( ACT II; age of the dragon. )
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chapter 4: sack of astapor.

VAEGON hated caging Rhaellor, but it was needed in order to get the dragon from ship to the Good Master's plaza. What Dothraki remained with them carried the screeching dragon in a large woven basket that had been acquired from the market, following Vaegon to the same place they had sealed their plans of a transaction for the Unsullied. Much to his amusement, Kraznys had invited his entire ilk of slave-master to see him receive a dragon, or at least he thought; Vaegon had other plans and he could not wait to share them. The wealthy slave owners sat comfortably in along the edge of the plaza, enjoying refreshment's served to them by the slaves as they gossiped and watched in excitement.

Vaegon positioned himself next to the basket after the Dothraki had placed it on the ground, Daenerys and the others standing close by. One of Rhaellor's crimson eyes is visible through a hole in the basket, the beast looking up to Vaegon for help. His heart faltered in guilt for locking up his companion, but they needed the Unsullied more than anything in that moment.

"You'll be free soon enough," he promised his dragon softly. Rhaellor let out a hiss of annoyance, sinking back in the shadows of the basket.

Soon enough, Kraznys sauntered toward them, leaving behind his ilk that anxiously watched from where they were being shaded with palm leaves held by slaves. They are served refreshments by their slaves as they gawk over the dragon. The slave-master had a particular pep in his step, causing Vaegon to grow more and more excited for what he planned to unleash.

As his side, Missandei came to translate. Now dressed in more suitable clothing for a free woman that did not include a collar around her neck, a sense of confidence was about the woman. Vaegon was pleased in himself for asking to save her from Kraznys, Daenerys gaining a companion as well. Since they'd locked Doreah and Xaro away to die, she'd been without female companionship for some time.

Kraznys speaks to Missandei before she translates. "He says that many have not seen battle and you would do good in blooding them early by attacking some minor cities on your way to Westeros," the Naathi woman tells him. "He says that the Good Master's will gladly purchase any slaves you acquire along the way."

Missandei pauses for a moment before reluctantly translating the last thing that the slave-master said. "He also says that any boys you capture will be castrated and ready to serve as new Unsullied once their training is done in ten years time."

"My, does this man have endless crude things to say," Vaegon tells Missandei in annoyance.

In the hand of Kraznys was a golden whip known as the cat-o-ninetails with the city's symbol or deity, Vaegon was unsure, on it's head. It was a golden harpy, its wings spread wide. At the bottom of the staff was straps of leather most likely used for lashing. The cat-o-ninetails signified his ownership of the Unsullied and would soon be in Vaegon's hand.

Kraznys stopped before Vaegon in anticipation of the dragon's appearance. Seeing how excited the slave-master was, Vaegon leaned down to unclip the basket, reaching inside to grab the chain they'd been forced to put around Rhaellor's neck. The pearlescent dragon immediately forced his way out of the basket, his wings stretching wide as he rose into the air. Letting out a shriek, the ilk of slave-masters rose to their feet to get a better view, hushed voices of excitement spreading throughout the crowd.

Cautiously, Kraznys walked forward to hand Vaegon the whip, his eyes never leaving the flapping Rhaellor above. After a quick transition between from holding the chain to the cat-o-ninetails, Vaegon takes a moment to look it over. Once he is satisfied, he turns to the entire Unsullied forces behind. Raising the whip into the air, the Unsullied snap to attention, their shield causes a metallic clash throughout the plaza. In Low Valyrian, he proceeds to test the Unsullied with basic Valyrian marching commands, at which they are proficient at. Vaegon smiles to himself knowing they are his.

Too distracted to know, Kraznys complains to Missandei, calling Vaegon a bastard and that the dragon won't come to his commands. The sight was amusing to Vaegon.

Vaegon looks to Kraznys. "A dragon is not a slave," he mutters in Valyrian.

"You speak High Valyrian?!" the slave-master exclaims in shock as he struggles to rein Rhaellor to his will.

"I am Vaegon of House Tagaryen, Old Blood of Valyria," Vaegon spats. "Valyrian is my mother tongue." Turning to the Unsullied, he begins calling out orders.

"Kill the Good Masters!" He declares in Valyrian, his voice booming. "Their soldiers and all of their overseers! Spare children and any slaves you come a crossed! Any man that holds a whip will die!"

Without hesitation, the Unsullied nearest begin impaling the overseers and any nearby slave-master. Chaos ensues as slave-master after slave-master begins falling. As Vaegon turns toward Kraznys once more, the man holds an utterly dumbfounded expression.

Horrfied, Kraznys looks around, frantically shouting for someone to kill Vaegon. The Targaryen King saunters forward, chuckling dangerously. He watches as Kraznys tries to find someone to protect him as he continues to hold onto the chain that restrains Rhaellor.

"Dracarys," Vaegon says simply, causing the pearlescent dragon to open his jaws and unleash a plume of flames over the thrashing and screaming slaver. The chain is let go in his effort to fight off the unrelenting flames and soon Rhaellor flies along the line of spectating slavers, continuing to unleash flames upon them as they scream. Vaegon watches in triumph, a smirk on his lips as he watches the slave-masters pay.

The Unsullied proceed to sack the entire city, slaughtering the slave-masters and freeing any slave they find. With the help of Haelyx, Drokar, and Rhaellor, the city burns and freed slaves flee. The golden harpy statue is torn down from the tallest structure by the Unsullied, left to crash to the ground as the gold bent and warped in it's fall. Deeming it wise to fund their conquest through Slaver's Bay, Vaegon ordered their soldiers to retrieve all wealth that was held by the slave-masters. Jewels, gold, spices, and more are acquired in the sacking, making the Targaryen's richer and richer by the hour. The sacking continues on into the evening until there is not a slaver left alive and hours later the Unsullied forces regroup in the same plaza they had originally taken up the Tagaryen's as their new leader.

With Daenerys and the others following, Vaegon mounts a black horse. Daenerys follows with a white horse and the others on their own mounts. Bringing his horse into the scores of Unsullied, he begins to speak to them.

"You have spent your entire lives as slaves, but now you are free," he calls to them in Valyrian. "If any man wishes to leave, I will not stop you. No harm will come to you if you go. I asked that that you choose to stay and fight for me, not as slaves, but as free men."

For a moment the Unsullied are unmoving, still as statues. They have never known what freedom is and Vaegon understood that. He prayed they would choose to stay and fight for him, but he understood they might desire freedom over war. A single tap of a spear in the dirt catches his attention as he looks over the scores of soldiers. Another tap follows, and another until the entire army joined together in praise of Vaegon. The sound of the spears echoed throughout the place, making a battle-like rhythm. A sense of pride swelled in his chest as he realized he did exactly what Viserys could not do: find an army to reconquer the Seven Kingdoms.

Proceeding on, Vaegon and Daenerys ride triumphantly out of the smoking wreck of Astapor with the Unsullied marching behind. Vaegon drops the whip to the ground, allowing the Unsullied to trample it as they marched past. In the sky above them, Rhaellor, Haelyx, and Drokar coast in the sky. He grins to himself at the sight, knowing that their actions in Astapor were only the beginning. He planned to release any and all slaves that he could during their time in Essos.

Vaegon looks to Daenerys, who offers him a smile.

"Viserys must be rolling in his grave right now," Vaegon commented with a chuckle, leaning forward in his saddle to rest his forearms on the horn. "Knowing we have acquired an army without him."

"He didn't deserve this," Daenerys agreed. "He was never fit to be a ruler. I'm happy I listened to you after Drogo killed him. He wasn't a dragon."

"Our chances of taking back the Seven Kingdoms are different now," Daenerys sighs. "We might actually be able to go home, Vae."

Vaegon began to realize how close indeed they were to actually taking back the Throne. Once news of their success in Astapor spread to Westeros, he knew Joffrey and the other lord's would be scrambling to protect themselves. Hopefully, their dragons would be nearly full grown once they crossed the Narrow Sea, leaving nothing to that could withstand dragon fire.

♜

"WHERE will we go now, Your Grace?" Ser Barristan asked Vaegon later that evening, as they continued on with the marching Unsullied. The old knight hadn't been informed of their new plan to sack each city along Slaver's Bay, releasing all slaves and slaughtering their masters.

"We will head north," Vaegon tells him as they ride. "Along the bay. We will sack the next of the large slave cities, Yunkai. Ser Jorah suggested making our way north to gather more resources would be wise before we made our way a crossed the Narrow Sea."

"You have turned into a fine leader, Your Grace," Selmy tells him. "You carry leadership very well. Based on your upbringing in exile, I was half scared you might have ended up like Viserys. I'd heard some things about him upon my arrival to Essos while trying to find you and Daenerys. I prayed I didn't make a mistake in trying to aid you in retaking the Iron Throne."

Vaegon is very appreciative of the older man's kind words. Everyday, he dwells on the thought of making every effort to not be like his brother. He recalled the golden crown Viserys had been gifted by Drogo, one of the only things that he could ever thank the late husband of his sister for. His brother's death had been one of the best days of his life.

"Thank you, Ser," the Targaryen says. "I strive to be better. I've heard the saying about our family; we are a two sided coin of madness and unrivaled ruling that the world waits to see which side it lands on."

"For as short as a time as I have known you as a grown man, I would say you are the better of the two sides," Selmy jokes.

They both laugh together at thought. Vaegon feels relief on his shoulders that he had been carrying since the day that Drogo had arrived to Magister Illyrio's villa to meet Daenerys. Everything they went through with the Dothraki was for Viserys to gain an army that they now had, with Vaegon as the rightful heir to the throne. He had all the power to protect Daenerys, now.