Chapter 5

Human Nature

The city of Meereen was enormous, loud and full of people. Everywhere Eskaar looked there was some man or slave selling wares or being publicly beaten. Eskaar found it all very revolting as he stepped over a puddle of something he could not identify. He heard an auction of slaves on his right and a small donkey pulling a cart on his left. "Hey you!" said a voice. Eskaar turned to feel a hand slap his back. "You look like a real savage of a man! How do you fancy your chances fucking the most beautiful women in the world" the man was dressed in a toga and grinning stupidly into Eskers face "no" said Eskaar and he tried to pull away but the man held his grip. "ill tell you what friend, for you, any woman half price" "I said no!" said Eskaar louder and he pushed the man hard in the chest. Flying backwards, he crashing into a stall which collapsed spectacularly. A few men armed with swords rushed over "What happened here!" said one, dragging the man in the toga to his feet "That savage attacked me, tried to steal my gold!" "I did no such thing you lying bastard!" shouted Eskaar.

"You! come here now!" said the other armed guard, drawing a sharp looking sword as he moved toward Eskaar. But Eskaar was prepared. He moved quickly. Grabbing the guards sword arm, he head butted him and swung him round into the other guard. Both toppled head over heel. Seizing his chance, Eskaar ran. He ran to a rope dangling off a tall house and began to climb "Stop that man!" someone shouted "That savage is a thief" shouted another. The guards who had now struggled to their feet sped after Eskaar who had already reached the roof and was gazing down at them. "You'll pay for that savage!" Eskaar looked quickly around. He noticed that most of the rooftops were level and beyond the rooftops. Yes. The sea. "Stay there you fucking Dothraki!" said one of the guards who was now banging frantically onto the door of the building. Eskaar breathed in deeply then ran. With speed and agility, Eskaar barely touched the smooth roof tiles, clearing along each building and jumping the distance between them. Flitting and tumbling over rooftop after rooftop. He heard a clatter behind him and saw and arrow shaft snap as it collided with the wall behind him. Then. a series of arrows whizzed and flurried past him.

"Stop that Savage!" "Theif!" Eskaar blocked out the shouting and the fact that now many guards were following him in the streets below him. He cleared one building, then another, then another, then. His foot was skimmed by an arrow and he shouted out in pain. Collapsing onto the orange rood tiles he looked at the top of his foot which was gushing scarlet. "I got him!" someone shouted below. Eskaar grimmised in pain and tore off a little of the thin hide he was around his middle and wrapped it around his foot. then he looked up. The mighty pyramid stood before him. Magnificent and tall with a golden figure Eskaar couldn't make out at the top. Clink. An arrow whizzed past his head and struck the tile behind him. Grimacing in pain, Eskaar limped to the door opposite him and slammed it shut.

The Drakon were cheering. Riuk on the back of his carriage was moving through the small stone villiage. Women threw yellow flowers of fertility and red flowers of passion onto the path as the small horse trampled steadily over. It was sunset and the lush landscape was covered in a golden hew. Riuk however was not enjoying it. His father was not the man he had thought him to be and it evidently showed on his face as he stepped out of the small carriage to meet Freya. Who was standing under the marriage tree and her face slightly fell upon seeing him.

The crowd then went silent. Shanok and Shenzi both stepped forward. Shanok dressed in his familiar Ice bear cloak and throwing axe at his belt. Shenzi dressed in a rather dark looking fur that Riuk did not recognize. "Are you okay?" asked Freya concerned, touching his hand gently. "Im sorry, yes I am fine" said Riuk, trying his best to muster a smile. "People of the Dragon!" called out Shenzi "The lord of light gazes upon us this day, to join these two souls together" She stood just in front of them and placed their hands together "Do you Freyanira of Clan Hydra take, Riukrazora of Clan Shanok" Freya winced a little hearing her full formal name but smiled and said "In the light of the lord I do" Shenzi turned to Riuk "Do you…" but Riuk never did find out what he would've said. A knife suddenly whizzed through the air and thudded into the small of his back. He screamed out in agony. Then there was chaos. People began screaming in horror, guards running toward Riuk. Freya screaming as Hydra jumped up in shock to protect his daughter drawing a small sword. King Shanok yelling a command to some warriors who disappeared and he along with them. The pain was unbearable. As the guards caught him he reached a hand behind him and felt the knife's pommel covered with a hot liquid, which was no doubt blood. He pulled. Pain sending him into shock, a guard grabbed his hand and said "No your highness you'll only make it worse!" "W-what happened!" said Riuk staring up into his eyes. "Dothraki, your highness. They have gone too far this time!".

Riuk's heart froze and he forgot everything. Even the searing pain in his back, he stood up gradually and stared at the guard with murderous rage. "Where are they!" "Your highness you..." "I said wear are they!" Riuk shouted reaching behind him and tearing out the knife. Pain exploded through his body but it was nothing compared to the pain in his heart. He threw the knife onto the cold stone which clanged, splattering blood in all directions. " Your highness you really mustn't!" "Get out of my way!" shouted Riuk shoving the guard away and walking carefully toward where his father disappeared. "If you want to help then follow me!" Riuk was not sure what he would do but he knew he must do it. He wanted to slaughter to hurt and torture every last one of them. Then he saw them. Around fifteen warriors on the back of horses waving their weapons and yelling in the strange language Riuk had come to hate. Without hesitating he charged forward unarmed but fiercely shouting a blood curdling war scream. One Dothraki with a long beard turned to face him and kicked his horse which charge forward. Thinking quickly Riuk ran up the side of a large rock and launched himself at the rider. Caught completely by surprise the rider hesitated. Riuk collided with him unintentionally head butting the Dothraki off his horse and they both fell to the ground in a heap. The horse continued running. The Dothraki's weapon lay just in front of him and Riuk seized his chance and shot forward, gathering momentum as he ran. The Dothraki seeing what Riuk was doing grabbed the sword and swung round making a small cut unto his leg. Riuk grimaced and he then felt the knife wound at his back. The Dothraki grinned and stood up throwing the weapon from hand to hand. Riuk glared and screamed again and pelted at the Dothraki, who pelted toward him extending the moon shaped sword. With hs bare hand Riuk grabbed the sword and punched the man under the jaw. His hand now badly cut and dripping blood Riuk ran at the man again this time tackling him with brute strength to the ground, scrambling onto of him. Slowly Riuk placed his hands on the side of the Dothraki's head and began to press his thumbs into his eyes. Writhing in agony the Dothraki grasped desperately at Riuk's face but to no avail. Riuk watched as the man yelled out in pain. screeching and scrambling hopelessly against Riuk's arms and face but he didn't care. Blood began oozing from the mans eyes and his struggles came weaker, he looked down at the curved moon shaped sword and, removing one hand from the mans face. He grasped the handle and plunged the sword into the Dothraki's chest. Blood spurted upwards into Riuk's face and he let go coving his eyes and leaving the sword imbedded in the mans heart he stopped moving instantly. Riuk rolled to one side onto his back which immediately sent up a shot of pain. But Riuk was dazed and looked up at the now night sky. He had killed two Dothraki. He continued to lay there panting, the pain in his back dulled but throbbing.

The other guards entered the small battle ground carrying the bodies of the dead Drakon away. The last two Dothraki had fled but the remains of the other thirteen were either dead on the floor or being taken away. Riuk could even make out from his limited position a Dothraki body without a head. Still laying on the cool grass. Riuk looked to his side and saw a crowd had started to gather. He dragged himself to his feet and lurched as he felt the after effects of everything he had been through catch up with him. He winced and almost collapsed but he carried on limping toward the hubbub. As the people saw Riuk slowly approaching they stopped shouting and became alarmingly silent, staring at him. Some even looking away almost ashamed. Riuk assumed it was his wounds, but he could not have been further from the truth. There in the middle of the gathered people who were now completely silent. Lay Shanok.

The king lay on his front, bleeding uncontrollably from his head. His tattoos almost seemed to change colour as Riuk got closer and closer. Riuk reached his father and kneeled down. Squeaking slightly from pain. Shanok opened his bloodshot eyes and looked up at his son. "My s-son" he croaked, coughing a little blood onto the smooth stone he was resting on. "Soon I shall be gone" Riuk swallowed and put a bloody hand to his fathers face "Father? I...Please" Shanok's mouth trembled, his waxy lips pale. "Promise me...you will...None can know of the Drakon!" He coughed again and his eyes grew wide and fearful. "Promise me!" Riuk was paralysed with shock. "I promise" he eventually said gripping his fathers hand. Shanok sighed. His pupils dilated and expanded and his hand gripping Riuk's grew limp. The king was dead.