32 Chapter Thirty-Two: New Dawn is Coming
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~~~Viewpoint: Third-person sixth moon, 276 AC~~~
"Have the Khalasar stand by; I don't want any more surprises."
"Check everything! Let every stone be lifted; I don't want something like this to happen again".
"Valka, go to your sisters; check that there are no more like him."
Azrael was shouting orders left and right. Ever since the encounter with the demon... Or whatever that being was, Azrael had been restless, not letting his hand off the pommel of his sword, or being in the company of his riders and witches.
The Temple of the Dosh Khaleen had already been reduced to ashes, with thousands upon thousands of Dothraki closing in and surrounding the destroyed Temple.
It was when Azrael emerged from the Temple that every Dothraki present, with a wave crashing onto the beach, kneeled before the demon slayer.
Over the next few weeks, Azrael devoted himself to using the loyalty enchantment extensively on all the Dothraki in Vaes Dothrak, during which time Azrael continued to receive reports from Xandar, as the siege continued, which had destroyed the city's commerce, and, were it not for the near infinite food produced by the miles of farms and crops in the city, many would have starved.
Not only that, but the news that a possible spy sent from Volantis had been kept in the castle cells also reached him.
Azrael, during all this time, set about winning the loyalty of the Dothraki by force, commissioning several librarians he brought from Xandar to take a census and, at the same time, to choose the new Ko.
Azrael knew that to command a whole horde of cavalry like this, which numbered over 180,000 men, he needed the help of Ko, who were warriors subordinate to a Khal, who could serve as commander of a part of their Khal's Khalasar.
After some thought and planning, with the help of his blood riders and Valka, Azrael decided to divide his Khalasar into nine outposts—all the twenty thousand armored warriors. For this, he decided to give the power of a Ko to a Dothraki strong enough for the position.
To that end, for five days, Azrael was forced to watch fight after fight between many Dothraki who wanted one of the nine available seats.; among them, one who stood out the most and who, in the end, was able to gain command of a horde, was Khal Bharbo. The only Khal to survive the burning at the Temple of the Dosh Khaleen.
The man had been busy with his son, Drogo, and so had arrived late at the Temple that night, which saved his life.
After that, nine men now commanded nine Dothraki hordes, each of some twenty thousand men.
That was not the only thing that changed in the Dothraki, but all the slaves in Vaes Dothrak, which numbered over a million, would be 'freed' upon reaching Xandar, as Azrael would soon depart with all the Khalasar, who now wore armor. As for the ancient city of Vaes Dothrak, Azrael decided to abandon it, but not before ordering all possessions of gold, silver, lace, and anything else of value from the city, including the great statues of gods and heroes displayed on the god's path.
He knew that Vaes Dothrak was the single holiest city of the Dothraki and that even under the effect of the loyalty granted by the enchantments, many Dothraki would not want to leave their city forever, yet it was here that the Dosh Khaleen worked his magic.
They spoke of an old prophecy and superstition that said that one day all Khalassars would be reunited under the banners of the great Khal, the all-conquering one known as the Stallion Who Rides the World.
It was at the voice of the Dosh Khaleen that they all decided to follow Azrael blindly, which earned the Dosh Khaleen the good graces of Azrael.
It was not until three weeks later that the entire Khalasar was ready to depart. One hundred and eighty thousand men on steeds, adding to Azrael's original Khalasar, made the endless sight of legions and legions of men paint the green meadows, creating a glorious sight, as if Azrael saw the very knights of Rohirrim.
Azrael didn't have to do much; he just ordered the Dothraki to prepare everything to be ready to march. It was when Azrael's golden watch struck two o'clock in the afternoon that he left Vaes Dothrak.
From the sky, Azrael could be seen being escorted by his riders and wolves, and further back, following him, was the almost endless sea of mounted men, plus the thousands of former slaves and carriages. Like a pelican's walk, follow the strongest leader leading the way.
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In Xandar, the situation was tense for any merchant or foreigner left inside the city once it closed its gates. Many were anxious about their future; being in a city or fortress that was under siege was not a pleasant experience, as Stannis Baratheon himself witnessed when he had to confine himself to Storm's End thanks to the siege created by Mace Tyrell.
However, the city had enough food to feed its inhabitants for at least twenty years, and the farms never stopped producing food thanks to the bone dust used on the farms. It made an entire crop grow until it could be harvested in just two days, and improved the productivity of the soil and the harvest.
That is why the inhabitants of the city, even under siege, went about their daily routines regardless of the fragile siege attempt that the mercenary companies wanted to convey.
The Bold Company, the Second Sons, the Sons of the Wind—those mercenary companies were the prominent ones now camped several meters from the great cannon of Xandar, awaiting the order to attack the massive gates.
In addition to them, there were thousands of wandering swordsmen that the sage masters had purchased, along with slave soldiers from the three cities, making for a total force of some forty-five thousand men.
In Slave Bay, the scene was similar; hundreds of warships lined the waters in front of the Great Wall, blocking all access to the sea for ships in the fjord.
This made the merchants more worried, for while the food was almost infinite, the gold they possessed was not, and sooner or later they would run out, so they would have to work in the city and get prestigious and well-paid jobs in the city was difficult for any foreigner.
One such merchant was Bario, the man with the shouting voice who had brought Varys here from Volantis.
That same man now found himself living in his caravan in the public stable, as the payment asked by the local stewards to house the caravans and horses of merchants and travelers was less than what they would have to pay if they stayed in an inn.
Therefore, Bario decided to sleep in his caravan; he ate in public stalls and not in taverns, and so he had managed to live in the city all this time, and he could relieve himself or shower in the public baths that were scattered all over the city.
It was a relief to him that Gallio, the chancellor commissioned by Azrael, had left safe conduct for anyone who had run out of permission to stay in the city, though once the city opened its gates, they would have to leave or be forced to work in the mines for contempt.
Today, Bario was walking the streets of the neighborhood south of the large public stable, which was north of the customs house at the north gate.
Everywhere he passed, he saw guards patrolling the streets, very attentive to possible signs of disorder or scenes created by those who wanted to leave the city.
One such group of guards were three men and a woman, all in steel plate armor, mounted on their armored steeds, with serious, expressionless looks on their faces.
As Bario walked by, one man saw the group of guards patrolling and, in a low voice, cursed them. "These people have got us here to kill us; these fucking sons of bitches are the worst.
However, he didn't count on the good senses of the guards, as all four stopped their steeds and looked at the man. "How come you're talking to me?" spoke the woman in the group, a frown on her face and a grimace on her lips.
"Ehhh? Nothing, I didn't say anything," the man didn't take long to reply, fear evident in his voice. He had witnessed what happened to the people who created chaos in the city; they were either sent to the mines or, worse, forced to work in the stable to tend to the beasts known as devastators, of which not many survived the first day.
The group of guards just glared at him, until they decided to go on their way.
"Waaaaa"
A loud noise was suddenly heard, causing many to startle. The parrots, who were the source of the sound, stood on poles designed for them, as they were not only used to deliver messages between nobles or important people but also gave warnings throughout the city, which were broadcast from the castle.
But now, the parrots were also a method of warning or alarm, by which the people of the city were made aware that the city was under attack.
At the stone bridge connecting the great gates of the cannon, thousands of men were now passing through, ready to try to break through them, with the view of entering the city—the first actual attack on the city since it had suffered its first siege.
