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(EM Vol. 2: A Wandering Melody) Chapter 35: Shadow and Flame
🕑 Added 2025-07-15 14:00:27 +0000 UTCChapter 35: Shadow and Flame
123 AC, Dragonstone
Corlys Velaryon practically sprinted alongside his wife from the moment Ser Criston gave them the news. And to think that Corlys had been celebrating inwardly Rhaenys’ official appointment as Viserys’ Hand, as well as Rhaenyra’s realisation of the position that put her in.
Rhaenyra being Hand of the King was the logical choice if Viserys wished to cement his choice in her to rule, yet the man was also stuck in a Court of Greens with Otto Hightower all but ruling the realm in the past few years. Putting the princess in charge of a court that opposed her vehemently was dangerous, as they could make her look incompetent, or even resort to poisoning her, but the Sea Snake did not think it would come to that.
After some thought, Corlys realised that Viserys needed a Hand that would take people by surprise, and Rhaenys definitely was that. He could foresee most of the nobles in the capital being as dumbstruck as Daemon was by the appointment. Soon, he would go to the Capital with his wife, and she would grant him his former position on the Small Council. They would rule, just as should have, as Rhaenys was destined to, and the realm would prosper for it.
Despite Rhaenys’ obvious dislike of Rhaenyra and their granddaughters’ time on Dragonstone, things were looking rather good for House Velaryon, that was until an alleged shadow tried to kill someone in the Crown Princess’ fortress.
He listened to the Kingsguard as they ran towards their granddaughter, and Corlys couldn’t help but feel like it sounded familiar, men made of shadows, absolutely unstoppable, attacking them.
The Shadowbinders of Asshai were extremely dangerous; that was something that Corlys never forgot. Very few of them were assassins, and they were very expensive, with only the Faceless costing more. In a way, hiring a Shadowbinder would just as likely kill you as it would kill your target, so very few people wished to take that risk and end up dying as some sort of sacrifice in their rituals.
However, if a Shadowbinder chose a target, the chances of their survival were very slim. He said slim because before today, he thought that it was impossible, yet Harry Potter survived an attack by them all the same.
Then again, Corlys had seen the man battle a god, so he did not know why he was so surprised.
Everyone burst into the room, guided by the Kingsguard, only to freeze at the sight. The sorcerer sat unconcerned, sipping some drink, while Rhaena and Helaena seemed to talk to one another animatedly about spiders of all things.
Corlys scanned the room again, just to be sure. No blood, no wounds, no signs of a struggle beyond a few black smudges on the stone. And yet he knew, just from the smell in the room, that an attack had, in fact, taken place. It was faint, but he remembered the smell, like a mixture of ash and rotten egg, in Asshai.
The sorcerer, looking at them, brightened up, “Oh, hello there. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
Rhaenys stepped forward and gave him an awkward look, “I was not aware that you were in the castle, Lord Harry.”
“Would you believe me if I say that I got lost and ended up here?” the sorcerer replied with a mischievous smile on his face.
Corlys blinked and spoke up slowly, “You got lost and ended up in the middle of a guarded fortress alongside two princesses of the realm…”
The man nodded unashamedly, “I found that the road of life often takes you in unexpected places, and these two lovely young ladies have been amazing company. We were just talking about the possible anatomy of Ice Spiders. You know, the creatures rumoured to have been ridden by the White Walkers during the Long Night.”
Corlys couldn’t help but shiver at that. He always thought that the Long Night was just a story, even if it features in a disturbing number of civilisations during his trips. However, knowing the sorcerer, the man would likely somehow stumble on White Walkers and end up fighting them before the end of the week. Corlys still remembered why he and Rhaenys had asked him not to involve Rhaena in any more of his ‘adventures’ until they made a decision.
He still had nightmares about what happened on Pyke, how powerless he truly felt staring at the monstrosity that Dalton Greyjoy became, and the being fighting him, and he did not want Rhaena to suffer the same fate, to live the same fear. Harry Potter might mean well, but wherever the man went, the world seemed to tilt just slightly out of balance.
The fact that he accepted their authority in Rhaena’s life was a good sign, as the girl had gotten quite irritated with them because of their decision. The main idea was to keep delaying any adventures until the sorcerer eventually left or Rhaena gave up, as something else would catch her interest. If that did not happen, which seemed likely given the smile on Rhaena’s face that had been absent in the past few days, then they’d need to find a way to make the ‘adventures’ safer.
Yet now was not the time for this. Instead, Corlys slumped as he realised that Rhaena was safe. Rhaenys wasn’t as restrained, as she knelt down to check for any injuries, before turning towards Helaena and doing the same. Oddly enough, Daemon did the same without uttering a single word. Sometimes, Corlys forgot how much the man cared about his children.
Corlys, in the meantime, left them to worry and turned towards the sorcerer, “Are you unharmed by the attack?”
The sorcerer actually looked surprised before snorting, “While I tend to take things trying to kill me seriously, these amateurs weren’t exactly dangerous, at least not to me. I mean, who exposes their souls like that? I can understand it if the target was someone who didn’t know anything about magic, but they knew I was a mage.”
Amateurs? Had the man gone mad and truly called the Shadowbinders amateurs? Something sparked in Corlys’ mind, “There were multiple of them?”
The sorcerer had the gall, the audacity, to shake his head in disappointment, “Yes, seven of them, not that their numbers matter. I swear, that’s such an inefficient use of soul magic, to tie their own soul into a spell to pilot it, really? And they didn’t even try to hide their magic. Seriously, that’s the first step in any assassination. I’m genuinely disappointed and insulted by the attempt. That has to be the most incompetent magical assassination I have ever suffered, I swear.”
Corlys just stared, vaguely horrified, vaguely impressed.
Rhaenys, however, said what he couldn’t: “And how many assassins have you faced exactly, Lord Harry?”
The sorcerer shrugged, “Enough to know when I’m dealing with a professional and when I’m being insulted. And to think that I was looking forward to visiting Asshai too. I hope these were apprentices or something, because that was really sad.”
“Are you sure that you were the target of the assassination?” Corlys asked, not wanting the sorcerer to start another rant. He had already been very wary of the man who seemed dismissive of a place that Corlys often remembered as a living nightmare, where he lost much and gained very little, but a fear of the Arcane.
Shadowbinders were unstoppable once they had a target. There was no hiding from them, and their reach was far indeed, even to the middle of an ocean. Often, Corlys thanked all the possible gods that they seemed more interested in their prophecies and their craft, which often involved blood and death, to care about the political affairs of Essos, let alone Westeros. The few that showed such inclination were often killed quite quickly and silently, with Braavos especially having a vested interest in making sure that such sorcery would not affect their profits and influence over the continent and hiring their Faceless Men to do the deed.
The sorcerer nodded, “Yes, I was. Seven magical attempts are a bit much for your non-magical, and they would have chosen a better time, when they’re alone, maybe, since it wouldn’t show any results. Maybe if they’d have one or two more, if the target had a Valyrian Steel blade or something, but even that’s a stretch.”
“Valyrian Steel can stop them,” Corlys said, fascinated. It was, in a way, treasured information. Very few men lived past an attack from a Shadowbinder, and even fewer would ever say how they did it.
“Their attack is mainly powered by the sacrifice of a soul, an unborn child in this case, barely days old, I’m guessing, but empowered with the blood of an ancestor who changed history in a way, someone like a King, a hero, and so on. It’s not exactly a bad idea for an attack. Soul-based attacks are very tricky to deal with, but an easy way is to use a soul-based attack on it as well, like, for example, a blade forged in souls. The idiocy here is that they tied their own soul to direct the attack, which means that they put their souls in danger as well, and well, even someone with Valyrian Steel could hurt them if they strike the spell, maybe even kill them. As I said, utter stupidity. It’s like they learned a spell that they couldn’t control, so they did it in the single worst way possible.”
Corlys could barely understand half of that explanation, and that was him being generous. Rhaenys looked the same, and Daemon, who had been comforting his seemingly unaffected daughter, let out a small smirk as he touched Dark Sister’s pommel. Of course, the man would be smug at the fact that his sword could likely let him defeat such an attack.
Daemon prepared to say something, but fortunately for Corlys’ sanity, Viserys entered the room with his Kingsguard behind him, huffing and puffing. He looked at the two girls, “Are you alright, Helaena, Rhaena? Did you get hurt?”
Helaena spoke up in a dreamy voice, “We are fine, Father. Would you like a seat?”
The King took a deep breath and slowly sat down. “Thank you, Helaena. My body might be healed, but I still find myself catching my breath these days. Old habits die hard, I suppose.”
His eyes scanned the room, taking in the lingering tension, before settling on the sorcerer, “Lord Harry, I would have arranged for better accommodations had I known that you would be visiting the castle.”
The sorcerer smiled sheepishly, “It was a bit of a whim. My wife got caught up in a project of hers, and I decided to give her some space. Well, decided was a bit of a stretch. You get what I mean… Anyway, I found Helaena here, sitting alone, staring at the sea and thought that she’d make a good conversation partner. She has such a unique perspective on things, after all. She did not disappoint, and Rhaena joined us afterwards.”
“And the presumed assassination,” Viserys said, who seemed to have decided to ignore the fact that the sorcerer had all but admitted to easily sneaking through the castle without any problems.
“Just some idiot Shadowbinders who tried to kill me, don’t worry about it. You’ll probably find their corpses nearby.”
Corlys jumped in, “I have a passing knowledge of Shadowbinders’ capabilities, and they can strike their target from Kingdoms away.”
The sorcerer hummed, “That’s true, but they waited for me to leave my home to try to attack me, obviously waiting for when I’d be unprotected. That means that they had to be here, on the island, at the very least, maybe even in the fortress. Don’t worry, their bodies should be quite recognisable.”
As if summoned by the mention of bodies, Larys Strong entered the room, his cane tapping with every step. He spoke up softly, “Seven bodies were found in one of the old cells beneath the keep. The southern dungeons. The guards were summoned by the screaming. They opened the door… well, they found what was left.”
Corlys tensed. “Left?”
“Husked,” Larys clarified, without flinching. “Drained dry. No wounds. No blood. Just skin and bone.”
They all looked at the sorcerer, who rolled his eyes, “I told you that they’re idiots. But it’s interesting. They found out that I was in the castle, hiding in the dungeons, and performed their ritual. But it’s interesting, isn’t it? They’ve been here for a while, waiting. And they also knew that I was a mage. It’s the only way to explain their numbers. As stupid as their attack is, seven Shadowbinders are a bit too much for most. Which brings me to the main question of who hired them. The assassins didn’t know that I had made sure. But whoever hired them must have known that I’m a mage and that I’m on Dragonstone.”
The Lord of Harrenhall answered him, “I’m afraid that knowledge of your existence has spread across the Seven Kingdoms, perhaps even beyond, alongside the news of King Viserys’ miraculous recovery. There are many who would target you because of your nature, or perhaps, because of your interference in the affairs of the crown. One cannot know for certain, and it appears that you have slain whoever could answer these questions.”
Corlys knew the logic of it, but the sorcerer didn’t seem convinced, “That’s nice, but given the timeline, they had to know just mere days after Viserys came to Dragonstone.”
The Kingsguard bristled slightly at the sorcerer speaking of the king so casually, but the Lord of Harrenhall spoke up, “Perhaps that would be the case if the news of the King’s conditions had only spread since his arrival at Dragonstone. However, there were whispers of magic in the Capital, specifically the Red Keep, when King Viserys was seen walking hale and healthy to the docks after Princess Rhaenyra’s rather abrupt arrival and departure. The possibility of a foreign or local noble unsatisfied enough with Lord Harry’s involvement in Westerosi politics to attempt killing him is not out of the question.”
Corlys interjected, “Whoever they were had to be quite wealthy and influential to order an assassination of this calibre.”
Daemon, though, growled, almost yelling, “They came into our family’s castle and attacked a guest. My daughter was there. This is a direct threat to our authority, Viserys. We must reply in kind, and it needs to be decisive.”
The Kingsguard palmed their swords, but Viserys raised his hand and stopped them. The Sea Snake did not like where this was going, and obviously neither did Viserys. However, as much as he hated to admit it, the Rogue Prince had a point. Attacking someone in the same castle as the King’s heir, while the King stayed there, was a show of weakness, proof that they were vulnerable, that someone could successfully attack members of House Targaryen.
He would have advised keeping things quiet, but it was inevitable that it would be revealed, and it wouldn’t be hard to spread some rumours of guests of the King being nearly assassinated, which would weaken Viserys’ already shaky position after his illness. No, this needed to be a show of strength, but not outright war.
The King stood up and spoke up loudly before anyone could start arguing, “We must not act rashly and plunge the realm into a needless war, not without knowing who is responsible for this. Lord Larys, it will be your responsibility to figure out who was responsible. You have a fortnight to give me a name and motive.”
“Until then,” Viserys continued, staring directly at Daemon, “No aggressive actions will be taken. Am I understood?”
“You are, your Grace,” The Rogue Prince gritted out.
The sorcerer snickered and waved his hand, “All this trouble for little old me. There’s no need, I can assure you. After all, I’m the one who was being assassinated here, and I’ll be the one to deal with it.”
The entire room turned towards him in confusion and slight panic. The Master of Whisperers looked taken aback for the first time since he entered the room, “My lord, I assure you, the investigation will be handled with utmost discretion. I have the men and the means…”
Harry waved him off with a grin, “I’m sure you do, Lord Larys, I really am. You’re very impressive and all that lot. But I’ve been putting off a trip to Asshai for a while now. There were always other places that were far more interesting, places to explore, to solve mysteries. I always thought Asshai sounded a bit too dramatic, you know? Shadows, ghosts, and blood. It’s all on the nose, like some haven for people willing to commit atrocities for their magic. But now?” He leaned back in his chair, almost lazy, “Now I’m curious.”
Corlys shuddered at the expression on the man’s face. The sorcerer had been curious about Pyke as well, and the fortress did not survive it. A twisted part of him hoped that this cursed place would not survive Harry Potter’s curiosity either.
Viserys seemed happy with essentially turning this into a spat between sorcerers and that he’d deal with it. Corlys had no doubts that he would ask his Master of Whisperers to continue investigating the event anyway, in case there truly was a danger to the royal family or some interference between foreign powers.
In a way, the sorcerer loudly proclaiming that he’d look into things gave Viserys a way out, a way to tell the world that he would have answered for the slight, if it wasn’t for the supposed victim choosing to deal with it on his own, while also having the option of escalating things should a foreign power be involved in some way.
The sorcerer obviously knew this as well, and suddenly clapped his hand, “Now, I’m sure we all had an eventful day, and Daphne will tan my hide if I miss dinner. So, let’s all agree to call it a day, yes?”
Viserys gave a long exhale, nodded gratefully, and stood up with some effort, “Quite right. I’ve had my fill of sorcery and shadows for one evening. I’ll finish my dinner before it goes cold. Helaena, my dear, would you join me?”
The princess blinked, then nodded with a small smile, before following her father with a dreamy hum.
Larys bowed deeply, his cane clicking as he turned, “I shall begin making the necessary inquiries, Your Grace.” The Kingsguard filed out after him, none looking particularly pleased, not that Corlys would blame them, with a near-assassination happening in front of two princesses.
Daemon lingered for a moment, gaze falling on Rhaena, before he ruffled her hair lightly and said, “I’ll put her with Baela and Rhaena. That should calm things down.”
Rhaena turned towards Harry, eyes wide and almost pleading, as if asking him to say something, to let her stay. He didn’t react, not yet.
Rhaenys was halfway turned when Harry raised a hand casually, “Stay a moment, will you? I gave you time just as you asked, but I think it’s time we had a proper talk about Rhaena.”
AN: That chapter really got away from me, and I’m not really sure about it, specifically everyone’s reactions. I’m not exactly sure how to put it into words, but it read a bit wrong, I guess. I rewrote it twice, and I’m still not really happy with it. Anyway, I don’t mind rewriting this depending on your feedback, so please let me know what you think and if you have any suggestions.
Comments
Tim
"...Seven super shadow assassins... how will he get out of that?" "super easy, barely an inconvenience"
Marius Petrauskas
nice
