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˖*°࿐chapter seventeen. xvii. SECOND SONS
———
THE SOUNDS OF POUNDING HOOVES AGAINST DRY SAND filled the Second Son's ears, mounted on top of their mares and riding through the desert. Laelia and her soldiers heard the incoming and they now stood behind a broken clay wall, Laelia watching through a large hole for them. "Men who fight for gold have neither honor nor loyalty," Korben whispers loudly enough for Laelia and Allister to hear. "They cannot be trusted."
"They can be trusted to kill you if they're well paid," Allister says. "The Ipronish are paying them well."
"You know these men?" Laelia watches on. She wore a tan cloth around her neck and head, protecting them from the sand blowing around them.
"Only by their broken swords on their banners," Allister replies. "They're called the Second Sons. A company led by a Braavosi named Croll, 'The Titan's Bastard'."
"Is he more Titan or bastard?" A fly buzzes around Laelia's head.
"He's a dangerous man, Khaleesi. They all are."
"How many?"
"2,000, Your Grace," Korben answers. "Armored and mounted."
"Enough to make a difference?" Laelia sees Korben nod his head. "It's hard to collect wages from a corpse. I'm sure the sellswords prefer to fight for the winning side."
"I imagine you're right," Allister confirms.
"I'd like to talk to the Titan's Bastard about winning."
"He may not agree to meet."
"He will," Laelia replies. "A man who fights for gold can't afford to lose to a girl."
———
"YOUR GRACE, ALLOW ME TO PRESENT THE CAPTAINS OF THE SECOND SONS," Korben says as three men clad in uniforms close to the Enochian garb stand in front of her. "Croll of Braavos, Kiran za Smyte, and uh ―"
"Darys Vypren," the man with short hair bows to her. The man that stood in the middle, Kiran za Smyte, steps forward.
"You're the Mother of Dragons?" he smirks. "I swear I fucked you once in a pleasure house in Linness."
"Mind your tongue," Allister warns, glaring at the man as Laelia looks at Korben.
"Why? I didn't mind hers," Kiran walks up the steps to the small throne Laelia had. "She licked my ass like she was born to do it." He sits down next to her and wiggles his tongue side-to-side, wet sounds emitting from it. It grossed Laelia out, but she kept her composure. He chuckles. "You," he points to Melora, "slave girl, bring wine."
"We have no slaves here," Laelia says.
"You'll all be slaves after the battle unless I save you," he replies. She raises her eyebrows at him. "Take your clothes off and come sit on Croll's lap and I may give you my Second Sons."
"Give me your Second Sons and I may not have you gelded. Ser Korben, how many men fight for the Second Sons?"
"Under 2,000, Your Grace."
"We have more, don't we?"
"10,000 Unsullied."
"I'm only a young girl new to the ways of war, but perhaps a seasoned captain like yourself can explain to me how you propose to defeat us?"
Kiran takes a sip of wine, but Darys speaks for him. "I hope the old man is better with a sword than he is with a lie. You have 8,000 Unsullied."
"You're very young to be a captain," Laelia tells him.
"He's not a captain," Croll replies, "he's a leftenant." Laelia's eyebrows shoot up for a second, but she replies nonetheless.
"Even if your numbers are right, you must admit the odds don't favor your side," Laelia stares at the man. He continues to smile at her with sarcasm. "The Second Sons have faced worse odds and won."
"The Second Sons have faced worse odds and run," Allister corrects him. Laelia smiles at him with appreciation; even in an argument, he could make jokes about the opposing side without fear. "Well, you could fight for me." This makes Kiran laugh. "We've taken the slaver's gold, we fight the Iproni."
"I will pay you as much and more —" Kiran sniffs Melora's womanhood, making her stumble back in disgust.
"Our contract is our bond," Croll speaks out. "If we break our bond, no one will hire the Second Sons again."
"Ride with me and you'll never need another contract," Laelia responds. "You'll have gold and castles and lordships of your choosing when I take back the Seven Kingdoms."
"You have no ships, you have no siege weapons, you have no cavalry," Darys says.
"A fortnight ago I had no army, a year ago I had no dragons. You have two days to decide," she tells Kiran.
"Show me your cunt," Kiran replies. "I want to see if it's worth fighting for." When this remark is said, Grey Worm asks Laelia, in Krefson, if she would like for him to cut out his tongue, unsheathing his dagger to prove it. "Bisi vali īlvyz zentyssy issi." (These men are our guests.)
"You seem to be enjoying my wine, perhaps you'd like a flagon to help you ponder."
"Only a flagon? And what if my brothers in arms to drink?"
"A barrel then," Laelia replies.
"Good," Kiran stands up from his chair. "The Titan's Bastard does not drink alone. And the Second Sons, we share everything. After the battle, maybe we'll all share you." Darys smirks at the princess as he leaves. "I'll be looking for you when this is over," Kiran smacks Melora's backside, making the woman look up at her leader.
"When Ser Kiran comes into battle, kill that one first."
