Chapter 169 - Artican Trade in Essos 24 (Volantes 01).

[Chapter Size: 3000 Words.]

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Thrid Person POV

Essos, 296 AC.

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Some days had passed while Jon still couldn't understand the strange phenomenon, with the flames wondering what had happened and where it came from, whether it was from Volantis or beyond, but still without an answer... he continued the journey as usual, having put Rhaenys under the tutelage of her teachers on the ship, along with Daenerys, to learn and familiarize herself with Artica and other matters.

This continued until Volantis, an immense city, appeared on the horizon along with the continent, finally coming into view.

"I think showing our fleet like this is bad... we should position the fleet further out to sea... we don't want the city to see us as a threat and panic. After all, we need them to open the gates for us if we wish to trade," Jon spoke to his men, who nodded, while the wargs passed on the orders to the rest of the fleet that wouldn't go to the city.

He was about to return to his family but saw Daenerys standing alone at the edge of the ship. So he approached his aunt. "How have you been?" Jon asked.

"Nephew..." Daenerys looked at him with a sweet smile. "I'm fine... just thinking a little," she murmured.

"You don't usually stay alone, is something bothering you?" Jon asked.

"It's about the city..." she murmured.

"Rhaenys told me that you don't intend to go to the city this time, after what happened in Myr," Jon commented, looking at her. The girl had been ambushed, but his men protected her and eliminated the entire group that attempted it, hired by that prince of Lys who didn't meet a pleasant end.

"I heard that Volantis is one of the cities with the highest concentration of slaves in the world..." she murmured.

"You certainly don't like slavery... do you..." Jon sighed.

"No..." She shook her head. "Could you end it?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Well... I don't sympathize with it either, but we can't do anything now... intervening in external policies isn't that simple. But you never know... perhaps a slaver will irritate me enough to force me to attack his city..." Jon commented with a smile at the end.

"That would be bad for him..." Daenerys commented with a smile. "Anyway... I'll stay with Rhaenys during your stay," she said, and Jon nodded without a problem.

"That's fine. Anyway, why don't you come with me to see the others?" he said as Daenerys smiled.

"Sure, why not!" she said before they went inside.

As the royal family gathered, as usual, thirty ships began to break away from the fleet, heading for the city. There were no ships in the sea at that moment, which Jon found rather strange, and sending his eagles towards the city to see what was happening, he found himself witnessing a peculiar scene.

A crowd had gathered at the harbor, like a reception with what seemed to be great nobles of the city gathered, waiting for them to arrive, but unlike other receptions, the entire city seemed to be there to see them.

'What is this...' Jon murmured internally as he guided the eagles lower, wanting to hear what the people of Volantis were discussing, seeing red priests speaking of him to the crowd. Even the two factions of the city were united at that moment; Jon had expected a grand reception from the elephants, but even the tigers, whom he had expected to be more hostile towards him, didn't seem to be.

Jon frowned unconsciously as he began to hear the city's discussions, even mentioning the report of the flames, which had indeed started from Volantis and spread throughout the world, except for the Wall, which blocked the wave of magic.

"Jon? Something wrong?" He was pulled from his thoughts by Ygritte's voice beside him, as she caressed him to feel his warmth.

"Hm?" Jon snapped out of his thoughts, looking at her, surprised. "I was just looking at something in the city... this will be quite different from anything we've been through before," he said with a sigh, not knowing what to make of it.

"Really? But that doesn't matter now, does it?" Ygritte asked while taking his hands down to her intimate part. "You know... we have some time before Rhaenys appears in this cabin... why don't we enjoy ourselves a little, your queen demands the warmth of her king," she said as she sighed with Jon's touch between her legs.

"I think you're right..." Jon murmured as he moved his hand to her dress and began removing her clothes, leaving her naked, and thus having some time to enjoy his wife.

Jon had a few hours before the ship reached the city, so he ended up enjoying that cabin. Later, as they dressed and fixed their clothes and hair, they went to the ship's bath to continue their moment, finally being ready when the ship was approaching the port.

"Jon, I don't need to take part in this, right? I want to visit the city!" Arya exclaimed, admiring how enormous the city was and its structure.

"All right..." All his women had the same look, but only Arya would go to the city while the others would stay on the ship.

"Hey, don't worry, King, we'll protect her!" A group of dwarves said, and Jon nodded.

At that moment, "My king... there's a giant crowd at the port..." The captain, who was a warg, received the concerns from all thirty ships, and Jon nodded, already aware of it.

"They seem to be receiving us with open arms. Just don't be too shocked at what they're going to call me..." Jon sighed, wondering how this had happened.

"What do you mean, Jon?" Rhaenys asked by his side.

"You'll see..." Jon only said that, still imagining how a people seemed to adore him without even knowing him.

As soon as the ship reached the harbor waters to dock, everyone could hear the voices of thousands of people there, shouting to them.

"Azor Ahai!"

"It's him, the warrior of R'hllor!!"

"Azor Ahai!!!"

"Azor Ahai? Is that who they're referring to, Jon?" Ygritte looked at him, really surprised.

"Azor Ahai? What does that mean?" Rhaenys asked.

"It's a legend... even from Yi Ti... it's about a warrior who came from the east. Who fought in the first Long Night. He has many names around the world, also known as the Warrior of Light, the Son of Fire, the Warrior of Flames, Shadow Hunter, Last Hero..." Arya murmured, looking at Jon before her gaze fell on Wind.

"I wasn't alive during that period, so I don't know... about him," she replied.

"Leaf knew him... he really existed," Jon said. He had seen him during the first Long Night as well, a sinister time he'd rather not revisit, a time when the Seven Kingdoms fell against the army of the dead.

"Long Night?" Daenerys asked, approaching. She hadn't heard of it yet since Jon had asked not to speak about the war Artica would face.

"A period of darkness more than 8,000 years ago. Azor Ahai helped break the reign of terror in Westeros while driving out the armies of the dead as he led the last armada. He was a mystical and powerful figure, and he did it thanks to a sword he created, working for thirty days and thirty nights before the sword broke," Arya continued with a legend she personally liked.

"He didn't give up and worked another fifty days and nights, but again, it broke. Once more, he worked for a hundred days and nights, but this time with visible disturbance. When he finished, he called his wife, Nissa Nissa. He asked her to bare her chest, saying that he loved her more than anything, after all, she was the most precious thing in his life. Though confused, she did so, and before she could react, the sword was thrust into her heart as she screamed in ecstasy and fear. As difficult as that act was, his wife's heart and soul merged with the blade, giving rise to the flaming luminous sword, the Red Sword of Heroes, used to protect humanity and expel all evil that threatened all living beings against the dark forces..." Arya finished.

"The Long Night of the White Walkers... wasn't that a legend to scare children?" Rhaenys asked, stunned.

"No... it really happened, and the White Walkers do exist... and they are in the North," Jon said finally, while Daenerys and Rhaenys looked at him in shock, but Arya, Ygritte, and Wind had calm expressions.

"They say that when the world needs him most, Azor Ahai will be reborn..." Arya couldn't help but murmur to everyone as her eyes fell on Jon.

"I don't see any flaming sword with Jon. Will he have to pierce the heart of one of his wives?" Ygritte said with a mischievous smile.

"Don't joke about that, Ygritte. I don't see myself as Azor Ahai, much less having to pierce anyone's heart for that. But I know my goal is to defeat those things... that's why I have Artica for it, not a sword that would require me to sacrifice a loved one," Jon said in a firm and stern tone.

"All right, enough talk. Let's go face this reception," Jon said finally as he tightened one of his swords at his waist and began to leave, leaving everyone behind, as he was only with his ministers and guards.

"Is everyone ready? Let's go, folks," he said to the men accompanying him, with everyone following him towards the already positioned gangplank. The crowd began to swell, and the noise grew louder as he appeared.

"Hey, man. You're really famous here, maybe even more than Artica!" Tormund exclaimed excitedly, while the other guards looked, not understanding why Jon had chosen him to come along, but Jon had done it because Tormund could be a good distraction, which was why he was selected this time.

"Azor Ahai! Azor Ahai!" they shouted, pointing at him, continuing to call his name. There were cries of affirmation and others of questioning as they sought answers in his gaze, since they were supposedly before a legendary hero.

The city was like this because, in recent days, the Red Priests began to report the great vision that the High Priest had seen in the flames. They claimed that the vision was granted by their god R'hllor, at the cost of High Priest Benerro's own sight, who became blind after the revelation.

According to the report, he saw a great battle in endless darkness, where there was no sun for months, and the one leading humanity was a northern man from Westeros, with black hair and gray eyes with greenish features representing a divine touch. He was the song of ice and fire.

Some say that Azor Ahai must be reborn "amidst smoke and salt" to fight the darkness that approaches. This event will mark "the end of a long night and the return of light to the world," with the rebirth of the hero being the one to free the world from darkness.

Thus, rumors began that the world would soon be plunged into darkness, and only the savior chosen by the Red God would have the power to lead humanity and save it from destruction.

People naturally sought a hero, especially one coming from such significant events as those of the now-known Prophet Benerro, who was blinded to bring the prophecy.

So Jon was easily declared as such a hero, and most of Volantis' inhabitants believed it. Even the nobility had to bend to this idea, even though some did not truly believe such words, but they had no choice. That's why the Tigers and the Elephants united to receive him.

Seeing the King of Artica behaving with his men and even with the giants that accompanied him gave an even more serious tone to these claims and rumors.

People continued to shout and point at him, while Jon was careful to avoid any undesirable situation, as someone could try to attack him, taking advantage of the crowd, although it seemed that no one had any intention of being hostile to him here. Otherwise, there would be hundreds of thousands of people tearing them apart in a lynching.

Thus, he approached the group that awaited him. There were two factions, each displaying their banner with the animal that represented them, as well as a group of Red Priests in the center, also waiting for Jon, all of them of high class based on their clothes and jewels.

Jon personally disliked this religion, as they used blood magic, burning people alive to gain power and make contact with their god, something he found repugnant. For this reason, he grimaced upon seeing them.

As he approached, Jon observed the typical slave owners from the two organizations. Most of them were bald, their heads shaved, wearing earrings and other jewelry, even facial piercings. None of them spoke, while Jon noticed various reactions, but no one took the initiative. It made him question what kind of reception this was.

Then, finally, from among the Red Priests, a man with his eyes covered by a bandage, clearly blind, came forward, being guided by a young man helping him approach. He came closer to Jon and said to his assistant, "Tell me, Dessun, is it him? Is he as I described? Tell me, young one."

"Yes, we are witnesses to reality. He is as you described," the young man replied, making Jon raise an eyebrow at the comment.

"I knew the Great R'hllor wouldn't give me a vision that would blind me for nothing. It really is him!" said the man with trembling hands.

"It is an honor to meet you, Azor Ahai," he murmured.

"My name is usually Jon, Red Priest," Jon replied, disliking being connected to the man's blindness, according to what he had said.

Despite Jon's rather ungracious response, the blind man laughed. "Haha, I see he has a sharp tongue... that's good if he is like that with his sword, after all, the world needs a protector..." he said without offense before kneeling, along with his assistant, in front of Jon.

"In any case, welcome to Volantis... the Red Temple is here to receive you, but also to serve you in whatever you need," the man said as all the Red Priests began kneeling at that moment.

"We are here to serve you, Azor Ahai, under any circumstance, by the order of our god," they said in a unified voice.

Jon's ministers looked on, somewhat curious, while their king just sighed, still somewhat uncomfortable being treated this way by a people for whom he had no sympathy.

"I don't care if he's a hero or something... as long as he sells us that magic ice that makes our drinks taste so much better..." a man from the Tiger faction said among his group, and the others nodded. It seemed that even the Tigers were interested in his products, while the Elephants were naturally drawn to them.

"Anyway... shall we proceed with our negotiations, don't you think?" The Elephants, accustomed to reading people, knew that the Arctic King didn't seem to appreciate their reception much, still hearing the shouts about Azor Ahai.

Jon nodded at this comment and turned back to the priests of R'hllor. "You may rise; no man should kneel before me, after all, I am a king who leads a people so hardy that none of them need to kneel." He spoke in a calm tone, though it was a command, and all the priests stood in the next moment.

"Please, Azor Ahai, could we speak a bit... about what is to come?" the blind man spoke once more.

"Can we do that later...? I don't see why we should do it here," Jon said while the man, somewhat reluctant... nodded.

"Can we proceed with our negotiations if the city is still interested in our business?" Jon asked the Elephants.

"We indeed are, Arctic King... Could you accompany us to the highest dome of the city?" he requested, and Jon nodded.

"Yes. We'll do that, so please, lead the way," Jon asked, and the man nodded satisfactorily while a large group of Unsullied guards began clearing the way through the crowd, and both groups started escorting the Arctic King through the city.

"Azor Ahai!!"

"He is as they described!"

"He leads giants... but where is his flaming sword?!"

The people kept shouting while Jon could only sigh, trying to ignore all the screams directed at him as he followed the group so they could finally discuss business and not the end of the world. After all, he believed he needed no further incentive, as the dead would be defeated by Artica in the north.

"Jon is really in trouble..." Arya commented from the ship, watching them head into the city.

"He certainly has fans in this place... I never imagined that so far from Artica..." Ygritte had to laugh at her husband. "Anyway, this will make a beautiful picture, I can show my daughter when she grows up about her father being famous so far from home," Ygritte said as she began to leave, with Jon disappearing into the crowd, while the giants appeared in the distance, but soon got lost in the next streets they had to take.

"It seems it's over, now we have to wait. Daenerys, shall we play?" Wind spoke, as Arya was going out, and the girl only nodded, still thinking about what she had seen.

"I'm going to my room... it won't be long before the boy is born..." Rhaenys said.

Everyone left, while only Arya stayed, starting to prepare as the crowd began to disperse or follow Jon through the city, while she gathered some friends to explore the city with her.

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