Game of Thrones: The blind warrior

**Mary's Perspective**

The journey to Astapor had been long, hot, and exhausting, but as the city's massive red-bricked walls finally came into view, a wave of relief washed over Mary. She had made it. After weeks of traveling through deserts, avoiding bandits, and scraping by with barely enough to eat, she was here. The city where her brother, Arren, was supposedly residing.

Beside her, Zhal—her reluctant companion—was equally weary, though he had been more cautious than excited about arriving in the infamous city of dragons. He had heard the rumors, as had everyone else. Astapor was no longer a city of slaves; it had been transformed by the Mother of Dragons, Daenerys Targaryen, and was now ruled by freedmen and warriors.

"We're finally here," Mary said, her voice barely containing her excitement.

"Yeah," Zhal replied, his tone more wary. "But let's not get ahead of ourselves. It's one thing to get into the city. It's another to meet with the queen's court."

Mary waved him off. "Arren is my brother. We'll find a way."

---

As they approached the towering pyramid that housed the queen's court, the massive structure loomed over them like a mountain of red stone. Guards clad in dark armor stood at the entrance, their expressions grim and unyielding.

Mary confidently strode up to one of the guards, her head held high. "I'm here to see my brother, Arren," she declared.

The guard looked down at her, unimpressed. "And who might you be?"

"Mary," she said, her voice steady. "His sister."

The guard raised an eyebrow. "You're not on the list," he said flatly.

"List?" Mary repeated, feeling a flicker of irritation. "I'm his sister! You don't need a list."

Zhal, standing a little behind her, shifted awkwardly. "Uh, maybe we should—"

But Mary wasn't listening. She folded her arms, glaring at the guard. "Just let us in. My brother is in there."

The guard remained unfazed. "No entry without being on the list."

Mary clenched her fists, her frustration bubbling to the surface. "Fine!" she snapped, spinning on her heel and storming back to where Zhal was standing. "If they won't let us in, we'll just have to find another way."

Zhal gave her a skeptical look. "What do you mean 'another way'?"

Mary grinned mischievously, her eyes glinting with the beginnings of a plan. "We're going to prank them."

Zhal's eyes widened. "Prank the guards? Are you out of your mind?"

Mary shrugged. "They didn't let us in, so we'll make them."

"That doesn't make any sense," Zhal muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. "And it's a terrible idea."

"Do you have a better one?" Mary challenged, her grin widening. "Because if you don't help me, I'm doing it alone."

Zhal groaned, realizing he had no choice. "Fine, fine. What's the plan?"

---

**The Prank**

The plan was simple enough. They would create a distraction—something harmless but annoying enough to draw the guards' attention away from the entrance. Once the guards were distracted, Mary and Zhal would slip inside the pyramid and make their way to the great hall, where they hoped to find Arren.

It took some quick thinking and a bit of scavenging, but soon enough, they had gathered what they needed: a small pile of mud, a few well-placed rocks, and a couple of mischievous goats they had managed to lure from a nearby market stall.

The goats, much to Zhal's dismay, were the key to the prank. As Mary carefully positioned the goats near the entrance, she couldn't help but grin at the absurdity of the situation.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Zhal whispered, watching nervously as one of the goats tried to chew on his sleeve.

Mary winked. "Trust me."

With a loud shout, Mary threw a small rock near the guards' feet, causing a commotion. The goats, startled by the noise, began bleating loudly and bolting in every direction. The guards, caught off guard, scrambled to chase the goats, leaving the entrance momentarily unguarded.

"Now!" Mary hissed, grabbing Zhal's arm and pulling him toward the open door.

They slipped inside the pyramid just as the chaos reached its peak, the guards yelling at the stubborn goats as they tried to herd them away.

---

**Inside the Pyramid**

The interior of the pyramid was vast and labyrinthine, with winding hallways and high ceilings that echoed with every footstep. Mary and Zhal darted through the corridors, trying to stay as quiet as possible while they searched for Arren.

"Do you even know where we're going?" Zhal whispered, his eyes darting nervously around the grand, unfamiliar surroundings.

"Not exactly," Mary admitted, "but I know he's here somewhere."

They turned a corner, only to find themselves in a massive hall. The grand chamber was filled with people, most of them standing in tense silence. At the center of the room, a shepherd stood before the queen, cradling the ashes of a small child in his arms. The remains of a couple of charred sheep lay at his feet.

Mary's breath caught in her throat as she realized what was happening.

"The dragons..." Zhal whispered, his voice thick with awe and fear. "They did this."

Daenerys sat on her throne, her expression solemn as she listened to the shepherd's pleas. "Your son... was lost to my dragons," she said, her voice steady but filled with regret. "For that, I am deeply sorry."

The shepherd, tears streaming down his face, begged for justice. "Your beasts took my boy from me, Khaleesi. I want justice."

Daenerys bowed her head slightly, her silver hair catching the light. "I cannot undo what has been done," she said softly, "but I will ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again. My dragons will be imprisoned for two moons' time. It is not much for beasts like them, but for a dragon, it will feel like a lifetime."

The room was silent as the shepherd wept, holding the ashes of his son close. Daenerys's eyes were filled with sorrow, but her decision was final. She would punish her dragons, not out of anger, but as a queen who understood the weight of her power.

---

**Mary's Mistake**

As Mary and Zhal watched the scene unfold, they didn't notice the guards approaching behind them. A firm hand clamped down on Mary's shoulder, and she yelped in surprise.

"You two don't belong here," one of the guards growled, pulling them back. "You're under arrest for trespassing."

Panic surged through Mary as the guards began to drag them away. "Wait! Arren!" she shouted, her voice echoing through the hall. "I'm his sister!"

The guards didn't seem to care, but before they could haul her any farther, there was a sudden shift in the room. A dark presence fell over them, and the guard holding Mary abruptly released her, stumbling back.

Standing between her and the guards was Arren.

The cursed warrior, as he was known, stood tall, his eyes narrowing as he turned his gaze on Mary. "Explain yourself," he said, his voice low and menacing.

Mary swallowed hard, realizing that while she had gotten what she wanted—Arren's attention—it wasn't quite in the way she had hoped.

---

**Arren's Perspective**

Arren's gaze bore into his sister as he tried to comprehend what was happening. He had been preparing to handle the queen's affairs when he heard Mary's voice echoing through the hall. His sister. Here. After all this time.

His mind raced. She had trespassed into Daenerys's court, drawn attention to herself, and potentially endangered everything he had worked for. The guards were still tense, watching him closely as if waiting for permission to act.

He stepped forward, his tone dark but steady. "What are you doing here, Mary?"

Mary, still wide-eyed from the encounter with the guard, looked up at her brother, a mixture of relief and nervousness flashing in her eyes. "I came to find you," she said, her voice quieter now. "I needed to see you."

Arren clenched his jaw, fighting back the surge of emotions rising within him. This was not the place for a family reunion. Not here, not now.

"We'll speak later," Arren said, his voice sharp. He turned to the guards. "She is under my protection. Take her to my quarters."

The guards hesitated for a moment but ultimately nodded, leading Mary and Zhal away under Arren's command.

As he watched them go, Arren turned back toward the queen. He knew that this unexpected intrusion would raise questions, but for now, his focus was on Mary—and what her arrival meant for the delicate balance he had built in Astapor.

And as always, the shadows of the past lurked just behind, waiting to pull him back into the pit.