There it is, chapter 5. To be honest I don't like it much but I don't know how to make it better. Please, be gentle with me. Anyway, hope you like it! Oh, almost forgot, I changed the dragon's name to Moonarys. Hope you're okay with it. I like it better this way.

Chapter 5

The days blended into one another, daylight hours under the scorching sun and freezing nights underneath the stars. She had no tent, only a sleeping bag, and staying out in the open like this prevented her from resting like she needed to. Vegetables and fruits kept her standing but it was not enough to really nourish her. She didn't know for how long she could resist like this.

Finally, after a few more days she encountered the small Lhazareen city of Kosrak and from there she knew she only needed to follow the dragon road to Port Yhos. Though she knew Meeren was closer, she preferred avoiding the slavers' cities.

She bought some supplies there and a horse but she didn't stop for long. She planned on boarding the first ship she found once she arrived in Port Yhos and sail for Volantis. She was hoping to find an old friend of her father Leydon there, someone who maybe knew what had happened to her mother.

Riding was definitely easier than walking but not less tiring. She stopped for another night under the stars, by her calculations no more than five days away from Port Yhos. That night she had a strange dream.

She dreamt she was flying above a beautiful but desolate city, with buildings made of a strange black stone and rivers of lava flowing through the streets among the buildings. And then, in the very centre of the city, she landed, in front of something that looked like a temple, with huge columns built in the shapes of snakes or dragons, or some kind of mixture of the two. The double doors were triple her height and just as wide, made of a strange, black glass and looking through them was like staring with open eyes above you while underwater. She was just about to open the door when she was violently woken up by something.

She got up in a second to look around her and shivered in fear. There were people all around her, not more than a hundred. Three men, the obvious leaders of the group, were richly dressed with colored fabrics and on top of horses. Behind them, stood various people dressed in rags with collars around their necks and heavy chains around their hands and feet, identical expression of despair painted on their faces. On each side of them, in rows of three and with spears on the ground, stood whom she recognized as Unsullied.

And finally, surrounding her on all sides and preventing her from escaping, there were ten more unsullied, spears aimed against her.

"Qilōni issi ao?" (Who are you?) One of them, the man in the centre, asked her. He was fat, with grey, receding hair and a look of greed and lust on his face. In fact, the three men were all looking at her like she was some prized horse they desperately wanted to buy (and try for themselves).

It took a few seconds for her to understand the question, thanks to the translation spell in her necklace.

"Bisa ābra iksis brōztagon Alyssa." (This woman is called Alyssa.) She answered in what she recognized as Valyrian. This translation spell was awesome. She had just learnt to speak and understand Valyrian in a few seconds.

"Se skoros issi ao doing kesīr?" (And what are you doing here?) The man on the left asked her. This man was fat as well but with oily, black hair and a hooked noise that reminded her of Snape.

"Iksan jāre naejot Port Yhos. » (I'm going to Port Yhos.)

The three men exchanged a smirk before the one on the right said, with a voice of faked gentleness. "Iksi jāre konīr hae sȳrī. Ivestragī īlva urnēptre ao se ñuhoso." (We are going there as well. Let us show you the way.)

Aly was a person who, in most situations, followed her gut. And in that moment, her gut was telling her that she was in grave danger. These men were slavers, or, at the very least, rich men who owned slaves.

"Daor, kirimvose. Nyke ȳdra daor jaelagon naejot jenigon ao." (No, thank you. I don't want to bother you.)

"Ziry iksos daor jenigon." (It's no bother.) The man on the right said.

"Ao sagon olvie sȳz yn iksan waiting syt ñuha kepa. Kessa sagon kesīr aderī." (You're very kind but I'm waiting for my father. He'll be here soon.)

"Iksan zūgagon īlon daor ivestragī ao henujagon. Iā Valyrīha gevives hae kostā sagon liortan rȳ iā eglie odre rȳ se buzdari tistālion." (I'm afraid we cannot let you leave. A Valyrian beauty like you can be sold at a high price at the slave market.)

Aly gritted her teeth in anger. They wanted to sell her? Aly looked at the people in rags, slaves all of them, and then at the three men, who had become this fat and rich at the expense of innocent people.

Fury filled every bone in her body, blinding in its intensity. She didn't become angry often but when she did, it was like a red, burning rage that didn't allow her to think. During the years she had gotten better at control it, thanks especially to the Dursleys. She couldn't allow herself the luxury of being angry when she was at the Dursleys so she had been forced more than once to control herself – with a few notable exceptions like what had happened to Marge Dursley before her third at Hogwarts.

Now that she knew who her parents really were, she wondered if this fury that she felt sometimes was due to her dragon blood.

And thinking about dragons, she really could use Moonarys' help now. She couldn't fight all these Unsullied on her own, especially since she didn't know if she had enough time to reach her sword that was still under her pillow.

Almost like in answer to her question she felt a presence in her mind, having become more and more familiar the more time passed. Before starting Hogwarts and then during the three years she had spent there – and the few months she had spent there this year – she had gotten used to her connection with Hedwig, like an invisible string that connected them together. This was different though, new but not less strong, and warm like fire but without burning her. It was Moonarys.

Her connection with the dragon had grown and now she could tell if Moonarys was close or not and Aly was now also able to call her to her if she realized that Moonarys was flying too far away.

She closed her eyes and screamed for help in her mind, hoping Moonarys would come. She heard the rich men laughing at her, thinking she was giving in to despair and fear, thinking she was about to cry and beg. Aly ignored them. Instead she waited, eyes closed and heart beating steadily.

She was Aly fucking Potter; she was a gryffindor; she was a dragon; she wouldn't be afraid.

One of the men ordered two Unsullied to grab her. Aly didn't move. As soon as one of them had grabbed her forearm, they all heard a great, loud roar. Immediately everyone fell to their knees except her, covering their ears and shaking with fear. Then a great shadow fell over their heads, obscuring the sun.

Aly raised her eyes to the sky and saw her. Moonarys, beautiful and pale as the moon. The dragon landed near her, her huge wings pushing the Unsullied soldiers away from her. The fat men fell from their horses.

"Thank you, Moonarys." She whispered to her. Then she turned towards the fat men and said, in a clear and loud voice. "Iksan daor iā buzdari. Daor vala iā ābra should sagon iā buzdari. Daorys tepagon ao se paktot naejot sindigon se lioragon toile. » (I'm not a slave. No man or woman should be a slave. No one gives you the right to buy and sell others.)

Aly looked at the slaves and the Unsullied then. "Iksā dāez vali se ābrar. Freedom iksis aōhon ondoso paktot. These oiro vali sylutan naejot gūrogon ziry qrīdrughagon hen ao yn pōnta kostagon daor. Daorys kostagon." (You are free men and women. Freedom is yours by right. These fat men tried to take it away from you but they can't. No one can.)

The slaves didn't speak. Instead they all looked down, too afraid to do anything.

The fat men laughed, though they still looked terrified at the sight of Moonarys. "Doru-borto riña. Issi daor vali se ābrar. Issi īlvon. Sepār hae ao se aōha zaldrīzes kessa aderī." (Stupid girl. They are not men and women. They are ours. Just like you and your dragon will soon.)

Aly glared at them. "Zaldrīzes buzdari iksos daor." (A dragon is not a slave.)

Moonarys roared at the fat men, a burst of fire passing a few centimeters above their heads. The slavers recoiled in fear.

"Yn pār ao pendagon these vali se ābrar issi aōhon, pār kesan sindigon zirȳ hen ao." (But since you think you own these men and women then I will buy them from you.) Aly continued.

The fat men looked at each other, uncertain but also fearful. They didn't dare oppose her now, not with Moonarys at her side.

"Kesan māzigon lēda ao naejot port yhos. Kesā ivestragī these vali se ābrar jikagon. Kesan tepagon ao iā bag hen āeksion se kesā gaomagon aōha ābrar. Kesā tepagon nyke iā lōgor se ivestragī nyke sagon va ñuha ñuhoso. Lo ao ȳdra daor mazōregon bisa, kesan tepagon ao naejot ñuha zaldrīzes." (I will come with you to Port Yhos. You will let these men and women go. I will give you a bag of gold and you will keep your life. You will give me a ship and let me be on my way. If you don't accept this, I will give you to my dragon.)

The fat men exchanged a few glances before finally nodding in assent. Aly took a small bag of golden coins from her bag and threw it at them. "Tepagon nyke se qilōny." (Give me the whip.) Aly ordered then.

She knew that the only way for the Unsullied to listen to her would be with the whip. She needed to convince them that they were free but it wouldn't work as long as they thought those fat men owned them.

The fat man in the middle passed her the whip. Aly took it in her hand and looked at it with disgust. Then she turned to the Unsullied and the slaves. "Syt tolī bōsa īlē ivestretan bona īlē daorun. Syt tolī bōsa pōnta vēttan ao feel hae īlē daorun. Dombo. Iksā dāez. Dāez naejot mazverdagon aōha own choices. Dāez naejot sagon qilōni jaelā naejot sagon. Naejot jikagon skoriot jaelā naejot jikagon. Aōha ābrar iksis aōhon se mērī aōhon. Gaomagon daor ivestragī tolie dīnagon ao isse belma mirre aril." (For too long you were told that you were nothing. For too long they made you feel like you were nothing. No more. You are free. Free to make your own choices. Free to be who you want to be. To go where you want to go. Your life is yours and only yours. Do not let others put you in chains ever again.)

The slaves and the unsullied looked at each other, looking both uncertain and hopeful. Then a young woman, a little older than her, said, "Īlon kirimvose syt helping īlva. Yn sesīr lo iksi dāez sir, tolie kessa dīnagon īlva isse belma arlī. Skorkydoso kostagon īlon keligon zirȳ?"( We thank you for helping us. But even if we are free now, others will put us in chains again. How can we stop them?)

Aly frowned, realizing the woman was right. "Pār kostā māzigon lēda nyke. Se nyke kivio ao, kesan daor rual zirȳ naejot dīnagon ao isse belma aril." (Then you can come with me. And I promise you, I will not allow them to put you in chains again.)

The slaves started to smile timidly. The unsullied, on the other hand, started to hit the ground with their spears. Then the woman who had spoken said, "Īlon kirimvose. Se īlon kivio naejot dohaeragon ao syt hae bōsa hae īlon glaesagon, ñuha dāria."(We thank you. And we promise to serve you for as long as we live, my Queen.)

"Iksan daor iā dāria. Iksan sepār Aly." (I'm not a queen. I'm just Aly.) "Se nyke ȳdra daor jaelagon ao naejot dohaeragon nyke. Iksan daor iā belmurtys." (And I don't want you to serve me. I'm not a slaver.)

"Hen rhinka daor, dāria aly. Yn ao jiōragotan īlva ruaragon sīr īlon jiōragon jemēla naejot ao. Lī qilōni kostagon vīlībagon kessa ivīlībagon ao. Se se tolie kessa dohaeragon ao isse se ways pōnta gīmigon" (Of course not, Queen Aly. But you offered us protection and, in exchange, we offer ourselves to you. Those who can fight will fight for you. And the others will serve you in the ways they know.)

"Skoros gaomas ziry nūmāzma, bona kesā dohaeragon nyke isse se ways ao gīmigon?" (What does it mean? That you will serve me in the ways you know?)

"Tolvie mēre hen īlva knows skorkydoso naejot gaomagon mirros. Nyke gīmigon skorkydoso naejot ñepegon. Īlen iā buzdari syt iā tradesman qilōni liortan grēze. Kesi gaomagon skoros kosti gaomagon naejot dohaeragon ao hae sȳrje hae kosti." (Every one of us knows how to do something. I know how to sew. I was a slave for a tradesman who sold clothes. We will use what we can do to serve you as best as we can.)

"Kesan mērī mazōregon lo kostan addemmagon ao syt aōha mirre. Konir sagon skoros iksis issare dāez. Bona ao mērī dohaeragon aōla." (I will only accept if I can pay you for your work. That is what it means being free. That you only serve yourself.)

The woman looked at the others. After a general consensus, the woman, who had become the spokesperson for all those people, replied. "Kirimvose, dāria Aly. Īlon mazōregon." (Thank you, Queen Aly. We accept.)

"Pār ivestragī's jikagon. Emi iā bōsa geralbar isse naejon hen īlva." (Then let's go. We have a long road in front of us.) Aly looked at the slavers then. "Emi naejot letagon zirȳ bē ēva īlon māzigon se oktion." (We hate to tie them up, at least until we reach the city.)

One of the unsullied immediately complied, looking like he was enjoying it greatly.

Once Aly was sure they couldn't escape, she nodded. She told the ex-slaves to take turns using the horses – hers included. She shared what supplies she could – food and water – though it wasn't much. She hoped someone among them knew how to hunt.

The sun was falling behind the horizon when they finally started to march towards Port Yhos. Aly tried to remember the names of all her new travel companions but she knew it would take a while. Still, there were five days until they would reach Port Yhos. She hoped she would learn them all by then.