Chapter Four: Blood riders

~~~~(Point of View; Azrael Sanchez)~~~~

~~~~(Date: 275 AC)~~~~

Waking up from my long sleep, I was greeted by the sight of the oak floor of my cabin, and looking up a little more, I managed to see the sunlight coming through the window; apparently, it was already morning. 

Once I felt fully awake, I got up from the floor, and stretched my bones, listening to the familiar sound of bones crunching. When I felt ready, I took off the armor I still had from the night before, and approached the small kitchen that was in the living room. 

Something I had forgotten was how I looked in this new body, so pressing the button that activated the water dispenser, I filled a container. After that, I washed my face, and once the water was still again, I could see my new appearance. 

I shouldn't be past twenty; at least I would be around 16 or 18. My amber eyes, short dark brown hair, and light complexion skin made me look nice—not beautiful like Hollywood actors, but well above average. 

(Image here)

Feeling my belly rumble, I pulled out a rabbit stew and set out to eat breakfast. After a few minutes of eating breakfast in silence and drinking cold watermelon juice, I set out to go to the shower in my room, where I set out to take a cold water bath. 

After half an hour, I saw the time on the clock reading seven in the morning. It was still early, although I could already hear the Khalasar's hustle and bustle outside the hut. 

Determined to face the consequences of my actions, I put on leather armor over a tight tunic I had made with the help of the loom, and securing my sword on my hip, I opened the door and left the hut. 

Outside, I saw how the Dothraki were already awake for the most part, tending their horses or sharpening their arakh, all the while looking at me with a new face. 

Many showed fearful looks, others showed caution, and some even showed curiosity. The truth was, I didn't know which way to go now. In my plans, it was never that I would lead a Khalasar, much less one of this size, but it had already happened. Now, well, I could sneak away to any free city to live without worries, but I was not going to lie and say that my situation at this time filled me with excitement. 

Knowing the language barrier, I set out to try and find the woman who translated for me last night, only to see her approaching along with a small group of Dothraki behind her. 

Those who came with her were about eight muscular Dothraki, with scars on their arms and chests and their characteristic long braids, with the small bells hanging from their scalps. 

"My Khal, my name is Amanda, and these here wish to be your new blood riders." Amanda, as the woman's name was, commented to me, as I looked at the men who claimed to want to be my blood riders. 

They all looked to be in their late thirties, with strong and determined looks, and knowing that I had no weapons training, the reason for my victories the night before being the potions I took, I decided to accept them. 

"Alright, I accept them as my blood riders," I said to Amanda, who then translated my words to the Dothraki. 

Once I saw that it was all clear, I concentrated on what was paramount now: "But first of all, tell them to follow me; I have to make them bathe."

Heading to a central part of the Khalasar, I decided to start building, and knowing the hatred and resentment toward all the magic the Dothraki had, I opened the menu and put on my armor. When this happened, those following me were in shock, since, to their eyes, my armor appeared out of nowhere on me. 

But after seeing that they weren't making any fuss, I was able to relax a bit. Either they trust me or they are still afraid of my strength shown last night. 

Being ready, I set out to start building, starting with the stone foundations and going up to complete the walls. The idea was to build a public bath, with a capacity for at least fifty people at the same time, although divided by cubicles. 

To fix the lack of water, I copied the mechanism of my bathroom, using dispensers and filling them with water, which would drop the water once a button was pressed. With a marble floor and illuminated by lanterns, the bathroom would be ready after about ten minutes. 

When I finished, I saw that I had a large crowd already viewing the new structure, allowing me to make a few things clear: "These behind me are bathrooms! Every member of my Khalasar will use it twice a day, once in the morning and once at night. Anyone who does not comply with this will have to face me."

While I let Amanda translate, I watched everyone's expressions. Some accepted my words, either because they came from me, as their Khal or because it was their Khal they feared; however, at the end of the day, they had to start obeying me, since many things would change, starting with the baths.

After Amanda finished saying my words, I focused on my Blood Riders, to whom I told them to be the first to try the baths, and although they did it reluctantly, in the end, their 'loyalty' to me made them obedient, entering each one in a cubicle after taking off their clothes, and with the help of slave women, they were the first to bathe with the new baths. 

After a short time, they came out of the baths, already bathed and smelling fresh. Something I noticed was their rough clothes, so taking out some tunics, pants, and leather boots, I passed them to them as new clothes. Although I knew that they liked to be almost naked, except for their vests and pants, I saw that what I passed them liked them, especially since it was made of leather, something they were already used to and thought masculine enough to wear. At the same time, I passed them two potions each, both a regeneration and a healing potion. 

The potions would cause their ugly scars to fade and, at the same time, poorly healed wounds or hidden internal injuries to heal, which I needed several attempts to get them to ingest, but once their effects became apparent, they were more enthralled than for them my 'magic' could do. 

I knew that their advancement as a society worth remembering would take several months, even years, but once my Khalasar managed to overcome their piques of unseemly savagery and their thirst for death and destruction, they would be one of the finest civilizations ever seen. 

Seeing that the atmosphere had changed for the better and that I was not perceived as an outsider, I decided to undertake the only available method of bonding—a party, obviously—so I told Amanda to make it clear that there would be a party tonight, and all I got in return was a cheer once everyone found out. 

Yes, apparently alcohol, parties, and women filled the soul. 

Knowing that there would be plenty to eat and drink, I met with Amanda and the cooks, and leaving about ten cows for them to slaughter and prepare, I set out to leave them fruits, chickens, fish, pigs, and rabbits as well, as long as there was no lack of food. 

Leaving all that ready, at the same time that I left them several ovens with enough coal and several bonfires to cook the meats, I set out to go to a place near the place where I left the utensils for the cooks, to start building tables, chairs, lanterns and even leaving a record player to play music, all in anticipation of today.