Chapter 122: Awaken
The first thing Doran notices when he wakes up is pain, a dull ache that spreads through his abdomen and to his chest, the second thing is that his throat is drier than the desert. He feels the bandages brush against his sensitive skin and winces.
`Looks like I was mummified.`
"Ugh." He grunts in pain and tries to swallow to moisten his throat a bit.
"Prince Doran!" Wulfric looks at him with wide eyes, the maester doing a very good imitation of a fish by opening and closing his mouth numerous times.
"Water." Doran manages to say and Wulfric snaps out of his stupefy, quickly grabbing a glass of water and helping the prince drink.
"Slowly." Wulfric raises Doran`s head and after taking a few sips of water Doran feels more like a human being and less like a mummy. "How do you feel? What questions do I ask! You must be in a lot of pain, the poison is still spreading through your body." Wulfric chides himself.
"Actually the pain is not so bad," Doran informs him. "On a scale of 1 to 10, it's a solid 6."
What?"
Doran ignores the maester for a moment and leans against the head of his bed, throwing off the covers and beginning to unwrap the bandages.
"Wait-" Wulfric tries to stop him but Doran ignores him.
"Help me take off these bandages, I feel like a mummy in them."
Wulfric tries to protest but Doran is in no mood for arguments so he removes his bandages himself while the maester looks conflicted.
"I-impossible." Wulfric looks at Doran's abdomen and approaches him as if entranced, raising a hand to touch it but stopping a few inches from the prince's skin. "The poison is gone!"
"Hm." Doran watches the maester's reaction with a raised eyebrow and turns his attention back to his wound. A few centimeters from his navel he has an almost diamond-shaped wound that is bleeding a little on the sides, the skin around it is inflamed and red but what is striking are the lines that come out of the wound and extend in all directions.
"They look like rays of the sun," comments the prince. The lines are silvery in color, ranging in thickness from a few millimeters to a centimeter, the longest extending to just below his heart. Touching them, Doran notes that the skin is somewhat more slippery and hard, they almost look like scars.
"Maester Wulfric helps me clean the wound and bring me the following potions-" Doran goes into healer mode and after naming the potions he looks at the maester expectantly, Wulfric shakes his head and sighs before obeying.
After cleaning the wound and taking several potions, Doran lies against the head of his bed with the wound unbandaged.
"Call the servants and tell them to prepare the bath, I practically reek of sweat and blood." The prince says with a grimace. "By the way, I couldn't help but notice Dawn. Why is my father's sword next to me? Where is he?"
Wulfric looks away, not sure if he should tell the prince the truth.
`He just woke up...he seems fine but putting this weight on his shoulders-No, worrying him might aggravate his injury. I'll wait until Prince Trystanne's mission is over, but he's his father-`
"Master Wulfric?"
"Ah, I'm sorry my prince. I am still baffled by the disappearance of the poison." Wulfric smiles weakly. "Prince Trystanne is running some errands, He left Dawn as a good fortune charm for you. If you'll excuse me, I have to comply with your request and order the servants to prepare a bath for you. I also have to inform your grandparents about the good news, they will be so happy to see that you woke up!"
"How long have I been-" Doran can't finish the question, the maester was already at the door. "For an old man he sure is quick when he wants to..."
The prince sighs and looks towards the windows, the first rays of the sun are coming out over the horizon and the darkness of the night is overcome by the light of day.
"The King of Monsters, huh?" He smiles wryly.
***
After taking a long-awaited bath, he dressed in pants and stood while Wulfric bandaged his abdomen again.
"The pain hasn't increased, has it?" The maester looks at him with concern and Doran shakes his head.
"No, no. It's actually decreased quite a bit, it's hardly a bother now." The prince smiles to reassure him, the master looks at him with doubts in his eyes before nodding.
`Ha! He doesn't take my word for it. Does he think I would hide the pain? Well, he is not wrong but still.`
"Doran!" The doors to his quarters open and his grandparents practically run in.
"Wait!" Wulfric stands between the Princess of Dorne, her consort and the young prince. "The code." He looks expectantly at the two and is unfazed by the princess's annoyed look.
"The clouds and the moon might hide the sun, but they can't dim its light." Says Prince Arthur.
"Few dares to challenge the desert's might, fewer survive it." The princess continues, and only then does Wulfric step out of the way.
`A code?`
"My sweet child!" The princess takes Doran's cheeks in her hands and kisses him on his forehead. "You don't know how happy I am to see those beautiful eyes of yours again, every moment with you unconscious was agony; we didn't know if you would ever open your eyes again and nothing we did seemed to help."
"We pray to all the gods, from the old gods to the First Men, to Mother Rhoyne." His grandfather also gave him a kiss on his forehead. "How is this possible, Wulfric? Did you find the antidote?" Arthur turned to the maester and he returned his gaze, equally confused.
"I couldn't tell you, my prince. One moment the poison was spreading and the next it was gone as if by magic-"
"By magic?" The princess interrupted him and looked at her grandson with a raised eyebrow. Doran shrugged, a sheepish smile on his face.
"Yes, princess. It totally stumped me! One moment I was reading a book looking for any clues about that damned poison and the next I heard the prince waking up!" Wulfric has an expression of disbelief and uncertainty that amuses Doran so much that he barely suppresses a laugh.
`This is the second time I see that expression on his face, the first being when Olyvvar was born.`
The memories of that day return to the boy's mind and he can no longer suppress his laughter.
***(Flashback: 254AC)***
Doran looked at the newborn baby in his arms and smiled brightly.
Time seemed to have stopped, no sound was heard in the room as everyone was waiting for the prince's words with their breath held.
The wizard looked around, the first person he noticed was Wulfric who was next to him. The maester looked at him with eyes wide, in those blue eyes a thousand emotions shine, disbelief and surprise being the main ones, and his face contracts every second, seeming not to know what expression to take.
Doran found his expression very humorous and chuckled lightly, not too loud to not disturb the baby in his arms.
"Is a boy, a healthy boy" He informed everyone and time flowed again, several relieved sighs were heard and the tension in the room vanished as if by magic.
`Welcome to this world, little brother.`
***(End Flashback)***
Doran's laughs bring a smile to the faces of his grandparents.
"Laughing at the expense of others is not very princely, Prince Doran." Wulfric sends him an annoyed look but his tone is light showing that he isn't really upset.
"My apologies, master." Doran calmed his laughter. "But your expression was most amusing."
"Just a few hours ago we feared losing you and now we hear your joyful laughter, it really is a miracle." The princess smiles softly, an expression that very few people have seen on her face.
"A miracle, indeed." Arthur nods and places a hand on Doran's shoulder. "It's good to see you awake and on your feet."
"Thank you," Doran smiles at them. "On another note, could you answer a few questions. What happened in the trial by combat? The last thing I remember is attacking Nysterica Yronwood and then nothing."
"That wasn't Nysterica Yronwood." Arthur answers with a shadowed expression, Doran frowns.
`Wasn't it Nysterica? Wait- don't tell me that-`
"It was a faceless assassin." The princess clarifies.
"A faceless assassin?" Doran exclaims in disbelief. "But then- Don't tell me- Edgar had his own daughter killed?!"
Faceless assassins can only use the faces of people they killed.
"Yes, grandson. Edgar sacrificed his own daughter." The princess confirms Doran's guess and he staggers a bit.
"Killing his own child... Just what kind of monster is he?" The question is rhetorical and the prince doesn't expect an answer but his grandfather answers anyway.
"A very nasty one, child. A very nasty one."
"What happened while I was unconscious?"
"A lot, but I think we should wait until you recover a bit-"
"No." Doran interrupted his grandfather. "I have to know, this whole mess exists because I let my emotions cloud my mind and judgment. If I had acted more coolly-"
"No," his grandmother interrupts. "You are still a child Doran, you are more intelligent and mature than many adults but you are not one. Feeling, that is not something you should apologize for. If anyone is to blame for this 'mess' it is me. As Princess of Dorne everything that happens within the borders of my kingdom is my responsibility, mine and no one else's. Someday it will be your mother's, and after that yours, but that won't be for several years. You are not yet the Prince of Dorne so don't assume the blame that falls on the Ruler of this Kingdom, that blame is not yours to take."
His grandmother guides him to the bed.
"Sit down and I'll tell you everything,"
The princess tells him everything they found out about the Yronwood and Blackfyre plans without detailing how they got that information, Doran reads between the lines and does not ask about the methods they used.
"Trystanne, Lothar, Manfrey and Jacaerys are conducting a search for the second faceless assassin." Arthur frowns at Dawn, his eyes filled with concern. "Your father offered himself as a decoy to lure the assassin."
"I see." Doran's response surprised his family, they expected him to protest or get angry since he was always very protective of his family and he was very vocal with his disagreements when any of them put themselves in danger . "He is the Morning Sword, I have faith in him. Besides, Lothar is by his side."
Doran trusts Lothar more than anyone, his sworn knight is not only a talented and experienced fighter, he is also a very competent wizard.
`He is more proficient in shapeshifting than I am, and his elemental magic is nothing to laugh at.`
Lothar started practicing his elemental magic about a year ago and he is quite talented at it, he has more affinity with wind and lightning.
"It's reassuring to see the faith you have in your sworn knight." Wulfric comments.
"Hm," Doran nods and looks at Dawn, reaches out his hand on top of his bed and takes her in his hands. "Father and Lothar will be fine, we just have to wait for their return. In the meantime there is something I would like to discuss with my grandparents, Master Wulfric, would you be so kind as to leave us alone for a while?"
"As you wish, my prince." The maester bows and leaves the prince's quarters.
Doran draws the sword a little and runs his hand over the white blade.
"What do you want to talk about?"
"My Tour, I know we agreed that I would resume it after my nameday but I have other plans in mind."
"Oh? What plans are those?" His grandmother sits in the chair where Wulfric was sitting an hour ago and Arthur sits on the bed next to him.
"There are several inventions that I've been putting off, I also have several ideas that might- no, that will be very useful in the war. I want to focus on that."
"I see," the princess looks at him curiously. "To tell the truth I have already canceled your Tour, I spoke with the lords and ladies, they all agree that the most sensible thing to do right now is to focus on the war."
"They are still at Sunspear awaiting to witness the execution of the Yronwoods, of Edgar and Ormond, that is, Nysterica and Brella are already dead." Arthur looks at his grandson to see his reaction.
Doran just nods.
"That 's good."
His grandparents look at him closely, both curious about his easy response but decide not to inquire, not now.
"Could you talk about those inventions of yours in a little more detail?" The princess asks after a short pause.
Doran begins to explain his projects and they listen attentively.
A few hours later they are interrupted by the arrival of Trystanne, the prince runs in and hugs his firstborn.
"Careful, Trystanne. His wound is not fully healed yet." The princess scolds him.
"Be more gentle," Arthur looks at Doran with concern, he just smiles and says that he's fine.
"I'm so glad to see you awake, son." Trystanne looks at him with a smile, but Doran immediately notices something off.
His father's smile reaches his eyes but those golden eyes shine with more sadness than joy.
"Something happened?" Arthur, who also noticed the sadness in his good son's eyes, asks.
"We caught the assassin." Trystanne tells them looking down, "But first-" He sighs, saying that is not easy. "I- Manfrey found him before and-"
"No." Doran's voice is barely a whisper, but it resonates in the room as if he's yelled at the top of his lungs. "Uncle Manfrey-"
"He was killed, Manfrey is dead." Trystanne finally says it with regret in his voice.
As if all the energy had been drained from his body, Doran drops onto his bed, resting his elbows on his knees and he stares at the floor. His hair shadows his face and hides his tears, which fall to the wooden floor one after another.
"That's horrible."
"After the wonderful news of this morning I did not expect to receive such a dreadful one. Truly the gods give with one hand and take away with the other." The princess sits next to her grandson and hugs him.
`If I was more cautious, more cold- I can't be weak, not anymore. The King of Monsters, that is what I have to become to prevent more losses.`
***
259AC, 7th Moon
Rhaella was strolling through the gardens when a servant came running.
"A letter for you, your grace." She handed her the letter and excused herself.
"Why the urgency?" wonders the princess. She examines the seal and sees something suspicious. "Someone opened the letter and resealed it." Rhaella snorts annoyedly and wonders who it was, her father or maybe her grandfather, she leans more towards her father.
"It's from Sunspear."
She opens the letter and reads it quickly, Rhaella gasps and almost drops the letter. Her knees weakened and she had to support herself against a nearby tree to keep from falling to the ground.
"!"
"Princess!" Ser Gerold Hightower comes running to her side and looks at her with concern. "What's going on? Are you unwell? Should I call a maester?"
Rhaella passes the letter to Gerold and he reads it with a frown.
"This handwriting," The handwriting is quite sloppy and the kingsguard hardly recognizes it. "Prince Olyvvar."
|Rhae,
Please come home. Dory is hurt really bad. Papa, grandmama and grandpapa don't let us see him but everyone says he is dying. I am scared please come home.|
"We are going to Sunspear!"
***
NOTE: There are advanced chapter in my p@ tre on if you want to support me and read some chapters earlier.
p a t r e o n. com /EdenofKovir
Olyvvar wrote to Rhaella asking her to come home. He considers her an older sister and without his parents, grandparents or older brother to comfort him he wants her. The Martell kids don't know everything that's going on in Sunspear, just that they've all been acting weird and aren't allowed to see Doran. The servants talk and the little one heard some rumors.
The letter took about 2 or 3 days to reach Kings Landing, that's about the time Doran was in a coma.
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