Chapter 11: Chapter 11 - Happy Marriage
PS: There was a discrepancy pointed out by a reader that being born in 26 BC, at 16 BC he was only ten and not fourteen. Changed the birth year to 30BC instead of 26 BC.
Edit: Decided to elaborate more on the temple of Amtel Mar both in its building description and the kind of gods it worships.
Chapter XI: Happy Marriage
14 BC
Arsalm
With the whole debacle regarding House Ardera and House Hornet put to a close, there was reason to celebrate afterwards, for it was announced that Belandra and Arin were to be married.
With Belandra having absolved her name after giving the order for the purging of Guerin's faction alongside her brother, many now supported her role as Lady of Qorenport and her marriage with Arin Rada. Meanwhile, Edryck would take over her governorship of Tucosar as Steward of Qorenport, with Mors Sand as his faithful retainer.
Arin and his family went all out planning the wedding celebration, the venue none other than an old temple dedicated to Mother Rhoyne - the very last one still standing. Tall, imposing, and aesthetically pleasing with curled arches and pointed domes, the Amtel Mar [1] Temple was a standing example of exemplary Rhoynish architecture - practical yet beautiful, perfectly suited to the hot desert climate.
Like a monolith it towered over many other buildings at close to 120 metres in height, titanic in size and consuming vast swathes of land at over 400 acres in size, a garden city in its own right. Each storey could house thousands of devotees to pray, sing and dance in accordance with Rhoynish custom, and housed within the temple and around the temple complex were fountains and pools where the Water Wizards of old would dazzle devotees with the powers and miracles of the Mother Rhoyne and four other gods in the Rhoynar pantheon, artificial mists and waves glowing in dazzling rainbows under the desert sun, manicured gardens imparting a clean and fragrant, eternal summer perfume every day.
The temple itself was divided into six wings, the central wing the largest structure that towered above the others, all of them connected by sheltered walkways that shielded devotees from the sun's heat through the high height of the ceiling from the ground.
The central wing was the seat of the Mother Rhoyne, greatest and most revered of the Udohanar among devotees and the Hydromancers, decorated with immaculate and intricately carved vessels and fountains of water, some shaped like a bowl that, when filled with water and having a jade sceptre dragged along their rims, created gentle and calming sounds akin to meditation bells being played in an Yi-Tish temple. It is said that when she first created the Water Wizards, she instructed them in the art of Water-Healing. In her arms was her most recent babe: Nyolhoru the Green Daughter, the personification of the Rhoynar's new home in Dorne along the banks of the Green Blood.
The southwestern wing was devoted to Lhorulu, the Smiling Daughter and Goddess of Magic, daughter of Mother Rhoyne and G'danhoar, a gentle and compassionate goddess who instructed the Rhoynar who wished to pursue other forms of the arcane. Sadly though, her gifted arts had largely faded from practice and knowledge. Clad in thin robes with a staff in hand, she would play the part of a gaudy, flashy 'hedge wizard', according to Arin's words.
There was also the Goddess Selhoru, the Silent Daughter, patron deity of the arts and sister of Lhorulu, portrayed as an artist with palette and brush in hand. Many craftsmen and artisans from all walks of life pay homage to her. Together, both sisters rule this section of the temple.
The northeastern wing housed Mother Rhoyne's son G'danhoar [2] otherwise known as Onye-Danar, the Old Man of the River, said to take the form of a giant turtle. Slow to anger and action, he is a patient and quiet god, but when stirred to wroth, his might and anger was terrible to behold, and it is said that he once levelled an entire palace to the ground for its denizens daring to hunt his children [3] for sport.
Acting as a primary pillar of this wing were the Four Half-Shell heroes, each stacked on top of another with the largest at the bottom and the smallest at the top. These are the greatest of the Gadonye'mas (Warrior River Turtles) also known in some sects as the Ledorami (The Ascendants), their generals and leaders. Serving as the guardians of G'danhoar, these heroes: Gazroh, Mazrok, Hosryor and Kysyar, all uphold the four tenets of the Elder Turtle's Creed:
1. Neither gender dominates the other, man or woman.
2. Just as the river blesses with its gifts, so too must one not overindulge.
3. Iron peace, not a golden war.
4. Compassion when deserved, not to deceive or manipulate.
The southeastern wing housed Tarhuscoye [4] the Crab King, depicted as a young man in armour with chitinous sword and shield and armour crafted from crab shells, riding on a giant crab like a king on his throne. In past iterations of the Crab King's mythos, he was said to literally have a crab for a head, but many agreed it was too horrific a depiction, so this was the compromise artisans and the Udonanist clergy agreed upon.
Finally, in the northwestern wing was enshrined a deity known only as "The Oarsman", a figure of driftwood attached to his own vessel, a floating log carried downstream. It is said that In the rolling mists, a silhouette of his figure can be seen slowly gliding down the river as he collects the souls of those that drowned and ferries them into the open sea and off the edge of the world to the afterlife.
Because of his brittle nature, the mists in which he is carried produces a harmful effect; any who see him are encouraged not to breathe in the clouded air or else they may also join him and his rowing crew. Should one see more than one figure floating down the river or if the winds bear the wails of the departed, then one must be wary not to catch his attention.
Everywhere in the temple, bright coloured tiles were arranged in beautiful patterns and laid in intricate designs that evoked both simplicity, austerity and grandeur in one universal aesthetic language. On the ceilings of every dome in every wing, colourful motifs were painted by master painters that depict all manner of scenes in Rhoynar mythology: The Crab King instructing its adherents in the phalanx, the Mother Rhoyne irrigating barren land into fertile soil, and so on.
As Arin would describe it: It was a temple with a strong Byzantine and Moorish feel, a testament to the engineering brilliance and deep spiritual loyalty of the Rhoynar - traits the Martells saw fit to trample upon in their benighted, willful arrogance.
Maintained by a small cadre of priests who yet worshipped the Mother Rhoyne, it has played host to countless centuries of sermons, weddings, funerals and baptisms of House Rada and its subjects, yet today's wedding was by far the most joyous and momentous of all.
It was the night of the full moon, the orb of silver shining fortuitously upon the couple-to-be and all its attendees. After lengthy sermons and dancing and singing, the time came for the most important event of all: The Cloaking of the bride and groom. An ancient Westerosi custom adopted by the Rhoynar, it remains an important custom even today in every Dornish wedding.
The Maihyeram [5] or Chief-Matriarch of the Udohanar religion, once a mere Hanharu [6] of Amtel Mar, Ameline Mator, smiled brightly as she stood before the betrothed couple, dressed in the finest clothing Arsalm's tailors made for this occasion; Arin in a bright burgundy tunic, breeches and boots; Belandra in a dress of immaculate, bright cherry and dazzling ocean blue. Standing to the side were Mors - Edryck's loyal servant and father-figure - and Arris Rada.
"Arin Rada, do you pledge to take Belandra as your lawful wife?" Ameline asked, her voice soft and gentle, "Do you pledge to care for her in sickness and health, no matter the adversity that comes your way?"
"I do," Arin smiled.
"Belandra Qeffar, do you pledge to take Arin as your lawful husband? Do you pledge to care for him in sickness and health, and stand together with him against all the challenges and obstacles that life puts in your way?"
"I do," Belandra smiled.
"Then by the grace of Mother Rhoyne and our ancestors, I pronounce you man and wife," Said Ameline, "Do their parents consent to the cloaking of their children?"
"I, Arris Rada, do consent to cloaking my daughter-in-law," Arris stated happily.
"I, Mors Sand, do consent to cloaking my son-in-law," Mors stated stoically, his eyes shining with joy.
"Then drape thine cloaks around their shoulders, so they may be forevermore happy in matrimony."
The cloaks were clasped around their shoulders, and after rising up Arin and Belandra kissed, and all the gathered procession clapped happily. Astin and their parents beamed with pride and joy, celebrating a new chapter in their families' histories.
"Now, we pray to Rhoynamharyi [7], her son G'danhoar and all the Udohanar, that they may bless this union just as they blessed the Nylhoru when Nymeria first landed on these shores," Ameline intoned, and all fell into a respectful silence, "May their union last until the day they depart this world, and may they be blessed with the might of magic and healthiness of the strongest warriors on this world. May the Mother Rhoyne wash away the sins of their past, cleanse them in clean water, and may G'danhoar bear the weight of their sins upon his back."
Colourful rainbow mists suddenly erupted from the nearby fountains, and from there they morphed into many distinct shapes, dazzling, shocking and awing the guests.
There, the mists morphed into two turtles, reminiscent of the Gadon'mas who dwelt in the depths of the River Rhoyne. They touched the foreheads of bride and groom, and they could feel a power welling within them, their hearts beating warm and strong, and when they released contact all could see the mists take on two more shapes: A fox and a ship.
The turtles would dance with the fox and ship in ascending spirals, and soon they exploded in a dazzling array of rainbow-coloured lights, before dissipating like the air.
Many gave a round of applause despite the awkward silence that followed, believing the union blessed beyond measure.
"Ameline," Arin whispered to the old matron, "That wasn't rehearsed, was it?"
"It most certainly wasn't, My Lord," Ameline answered resolutely, "Although I do believe it a good sign from the Heavens above."
"I wonder why the theatrical performance, though," Belandra said, "Maybe they want to impress or something?"
Both Arin and Ameline could only helplessly shrug at this.
IIOII
The celebrations rang out late into the night, and all the stops were pulled out.
The designated banquet hall was once a sealed wing of the temple, which fell into disuse due to the faltering number of devotees in the centuries that passed since the passing of the Red Edicts, and as a result the temple lacked funds to continue using such a massive space for any purpose. As a result, it was closed and left to rot in disuse. When Arin Rada came forth with the proposal to help open and renovate the decrepit hall with funds from his own pocket, the clergyfolk, while admittedly surprised and partially suspicious of such fortuitous timing, readily accepted.
Its bright and colourful halls, illuminated by candelabras and oil lamps that imparted the sweet scent of beeswax, were decorated with the banners and colours of House Rada and House Qeffar, crimson and aqua blue present on the carpets and tablecloths. Servants milled about or remained on standby, offering guests cups of wine and refreshments to whet their appetite, and musicians played with drums and flutes and harps.
Men and women danced and made merry, drinking their fill and making merry, the singing and playing of musicians illuminating the night with joy. Fragrant flowers and artfully designed sugar structures decorated the venue, the latter enticing all who eagerly awaited the time for dessert to partake of these delicious treats worth their weight in gold.
To the side were tables of dishes laden with heaping portions of food and drink, laid out in a 'buffet style', said to be brought from a distant land by Arin Rada and recreated here for the guests' enjoyment. Needless to say, a great many guests loved it, not only for the sheer variety on display but also because they could take as much as they wanted unlike in other banquets, where guests had to eat what was served to them. That, and the food was not only exotic but far more delicious than other banquets where food proved substandard.
Minor details most could easily miss was that the total amount of food served was lesser than in old banquets and prepared in large batches, which saved greatly on food costs and preparation time, and all ingredients used were easily sourced from Ifarahoy's farms, ranches and plantations, which was far more sustainable long-term and eliminated the need for imports.
At one corner of the venue was a lone man with strong Greenblood Dornish features - olive brown skin, black hair and brown eyes - cooking trays of delicious skewers of meat, offal and vegetables. The smoky fragrance was enough to whet everyone's appetite, and the head chef himself was the subject of many a swooning maiden's affections.
To his side was a lone woman in chef's garb - a white buttoned shirt and black breeches - skewering all manner of ingredients on wooden skewers. Cucumbers, Dornish peppers, onions, beef, pork and chicken, to name a few.
"Keep the food coming, Maryam!" Said the Head Chef.
"I gotcha, Garin!"
Garin Radnor, Arin's Head Chef and organiser of the wedding banquet, was a farm owner from the village of Sranan [8], a small farming village which derived its livelihood from the cultivation of blood oranges and olives. When the previous Lord was executed on charges of tax evasion and extortion of merchants, he was just a teenage boy of ten-and-five years who inherited the family farm with his two siblings and co-workers.
Many of his neighbours feared for him, but Garin persevered and showed no fear despite his circumstances. By his side was the ever-faithful Maryam, his aide and second-in-command of his family's agricultural enterprise and co-Head Chef.
When Arin first instituted measures to spread the use of advanced farming methods, Garin proved a genius - understanding and implementing them without a single flaw. Within a year, he single-handedly helped pioneer the revival of Sranan's agrarian economy, which had fallen into severe mismanagement after a string of unjust executions and extortions.
Now, Sranan was renowned for its bountiful harvests and as a pioneer in the selective breeding of new types of produce, and ever since Garin was recruited by Arin, he served faithfully as House Rada's Master of Agriculture. It is said that so pleased by Garin's contributions, Arin gave him the surname Radnor, derived from Rada, and thus he was a noble in all but name.
Organising everything from the recruitment and positioning of staff roles, to the placement of tables and the guests' seating arrangement, the sourcing of ingredients and training of chefs, and as of now, dazzling the guests with live cooking.
"Wow, he's so handsome…"
"He handles that heat as if it were nothing."
"The food he cooks is just so delicious…!"
"Heh, I say your head chef's already charmed the guests," Belandra commented, "And here I thought the bride and the groom were supposed to be the 'stars of the show' as you put it."
"Not just yet," Arin admitted, "It's when we cut the cake and toast the guests that we really become the stars."
"Then this is just a warm-up?" Asked Belandra, "The food, the dancing and singing, all of it?"
"It is," Arin nodded with a slight smirk.
Belandra simply rolled her eyes, "Show-off."
"This is our wedding, after all," Arin stated matter-of-factly.
Belandra simply said no more to that.
"You know, I've attended my fair share of weddings and banquets, but I have to say you easily put them all to shame with how grandiose yet economical it is," Belandra commented, "I daresay you'd easily put House Martell to shame."
Arin wordlessly shrugged to that.
"In all honesty though, when your vassals observe your banquet and see how it is organised, many will wish to emulate you," Belandra pointed out, "And once they emulate you, wealthy families will follow."
"Why point out the obvious, my love?" Arin questioned.
"I think that's your point, isn't it, Arin?" Belandra questioned back, "You want to shape all of Dorne to your liking. In fact, you seem to want to prepare for something in the distant future."
Arin merely flashed her a look that beckoned her to continue.
"The way I see it, if you truly wanted to make Dorne a proper home for the Rhoynar, all you really need to do was focus on righting past wrongs, or restoring the lost knowledge of the Rhoynar; you would not need to go all the way to purging nobles and replacing them with your people, codifying the local laws or revoking the privileges of your vassals, or introduce new things that neither the Rhoynar nor the Valyrians invented for the entirety of their recorded history."
"You are not wrong," Arin admitted.
"And yet, if you truly wished to remain loyal to the Targaryens, you would have revealed the existence of the surviving Water Wizards to them, maybe by a secret missive or in person behind closed doors. You are not only maintaining their secrecy, you are also increasing their numbers and innovating on their arts alongside implementing massive reforms that, given time, would not only make Dorne a wealthy and powerful state, but also make your house the only house capable of taking their dragons head-on. Even if there is no trust, one would not take a risky plan to amass power at the risk of jeopardising your alliance."
Belandra then flashed him a silent, stern look.
"Tell me, Arin, what exactly are you planning?" She asked.
Her voice, soft yet firm, coupled with her focused and razor-sharp eyes, made Arin smile with approval at her.
"Once Dorne is united under our banner and Aegon's Conquest finished, I'll tell you all about my plans," Arin reassured.
"Not now?" Belandra asked.
"Not yet," Arin affirmed, "Plenty of things remain uncertain, and I want to make sure we overcome this hurdle before we worry about the next one."
"I suppose so," Belandra sighed, "I don't like being kept in suspense, I admit."
"Neither do I like biting off more than I can chew," Arin said, patting her shoulder, "At least whenever I can help it."
"Really? That's the best answer you can give?" Belandra asked exasperatedly, "Going off what you told me, you literally gambled with everything on the line thrice, and you say you try to not overdo things when you can help it?"
"Point taken," Arin conceded, though his smile remained.
Soon enough, a couple of servants pushed forth a wooden cart, laden with a massive, four-layered dessert covered in white and adorned in all manner of colourful, artful decorative lines and curls of blue, red and orange. Sliced berries lined the top surfaces of the cake, and at the peak, a single canoe-like shape acting as the crown.
"Wow, that's… magnificent," Belandra commented amid a hush of whispers, "And Garin calls this a 'wedding cake'?"
"Yes," Arin answered.
"Wow. I thought cakes tended to have a… browner colour?" Belandra asked.
"This one's covered with a layer of frosting; all the lines and curves are also frosting," Arin stated.
"And the boat-like thing on top, is that edible?" Asked Belandra.
"Technically, every part of the cake's edible, including the decor," Arin answered.
"Wow, where does he get the knowledge to perform all these… amazing things?" Belandra questioned, "I feel that his knowledge seems… otherworldly."
Arin flashed her a strange look, then laughed to himself, "I leave it to your imagination."
Once the cake was placed in position, Garin went towards the bride and groom, holding a wooden box in his hand. Opening it, he revealed a large, long carving knife housed within.
"My Lord, My Lady, it is time to cut the cake," Garin bowed, offering the knife.
"Let's go," Arin beckoned.
The knife was surprisingly light despite its size, and at the first cut, all the gathered guests clapped in celebration. Arris and Mors shed tears discreetly through their bright smiles, and soon Garin and the other chefs took over and sliced the cake for the guests.
The first bite was the rich cake, accentuated by the sweet frosting and cream filling between the layers, and the berries' tartness balancing out the sweetness. And the canoe-like decoration? Made from sugar. That was a special treat for the stars of the show - the bride and the groom.
"You know… I'm glad to have met you," Belandra whispered, "If you hadn't come, who knows what would have happened to me and my brother? Perhaps I'd be disinherited, stripped of my titles and belongings, left to beg on the streets or worse… And then what about my brother? I heard the streets are merciless to orphans."
"That won't happen," Arin resolutely declared, "Not on my watch."
"And I'm glad for that," Belandra said, leaning her head on his shoulder, "It's really comforting."
To the side, Arron Darrel and Obela Lleryn watched the entire banquet with a scrutinising eye, drinking in every detail their eyes and other senses could detect: the reaction of the guests, the atmosphere.
"Look at all the food and decor on display," Obela whispered, sipping a glass of wine, "The decor itself is tasteful and luxurious, but without being overly gaudy and pretentious, while the variety of food readily available shows the wealth and resources at House Rada's disposal."
"The sheer amount of fresh vegetables prepared is a dead giveaway," Arron nodded, "And that massive cake with so much 'frosting' and that canoe made of sugar, discounting the other sugar sculptures on display… they must have spent a fortune on this."
"As if that cake had as much worth as a castle [9] or such," Obela added, "And then there was that 'live cooking' session; it not only served to dazzle the guests but also whet their appetite. You saw how much attention everyone else was paying to them, no?"
"That, and the whole banquet; it radiates originality and innovativeness, things most nobles fail to implement in their banquets and other events," Arron pointed out, "They entertain and satisfy their guests to their utmost capability and seated guests according to different preferences, agendas and interests. This way, they don't have clashing personalities causing disruption to the whole event. The real charm about this all, however, is that it takes place in a massive temple dedicated to the Udohanar, which Arin had renovated after centuries of progressive neglect. Garin is a terrifying man to organise this, but the real monster is Arin."
"That man… his eye for people is without equal under the Heavens," Obela concluded, "I suspect even if Arin were somehow gone, the foundation he built will not crumble so easily, as he has a network of subordinates to take over."
"My thoughts exactly," Arron nodded, "And truthfully, I now have several more reasons why I never want him as my enemy - our enemy."
[1] Amtel Mar - Meaning Resting Mother in Rhoynar, the Temple has stood the test of time over the centuries despite the misfortunes of the Rhoynar over the centuries since Nymeria's Landing. As a place of worship, it has also played the role of a safe haven for countless tomes of Rhoynish lore safely hidden within its catacombs, from engineering to alchemy.
Eventually it would play a pivotal role in the celebration of countless religious festivals for adherents of Udohanism, part of Arin's drive to convert the entirety of Dorne and promote the notion of national holidays.
[2] G'danhoar - Otherwise known as Onye-Danar, the Old Man of the River, he is worshipped by merchants who pray for good fortune for their families and careers as turtles symbolise wealth, fortune and good luck.
[3] Though many details have been lost to time, painstaking efforts have managed to piece together a more coherent story, where the foolish Prince Garin of Ny Sar hunted the Gadonye'mas due to a perceived slight for their refusal to answer his call to arms after he tried enlisting their aid.
No one knows the exact date that this happened, if this ever happened, but it led to a massive tsunami that submerged the entire palace which drowned the entire princely family, and all its servants and troops. It served as a reminder to the people of Ny Sar and a warning to others.
[4] Tarhuscoye - The Rhoynish name for the Crab King, which can also mean Royal Crab.
[5] Maihyeram - The title for the chief of the entire Udohanar religion, it literally translates to 'First-Matriarch', and serves the same function with the same powers as IOTL Pope in the Catholic Church.
[6] Hanharu - Translates to 'Laywoman' or 'Layman', each small Udohanarite temple has a single Hanharu in charge of the place. He/she may have more than one fellow Hanharu to help with religious day-to-day proceedings in the temple.
[7] Rhoynamharyi - The Rhoynish name for Mother Rhoyne.
[8] Garin Radnor - Head of his family and Master of Agriculture for House Rada, he would come to be known as the God of Food for his unparalleled mastery of the culinary arts and a pioneer in the cultivation of hardy, sturdy breeds of produce for the arid deserts of Dorne, and the cold rigid tundra of the North.
[9] A Cake is Worth a Castle - An idiom that gradually entered common usage due to Obela's offhand comment about the worth of the wedding cake, made using a lot of sugar - a highly valuable and expensive commodity at the time.
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