Chapter 635

A few days after receiving the merchant-governor from Pentos, Aegor welcomed the second delegation from across the Narrow Sea—this time not emissaries from the Free Cities’ rulers, but a delegation from the Great Temple of R’hllor.

The group was vast, with numerous attendants and guards in tow, but the real figures of importance were three red-robed high priests.

At the forefront stood a tall, gaunt, bald old man with sharp features, his loose white skin covered in intricate flame tattoos. To his right was a woman with deep red hair and porcelain-white skin, her beauty rivaling Melisandre’s, though with an added air of refined elegance. And beside her stood a familiar face—Moqorro, the black-robed giant Aegor had sent back to Volantis months ago with a message.

"Your Grace, allow me to introduce our guests." As Aegor’s personal priestess, Melisandre naturally assumed the role of intermediary. "This is Benerro, High Priest of the Red Temple in Volantis—R’hllor’s foremost… or rather, formerly foremost servant, the most senior and powerful of all living high priests. Beside him is Kinvara, the High Priestess of the Great Temple of R’hllor, the finest prophet and seer of our age, and the chief liaison between the temples and the outside world. And of course, Moqorro, religious advisor to the Mother of Dragons, whom you already know well."

After introducing the senior figures first, she turned toward her fellow clergy members. "And before you stand the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, the hero who vanquished the White Walkers, the Hand of the Queen, and R’hllor’s Chosen Representative on Earth—Aegor West."

Black-clad met red-robed, the two sides regarding each other in silence. The bald priest and the elegant seeress studied Aegor intently, scrutinizing every detail of his face—so perfectly matching what the flames had shown them. They could feel the torrent of fiery energy surging within him, bearing a familiar, unmistakable aura.

No further confirmation was needed.

Slowly, reverently, the two highest-ranking priests of Volantis knelt.

"The most faithful servants of the Lord of Light greet His Chosen Representative."

Both hands, both knees, and forehead pressed to the ground—a flawless, devout obeisance, expressing boundless reverence for the one they now recognized as R’hllor’s earthly envoy.

Aegor, though somewhat uncomfortable with such immediate prostration, found this preferable to the alternative—a delegation demanding proof of his divine selection. If they had arrived with suspicion and forced him to "prove" himself, even though he was prepared, it would have been a frustrating headache to deal with.

Maintaining some level of aloofness was better than foolishly rushing to embrace them as allies. With a sigh, Aegor did not hasten to help them up. Instead, he stood tall, squared his shoulders, and received their submission with calculated nonchalance before finally speaking.

"Rise, my lords and lady. As R’hllor’s Chosen on this earth, my duty is to serve Her grand vision. If anything, we should consider ourselves brothers and sisters in faith. There is no need for such excessive ceremony. If such customs exist within the Red Temple, I would advise you to abolish them without delay… But for now, let us speak inside."

The four red priests obediently complied, following him into the chamber where they took their seats.

High priests were the pinnacle of the Red Temple’s hierarchy, but their seating arrangements revealed an unspoken ranking even among themselves. The bald old man, Benerro, was undoubtedly first. Kinvara, the "diplomat" of the faith, sat next. Melisandre and Moqorro, despite being high priests, took the lowest positions, with no discernible hierarchy between them.

Aegor quickly deduced the structure—High Priest was a rank, but High Priest of Volantis and High Priestess of the Great Temple were positions. All four were equal in rank within the clergy, but the two with official titles naturally outranked those without.

This system had existed for centuries—there was no need to challenge it just because he had a personal bond with Melisandre. Setting his thoughts aside, Aegor casually broke the silence.

"I already have a fair idea of why you have come. But before we begin our discussions as servants of the Lord of Light, I must first fulfill my mortal duties—tell me, what has transpired in Volantis these past two years? How has the city shifted in its foreign policies?"

Benerro nodded, understanding why Aegor would be concerned with such matters. "For that, I shall defer to Kinvara—she is best suited to provide a precise and thorough account."

"Then I shall explain." The high priestess straightened her posture, her lips curving into a faint smile. "Your Grace did not specify a particular timeframe, but I suspect you are most interested in what happened after Her Grace’s victory in Meereen. To understand the full context, however, we must first discuss why Volantis went to war with the Mother of Dragons in the first place."

…

Volantis was one of the first military outposts established during Valyria’s westward expansion. After the Doom, it remained the most powerful of the Free Cities. During the Century of Blood, the Volantenes declared themselves the heirs to the Freehold, the "Lighthouse of the World," and the rightful rulers of mankind.

But for centuries, they had argued over how to conquer the world—through war, or through commerce?

The Tigers favored military conquest, while the Elephants advocated economic dominance. At first, the war faction held sway, but after a string of costly campaigns yielded little reward, the people of Volantis, weary of endless conflict, overthrew the Tiger-led government and replaced it with an Elephant-majority regime.

For centuries, the Elephants maintained control. The Tigers were relegated to a minority faction, often securing at most one of the three ruling Triarch seats—sometimes, not even that.

And then, Daenerys Targaryen happened.

The Breaker of Chains issued her abolitionist proclamation, shaking the very foundation of the slave economy. The panic among slaveholders was so intense that, across the Narrow Sea, in a city half a world away, it ignited a political upheaval.

For the first time in generations, the Tigers gained enough support to seize two of the three Triarch positions. They wasted no time in assembling a massive fleet for a grand invasion of Meereen.

But their ambitions were crushed.

The Volantene fleet, three hundred warships strong, not only failed in their campaign but defected en masse to Daenerys, transforming overnight into the foundation of her naval power.

It was a humiliation the Tigers could not recover from.

In the ensuing political upheaval, they lost control of one Triarch seat, once again reduced to a minority. The Elephants were back in power.

"Though Volantis is now firmly under Elephant rule, do not mistake this for friendliness toward Her Grace," Kinvara warned. "The Tiger and Elephant factions both consist of slaveholders—they differ only in how they deal with threats."

The ruling Triarchs were now pushing for a City-State Coalition, an alliance of Free Cities aimed at countering Daenerys. The remaining Tiger-backed Triarch hoped to turn this coalition into a military alliance to destroy her. The two Elephant-backed Triarchs sought instead to pressure her—demanding that she renounce abolition and pay reparations to Volantis for the war.

Aegor almost laughed at that.

Defeated slavers demanding reparations from the victor? The arrogance was astounding. But it was also a reminder—Volantis, for all its setbacks, still possessed immense power. They could still fight hundreds of battles before being truly broken. And they were not alone. Their allies were scattered across the Free Cities, all tied together by the same class interests.

But then… Aegor’s lips curled into a smirk.

"And if you had to rate the coalition’s progress, from one to ten?" he asked, feigning casual interest.

"Two, at best three," Kinvara said with a knowing look. "The Free Cities are deeply divided. A formal summit between all nine has yet to occur, nor has any binding agreement been signed. Meanwhile, the Red Temple has been quietly working against them, disrupting their efforts where possible. In truth, the coalition remains theoretical."

Illyrio Mopatis had been bluffing.

Aegor relaxed slightly, though he gave nothing away.

"Good," he murmured. "Now, let us discuss how we shall break them entirely."