Path of Progress
Your first time is always over so quickly, isn't it?
- Joined
- Nov 8, 2024
- Messages
- 1
You put the Shepard chapter in the Ei Thread
-
An addendum to Rule 3 regarding fan-translated works of things such as Web Novels has been made. Please see here for details.
-
We've issued a clarification on our policy on AI-generated work.
-
Our mod selection process has completed. Please welcome our new moderators.
-
Due to issues with external spam filters, QQ is currently unable to send any mail to Microsoft E-mail addresses. This includes any account at live.com, hotmail.com or msn.com. Signing up to the forum with one of these addresses will result in your verification E-mail never arriving. For best results, please use a different E-mail provider for your QQ address.
-
The rules regarding NSFW links have been updated. See here for details.
Her Eternal Excellency (Raiden Ei reborn as Argella Durrandon)
- Thread starter Samael61
- Start date
Samael61
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
- Messages
- 283
Deleted it now, thank you.
ArcherOfBlades
Hippity Hoppity, Your Soul Is My Property
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2021
- Messages
- 1,409
Go to next thread mark. Come here. ReeeeeEEEEEEE
Chapter 45 - Chaos and Fun
Samael61
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
- Messages
- 283
Hello there,
If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 3 chapters ahead.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
Kingdom of the Reach
Highgarden
The guards had informed Queen Merina that a single rider from her husband, King Mern's host, was at the gates, looking terrified and half crazed, begging for an audience with the queen.
The state of the rider did not bode well, but Queen Merina had granted the audience, sitting in her husband's seat. The rider, a knight of House Florent, one of her father's, looked haggard and tired as if he had not slept, and his eyes flickered around, searching for an enemy unseen.
His lips were cracked, his eyes tired, his hair a bird's nest, and the less said about his stench, the better.
"My queen." The rider stuttered so badly it took him twice as long to utter these words.
"Ser, what happened?"
"The host is gone, my queen. We crossed the path and entered the lands of House Caron." Each stuttering word the knight uttered painted a picture that quickly turned to a nightmare.
First, King Mern had made an alliance with Prince Nymor, who had the same idea of attacking the Storm Kingdom while they were at war. After that, a demon collapsed the passage, but neither King Mern nor Prince Nymor was willing to give up and cleared the way.
Only to encounter the Storm Queen, who tore a hole in the sky and proceeded to destroy a part of the Red Mountains, along with over a hundred thousand men, sparing two knights as an example, and to demand their surrender.
There were a lot of people calling the knight a liar, one bought by the enemy to spread rumors to terrify the brave people of Reach.
The knight's answer chilled them to the bone.
"Kill me if you must, for I would rather hang like a common brigand than face her." Ser Moryn had begun to laugh like a madman after that, and a rumor was taken away from the disturbed court.
It did not take long for letters from the border regions to pour in, confirming that a part of the Red Mountains did not exist any longer.
Chaos reigned in Highgarden, quickly spreading to the rest of the Reach.
Dorne
Sunspear
A week after Reach received word regarding the fate of their king and host, Dorne had received the same from Ser Nerico, who relayed the death of Prince Nymor, every single lord in the host, and the thirty thousand men they had gathered.
Ravens carrying the word of the calamity had reached Sunspear long before the rider, but speaking to someone who had witnessed the event firsthand was the last nail in the coffin.
Distressed by the deaths of such a great number of nobles along with most of their knights and levies wiped out at once, the Dornish houses were clamoring to discuss peace with the Storm Kingdom.
Meria Martell, shrewd or not, was grief-stricken firsthand by her son's death, just like Deria Martell, Nymor's daughter.
Seagard
"My prince, a letter for you from your wife."
Argilac snatched the envelope without even acknowledging the messenger.
Reading the letter, he was relieved to find that his new wife was well and stricken and that she had given birth. "I am a father again, well and again; it's again; it's a healthy boy. She named him Argall."
Several Stormlords surrounded Argilac, raising him to their shoulders. "Three cheers for Prince Argall." The Riverlords and the Blackwater Bay nobles gave a less lively applause, but they too were joyful at the birth of a new prince.
Garrin Caron most of all except Argilac, but none could blame the lord of Nightsong.
"My prince, this deserves a feast. I'll start the preparations." Emrick offered, as it was the least he could do.
"What is this commotion?" Ei asked the servant carrying a barrel of mead to the hall. They were having a delightful conversation before the commotion cut it short.
Bowing his head in a hurry, the servant almost dropped the barrel before Ei caught and put it down. "Your father has received a letter, Your Excellency. Princess Selena gave birth to a boy and named him Argall. Lord Emrick has ordered a feast in his honor." The young man explained.
"I see. You may continue." Ei dismissed the servant, standing still as she considered what she just had been told.
Saiguu popped right behind her, looking intrigued. "A brother now? One with divine roots or a mortal?"
"I felt nothing of the divine sort. honor." sort.""
"A mortal brother." Saiguu shook her head, chuckling. "A god reborn as the daughter of a mortal whom she doesn't share any blood with now has a mortal sibling. This would definitely make a weird novel."
"How do you feel?" Chiyo could only imagine what Ei was feeling.
"Right now? Not much, except I am happy for Argilac. Perhaps I have to see the child with my eyes." They may not share blood, but that wasn't the only prerequisite to be family. Having a sibling again, even if he was a mortal, felt odd to Ei.
Sasayuri stepped in to stop any more questions so Ei could think. "She is right. This whole situation is a string of oddities, blood with oddities; give her some time."
"Why don't we go look for Argilac? I am sure he is dying to tell you the news." That and Saiguu wanted a drink too.
"Argella, there you are." There were already several empty barrels in the hall, and Argilac was deep in his cups with his friends, already celebrating.
"Father, I see you are enjoying yourselves." Drunken jokes and songs had filled the air, but oddities quieted down as Ei entered.
Argilac's laugh was cut off by a hiccup as he gave the cheerful news. "Air butnews. You have a brother now. Selena named him Argall."
"Your Excellency, would you like to join us?" Garrin offered. Even the usually wary Lord of Nightsong was relaxed.
"Of course."
"Drinking competition huh?" Saiguu grinned, an idea striking her as she sat down. "Mind if I join?"
The lords looked hesitant, as a female had never been a part of a drinking challenge before, but then again, Emrick was living in an interesting time. "Can you hold your liquor, my lady?"
Saiguu tapped her lower lip with her finger, considering. "It has been a long time since I drank alcohol, but I should be fine. How about a wager?"
"A wager?" Several voices rose, curious as to what she had to offer.
"Yes, whomever drinks more than me will get a sword like Victory, straight from the hands of her Excellency." That got everyone's attention as the lords crowded the table in a hurry, and Emrick, as the host, had to silence them.
"And if you win?" Robert definitely wanted that sword, a competition sword, and wasn't afraid to compete against a woman for it, even if it was against a sword and one with weird ears.
Saiguu grinned. Playing a game that people did not know you were a master of was a great way to win a bet. "I get half of the gold and silver in each of your baggage trains."
That amount was nothing compared to the value of a sword like Victory. "That is most certainly worth it. I accept."
"Great." Saiguu cheered, and Ei shook her head, amused.
"Are you sure it's fine for her to promise that?" Argilac, as he already had a sword, recused himself from the competition, choosing to watch from the sidelines. The mug was already the size of the fox woman's head, and most of the lords here were masters of drinking.
The god before him just waved her hand, not concerned at all. "Saiguu can drink more than what you weigh. She is just playing with them."
"Tricking them out of their gold?" With the way Ei treated them, Argilac didn't think her friends would ever lack wealth.
"No, making friends."
The drinking competition took several hours, and the woman with fox ears looked drunk the entire time. The nobles thought it would be easy to drink her under the table and kept filling the table and filling their mugs. At the end, Saiguu was the only one standing, cheeks flushed and swaying on her feet, while everyone else had gone down.
Once her winnings were tallied and she left to store them somewhere flushed, did the kitsune goddess stop feigning drunk?
"Not a bad haul, don't you think?" Kitsune Saiguu sat on her small fortune, grinning at her friends.
Chiyo huffed. The wealth would have been more useful in Essos. "What are you going to do with all that?"
"Why, buy more alcohol from the losers, of course." The way the people here treated females needed to change, and Saiguu had already started working on it.
All the while having a good time.
"You have a weird way of making friends." Sasayuri said.
Ei took a seat, reminiscing just somewhere, reminiscing about how similar Saiguu and Miko looked, reminiscing about looking, grinning. "It is nothing compared to Yae."
"Oh really? How was my little fox doing anyway?" Saiguu sat straighter, the gold and silver suddenly having lost its importance.
"Cunning like you, and enjoys teasing people until they are a stuttering mess." General Gorou of Watatsumi Island was a favorite target of hers, and Ei had the opportunity to witness it once.
The fox goddess just chuckled. "Can't believe that little girl grew up. I remember the days when I would trick her with a plate of tofu. Good times."
"She also started a publishing house, selling novels and other books to all corners of Teyvat."
"Now I definitely would have liked to see that." Saiguu grinned, her ears twitching in anticipation, something she only allowed herself to do in the company of her friends.
"Since there is no shrine to take care of, perhaps you can do the same?" Chiyo suggested that because Saiguu, withering, without anything to do, was a Saiguu who would be terrorizing the kingdom for fun with her mischief.
"That does sound fun; I already have several novel ideas." Saiguu winked at Ei.
Sasayuri knew what the kitsune was thinking. "A goddess reborn as the daughter of a mortal?"
"Definitely."
"I believe there was a book about a mortal suddenly reborn as the Raiden Shogun with unlimited power." Two could play that game, and unlike the two, a writer back in Inazuma had actually done something similar.
Chiyo blinked owlishly. "You are joking. Who even wrote that?" Writing a book about a mortal reborn as Raiden Shogun? Why, depending on how it was taken, someone could have been lynched by the masses.
"I do not remember the name, but apparently, Yae was greatly pleased by it." The copies that had appeared in her room randomly were fun; they were proof of that.
"She definitely did it to get under your skin." Saiguu said, sniffing and wiping away an imaginary tear, proud of her little pinky.
"I don't know. I heard that the book had sold rather well."
"Speaking of, what about my sons, Michihiro and Nagamasa?" Ei grimaced internally at the question.
Chiyo sighed, hearing the fate of her children. "I suppose both were too honorable in their own way." Nagamasa joined the honorable shogunate to restore the family's honor, while Michihiro secluded himself out of shame, later founding a new clan.
With the damage Cataclysm had caused Inazuma and Teyvat, it was inevitable for losses to occur, both during the war and the chaos it had left behind.
"I am sorry. I could have—should have—done something, but I was too lost after being the only one left. It took me centuries, and a new friend to come to my senses." Ei knew it wasn't an excuse, the way she had let her friend's children down, but she had nothing else to offer except words.
Saiguu snapped her fingers several times, trying to remember something. "The golden-haired, brown-eyed boy, right? And her flying companion?"
Ei bent her neck to the side, puzzled as to how Saiguu knew of the Traveller and his guide. "Aether and Paimon. You know them?"
"A portion of my memories that managed to retain sentience requested their help for the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual."
Ei was taken back. She knew someone had conducted the ritual but assumed it was Yae Miko and the Grand Narukami Shrine, not Aether, especially since the blonde traveller had not said anything. "That was you? If only I had known…."
"There was nothing you could have done to restore me." Whether the Electro Archon or not, she did not have control over life, and even as mere remnants, Saiguu would not ask that of her friend.
"She is right. What returned us to the land of the living as we are right now were nothing more than freak events that could not be repeated under normal circumstances by any of us." Shades were entities beyond the Archons, and repeating their feats was not done easily, if at all.
"I suppose you are right." Ei turned to Chiyo, traveler Chiyo. "Again, I am sorry for letting you and them down."
"I'll admit it is sad to see that happen, but my boys were tough, Chiyo. tough; I knew they would be fine." Chiyo smiled, her heart heavy at the legacy her children had to carry.
"What about the army? Who led it after we were gone?" The oni maiden asked.
"I founded the Tri-Commission to lead the affairs of Inazuma. The Tenryou Commission, headed by the Kujou Clan, managed the military affairs. The last general to lead the army by the time of the war against the Heavenly Principles was Kujou Sara, a loyal and brave tengu warrior, perhaps too loyal though." Ei smiled, remembering the tengu and her ways of showing respect to the Almighty God of Thunder.
"Too loyal? I feel a story there." Saiguu asked with a teasing voice.
"Well…" She explained her anecdotes of the young tengu, especially the way she had spoken of taking care of her statues.
"Sounds like you had quite a fan." Another tengu to lead the army just as the world was heading towards another war.
What were the chances?
"Yes, so much so she followed the Vision Hunt Decree and the Sakoku Decree without hesitation." Sasayuri said as if it was an afterthought, and Ei sighed, having completely forgotten to tell her friends.
"I don't like the sound of that." Saiguu grimaced.
Arms crossed, the kitsune goddess gave her friend a look that showed just how disappointed she was. "Really? Of all the bake-danuki-brained ideas, you had to close Inazuma to the outside world and order all visions to be turned over? Why Ei, you might as well have ordered the people to build a wall around the entirety of Inazuma."
"I am sorry." Ei bowed her head in shame. Those decisions looked quite foolish today, but there was no changing them.
"Don't apologize to me; I was dead. Apologize to all the people that died due to the civil war you caused. Though I guess it's a bit late for that." All their sacrifices, only for Ei to cause a civil war?
Saiguu did not blame that priest of the Watatsumi Island for the uprising.
"While I would love to hear more of what you think about Ei's decisions, there is a celebration outside. Perhaps we should join?" The sun was setting, and the golden rays cast a splendid picture on the horizon, a perfect atmosphere for festivities in Chiyo's opinion.
"I agree, though, don't think we are forgetting this." Saiguu warned.
Ei sighed again. There was nothing she could say.
Ei had intentionally avoided visiting Raventree Hall and Stone Hedge because of their ruling houses.
Visiting one keep first would mean that its lord would boast to the other, causing more friction between houses Blackwood and Bracken.
It would have been impressive to know that there were two houses stubborn enough to keep a dispute alive over thousands of years, but long-term enmity between kingdoms, nobles, lords, and even the smallfolk was prevalent on this continent.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.
If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 3 chapters ahead.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
—
Kingdom of the Reach
Highgarden
The guards had informed Queen Merina that a single rider from her husband, King Mern's host, was at the gates, looking terrified and half crazed, begging for an audience with the queen.
The state of the rider did not bode well, but Queen Merina had granted the audience, sitting in her husband's seat. The rider, a knight of House Florent, one of her father's, looked haggard and tired as if he had not slept, and his eyes flickered around, searching for an enemy unseen.
His lips were cracked, his eyes tired, his hair a bird's nest, and the less said about his stench, the better.
"My queen." The rider stuttered so badly it took him twice as long to utter these words.
"Ser, what happened?"
"The host is gone, my queen. We crossed the path and entered the lands of House Caron." Each stuttering word the knight uttered painted a picture that quickly turned to a nightmare.
First, King Mern had made an alliance with Prince Nymor, who had the same idea of attacking the Storm Kingdom while they were at war. After that, a demon collapsed the passage, but neither King Mern nor Prince Nymor was willing to give up and cleared the way.
Only to encounter the Storm Queen, who tore a hole in the sky and proceeded to destroy a part of the Red Mountains, along with over a hundred thousand men, sparing two knights as an example, and to demand their surrender.
There were a lot of people calling the knight a liar, one bought by the enemy to spread rumors to terrify the brave people of Reach.
The knight's answer chilled them to the bone.
"Kill me if you must, for I would rather hang like a common brigand than face her." Ser Moryn had begun to laugh like a madman after that, and a rumor was taken away from the disturbed court.
It did not take long for letters from the border regions to pour in, confirming that a part of the Red Mountains did not exist any longer.
Chaos reigned in Highgarden, quickly spreading to the rest of the Reach.
—
Dorne
Sunspear
A week after Reach received word regarding the fate of their king and host, Dorne had received the same from Ser Nerico, who relayed the death of Prince Nymor, every single lord in the host, and the thirty thousand men they had gathered.
Ravens carrying the word of the calamity had reached Sunspear long before the rider, but speaking to someone who had witnessed the event firsthand was the last nail in the coffin.
Distressed by the deaths of such a great number of nobles along with most of their knights and levies wiped out at once, the Dornish houses were clamoring to discuss peace with the Storm Kingdom.
Meria Martell, shrewd or not, was grief-stricken firsthand by her son's death, just like Deria Martell, Nymor's daughter.
—
Seagard
"My prince, a letter for you from your wife."
Argilac snatched the envelope without even acknowledging the messenger.
Reading the letter, he was relieved to find that his new wife was well and stricken and that she had given birth. "I am a father again, well and again; it's again; it's a healthy boy. She named him Argall."
Several Stormlords surrounded Argilac, raising him to their shoulders. "Three cheers for Prince Argall." The Riverlords and the Blackwater Bay nobles gave a less lively applause, but they too were joyful at the birth of a new prince.
Garrin Caron most of all except Argilac, but none could blame the lord of Nightsong.
"My prince, this deserves a feast. I'll start the preparations." Emrick offered, as it was the least he could do.
—
"What is this commotion?" Ei asked the servant carrying a barrel of mead to the hall. They were having a delightful conversation before the commotion cut it short.
Bowing his head in a hurry, the servant almost dropped the barrel before Ei caught and put it down. "Your father has received a letter, Your Excellency. Princess Selena gave birth to a boy and named him Argall. Lord Emrick has ordered a feast in his honor." The young man explained.
"I see. You may continue." Ei dismissed the servant, standing still as she considered what she just had been told.
Saiguu popped right behind her, looking intrigued. "A brother now? One with divine roots or a mortal?"
"I felt nothing of the divine sort. honor." sort.""
"A mortal brother." Saiguu shook her head, chuckling. "A god reborn as the daughter of a mortal whom she doesn't share any blood with now has a mortal sibling. This would definitely make a weird novel."
"How do you feel?" Chiyo could only imagine what Ei was feeling.
"Right now? Not much, except I am happy for Argilac. Perhaps I have to see the child with my eyes." They may not share blood, but that wasn't the only prerequisite to be family. Having a sibling again, even if he was a mortal, felt odd to Ei.
Sasayuri stepped in to stop any more questions so Ei could think. "She is right. This whole situation is a string of oddities, blood with oddities; give her some time."
"Why don't we go look for Argilac? I am sure he is dying to tell you the news." That and Saiguu wanted a drink too.
—
"Argella, there you are." There were already several empty barrels in the hall, and Argilac was deep in his cups with his friends, already celebrating.
"Father, I see you are enjoying yourselves." Drunken jokes and songs had filled the air, but oddities quieted down as Ei entered.
Argilac's laugh was cut off by a hiccup as he gave the cheerful news. "Air butnews. You have a brother now. Selena named him Argall."
"Your Excellency, would you like to join us?" Garrin offered. Even the usually wary Lord of Nightsong was relaxed.
"Of course."
"Drinking competition huh?" Saiguu grinned, an idea striking her as she sat down. "Mind if I join?"
The lords looked hesitant, as a female had never been a part of a drinking challenge before, but then again, Emrick was living in an interesting time. "Can you hold your liquor, my lady?"
Saiguu tapped her lower lip with her finger, considering. "It has been a long time since I drank alcohol, but I should be fine. How about a wager?"
"A wager?" Several voices rose, curious as to what she had to offer.
"Yes, whomever drinks more than me will get a sword like Victory, straight from the hands of her Excellency." That got everyone's attention as the lords crowded the table in a hurry, and Emrick, as the host, had to silence them.
"And if you win?" Robert definitely wanted that sword, a competition sword, and wasn't afraid to compete against a woman for it, even if it was against a sword and one with weird ears.
Saiguu grinned. Playing a game that people did not know you were a master of was a great way to win a bet. "I get half of the gold and silver in each of your baggage trains."
That amount was nothing compared to the value of a sword like Victory. "That is most certainly worth it. I accept."
"Great." Saiguu cheered, and Ei shook her head, amused.
—
"Are you sure it's fine for her to promise that?" Argilac, as he already had a sword, recused himself from the competition, choosing to watch from the sidelines. The mug was already the size of the fox woman's head, and most of the lords here were masters of drinking.
The god before him just waved her hand, not concerned at all. "Saiguu can drink more than what you weigh. She is just playing with them."
"Tricking them out of their gold?" With the way Ei treated them, Argilac didn't think her friends would ever lack wealth.
"No, making friends."
—
The drinking competition took several hours, and the woman with fox ears looked drunk the entire time. The nobles thought it would be easy to drink her under the table and kept filling the table and filling their mugs. At the end, Saiguu was the only one standing, cheeks flushed and swaying on her feet, while everyone else had gone down.
Once her winnings were tallied and she left to store them somewhere flushed, did the kitsune goddess stop feigning drunk?
"Not a bad haul, don't you think?" Kitsune Saiguu sat on her small fortune, grinning at her friends.
Chiyo huffed. The wealth would have been more useful in Essos. "What are you going to do with all that?"
"Why, buy more alcohol from the losers, of course." The way the people here treated females needed to change, and Saiguu had already started working on it.
All the while having a good time.
"You have a weird way of making friends." Sasayuri said.
Ei took a seat, reminiscing just somewhere, reminiscing about how similar Saiguu and Miko looked, reminiscing about looking, grinning. "It is nothing compared to Yae."
"Oh really? How was my little fox doing anyway?" Saiguu sat straighter, the gold and silver suddenly having lost its importance.
"Cunning like you, and enjoys teasing people until they are a stuttering mess." General Gorou of Watatsumi Island was a favorite target of hers, and Ei had the opportunity to witness it once.
The fox goddess just chuckled. "Can't believe that little girl grew up. I remember the days when I would trick her with a plate of tofu. Good times."
"She also started a publishing house, selling novels and other books to all corners of Teyvat."
"Now I definitely would have liked to see that." Saiguu grinned, her ears twitching in anticipation, something she only allowed herself to do in the company of her friends.
"Since there is no shrine to take care of, perhaps you can do the same?" Chiyo suggested that because Saiguu, withering, without anything to do, was a Saiguu who would be terrorizing the kingdom for fun with her mischief.
"That does sound fun; I already have several novel ideas." Saiguu winked at Ei.
Sasayuri knew what the kitsune was thinking. "A goddess reborn as the daughter of a mortal?"
"Definitely."
"I believe there was a book about a mortal suddenly reborn as the Raiden Shogun with unlimited power." Two could play that game, and unlike the two, a writer back in Inazuma had actually done something similar.
Chiyo blinked owlishly. "You are joking. Who even wrote that?" Writing a book about a mortal reborn as Raiden Shogun? Why, depending on how it was taken, someone could have been lynched by the masses.
"I do not remember the name, but apparently, Yae was greatly pleased by it." The copies that had appeared in her room randomly were fun; they were proof of that.
"She definitely did it to get under your skin." Saiguu said, sniffing and wiping away an imaginary tear, proud of her little pinky.
"I don't know. I heard that the book had sold rather well."
"Speaking of, what about my sons, Michihiro and Nagamasa?" Ei grimaced internally at the question.
—
Chiyo sighed, hearing the fate of her children. "I suppose both were too honorable in their own way." Nagamasa joined the honorable shogunate to restore the family's honor, while Michihiro secluded himself out of shame, later founding a new clan.
With the damage Cataclysm had caused Inazuma and Teyvat, it was inevitable for losses to occur, both during the war and the chaos it had left behind.
"I am sorry. I could have—should have—done something, but I was too lost after being the only one left. It took me centuries, and a new friend to come to my senses." Ei knew it wasn't an excuse, the way she had let her friend's children down, but she had nothing else to offer except words.
Saiguu snapped her fingers several times, trying to remember something. "The golden-haired, brown-eyed boy, right? And her flying companion?"
Ei bent her neck to the side, puzzled as to how Saiguu knew of the Traveller and his guide. "Aether and Paimon. You know them?"
"A portion of my memories that managed to retain sentience requested their help for the Sacred Sakura Cleansing Ritual."
Ei was taken back. She knew someone had conducted the ritual but assumed it was Yae Miko and the Grand Narukami Shrine, not Aether, especially since the blonde traveller had not said anything. "That was you? If only I had known…."
"There was nothing you could have done to restore me." Whether the Electro Archon or not, she did not have control over life, and even as mere remnants, Saiguu would not ask that of her friend.
"She is right. What returned us to the land of the living as we are right now were nothing more than freak events that could not be repeated under normal circumstances by any of us." Shades were entities beyond the Archons, and repeating their feats was not done easily, if at all.
"I suppose you are right." Ei turned to Chiyo, traveler Chiyo. "Again, I am sorry for letting you and them down."
"I'll admit it is sad to see that happen, but my boys were tough, Chiyo. tough; I knew they would be fine." Chiyo smiled, her heart heavy at the legacy her children had to carry.
"What about the army? Who led it after we were gone?" The oni maiden asked.
"I founded the Tri-Commission to lead the affairs of Inazuma. The Tenryou Commission, headed by the Kujou Clan, managed the military affairs. The last general to lead the army by the time of the war against the Heavenly Principles was Kujou Sara, a loyal and brave tengu warrior, perhaps too loyal though." Ei smiled, remembering the tengu and her ways of showing respect to the Almighty God of Thunder.
"Too loyal? I feel a story there." Saiguu asked with a teasing voice.
"Well…" She explained her anecdotes of the young tengu, especially the way she had spoken of taking care of her statues.
"Sounds like you had quite a fan." Another tengu to lead the army just as the world was heading towards another war.
What were the chances?
"Yes, so much so she followed the Vision Hunt Decree and the Sakoku Decree without hesitation." Sasayuri said as if it was an afterthought, and Ei sighed, having completely forgotten to tell her friends.
"I don't like the sound of that." Saiguu grimaced.
—
Arms crossed, the kitsune goddess gave her friend a look that showed just how disappointed she was. "Really? Of all the bake-danuki-brained ideas, you had to close Inazuma to the outside world and order all visions to be turned over? Why Ei, you might as well have ordered the people to build a wall around the entirety of Inazuma."
"I am sorry." Ei bowed her head in shame. Those decisions looked quite foolish today, but there was no changing them.
"Don't apologize to me; I was dead. Apologize to all the people that died due to the civil war you caused. Though I guess it's a bit late for that." All their sacrifices, only for Ei to cause a civil war?
Saiguu did not blame that priest of the Watatsumi Island for the uprising.
"While I would love to hear more of what you think about Ei's decisions, there is a celebration outside. Perhaps we should join?" The sun was setting, and the golden rays cast a splendid picture on the horizon, a perfect atmosphere for festivities in Chiyo's opinion.
"I agree, though, don't think we are forgetting this." Saiguu warned.
Ei sighed again. There was nothing she could say.
—
In the next chapter:Ei had intentionally avoided visiting Raventree Hall and Stone Hedge because of their ruling houses.
Visiting one keep first would mean that its lord would boast to the other, causing more friction between houses Blackwood and Bracken.
It would have been impressive to know that there were two houses stubborn enough to keep a dispute alive over thousands of years, but long-term enmity between kingdoms, nobles, lords, and even the smallfolk was prevalent on this continent.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.
Chapter 46 - Cherry Blossoms of Peace
Samael61
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
- Messages
- 283
Hello there,
If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 4 chapters ahead.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
—
Riverlands
Seagard
Festivities were over, and the host had gathered itself, ready to march to Highgarden first and then to Sunspear.
They would enter Reach through Stoney Sept, taking keeps north of Highgarden, whether by surrender or Ei bringing down the castle walls and taking the garrison by force.
The fleet, as it had been prepared for the invasion of the Iron Islands, which had become unnecessary, had sailed for the western shores of Reach, led by Ian Tarth, accompanied by Kage and the Thunder Dragon.
The Shield Islands, the Arbor, and the Oldtown made up the bulk of the Reach's naval might, and her patchwork fleet would be easy prey for them. The puppets, however, would be more than enough to wipe out any opposition Lord Ian and the fleet faced.
After Highgarden fell, her next target was Oldtown and the Starry Sept. The Faith Militant would have to be dismantled. A decentralized force of religious fanatics that drew men from all regions of the continent, which could be called to war quickly by the High Septon and had legitimacy in the eyes of the people, was an entity she would not allow to exist.
The High Septon had proven how dangerous it could be by calling forty thousand men to fight, mostly commoners, but hundreds of knights as well.
Lucenor Hightower, the current High Septon, was waiting in the Starry Sept, and either both orders would be disbanded with the Faith taking oaths to disarm entirely, or Ei would eradicate them until there was nothing left to rise again.
—
Kingdom of the Reach
Shield Islands
For the Shield Islanders, seeing Ironborn ships near their shores was a regular thing. It did not happen every day, but often enough for them to be always ready for the reavers.
The fleet that had sailed past them to Weeping Town had given them quite the scare.
However, not seeing any Ironborn ships for close to a month meant two things. Either they were fighting someone else, such as the North, the Storm Kingdom, or the Kingdom of the Rock.
Or the reavers were preparing for an attack.
With the word that their fleet had sunk before even docking near Weeping Town, it was unlikely.
To see what the Ironborn were planning, the Shield Islands made a bold decision to send their fastest ship to Lannisport. The sailors would listen to the rumors, and if nothing of importance was discovered, sail around the Iron Islands to find out what the reavers were doing.
The dromon's journey to Lannisport was fast; its return, even more so.
Word was that the Iron Islands were devastated, with the only living thing to be found near its waters being monsters, sighted by the sailors, and not a single Ironborn vessel to be seen.
The reason?
Argella Durrandon had slain the Drowned God in single combat while carving the island of Pyke in half, and the enormous tidal wave caused by the death of a god had done the rest, drowning the Ironborn to the last person.
It would have been a reason for celebration to know that their ancient enemy had been sent to the deepest part of the seven hells, but one small issue had just made things worse.
King Mern's attack on the Storm Kingdom.
When House Chester had sent a ship to tell Highgarden of what had happened and to somehow convince King Mern to turn his host back, Lord Hugh Chester had discovered that it was too late.
Argella Durrandon had destroyed the seventy thousand strong host, along with their allies, the thirty thousand strong Dornish, and a part of the Red Mountains as well.
Hugh Chester, already old and ailing, had died of a seizure of the heart on the spot.
—
Highgarden
"We must surrender." Lady Aveline Florent, the queen's sister, advised. The Reachlords had gone to war, with every man that could hold a weapon following them, so assured of their success, only leaving their wives, sisters, and daughters behind.
With all of them dead, there simply weren't enough men of proper age to make choices, and the women had to shoulder the duty.
There were no screams of refusal or name-calling, for everyone was mourning someone: a father, a husband, or a brother.
"And be ruled by the Durrandons?" Alyra Hightower, the youngest, unwed daughter of Lord Manfred Hightower, had been brought to court following her father and brothers' departure with King Mern.
Her nephew, Addam's youngest son, was too young to take Oldown's seat, and she was left speaking for House Hightower.
Her words did not have any bite to them, as she was merely weighing her choices.
Ceryse Tarly, wife of the late Lord Tarly, who was now speaking for her last grandson since his mother had fallen ill, grunted an answer. "Would you rather die by their hand?"
"My queen, what do you wish to do?" Olyssia Fossoway asked. Much like Alyra Hightower, she too was a regent for her nephew.
Queen Merina, whose swollen eyes had been carefully hidden with powder, was silent. Her husband, Mern IX Gardner, and three sons, Edmund, Gawen, and Eldric, had fallen at war.
Eldric, who had gone to battle, was merely twenty-two years old, and she had begged her husband to reconsider it.
Mern merely laughed it off, saying there would be no battle to put him in danger.
Now, only her youngest, Martyn, was left, and she wasn't the only one.
"We will seek terms to retain our lives, seats, and honor." Merina saw no other way forward. There weren't enough men to wage war, much less anyone seasoned enough to command a host.
"If the Storm Queen refuses?" Someone with the power to destroy mountains and slay gods—a god herself if the rumors are to be believed—did not have any reason to accept anything less than total surrender.
Ceryse, too old to care anymore, gave the answer they were all too afraid to hear. "Then our choices will be between choosing a dignified death and living in whatever way she allows us to."
—
Kingdom of the North
Winterfell
The King in the North, Torrhen Stark, was worried.
The Ironborn attacks on his lands had ceased, and it wasn't because the reavers had suddenly desired peace.
No, it was because they were busy fighting the Storm Queen.
It did not explain why the Ironborn had disappeared entirely, so he sent Brandon, his baseborn brother, to see the state of their war against the Storm Kingdom.
It did not bode well for his brave brother, sometimes to the point of recklessness, to look so humbled.
"My king." Brandon knelt, his voice gruff and face weary beyond his years.
Torrhen waved his hand. "Brandon, get up; it's just the two of us."
His brother did as bidden, sitting on the chair, head still down.
"What happened? Were the Ironborn victorious?" If so, that would only add to their worries, because the Ironborn had one less enemy to fight.
Brandon shook his head, his thick brown locks covering his face. "The Ironborn are gone."
Torrhen raised an eyebrow, frowning. "Gone? What, did they find lands to settle and leave their islands?"
"Nay, as in, they are all dead." Brandon's grave face and tired eyes told the King in the North that his baseborn brother was not jesting.
"How is that possible?"
—
"What do you wish to do now?" Brandon asked his king and brother. He had spoken of his findings, from the destruction of Harrenhal to the current state of the Iron Islands and the sightings of the flying wyrm, one that had sunk a three hundred ship strong Ironborn fleet in defense of the Storm Kingdom.
Torrhen looked at Brandon for a brief moment before resuming his contemplation.
"How sure are you about the Drowned God?" The King in the North did not know which impossibility to not believe. That the Drowned God existed, or that Argella Durrandon had slain it in combat, quite easily no less.
Brandon rubbed his head, unsure what to say. "I did not see it with my eyes, but thousands claim it happened. Even if all of it is a hoax, one thing is certain. Argella Durrandon led a fleet against the Iron Islands, and now, only monsters roam there."
His choice to sail to the Iron Islands was a risk, but after hearing the people of Lannisport talk, Brandon knew there was no other choice but to see everything with his eyes.
"Have you seen any of them?"
"Aye. One jumped into our ship and ripped three sailors to pieces before I put my sword through its head. I have the corpse, if you wish to see it." The creature was human enough; it had two legs, arms, and a head, but that was where it ended. A bloated body as if it had drowned, covered in gray and green scales, claws sharp enough to cut through thick leather, and it smelled like rotten fish.
Bringing it to the North was nothing short of torture, but at least they had covered it in snow and ice, stopping the body from rotting anymore.
"Later." Torrhen had to see it to make a decision.
"What of Argella Durrandon? Is the Sorceress Queen a conqueror or someone defending her lands?" Perhaps this was the most important part, because with her might, conquering the Seven Kingdoms would be a simple affair, as if she were fighting against children.
Torrhen did not wish to imagine it.
"She took the Blackwater Bay lands, including Duskendale, but I can't tell you if she intends to set her sights on the North or not." Brandon had learned so much, yet it was nowhere near enough.
"Leave me, brother; I wish to think alone."
"As you command."
—
It has been a long time since Torrhen visited the godswood of Winterfell. Not that he was lacking in respect for the old gods, but he tended to journey a lot due to the Ironborn threat.
Torrhen sat beneath the weirwood tree, taking solace in its solemn face.
He did not know what to do.
There was no ancient wisdom his house could offer him, no precedent for the maester to cite, so he came to the old gods, seeking wisdom.
He had rarely done so before because the gods never answered.
Yet he had nowhere else to turn.
Closing his eyes, Torrhen prayed in silence and slowly fell into a state of sleep without realizing it.
The shouts and screams did not even faze him as the King in the North dreamt.
—
"What is happening to him?! One of you fuckers answer me now." Brandon screamed at the top of his lungs, which usually would have roused the dead, but Torrhen continued to sleep, eyes milky white, as the weirwood tree wrapped around him.
The healer, an old woman who had been the head healer of Winterfell for tens of years, shrunk before the furious brother of the king. "I—I can't say; this has never happened before."
"The old gods must be speaking to him." One of the men-at-arms muttered, prompting Brandon to turn to him with narrowed eyes. "How can you know that?"
"What else could it be?" The man looked hesitant, but his idea made sense, unfortunately.
"They better fucking hurry then." Brandon grumbled to himself. If his brother was actually speaking to the old gods, it could not be good.
Torrhen gasped, the sound of it startling the healer tending to him as the branches and roots released him.
Brandon lurched forward, helping his coughing brother up. "My king, are you well?"
"Aye." The King in the North gasped, still coughing.
"Healer, do something." Brandon demanded, and the old woman approached the king, but Torrhen held out his hand, stopping her.
"Stop. I am fine."
"Your Grace, what happened? We feared the worst." Brandon asked. The sight of their king had frightened and worried everyone.
"The old gods, they spoke to me."
Brandon swallowed the bile in his throat. "What did they say?"
There was no chance. This was a coincidence.
—
The Riverlands
Blackwood-Bracken Border
Ei had intentionally avoided visiting Raventree Hall and Stone Hedge because of their ruling houses.
Visiting one keep first would mean that its lord would boast to the other, causing more friction between houses Blackwood and Bracken.
It would have been impressive to know that there were two houses stubborn enough to keep a dispute alive over thousands of years, but long-term enmity between kingdoms, nobles, lords, and even the smallfolk was prevalent on this continent.
"As you both agreed before, I will place the border markers, dividing the land in half, equal in wealth and size. Any disagreements will be brought to me, and I will remind you again, if I hear a single word of a raid, or that the markers had been tampered with, you won't like what I'll do." Ei warned again. She had kept both hosts on each flank and away from one another, but their lords did not stop glaring at each other during the entire march.
Mertyn and Hoster bowed. She wasn't like the Storm Kings of old, who did not care about the dispute, or the Hoares, who simply used it as an opportunity to extract more tribute from both houses. "Aye, Your Grace."
"Excellent."
"Psst, let me handle this." Saiguu came in, nudging Ei with her elbow.
Curious to see what her friend had in mind, Ei allowed it. "If you wish."
Saiguu cracked her knuckles, grinning. She had rested well enough in Seagard, and marching with the host was easy, as she had been granted a spacious carriage to use.
The power of the Shade of Life, even though she had a sliver of it, was more than enough for this task.
Closing her eyes, Saiguu brought her palms together, focusing. The air shifted, and she slowly pointed her palms out before thrusting them forward, as if she had just pushed something.
The nobles watched, wary and a tad excited, though none would admit to it, waiting for something to happen. They all looked around, thinking she had failed or that they had missed it.
The fertile land split open in an instant, and four trees grew up in the blink of an eye, each one large enough to cast shadows on a hundred people, cutting the disputed lands in half.
Mertyn Bracken captured one of the falling petals, feeling it. He watched Lady Saiguu with awe.
This was no illusion; she had just created four never-before-seentrees, all with some hand movements.
Hoster Blackwood was feeling much the same.
With reddish-brown bark and whitish-pink petals, they were easily the most beautiful trees any lords had seen.
"These cherry blossoms are the markers. May peace reign from now on." Her Excellency may have worded it as a wish, but both sides knew it was an order.
Hoster and Mertyn would never be friends or even stand the sight of each other, but in that moment, both lords agreed that their ancient feud must end, here and now.
—
In the next chapter:
"A governor for the Reach? My, aren't you quite the cunning Archon?" Saiguu said, grinning as she put her chin on Ei's shoulder, looking at the setting sun from the throne room of Highgarden.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.
If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 4 chapters ahead.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
—
Riverlands
Seagard
Festivities were over, and the host had gathered itself, ready to march to Highgarden first and then to Sunspear.
They would enter Reach through Stoney Sept, taking keeps north of Highgarden, whether by surrender or Ei bringing down the castle walls and taking the garrison by force.
The fleet, as it had been prepared for the invasion of the Iron Islands, which had become unnecessary, had sailed for the western shores of Reach, led by Ian Tarth, accompanied by Kage and the Thunder Dragon.
The Shield Islands, the Arbor, and the Oldtown made up the bulk of the Reach's naval might, and her patchwork fleet would be easy prey for them. The puppets, however, would be more than enough to wipe out any opposition Lord Ian and the fleet faced.
After Highgarden fell, her next target was Oldtown and the Starry Sept. The Faith Militant would have to be dismantled. A decentralized force of religious fanatics that drew men from all regions of the continent, which could be called to war quickly by the High Septon and had legitimacy in the eyes of the people, was an entity she would not allow to exist.
The High Septon had proven how dangerous it could be by calling forty thousand men to fight, mostly commoners, but hundreds of knights as well.
Lucenor Hightower, the current High Septon, was waiting in the Starry Sept, and either both orders would be disbanded with the Faith taking oaths to disarm entirely, or Ei would eradicate them until there was nothing left to rise again.
—
Kingdom of the Reach
Shield Islands
For the Shield Islanders, seeing Ironborn ships near their shores was a regular thing. It did not happen every day, but often enough for them to be always ready for the reavers.
The fleet that had sailed past them to Weeping Town had given them quite the scare.
However, not seeing any Ironborn ships for close to a month meant two things. Either they were fighting someone else, such as the North, the Storm Kingdom, or the Kingdom of the Rock.
Or the reavers were preparing for an attack.
With the word that their fleet had sunk before even docking near Weeping Town, it was unlikely.
To see what the Ironborn were planning, the Shield Islands made a bold decision to send their fastest ship to Lannisport. The sailors would listen to the rumors, and if nothing of importance was discovered, sail around the Iron Islands to find out what the reavers were doing.
The dromon's journey to Lannisport was fast; its return, even more so.
Word was that the Iron Islands were devastated, with the only living thing to be found near its waters being monsters, sighted by the sailors, and not a single Ironborn vessel to be seen.
The reason?
Argella Durrandon had slain the Drowned God in single combat while carving the island of Pyke in half, and the enormous tidal wave caused by the death of a god had done the rest, drowning the Ironborn to the last person.
It would have been a reason for celebration to know that their ancient enemy had been sent to the deepest part of the seven hells, but one small issue had just made things worse.
King Mern's attack on the Storm Kingdom.
When House Chester had sent a ship to tell Highgarden of what had happened and to somehow convince King Mern to turn his host back, Lord Hugh Chester had discovered that it was too late.
Argella Durrandon had destroyed the seventy thousand strong host, along with their allies, the thirty thousand strong Dornish, and a part of the Red Mountains as well.
Hugh Chester, already old and ailing, had died of a seizure of the heart on the spot.
—
Highgarden
"We must surrender." Lady Aveline Florent, the queen's sister, advised. The Reachlords had gone to war, with every man that could hold a weapon following them, so assured of their success, only leaving their wives, sisters, and daughters behind.
With all of them dead, there simply weren't enough men of proper age to make choices, and the women had to shoulder the duty.
There were no screams of refusal or name-calling, for everyone was mourning someone: a father, a husband, or a brother.
"And be ruled by the Durrandons?" Alyra Hightower, the youngest, unwed daughter of Lord Manfred Hightower, had been brought to court following her father and brothers' departure with King Mern.
Her nephew, Addam's youngest son, was too young to take Oldown's seat, and she was left speaking for House Hightower.
Her words did not have any bite to them, as she was merely weighing her choices.
Ceryse Tarly, wife of the late Lord Tarly, who was now speaking for her last grandson since his mother had fallen ill, grunted an answer. "Would you rather die by their hand?"
"My queen, what do you wish to do?" Olyssia Fossoway asked. Much like Alyra Hightower, she too was a regent for her nephew.
Queen Merina, whose swollen eyes had been carefully hidden with powder, was silent. Her husband, Mern IX Gardner, and three sons, Edmund, Gawen, and Eldric, had fallen at war.
Eldric, who had gone to battle, was merely twenty-two years old, and she had begged her husband to reconsider it.
Mern merely laughed it off, saying there would be no battle to put him in danger.
Now, only her youngest, Martyn, was left, and she wasn't the only one.
"We will seek terms to retain our lives, seats, and honor." Merina saw no other way forward. There weren't enough men to wage war, much less anyone seasoned enough to command a host.
"If the Storm Queen refuses?" Someone with the power to destroy mountains and slay gods—a god herself if the rumors are to be believed—did not have any reason to accept anything less than total surrender.
Ceryse, too old to care anymore, gave the answer they were all too afraid to hear. "Then our choices will be between choosing a dignified death and living in whatever way she allows us to."
—
Kingdom of the North
Winterfell
The King in the North, Torrhen Stark, was worried.
The Ironborn attacks on his lands had ceased, and it wasn't because the reavers had suddenly desired peace.
No, it was because they were busy fighting the Storm Queen.
It did not explain why the Ironborn had disappeared entirely, so he sent Brandon, his baseborn brother, to see the state of their war against the Storm Kingdom.
It did not bode well for his brave brother, sometimes to the point of recklessness, to look so humbled.
"My king." Brandon knelt, his voice gruff and face weary beyond his years.
Torrhen waved his hand. "Brandon, get up; it's just the two of us."
His brother did as bidden, sitting on the chair, head still down.
"What happened? Were the Ironborn victorious?" If so, that would only add to their worries, because the Ironborn had one less enemy to fight.
Brandon shook his head, his thick brown locks covering his face. "The Ironborn are gone."
Torrhen raised an eyebrow, frowning. "Gone? What, did they find lands to settle and leave their islands?"
"Nay, as in, they are all dead." Brandon's grave face and tired eyes told the King in the North that his baseborn brother was not jesting.
"How is that possible?"
—
"What do you wish to do now?" Brandon asked his king and brother. He had spoken of his findings, from the destruction of Harrenhal to the current state of the Iron Islands and the sightings of the flying wyrm, one that had sunk a three hundred ship strong Ironborn fleet in defense of the Storm Kingdom.
Torrhen looked at Brandon for a brief moment before resuming his contemplation.
"How sure are you about the Drowned God?" The King in the North did not know which impossibility to not believe. That the Drowned God existed, or that Argella Durrandon had slain it in combat, quite easily no less.
Brandon rubbed his head, unsure what to say. "I did not see it with my eyes, but thousands claim it happened. Even if all of it is a hoax, one thing is certain. Argella Durrandon led a fleet against the Iron Islands, and now, only monsters roam there."
His choice to sail to the Iron Islands was a risk, but after hearing the people of Lannisport talk, Brandon knew there was no other choice but to see everything with his eyes.
"Have you seen any of them?"
"Aye. One jumped into our ship and ripped three sailors to pieces before I put my sword through its head. I have the corpse, if you wish to see it." The creature was human enough; it had two legs, arms, and a head, but that was where it ended. A bloated body as if it had drowned, covered in gray and green scales, claws sharp enough to cut through thick leather, and it smelled like rotten fish.
Bringing it to the North was nothing short of torture, but at least they had covered it in snow and ice, stopping the body from rotting anymore.
"Later." Torrhen had to see it to make a decision.
"What of Argella Durrandon? Is the Sorceress Queen a conqueror or someone defending her lands?" Perhaps this was the most important part, because with her might, conquering the Seven Kingdoms would be a simple affair, as if she were fighting against children.
Torrhen did not wish to imagine it.
"She took the Blackwater Bay lands, including Duskendale, but I can't tell you if she intends to set her sights on the North or not." Brandon had learned so much, yet it was nowhere near enough.
"Leave me, brother; I wish to think alone."
"As you command."
—
It has been a long time since Torrhen visited the godswood of Winterfell. Not that he was lacking in respect for the old gods, but he tended to journey a lot due to the Ironborn threat.
Torrhen sat beneath the weirwood tree, taking solace in its solemn face.
He did not know what to do.
There was no ancient wisdom his house could offer him, no precedent for the maester to cite, so he came to the old gods, seeking wisdom.
He had rarely done so before because the gods never answered.
Yet he had nowhere else to turn.
Closing his eyes, Torrhen prayed in silence and slowly fell into a state of sleep without realizing it.
The shouts and screams did not even faze him as the King in the North dreamt.
—
"What is happening to him?! One of you fuckers answer me now." Brandon screamed at the top of his lungs, which usually would have roused the dead, but Torrhen continued to sleep, eyes milky white, as the weirwood tree wrapped around him.
The healer, an old woman who had been the head healer of Winterfell for tens of years, shrunk before the furious brother of the king. "I—I can't say; this has never happened before."
"The old gods must be speaking to him." One of the men-at-arms muttered, prompting Brandon to turn to him with narrowed eyes. "How can you know that?"
"What else could it be?" The man looked hesitant, but his idea made sense, unfortunately.
"They better fucking hurry then." Brandon grumbled to himself. If his brother was actually speaking to the old gods, it could not be good.
Torrhen gasped, the sound of it startling the healer tending to him as the branches and roots released him.
Brandon lurched forward, helping his coughing brother up. "My king, are you well?"
"Aye." The King in the North gasped, still coughing.
"Healer, do something." Brandon demanded, and the old woman approached the king, but Torrhen held out his hand, stopping her.
"Stop. I am fine."
"Your Grace, what happened? We feared the worst." Brandon asked. The sight of their king had frightened and worried everyone.
"The old gods, they spoke to me."
Brandon swallowed the bile in his throat. "What did they say?"
There was no chance. This was a coincidence.
—
The Riverlands
Blackwood-Bracken Border
Ei had intentionally avoided visiting Raventree Hall and Stone Hedge because of their ruling houses.
Visiting one keep first would mean that its lord would boast to the other, causing more friction between houses Blackwood and Bracken.
It would have been impressive to know that there were two houses stubborn enough to keep a dispute alive over thousands of years, but long-term enmity between kingdoms, nobles, lords, and even the smallfolk was prevalent on this continent.
"As you both agreed before, I will place the border markers, dividing the land in half, equal in wealth and size. Any disagreements will be brought to me, and I will remind you again, if I hear a single word of a raid, or that the markers had been tampered with, you won't like what I'll do." Ei warned again. She had kept both hosts on each flank and away from one another, but their lords did not stop glaring at each other during the entire march.
Mertyn and Hoster bowed. She wasn't like the Storm Kings of old, who did not care about the dispute, or the Hoares, who simply used it as an opportunity to extract more tribute from both houses. "Aye, Your Grace."
"Excellent."
"Psst, let me handle this." Saiguu came in, nudging Ei with her elbow.
Curious to see what her friend had in mind, Ei allowed it. "If you wish."
Saiguu cracked her knuckles, grinning. She had rested well enough in Seagard, and marching with the host was easy, as she had been granted a spacious carriage to use.
The power of the Shade of Life, even though she had a sliver of it, was more than enough for this task.
Closing her eyes, Saiguu brought her palms together, focusing. The air shifted, and she slowly pointed her palms out before thrusting them forward, as if she had just pushed something.
The nobles watched, wary and a tad excited, though none would admit to it, waiting for something to happen. They all looked around, thinking she had failed or that they had missed it.
The fertile land split open in an instant, and four trees grew up in the blink of an eye, each one large enough to cast shadows on a hundred people, cutting the disputed lands in half.
Mertyn Bracken captured one of the falling petals, feeling it. He watched Lady Saiguu with awe.
This was no illusion; she had just created four never-before-seentrees, all with some hand movements.
Hoster Blackwood was feeling much the same.
With reddish-brown bark and whitish-pink petals, they were easily the most beautiful trees any lords had seen.
"These cherry blossoms are the markers. May peace reign from now on." Her Excellency may have worded it as a wish, but both sides knew it was an order.
Hoster and Mertyn would never be friends or even stand the sight of each other, but in that moment, both lords agreed that their ancient feud must end, here and now.
—
In the next chapter:
"A governor for the Reach? My, aren't you quite the cunning Archon?" Saiguu said, grinning as she put her chin on Ei's shoulder, looking at the setting sun from the throne room of Highgarden.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.
Chapter 47 - The Great Surrender
Samael61
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
- Messages
- 283
Hello there,
If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 5 chapters ahead.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
—
The Kingdom of the Reach
The Ring
Lands of House Roxton
The host crossed into the Reach, entering the lands of House Roxton. Their seat, called the Ring due to the high walls circling the city like a ring, stood before them. Sparsely manned, the walls could stop any host attacking it, except the literal god standing before them.
The gates opened, and a woman with graying hair came out, surrounded by her men, most likely the lady of the castle.
"Queen Argella, I am Alerie Roxton, lady of the Ring. I wish to parley in my son's name." She bowed her head, knowing that resistance was futile. The Ring was close enough to Harrenhal that riders had seen what was left of the greatest man-made castle in Westeros.
The Ring stood no chance in a siege.
Ei appreciated the lady's willingness to negotiate and avoid bloodshed. "Lady Alerie, if you surrender now, you and everyone in the keep will be treated with dignity and respect. No one will be harmed in any way."
Her terms were generous, but seeing as everyone else that had a part in the invasion led by King Mern was dead, there was no reason to harm their families.
"Then what will you do?" These terms were nothing like what she had expected, something no victorious force would offer.
"You will swear loyalty to me, and half the content of your coffers and foodstuff will be taken in reparations for King Mern's unjust attack on the Storm Kingdom." Her army needed food, and Reach might as well pay for it.
"And the future of the Ring?" The Storm Queen could take the keep away from them, and there was nothing she could do.
"You will rule as its lady until you feel ready to abdicate for your son."
Lady Roxton knew these were extremely generous and merciful terms, and not even King Mern would offer them to the enemy.
—
Starpike
Houses Footly, Shermer, Caswell, Kidwell, Rowan, Appleton, Green Fossoway, Ashford, Merryweather, and Red Fossoway had personally surrendered to her, while sizeable hosts commanded by Edmyn Tully and her father had been sent to the remaining houses, with Chiyo and Sasayuri supporting each host as a force multiplier.
Having succeeded in their tasks, the split-up hosts had rejoined her in the lands of House Peake.
The events at the Ring were repeated across the Reach until Starpike, where House Peake proved to be illogically belligerent. The reason became evident, as Armen Peake, along with most of his sons, was dead, leaving behind his last child, who was too young to rule.
The castellan of Starpike, Armen's one-armed uncle, had intended to surrender, but the local garrison had risen in revolt, instigated by the septon of the keep with the threats that they would all burn in hell if Argella Durrandon, the false god as they called her, took Starpike.
Ei, irritated at the profanities of the religious fanatics, was about to bring down the walls when Chiyo stepped forward.
"Hey, if Saiguu gets to solve a problem, so do I." Chiyo disappeared from sight and appeared behind the septon with Mistsplitter, given to her by Sasayuri, out, cutting his sentence and head off.
She was a deadly blur of grace and speed among the enemy, each swing of her blade taking a life and breaking the spirit of rebellion. The humans, who were definitely not green knights, were painfully slow and clumsy compared to the oni.
—
Chiyo ducked under the swing, pivoted on her feet, and stabbed the blade back, piercing the knight's steel plate. Rising with a flourish, one last swing of Mistsplitter relieved the knight of his head, killing the final rebel in the keep.
Swirling her blade to clean the blood, the oni maiden sheathed the sword. Now that the rebels were dead, Chiyo opened the gates for Ei and the army. The only living souls in the castle were either the servants or the imprisoned knights and the castellan loyal to Armen Peake's last son.
—
"Your Grace, I am Luthor Peake, castellan of the late Lord Armen, and now his son Roward's." The one-armed great-uncle of Armen Peake kneeled after he had been freed from the cells and treated by healers.
The rebels were not merciful, it seemed.
"Ser Luthor, as the only man of House Peake left to make a decision, I'll offer you the same choice I have offered to all the houses before you. Surrender and bend the knee; your grandnephew will be able to inherit when he comes of age, and your house will not face any punishment, except seizing half your coffers and foodstuff." Rather than tear the Reach apart and plunge the lands into chaos, she would play the long game and reduce their influence while ensuring their loyalty.
"Most generous, Your Grace, I accept."
—
With Starpike pacified, their next destination was Highgarden, the seat of House Gardner, the Kings of the Reach.
"Your Excellency, forgive me, but there is a matter." Edmyn Tully seemed hesitant in whatever he had to report, and Ei knew it would be another bothersome problem.
"Speak."
"There are reports of septons causing unrest all over the Reach, the Riverlands, and even in the Storm Kingdom over your divinity."
"Prepare messengers for all the septs in my domain."
The message itself was simple and to the point. Every citizen in the Storm Kingdom was allowed to worship any god they pleased, whether the Seven, the old gods, or any other deity in the world, with the exception of the Drowned God and all the religions that had practices that went against the laws of the kingdom.
Any religion that practiced slavery, human sacrifices, cruelty in the name of their god, attempts to bar the citizens from practicing a different religion, and attacks on holy places such as septs, temples, and godswoods.
In the event that the law was broken, the perpetrators would be judged and punished, while the religion they belonged to would not face any retaliation.
If it was a coordinated effort by the authorities of the religion, then punishment would follow according to the weight of the crime, ranging from fines and executions to,in the end, banning the religion itself.
The decree was sent to all the septs in the kingdom, warning the septons to cease their insubordination before they faced severe punishment.
The fleet was already docked in the Shield Islands, ready to set sail to Oldtown and put an end to the religious problems by capturing the Starry Sept and the current High Septon, Lucenor Hightower.
If he proved to be belligerent, however, a new one could always be elected.
—
Highgarden
The keeps at this point did not have enough men for defense, so each was left with a couple hundred men to garrison the castles and keep them from rising in defiance after peace had been achieved.
Claims of chivalry and honor or not, Ei did not trust her new subjects yet.
Months after the start of their march, Highgarden was in sight. When she had seen the castle years ago, conquest was not in her mind at all, yet the Gardners had brought it on themselves.
As the capital of the Kingdom of the Reach, Highgarden was defended much better than the keeps of their vassals, though, with their depleted numbers, it was a paltry sum compared to her host.
Queen Merina, upon hearing that the Durrandon host was approaching, waited at the top of the outer walls to negotiate.
"Queen Argella." Merina had to shout to get her voice across, and Ei decided to spare her the trouble by flying to her level, scaring the queen and her men in the process.
It was one thing to see the effects of magic, another to see it with their eyes.
"Queen Merina."
"What are your terms?" She asked the woman that had killed her husband and sons. Even if it was in war, one instigated by Mern no less, it still felt bitter on her tongue to ask for terms, a sentiment shared by the ladies of Reach currently in Highgarden.
"Three quarters of your coffers as compensation for King Mern's unjust attack on my kingdom. You will surrender your son's crown and titles as king, but he will stay as the Lord of Highgarden."
"However, Highgarden itself will not be the ruling keep of the Reach anymore. That title will be given to whichever house proves to be most apt in ruling their lands for exactly ten years."
"That is unprecedented."
"A lot of my actions are unprecedented. I value merit, and both your husband and his father made foolish decisions that resulted in their deaths."
"Will House Gardener be given that right as well?"
"Of course. If your son proves to be a good ruler of his land, he too will have the chance to be the Governor of Reach, a ruler appointed based on merit."
"I accept your terms."
—
"A governor for the Reach? My, aren't you quite the cunning Archon?" Saiguu said, grinning as she put her chin on Ei's shoulder, looking at the setting sun from the throne room of Highgarden.
"If nobles start fighting for the right to be the governor of the Reach, then they are too divided to plan any uprisings. If they don't and leave it to House Gardner out of respect for their ways, which is unlikely because Mern's mistake almost led them to ruin, then their lands won't advance to challenge the Storm Kingdom." She explained Ei's plan as she saw it. For all of Ei's willingness to deal with troubles with the use of Musou Isshin, the Reach had surrendered, and slaying a surrendering enemy was not in her books.
The solidarity between the lords of the Reach was an enemy that required cunning to defeat.
"And if neither option works, you can always appoint a different ruler over the Reach." Sasayuri added. Politics, such as it happened in the Electro Archon's court, was not her field, but neither was she lacking in it.
Ei smiled. The lords of Reach may figure out this plan too; it's not like it was such a grand idea, but the greed of the nobles was a monster not easily satisfied.
Being the rulers of Reach, even for a decade, would be too much for them to ignore. "Indeed. I intend to do the same to Dorne. Over time, both kingdoms will lose their unity in the face of a common enemy and shared history."
"Still, we need to deal with the matter of the High Septon. The Faith Militant might be defeated, but if he calls for a new crusade, then there will be more bloodshed in the future." Inazuma was sparsely populated compared to Westeros, and she had already seen more death here than in her previous life.
Sasayuri might be a warrior, but there came a point when you just wanted the killing to stop.
"As soon as the letters are sent and a proper garrison is put in place, we'll march for the Oldtown. In the meantime, ensure the soldiers do nothing they are not supposed to." Ei ordered, suddenly in business mode.
"Understood."
—
When the Storm host marched again, it was with Lady Alyra Hightower joining them to surrender Oldtown, having left her nephew in Highgarden.
—
The Shield Islands
When the word of Hugh Chester's death reached home, the Shield Islands were quick to choose his son, Tomwell, as their next speaker and leader.
It was a good thing too, as the Storm Kingdom's fleet was sighted in the distance. Known for their speed in setting sail, the famous dromons were ready to defend the Shield Islands.
But not against the wingless dragon that had summoned a storm and sunk three hundred ships.
Nor the Storm Queen, who was seated on the dragon's head, taller than the stories, with four ethereal arms, a giant one on the right side and three smaller ones on the left, and two hands keeping her afloat.
She looked both terrifying and awe-inspiring.
When she demanded their surrender with one word, the Shield of the Reach broke like wet paper.
—
Once the dromons had docked and the crews landed, Ian had taken several of his ships to the docks as well to speak to the Shield Islanders. He had never imagined himself here, speaking as the leader of a conquering fleet, but Queen Argella had made it possible.
"I am Lord Ian Tarth of the Isle of Tarth, speaking in the name of Her Excellency, Argella Durrandon. As you surrendered without a fight or duplicity, per her orders, you will not be harmed and will be treated with respect worthy of your stations." Any other ruler, and there would have been raids, lootings, and rapes.
None would dare disobey the God of Thunder's orders.
"My thanks in the name of the Shield Islands, Lord Ian, but won't Her Excellency speak?" Tomwell didn't know if he wanted to talk to a god, but not being worth her attention stung.
Ian sneaked a glance at the puppet as she sat on the dragon's head, watching the sunset. "She is Lady Shadow, a creation of Her Excellency in her own image. Queen Argella deemed that it would be better if we spoke lord to lord." It still unnerved him to know something created out of wood had the power to crush these islands to dust.
"As she wishes." Tomwell's head could not grasp the idea, but Lord Ian had no reason to lie.
"Until Her Excellency decides otherwise, your ships will stay in the docks to avoid any misunderstandings while we sail out. Half of your coffers and supplies will be taken, but there will be no further punishment. Her Excellency does not wish to incite chaos."
—
Once the Shield Islands bent the knee and kept their ships chained in the docks, the Storm fleet sailed once again as directed by Lady Shadow to arrive in Oldtown at the same time as the host.
Ian's previous thoughts and beliefs on magic were hard to shake, but to speak to someone leagues away in an instant? It was doing wonders to change his mind.
A small garrison had been left in the islands, but the rest of the men had quickly sailed the next day.
The plan now was to surround the Oldtown on both sides to stop any escape attempts, not that the High Septon Lucenor could attempt something like this without destroying the reputation of his station.
And Lady Alyra Hightower had already bent the knee, as Her Excellency said when she spoke through Lady Shadow.
Still, it was best to be cautious, because any mistake could drag this conflict further. Most of the Faith Militant were dead, but the idea of rewards in the heavens could convince many men to raise their weapons against Her Excellency.
Now, it was time to see what the High Septon would do.
—
In the next chapter:
"So, Kage, tell me, how do you feel?" How close to an actual person, regardless of mortal or divine, had Ei made her to be?
Kage, assuming that the question was about her status, reported as she would to her creator. "I am fully operational."
Not the answer she was expecting, but perhaps a bit of candor would be more useful here. "Hmm, do you have the capacity to feel emotions?"
"I have not been fitted with the ability."
Pinching the puppet's cheeks, Saiguu pulled and pushed, marveling at how this supposedly wooden creation moved so much like flesh. The puppet did not resist, once again assuming falsely that the kitsune was checking her frame for any damage.
Having the powers of the Shade of Life, things could be very interesting with this puppet.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.
If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 5 chapters ahead.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
—
The Kingdom of the Reach
The Ring
Lands of House Roxton
The host crossed into the Reach, entering the lands of House Roxton. Their seat, called the Ring due to the high walls circling the city like a ring, stood before them. Sparsely manned, the walls could stop any host attacking it, except the literal god standing before them.
The gates opened, and a woman with graying hair came out, surrounded by her men, most likely the lady of the castle.
"Queen Argella, I am Alerie Roxton, lady of the Ring. I wish to parley in my son's name." She bowed her head, knowing that resistance was futile. The Ring was close enough to Harrenhal that riders had seen what was left of the greatest man-made castle in Westeros.
The Ring stood no chance in a siege.
Ei appreciated the lady's willingness to negotiate and avoid bloodshed. "Lady Alerie, if you surrender now, you and everyone in the keep will be treated with dignity and respect. No one will be harmed in any way."
Her terms were generous, but seeing as everyone else that had a part in the invasion led by King Mern was dead, there was no reason to harm their families.
"Then what will you do?" These terms were nothing like what she had expected, something no victorious force would offer.
"You will swear loyalty to me, and half the content of your coffers and foodstuff will be taken in reparations for King Mern's unjust attack on the Storm Kingdom." Her army needed food, and Reach might as well pay for it.
"And the future of the Ring?" The Storm Queen could take the keep away from them, and there was nothing she could do.
"You will rule as its lady until you feel ready to abdicate for your son."
Lady Roxton knew these were extremely generous and merciful terms, and not even King Mern would offer them to the enemy.
—
Starpike
Houses Footly, Shermer, Caswell, Kidwell, Rowan, Appleton, Green Fossoway, Ashford, Merryweather, and Red Fossoway had personally surrendered to her, while sizeable hosts commanded by Edmyn Tully and her father had been sent to the remaining houses, with Chiyo and Sasayuri supporting each host as a force multiplier.
Having succeeded in their tasks, the split-up hosts had rejoined her in the lands of House Peake.
The events at the Ring were repeated across the Reach until Starpike, where House Peake proved to be illogically belligerent. The reason became evident, as Armen Peake, along with most of his sons, was dead, leaving behind his last child, who was too young to rule.
The castellan of Starpike, Armen's one-armed uncle, had intended to surrender, but the local garrison had risen in revolt, instigated by the septon of the keep with the threats that they would all burn in hell if Argella Durrandon, the false god as they called her, took Starpike.
Ei, irritated at the profanities of the religious fanatics, was about to bring down the walls when Chiyo stepped forward.
"Hey, if Saiguu gets to solve a problem, so do I." Chiyo disappeared from sight and appeared behind the septon with Mistsplitter, given to her by Sasayuri, out, cutting his sentence and head off.
She was a deadly blur of grace and speed among the enemy, each swing of her blade taking a life and breaking the spirit of rebellion. The humans, who were definitely not green knights, were painfully slow and clumsy compared to the oni.
—
Chiyo ducked under the swing, pivoted on her feet, and stabbed the blade back, piercing the knight's steel plate. Rising with a flourish, one last swing of Mistsplitter relieved the knight of his head, killing the final rebel in the keep.
Swirling her blade to clean the blood, the oni maiden sheathed the sword. Now that the rebels were dead, Chiyo opened the gates for Ei and the army. The only living souls in the castle were either the servants or the imprisoned knights and the castellan loyal to Armen Peake's last son.
—
"Your Grace, I am Luthor Peake, castellan of the late Lord Armen, and now his son Roward's." The one-armed great-uncle of Armen Peake kneeled after he had been freed from the cells and treated by healers.
The rebels were not merciful, it seemed.
"Ser Luthor, as the only man of House Peake left to make a decision, I'll offer you the same choice I have offered to all the houses before you. Surrender and bend the knee; your grandnephew will be able to inherit when he comes of age, and your house will not face any punishment, except seizing half your coffers and foodstuff." Rather than tear the Reach apart and plunge the lands into chaos, she would play the long game and reduce their influence while ensuring their loyalty.
"Most generous, Your Grace, I accept."
—
With Starpike pacified, their next destination was Highgarden, the seat of House Gardner, the Kings of the Reach.
"Your Excellency, forgive me, but there is a matter." Edmyn Tully seemed hesitant in whatever he had to report, and Ei knew it would be another bothersome problem.
"Speak."
"There are reports of septons causing unrest all over the Reach, the Riverlands, and even in the Storm Kingdom over your divinity."
"Prepare messengers for all the septs in my domain."
The message itself was simple and to the point. Every citizen in the Storm Kingdom was allowed to worship any god they pleased, whether the Seven, the old gods, or any other deity in the world, with the exception of the Drowned God and all the religions that had practices that went against the laws of the kingdom.
Any religion that practiced slavery, human sacrifices, cruelty in the name of their god, attempts to bar the citizens from practicing a different religion, and attacks on holy places such as septs, temples, and godswoods.
In the event that the law was broken, the perpetrators would be judged and punished, while the religion they belonged to would not face any retaliation.
If it was a coordinated effort by the authorities of the religion, then punishment would follow according to the weight of the crime, ranging from fines and executions to,in the end, banning the religion itself.
The decree was sent to all the septs in the kingdom, warning the septons to cease their insubordination before they faced severe punishment.
The fleet was already docked in the Shield Islands, ready to set sail to Oldtown and put an end to the religious problems by capturing the Starry Sept and the current High Septon, Lucenor Hightower.
If he proved to be belligerent, however, a new one could always be elected.
—
Highgarden
The keeps at this point did not have enough men for defense, so each was left with a couple hundred men to garrison the castles and keep them from rising in defiance after peace had been achieved.
Claims of chivalry and honor or not, Ei did not trust her new subjects yet.
Months after the start of their march, Highgarden was in sight. When she had seen the castle years ago, conquest was not in her mind at all, yet the Gardners had brought it on themselves.
As the capital of the Kingdom of the Reach, Highgarden was defended much better than the keeps of their vassals, though, with their depleted numbers, it was a paltry sum compared to her host.
Queen Merina, upon hearing that the Durrandon host was approaching, waited at the top of the outer walls to negotiate.
"Queen Argella." Merina had to shout to get her voice across, and Ei decided to spare her the trouble by flying to her level, scaring the queen and her men in the process.
It was one thing to see the effects of magic, another to see it with their eyes.
"Queen Merina."
"What are your terms?" She asked the woman that had killed her husband and sons. Even if it was in war, one instigated by Mern no less, it still felt bitter on her tongue to ask for terms, a sentiment shared by the ladies of Reach currently in Highgarden.
"Three quarters of your coffers as compensation for King Mern's unjust attack on my kingdom. You will surrender your son's crown and titles as king, but he will stay as the Lord of Highgarden."
"However, Highgarden itself will not be the ruling keep of the Reach anymore. That title will be given to whichever house proves to be most apt in ruling their lands for exactly ten years."
"That is unprecedented."
"A lot of my actions are unprecedented. I value merit, and both your husband and his father made foolish decisions that resulted in their deaths."
"Will House Gardener be given that right as well?"
"Of course. If your son proves to be a good ruler of his land, he too will have the chance to be the Governor of Reach, a ruler appointed based on merit."
"I accept your terms."
—
"A governor for the Reach? My, aren't you quite the cunning Archon?" Saiguu said, grinning as she put her chin on Ei's shoulder, looking at the setting sun from the throne room of Highgarden.
"If nobles start fighting for the right to be the governor of the Reach, then they are too divided to plan any uprisings. If they don't and leave it to House Gardner out of respect for their ways, which is unlikely because Mern's mistake almost led them to ruin, then their lands won't advance to challenge the Storm Kingdom." She explained Ei's plan as she saw it. For all of Ei's willingness to deal with troubles with the use of Musou Isshin, the Reach had surrendered, and slaying a surrendering enemy was not in her books.
The solidarity between the lords of the Reach was an enemy that required cunning to defeat.
"And if neither option works, you can always appoint a different ruler over the Reach." Sasayuri added. Politics, such as it happened in the Electro Archon's court, was not her field, but neither was she lacking in it.
Ei smiled. The lords of Reach may figure out this plan too; it's not like it was such a grand idea, but the greed of the nobles was a monster not easily satisfied.
Being the rulers of Reach, even for a decade, would be too much for them to ignore. "Indeed. I intend to do the same to Dorne. Over time, both kingdoms will lose their unity in the face of a common enemy and shared history."
"Still, we need to deal with the matter of the High Septon. The Faith Militant might be defeated, but if he calls for a new crusade, then there will be more bloodshed in the future." Inazuma was sparsely populated compared to Westeros, and she had already seen more death here than in her previous life.
Sasayuri might be a warrior, but there came a point when you just wanted the killing to stop.
"As soon as the letters are sent and a proper garrison is put in place, we'll march for the Oldtown. In the meantime, ensure the soldiers do nothing they are not supposed to." Ei ordered, suddenly in business mode.
"Understood."
—
When the Storm host marched again, it was with Lady Alyra Hightower joining them to surrender Oldtown, having left her nephew in Highgarden.
—
The Shield Islands
When the word of Hugh Chester's death reached home, the Shield Islands were quick to choose his son, Tomwell, as their next speaker and leader.
It was a good thing too, as the Storm Kingdom's fleet was sighted in the distance. Known for their speed in setting sail, the famous dromons were ready to defend the Shield Islands.
But not against the wingless dragon that had summoned a storm and sunk three hundred ships.
Nor the Storm Queen, who was seated on the dragon's head, taller than the stories, with four ethereal arms, a giant one on the right side and three smaller ones on the left, and two hands keeping her afloat.
She looked both terrifying and awe-inspiring.
When she demanded their surrender with one word, the Shield of the Reach broke like wet paper.
—
Once the dromons had docked and the crews landed, Ian had taken several of his ships to the docks as well to speak to the Shield Islanders. He had never imagined himself here, speaking as the leader of a conquering fleet, but Queen Argella had made it possible.
"I am Lord Ian Tarth of the Isle of Tarth, speaking in the name of Her Excellency, Argella Durrandon. As you surrendered without a fight or duplicity, per her orders, you will not be harmed and will be treated with respect worthy of your stations." Any other ruler, and there would have been raids, lootings, and rapes.
None would dare disobey the God of Thunder's orders.
"My thanks in the name of the Shield Islands, Lord Ian, but won't Her Excellency speak?" Tomwell didn't know if he wanted to talk to a god, but not being worth her attention stung.
Ian sneaked a glance at the puppet as she sat on the dragon's head, watching the sunset. "She is Lady Shadow, a creation of Her Excellency in her own image. Queen Argella deemed that it would be better if we spoke lord to lord." It still unnerved him to know something created out of wood had the power to crush these islands to dust.
"As she wishes." Tomwell's head could not grasp the idea, but Lord Ian had no reason to lie.
"Until Her Excellency decides otherwise, your ships will stay in the docks to avoid any misunderstandings while we sail out. Half of your coffers and supplies will be taken, but there will be no further punishment. Her Excellency does not wish to incite chaos."
—
Once the Shield Islands bent the knee and kept their ships chained in the docks, the Storm fleet sailed once again as directed by Lady Shadow to arrive in Oldtown at the same time as the host.
Ian's previous thoughts and beliefs on magic were hard to shake, but to speak to someone leagues away in an instant? It was doing wonders to change his mind.
A small garrison had been left in the islands, but the rest of the men had quickly sailed the next day.
The plan now was to surround the Oldtown on both sides to stop any escape attempts, not that the High Septon Lucenor could attempt something like this without destroying the reputation of his station.
And Lady Alyra Hightower had already bent the knee, as Her Excellency said when she spoke through Lady Shadow.
Still, it was best to be cautious, because any mistake could drag this conflict further. Most of the Faith Militant were dead, but the idea of rewards in the heavens could convince many men to raise their weapons against Her Excellency.
Now, it was time to see what the High Septon would do.
—
In the next chapter:
"So, Kage, tell me, how do you feel?" How close to an actual person, regardless of mortal or divine, had Ei made her to be?
Kage, assuming that the question was about her status, reported as she would to her creator. "I am fully operational."
Not the answer she was expecting, but perhaps a bit of candor would be more useful here. "Hmm, do you have the capacity to feel emotions?"
"I have not been fitted with the ability."
Pinching the puppet's cheeks, Saiguu pulled and pushed, marveling at how this supposedly wooden creation moved so much like flesh. The puppet did not resist, once again assuming falsely that the kitsune was checking her frame for any damage.
Having the powers of the Shade of Life, things could be very interesting with this puppet.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.
Chapter 48 - Gods and Religions
Samael61
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
- Messages
- 283
Hello there,
If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 6 chapters ahead.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
—
The Oldtown
Oldtown.
The sole center of learning in Westeros.
While the Citadel's history is not exactly clear, it is believed that Prince Peremore the Twisted, the second son of King Uthor of High Tower, invited wise men, teachers, priests, healers, singers, wizards, alchemists, and even sorcerers to Oldtown in his curiosity. Following Peremore's death, his brother, King Urrigon, granted land to "Peremore's pets."
Which became the center of learning that was known as the Citadel.
Another important part of Oldtown was the Starry Sept. Built by Lord Triston Hightower in honor of his mentor and regent, Septon Robeson, the Starry Sept was the seat of the High Septon, the leader of the Faith of the Seven, and the one who speaks for the Seven in the mortal realm.
Speaking of the Seven, Ei was beginning to think they did not exist.
The Andals, who had brought the Faith of the Seven to Westeros, were believed to originate from Axe of northern Essos, though there were also claims they came from south of the Silver Sea.
While septons and septas teach that the Seven promised Hugor and his descendants great kingdoms in a foreign land, the maesters believed that the Andals migrated due to the expanding Valyrian freehold, which was a threat to them.
After arriving in Westeros, they warred against the First Men and the Children of the Forest in the name of their god.
Ancient history did not concern Ei as much as the future, but it gave valuable insight into how the Faith of the Seven came to be, though it still did not explain the lack of any reaction from the Seven Who Are One.
Either they were bound to the lands the Andals had originated from, hence why she could not detect any sign of the Seven, or they did not exist in the first place, perhaps created by humans to unify the Andals and create a lawful society.
Though their morality system apparently did not tolerate other religions, and knighthood, an order meant to be chivalrous and protect the innocent, devolved to the point where oaths did not mean much to some.
Lady Alyra had ridden ahead to open the gates and waited for the host.
—
Once the host had settled in, her fleet was allowed to dock, and Lord Ian came to report that the Shield Islands had surrendered peacefully and had not encountered any dangers during their patrols along the coast.
The men were glad to be ashore after spending so long at sea.
Lucenor Hightower, the High Septon, had been summoned to Hightower with all haste to discuss the recent unrest caused by septs across the four kingdoms.
The council room of Hightower had been quickly prepared for the talks, and Lucenor had been brought in.
"High Septon Lucenor." Ei looked at the old man, who was walking with a cane yet had so much hatred in his eyes.
Was it truly because he believed the Faith of the Seven was under attack, or because she had weakened his position?
"Sorcerer." Lucenor responded, his gruff voice not hiding anything.
"I want you to put an end to the unrest caused by the septs across my domain. Tell them to stop inciting the people to rebel." The Martells had yet to be pacified, and she could not leave embers of rebellion behind her and cross into Dorne.
"We will never stop resisting the false god that is you."
"I do not need people's beliefs to be a god, just my power." Lightning crackled outside, loud enough to be heard through the thick stone walls of Hightower. "I will not have rebellions in my territory. You will order them to stand down, or I will hang each one of them like common brigands."
Lucenor did not back off, however, too old to be intimidated. "Your threats do not scare me."
I would actually have to agree with that, because Lucenor was far past the average age of living among the more well-off populace of Westeros.
Saiguu, however, was not going to let an old man think he could do as he wished toward gods. "I find it quite weird that the Seven did nothing to protect the Faithful. I mean, she just killed over a hundred thousand people with one swing of her blade, but the Seven did not even make a peep. Why is that, High Septon? I am sure you, as the voice of the Seven Who Are One in this world, can shed light on this."
The kitsune goddess' tone was innocent, as if she was actually seeking to understand and not mock the holiest man in the Faith of the Seven.
"The Crone did not share her wisdom with me." Lucenor hid behind a convenient excuse, and Saiguu nodded sagely.
"Quite understandable, since you sent thirty thousand people to their deaths with nothing to show for it except a hole in the Red Mountains." Her words shocked Lucenor, as if he was suddenly burned, and left the High Septon speechless.
"Your Excellency, if I may?" Lady Alyria, who had been watching silently so far, requested to speak. Ei gave her permission, and she approached the High Septon, glaring at him in the eyes.
"Lucenor, the war is over, and if you drag this out, we will elect a High Septon. Do not forget who rules Oldtown." She reminded the High Septon. With her word, the Starry Sept would find itself quickly running out of donations, and Lucenor would quickly be replaced.
The idea of being replaced and left in obscurity scared Lucenor more than dying in the name of the Seven Who Are One did.
He could not be seen as bowing to the threats of a false god, but the Regent of Oldtown was a different matter. "As you say, Lady Alyria, but do not think the Seven will forget your compliance."
"And do not think I will forget your rebellious nature, High Septon." Ei reminded Lucenor as he was escorted out of the room.
—
Riders were sent with the word of High Septon Lucenor, calling the local septons and septas to stop their efforts so peace could be achieved. Coupled with her previous decree, things should settle down on the religious front.
Now, it was time to march to Dorne.
—
She had left the Thunder Dragon to patrol the Reach, flying all over the land, making sure to be seen by the keeps while the host marched to Dorne, staying in Oldtown to prepare for the desert conditions.
Water had been stocked fitting for Dorne, and in addition, Ei would create clouds to give shade to the host. Saiguu was not coming, having been left behind with Kage to survey the situation of the Reach, especially where they stood with harvests.
—
Highgarden
Once Ei had left Oldtown for Dorne, Saiguu and her retinue made their way back to Highgarden. As the only person Ei could spare that could manage an entire kingdom, she was appointed as the Regent to address the issues the Reach faced.
But she had something more interesting in her sights now.
"Fascinating." Saiguu scratched her chin, examining the puppet created by Ei. Ever since she had learned just what the talented hands of her friend had created, she wanted to see them but only had the chance to examine the kagemusha now.
To a stranger, and to most people familiar with her, seeing which one was Ei and which one the puppet would have been impossible.
"So, Kage, tell me, how do you feel?" How close to an actual person, regardless of mortal or divine, had Ei made her to be?
Kage, assuming that the question was about her status, reported as she would to her creator. "I am fully operational."
Not the answer she was expecting, but perhaps a bit of candor would be more useful here. "Hmm, do you have the capacity to feel emotions?"
"I have not been fitted with the ability."
Pinching the puppet's cheeks, Saiguu pulled and pushed, marveling at how this supposedly wooden creation moved so much like flesh. The puppet did not resist, once again assuming falsely that the kitsune was checking her frame for any damage.
Having the powers of the Shade of Life, things could be very interesting with this puppet.
"Would you like to feel emotions, then?" She asked. This would be a very interesting gift for Ei and an even more interesting way of using her powers.
Could she use her powers on a puppet? Then again, seeing as humans were creations too, even if it was in a wildly different way, there was no harm in trying.
"I am unsure." Kage saw no reason to have emotions; after all, if her creator did not give her any, then they must not have been important.
Saiguu cupped Kage's face, drawing the well of power inside her. "Well, I am sure Ei will be fine if I tinker with you a bit."
"My body is not meant to be-be-be-be-be….." Kage began to glitch, her head stuck moving left to right in a loop while Saiguu's powers flooded the divine construct.
The puppet began to emit a golden glow that soon blinded the whole room.
—
Eyes snapped open, and Kage sprang to her feet, the replica Musou Isshin at the ready. Seeing no danger in the room, she sheathed the sword and began to pat her body for any changes done to her.
Finding nothing out of the ordinary, she sighed in relief.
Kage had been worried that the meddlesome kitsune goddess had done something to her.
Alarmed, she stiffened again. Ei did not create her with the ability to feel worry. Any damage done to her body could simply be repaired, and even in the worst-case scenario, her consciousness could be preserved and transferred to a new body.
She should not feel worried for any reason.
"Morning. How are you feeling?" The one responsible for this, Kitsune Saiguu, entered the room without so much as knocking and started inspecting her face again.
This time, Kage slapped her hands away, gently, of course.
"What did you do to me?" She demanded, detecting something within her that made the puppet wish to inflict violence on the kitsune.
Saiguu clapped her hands, as if getting ready to explain everything. "I have no idea, but I think I gave you emotions and more autonomy over yourself."
"Why?" The puppet asked. She had not requested this, and the logic behind the kitsune's actions escaped her.
"Why not?"
Kage was taken back by the question, unable to find any reason to refute it.
It was strange to feel these things, emotions, well up inside her, but they also felt good? She wasn't sure what good felt like. The terminology existed in her memories, but the experience was nonexistent.
"Come on, we have work to do, and I am sure you can use the experience."
—
"How is Reach as a whole doing on the harvests?" Saiguu, sitting at the head of the table, asked the ladies acting as regents for their children. Having so many ladies ruling at once was just another part of the string of unprecedented situations Ei had caused.
Now that peace had been achieved, their greatest problem was harvest, and as the current governor—another foreign word uttered by Queen Argella—everyone looked to Merina for a solution. "Due to the losses at the Battle of Summerfield, the late King Mern had drawn more levies than usual, leaving farms across the land in need of manpower."
"Simple then, we'll have farming machines brought to Reach and reduce the need for manpower." Saiguu declared. When she learned of Ei's reforms in farming, it made her ask.
Why would she do that? Surely, after eight thousand years, the Seven Kingdoms would know how to farm enough to feed themselves, right?
Wrong.
The proposition had Maralyn Rowan interested, for just like the other houses, House Florent, under her husband's rule, was trying to acquire these machines. "The machines used in the Storm Kingdom? Will Queen Argella agree to that?"
"She appointed me as the regent; my word is her word."
"That is wonderful to hear, Lady Saiguu." At least, the harvests would not rot in the fields, and Merina could breathe a sigh of relief.
"How soon can we get the machines? The farmsteads of Reach are the largest on the continent, and we will need as many as possible." House Gardener's lands fed half the realm, and the loss of so many levies had thrown the harvest plans into chaos.
"Kage, any idea how many can be made per month?" The finer details escaped Saiguu since she didn't have the time to learn more, but hopefully the puppet did.
Kage, who was watching the horizon as if she were seeing it for the first time, jolted at being addressed, quickly composing herself to answer. "With both Iron Works working, a hundred of each should be possible a month; however, they will only need threshers and reapers, so a hundred and fifty."
"What about the farmers in the Storm Kingdom? Their harvests should have been gathered by now. We can take their threshers and reapers to use in the Reach and then give them new ones over time, which should not be an issue by the next harvest." That way, the immediate need of harvest machines could be met.
Running the numbers in her mind, Kage approved the idea. "Probability of success is deemed to be acceptable."
"Now I just need messengers and workers to bring the machines here."
—
Dorne
Where the Reach had cut their losses to survive, Dorne had chosen to resist.
Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.
However, they were also very well aware that they could not face the God of Thunder—as Argella Durrandon was named so now—and survive.
Which is why they were not going to fight at all.
The noble houses of Dorne would hide with supplies and men, lying in wait until Argella Durrandon left, striking when the garrisons she would no doubt leave behind had lowered their guard.
If they could not defeat Argella Durrandon, then they would make any invasion too costly to be worth it.
Already their coffers and everything of value had been removed to deny the Storm Kingdom the chance to loot. Taking as much food from the harvests as they could, the rest had been given to the smallfolk.
Water wells have been hidden, and what they could not hide was poisoned. Ships had sailed out; docks were damaged, not enough to make them entirely useless, but definitely troublesome for any invading force to make use of.
People of Dorne would be harmed by these precautions as well, but they would endure.
Supplies would be stolen from the enemy while wounding and killing as many as possible to reduce enemy numbers.
Patience was the key, and the people of Dorne were right at home.
—
In the next chapter:
Chiyo flashed her a thumbs up before ripping Starfall's steel gate off its hinges. Pieces of stone from the wall flew around, and the top of the gate wall came down. Spinning around, she launched the gate, turning it into a deadly projectile, straight at the middle of the tallest tower.
The jagged metal beams pierced through stone, and the gate was lodged there, while the oni looked around for something else to throw.
The soldiers had stopped when the metal gate was torn off the wall and cheered when the Crimson Maiden tore through the wall. They had seen too many miracles from Her Excellency to be astonished by this.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.
If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 6 chapters ahead.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
—
The Oldtown
Oldtown.
The sole center of learning in Westeros.
While the Citadel's history is not exactly clear, it is believed that Prince Peremore the Twisted, the second son of King Uthor of High Tower, invited wise men, teachers, priests, healers, singers, wizards, alchemists, and even sorcerers to Oldtown in his curiosity. Following Peremore's death, his brother, King Urrigon, granted land to "Peremore's pets."
Which became the center of learning that was known as the Citadel.
Another important part of Oldtown was the Starry Sept. Built by Lord Triston Hightower in honor of his mentor and regent, Septon Robeson, the Starry Sept was the seat of the High Septon, the leader of the Faith of the Seven, and the one who speaks for the Seven in the mortal realm.
Speaking of the Seven, Ei was beginning to think they did not exist.
The Andals, who had brought the Faith of the Seven to Westeros, were believed to originate from Axe of northern Essos, though there were also claims they came from south of the Silver Sea.
While septons and septas teach that the Seven promised Hugor and his descendants great kingdoms in a foreign land, the maesters believed that the Andals migrated due to the expanding Valyrian freehold, which was a threat to them.
After arriving in Westeros, they warred against the First Men and the Children of the Forest in the name of their god.
Ancient history did not concern Ei as much as the future, but it gave valuable insight into how the Faith of the Seven came to be, though it still did not explain the lack of any reaction from the Seven Who Are One.
Either they were bound to the lands the Andals had originated from, hence why she could not detect any sign of the Seven, or they did not exist in the first place, perhaps created by humans to unify the Andals and create a lawful society.
Though their morality system apparently did not tolerate other religions, and knighthood, an order meant to be chivalrous and protect the innocent, devolved to the point where oaths did not mean much to some.
Lady Alyra had ridden ahead to open the gates and waited for the host.
—
Once the host had settled in, her fleet was allowed to dock, and Lord Ian came to report that the Shield Islands had surrendered peacefully and had not encountered any dangers during their patrols along the coast.
The men were glad to be ashore after spending so long at sea.
Lucenor Hightower, the High Septon, had been summoned to Hightower with all haste to discuss the recent unrest caused by septs across the four kingdoms.
The council room of Hightower had been quickly prepared for the talks, and Lucenor had been brought in.
"High Septon Lucenor." Ei looked at the old man, who was walking with a cane yet had so much hatred in his eyes.
Was it truly because he believed the Faith of the Seven was under attack, or because she had weakened his position?
"Sorcerer." Lucenor responded, his gruff voice not hiding anything.
"I want you to put an end to the unrest caused by the septs across my domain. Tell them to stop inciting the people to rebel." The Martells had yet to be pacified, and she could not leave embers of rebellion behind her and cross into Dorne.
"We will never stop resisting the false god that is you."
"I do not need people's beliefs to be a god, just my power." Lightning crackled outside, loud enough to be heard through the thick stone walls of Hightower. "I will not have rebellions in my territory. You will order them to stand down, or I will hang each one of them like common brigands."
Lucenor did not back off, however, too old to be intimidated. "Your threats do not scare me."
I would actually have to agree with that, because Lucenor was far past the average age of living among the more well-off populace of Westeros.
Saiguu, however, was not going to let an old man think he could do as he wished toward gods. "I find it quite weird that the Seven did nothing to protect the Faithful. I mean, she just killed over a hundred thousand people with one swing of her blade, but the Seven did not even make a peep. Why is that, High Septon? I am sure you, as the voice of the Seven Who Are One in this world, can shed light on this."
The kitsune goddess' tone was innocent, as if she was actually seeking to understand and not mock the holiest man in the Faith of the Seven.
"The Crone did not share her wisdom with me." Lucenor hid behind a convenient excuse, and Saiguu nodded sagely.
"Quite understandable, since you sent thirty thousand people to their deaths with nothing to show for it except a hole in the Red Mountains." Her words shocked Lucenor, as if he was suddenly burned, and left the High Septon speechless.
"Your Excellency, if I may?" Lady Alyria, who had been watching silently so far, requested to speak. Ei gave her permission, and she approached the High Septon, glaring at him in the eyes.
"Lucenor, the war is over, and if you drag this out, we will elect a High Septon. Do not forget who rules Oldtown." She reminded the High Septon. With her word, the Starry Sept would find itself quickly running out of donations, and Lucenor would quickly be replaced.
The idea of being replaced and left in obscurity scared Lucenor more than dying in the name of the Seven Who Are One did.
He could not be seen as bowing to the threats of a false god, but the Regent of Oldtown was a different matter. "As you say, Lady Alyria, but do not think the Seven will forget your compliance."
"And do not think I will forget your rebellious nature, High Septon." Ei reminded Lucenor as he was escorted out of the room.
—
Riders were sent with the word of High Septon Lucenor, calling the local septons and septas to stop their efforts so peace could be achieved. Coupled with her previous decree, things should settle down on the religious front.
Now, it was time to march to Dorne.
—
She had left the Thunder Dragon to patrol the Reach, flying all over the land, making sure to be seen by the keeps while the host marched to Dorne, staying in Oldtown to prepare for the desert conditions.
Water had been stocked fitting for Dorne, and in addition, Ei would create clouds to give shade to the host. Saiguu was not coming, having been left behind with Kage to survey the situation of the Reach, especially where they stood with harvests.
—
Highgarden
Once Ei had left Oldtown for Dorne, Saiguu and her retinue made their way back to Highgarden. As the only person Ei could spare that could manage an entire kingdom, she was appointed as the Regent to address the issues the Reach faced.
But she had something more interesting in her sights now.
"Fascinating." Saiguu scratched her chin, examining the puppet created by Ei. Ever since she had learned just what the talented hands of her friend had created, she wanted to see them but only had the chance to examine the kagemusha now.
To a stranger, and to most people familiar with her, seeing which one was Ei and which one the puppet would have been impossible.
"So, Kage, tell me, how do you feel?" How close to an actual person, regardless of mortal or divine, had Ei made her to be?
Kage, assuming that the question was about her status, reported as she would to her creator. "I am fully operational."
Not the answer she was expecting, but perhaps a bit of candor would be more useful here. "Hmm, do you have the capacity to feel emotions?"
"I have not been fitted with the ability."
Pinching the puppet's cheeks, Saiguu pulled and pushed, marveling at how this supposedly wooden creation moved so much like flesh. The puppet did not resist, once again assuming falsely that the kitsune was checking her frame for any damage.
Having the powers of the Shade of Life, things could be very interesting with this puppet.
"Would you like to feel emotions, then?" She asked. This would be a very interesting gift for Ei and an even more interesting way of using her powers.
Could she use her powers on a puppet? Then again, seeing as humans were creations too, even if it was in a wildly different way, there was no harm in trying.
"I am unsure." Kage saw no reason to have emotions; after all, if her creator did not give her any, then they must not have been important.
Saiguu cupped Kage's face, drawing the well of power inside her. "Well, I am sure Ei will be fine if I tinker with you a bit."
"My body is not meant to be-be-be-be-be….." Kage began to glitch, her head stuck moving left to right in a loop while Saiguu's powers flooded the divine construct.
The puppet began to emit a golden glow that soon blinded the whole room.
—
Eyes snapped open, and Kage sprang to her feet, the replica Musou Isshin at the ready. Seeing no danger in the room, she sheathed the sword and began to pat her body for any changes done to her.
Finding nothing out of the ordinary, she sighed in relief.
Kage had been worried that the meddlesome kitsune goddess had done something to her.
Alarmed, she stiffened again. Ei did not create her with the ability to feel worry. Any damage done to her body could simply be repaired, and even in the worst-case scenario, her consciousness could be preserved and transferred to a new body.
She should not feel worried for any reason.
"Morning. How are you feeling?" The one responsible for this, Kitsune Saiguu, entered the room without so much as knocking and started inspecting her face again.
This time, Kage slapped her hands away, gently, of course.
"What did you do to me?" She demanded, detecting something within her that made the puppet wish to inflict violence on the kitsune.
Saiguu clapped her hands, as if getting ready to explain everything. "I have no idea, but I think I gave you emotions and more autonomy over yourself."
"Why?" The puppet asked. She had not requested this, and the logic behind the kitsune's actions escaped her.
"Why not?"
Kage was taken back by the question, unable to find any reason to refute it.
It was strange to feel these things, emotions, well up inside her, but they also felt good? She wasn't sure what good felt like. The terminology existed in her memories, but the experience was nonexistent.
"Come on, we have work to do, and I am sure you can use the experience."
—
"How is Reach as a whole doing on the harvests?" Saiguu, sitting at the head of the table, asked the ladies acting as regents for their children. Having so many ladies ruling at once was just another part of the string of unprecedented situations Ei had caused.
Now that peace had been achieved, their greatest problem was harvest, and as the current governor—another foreign word uttered by Queen Argella—everyone looked to Merina for a solution. "Due to the losses at the Battle of Summerfield, the late King Mern had drawn more levies than usual, leaving farms across the land in need of manpower."
"Simple then, we'll have farming machines brought to Reach and reduce the need for manpower." Saiguu declared. When she learned of Ei's reforms in farming, it made her ask.
Why would she do that? Surely, after eight thousand years, the Seven Kingdoms would know how to farm enough to feed themselves, right?
Wrong.
The proposition had Maralyn Rowan interested, for just like the other houses, House Florent, under her husband's rule, was trying to acquire these machines. "The machines used in the Storm Kingdom? Will Queen Argella agree to that?"
"She appointed me as the regent; my word is her word."
"That is wonderful to hear, Lady Saiguu." At least, the harvests would not rot in the fields, and Merina could breathe a sigh of relief.
"How soon can we get the machines? The farmsteads of Reach are the largest on the continent, and we will need as many as possible." House Gardener's lands fed half the realm, and the loss of so many levies had thrown the harvest plans into chaos.
"Kage, any idea how many can be made per month?" The finer details escaped Saiguu since she didn't have the time to learn more, but hopefully the puppet did.
Kage, who was watching the horizon as if she were seeing it for the first time, jolted at being addressed, quickly composing herself to answer. "With both Iron Works working, a hundred of each should be possible a month; however, they will only need threshers and reapers, so a hundred and fifty."
"What about the farmers in the Storm Kingdom? Their harvests should have been gathered by now. We can take their threshers and reapers to use in the Reach and then give them new ones over time, which should not be an issue by the next harvest." That way, the immediate need of harvest machines could be met.
Running the numbers in her mind, Kage approved the idea. "Probability of success is deemed to be acceptable."
"Now I just need messengers and workers to bring the machines here."
—
Dorne
Where the Reach had cut their losses to survive, Dorne had chosen to resist.
Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.
However, they were also very well aware that they could not face the God of Thunder—as Argella Durrandon was named so now—and survive.
Which is why they were not going to fight at all.
The noble houses of Dorne would hide with supplies and men, lying in wait until Argella Durrandon left, striking when the garrisons she would no doubt leave behind had lowered their guard.
If they could not defeat Argella Durrandon, then they would make any invasion too costly to be worth it.
Already their coffers and everything of value had been removed to deny the Storm Kingdom the chance to loot. Taking as much food from the harvests as they could, the rest had been given to the smallfolk.
Water wells have been hidden, and what they could not hide was poisoned. Ships had sailed out; docks were damaged, not enough to make them entirely useless, but definitely troublesome for any invading force to make use of.
People of Dorne would be harmed by these precautions as well, but they would endure.
Supplies would be stolen from the enemy while wounding and killing as many as possible to reduce enemy numbers.
Patience was the key, and the people of Dorne were right at home.
—
In the next chapter:
Chiyo flashed her a thumbs up before ripping Starfall's steel gate off its hinges. Pieces of stone from the wall flew around, and the top of the gate wall came down. Spinning around, she launched the gate, turning it into a deadly projectile, straight at the middle of the tallest tower.
The jagged metal beams pierced through stone, and the gate was lodged there, while the oni looked around for something else to throw.
The soldiers had stopped when the metal gate was torn off the wall and cheered when the Crimson Maiden tore through the wall. They had seen too many miracles from Her Excellency to be astonished by this.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me in Patreon.
Serin781
Versed in the lewd.
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2017
- Messages
- 1,061
? ? ? ? ?
How is that not fighting?
You think Ei would spare you if you just turtle up when she's near?
ATP
Well worn.
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2020
- Messages
- 7,414
Idiots.They try ti hide from goddess.Well,it was nice to knew Dorne,becouse it would cease to exist.Or maybe only noble families? i hope,that Daynes would be smart enough to surrender.
P.S Great Septon who fear loosing power more then death - i could belive that.And his gods probably really do not exist.
P.S Great Septon who fear loosing power more then death - i could belive that.And his gods probably really do not exist.
CILinkz
Looks at you like that.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2018
- Messages
- 1,792
well thats a bit obvious. if Argella marches into Dorne and sees nobody is there, its kinda obvious they will try a guerilla war.
if they dont want to have all their towns and walls and palaces, maybe just destroy it all and bury it into the Sand. wipe the slate clean. if they want to play Nomad so bad, they can do it forever. if the tech lvl falls to nothing, they become nothing but sand bandits. that happens when you leave all your infrastructure in the hands of the enemy.
if they dont want to have all their towns and walls and palaces, maybe just destroy it all and bury it into the Sand. wipe the slate clean. if they want to play Nomad so bad, they can do it forever. if the tech lvl falls to nothing, they become nothing but sand bandits. that happens when you leave all your infrastructure in the hands of the enemy.
Last edited:
Chapter 49 - Castle Fall
Samael61
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
- Messages
- 283
Hello there,
If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 7 chapters ahead.
You can also check my original story, Arrival, on my Patreon page, AO3, Royal Road, SpaceBattles, and Webnovel.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
—
Dorne
Starfall
The first house to fall to the Durrandon host was House Dayne of Starfall.
Or rather, the first keep that fell, as all the nobles and soldiers of the castle were gone, emptying the coffers, armory, and cellars, leaving nothing of value behind.
Essentially, it was an abandoned castle.
Leaving a garrison to take the castle and moving forward would be the prudent choice, but Ei knew that was precisely what the Dornish wanted.
After the main host left, the Daynes would no doubt emerge from the hole they were hidden in and take the castle back.
"Your Excellency, what should we do?" Taryn Selmy, more familiar with the Dornish houses than the rest, was her chief advisor when it came to taking the land.
Ei gazed at the ancient castle, hand wavering over her chest, but she decided against it. "Burn the castle. Starfall might stand, but House Dayne will find it difficult to live in a derelict." The keep was abandoned; there was no need to waste elemental energy here when the soldiers could do the same.
They were brimming with vengeance, and burning the castle of a Dornish house might just give them that satisfaction.
Taryn slammed his fist on his breastplate. "As you command."
"Take torches and oil, burn everything in the castle, and bring down what you can." He ordered the men, taking a torch himself.
It had the intended effect, and the soldiers cheered, ready to carry out their duty with smiles.
"Irregular warfare, huh? What are the chances that the rest of Dorne do the same?" Too bad there were too many civilians; otherwise, Ei could just wipe Dorne off the map, and they could call it a day.
Sasayuri considered Chiyo's words, and while her knowledge of Dornish culture and military strategies was lacking somewhat, she knew enough. "This is unlikely to be a standalone deed. This is organized resistance."
"You know, I should definitely help the soldiers wreck the castle. Let the Dornish spend their wealth on repairs." Chiyo slammed her fist on her palm. She had to give it to them. Unlike the ladies of Reach, who had surrendered without a fight, the ladies of Dorne were taught how to defend their lands and had chosen war.
Brave, but ultimately futile.
"Have fun."
Chiyo flashed her a thumbs up before ripping Starfall's steel gate off its hinges. Pieces of stone from the wall flew around, and the top of the gate wall came down. Spinning around, she launched the gate, turning it into a deadly projectile, straight at the middle of the tallest tower.
The jagged metal beams pierced through stone, and the gate was lodged there, while the oni looked around for something else to throw.
The soldiers had stopped when the metal gate was torn off the wall and cheered when the Crimson Maiden tore through the wall. They had seen too many miracles from Her Excellency to be astonished by this.
"Is it just me, or is she stronger than I remember?" Oni, as a species, were stronger than humans, but this was just ridiculous to Sasayuri.
"She is stronger than before, much stronger."
Having found nothing else worth throwing, Chiyo turned towards a rather large tree in the courtyard and grabbed the trunk with both hands, her sharp nails piercing through the bark. Grunting in effort, she ripped the tree out of the ground, sending dirt and pebbles flying around.
Glowing with electro, Chiyo threw the tree up and caught it, one hand on the bark, the other on the roots, and took three quick steps before launching the tree like an oversized javelin.
Its structural integrity was already weakened by the steel gate lodged in it, and the tree broke the tower in half.
"Going down!" Chiyo bellowed as the soldiers scrambled, watching the soldiers scramble.
Chiyo dusted her hands to get rid of the dirt from the tree. "That was fun."
"How did you do that?" Sasayuri asked. Was it a side effect of when she was stuck in a temporal loop?
"Heheh. You like it? It's something Saiguu did to me."
Ei looked at where half of the tower fell down, bringing down another, shorter tower, and crashing down on the dome of the apartments below.
Nice.
—
Leaving the smoking ruins of Starfall behind, the host marched for its next target, Sandstone, the seat of House Qorgyle.
As always, the desert heat was suffocating, and the air itself was dry, but the shade offered by the cloud was enough for the march to be possible.
The residents of villages and towns of Dorne barricaded their doors, hiding their supplies, livestock, and water, but her host was well stocked in food, and she could always make it rain for water.
The settlements were left terrified but untouched.
—
Sandstone
"Your Excellency, Sandstone is abandoned as well. There is nothing of value left behind." Taryn would have been gleeful to take a Dornish keep so easily, but without capturing or killing their lords and soldiers, conquering the castles meant nothing.
He hummed.
So the Dornish had chosen to fight, leaving behind nothing for her host to raid and sustain itself, while they hid and waited for opportunities to strike.
"If I recall correctly, there should be a water well here." The only one in a fifty-league area, in fact.
She would have to reform the measurement units on this continent as well.
"Poisoned, Your Excellency." They had been searching for traps, and one soldier had carelessly drunk from the well, only to bleed from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.
The damn Dornish had made the well unusable to them.
"The same as before, burn down what you can and make this place unlivable without costly repairs."
"By your will."
Sandcastle was damaged, through fire and hammers, while the poisoned well was filled with mud and dirt to be destroyed entirely.
If the Dornish wanted to use scorched earth tactics, Ei could do the same.
—
The host was camping away from Sandstone, since there could be traps left behind, and it was the home of the enemy.
House Qorgyle knew their seat better than Ei and her host, and it would have been an unnecessary risk.
Having finished their work for the day, Ei, Sasayuri, and Chiyo were drinking wine inside her tent in merrymaking.
But the shouts and sound of fighting stopped it.
—
"Your Excellency, our guards caught them trying to worm their way into the camp." Twelve men and eighteen Dornish corpses were arrayed outside the camp, while three of their own had died from poison.
The Dornish had attempted a small raid on their camp, but the well-placed patrols and guards had seen and encircled them.
Of course, the Dornish had not gone down without a fight.
"Have they spoken?" From their bloody and broken state, she guessed not.
"Nay."
"Take their supplies, horses, and weapons, and leave them far away from the camp. Let us see how long they will last under the desert conditions."
The lords and commanders did not like the idea, but making an issue out of it was not worth their breath.
—
"They will be useful." They were prisoners and could not be executed; however, letting them go to track the raiders to wherever they had come from was the most logical choice.
"Indeed. We shall see where they are taking refuge." She was watching the Dornish raiders with her eye in the sky.
"We'll show them the price of attacking us; now let's keep drinking."
—
Symond Rosby sighed, eating his stew while sitting at the edge of the camp, away from the merriment and the noise.
"Are you well, Lord Symond?" A voice he came to know well these last moons called out before Prince Argilac sat down next to him.
"As well as one can be in this desert, my prince." Blistering heat in the morning and at noon, shivering cold at night.
It required resilience, and the Dornish had embodied it.
The prince pulled out a waterskin, holding it out for him. "Here, ale. It will keep you warm."
"Many thanks." Symond took a long swing from the sweet ale, handing the half-empty waterskin back.
"How does it feel to have a goddess as a daughter?" Symond asked out of nowhere. Questions about the godhood of Queen Argella were gnawing at him inside, and Argilac was the only person that could answer them, sort of asking the queen.
However, he didn't want to ask how it was possible in the first place, because the answer scared him.
Argilac looked at Symond before drinking the remaining ale. "As if the world had gone upside down and nothing makes sense anymore."
"I thought you would be delighted." Symond would be over the clouds if any of his children could do half of what Argella Durrandon did.
"I am. It is just that we all grew up the same, more or less, believing in the Seven Who Are One, that men rule, fight, and make decisions while women take care of the household, give birth, and make their husbands happy." Argilac lay down on the sand, looking at the stars and the moon.
Was Teyvat, the world Ei came from, somewhere out there?
"Now? Now I am a prince once more, and my daughter will change the kingdom, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Our way of life is dead now, and a new one will take its place." Whether he would live long enough to see it, Argilac didn't know.
"Here I was just worried about the Ironborn first and the Dornish now." Then again, Symond was older than Argilac and would definitely not see these changes.
"They are mortals, just like us. She could wreak destruction on this land, yet chooses not, all to spare the small folk and the innocents."
"I would not have bothered." Symond admitted. Dorne was the enemy, and the more dead, the better.
"Neither would I. I suppose that is why she is a goddess and not us." Argilac could not claim to know how the divine thought.
"Hmph. I have something else to ask. Her… friends, I suppose. Who are they?" Queen Argella, for all her divinity, looked human enough, except for the color of her hair.
Kitsune Saiguu, with large, furry ears on top of her head and a tail like that of a fox; Mikoshi Chiyo, with the red coloring of her skin, her claws, and two horns; and, of course, the mysterious archer of the Riverlands, Sasayuri, with her wings.
Everything about them screamed foreigners, from their names to their looks and their demeanor.
He wasn't even going to speak of what they were.
"I have no idea." It was more believable than saying they were Argella's friends that had returned from the dead and ended up in Westeros after they were rejected by their world.
"My grandson, he is smitten with that horned woman, Chiyo." Most were unnerved by her looks, yet his fool of a grandson had fallen in love with a being that wasn't even human.
Argilac rose, taken aback by the strange admission. "Seeing as she could break him in half like a twig, I would ask him to look for someone else."
—
"I have followed the Dornish to the northeast, where they are hiding in caves." Ei pointed at the map, near the border of House Qorgyle and House Uller.
"I thought the Dornish were snakes; it turns out they were rats. What is your command?" Taryn's insult earned him a few chuckles.
"Attacking a cave in any situation is never good for the attackers, as the defenders have too many edges." Sasayuri pointed out.
It was a valid point, and Ei didn't see a solution that didn't involve lots of death, except for either her, Chiyo, or Sasayuri to clean the caves.
"Your Excellency, if I may?" Garrin took a step forward to ask for permission.
He was a Marcher Lord, and his opinion on fighting the Dornish was worth hearing. "I am listening."
"This is not the first time we had to attack caves where the Dornish had taken refuge. There is a small trick we use, but forcing them out takes time. However, we can continue on our way while the Dornish run out of supplies." The Red Mountains had many caves that the Dornish made use of to escape their pursuers, filled with supplies and traps.
Naturally, the Marcher Lords had to come up with an answer to them.
"What trick would that be?" Border wars between the Storm Kingdom and Dorne tended to be ugly after all.
"Rats, Your Excellency. We release them into the caves, and they find the Dornish supplies and spread disease. As I said, it takes time, but if a certain number of men could do this day after day, the Dornish will be too weak to hit us while we are marching."
That was not a conventional tactic by any means, and many of the lords looked unsure.
Ei turned to Sasayuri for her opinion, but the tengu shrugged. In theory, it could work, and if the Marcher Lords used that technique before, then it couldn't hurt.
Rat warfare was not something she had considered before, ever, but anything was possible if you lived long enough.
"Very well, Lord Garrin, I will entrust this matter to you."
The Lord of Nightsong preened like a peacock, bowing with a flourish.
—
Hundreds of men hunted for rats, and it required incentives because none wanted to do this kind of dirty work. Garrin, however, in his efforts to make up for his conduct before the wedding between Selena and her father, was very enthusiastic to finish this task.
Even in the desert, finding rodents turned out to be an easy task, at least far easier than capturing them.
Hundreds of them were released into the cave system, and the host had started its march to Hellholt.
—
Ei considered the situation at hand.
Irregular warfare did exist in Teyvat, though not in great numbers, nor had it had much success in achieving the goals. Sure, they caused destruction and disrupted trade and supply lines, but eventually, it was a war confined to one nation.
Now, an entire nation was conducting irregular warfare in their own home against an invading force.
She could hunt them down herself, but it would waste too much of her elemental energy while leaving pieces of land destroyed across Dorne.
The other problem was much more pervasive. Even if she killed the nobles, knights, and all other fighting forces the Dornish could present, there was a chance it could make them into martyrs for the smallfolk.
She knew they were already supporting their liege lords, sneaking them supplies and intelligence.
All due to the hate that existed between the kingdoms.
Even if the smallfolk were subdued, they would be problematic for centuries to come, and killing hundreds of thousands of civilians who, more often than not, couldn't defend themselves was not a line the Electro Archon was willing to cross.
This war had to be fought a different way.
Or perhaps not at all?
—
In the next chapter:
A man-at-arms knelt before her. "Princess, the Storm Queen's host is near the walls."
"Good, let them sit and wait. We shall see if they are foolish enough to think they can hold Sunspear." The second the Sorcerer Queen was gone, her men would surge through the shadows and put everyone in the garrison to the sword.
A foreign voice, one that she had not heard before, interrupted the Toad of Dorne from her musings. "I was actually considering just destroying it and killing everyone here."
The men, realizing who it was that had just discovered the secret tunnels, pulled their weapons to charge before the woman flicked her fingers, sending them flying away like dolls.
Narrow as the tunnels were, the men struck each other, ending up in a heap, groaning and bruised, but alive.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
If you enjoy my stories you can read advanced chapters in my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 7 chapters ahead.
You can also check my original story, Arrival, on my Patreon page, AO3, Royal Road, SpaceBattles, and Webnovel.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded, because of the company's 75 day hold policy.
—
Dorne
Starfall
The first house to fall to the Durrandon host was House Dayne of Starfall.
Or rather, the first keep that fell, as all the nobles and soldiers of the castle were gone, emptying the coffers, armory, and cellars, leaving nothing of value behind.
Essentially, it was an abandoned castle.
Leaving a garrison to take the castle and moving forward would be the prudent choice, but Ei knew that was precisely what the Dornish wanted.
After the main host left, the Daynes would no doubt emerge from the hole they were hidden in and take the castle back.
"Your Excellency, what should we do?" Taryn Selmy, more familiar with the Dornish houses than the rest, was her chief advisor when it came to taking the land.
Ei gazed at the ancient castle, hand wavering over her chest, but she decided against it. "Burn the castle. Starfall might stand, but House Dayne will find it difficult to live in a derelict." The keep was abandoned; there was no need to waste elemental energy here when the soldiers could do the same.
They were brimming with vengeance, and burning the castle of a Dornish house might just give them that satisfaction.
Taryn slammed his fist on his breastplate. "As you command."
"Take torches and oil, burn everything in the castle, and bring down what you can." He ordered the men, taking a torch himself.
It had the intended effect, and the soldiers cheered, ready to carry out their duty with smiles.
"Irregular warfare, huh? What are the chances that the rest of Dorne do the same?" Too bad there were too many civilians; otherwise, Ei could just wipe Dorne off the map, and they could call it a day.
Sasayuri considered Chiyo's words, and while her knowledge of Dornish culture and military strategies was lacking somewhat, she knew enough. "This is unlikely to be a standalone deed. This is organized resistance."
"You know, I should definitely help the soldiers wreck the castle. Let the Dornish spend their wealth on repairs." Chiyo slammed her fist on her palm. She had to give it to them. Unlike the ladies of Reach, who had surrendered without a fight, the ladies of Dorne were taught how to defend their lands and had chosen war.
Brave, but ultimately futile.
"Have fun."
Chiyo flashed her a thumbs up before ripping Starfall's steel gate off its hinges. Pieces of stone from the wall flew around, and the top of the gate wall came down. Spinning around, she launched the gate, turning it into a deadly projectile, straight at the middle of the tallest tower.
The jagged metal beams pierced through stone, and the gate was lodged there, while the oni looked around for something else to throw.
The soldiers had stopped when the metal gate was torn off the wall and cheered when the Crimson Maiden tore through the wall. They had seen too many miracles from Her Excellency to be astonished by this.
"Is it just me, or is she stronger than I remember?" Oni, as a species, were stronger than humans, but this was just ridiculous to Sasayuri.
"She is stronger than before, much stronger."
Having found nothing else worth throwing, Chiyo turned towards a rather large tree in the courtyard and grabbed the trunk with both hands, her sharp nails piercing through the bark. Grunting in effort, she ripped the tree out of the ground, sending dirt and pebbles flying around.
Glowing with electro, Chiyo threw the tree up and caught it, one hand on the bark, the other on the roots, and took three quick steps before launching the tree like an oversized javelin.
Its structural integrity was already weakened by the steel gate lodged in it, and the tree broke the tower in half.
"Going down!" Chiyo bellowed as the soldiers scrambled, watching the soldiers scramble.
Chiyo dusted her hands to get rid of the dirt from the tree. "That was fun."
"How did you do that?" Sasayuri asked. Was it a side effect of when she was stuck in a temporal loop?
"Heheh. You like it? It's something Saiguu did to me."
Ei looked at where half of the tower fell down, bringing down another, shorter tower, and crashing down on the dome of the apartments below.
Nice.
—
Leaving the smoking ruins of Starfall behind, the host marched for its next target, Sandstone, the seat of House Qorgyle.
As always, the desert heat was suffocating, and the air itself was dry, but the shade offered by the cloud was enough for the march to be possible.
The residents of villages and towns of Dorne barricaded their doors, hiding their supplies, livestock, and water, but her host was well stocked in food, and she could always make it rain for water.
The settlements were left terrified but untouched.
—
Sandstone
"Your Excellency, Sandstone is abandoned as well. There is nothing of value left behind." Taryn would have been gleeful to take a Dornish keep so easily, but without capturing or killing their lords and soldiers, conquering the castles meant nothing.
He hummed.
So the Dornish had chosen to fight, leaving behind nothing for her host to raid and sustain itself, while they hid and waited for opportunities to strike.
"If I recall correctly, there should be a water well here." The only one in a fifty-league area, in fact.
She would have to reform the measurement units on this continent as well.
"Poisoned, Your Excellency." They had been searching for traps, and one soldier had carelessly drunk from the well, only to bleed from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.
The damn Dornish had made the well unusable to them.
"The same as before, burn down what you can and make this place unlivable without costly repairs."
"By your will."
Sandcastle was damaged, through fire and hammers, while the poisoned well was filled with mud and dirt to be destroyed entirely.
If the Dornish wanted to use scorched earth tactics, Ei could do the same.
—
The host was camping away from Sandstone, since there could be traps left behind, and it was the home of the enemy.
House Qorgyle knew their seat better than Ei and her host, and it would have been an unnecessary risk.
Having finished their work for the day, Ei, Sasayuri, and Chiyo were drinking wine inside her tent in merrymaking.
But the shouts and sound of fighting stopped it.
—
"Your Excellency, our guards caught them trying to worm their way into the camp." Twelve men and eighteen Dornish corpses were arrayed outside the camp, while three of their own had died from poison.
The Dornish had attempted a small raid on their camp, but the well-placed patrols and guards had seen and encircled them.
Of course, the Dornish had not gone down without a fight.
"Have they spoken?" From their bloody and broken state, she guessed not.
"Nay."
"Take their supplies, horses, and weapons, and leave them far away from the camp. Let us see how long they will last under the desert conditions."
The lords and commanders did not like the idea, but making an issue out of it was not worth their breath.
—
"They will be useful." They were prisoners and could not be executed; however, letting them go to track the raiders to wherever they had come from was the most logical choice.
"Indeed. We shall see where they are taking refuge." She was watching the Dornish raiders with her eye in the sky.
"We'll show them the price of attacking us; now let's keep drinking."
—
Symond Rosby sighed, eating his stew while sitting at the edge of the camp, away from the merriment and the noise.
"Are you well, Lord Symond?" A voice he came to know well these last moons called out before Prince Argilac sat down next to him.
"As well as one can be in this desert, my prince." Blistering heat in the morning and at noon, shivering cold at night.
It required resilience, and the Dornish had embodied it.
The prince pulled out a waterskin, holding it out for him. "Here, ale. It will keep you warm."
"Many thanks." Symond took a long swing from the sweet ale, handing the half-empty waterskin back.
"How does it feel to have a goddess as a daughter?" Symond asked out of nowhere. Questions about the godhood of Queen Argella were gnawing at him inside, and Argilac was the only person that could answer them, sort of asking the queen.
However, he didn't want to ask how it was possible in the first place, because the answer scared him.
Argilac looked at Symond before drinking the remaining ale. "As if the world had gone upside down and nothing makes sense anymore."
"I thought you would be delighted." Symond would be over the clouds if any of his children could do half of what Argella Durrandon did.
"I am. It is just that we all grew up the same, more or less, believing in the Seven Who Are One, that men rule, fight, and make decisions while women take care of the household, give birth, and make their husbands happy." Argilac lay down on the sand, looking at the stars and the moon.
Was Teyvat, the world Ei came from, somewhere out there?
"Now? Now I am a prince once more, and my daughter will change the kingdom, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Our way of life is dead now, and a new one will take its place." Whether he would live long enough to see it, Argilac didn't know.
"Here I was just worried about the Ironborn first and the Dornish now." Then again, Symond was older than Argilac and would definitely not see these changes.
"They are mortals, just like us. She could wreak destruction on this land, yet chooses not, all to spare the small folk and the innocents."
"I would not have bothered." Symond admitted. Dorne was the enemy, and the more dead, the better.
"Neither would I. I suppose that is why she is a goddess and not us." Argilac could not claim to know how the divine thought.
"Hmph. I have something else to ask. Her… friends, I suppose. Who are they?" Queen Argella, for all her divinity, looked human enough, except for the color of her hair.
Kitsune Saiguu, with large, furry ears on top of her head and a tail like that of a fox; Mikoshi Chiyo, with the red coloring of her skin, her claws, and two horns; and, of course, the mysterious archer of the Riverlands, Sasayuri, with her wings.
Everything about them screamed foreigners, from their names to their looks and their demeanor.
He wasn't even going to speak of what they were.
"I have no idea." It was more believable than saying they were Argella's friends that had returned from the dead and ended up in Westeros after they were rejected by their world.
"My grandson, he is smitten with that horned woman, Chiyo." Most were unnerved by her looks, yet his fool of a grandson had fallen in love with a being that wasn't even human.
Argilac rose, taken aback by the strange admission. "Seeing as she could break him in half like a twig, I would ask him to look for someone else."
—
"I have followed the Dornish to the northeast, where they are hiding in caves." Ei pointed at the map, near the border of House Qorgyle and House Uller.
"I thought the Dornish were snakes; it turns out they were rats. What is your command?" Taryn's insult earned him a few chuckles.
"Attacking a cave in any situation is never good for the attackers, as the defenders have too many edges." Sasayuri pointed out.
It was a valid point, and Ei didn't see a solution that didn't involve lots of death, except for either her, Chiyo, or Sasayuri to clean the caves.
"Your Excellency, if I may?" Garrin took a step forward to ask for permission.
He was a Marcher Lord, and his opinion on fighting the Dornish was worth hearing. "I am listening."
"This is not the first time we had to attack caves where the Dornish had taken refuge. There is a small trick we use, but forcing them out takes time. However, we can continue on our way while the Dornish run out of supplies." The Red Mountains had many caves that the Dornish made use of to escape their pursuers, filled with supplies and traps.
Naturally, the Marcher Lords had to come up with an answer to them.
"What trick would that be?" Border wars between the Storm Kingdom and Dorne tended to be ugly after all.
"Rats, Your Excellency. We release them into the caves, and they find the Dornish supplies and spread disease. As I said, it takes time, but if a certain number of men could do this day after day, the Dornish will be too weak to hit us while we are marching."
That was not a conventional tactic by any means, and many of the lords looked unsure.
Ei turned to Sasayuri for her opinion, but the tengu shrugged. In theory, it could work, and if the Marcher Lords used that technique before, then it couldn't hurt.
Rat warfare was not something she had considered before, ever, but anything was possible if you lived long enough.
"Very well, Lord Garrin, I will entrust this matter to you."
The Lord of Nightsong preened like a peacock, bowing with a flourish.
—
Hundreds of men hunted for rats, and it required incentives because none wanted to do this kind of dirty work. Garrin, however, in his efforts to make up for his conduct before the wedding between Selena and her father, was very enthusiastic to finish this task.
Even in the desert, finding rodents turned out to be an easy task, at least far easier than capturing them.
Hundreds of them were released into the cave system, and the host had started its march to Hellholt.
—
Ei considered the situation at hand.
Irregular warfare did exist in Teyvat, though not in great numbers, nor had it had much success in achieving the goals. Sure, they caused destruction and disrupted trade and supply lines, but eventually, it was a war confined to one nation.
Now, an entire nation was conducting irregular warfare in their own home against an invading force.
She could hunt them down herself, but it would waste too much of her elemental energy while leaving pieces of land destroyed across Dorne.
The other problem was much more pervasive. Even if she killed the nobles, knights, and all other fighting forces the Dornish could present, there was a chance it could make them into martyrs for the smallfolk.
She knew they were already supporting their liege lords, sneaking them supplies and intelligence.
All due to the hate that existed between the kingdoms.
Even if the smallfolk were subdued, they would be problematic for centuries to come, and killing hundreds of thousands of civilians who, more often than not, couldn't defend themselves was not a line the Electro Archon was willing to cross.
This war had to be fought a different way.
Or perhaps not at all?
—
In the next chapter:
A man-at-arms knelt before her. "Princess, the Storm Queen's host is near the walls."
"Good, let them sit and wait. We shall see if they are foolish enough to think they can hold Sunspear." The second the Sorcerer Queen was gone, her men would surge through the shadows and put everyone in the garrison to the sword.
A foreign voice, one that she had not heard before, interrupted the Toad of Dorne from her musings. "I was actually considering just destroying it and killing everyone here."
The men, realizing who it was that had just discovered the secret tunnels, pulled their weapons to charge before the woman flicked her fingers, sending them flying away like dolls.
Narrow as the tunnels were, the men struck each other, ending up in a heap, groaning and bruised, but alive.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
BxHero
Mecha enjoyer and Waifu enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 11, 2017
- Messages
- 51
No the grandson is the only man that makes any sense. Who cares if Chiyo can snap you like a twig or pretty much reshape the landscape with pure physical force. Hot woman is hot. And as a man it is our duty NO PRIVILEGE TO TRY AND CLIMB THAT MOUNTAIN AND GET WITH THE ONI WOMAN!
Can you even call yourself a man if you don't reach for the heavens?
Can you even call yourself a man if you don't reach for the heavens?
Chapter 50 - Two Constants
New
Samael61
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
- Messages
- 283
Hello there,
If you enjoy my stories, you can read advanced chapters on my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington-inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low-End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 8 chapters ahead.
If you enjoy sci-fi, action, politics, romance with an overpowered protagonist, you can check Arrival, my original story on my Patreon or my pages on the fanfiction sites. I intend to make this a long term project, if you wish to be with me in this journey from the very start, now is the time. Your review and likes are appreciated to keep up with the algorithm.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded because of the company's 75-day hold policy.
—
Highgarden
"Thanks to your wise decision, my lady, the harvests are on time, even with the lacking number of farmers."
"I know, I know, I am great. You don't have to remind me." Saiguu had found herself quickly sickened by the sycophants in Reach trying to curry favor with her by praising her every word and decision as if it were some divine revelation.
Well, she was a goddess, but that did not automatically make her every word a revelation. Not that she had given any in her life.
"I wonder how Ei, Sasayuri, and Chiyo are doing." It was a bit lonely to not have her friends here, but there was a war going on.
"Kage, where are the tax forms?"
The puppet, who was becoming more like a living, breathing person day by day, handed her a stack of parchments. "Here."
Quickly scanning through the ledgers, Kitsune Saiguu smiled.
"I can say with utmost confidence—" Saiguu watched as the ladies and castellans of Reach preened, thinking they were on the receiving end of praise "—that these ledgers are a mess. Why, I have no idea how the Gardener kings managed to rule with such an inefficient system."
Half of her words were foreign to the nobles, but they understood the meaning behind her sentence.
"It appears we are in dire need of a revolution in tax collection and recording."
—
Her decision for a revolution in the tax system was easier said than done.
First of all, there was a need for a lot of literate people, which was a rarity in Westeros.
That is why clerks were ordered to train more clerks in writing, mathematics—sums and numbers, as it was named in Westeros—and how to keep ledgers in the way instructed by the Regent, for which she wrote a new, standardized one and sent to the Weeping Town. As one of the main producers of cheap, affordable paper, they would be replicating the forms and sending them all over the kingdom.
Local treasury bureaus would be installed to handle registration, central ledgers, conversion rates from grain to coin, and audits.
A quirky idea of using split wooden tally sticks as receipts was written down for now.
Villages and holdfasts did not have any literate people and could not use the forms, which meant they had to send someone to the nearest bureau to learn with the clerks.
Each season's ledger would be sent to the regional bureau, where it would be transcribed into the regional ledger and, finally, sent to the national bureau.
For taxes that would be paid in grain, the deliveries would be made to local granaries, with a Granary Collector maintaining the price tables for conversions at harvest times to reduce the need for quick evaluations.
And auditors, of course, to inspect the ledgers, receipts, and granaries, rotating on a regular basis to avoid corruption from seeping in deep.
The tax farmers would need to be changed for salaried collectors, which would not face as much opposition as one would expect due to the sheer fear Ei spread across the Seven Kingdoms, even though it was unintentional.
Seasonal tallies would be posted and read aloud at market days to avoid any kind of extortion.
Just the planning so far had taken her weeks, and then, she would need to wait for this war to end before starting trials.
Just the thought made Saiguu groan.
Things she did for her friends.
—
Principality of Dorne
Hellholt
Known to be impulsive and unpredictable, a Dornish saying claimed that "half of the Ullers are half-mad, and the other half are far worse."
Which became evident when they found Hellholt filled to the brim with venomous animals, mostly snakes and scorpions.
Ei had taken one look at the ancient castle before drawing Musou Isshin and erasing the seat of House Uller out of the face of this world.
It did not end there.
Countless traps dotted the path to Spottswood, assumed to be left by the Ullers, slowing down the host, while night raids became a regular occurrence.
"This is demoralizing the soldiers," Sasayuri reported.
"Your Excellency, we must do something. Even if we kill every raider, the attacks have the men on edge." Her uncle complained.
So far, the Dornish were proving to be irritants with their irregular warfare.
"Do the smallfolk help the missing forces?"
"Indeed, Your Excellency, if you would let us punish them, we can starve the Dornish men in hiding." Lord Fell suggested, and Ei considered it for a moment.
Punishing the civilians was unlikely to change anything. Unless they were traumatized, which Ei was not going to do, they would just hate the Storm Kingdom more.
"Hmm, I have a better idea. For now, we are marching to Planky Town."
"May I ask what you plan to do?"
Ei's mischievous smile would have made Saiguu proud. "If the Dornish want their independence, I will give it to them."
—
Spottswood
Reaching the seat of House Santagar took considerably longer due to the traps and raids conducted by House Uller.
Unfortunately for them, Ei eventually found their hiding place, a valley with natural defenses that would have made it a nightmare for the attacking force to succeed. Which is why she created barriers to block the entire valley from the outside world.
House Uller did not wish to surrender; now they could never.
Spottswood was another abandoned castle, except for the elderly, the children, and the sick.
"Did your lords not worry for your lives?" Ei asked one of the old women staying in the castle.
The woman shrugged. "We are old, and the children are too young to fear death, and the sick are to be with the Stranger soon. Why should they worry for us when even we do not?"
Ah, so they did not see their lives worth bargaining and did not wish to be a burden to the forces in hiding.
"Your spirit is admirable." She complimented the human, who bowed her head in respect. "Then you know we cannot be broken."
"How brave. Carry on, child, because I don't have to break Dorne." She would give them what they sought out while ensuring they could not threaten her kingdom.
"Hmph."
—
"Stop." Ei raised her hand.
"What happened?"
She did not say anything; instead, divine lightning struck the sands ahead, and her reason to stop the host became evident.
A massive hole, easily large enough to swallow thousands of men, appeared where the lightning melted the sands, a natural danger that would have caused extreme losses had the host walked over it.
"Even the desert here is treacherous."
—
Vaith
The seat of House Vaith was built alongside a river that had soon taken the family's name, just as they called their home Vaith.
The keep itself was abandoned, with nary a soul residing in it, but the river was one of the principal waterways of Dorne. Redirecting the river would deny their enemies a considerable source of water but not condemn them to thirst entirely.
A measured response to weaken without causing a massive number of deaths across Dorne. A swing of Musou Isshin saw to the matter, after the host replenished its water, of course.
—
Salt Shore
The seat of House Gargalen did not pose any trouble, except for the usual raids, and was damaged severely, including the docks, which were burned down, before the host moved on.
—
God's grace
House Allyrion was nowhere to be seen, and their keep suffered the same fate as all the ones before.
—
The host had taken some time to rest after Godsgrace, and Ei couldn't help thinking about all that had happened in the last six months.
First, the Ironborn had been destroyed, following their attack on the Weeping Town, with Harrenhal nothing but dust, their fleets and hosts destroyed, and of course, the death of the Drowned God and the annihilation of the Iron Islands as a result of it.
Then, just as she had thought that the war was over and the matters could return to normal, Dorne and Reach had allied to attack her kingdom while they were at war with the Ironborn.
The Reach had surrendered quite easily, but the Dornish were proving to be annoyances.
Six months after she had left Storm's End for war, she stood in the deserts of Dorne with her old friends, once dead, now alive.
Perhaps this had been her reward? Spending centuries without anyone to call friends, except Miko and then Aether, she wondered what would have happened had Sasayuri, Chiyo, and Saiguu not been in her life right now.
Would she spend centuries meditating and become detached from the world? Try to find a way back to Teyvat?
Now, her only worry was the Dornish.
Ei smiled. Perhaps not every story had to be about overcoming adversity and personal growth. Some could be about old friends gathered around a fire, enjoying the company.
—
Planky Town
The Planky Town was perhaps the most interesting settlement in all of Westeros, as it was a town that floated on the river, with planks as streets and poleboats, barges, and merchant ships as houses, halls, and shops, tied in a web of hempen rope.
It, too, was abandoned, with only a handful of old women and children inhabiting the once no doubt vibrant settlement.
"Lord Caden, have all the remaining citizens move elsewhere, and then set this place on fire." As the town was no doubt emptied of riches and only presented a strategic value to the Dornish if they were allowed to have it back.
Burning it down was the best option.
"By your will, Your Excellency." Caden was cool-headed and would carry out her orders as instructed.
Several barges were set aside for the smallfolk, far away from the initial settlement, and the rest were set aflame with torches, while the soldiers watched.
Even if Dorne was not conquered, this damage alone would hurt them for decades to come.
In the grim silence of the night, only the sound of the crackling flames was heard.
—
Sunspear
The seat of House Nymeros Martell, the ruling house of Dorne, was protected by three massive walls that would require siege weapons to break through, making it a costly castle to take.
Only, it was abandoned just the same as all other keeps across Dorne, while the Shadow City, built against the first wall, was half deserted as well.
But she could feel it, the people hiding beneath the castle in what must be secret tunnels, no doubt ready to rise and attack the second she left, slaughtering the garrison left behind.
Perhaps she should go and talk to Meria Martell.
"Daughter, do we burn Sunspear and the Shadow City as well?" It would take time, unlike Planky Town, but just like every other man in the host, Argilac was itching for the chance to set the seat of House Martell on fire.
"No, wait for me here."
—
A man-at-arms knelt before her. "Princess, the Storm Queen's host is near the walls."
"Good, let them sit and wait. We shall see if they are foolish enough to think they can hold Sunspear." The second the Sorcerer Queen was gone, her men would surge through the shadows and put everyone in the garrison to the sword.
A foreign voice, one that she had not heard before, interrupted the Toad of Dorne from her musings. "I was actually considering just destroying it and killing everyone here."
The men, realizing who it was that had just discovered the secret tunnels, pulled their weapons to charge before the woman flicked her fingers, sending them flying away like dolls.
Narrow as the tunnels were, the men struck each other, ending up in a heap, groaning and bruised, but alive.
"I can kill you all without even moving a finger. Why don't your men lower their weapons and we talk, Princess Meria?" The Sorcerer Queen of the Storm Kingdom, who somehow had entered the tunnels without anyone realizing, leaned on the wall, not worried about being surrounded by the enemy.
Meria knew their one and only chance had just disappeared like a fishing boat in stormy seas.
"If you are expecting us to surrender, then you will find yourself waiting for a long time." There was nothing to talk about, and if they were to die, House Nymeros Martell would die standing.
Purple orbs, crackling like imps ready to devour them, lit up the darkness of the tunnels. "Not even if I kill you all and erase House Nymeros Martell from existence?"
Meria felt sweat prickling down her neck. "Your threats do not scare me." For House Martell, bending the knee was worse than death.
"They are not threats, and you know that. But it is a matter of pride, is it not? If you bend now, the words of your house will mean nothing. It will be a blow House Nymeros Martell could not recover from." House Martell had left themselves stuck between oblivion and a humiliation that would last for ages.
"Then you know why we will not yield."
"I do. Which is why I am going to leave Dorne." Argella Durrandon disappeared, as if she had never been there, and Meria knew it would not be that simple.
—
She gave the host a night to rest before announcing her decision to retreat from Dorne.
The nobles, the knights, and the men-at-arms—neither one would like it, at least until Ei showed her true plan.
—
"We are abandoning the conquest of Dorne? Your Excellency, please reconsider. We can fight and wear down the Dornish." Taryn begged. This was the chance his ancestors had dreamed of for thousands of years, to finally put an end to Dorne.
Yet the queen just wanted to walk away? It made no sense to him.
"Lord Taryn, why should we bother conquering this wasteland? To humiliate the Dornish? Is it worth your life? Is it worth your son's life?" The mention of his son, who had already been wounded before, made Taryn reconsider.
"Nay, it is not."
"Then you may leave." The noble slammed his fist on his heart and left the tent.
Sasayuri coughed to get her attention. "What is your plan, exactly?" She trusted Ei and knew that the God of Eternity must have a good reason behind her decision, but men would feel at ease if they were properly informed too.
"It is a surprise."
—
Inside the secret tunnels beneath Sunspear, the air was tense. The Storm Queen's claim that she would leave Dorne had many on edge.
Because she was unlikely to merely leave after Dorne had attacked her lands, yet they still breathed. Before, the Dornish were determined to fight, but after Argella Durrandon had flicked several guards away like a grown knight would to a child, fear had taken root.
Dying while fighting was fine, but dying without even touching your enemy?
It was terrifying.
Which had led to the rise of several voices wishing to parley rather than outright surrender as a way to save face, and Meria Martell began to consider it.
—
In the next chapter:
The night was tense for House Martell and the retainers hiding beneath the castle, expecting the Storm Queen outside their walls to strike and destroy them all.
In the morning, Princess Meria sent men to the enemy host's camp to relay her desire to parley.
Only for the men to report that the Storm Kingdom was breaking camp, getting ready to leave.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
If you enjoy my stories, you can read advanced chapters on my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington-inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low-End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 8 chapters ahead.
If you enjoy sci-fi, action, politics, romance with an overpowered protagonist, you can check Arrival, my original story on my Patreon or my pages on the fanfiction sites. I intend to make this a long term project, if you wish to be with me in this journey from the very start, now is the time. Your review and likes are appreciated to keep up with the algorithm.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded because of the company's 75-day hold policy.
—
Highgarden
"Thanks to your wise decision, my lady, the harvests are on time, even with the lacking number of farmers."
"I know, I know, I am great. You don't have to remind me." Saiguu had found herself quickly sickened by the sycophants in Reach trying to curry favor with her by praising her every word and decision as if it were some divine revelation.
Well, she was a goddess, but that did not automatically make her every word a revelation. Not that she had given any in her life.
"I wonder how Ei, Sasayuri, and Chiyo are doing." It was a bit lonely to not have her friends here, but there was a war going on.
"Kage, where are the tax forms?"
The puppet, who was becoming more like a living, breathing person day by day, handed her a stack of parchments. "Here."
Quickly scanning through the ledgers, Kitsune Saiguu smiled.
"I can say with utmost confidence—" Saiguu watched as the ladies and castellans of Reach preened, thinking they were on the receiving end of praise "—that these ledgers are a mess. Why, I have no idea how the Gardener kings managed to rule with such an inefficient system."
Half of her words were foreign to the nobles, but they understood the meaning behind her sentence.
"It appears we are in dire need of a revolution in tax collection and recording."
—
Her decision for a revolution in the tax system was easier said than done.
First of all, there was a need for a lot of literate people, which was a rarity in Westeros.
That is why clerks were ordered to train more clerks in writing, mathematics—sums and numbers, as it was named in Westeros—and how to keep ledgers in the way instructed by the Regent, for which she wrote a new, standardized one and sent to the Weeping Town. As one of the main producers of cheap, affordable paper, they would be replicating the forms and sending them all over the kingdom.
Local treasury bureaus would be installed to handle registration, central ledgers, conversion rates from grain to coin, and audits.
A quirky idea of using split wooden tally sticks as receipts was written down for now.
Villages and holdfasts did not have any literate people and could not use the forms, which meant they had to send someone to the nearest bureau to learn with the clerks.
Each season's ledger would be sent to the regional bureau, where it would be transcribed into the regional ledger and, finally, sent to the national bureau.
For taxes that would be paid in grain, the deliveries would be made to local granaries, with a Granary Collector maintaining the price tables for conversions at harvest times to reduce the need for quick evaluations.
And auditors, of course, to inspect the ledgers, receipts, and granaries, rotating on a regular basis to avoid corruption from seeping in deep.
The tax farmers would need to be changed for salaried collectors, which would not face as much opposition as one would expect due to the sheer fear Ei spread across the Seven Kingdoms, even though it was unintentional.
Seasonal tallies would be posted and read aloud at market days to avoid any kind of extortion.
Just the planning so far had taken her weeks, and then, she would need to wait for this war to end before starting trials.
Just the thought made Saiguu groan.
Things she did for her friends.
—
Principality of Dorne
Hellholt
Known to be impulsive and unpredictable, a Dornish saying claimed that "half of the Ullers are half-mad, and the other half are far worse."
Which became evident when they found Hellholt filled to the brim with venomous animals, mostly snakes and scorpions.
Ei had taken one look at the ancient castle before drawing Musou Isshin and erasing the seat of House Uller out of the face of this world.
It did not end there.
Countless traps dotted the path to Spottswood, assumed to be left by the Ullers, slowing down the host, while night raids became a regular occurrence.
"This is demoralizing the soldiers," Sasayuri reported.
"Your Excellency, we must do something. Even if we kill every raider, the attacks have the men on edge." Her uncle complained.
So far, the Dornish were proving to be irritants with their irregular warfare.
"Do the smallfolk help the missing forces?"
"Indeed, Your Excellency, if you would let us punish them, we can starve the Dornish men in hiding." Lord Fell suggested, and Ei considered it for a moment.
Punishing the civilians was unlikely to change anything. Unless they were traumatized, which Ei was not going to do, they would just hate the Storm Kingdom more.
"Hmm, I have a better idea. For now, we are marching to Planky Town."
"May I ask what you plan to do?"
Ei's mischievous smile would have made Saiguu proud. "If the Dornish want their independence, I will give it to them."
—
Spottswood
Reaching the seat of House Santagar took considerably longer due to the traps and raids conducted by House Uller.
Unfortunately for them, Ei eventually found their hiding place, a valley with natural defenses that would have made it a nightmare for the attacking force to succeed. Which is why she created barriers to block the entire valley from the outside world.
House Uller did not wish to surrender; now they could never.
Spottswood was another abandoned castle, except for the elderly, the children, and the sick.
"Did your lords not worry for your lives?" Ei asked one of the old women staying in the castle.
The woman shrugged. "We are old, and the children are too young to fear death, and the sick are to be with the Stranger soon. Why should they worry for us when even we do not?"
Ah, so they did not see their lives worth bargaining and did not wish to be a burden to the forces in hiding.
"Your spirit is admirable." She complimented the human, who bowed her head in respect. "Then you know we cannot be broken."
"How brave. Carry on, child, because I don't have to break Dorne." She would give them what they sought out while ensuring they could not threaten her kingdom.
"Hmph."
—
"Stop." Ei raised her hand.
"What happened?"
She did not say anything; instead, divine lightning struck the sands ahead, and her reason to stop the host became evident.
A massive hole, easily large enough to swallow thousands of men, appeared where the lightning melted the sands, a natural danger that would have caused extreme losses had the host walked over it.
"Even the desert here is treacherous."
—
Vaith
The seat of House Vaith was built alongside a river that had soon taken the family's name, just as they called their home Vaith.
The keep itself was abandoned, with nary a soul residing in it, but the river was one of the principal waterways of Dorne. Redirecting the river would deny their enemies a considerable source of water but not condemn them to thirst entirely.
A measured response to weaken without causing a massive number of deaths across Dorne. A swing of Musou Isshin saw to the matter, after the host replenished its water, of course.
—
Salt Shore
The seat of House Gargalen did not pose any trouble, except for the usual raids, and was damaged severely, including the docks, which were burned down, before the host moved on.
—
God's grace
House Allyrion was nowhere to be seen, and their keep suffered the same fate as all the ones before.
—
The host had taken some time to rest after Godsgrace, and Ei couldn't help thinking about all that had happened in the last six months.
First, the Ironborn had been destroyed, following their attack on the Weeping Town, with Harrenhal nothing but dust, their fleets and hosts destroyed, and of course, the death of the Drowned God and the annihilation of the Iron Islands as a result of it.
Then, just as she had thought that the war was over and the matters could return to normal, Dorne and Reach had allied to attack her kingdom while they were at war with the Ironborn.
The Reach had surrendered quite easily, but the Dornish were proving to be annoyances.
Six months after she had left Storm's End for war, she stood in the deserts of Dorne with her old friends, once dead, now alive.
Perhaps this had been her reward? Spending centuries without anyone to call friends, except Miko and then Aether, she wondered what would have happened had Sasayuri, Chiyo, and Saiguu not been in her life right now.
Would she spend centuries meditating and become detached from the world? Try to find a way back to Teyvat?
Now, her only worry was the Dornish.
Ei smiled. Perhaps not every story had to be about overcoming adversity and personal growth. Some could be about old friends gathered around a fire, enjoying the company.
—
Planky Town
The Planky Town was perhaps the most interesting settlement in all of Westeros, as it was a town that floated on the river, with planks as streets and poleboats, barges, and merchant ships as houses, halls, and shops, tied in a web of hempen rope.
It, too, was abandoned, with only a handful of old women and children inhabiting the once no doubt vibrant settlement.
"Lord Caden, have all the remaining citizens move elsewhere, and then set this place on fire." As the town was no doubt emptied of riches and only presented a strategic value to the Dornish if they were allowed to have it back.
Burning it down was the best option.
"By your will, Your Excellency." Caden was cool-headed and would carry out her orders as instructed.
Several barges were set aside for the smallfolk, far away from the initial settlement, and the rest were set aflame with torches, while the soldiers watched.
Even if Dorne was not conquered, this damage alone would hurt them for decades to come.
In the grim silence of the night, only the sound of the crackling flames was heard.
—
Sunspear
The seat of House Nymeros Martell, the ruling house of Dorne, was protected by three massive walls that would require siege weapons to break through, making it a costly castle to take.
Only, it was abandoned just the same as all other keeps across Dorne, while the Shadow City, built against the first wall, was half deserted as well.
But she could feel it, the people hiding beneath the castle in what must be secret tunnels, no doubt ready to rise and attack the second she left, slaughtering the garrison left behind.
Perhaps she should go and talk to Meria Martell.
"Daughter, do we burn Sunspear and the Shadow City as well?" It would take time, unlike Planky Town, but just like every other man in the host, Argilac was itching for the chance to set the seat of House Martell on fire.
"No, wait for me here."
—
A man-at-arms knelt before her. "Princess, the Storm Queen's host is near the walls."
"Good, let them sit and wait. We shall see if they are foolish enough to think they can hold Sunspear." The second the Sorcerer Queen was gone, her men would surge through the shadows and put everyone in the garrison to the sword.
A foreign voice, one that she had not heard before, interrupted the Toad of Dorne from her musings. "I was actually considering just destroying it and killing everyone here."
The men, realizing who it was that had just discovered the secret tunnels, pulled their weapons to charge before the woman flicked her fingers, sending them flying away like dolls.
Narrow as the tunnels were, the men struck each other, ending up in a heap, groaning and bruised, but alive.
"I can kill you all without even moving a finger. Why don't your men lower their weapons and we talk, Princess Meria?" The Sorcerer Queen of the Storm Kingdom, who somehow had entered the tunnels without anyone realizing, leaned on the wall, not worried about being surrounded by the enemy.
Meria knew their one and only chance had just disappeared like a fishing boat in stormy seas.
"If you are expecting us to surrender, then you will find yourself waiting for a long time." There was nothing to talk about, and if they were to die, House Nymeros Martell would die standing.
Purple orbs, crackling like imps ready to devour them, lit up the darkness of the tunnels. "Not even if I kill you all and erase House Nymeros Martell from existence?"
Meria felt sweat prickling down her neck. "Your threats do not scare me." For House Martell, bending the knee was worse than death.
"They are not threats, and you know that. But it is a matter of pride, is it not? If you bend now, the words of your house will mean nothing. It will be a blow House Nymeros Martell could not recover from." House Martell had left themselves stuck between oblivion and a humiliation that would last for ages.
"Then you know why we will not yield."
"I do. Which is why I am going to leave Dorne." Argella Durrandon disappeared, as if she had never been there, and Meria knew it would not be that simple.
—
She gave the host a night to rest before announcing her decision to retreat from Dorne.
The nobles, the knights, and the men-at-arms—neither one would like it, at least until Ei showed her true plan.
—
"We are abandoning the conquest of Dorne? Your Excellency, please reconsider. We can fight and wear down the Dornish." Taryn begged. This was the chance his ancestors had dreamed of for thousands of years, to finally put an end to Dorne.
Yet the queen just wanted to walk away? It made no sense to him.
"Lord Taryn, why should we bother conquering this wasteland? To humiliate the Dornish? Is it worth your life? Is it worth your son's life?" The mention of his son, who had already been wounded before, made Taryn reconsider.
"Nay, it is not."
"Then you may leave." The noble slammed his fist on his heart and left the tent.
Sasayuri coughed to get her attention. "What is your plan, exactly?" She trusted Ei and knew that the God of Eternity must have a good reason behind her decision, but men would feel at ease if they were properly informed too.
"It is a surprise."
—
Inside the secret tunnels beneath Sunspear, the air was tense. The Storm Queen's claim that she would leave Dorne had many on edge.
Because she was unlikely to merely leave after Dorne had attacked her lands, yet they still breathed. Before, the Dornish were determined to fight, but after Argella Durrandon had flicked several guards away like a grown knight would to a child, fear had taken root.
Dying while fighting was fine, but dying without even touching your enemy?
It was terrifying.
Which had led to the rise of several voices wishing to parley rather than outright surrender as a way to save face, and Meria Martell began to consider it.
—
In the next chapter:
The night was tense for House Martell and the retainers hiding beneath the castle, expecting the Storm Queen outside their walls to strike and destroy them all.
In the morning, Princess Meria sent men to the enemy host's camp to relay her desire to parley.
Only for the men to report that the Storm Kingdom was breaking camp, getting ready to leave.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
Chapter 51 - Timeout
New
Samael61
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
- Messages
- 283
Hello there,
If you enjoy my stories, you can read advanced chapters on my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington-inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low-End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 9 chapters ahead.
If you enjoy sci-fi, action, politics, romance with an overpowered protagonist, you can check Arrival, my original story on my Patreon or my pages on the fanfiction sites. I intend to make this a long term project, if you wish to be with me in this journey from the very start, now is the time. Your review and likes are appreciated to keep up with the algorithm.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded because of the company's 75-day hold policy.
—
Principality of Dorne
Sunspear
The night was tense for House Martell and the retainers hiding beneath the castle, expecting the Storm Queen outside their walls to strike and destroy them all.
In the morning, Princess Meria sent men to the enemy host's camp to relay her desire to parley.
Only for the men to report that the Storm Kingdom was breaking camp, getting ready to leave.
Meria Martell worried now, thinking that the blow would come any second, but Argella Durrandon just left with her host, not even bothering to damage Sunspear as she had done to the keeps along the way. They might be in hiding, but her vassals still managed to send her messengers.
Every second, the air grew tenser, but eventually, the Storm Queen and her host disappeared beyond the horizon, all without knocking down a single stone in the castle.
Emerging from the shadows, House Martell took the castle without a fight.
—
Ei would have preferred to give the host more time to rest, but the less time they spent in this desert, the better.
Leaving Dorne proved to be easier than entering it due to the damage they caused, but by no means was it peaceful. The host was especially down in spirit, believing that they had lost after coming so close to conquering Dorne.
Through Vaith, Hellholt, or at least the fissure where the keep used to be, Sandstone and Starfall, the Storm Kingdom abandoned Dorne.
Standing at the border after weeks of marching home, Ei turned to survey the desert before her.
Stubborn to the end, the Dornish first attacked her lands and then acted as if she were some foreign invader.
If they valued their independence so strongly, Ei would ensure no one would ever step foot into Dorne.
And no one would ever leave.
She raised both hands because the Electro Archon had never attempted to do something similar to the punishment the Dorne as a whole was about to receive.
—
Three purple commas, so great in size that they could be seen across both ends of Dorne, darkened the sky.
The host was startled, believing that the queen had changed her mind and was about to destroy Dorne.
But it was not to be.
Instead, a dome came down from the sigils in the sky, bending and twisting at the edges to fit the border, and slammed down onto the earth.
—
"Your Excellency, what?" Taryn Selmy, so opposed to her decision to retreat, was smiling now.
"Simple. We might be leaving Dorne, but the Dornish will never be able to."
Ei took a deep breath, a habit rather than a necessity for her. That had taken a lot out of her, but the war was over now.
The Principality of Dorne would never be a threat to her kingdom again, and she didn't have to kill hundreds of thousands of antagonistic civilians unable to truly defend themselves.
If the Dornish surrendered, very well; if not, they could spend an eternity inside that bubble.
—
Across Dorne, the missing nobles appeared to take their keeps back. Half of them were wrecks, with Hellholt gone entirely and members of House Uller nowhere to be seen, presumed to be dead.
Planky Town was burned down, and the river Vaith was redirected, cutting down on their usual water supply, but the invaders were gone, and the people of Dorne, common or noble, celebrated.
Then it became worse.
Three commas appeared in the sky, in that accursed purple color the Storm Queen was so fond of wearing, and the Dornish found themselves unable to cross their borders, barred by a shield.
Confused, they attempted to breach it. Arrows, swords, lances, and all other handheld weapons did nothing. So they tried to dig a tunnel, only to find that the Storm Queen's sorcery penetrated deep into the earth, deeper than they could dig.
Siege weapons were next, hurling rocks that could crush two riders standing side by side into a paste, which shattered on the purple, see-through shield.
The sea was beyond their reach, and Meria Martell realized something.
They were imprisoned in their own lands, never to leave again.
Unless they bent.
—
The Reach Prefect
Highgarden
Their return was met with celebrations, even if the Reachmen weren't enthusiastic about it. Feasts, bards, and mummers were all brought together for the victorious warriors.
That is until Ei revealed she had not bothered to conquer Dorne. There were outrages, mutterings behind closed doors, and plans of revolt in the hopes the Storm Kingdom might retreat, just as they had done in Dorne.
"You abandoned the conquest of Dorne, Your Excellency?" Lady Merina's tone was measured, but inside, she was fuming.
Queen Argella had gone and conquered the Reach, yet gave up on Dorne because the nobles were hiding and fighting from the shadows? If it was that easy for a god to lose heart, then perhaps Reach should have fought too.
"Indeed. I imprisoned the Dornish on their lands; they are not a threat anymore."
"Imprisoned them? May I ask how?" How would you imprison a kingdom? Gather all its people and throw them in dungeons? Even for a god, that sounded time-consuming.
Ei waved her hand, and the sky was covered by an illusion, showing the barrier around the Dornish borders. "I created a dome to cut Dorne off from the rest of the world."
"Oh." Perhaps it was a good thing they had not fought.
Even if the Reach had the most verdant and fertile lands in all of the Seven Kingdoms, they were still dependent on other kingdoms for a variety of goods. If they were to be suddenly cut off from trade, then not even their fields could keep them alive.
"This tax system is brilliant; well done, Saiguu." As if she had not just condemned an entire kingdom to chaos, Queen Argella praised the half-fox, half-human-looking goddess she had appointed as her regent.
"Is all of this necessary?" Her father, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of planning brought to the table, realized he was out of his depth.
"Of course it is. With a proper tax system in place, the kingdom will prosper like never before." The lords were unlikely to be paying taxes properly, and with this system, the smallfolk could not be taxed on a whim.
Argilac would trust that if this half-fox goddess could plan all this, she could make it happen too. "It will need good coin to put in place."
"I have already put it aside."
—
The hosts were dismissed, but the lords were to stay in Highgarden for the discussions on how the kingdom as a whole would move forward.
Dorne was out of the board; the Riverlands would be a part of the Crown, while the Reach would be overseen by a local governor, elected according to the nobles' management of the territory. The more prosperous the land they ruled, the more likely they were to be the Governor of the Reach Prefect for the next seven years.
For now, Lady Merina would be the governor until heirs could take their places since female rule in Reach was not something accepted easily.
The Riverlands, ravaged by war and the Ironborn, needed to be rebuilt, and with its lush fields and many rivers, it offered many potential areas to build on.
First of all, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure needed to be constructed on most of the land and rebuilt on some parts.
Dikes, levees, and watermills had to be built since the Riverlands faced constant flooding, especially around the Trident, allowing the floodwater to be used to irrigate crop fields.
Speaking of crops, they had to be diversified, and Saiguu suggested introducing flax for linen and hops for brewing, which was unsurprising.
River barges were a point Sasayuri had raised to facilitate river transport and patrols to prevent piracy.
Market towns, such as Fairmarket, would need to be created with a charter to facilitate trade, and of course, since the Riverlands suffered from banditry the most, even with the Ironborn gone, a local guard force to protect traders, travelers, and smallfolk.
Riverlands was like a gold mine waiting to be claimed but plagued by countless and constant issues. None before her—not the petty kings, not the riverlords, not the Durrandon kings—had ever considered taking the challenge.
Then again, one advantage of being an immortal was that she had nothing but time.
—
"Envoys?" Ei, sitting on the throne of the former kings of Reach, was curious. Loren Lannister was fond of sending envoys, but who else had come?
"From the North and the Kingdom of the Rock, Your Excellency." The herald bowed. He was a young knight of House Gardener, dressed in gleaming armor, terrified yet somehow keeping his composure.
Edwar Marbrand, then. "Admit the envoy of King Loren first; since we already had previous meetings, I should know what to expect."
As expected, the cousin to King Loren was admitted first, with several exquisitely decorated chests carried in by his servants.
"Lord Edwar, we meet again." What had brought him this time?
Edwar bowed, far lower than he ever had before. "Queen Argella, I bring my king, Loren I Lannister's, compliments for your defeat of the Ironborn, and his wishes of peace between our kingdoms. Long have the reavers been a scourge on this continent, yet no longer due to you."
His praises were obviously an attempt to get into her good graces, because while Edwar was diplomatic back then, he was not this eager.
"I am delighted to hear King Loren's desire for peace, and I share the same hope." At least there was one king out there not desiring war.
Edwar held out his hands, gesturing to the chests piled up behind him. "I have brought gifts for you from the treasury of Casterly Rock. I am sure you will find them more than acceptable."
Silks, gems, fine castle-forged swords, spears, and shields, and tapestries of her vanquishing the Drowned God, not entirely inaccurate, most likely sewn based on what they gathered from word of mouth.
It was nothing less than a tribute.
"Your king is generous. Do relay my appreciation." Still, she would take it. The weapons could be used to arm men, silk perhaps would make good gifts for ladies across the kingdom, and the rest of the wealth was just more resources for the rebuilding efforts.
Once the gifts were out of the way, Edwar asked for permission before approaching. "May I ask a question?"
"By all means."
"What happened to the Dornish? We had thought you were at war with them." King Loren, and most of the court, had assumed Queen Argella would take Dorne with the same ease she had taken the Reach and were prepared to sail to Sunspear.
Yet word had carried like lightning that the war was over and Queen Argelle was holding court in Highgarden.
"We were, but they decided to be belligerent, so I covered all of Dorne with a barrier. They are on a time-out until they surrender." Ei simplified her punishment for House Martell and all their vassals.
Edwar Marbrand looked as if his spirit was about to depart from his mortal coil.
"If King Loren is amenable, I would like to sign a treaty with him, to include respect for each other's borders and sovereignty, and to solve any issues that may arise through words rather than swords." Her offer mollified the envoy, who accepted it with a wavering smile.
"Your offer is most welcome, Queen Argella. I will carry your words to my king."
—
The herald announced the next envoy, a new face. "Your Excellency, Ryswell Manderly, a vassal to King Torrhen Stark, has come to speak for his king."
"Welcome, Lord Ryswel. What is it that your king wishes to say? We rarely have any dealings with the North, if at all."
Ryswel Manderly handed her a letter after his greetings, and Ei had allowed it, and after reading it, she had dismissed
The old gods had spoken to Torrhen Stark, informing him of Ei's true nature and warning that a war would see the North burn. The King in the North sent his compliments to Ei for vanquishing the Ironborn, wished for peace, and hoped for their grain trade with the Reach to continue unabated.
"How fascinating. I spoke to the old gods once, yet they never came forward again." That was unknown to everyone, as she had not cared about the matter enough for it to come up again.
As with King Loren's envoy, Ei offered King Torrhen Stark a peace agreement through Ryswell Manderly since they now shared a border.
—
"Those old gods actually exist? I thought they were just misunderstandings of humans." Even with the existence of many gods back in Inazuma, people still attributed several natural events to gods. Saiguu would know, as more than once she was blamed for things that she had no hand in.
"They do exist but are just cautious." At least, it appeared that way to Ei.
Sasayuri had seen no sign of the old gods in the North, but perhaps because she was not one and they did not deign to speak to her. "What do you want to do about them?"
"Nothing. We have no issues with the North, nor with their gods." If they did not wish to speak, Ei would not bother with them.
Chiyo offered her observation. "Still, the Lannisters are weary, as are the Starks, and the Arryns too, no doubt." Vale had not sent an envoy, and as perhaps the most devout kingdom worshipping the Seven Who Are One, they must have been especially worried.
"They won't attack us, and we won't go around conquering them for the sake of it. In time, they will see that we are not mindless aggressors." There was already too much for them to do; a new war was not something she wanted nor needed.
—
Essos
In Essos, the rivalry and constant wars between the Free Cities were heating up, and it culminated in the invasion of Norvos by the Targaryens. Unlike the ancient Valyrians, they preached freedom by banning slavery and promised the city prosperity.
With most of the ruling caste dead, the rest were either terrified merchants and common-borns or the grateful slaves freed from their chains.
But it did not end there. Aegon Targaryen had proclaimed himself the Archon of New Valyria and demanded the surrounding Free Cities submit, except Braavos.
Their roots may have touched Valyria, but none of them accepted it, instead choosing war.
Lorath, Myr, Tyrosh, Pentos, Lys, Qohor, and Volantis had readied their armies, using all available means to fight the dragonlords, especially sorcerers, in the hopes of killing the Targaryens without facing the dragons.
Having studied history, the Targaryens brought sorcerers of their own, promising them wealth and positions in his empire.
It worked, and sorcerers and other magic practitioners flocked to the Targaryens, but they did not stop there, instead offering sellsword companies a place in their empire as a part of their army.
The battle lines were slowly drawn, and Essos was ready to erupt in chaos.
—
In the next chapter:
"Princess, what do we do?" Someone asked in the gathered court, but Meria did not even look for who it was, gazing at the shimmering, see-through purple dome that had trapped them like rats in a cage.
"I haven't a clue." She muttered.
Walter Wyl, the young son of Walter Wyl who had just come of age, chuckled in a way that sounded broken. "Suppose that's why she left without killing us that day. She is punishing us."
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
If you enjoy my stories, you can read advanced chapters on my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington-inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low-End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 9 chapters ahead.
If you enjoy sci-fi, action, politics, romance with an overpowered protagonist, you can check Arrival, my original story on my Patreon or my pages on the fanfiction sites. I intend to make this a long term project, if you wish to be with me in this journey from the very start, now is the time. Your review and likes are appreciated to keep up with the algorithm.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded because of the company's 75-day hold policy.
—
Principality of Dorne
Sunspear
The night was tense for House Martell and the retainers hiding beneath the castle, expecting the Storm Queen outside their walls to strike and destroy them all.
In the morning, Princess Meria sent men to the enemy host's camp to relay her desire to parley.
Only for the men to report that the Storm Kingdom was breaking camp, getting ready to leave.
Meria Martell worried now, thinking that the blow would come any second, but Argella Durrandon just left with her host, not even bothering to damage Sunspear as she had done to the keeps along the way. They might be in hiding, but her vassals still managed to send her messengers.
Every second, the air grew tenser, but eventually, the Storm Queen and her host disappeared beyond the horizon, all without knocking down a single stone in the castle.
Emerging from the shadows, House Martell took the castle without a fight.
—
Ei would have preferred to give the host more time to rest, but the less time they spent in this desert, the better.
Leaving Dorne proved to be easier than entering it due to the damage they caused, but by no means was it peaceful. The host was especially down in spirit, believing that they had lost after coming so close to conquering Dorne.
Through Vaith, Hellholt, or at least the fissure where the keep used to be, Sandstone and Starfall, the Storm Kingdom abandoned Dorne.
Standing at the border after weeks of marching home, Ei turned to survey the desert before her.
Stubborn to the end, the Dornish first attacked her lands and then acted as if she were some foreign invader.
If they valued their independence so strongly, Ei would ensure no one would ever step foot into Dorne.
And no one would ever leave.
She raised both hands because the Electro Archon had never attempted to do something similar to the punishment the Dorne as a whole was about to receive.
—
Three purple commas, so great in size that they could be seen across both ends of Dorne, darkened the sky.
The host was startled, believing that the queen had changed her mind and was about to destroy Dorne.
But it was not to be.
Instead, a dome came down from the sigils in the sky, bending and twisting at the edges to fit the border, and slammed down onto the earth.
—
"Your Excellency, what?" Taryn Selmy, so opposed to her decision to retreat, was smiling now.
"Simple. We might be leaving Dorne, but the Dornish will never be able to."
Ei took a deep breath, a habit rather than a necessity for her. That had taken a lot out of her, but the war was over now.
The Principality of Dorne would never be a threat to her kingdom again, and she didn't have to kill hundreds of thousands of antagonistic civilians unable to truly defend themselves.
If the Dornish surrendered, very well; if not, they could spend an eternity inside that bubble.
—
Across Dorne, the missing nobles appeared to take their keeps back. Half of them were wrecks, with Hellholt gone entirely and members of House Uller nowhere to be seen, presumed to be dead.
Planky Town was burned down, and the river Vaith was redirected, cutting down on their usual water supply, but the invaders were gone, and the people of Dorne, common or noble, celebrated.
Then it became worse.
Three commas appeared in the sky, in that accursed purple color the Storm Queen was so fond of wearing, and the Dornish found themselves unable to cross their borders, barred by a shield.
Confused, they attempted to breach it. Arrows, swords, lances, and all other handheld weapons did nothing. So they tried to dig a tunnel, only to find that the Storm Queen's sorcery penetrated deep into the earth, deeper than they could dig.
Siege weapons were next, hurling rocks that could crush two riders standing side by side into a paste, which shattered on the purple, see-through shield.
The sea was beyond their reach, and Meria Martell realized something.
They were imprisoned in their own lands, never to leave again.
Unless they bent.
—
The Reach Prefect
Highgarden
Their return was met with celebrations, even if the Reachmen weren't enthusiastic about it. Feasts, bards, and mummers were all brought together for the victorious warriors.
That is until Ei revealed she had not bothered to conquer Dorne. There were outrages, mutterings behind closed doors, and plans of revolt in the hopes the Storm Kingdom might retreat, just as they had done in Dorne.
"You abandoned the conquest of Dorne, Your Excellency?" Lady Merina's tone was measured, but inside, she was fuming.
Queen Argella had gone and conquered the Reach, yet gave up on Dorne because the nobles were hiding and fighting from the shadows? If it was that easy for a god to lose heart, then perhaps Reach should have fought too.
"Indeed. I imprisoned the Dornish on their lands; they are not a threat anymore."
"Imprisoned them? May I ask how?" How would you imprison a kingdom? Gather all its people and throw them in dungeons? Even for a god, that sounded time-consuming.
Ei waved her hand, and the sky was covered by an illusion, showing the barrier around the Dornish borders. "I created a dome to cut Dorne off from the rest of the world."
"Oh." Perhaps it was a good thing they had not fought.
Even if the Reach had the most verdant and fertile lands in all of the Seven Kingdoms, they were still dependent on other kingdoms for a variety of goods. If they were to be suddenly cut off from trade, then not even their fields could keep them alive.
"This tax system is brilliant; well done, Saiguu." As if she had not just condemned an entire kingdom to chaos, Queen Argella praised the half-fox, half-human-looking goddess she had appointed as her regent.
"Is all of this necessary?" Her father, overwhelmed by the sheer amount of planning brought to the table, realized he was out of his depth.
"Of course it is. With a proper tax system in place, the kingdom will prosper like never before." The lords were unlikely to be paying taxes properly, and with this system, the smallfolk could not be taxed on a whim.
Argilac would trust that if this half-fox goddess could plan all this, she could make it happen too. "It will need good coin to put in place."
"I have already put it aside."
—
The hosts were dismissed, but the lords were to stay in Highgarden for the discussions on how the kingdom as a whole would move forward.
Dorne was out of the board; the Riverlands would be a part of the Crown, while the Reach would be overseen by a local governor, elected according to the nobles' management of the territory. The more prosperous the land they ruled, the more likely they were to be the Governor of the Reach Prefect for the next seven years.
For now, Lady Merina would be the governor until heirs could take their places since female rule in Reach was not something accepted easily.
The Riverlands, ravaged by war and the Ironborn, needed to be rebuilt, and with its lush fields and many rivers, it offered many potential areas to build on.
First of all, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure needed to be constructed on most of the land and rebuilt on some parts.
Dikes, levees, and watermills had to be built since the Riverlands faced constant flooding, especially around the Trident, allowing the floodwater to be used to irrigate crop fields.
Speaking of crops, they had to be diversified, and Saiguu suggested introducing flax for linen and hops for brewing, which was unsurprising.
River barges were a point Sasayuri had raised to facilitate river transport and patrols to prevent piracy.
Market towns, such as Fairmarket, would need to be created with a charter to facilitate trade, and of course, since the Riverlands suffered from banditry the most, even with the Ironborn gone, a local guard force to protect traders, travelers, and smallfolk.
Riverlands was like a gold mine waiting to be claimed but plagued by countless and constant issues. None before her—not the petty kings, not the riverlords, not the Durrandon kings—had ever considered taking the challenge.
Then again, one advantage of being an immortal was that she had nothing but time.
—
"Envoys?" Ei, sitting on the throne of the former kings of Reach, was curious. Loren Lannister was fond of sending envoys, but who else had come?
"From the North and the Kingdom of the Rock, Your Excellency." The herald bowed. He was a young knight of House Gardener, dressed in gleaming armor, terrified yet somehow keeping his composure.
Edwar Marbrand, then. "Admit the envoy of King Loren first; since we already had previous meetings, I should know what to expect."
As expected, the cousin to King Loren was admitted first, with several exquisitely decorated chests carried in by his servants.
"Lord Edwar, we meet again." What had brought him this time?
Edwar bowed, far lower than he ever had before. "Queen Argella, I bring my king, Loren I Lannister's, compliments for your defeat of the Ironborn, and his wishes of peace between our kingdoms. Long have the reavers been a scourge on this continent, yet no longer due to you."
His praises were obviously an attempt to get into her good graces, because while Edwar was diplomatic back then, he was not this eager.
"I am delighted to hear King Loren's desire for peace, and I share the same hope." At least there was one king out there not desiring war.
Edwar held out his hands, gesturing to the chests piled up behind him. "I have brought gifts for you from the treasury of Casterly Rock. I am sure you will find them more than acceptable."
Silks, gems, fine castle-forged swords, spears, and shields, and tapestries of her vanquishing the Drowned God, not entirely inaccurate, most likely sewn based on what they gathered from word of mouth.
It was nothing less than a tribute.
"Your king is generous. Do relay my appreciation." Still, she would take it. The weapons could be used to arm men, silk perhaps would make good gifts for ladies across the kingdom, and the rest of the wealth was just more resources for the rebuilding efforts.
Once the gifts were out of the way, Edwar asked for permission before approaching. "May I ask a question?"
"By all means."
"What happened to the Dornish? We had thought you were at war with them." King Loren, and most of the court, had assumed Queen Argella would take Dorne with the same ease she had taken the Reach and were prepared to sail to Sunspear.
Yet word had carried like lightning that the war was over and Queen Argelle was holding court in Highgarden.
"We were, but they decided to be belligerent, so I covered all of Dorne with a barrier. They are on a time-out until they surrender." Ei simplified her punishment for House Martell and all their vassals.
Edwar Marbrand looked as if his spirit was about to depart from his mortal coil.
"If King Loren is amenable, I would like to sign a treaty with him, to include respect for each other's borders and sovereignty, and to solve any issues that may arise through words rather than swords." Her offer mollified the envoy, who accepted it with a wavering smile.
"Your offer is most welcome, Queen Argella. I will carry your words to my king."
—
The herald announced the next envoy, a new face. "Your Excellency, Ryswell Manderly, a vassal to King Torrhen Stark, has come to speak for his king."
"Welcome, Lord Ryswel. What is it that your king wishes to say? We rarely have any dealings with the North, if at all."
Ryswel Manderly handed her a letter after his greetings, and Ei had allowed it, and after reading it, she had dismissed
The old gods had spoken to Torrhen Stark, informing him of Ei's true nature and warning that a war would see the North burn. The King in the North sent his compliments to Ei for vanquishing the Ironborn, wished for peace, and hoped for their grain trade with the Reach to continue unabated.
"How fascinating. I spoke to the old gods once, yet they never came forward again." That was unknown to everyone, as she had not cared about the matter enough for it to come up again.
As with King Loren's envoy, Ei offered King Torrhen Stark a peace agreement through Ryswell Manderly since they now shared a border.
—
"Those old gods actually exist? I thought they were just misunderstandings of humans." Even with the existence of many gods back in Inazuma, people still attributed several natural events to gods. Saiguu would know, as more than once she was blamed for things that she had no hand in.
"They do exist but are just cautious." At least, it appeared that way to Ei.
Sasayuri had seen no sign of the old gods in the North, but perhaps because she was not one and they did not deign to speak to her. "What do you want to do about them?"
"Nothing. We have no issues with the North, nor with their gods." If they did not wish to speak, Ei would not bother with them.
Chiyo offered her observation. "Still, the Lannisters are weary, as are the Starks, and the Arryns too, no doubt." Vale had not sent an envoy, and as perhaps the most devout kingdom worshipping the Seven Who Are One, they must have been especially worried.
"They won't attack us, and we won't go around conquering them for the sake of it. In time, they will see that we are not mindless aggressors." There was already too much for them to do; a new war was not something she wanted nor needed.
—
Essos
In Essos, the rivalry and constant wars between the Free Cities were heating up, and it culminated in the invasion of Norvos by the Targaryens. Unlike the ancient Valyrians, they preached freedom by banning slavery and promised the city prosperity.
With most of the ruling caste dead, the rest were either terrified merchants and common-borns or the grateful slaves freed from their chains.
But it did not end there. Aegon Targaryen had proclaimed himself the Archon of New Valyria and demanded the surrounding Free Cities submit, except Braavos.
Their roots may have touched Valyria, but none of them accepted it, instead choosing war.
Lorath, Myr, Tyrosh, Pentos, Lys, Qohor, and Volantis had readied their armies, using all available means to fight the dragonlords, especially sorcerers, in the hopes of killing the Targaryens without facing the dragons.
Having studied history, the Targaryens brought sorcerers of their own, promising them wealth and positions in his empire.
It worked, and sorcerers and other magic practitioners flocked to the Targaryens, but they did not stop there, instead offering sellsword companies a place in their empire as a part of their army.
The battle lines were slowly drawn, and Essos was ready to erupt in chaos.
—
In the next chapter:
"Princess, what do we do?" Someone asked in the gathered court, but Meria did not even look for who it was, gazing at the shimmering, see-through purple dome that had trapped them like rats in a cage.
"I haven't a clue." She muttered.
Walter Wyl, the young son of Walter Wyl who had just come of age, chuckled in a way that sounded broken. "Suppose that's why she left without killing us that day. She is punishing us."
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
CILinkz
Looks at you like that.
- Joined
- Oct 20, 2018
- Messages
- 1,792
actually thought she left the martells alone to incite infighting. every other vassal had their keep and livelyhood destroyed but the martells are completely unscathed. and without a big fight the whole thing left a bad taste in everyones mind like what they offered up in the "war" was completely pointless. now with the dome, how would they rebuild everthing.
ATP
Well worn.
- Joined
- Jun 24, 2020
- Messages
- 7,414
Thanks for chapter.Dorne would surrender,and Martels would lost power.Maybe they survive,and then we would have Sarella in future.
Targs would take over Essoss, And North would remain stronger.Do not matter,Others would pretend that they do not exist till Ei is there.Which mean,probably to the end of world.
Targs would take over Essoss, And North would remain stronger.Do not matter,Others would pretend that they do not exist till Ei is there.Which mean,probably to the end of world.
Chapter 52 - Peace and War
New
Samael61
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
- Messages
- 283
Hello there,
If you enjoy my stories, you can read advanced chapters on my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington-inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low-End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 10 chapters ahead.
If you enjoy sci-fi, action, politics, romance with an overpowered protagonist, you can check Arrival : Ruptures, my original story on my Patreon or my pages on the fanfiction sites. I intend to make this a long term project, if you wish to be with me in this journey from the very start, now is the time. Your review and likes are appreciated to keep up with the algorithm.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded because of the company's 75-day hold policy.
—
The Principality of Dorne
Sunspear
"Princess, what do we do?" Someone asked in the gathered court, but Meria did not even look for who it was, gazing at the shimmering, see-through purple dome that had trapped them like rats in a cage.
"I haven't a clue." She muttered.
Walter Wyl, the young son of Walter Wyl who had just come of age, chuckled in a way that sounded broken. "Suppose that's why she left without killing us that day. She is punishing us."
His father had not taken the young man to war, as his castellan had recently died, and there was no time to replace him, which was the only reason he survived; otherwise, the main branch of House Wyl might have been erased.
There was nothing to do now, except survive. "Do we have enough grain and livestock?" Princess Meria asked.
"Aye, but without trade, we will have to ration it to ensure there is no famine." Even that wouldn't be enough, but they had no other choice.
Even the sea was forbidden to them now, and as a house that earned much from trade, Lady Sareen of House Yronwood knew they were in dire straits.
"And the river Vaith?" The Storm Queen had redirected the river after destroying Hellholt and House Uller, which would severely cut down on their water source.
Lady Rhinae Vaith, who had lost her husband and every single male member of her family, pointed at the map. "The water that flows has been cut down, not enough to condemn us to thirst, but we will have to be careful with how we use water as well."
She had one daughter, not yet of age, leaving her house in a dangerously weak position.
"Can't we dig canals to fix it?"
Rhinae shook her head. "The land itself is cursed; we tried, but lightning kept striking us, and staying near it for long makes men sick."
"We won't starve nor be thirsty as long as we are careful, but we are stuck in our lands with no trade. How long before smallfolk are penniless and can't feed themselves and their families?" Lady Ysoldeh Toland's words summarized the entire mess they were in.
"Have we done no damage to that accursed dome?"
"None."
Meria just felt drained.
—
The Reach Prefect
Highgarden
Ei smiled, bringing her glass forward, the clinking sealing the end of the war and the start of their private celebration.
"Feels good to be drinking together again." Saiguu cheered, enjoying the moment.
"Indeed." There was a round of agreement from the four of them. Seeing the fifth member of their group still swirling her wine, the kitsune nudged her.
"Kage, why aren't you drinking?"
"I never had before." Because she had no reason to drink before.
The kitsune pinched the puppet's cheeks. "No time like the present to try."
Slapping the offending hand away, she agreed. "Very well." Taking a small sip, Kage tasted the wine and found that it was actually good.
"It's…sweet."
"I built your sensory modules based on mine. It's not rice wine, but it is good enough." She liked sweets, no matter the form, with dango at the forefront, but the wine was good too.
Saiguu slapped her forehead. "Can't believe I almost forgot." She scrambled to her feet, searching for something in the bag Chiyo had carried.
"What?" Chiyo panicked, thinking that the crafty fox had hidden something weird in their luggage.
She sat down, seeing that it was just a pouch. Opening it, she revealed glimmering, glorious rice.
"Is that rice?" The shine was not natural, unless this was a different kind of rice.
"I bought it from a merchant that was heading to Trader Town from Yi-Ti. I didn't know if I could find it anywhere and thought it might be a good idea to keep some with me for raising crops." It wouldn't hold for the duration of the travel, so Saiguu had put an enchantment to keep the rice from spoiling.
Chiyo grinned, taking the shot. "Would you look at that? You finally did something useful."
Saiguu grinned.
Amateur.
"I am sorry, did you just say you don't want any rice when I find a place to grow these?" She shook the bag, and Chiyo leaped, trying to get the pouch, while Saiguu grinned and kept it away.
"No, I want some too. Gimme." Chiyo whined, all in playfulness.
Ei and Sasayuri laughed lightly, enjoying the moment, and even Kage cracked a smile.
—
"Have soldiers stationed on the Dornish border if they decide to surrender." It was another day of holding court and ruling the kingdom, and Ei thought that Dorne's resolve would have been weakened enough for them to consider giving up.
"As you command, Your Excellency." The knight of House Swann bowed, leaving to carry out her orders.
Saiguu leaned from her seat next to Ei's. "Do you think they will surrender?"
"Maybe, maybe not, but there definitely will be uprisings." The smallfolk of Dorne, for all their support to the nobles, would need someone to blame.
Since Ei was far away and unavailable, that honor would belong to the Dornish nobles.
"Oh well, onto more important matters. I think Trident would make an excellent field to grow rice." Rich soil and more than enough water—once developed, the Storm Kingdom would have a great supply of rice.
Saiguu actually had more knowledge in farming than Ei, and Trident would need to be developed anyway. "You would know better than me."
"Buuut, the floods need to be controlled, which I will have to leave in your capable hands." The landscaping, whether it was for construction or a side effect of annihilating her enemies, was Ei's field of specialty.
"How can I refuse when you ask so nicely?"
Saiguu grinned. "Nicely? Please, I am just bribing you with dango."
—
"Your Excellency, Lord Mallister requests an audience."
"Allow him in."
"Your Excellency."
After the pleasantries were out of the way, Lord Emrick spoke about the merchant ships seeking passage through the canal in his lands, and since it was Ei's Thunder Dragon who had dug it, the Lord of Seagard thought it would be fitting, and uncontestable, if she were to decide the tolls.
It was a good idea, as the canal would generate a steady source of income while facilitating trade.
The toll would change depending on the amount of cargo and the value of the goods the ship was carrying, with official amounts to be sent to the newly established canal customs in Seagard.
Which brought Ei to the matter of coin; since the Seven Kingdoms all used different currencies, minting her own coins was necessary for ease of trade. The copper penny was the lowest, with sixty copper pennies equal to a silver stag, which in turn would have a fifteen-to-one conversion rate with a gold Miko.
She had chosen to name it after her friend, and Saiguu had found it cute.
Another issue was the matter of measurement units. Westeros did not have a centralized unit system, with differences in each kingdom for what counted as a stone.
Implementing the new system started with sending several molds and pure iron weights as a reference point so new weights for the balance scales could be cast without any deviance. For volume, a one-liter bucket, a half-liter bucket, and a hundred-milliliter cup were sent with the weights.
Steel beams, a meter long with each centimeter notched for length, were the final orders she had sent for Weeping Town.
Another Iron Works was necessary.
—
Lords Grandison, Fell, Buckler, Errol, Steadmon, and Trant did not have the chance to receive boons for their territory due to the sudden war. For Broad Arch of Steadmon, the third Iron Works of the Storm Kingdom would be built for the ease of transport with their new port.
For Felwood, a new town near the keep for the power looms, an alcohol brewery, and dye shops for Lord Grandison; brickworks at Bronzegate in addition to the iron mine; tool shops for House Trant; waterwheel-powered fulling mills for House Errol; and more.
—
Her next step was to visit Trident for the rice fields, a rather selfish desire, but one that would improve the lives of her subjects as well.
It was a plan that required coin, and fortunately for them, the ransom taken from Harrenhal stood ready to be useful.
Levees and embankments along the Trident were necessary to prevent uncontrolled, destructive floods and direct the water to planned areas to build stable farmland.
The Red Fork, the south of Fairmarket, and the north and south of Riverrun were the necessary locations for the levees and embankments, allowing them to create floodplains between Seagard and Saltpans.
The work began with Fairmarket, which would then be moved to the Red Fork and finally, Riverrun.
There was no news from Dorne yet, except for their futile attempts to break the barrier.
They had a long road ahead, not just for Riverlands, but for the kingdom as a whole.
—
2 YA
Storm's End
Months had passed, and Ei, with her friends in tow, finally returned to Storm's End. The work in the Trident was progressing, as was the work across the kingdom, giving her time to return to the seat of House Durrandon.
"Ready to meet your little brother?" Saiguu nudged Ei as the five of them approached the gates, where Argilac and Selena were waiting with a retinue.
"It is not like I can ignore him, Saiguu."
Argilac grasped her on the shoulders; his face, once marred with wrinkles of worry, was now full of smiles. "Daughter, welcome back."
"Father, Selena. How have you two been?" Busy, apparently, from the sight of Selena's baby bump.
"Never been better."
"Your brother, Prince Argall." Selena held out the baby for Ei. Taking the giggling baby to her arms, Ei saw just how much he looked like Argilac, with the same blue eyes and black hair, with the softness of a baby.
"Hello, little one." She rocked the baby gently, who squealed in delight and pulled her hair.
The purple color of it must have drawn his interest, and he was rather insistent in trying to rip it off. Amused, Ei bopped the child on his nose and pried his hand away.
He was cute.
Saiguu, in a moment of curiosity, approached the baby, leaning down too close, which proved to be a mistake, because this time, the baby found her ear interesting.
"You little…" Saiguu pulled her ear away. It did not hurt, but one did not just grab Kitsune Saiguu's ear like that.
Argall just squealed more, enjoying the goddess' reaction.
—
By the next day, a feast was prepared, along with a tourney, to celebrate the end of the war and Argall's birth at once. Lords across the kingdom had made their way to Storm's End to join the festivities.
Ei, though, had more pressing matters, such as Argall. Her little brother was clingy, constantly trying to play with her hair, making Saiguu and Chiyo his targets when she wasn't around.
She found the baby likeable, not minding his interest.
Sasayuri, Chiyo, and Saiguu had quickly made themselves at home, decorating their rooms and settling in nicely.
Life had slowly turned peaceful, and Ei couldn't be more glad for it.
—
Essos
In Essos, the Targaryens had besieged Pentos after conquering Norvos but were stuck in a stalemate.
During the parley, the Pentoshi nobles had made their demands clear: if they were to bend the knee, then slavery would stay as it was a vital part of their way of life. The Targaryens offered to let Pentos keep their current slaves, but no others would ever be taken.
Refusing to budge, the Pentoshi nobles had left the talks.
The nobles, knowing that they could not stop the dragons, had chosen to use slaves as shields, chaining them to the rooftops of their manses and on top of the walls.
The Targaryens, declaring an end to the slavery, could not easily commit slaughter without being seen as two-faced conquerors who were so easy to yield when faced with hardship.
Which meant this battle would have to be fought by men.
Orys Baratheon, the champion of the newly proclaimed High Archon Aegon Targaryen's champion, had instructed his host to construct siege machines, but it would take several weeks.
Sabotages had further slowed the machines down.
At night, the assassins were a constant worry in the Targaryen camp, and more than one had been caught trying to reach the dragonlords.
The walls had taken time to crack under the constant arrow rains of the Pentoshi, but eventually, their stocks had run out. Without dragons to assist, breaching the walls had been a bloody affair.
The fight inside the city was no less horrible, and the Targaryens had suffered heavy losses in their victory.
Until the host could be replenished, they had to put a stop to their conquest.
The Pentoshi nobles who had been captured were beheaded in public as punishment for resisting House Targaryen, but their families, wives, daughters, and children were pardoned as a sign of mercy.
Of course, House Targaryen had also done nothing when the enraged former slaves had struck back against their oppressors, killing the pardoned families.
The fall of Pentos had shown that the dragonlords were persistent in their attempt to carve a new empire in Essos.
The wealth of the suddenly extinct nobles was seized on the orders of High Archon Aegon I Targaryen to be used to hire new men for the host.
Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys, knowing they were next in line, started a massive buildupof scorpions, so much so that the carpenters and blacksmiths were swamped with orders, driving the prices of several other goods up.
Every single suitable rooftop in their respective cities was to be filled with scorpions.
Food was another worry, and with their trade routes on land cut off, ships had to sail constantly. Fortunately, Westeros was experiencing a growth in harvests and was all too glad to sell to the Free Cities, especially the Storm Kingdom.
There were rumors that the three daughters were trying to entice the God-Queen of the Storm Kingdom to defend them against the Targaryens, but either they were unfounded or were flat out refused since nothing came from it.
Escaping the flames of the dragons, artisans, crafters, and merchants sought a new place, eventually settling in the lands of Queen Argella, carrying their arts to Westeros.
The cities were preparing for war, which disturbed their trade further, and their coffers were slowly draining, and they had tried to take loans from the Iron Bank of Braavos.
Knowing it was unlikely to be paid back if the dragonlords took the cities, the Iron Bank did not approve of any loan to Myr, Tyrosh, or Lys.
Instead, they turned their attention to the growing opportunities in the Storm Kingdom, having found mixed success since Argella Durrandon was not interested in taking loans.
—
In the next chapter:
Maester Larry, who acted as more than just a maester these days, brought out a letter, holding it in both hands while bowing his head. "Your Excellency, our men at the border have sent a letter."
Ei took the letter, quickly reading through, and chuckled. "What is it?" Saiguu thought it might be finally time for Dorne to surrender.
"The Dornish wish to parley." She handed the letter to the kitsune.
Chiyo shook her head. "It only took them this long."
"Send a letter back; tell them I will be there in two months."
"Making them wait, huh? Good." The kitsune goddess grinned. The Dorne waited for two years; they could afford to wait a couple months more.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
If you enjoy my stories, you can read advanced chapters on my patreon page
Her Eternal Excellency, a Genshin Impact and ASOIAF crossover, Raiden Ei Reborn as Argella Durrandon, is 15 chapters ahead
DCU:Blacklist, a Raymond Reddington-inspired OC SI using his knowledge for his own advantage, as well as the rest of the world, is 15 chapters ahead,
Geek's Guide to Thriving in a Low-End Fantasy World, a Robert Baratheon OC SI in an AU, is 15 chapters ahead,
Commander Shepard, The Greatest to Ever Live, a Mass Effect story where Shepard is greater than ever, is 15 chapters ahead,
Loki: The God of Magic , an OC-SI into Loki who is not aware of the MCU, is 10 chapters ahead.
If you enjoy sci-fi, action, politics, romance with an overpowered protagonist, you can check Arrival : Ruptures, my original story on my Patreon or my pages on the fanfiction sites. I intend to make this a long term project, if you wish to be with me in this journey from the very start, now is the time. Your review and likes are appreciated to keep up with the algorithm.
By supporting me, you can read advanced and special chapters, as well as vote on how you want the fanfiction to proceed.
Note: Apple store payments will be refunded because of the company's 75-day hold policy.
—
The Principality of Dorne
Sunspear
"Princess, what do we do?" Someone asked in the gathered court, but Meria did not even look for who it was, gazing at the shimmering, see-through purple dome that had trapped them like rats in a cage.
"I haven't a clue." She muttered.
Walter Wyl, the young son of Walter Wyl who had just come of age, chuckled in a way that sounded broken. "Suppose that's why she left without killing us that day. She is punishing us."
His father had not taken the young man to war, as his castellan had recently died, and there was no time to replace him, which was the only reason he survived; otherwise, the main branch of House Wyl might have been erased.
There was nothing to do now, except survive. "Do we have enough grain and livestock?" Princess Meria asked.
"Aye, but without trade, we will have to ration it to ensure there is no famine." Even that wouldn't be enough, but they had no other choice.
Even the sea was forbidden to them now, and as a house that earned much from trade, Lady Sareen of House Yronwood knew they were in dire straits.
"And the river Vaith?" The Storm Queen had redirected the river after destroying Hellholt and House Uller, which would severely cut down on their water source.
Lady Rhinae Vaith, who had lost her husband and every single male member of her family, pointed at the map. "The water that flows has been cut down, not enough to condemn us to thirst, but we will have to be careful with how we use water as well."
She had one daughter, not yet of age, leaving her house in a dangerously weak position.
"Can't we dig canals to fix it?"
Rhinae shook her head. "The land itself is cursed; we tried, but lightning kept striking us, and staying near it for long makes men sick."
"We won't starve nor be thirsty as long as we are careful, but we are stuck in our lands with no trade. How long before smallfolk are penniless and can't feed themselves and their families?" Lady Ysoldeh Toland's words summarized the entire mess they were in.
"Have we done no damage to that accursed dome?"
"None."
Meria just felt drained.
—
The Reach Prefect
Highgarden
Ei smiled, bringing her glass forward, the clinking sealing the end of the war and the start of their private celebration.
"Feels good to be drinking together again." Saiguu cheered, enjoying the moment.
"Indeed." There was a round of agreement from the four of them. Seeing the fifth member of their group still swirling her wine, the kitsune nudged her.
"Kage, why aren't you drinking?"
"I never had before." Because she had no reason to drink before.
The kitsune pinched the puppet's cheeks. "No time like the present to try."
Slapping the offending hand away, she agreed. "Very well." Taking a small sip, Kage tasted the wine and found that it was actually good.
"It's…sweet."
"I built your sensory modules based on mine. It's not rice wine, but it is good enough." She liked sweets, no matter the form, with dango at the forefront, but the wine was good too.
Saiguu slapped her forehead. "Can't believe I almost forgot." She scrambled to her feet, searching for something in the bag Chiyo had carried.
"What?" Chiyo panicked, thinking that the crafty fox had hidden something weird in their luggage.
She sat down, seeing that it was just a pouch. Opening it, she revealed glimmering, glorious rice.
"Is that rice?" The shine was not natural, unless this was a different kind of rice.
"I bought it from a merchant that was heading to Trader Town from Yi-Ti. I didn't know if I could find it anywhere and thought it might be a good idea to keep some with me for raising crops." It wouldn't hold for the duration of the travel, so Saiguu had put an enchantment to keep the rice from spoiling.
Chiyo grinned, taking the shot. "Would you look at that? You finally did something useful."
Saiguu grinned.
Amateur.
"I am sorry, did you just say you don't want any rice when I find a place to grow these?" She shook the bag, and Chiyo leaped, trying to get the pouch, while Saiguu grinned and kept it away.
"No, I want some too. Gimme." Chiyo whined, all in playfulness.
Ei and Sasayuri laughed lightly, enjoying the moment, and even Kage cracked a smile.
—
"Have soldiers stationed on the Dornish border if they decide to surrender." It was another day of holding court and ruling the kingdom, and Ei thought that Dorne's resolve would have been weakened enough for them to consider giving up.
"As you command, Your Excellency." The knight of House Swann bowed, leaving to carry out her orders.
Saiguu leaned from her seat next to Ei's. "Do you think they will surrender?"
"Maybe, maybe not, but there definitely will be uprisings." The smallfolk of Dorne, for all their support to the nobles, would need someone to blame.
Since Ei was far away and unavailable, that honor would belong to the Dornish nobles.
"Oh well, onto more important matters. I think Trident would make an excellent field to grow rice." Rich soil and more than enough water—once developed, the Storm Kingdom would have a great supply of rice.
Saiguu actually had more knowledge in farming than Ei, and Trident would need to be developed anyway. "You would know better than me."
"Buuut, the floods need to be controlled, which I will have to leave in your capable hands." The landscaping, whether it was for construction or a side effect of annihilating her enemies, was Ei's field of specialty.
"How can I refuse when you ask so nicely?"
Saiguu grinned. "Nicely? Please, I am just bribing you with dango."
—
"Your Excellency, Lord Mallister requests an audience."
"Allow him in."
"Your Excellency."
After the pleasantries were out of the way, Lord Emrick spoke about the merchant ships seeking passage through the canal in his lands, and since it was Ei's Thunder Dragon who had dug it, the Lord of Seagard thought it would be fitting, and uncontestable, if she were to decide the tolls.
It was a good idea, as the canal would generate a steady source of income while facilitating trade.
The toll would change depending on the amount of cargo and the value of the goods the ship was carrying, with official amounts to be sent to the newly established canal customs in Seagard.
Which brought Ei to the matter of coin; since the Seven Kingdoms all used different currencies, minting her own coins was necessary for ease of trade. The copper penny was the lowest, with sixty copper pennies equal to a silver stag, which in turn would have a fifteen-to-one conversion rate with a gold Miko.
She had chosen to name it after her friend, and Saiguu had found it cute.
Another issue was the matter of measurement units. Westeros did not have a centralized unit system, with differences in each kingdom for what counted as a stone.
Implementing the new system started with sending several molds and pure iron weights as a reference point so new weights for the balance scales could be cast without any deviance. For volume, a one-liter bucket, a half-liter bucket, and a hundred-milliliter cup were sent with the weights.
Steel beams, a meter long with each centimeter notched for length, were the final orders she had sent for Weeping Town.
Another Iron Works was necessary.
—
Lords Grandison, Fell, Buckler, Errol, Steadmon, and Trant did not have the chance to receive boons for their territory due to the sudden war. For Broad Arch of Steadmon, the third Iron Works of the Storm Kingdom would be built for the ease of transport with their new port.
For Felwood, a new town near the keep for the power looms, an alcohol brewery, and dye shops for Lord Grandison; brickworks at Bronzegate in addition to the iron mine; tool shops for House Trant; waterwheel-powered fulling mills for House Errol; and more.
—
Her next step was to visit Trident for the rice fields, a rather selfish desire, but one that would improve the lives of her subjects as well.
It was a plan that required coin, and fortunately for them, the ransom taken from Harrenhal stood ready to be useful.
Levees and embankments along the Trident were necessary to prevent uncontrolled, destructive floods and direct the water to planned areas to build stable farmland.
The Red Fork, the south of Fairmarket, and the north and south of Riverrun were the necessary locations for the levees and embankments, allowing them to create floodplains between Seagard and Saltpans.
The work began with Fairmarket, which would then be moved to the Red Fork and finally, Riverrun.
There was no news from Dorne yet, except for their futile attempts to break the barrier.
They had a long road ahead, not just for Riverlands, but for the kingdom as a whole.
—
2 YA
Storm's End
Months had passed, and Ei, with her friends in tow, finally returned to Storm's End. The work in the Trident was progressing, as was the work across the kingdom, giving her time to return to the seat of House Durrandon.
"Ready to meet your little brother?" Saiguu nudged Ei as the five of them approached the gates, where Argilac and Selena were waiting with a retinue.
"It is not like I can ignore him, Saiguu."
Argilac grasped her on the shoulders; his face, once marred with wrinkles of worry, was now full of smiles. "Daughter, welcome back."
"Father, Selena. How have you two been?" Busy, apparently, from the sight of Selena's baby bump.
"Never been better."
"Your brother, Prince Argall." Selena held out the baby for Ei. Taking the giggling baby to her arms, Ei saw just how much he looked like Argilac, with the same blue eyes and black hair, with the softness of a baby.
"Hello, little one." She rocked the baby gently, who squealed in delight and pulled her hair.
The purple color of it must have drawn his interest, and he was rather insistent in trying to rip it off. Amused, Ei bopped the child on his nose and pried his hand away.
He was cute.
Saiguu, in a moment of curiosity, approached the baby, leaning down too close, which proved to be a mistake, because this time, the baby found her ear interesting.
"You little…" Saiguu pulled her ear away. It did not hurt, but one did not just grab Kitsune Saiguu's ear like that.
Argall just squealed more, enjoying the goddess' reaction.
—
By the next day, a feast was prepared, along with a tourney, to celebrate the end of the war and Argall's birth at once. Lords across the kingdom had made their way to Storm's End to join the festivities.
Ei, though, had more pressing matters, such as Argall. Her little brother was clingy, constantly trying to play with her hair, making Saiguu and Chiyo his targets when she wasn't around.
She found the baby likeable, not minding his interest.
Sasayuri, Chiyo, and Saiguu had quickly made themselves at home, decorating their rooms and settling in nicely.
Life had slowly turned peaceful, and Ei couldn't be more glad for it.
—
Essos
In Essos, the Targaryens had besieged Pentos after conquering Norvos but were stuck in a stalemate.
During the parley, the Pentoshi nobles had made their demands clear: if they were to bend the knee, then slavery would stay as it was a vital part of their way of life. The Targaryens offered to let Pentos keep their current slaves, but no others would ever be taken.
Refusing to budge, the Pentoshi nobles had left the talks.
The nobles, knowing that they could not stop the dragons, had chosen to use slaves as shields, chaining them to the rooftops of their manses and on top of the walls.
The Targaryens, declaring an end to the slavery, could not easily commit slaughter without being seen as two-faced conquerors who were so easy to yield when faced with hardship.
Which meant this battle would have to be fought by men.
Orys Baratheon, the champion of the newly proclaimed High Archon Aegon Targaryen's champion, had instructed his host to construct siege machines, but it would take several weeks.
Sabotages had further slowed the machines down.
At night, the assassins were a constant worry in the Targaryen camp, and more than one had been caught trying to reach the dragonlords.
The walls had taken time to crack under the constant arrow rains of the Pentoshi, but eventually, their stocks had run out. Without dragons to assist, breaching the walls had been a bloody affair.
The fight inside the city was no less horrible, and the Targaryens had suffered heavy losses in their victory.
Until the host could be replenished, they had to put a stop to their conquest.
The Pentoshi nobles who had been captured were beheaded in public as punishment for resisting House Targaryen, but their families, wives, daughters, and children were pardoned as a sign of mercy.
Of course, House Targaryen had also done nothing when the enraged former slaves had struck back against their oppressors, killing the pardoned families.
The fall of Pentos had shown that the dragonlords were persistent in their attempt to carve a new empire in Essos.
The wealth of the suddenly extinct nobles was seized on the orders of High Archon Aegon I Targaryen to be used to hire new men for the host.
Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys, knowing they were next in line, started a massive buildupof scorpions, so much so that the carpenters and blacksmiths were swamped with orders, driving the prices of several other goods up.
Every single suitable rooftop in their respective cities was to be filled with scorpions.
Food was another worry, and with their trade routes on land cut off, ships had to sail constantly. Fortunately, Westeros was experiencing a growth in harvests and was all too glad to sell to the Free Cities, especially the Storm Kingdom.
There were rumors that the three daughters were trying to entice the God-Queen of the Storm Kingdom to defend them against the Targaryens, but either they were unfounded or were flat out refused since nothing came from it.
Escaping the flames of the dragons, artisans, crafters, and merchants sought a new place, eventually settling in the lands of Queen Argella, carrying their arts to Westeros.
The cities were preparing for war, which disturbed their trade further, and their coffers were slowly draining, and they had tried to take loans from the Iron Bank of Braavos.
Knowing it was unlikely to be paid back if the dragonlords took the cities, the Iron Bank did not approve of any loan to Myr, Tyrosh, or Lys.
Instead, they turned their attention to the growing opportunities in the Storm Kingdom, having found mixed success since Argella Durrandon was not interested in taking loans.
—
In the next chapter:
Maester Larry, who acted as more than just a maester these days, brought out a letter, holding it in both hands while bowing his head. "Your Excellency, our men at the border have sent a letter."
Ei took the letter, quickly reading through, and chuckled. "What is it?" Saiguu thought it might be finally time for Dorne to surrender.
"The Dornish wish to parley." She handed the letter to the kitsune.
Chiyo shook her head. "It only took them this long."
"Send a letter back; tell them I will be there in two months."
"Making them wait, huh? Good." The kitsune goddess grinned. The Dorne waited for two years; they could afford to wait a couple months more.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
MagnificentMind
Motivation. Uncertain.
- Joined
- May 10, 2022
- Messages
- 941
I wonder if she sees them (Targ Dragons) as nothing more than slightly larger Vishaps.
Raiden Ei to Targaryens: "You're Dragon-ing wrong." *sighs in disappointment*
Targaryens:
"You ride upon Vishaps, calling them dragons and dare compare yourselves to me?"
It would be a hilariously one sided comparison and competition between the two.
You know what? That actually genuinely impressive that they lasted so long. They truly are defiant assholes
Serin781
Versed in the lewd.
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2017
- Messages
- 1,061
Would have been better if Ei ignored them. Make them wait ten years.
Chapter 53 - Years Pass By
New
Samael61
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
- Messages
- 283
Hello there,
If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.
—
3 YA
Storm Kingdom
Storm's End
Ei stamped another document for approval.
The kingdom was slowly, but surely, recovering from the war and the destruction the Ironborn had left behind in the Riverlands. The projects Ei had running all across the kingdom, from the canal management to the floodplains for rice cultivation, were the Iron Works popping up across the land along with other production facilities, including textiles, tools, and other export goods.
Ships passing through the canal, from Braavos, the Blackwater Bay, White Harbor, and Gulltown to Lannisport and vice versa, contributed greatly to the development of the Riverlands. The tolls and fees taken were directed to the Riverlands Development Fund, created for that exact purpose, with a certain percentage of the taxes from the river lords added to it.
The silk production in Blackhaven had drawn interest from the entire continent, for its deep and natural purple color, and the cheaper price compared to buying it all the way from the Free Cities meant that the small but growing business was earning a lot of coin.
Houses Bar Emmon, Brune, and Staunton were on the mouth of the Blackwater Bay, and Ei had sent a letter, informing Aegon Targaryen that half of these waters belonged to the respective houses, while the rest, in the interest of fairness, belonged to Dragonstone, and they would not be allowed to take any tolls from ships passing through the waters of her subjects.
The Targaryens had agreed, going as far as to drop all tolls, knowing Dragonstone wouldn't see trade otherwise.
Lords Bar Emmon, Massey, and Wendwater, who were close to House Targaryen due to this issue and had "questionable loyalties" in Sasayuri's report, were falling over each other to affirm their loyalties.
Queen Regent Shara Arryn had reached out months after the North had. The rumors were that as the most pious believers of the Seven Who Are One, the Vale had violent discussions on what to do. Half wished for peace, like the one the Storm Kingdom had with the North and the Kingdom of the Rock, while the other half wished to forbid any entry to their kingdom from the Storm Kingdom.
Reason had won, eventually, and while she could see that Queen Shara and her retinue were displeased to be parleying with a false god, the deal was signed, and they had no issues with the Vale, except that the merchants had a hard time finding buyers.
Loren Lannister and Torrhen Stark both were more respectful in their conduct, aware of her power, but did not compromise on their pride as rulers.
Another interesting situation was the immigration to the Storm Kingdom, mostly to the Riverlands and some to the Reach. The reason for it was simple. When Ei had driven the unnatural winter out of the Storm Kingdom, along with the Riverlands and the Reach once they were conquered, the smallfolk of the Kingdom of the Rock and the Vale of Arryn had begun to leave their lands. This winter, which had lasted three moon turns in the God-Queen Argella Durrandon's domain, was still raging in the domains of House Arryn and House Lannister after a year.
She also had another brother, Argos, who was just like Argall, an ordinary human. Her father was over the moon at having more children.
Maester Larry, who acted as more than just a maester these days, brought out a letter, holding it in both hands while bowing his head. "Your Excellency, our men at the border have sent a letter."
Ei took the letter, quickly reading through, and chuckled. "What is it?" Saiguu thought it might be finally time for Dorne to surrender.
"The Dornish wish to parley." She handed the letter to the kitsune.
Chiyo shook her head. "It only took them this long."
"Send a letter back; tell them I will be there in two months."
"Making them wait, huh? Good." The kitsune goddess grinned. The Dorne waited for two years; they could afford to wait a couple months more.
—
Storm Kingdom-Dorne Border
From Storm's End to Nightsong, Ei took her time, visiting the lands on the path and inspecting how the development efforts were going. There were hiccups, a natural part of the changes she was installing across the kingdom, with more than one person opposing her, mostly the religious class.
Septs had not been causing trouble, other than preaching that she was a false god leading them to ruin and eternal damnation, but for the first time in generations, the smallfolk had been living in better conditions compared to past years. The septons found their words were not as strong as before, with fewer and fewer people praying in septs each day, mostly the old stuck in their ways and the zealots.
However, prayers to the Electro Archon and the Almighty God of Thunder were growing, from wishes of health, prosperity, security, and abundance.
Now, walking to the edge of the barrier where the Dornish were already waiting, Ei found a woman, a member of House Martell, with Meria nowhere in sight.
The Dornish retinue looked ragged and a bit gaunt, and she could feel the hostility.
"You wished to parley?" Ei, with Saiguu, Sasayuri, and Chiyo on her sides, gazed at the Dornish envoys with disinterest. Whether these talks succeeded or not, she lost nothing.
"I am Princess Deria Martell, Princess of Dorne and Lady of Sunspear."
"I am listening."
"What are your terms to remove the dome?"
"You will surrender your circlet and position as the ruler of Dorne." She offered the Dornish the same terms as the Reach, except for the next twenty years, a governor would be appointed by her before a Dornish noble could be elected.
Her reason for doing it? Punishment for the defiance of Dorne.
Princess Deria and her nobles were outraged, but once Ei turned back to leave, they had no choice but to fold. The growing dissidence among the smallfolk and their dwindling food sources decided their choice.
She allowed Princess Deria and the nobles to leave the barrier so they could swear loyalty.
And took her copper circlet, making Dorne finally kneel.
—
Essos
Across the Narrow Sea, the kneeling of Dorne was not an important matter compared to the ongoing Targaryen conquest. After the conquest of Pentos, the Targaryens were gathering their armies, which gave Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys time to strengthen their defenses. Lorath, another city that never practiced slavery, had bent the knee to the Targaryens, though their way of life did not offer much to their host.
Joining in an alliance, the three cities knew they had to put their rivalries aside.
They stood no chance against the Targaryen dragons, especially Balerion the Black Dread, whether on land or sea, and their only chance was the scorpions that they had spent fortunes to build.
Assassins sent for the dragonlords had no success, except for one that had managed to get close enough to wound Rhaenys Targaryen. An ugly scar had been left on her face, taking the dragonrider's left eye. The assassin had been tortured as a warning to all others, and it must have worked, for there were no more rumors of hired blades waiting in the dark.
Stuck between having to surrender or fight, the alliance sought to dissuade the Targaryens from attacking at all. Hundreds of scorpions dotted the cities, with slaves brought near the weapons to discourage any attacks, and more importantly, thousands of traps and all the men they could hire.
It started with Myr, the city closest to Pentos, when the ten thousand strong Targaryen host marched for conquest with three dragons in the sky. Hiding behind their walls, the Myrish magisters kept thousands of crossbows ready.
The Targaryen host, aware that another costly city battle would set their conquest further back, were more willing to attack the walls even at the cost of slave lives.
The walls melted under the intense flames of the dragons, while scorpions were useless against a dragon as massive as Balerion. Its scales alone were thick enough to take the shots and ignore them, and Myr found it out the hard way.
Once the walls were down, killing hundreds of men, the magisters fled the city, knowing that the battle was lost. Most of the sellswords had abandoned the battle, and the crossbows of Myr were useless against the overwhelming power of the dragons.
Myr, for all its preparations, fell quickly.
Tyrosh, the fortress city, was next. Its inner walls of fused dragonstone offered greater protection than the walls of Myr.
Unlike ordinary stone walls, they could not be melted instantly, and while Balerion's scales were thick enough that scorpion bolts couldn't pierce, his eyes did not enjoy the same protection.
Which is why, rather than melting the walls, the dragons burned down the palace of the Archon and the manses of the nobles, catching them unaware in a night raid. By morning, the rulers of Tyrosh were all but charred husks, leaving the city with none to take the reins.
It also had the unfortunate effect of reducing much of their wealth to ashes, or slag mixed with stone and steel. Tyrosh was conquered, but the Targaryens did not see much wealth flow into their coffers.
Lys, seeing its allies brought to heel so quickly, offered to parley.
The Targaryens were insistent on banning slavery, and Lys agreed to their previous offer of taking no more slaves. The dragonlords, however, weren't feeling particularly merciful and changed their offer. For every slave Lys had, they would pay twice the worth of the slave as compensation, a ploy by the Targaryens to either fill their coffers after Tyrosh or force Lys to free the slaves.
Stuck between losing their way of life and dragonfire, the Lyseni freed three-fourths of the slaves in the city, only keeping their most valued thralls, mostly whores, along with several craftsmen.
The conquest would continue with Qohor, but not before the Targaryens prepared their host and supplies for the march.
Qohor, the city of sorcerers, however, would be a much harder nut to crack.
—
Storm's End
4 YA
"These Targaryens sure are fast in their conquest." Saiguu commented, reading the letter detailing the latest events in Essos.
She had seen their dragons, which were nothing more than pests compared to Dragon Sovereigns, but still more than enough for the ordinary people of this world.
"As long as they are freeing slaves, I do not care." Ei would have, eventually, interfered and freed the slaves, but if the Targaryens were doing it first, then she wished them the best.
Preferably without having to kill more.
Saiguu shrugged. She and Chiyo saw the situation in Essos regarding the slaves, and if she had the power at that time, there would definitely be a calamity on the neighboring continent.
They continued to work in peaceful silence, and Sasayuri stopped using her typewriter.
"I do not believe Essos was their first target." They were not expecting the tengu general to mention what the Targaryens were planning.
But if she had, then Ei knew it was for a good reason. "Oh?"
"I think the Targaryens wanted to conquer Westeros, but your existence made their plans inapplicable."
Saiguu considered the possible reasons that made Sasayuri believe that. "What makes you think that?"
Rummaging through her desk, she pulled out several pages tied together, detailing the relations in the Blackwater Bay and the influence of the Targaryens. Sasayuri had written it months ago when suspicion arose that several lords might have had less than reliable loyalties to Argilac when he was king. "They kept good, almost friendly relations with the neighboring nobles, which is unusual if you look at their history of dominance. Reduced tolls, sometimes allowing ships to pass freely, offering protection, and the trade flowing between the Lords of Blackwater Bay and Dragonstone? They were making alliances and seeking vassals."
"Perhaps it explains why one of them was following us during the war against the Ironborn, and why Balerion was sighted at the Wound." Ei was too busy to inquire with the Targaryens since the dragons caused no trouble.
Chiyo agreed that there was a good chance Sasayuri was right. "They are smarter than the Gardeners and the Martells, at least."
"Still, if they conquer and unite enough of Essos, we will have a rival, not in military power, but perhaps in trade." If they could be allies, or at least be friendly enough, then perhaps this world could finally be steered in a more positive direction.
If not, Saiguu was always happy to see Ei solve issues her way.
"Good thing their artisans find the peace in our kingdom more desirable than staying in the Free Cities." With Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys conquered, the immigration had slowed down, but the Storm Kingdom as a whole still saw artisans and other talented workers arrive every other month.
"Their next target is Qohor, but do you think they will target Braavos?"
"If they are conquering Essos to free slaves, then no, since Braavos was founded by escaped slaves. However, it is more likely that the Targaryens are trying to carve an empire for themselves, and Braavos is too enticing as a target to not conquer." Wealthy due to trade and the Iron Bank, Braavos would be a prime target for any conqueror.
"They escaped from the dragonlords of Valyria; I don't think they'll surrender to them now." Kage considered asking Ei to offer support to Braavos, which would deter the Targaryens, but if the city felt itself threatened, the Sea Lord might just ask for it first.
"Sister!" Argall, dragging Argos with him, burst into the room, getting too rowdy as a child.
Ei smiled, raising both children up before Argall fell and pulled his younger brother down with him.
"Aren't you two supposed to be napping?" Cheekier than most four-year-olds, Argall was unapologetic in his actions, cute for a child, but hopefully, it would not follow him into adulthood.
Her little brother just grinned, showing his baby teeth. "I wanted to see you."
"And Argos?" Compared to Argall, Argos had a calmer disposition but was still willing to follow his older brother everywhere.
"He wanted to come too." Which meant Argall had dragged him here.
"Can we play, please?" He begged in that childish tone, and Ei considered what to do.
Right now she had work to do, and they were supposed to be napping in the first place. "I am busy now, but how about I give you something to play with?"
"What? What is it?" Argall asked, jumping in place, excited.
Reaching to her desk, Ei pulled out a small construct, one shaped like a hawk, and with a little electro, it came to life. Looking around as if confused, it took flight, and the children burst into giggles, following the puppet out of the room, where it would take them to Selena.
"How did you ever raise children? They seem to be so much trouble." Kage asked Chiyo, the only one among them to ever have children.
The oni just laughed.
—
In the next chapter:
Qohor, the City of Sorcerers, had prepared well for the Targaryen invasion. They had bought thousands of Unsullied to protect the city and brought sorcerers from all corners of Essos together.
The dragons of the Targaryens were the sole reason they had even conquered six of the Free Cities so quickly. The ruling class of the city, mostly composed of the priests of the Black Goat, merchants, and guilds, knew their salvation lay in repelling the dragons.
To that end, a sorcerer from Asshai had offered to lend his shadowbinding. When the Targaryen host showed itself in the distance, a black smoke rose to the sky, taking the shape of a skeleton covered with black robes. It flew at Balerion the Black Dread, the most fearsome of the dragons, and disappeared after striking the creature.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
In addition, if you enjoy the premise of an overpowered genius protagonist, you can check Arrival : Ruptures, my original story for much of the same in sci-fi, action, technological wonders and romance.
If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.
—
3 YA
Storm Kingdom
Storm's End
Ei stamped another document for approval.
The kingdom was slowly, but surely, recovering from the war and the destruction the Ironborn had left behind in the Riverlands. The projects Ei had running all across the kingdom, from the canal management to the floodplains for rice cultivation, were the Iron Works popping up across the land along with other production facilities, including textiles, tools, and other export goods.
Ships passing through the canal, from Braavos, the Blackwater Bay, White Harbor, and Gulltown to Lannisport and vice versa, contributed greatly to the development of the Riverlands. The tolls and fees taken were directed to the Riverlands Development Fund, created for that exact purpose, with a certain percentage of the taxes from the river lords added to it.
The silk production in Blackhaven had drawn interest from the entire continent, for its deep and natural purple color, and the cheaper price compared to buying it all the way from the Free Cities meant that the small but growing business was earning a lot of coin.
Houses Bar Emmon, Brune, and Staunton were on the mouth of the Blackwater Bay, and Ei had sent a letter, informing Aegon Targaryen that half of these waters belonged to the respective houses, while the rest, in the interest of fairness, belonged to Dragonstone, and they would not be allowed to take any tolls from ships passing through the waters of her subjects.
The Targaryens had agreed, going as far as to drop all tolls, knowing Dragonstone wouldn't see trade otherwise.
Lords Bar Emmon, Massey, and Wendwater, who were close to House Targaryen due to this issue and had "questionable loyalties" in Sasayuri's report, were falling over each other to affirm their loyalties.
Queen Regent Shara Arryn had reached out months after the North had. The rumors were that as the most pious believers of the Seven Who Are One, the Vale had violent discussions on what to do. Half wished for peace, like the one the Storm Kingdom had with the North and the Kingdom of the Rock, while the other half wished to forbid any entry to their kingdom from the Storm Kingdom.
Reason had won, eventually, and while she could see that Queen Shara and her retinue were displeased to be parleying with a false god, the deal was signed, and they had no issues with the Vale, except that the merchants had a hard time finding buyers.
Loren Lannister and Torrhen Stark both were more respectful in their conduct, aware of her power, but did not compromise on their pride as rulers.
Another interesting situation was the immigration to the Storm Kingdom, mostly to the Riverlands and some to the Reach. The reason for it was simple. When Ei had driven the unnatural winter out of the Storm Kingdom, along with the Riverlands and the Reach once they were conquered, the smallfolk of the Kingdom of the Rock and the Vale of Arryn had begun to leave their lands. This winter, which had lasted three moon turns in the God-Queen Argella Durrandon's domain, was still raging in the domains of House Arryn and House Lannister after a year.
She also had another brother, Argos, who was just like Argall, an ordinary human. Her father was over the moon at having more children.
Maester Larry, who acted as more than just a maester these days, brought out a letter, holding it in both hands while bowing his head. "Your Excellency, our men at the border have sent a letter."
Ei took the letter, quickly reading through, and chuckled. "What is it?" Saiguu thought it might be finally time for Dorne to surrender.
"The Dornish wish to parley." She handed the letter to the kitsune.
Chiyo shook her head. "It only took them this long."
"Send a letter back; tell them I will be there in two months."
"Making them wait, huh? Good." The kitsune goddess grinned. The Dorne waited for two years; they could afford to wait a couple months more.
—
Storm Kingdom-Dorne Border
From Storm's End to Nightsong, Ei took her time, visiting the lands on the path and inspecting how the development efforts were going. There were hiccups, a natural part of the changes she was installing across the kingdom, with more than one person opposing her, mostly the religious class.
Septs had not been causing trouble, other than preaching that she was a false god leading them to ruin and eternal damnation, but for the first time in generations, the smallfolk had been living in better conditions compared to past years. The septons found their words were not as strong as before, with fewer and fewer people praying in septs each day, mostly the old stuck in their ways and the zealots.
However, prayers to the Electro Archon and the Almighty God of Thunder were growing, from wishes of health, prosperity, security, and abundance.
Now, walking to the edge of the barrier where the Dornish were already waiting, Ei found a woman, a member of House Martell, with Meria nowhere in sight.
The Dornish retinue looked ragged and a bit gaunt, and she could feel the hostility.
"You wished to parley?" Ei, with Saiguu, Sasayuri, and Chiyo on her sides, gazed at the Dornish envoys with disinterest. Whether these talks succeeded or not, she lost nothing.
"I am Princess Deria Martell, Princess of Dorne and Lady of Sunspear."
"I am listening."
"What are your terms to remove the dome?"
"You will surrender your circlet and position as the ruler of Dorne." She offered the Dornish the same terms as the Reach, except for the next twenty years, a governor would be appointed by her before a Dornish noble could be elected.
Her reason for doing it? Punishment for the defiance of Dorne.
Princess Deria and her nobles were outraged, but once Ei turned back to leave, they had no choice but to fold. The growing dissidence among the smallfolk and their dwindling food sources decided their choice.
She allowed Princess Deria and the nobles to leave the barrier so they could swear loyalty.
And took her copper circlet, making Dorne finally kneel.
—
Essos
Across the Narrow Sea, the kneeling of Dorne was not an important matter compared to the ongoing Targaryen conquest. After the conquest of Pentos, the Targaryens were gathering their armies, which gave Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys time to strengthen their defenses. Lorath, another city that never practiced slavery, had bent the knee to the Targaryens, though their way of life did not offer much to their host.
Joining in an alliance, the three cities knew they had to put their rivalries aside.
They stood no chance against the Targaryen dragons, especially Balerion the Black Dread, whether on land or sea, and their only chance was the scorpions that they had spent fortunes to build.
Assassins sent for the dragonlords had no success, except for one that had managed to get close enough to wound Rhaenys Targaryen. An ugly scar had been left on her face, taking the dragonrider's left eye. The assassin had been tortured as a warning to all others, and it must have worked, for there were no more rumors of hired blades waiting in the dark.
Stuck between having to surrender or fight, the alliance sought to dissuade the Targaryens from attacking at all. Hundreds of scorpions dotted the cities, with slaves brought near the weapons to discourage any attacks, and more importantly, thousands of traps and all the men they could hire.
It started with Myr, the city closest to Pentos, when the ten thousand strong Targaryen host marched for conquest with three dragons in the sky. Hiding behind their walls, the Myrish magisters kept thousands of crossbows ready.
The Targaryen host, aware that another costly city battle would set their conquest further back, were more willing to attack the walls even at the cost of slave lives.
The walls melted under the intense flames of the dragons, while scorpions were useless against a dragon as massive as Balerion. Its scales alone were thick enough to take the shots and ignore them, and Myr found it out the hard way.
Once the walls were down, killing hundreds of men, the magisters fled the city, knowing that the battle was lost. Most of the sellswords had abandoned the battle, and the crossbows of Myr were useless against the overwhelming power of the dragons.
Myr, for all its preparations, fell quickly.
Tyrosh, the fortress city, was next. Its inner walls of fused dragonstone offered greater protection than the walls of Myr.
Unlike ordinary stone walls, they could not be melted instantly, and while Balerion's scales were thick enough that scorpion bolts couldn't pierce, his eyes did not enjoy the same protection.
Which is why, rather than melting the walls, the dragons burned down the palace of the Archon and the manses of the nobles, catching them unaware in a night raid. By morning, the rulers of Tyrosh were all but charred husks, leaving the city with none to take the reins.
It also had the unfortunate effect of reducing much of their wealth to ashes, or slag mixed with stone and steel. Tyrosh was conquered, but the Targaryens did not see much wealth flow into their coffers.
Lys, seeing its allies brought to heel so quickly, offered to parley.
The Targaryens were insistent on banning slavery, and Lys agreed to their previous offer of taking no more slaves. The dragonlords, however, weren't feeling particularly merciful and changed their offer. For every slave Lys had, they would pay twice the worth of the slave as compensation, a ploy by the Targaryens to either fill their coffers after Tyrosh or force Lys to free the slaves.
Stuck between losing their way of life and dragonfire, the Lyseni freed three-fourths of the slaves in the city, only keeping their most valued thralls, mostly whores, along with several craftsmen.
The conquest would continue with Qohor, but not before the Targaryens prepared their host and supplies for the march.
Qohor, the city of sorcerers, however, would be a much harder nut to crack.
—
Storm's End
4 YA
"These Targaryens sure are fast in their conquest." Saiguu commented, reading the letter detailing the latest events in Essos.
She had seen their dragons, which were nothing more than pests compared to Dragon Sovereigns, but still more than enough for the ordinary people of this world.
"As long as they are freeing slaves, I do not care." Ei would have, eventually, interfered and freed the slaves, but if the Targaryens were doing it first, then she wished them the best.
Preferably without having to kill more.
Saiguu shrugged. She and Chiyo saw the situation in Essos regarding the slaves, and if she had the power at that time, there would definitely be a calamity on the neighboring continent.
They continued to work in peaceful silence, and Sasayuri stopped using her typewriter.
"I do not believe Essos was their first target." They were not expecting the tengu general to mention what the Targaryens were planning.
But if she had, then Ei knew it was for a good reason. "Oh?"
"I think the Targaryens wanted to conquer Westeros, but your existence made their plans inapplicable."
Saiguu considered the possible reasons that made Sasayuri believe that. "What makes you think that?"
Rummaging through her desk, she pulled out several pages tied together, detailing the relations in the Blackwater Bay and the influence of the Targaryens. Sasayuri had written it months ago when suspicion arose that several lords might have had less than reliable loyalties to Argilac when he was king. "They kept good, almost friendly relations with the neighboring nobles, which is unusual if you look at their history of dominance. Reduced tolls, sometimes allowing ships to pass freely, offering protection, and the trade flowing between the Lords of Blackwater Bay and Dragonstone? They were making alliances and seeking vassals."
"Perhaps it explains why one of them was following us during the war against the Ironborn, and why Balerion was sighted at the Wound." Ei was too busy to inquire with the Targaryens since the dragons caused no trouble.
Chiyo agreed that there was a good chance Sasayuri was right. "They are smarter than the Gardeners and the Martells, at least."
"Still, if they conquer and unite enough of Essos, we will have a rival, not in military power, but perhaps in trade." If they could be allies, or at least be friendly enough, then perhaps this world could finally be steered in a more positive direction.
If not, Saiguu was always happy to see Ei solve issues her way.
"Good thing their artisans find the peace in our kingdom more desirable than staying in the Free Cities." With Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys conquered, the immigration had slowed down, but the Storm Kingdom as a whole still saw artisans and other talented workers arrive every other month.
"Their next target is Qohor, but do you think they will target Braavos?"
"If they are conquering Essos to free slaves, then no, since Braavos was founded by escaped slaves. However, it is more likely that the Targaryens are trying to carve an empire for themselves, and Braavos is too enticing as a target to not conquer." Wealthy due to trade and the Iron Bank, Braavos would be a prime target for any conqueror.
"They escaped from the dragonlords of Valyria; I don't think they'll surrender to them now." Kage considered asking Ei to offer support to Braavos, which would deter the Targaryens, but if the city felt itself threatened, the Sea Lord might just ask for it first.
"Sister!" Argall, dragging Argos with him, burst into the room, getting too rowdy as a child.
Ei smiled, raising both children up before Argall fell and pulled his younger brother down with him.
"Aren't you two supposed to be napping?" Cheekier than most four-year-olds, Argall was unapologetic in his actions, cute for a child, but hopefully, it would not follow him into adulthood.
Her little brother just grinned, showing his baby teeth. "I wanted to see you."
"And Argos?" Compared to Argall, Argos had a calmer disposition but was still willing to follow his older brother everywhere.
"He wanted to come too." Which meant Argall had dragged him here.
"Can we play, please?" He begged in that childish tone, and Ei considered what to do.
Right now she had work to do, and they were supposed to be napping in the first place. "I am busy now, but how about I give you something to play with?"
"What? What is it?" Argall asked, jumping in place, excited.
Reaching to her desk, Ei pulled out a small construct, one shaped like a hawk, and with a little electro, it came to life. Looking around as if confused, it took flight, and the children burst into giggles, following the puppet out of the room, where it would take them to Selena.
"How did you ever raise children? They seem to be so much trouble." Kage asked Chiyo, the only one among them to ever have children.
The oni just laughed.
—
In the next chapter:
Qohor, the City of Sorcerers, had prepared well for the Targaryen invasion. They had bought thousands of Unsullied to protect the city and brought sorcerers from all corners of Essos together.
The dragons of the Targaryens were the sole reason they had even conquered six of the Free Cities so quickly. The ruling class of the city, mostly composed of the priests of the Black Goat, merchants, and guilds, knew their salvation lay in repelling the dragons.
To that end, a sorcerer from Asshai had offered to lend his shadowbinding. When the Targaryen host showed itself in the distance, a black smoke rose to the sky, taking the shape of a skeleton covered with black robes. It flew at Balerion the Black Dread, the most fearsome of the dragons, and disappeared after striking the creature.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
In addition, if you enjoy the premise of an overpowered genius protagonist, you can check Arrival : Ruptures, my original story for much of the same in sci-fi, action, technological wonders and romance.
Chapter 54 - The City of Sorcerers
New
Samael61
Not too sore, are you?
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2025
- Messages
- 283
Hello there,
If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.
Those who like the premise of a strong main character like Ei will definitely like my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated.
—
6 YA
Storm Kingdom
Storm's End
Ei looked at the plate before her in anticipation.
It was not the same as the ones in Inazuma, since matcha did not exist in Westeros, but there were three plates of dango before her. One, plain white; the second, strawberry-flavored pink; and the third, peach-flavored light brown.
Floodplains of the Riverlands, used to grow rice, the result of five years of work, had finally concluded at this moment, for personal desire, of course. Rice was already making its way across the kingdom, inspiring new dishes and giving a lot of smallfolk jobs.
Saiguu snatched a strawberry-flavored one, taking a tentative bite, savoring the taste. They waited for the verdict while the kitsune kept chewing slowly.
She finally swallowed, and the trio leaned awfully close. "It's good. Could use a bit more sugar, though."
Those words broke the tension, and two gods, one tengu, and an oni tore into the dango like starving beasts.
"Your Excellency, may I come in?" Jocelyn, her secretary, knocked on the door, waiting for permission.
"Jocelyn, come in." She had just become eighteen, but rather than searching for suitors, she was managing some of the affairs of the crown, arranging meetings and timetables while keeping track of her plans.
Her parents had not pushed for her to wed, seeing how valuable her position was, and the young lady was in no hurry as well.
"I have brought the latest reports from Dorne. Governor Stevronne reports that nothing is out of the ordinary in the Dorne Prefect." She reported.
Stevronne Mooton was the second son of the Lord of Maidenpool and a highly capable individual that had taken to work in the canal administration. His sharp mind had quickly seen him rise through the ranks, and appointing Stevronne, a well-learned man with no preconceptions against the Dornish, as the governor of the Dorne prefect made sense.
"Anything else to report?" Ei asked, taking the papers from the young woman.
"None at this time."
"Thank you, Jocelyn; you are dismissed for now."
Sasayuri glimpsed at the top of the stack and turned to Saiguu. "How is the training of the female officers going?"
It was an effort on the kitsune's part to change the status of the females on this continent.
Saiguu sighed. "Don't remind me. The girls are fine, but their parents? "Ei, help me, I am going to transform one of them into a frog at this rate."
"Are they still giving you trouble?" Ei once had given a stern warning to the parents of those girls, though perhaps it hadn't been enough.
"Me? No, they aren't brave enough for that. But they are sending letters for the girls to quit. Don't worry though, I know just what to do." Saiguu tapped her fingers against each other, a sinister smile on her face.
That was never a good sign, but since they weren't the target, her friends didn't care beyond watching the chaos unfold.
—
They could not, unfortunately, spend all their time lounging around since there was a kingdom to rule.
Ei and Saiguu were holding court, while Sasayuri was training the guards of Storm's End, while Chiyo was handling the work for the local courts.
As usual, it started with petitions, from something as simple as grazing rights between farmers to fights between the nobles that threatened to become more than a nuisance. Each and every single one had to be addressed, because it affected the livelihood of the people.
Which is what made Chiyo's work important. Judges, to be appointed to each region, would solve these petitions in her name, because even if she worked nonstop, the petitions were piling up.
These courts would be even more necessary due to the growth in population due to the prosperity her lands were facing.
It was slow for now, but her projects across the kingdom were slowly picking up speed, and the smallfolk were living better than ever. Fairmarket was developing into a city since it saw a lot of ship passage due to the canal, and there were plans to develop a city around Storm's End as well.
Especially since there were no more storms to plague the land, which had the added effect of making the nobles more interested in developing their lands.
Without storms to delay or destroy the progress, the Storm Prefect was seeing incredible growth, only stifled by the speed of the planned developments and the lack of an educated workforce.
—
Several blacksmiths with long family histories were chosen to be taught by Her Excellency so they could forge weapons and tools beyond what other kingdoms and the Free Cities were capable of.
Once they had learned the ways of Her Excellency, a blacksmith guild would be created to preserve, improve, and teach these ways to the future blacksmiths.
—
The Great Library of Argella
Within the outside adjacent house of the library, countless clicks of the typewriters could be heard, as the clerks hurried to finish copying the books. Built just five years ago, the library itself already housed thousands of books, all rented for a modest fee, copied by the clerks, and sent to the library near Storm's End.
The Conclave had clamored for the books to be sent to the Citadel, the greatest house of learning on the continent, but Her Excellency had denied it, citing their previous refusal to send her several tomes.
In addition, she had ordered all the books in the Citadel's libraries to be copied and sent to the Great Library, adding salt to the wound.
There were grumblings, but none had dared to go beyond it.
And today, builders, masons, and workers gathered to carry out the queen's latest decree. A place of learning, named the Academy of Transience, would be built around the library, challenging the Citadel's place as the sole place of learning.
Unknown to the people, letters had flown to the Crown, with assurances that the Citadel was more than able to serve the needs of the kingdom, but they went unanswered.
—
Essos
While Essos was embroiled in chaos with the conquest led by the Targaryen siblings, there was something happening in the background that they did not notice.
Westeros was not buying as much as it used to.
Each year, less and less silk, glass, spices, fine armor and weapons, exotic clothes, dyes, gold, silver, and expensive wines were sold to Westeros, while, astonishingly, the Storm Kingdom began to sell those goods to the Free Cities.
The amount was small, but not insignificant, as most of those goods were sold to the other kingdoms, chief among them the Kingdom of the Rock, but each year, the amount grew, while Essos could not produce as much as before. Artisans were decreasing in number, either dead or having fled to Westeros, and the High Archon was too busy with conquest to realize it.
What was more, the Storm Kingdom sold never-before-seen goods. Typewriters, devices that all but rendered quills obsolete in places where the work had to be done quickly. Paper, cheaper and higher quality than seen anywhere, and of course, the vaunted Iron Works produced a great deal of steel for such low prices.
The divine steel, claimed to be even better than the legendary Valyrian steel and capable of cleaving any metal in half, was a highly sought-after good for its magical properties, but the only known source of it was Victory, the sword gifted to Prince Argilac by his daughter.
The God-Queen herself had refused to entertain the idea of selling any weapons made from the metal, no matter the wealth offered.
—
Qohor, the City of Sorcerers, had prepared well for the Targaryen invasion. They had bought thousands of Unsullied to protect the city and brought sorcerers from all corners of Essos together.
The dragons of the Targaryens were the sole reason they had even conquered six of the Free Cities so quickly. The ruling class of the city, mostly composed of the priests of the Black Goat, merchants, and guilds, knew their salvation lay in repelling the dragons.
To that end, a sorcerer from Asshai had offered to lend his shadowbinding. When the Targaryen host showed itself in the distance, a black smoke rose to the sky, taking the shape of a skeleton covered with black robes. It flew at Balerion the Black Dread, the most fearsome of the dragons, and disappeared after striking the creature.
Their flames did nothing to the product of sorcery, and Balerion screamed in agony, almost throwing Aegon Targaryen off his back.
The Black Dread crash-landed, alive, but wounded by the fall and poisoned by the shadowbinder.
Aegon was also wounded, breaking his right arm in the fall, a light injury compared to what could have been, and the first siege of Qohor ended before it could begin.
Visenya and Rhaenys did not wish to risk their dragons, and Qohor was too well defended for an attack with their meager host, and the Targaryens retreated.
The First Battle of Qohor had ended in Targaryen defeat, with only Balerion and Aegon wounded.
—
By all rumors, Balerion was too wounded to fly, let alone walk for long distances, and it took the Targaryens months to return to Pentos.
Once they had the word that a shadowbinder from Asshai was the culprit, they first sought the means to break the curse on Balerion. Sorcerers that were brought to the court proved to be useless, and Visenya reached out to the sorcerers that they had not recruited, going as far as to send ships to Asshai.
Eventually, another shadowbinder, a new priestess of R'hllor, offered her help, with a caveat.
The Targaryens would convert to the God of Light.
It was not something the Targaryens were averse to, as they already planned to follow the Faith of the Seven for their conquest of Westeros. However, the Red God was a different matter.
Unlike the Faith of the Seven, R'hllor demanded sacrifices, mostly in the form of beautiful humans.
However, when their search led nowhere, High Archon Aegon I Targaryen eventually agreed to convert, should the priestess succeed in breaking the curse.
Which required a sacrifice.
—
The Storm's End
"What kind of a god requires sacrifices to display his power?" Ei's face scrunched in disgust at hearing the latest news from Essos.
A priestess of R'hllor had burned a child alive to break the curse on the dragon of Aegon Targaryen.
"Obviously one that is not a god." Saiguu was equally disgusted and furious. Archons in Teyvat took offerings in the form of food, wine, or expertly crafted statues, not the life of an innocent child.
For example, the Electro Archon was fond of sweets, and Barbatos preferred alcohol.
Ei pointed at the scribe. "Henceforth, the followers of R'hllor are not welcome in my lands. Any that are caught will be stripped of their belongings and sent back to Essos. Should they be caught trespassing again, they will be executed."
"Have a copy sent to all our ports and lords."
"As you command."
—
Essos
With Balerion healing, the Targaryens turned their attention to the other matter at hand.
The shadowbinder who had cursed the dragon in the first place.
For that end, they contacted the Faceless Men to send a knife in the dark after him. Their price, however, left the Targaryens bewildered.
A man capable of cursing a dragon required a great deal of coin to kill. With furious gazes, the High Archon paid the price and waited while his champion, Orys Baratheon, found more men for the host and engineers for the siege engines.
The Priests of the Black Goat were attempting to do the same, to hire the Faceless Men to kill the Targaryens, but the Valyrian Empire controlled Lorath, Norvos, and Pentos, stopping the Qohorik merchants and envoys from reaching Braavos.
The Stepstones were patrolled by the fleets of Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys, making it impossible for any Qohorik ship to pass. The Targaryen host had swelled to ten thousand men, all waiting for the command to march, and it came on the tail end of winter.
The Faceless Men, after much tribulation, had finally sent the shadowbinder to the Many-Faced God. Qohor was in an uproar, seeing their only line of defense fall, and rushed to find a sorcerer just as mighty to repel the Targaryens.
They did not succeed, however, and were left with no choice but to prepare for battle.
However, just because the sorcerers weren't strong enough to kill or repel the dragons didn't mean they were useless.
Commanders of the host fell ill, their engineers were cursed to rot away, and Orys Baratheon barely escaped from an unnatural, black fire that consumed his tent. The sorcerers wore down the host, but not enough to stop the enemy.
The Second Battle of Qohor started with dragonfire melting the walls, under constant arrow and scorpion bolt fire. Balerion, furious at the previous attack, made sure the Qohorik felt it, starting a fire that burned a quarter of the city.
The sorcerers of Qohor, however, had one last trick up their sleeve. The sound of a horn was heard, cutting through the noise of battle, and drove the dragons mad.
Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes abandoned the battle, flying away with their riders.
Baffled by the unexpected sight, the Targaryen host was dispirited, but Orys ordered them to push forward, charging through the breach first.
Fighting through the fire, the Targaryen men faced the Unsullied firsthand. Due to the way they were trained, the Unsullied fought to the end, complemented by the sellswords.
Even with their numbers decreased by the fire, the Qohoriki defenders managed to push the enemy out of the city, though at no small cost.
Cutting their losses, Orys ordered a retreat, and the Second Battle of Qohor ended in a stalemate.
While Qohor had suffered great losses, the Targaryens had as well.
The effect of the dragonbinder had faded quickly, given that a single horn was not meant to be used on three dragons, much less one as great and powerful as Balerion.
However, without men to hold the city, it was no use to resume battle, and Aegon ordered the host to return home to Pentos.
It was evident that unless Qohor could pull another miracle, they would be defeated next time the Targaryens came and the priests sent envoys of peace.
Aegon refused the offers of anything short of surrender by the Qohorik, but preparations for the next battle would take longer due to the state of the coffers and the discontent in the Valyrian Empire.
Several nobles and merchants, seeing that the Targaryens were not so infallible, were making plans to rebel. Catching wind of betrayal, Visenya acted quickly. Nobles and merchants were whipped to death in the streets as an example, their manses, goods, and wealth seized.
While it filled the coffers to a degree, the trade between the Free Cities and Westeros plummeted. The common people were having a hard time because of it, and Aegon had no choice but to spend the coin to increase the means of production.
Farming, glassmaking, and all other trade goods would have to be produced in great numbers again to stop their fledgling empire from failing before it even began.
—
In the next chapter:
The Third Battle of Qohor, named so to avoid the stigma of being called the Massacre of Qohor, took place six months after the second battle. House Targaryen, already furious at their previous failures, gathered all their might to march on Qohor.
Sell swords, men-at-arms, and even former slaves who could not find work were armed and marched on Qohor.
The Qohorik had done all they could, repairing the walls and buying as many Unsullied as they could afford, but without the previous success they had in finding sorcerers capable of repelling the Targaryen dragons, it was a battle they would lose.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.
If you enjoy my stories, you can read up to 15 chapters in advance per story on my Patreon page / patreon.com/Samael61.
Those who like the premise of a strong main character like Ei will definitely like my original story, Arrival : Ruptures. Comments, likes and reviews are appreciated.
—
6 YA
Storm Kingdom
Storm's End
Ei looked at the plate before her in anticipation.
It was not the same as the ones in Inazuma, since matcha did not exist in Westeros, but there were three plates of dango before her. One, plain white; the second, strawberry-flavored pink; and the third, peach-flavored light brown.
Floodplains of the Riverlands, used to grow rice, the result of five years of work, had finally concluded at this moment, for personal desire, of course. Rice was already making its way across the kingdom, inspiring new dishes and giving a lot of smallfolk jobs.
Saiguu snatched a strawberry-flavored one, taking a tentative bite, savoring the taste. They waited for the verdict while the kitsune kept chewing slowly.
She finally swallowed, and the trio leaned awfully close. "It's good. Could use a bit more sugar, though."
Those words broke the tension, and two gods, one tengu, and an oni tore into the dango like starving beasts.
"Your Excellency, may I come in?" Jocelyn, her secretary, knocked on the door, waiting for permission.
"Jocelyn, come in." She had just become eighteen, but rather than searching for suitors, she was managing some of the affairs of the crown, arranging meetings and timetables while keeping track of her plans.
Her parents had not pushed for her to wed, seeing how valuable her position was, and the young lady was in no hurry as well.
"I have brought the latest reports from Dorne. Governor Stevronne reports that nothing is out of the ordinary in the Dorne Prefect." She reported.
Stevronne Mooton was the second son of the Lord of Maidenpool and a highly capable individual that had taken to work in the canal administration. His sharp mind had quickly seen him rise through the ranks, and appointing Stevronne, a well-learned man with no preconceptions against the Dornish, as the governor of the Dorne prefect made sense.
"Anything else to report?" Ei asked, taking the papers from the young woman.
"None at this time."
"Thank you, Jocelyn; you are dismissed for now."
Sasayuri glimpsed at the top of the stack and turned to Saiguu. "How is the training of the female officers going?"
It was an effort on the kitsune's part to change the status of the females on this continent.
Saiguu sighed. "Don't remind me. The girls are fine, but their parents? "Ei, help me, I am going to transform one of them into a frog at this rate."
"Are they still giving you trouble?" Ei once had given a stern warning to the parents of those girls, though perhaps it hadn't been enough.
"Me? No, they aren't brave enough for that. But they are sending letters for the girls to quit. Don't worry though, I know just what to do." Saiguu tapped her fingers against each other, a sinister smile on her face.
That was never a good sign, but since they weren't the target, her friends didn't care beyond watching the chaos unfold.
—
They could not, unfortunately, spend all their time lounging around since there was a kingdom to rule.
Ei and Saiguu were holding court, while Sasayuri was training the guards of Storm's End, while Chiyo was handling the work for the local courts.
As usual, it started with petitions, from something as simple as grazing rights between farmers to fights between the nobles that threatened to become more than a nuisance. Each and every single one had to be addressed, because it affected the livelihood of the people.
Which is what made Chiyo's work important. Judges, to be appointed to each region, would solve these petitions in her name, because even if she worked nonstop, the petitions were piling up.
These courts would be even more necessary due to the growth in population due to the prosperity her lands were facing.
It was slow for now, but her projects across the kingdom were slowly picking up speed, and the smallfolk were living better than ever. Fairmarket was developing into a city since it saw a lot of ship passage due to the canal, and there were plans to develop a city around Storm's End as well.
Especially since there were no more storms to plague the land, which had the added effect of making the nobles more interested in developing their lands.
Without storms to delay or destroy the progress, the Storm Prefect was seeing incredible growth, only stifled by the speed of the planned developments and the lack of an educated workforce.
—
Several blacksmiths with long family histories were chosen to be taught by Her Excellency so they could forge weapons and tools beyond what other kingdoms and the Free Cities were capable of.
Once they had learned the ways of Her Excellency, a blacksmith guild would be created to preserve, improve, and teach these ways to the future blacksmiths.
—
The Great Library of Argella
Within the outside adjacent house of the library, countless clicks of the typewriters could be heard, as the clerks hurried to finish copying the books. Built just five years ago, the library itself already housed thousands of books, all rented for a modest fee, copied by the clerks, and sent to the library near Storm's End.
The Conclave had clamored for the books to be sent to the Citadel, the greatest house of learning on the continent, but Her Excellency had denied it, citing their previous refusal to send her several tomes.
In addition, she had ordered all the books in the Citadel's libraries to be copied and sent to the Great Library, adding salt to the wound.
There were grumblings, but none had dared to go beyond it.
And today, builders, masons, and workers gathered to carry out the queen's latest decree. A place of learning, named the Academy of Transience, would be built around the library, challenging the Citadel's place as the sole place of learning.
Unknown to the people, letters had flown to the Crown, with assurances that the Citadel was more than able to serve the needs of the kingdom, but they went unanswered.
—
Essos
While Essos was embroiled in chaos with the conquest led by the Targaryen siblings, there was something happening in the background that they did not notice.
Westeros was not buying as much as it used to.
Each year, less and less silk, glass, spices, fine armor and weapons, exotic clothes, dyes, gold, silver, and expensive wines were sold to Westeros, while, astonishingly, the Storm Kingdom began to sell those goods to the Free Cities.
The amount was small, but not insignificant, as most of those goods were sold to the other kingdoms, chief among them the Kingdom of the Rock, but each year, the amount grew, while Essos could not produce as much as before. Artisans were decreasing in number, either dead or having fled to Westeros, and the High Archon was too busy with conquest to realize it.
What was more, the Storm Kingdom sold never-before-seen goods. Typewriters, devices that all but rendered quills obsolete in places where the work had to be done quickly. Paper, cheaper and higher quality than seen anywhere, and of course, the vaunted Iron Works produced a great deal of steel for such low prices.
The divine steel, claimed to be even better than the legendary Valyrian steel and capable of cleaving any metal in half, was a highly sought-after good for its magical properties, but the only known source of it was Victory, the sword gifted to Prince Argilac by his daughter.
The God-Queen herself had refused to entertain the idea of selling any weapons made from the metal, no matter the wealth offered.
—
Qohor, the City of Sorcerers, had prepared well for the Targaryen invasion. They had bought thousands of Unsullied to protect the city and brought sorcerers from all corners of Essos together.
The dragons of the Targaryens were the sole reason they had even conquered six of the Free Cities so quickly. The ruling class of the city, mostly composed of the priests of the Black Goat, merchants, and guilds, knew their salvation lay in repelling the dragons.
To that end, a sorcerer from Asshai had offered to lend his shadowbinding. When the Targaryen host showed itself in the distance, a black smoke rose to the sky, taking the shape of a skeleton covered with black robes. It flew at Balerion the Black Dread, the most fearsome of the dragons, and disappeared after striking the creature.
Their flames did nothing to the product of sorcery, and Balerion screamed in agony, almost throwing Aegon Targaryen off his back.
The Black Dread crash-landed, alive, but wounded by the fall and poisoned by the shadowbinder.
Aegon was also wounded, breaking his right arm in the fall, a light injury compared to what could have been, and the first siege of Qohor ended before it could begin.
Visenya and Rhaenys did not wish to risk their dragons, and Qohor was too well defended for an attack with their meager host, and the Targaryens retreated.
The First Battle of Qohor had ended in Targaryen defeat, with only Balerion and Aegon wounded.
—
By all rumors, Balerion was too wounded to fly, let alone walk for long distances, and it took the Targaryens months to return to Pentos.
Once they had the word that a shadowbinder from Asshai was the culprit, they first sought the means to break the curse on Balerion. Sorcerers that were brought to the court proved to be useless, and Visenya reached out to the sorcerers that they had not recruited, going as far as to send ships to Asshai.
Eventually, another shadowbinder, a new priestess of R'hllor, offered her help, with a caveat.
The Targaryens would convert to the God of Light.
It was not something the Targaryens were averse to, as they already planned to follow the Faith of the Seven for their conquest of Westeros. However, the Red God was a different matter.
Unlike the Faith of the Seven, R'hllor demanded sacrifices, mostly in the form of beautiful humans.
However, when their search led nowhere, High Archon Aegon I Targaryen eventually agreed to convert, should the priestess succeed in breaking the curse.
Which required a sacrifice.
—
The Storm's End
"What kind of a god requires sacrifices to display his power?" Ei's face scrunched in disgust at hearing the latest news from Essos.
A priestess of R'hllor had burned a child alive to break the curse on the dragon of Aegon Targaryen.
"Obviously one that is not a god." Saiguu was equally disgusted and furious. Archons in Teyvat took offerings in the form of food, wine, or expertly crafted statues, not the life of an innocent child.
For example, the Electro Archon was fond of sweets, and Barbatos preferred alcohol.
Ei pointed at the scribe. "Henceforth, the followers of R'hllor are not welcome in my lands. Any that are caught will be stripped of their belongings and sent back to Essos. Should they be caught trespassing again, they will be executed."
"Have a copy sent to all our ports and lords."
"As you command."
—
Essos
With Balerion healing, the Targaryens turned their attention to the other matter at hand.
The shadowbinder who had cursed the dragon in the first place.
For that end, they contacted the Faceless Men to send a knife in the dark after him. Their price, however, left the Targaryens bewildered.
A man capable of cursing a dragon required a great deal of coin to kill. With furious gazes, the High Archon paid the price and waited while his champion, Orys Baratheon, found more men for the host and engineers for the siege engines.
The Priests of the Black Goat were attempting to do the same, to hire the Faceless Men to kill the Targaryens, but the Valyrian Empire controlled Lorath, Norvos, and Pentos, stopping the Qohorik merchants and envoys from reaching Braavos.
The Stepstones were patrolled by the fleets of Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys, making it impossible for any Qohorik ship to pass. The Targaryen host had swelled to ten thousand men, all waiting for the command to march, and it came on the tail end of winter.
The Faceless Men, after much tribulation, had finally sent the shadowbinder to the Many-Faced God. Qohor was in an uproar, seeing their only line of defense fall, and rushed to find a sorcerer just as mighty to repel the Targaryens.
They did not succeed, however, and were left with no choice but to prepare for battle.
However, just because the sorcerers weren't strong enough to kill or repel the dragons didn't mean they were useless.
Commanders of the host fell ill, their engineers were cursed to rot away, and Orys Baratheon barely escaped from an unnatural, black fire that consumed his tent. The sorcerers wore down the host, but not enough to stop the enemy.
The Second Battle of Qohor started with dragonfire melting the walls, under constant arrow and scorpion bolt fire. Balerion, furious at the previous attack, made sure the Qohorik felt it, starting a fire that burned a quarter of the city.
The sorcerers of Qohor, however, had one last trick up their sleeve. The sound of a horn was heard, cutting through the noise of battle, and drove the dragons mad.
Balerion, Vhagar, and Meraxes abandoned the battle, flying away with their riders.
Baffled by the unexpected sight, the Targaryen host was dispirited, but Orys ordered them to push forward, charging through the breach first.
Fighting through the fire, the Targaryen men faced the Unsullied firsthand. Due to the way they were trained, the Unsullied fought to the end, complemented by the sellswords.
Even with their numbers decreased by the fire, the Qohoriki defenders managed to push the enemy out of the city, though at no small cost.
Cutting their losses, Orys ordered a retreat, and the Second Battle of Qohor ended in a stalemate.
While Qohor had suffered great losses, the Targaryens had as well.
The effect of the dragonbinder had faded quickly, given that a single horn was not meant to be used on three dragons, much less one as great and powerful as Balerion.
However, without men to hold the city, it was no use to resume battle, and Aegon ordered the host to return home to Pentos.
It was evident that unless Qohor could pull another miracle, they would be defeated next time the Targaryens came and the priests sent envoys of peace.
Aegon refused the offers of anything short of surrender by the Qohorik, but preparations for the next battle would take longer due to the state of the coffers and the discontent in the Valyrian Empire.
Several nobles and merchants, seeing that the Targaryens were not so infallible, were making plans to rebel. Catching wind of betrayal, Visenya acted quickly. Nobles and merchants were whipped to death in the streets as an example, their manses, goods, and wealth seized.
While it filled the coffers to a degree, the trade between the Free Cities and Westeros plummeted. The common people were having a hard time because of it, and Aegon had no choice but to spend the coin to increase the means of production.
Farming, glassmaking, and all other trade goods would have to be produced in great numbers again to stop their fledgling empire from failing before it even began.
—
In the next chapter:
The Third Battle of Qohor, named so to avoid the stigma of being called the Massacre of Qohor, took place six months after the second battle. House Targaryen, already furious at their previous failures, gathered all their might to march on Qohor.
Sell swords, men-at-arms, and even former slaves who could not find work were armed and marched on Qohor.
The Qohorik had done all they could, repairing the walls and buying as many Unsullied as they could afford, but without the previous success they had in finding sorcerers capable of repelling the Targaryen dragons, it was a battle they would lose.
Curious about the next chapter? Please consider supporting me on Patreon.