LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 6: Chapter 6
Standing over Saphira, Daenerys Targaryen came to a conclusion as her legs shook from the immense height that towered over her:
"Only if she overcame her fears would she be truly free."
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The wind whistled in my ears as Saphira flapped her massive wings, lifting us even higher. Adrenaline coursed through my veins and I couldn't help but let out an elated laugh.
The gamble of transferring my magic to Saphira had paid off.
"This is amazing!" I cried, clinging to the scales on her neck as we glided through the clouds.
The cool air and moisture permeated my skin and clothes. We had gotten soaked as we passed through the mass of clouds and the sensation was invigorating.
Saphira roared loudly, feeling the same excitement as me. Through our bond, I could feel her overflowing happiness. She was flying freely for the first time, her strong and swift body soaring through the skies as it should have been from the start.
I leaned over her back, feeling the speed increase.
"Come on, faster!" I encouraged her and she complied, swooping down before taking flight again, tracing a graceful turn in the air.
For the first time in a long time, I felt completely free.
Saphira flew low over the ocean and as I leaned slightly, I slid my fingers across the surface of the water, leaving a shimmering trail behind me.
With a powerful flap of her wings, she rose again, pulling my hand away from the sea. I held on tightly to her scales as we broke through the clouds one last time, emerging into the open sky. We were now flying high, enveloped in the vastness of the night.
"Do it now," Saphira said.
Her voice rang clear, steady and deep. It was no longer just an echo in my mind, a sensation transmitted through our bond.
Only then did I realize how pleasant Saphira's voice was. Her tone was calm and gentle, as if it could dispel any uneasiness. There was even a hint of wisdom in it.
Saphira let out a soft laugh as she sensed my thoughts.
Now that she had grown up, her body fully developed, Saphira could finally speak.
My heart racing and my legs shaking with excitement, I began to move cautiously, slowly rising until I was standing on Saphira's scales.
The wind whipped at my face, tangling my hair, but I didn't care. Up there, high in the sky, with the world spread out below us, I felt something pure, untamed... absolute freedom.
I spread my arms, letting the breeze envelop me, and in the distance, the sun began to peek over the horizon, tinting the sky in golden hues.
"Let's stay up here forever, Saphira!" I exclaimed, laughing in pure happiness.
Saphira let out a guttural sound, which quickly turned into a deep laugh.
"I don't think you can live on air and wind alone, my dear."
...
We continued to fly through the sky for hours.
By then, all of Pentos would have heard Saphira's excited roars and the powerful flapping of her wings. The luckier of us would have caught the attention of her shadow in the distance, floating above the Narrow Sea.
I don't rule out the possibility that we'd drawn the attention of a few ships.
Finally, Saphira suggested we go back to rest, reminding me that I hadn't yet.
We had spent the entire night together.
I reluctantly agreed. Fatigue was beginning to cloud my thoughts.
The cold wind had managed to keep me awake, but the thrill of the flight had left me exhausted.
When we landed at Magister Illyrio's mansion, Visenya and the man in question were "waiting" on the balcony.
And their presence on the balcony was not so much for me, but for the dark red-haired woman standing next to them, watching me despite the distance.
"A red priestess of R'hllor?" I wondered, bewildered by her presence.
...
[VISENYA TARGARYEN'S POV]
Hours earlier~
I woke up with a start when I heard a deafening roar, the kind of roar a furious beast makes when someone invades its territory or snatches its prey.
I sat up immediately and headed for the door, ready to speak to Magister Illyrio without wasting a second.
But then I stopped. I slowly turned my head towards Daenerys' bed.
It was empty.
Where had that girl gone now?
It wasn't time to worry about that. She had to be somewhere. We had barely exchanged a few words these past few days, and our relationship hadn't exactly been close.
I sighed and left the room. I ordered my guards to wake Magister Illyrio, though he was probably already as upset as I was by that roar.
It wasn't until a couple of hours later that I realized the gravity of the situation.
Daenerys was gone.
She was nowhere to be found.
The deafening roar faded into the back of my mind.
My conversation with Illyrio was abruptly cut short when my guards returned with a worrying report: Daenerys had not been found.
Wasting no more time, I gave the immediate order to find her.
She had to be somewhere. She couldn't have just disappeared.
"We should start considering the possibility of a kidnapping," Magister Illyrio said, approaching me with a grave expression.
I turned angrily and pointed my finger at him.
"She's supposed to be protected at all times! Explain to me how this happened!" I shouted.
Illyrio tried to calm me down, assuring me that she would be found safe and sound, but I didn't believe him.
Who knows how long she had been missing?
"If only I had been more careful…" I muttered, backing away from the fat bastard in front of me. "I shouldn't have given her so much space since that day."
I wanted to cry. I wanted to throw myself on the ground and vent my anguish over Dany's disappearance, but I couldn't allow myself that moment of weakness.
"Mobilize as many men as you can. Have them search every corner of the city. I don't care how you do it, I just want her found," I ordered firmly, turning to Illyrio.
I didn't need to say another word. The men around us immediately sprang into motion.
Within seconds, there wasn't a single man left there.
Except Illyrio.
It was then that a servant girl approached, followed by a dozen men and women dressed in red robes. Their robes fluttered gently with each step.
Of the two, Magister Illyrio was the one who showed the most surprise at the guests.
Without missing a beat, he stepped forward and greeted them with a bow I had never seen him give before, his voice filled with unusual respect.
"Your Majesty, allow me to introduce High Priest Benerro, of the faith of the Lord of Light."
It was then that I remembered that Magister Illyrio was a devout follower of the faith of R'hllor.
In front of me stood a tall, thin man with a gaunt face and skin as pale as milk. Crimson flames were tattooed on his cheeks, his chin, and his completely shaven head.
Like the red priests and priestesses who accompanied him, he wore a scarlet silk robe with wide sleeves, and around his neck was a precisely fitted red gold choker, set with a ruby that seemed to burn from within.
Benerro didn't say a word. Instead, he stepped aside, letting a woman cloaked in an even deeper red pass by. His lips, the same color as her outfit, curved into a slight smile as his eyes, bright as polished rubies, watched her expectantly.
"It's not her."
Suddenly, he turned to the others and, with unwavering certainty, declared,
"She's not the Daughter of Fire. She's not the one I saw in the flames. She looks like her... but she's not her."
Was he talking about Daenerys? But why had he called her the Daughter of Fire?
"The Betrothed will return soon. We must only wait patiently," he said as he made his way to the balcony, his voice tinged with certainty.
"Wait!" I shouted, unsheathing my sword in one firm motion. "Why are you looking for my sister?"
I was already consumed with anguish over Dany's disappearance, and now the faith of R'hllor appeared out of nowhere, seeking her out.
Were they our enemies? Had she escaped from them? I had many questions, but no answers.
"You need not be afraid. We have come to serve the Daughter of Fire," she replied calmly, not even turning to look at me before continuing on her way.
I quickened my pace after her, and when I looked over the balcony, my eyes widened in wonder.
In the distance, rapidly approaching us, I made out a winged figure of deep sapphire blue.
Is that a dragon I see?