This epic victory further cemented Viserys's extraordinary status.
It was easy to foresee that most soldiers would earn land and rewards for their families.
And Viserys, who had led them to an unprecedented triumph, now stood at the very peak of his prestige.
The more than thirty thousand longbowmen had already earned his absolute trust, as recognized by the system, and now stood ready for further orders.
Viserys selected ten thousand longbowmen who could ride and transferred the essence of the Roaring Warriors to them.
Ten thousand men, with their horses and warships, immediately began moving south.
There were still more than thirty thousand Dothraki cavalry in the Golden Plains.
Viserys's goal was clear.
He intended to destroy at least half of them.
If he succeeded, then until the end of summer, they would have no ability to raid westward.
And when winter came, they would not even dare to think of plundering Gohor again.
.....
News of the longbowmen's great victory quickly reached both Gohor and Rhaella.
When Clement returned to Gohor with more than a hundred thousand captured horses, the entire city erupted in cheers.
And when the people learned that fewer than seven hundred had been lost in the battle, the celebrations became even more frenzied.
It meant their loved ones were far more likely to return alive.
"Father took forty thousand men with him.
Even counting the wounded and dead, fewer than seven hundred were lost. Father and my brothers will come back!"
Jason's youngest son comforted his mother, easing her worries somewhat.
"Ashley, let's go to the temple together."
Ashley was Jason's daughter-in-law.
At the suggestion of Jason's wife, the whole family happily went to pray.
Gohor now had three major places of worship.
The Sept of the Seven, the Temple of the Mother of the Rhoyne, and a shrine built by Viserys for the Old Man of the River.
After such a great victory, crowds gathered everywhere.
People came to celebrate, and even more came to pray for their husbands and sons.
The lines stretched far beyond the temples and halls.
Over the years, Viserys had encouraged religious integration by assigning different roles to each deity.
The Mother of the Rhoyne symbolized harvest.
The Old Man of the River symbolized safety.
The Seven retained their original meanings but with subtle adjustments.
Even the Stranger, once only a symbol of death, had been redefined as a guide between life and the afterlife.
People did not pray strictly according to their origins.
The Rhoynar did not only pray to the Mother. The Andals and Westerosi did not only pray to the Seven.
Most would first visit the Old Man of the River to pray for safe returns, then go to the Sept to ask the Warrior for strength in battle.
In this way, cultures blended rather than merely tolerating one another.
Most importantly, Viserys encouraged intermarriage.
Couples from different peoples were exempt from the head tax for their first child.
Ashley herself was Rhoynar.
"It's Princess Daenerys and Princess Rhaenys!"
Someone in the crowd suddenly shouted.
Guards cleared a path, pushing the crowd aside like waves before a ship.
"The princesses have come to pray for the soldiers!"
Taking advantage of the victory, it was not just Viserys who would appear before the people.
All Targaryens would step forward.
Accompanied by Elia, Rhaenys and Daenerys arrived before the three temples.
Their clothing was simple, but their appearance had been carefully arranged to make them seem more approachable.
Jona, granddaughter of Lothan, now commanded their guard and cleared space for them to speak directly to the people.
"People of Targaryen, our king has once again led us to victory. Gohor will have an even brighter and more prosperous future."
Rhaenys, being older, spoke with confidence and complexity.
Daenerys, still inexperienced, could only shout slogans.
"Long live Targaryen! Long live Viserys! Victory forever!"
"Victory forever!"
"Victory forever!"
"Victory forever!"
From that day on, Gohor gained a new holiday.
Victory Day.
Rhaenys then announced the results of the battle to the people.
More than forty thousand Dothraki had been beheaded. Hundreds of thousands of horses had been captured.
And vast lands now lay open for cultivation.
The eastern banks of the Rhoyne no longer needed to be abandoned out of fear of Dothraki raids.
...
Inside the Palace, Oswell, Adrian and the remaining ministers were discussing Viserys's next move.
"His Grace intends to personally lead ten thousand cavalry to cut off the Dothraki retreat and annihilate all enemies in the Golden Fields."
Maester Faelor read aloud from Viserys's letter.
The room fell silent.
Everyone felt it.
This was a bold step. Perhaps too bold.
There were still more than thirty thousand Dothraki in the south.
And twenty thousand Volantene troops supporting them.
Though Braavos and Volantis had not formally declared war, it was obvious where they stood.
What if these ten thousand were lost?
"We must inform the Queen Mother and Ser Jon Connington at once and urge them to intensify their offensive," said the old Crab.
He was no longer a naive man.
The captured horses and victory had not blinded him. Preserving the gains was more important than risking everything.
But such a move could disrupt the battle plan.
It might alert Ogo.
It might even cause Viserys's strike to fail.
Davos turned and said firmly, "Ser Adrian, we should trust His Grace. As his subjects, we should stand with him, not hold him back."
"And we cannot simply watch him take reckless risks!" the old Crab shot back.
"You've read the Queen Mother's reports. The Dothraki excel in mounted warfare. If things go wrong, those ten thousand men will not escape!"
"Do you not understand? His victory over Drogo depended on the longbowmen!"
The two argued fiercely, neither willing to yield.
In truth, if Viserys had not insisted on leading the force himself, the disagreement would not have grown so sharp.
What they did not know was this:
Viserys had to go personally.
He intended to forge these ten thousand riders into his own royal guard.
And to do that, he needed absolute authority among them.
Finally, Oswell, who held a rank equal to a highlord, raised his voice.
"Enough. Both of you, silence."
___________
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