Year 110 A.C.
Two days later
POV: Denovan
King's Landing was already out of sight. The Red Keep was nothing but a distant blur on the horizon, and the sound of the waves crashing against the galleon's hull was a comforting sound. The sun was already weakening, dyeing the sky orange, but what caught my attention now was the music on the deck.
When we freed the slaves in Essos, some possessed interesting talents. A man, who claimed to be a bard, won the sympathy of my men. Using the Common Tongue, he and my men composed a song that became very popular among the crew. I had nothing to do with its creation; it was purely the fruit of the spirits of my resting troop of warriors.
And it really turned out great.
Author's note: this song was modified by me based on that song: My Mother Told Me.
My king told me
That one day I would conquer galleys
And sail to distant lands.
I would stand at the prow
Of a noble ship,
Wield firm oars
And head for foreign ports.
...
My king told me
That one day I would become
A great warrior.
I would sail to distant lands,
Pillage and fight.
I would never flee from battle,
Nor fear death.
And, in the end, Valhalla or my home I would find.
They were excited. Many of my lords and captains had disagreed with bringing the Dragon Princess to Norway—more specifically, to Scalebay, our capital and the heart of the Far North.
However, when I explained that this journey represented the southerners recognizing us as an equal kingdom, and not as the animalistic barbarians they believed us to be, tempers calmed.
My crew calmed down even more now that the young Targaryen princess, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and noble women they had ever seen, was on deck, excited, clapping her hands and asking them to sing another song.
My warriors, for sure, were loving her attention.
I took my eyes off the men, who gradually stopped singing after the demonstration for the princess.
"Lord Denovan, this is incredible! Are all journeys with them like this?" Rhaenyra asked, approaching excitedly across the deck.
Her stay on our northern ship during the night would not be considered appropriate by her father's council. Therefore, as dusk approached, she would be transferred to the safety of the royal ship sailing alongside us.
"Not always, Princess. They are just excited by your presence, and by her presence, up there," I answered, pointing to the honey-colored female dragon, Syrax, flying above us in slow circles.
With a bright smile, she replied:
"I am glad to inspire your men, then... Do you have other songs? I would really like to hear them."
"We do, but the journey will be long, Princess. Save them for the coming days... I am sure you will quickly tire of the crossing if you discover everything now," I said in a relaxed manner.
"I understand... One thing I noticed is that some of your men speak one language, and others speak another. What is that more guttural language that some whisper?"
"Oh... you noticed? Well, my men come from various clans. A few still speak the Old Tongue, the first language Westeros knew, but which has been lost over time. Most speak the Common Tongue. The ones you saw speaking that other language are Thenns, warriors from one of the most advanced and isolated clans from Beyond the Wall. They have preserved their language very well."
Rhaenyra's lilac eyes shone with every cultural detail I shared. It was good to have someone paying attention to my culture with genuine curiosity.
"But now that is not as important. The Far North has been unifying since I united the clans under my banner... A language barrier barely exists anymore."
"But isn't that bad? Completely losing an entire language in the process of unification?" she inquired.
"That would be devastating to our history, Princess... but it will not happen," I answered with confidence.
"And why so certain?"
"The reason is the runes. The designs you see tattooed or marked on the bodies of almost all the men here, including mine. Everything is written in the Old Tongue. My people, fascinated by magic, have been increasingly wanting to learn the language to understand the symbols..."
The princess leaned in close, her voice becoming an intrigued whisper. She glanced quickly over her shoulder, making sure the knight of the Kingsguard was the only southerner nearby, and the others were not listening.
"And when are you going to teach me about your... magic?"
I let out an amused laugh.
"Magic, is it? Magic is as diverse as colors, Rhaenyra. Just as the Valyrian dragonlords used blood sorcery, we began to revive the ancient practices of our people."
"But our magic is not as extravagant or as mystical as you imagine in your stories. I cannot conjure fire out of nowhere, nor can I fly."
Adopting a professorial tone that I had not used in a long time, I began to explain patiently:
"What I do, the branch that I and the shamans of my people use, I call runic magic. Using the correct materials and precise engravings, I inscribe runes and reinforce the endurance, strength, or healing of a living being. That sums up a great deal of what a basic rune can do at the moment..."
"Is that all?" Rhaenyra said, visibly suspicious.
"Yes... for now, that is all."
She narrowed her eyes and murmured:
"I know you haven't told me everything, Denovan... But I will make you trust me."
"The runic magic you are seeing now, Princess, has been studied and used again for less time than you have been alive... We still know almost nothing about its limit potential. What you are seeing is what we have discovered..."
Her smile widened.
"'Almost nothing'... That word again. And what else are you not telling me?"
I ignored her because in the end it was true, and there was nothing I could answer, and continued speaking:
"The High Valyrian you promised to teach me... It is what might help me discover the rest. My warriors and I obtained some ancient Valyrian steel items... artifacts containing inscriptions. I want to see if any of those Valyrian inscriptions possess a hidden meaning or useful properties."
"In the Old Tongue, words have power... I believe in High Valyrian as well, and that is my real goal. The current Nordic runes have various physical limitations, and that is why I want so much to learn your language and integrate it into our knowledge."
"If my people are warm, well-fed, and safe, how much more could we discover, Princess? Wouldn't it be fantastic to have a runic library?"
Excited, she readily agreed:
"I will help you... You can count on me. Just teach me everything you can about your side."
A genuine smile appeared on my face.
"We shall see, Princess... Trust is something very difficult to earn, yet incredibly fragile to break. Prove you deserve mine, and I will teach you some of our secrets."
"Only some?"
"Well... runic magic is to me and my people what dragons are to you and the rest of the royal family. Those curious and greedy eyes you have right now, Princess... I am sure you have seen many southern lords looking at your dragon the exact same way."
Rhaenyra furrowed her brow, assuming a temporarily offended posture.
"You are truly bold, my lord... Calling the crown princess greedy to her face and right beneath her dragon," she retorted jokingly.
I looked to the sky, following the yellow beast's flight, and replied with a mysterious tone:
"I will show you later why I am not so afraid of your little dragon, Princess."
She seemed even more curious at my words.
"But do not consider it an offense. I am merely honest, and most of my people are too. Do not be offended by direct words, Princess. Be offended by the sweet and honey-worded lords of King's Landing; they are the ones who hide sharp knives and dangerous things."
The princess's eyes shone with the intellectual conversation. However, before she could answer, the knight of the Kingsguard cleared his throat, interrupting the friendly atmosphere.
"Princess, I believe it is getting late... The sun is almost gone. It would be prudent to return to the royal ship now."
Rhaenyra let out a small sigh of frustration.
"We will have many other opportunities for these conversations on the way, Princess Rhaenyra... Have a good night," I said my goodbyes with a respectful bow.
"Have a good night, my lord," she said, accompanying the guard.
I looked at the dark horizon again, listening to the laughter and heated arguments of my men on the deck below, and a wide smile opened on my face. I was almost there. Very little remained before the foundation of Norway as a recognized kingdom solidified once and for all.
23 days later
The journey was long, much slower than I would have liked. Thanks to the presence of the princess's dragon, which required frequent food and rest that the ship could not easily provide, we were forced to dock and set up camps more constantly than a normal sea voyage would require. This delayed our arrival by almost a week.
But, aside from that setback, the crossing was peaceful. The days passed quickly in the company of the lessons. Rhaenyra helped me immensely with High Valyrian. It was a complex language full of inflections, but, since my memory was exceptionally sharp, it was hard to forget what I was taught, and I learned the basics quickly. Enough to understand the structures and translate small, isolated engravings.
In exchange, I explained a bit about the theory of runic magic and its basic functioning. About the simple runes I carried on my body. For her, even if she wished to replicate the designs on parchment or stone, it would be simply impossible to infuse magic. For now, only Melika and I had the physical capacity and raw magical control to channel energy and inscribe a functional rune.
Still, Rhaenyra proved to be fascinated by the theory I taught. That was a pleasant surprise. I thought that, being a teenage royal, she would be extremely spoiled and unbearable. Perhaps the chaotic image of my own sister, Sig, had made me create a generalized prejudice about girls that age.
I sighed mentally. It was a good thing Sig was maturing, for she knew how to be a terror when she wanted to.
I still hadn't shown Orochi to Rhaenyra, but I didn't plan to hide him for much longer. When we sailed for the Stepstones, he would fully show himself anyway. Besides, with my ravens and birds controlling the skies and communications in the North, it would be difficult for anyone to send a letter with the news of Orochi to the South without me knowing and intercepting it.
The strident sound of a horn cut through the cold ocean wind. A relieved smile spread across my face.
Finally, home.
Scalebay was already visible on the horizon. The watchtowers made of black wood with sturdy stone bases, near the docks, already had their guards blowing the trumpets in a rhythmic pattern, as a warning of approach.
Without my needing to give an order, the same sound, even louder, rang out on our ship in response.
I gently ran my hand over the head of the enormous black eagle resting on the mainmast.
"Heimdall."
Without needing another order, the eagle leaped high and flapped its powerful wings toward the snowy coast.
The horn blasts were just a simple security system I had implemented. Every expedition that left Scalebay received a specific sequence of blasts that had to be answered upon return, so we would know if the approaching ship was friend or foe.
In reality, that current sound warning was a formality. Melika and my captains already knew very well that we were only a few miles away and that a southern dragon would be flying with us.
Connecting my mind and seeing the state of the port through Heimdall's sharp eyes, I realized my men on land had not held back. Surely, half the entire population of Scalebay was crowded at the port right now, braving the cold just waiting for our official arrival and the spectacle.
Heimdall swooped low over the crowd and let out his characteristic sharp screech. In the distance, above the white clouds, the sound of Syrax roaring in response echoed through the ice fjords.
The northern people below watched the sky with enormous expectation. There were murmurs, excited laughter, and, in some veterans, a great seriousness, but everyone, without exception, was extremely curious about the arrival of the dragon princess in the Far North.