Game of Thrones: The Ruler

(Random POV)

You might remember me. I am the same girl who spoke to you all two chapters ago.

It has been 15 days since I or perhaps I should say we, departed from Braavos for Meereen. That day, I made a momentous and a massive decision to leave Braavos. A decision which had been made instinctively and an unshakable inner calling. I still do not know if I made the right choice.

I stood at the top deck of the ship as the outline of Meereen's buildings began to emerge in the distance. The Great Pyramid was already visible, towering above the skyline. It could be seen from far out at sea.

Standing beside me, cloaked in her crimson robes and staring ahead at the approaching city, was the Red Priestess. I had learned her name at the very start of our journey. She was called Melisandre.

I could never forget the way she had appeared in front of me so suddenly in Braavos. What had shaken me most was that she knew I was headed to Meereen. That revelation had stunned me. When I asked how she knew, her answer was simple. The Lord of Light had shown her. She had seen it in the flames. It all was so weird and uncomfortable.

She had offered to travel with me and promised to keep me safe. She told me it was her mission to deliver me safely to my destination.

Trusting her was not easy. Apart from the followers of their religion, Red Priests and Priestesses did not really enjoy the best reputation. In the markets and alleyways of Braavos, all kinds of strange rumours circulated about them. Whispers which were often filled with tales of dark magic and blood rituals.

But perhaps, I had no better choice. Traveling with a Red Priestess sounded at least slightly safer than travelling alone.

And I could not think of any reason why she would want to deceive me. So, though reluctantly, I chose to trust her. Maybe it was one of those another inner calling.

And as it turned out, I was fortunate that I had decided to trust her.

It was the ninth day of our journey, and we were deep in the open sea, with no land in sight. Both of us had secured separate cabins, at quite a hefty price, to avoid entanglements with others and to ensure our safety. I rarely left my cabin, preferring to keep to myself.

I had just returned from relieving myself when five men suddenly appeared, blocking my path. I immediately knew that trouble was brewing.

A frown crept onto my face. Though panic rose within me, I did my best to appear composed and defiant.

"What do you want?" I asked, forcing a sneer onto my face.

"Oh, Lords!" one of them laughed loudly. "She is a feisty one!"

"Young lady," another man said, his tone dripping with mockery, "we just heard from one of the merchants on board that Meereen has been taken over by Lord Aeos and that he has temporarily suspended all forms of prostitution."

"You see," he continued, "one of our main reasons for going to Meereen was to enjoy the company of a few fine Meereenese women. But now, it seems we will be denied that pleasure."

"So, we were wondering," he added, eyes roaming over my body, "if you could help us in that regard."

The entire group erupted in laughter at the ill placed joke but my heart had almost stiffened. I gathered some courage and tried to storm my way but they stood blocking my path.

"Why in such a hurry?" one of them laughed as he reached out to grab me.

His hand was just inches from my hair when a sudden voice halted him in his tracks.

"If I were in your place, I would not do it even if I had ten lives." It was Melisandre's voice that echoed from behind.

A flicker of hope lit up in my heart. She had promised she would keep me safe. But could she truly protect me alone?

"Red Priestess," one of them muttered through gritted teeth. "Do not meddle in our business."

"Brother," another mocked, "the priestess looks beautiful too… If she meddles unnecessarily, maybe we will get to enjoy two at a time. I want to see what that Lord of Light is made of."

"Do not fall for their beautiful faces," someone sneered. "They are much older than they look."

Melisandre stood there, her expression unchanged. I could only wonder, how was she going to get us out of this? Had she called for help?

"You know," she said with a faint smile, stepping forward to stand beside me, "this young lady here is going to meet someone in Meereen."

"And if that person learns that even one of you tried to touch her, his wrath will consume you all like a raging inferno. Death will seem like mercy."

My eyes widened. Did she know who I was looking for? Did she even know why? Did she know more about me than I knew myself?

"What are you talking about, Priestess?" snarled one of the men. "We are taking both of you."

As he reached out again, his hand moving toward my hair, I instinctively shut my eyes. Hope was fading away. Then came a loud screech.

I snapped my eyes open to find the man clutching his hand. His bloodied hand. Four of his fingers were missing. My gaze dropped to the floor, where the four severed fingers lay splattered in a pool of blood.

Melisandre was holding a dagger in her right hand.

"Seems like you all chose death," she mumbled.

What happened after that was a scene I will never forget in my entire life. The blood that had dripped from the wound of that man began to slither across the ground.

My eyes bulged in shock as each drop of blood moved toward one of the five men. They, too, stood frozen eyes wide with horror as the drops crept closer. And they did not get much time to react. As soon as the blood reached them, it erupted into fiery flames, engulfing all five in an instant.

It was a gut wrenching sight. Their screams tore through the ship as they burned in agony. A small crowd began to gather, drawn by the noise, but no one dared approach.

It took only a few moments before their bodies were reduced to nothing but piles of ash.

As the flames died out, Melisandre collapsed to her knees, her body trembling.

"What happened?" I rushed to her side.

"Nothing," she replied with a feeble smile. "Just an overuse of power. Return to your cabin."

I did as she asked, hurrying to my room. As I glanced back, I saw her limping behind me. Her cabin was just next to mine. No one dared to block my path or approach me in the slightest.

And now, after all that, we were finally about to land in the city of Meereen. Neither of us ever spoke again about what had happened that day. I had countless questions, but I had not asked a single one.

Now, with the city in sight, a sense of anxiety was creeping over me. Will I ever find what I'm looking for?

And more importantly, what am I even looking for? The dragons? Or the man in the dream?

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