Chapter 241 - Vaes Dothraki.

[Chapter Size: 3400 Words.]

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Third Person POV

North, 281 AC.

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The Articans set up their camp in the area surrounding Vaes Dothraki, along with many other Khalasares, while their group became the largest in the entire region.

Jon waited for everyone to settle perfectly in the area before returning to the Dothraki, accompanied by the one who called herself the Elder of the Dosh Khaleen.

As many curious glances from other camps approached to a certain point, Jon, on his official horse, Panis, who had been with him for almost ten years, observed them, accompanied by Seryna and his royal guards.

"They are curious about your metal clothing and how a man can be so big, even larger than someone mounted." The Elder spoke upon noticing Jon's curious gaze. She was referring to the armor and the giants—after all, it wasn't every day that a giant entered the Dothraki desert. In all recorded history, such a thing had never happened.

"And the smaller men." Another Dothraki said, looking directly at the dwarf who was part of Jon's small group.

Before Jon could say anything, the dwarf himself immediately exploded in response to the one mocking him.

"Keep mocking me and my people, and I'll smash your head in with my hammer, you damn horse-riding bastard!" The dwarf said instantly, pointing his hammer at the Dothraki in the opposing group.

"I must remind you that any bloodshed in these lands is forbidden and hidden." The Elder did not understand what the dwarf had said, as he spoke in the common tongue, but she still saw the gesture with the hammer as an affront.

"Do not worry." Jon said to calm the situation. "He merely said that our friend here talks too much for a pile of horse dung. And that he could bury him in the ground outside your sacred lands." He spoke in Dothraki, while the royal guards who also understood the language laughed upon hearing their king.

The Elder raised an eyebrow, while the Dothraki who had been named also raised his brow, wanting to mock but choosing to remain silent.

"Either way, let's head to the city as you wish." The Elder finally said as they began walking along the main road, passing the horse statues.

Upon entering the city, the groups that had received Jon fell silent, watching the arrival of the foreign army's contingent. Behind the city, the mountain's structure made for a unique backdrop, especially for those who had never seen it before. Up close, it further emphasized the grandeur of Vaes Dothraki.

The mountain above the city was the sacred point of this people, who used to pray to it. It was called the Mother of Mountains. Jon observed the peculiar scenery.

"This is our sacred land." The Elder commented, noticing Jon's attentive gaze.

"Different." Jon murmured.

"I would say contradictory to our land." Seryna added beside him.

Jon could not agree more. "Yes, very different from where we live."

"And where would that be, if I may ask?" The Elder inquired, curious about the foreigners.

"You don't have winter here, so you could never imagine." Jon replied. "We live in a land surrounded by snow."

"Snow?" The Elder repeated, frowning. "We do not know what that is."

"The desert at night is quite cold, but it is even worse in the region around Artica. There, even the afternoons are freezing." Jon explained. "Besides, our sand is different from yours. It is not dry but wet and white. However, my city is a fertile land with almost all the food in the world." He spoke.

The Dothraki remained silent. Some seemed to doubt what they heard, while others simply tried to imagine a place like the one Jon described.

"In any case, we were not too surprised by your arrival, as one of our priestesses predicted it." The Elder changed the subject.

"Really? And how was that?" Jon asked as they got closer to the city.

"She said that a great white wolf would emerge from the desert, coming from strange lands, and would enter facing many Dothraki, engaging in a great battle against a powerful Khal. A battle that would be told for generations to come." She said.

"Is that why you are letting me enter your city so easily, even though I am an invader?" Jon thought about it for a moment, while the Elder did not deny it, merely nodding her head.

"It is true, we would never allow a foreigner to invade our desert and enter Vaes Dothraki like this. However, since the vision was described this way... Besides, there are other things we will discuss in a more private place. But understand that your coming to our sacred land was foretold by one of our priestesses." She informed.

"I understand. It doesn't sound so bad. Either way, I will be awaiting this meeting." Jon replied.

None of them said anything more as they finally entered the city. Many people came out to observe the foreigners. By this point, everyone had already heard about the arrival of the Articans.

Curious gazes turned toward Jon and those around him, for everyone knew he rode a beast unlike any other. Furthermore, his horse, Panis, was a true war stallion after many years since Jon had taken him from that small farm in the north, below the Wall. Panis was also a symbol of strength to the Dothraki, and everyone could see that Jon rode him as if he were one of them, simply galloping through before all.

"They admire you. You certainly have a gift for riding your stallion." The Elder commented as some children pointed at Jon. Many men also showed a certain respect upon seeing him.

"I can say I inherited this skill from my mother. She was the best rider I had ever seen." Jon commented.

Seryna raised an eyebrow at him after that remark but also flashed a smile.

"Your mother? She must have been a strange woman." The Elder murmured, reflecting on that.

"Either way, your group may set up a tent in the city center or wait until our meeting is over." She said.

Jon nodded. "All right, we will stay here for now. I will go alone."

He asked everyone to wait. His royal guards and the other Articans remained outside, protecting Seryna, while Jon went alone toward the great temple, located at the foot of the Mother of Mountains.

Upon entering the temple, he found a group of women already waiting. Most of them wore cloaks; some were young, around his age, while others were elderly, nearing death. There were at least forty of them gathered there.

The Elder walked to the front and took her place at the center.

"Welcome to the Dothraki temple. This is where the Dosh Khaleen protect our sacred land through politics and religion." She introduced herself, sitting down, while all the others stared at Jon.

Jon looked around for a moment, noticing gazes filled with curiosity, disdain, and even admiration among the women.

"My name is Jon Artica. I am the King of Artica, and I entered the Dothraki desert precisely to respond to Khal Drogo's challenge." He declared.

"You are not a khal, yet you brought Dothraki with you." One of the Dosh Khaleen openly commented, analyzing him with distrust.

"No, I am not a khal. After all, I am not Dothraki. Those who follow me are here by choice, not because I impose it upon them. I also do not openly follow many aspects of your culture. There are acts forbidden among you that I do not tolerate. They may follow me or not, as long as they do not stand in my way. If they wish to leave, they are free to go." Jon stated, while the Dosh Khaleen exchanged glances among themselves.

"I have heard that you also freed your slaves... That act is not part of Dothraki culture." An older woman spoke with disdain.

"He already said he is not Dothraki. Just because they follow him does not mean he has to follow our culture." The Elder intervened, siding with Jon.

"Either way, we have allowed a foreigner to enter. But are we really going to permit this just because of a vision?" Another woman questioned, visibly uncomfortable with the situation.

Jon remained silent, merely observing the discussion. He had only heard part of the vision that the Elder had mentioned earlier, but he did not yet know all the details.

"The vision did not lie. If it said that a great white wolf would appear in the desert, it means that the other part of it will also come to pass." One of the elderly women responded to the one who had questioned it.

"What kind of vision is this?" Jon asked, intrigued, as the women turned their gazes toward him.

One of them decided to answer: "Beyond the battle with the Great Khal, you would come to take something important."

Jon was not surprised. From the beginning, he knew he would need to take something from these lands.

The woman continued. "But depending on the outcome of this fight against Khal Drogo, since he is the last and most powerful khal remaining, one day in the future, you will return here. All the khalasares will unite in a battle when the desert is under a scorching sun and the gods have abandoned us. When all that remains of the desert is dust and a night unlike any before, that will be the moment of our destruction. The enemy will come after each one of us—man, woman, or child—but at our front, there will be the Great Stallion, who will ride into battle with our warriors."

"I thought the Great Stallion was the one who would conquer the world." Jon commented, trying to understand where the woman was going with this.

Since Jon had no desire to conquer the world as the legend described, his dominion would be limited to Westeros. He had no wish to interfere in other cultures.

"You do not wish to conquer the world?" Another priestess asked, curious.

"No." Jon replied firmly. "You will never see my banners in these parts of the world as a symbol of domination."

The women exchanged glances, but one of them murmured:

"Still, it could be true. The Great Stallion does not need to be the one who conquers everything but rather the one who unites all the Dothraki, even if only for a short period before our destruction."

"But even if this is a vision, are you sure it could be him?" Another woman questioned, clearly disagreeing with the idea. "Are we really going to allow this man to climb the Mother of Mountains and take what he desires?"

"Can we even stop him, despite this vision?" One of the older women asked.

"As far as I know, he has already proven his worth by fighting multiple khals. He has defeated one after another. Now he is here to face the greatest khalasar in the desert."

"So then, what should we do? We cannot simply authorize him just like that. This could be a sign of disrespect to the Great Horse, our god!!" Other women protested.

Jon remained silent, waiting for their response. If they did not agree, he would have to act more decisively, as he was already there and did not intend to waste his journey. Beyond just killing Khal Drogo, he wanted to take what he needed to uncover the secrets of the hidden path in Valyria.

Either way, he trusted that he would be able to destroy the Night King when the battle happened in the North—a battle that would take place in a year. He did not think he would need to fight him here, devastating this part of the world. But it was always good to have a backup plan.

Jon listened to the protests, whether in favor or against, before looking at the Elder, who stared at him.

"Very well, if you truly desire something from the Mother of Mountains, then so be it. But there is one condition. You must prove to us that the vision is true. Defeat Khal Drogo, and we will grant you access to the mountain to take whatever it is that awaits you there." She declared.

Despite some disapproving looks, the majority of the priestesses nodded, agreeing with her words.

"All right then... I just have to defeat Khal Drogo. With that, I believe our meeting is over, correct?" Jon said, as the Elder nodded.

"Yes, there is nothing more to discuss. You are free to remain in the sacred city with your group. However, I must emphasize that we do not want conflicts or bloodshed within Vaes Dothraki. I am making this very clear because you are a foreigner. Do we understand each other?"

Jon nodded. "Understood. I will return to my group. I do not intend to stay in this city."

Before he could leave, one of the priestesses interrupted him.

"Before anything else... You have a wife here. Should we perform the khaleesi ritual for her?"

Jon furrowed his brow. "My wife will not eat a horse's heart. She is not a Dothraki. Just as we are here for two very clear reasons, I do not intend to become a khal. You can call it whatever you want."

His voice was firm, and the women exchanged glances. None of them insisted.

Jon would never allow Seryna to take part in something like that. He found the ritual barbaric, even though he respected the Dothraki culture. After all, the world was full of different rituals and beliefs in gods, but that did not mean that he or Seryna needed to be part of it.

Thus, Jon left the temple and found his group, who were already waiting for him. Without delay, he commanded them to leave the city, still feeling the eyes of the Dothraki on him.

In the end, Jon returned to the Artican camp. Everything was already set up, and he then called a small meeting with the Artican commanders and the general officers. He informed them of his next steps and what needed to be done from that point forward.

In summary, all that remained was to wait for Khal Drogo. The scouts were already watching the enemy khalasar's march, studying their strengths and weaknesses. The Artican army was strategically preparing to face and destroy them.

While discussing the details, the meeting did not drag on. In less than two hours, they decided that they would wait for Khal Drogo, who would take at least three days to arrive with his khalasar of 100,000 warriors.

The days passed as the Artican army prepared. Around the camp, many approached for different reasons. Some wanted to fight alongside Jon to obtain weapons, armor, and wealth. Others came for religious reasons, wanting to revere him as a near-divine figure alongside Ghost.

Many things happened during those days. The Dothraki maintained their customs everywhere, and their sacred city became an open-air orgy every night. That was why Jon did not want to stay there, choosing instead to remain with his group, where food and drinks were plentiful for him and his people.

Finally, Khal Drogo arrived in the sacred lands with his khalasar, which covered the horizon. His army was slightly larger than Jon's, which gave the Dothraki the false impression of superiority as they spread out, but it did not intimidate the Articans.

As his people settled in an open area, the Dothraki warriors observed the Articans with caution. However, there was no immediate attack or resistance. The Articans simply continued watching the camp, ensuring that no unauthorized intruders infiltrated—something that had been happening frequently in the past few days.

Then, a few hours later, Khal Drogo left his camp, riding directly toward the Articans. His movement drew the attention of many other khalasares in the sacred city's region.

He advanced on his horse, accompanied by his three bloodriders and a small group of Dothraki behind him.

Upon arriving, he faced the Artican army, being met by Jon himself, who rode his personal horse. He had left Ghost aside for the war, knowing that the confrontation would soon begin.

The two men stared at each other, standing firm and silent for a moment. They were enemies. And in a few days, one of them would be dead.

Finally, Khal Drogo broke the silence, speaking in the Dothraki tongue: "You are the one who stole the dragon woman, the one I was to marry to bear the Stallion Who Mounts the World."

Jon kept his expression neutral before responding: "I wouldn't say I stole her." He spoke calmly. "After all, she was never a possession of that brother of hers, who thought he could decide her future. And, by the way, from what I've seen, he is being treated very well by you. At least, that's what I've noticed." Jon mocked.

"She belongs to me! I want her back, and I will kill you for it." Khal Drogo declared firmly, ignoring how Jon might know about Viserys.

His long braid was a clear sign that he had never lost a battle. He seemed confident, but Jon noticed that, from time to time, his gaze flickered toward the giants among the Articans. There was doubt there. However, Drogo showed nothing and maintained his imposing posture.

"Daenerys Targaryen already belongs to another man." Jon replied coldly. "And the one who will die is you, not me." He did not want to prolong the conversation. Words were unnecessary at this moment.

"We will kill you and all your men, steal your riches, and take your women!" One of Drogo's bloodriders exclaimed arrogantly.

"Big words..." One of Jon's royal guards retorted with disdain. "Save that for the battle—if you survive long enough there."

Jon then turned his attention back to Drogo. "There is nothing more to discuss, Khal Drogo. Let's just organize our fight outside the sacred lands and settle this once and for all."

Khal Drogo said nothing more. He simply turned his horse and began to ride away. His men followed him, but before leaving completely, they cast one last glance at the Artican army.

Jon remained watching until they disappeared into the distance. Silence reigned for a few moments until one of his royal guards approached and asked, "What do we do now, my king?"

"We will just wait in the camp. I am sure the Dosh Khaleen themselves will organize this." Jon finally said.

And the next day, it happened exactly as he had predicted.

The priestesses summoned Jon Artica and Khal Drogo for a meeting. Despite being enemies, both entered the sacred place to speak.

The atmosphere inside the tent was heavy. Time seemed to have stopped in there.

Jon wore his Valyrian steel armor and Blackfyre at his waist, always ready for any eventuality. Khal Drogo, on the other hand, wore the typical clothes of his people, shirtless, making sure to highlight his long braid. His arakh was ready to be drawn at any moment.

Jon decided to take the initiative.

"Perhaps we don't need a battle between tens of thousands of people." He suggested. "A fight between you and me could spare many lives."

Khal Drogo narrowed his eyes, staring at Jon with disdain. Before he could respond, the Dosh Khaleen intervened.

"We do not fight that way, foreigner." One of them said. "If you want to win, you must defeat your enemy's khalasar. Only then will you prove that you are stronger and command the strongest men."

Jon sighed but accepted the challenge.

"All right, then. We will do it your way."

The meeting continued for a while until they reached an agreement: in two days, both armies would face each other outside the sacred lands.

As news of the imminent battle spread, many khalasares joined Khal Drogo. Some came out of hatred for the foreigners, others for greed, wanting Artican riches. But the majority were there for glory, wishing to be remembered for facing the giants and invaders who had stepped into the Dothraki Sea.

Jon observed the growing number of enemies. His army would have to face 120,000 Dothraki, while he had 80,000 warriors at his side.

But he was not worried. He had already expected this.

Now, all that remained was to wait for the day of battle.

-------------Nexts Chapters ----------------

Chapter 246 - Status of Westeros.

Chapter 251 - Helping Mance's camp.

Chapter 261 - The Faceless Man.

Chapter 270 - Revelations.

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