Gifts for the Sun

by 2941

"What's west of Westeros?" As the War of Five Kings concludes and the Great Houses face East toward an ascendant Targaryen, a lowly family of the Reach and the highborn Daynes of Starfall find an answer to this question. A strange folk that claim to have sailed across the Sunset Sea come bringing offerings of gold, weapons, and knowledge, all in exchange for gifts for the sun.

17. Part 16

THE DEATH OF NOCHTLI OF THE FIFTH SNAKE DAY

[[So what,]] asks Mixkoatl, [[are you one of the Remnants now?]]

This is what everyone has been asking lately.

[[I never said that,]] says Nochtli, [[I never said anything like that. I'm just saying that they took what is ours by law. They broke the law.]]

[[There are the circumstances to consider,]] suggests Mixkoatl.

[[Laws aren't breakable just because circumstances change,]] says Nochtli, [[laws being the same in different circumstances is the entire point of having laws. Or am I wrong?]]

Mixkoatl shrugs and takes a swig of water from his leather canteen.

Nochtli looks to the others around him. As with the other Blades slated to leave north in the morning, Nochtli and his troop are lodged in one of the many stone houses that once belonged to the various Westerosi merchants and artisans of the Place of Pale Stone. Dohate sits alongside Mixkoatl at the window, looking out at the rest of the inner court of the Place of Pale Stone, smoking the last of his leather leaf. On the other side of the room, sitting together near the top of the wooden stairs of this indigene house, are the three new members assigned to Nochtli's troop: Ahanu, the young man with long black hair form Hinojovo; Cuamatzi, the Atlacal with a shaved head from the eastern shores; and Itzamatul, who the others call the Heron because of how he looks. If this were a proper army they would have at least two more for the troop but more men than expected were lost to the Westerosi horsemen. The bloodpriests can heal much, but when a man's head is sliced off his shoulder even the Red Salamander's magic is useless.

[[Captain Nochtli,]] says the Heron, [[how many horse-men will we have fighting for us?]]

Word has reached the captains that only a dozen Blades had learned enough about riding to be of any use, and that although some Westerosi smallfolk had volunteered to ride in the name of the Alliance for gold and land, none of the higher ranking men had any faith in them.

[[Less than the Darkstar will have fighting for him, I can tell you that,]] says Nochtli.

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Whats up fellow ASOIAF fans,

This next chapter is going to be pretty big! It's going to be another multi-pov chapter that encapsulates a battle - we will again be seeing things from Nochtli, Allyria, and the Darkstar's point of view as the Triple Alliance moves against High Hermitage! Basically: it will be a while before I update again.