Darken Rahl in Game of Thrones

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Darken Rahl.

The journey from King's Landing to Sunspear was markedly different from the first part of our journey.

Firstly, the journey was faster and more varied. And secondly, the lands and settlements that followed one by one played with colour.

Renly Baratheon decided to draw us into Storm's End and showed us his fiefdom. The stronghold that legends say was built by Brandon the Builder himself was impressive.

The castle had not been besieged during the Conquest of Westeros. King Argilac Durrandon, upon learning of the fall of Harrenhal, realised that the castle walls were powerless against dragons and marched with his knights against the Targaryens, in which he died. His daughter Argella Durrandon ordered the defence of the castle, but the desperate garrison preferred to open the gates and hand over the Princess in chains to the victors. A princess that entitled the conqueror to her inheritance.....

Storm's Edge is built of white sometimes grey stone. The castle has high and very massive walls: the height of the outer walls is 30 metres, the width is about 12 at the narrowest place and 24 at the widest, on the sea side. The walls are double masonry with sand and rubble in the middle; they are rounded on the perimeter, smooth, without visible embrasures or wickets, the stones are carefully fitted to each other, there is not a single gap through which moisture and wind could penetrate.

From the sea, you can see that the castle stands on a cliff of white stone, at least that's what Rhys had told me when he got the information from the scouts in the Stormlands. The cliff is one and a half times higher than the castle wall above, meaning it rises 45 metres, and the extreme point of the wall is 75 above the sea.

Like other castles built before the Andal Conquest, Storm's Edge has a boghorn, though not used for its intended purpose. Though unused, I could feel the power of the old gods that still have a connection to this place. Surely the Three-Eyed Raven must be using them for espionage.

When we arrived, we were met by the castle castellan, Ser Courtney Penrose.

Although he was a true warrior, he was good at organising festivities. Miriam was starting to feel sleepy because she was tired of all the receptions on the road and in King's Landing. She was especially tired of being accosted by noble lords and knights who were impressed by her beauty and even her military talent. It would be fine if it were only men, but some of their wives and daughters.....

However, as much as I myself disliked feasts, and yet I was beginning to get just as tired of it. But that was not the end of it, for whether you like it or not, you will have to stop at the hospitable lords of the Stormlands and Dorne on your way to the Sun Spear.

I could barely get away from the letter and Lord Tyrell's offer to visit Highgarden. Though I've been urged to do so by Jon and Rhys, but it would have been unnecessary, given that Lord Stark is about to get to the bottom of the origins of the King's Children, and Lady Stark is already in King's Landing questioning Baelish about the Valyrian steel dagger that was supposed to be the cause of Bran Stark's death. Game of Thrones is about to start, and now....

Right now I was enjoying as much as I could this feast that the younger Baratheon had thrown. He and Robert are a lot alike, after all. Only Renly is a butch and not as famous a warlord as his brother.

Sitting next to me was Renly, Loras, and more Jon with Alice, who also decided to go South to Dorne with me. Rhys, Miriam, and the Red Spear were hanging around the castle somewhere. Tyrell again insisted that I visit his homeland, but I dismissed him with the Emperor's word that I would be sure to visit Highgarden next time. All the more reason to visit Highgarden next time.

The guests were clearly trying to show off their wealth. Many of the guests, especially the ladies, had their heads adorned with golden hoops and diadems, on which gems shone. The glitter of gold, silver and precious stones, a pleasant combination of coloured fabrics, among which blue, red, black and yellow colours of various shades prevailed, which created a bright, unusually cheerful picture. Here all this brilliant society headed for a huge table covered with a white patterned tablecloth embroidered with deer.

Every instrument that made up the table, be it a knife, spoon or fork was of gold or silver. Forks were rare in Westeros, they were just coming into widespread use. So food was taken straight from the dish with their hands (half of the knights), the rest with spoons and knives.

Barbarians!

Spoons were used more for liquid dishes, mainly turtle soup, fish soup and the like.

Minstrels performed, who sang a variety of songs quite interestingly and well. The most famous ones are: The Maiden in the Tower, The Knight and the Tournament, Glorious Days, Beautiful Dornish Girl, and at the end there was an unexpectedly familiar song that was composed in my honour - Judgment by Blood.

Whoever wants a fair trial,

Come this way!

Yes, this way, this way, this way!

There's no good without loyalty.

Without the noose and the axe!

Justice triumphs

Today more than yesterday!

Hey, executioner, it's time!

It's a real celebration!

Executions, executions, executions, executions, executions.

Everything in the world is grey except

Blood, blood, blood, blood, blood!

Blood! Blood!

I execute cruelly,

But my judgement is just

Tooth for tooth, eye for eye.

The axe will decide!

The executioner's axe!

We'll punish the evil of vice

Tooth for tooth, eye for eye...

There's no price in the world for treason except:

Blood, blood, blood, blood, blood.

Except, except, except, except

Blood, blood, blood, blood.

Feast, feast, feast

Executions, executions, executions!

Those words really warmed my soul. It was composed after the massacre of the rebellious Meereen. But in the last few years, I've rarely heard it. It's become almost as famous as "Reines of Castamere", or whatever it's called.....

Everyone was singing along. Not because of sycophancy, but rather because of the general mood and drunkenness. Edric Storm (Robert's recognised bastard) and Gentry Waters, the boy I'd taken on as my new squire, were trying particularly hard to hit the notes. Funny, and they don't know they are each other's brothers.....

Next, I saw performances by some lords with a "talent" for singing. My Mord-Sith immediately wanted to "teach" them a little singing. But I gave a clear edict not to do anything objectionable within these walls... for now.

The next day we went on a little hunt, where Renly kept talking about the upcoming tournament, the future of the kingdom, and other things that bored me. But I had to keep a constant smile on my face and agree, and sometimes even insert a new topic of discussion, only to have him bring everything back to feasts and jousting tournaments.

A couple more days after the hunt, I managed to get out of the clutches of the hospitable Storm Lords and travelled with my already somewhat sprawling retinue to the Dornish Marks. After all, apart from those youths and sword knights who had joined us in King's Landing, along the way we met another two dozen of my soldiers who were here visiting their relatives and acquaintances. Mostly former peasants and townsfolk from small towns who had emigrated to D'Hara about ten years ago.

Along the way we came across small settlements and castles that we stayed in from time to time during our overnight stays. We tried not to stay anywhere for long, for as my "birds" informed me, most of the lords of the Marques and even of Prostor had sent messengers to me with an invitation to visit their lands and stay. So we manoeuvred and in a little while we arrived at another important place on our list, Summer Castle.

A place where great tragedy and many deaths had occurred. I was hoping to find something useful of artefacts or valuable manuscripts of the Meseirs, but found nothing. But my mother and John walked for quite a while between the ruins of the castle and talked alone about something.

We stayed at the Summer Castle for a few more days and travelled to the Tower of Joy, the place where Lyanna Stark, Jon-Egon's mother, died. He wanted to stay there for a couple of days, and I didn't mind. There's no hurry for me, and it's good for him to be in the place where the North She-Wolf spent her last days.

Besides, I enjoyed watching what was unfolding to the north of us. Catelyn Stark, at the time of our arrival, had captured Tyrion Lannister on his way back from the Wall and declared him the one who tried to kill her son. Crazy woman... So stupid to go on an escalation with the Lannisters without proper preparation, and without any real evidence. Littlefinger doesn't even have to come up with much, some women (specifically the Tully sisters) will do it for him. Lysa's husband already died because of his wife's light hand, and now I think Ned Stark will die because of his wife's actions. Still, an alliance with Tully is a two-pronged stick and you never know which side you're going to take....

Tywin is slowly gathering an army after learning that his son, though unloved, has been taken prisoner and decided to be "tried". And Eddard has already dug up information on the real origins of Cersei Lannister's children. Soon the very "irreparable" will happen, because of what I think will be a split of all the kingdoms of Westeros. And if not, I, as a good neighbour, will help them out a little....

Dorne.

Prince's Gorge, which contained the two great castles of the King's Tomb and Celestia on the other side of the river that separated the Red Mountains from the Dornish Desert, followed by the lonely oases between which we travelled on our way to the Sunspear.

The climate here is appropriate for the South: sweltering heat, sandstorms that are frightening to many people, little rainfall. It doesn't even snow. The kingdom has long maritime borders and is rich from trade.

After a week and a half, we still arrived in Sunspear at a leisurely pace.

We were greeted with a small group of escorts by Obara, Quentin and Nymeria. I was particularly amused by Nymeria's reaction during our greeting. For as I knew, she had bet with my other sisters after leaving Panizharth that she would make me fall in love with her and had even given her word that she would get me into her bed. And she's a man of her word, at least when it comes to bedding.

Quentin, on the other hand, was neutral and friendly and called me cousin. That makes sense to him. After all, who knows how I might react.

Obara hid her gaze and, most surprisingly, once during our short conversation she blushed slightly, and I don't know why. But I will definitely find out.

Sunspear was a place that consisted of several parts. A shady town had sprouted up around the castle more or less spontaneously. The subjects of the Martells began to build their houses right up against the castle walls, then against the walls of the neighbouring houses, until a tangled maze of crooked streets, bazaars and houses, shops, stables, inns, wine cellars and featherbed houses of the Shadow Town started right from the castle exit. Both Sunny Spear Castle and the buildings of Shady Town are built of yellow-brown adobe bricks, clay and straw.

Ark of the Sands, an ancient fortress of House Martell built in ancient Andalian times, has evolved over time into one of the buildings of a larger castle. The ancient Ark of the Sands is a squat, unsightly structure that resembles the shape of an oversized galleon washed ashore. Beautiful towers in the Rojnar style. The two main towers of the castle were crowned with huge domes made of gilded crystal, the Sun Tower. And the graceful 80 metre high Tower of the Spear, topped with a spire in the form of a real steel spear, adding another thirty feet to the height of the tower. The old but reliable and beautiful Looping Walls surrounding the Sun Spear - they wind their way around the Shady Town. The direct road to the castle is through the Triple Gate. Through which we entered.

The people greeted me. They shouted, "Prince Darken." They didn't think I'd take offence at being demoted from my title.

My dear relatives also greeted me with joy. All the Martells and their bastards (or rather my father's) were present, Aunt Mellaria had also arrived here a week ago and, as she told me, had already confirmed my descent to them, though I watched the conversation between her and the Martells myself. Oh, the looks on Oberyn and Doran's faces... It was worth surviving Tolos and coming here for that.

- We welcome you, Your Majesty. - Doran struggled to get to his feet. Even with his gout, he couldn't miss the arrival of an entire emperor, and a relative who had a "grudge" against them. - I hope your journey was easy?

- Yes, it was, but it was a little hot, I think the Dornish Desert can rival the Red Wasteland in certain areas. - I smiled back at him.

- But I can see it hasn't tired you out too much.

- I'm a hardy man. - I shrugged and moved closer. - But I'm glad I finally made it here. I've wanted to make this trip for a long time. You might even say I've dreamed about it since I was a kid.

- Well, then I'm glad you realised your dream. - He returned my smile, but I realised that's not what I meant. - I hope you enjoy your stay in Sunspear.

- I also hope that this journey will make a lasting impression on me.

After that there was an introduction of the entire Martell brood and courtiers: Arianna, Quentin, Tristan, all my snake sisters, I also "met" Manfrey Martell - the castellan of Sunspear, as well as Maester Miles, Seneschal Ricasso, the treasurer of Lady Alice Ladybright, all the princess's maids of honour, the Lords and Ladies of almost all the important figures of Dorne and people of lesser importance.

After that, we were installed in luxurious chambers that probably surpassed in opulence and beauty the chambers of the Red Castle. Every piece of furniture, the material of which my room was made, the fabrics and so on were top-notch. I guess we share the same tastes in interior design. Not always, though. They don't know about my particular preferences yet.

Well, it's time to get ready for tonight. There's a feast in my honour. The last one in a long time.

Nymeria Sand.

Nymeria was nervous.

Too many things had come upon not only her but her kin as well lately. But the biggest event, and the hardest to deal with, was the information that Darken Rahl was the emperor of the empire neighbouring theirs. Such a famous man is her BROTHER! And they were almost the last ones in the world to find this out....

Lady Mellario had already confirmed that she had known of Rahl's kinship with them for a long time, but was and still was bound to him by an oath of loyalty, and her talkativeness would get her in trouble. According to her, he never forgave adultery and was cruel to punish the guilty. That was not encouraging.

Oberyn had been drinking a lot of wine the last few days and not talking to many people. Oberyn had been joking about not feeling well and asking not to be disturbed, even with his daughters he did not talk much, and Elaria could not get through to him either.

The heart was happy and sad at the same time.....

All eight of Oberyn's daughters were poring over this information in different ways, or rather seven of them were. Sarella was now in Panisheart and was already studying at the Academy. I wonder what she was thinking right now?

Teena was smiling and joking, but was also apprehensive about the new face-to-face meeting with Darken, while even trying to excuse herself from the upcoming meeting to travel to the Water Gardens for a non-essential reason.

The youngest serpents had little understanding of the background of the events of their birth and Darken's birth, or indeed the nature of their conversations with him when they were still in his capital city. Obara was almost constantly silent and walked around frowning, but it was not displeasure, rather concern at his behaviour. Now no one would be surprised if he ridiculed them his bastard sisters in public. Even though they are in Dorne and even though they are Martells by blood, he has the right to take the words "Prince of Dorne" in his title anyway, because he is his father's legitimate son. Even though he hates him, most likely.

A Martell that was rejected by the Martells, a child that was abandoned by all and managed to survive becoming the ruler of his destiny.

Nymeria hesitated at the feast in her feelings and actions. She drank a lot of wine, though nerves made her faintly drunk, and did not socialise much. She only occasionally glanced at her... brother.

Darken was dressed royally, or should I say imperially. His current outfit was almost a replica of the one they had first seen him in at Panizhart, only this time he wore his Light of Dawn sword on his belt, the crown he wore only for the first part of the feast, the more formal part. Then he passed it on to his Mord-Sith.

Grigor Clegane's head was truly the best gift Nymeria had seen in recent years. They hated the Lannisters and they hated her murderer Horus just as much. Darken, on the other hand, had killed Horus in a fair fight, and he wasn't even wearing armour.

"Speed like a bee and strikes like a rhinoceros!"- was what their spy in King's Landing had relayed to them, describing the massacre of the Mountain in great detail. Doran was excited to see his nephew, though he did not forget that he was also involved in his "exile" along with his mother. And after all, Alice Velarion had also arrived with Darken....

Darken Rahl was joking and smiling. She couldn't tell if he was really happy or faking it. Although Nymeria had previously thought she had learnt a great deal from the Martell court, including from her father. He didn't even seem to be annoyed by the presence of the younger snakes around him. They even managed to call him brother, though Doran had warned him not to. But Master Ral pinched the cheeks of the smaller ones and dismissed them with additional gifts, continuing his conversation with Lord Dane of Starfall.

In addition to the Mountain's head, the Dharians presented expensive and rare gifts: songbirds, hunting falcons, a dozen Valyrian daggers and cutlery of the same material, and fine dresses for the young ladies. The funniest thing about them was that the most beautiful, exquisite, and expensive one was presented personally by Darken to the unsuspecting Obara, with the words, "I hope to see you soon in this dress." For that moment, the sadness and tension drained from Lady Nymeria, replaced by laughter. And this was noticed by her older sister and looked at her threateningly. She wasn't the only one laughing and smiling though, even Oberyn smiled. Beside her he handed a personal gift to Doran, it was a potion that cured him of gout in almost a minute, and he could be without pain at the feast. And things seemed to be going for the better. Many toasts were made and many songs were sung, and once again Quentin decided to make a toast. He was a little drunk, but he was still on his feet:

- I don't think anyone will mind if I raise a cup to my brother again. I don't see him with us, though. I guess he's found a nice bunch of young maidens to keep him company. - There's an approving laugh from the lords. - But so be it, I'll say it without him. Darken Rahl, though he bears a different surname, is a Martell in spirit....

- That's very amusing to hear! - he was interrupted by a handsome redhead and friend of Darken's. His name was, as far as Nymeria remembered, Rhys Firestorm, master over dragons and general of his army. - You, Prince Quentin, only remembered your kinship with him when he became an individual in his own right, an emperor and then when he did what you should have done! Revenge! "Unyielding, unyielding, unyielding!" That is the motto of your house. I think those are the only three words about Darken. But... Martell! - he snorted. - He is not Martell and he never was, even though he is Prince Oberyn's legitimate son.

- What are you getting at, Firestorm? And who gave you the right to interrupt me? - Quentin blustered.

- Oh?! Me?" Rhys bowed jokingly, rising from his seat. - I'm just someone who's been with him since he was a boy, helped him build his empire, had his back, serves him faithfully and wishes him well. I'm just Rhys. I got almost everything I have from him. Even my family name, though it seems I got it fighting Lang. And what's to say about me. We're all... all D'Haran and all, or almost all, of Darken's retinue who are here today are outcasts or exiles who found their future because of him. How old are you, boy?

- I'm not a boy! My name is Quentin Martell. And since you idiot doesn't know much about your master's cousin, I'll say I'm sixteen!

- Oh, what a big boy! I'm glad to hear it. - Reece's voice was full of mockery. And anxiety grew. - How many have you killed? Hmm? None? Strange, even John, the kid that looks more like a beautiful maiden than Obara... sorry dear," he turned to the older snake. - but that boy is really prettier than most girls I've met. Anyway, he's already killed nine people in his eleven years. And the same day he got his Valyrian steel dagger. I won't tell you the story of the origin of his swords, much less his armour. It's a really bloody story, take my word for it....

- I think it's very stuffy in here and some of us have had a lot to drink. - Doran tried to interrupt the argument between the two stubborn men. But Rhys just ignored him:

- ...So when he was ten years old, he suffered a terrible trauma and managed to survive. He fought for every piece of bread with me. But he didn't choose the path of a vagrant and a feeble-minded idiot. He chose to act with cunning and guile. The streets of Tolos were his mother and father and his best teacher. At the age of eleven, he already controlled the entire city, albeit unofficially. At twelve, he had already begun to subjugate the cities of the Slaver's Bay. He brought magic and dragons back into the world. At fourteen he had already completed the great war in the Summer Sea, conquering unruly ancient cities and countries. Thus covering his name with glory and greatness. At fifteen, half of Essos was at his feet. And at sixteen, he was already building Panisheart, his capital, and bringing the "unyielding" Free Cities to their knees, all of which now serve him. And what have you achieved Quentin? What have the Martells achieved so far? What are the other rulers worth compared to Darken.

At that moment Darken, along with a couple of knights of House Martell, House Aronwood and his mother, walked back into the common room. Where he caught a strange picture to him that came after Reece's words - a head hung down in shame at the truth of the red-headed asshole's words.

- And what happened here while I was gone? - Darken asked. - Did someone die? Why the silence?

- Martell was born..." Rhys smiled as before and drank more wine.

To be continued...