Chapter 28 - Chapter 26: Lord of the White Cloud

The Dothraki are fond of saying, "everyone knows." When they say this, they aren't referring to a specific fact known by everyone present, but rather to an established tradition, a truth passed down through generations.In fact, the horsemen's "everyone knows" is a profound survivalist wisdom. For example, Dany's handmaidens and bloodriders, fearing demons, urged her to avoid the dead city—a warning that could very well save her life.Jhiqui said, "Once the gods depart, the demons will hunt at night." It was a simple statement, yet it made perfect sense for the nomads who grazed the vast grasslands and rivers.Why does a city die? In this era and this world, there are usually only two reasons: plague or war.Plague, needless to say, must be avoided at all costs. War leaves a city littered with corpses, and these piles of remains can breed disease, spreading illness like wildfire. The horsemen were fearless in the face of battle, but a plague was a threat they could not overcome. The pathogens that caused it were what the horsemen called "demons."Through centuries of survival on the harsh plains, the Dothraki had honed their instincts and forged a set of rules adapted to this unforgiving land. "I have dragons, and any evil spirit will avoid them," Dany told the horsemen, hoping to reassure them.She did not need to remind herself about the "fresh" dead city; "everyone knows" was enough. Even without their warnings, she would have approached it cautiously. Yet, this ruin had stood for who knew how many years, and whatever had caused its destruction long ago could no longer harm them.Without delay, Dany issued her orders: recall the knights searching for water ahead, and redirect them. The vanguard of twenty warriors set out immediately to search for food and water within the White City.To reassure the worried horsemen, Dany even sent her black dragon to accompany them. She entered a dragon dream state, connecting her mind to the dragon, and guided its flight.The operation went more smoothly than she had expected. An hour later, the black dragon reached the White City alongside the advance guard.It was a city of dazzling white, shining as brightly as the moon and as beautiful as a young girl. Its white walls and soaring towers gleamed in the afternoon haze, so radiant it seemed almost unreal, like a mirage suspended over the Red Waste.At the outskirts of the city, Dany commanded the black dragon to rise from the bamboo basket on Aggo's back and soar into the sky. With a single glance, Dany's eyes, through the dragon's vision, captured a glimpse of the city's hidden greenery.As they drew closer, Dany's excitement swelled so fiercely that she momentarily lost connection with her dragon spirit."There are orchards!" she cried, her hands trembling as she gripped Doreah's. "Figs, grapes, even peach trees! Our team is saved! We can settle here and farm until the little dragons grow into full-grown dragons. Hahaha!"The sun hung at a forty-five-degree angle in the sky as Dany urged Karls to break camp and press on. "Don't skimp on your energy this time; it's only a two or three-hour journey. Aggo and the others have prepared fresh fruit and sweet well water. Work hard—hope is just around the corner." Her words were infectious, even as her heart raced with anticipation.When they were five kilometers from the city, Big Black flew low and landed on Dany's shoulder. The yellow hue of sunset draped the land in a warm glow as they arrived at the foot of the White City walls."I can't believe such magnificent buildings can exist in the barren Red Plains," Ser Jorah said in disbelief. "Even in Westeros, cities like this are rare.""That's your Westeros," Dany replied with a proud smile, her eyes gleaming. "This is my White City."Her large violet eyes curved into a crescent of joy. "I declare this city mine!"Seeing Dany's excitement, Jorah chuckled. "Then, Princess, please give your city a name."Dany tilted her head in thought, then laughed softly before uttering a single word: "White Cloud City." She galloped through the gates atop her silver horse, the wind whipping her hair behind her.From a distance, the city was a stunning marvel of white stone. Its three-meter-high walls protected it from all that lay beyond. Yet inside, remnants of its former glory were visible: shattered walls, demon grass sprouting through cracks, and creepers crawling across crumbling houses. In the center of the street, a jujube tree, thick as a thigh, bore a sparse cluster of shriveled dates. Perhaps these were seeds from decades ago."How long has this city been abandoned?" Dany asked her companions."Judging by its preservation, probably twenty or thirty years," Jorah replied cautiously.Dany shook her head. "Definitely more than that." She called to the old man leaning against a branch, who was picking dates from his saddle. "Avanti, come here.""Oh, Khaleesi, here comes my horse."The horse clattered across the gray stone floor with a sharp "crack, crack!" and stopped in front of Dany."How old are you? Have you heard anything about this city all these years?" she asked."Khaleesi, enjoy your dates." Avanti offered seven or eight green dates, each the size of a fingertip."Eat it yourself," Dany said, shaking her head.Avanti tucked the dates like treasures into the saddlebags on his horse. "Khaleesi, I don't know how long I've lived. The Great Grass Sea often has the same seasons for years. I can't quite tell the difference. I remember seeing winter snow eight or nine times."Even the horse folk had no calendar. Not even the nobles of Westeros could reliably track the years without the Citadel's maesters sending out ravens each year. The world of ice and fire had no fixed rhythm of seasons. Dany, for example, remembered snow only from her earliest childhood—a child of summer, like many teenagers of her generation."When was the last winter? What season is it now?" she asked, turning to the most knowledgeable knight.Under Dany's guidance, even the roughneck of Bear Island had become the wisest among them.Jorah Mormont scratched his sunburned scalp. "When I was Lord of Bear Island, I heard a maester say this summer was unusually long—about six years ago. So it should still be summer now, ten years later." He glanced at the dark red sky, nodding reluctantly. "Yes, it's still summer.""You need a maester," he sighed."If a maester were to come to me, it wouldn't be long before every Westerosi noble had a detailed report about me and my dragons on their desks," Dany replied softly, noncommittally."It's not that bad. Maesters swear allegiance to those they serve," Jorah muttered weakly.Dany noticed his hesitance and the thoughtful look he wore. The Avatar paused before continuing. "In my impression, the Red Waste has always been a forbidden place—one that must not be entered.""Khaleesi, look!" the crowd called as they approached the palace at the heart of the city. At an intersection where six alleys met, Aggo pointed to an empty marble pedestal. "The White City's gods have been removed by the horsemen. A khal must have been here—most likely a khal who plundered the city.""Huh?" Old Avanti rode forward, circling the pedestal twice. "Centaurs really were here. When did that happen?""How do you know?" Dany asked."Khaleesi, notice this. This is the intersection of six streets, considered the city center. The pedestal would have housed the city's gods.""And then?" Dany prompted."You've forgotten. Only the Dothraki have a habit of stealing the gods of others," Jorah reminded her.Dany recalled that after a city was destroyed, the Dothraki often took statues of gods and heroes. Their sacred road, beginning at the Horsegate, ran through the Horselord's City—the Great Road of the Gods—lined with statues of stone, bronze, iron, wood, and even Valyrian steel. Gods, kings, heroes, and even the evil deities of the Shadowlands had been displayed there."It seems this city has a longer history than we imagined—at least a century or more. The Dothraki army must have reached it when the river was dry. A few hundred horsemen alone could not have taken a fortified city."Dany and her khals crossed the streets, reaching the ruins of the palace at the city's heart. The horsemen refused to live in stone houses haunted by ghosts, so Dany had them pitch tents against the palace walls, which shielded them from the sun.Once settled, the Karls gathered in the square in front of the palace. The scouts had returned with a bounty of fruit: figs, grapes, peaches, and apples. Though small and underdeveloped, the warriors greedily jostled to taste the fruits, the sound of their chewing echoing through the empty streets."The walls are white, the towers are white, the buildings are white, and even the skeletons in the streets are white," Jorah said in a chilling voice, stroking his hairy arms. "A bleak sight. It should be called the City of Bones."The city was indeed blackened from fire, though time had faded the scorched marks. In the darkness, lit only by the blood-red glow of the comet, the wind howled through deserted alleys—a haunting, eerie presence.Dany's handmaidens trembled at Jorah's words."Khaleesi, we can't stay here. This is the land of evil spirits. They curse us from every corner!" Jhiqui whispered."What 'City of Bones?' Nonsense!" Dany said firmly, glaring at Big Black. "This is White Cloud City. I am its Lord. This is my territory."With perfect timing, Big Black opened his mouth, spewing a thirty-centimeter-long stream of bright red dragon fire, mixed with a puff of black smoke. The two maids fell silent, awe and fear rooting them to the spot.---