Chapter 4
The beginning of the end
Riuk stood, his face down in grief, Looking down at the one greatest companion he had ever known. Her face looked peaceful her eyes closed as if sleeping and ceremonial robes about her on the pyre. Riuk gripped the lit torches hard his knuckles turned white. He took a deep breath, tears streaming down his face. He reached a hand down and gripped hers tightly and kissing her gently on her forehead as he did so. "Journey well" he spoke softly chocking a little on the lump in his throat. He lit her pyre. The flames egnighted the oil beneath and a magnificent green flame was made and shot up brightly into the night sky. Next to Lala's body, the pyres of the fourteen victims of the Dothraki's attack were blazing with an equally magnificent, emerald glow.
Riuk felt Freya hold onto his arm in comfort. She kissed his bare shoulder and gently pulled him back from the fierce green wildfire. Riuk looked at his feet. How had it come to this. Shanok stood atop a small elevated platform made of stone, simply staring into the night. The ghostly emerald glow reflecting in his eyes. Just then Shenzi, the death priestess, emerged from the darkness. Her face completely covered with paint to resemble the markings of a skull. She stood adjacent to the pyres still burning their emerald glow, then she spoke. "Children of the dragon hear me!". Of the many hundreds atop the small funeral hill, every one of the Drakon turned to her. Tears reflected in their sad eyes. "Dragon blood has been spilled this night, now is the time to commend their souls to the Lord of Light" as she spoke, Riuk felt Freya's hands around his arm tighten. "Brave warrior's, Daughters, Sons, Husbands and Wives. Raise you're voices and help their souls find the Lord!".
As if no command was needed the Drakon people began to sing. They sang the familiar, beautiful melody that Riuk heard at his mothers passing. Riuk joined his voice to the many quickly followed by Freya. The shire echo of the united Drakon voices was breathtaking and Riuk was sure that even the heartless Dothraki could hear it in their city.
When the song finished Shanok stepped forward. "This is indeed a sad day my people, but know I intend to answer these violent displays of the Dothraki this very night with my council, go now and rest, our people's souls are now in peace". A few people and families began to slowly depart. Riuk stayed where he was and regarded Lala's pyre which he thought burned more brightly than the rest. "Riuk?" said Freya gently squeezing his hand. "You go on" he said "Im part of my fathers council and I intend to voice my say" Freya smiled uncertainly "If you are sure, I will be with my father" she kissed him then walked off to join her father.
Eskaar looked out to the horizon and could make out a large shimmering tower. Through the shrill wind he could hear the sounds of the city, the creaking of wagons and the shirking of slaves as they were beaten into submission. "The world has fallen low" said Eskaar out loud. "More than you might think" said a voice close behind him. Eskaar spun round and faced the stranger pulling his knife and adopting a defensive stance. "Easy there mate, I don't want no trouble...I don't think I've seen anyone like you before" he said walking around him slowly. The man looked rugged, with jet black shaggy hair and neatly trimmed beard he was smirking at Eskaar. Eskaar did not lower his guard. "You dress like a dothraki but I don't recognise the tattoos...or the weapons" he continued, looking at Eskaar's vicious looking knife, impressed.
"You speak Westerosi?" said Eskaar trying his best to remember the sentence structures and words "why, you come to me" "well, introductions first" said the shaggy haired man throwing his arms open in welcome and bowing. "I am Daario, Daario Naharis". Daario, extended his hand. Eskaar did not move. They both stood looking at each other. Finally Daario said "Look I don't want any trouble...I was just trading some supplies with the dothraki and I saw you running...I followed and here we are" he smiled then waited for a response. When none came he rolled his eyes and continued "I'm surprised you reached Meereen this quickly! with no horse and running all the time? how did you do that?" Eskaar hesitated then lowered his knife but remained on the defensive "I am Eskaar, son of Jarnaval king of the Drakon people" "Drakon?" said Daario confused "Never heard of them" he shrugged and smiled then bean walking "Im heading to Meereen myself care to walk and talk?" Eskaar took a few steps forward then stopped suddenly. "Whats the matter?" "I have never been this far from my lands before" Daario grinned "eh? oh don't worry about that just stick with me trust me, Meereen has more fucking races than I can count, they won't think twice about a defensive little shit like you" Daario continued smiling and gestured to Eskaar to follow. Eskaar took a breath then followed.
"So..Eskaar son of Jaffer, what do you want in Meereen?" said Daario atop his chestnut colour horse with Eskaar walking alongside. "Not city...Beyond" said Eskaar looking straight ahead scraching his bald head. "Ah...Beyond? Oh I see, beyond. You mean Westeros? well I wouldn't go there now my friend...a lot of trouble is brewing there right now" Eskaar looked up at him "What trouble there?" "Well" Daario smiled "find out yourself!". Daario shifted his position on the horse and then spoke again "My turn for a question now...How did you managed to get here so fast? I mean I had a horse, and got here after you" Eskaar half smiled and said "Drakon endurance" Daario burst out laughing "What! ha I bet you say that to all the whores" Eskaar began to chuckle himself. "But seriously" said Daario "Drakon? Ive never heard of you" "We keep hidden in mountains beyond Dothraki homeland" Daario shrugged "just sounds like dragon to me" Eskaar looked ahead and saw they were approaching the enormous gates of Meereen. "In my tongue Drakon means dragon in human form".
Shanok stood up from the Ember throne and put up a hand. To which the few other council members and Riuk, who was wearing a furious expression, all quieted down. "I thank you for words of wisdom" Shanok said, closing his eyes and sighing "But I will not be declaring war this day". Riuk's Temper boiled over. Throughout the meeting all his father had done was send food to the grieving Drakon and doubled the guarding of the gates. Riuk's suggestion of war was going to be dismissed unless he said something. "Father?" he said trembling with rage "fourteen of our people lay dead by a dothraki's hand...is that not enough!" Riuk shouted the last words. Shanok sat back down on the throne and said quietly "A king must always..." "What!" shouted Riuk drowning out his fathers voice "What must a king do this time Father! Listen to reason? Remain calm in times of trouble? Do what's best for the people? Stand by your feeling? I listened to every one of you're lectures father!" Riuk stood up and slammed his fist on the table which banged rather louder than he intended. The council members looked uncomfortably from one to the other. "Ive watched you, from when I was a boy! Seen the way you rule! You rule well father! You keep us safe, but I believe you're decision to ignore the Dothraki is wrong!". Shanok stroked his beard "Riuk? I want you and Freya to marry tomorrow". Riuk stopped in his tracks, bewildered. "with respect father, there are more pressing..." "I have spoken!" Shouted the king standing suddenly with surprising speed "Warlord Hydra, you go to your daughter and prepare her for tomorrow".
Warlord Hydra, slightly small of stature but well built and sported a hideous scar running along the right side of his face, looked equally as puzzled as Riuk "As you...command my king?" he bowed his head low and left the room, his bearskin cloak bellowing out behind him. Shanok turned back to Riuk "If you have listened to my lessons boy, answer me this? What are people more likely to suffer more from? a celebration or a war? A day after a tragedy like this?" Riuk glared at him but sat down. Defeated once more by his father's arguments. Shanok's face relaxed and he sat slowly down on the shimmering throne of Embers. "Now if there are no further arguments against my decision?" No one spoke, the remaining warlords and council members looked around but none spoke up. The only sound was the wind blowing in through the open skylight of the high ceiling. "Then it is decided, in light of this tragic event, Riuk's marriage to Freya of clan Hydra will be moved to tomorrow. Extra food and currency will be compensated to the grieving families of the victims and six extra guard will command the gateway to the mountain. Dismissed".
The crowd funnelled out of the hall leaving Riuk alone with his father. "Riuk I also sent word to Lala's father, I am making him a Warlord.." but Riuk stood and walked toward the door stopping as he put his hand on the rough wood. "Have you no passion? No sense of Revenge?" Shanok stood back up and walked toward his son his loud footsteps echoing all around the empty stone hall "Revenge is a very human feeling my son, we are dragons in mans image" Shanok placed a hand on his sons arm but Riuk shrugged it off. He turned and placed both his hands on the door, "You once told me we are the rulers of all dragons...I believed that..until today". Riuk opened the doors took one final look into his fathers eyes then closed the doors behind him with a loud creaking bang.