~~ A long chapter to enjoy the weekend night. Keep following for more. Thankyou all for your continued support. ~~
~~ A POLL
Should I start a Discord for future discussion and suggestions?
1. Yes
2. No
Choose your answers. ~~
Chapter 31 - Valar Dohaeris
After the priest finished explaining the nature of the gods, the room fell silent. None of us spoke. Leaf looked deep in thought. Val folded her arms and breathed slowly.
To break the silence, I asked the first thing that came to mind, almost just to change the topic.
"Was the assassin who helped us yesterday safe?"
The priest nodded gently. "They are safe. Yesterday was truly an eye-opener for the temple. The Many-Faced God only expected you, the Traveller, to arrive. And His servant, god expected them to return to His embrace."
He meant the assassin was supposed to die.
"But," the priest continued, "you changed their fate. Just as we were speaking about a moment ago, what truly matters is how the living respond. How their actions shape the world. By using your magic, by helping that person and bringing them here, you changed the world in a small way. They are now safe."
I exhaled. "It was the right thing. Better to save a life when possible."
The priest nodded, but then his tone shifted slightly. "Yes. But their servitude is done now. Their debt is over."
I frowned. "Are you kicking them out of your temple?"
The priest shook his head at once. "No. We do not reject anyone. They completed their duty. They served until the moment they were almost in the god's embrace. Their work is complete. And because their purpose is finished, they will not remain here for long."
"That sounds like you are not welcoming them," I said.
"We welcome all who believe," the priest replied calmly. "But their debt is over. Their duty to the Many-Faced God ended when you saved them. So what purpose would the god have for them now? That is why they are being set free. They are no longer bound to us. If they choose to stay, that is their decision. But we do not hold them here."
I rubbed the side of my head. "Then what will happen to that person?"
The priest looked straight at me. "That is upon you."
"Upon me?" I repeated.
"Yes," he said. "To the Many-Faced God, the debt is paid. Their life is finished in His ledger. But to you, the one who saved them, they are not finished. Their fate is now tied to you in a small way. You have a say, a right, over what becomes of them."
I shook my head. "Just let them do what they want. They have done enough to save the Targaryen children, I don't need anything from them."
The priest nodded slowly. "Very well. I will tell them."
He paused, watching me with a strange expression.
"But remember this, you may not want anything from them yet some things will happen simply because they must. Fate does not pause just because you wish it to stop."
I narrowed my eyes a little. "What do you mean, priest?"
"You will understand," he answered softly. "When the time comes."
I did not like this cryptic talk, but I knew priests of all gods tended to speak this way. Still, something about his words felt heavier, more certain, like he had already seen a part of the path ahead.
"Fine," I said at last. "As you wish."
The priest bowed his head lightly, accepting my answer without argument.
The priest waited for a moment, letting the silence settle between us. Then he asked, "Where will you take the Targaryens now?"
I looked at him carefully. "Are you so sure that we will take them?"
He nodded without hesitation. "Yes, we are sure."
I exhaled and leaned back a little. "I am thinking of taking them to Pentos. There is something there that belongs to them, something waiting for them."
The priest's lips curved slightly. "Ah. The magister. And his dragon eggs."
I raised an eyebrow. "So you know even about that? You must be a very high ranked priest here. You know things from both the past and the future."
He did not deny it. "Yes. I am fortunate enough to be the closest to the Many-Faced God in this temple. So I can see some things, not always because of His power, but because of the information we receive. People from all corners of the world come through Braavos. The whispers they bring are as useful as visions. And His believers are everywhere."
I nodded slowly. That made sense. The assassins of the Many-Faced God were feared for their secrets, but they were equally feared for their networks. No one ever knew how many eyes and ears they had in the world. It was their own kind of magic.
He continued, "You should get those eggs. After all, the three eggs kept by that magister are very important."
"I know," I said.
The priest said calmly. "You should also visit the Sealord. He has some things that may matter to you."
I blinked. "The Sealord? What could he possibly have that is important to me?" I paused for a moment, thinking. Then a thought struck me. "Are you talking about dragon eggs?"
"Yes," he replied. "The Sealord's treasury holds some eggs from the old days. Some are from the Targaryen dynasty, and some from around the continent, from the old Essosi lines. All of them are turned to stone, but you know well that bringing them back to life is not so difficult. Not when you carry the blessing of the Children of the Forest and the presence of the Mother of Dragons."
I nodded slowly. The Children can certainly help in waking them with life magic. And Daenerys can help in hatching them. For a moment, I imagined the sight of more dragons, alive again, filling the world with fire and sky. It gave me hope.
"But," I asked, "are you sure the Sealord will give them to us? And how many are we talking about?"
The priest shrugged lightly. "That you have to find out. Perhaps he will give them. Perhaps he will trade them. Or perhaps you will have to take them another way. I cannot tell you that. All I can say is that he has enough of them, more than enough for your companions. Informing you is all I can do. The rest is your path."
"Fair enough," I said. "Thank you for the information."
"This can be seen as part of the payment," the priest replied. "You saved His servant, you brought the children here safely, and you will take responsibility for them. That lightens our burden. So consider this knowledge a fair exchange."
I gave a small laugh. "I see. The Many-Faced God does not like being in anyone's debt."
"Exactly," he said. "Death must not owe anything to the living."
I nodded. "Very well. I have no complaints. But… can I ask something else?"
The priest folded his hands. "We will answer if you ask."
I took a breath. "I want to ask about Valyria. Is it possible to go there? Or do you know of any safe passage into its lands? Its ruins? Its treasures?"
The priest's expression changed slightly. "Treasures?"
"Not gold," I said quickly. "I don't care about gold."
He nodded once. "Then you must be thinking about dragon eggs, or about the craft."
"Both," I admitted. "But especially the craft. Valyrian steel. We will need more of it. A lot more. When the fight comes, no army survives without it."
He looked at me with understanding. "Valyrian steel is indeed a great tool against them. But I will not advise you to go there now."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because the curse still hangs over those lands," he answered. "The Doom still breathes there. Wait until the magic rises again. Wait until the red comet appears in the sky and the dragons hatch. When magic flows stronger, the curse will weaken. Then, with dragons protecting you and the old magic guiding you, you may return to Valyria and take what you seek."
I thought about it. It made sense. Dragons had once been the only things that could survive near the smoking seas. Perhaps they could again.
"So the curse will weaken after the tide of magic returns," I said quietly.
"Yes," the priest answered. "Not gone completely at once, but weakened enough for the brave, or the chosen, to enter."
I nodded slowly. "Very well. I will wait."
The priest bowed his head in agreement.
I looked at the priest and asked, "My last question, if Daenerys tries to hatch the dragon eggs earlier will it change anything? Will it change the timing of White Walkers beyond the Wall? Should I let her hatch them now or let her wait for the day it was meant to happen?"
The priest smiled gently, as if he had heard this question many times before.
"The coming of the Others does not depend on magic," he said. "You must understand, they are not shaped by your magic, and your magic cannot change their arrival. The Children of the Forest made them long ago, and even they later failed to stop them. Only certain chosen people and certain rare materials can harm them. So my answer is simple, do whatever you want. It will change many things in the world but not them. Their coming is inevitable. Their time will come no matter what and it will not change."
I breathed out. "Thank you. If we can have dragons earlier, it will save many people. It will stop unnecessary killings and needless deaths."
"Yes," he said. "Dragons will save many lives. But they are double-edged swords."
I nodded. "I understand. But do not worry. I have a contingency plan."
The priest tilted his head. "Oh? And what will it be?" He sounded curious, truly curious, as if even he could not see that far.
I smiled a little. "What do you call me?"
He raised his eyebrows. "Traveler."
"Yes. And that is my answer."
The priest's eyes widened slowly with understanding. "Ah… yes. That will be better. A great event. It will solve many problems and not only for one person, but for many."
"That is the plan," I said.
He nodded. "You will have a great future. And the world will become interesting."
"More interesting?" I asked. "Just simply less desperate."
The priest sighed softly. "No one wants desperation. People show their worst selves when they are desperate. May the gods save all from that."
"I agree," I said quietly. "Very well. We should go. We must meet the Sealord now."
"You are welcome here anytime," the priest said.
We turned to leave. But then he called out, "Take this."
The priest stepped closer to us and placed a pouch in my hands. It was heavy, filled with small iron coins marked with the face of the Many-Faced God, similar to the coins the Faceless Men used when traveling across the world.
"These are for you and your companions," he said. "Whenever you need the help of the Many-Faced God or his servants, take out these coins. Those who serve Him will recognize them from afar. Help will be given."
The coins had a strange, cold feeling, almost like the air of the House of Black and White itself.
"Thank you," I said sincerely. "Your help is greatly appreciated."
"And the gods appreciate yours, Traveler," he replied. "Farewell."
"Farewell," I said.
He nodded and said softly, "Valar Morghulis."
"Valar Dohaeris," I answered.
His faint smile returned when he heard my reply. Then we stepped outside the chamber where the Targaryen children were waiting.
I said, "Let's go, Prince Viserys. Our time here is over. We must move to our next destination."
Viserys stepped forward eagerly. "Are we going back to Westeros now? Do you have an army? Do we start attacking now?"
"Calm down, Prince," I said firmly. "There will be no attacking. Not for years."
"Why?" Viserys demanded. "I am the king. The true king."
"Yes," I said. "But you need training. A king must be someone men will follow. You have not been trained to rule. And people would want to confirm that you are not your father."
Viserys scowled. "My father was a great king. A true dragon."
I stopped walking and faced him. My voice became sharp.
"Viserys."
He froze. Even Daenerys held Leaf's hand tighter.
"Your father," I said slowly, "was a good king once. In his youth. But later he became the Mad King. He was not betrayed because he was great. He was rebelled against because he was insane. If you become anything like him, anything at all, I will kill you myself before others do."
Viserys's face turned pale. "I… I understand. I will be a good king."
"Great," I said. "A good king must be educated. He must understand his people. We will begin your learning after we finish some tasks."
I turned to Daenerys. "And you, Princess, must be taught too. To be a proper princess. And a leader of the realm."
Viserys did not catch the deeper meaning of my words, but Daenerys's eyes widened slightly. She understood.
We walked toward the main gate of the temple. The five of us stepped out into the bright Braavosi light and there, waiting for us, stood a woman.
She was not older than Val. Her clothes were tidy and faded, but her eyes were steady. As soon as she saw us, she hurried forward.
Then she dropped to one knee and bowed her head deeply.
"Thank you for saving me, my lord," she said. "My life is now yours."
All five of us stopped in our tracks. The story shifted again with a new twist.
End of Chapter 31 - Valar Dohaeris