Chương 78: Ghost Hill
The Princess of Dorne was leaning on a balcony railing looking out to sea in the distance, her husband beside her.
"They'll reach Ghost Hill before tomorrow, they'll sail close to shore so there's no need to worry about the Stepstones pirates. Even if they were to try something, the caravels are much faster than their ships. Doran will be fine."
Dorna doesn't answer.
"What worries you so much, my love? You've had a dark expression for several days."
The princess sighs and turns her gaze to her husband. Seeing him standing after so many years trapped in that chair is still something miraculous, even after several moons she still finds the view amazing.
"The future of our house looks bright. Obella is a great heiress, smart and resourceful and her heir has the brightest mind seen in centuries. But every night my dreams are filled with blood and fire, I see Sunspear burning and our people dying." ." The princess runs a hand through her hair and sighs exhaustedly. "I've been moons without a quiet night."
"My love, why didn't you tell me?" Arthur takes his wife's hand in his and kisses it. "More than three decades ago I promised to help you carry all your burdens, how could I do that if you don't tell me what ails you?"
"As Princess of Dorne there are burdens that only I must bear, Arthur. Burdens that one day Obella will have to bear, and after her, Doran." Dorna's expression is serious but her eyes contain a deep sadness, as if in the depths of her being she knew something that she could not express with words.
"After the battle in the Marches for years my nights were filled with the same dreams. It always started with me walking, strolling through the gardens or down some corridor, either alone or accompanied, and at one point my legs stopped moving. I looked below and I saw how they were turning into stone, I screamed and struggled but it was of little use. Soon my lower half was as if it were a statue, many times I woke up at that moment but sometimes the nightmare continued. The stone extended more, and soon my whole body was a stone statue, I could see and hear but I couldn't speak or move."
"Oh Arthur," Dorna strokes her husband's cheek.
"I'm not telling you this to make you feel sorry for me, my love." The prince kisses her hand. "I'm telling you this so you understand that although our situations are very different, I understand what it's like to feel hunted in your own dreams. What I came to understand from these dreams is that nightmares are ghosts of our fears and worries, hunting us while we sleep."
"My fears and worries..." The princess looks at the horizon again.
***
"We will reach our destination in less than an hour."
Lothar yawns and gestures to the sailor who came to wake him, a gesture the sailor doesn't understand.
`The clenched fist with the thumb extended? What's that? A sign of knights? `Thinks the sailor confused as he leaves the cabin.
The caravel is a fairly small ship, with only a couple of cabins. Prince Doran is sleeping in the captain's cabin while his knight was sleeping in one of the crew cabins, three other knights are sleeping in the same cabin.
Lothar gets up, takes his belt with his sword, and leaves in the direction of the captain's cabin. Without bothering to knock he opens the door with the key that only he has, and to his surprise there is no one in the bed.
All traces of sleep disappear from his face and he looks around frantically.
When he sees the open cabin window he breathes a sigh of relief. The knight closes the door and sits cross-legged on the captain's desk, staring out the window with a frown.
"Reckless brat." He mutters annoyed.
After half an hour a black owl enters through the window.
"We'll be arriving at the port in no time," he informs him.
The owl nods and flies to the bed, in the middle of the flight he transforms into a boy.
"I know," Doran replies as he dresses.
"Is there any reason for your midnight flight, my prince?"
"Using the Candle I saw some pirate ships about twenty milles away."
Lothar stands up and puts a hand on his sword pommel, as if he expects some pirates to come out from under the bed.
"Didn't you think it was appropriate to report a possible danger?"
"Not really, they didn't seem to have any intention of approaching the coast. They were sailing north so there was no point in informing anyone. Besides, how would I explain that information to the crew without telling them about my candle?"
"I see. What did you find out about those pirates?"
"They're part of the Jolly Fellows fleet, there were only two ships though."
"I wonder what the Nine Eyes fleet is doing in the Sea of Dorne?"
"It's quite curious, normally they are only seen further south."
The Jolly Fellows is a fleet of 30 pirate ships under the command of a man called Nine Eyes. They tend to frequent the Summer Sea, so seeing them this far north is rare.
"Perhaps they ran out of treasure to plunder in the Summer Isles, or perhaps some fleet of islanders drove them north. When we get to the castle I'll send my grandmother a raven to keep an eye out for pirate raids."
***
At the port they were greeted by a group of knights led by Michael and Theodan Tolland.
At 19 years old Michael stands at 198cm, further cementing Doran's theory that he is half giant. His younger brother, at almost 14 years old, stands at 172cm.
"Welcome, my prince." Michael makes a perfect bow that is copied by the others present.
Doran surveyed his cousins from head to toe before sighing.
"I still think you guys are half giant." He says bluntly, causing the brothers to laugh.
With the lighter atmosphere, the cousins give each other a quick hug and greet each other like the friends they are.
"A Tour huh? How come you didn't say anything in your last letter, Doran?" Theodan asks.
"My grandmother only informed me about it a few days ago, she thought it would be a good present for my nameday."
"An adventure across the kingdom! Our princess is right, it's a great gift for your twelfth nameday." Theodan answers.
"Certainly, I also heard that you will end the Tour with a tourney at Sunspear?" Michael asks.
"Yes, there will be a tourney. Are you planning to sign up ser?"
Michael, like Lewyn, was already knighted.
"Yes, Micheal! You should join, you have few rivals in strength and size!" His brother encourages him.
"Strength is not everything, brother. Although I would like to test my skill against worthy opponents."
The three of them continue their conversation as they ride towards the Seat of House Toland. It took them four hours to reach the castle gates, by which time the sun had risen in the sky.
The castle has chalk white walls that shimmer against the deep blue of the Sea of Dorne, a great central keep surrounded by several buildings and 8 square towers.
Lord Willem, Princess Maya, Lord Steffon, Lady Joanne, and their youngest child Lady Tanselle await them in the main courtyard. Surrounding the Toland family are a hundred retainers and servants.
When Doran dismounted from his horse they bowed.
"Ghost Hill is at your disposal, my prince." Said Lord Willem Toland.
"Thank you, my lord."
The formal greeting is interrupted by Princess Maya, who grabs Doran by the shoulders and surveys him from head to toe.
"You're growing well, but you're pretty skinny." She comments, to the embarrassment of her family.
"Mother, release the prince." Her son Steffon tells her.
"Bah, can't a woman worry about her great grandnephew?" She replies annoyed.
"I assure you I am eating enough, Aunt Maya." Doran tries to placate her with a reassuring smile.
"We'll see about that, little prince."
Doran feels an ominous feeling in the air, and unaware of the pitying looks from his cousins, he follows his aunt to the castle.
"Poor Doran," Theodan comments.
Michael places a hand on his younger brother's shoulder.
"Think of it this way brother, as long as Grandmother has her attention on Doran we are free."
***
NOTE: Did I turn Maya into the classical grandma/aunt that forces your weight in food down your throat? Yes, I did. AND I REGRET NOTHING!
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