Aeron observed with disbelief as the Dothraki retreated.
"They are retreating" he exclaimed incredulously, unable to fathom the unexpected turn of events.
"THEY ARE RETREATING!" he bellowed.
The men erupted in cheers as they witnessed the menacing Dothraki riders retreat from the battlefield, a clear signal of their victory.
"Captain, shall we pursue?" his officer asked, riding up to him.
Aeron was cautious and uneasy about the unusual behavior of the savages, yet he ignored the bad feeling he got from the situation.
"Yes, ride them down to their camps and finish them off" he said, with a bit of hesitance in his voice.
The officer rode away, issuing orders as the cavalry followed him intent on sealing their triumph. Aeron couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that lingered knowing that the Dothraki rarely retreated unless their forces were severely depleted the situation left him with a sense of foreboding.
He knew the khal of this khalsar had united most of the scattered Dothraki after the exodus, yet he did not see that many here. Perhaps he had miscalculated.
He followed behind his men with the rest of the army as they chased the Dothraki. To his surprise, the Dothraki were slowing down and turning to face them once again.
"What are they doing?" he thought out loud as he noticed that they had led them towards the forest.
He looked around and realized how disorganized his men had become when they gave chase. The unbreakable shield wall that held back the initial Dothraki charges was gone, and to his horror, Aeron realized what was happening.
"We have been tricked," he said, his voice creaking with fear.
His fears were realized as he heard thunderous hooves coming from the forest as hidden contingents of Dothraki came at them from all sides.
They had been encircled. The realization hit Aeron like a cold wave, freezing him momentarily in dread. He shouted desperately to his men, attempting to restore order amidst the chaos.
"Hold your ground! Form a defensive line!" Aeron's commands were drowned out by the cacophony of battle, his officers relaying the orders, trying to regroup the disoriented soldiers.
The Dothraki, swift and skilled riders closed in from all directions, their war cries echoing through the dense forest. The once confident army found itself trapped in a nightmarish ambush.
Aeron fought valiantly, attempting to lead his men out of the encirclement but the savagery of the Dothraki onslaught was overwhelming.
In the midst of the melee, one of Aeron's officers rode up beside him.
"We can't hold, Captain! We need to retreat!" he said with desperation in his eyes.
Aeron, realizing the grim reality nodded reluctantly. "Order the retreat! Fall back into the forest."
Whatever remained of his forces retreated into the forest. They traversed the labyrinth of trees to escape from the Dothraki.
Hours later, Aeron regrouped with the survivors deep within the forest. He had started with 10,000 men when he left Qohor, and now only a few hundred remained.
High Priest Zarro witnessed the unfolding horror as the siege towers ominously closed in on the city walls. A sense of dread gripped him.
"The whole world has gone mad," he thought in despair.
Large boulders rained down, wreaking havoc among the city's populace. The once serene streets were now filled with the cries of the frightened and the anguished.
As the High Priest observed the destruction his heart sank. The sacred city, the city of sorcerers, was now under siege by forces that seemed beyond reason.
The Black Goat, the deity revered by the people of Qohor needed to be invoked. The divine strength of the Black Goat must guide them through this madness.
He looked to the altar of sacrifice where, for the past week, they had offered sacrifices, hoping the great Black Goat would save them. But their pleas seemed unanswered, and it felt as though their god had abandoned them.
Desperation hung in the air as the siege towers breached the walls, and the city's defenses crumbled. The Dothraki, fierce and relentless poured into the city like a tide of chaos. Panic and fear swept through the streets as the once mighty city of sorcerers succumbed to the merciless onslaught.
Zarro, despite all this, clung to the hope that the Black Goat would yet intervene. Gathering the remaining faithful he led them towards the heart of the city, seeking refuge in the sacred temple. .
The city echoed with the clash of steel and the anguished cries of its people as the Dothraki finally overcame the last defenses. He saw the temple doors buckle as the Dothraki tried to force their way in. Inevitably the doors gave way and the Dothraki poured in. The last thing he saw was a Dothraki looming over him as his world turned to darkness.
Zarro was abruptly woken by the shouts of men. As his eyes opened he found himself surrounded by two imposing Dothraki warriors who seized him with a rough force that left him little choice but to comply. They dragged him to his feet and with little ceremony began leading him out of the room he could see the city now he expected it to be burning but he saw no such thing.
They took him to the great hall of the grand temple where he saw a large group of Dothraki gathered. Once, there were sacred chants echoed now were replaced by the clamor of the conquerors.
As he was ushered into the hall, he caught a fleeting sight of the hallowed artifacts and ceremonial objects. He had expected them to be pillaged or desecrated, but to his amazement they were left unspoiled and untouched.
When they saw him enter, the sounds died down and silence descended upon the great hall.
A wave of dread washed over him as he caught sight of the khal leading them. He couldn't help but be taken aback by the sheer terror that emanated from the khal's appearance. Gruesome scars of severe burns marred half of his face and body, while one of his eyes pierced through the charred remnants of his flesh intensifying the horror of his visage.
The khal looked at him for a moment and then turned to the woman standing next to him, nodding in her direction. The Dothraki near Zarro gestured for him to step up to the khal.
Speaking in the savage tongue of the Dothraki, the khal's words were incomprehensible to Zarro. However, the woman quickly translated them to Valyrian for him.
"I will not destroy the city. I am even willing to let the priests and nobles live as long as you comply with my demands,"
Zarro was taken aback by the unexpected turn of events.
"What do you seek, Great Khal?" he asked, his voice steady even though fear still gripped him.
"The Great Khal wants your famed smiths. He needs armor, weapons, and you must provide him with all he wants in the future," the woman translated the khal's words.
"Why?" Zarro uttered, the word escaping his mouth before he could consider the consequences.
The khal's face transformed into one of rage as he looked at Zarro, the burn scars enhancing the fierceness of his expression.
"Revenge," the translator spoke the ominous word, sending a shiver down Zarro's spine.
Note:
So the dothraki have their own version of genghis leading them now...
The next chapter will be the start of the main POV.