Chapter 59 - The Preparations Before the Coronation (IV)

“It seems that Rhaegar's ghost has come back to life and is bringing Fire and Blood to his murderers.” Oberyn Martell thought as he saw Prince Aenar's appearance.

------------

In the port of Volantis - A huge ship with no coat of arms was docked.

“Uncle, is Volantis in the same shape as you saw it on your last visit?” Arianne asked, looking at the gigantic red towers burning brightly, the city seemed alive, even at night. People came and went in a hurry.

“It's very different. In the old days, this city smelled like a sweaty old whore.” Oberyn replied, looking at the city he had visited seven years ago. It really was very different from what he remembered, especially the people he had always considered strange.

Oberyn's comparison made Arianne and all his daughters laugh. Oberyn's mistress Ellaria took her husband's arm and subtly pointed forward with her eyes.

Oberyn followed his mistress' gaze and saw troops approaching them, all wearing red armor and looking powerful. It wasn't a new army that had never participated in a war, the soldiers in front of him were experienced and had seen war, steel and blood up close.

A truly powerful army.

According to Doran's spies, Oberyn knew that this army had fought a horde of forty thousand Dothraki, not to mention the army of mercenaries. Which was quite an achievement, given that he knew the Dothraki and mercenaries better than anyone, he himself was a general in a mercenary group.

However, it was the man leading the soldiers who caught Oberyn's eye, he was a middle-aged man, he was tall and thin, His skin is black as pitch, darker than coal or jet.

He's a monster of a man, huge, over six feet tall and as wide as two men. A tangle of pure white hair grew around his face like the mane of a lion.

Moqorro, the Black Flame of Volantis.

Oberyn recognized the man in an instant, there was no way not to. The Prince of the Desert saw the guards he had brought from Dorne position themselves among them, stopping the advance of the soldiers in red armor.

“Welcome to Volantis, Prince Oberyn Martell and Princess Arianne Martell, I am Moqorro, a red bishop.” Moqorro ignored the Dorne guards and spoke with a calm and compassionate tone, but his voice was deep and thunderous.

“I did not announce my arrival in advance, Priest Moqorro.” Oberyn said. “I would like to know how you anticipated our arrival.”

This was a top-secret trip, Doran and Oberyn had planned it for a few months so as not to attract the attention of anyone from Westeros, yet here they were, in front of an entourage prepared for their arrival.

Moqorro looked at Oberyn and smiled mysteriously. “I saw you in the flames, Prince Oberyn. I saw your ship leave Dorne and go through the storm in the dark night.”

Oberyn narrowed his eyes and gave the man a sharp look, he really didn't like magic, it always turned simple things into something complicated. Couldn't the man simply answer the question by saying spies? Now he's really going to get paranoid about a lot of things.

“Really surprising to see the future through the flames.” Oberyn replied in a dry, slightly deep tone.

“You'll see that this is just one of the countless blessings that the Omnipotent and Omniscient Lord has bestowed upon us, his lost lambs in a sea of suffering.” Moqorro spoke as he gestured for everyone to follow him.

Oberyn felt his heart squeeze at those words, he really didn't like magic.

“Thank you for the welcome, Moqorro. I assume we'll be well earning the respect of our prince and future king." Arianne, with the highest status in the entourage, took the initiative to speak to the Red Bishop.

“The Prince of Light awaits you in the throne room.” Moqorro replied with a devout and extremely respectful tone when he mentioned Aenar.

“They really believe in Prince Aenar. But that look wasn't one of admiration. It was pure reverence, as if he were talking about a God, not a prince or king.” Arianne thought as she looked at the expression of the black-skinned, white-haired man in front of her.

This only confirmed that the Red Faith saw Prince Aenar as a God, or his representative on Earth. It made her understand that the Red Faith and Prince Aenar were preparing for something much bigger, bigger than the Iron Throne and Westeros.

As they walked through the streets of Volantis, Arianne and Oberyn noticed men and women kneeling under a large cloth. They were praying, bowing and rising. Their religious whispers filled the air. If it had been just one group, they wouldn't have been surprised. But a crowd in front of them was doing something similar, all at once.

Noticing the looks on Oberyn and Arianne's faces, Moqorro explained in a gentle tone, despite the serious expression on his face. “They are praying for the grace of our god to fall upon them, many are on pilgrimage from all corners of Essos. They all want to see our prophet, the messiah who will lead the world on a sacred path.”

“They don't really think that Prince Aenar can perform miracles, do they?” Obara, Oberyn's eldest daughter, asked with an incredulous expression, listening to the words of the bishop called Moqorro.

Moqorro looked at the incredulous woman before him and snorted coldly, expressing his dissatisfaction, but said nothing. Oberyn noticed this and looked sternly at his daughter. He couldn't believe that his daughter actually dared to say something against a religious figure in a city full of fanatics!

Nymeria looked at her sister and couldn't help but sigh, she really had to talk to her sister about always keeping her doubts to herself. Always ask something when they are absolutely alone with no one around.

“Forgive my daughter, Bishop Moqorro. She is young and has not yet seen enough of the world.” Oberyn, despite his appearance that suggested he would settle things by force, was unexpectedly diplomatic.

“She's forgiven, but refrain from speaking ill of the prophet or your heads may appear on spears the next morning. It won't be the Red Faith that does that, but the faithful.” Moqorro replied in a calm tone.

Oberyn nodded and didn't doubt his words. He was someone who had seen how murderous and cruel faith could be, religious intolerance was something truly frightening.

Looking once again at all his daughters to keep them silent, Oberyn finally found himself in front of a large red temple.

Before entering the Great Temple, “Follow me and don't get lost, at this time, the Great Temple is very dangerous for strangers. The guards have orders to kill if necessary.”

“Really cozy.” Obera whispered to the sisters, causing Nymeria and Tyene to roll their eyes at the bad joke at that moment. Ellaria looked at these girls and couldn't help but sigh, but still walked with dignity beside Oberyn.

Oberyn and Arianne finally found themselves in front of gigantic doors. On the doors, they both saw drawings of a large red sun held by a giant wearing a red robe.

However, their attention was soon caught by the sound of the doors opening, and then Oberyn and Arianne heard Moqorro announce their entrance.

“Messiah, before you stand Princess Arianne Martell, Heir to the Throne of Dorne, and her uncle, Prince Oberyn Martell, along with his noble wife and daughters.” Moqorro spoke aloud and entered the throne room, gesturing for everyone to enter after him.

Ellaria, and Oberyn's three daughters, were surprised to be announced along with Oberyn and Arianne. They had never been announced as such before. After all, Ellaria wasn't Oberyn's wife and Oberyn's three daughters were bastards.

When Oberyn and Arianne entered the Throne Room, they saw a long line of knights standing next to the pillars, which led to the end of the hall, where ivory steps led upwards and at the top of the steps, two thrones could be seen.

Oberyn raised his head and looked at the central throne. On it sat a young man around seventeen, although he knew the prince was twelve, which made the Prince of Dorne wonder what Eddard Stark had fed the boy.

He had white-gold hair and purple eyes, his face was really handsome, inhumanly handsome. It was as if Prince Aenar were a Valyrian thoroughbred. And just as the descriptions said, they were inhumanly beautiful.

Looking directly at Prince Aenar's face, and then seeing that face, the last vestige of doubt about Aenar's identity was completely gone from his mind. The boy was practically Rhaegar, only with a few differences, such as the color of his eyes and hair and his chin.

Aenar was Rhaegar's son without a doubt.