20 Chapter 17

Another week went by in which, Caspian and Daenerys were busy with the settlement of the city. The good news was that all those who might have dissented from the new rule were gone and the Unsullied patrolled the streets of Astapor night and day.

Caspian decided to keep news of his dragons a secret until they were nearly as big as the queen's so that people would think twice about trying to kill them.

It was hard though, Naelarion, Zergyx, Edrion,, and Veneys seemed to grow bigger every day and with the healthy amount of fish that Slavery's Bay provided them with he could almost imagine how it would be when they were monstrous creatures.

Something else that surprised him about his dragons was the fact that they seemed conscious of their own names and when to come when he called.

Seeing as how this was very new to him, he privately asked Daenerys if this was something she experienced with her three dragons and she had answered in the affirmative.

She didn't understand a lot about how her ancestors had bonded with their own dragons after they had hatched them, but Caspian did remember reading something that seemed like a lifetime ago about those who had special connections with dragons when they hatched them.

They were called the dragon blessed and for a dragon to hatch for someone else that didn't have Targaryen blood was extremely rare.

Caspian remembered that his great grandmother on his father's side had Targaryen blood and so must have accounted for why he was able to hatch the dragons and do so quickly.

He also knew that with seven dragons at their command, many of the Free Cities would think twice about attacking Astapor.

So far there had been no acts of retribution and they had been in the city for a few weeks. Astapor meanwhile was running far better than it had under Kraznys. But perhaps that was only because the former slaves were now working. After all, they wanted to and not because they were forced to.

The eight thousand Unsullied that had been acquired patrolled the streets daily and Caspian found he was rather pleased with their effectiveness.

In the meantime, when he wasn't getting his fighting form back with Ser Barristan, he was pouring over Kraznys notes in the main hall of the building they were staying in.

Once having been Kraznys palace she had renamed it the Dragon's Cave. This was only because of a discovery both her and Caspian had made when the former prince was going through the hall trying to find a certain book.

He had had his nose buried in the manuscript and was trying to teach himself ancient Valyrian at the same time.

The fact that he could barely understand Kraznys when he and the queen had pulled the wool over his eyes bothered him a little bit and he didn't like it when negotiations were going down and he wasn't able to contribute.

So in between reading up on the information,, Kraznys had left behind he was trying to teach himself Valyrian as well.

Surprisingly Missandei was helping him. She spoke a great many languages which made her skills as a translator in high demand.

The fact that she was easy on the eyes helped as well and so the two had spent time in the evening after the royal party had gone to bed.

Orin also seemed to have taken a liking to the beautiful slave as well and she had taken on a sort of mothering role with him. His eyes seemed to shine when he looked at her and he had latched onto her like a barnacle on the side of a ship.

Missandei seemed rather fond of him as well and besides Caspian, she was the only person the small boy would open up around.

Caspian seemed to have found a kindred spirit in the former slave and her personality was very soothing to be around.

Although they came from completely different backgrounds and hers had been far more brutal than his, they seemed to connect on an odd level.

It had started about a week after he and Daenerys had taken Astapor and Caspian had been in the courtyard of the main building after a rather rigorous sparring session in which Ser Barristan had left with Ser Jorah to attend to something.

All of a sudden, a rather sweaty Caspian heard footsteps behind him and turned to find the former slave standing beside him. She had a small metal basin in her hands which she held out to him.

Caspian looked at her carefully for a moment before reaching his hands into the basin and splashing water on his face. When he had shaken the droplets from his eyes, he looked up to see her still standing there and gave her a small smile.

"Thank you," he said and she nodded. "I think I should thank you, my lord."

Caspian gave her a small frown. "For what?"

Missandei set the water basin down beside them and handed him the clean cloth that was resting over her arm. "I know now in the aftermath of what you and the queen did that I would have been freed regardless, but you specifically asked for me to join you. And I appreciate that…very much."

She gave him a small smile and he couldn't help but return it even though his genuine smiles since Edric's death had been few and far between.

"Well then you should know that I am very glad that I did so," he replied just as quietly. The situation was somewhat new for him given that he hadn't spoken to any woman his own age in weeks, possibly months.

The last one was Margaery Tyrell.

It didn't help that Missandei was a very beautiful woman who seemed to be sweet in spirit and very gentle despite the horrid past he knew she must have had which made him wonder even more where her gentleness and mothering nature came from.

He knew she was about the same age if not slightly older than he was, but at the same time, being surrounded by people his own age so far from Westeros was refreshing again.

Orin was helping in the healing process since the death of Edric and it felt he had a purpose again after all of the loss he had suffered and the shipwreck as well as the weeks he had been suspected dead.

She smiled at him again, a slight blush coloring her cheeks and Caspian own smile became a slight smirk. He didn't mean for it to, but before his father had died, the war had broken out and he had lost his entire father's family, Caspian had spent a good deal of time with the young ladies who had come to court.

The Tyrells and the Martells had not come to court at all but there were many women of lesser houses who seemed to constantly frequent the Red Keep and Caspian and Joffrey had seemed to constantly find themselves surrounded by a gaggle of women.

Joffrey had reveled in the attention and since he was the crown prince he had gotten most of it. Caspian wasn't an idiot. He knew that the only reason so much female attention was paid to Joffrey was because he was going to be the king and every young woman in Westeros would sell their soul to be queen.

There were some however who seemed to prefer his company to his brother's and Caspian could solely claim that that had to do with his own looks and conversation more than it had to do with his brother's.

That part made him smirk.

Even if he wasn't going to be king someday he was still a prince and that counted for something in terms of connections to the royal family.

Not that that mattered much anymore.

Well, at least it wouldn't until he returned to Westeros.

Now that Renly and Stannis were both dead, both Dragonstone and Storm's End would belong to him.

He grimaced slightly. One of those would no doubt go to Tommen all being well.

But there had been few things that had been right in the last few months.

The dragons were one, being made the Hand of Queen Daenerys Targaryen was another…but that was essentially it.

Missandei noticed his far-away expression and frowned at him. "Are you well my lord?"

Caspian blinked but then smiled at her again. "I am, thank you Missandei. I was thinking about the past I suppose."

Missandei sighed and he looked at her in confusion. "What is it?"

She smiled. "The past does have a way of coming back to haunt you doesn't it?"

Caspian uttered a bitter chuckle. "That it does Missandei that it does. And there's nothing you can do about it but go on."

She seemed surprised by his bitter tone but Caspian didn't appear to want to go into greater detail than for he changed the subject. "I don't suppose you might tell me how you think I am progressing in my Valyrian lessons?"

Missandei blinked but acquired to his change in the subject for which the prince was grateful. "If you will forgive me my lord…your pronunciation is still a bit off. You understand far more than you think but it doesn't' translate as well when you speak."

Despite himself, Caspian smirked. "I hope that that didn't come across when I asked Kraznys for you."

He was a little surprised when she gave him a shy smile, almost like that of a blushing maiden. "No my lord. It didn't show through. You were in fact speaking very quietly when you requested me from my former master. I don't think he noticed. You were quiet but you were commanding. What people don't seem to understand about any sort of language is that the tone that you speak it with does as much for their understanding of it than your grasp of the diction itself."

Caspian's's smirk widened and he rubbed the side of his face wryly. "Well then perhaps I should work on my tone more than my words if that is what people will be listening for."

Missandei gave him a gentle smile, one that he returned when all of a sudden he heard a voice behind him.

"Ah, there you are. I was wondering if you – "

The voice cut off and he turned to see the queen striding to a stop and standing a few feet away looking in between him and Missandei with an unfathomable expression in her violet eyes.

Missandei was quick to curtsy. "Your grace."

Caspian bowed, following her example.

When he straightened up again, Missandei had silently departed and he was alone with Daenerys.

Since he had revealed his dragons to her, the queen had been noticeably more relaxed than usual, something that he wondered at.

Perhaps it is now easier for her to see that reclaiming her kingdom will be somewhat simpler. After all, Aegon conquered Westeros with three dragons. Between the two of us…we have seven.

The former prince paused for a moment to smirk.

Seven dragons…

Gods they were going to need a lot of sheep when they grew older.

Daenerys must have seen his smile and cocked her head to one side as she looked at him. "Did I say do something amusing Caspian?"

He chuckled slightly but covered it up by coughing. "No your grace. May I ask what it was that you wanted?"

She blinked and then seemed to return to the topic at hand. "I wanted to know if there was anything else you found in Kraznys chambers with regards to his finances."

Caspian glanced down at the bucket Missandei had left for him to wash his face and then contemplated her request.

"Yes," he said finally. "There had been something about his accounts that I had been meaning to show you."

The shirt he had casually taken off before his session with Ser Barristan because of the heat was lying on one of the stone pillars a few feet away.

Caspian walked toward it and pulled it over his head once more before turning around to find the queen watching him with an odd expression on her face. Ignoring it, he picked up StormBreaker and sheathed it before belting the large sword to his waist and gesturing back to the newly named Dragon's Cave.

He still wasn't sure what he thought of the new title but at the same time he wasn't the sole ruler of Astapor and the name didn't really matter to him.

As they walked back towards the large house, Daenerys turned to him. "Is sparring with Ser Barristan all you do in your spare time?"

Caspian chuckled. "Aside from reading your grace? Yes. I find it relaxing, how else am I to release stress?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "I do believe you are the first man I have met that finds crossing swords with another refreshing."

He snorted. "I suppose I did have to inherit something from my father. It was either war or wine and I will take the former over the latter any day."

"Hmm, I believe I would prefer that too," she said somewhat shortly and Caspian smirked.

They entered Kraznys former home at that point and as always, Caspian found himself looking around.

As much of a depraved bastard as he was Kraznys sure did know how to live.

The first time he and Daenerys had walked into the old slaver's home the first thing that Caspian had seen was a long stone hallway lined with orange-colored tiles and pale pillars. As one walked along with a few steps, they were able to see the entrance to a rather large courtyard also lined with tiles. There was also a large fountain spewing water into the pool at its base and there was a garden filled with lush exotic plants.

The house itself seemed to be centered around the courtyard and there were two levels to the house where one could look over the railings into the courtyard.

It was all rather nice and peaceful…when one forgot that the man who used to live there was a mad man with a thirst for the accommodation of human flesh and the coin he could gain from that.

Missandei had been through it.

Orin had been through it.

How many more had been through it?

How many more of the residents of Essos had been through the horrors of slavery?

It was then that Caspian remembered something about Ser Jorah Mormont that his father had told him one night when he was drunk.

He had told him that Jorah had married a Hightower a woman by the name of Lynesse and seeing as how he was the heir to Bear Island had taken her back there with him. But the cold northern air didn't agree with the beauty from Oldtown and she quickly grew despondent with her new home.

To keep her in silks and jewels and thus happy, Ser Jorah had done the unthinkable and sold several men into slavery.

As the Warden of the North,, it was within the rights of Ned Stark to take his head but instead, he had been banished to the Free Cities.

And Lynesse, well Lynesse had become the bed warmer of some other man.

Quite the woman, Caspian thought with a touch of sardonic irony as he and the queen walked further into the house. I knew quite a few women at court who would think her inspiring.

He glanced at Daenerys who was walking beside him. For whatever reason, he didn't think her to be so… callous.

But then he had only known her for a few weeks. As well-intentioned as she was in freeing the slaves and taking the city through devious means, he knew there was still a lot they both had to learn about the ruling.

But they would figure it out.

"Where is the manuscript you were going to show me Caspian?" Daenerys asked curiously.

"In my chambers your grace, I was studying it earlier," he said. "If you would follow me."

He led her up the stairs that lined the outside of the courtyard to the second floor and into the landing.

There were only two chambers in this wing of the house, his and the queen and there were times when Caspian was grateful for the privacy.

The two chambers had large balconies that looked out onto the ocean and along with a bed,, several large burning braziers were in every corner of the room.

Even though Essos was incredibly hot there were times when the breeze blowing in off the sea was sometimes cool and so then it was nice to have something to heat oneself with.

Caspian pushed open the door into the cool quiet and strode across the room to the desk that was sitting near one of the large braziers just inside the steps that led up to the balcony.

It was easily as elegant as his rooms back in the Red Keep, but somehow Caspian liked these better.

He had been a prince there but now he was to be the second most powerful person in the realm, something he was oddly content with.

His grandfather had proved that just because you didn't wear a crown didn't mean that you didn't rule and so when Aerys had descended further and further into madness,

Tywin was ruling the realm and had essentially been the king.

Perhaps history would repeat itself.

Oddly enough Caspian hoped it wouldn't. He had no desire to serve a mad queen and then be labeled a slayer of royalty like his uncle was.

He brushed off the dark thoughts and focused on striding for the desk where he picked up the thick manuscript he had been reading by candlelight the night before.

He had found some interesting information in it that told him that Kraznys had had his fingers all of over the place in Essos.

He had apparently borrowed money from the Iron Bank in Braavos and had not paid it back which was courting death itself.

Caspian remembered how much trouble his father had been in with the Iron Bank before his untimely passing. The crown had been in debt for years and Caspian had always wondered how it was the Petyr Baelish, a man who only served himself had managed to keep the institution off of their back for so long.

But then his father had died and there hadn't been time to figure it out.

But Kraznys it seemed had owed less so perhaps he thought it would be simpler to get away with if he continued to hold off on making the payments.

All of this he explained to Daenerys when he handed her the manuscript.

As her eyes looked it over, the violet in them seemed to gleam slightly.

"So what does this mean for us?" she asked.

"It means that we now have an opportunity to pay off of Kraznys debts and at the same time get a bit more information on Westeros. No doubt the Iron Bank will be satisfied with the news of his death and this also means that in time we may be able to look into the accounts of one Master of Coin, Petyr Baelish. If we can seize his accounts then may mean we can use the money to build the warships we need faster so our return to Westeros may be swifter."

"I see," she said looking the papers over.

As she scanned them, Caspian privately began to consider several other ideas in his head that he had been thinking about over the past few weeks.

First and foremost had been the idea of allies.

There was no way in the seven hells that they were going to be able to retake Westeros with the forces that they had.

Eight thousand Unsullied would perhaps be enough to take the crownlands but no more than that.

Seeing as how he was still heir to the Stormlands that provided something of an advantage, but at the same time Caspian wasn't sure how many of them had bent the knee to

Joffrey and the Lannisters just to save their heads.

From what he had been told by Ser Barristan the north had retreated behind the Neck for an unknown reason and may not be of much help at the moment.

But there was still that debt that Lord Stark owed him.

And even though he bore the name Baratheon, Caspian paid his debts…and remembered those that were owed.

Perhaps now it was time to collect.

"There are a few other plans that we might be able to implement your grace," he said slowly and Daenerys looked up from those papers and fixed him with a look. "And those are?"

"We need to begin the process of adding to our army," Caspian said. "Drogon worked his purposes for the taking of Astapor but at the same time word of that method will now have spread to the rest of the free cities which means that they would need to tighten up their defenses. We need to get a look inside of those cities and see just how many Unsullied patrols them and or what their defenses are. We could use the direct approach of course, simply wait until the dragons have reached a decent size and then use them to knock down the doors of the city. It would be simpler, to say the least – "

"No," Daenerys replied. "We would be wasting time and I have no desire to spend years more in Essos before I return to the land of my birth."

Technically speaking your birth was on a ship near Dragonstone and not on Westerosi shores at all, Caspian thought to himself. But I will refrain from saying that at the time being.

"Then someone will have to go into the cities, make a scouting report and come out again to debrief you on the defenses, the leadership, and the general climate of the place.

Whether or not the people appreciate the person who is in governance over them could be key in taking over these cities by spilling as little amount of blood as possible."

Daenerys eyes narrowed at him. "And by what process do you suggest we make such a report?"

Caspian smirked at her. "Is it not obvious? Someone will go in disguise of course with a small contingent of guards. They will go under the guise of a band of merchants as I am aware that the ship of spices and textiles from Qarth will serve our needs well enough. Merchants pass in and out of that city all the time so their presence will go unnoticed. Once they are in the city they can begin their assessment of which gates need to be lowered before the army can be deployed in the city. After that, well, all going according to plan…the city should be yours, your grace."

Daenerys expression didn't change but her eyes lightened slightly and Caspian could tell she was a little impressed.

"I'm not sure I like operating through such trickery," she said slowly.

Caspian folded his arms across his chest. "To do it the other way and storm the city would be to risk countless lives and time and supplies trying to breach the gates. They will no doubt have received word of your coming and thus had time to sharpen their defenses. Plus we do not have enough men to launch a full-scale attack and keep Astapor safe. We would burn Yunkai but burn Astapor along with it."

He paused here and turned to her. "Like it or not your grace, we will have to go by methods of deception to get anything done."

She pursed her lips but nodded. "Very well then. And who shall we choose for such a task."

Caspian smirked again. "Is it no obvious? I will go."

He was surprised when her eyes narrowed and she shook her head vehemently. "Do not take offense my lord Hand but you're worth more to me alive than dead and you're too valuable to risk. Why should you go when there are more than enough able-bodied men in my army to carry out this task?"

Caspian wasn't offended. "Then you should not take offense to this, your grace. I don't look like a slave and if I take a small contingent of Unsullied with me, those who see me on the road will think that they belong to me and thus that I am from some sort of upper-class merchant and the disguised Unsullied is the slaves I am bringing with me to help in the selling of the spices we will bring with us."

Daenerys' eyes narrowed even further. "And if you are ambushed on the road?"

Caspian answering smile was all teeth. "Then we will deal with it…with steel."

They were standing almost chest to chest at this point, looking directly into the other's eyes. This form of contact lasted for a long moment until the queen blinked and then stepped away, rubbing her hands up and down her arms as if she had caught a sudden chill and Caspian knew that he had her.

"Very well," she said stiffly. "But you will take Ser Barristan with you."

"He's the captain of your queen's guard," Caspian protested. "Surely he would be of more use to you guarding you here."

"I have Ser Jorah," Daenerys said somewhat dismissively. "I know I can count on him to see that no harm comes to me."

Yes, I am sure you can.

Ser Jorah was the only one in Daenerys company that Caspian didn't altogether trust. He knew of the man's background about selling men into slavery to keep his Hightower wife in silks and jewels and while the former prince may have been a smug bastard himself…he couldn't think about slavery without thinking of Orin.

And that made him angry.

"Very well then," he said.

"You will take one of the dragons with you?" Daenerys asked.

This was something Caspian hadn't thought about.

While they were growing, Veneys, Zergyx, Edrion, and Naelarion were still by no means capable of burning an entire city.

However, they were also at the stage where they would be easy enough to hide and big enough that that could prove invaluable when taking the city by surprise.

It was a tempting but also dangerous notion.

"I'm not sure yet," he said finally and she nodded.

"Take one," she said. "The only one of your four dragons that is fastest growing would be Naelarion though she would still be easy enough to hide. Don't use her unless necessary, however. Most of Essos by now know that I have only three but the existence of four other dragons is an absolute unknown to anyone else. If Naelarion is seen, cut your enemies down before they can make others aware. Right now the dragons are our biggest asset and the fewer people who know we have seven as opposed to three…the better."

"Agreed," Caspian said.

Daenerys picked up the manuscript that had been Kraznys documentation of his finances and tucked it under her arm. "Do you mind if I examine this some more?"

"Of course not your grace."

"Excellent."

She started for the door of his chambers but the moment she got there, she turned around and looked at him intently as if there was something she wished to say.

Caspian watched her for a moment but not long after the queen opened the door and vanished out of it.

When she was gone, Caspian rubbed the side of his face and smirked wryly.

Things have just become infinitely more interesting.

Ωght as they were pouring over the documents he had managed to obtain for Kraznys personal library regarding the money owed and paid to Yunkai. "In fact, it might be safer if you stayed."

"I am aware of this my lord," the beautiful former slave said. "But your high Valyrian is a bit choppy and I among us know the city the best. I would be able to guide you about it seamlessly so that no one knows we are there. I have also been inside the ruling house there so I know some of the passageways."

"How is it that you know all of this?" Caspian asked.

Missandei ducked her head and refused to meet his eyes. "Before I was sold to Kraznys my owner was one of the masters of Yunkai who also used me for my…translating skills."

There was a minuscule pause there, but Caspian picked up on it all the same.

Missandei was a beautiful woman and he hdid not doubtthat she was used for more than just her skill with languages.

His fingers tightened a bit on the hilt of StormBreaker.

"Go on," he said quietly.

"There is nothing else to say, my lord. I know the city the best and can therefore ensure that you go undetected by the ruling masters. If yyou planto go as a merchant you will also need a translator. The Unsullied you are taking with you will answer to you and not Imebut you will also need to communicate with them. And until you master the Valyrian language completely that person will be me."

Her tone had hardened slightly and Caspian wondered if she had some sort of vested interest in ensuring that Yunkai was subdued in the same way the Astapor was.

I suppose there is no arguing with her, she does have a point after all.

"Very well," he said. "But please remember to do as I ask when we arrive. I don't want any harm coming to you."

She gave him a small smile. "I know."

The room became somewhat quiet after that as they looked at each other curiously.

"Do you?" Caspian asked.

"I do," she said quietly. "The queen may protect us all in this city but it was you who helped to take down the masters and command as much respect as the queen. I have only to look at little Orin to know what you would do for him. And when I do so…I feel safe."

Caspian suddenly felt warm all of a sudden as the burning braziers had blazed too hot for his comfort and he rubbed the side of his face wryly, wondering where this sudden surprise had come from.

"I'm afraid safe is the last thing that we will be Missandei," he said grimly to get the conversation back on track and away from his confusing emotions. "We are about to go into a war and as much as I dislike the notion that all men must die, it is the truth. Some will just wait for it longer than others."

To his surprise, the former slave didn't seem to be all that concerned. "When you are a slave my lord, treated no better than cattle you become used to the notion of death, you may even welcome it. Hope is something we have never experienced before but you and the mother of dragons have given it to us. That is something that will be difficult to take away. And it will make people all the more eager to fight for you. People can be bought…but do not put a price on loyalty."

"I didn't realize you were this pragmatic," Caspian said with a smirk.

She smiled. "One's world perspective shifts when one has to serve a man like Kraznys and keep one's opinions to oneself."

Caspian felt himself soften somewhat. "Yes, I can imagine."

They were silent a few minutes more and then Missandei got up to leave. "I will bid you goodnight my lord, for tomorrow is an early day."

"Aye," Caspian said. "We will need to be on the road to Yunkai by sunrise Please be ready to ride."

"Of course your grace."

She turned to go, but then stopped a moment before turning back.

Caspian frowned at the unfathomable expression on her face. "What is it?"

"I hope we are successful my lord," she said softly. "There are many slaves in Yunkai as well, slaves that need to be freed. I hope we may do so."

She disappeared then and Caspian leaned back in his chair, feeling his own desire for sleep come upon him.

So do I Missandei…so do I.

Ω

The following morning as the sun was beginning to rise, a small party of twenty Unsullied along with Ser Barristan Selmy, and Missandei and Orin were readying their horses for their departure.

No one else was in the courtyard before the main house and Caspian was glad of that as he wanted as little of an audience as possible.

The fewer people who knew they were leaving the better.

He was dressed in dark clothes and a dark green cloak with a hood to keep the sun and dust off of his face.

StormBreaker was strapped to his back and there were two small bags of clothing and other essentials he would need.

In between the small party were two large wagons of spices that they were to sell under the ruse of being merchants in Yunkai.

It would be over a week to ride there but Caspian didn't think they would run into too much trouble.

In a small crate in the wagon, he had placed Naelarion after ensuring that the others were carefully hidden away. The blue dragon would be a secret weapon of sorts. Caspian had no intention of using her until the last possible moment unless it was completely necessary and so Naela was to remain hidden at all times.

Caspian had just finished speaking with Ser Barristan about the route they would take to Yunkai when he turned around to find Daenerys standing by his horse, absently petting the back of it.

HHefrowned at her in question.

She was dressed in her customary blue with the top of her head braided so her hair was away from her face and there was a blue and white cloak about her shoulders.

Her violet eyes were fixed on him and in the still-rising sun and the ale light of morning they looked like two stars.

IAtthat moment, Caspian didn't think he had seen anything quite so beautiful before.

"Your grace," he said bowing.

"I am giving you no more than fourteen days Caspian," she said quietly. "If you have not found a way for the army to get inside Yunkai with as little blood spilled as possible then I charge you to return and we will find some other way."

"And what if there is no other way than to spill blood your grace?" he asked quietly as he looked down at her. "Are you prepared for that?"

"To kill masters or to kill slaves?" she asked just as quietly as they stood so very close to each other.

"One will include the intention to kill," Caspian said. "And the other won't. It all depends on what we find when we reach Yunkai."

"I trust you will send me a raven regarding what you find while you are there?" she asked but it wasn't a question.

"Aye," Caspian replied. "But I will write in the common tongue as Valyrian is more likely to be read."

He would need to come up with a solution for sending messages in code. If their infiltration of Essos was to be continued on such a covert scale, they would need to come up with an effective method of communication.

But there would be time to consider that on the road.

She nodded. "Very well."

Caspian bowed once more and then swung into the saddle of his horse, taking the reins in hand and looking around at his companions.

It was a small group, but they were all disguised as merchants and the weapons of the Unsullied, all but their swords were stowed in the wagons so as not to draw too much attention to themselves.

They were all wearing long cloaks with the hoods up along with Ser Barristan whose own long green cloak was hiding his armor.

He stuck out more than the rest of him and Caspian had been reluctant to bring the old knight, but deep down he was a little relieved.

Ser Barristan was the only one among Daenerys company that he truly trusted. Perhaps it was because the old knight had known him before his new life with the Targaryen or perhaps it was because he reminded Caspian of home.

Whatever the reason, he was secretly glad he was coming.

Orin, however, wasn't pleased to see on a horse and had wanted to leave him behind. But Missandei had convinced him that Orin was unlikely to be noticed among their company and would serve as a lookout and someone to gather secrets when they arrived in Yunkai.

So reluctantly the former prince had agreed.

Daenerys came up to the side of the horse and touched his arm slightly to get his attention.

When he looked down he could see that her violet eyes were burning with a fierceness that surprised him. "Don't stop for too long on the road and don't attract any attention. Trust your instincts my lord Hand. I have a feeling they will save you if you need them."

Caspian raised an eyebrow, suddenly feeling amused. "Do I detect concern, your grace?"

Her mouth twisted into the expression he knew to be a cross between amusement and irritation. "Caution."

"Perhaps it is interspersed with concern then," he said chuckling when her eyes narrowed slightly.

She would become used to his form of teasing before long.

"Come," Ser Barristan said. "We have spent too long delay The sun will soon rise and we had best leave before that happens."

"Aye," Caspian said, moving his horse to the head of the column. "Then in the name of Queen Daenerys….forward!"

And they thundered out of the pavilion and through the main gate of Astapor onto the road beyond.

Caspian only looked back once before they passed through the main gate and when he did, he got a flash of violet eyes burning into his.

Ω