Zalarys held a skewer in one hand, taking a bite and tearing grilled meat from it as his gaze swept over the dazzling city below.
He had always been curious about Lys. Who wouldn't be? It was one of the greatest Free Cities, and it truly lived up to its reputation.
From the deck of the SeaSnake, he could see ivory buildings and towers rising high, polished stone reflecting the incandescent light of the sun.
But what stunned him the most were the people.
They were striking, with pale skin and silver-gold hair, their eyes pale blue or purple, resembling him and the dragonlords of old Valyria. And it wasn't just the nobles, but the common folk and slaves as well. Guards, blacksmiths, sailors... every single one of them.
Well, of course not everyone shared the same characteristics, but for some reason most of them did.
Intrigued, he tilted his head and glanced at Corlys. Taking another bite and gulping down some water, he spoke while continuing to observe the people below.
"Just how many bastards did our families father for this to happen?"
Corlys raised an eyebrow at him and then burst into laughter as he drained his cup of wine. "Even if we are a bit famous in that aspect, it's still impossible to do that, lad. It's simply that the blood of old Valyria runs thick in their veins. I believe the dragonlords of old often visited this city. That must be why there are so many of them."
Zalarys nodded, understanding what he meant, but nevertheless it was still concerning and inexplicable. It simply wasn't possible for blood to remain pure after so many years.
"That doesn't explain the dilution of blood, though."
Corlys hummed a loose tune as his cook, Benjamin, refilled his cup with wine. The older man smiled gently and handed another skewer of grilled meat to Zalarys instead.
"Lysene nobility values purity of lineage above everything else. That's why they resemble you so much, my prince."
"Thanks, Ben." Zalarys nodded to the older man in gratitude. His beard and hair were both white, yet he still seemed athletic and muscular, which surprised Zalarys.
"He is correct." Maester Nickolas said from behind them, writing down everything he had seen since the beginning of this journey. "But the reasons are vastly different from those of House Targaryen, my prince."
Hmm... That makes sense. There's no way everyone would be so beautiful if they didn't have the blood of old Valyria. Even if it is diluted, it would still produce stunning and gorgeous men and women, Zalarys thought with a faint smile, about to shake his head, but suddenly froze, his eyes widening in horror as he came to a sudden realization.
Wait... no... I sound like Viserra...
He shuddered at the thought, a chill running down his spine despite the warmth of the sun overhead. Though the day was calm and he felt outwardly at ease, an unfamiliar anxiety disturbed his peace, an uneasiness tightening his fair features as his mind drifted back to Benjamin's and Nick's words.
Blood of Old Valyria, huh? Let's remain vigilant… better safe than sorry, I guess... he thought with a quiet sigh.
At the same time, Corlys's energetic voice rang out from behind, raising his cup high and gulping it down.
"Enough about how. We need to think about what." Corlys slammed his cup down after emptying it, then stood up and slung his heavy arm across Zalarys's shoulders with a grin.
"What do you mean by that?" Zalarys furrowed his brow, not understanding.
Corlys laughed as they stood on the deck of the SeaSnake, overlooking the port of Lys. He ruffled Zalarys's long hair and gestured toward the beautiful buildings with their towering pagodas and lush gardens.
"It is a beautiful city, isn't it?" he asked, his grin turning sly and amused.
"Hmm, yes. It is prettier than King's Landing." Zalarys nodded, admitting it even if the thought felt a little bitter.
Everyone loved their home in one way or another.
Zalarys didn't truly have any deep attachment to King's Landing, but the Red Keep was still his home. That was where he had been born and raised, and where his family lived. As fucked up as they were, they were still his, just as he was part of House Targaryen.
Thinking about it now, he felt a little melancholic.
If Gael, Daemon, and Viserys were here... It would have been so much more fun.
However, he quickly shook his head, killing any childish thoughts in his mind. And before he could say anything, Corlys spoke, leaving him stunned.
"And there are many beautiful women out there, lad." Corlys grinned, letting him go and spreading his arms as if to present the whole city to him.
It wasn't only because he was a prince. Corlys was a sailor who had spent more time on the sea than on land. Seeing a boy so young, a prince at that, sharing his passion and joy for adventure naturally pleased him.
"And many pillow houses. I think it is time you became a man, isn't it?" He glanced at Zalarys and laughed again.
Zalarys blinked in bewilderment, not understanding what he meant. Pillow houses... Pillows? And houses...
What did that even mean?
"So to become a real man... I have to hit a woman with a pillow? What connection do women, pillows, and houses even have?"
Corlys stared at him, a little baffled, but he quickly understood that Zalarys wasn't like Daemon, nor had he ever been seen with women.
Because of that, complicated emotions flashed in his purple eyes. He sank back into his seat and filled his cup once again, wondering what to do.
Hmm... He's just eleven years old. He may be a decent hunter and dragonrider, but when it comes to the real world, he's still very inexperienced.
Now should I really be doing this... No, no. He is old enough to enjoy women. If I let him do as he wishes, this stubborn boy will remain a virgin for the rest of his life, chasing beasts rather than beauty. In a way, I'm doing him a favor.
"Not quite what you are picturing, my prince." Nickolas laughed from behind, stretching out his legs as he continued sketching the towering pagoda while speaking. Then he hesitated, trying to think of how to explain it properly.
"Seven hells, just speak already." Zalarys groaned, exhausted with how they were acting. "What's so complicated about pillows? It's a damned pillow, for the gods' sake!"
"They're brothels, lad. You'll find the most gorgeous women you've ever seen there." Corlys sighed, deciding to say it plainly.
Zalarys pursed his lips with an unimpressed look. "Brothels… So you're talking about whores… And it took ten minutes to explain what could've been said in a second."
"Enough about that. Do you want to explore the city or not?" Corlys grinned, taking out his pipe.
"Sure, why not?" He shrugged nonchalantly, but the moment he looked up, he saw every sailor on the ship giving him mischievous looks. Some even patted his shoulder in encouragement.
"Good luck."
"Don't be nervous."
"Choose an older one, they take good care of you."
"First time, h-haha… Same here."
"Not the older one, you bastard. If it's a courtesan, she'll suck his gold dry before he even sticks it in."
"Then what?"
"An older one is better in terms of experience, so the prince should do that. But my prince, observe them. If you can't control yourself and feel unreasonably charmed or nervous, leave her right away and find another. Got it?"
"Aha, so that's how it is… Shit! That bitch took everything I had back then!"
"Told you not to drink. You couldn't even get properly hard from what she said to the other girls. Alcohol doesn't go well with it."
The sailors nodded to each other after discussing it in extreme detail, sharing advice born from their own painful lessons.
As for Zalarys…
What in the actual fuck…
_______________________________
What in the actual fuck… Zalarys thought as he looked up, eyes locked on the stunning tower and the luxurious mansion. He could see many beautiful flowers blooming in the garden, as well as many beautiful women, some resting on divans, avoiding the scorching light of the sun, some talking with sailors, sitting on their laps while they groped their breasts, some serving wine and food and the only common thing they shared was the fact that all of them were graceful and charming.
It wasn't just women, though. There were many men too, pleasing their clients. Zalarys could see silver-haired boys serving ladies drinks, and they were young, some around the same age as him, some even younger than Zalarys. As for ladies, not every single one of them was stunning, there were also ugly ones, and old hags as well. Some were even taking boys in their private chambers.
Observing this, Zalarys could only sigh, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Well, Lys is quite versatile, eh? Zalarys thought, a little amused, though the humour was mostly used to mask another emotion.
Corlys and the others had already left, for obvious purposes. As for Zalarys, he was left alone in the garden that felt like a den filled with lions.
"Murghagon… Baelagon yeng, lēkia." [Murghagon, help me, brother.]
He said it under his breath, gulping hard as nervousness suddenly washed over his heart.
What's this feeling… I don't understand. I didn't lose composure even when hunting beasts, so why is my heart beating so wildly? He thought in confusion, his face drained of colour until it clicked, realisation dawning on him.
Oh... Hell no. I'm scared of a woman?
At the same time, his dragon popped his head out of the water, staring at him for a few seconds as Zalarys looked back with obvious desperation, wanting nothing but to escape. But at the end of the day, he was still a boy, and he didn't exactly enjoy embarrassment. He could already imagine what would happen when his companions would learn that instead of fucking someone, he just escaped like a craven.
I know what will happen... Fuck! I don't like dudes! He thought with outrage, while Murghagon shook his head with what appeared to be disappointment, and sank back into the sea, streams of water flowing from his gills as he let out a low growl.
You fucking traitor! Don't leave me alone… Zalarys gritted his teeth, feeling betrayed by his partner.
Swallowing hard, he took a deep breath, trying to calm himself while passing ladies giggled at him. One of them paused, her tongue sliding out from her lips like a snake, tapping the glistening, wet tip with her long nail and with an alluring wink, she walked away, her hips swaying in an enticing way.
However, Zalarys was in crisis right now, he couldn't bother to look around.
Haaaaah… Haaaaaa… That's right, calm down, it's fine. Take a deep breath, inhale and exhale. Doubt it'll be as hard as killing beasts. That's right, I'm a prince, no need to be scared.
He nodded, composing himself, and walked forward with newfound resolve, entering the not-so-glorious establishment.
The moment he stepped inside, a sudden stench of incense and perfume hit his nose, making him grimace, wanting nothing more than the clean air of the Kingswood, but he forced himself to remain still and expressionless. It wasn't just that, there was the smell of alcohol, sweat, and...
What's that? I don't know that smell. It's the first time I've smelled something so peculiar. What a strange feeling. He thought in bewilderment, shrugging, and continued walking.
However, as he ventured deeper, he paused, turning to his left and glancing at the stunning lady in her late twenties. She had pale ivory skin, her straight silver hair was braided, with a bun at the back of her head. She had fair features and was rather tall, wearing a revealing silk dress that hugged her figure. She was squatting down, staring at the flowers with interest.
Then she looked back, her purple eyes sparkling, and smiled faintly, her red lips curling into a stunning smile, blooming like the flowers beside her.
"Aren't they lovely?" she asked, her voice pleasant and humorous, appearing free-spirited and bright.
Zalarys wore a deep frown as he observed her, his fingers twitching, a complicated expression on his face as he sank further into his own thoughts. But as she spoke, he snapped out of it.
Scratching the back of his head, he crouched as well. His mismatched eyes first observed the obsidian flower, dark, with lustreless petals and leaves, then lifted to her face. Smiling faintly, he spoke, his voice calm and collected, yet a little bashful.
"They are. Never thought I would see a flower so captivating and sublime.
She giggled behind her palm, her cheeks flushing as she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Charmed. How about we take this conversation somewhere else?"
She said it with an alluring smile, taking his hand and intertwining her fingers with his as she stood up, far taller than him.
Zalarys was tall for his age, but compared to her, he barely reached her shoulders. However, she didn't care, besides, she enjoyed taking the first time of such lovely boys. All of them were so small and innocent, and she could lead them in whatever way she wanted. And at the end, the only one who left with gold and satisfaction would be she.
Besides, some even fell in love with her, which was not only ridiculous but quite amusing. However, it wasn't so bad either. They were bringing her gifts and all sorts of jewellery, gold and so on. The only winner out of this was her, by charming boys and then playing with them after sex, making sure they developed feelings for her.
But this time it wasn't just because of her urges. This boy was important, she knew it. After all, that monstrous dragon was enough proof of that.
As for Zalarys, he was lost in his own thoughts… Mother, Father. Your boy is flying away from the nest. It's time to leave boyhood behind and embrace being a man.