NOVEL NEXT Chapter 9: To Pentos
By the time the sun rose over the distant horizon, the city of Braavos was in full swing—but it was a city on edge. Illyrio Mopatis had spared no expense in his frantic search for the dragon eggs. Word had spread like wildfire, and the streets buzzed with rumors.
His bounty offer had been posted on every corner, pasted onto the walls of inns, taverns, and marketplaces. Illyrio promised a fortune, tens of thousands of gold coins, for the person who could bring him the dragon eggs. It didn't matter how they got them back; the reward was high enough to make even the most loyal men consider betrayal.
Illyrio himself had his most trusted men scouring every alley, every corner of Braavos. He had dispatched additional forces, setting up checkpoints and increasing patrols, hoping that his relentless search would pay off. His face was a mask of barely controlled fury, the once-calm, scheming man now a shadow of himself, overwhelmed by his own desperation.
But despite his efforts, despite the chaos that had unfolded in the city, it was all for nothing. He had no idea that by the time the first light of dawn had broken, Alex and Daenerys were already halfway to Pentos.
The old Jeep—an off-road vehicle, though a strange sight in a world where iron beasts were unheard of—roared to life under Alex's hand. Daenerys sat stiffly beside him, her wide eyes taking in everything, her mind racing with questions.
The night had been their cover. As the stars had shone overhead, Alex had driven swiftly and quietly, steering the Jeep through the winding roads that led out of Braavos. Daenerys, who had never been more than a passenger on a slow-moving horse or cart, had been terrified at first. She had never seen such a thing—an iron beast with wheels, moving faster and smoother than anything she'd ever known.
She had recoiled when Alex had summoned the vehicle from his inventory, her eyes wide in disbelief. "What is this...?" she asked, her voice shaky as she glanced nervously at the large, foreign machine.
Alex had only smiled, the tension in his own muscles easing as he secured her safely in the passenger seat. He glanced over at her and explained calmly, his voice low so as not to alarm her further. "It's not an iron beast," he said with a chuckle. "It's a magical vehicle. Think of it like a cart, but much stronger, faster, and more comfortable."
Daenerys frowned, still unsure. She had never seen anything like it, and the way it moved was beyond her comprehension. The feeling of it, the way it powered forward without the need for any animals—she couldn't wrap her mind around it.
"But… how does it work?" she asked, her voice quiet.
Alex shrugged, eyes ahead as he maneuvered the Jeep smoothly along the path leading out of Braavos. "That's a bit of magic I can't explain. It's just… well, it's just how things work for me now." He gave her a reassuring smile before returning his attention to the road.
For a moment, the hum of the engine and the rattle of the wheels were the only sounds. Daenerys leaned back in her seat, still processing everything that had happened. Her brother, Viserys, would never have allowed her to run away like this. And yet here she was—on the run, with a man she didn't know, in a world so different from the one she had once known.
As they sped away from Braavos, Alex reached into his inventory once more. He retrieved the three dragon eggs, their soft glow barely visible in the moonlight, and gently placed them onto the back seat.
"I've got them," he said softly, as if to reassure her. He turned to face Daenerys briefly, his eyes meeting hers. "These are your future, Daenerys. The dragons will make you the Queen you were meant to be. And with these, nothing can stop you."
Daenerys swallowed hard. Her heart was still racing from the suddenness of the escape, but a flicker of hope ignited within her. The eggs—her dragons—were real. They were in her possession now. She didn't know who Alex was or what had led him to her, but his words were slowly starting to sink in. She had no choice but to trust him now.
"They're real…" she whispered, staring at the dragon eggs.
"Yes," Alex said. "And we'll get you to Pentos, where you can be safe and figure out what comes next. But first, we need to stay ahead of Illyrio and his men. They won't stop looking for those eggs. And they won't stop looking for you."
Daenerys nodded, her thoughts turning inward. Her brother had already betrayed her. He had sold her to Khal Drogo, a man she had barely heard of. And now Illyrio, a man who had once seemed like an ally, was hunting her down to take back what was rightfully hers.
But Alex was right. She had to focus on the future now. With the dragons, she would have the power she needed to claim her birthright.
As they continued on their journey, the Jeep's engine roaring beneath them, Alex stayed vigilant, his mind racing with the plans he had for the next phase of their escape. The road ahead would be dangerous, but with the dragon eggs, they would have more than a chance to build his kingdom and rule with Daenerys his Queen.
And as for Illyrio's bounty… Alex didn't know about it.
The city of Pentos is waiting.