I was alone and some people thought it a good idea to give me over to slavery." the words were still bitter and spat out quickly. "My first memories were of darkness, pain and hunger. I grew up unloved, beaten, working labour some men couldn't do in a day and humiliated in pretty much every way, expect having my cock cut off, thankfully."
Taking a deep breath to calm the raging inferno in his soul, he went on. "I didn't even know why I was treated that way. But I knew any attention was bad attention from the ground up, having it ingrained in my very being from only ever receiving negative attention. I couldn't differentiate between positive and negative attention for a long while."
He went on with his musings and decided a question was in order. "Do you know what is worse than being enslaved against your will?"
Melisandre could only shake her head, having no idea and couldn't think of one at the moment as she was only focussed on listening.
"Then let me tell you." he said grimly, a shadow overcoming his features that normally were soft and even friendly, were now worn and dark. "It is when you are the only one treated that way." making a gesture he pointed all around. "The slaves in Essos have each other to confine in, to suffer together and even lend one another strength. I had no such luxury."
A hollow laugh devoid of any feeling escaped him, a cold laugh. "It was a society much like Pentos, were a façade was all that was important. Just that I was the only slave there and nobody expect me and my 'owners' knew it." the word owner was said with such an utter hatred Melisandre thought he would spew flames from his mouth with his throat and intensities a burning furnace of hate.
"That was not all. Everywhere lies were spread around of how I was dangerous, a criminal and ne'er-do-well. The people even believed it, despite no evidence existing to support it." as he went on his aura flared to life lifting higher and higher until he circled through his Occlumency exercises to calm himself down. It took longer than usual. As he opened his slitted, dragon-like eyes again he went on. "Do you know what was even worse than all that?"
She still could only indicate in the negative with a shake of her head.
Now a somewhat sad, but also satisfied smile crossed his face. "When the people who enslave you are your own kin." At her widened eyes he couldn't help but snicker a bit, having it not seen often. "Oh, yes. The very people who should protect me, should love me and should nurture me did the exact opposite for the first ten years of my life."
She couldn't help but ask what came next. "What happened to change it?" her mysterious voice was absent from most of the usual superior air it projected, but rather contained... concern? What no one saw or in Melisandre's case felt was that she had dug her sharp fingernails into the palm of her hand, drawing blood.
'How dare these beasts treat the saviour, Azor Ahai in such a way?!' she thought with barely contained blazing hate.
Here a truly earnest, but small smile graced his features, easing her fury. "I found out I was a wizard, that I could do magic. If it would've happened a bit later I would've been broken by all the abuse I suffered, but with this I had something of my own. It was a miracle that I endured even that much." the last part was muttered under his breath, but she heard it none the less.
"There was even a school and people for me to learn magic and its applications from, who found out I had the gift and bought me from my owners." he had to explain it somewhat in the terms of this world. The original story would definitely sound more outlandish. Here another sad sigh escaped him as he slumped into the bench like a sack of potatoes. "I was happy at first, but at that time didn't know that I switched one cage for another, but a cage all the same."
"What do you mean?" The red woman asked as she couldn't tear herself away from his slitted, impossibly green eyes that held such a range of emotion. Flashing every time in a different way and displaying something otherworldly beautiful.
"I told you about the Dark Lord trying to kill me right?" she nodded. "Well, it so happens that the same Dark Lord had also wrecked havoc upon all these wizards. Being the one that 'killed' him I was hailed as a kind of saviour figure." he clenched his fists and ground his teeth as he remembered how this world functioned. "The first question that came into my mind was, when I really am so important to them why has no one come and saved me?" Harry took another deep breath. "Upon entering this world, which was hidden from mundane eyes I thought things would change."
"They didn't?!" Melisandre interjected half-asking and half-stating, with her hands in her lap. Looking him still into the eyes and face, when his eyes looked elsewhere. Concern was evident in her voice. Something she hadn't showed in a long time. Being alone for such periods of time would do that to people.
Harry nodded his head. "Indeed, they did not. My every action was closely observed and my every step judged. Even though I had no idea from this world and its customs or of anything in it, really. These people expected me to be some kind of perfect being they imagined in their heads. It seemed everybody knew me better than myself." a wry smile. "Despite that I was exited to start a new life in this world."
Another cold and cruel laugh escaped him, this time with a touch of dark amusement in it. "I saved the whole institution, where I learned, several times. I battled trolls, who could rip out trees with their hands as an eleven year old without much magical education. I also killed my first man at the same age, burning him to death with my bare hands. At twelve I solved an old mystery of the school and killed a gigantic, ancient snake who dwelled there. Its gaze could kill and one drop of its venom was enough to kill ten men. Though the most interesting thing I found out at the age of thirteen, which was connected to something I found in the secret chamber."
So enraptured was she with the story that she could only breathe out. "What did you find out?"
Smiling a little at having Melisandre so enraptured, something which was commonly the other way around with normal people. "I found out that the Dark Lord's soul had been extremely unstable through various rituals, so that as he wanted to kill me it split and one piece lodged itself onto me." here he touched the somewhat faded scar on his brow. "I found this out as I trained my mind to protect itself from intrusion. I knew the soul contained all of ones memories, so I took all of the useful information I could from it. All his knowledge of spells, magic and the society I found myself a part of were taken. The rest wasn't needed. I even learned to banish the Dementors."
"You can banish those beings?" she asked intrigued, forgetting the story for a while. She herself had to bait one of them, separating it from the others and let it do its thing before it saw her. Extremely dangerous and risky, not to mention the unpleasant cold aura and dark memories resurfacing.
Harry only nodded and summoned his Patronus. A aura of calmness and happiness covered the whole plaza as the stag pranced about, getting pursued by a few giggling children who had played in the waters.
Harry smiled at them and waved back as they flung their arms about wildly in greeting. Big smiles on their young faces. "That is called a Patronus. You need to recall a happy memory or think of something that makes you happy, let that feeling engulf you and then cast." The Patronus still walked around the Plaza while Harry had to take a moment to centre himself. "After I took all the useful information from the soul I realised something."
Still to enraptured by the spell, the story and now even the atmosphere Melisandre could only listen, something that didn't happen for a very long time. "It seemed that the soul and personality of the Dark Lord and my own were somehow merged, for a lack of a better word."
"Merged?" exclaimed Melisandre alarmed, thinking Harry was partly possessed or under the control of someone else.
"Not as you might think. In a way I was even thankful for it." here he laughed again, but it was more a disbelieving laugh as if he couldn't believe he admitted to that.
"It was a good thing, because of my upbringing I didn't want to let anyone down, even if it was very much impossible. The people around me used me and discarded me as quickly when my use was over. One day I was the next Dark Lord and the other a saviour who ought to be praised." shaking his head at the stupidity of the wizarding world the raven-haired man continued.
"This somehow let me think I had to earn love and acceptance with impossible feats. But through the merging I gained a more ruthless personality. One more out for its own gain. I believe the merging was finished when I was fourteen years old. It happened as the yearly entertainment started, which was usually me fighting for my life."
"What do you mean?" Melisandre asked sharply her eyes boring into his. He could even see the fire in her ruby red eyes, and was touched at the concern she had for him. Even though it was only because she thought him important. It was more than any of the wizards back home had ever done for him and they thought him important too. It was a point for her.
"Every year I spent there something happened that endangered the school and had something to do with me. In the first year an irreplaceable magical artefact, the stone I used to make you younger, was safeguarded in a school full of children. I believe it was used as bait by one of the more insane old men to lure the Dark Lord's wraith out of hiding. It worked and such a coincidence that it was my first year at the school too." the last part was uttered with such thick sarcasm even a dullard could understand the meaning. "In second year like I said the secret chamber. What I didn't say was that the monster in it had free access to the school for the better part of a year, petrifying students and killing one. Of course I was accused of having released the beast. Maybe I should have done so." he mused and could see that Melisandre thought the same. "Third year someone from the government thought it a splendid idea to post the same soul-sucking demons at a school for children to 'protect' them from a mass murderer who wasn't one."
"Are they mad?" Melisandre exclaimed horrified and nearly shrieking. Even her now red aura was for all plain to see. Indicating that she wasn't in the best of moods after hearing this.
Harry chuckled dryly as he drove a hand through his untameable hair and helped her calm down with the other, which squeezed her own. "I think a good portion of the population was exactly that. I suppose the problem was that they had magic for all their lives that common sense wasn't something they needed. Some of the more 'upstanding'" it was said in a mocking voice of your typical arrogant and rich lord "citizen even went so far as to remove memories of pain or over unpleasant things they experienced."
Harry only muttered the word 'idiots' under his breath and continued. "Anyway after I banished all the demons at the end of year and one too many encounters with them fourth year arrived. My behaviour changed due to the merging, but for the better. I wouldn't let myself be bullied around anymore and instead of looking to achieve the acceptance of others I searched for solitude. Of course, these people couldn't be bothered to keep me alone and had to drag myself in a deadly tournament."
Here she got a confused expression on her beautiful face, but before she could voice her thoughts he went on. "It wasn't one of the tourneys held in Westeros, no this one was quite deadly, indeed. First, I had to battle a dragon, but that was easy seeing as how I can speak with them."
"You can speak the tongue of dragons?" the red woman asked amazed. The more she heard about him the more she was assured he was the right choice. It was somewhat of a surprise seeing that he admitted to no longer be able to transform into one himself. One of the first things she asked to see.
That these wizards had dragons was not hard to believe. The Targaryens too had some until hundred years ago, maybe theirs had simply survived longer. It seemed true seeing as that it was a society full of Maegi. Hidden or not.
Nodding his head and making a gesture of dismissal. "Yeah, its also the tongue of snakes." letting his mind wander back to his original train of thought. "The second challenge was to rescue something out of a freezing lake with an one hour time limit. Then the third challenge was to navigate through a living maze interlarded with dangerous creatures. It was a good thing that I was not the trusting little idiot boy anymore. I found out about how I was to be kidnapped at the end of it and took measures to prevent that. When it happened I was again greeted by the wraith of the Dark Lord. I was prepared this time and killed him for good."
Despite the story she couldn't help but ask. "Then how does this explain why you do not want to accept you being Azor Ahai reborn?"
He seemed to have expected this question and answered accordingly. "That comes now. Like I said people seemed to expect that I solve all their problems and grew angry when it wasn't done, or not done how they wanted. I was one moment the saviour and the next an evil that could not be trusted. One can only take so much betrayal before wondering, is worth it? The role of the hero is exactly that all over again. People having high expectations and at the end everybody is disappointed."
"But you are searching to abolish slavery and even killed this Dark Lord." trying to find a way to make him accept. "You don't seem like a person who wants others to suffer."
"I am not." he agreed " I want to abolish slavery, not because I want to be a hero, but it is the right thing to do. I killed the Dark Lord, because I knew he wouldn't stop until I or he was dead." though something lay still heavily on his mind. "Or maybe I just choose not to be it?" he half asked and half stated with an odd voice not even directed at anyone as something entered his mind that he completely forgot about.
Before she could say something Harry already had summoned his blade. "Did you know that I forged it myself?" Harry held out the Katana still in its sheath.
She nodded knowing that already, but confused for the abrupt change of subject. In response he pulled it out a little to show the blade. "I used only the best materials. I created goblin silver or Mithril like its called, weaved spell after spell onto the metal. Tempered it in dragonfire, chiselled golden runes into it for a superior effect. And worked all around with great care."
Now he pulled it out completely. "It Is on par if not superior to Valyrian Steel. Cutting through steel as If it was paper. In all of this I couldn't foresee what happened when I added my blood into the sword to key it only to me and my descendants."
A sigh escaped him again, a tired one as if he lived more years than even herself. "What I hadn't accounted for is that my mother sacrificed herself to protect me. She gave her life so I could live, in what I believe was a blood-ritual for protection which anchored it into my blood. The reason the Dark Lord could never touch me."
Melisandre dared not to breath, anticipation building in her like water wanting to erupt from a geyser. "When I performed the process I seemed to have transferred this protection from my blood to my blade."
Now channelling magic into his sword, something he could do due to the living silver. His sword was after all only a focus like a wand, even when Harry didn't need it. In response the sword burst into a brilliant flame of orange, red, yellow and many more, the flame dancing through the myriad of colours. It was hot and shining brilliantly. The light reflected from the white walls around them, engulfing their bench and the surroundings in an ethereous shine.
Melisandre could only gasp and mutter in utter awe the name of the legendary sword. "Lightbringer." Like Nissa Nissa had sacrificed herself to make the original Lightbringer. The sacrifice of love from his mother must've had the same effect when he transferred the protection from his blood to the sword.
Twirling the blade a bit he continued. "I created this sword with the intent to protect the people I care about, but also to let the sword itself be protected." he stopped the motions and put the tip of the Katana with practised ease on the scabbard. The flame wouldn't weaken the blade, like fire would normally do in this case. After all it was a spell-forged sword.
Putting the flame out he re-sheathed it again. "Maybe it is all just one big coincidence, maybe not. Make of it what you will, I know you would've anyway."
He knew she was persistent, this way she was at least loyal and Harry himself was a firm believer in free will. He wouldn't let himself be dragged into some prophecy he didn't even know was real. Like he said maybe he was, maybe he was not.
One thing was clear. He would not do something he didn't want. Not to mention that he wasn't even from this world. Could someone even predict that in a prophecy? From the wording of the prophecy he couldn't be it because he had arrived not at the end of summer, but in winter on this world.
Shaking his head he stood up when he spotted his wives apparating onto the plaza and without completely seeing him walk briskly towards his and Melisandre's spot.
Harry was immediately engulfed in four female pair of arms that hugged him. "What happened?" asked Marcella concerned in his ear. They all had felt his distress mixed with trying to calm himself as they arrived. The distress was ebbing away, but she couldn't help but comfort him.
"Nothing. We just discussed why I couldn't possibly be this Azor Ahai." responded Harry as he smelled all of their scents in. Andromeda's smelled earthy and sweet, while Bellatrix was a contrast with her own that smelled faintly of blood and lemons. Narcissa always smelled of her perfume, a flowery scent that wasn't nauseating or too invasive. Marcella's own was of mint. All together it calmed him down, as he breathed in their combined redolence. He could practically fell the glares they send Melisandre.
Before they could accuse the red woman of anything he asked. "Did you find any scouts or indications for armies?" He let go of the four of them and sat himself down on the stone bench again, enlarging it for them.
After the four of them sat down Bellatrix nodded. "Yes, we found some Ghiscari, but they could tell nothing new. Only what we knew already, that they want to enslave our people, yada yada." she yawned as she recounted the empty threats of these idiots, but continued more seriously. "Interesting was what I found out after we separated. I found out that Astrapor, Yunkai and Meereen seemed to have bought five lowly and cheap sellsword-companies as well as the Golden Company and they have readied five-thousand Unsullied. In all they number approximately twenty five-thousand."
Now it was Andromeda's turn to say what she found. "I spotted a Dothraki horde of twenty-thousand a bit more than a months ride away. If we are their target I don't know, but I doubt it is anything else." there wasn't much else to target in this direction.
"Well maybe the Ghiscari prepare to meet the Dothraki in battle?" asked Harry hopefully, upon seeing the blank stares he quickly waved his hands and said. "Just a thought."
Shaking her head amused, with her blonde hair swinging with the motion Narcissa said "The Ghiscari would pay the Dothraki like every other city does these days, expect us that is. So why would they both prepare for a war?"
A sad sigh escaped Marcella as she into Harry's side. "I too have not so good news. The Qartheen have readied a fleet of a hundred ships and sail them east from Qarth, to what I believe is the river that connects us to the Summer Sea. That is not all. The Ghiscari of New Ghis are coming towards us with their legions. Approximately thirty-thousand men. It seems all these have allied out of one reason or another. "
It could be that the Qartheen just wanted to get their ruined cities to the south of them back. It was however doubtful, because the life has not yet returned there like in their land. Only the rivers flowed again.
Silence engulfed the bench and surroundings as they digested the dire news. Four armies were approaching them. One from north, two east and one on water from the south. Something akin to eighty-two thousand men were before their gates in a months time.
"Well it seems we really need these warrior-woman now more than ever." that in itself was an understatement. Against so many opponents the five of them could do little to nothing. One to sixteen-thousand wasn't a good ratio. One for maybe seven hundred to a thousand was appropriate, but sixteen-thousand was ridiculous. The questions was why did these groups all ally themselves against them? Were they that serious a threat or was something different at work here? There wasn't much fertile land in this part of the world, maybe that is all? Nations that sought to expand their territory or maybe they did not like the Lharzeen moving and with that their future slaves?
Too bad that Harry as well as the others had no intention to move any time soon.
Gazing at the ward-stone and trying to change the subject from this depressing one Bella asked. "How does the new ward work, Harry?"
Glad to be on another topic Harry explained just that. "Well it is an intent based ward, that means an army with the intent to attack our city will be met by this defence. The downside is that it takes time for it to spread out. Not to mention that it protects only against large masses of people, like armies and not individuals."
"How long does it take to activate fully?" inquired Marcella as she leaned further into Harry and played took his hand in hers.
"It should take a few months to do so." stated Harry. The spell was nice in the regard that it was an active defence, but it was also limited to the city alone, heck they could still be starved should they be met by a too large opposition, that burns down their newly planted crops, farms etc., which was unfortunately the case in a months time, apparently.
"So you mean during the time in-between we could be attacked?" sure they were safe inside the city, but all their crops, orchards and farms were outside of it and defenceless. "Should we build a wall to keep the crops safe?"
Andromeda shook her head in the negative. "We should first focus on getting an army. We can still build a wall when we return."
So it was agreed that they would visit the three cities of the Patrimony. The first would be Kayakayanaya, followed by Shamyriana and the last was Bayasabhad.
The next day the four of them without Narcissa and instead with Melisandre, who insisted on coming with them, made their way north-east to the snowy mountains of Krazaaj Zasqa and the city of Kayakayanaya beyond. They left a two-way mirror with Narcissa, who could inform them on any happenings and dangers approaching the city.
In their absence Mirri would govern the city as good as possible. Not that it was much, there were only people who produced goods, other jobs requiring more supervision such as tax collectors, bankers, inspectors for the harbour etc. would have to be hired or educated from their own people in the future. Marwyn was like always teaching children and adults alike to read or in the library. Not in the magical one, but they lend him a few first year books.
The reason for Narcissa not coming with them was because she wanted to brew something that would surprise the enemy, as well as prepare something else with the rarer ingredients looted from the DoM. If it went on like this the ingredients wouldn't hold out for much longer. One or two more special things could be prepared, but then they were more restricted.
From the plants always one seed or offspring was kept to plant it later on, but material from magical beasts they didn't have with them could not be replicated. Materials from beasts like the Re'em, Chimera, Nundu, Manticore, Sphinx, Phoenix, Tebo, Quintaped and Kappa. It were mostly level four to five beast on the danger scale that were missing.
They had all others from level one to three. Erkling, Erumpent, Graphorn, Kelpie, Demiguise, Merpeople, Occamy, Runespoor, Thestral, Unicorn, Abraxaner and a Phoenix egg from level four. From level five they only had many many Acromantulas out of the forbidden Forest, saliva from a Werewolf that could be used to infect people, two dragon eggs from an Hungarian Horntail, one egg of a Swedish Shortsnout, the pack of lupine werewolf offspring from the Forbidden Forest and another complete surprise.
Of course, all these beasts needed an appropriate habitat for them.
Something to ponder later.
It took the five of them a good few hours to arrive at the city of Kayakayanaya. The fortress was build directly into the snowy mountain pass it was made to protect. The walls are built out of black basalt, black iron and yellow bone. All in all an imposing structure, from which one could certainly understand how they resisted the Jogos Nhai for so long.
On the road of steel, they flew over while Harry carried Melisandre bridal style, the group saw fur clad worriers escorting a few caravans. Obviously the warriors were all woman.
The group landed outside of the gates, undisturbed and unseen. A quick Confundus charm took care of the guards at the entrance, letting them pass undisturbed and without search of their person. Something not out of the ordinary when one accounted for the armour and weapons they carried. A group of four people alone with such riches would surely attract attention.
Harry hoped it would all go smoothly and that nothing happened to prevent that. He should have known better than that.