The Wizard of Fury Chapter 27

Shadows lurked around every corner of Sunspear in the midmorning sun. Arianne couldn’t escape them as she navigated the city’s labyrinthine streets no matter how hard she tried. Every alley and market stall seemed to have some fresh new horror in store for her.

The shadows were blacker than night itself. Even in the deepest depths of the Spear Tower where no light was allowed, its darkness seemed to be a become of light compared to the unending shadows. Arianne feared that if she stared too long into them that she’d simply fall forward and be absorbed by the darkness completely, enrobed in an empty void of nothingness.

It was a terrifying prospect to imagine, so she kept running.

What cruel twist of the Stranger had brought this upon her? What had she done to deserve such a fate? There was no one around to save her and nothing she could use to protect herself with either. She was doomed to run until her legs gave out.

But they weren’t. Arianne couldn’t remember the last time that she’d run for this long without tiring herself out. She stayed fit enough–she needed to if she was to find a perfect husband, one who could satisfy her needs in the bedroom just as easily as she sated his–but this was simply beyond what she’d ever accomplished. It felt like she’d been running for hours, and although her legs felt as if they were carrying more weight than usual, they didn’t slow her down. Her lungs didn’t ache for air, her mouth wasn’t parched, and there was no sweat dripping down her body.

What was this?

Suddenly, the sky went black, and the shadows vanished. Then, a great gout of flame erupted in the sky outside of the city’s walls, and the world was illuminated once more.

For a moment, Arianne felt turned around, but then she suddenly realised that she was in Mors Square where the traders liked to do business. The flowing fountain in the centre of the square was spewing out inky-black water, staining everything it touched. Market stalls were filled with goods from all across the Seven Kingdoms and beyond the Narrow Sea. Rubies and sapphires from the Summer Isles glistened beautifully in the fire that continued to rage overhead. The scent of spices filled the air, half of which Arianne couldn’t recognise.

And then the flames disappeared. Darkness crept in again, and Arianne felt the presence of thousands surrounding her. It was surreal, like standing upon a play stage whilst the audience waited awkwardly for the performance to begin. There was nothing that she could do, nowhere that she could go. She was paralysed in place as the darkness grew deeper into a vast ocean that she could fall into.

The inky-black water of the fountain reached her bare feet, comforting her with a peculiar warmth that only came with the waters found in the south of Dorne. It steadily began to rise and rise, and with nowhere to go, Arianne could do little more than stand and wait as a growing terror built within her chest.

“Help me!” She cried out to no one when the waters reached her waist. She tried to move now, but the water was thick like sludge. She moved slowly, barely managing a single stride in the time that it took for the water to reach her neck.

In the final moments before her face would begin to become engulfed, a hand reached out from the heavens above. The arm attached to it was obscured by shadows, but two piercing green eyes shone through the darkness.

Hesitating for just a moment, Arianne reached out and took the hand. It was warm and strong and everything that she’d ever hoped for. Then there was a tingle down the back of her spine before her entire body shuddered and—

Gasping, Arianne jolted awake. She was in a bed in a strange room. She leapt from it, uncaring that she was dressed in little more than the thin silks she wore to bed. She dashed to the corner of the room with the loose brick that she’d hidden a small dagger behind and pulled it from its recesses just as the door to her room began to open.

“Good, you’re awake. I’ve been—”

The only thing that existed was the annoyed sigh of her uncle and the lingering noise of her dagger rattling in the door that it was currently embedded in.

“That was a sloppy throw,” Oberyn commented with a sly smile. “What have I done to deserve a death this early in the morning?”

“Nothing,” Arianne replied defensively. She stood then, glancing down and realising that her body was entirely revealed to him. “What are you doing in my chambers?”

“You were screaming and the girls couldn’t wake you,” Oberyn commented like it was nothing more than some casual discussion about the tides. “Tyene was nearly moved to tears.

A wave of guilt flooded Arianne. Her cousin was her closest friend in the entire world, as close as a sister. She appeared as innocent as a woman could be but had an incredibly clever and intelligent mind that instantly attracted Arianne to her. Despite that, Tyene had a soft spot for several of her relatives and always hated to see them hurt; that was why she never watched her father, Oberyn, duel.

“I didn’t intend to cause a panic,” Arianne said. “I’ll reassure her that I’m alright.”

“You’ll have to do that later,” Oberyn replied. “She’s gone out into the city.”

“What for?” Arianne asked out of curiosity.

“Information,” Oberyn winked at her. “And a few other goods that I’ve asked her to collect. One can never be too safe, especially in King’s Landing, no?”

Ah, so that was what she was after: poisons.

Oberyn’s obsession with poisons and esoteric arts were well known at court in Sunspear. In a place like this where dangers lurked around every corner, it was no wonder that he was interested in learning about the underbelly within the city. Oberyn had surely brought his own stock of poisons to the capital; him sending Tyene out was akin to him asking her to uncover the black markets that fuelled this city. Arianne knew that Tyene would be successful and bring back a full report. If anyone dared to use any poisons against House Martell or its bannermen, Oberyn would be sure to track down the seller of the materials and discover from them as to who was behind the plot.

“No,” Arianne agreed readily. “Are any of her sisters looking after her?”

“Nymeria is keeping a watchful gaze over her,” Oberyn informed her. “And then there are a few obvious guards positioned at a not-so-discreet distance to attract attention so that Nymeria can deal with any problems that may arise.”

“Good,” Arianne nodded. Despite the fact that she remained at odds with her cousin Nymeria at every step, Arianne trusted her to keep Tyene safe.

“You should get dressed,” Oberyn said. “There’s much to do around court.”

Arianne pulled back immediately, defensive like an animal who’d just been cornered. “I would prefer to remain abed.”

“And I would prefer to not be in this stinking shit-hole of a city, but we cannot have everything that we wish for,” Oberyn smiled. “Come, get dressed. We will walk the castle together and discover the curiosities that await us.”

Arianne grimaced at the mere suggestion that she leave this room. Ever since she’d seen those green eyes…

Death had been her enemy. Death was the enemy of everyone, she supposed. The elderly wishing for the end may see it as a friend, but Arianne discounted those thoughts as coming from the weak who’d given up on life; as long as there was a goal to achieve, death was the enemy.

Those green eyes of that poor, nameless boy had reflected death and plagued her mind for days until she’d met Harry. She’d seen his green eyes of death, but the person around them certainly changed the meaning of those eyes for her. They were no longer that of death and decay. Rather, they were something else entirely. Something that Arianne still struggled to explain.

The complex swirl of emotions within her as she recalled Harry’s eyes nearly left her dumbstruck. Sadness, longing, hope, grief, and ecstasy filled her chest all at once. It was utterly brutal and complex, something that she instinctively shied away from.

But could she shy away from it forever?

Cowardice was a trait that she ascribed to the weakest members of Dornish society. A few of her cousins and many of the other noble lords and ladies held this trait, but never before had Arianne acted in this way. She was bold, decisive, and confident in her decisions, even if they were wrong. But this situation was different.

The overwhelming feelings that she felt had left her bedridden for days. She didn’t know what she’d feel or do upon seeing Harry’s green eyes once more. They were disastrous, like an unusual desert storm that could strand a hunting party for days, utterly static and fragile in their place.

Paralysis was the death of all. Freezing up in place was what Arianne feared the most. She’d come to this city with the goal that she’d find the perfect husband for herself, and now she struggled to even leave her chambers. It was pathetic and exactly the type of weakness that she expected from anyone but herself.

“I’ll go,” she declared abruptly, having barely thought about it for little more than a few seconds. Her uncle appeared mildly surprised by her response, but Arianne didn’t deign him the opportunity to reply in some witty way. She turned away from him and moved to the thicker violet and red silks that sat waiting for her. They’d cling to her form and offer an enticing image without being so seductive that men would stop and stare as she passed by. “I’ll meet you outside.”

“As you wish,” Oberyn said as he stepped out of her chambers and closed the doors behind himself.

Arianne quickly shed her bedclothes and began dressing herself in the fine silks that’d been prepared for her. She placed sweet perfumes upon her body where it’d linger without being overpowering to one’s nose. Her sweat would mingle with it eventually, but such a scent would only be all the more enjoyable.

As she finished preparing herself, Arianne stepped in front of a Myrish mirror and examined herself. Every inch of her body was pure perfection. The curves she had were clung to perfectly by the silks she had on, and her olive skin complimented the colours she’d chosen beautifully. She donned herself with clear and perfect jewels along her neck, wrists, and fingers.

There was no one who could match her beauty, Arianne decided. All of these days that she spent away from court could serve her. While some may question such a disappearance, Arianne could argue that she’d been so disappointed with her potential suitors that she decided to retire for several days. That may be just the spark that many knights, lordlings, and lords needed to try to curry her favour.

Yet, Arianne knew that none of them would meet the standards that she’d set. In her days spent in the capital, she’d seen plenty of men that she’d be willing to bed, but few that would make an appropriate husband for her.

No, there was only one who might…

Arianne shook the thought out of her head. It didn’t matter. In the end, she wasn’t the one who needed to work to find a proper husband. Any man who desired her ought to be the one to make the first move and impress upon her his desire for her hand. All that she needed to do was make it clear that she was available and a desirable match. Once those men had come to know her, they’d realise the truly powerful and ambitious woman that Arianne was.

Eventually, she stepped away from the mirror and returned to the door out of her chambers. She found Oberyn standing a fair distance away on the other side of it, carefully checking over one of the small daggers she knew he kept strapped to his thigh. He subtly turned his body away from her and stowed the blade as his face offered another warming smile.

“There is my dear niece,” he said, his words almost sounding mocking as they so often did. “I feared that the harpy would never leave her nest.”

Arianne shot him a withering look. “I would’ve left eventually.”

“And I may still yet travel to the distant shores of Yi Ti and find myself a paramour there to join my collection,” Oberyn jested. “But words are fickle and worth less than the dirt we stand upon. Actions are what speak true.”

She was in no mood for these word games. Normally, she was quite fond of them, but just stepping out of her chambers felt draining. There was a daunting feeling about going on this simple walk, something that she couldn’t quite shake.

Her family’s guards opened the doors out of her room at her approach. As she strode out, she found that the apartments above the Small Hall were rife with activity. The grand tourney was set to begin in two days’ time, and that meant that every lord and lady was readying themselves for what was undoubtedly going to be the most splendid affair that the Seven Kingdoms had ever seen. Servants were wise to carefully avoid crossing Arianne and Oberyn’s path as they made their way down the stairwell and out into the Outer Yard.

Carriages bringing in food and fine metalworks filled the yard as servants worked tirelessly to usher them wherever they were meant to go. Riders came and went beneath the gate out into the city, delivering messages and requests with haste. It was so chaotic that it’d be easy to become turned around if you weren’t vigilant.

Thankfully, Arianne wasn’t a fool. She navigated through the chaos with a natural ease that came from spending time playing games in the maze-like gardens in Sunspear. Oberyn followed her close behind as she let her feet guide her.

At first, Arianne considered heading into the city as several other ladies seemed keen to do. But what would she do there? The fashion of King’s Landing didn’t suit her—it was far too restrictive and covering to be viable back home in Dorne, and she wasn’t about to pretend to wear something that didn’t perfectly compliment her body. There were bound to be jewellers and interesting goods at market stalls, but after that dream she had, Arianne had no stomach for venturing off into a market for the time being.

No, better to remain here in the Red Keep for now.

Just as Arianne began scanning through the crowds for somewhere to go, she saw him. He was dressed in simple but elegant clothes that clung to his muscular frame nicely. His messy black hair was unkempt as always, hanging as low as his striking jawline. He’d had it cut since she’d last seen him. She didn’t dare look at his face too closely though. If she saw those green eyes of his…

There was a woman on his arm. Someone from the Reach if her fashion was anything to go by. She was quite comely, laughing at something the man said. She leaned in closer to whisper something to him, and that was when he turned to look at her. But he didn’t look at the woman on his arm. His green eyes seemed to find hers amid the crowd.

Panic filled her chest, and Arianne swiftly turned away only to find herself face to face with a beautiful copper-haired woman with red eyes that nearly unsettled her as much as Harry’s green ones did.

“You’ve seen him too,” the strange woman said mysteriously.

Arianne’s tongue felt like lead in her mouth.

“A red priestess here in Westeros?” Oberyn spoke up as he stood confidently at Arianne’s side. “What a curious sight.”

“And a shadowbinder too, if you could believe it,” the woman said with a small, joking smile. Her voice was melodic, soothing Arianne’s rapidly beating heart. “I’ve come to this place because this is where the Lord of Light leads me.”

“I fear that there is little of worth to your lord in a city like this,” Oberyn replied. “But if there is, we’d be most curious to hear about it.”

“You are not meant for this conversation,” the woman told Oberyn bluntly. “I have prayed upon the flames and seen what is to come. I have crossed half the world to find one man who is the one to save us all. And it is with this woman here that I must speak to. Alone.”

The man had to be Harry Baratheon, Arianne realised immediately.

“I will stand by my niece’s side,” Oberyn told the woman.

“No, uncle,” Arianne said hesitatingly. The dread was creeping back up in her chest, but something told her that she needed to do this. Whatever strangeness occurred between her and Harry could only be explained by this woman. She didn’t know how she knew that, only that it was the truth. “I’ll go with her.”

Her uncle’s stern look met her face. She knew that he was scrutinising her, making certain that she knew exactly what she was doing in agreeing to go along with this woman. He’d seen strange things in his time in Essos, things that went beyond her wildest imagination if his stories were to be believed, and that brought about a certain degree of caution in him when dealing with foreign things. He trusted himself and his instincts more than hers, and he would be right to think that way in every other situation except for this one. Arianne knew that she had to do this.

“I will be nearby,” he said, more so as a warning to the woman than to Arianne herself.

“Come,” the woman told Arianne. “I have a place for us to speak.”

Arianne followed dutifully, as if in a trance. Her feet guided her behind this woman closely, watching the every swish of her red, silk gown that clung to her figure like a second skin. She’d make for a fine wife for any man, and a dangerous competitor in her search for a husband.

The woman brought her around to a quiet corner of the yard nestled in between a building and the curtain wall that surrounded the Red Keep. There were only a few open barrels about and a knight slowly patrolling the wall far overhead.

“In all things, darkness and light battle for supremacy,” the woman began abruptly, startling Arianne out of her reverie. “Fire… light represents all of life, and darkness is what seeks to take it away from us. The Great Other, the Lord of Darkness, is preparing for his assault upon our most treasured, shining light, and I have uncovered Azor Ahai reborn, the prince that was promised who will save us all from his treachery.”

At the mere mention of the Great Other, a deep pang of anxiety struck Arianne. She barely understood what this woman was saying to her, but the emotions rang true through her words and made them clear.

“And who is this prince that was promised?” She asked carefully.

“You’ve seen him,” the woman smiled. “We’ve both seen him. His striking green eyes make him hard to miss. Did you know that the colour of wildfire is green too?”

No, she didn’t. She’d heard tales of the caches of wildfire that the Mad King Aerys had made during his rule, but she’d never heard any details about their use. Wildfire was some type of alchemical liquid that burned until it disappeared entirely. Water couldn’t put out the flames. It was a treacherous liquid that slipped through any crack, ensuring that everything it reached burned.

Was that what Harry was? Someone who’d burn brightly until suddenly being extinguished?

“I cannot approach him myself,” the woman said. “He would be wary of me, that is why I need you to reach him for me.”

“He doesn’t even know me,” Arianne pointed out. “And what do you need me for? Why do I need to approach him? Why won’t he listen to you?”

“Because he knows of my arts and the dangers they could pose to him,” the woman replied honestly. “As for you, I have seen that you have a part to play in the wars to come. You will lead a great fleet to the far east and stand upon the shores of Asshai with Harry Baratheon at your side. You will raise waters and sweep away the servants of the Great Other in a feat unseen in thousands of years. The death of the one who arises in darkness will bring about the final conflict and lead to the fate of this world being decided.”

Arianne pulled back suddenly, unbelieving in these wild tales. Why would she ever go to Asshai? And how was she meant to raise waters? And this Great Other… what even was that? “Are you mad? Oberyn!”

Her uncle came rushing forward. His hands were at his thighs where his daggers were hidden. In an instant, he could have them at this mad woman’s throat.

“What happened?” He asked her sharply without taking his eyes off of the strange woman.

How was she meant to explain something like that? Her words failed her.

“Remember what I have said today,” the woman told Arianne. “I will return in a month upon the conclusion of the tourney. I will speak to you again then.”

“Like hell you will,” Oberyn spat into the dirt. “Leave us, witch.”

The woman didn’t move right away. Her red eyes focused in tightly on Arianne’s face. “Shadows are not to be feared. They are welcomed friends, created through light. Remember this and your dreams will be made more clear.”

Arianne was utterly speechless as the woman walked away. Even her uncle’s piercing gaze couldn’t shake her from her stupor. She didn’t know how long they stood there like that, unmoving and expecting the other to act first.

Eventually, Oberyn did.

“Let’s get you back to your chambers,” he said bitterly. “I’ll have the servants bring you a meal.”

She wouldn’t be able to eat it. She wouldn’t be able to do anything until she slept. She needed to see the shadows once more.