Game of Thrones: Rise of Kings

As Mongo rode to the ruins of Ves Kvor, preparing to explore the Valyrian Road with the old man Oliver, a traditional Dothraki wedding was underway in the tribal camp on the banks of the Sarn River.

As the gorgeous morning glow appeared in the east, wisps of smoke rose above the tents.

Dothraki women bathed, combed their hair until it was black and shiny, applied unique spices and flower essences from the grassland, adorned their wrists, ears, lips, and private areas, donned painted robes, and wore veils of crimson, yellow, or orange, waiting for the tribal men to admire them.

The sky served as a dome, the grassland as a carpet, the wilderness wind carried the fragrance of grass and wildflowers, and the vivid colors announced the existence of life.

The long banquet table was undecorated, with old women moving through the tents, serving authentic Dothraki food.

Raw horse heart, half-coagulated horse blood, roasted horse meat with garlic and fire dragon pepper, blood pie, mare's milk, and sweet, strong red wine from across the Narrow Sea added color to this wedding. The Dothraki value fullness and reality, focusing on the raw materials' natural taste.

The men brought whips, longbows, and arakhs, traditional gifts for the bride. After receiving three gifts, the bride would traditionally refuse, and the husband would accept them again, simple and genuine.

Time passed, accompanied by music and drums, and the women emerged from the tents with veils, dancing at the wedding banquet to the drumbeats.

The Dothraki wedding began at dawn, and the day's banquet would not end until dusk.

As the khal's deputy, knights from each khas naturally attended the wedding. They would freely enjoy women under the sky and the tribe's gaze. Whether to give their arakhs depended on the women's bodies.

The kos gathered, watching the dancing women with desire.

The strongest ko drank mare's milk, stood up, and staggered toward the woman with a red veil, only to be beaten by a shorter Dothraki.

According to Dothraki tradition, if two men desire the same woman, they fight to the death.

So, throughout the day, besides the banquet, endless battles continued until dusk. A Dothraki wedding with fewer than three deaths was considered a failure.

As dusk approached, Mongo, guided by the old man Oliver, arrived at the grassland where the Sarn River and its tributaries intersect, finding the tribal scouts stationed there.

They traveled cautiously, fortunately without incident. Mongo witnessed the old Dothraki's superb riding skills, but didn't doubt Oliver's lack of riding in the tribe, given his age and frailty.

"Khal, go further and you'll find the ruins of Ves Kadoc."

Mongo ignored the reminder, instead eyeing the distant forest with confusion:

"Aren't the ruins of Ves Kadoc on the grasslands west of the Dothraki Sea? Why is there a forest in the distance?"

Old man Oliver stood on horseback, gazing into the distance, responding with embarrassment:

"I'm truly sorry, Khal. I last passed here four years ago."

But then, Oliver seemed to realize the reason and exclaimed:

"West of Ves Kadoc's ruins is the Forest of Qohor, and the trees have invaded our grasslands."

Oliver shook his head in disbelief:

"No, no, if wild animals brought the seeds here, naturally grown trees couldn't grow so fast. The city-state of Qohor lies further west of the Forest of Qohor. The Qohor people must have done this, planting trees in our grasslands to produce high-quality wood and carvings."

The Qohor people saw the gold coins here, and while the Dothraki might not care, Mongo saw the spark of a war.

Moreover, the Qohor people had now disrupted his plan.

Mongo was ashamed and angry. The scouts couldn't fully replace his eyes. They discovered that the enemy's warrior numbers matched his own but didn't report the local terrain.

Now, the ruins of Ves Kadoc were surrounded by forests, rendering the Dothraki cavalry unable to charge.

Mongo eyed the Jumo Khal tribe camped in the forest.

When he first became a bandit, he was curious about the eunuchs in Kasri. The Dothraki do not keep idle people. Eunuchs act as doctors in the tribe, using sharp knives, needles, and fire to treat wounds. Additionally, herbal women use potions and spells for healing.

The Dothraki need the eunuchs' medical skills but despise and mock them. When Mongo learned the eunuch was a doctor, he immediately set aside his curiosity and sincerely apologized.

The respected eunuch inadvertently shared a piece of news. In the Dothraki capital, Vaes Dothraki, Jumo Khal's blood guards revealed plans to set out from Vaes Dothraki to Pentos.

Mongo kept this news in mind. Later, discussing geography with the old man Oliver, he learned the route: leave the capital, go west, find the Sarn River, follow it to Qohor City, then take the Valyrian Road to Pentos City. This was the closest, most convenient route for supplies.

The two pieces of news corresponded. Mongo discovered the routes matched and sent scouts to search and track until his tribe reached the ruins of Ves Kvor on the Sarn River. Scouts reported finding Jumo Khal's tribe north of the Sarn River.

Last night, old man Oliver informed him that south of Ves Kadoc's ruins were hills, the source of the Sarn River's western branch. It was impossible for Jumo Khal to cross the hills to reach Qohor. Given the tribe's travel speed, they would stop at Ves Kadoc's ruins by dusk the next day.

At that time, everyone believed Ves Kadoc's ruins were still a grassland, and Mongo planned to lead a cavalry attack before dawn.

Now, he unexpectedly encountered the forest, completely interrupting his plan.

A war deviating from the Dothraki fighting way would undoubtedly increase casualties. The attack on Ves Kadoc's ruins had become meaningless, requiring a new plan.

As night fell, Mongo handed over his scouts to continue tracking Jumo Khal's tribe, then called the old man Oliver to ride away.

The stars shone brightly, the distant howls of wolves echoed. Navigating the night was challenging, but the Valyrian road beneath guided the way.

The road home always feels longer than the road away. Mongo rode, whipping to calm himself. He didn't want to give up the prey at hand, so he stopped and called to Oliver, already exhausted behind him:

"Take a break."

Dismounting, Mongo asked:

"If Jumo Khal leaves Ves Kadoc's ruins, how will he reach Qohor?"

Oliver replied without hesitation:

"Continue west. After passing through the Qohor Forest, you'll encounter the Qinn River. Follow it downstream, and you'll reach Qohor City in a day."

Mongo focused, imagining a map in his mind, asking:

"After encountering the Qinn River, will you cross it?"

Oliver slightly frowned, his forehead's wrinkles forming a line, thinking carefully:

"Qohor City is built along the Qinn River. Knowing the direction, you won't reach the far side of Qohor City. Even going wrong, crossing the river is impossible. The Qinn River is wide, deep, turbulent, overflowing—known as the Mother River of Lorne, pampered and willful, yet tolerated by her mother."

Mongo mentally marked a fork in the Qinn River, sighing helplessly, wondering if this was the end.

Suddenly, Oliver's eyes lit up, saying:

"Khal, the Undercurrent River, we can launch a surprise attack in the Undercurrent River."