Chapter 74: Power
(Sunspear)
Oberyn, Ned and Aegon had managed to get away from the Dark Priests that had attacked them. All of them were visibly shaken but none so more than Aegon whose sword was shaking in his hand, not that Oberyn could blame him, they had just witnessed men be stabbed and cut and still walk. He had thrust his poison-soaked spear into a man's neck and he did not cry for pain nor did he stop.
"What in seven hells are those creatures!" Aegon cried out as he pointed his Valyrian steel sword the way they had come.
"I do not know," Oberyn said as he tried to think of a new plan to get into the keep, he had thought the siege tunnels used for the royal family would be a good plan to get into the keep, especially when there was a lack of enemies or people in general, but they had been waiting for them and as soon as they opened the door they were attacked. They were lucky they had not travelled further in or they may have not got out. While Aegon kept on running his mouth and spouting out nonsense spurred on by his fear.
However, Oberyn noticed that Ned was unusually silent, when he looked over to the Northern Lord he saw that he had an intense look of fear on his face. "Stark... do you know what these creatures are?" He asked.
Ned did not answer, he stood there frozen gripping his sword tightly. "Stark!" Oberyn shouted again, this time grabbing his arm and snapping him out of his daze. Ned looked up at him, sweat was pouring down his face.
"They can only be wights... undead monsters raised by the magic of the others, my mother would tell me tales of them when I was a boy... but they can't be real," Ned said, his knuckles were almost white from clenching his sword.
"We can't stay here, this city is a lost cause, we must leave," Ned said as he turned around to head back towards the docks only for Oberyn to grab him and slam him against the wall.
"We agreed you'd be assisting me, we are not leaving until my family is safe," Oberyn said threateningly.
"Your family are dead Prince Oberyn, look around! Where are all the people? They are gone!" He shouted uncharacteristically angrily as he pushed Oberyn away from him. Both men looked ready to fight, Aegon backed up and stood by his uncle with Blackfyre in his hands.
"Do not be foolish Prince Oberyn, you saw those creatures did not fall when we struck them, we cannot help your family," Ned said bluntly.
"What do you expect me to do Stark? Abandon my family, like you? Leave your nephew to die and cheer your fat friend on while he kills your son!" Oberyn spat out making Ned growl at him. He lunged at the Dornish man swinging his sword diagonally swords his shoulder; Oberyn sidestepped while thrusting his spear towards Ned.
Ned managed to barely avoid the spear cutting his skin. He knew about Prince Oberyn's reputation as the Red Viper and knew he couldn't let the blade of his spear touch him. He drew his sword back before swinging up trying to destroy the spear shaft, but Oberyn was able to spin out of the way while sending a kick to his chest.
Ned stumbled back into the wall of the building and quickly avoided a thrust from Aegon who sunk Blackfyre into the wall. Ned struck him in the side of the head with the pommel of his sword throwing him to the ground, he then slashed to his left just in time to deflect Oberyn's spear. Ned grabbed Blackfyre out of the wall and slashed at Oberyn's stomach; Oberyn stepped back but couldn't avoid the Valyrian sword slashing through his leather armour and nearly gashing his skin.
Oberyn pivoted around the blade slamming the wooden but into Ned's face making him stumble and nearly fall to the ground. He turned again and they engaged each other, both skilled fighters who swung and deflected each other's blades in an attempt to kill the other.
As they fought Ned led Oberyn into a narrower alleyway, he then deflected his spear into the building and grabbed the shaft. Oberyn let go of his spear before jumping back and kicking Ned in the chest making him stumble back —leaving the spear sticking out of the wall.
They both breathed heavily their blood still boiling with anger; Oberyn ripped his spear out of the wall as he prepared to engage Ned again, while the Stark Lord held his sword firmly.
*Rumble*
The earth beneath their feet began to shake and both of them were thrown off balance. They held themselves against nearby buildings to stop themselves from falling over "Does Dorne usually have earth tremors this bad?!" Ned asked.
Oberyn shook his head as if Ned had momentarily forgotten about their fight "Never, if is highly unusual," he replied. After a few minutes, the tremors died down both men were able to stand unassisted, they looked at each other wondering if either one had any intention of continuing the fight. "You gave me your word Lord Stark, or does that mean nothing to you," Oberyn stated.
Ned grits his teeth, using his honour as a weapon against him may have been an effective tool once, but at this point where had his honour gotten him? Two missing daughters a dead son, and a broken promise to his sister. "I am sorry Prince Oberyn, but I cannot die until I know what's left of my family is safe and I avenge my fallen son," he said apologetically though he was still angry.
"And are we, not your family, bound by bonds of marriage," Oberyn said unintentionally making Ned frown and look at him in confusion.
"What are you speaking of?" He said pointing his sword towards him. Though Oberyn didn't answer him and silently cursed himself for his short temper.
"Tell me!" He shouted.
Oberyn hoped he hadn't made a mistake and that Ned's new ambitions were true. "Daeron married my niece Rhaenys at Starfall, shortly after she gave birth," he explained.
Ned looked at him confused "I do not understand,"
"Yes, uncle please explain yourself."
Oberyn turned and cursed as he saw Aegon who he had thought knocked out standing there. "We do not have time for this, as we stand here who knows what could be happening to our family!" He said trying to deflect. He saw an expression of guilt from Aegon; the young boy hadn't heard most of what Oberyn had said, but he had heard that his little brother Daeron had married his sister Rhaenys, which didn't make sense.
"We can discuss everything after we are done here, is that acceptable to everyone?" Oberyn said trying to stop his anger from overwhelming him. They did not answer so he nodded and took a breath.
"We will go through the sewers, our grandmother started construction of the Sunspear sewer system a long time ago and Doran completed it, very few know about the entrances or existence and it can lead us deep within the keep," Oberyn explained.
"We will go through the sewers, find my brother and the rest of my family and leave," Oberyn said, it was a simple plan, but at the moment it was the only one he could come up with.
"Let's go," Ned replied.
———————————————————-
Daeron and Viserys walked back down the demon road hoping to meet back up with their party, but they had to stop every few hours as Daeron was experiencing severe head pain, he didn't understand the reason for it and just tried to push through, but it was difficult. "Are you okay nephew?" Viserys asked as he walked in step with Daeron.
"I am okay uncle, the head pain just seems to be getting a bit worse," He explained.
"We have the milk of the poppy on one of the wagons, we should be there soon," Viserys stated.
As they walked down the road and the weather became more bearable for Viserys they moved faster. They both smiled as they saw the sun for the first time in a long while. Though while they were walking Daeron abruptly fell to the ground unmoving "Daeron!!!" Viserys shouted as he dropped his things and rushed over to his side.
He tried to shake his nephew awake but he lay there unmoving as if he were dead. "Daeron! What's wrong? What do I do?!" He asked desperately, but Daeron did not reply.
Daeron found his situation to be quite strange, he was looking down on himself and his uncle from above them. 'Am I dead?' He wondered to himself. He hoped he wasn't, to have such a normal death just didn't sit well with him.
"You are not dead."
Daeron turned around "Then what's happened to me, Adara?" He asked as the blue-cold woman floated towards him wrapping her body around him.
"Your head has been hurting for a while yes?" She said.
"That was your mind adapting to your new body and its capabilities, before you were a strong warg but now you are a powerful greenseer," Adara explained.
"Can I go back to my body?" He asked.
Adara smiled "You can, but I suggest you look further down the road first, you may find something interesting, and when you get the chance have a look at Westeros... near Highgarden, there's a gift of my love for you there," she said before disappearing.
Daeron sighed 'She's always doing that,' he thought to himself before willing himself, and just like when he was on the back of a dragon he flew forward down the demon road at speeds faster than any horse could dream of going and a few seconds later he found his companions off the side of the road, they were camping and seemed to be fine 'What did Adara want me to see?' He wondered as he travelled further down the road, only for his eyes to widen as he saw almost three hundred Dothraki on horseback and at its head was one of the men Daeron saw with Khal Drogo 'Must be his Bloodriders, they were coming to avenge their Khal,' he thought. He had to start moving quickly, they were closer than he was to them and would make it there first if he didn't move there quickly.
...
Arthur sat by the camp looking up at the sun as it beat down on him. He felt a bead of sweat rolling down his neck and wiped it off with his hand. The time limit Daeron had given them was almost up and soon they would have to go back to Volantis, it hurt inside, the thought of leaving him, the thought he might be hurt or dead and he was powerless to help him. He and Daeron were as close as two people could be.
Father, son, brother, friend. They were all of that and more, it's why he trusted Daeron to leave and go to Valyria, but it didn't mean he had to like it. He was brought out of his thoughts when Rhaella came out of the wheelhouse fanning herself "Still no word back from the scouts?" She asked tentatively.
Arthur shook his head "He will come back, I know he will, we just need to wait a bit longer," he said as he clenched his fists.
"My Lord!!!" One of the guards shouted as he rushed down the road on one of the horses. He hopped off the horse out of breath as he ran up towards Arthur.
"Calm yourself, man, what is wrong?" He said as he caught the guard who looked like he had just escaped the seven hells.
"Dothraki! Hundreds of them! Coming down the road!" He said in a panic.
"Shit!" Arthur said before letting the guard go and turning to Rhaella.
"Get back into the wheelhouse and bolt it shut," He instructed her, she nodded and immediately did so.
"Get the wheelhouses off the road and into a more defensible position... there up on that hill!" Arthur ordered and the guards all obeyed, though some looked as if they were ready to run as they all heard the guard mention the Dothraki.
"Do not run! If you do you only guarantee certain death! Do you believe the Dothraki will not outrun you!" He said striking more fear into them as they hurriedly followed his orders.
Arthur started strapping his armour which he had taken to not wearing in this heat. "Maybe it's best Daeron isn't here..." he said with a dark chuckle.
...
Arthur looked down from the hill they were all on to see the Dothraki slowly coming down the demon road, seemingly not in any rush. Though as soon as the man on the lead horse saw them he shouted for his men to halt. In his hand he had some rope and from behind the horse came a man who looked beaten and bruised, both of them approached the bottom of the hill and the guards drew their bows "Hold!" Arthur commanded.
The Dothraki said something to the man and then pulled him forward "Where is Daeron Targaryen!!!" He shouted.
"Bring Daeron Targaryen here now!!!"
"If you do not do this then he will kill all of the men and share the women amongst the men he has brought with him!!!"
Arthur clenched his fist around Dawn, if he were to fall today then he would kill that man first, he would cut him in half. The Dothraki seemed unsatisfied with his translator as he drew his Arakh and beheaded him.
"DAERON TARGARYEN!!!" The Dothraki shouted. He looked agitated and was about to command his men to attack.
"Anha zin jadat! (I am here)." A loud voice replied, Arthur looked and immediately recognised Daeron despite how different he looked. It's not that he looked different, but it's as if every aspect of himself had been improved, he even looked a little taller.
Daeron looked at the Dothraki in front of him with a callous expression, he didn't know why he was there nor did he care. "Fin tat zalat? (What do you want?)" Daeron asked though he suspected he already knew the answer. The Dothraki gave him a murderous expression before jumping off his horse and approaching him with his Arakh drawn.
"Yer lajat khal drogo kijinosi mel akka, vo ma az vosma ma vorsa, mae tikh avvos dothralat jin ajjalani rhaeshi ma mae kin! (You killed Khal Drogo in a Dishonourable way, not with sword but with fire, he will not be able to rest until his blood have avenged him!)." The Bloodrider shouted.
"Yeri khal ki mel, anha zalat mae avvos rides ma mae kin, (Your Khal was dishonourable, I hope he never rides with his ancestors)," Daeron said with a grin.
"RAAAAAHHH!!!" The Dothraki charged at Daeron bringing his Arakh down on him. Daeron moved out of the way of the first swing, and the second and the third; the Bloodrider could not hit him.
"Lajat!!! (Fight!!!)" he yelled out to Daeron who easily moved around the veteran warrior.
Then abruptly stopping, Daeron caught the Arakh in his hands shocking all those who who watched. The Bloodrider looked at him in anger and now a bit of fear, he tried to yank his Arakh out of his grip but failed to.
"allow anna hash jin khal malilat, (Let me show you how the Khal died)," Daeron said.
The Arakh instantly turned red and started to melt in Daerons hand. "AHHHHHH!!!" The Bloodrider screamed in pain as the molten metal covered his hand.
Daeron reached out and grabbed him with his other hand, as soon as he touched his skin he ignited into flames. The Bloodrider screamed as he ran from Daeron falling to the ground and trying to put himself out.
The rest of the Dothraki looked at them in shock believing Daeron to be some sort of sorcerer with mastery over flames. The first line of Dothraki charged at Daeron, they saw that their brother had lost and decided that if he would not fight honourably then they would put him down like a dog.
However as they charged against Daeron their horses stopped, they then reared up on their hind legs and threw their riders from their saddles. The riders who had ridden these horses for many years looked on in utter shock as the horses did not run, but moved towards Daeron standing by his side like loyal companions.
The Dothraki were awed as a horse bowed down low and allowed Daeron to mount him. The Dothraki almost fell off their horses as they got to their knees; the man before them could only be a god, the stallion who mounts the world, only he could steal a horse from its rider and command its absolute loyalty.
Daeron didn't understand why but he felt a slight rush of power enter him as the Dothraki all bowed towards him.
'Strange...'
(AN: Daerons plans to conquer Essos are underway, and he already has the beginnings of an army. Robb is attacking high garden and Oberyn is going into the sewers. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.)
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