Solomon. Old Valyria.
At dawn the next day I stood on the scene of a structure once grand and magnificent, but now dilapidated and covered with dirt, dust, and cracks, apparently having served as an amphitheater before the fall of Valyria.
It was not far from the palace where we found the egg, and its time had long since passed and its usability was exhausted, as was the entire capital of the ancient empire. But now, at this very moment, everything had changed.
The dead amphitheater of the dead city was filled with glowing eyes, chest-full breathing, anticipatory whispers, and rhythmic beating of hearts. Thousands of people of all ages, sexes, and races occupied every inch of available space in both the surviving and ruined stands of the ancient structure.
They whispered with each other, got acquainted, told about their lives, empathized, supported, laughed and rejoiced, making the amphitheater itself seem to blossom because of the flood of feelings. But the eyes of every one of them did not take their eyes off my silently observing figure in the center of the arena.
- "You've already subjugated all these people," Lavena said, standing behind me, still holding the dragon egg, "I feel sorry for them already."
- "As soon as you forget for a moment, you've forgotten the kindness of my king," Kinvara parried beside her, "I already feel sorry for you."
- "Be that as it may," I stopped them, "How many of them do you think are here?"
- "More than we should," Lavena said.
- "If you count the ones who didn't have seat? About a hundred thousand, maybe more."
- "I see."
So, as I understand it, the particle of the Many-Faced God has brought here almost all, if not all, of the people infected with the Gray Pestilence from all over Essos. And that's quite a lot, since the mortality rate for the disease was quite low.
Yes, the disease was highly contagious, and a single touch was enough to transmit the pathology, but people kept a relative quarantine, where they exiled the sick away as soon as they noticed symptoms. And for this purpose, they mostly used the ruined cities of Valyria and the Rhoynar, which were far away from the rest of the settlements and could not be rebuilt.
- "So, what do you plan to do?" Lavena asked.
- "The right thing to do, I suppose. No, not like that. What I would like to do."
I slowly raised my hand above my head, and the people, as if they were robots with a perfectly fine-tuned program, were instantly silent, focusing all their attention on me.
Taking a deep breath, and then amplifying my voice with magic and lowering my hand, I smiled softly and looked around at everyone present.
- "Greetings to all who are here now. My name is Solomon, simply 'Solomon', no titles, lands or lineage. And even if I don't know you and you don't know me, it is a pleasure to meet all of you who have gathered here at my request."
The people nodded as if to greet me in return.
- "The reason for this gathering indulged my selfishness. A tiny idea that had settled in my thoughts only recently, and issues that existed even before it."
I paused to allow everyone to catch their breath and get their thoughts in order.
- "What could be called "home"? Was it a particular piece of land or the people that inhabited it? Undoubtedly. For some it is a homeland, the land where they were born and raised. For some, it is family, friends, or just acquaintances waiting for him to return. Any criterion is true, but it is different and has no measure, like gold or grain. And so my next question goes like this...."
Another pause and a held breath.
- "Is it possible to "create" this home? Is it possible to create it in any way, but your own, native, to which it is possible to feel care, nostalgia and affection? And if yes, what should it be like? Cozy? Serene? Warm? Comfortable? Maybe the other way around? Or all at once? The answer is different for everyone, but it can come unexpectedly, because no one really knows when that moment will come."
Some nodded, some shook their heads, and some thought. And at one moment I saw an old man's hand, which I realized among the endless rows.
- "I'm listening to you."
- "Master Solomon, how did you come to these questions?" he asked in a senile but firm voice, "What prompted you to keep them until now?"
- "The answer is simple," I said and put my hand to my heart, "I am not part of these lands. The ones I know are too far away to ride a horse, sail a ship, or even fly a dragon. They are far enough away that it would be fair to consider them lost forever."
-" So you have no home now?" A girl in her early twenties asked without raising her hand, to which those around her looked at her disapprovingly, causing her to lower her head in shame.
- "It's all right, don't hold it against her. The question came from the heart, not from a desire to insult me," I stopped them gently, and the disapproval stopped immediately, and the girl looked up, "Yes, it's true, unfortunately. In that time I have managed to acquire friends, acquaintances and even my own followers, but not a home. I cannot name a place or people I would call home. And so, please listen to my selfish wish."
I took a deep breath and people's necks stretched forward as if wanting to hear my next words clearly.
- "I want to create my "home" here, in this very place, on the ashes and ruins of Old Valyria. And if not to create it, then at least to try and see what comes of it. And now I ask for your help. Help in building our common home. United, strong, new, and perhaps native."
A look of deep surprise and stupor was written on the faces of all but Lavena and Kinvara.
- "I am not asking you to serve. I am not asking you for worship. I am asking you for help, for we, you and I, are somewhat alike, are we not? And the position of a common man is more than satisfactory to me."
Kinvara stared at me in shock, as if she couldn't believe what she was hearing. And so did everyone here, except perhaps Lavena, who clucked her tongue.
Magic gave me a lot of things, but it wasn't capable of something so specific. Yes, I could create entire cities with a single thought, but what was the point? A home is more than beautiful buildings and power. First and foremost, it was the emotion that a home gave by its mere existence.
And while I didn't know for sure if founding a new city or country, untethered and far away, was right for me, it was worth a try. It would be an experience that could provide answers and direction.
- "Then if not you, who will lead us? Who will be our leader?" A man in his forties asked, "Without a leader, only chaos and anarchy await us. Cohesion and order can only be achieved by following the laws and rules set by the leader, the person the people follow. And if not you, then who?"
- "Yes!" the young man supported him, "You healed us, gave us clean water, good food and a roof over our heads, even if we tried to refuse!"
I shook my head as more and more voices of agreement and approval joined his words.
He talked about how when I had offered them to rebuild some of the destroyed houses of the city, they had resolutely refused until a compromise was found. Instead we settled on ordinary tents, bedding made of simple bear fur.
Well, fresh water and food, in the form of bread, cereals, fruit and meat, I straightforwardly forced them to accept. After all, they were also planning to refuse, citing the fact that some of them had managed to partially retain their minds during their illness and knew the right places to go.
- "What you are asking for means my rule over you and your life. And such an important decision should not be made spontaneously or under the influence of emotion," I said calmly, "But I understand your point of view and I respect it. And for that reason, I propose to do this..."
The voices quieted momentarily, giving me a chance to voice my proposal.
- "I will give you everything you need to begin rebuilding this place, including tools, plant seeds, guidance, knowledge, and time, so that you don't have to spend time defending it from unwanted guests. This will allow you to establish some sort of foundation for further development. But there is a 'but'."
- "Voice it, Master Solomon," said the man who had brought up the subject of leadership.
- "But it will only last for a period of one to six months. And during that time, you will have to choose whether you want to follow me as your own leader, ruler, or king and beyond," I continued, "Right now your hearts and minds are filled with gratitude to me, but along with that comes fear. Fear that if I do not take on this role, no one else will dare to take on such a heavy burden of responsibility."
I looked around at the stands and smiled, seeing the worry, awkwardness, apprehension, and fear in people's eyes.
- "Many of you had suffered for a long time, and some for far longer than you deserved. The world outside of this city has undoubtedly changed, and you fear not finding a place in it. You fear that when you leave this place or return home, you will only be met with pain, regret, disappointment, sadness or despair. And to avoid experiencing all of these things, you cling to me, to this place, as the last saving straw."
The response to my words was oppressive silence along with reluctance, but understand their essence.
- "My words are cruel, I realize that. But nevertheless, you need to hear them, understand and accept them. They say words hurt worse than a knife, and it is true. If wounds on the body heal with time, words can stay in the heart until the very end, slowly eating away at a person from the inside, as if they were used as torture."
At this he stopped himself and smiled softly, showing humility and promise.
- "But, if you do make an informed decision, and it is similar to today, then I will accept it and lead you. Not out of pity or compassion, but, I'll be honest, out of my own selfishness and my little thought that I mentioned earlier."
I let out a weary sigh, for I am not used to speaking in front of such a huge number of people.
- "When you have finished considering what I have said, choose a few people and have them come to me. There, I will give you what I promised today and outline a course of action."
Finishing my speech, I teleported myself, Kinvara and Lavena back into the house, where I almost immediately sat down on the couch and took a sip, picking up a glass of wine from the table. Kinvara was still silent, apparently still reeling from my refusal to rule at once. Lavena sat down on the couch and, interestingly enough, put the egg aside and looked at me.
- "I'm surprised," she began, "You could have accepted their offer immediately, as the victim advised you to do, but you didn't. And even if I hate to admit it, I'm not stupid."
- "Hmm? That's good to know."
- "I'm not finished," Lavena continued, "As heartless as you are, you understand human nature better than anyone I know. You know exactly what a person wants, how to present it, and how to capitalize on it. Which means you'd be at least a tolerable ruler. At least, much better than the current king of the Seven Kingdoms, who from what I've heard, only drinks and nothing else."
I nodded briefly and took another sip.
- "Why did you refuse?" She asked, "And don't get me started on your reluctance to force yourself on others or any of that nonsense. That's not what you did to me."
- "You were the exception, Lavena," I said, looking into the glass, "When I saw your eyes, something lit a flame inside me, and that's why things happened the way they did."
- "You mean you fell in love with me?" Lavena raised an eyebrow, completely disbelieving me.
- "No, I wouldn't say that," I shook my head, "I suppose it was admiration and some envy. You have something I don't, and that's the reason you're here now."
- "Envy?" Lavena asked doubtfully, "Envy of what? What is it that I have that a sorcerer so powerful, so capable of raising the dead, does not have?"
- "Perhaps I will answer you in the future," I laughed, and then looked at Kinvara, "Are you all right, Kinvara?"
- "Yes, my king," she replied, "But let me ask you, why did you still refuse? And even expressed a desire to be... "a commoner"? It's not a role that suits you, no matter how you look at it. It's just… silly..."
'Silly'?
Hearing that, I, suddenly to everyone, laughed out loud.
- "Has he lost his mind?" Lavena spoke up.
- "Why did you... laughed...?" Kinvara asked cautiously, "I allowed myself too much...?"
- "No, no, it's fine. It's fine!" Wiping my tears, I said and took the priestess' hand and leaned it against my cheek, "Thank you, Kinvara."
- "For what...?" she expressed her sincere incomprehension.
- "For being here with me," I replied with a smile of joy that made Kinvara blush deeply and sweetly.
- "I-I always happy to be of service to you, m-my king..."
- "Definitely lost his mind," Lavena concluded with a nod to herself and took the egg back into her hands, "I hope I don't catch it breathing the same air as you."
Silly...
I laughed once more, practically scaring Kinvara and Lavena who were watching me.
Isn't silliness the greatest trait of human nature, eh?
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