当蒙戈骑马前往维斯·库沃的废墟,准备与老奥沃尔一起探索瓦雷利亚之路时,一场传统的多斯拉克婚礼正在萨恩河畔的部落营地举行.
当东方的天空被第一缕黎明的曙光染红时,篝火开始升起缕缕烟雾.多斯拉克的妇女沐浴在纯洁中,梳理着乌黑的头发,用平原独特草药的芬芳精华涂抹自己.她们将淡淡的香水触碰到手腕,耳后,嘴唇和其他私密部位,穿着色彩鲜艳的长袍和深红色,黄色或橙色的面纱,等待着部落的男人认领.天空是头顶的圆顶,草原像地毯一样在下面延伸,开阔平原的风吹拂着野花和新草的甜美香味.装饰这些女人的鲜艳色彩宣告着生命的活力.宴会的长桌上没有装饰,老妇人在帐篷里进进出出,提供正宗的多斯拉克美食.生马心,半凝固的马血,大蒜和火辣椒调味的烤马肉,血馅饼,马奶,以及来自窄海以外土地的浓郁甜美的红葡萄酒,被称为夏日红酒——这些美食为庆祝活动增添了风味和色彩.多斯拉克人珍视丰盛而诚实的食物,更注重食材本身的天然味道.男人们拿着鞭子,长弓和弯曲的 Arak 刀片,这是送给新娘的传统礼物.传统上,新娘收到这三个信物后会拒绝它们,只是为了让她的丈夫把它们收回来,简单而真实.随着时间的流逝,鼓声回女们戴着面纱,沉着姿态,从帐篷里走出来,开始随着节拍的节奏跳舞.多斯拉克婚礼从黎明开始,盛宴一直持续到日落后.作为哈尔的二把手,哈尔的战士们被期望参加.在开阔的天空下,在整个部落的目光下,他们可以自由地娶这些女人为乐.他们是否献出他们的阿拉克刀,取决于女人的身体.战士们聚集在一起,向跳舞的女人投来的目光.最强壮的卡尔人在喝了一口马奶后,摇摇晃晃地站起来,开始接近一个穿着红色面纱的女人.然而,他很快就被一个矮个子的多斯拉克男人超越了.在多斯拉克的传统中,如果两个男人想要同一个女人,他们必须进行一场生死之战.因此,一整天,除了宴会之外,还会进行无数的决斗,一场没有至少三个人死亡的婚礼,只能被认为是失败的.夜幕降临,蒙戈在奥沃尔的指引下,来到了萨恩河及其支流交汇处的一片平原,他们发现部落的侦察兵在那里扎营.这段旅程很缓慢,但平淡无奇,幸运的是,没有发生任何不寻常的事情.蒙戈目睹了这位长老非凡的马术,但他对奥沃尔无法骑马毫不怀疑——他的年龄和虚弱足以解释.「哈尔,再往前走一点,我们就会到达维斯卡多克的废墟,」奥沃说.然而,蒙戈并没有理会这个提醒,而是不安地凝视着远处隐约可见的森林."维斯卡多克遗迹不是应该在多斯拉克海的西部草原吗?为什么我能看到远处有一片森林?奥沃尔站在马背上,眯着眼睛望向地平线,脸上充满了担忧."对不起,Khal,我上一次经过这里还是四年前."但随后,仿佛他恍然大悟,奥沃尔大声说:「维斯卡多克遗迹的西边是寇霍尔森林,树木已经侵占了我们的平原.」奥沃尔摇摇头,不敢相信自己在说什么,「等等,不,如果野兽把种子带到这里,树木就不会长得这么快.一定是寇鹤人负责,他们在这里种树来收割上等的木材和木雕.蒙戈不禁感到一阵愤怒和羞耻.虽然多斯拉克人可能不在乎黄金,但在蒙戈眼中,寇霍尔人的行为显然是战争的导火索.Kohor人已经开始干扰他的计划.Mungo意识到,斥候无法完全取代他自己的眼睛.他们已经确认了寇霍尔战士的数量与他自己的数量相等,但他们没有告诉他地形.Now, the Viss Kadok Ruins were surrounded by a forest, making it impossible for Dothraki cavalry to charge.Mungo's target was the Khamoka'o tribe, currently encamped in the forest.When he had first become a Khal, Mungo had been intrigued by the eunuchs in the Khals' camps. The Dothraki did not keep idle men; the eunuchs served as the tribe's healers, using sharp knives, needles, and fire to treat wounds, while herbal women used potions and charms.Though the Dothraki revered the eunuchs for their medical skills, they also mocked and belittled them. Upon learning that one of them was a healer, Mungo had quickly curbed his curiosity and offered his sincere apologies.One such eunuch, who had received Mungo's respect, had casually informed him of a rumor. In the Dothraki capital, Viss Dothraki, Khamoka'o's Bloodriders had let slip that they were preparing to leave for the city of Pentos.Mungo kept this information in mind. Later, when he was discussing geography with Ovor, the elder told him that the shortest, easiest route from the capital to Pentos was to travel west, find the Saan River, follow it downstream to the Kohor city-state, and from there take the Valyrian Road to Pentos.The two pieces of information matched, and Mungo quickly dispatched scouts to track the Khamoka'o tribe's movements. By the time his tribe reached the ruins of Viss Kwo by the Saan River, the scouts reported that they had found Khamoka'o's tribe north of the river.Last night, Ovor had informed him that the hills south of the Viss Kadok Ruins were the source of the western tributary of the Saan River, meaning Khamoka'o's tribe could not possibly bypass the hills and head toward Kohor City. By the following evening, they would be forced to rest at the Viss Kadok Ruins.At that time, everyone assumed the ruins were still in the grasslands, and Mungo had planned to personally lead a cavalry attack before dawn the next day.But now, the unexpected forest had thrown his plans into disarray.A battle fought in defiance of Dothraki traditions would only increase casualties. The attack on the Viss Kadok Ruins had lost its meaning, and he would have to rethink his strategy.As night fell, Mungo instructed his scouts to continue tracking the Khamoka'o tribe, then signaled for Ovor to mount his horse and leave.Stars glittered above, and the mournful howls of wolves echoed from the distance, their direction indistinguishable in the dark. Luckily, the Valyrian Road beneath their feet still guided the way.The road home always seemed longer than the road away, but Mungo urged his horse forward, gathering his thoughts. He was unwilling to give up on the prey that was almost within his grasp. He reined in his warhorse, calling back to Ovor, who was clearly exhausted,"Let's rest for a moment."Dismounting, Mungo asked,"If Khamoka'o leaves the Viss Kadok Ruins, how will they reach Kohor?"Without hesitation, Ovor replied,"They will continue west, through the Kohor Forest, where they will encounter the Quen River. Following it downstream, it will only take a day to reach Kohor City."Mungo's expression grew focused, and he mentally visualized a map before asking,"Once they reach the Quen River, will they cross it?"Ovor furrowed his brow, his forehead creased in deep thought as he replied,"Kohor City is built along the Quen River. As long as they know the direction, they cannot reach the opposite bank of the river. Even if they make a mistake, they won't cross it. The Quen River is wide and deep, its waters swift and violent. That's why it's called the Black Daughter of the Mother of Lorn—capricious and temperamental, yet still embraced by her mother."Mungo marked an X mentally over the Quen River, sighing inwardly in frustration. Was this where his plans would end?Suddenly, Ovor's eyes brightened,"Khal, what if we attack at Darkflow River? We could ambush them there."