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~~~Oberyn Martell, Sixth Moon, 277 AC~~~
~~~Xandar, Essos~~~
"Careful good man, I wish to see the Khalasar," the tender voice causes me to lower my gaze and see a child beside me trying to pass and stay in front of me, the child, dressed in body-tight robes and decorated with jewels, was struggling with his small strength to pass through the crowd between both sides of the large street leading to the docks.
The boy had no guards as far as I could see, something I was still not used to, for looking at his clothes, it was more than certain that he was a nobleman, but he brought no guards at his side, though considering he was in the heart of Xandar and security was not an issue here. Well, I understood the lack of need for guards.
So smiling mockingly, I let the boy pass, giving him room to cross and stand in front of me, facing the huge black stone street and watching the progression.
"It's beautiful!" The boy's shout caused me to come back to him, noticing how excited he was to see the rows and rows of armored men mounted on armored horses.
"What do you think beautiful boy?" I asked him, while the endless rows of men and horses seemed endless, coupled with the fact that they marched with unheard-of synchronization, temperance, and order, it was not out of the ordinary, though perhaps it had a deeper meaning than I saw.
"Don't you see?" the boy answered me with a question, as he turned his face with a grim face and looked at me, only to open his eyes slightly and notice something, "you're not from here, are you?"
Squinting, I felt a slight headache coming on, if I was given the chance to get laid every time these people noticed I wasn't from Xandar, then I'd already have an army of all the bastards I could stuff in women's bellies.
"No, I'm not," I said, to which the boy just grimaced, "well, then it's normal that you don't know, typical foreigners with no knowledge beyond their long noses."
"What are you, ten days old from the name?" I asked, not bothered by his insulting tone, which sounded little considering his age and tone of voice. "Even your measurements of ages are archaic and unreliable, and no, I am twelve... Years old, as for what you see before you, they are the mightiest mounted warriors in Xandar and the entire world, it is Khalasar of my king, when I grow up I will be one of them."
The boy's voice took on a proud and hopeful tone, as his eyes shone and his chest puffed out, as he watched the progression of men whom he now knew were men of the king's Khalasar.
"Do you know where they are all going?" with the boy being the only person willing to share information with me, I was more than willing to get important words out of his not-so-quiet mouth. "I don't know exactly, only that there are rumors that the king will be taking a trip and, as his Khalasar, they must travel with his Khal, so they are more than likely going to the royal docks to board the royal fleet, though we don't know where they will be going yet."
"So he will travel," I made my thought known aloud, not taking my eyes off the progression. "He may be going somewhere far away, from what I've researched, even when he went north of Yi Ti to his war against the Jhogos Nhai, his Khalasar traveled overland," Romulo, who had been accompanying me, commented, gaining my attention.
"Where do you think he might be headed?" I questioned him, a bit curious as to the motive and fate that would cause the king of Xandar, the man I had not yet been able to meet with, to make all this fuss just for a trip. Though perhaps it was the stuff of kings.
"Well, their Khalasar is boarding ships, when have you ever seen a Dothraki cross the sea? It's more than obvious it's not somewhere in Essos, otherwise, they'd be marching overland to their destination by now. No, it's a place farther away, one that's not connected pro land."
"It could be... Are you sure, what reason would they have for going?" I said a little confused, "Well, they've had several contacts with him..." Just as Romulo was about to speak more, several roars caused us both to fall silent, at the same time we raised our heads, in time to be covered by huge shadows, big enough to look like storms, but too fast to be passing clouds.
And that is because above us, several meters high, huge metal structures, like flying carriages, flew by, eight in all, being carried by six huge wyverns. In the direction of Ischyros.
"That meeting with the king of Xandar must be arranged quickly, my prince, before he leaves," the mocking voice was what brought me out of my thoughts, as I thought of the impact of the king of Xandar being about to go to Westeros, or a nearby place.
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~~~Gallio, Prime Minister~~~
~~~Royal Docks~~~
"Minister, a total of seventy ships have already been occupied, twenty-six thousand six hundred Dothraki have already embarked, along with their corresponding horses and familiars, there are still at least twenty-five thousand warriors missing, but. They are all expected to embark today to leave by nightfall." Mary, one of my most capable aides and advisors, gave me a short report on the progress of the preparations.
With the news that the king would be traveling to Westeros for my sister's wedding, the castle had been bustling of late, with huge carriages of food being brought in daily from Tavalar on the airships.
The Witches' guilds that were in charge of making the potions worked day and night to make enough stocks if needed.
The blacksmiths were making new armor for the Khalasar, the wyverns' keepers were in charge of feeding and preparing them for the long journey they would make, their riders were making plans and training on the routes they would take and the resting points, as well as the countermeasures they would make in case of bad weather seasons.
While the king's decision to go to Westeros had reasons only he knew, the decision to go to Westeros was not so easy and just deciding to go, no, it brought with it enormous logistics, organization, and several sleepless nights.
"Very well, let's hope it goes as scheduled", I said lightly, I raised my hands and started massaging my forehead, all these preparations stressed me. "Here, Minister," Maria called out to me, extending a potion to me, "thank you," I said.
"Minister," Philip, one of my other advisors came to me, in the company of two more people, who were bringing several books. "It is necessary to define exactly the periods and locations of the resting ships, as well as that of the airships."
"Ay, Azrael, the good time you decided to go to that place," I thought, although from the uncomfortable look on my advisors' faces, it appeared that I didn't think it but said it. "Ahem," making a small, but loud cough, I resumed my duties, leaving any hint of mockery or amusement behind.
"If all goes as scheduled, the Royal Fleet will depart today, at exactly ten o'clock tonight, beginning the journey to Lannisport, which would take them a month and fear to travel said distance, even with all sails hoisted and the ships being pushed with help from the Guardians," Philip began to give details once we were seated at a table, as I watched from the spot as the Dothraki warriors continued to board.
"The wyverns that are used to lift the airships can fly without rest for a total of four days with the constant use of potions, after there, it will be necessary to release them from their posts and tend to their physical needs, in those four days of uninterrupted flight, the airships will shorten a distance from Xandar to Stone Head."
"Well, then it will be necessary to inform the fleet General that once the Summer Islands are sighted, send a parrot to the Capital and report their location, thus, giving the green light to the Airship Pilots to take off and embark on the journey, so they will arrive in time to Stone Head Island and can meet up with the rest fleet, once the wyverns rest their corresponding period, they will start their journey again and head straight to Lannisport", taking a sip of wine, I soak my mouth and moisten my lips.
While it would be possible to make a journey overland and pass through several of the Free Cities, this path would not be the right one, partly because the situation between Xandar and some of the former daughters of old Valyria was not the best, especially with Volantis, Qohor, Myr, and Pentos.
Since it was at this point that the Wyverns would need to rest, it was not the best idea for the airships to land in hostile terrain. That is why a different route was taken, and although it was longer for the wyverns, it was what was necessary.
As for why airships were not used to transport everyone instead of using ships, it was plainly because the horses were not comfortable flying, even beyond that, the horses would not tolerate the presence of the wyverns, which would cause the horses to become very huffy or stressed during the journey, which would end badly for the horses, as well as for the pilots of the airships, as the restless and constant movement of the horses could lead to the airship being difficult to pilot.
"What other things need to be left ready?" I asked in a tired voice, anxious to finish my work as quickly as possible and go to bed early, at least after having a long hot bath.