110 AC
POV: Denovan
"Then show us this Orochi already, Lord Denovan... so we may end all doubts," Rhaenyra demanded, her expression solemn.
"Let us head to the harbor... it will be easier that way. Nagas are sea creatures; they prefer water to dry land."
I turned, and taking long strides, we made our way to the port. The place was bustling with its usual activity; the drakkars traveling between Skagos and Scalebay carrying milk, grain, and meat were constantly arriving and departing.
As soon as we reached the end of the pier, Rhaenyra stopped beside me, keeping a distance of two arm-lengths. She seemed to maintain a degree of caution after everything I had said and shown.
Since I had already summoned Orochi, it didn't take long.
The freezing water began to churn. Slowly, antlers resembling the crown of a stag emerged from the surface, followed by Orochi's golden eyes, which locked onto me before focusing on the strangers present. The serpent's massive body began to rise, water cascading down her scales like small waterfalls. Her thick body, covered in onyx-black scales, faintly reflected the sparse sunlight. Rising imposingly before us, she brought her head close to me.
"Didn't I tell you, Princess? I do not lie. This is Orochi, my most powerful companion—a naga."
As if understanding what I was saying, the great sea wyrm almost purred as I ran my hand along her scales. They were smooth yet rough, with slightly sharp edges; if anything brushed against them in the opposite direction, it would surely get cut.
"This is... a magnificent creature..." Rhaenyra said. Thoughtful, she continued, "Like dragons, does she also breathe fire? Or ice? Or perhaps water?"
"Orochi does not breathe fire or ice, nor anything of the sort, Princess... but nagas are serpentine creatures, and like most of them, they are venomous." I said this while gently opening Orochi's mouth. Her eyes widened as she focused on Rhaenyra and her Kingsguard.
Then, obeying my commands, the great naga opened her mouth, revealing saw-like teeth. Four retractable fangs extended slightly from the roof of her mouth, as if merely declaring their presence. I withdrew my hand, and Orochi closed her jaw.
With another command from me, Orochi—all forty-five meters in length—turned and dove back into the sea, appearing almost shy.
"If a naga exists, then I believe the rest truly exists as well," Rhaenyra murmured to me.
"As I said before, I did not lie, Princess. It is simply the truth."
"Then I apologize for doubting you... Ser Harrold, you as well."
Harrold looked into my eyes and said sincerely, "I apologize, Lord Denovan, for my earlier temper."
"I cannot entirely blame you. A man whose word no one can vouch for claims he has seen the monsters of legend and that they are his neighbors... it is only natural to be skeptical."
"Let us go... I depart tomorrow, so I would like to start packing my things," I said, turning around.
"Lord Denovan, what I said earlier was not empty words. I truly wish to accompany you and see it with my own eyes."
"Princess, I apologize, but that cannot happen." It was Ser Criston who answered, speaking even faster than Ser Harrold, who was already opening his mouth to speak.
Rhaenyra turned and retorted, "And why not? If I say I am going, why could I not? A Kingsguard is here to protect me, not to grant permission."
Supporting his sworn brother, Ser Harrold intervened: "Besides being inappropriate, Princess... forgive my words, Lord Denovan, but the Princess traveling alone with a wildling for a week is not something we can allow."
I frowned, but what they said was true. However much self-control I possessed and knowing that nothing would happen if we disappeared, no one else could guarantee that, and rumors would surely tarnish the Princess's reputation.
"Do you think I would lie with a man who is not my husband, my lords? Is my reputation so low?"
Then, to my surprise, Melika spoke up: "That is not the issue, Princess... Southerners are as dishonorable as ever. Rumors that the Targaryen Princess and a wildling king disappeared on a dragon in the North, beyond the Wall, would surface in an instant. The bards would love such a story. I may have lived on this side since birth, but I still know how things work on the other side... never expect compassion from Southerners."
Rhaenyra frowned.
"As grateful as I am, Princess, and though it would shorten my trip to a few days... I still agree with them."
To cap it off, Ser Criston continued: "And, Princess, if what Lord Denovan said is truly factual, then it is far too dangerous for you to fly there. You might encounter things that would threaten even a dragon."
Rhaenyra looked at us all as if she had been betrayed, and then said in a dry tone, "Let us return."
I sighed. "Sig, accompany them. I will pack our things with Melika."
As if that had irritated Rhaenyra even further, she picked up her pace.
Thus the groups split up. Melika and I headed to the forge and the warehouse, while Sigrid accompanied them back to our house.
As soon as we stepped into the forge, its heat enveloped the room. I went over to the workbench I had been using and began organizing things.
"I didn't ask earlier... what about the Valyrian runes, any progress?" asked Melika, spinning a finely crafted Valyrian steel ring between her fingers.
"Valyrian runes are not like the old runes, which are nothing more than the written form of the Old Tongue. It is as though there is Low Valyrian, High Valyrian—which Rhaenyra briefly taught me—and then, the Valyrian runes." I sighed.
"And so?"
"If we cannot learn it on our own, and perhaps no one truly knows the meaning of these runes, then at the very least, we must learn how to reforge Valyrian steel."
"Qohor... are you going there?" Melika asked.
"Well... I could... but I don't want to. I will send ravens there—a few dozen. I will have them watch those forges day and night so I can see them working with Valyrian steel."
"Do you intend to learn simply by watching them? I know you are intelligent... but if it were that simple, it wouldn't be one of the few places that master such an art."
"Well... what else can I do? Having them teach me willingly is impossible. Paying a fortune for them to reforge it is something we cannot afford, and we don't even have enough steel to forge a weapon. Not even enough for a dagger."
"So watching would be the first step. After seeing them work, it will be possible to know if their methods are vastly different or not. If they are, then perhaps we should kidnap a few blacksmiths from there?" I said at the end, almost as a joke.
"We actually should," Melika said simply. "We shouldn't even waste time if that is the fastest option... and if you truly intend to unlock the runes on the existing Valyrian weapons in Westeros, as you said before, you will need people who actually know how to work Valyrian steel, not just learn with their eyes."
"You might be right, but as I said before, I believe I won't be able to unlock the runes. After all, we don't even understand them."
"You could try activating them using the old runes. Just feed them magic and kaboom, maybe it works," Melika suggested, her fingers wandering among the few Valyrian objects on the table: three rings, a maester's chain, and a beautifully crafted necklace set with a few other jewels.
I looked at Melika, mulling over the idea. It was actually brilliant and, most likely, would work.
"That would work... probably. But I would need to activate them like the Leviathan... unless I inscribed a vampiric-type rune to automatically store magic in the weapon," I replied.
Melika didn't even pause before countering, looking at me: "A bit dangerous. But with other runes acting as a countermeasure, it would likely work. We wouldn't know their effects, and we would have to energize them rune by rune, testing various combinations just to figure out if they cause any reaction."
"That's assuming Valyrian runes and old runes can even work together... Work and more work... it feels like things never stop piling up for me," I grumbled, after putting the items away on the workbench and gathering everything useful in the forge to take with me.
Melika turned to me and said, "Then rest... think about it after we have enough for a weapon... we still have a long way to go anyway, we have plenty of time... I will pack the rest of your things. Will you be riding Breu?"
"Focus on the now, huh..." I murmured thoughtfully, and Melika's last words reminded me of something. I turned to her with a smile and said, "To his dismay, no. This time I am going to test something different."
Melika raised a brow slightly and inquired, "What, then? A sled pulled by wolves? Or are you taking only Kali and Orion? The travel time would be the same as going with Breu. Why not go on horseback, then?"
With a broad smile, I walked over to a massive cabinet and gestured for Melika to come over.
She sighed at my dramatics, but quickly came to my side and looked at the immense saddle stored inside.
"When did you make something like this?"
"I started crafting it before the Stepstones campaign, and whenever I returned, I kept working on it and its runes."
Melika looked at me in surprise and said, with an amused, teasing smile, "That wasn't mentioned in the report, my king... what else are you hiding?" she murmured, her fingers sliding up and down my chest.
"Now... I think nothing." My words lacked even a shred of conviction.
"And you think traveling on Orochi will be faster than going on horseback?"
"I have no doubt. She will certainly glide across the terrain with ease. Even with the weight, her fatigue will be minimal compared to any other animal."
"Then good luck. She won't enjoy staying on dry land for so long."
"I don't think I'll be that long. Maybe two weeks at most. The timeframe I mentioned earlier was just a precaution in case something goes wrong. But rest assured, nothing will go wrong. I won't be going that far north, and with Orochi, very few things could pose a threat."
"Be careful with that pride... words have power. Just go rest for tomorrow," she said, momentarily dropping her teasing, seductive tone.
"It's still early..." I said, resting my hands on Melika's hips, only to be brushed off with a light slap.
"Remember what I told you, little wolf... you are grounded until you return from the war and we get married."
I sighed. We weren't even married yet, and the sea was already drying up.
As if reading my mind, I took a swift elbow to the gut, and Melika's voice came out cold while her back was still turned to me.
"Don't think foolish thoughts... woe to you if you go back on what you told me."
Feeling a knot in my stomach, I replied soothingly, "I would never dream of anything else, my queen."