Rick was striding hard and fast towards the southern gates. The frantical way in which his subordinate had delivered the news to him, he was slightly anxious to see what was happening.
He was about to reach the southern gates when he spotted an old man walking in crisp steps towards the stairs leading to the top of the walls. The old man was dressed in dark maroon coloured robes. He was quite lean and thin and appeared fragile. He was completely contrary to Rick, the muscular and the big man.
But the man was contrary in appearance only. Not in influence or power.
The man was the head priest of the faith of the Black Goat deity. The most powerful of them.
And just like how two people from the blacksmith association were present on the ruling council, similarly two priests of the Black Goat deity were present on the ruling council. But they were much more influential compared to Rick and his deputy. The reason? Most of the other magisters and the other rich merchants of the city and the common people were ardent followers of the Black Goat religion, and they looked up to the chief priest for guidance.
Rick himself followed the faith of the Black Goat. No, not because of choice or because he liked his religion. Simply because his father had followed the faith, and he was born in that faith.
Rick himself was not overly religious. But it did not mean that he hated or abhorred his faith. He was fine with it and the traditions they had been following for centuries.
Rick was aware of how most of the people outside the city of Qohor thought of the faith of the Black Goat. They saw this faith as demonic and evil.
And Rick was fine with it. But what had started to push him away from the faith were these priests. These priests were growing more and more zealot.
It was the custom of their faith to sacrifice an animal at the altar of the Black Goat daily, and Rick was fine with it. On occasions, the deity was offered condemned criminals, and in times of great crisis, he was even offered the nobles' children of the city to beg for his protection.
Rick was fine with it too. He accepted that most of the religions had such practices and he was not disgusted with it.
But in recent times, the priests had been growing more and more zealot. They were constantly pushing for human sacrifice even on normal days.
And they were not satisfied with criminals either. Slowly and persistently, they were pushing for more human sacrifice, innocent children of the poor. As per their logic, the criminal did not grant them as much blessing as an innocent did.
And it disgusted Rick. What next? Would they push for regular sacrifice of noble children? He could not bring himself to like the head priest and their cult.
The priest spotted Rick as he stopped his climb up the stairs.
"Lord Tahot," the priest called.
"Head priest," Rick gave a small bow in greeting.
The two did not exchange further pleasantries as both of them climbed the stairs and arrived at the top of the wall. Both of them were anxious to see what was happening.
As Rick arrived on the top of the wall, his eyes captured the army standing in front of him. It took a glance for him to register the strength of the army, and then his eyes took into account the lady who was standing in front of the army.
And then his eyes finally took into account the banner which was flowing throughout the army. The dragon with the three heads. He did not take more than a moment to recognise the banner. After all, this family had ruled Westeros for almost three centuries.
"Targaryen banner?" Rick mumbled in sheer disbelief.
"Yes, Lord Tahot," a man standing next to him replied. Another blacksmith.
"Any more information?" Rick questioned.
The man shook his head.
"The lady along with her army appeared out of nowhere in front of the walls," he replied. "And she has been standing there for quite some time."
"I believe they are not related to Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen," Rick remarked. "And I do not think any other Targaryen is alive apart from the siblings. Is she really a Targaryen?"
Most of the magisters nodded at this, but no one said anything.
"Her intentions are quite clear though," one of the other magisters remarked after a moment of silence. "She wanted the people with the most authority to gather here."
"What would she want?" Rick asked instinctively.
"Definitely not to capture the city of Qohor," the head priest snickered. "Not with twenty five hundred men."
As if on cue, Rhaenys' horse started to move and soon she was approaching the gate. A couple of soldiers were following behind her. Soon, she was in the range of the arrows of their soldiers.
"What is she doing?" one of the magisters questioned.
"It is clear, is it not?" another one replied. "She wants to talk to us."
The magisters exchanged glances with one another as they walked towards the stairs and climbed down.
As Rick was climbing down the steps, he could not ignore the head priest's remarks. Clearly, if that lady was to attempt to capture the city with the strength of twenty five hundred soldiers, it was going to be a foolish suicide.
The security of the city of Qohor was handled purely by the Unsullied army. And with them behind the security of the walls, Qohor's army would slaughter them like pigs.
Though in recent times, the sale and purchase of the Unsullied had stopped. Lord Aeos was another problem Rick knew that they would soon encounter. Meanwhile, the city was trying to find its alternative to the cessation of the supply of the Unsullied. Maybe train their own army.
But as of now, the city was at its full strength. It was protected by a force of around six thousand Unsullied. Twenty five hundred men were not a threat.
But as he was stepping down the stairs, Rick could not help but feel uneasy. The confidence that had been radiating from the lady was making Rick uneasy. He was not sure if these twenty five hundred men were all that she had brought.
He hoped that she was here not for conflict, but only for supplies of weapons. And Rick would be happy to offer a discount. And again, was she really a Targaryen?
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