As Coryanne and I entered the feast hall once more, I paused at the sight of many lords and ladies dancing provocatively against each other. Some were dancing with those that weren't their spouses and there were even a few ladies that had two lords gyrating against them.
"Um..."
"Do not think of it as infidelity. At Dornish feasts, it is common for lords and ladies to dance with others though anything beyond that is considered taboo. At least, that is unless both lord and lady agrees verbally before the feast to such things."
"Okay," I nodded, scanning through the party with a hum. I could see some of our guards dancing with some of the servants, shaking my head when I caught sight of one being dragged off by two maids.
Lovely. Everyone but me is going to get fucked up tonight.
Otto himself was enjoying a glass of the crimson wine that I had earlier, prince Qoren standing beside him with a glass of his own. The two appear to have put their differences aside for the night as they spoke animatedly.
"Lord Torrhen?"
"Yes, princess?" I asked, turning to Coryanne with a smile that she returned.
"Is the North truly as cold and joyless as the songs claim?" she asked, gently linking our arms together as we walked further into the hall.
"Cold? Most definitely. Joyless?" I hummed while walking to the food section. "Not in the slightest. While the North is not the epitome of happiness and joy, we do have our moments now and again where we have feasts and parties."
"And you partook in these parties?"
"When I was still in the North, yes. Nowadays, I am more in the south trying to make sure that the Targaryen family continues to prosper."
"And what of your own?" she asked, making me pause as I went to take a bit of the kebab. You know, now that I think about it, when has it been since Cregan, Benjen and I truly hung out with each other?
"I believe you have given me an epiphany, princess."
"Think of it as payment for you not being as corrupted as Lord Greyjoy."
"I will gladly take it," I spoke with a smile and she giggled. The two of us stood there for a few moments, enjoying the sight of the lords and ladies dancing the night away.
"Lord Torrhen, would you do me the honour of being my first dance for the night?" her words made me raise an eyebrow and I noticed her expectant stare before I pulled my arm free and held out my hand.
"Only if you would enjoy my presence, princess."
"I would, indeed," she replied, taking my hand as the two of us began to dance in our little corner. We did garner some stares and whispers from the lords and ladies that caught us and I did draw a few chuckles at my awkward movements.
I was far too used to the formal dances of the North and King's Landing as Dornish dancing was much more freer. If anything, it reminded me of salsa or Merengue from my old life.
My hips were not used to moving with the exaggerated side to side motions as I was doing, but Coryanne was thankfully a patient teacher as she helped me dance.
Soon, the two of us were in our own world, my mind shut down as I simply let my body follow her own movements. She looked pleased at that as she took my hand and I twirled her with a smile before pulling her back in.
Dipping her low, I pulled her back up as the instruments hit their crescendo. The sounds of the lords and ladies clapping and cheering at our performance drew me from my stupor as I stepped back, giving a formal bow as she curtseyed.
"Thank you for entertaining me, Lord Torrhen."
"It was my pleasure, princess Coryanne," I replied and she smiled before turning and walking away. I did so as well, conversing and only chatting for moments with the nobles I passed as Otto walked closer with a piercing stare.
"How was it?"
"I did not detect ulterior motives to their words," I whispered back, taking the glass of wine from the table as Otto hummed.
"What of the little spectacle back there?"
"Simply a dance to get to know the princess better. I know my limitations, Lord Hand."
"I am simply making sure you do. I'd rather not have Helaena angered at your antics and let both Silverwing and Vermithor burn us alive."
"I would like to disagree with your statement, my lord, but at the same time, I know that Vermithor would most definitely pick her side over mine."
"Welcome to marriage," he replied and I raised an eyebrow at the man's attempt to joke with me. We've had our disagreements and feuds here and there, but the fact that he's gotten comfortable enough to joke with me was...nice.
Of course, there was that doubt in the back of my mind that he was merely doing so both to appease me and to get closer for a better chance to spy on me, but I'll take what I can for the night.
"I will continue to converse with prince Qoren. You in the meantime converse with the other lords and ladies. See if you can't find anything out."
"Understood. Just make sure you don't drink too much, Lord Otto. From what I hear, that wine is quite potent," I replied and he didn't seem to mind the switch from Lord Hand to Lord Otto as he simply gave a subtle smirk.
"Do not worry for the tolerance of your wife's grandsire, Lord Torrhen. Watch and be amazed."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Brothers, oh brothers, my days here are done, the Dornishman's taken my life! But what does it matter for all men must die and I've tasted the Dornishman's wiiiiiiife!"
"Lovely, Lord Otto," I spoke with a smile as I opened the door to his room and helped him walk inside. The guards outside were no better as they stammered and stood against the wall with a lot of struggle.
"Ah, wha hav I thold chu, Torrhen? Grandpa Otto is fwine~" the man spoke with a stumble and I caught him, helping him onto the bed with some struggle.
He was knocked out the moment his head touched the pillow and I rolled him onto his side. Taking the small wooden basin in his bathroom, I placed it beside his bed before taking a chair and locking it behind the doorknob.
"Reveal all who are here. Life Detect," I whispered as I waved my wand, feeling the Mother Rhoyne's gaze shifting to me for a brief moment. She then ignored me once she realized I was not attacking and I sagged in relief as I didn't detect anyone else in the room.
Closing the doors to the balcony, I took another chair and placed it next to the fireplace, sitting on it with a groan as my feet were finally given a chance to rest.
The party was fun and the dances even more so, but like all good things, it came to an end. However, it did end on a high note with Qoren announcing the alliance between House Martell and myself yet again, enforcing the idea that we are truly now allies.
"Cure all that ails their mind. Heal Ailments," Tapping my wand against Otto's forehead, the Lord paused for a moment before sitting up with a groan.
"Do not move too much. The spell take a few moments to take effect," I spoke, the lord nodding as he slowly sat up. Rubbing his temples with soft grumbles, I waited patiently as he blinked a few times.
"Seven hells, it feels as though a warhammer was taken to my skull."
"That would be the Dornish red as well as the wine you drank after that. I did warn you that it was strong."
"But I declined to listen. Ah, and here I thought my younger days were behind me," The man murmured with a sigh. "Did I embarrass the crown?"
"I made sure you didn't, my lord, though I didn't expect you to drink as much as you did."
"It appears that in my need to relieve myself of some stress, I may have drank a bit more than needed."
"That's understandable," I replied, sitting down in the chair as he laid back down. "Your guards are currently struggling to stand so I will stay on guard while you rest."
"Would you not need to do the same?"
"I can sleep once we are done and on the ship back to King's Landing. It appears that I am still a bit distrustful of the Dornish," I replied and the man nodded as he turned onto his right side.
"A good mindset to have. While I do wish that you would sleep, I thank you for taking his duty upon yourself."
"I know you would do the same, Lord Otto," I replied and the man gave a subtle smirk as he closed his eyes. I watched as he took a few moments before sleep took him and leaned back in my chair with a sigh.
The moment I did, my eyes flicked to the side as the sound of wings flapping came from the balcony, raising an eyebrow at the sight of Anne perched on the railing.
"How did everything go?"
"I checked their belongings. It appears that their want to form an alliance was not made out of ill-intent."
"So they actually want to form an alliance?" I asked and the raven bobbed her head as if to nod. "Got it. Would you mind standing guard for a few hours? I kind of need to rest."
"Do not worry for any assassins. Take your rest," she replied and I gave a smile in thanks, letting out a soft sigh before closing my eyes.
'Well, this has been an eventful first day. Wonder what else is going to happen.'
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Waves rampaged around me as I woke up in the middle of a ship, staring at the dark clouds above and the rampaging seas around me.
'What the hell?' There was no land in sight and the sound of thunder above startled me before my eyes widened as I felt an ominous pressure in the air.
With little hesitation, I ran to the captain's cabin and opened the door, but a wheeze escaped my legs when a tentacle shot from the darkness of the room and smacked me back.
"Look at you, running like a coward," Dalton's voice echoed with a gargle as he exited the cabin, blood pouring from his every pore as numerous tentacles grew from his face like a beard.
"Well, look at you, Temu Davy Jones. What the hell is this?"
"...You've never even done an astral projection? Ahahahahaha! Oh, this is hilarious!" the Drowned's chosen cackled and I narrowed my eyes as his attention was away from me.
Reaching for the inside of my jacket, I went to grab my wand only to grasp at thin air, immediately looking down to see nothing but the fabric inside.
"Looking for this?" I looked up to see Dalton holding my wand in question and my eyes widened as he snapped it in two with a smirk. "Seriously, you call yourself the Old Ones' chosen, but you do not hear their voices at all times and you can't even astral project? Can you at least manipulate the elements?"
I didn't say anything as I held my hands behind my back, but in the blink of an eye, Dalton's tentacles snapped forward and wrapped around my body.
"Burn and incinerate the matter of man. Flamethrower!" Thrusting my hands forward, a burst of powerful flames erupted from my palms, but the Aether threads in the air around us snuffed them out as water rose from the sea.
"That's it? A little bit o' fire?" Dalton sounded disappointed as he let me go with a scoff. "This is what I lost to? A little druid who cannot even use the basics of his ability without a chant."
"And you can?" I taunted and Dalton just swung his tentacled arm down. The moment he did, the sea around us erupted upwards and curved over. Each wave turned into a thick tendril that swung down and I dove out of the way as they smashed into the deck.
"Come now! Fight and show me something!" he exclaimed, swinging his arm at me again. The water followed his movements and I barely dodged another tendril, but a second snaked around the first and wrapped around my head.
"Part and let all who pass escape to greener lands. Control Water: Part!" I grunted as I touched the water, which immediately let go along with the other tendrils that tried to wrap around my limbs.
Dalton just hummed as he clenched the fist of his human hand and I felt my heart drop as a kraken-like water construct rose from the sea.
It let out a warped, gargling bellow that sent water flying everywhere and Dalton smirked as he leapt onto the head of the kraken.
"ENOUGH," Another voice distorted the air, a comforting presence washing over me as the ship below began to turn a pale white.
The masts began to change shape, thick branches with red leaves the colour of blood sprouting from them and I watched in awe as the same face as the gigantic tree in my vision appeared on the deck below my feet.
Moving out of the way so as to not step on its eyes and mouth, my jaw dropped in awe as the clouds above parted. The sea rumbled as muddy ground rose up from the bottom, even more weirwood heart trees sprouting from it until a giant forest stood in the middle of the raging ocean.
'Well, this is...weird.'
"SO, THE OLD ONES FINALLY HAVE THE WILL TO SHOW THEMSELVES," The voice that came from the sea made everything buckle as the surface broke behind Dalton and his water kraken.
The higher the figure rose up from the waters, the more my eyes widened as their form became visible. Its head was octopus-like, tentacles covering the lower part of their face as their skin shone with a decaying grey sheen.
"YOU DARE TO INTRUDE UPON OUR CHOSEN'S MIND?" The Old One Ship asked with a snarl, the forest itself rustling with its power as the Drowned let out a low, mocking growl.
"WHEN THE TIME COMES, OLD ONES, KNOW THAT THE FOREST WILL BE MINE. THE SANDS SHALL FLOW WITH YOUR BLOOD, YOUR TREES SHALL SERVE AS YOUR COFFINS AND YOUR CHOSEN SHALL BE TAKEN AS MY OWN."
"WE DARE YOU TO APPROACH," the clouds above parted as a beautiful woman descended from the heavens. Compared to the two eldritch beings she was staring down, she looked relatively normal if one ignored her body glowing like a radiant sun.
I could make nothing out other than her form and the flowing sea-blue dress she wore, but the sight of the seas calming in her presence was enough to make me realize who she was as sand rose from the sea the moment she touched the water.
"RHOYNE, OLD ONES, COUNT YOUR DAYS."
"WE ENQUIRE YOU TO DO THE SAME. NOW BEGONE!" A burst of Aether erupted from the forest and the sea vanished along with the Drowned One and a cackling Dalton, leaving half of the world covered in dunes of sand while the other half was a beautiful weirwood forest.
At the clear dividing line stood myself on the forest's side and Mother Rhoyne on the other, the woman staring at me as I blinked a few times.
"Um, I have no clue what just happened."
"Do not worry, child. Old Ones, you must prepare him for the trials to come."
"DO NOT TELL US HOW TO PREPARE OUR CHOSEN," the forest replied and as Mother Rhoyne vanished, I found myself back in front of the main tree who was now fully awake.
It was not just it as hundreds upon hundreds of other weirwoods with faces stared at me, my gaze flicking between them before I focused on the main tree with a frown.
"I think you owe me an explanation on what the hell is going on."
"...We do. Prepare yourself."
A/N: And we end it here! Sorry for the late upload, but had to make sure this and Killua story were finished.
Finally, the gods have spoken to each other and the final parts of the story begin. Don't worry. They will still be regular warfare now and again, but now it is truly the end times.
Next chapter: The Seven.
Like always, you can go to my Pat-reon-.-com-/-KingCrimsonNova to read ahead on this as well as many other stories & even some that haven't been released out to this site yet. If you want to, you are free to, but if you don't want, all's good as I will still be uploading here. This is just me trying to get some extra cash.
As always, read, enjoy, review and until next week...
Ba-Bye~!