章節 17: Chapter 17
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***
288 A.D. Viselny Island.
Few people could boast of having seen the miracle that took place today. Something incredible and truly grandiose.
Viselny Island, one of the largest islands of the Steps, which was almost in the centre of the archipelago, was a beautiful island, but not very convenient for building a harbour or a castle. Still, it was rich in forests, wildlife and had a rare feature - hot springs.
It would have made a wonderful place of anchorage and rest.
But on this day it became more than just a beautiful paradise island.
From dawn the water began to bubble around the island and evaporate. Then an earthquake started, a small one, but it was felt nonetheless.
For about half an hour no one could figure out what was happening, and it wasn't because they were on ships a few dozen miles from the island. It was because nothing significant was happening until the island began to rise higher above sea level. It was as if something was pushing it outward along with even the group of smaller islands and sea cliffs that were around the island. Minute by minute it was rising, and by lunchtime the island had "grown" by a good two hundred metres.
But besides the growth even its shape changed, because if before it was just oblong, now at the eastern end of the island there was an entrance inside the island in the form of a horseshoe or a crescent moon. Whichever is more convenient to say. Inside this "horseshoe" was quite large and could accommodate at least a couple of hundred ships at first glance, and if you try hard enough, even more.
Those islands and sea cliffs were now just as raised above sea level, and stood above it like peaks pointing skyward. But there were also some lonely islands that began to form out of the rocky terrain and reclaimed by the rising sand.
After a couple of hours, one small ship slowly, as if afraid of something, sailed past these rocks and islets straight into the newly formed bay.
In the middle of this bay it anchored and lowered a dinghy, in which four men were seated besides the rowers. They were Rhys Firestorm, Miriam Scarlet, Quentin Durstein, and Okris Wyserion.
They landed on the shore and went straight to the top of the mountain, which used to seem like a simple hill when they first saw it before the... 'changes'.
At the very top, there were three living people and several dozen dead people that were spread out each in their own pentagram. Their throats had been slit and knives stuck in their hearts.
Those three "survivors" were precisely Darken Rahl, Mord-Sith Nyssa, and the irreplaceable bodyguard Boros.
Boros stood unperturbed even in the blazing sun, not even shuffling from foot to foot, but Darken was in a bad way.
For one thing, he was exhausted and lay with his head in his Mord-Sith's lap. He was breathing heavily and pale as chalk. Sweat was dripping down his temples directly onto Nissa's brown trousers.
And secondly, his hands were already bloody with his own blood from the cuts on his palms. They were carefully rewrapped with silk cloths that his far from kind Mord-Sith had carefully applied.
- You look like shit, Darken. - I'm glad you survived your mad scheme, though. I see from these dead gifted ones that you had to sacrifice them too?
- Yes." Darken replied hoarsely, "To drink.
- You're in such a state now that even a backyard girl could strangle you. - The red-haired man snickered, but gave the flask of water to his ruler-friend.
- Shut up! You'd better tell me, what's the latest... heard from Westeros and the Free Cities? I...huh...when I was preparing for all this yesterday, I wasn't at the Small Council.
- Well, you were right about Westeros. - Rhys stretched his smile even wider and sat in the lotus position in front of Darken Rahl.
In the course of Rhys's more than two-hour monologue, during which even Miriam began to show signs of fatigue, a rather interesting and useful situation in the Seven Kingdoms came to light before the ruler of D'Hara, if it were to be compared with what he himself had learnt with the help of his "birdies". Baelon Greyjoy had been proclaimed King of the Iron Islands and crowned with a crown of fins more than two months ago and had immediately become active in proclaiming and defending the Iron Islands' independence from the Baratheons.
The rebels' first success was the Iron Fleet's surprise attack on the glorious port city of Lannisport. It was planned by Euron Greyjoy (with a little help from the Empire from the east of Westeros), and carried out under the leadership of Victarion Greyjoy. When the islanders burned the Lannister fleet that was still at anchor and temporarily seized dominance of the western seas, King's Landing sounded the alarm. Baratheon trumpeted to summon all banners and build new ships. For by then, in addition to the Lannister fleet, there was a significant portion of the Commoner fleet that should not have been there in the first place. Why Lord Redwyn, one of Prostor's best naval commanders, led his men there is not clear, and no one will ever know. After all, he died there.
Then there was the Iron Men's attack on Sigard, and it ended in total failure and defeat for Jason Mallister. He was defeated by the islanders' commander Rodrik Greyjoy, Baelon's heir, but by a ridiculous accident he was killed in a victorious sea battle.
A week ago, a new royal fleet arrived in the Sunset Sea, which they had been able to assemble from reclaimed merchant ships and the vessels of Baratheon vassals in the Kings and Stormlands. They were under the command of Stannis Baratheon, reinforced along the way by the remaining Redwyne fleet as well. Stannis blocked the Iron Fleet in the strait between the mainland and the Bright Isle and almost defeated it. But he was hit from the rear by a group of sixty pirate ships that didn't want to serve Rahl and sailed off to plunder the Narrow Sea or pillage Westeros. Somehow, or to be fair, through manipulation, bribery, and a large investment of Darken money, they decided to hire Euryon Greyjoy, who commanded that squadron.
The battle was hard fought, Euryon Greyjoy almost drowned then, but was saved by his own brother Victarion. Stannis Baratheon was captured along with over a hundred noble lords. Almost the entire fleet was sunk or boarded and went to the Ironborn.
It was a failure for Robert. The Iron Islands completely dominated the sea. Moreover, Lords Harlow and Sanderley had gathered a small army and landed north of Lannisport and were amassing troops to advance deep into the Westlands. They even defeated Lord Payne's small army. King Baelon is also planning to take the Shield Isles himself and is preparing a fleet and landing force to do so. And Victorion Greyjoy travelled to Myr yesterday and will then go to Braavos to recruit mercenaries to start a military company in the Stormlands.
And another unpleasant feature of this war was that there were small peasant revolts in the Riverlands, the Westlands, and the King's Lands due to famine. And there was also plundering all over the country, people that were peaceful landowners yesterday felt the weakness of the current government. Even some septons began to preach in the villages that the godless Robert Baratheon had been punished by the Seven for his licentious lifestyle and flouting the laws of scripture.
The only region where it was safe was Dorne. Doran Martell did not oppose Robert's rule, but Jon Arryn's Hand counselled him to leave a small, powerful army under Tarly in the Marches just in case. After all, the army of Dorne is formidable in battle. And he alone has enough experience to stop the Dornish in the midst of this war.
Robert didn't like it, but he agreed.
The war promised to drag on for a year and be bloody. It was these factors that made the conquest of the Steps an easy and "stealth" task for the D'Harans.
Three hundred ships laden with the First Cohort and a couple of legions of dragonriders, loyal men of the Emperor who would be the first settlers in the new capital of the Empire and the best skilled craftsmen from all over Essos, were waiting their turn to land on the island.
They would build the new capital, which Darken Rahl had decided to name Panizhart in honour of his past father. As well as the palace of the future emperors - the People's Palace.
The project of the city and the palace should be slightly adjusted, but in general its fast construction is not far off. After all, Darken has decided to use something that even the Valyrians have not done - dragons. Six dragons have been left in the ruins of Valyria, and at a signal they will begin in frequent flights to ferry the columns, arches, obelisks, statues, and other parts of the buildings that are there loaded on them. Perhaps if any Valyrian of antiquity had seen this, he would have clutched his heart and died of grief. But Rahl was amused by it, and so was Rhys, for it was he who had invented this way of speeding up construction. And it was quite possible that it would be completed in one year.
As for the Free Cities, another war was looming, one that would break out in the coming months between D'Hara and the three cities of Lys, Tyrosh, and Mir in coalition. The long-established Triarchy realised that the D'Harans were not going to leave the Steps and occupied the islands for good and so they stopped squabbling amongst themselves and began to prepare for war more thoroughly, even trying to sway Pentos to their side. But the capital influence of Braavos and Darken Rahl did its job and they stayed away. The other four cities were already under the full rule of Master Rahl. Norvos, Quohor, and Volantis had joined and fully joined the empire over a year ago. Some segments of society and individuals in the senates had murmured disapprovingly, but they had accepted it and even realised that it was to their benefit. After all, they began to grow rich due to the open borders and the lack of plundering by the Dothraki. Now the "Dothraki brigands" who "disobey" Emperor Rahl only plunder those neighbours of the Empire who are not friendly to it and do not want to be "loyal friends".
Lorath, the poorest of the Free Cities, after seeing the results of the three cities joining the Empire, has also expressed a desire to join the Empire and its well-being has already improved considerably, they have received cash infusions, there are no Dothraki raids now, and the Emperor does not bother to squeeze anyone.
The whole world is buzzing about it and discussing it, and only Braavos alone seems to ignore it all.
Darken was relieved, and rising to his feet, he ordered Darstein to signal the landing.
In the evening the first batch of men arrived. The landing lasted almost twenty-four hours and towards the evening of the next day Rhys and Ocris went into the Emperor's tent to report to him on the completion of the unloading, but the falcon-shaped man flew over their heads and into the sky, flying somewhere to the north-west.
***
Driftmark. A few hours later.
The lone young woman sighed sadly for yet another time and another day in her tower. It seemed she was repeating the fate of some fairy tale heroine and a certain prince was about to come to rescue her from this place. A place where her older brother had locked her up without the right to leave the island and under the stern gaze of the septa and guards.
This evening was little different from the previous ones. Septa Mira was reading aloud to her one of the parables, and Alice Velarion tried to pretend to listen to her.
Alice was quite a beautiful woman in her twenty-nine years, her full breasts barely fitting into the bodice of her dress, her waspy waist, her firm ass hidden beneath her skirts, but sometimes even some of her maids who helped her bathe would linger on her body. Her slightly pale skin gave her charm, her scarlet lips were a little plump, and the hairstyle she loved most was the half-ball of tight braids she braided every morning. Her beautiful violet-coloured eyes were sad, the only thing that spoiled her image.
Alice heard a thud. Turning around to look at it, she realised that the septa had managed to fall asleep in her chair dropping the scripture she was reading.
But as she did so, her gaze locked onto the figure of the young man. She recoiled against the wall with a startled recognition of the features. For a moment she thought it was Prince Oberyn himself standing before her, and was ready to call the guards to have them kill him. So much did she hate her "husband" who had abandoned her to her fate with her son. But then he stepped out of the shadows into the candlelight, and Alice froze, she saw eyes so dear and familiar that she could not utter a word.
Meanwhile the dark-haired young man began to come closer to her. She saw droplets of moisture in his eyes.
- So you still recognise me even after more than ten years? - he grinned.
- A m-mother always recognises her child in any form. You're... you're... my son, aren't you? - Alice asked hopefully, hesitating to come closer to him.
- My name is Darken. That's the name you gave me. But my full name is Darken Rahl. I took that name when I lived in Tolos. If you're still in doubt. Let me give you this. - he untied his hair and put a small braided rope into his mother's hands, which she recognised at once.
It was white and blue in colour, and it was the one she had made in Staromest and given to Oberyn first, so that her lover's hair would not interfere with his walking. And when she quarrelled with him and he left her, at another slap during that argument she tore her gift off him and took it with her. In Tolos, when she lived with little Darken, she tied his hair up, it was shortly before her older brother separated her from her son.
- D-Darken..." she burst into tears and rushed to hug her child and kiss his face. - I...I don't understand...do you remember me? How did you survive? This town he...
- Old Darken died. And Mother was reborn into a new one. I am no longer the whipping boy I once was, but now I rule the D'Haran Empire. Have you heard of it?
She nodded frantically, beginning to realise that her son was not lying to her, and he had indeed achieved great success, if he had built his own empire and ruled it at such a young age. At the same moment a disturbing thought reached her.
- Darken. Your uncle is here. It's not safe for you to be here. He... he won't let you live. You must leave. I can't let you..." she didn't have time to finish as she saw her son's eyes burning. They glowed with an unnatural light.
- Mother, your brother and my uncle are already dead. He 'died in his sleep' and his wife and your cousin jumped out of the window out of grief, unable to bear the loss. The guards at the door are asleep and will be until morning. And in the morning they'll find your cousin's body and your uncle's body in bed. And after that you will be the sole mistress of Driftmark. - Darken smiled, "It may be hard to believe, but I have... awakened the Valyrian blood and now I can use magic. Yes, yes, I can see in your eyes mum that you don't fully believe me, but could I have done all this without her?
- I believe you son..." she faltered and looked down at the floor.
- What's wrong?
- I can't... I can't call myself your mother. I left you, I couldn't keep you safe, I'm a terrible mother. And I don't deserve to be called one.
- So what you're saying is that I'll be alone again. I've waited so long for this opportunity, for the hour when I could hold you in my arms and tell you how much I've looked forward to seeing you. I wanted to tell you how I lived, what I did. I wanted to know all about my origins and why Oberyn left us... And now, you're chasing me away? - thin streams of tears ran down the young man's face. - Why? I'm just...
- No, no, no, no, sweet Darken. I love you so much, I'm so sorry. - I just feel so guilty about what you've been through. I don't even know how you've been living all this time. I also have so many questions for you, I'm at a loss to guess. But I promise I'll answer all your questions anytime, I'll listen to you and I'll tell you anything you want to know.
- Then. - he sat down on her bed and pulled her with him, sitting down beside her, -We have all this night to start with, and you can answer all my questions I have piled up. But don't worry this is far from our last meeting. We'll have plenty of time to talk and get to know each other better. - He smiled, running the back of his hand gently down her cheek.- You know, you inherited your father's looks," she grinned bitterly, "But my eyes.
- Yes, that's what Lady Mellario told me when she realised who I was. - he laughed.
- What?! So the Martells know about you after all? - Alice's eyes widened.
- No. Lady Mellario is now my loyal associate and will not reveal our little secret to anyone. Now let's go back to the past....
***
289 A.D.
The future capital city of Panisheart.
Darken Ral was in a wonderful mood. A letter from his mother had arrived, she was telling a lot of useful information. Specifically the mood among the nobles of the Royal Lands after the end of the war with the ironborn. The situation was not comforting, for Robert and his power. But for Rahl, it was great news. He'd weakened the Seven Kingdoms in a multi-pronged combination.
It's been a bloody war for them. Battles were fought on both land and sea. Robert's losses were enormous. He had to fight in the King's Lands and the Stormlands and in the West, and even the Shield Islands. And then, after borrowing large sums from the Iron Bank and buying new ships to storm the Iron Islands themselves. Tens of thousands of warriors laid down their heads. And dozens of noble houses ceased to exist.
The only major naval battle the King won was the Battle of Bright Cape.
After the Battle of Bright Island, King Robert, based at Lannisport, landed on the islands, defeated the rebellious lords on their islands and captured their castles.
The attack on Pyke was led personally by Robert Baratheon and his old friend the Guardian of the North, Lord Eddard Stark. In storming the castle, Baelon Greyjoy's second son Maron was killed. He lost two of his sons during this war.
The famous knight and quite a good commander Ser Barristan Selmy led the attack on Old Wick, later Stannis Baratheon, who had been released from captivity two months earlier thanks to a ransom, took over the island in the name of his brother Robert.
Despite the trouble the Ironborn had caused him and the loss of his troops, Baratheon treated the defeated quite graciously in Darken's opinion, limiting himself to taking hostages. Baelon Greyjoy retained control of the islands, but he was forced to give his last son Theon to Eddard Stark as a ward and hostage. Only his only daughter, Asha, remained under Baelon's rule.
Through these events, many knights became lords. Robert granted them lands, wealth, and titles. Among them were those who were really only loyal to the ruler of Panisheart. He sent them specifically as mercenaries to Baratheon's camp and hoped they would become his ears, eyes, and if need be, his hands in the Seven Kingdoms. But it had turned out even better than he had first hoped. Half of those who survived had become either knights in Baratheon's personal band or lords with small landholdings in the Kingslands and Stormlands as well. Even Mace Tyrell, a small-minded man, had taken two warriors into his guard and given them lands in the Vale.
He was already anticipating what the Spider's face would be like when he found out that Rahl's spies were right under the eunuch's nose.
Other than that, in Essos, the war with the Triarchy had been very successful. Miriam had been besieging Lys for three months with new warriors that had only recently joined the ranks, and to toughen them up Master Rahl had decided not to unleash his dragons on the Free Cities at once, but to entrust it to his generals. Miriam was up to the task. Taking the city and slaughtering all those who disagreed with Darken's rule. The Disputed Lands was probably the most work. It wasn't too difficult, but there were many settlements that belonged to Mir, Tyrosh, or Fox, as well as the mercenary units they hired, that needed to be destroyed. So Blackheart, Darstein, Firestorm and Drogo did this, even Ocris Vaysserion took part in some of the battles. Mathis took by attrition and bombardment with ballistae and catapults that were loaded with wild fire from Tyrosh. And then all his generals met at the walls of Myr and took it in three days. But now it was also thanks to the dragons that burned down the walls of Myr.
Pentos and Braavos were alarmed and worried, but there was nothing they could do. Nor could the Seven Kingdoms. Attempts to order Darken's head from various individuals failed. Even the Faceless Ones did not take orders for him. This surprised the Master himself. But he didn't mind.
And now that he had no serious opponents, Darken began to think about his next moves, which would stretch for years to come. Not simple intrigues, but the Game of Thrones, in which, as they say, there are no "outsiders". You either win or you lose. And the greatest wizard of this world does not intend to lose.
To be continued...
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