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***
Darken Rahl.
It has been a couple of weeks since the Dothraki were disgraced in my lands and left here. There were still small encounters of brigands and small lost units of the late Khals, but it was not critical. Darstein reported to me that the Second Legion, already fully formed and gathered near Tolos, was raring to fight. The Third was not yet fully manned. But by the beginning of next year, which will be soon enough, it will also take up its duties.
Having satisfied myself with Quentin's report, I gave the go-ahead for the formation of three more legions. I've also finalised my thoughts on the purchase of the Unsullied in Astapor.
According to my information, there are five and a half thousand soldiers there now, ready for battle. That's enough for a legion, and I'll add five hundred slingers from Tolos. Mantaris will supply me with a hundred and fifty trained chariot crews, and Miriam has offered to get war elephants as well. The I-Tii Empire has them, the Giskars have them, even a mercenary unit like the Golden Swords have them. And in my case, you have to have them at least for status. Besides, getting them won't be a problem. I've got a lot of money saved up that I haven't put to its proper use.
Looks like my plans are coming to fruition even faster than I thought, but that's a good thing.
Mantaris, Aelyria, Tholos and three of my cities that I had virtually rebuilt from the ruins, namely Bhorash, Tyria and Oros announced that they were now the D'Harian Empire. The three slave trading cities of Yunkai, Meereen, and Astapor reacted almost immediately. No, they didn't put out a note of protest against the move, nor did they condemn it. They took it, even without my agents of influence, as a step towards universal safety against a threat like the Dothraki.
In Meereen, as the weakest of the three cities in terms of self-defence, the first timid voices began to be heard saying, "Could we join this alliance as well?". And I liked this turn of events. It would be enough to conduct a proper series of negotiations, which would be started by the "gentlemen" themselves, and I, as Emperor of the D'Harian Empire, would allow them to join this state association. Besides, their autonomy wouldn't bother me. They are already under my thumb, and if they join the Empire, they will simply change their status and their army will officially be under my control.
Astapor, by the way, doesn't care who's on top of them. The main thing is not to interfere with the education of the impeccable. I won't, on the contrary, I'll put as many boys in their charge as possible. And I think I'll impose a tax once a year or two on a certain number of flawless supplied to the empire.
My plan with the "ancestral messenger" of the Dothraki has borne fruit, which pleased me greatly. And here I do not mean their flight from Mantaris, but the ferment in Vaes Dothrak and the individual hordes. Those who attacked us were suffering from a mass disease of "grey sickness", and prayed to the ancestors for forgiveness and help. And in response they, i.e. "ancestors", through their shamans gave an answer - to come to me and kneel before me as before the Great Khal and they will have an opportunity to live and live much better than before. And no representatives of these hordes were allowed into Vaes Dotrak. Thereby offending them and upsetting them.
I had not planned this step and I was not behind it, but I realised that I had no right not to use it. After all, now I have the opportunity to send them a "messenger" once again, or rather to appear there before their eyes and bring misfortune on their families. It is true that there will be much more work with them than with their previous brethren, because catch these nomads and infect their wives and children ...
My head hurts from these thoughts for the second day already. But for now I'm not in a hurry, first I'll deal with the messengers from the defeated Dothraki and then I'll start making detailed plans to subdue the savages that are just north of them.
On that note, I went to bed. In my office I trusted Nyssa to tidy up. She won't mix things up or mess things up, and it's time for me to get some rest. Too much has fallen on my young and unused to such vicissitudes body.
I had a wonderful dream. I was on a beautiful island, walking along the shore and watching birds. Dozens of species of birds that were getting off their seats and circling around us. Behind me walked young maidens, of various tastes, a little behind them my Mord-Sith, in appearance reminding me of true Dharians with their beautiful wheaten plaits.
I was chatting about something with Miriam, who was also in my dream. But all this stopped abruptly.....
The next moment was the darkness in which I stood. And all around me were bright white lights. They were beautiful. Only a little later I realised that they were not fireflies or even my dream, but quite a real phenomenon that I was creating in the depths of my subconsciousness or even more likely in another dimension.
- I see you've already guessed that this isn't your dream," came a loud voice.
It was hard to guess whether it belonged to a man or a woman. It was somewhat 'neutral', but clean and clear.
- That's true, but to whom do I have the honour of speaking? I don't think you're some ordinary spirit of this world.
- I am. Truth be told, I still expected you Darken to guess who I am? After all, you have already served my younger brother, the Keeper. You ignored me. Though I have long favoured your kind. But you chose my brother's side. I was offended at the time.
- S-Creator? - At that moment, I felt true fear.
I was at the mercy of someone with whom I was indirectly in 'enemies', for I was the Keeper's first servant and had broken many of the Creator's rules. This could have affected me. And, quite possibly, I will answer to Him for my past actions. And I don't think he'll forgive me.
- Don't be so worried, Darken Rahl. Though you are my child for denying me and disappointing me, you will still serve me in this world. It was I who took your soul from your brother and put it in this body. You belong to me now.
- Thank you for your forgiveness and a second chance for me, Creator. I never imagined that--
- Enough words, my child. I contacted you this night for a reason. I've been waiting for the moment when you would prove yourself. And I see that I have chosen this Rahl to fulfil an important mission in the near future.
- Is it really serious that you have interfered? - I shuddered at random.
- That's right. I'll tell you a little about the history of the gods of this world. I guess you've already heard about the story of Azor Ohaya and the Great Other?
- I have. In different versions.
- That's wonderful! Then you must realise that every story, legend and myth is based on something. And so it was with the Great Other and Azor Ohai. The Great Other, the Gods of Ancient Valyria and R'Glor are our children. We created many worlds, but we ruled directly in your past. And here we left our first children, who had the form of spirits. Over time they grew in power and became gods, though not as powerful as my brother and me. R'Glor and the Other, who would refer to himself as the Great Other, stood out. While his older brother zealously served me, the Great Other served neither me nor my brother. His pride clouded his mind and he wanted to enslave all races and peoples of all continents. And he tried to do it from Westeros. Taking advantage of the stupidity of the Children of the Forest and his own strength, he created an army of the Ice Dead that waged a war to destroy all life. His older brother Lord of Light R'Glor, and my faithful child, realised that he alone could not defeat his younger brother, for he had become stronger than he was at that time. And so I gave him the Chosen Wizard, who in this world was called Azor Ohai. But in the other world he was called as Silver Ral, he was the twin brother of another Ral, who gave rise to your dynasty of wizards. Silver, or Azor as he was nicknamed here defeated the Night King, the first child and warrior of the Great Other and forced the undead to retreat. Arrangements were made that have protected the world of the living from the undead for eight thousand years. But my child does not want peace and is already preparing for a new war. And I will need another Rahl to win it. You!
- But can I? This world is alien to me, Creator. I can rule an empire, I can be a master of magic. But to be the Chosen One... To be honest, it makes me laugh hysterically, but I restrain myself. I was defeated by the Chosen One, Richard Cypher, my son, who I didn't know about. And now you're saying I'm also the Chosen One. But for this world.
- I can see your hesitation. But I made up my mind a long time ago. The Rahl have served me throughout their existence and will continue to do so. With your deeds, you will redeem your past guilt to me. Do not fear the Keeper. He has no concern for you. You no longer belong to your past. You belong to me and my designs. These are my last words, remember them - you are a child of light and dark. You have served both the Keeper and the Creator, and you are destined to save this world. No matter what you do. You must bring down the Night King and defeat the Great Other. The blood that flows in your veins is my gift to you. Use wisely all that I have given you. Now go and fulfil the mission I have given you.
With a scream, I woke up in a cold sweat.
Soon enough, Boros and Nyssa came running into my chambers.
- Your Majesty! - Boros bellowed, "Danger!
- Ha-ha-ha! No Boros... worse... I turned out to be the chosen one... Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha.....
They both looked at me, and then looked at each other in bewilderment. They can be understood. My reaction is strange, but I was amused nonetheless. I thought I had gotten rid of the power of two deities over me here. But no, it was my illusion. Though I was untied in this world, I still belonged to the Creator. Besides being a wizard of the Rahl family, I am also a human being. And a man has one important thing in his life. He is part of the design of the Two of Them. I did something that I had not done in my previous life - I began to trust in the accident that I did not get to the Lower World. It wasn't an accident, it was the Creator's plan.
"Darken, never trust in chance. But if you have no choice, you can trust in Fate," I remembered these words of my father Paniz Rahl for a long time. But here for some reason I have forgotten them.....
- Go, I'm fine. I want to rest.
- Yes, Master Rahl! - Both of them bowed and went out the door.
Looks like I have a lot of work to do in the near future....
Two more days have passed since that night. Messengers from the infected Dothraki hordes have come to me. One from each horde. They begged forgiveness, brought great gifts, and swore never to attack my cities again. In return, they asked me to cure their loved ones of a terrible disease. But I adamantly declared that I was unwilling to heal those who would go to war against me and those who had taken away many of my subjects.
In doing so, I ornately put into their heads that only those who had sworn allegiance to me could and did receive such forgiveness. I would have tried harder with longer speeches. But the Dothraki are too down-to-earth a people and they are not diplomats. So one of my favourite pastimes, verbiage, was not in demand with them. I could rival my eloquence in a trio of slave-trading cities, but for now I will confine myself to the hints the Dothraki have hurried to report to their elders and new chiefs.
They have little time. I can slow the progress of the grey sickness a little. I think I will.
- Master Rahl! - Admiral Mathis has requested an audience with you.
- Send him in.
A moment later, this old man, who seemed to have grown a little younger and stronger lately, came in. He was smiling and really happy. I wonder what made him like this?
- My Emperor. I am glad to see you in good health and before I report on the progress of the newly built cities of Ancient Valyria and the results of the excavations in Akvos Daen I would like to present you with this marvellous sword of Valyrian steel as a token of respect and symbol of power. I have a feeling it was made for you.
He unwrapped the silk roll from behind his back and I saw a beautiful sword that had been well-preserved after all this time.
The steel was the colour of night, and the hilt was exactly the same as the one I had when I was still sitting on the throne in the People's Palace, horseshoe-shaped and silver. But here the sword was also decorated with several precious stones, each of which was either a sapphire or an amethyst, and on the top of the hilt was the largest scarlet-coloured stone, the size of an eyeball, which was also a storehouse of magical energy.
Apparently it had once belonged to a battle mage of Valyria.
I picked it up and realised that the name of the sword was engraved on the blade closer to the hilt:
- Light of the Dawn," I read in ancient Valyrian.
I laughed under Mathis's amazed and even frightened gaze. I've been laughing at my Destiny more than I should lately, but I can't help it.
Well, I get your hint, Creator, I guess I don't really have a choice about my future after all.
But I will choose the path to it myself...
To be continued...