Dorne, Sunspear
Nymeria Nymeros Martell
When they came within sight of Sunspear, the first thing that caught her eye was the numerous pieces of overburnt wood scattered on the beach along the coast; the next was the large crowd that began to gather on the quay as their ships were just spotted.
Her heart was filled with relief. The capital was safe, although she could see traces of ongoing fighting in places. Particularly as the very part of the beach directly in contact with the sea shone like mirish glass. After a moment, it occurred to her that indeed the sand a dozen metres inland had turned into a uniform sheet of glass, stretching for over a mile along the coast.
"HAAS FARAAN KUN" (Health, Fortune, Goodness)
An echoing whisper carried into the ether, drawing her gaze to the events taking place on the beach. There was some kind of commotion going on in the crowd of at least several hundred people, but it was only when they had moored a few dozen metres from the shore that she could get a good look at what was taking place there.
People, but especially women holding their children in their arms, gathered around one male figure, pulling their offspring towards him.
In the meantime, the same words rang out again several times around the area; although whispered, they carried an unspoken power. And a golden light began to glow in the crowd each time.
She immediately guessed who the man was. The saviour of Dorne as well as the vanquisher of the Ironborns.
She herself had mixed feelings about the meeting. On the one hand, she was apprehensive about how to talk to someone so powerful who could destroy you with a single word. But on the other hand, she couldn't shake the excitement and curiosity that was growing in her, combined with gratitude for saving her home and her people.
So, mastering her nerves and the emotions gripping her, she was the first to step onto the lifeboat and the first to go ashore. The gathered crowd immediately began to make room for her, creating a corridor leading to her destination.
Stopping a dozen feet away from him, she looked at him more closely. First of all, he was extremely tall, at over seven feet, with a slim but muscular figure. He had an extremely handsome face with a light golden hue, high cheekbones, a well-defined jaw and a straight nose and short golden-silver hair.
However, at first glance, despite his many similarities, she could tell he was not human. The sharply pointed ears and golden reptile eyes, glowing with an inner radiance, could not belong to a human, especially the eyes.
There was power and unusual confidence in them, but something else. A beyond-human dominance that made her feel that she should fall to her knees before this being and worship it. And it prompted thoughts in her mind that did not befit a young woman, not even a Dornish woman.
Feeling the uncertainty and fear flooding her, she decided to speak up to take control of this situation.
"So you must be He Whose Voice Shakes the World, and to you I should be grateful for saving my city and my people... and not destroying it in the process." Immediately after uttering it, she felt like banging her head against the wall; it didn't sound the way she wanted it to.
However, her own internal criticism was interrupted by a low, strong, yet extremely resonant voice, "Beautiful, strong, intelligent, and with a sense of humour. Just my kind of woman."
Nymeria blinked her eyes; for a moment it did not occur to her that the man had spoken and what he had just said. When the meaning of his words reached her, she felt the blood rush to her face. She hoped her olive complexion would hide her blush.
However, seeing the smirk on his face, she was sure it did not hide it. For the Seven's sake. She hadn't felt this embarrassed for as long as she could remember.
The stranger, however, did not let her mortify herself for long. "So it's nice to finally meet you, Princess." He spoke again, and his tone carried with it a warmth that made her feel as if he really meant it.
With a confident step he approached her, extending his hand as if asking for permission, and with a slight hesitation she handed him hers, which he gently kissed. His lips were as hot as the touch of fire, and a tingling sensation ran through her whole body, as if an unknown energy ran through her.
"Princess, allow me to introduce myself. Neferion Aldmeri. Dovahkiin," he said without taking his eyes off her own, while she tried with all her might to fight off that damnable blush. She had to admit, though, that his name sounded exotic.... Was it related to Nefer in any way, or was it more a matter of coincidence? And why he had to be so damn tall. She wasn't one of the short women herself, but she had to pull her head up to look him straight in the face.
In any case, maintaining good manners, she replied, "Princess Nymeria Nymeros Martell, but you probably already know that. It is good to meet you at last, for so far I have only known you from Ironborn stories and Uncle Ulrik's letter."
Merry fires flashed in his eyes. "I hope you have heard only good things. The last thing I would want is for you to think ill of me, Princess. For I have heard only good things, and I can confirm a few of them already."
She raised one eyebrow questioningly, "Oh.... And may I know what kind?"
He smiled wider, "That you are extremely intelligent and are the most beautiful woman in all of Westeros."
She had to close her eyes to control the blush crawling up her face again. This fucker clearly had not only golden skin and eyes but also a tongue.
This conversation descended in quite the opposite direction to what she had planned, and in order to take the initiative, she had to give herself more time and get out of the sight of the whole crowd.
"What do you say we discuss everything over breakfast in half an hour?" She suggested, but her tone suggested that she didn't take no for an answer, to which he smiled in that swishy charming way of his. 'Wait, charming. What am I thinking about?'
"Of course, Princess. I understand you need time to freshen up." Neferion agreed.
She merely shook her head. Who did he take her for? For one of those perfumed ladies with delicate hands.
"I don't need time to freshen up. My city has been attacked, and quite a few of my subjects have been killed or wounded. I need to discern the situation, talk to my mother and the maester, and take further steps." she replied, and traces of her Dornish temper crept into her tone, though she immediately regretted it. For she was facing someone who could easily kill her.
He, however, evidently did not feel at all annoyed by this; moreover, in his eyes she saw... admiration?
"My opinion of you grows with every passing moment, Nymeria. And believe me, I am difficult to impress. I can't wait for our breakfast together." He replied, then addressed the crowd in a booming voice. "Good Dornishmen. Your warrior princess has returned victorious, having crushed the rest of the Ironborn. Welcome her properly."
After his words, the crowd began to cheer, and after a moment, people were chanting her name. She felt pride and anger at herself mixing within her. She should have been here to defend her subjects. But now it was too late. She couldn't change what had happened. She could only swear that she would never let something like this happen again.
'Dorne will never have to fear anyone again.' She thought, staring intently at the one who could guarantee this future.
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Essos, Golden Empire of Yi-Ti
Yin
God-Emperor Bu Kai
Bu-Kai, the second God-Emperor of the Azure Dynasty, sat dejectedly on his great golden throne, adorned with every possible treasure from all over the world. His weary gaze swept across the vast throne room of his palace, which alone surpassed in size and splendour most palaces in the known world, except perhaps the Valyrian ones.
The wealth here could buy an entire kingdom in the west or field an army of a hundred thousand. And yet this was only a fragment of his palace stretching for miles and an even larger city. Yin, the second largest city in the world, after the former capital of the Great Empire of the Dawn, Asshai.
The capital itself was home to nearly three million people, and another 100 million lived in all the provinces of Yi-Ti, with many cities still larger than any in the West. The Golden Empire had the largest armies, was at the forefront of technological development, and had a multitude of specialised masters of the arcane arts.
None of this comforted him, as it was the cause of most of the current problems he was facing.
Yes, Yi-Ti was powerful when united, but unfortunately it was not. Its power really extended to the capital and the territories belonging to many weaker princes and generals. The most powerful ones, however, exercised power as they saw fit, and the consolation was that they paid taxes to the Golden Throne.
Personally, he believed that the only thing that held back their ambitions was the Freehold. The fear of a divided empire consumed by dragonfire was what held Yi-Ti together.
Worse still, internal divisions were not the only thing that threatened the empire, for there remained the Jogos Nhai, the 'locusts' that had been feeding on the empire's flesh for millennia, inhabiting the northern plains, east of the Bone Mountains.
They were making themselves known again. The number of their raids and skirmishes on the empire's northern border increased with each moon. He feared that in the event of a massive invasion, the empire, so divided, would be doomed to a catastrophe that few princes took seriously.
As he contemplated the weight of his responsibilities, a sense of isolation settled upon him, despite the opulence that surrounded him. The laughter and merriment of his court seemed hollow, echoing through the grand hall like distant memories of a once-vibrant empire now teetering on the brink of despair.
Suddenly, the great 20-foot gilded and sapphire-adorned gates of the throne room opened with an unusual ease, indicating a masterful design.
Through them stepped one of his most trusted men, Sage Sun Wong, who, despite his title, did not at all resemble the bearded, grey-haired old man associated with the Sages but was a man in his thirties, extremely familiar with the arcane of magic and experienced in reading fortunes.
His long raven hair was loose, and his eyes, black as obsidian, sparkled with extraordinary intelligence. His easy manner was also nothing like his stoic and serious colleagues in the profession.
With a spring in his step, he entered the chamber, and after approaching, he bowed deeply.
"Son of Haven. I have extraordinary news for you... for your ears only," he said with extreme seriousness, which alarmed Kai himself. He could count on one hand the times he had seen his friend so serious in their twenty years of acquaintance.
He raised his hand and waved it as if swatting a mosquito, and the great hall immediately emptied. Hundreds of dignitaries and officials left hastily, not wanting to incur the emperor's wrath.
Then he nodded towards Sage, who delicately pierced the end of his finger with a tiny needle, then began to make hand gestures while smearing the blood between his fingers and whispering a curse. A moment later, the emperor's ears heard a soft gong, and the air vibrated gently, tingling his body.
"Done, my friend. No one will hear us now." Sun Wong said the blood decorating his hand completely evaporated, absorbed by the spell.
"Very well... If the news is as serious as I suspect, given your solemn face, I don't want it to reach any treacherous ears, of which there is no shortage in the palace," he said, mentally exhausted by his ten-year reign. "Speak, Wong. What information do you carry?"
The young sage took a deep breath, clearly gathering his thoughts. "Above all, you must understand that what I am about to tell you is a combination of real events, dreams and divination that I have seen and is related to what we discussed a few days ago."
"I understand that you are talking about these powerful magical anomalies?" he asked, but without a shadow of distrust. He had long since learnt not to doubt the dreams and prophecies of the other.
"Exactly. I have finally managed to determine their origin. A certain being came to our world, destroying the previously established order and causing magic to now behave like a boiling cauldron, ready to explode. He arrived somewhere in the west, and based on the dreams and visions that I have seen, a war for dominance has or will soon break out between him and the gods of the western lands," the man explained.
"A battle between gods. Now we not only have to fear other people but battles between gods and some visitor from beyond the world. And speaking of beyond the world, where did he come from, and will more like him follow?" he asked with concern that soon turned into a mask of anger.
"Is there not enough trouble for me? Traitors everywhere, arrogant princes, Leng on the verge of rebellion and the risk of invasion by Jogos Nhai from the north. Now the warring gods."
"You are right, Bu Kai. If our deities get involved, the Yi-Ti will be in chaos. Although much weaker than those in the west, there are hundreds, if not thousands of them." Sun Wong admitted it, his face showing more than just concern.
"However, we can use the situation to our advantage. If we use the presence of this powerful being correctly, we can defeat our enemies and fully unite the empire. Already, the attention of the Valyrians is turned west instead of towards us."
"Your dreams and visions have told you this?" he asked his advisor, a glimmer of hope filling his heart for a moment, and his face, lined with worry, brightened.
"Yes and no. There are several paths that things can take. I saw Yi-Ti in ruins, people murdered or enslaved, and fields, forests and jungles burnt. Barren lands filled with rivers of blood and darkness flooding the whole world."
"In another vision I saw you on a throne, in full glory; all the princes, generals and even the Valyrians bowed to you."
"In the third vision I saw a man in armour black as night, sitting on a throne even more magnificent than yours, which took the form of a gigantic golden dragon, reaching for the sky with its head, its wings spread like a protective barrier over the whole world."
"All the nations bowed to him and took shelter in the shadow of his wings. And from the void above, the sky looked down on our world with many terrible gazes. Just looking in their direction made me want to scratch my own eyes out." With each word, his voice took on a darker tone, as if the mere memory of what he had seen filled him with dread.
Kai straightened up on his throne with a heavy sigh, then rubbing his temples, asked, "You speak of the ominous gazes from the void. Could they be some kind of alien gods, and dark in nature at that, like the Great Other?"
Sun Wan nodded slowly. "That's exactly what I think."
"So what do you advise?"
"I suggest you refrain from acting, but with your permission I intend to travel west and meet with the Golden Dragon to assess whether it is possible to come to an understanding with him in a common cause."
He pondered for a moment, weighing the pros and cons, but he could find no flaw in his friend's reasoning. The only thing that could stop him from agreeing was his concern for Wong. It was a dangerous journey. But he felt he had to risk it.
"You have my permission. Go ahead. I hope your mission is successful. But first, tell me more about these visions and dreams."
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Dorne, Sunspear
Neferion
They gathered in the dining room of the palace, richly decorated, but not overly so, with an appropriate sense of taste. Two characteristic elements were the main motif of the decor. The sun and spears. Or both at once.
In the chamber next to him were the princess's mother, uncle, and Dayne's two brothers; in other words, her most trusted circle. He had spent the last few minutes talking about his crusade, if you could call it that, against the Ironborn. Despite how improbable it seemed, to his surprise, no one dared to interrupt him.
He had to admit that watching Nymeria's reaction to his words gave him a lot of joy. Her eyes widened, her nose wrinkled, at his most improbable words, and she bit her lip when she wanted to interrupt him. And he was even sure that she had tried to tear her hair out of her head a few times because she reached for her braid.
In addition, considering her irritated look, she must have guessed what he was doing. He just winked at her, causing the irritation to be replaced by a blush of anger.
Surprisingly, the first to speak after he finished his story was Arianne, the princess's mother, who turned to her daughter. "My little sun. I am convinced that everything Lord Neferion said is true. I did not see the fight itself, but I heard his powerful voice and then its effects. In addition, he healed hundreds of people, bringing some back from the brink of death."
The princess looked at her in horror, "Mother, do not call me that in front of people. What will Lord Neferion think?"
He could not stop the smile that spread on his lips. "I am delighted... Little Sun," he replied, at which her almond-shaped eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
The princess then sighed heavily before saying, "I really didn't expect this. I was worried about how to talk to a powerful, almost divine being who thought in terms I didn't understand. And now I feel like I'm talking to someone like my uncle."
When called out, Morgan dramatically clutched his heart. "Ah... My dear niece, you're hurting my feelings. Should I be offended?"
"Eh... Never mind. Let's get back to what's most important." Nymeria replied, now looking at him seriously. "Tell me what now. You helped us in a crisis situation. I'll say more... you saved Dorne. The Ironborn, after sacking the cities and villages, would have sailed away with loot and slaves, but Dorne would not have recovered from an attack on such a scale. The kings of the Reach and Stormlands would have thrown themselves at us and swallowed us whole."
"No one does anything selflessly. So I ask. What do you expect in return for your help?" She asked, although he could see that it cost her a lot. Was she that afraid of his answer? Did she think he wanted Dorne or something else?
He rested his face on his hand propped up on the table and looked at her with a smirk.
"Hmh... What do I want?...Your hand." He replied, waiting for her reaction.
She stared at him with a stony face, then nodded. "If that's what you wa..."
"Easy, princess." He interrupted her, raising his hand. "I was just kidding... I don't have time to get married right now. This whole new world is open to me. Adventures... secrets... ancient ruins... battles, gods and monsters to slay... An empire of dragons to conquer. I'm a busy man, and marriage takes a lot of time... or at least a successful one."
Nymeria was looking at him like he was crazy, and he could see disbelief in her eyes... and disappointment? Oh well. Normally he wouldn't mind. There was one serious problem though. Nymeria was mortal, and he wasn't. He was practically immortal, and honestly, he had no desire to get involved with someone whose life would fade away for him like an extinguished flame.
"I do not really need anything. As for wealth, with what I have in this bag, I could buy all of Westeros dozens of times over," he replied, lightly patting his magical sack strapped to his belt. "And I am not talking only about gold or jewels, but also priceless artefacts."
"During my travels in Skyrim, the jarls, the local rulers, offered me a house to buy in their city in exchange for my help. A place where I could rest during my journey... If you offered me the same, that would be enough for me."
The princess stared at him in amazement, as did the others present in the chamber.
"You do not want anything more?" Alarik asked incredulously. "Neferion, are you serious?"
He just looked at the knight and replied... seriously. "Yes. I didn't kill all those Ironborn or save your people for the reward. It's long past time that I needed them to survive."
"Why did I do it? It's simple... Because I wanted to... I may look like a mer, but I am Dovah, and I do what I want when I want. Without regard to anyone. Everything I do, I do according to my own will... Not kings, princes, or gods. Only mine."
He looked at the people present one by one and added, "You may not understand my logic and why it is important for me to do what I want. However, you must understand this. From my conception, I was destined to fight against my eldest brother, Alduin, the World Eater. Ancient prophecies foretold my coming and our inevitable battle."
Taking a deep breath and staring into the space before him, he continued, "I had three choices before me... Try to escape my destiny, submit to it, or undertake this mission in my own way and on my own terms. How did I do that?"
"For example. Fate crossed my path with a woman called Delphine, a member of an organisation that had been killing dragons for millennia. She was supposed to help me stop Alduin, but I felt I should not trust her... What did I do...? I killed her, without hesitation, without remorse."
"What I'm getting at is that it all comes down to me doing what I want, regardless of any authorities, moral or honour codes. If I kill someone, it's because I want to... I'll spare someone because I want to. I have certain moral principles because I chose them, not because they were imposed on me from above. I've earned the right not to consider anyone but myself."
After these words, the chamber fell silent again, everyone trying to process what they had just heard.
"So you're saying you'd like a place that would be just yours?" Nymeria finally said. "What do you say to the entire fortress and the fertile lands surrounding it? Your little kingdom here in Dorne?"
Intrigued, he replied, "I understand you have something specific in mind."
Nymeria smiled, "Yes, I do. We'll just have to get rid of the pests that lurk there. Besides, you had the opportunity to meet its current owner. Or rather, its former owner. From what I heard, he didn't survive the meeting.