We Bleed Silver(GOT/ASOIAF Fanfic)

Chapter 2: Draezell Vaelarys

Pale gold hair and beard were tangled together, stained with dust and blood, as lifeless blue-violet eyes stared at the boy. The gaping mouth seemed as if it wanted to say something, but alas, it could no longer speak.

It was the son of the former consul of Volantis and his mother. The boy recognized the source of the severed head.

No— he screamed in his heart.

Please don't let it be Draezell who did this.

That would be kinslaying, the gravest of sins!

"What are you looking at, Rey?"

His brother's voice came from behind him. Rey turned abruptly, his frightened violet eyes meeting the deep purple gaze of his brother.

The silver-haired boy smiled at his younger brother. Tall and lean, about 15 or 16 years old, his slightly wavy short silver hair framed a refined, serene face. His deep purple eyes narrowed slightly, exuding warmth and restraint. Even among the famously beautiful Valyrian nobility, the boy's appearance stood out as one of the finest. He wore a cool and comfortable purple silk toga, with his arm exposed to reveal a beautifully crafted silver dragon armlet, a detail underscoring his extraordinary status.

"Brother!" Rey pointed at the severed head, fear filling his wide eyes as he stared at Draezell Vaelarys.

Draezell smiled, ruffling his younger brother's silver hair. He turned toward the slightly chaotic main hall, his gaze shifting from the warmth of Volantis's spring to a sudden, cold sharpness. "Yamor, you've frightened my brother."

"My apologies, young master." A brawny man with curly facial hair raised a long-handled battle axe still dripping with blood, bowing slightly toward Rey. The wyvern tattoo on his cheek gleamed under the sunlight. "Master, this man infiltrated the estate, attempting to steal your belongings. As dictated by the Black Wall Codex of Volantis, I executed the thief."

With that, Yamor nudged the corpse—its neck still bleeding—with his foot, causing it to topple to the ground. He gestured for the Unsullied guards stationed at the estate to drag it away.

"Kinslaying, Draezell! You've committed kinslaying!"

The accusation rang out in High Valyrian, its sharp pronunciation flawed by grammatical errors.

A corpulent silver-haired man pointed a trembling finger at Draezell, his fear evident in his soaked trousers. He shouted loudly, flanked by Unsullied soldiers armed with spears.

Even more Unsullied and tattooed silver-armored guards encircled them.

"This man as well," Yamor declared, lifting his battle axe. "According to the law, when a Black Wall noble leads armed men into another's estate, it is considered a declaration of war."

Draezell gently patted Rey's head, signaling him to step back, before focusing his gaze on the corpulent man.

"And who might you be?"

"You—" The man nearly fainted from anger.

"Oh, I remember now." Draezell clapped his hands. "You're Carvado, the youngest son of Carvado, the former consul of House Bontaro." He took a few steps forward, gesturing for Yamor to lower his axe. "I've just returned from the workshops in the town of Velonthes and am not fully aware of what has transpired. So, Lord Carvado, would you kindly explain why you've brought armed men into my estate?"

At this point, Carvado was already regretting being goaded by his unreliable bastard brother into getting involved in this mess.

"Lord Draezell," Carvado began, emboldened by the fact that Draezell hadn't immediately ordered him expelled. He shrank behind a burly Unsullied, leaving only his head visible. "Please forgive my intrusion. I am here on behalf of House Bontaro to offer condolences for the recent passing of Lord Cleorius of House Vaelarys, who has joined the gods. As for the soldiers..."

Carvado glanced around at the main hall, his Unsullied guards, and the shivering male and female slaves huddled nearby. His voice grew louder. "They are my slaves. The laws of Volantis permit nobles to bring slaves when visiting others. These Unsullied ensure my safety. As for the male slaves, they carry me, and the female slaves..."

Yamor raised his battle axe again before Carvado could finish speaking. The towering warrior stared at him silently, forcing Carvado to swallow his words.

"The House of Vaelarys has no slaves. Even the Unsullied, under the sigil of the Silver Dragon, serve as contract-bound retainers," Draezell said, stepping forward with his arms spread wide. "The family welcomes friends who respect our traditions," he declared, glancing at the bloodstains on the ground. "But we will not tolerate schemers and thieves! Lord Carvado, why have you truly come here?" he demanded in loud, commanding High Valyrian.

"I-I came to mourn the passing of Lord Cleorius Vaelarys," Carvado stammered, his voice trembling.

"And him?" Draezell tilted his head toward the bloodstain. The corpse had already been swiftly removed by the Unsullied. "If I'm not mistaken, that man was yours..."

"Lord Draezell, please don't misunderstand. While that man was distantly related to me, he was not part of my retinue. I hardly knew him," Carvado quickly disavowed the connection.

One had to admire the quick thinking of this scion of House Bontaro. Draezell sighed, shaking his head.

"Then why did you accuse me of kinslaying?"

Under Draezell's piercing violet gaze, Carvado felt a wave of discomfort wash over him. This time, he even hid his head entirely behind the Unsullied.

"Lord Draezell, forgive me," he switched to High Valyrian tinged with the unique accent of Volantis.

That was easier on the ears.

"My High Valyrian is not very proficient; perhaps I misspoke, and you misunderstood. I swear by R'hllor, the Lord of Light, and by the gods of ancient Valyria. I swear upon the honor of House Bontaro."

Rey, who had been quietly observing from behind Draezell, smirked to himself. Honor? he thought. According to Maester Visari, old Carvado only became consul through bribery—paying off senators and council members and even throwing coins to voters in the streets outside the Black Wall.

Just then, Rey noticed a group of young men huddled together in the corner of the main hall, whispering among themselves. He glanced at his brother before inching closer to the group.

"I see," Draezell finally said, scanning the faces of Carvado's entourage, all of whom avoided his gaze in fear. He waved for his own guards to stand down. "Lord Carvado, please extend my thanks to House Bontaro for their condolences."

"House Bontaro is deeply grieved by the passing of Lord Cleorius Vaelarys," Carvado said, visibly relieved that Draezell had let him off the hook. He even managed to squeeze out a few tears. "As a token of sorrow, I personally gift the land between Little Rhoyne and Ben Orduil Manor, along with 2,000 tiger pelts, for the funeral rites. The family's gifts will follow shortly."

"Thank you, Lord Carvado," Draezell said, bowing slightly and raising his hand to dismiss him.

Two Unsullied quickly supported Carvado, who could no longer stand, and hurriedly escorted him and his entourage—slaves and soldiers alike—out of the estate.

Draezell pressed a hand to his temple.

That fool Carvado couldn't possibly have been unaware of the dead man's identity. He was Carvado's bastard brother… and Draezell's half-brother.

All of this was the result of Princess Saera's ill-fated entanglements. Although Draezell had already brought most of his mother's illegitimate children under control, there were still a few who remained like thorns in his side. Thankfully, most of them had already returned to the gods.

There was only one exception.

Alekshiu Bontaro—the unlucky man who had been beheaded by Yamor.

This bastard, who was nearing middle age, had even participated in the Great Council of 101 in Westeros. If it hadn't been for Princess Saenera's tarnished reputation… well, even if her reputation were spotless, with her status, this bastard would never have had a chance to sit on the Iron Throne.

Even though he couldn't speak anymore, Draezell knew exactly what Alekshiu had come for, making such a spectacle from his own estate.

"Don't think just because I'm young, I'm an easy target," Draezell muttered, turning to walk toward the fountain in the center of the main hall. With his palm facing down and without a single visible motion, a droplet of blood, glinting with silver, fell into the water.

It vanished immediately.

"It seems Mother's troublesome ties are finally severed," Draezell said, retracting his hand as he walked toward his brother and the young attendants, laughing and chatting together.

Yamor, with his battle axe resting on his shoulder, stayed close by Draezell's side.

"Yamor, where did Valar go?" Draezell asked about his twin brother.

"Lord Valar went to the Silverblood Military Estate at Orange Coast. You've set him a military training program, overseen by the Unsullied's Centurion 'Silver Scorpion.'"

"Good." After asking about his brother, Draezell arrived near the group of young attendants, still laughing and talking.

Lynn Valtaken, with his black hair streaked with silver, was holding Rey, smiling and speaking with him. His bronze arms were muscular, and despite his youth, any experienced observer could see he was a skilled warrior.

Amos Fezer, with his neat silver hair, was leaning against a nearby pillar with his arms crossed, smiling warmly.

A Dothraki youth named Argo, bare-chested with braided hair, stood silently leaning against the wall. His curved arakh blade shimmered at his waist, but his eyes held a knowing smile.

Sebastian Pyrebane, with striking, bright eyes, saw Draezell approach and gave a slight bow, stepping aside to make way.

This revealed the young man with silver hair who had been leaning against the wall, wearing a mischievous grin.

"Tigaro, what did you prepare for Carvaxo?" Draezell clearly knew what his companions had been up to. After scanning the group, his eyes fell on the one still grinning mischievously—Tigarro Dargaleon.

"My lord, he drank the wine I handed him," Tigarro replied, his smile fading as he spoke more formally. "Rest assured, I didn't prepare anything too strong. Just a mix of woodland scorpion venom and lys salt crystals."

Draezell raised a hand to stop him from continuing. "Just tell me how long he has left."

"If he abstains from both wine and… other activities," Tigarro made a gesture with his fingers, "he should last a month or so. If he can't control himself, three days at most. The more he drinks, the faster he dies."

"Well done."

"As you wish."

Draezell gave Tigarro a light pat on the shoulder and, with Yamor following closely, made his way through the corridor and into the main hall of the estate. Surrounded by marble pillars, a large map table carved with the routes of the Varezes family stood at the center. The young attendants followed closely behind with Rey, standing in formation by Draezell's side. Servants entered, carrying copper urns filled with ice, and the temperature inside the room became much more comfortable.

These young people were Draezell's key allies in managing the family's affairs.

Lynn Valtaken, also a bastard of Princess Saera, came from a very humble background. Before Draezell took him in, he didn't even know who his parents were and had lived in the port of Lys, collecting debts to survive.

Amos Fezer and Sebastian Pyrebane were both from a slave ship that had been captured by the Vaelays fleet. Lys's pirate fleet had destroyed Sebastian's hometown and captured him while he was still a child. Amos, also of Valyrian blood, had been slated for sale to one of Lys's brothels.

Fortunately, the slave ship never reached Lys's shores.

Argo came from a small Khalasar that had sought shelter under the Vaelarys family. His Khal died in a battle in the Great Grass Sea's, and another Khal destroyed their Khalasar. That second Khalasar, too, had been defeated by the Tiger Cloak army guarding the borders of Volantis.

Tigarro Dargaleon, like the others, came from Lys. However, unlike his fellow Lys natives, his father, Fisher Dargaleon, had once been immensely wealthy. Everything ended in the infighting of Lys. Fisher died from poisoned wine, and Tigarro was sold into slavery by rival families, only to be rescued and adopted by Draezell's father.

Maester Visari and the family's chief vassal, Vansen Kaon, were already waiting by the map table.

"My lord, we've followed your instructions and sold the northern estates," Vansen Kaon said with a slight bow as Draezell approached the table. "All were priced in gold and silver."

"Which family bought them?" Draezell asked, his eyes shifting to the chief vassal, who sported a long black beard.

"Mainly Lord Hamar of House Lannigar and Lord Dolan of House Megaya," Vansen replied as he walked around Draezell, speaking quietly. "Lord Dolan is willing to pay 20% more in hopes of inviting you to a banquet at the Megaya Palace."

"Understood." Draezell seemed to have expected this development.

Volantis, as the most closely allied city-state to the Freehold of Valyria in Essos, had always maintained a republican system. After the cataclysm that destroyed Valyria, Volantis attempted to rebuild the Valyrian Empire by launching a war. The conflict, later known as the "Bloody Era," ended with Volantis's defeat. The "Tiger Party," which had spearheaded the war, was forced into retreat, and to this day, two of the three consuls of the Volantis Senate belong to the victorious "Elephant Party" that emerged from the chaos.

The Vaelarys family were supporters of the Elephant Party, and Vagad, head of House Lannigar, was one of the current Elephant Party consuls.

As for House Megaya, which offered the higher price, their head, Berisio, was the sole representative of the Tiger Party in this round of consuls.

The reason was clear.

"Did you agree to Lord Dolan's offer?" Draezell lightly tapped the table.

"No," Vansen Kaon shook his head. "But Lord Dolan is also interested in purchasing the family's mines."

"The mines can wait." Draezell then turned his gaze to Maester Visari. "Maester Visari, how are the large ships at the shipyard coming along?"

Maester Visari pulled a parchment from his sleeve. "The Weeping Youth and Silent Lord have completed their trials. The Cleoarius and Sea Dragon have just been launched. I can assure you, these ships are capable of sailing in any waters."

"Even the Smoking Sea of Valyria?" Draezell spoke softly.

Maester Visari hesitated, his words faltering.

Draezell said nothing further, nodding as he turned his attention back to Vansen. "Lord Kaon, continue with the sale of the lands, workshops, and estates as planned. The mines can be sold last."

His deep purple eyes swept over the young attendants standing nearby.

"Argo, take Sebastian and Amos to the Silverblood Military Manor and make sure Valar and the others are ready."

"Yes, Blood of My Blood." Argo lowered his head.

The young Dothraki stubbornly saw himself as Draezell's sworn bloodbound warrior, a tradition of the Dothraki where the Khaal's closest friends and warriors were treated as brothers.

"Lynn, take Tigarro and handle the affairs in Volantis City."

"As you wish." Before Lynn could finish his sentence, he grabbed Tigarro and hurried out.

"Maester Visari." Draezell finished giving out orders and turned to the elderly scholar. "We can depart now."

"As you wish."

Beneath the Vaelarys estate lay a massive artificial cavern.

It had once been a place where the previous heads of the family stored treasures and fine wines.

Now, it had become a vast laboratory.

Draezell walked among the bizarrely shaped statues and intricate symbols.

There were twisted sphinxes, wingless dragons resembling serpents, faceless beings, humanoids with different faces on every part of their bodies, and figures with blazing fires, along with humanoid forms inlaid with different gemstones.

Silver and blood red flowed over the complex symbols, finally converging at the center of the lab.

At the center, a book with a silver-red cover lay quietly, seemingly waiting for someone to open it.

Draezell pressed his lips together and, under the watchful gaze of Maester Visari and Yamor, opened the book.

"To my eldest son: Draezell Vaelarys," the opening words read.