The landscape underwent a noticeable change as Garth and Jason neared the outskirts of Meereen. The arid desert began to give way to a more fertile terrain marked by vast fields stretching into the distance.
The air carried the scent of rich soil, and fields of green spread across the land, tended by slaves with bent backs and wearied expressions.
The sun beat down on them as they toiled, their movements rhythmic. It was a scene of both abundance and suffering, the land yielding its fruits while those who tended it reaped little more than exhaustion.
As they traveled past the fields, Garth ignored the slaves, as he always tried to in his travels through Essos. However, Jason could not; he was shocked by the sight, he had only read of such things but now it was one of the many harsh realities of the world he found himself in. They could hear the distant sounds of overseers barking orders and the occasional crack of a whip.
"I think we are in someone's estate, Jason. I think we may be lost," Garth said as he scanned the surroundings.
"Jason, did you hear what I said?" Garth asked, but he received no answer. He looked behind him to see Jason eating grapes right out of the vines.
"What are you doing, you fool?" Garth shouted.
"Just sampling the local goods," Jason said as he too plucked another grape from the vine.
Frustrated, Garth marched over to Jason and swatted his hand away. "I told you we are lost. I think we are in some private estate," he said, looking around.
They heard someone yell in the distance, and they turned to see two burly-looking men making their way towards them.
"It's time to go, Jason," Garth said as he ran in the opposite direction. Jason did so as well.
"Wait," Jason said, stopping in his tracks.
"What is it?" Garth asked, alarmed.
Jason extended his arms towards a cluster of grapes on the vine, and with a swift motion of his hands, the grapes floated into his open bag.
"By the Seven, Jason," Garth said, sighing.
"What? You can have them too," Jason replied as they resumed running in the opposite direction to escape the approaching men.
They found the main road again, and soon Meereen was in sight.
Jason looked at the city. It had towering walls, but the sight that drew him in was the large pyramids that dominated the city's skyline. The largest of them stood out the most it was as big as the one in Giza; the three pyramids bore the markings and emblems built with white bricks, and their apexes seemed to touch the sky.
"Those are some big pyramids," Jason said, marveling at the sight.
"That they are. The elites of the city live in them," Garth explained.
"Of course, they do," Jason deadpanned.
"Each pyramid is marked by the colors and emblems of the noble family that inhabits them," Garth explained.
"Oh, look at the walls; they are bigger than the ones in Yunkai and Astapor," Garth added.
"You know, there are pyramids back home as well," Jason said, looking at Garth.
"Truly?" Garth asked, curious to know more about Jason's world.
"Well... not like this one; ours were tombs built for kings that lived like 4000 years ago," Jason explained.
"Tombs," Garth muttered.
"Let's go; I want to get something to eat," Jason said as he led the way to the city.
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After finding an inn and resting for a whole day, Garth and Jason decided to explore the city. Jason was overwhelmed by the sights; the city was a whirlwind of colors, scents, and sounds.
Garth guided Jason through the city, having planned out beforehand what to do in Meereen. The markets were filled with exotic wares: spices of every kind, vibrant hues of fabrics, and the clamor of merchants and people haggling filled his ears. The variety of people, their attire, and the unfamiliar architecture captivated him.
Jason had seen slaves in the fields outside the city, but it was inside the city that he saw firsthand the brutality of slavery in Slaver's Bay.
Slaves, marked by their simple attire and often branded, moved about their tasks with an air of resignation, their spirits seemingly crushed by the weight of their chains.
The markets had their own grim spectacle, where slaves were put on display like commodities, examined and auctioned off to the highest bidder.
The slave trade operated with cold efficiency; chains rattled as traders led groups of slaves, presenting them to potential buyers.
Jason had come to the realization of where he was the day he met Garth—the world he was in, a world he once thought was fiction.
So, he knew the dangers it posed, and that was why he wished to be away from Westeros as soon as possible. He wished to live out his life in peace if he was going to be stuck here, but a small part of his mind told him that might not be possible.
Still, he was going to try regardless, but not here, not in this hellscape. Garth was heading to Yi Ti, if he remembered correctly; it was basically the fantasy China of this world, so he might give that place a try.
After witnessing the brutality of the fighting pits, Garth and Jason decided to return to their room in the inn.They planned to head towards Lhazar and then pass the Bone Mountains to Yi Ti.
Witnessing the extent of slavery in the city had taken a toll on Jason. He laid on his makeshift bedroll, staring at the dark canvas of the night sky above Meereen through the small window.
The city's sounds, a blend of distant chatter and the occasional clang of metal, echoed in the background. The images haunted him, flashing in his mind like a series of cruel paintings.
Jason closed his eyes, hoping for a night of restful sleep, but the scenes played back with vivid detail in his dreams.
Suddenly, he jolted awake, his body covered in a thin sheen of sweat. The nightmare had clung to him, refusing to release its grip even in the waking world. Breathing heavily, Jason looked around the dimly lit area and saw Garth sitting nearby, engrossed in the book he had given him.
"Couldn't sleep?" Garth asked, glancing up from the book.
Jason sighed, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "Nightmares."
Garth put the book down. "Want to talk about it?"
Jason hesitated for a moment. Eventually, he decided to open up to Garth.
"It's all bearing down on me now, Garth," Jason admitted, his voice low. "The last few days have been..... I never imagined I'd find myself in a situation like this."
Garth listened attentively, sensing the weight in Jason's words.
"I killed people, Garth. I never thought I would be capable of that, but I get it. It was either me or them...but it's going to take a while for me to adapt to all this. It's all too real now," Jason continued.
"I understand," Garth replied after a moment of silence.
"Do you?" Jason asked with a hint of skepticism.
"More than you think. I was sent to the Citadel at a young age. I barely remember my mother and father. The Citadel was all I ever knew until I decided to leave it to explore the world."
"It was shocking at first to witness the harshness of the world firsthand. It got even worse as I traveled through the Free Cities."
"I have come to accept that the world is not what I imagined it to be in all those years living in the Citadel."
"It will take some time to get used to everything but you will eventually.You have already shown remarkable resilience Jason."
Jason stayed silent and nodded, glad to have someone to talk to about his troubles. He stared out the window to see the night sky; it was strangely calming.
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After buying the supplies for their journey to Lhazar, they set out from Meereen. Jason was glad to be out of the city. They followed the Skahazadhan to the Khyzai Pass, and from there, they would travel through the land of Lhazar to the Bone Mountains. Garth was excited to see the fallen kingdom of the mythical figure known as Hyrkoon.
After a week of traveling, they encountered a merchant caravan who informed them of what was happening in Lhazar.
"I'd advise you to tread carefully," the merchant warned.
"Why?" Jason inquired. He spoke more fluent Ghiscari than Garth, a skill he gained from the first bandit he fought along with his sword-fighting skills.
"Two Dothraki hordes are warring. They have been attacking each other's tributaries for over a month now. I advise not even traveling there until things settle down," the merchant replied.
They left the merchant and continued their journey Jason asked Garth what he knew about Lhazar and the Dothraki.
They made their way through the desolate landscape. The Skahazadhan stretched ahead of them, its dark waters reflecting the harsh sunlight. Garth spoke as they walked, providing Jason with information about Lhazar.
"The lands of Lhazar are inhabited by the Lhazareen. They are a peaceful people who have learned to live in harmony. They are mostly sheep herders and farmers. They have three trade centers, or cities as some call them, where merchants from Qarth and the Bone Mountains pass through to get to Slaver's Bay."
"However, their peaceful existence is constantly threatened by the Dothraki hordes, who raid their settlements for slaves, resources, and plunder." Jason noticed a lot of contempt in Garth's voice as he talked about the Dothraki.
"The Lhazareen are also skilled farmers, cultivating the arid land to grow crops that can withstand the challenging conditions. They have developed unique techniques to make the most of the scarce resources in Lhazar. Despite their relatively peaceful lifestyle, the Lhazareen live in constant fear of the Dothraki, who see them as easy targets for raids due to their peaceful nature" Garth continued.
"The Dothraki are evil, Jason; those savages have destroyed so much and caused much suffering," Garth spoke with a mix of anger and frustration in his voice.
"Their hordes are like locusts, sweeping through the land, leaving destruction in their wake. It's difficult to fathom the extent of the damage they've done to entire civilizations."
He paused for a moment. "One of the most notorious examples is the Kingdom of Sarnor. It was a powerful and ancient realm, spanning vast territories. The Dothraki hordes invaded and decimated Sarnor. They left nothing but ruins and ashes in their wake, wiping out entire cities and depopulating the once-thriving kingdom."
Garth's tone grew darker as he continued, "The Dothraki they take what they want, leaving chaos and suffering behind. The people of Lhazar are just one of their many victims."
They walked in silence for a while. The Khyzai Pass loomed ahead, the gateway to the lands of Lhazar. Jason couldn't shake the sense of foreboding after hearing the merchant's warning, but they pushed on, not knowing what danger they might face ahead.
