Angela ───── D. Targaryen

XXVIII

Daenerys was also not blind to the problems that would come with saying such a thing to her guard. She was well aware that despite the fact she wished to be queen, she would most likely be advised, or forced, into marrying someone again and though she knew that Coren would fight tooth and nail to prevent that from happening, she did not want him to be a paramour to the queen because that was not fair on him. No one deserved to only be loved in the shadows.

"I do not know, Coren." Daenerys finally settled on that. "Everything has been full on for the past few weeks, ever since we kissed, and I have barely had time to process or focus on anything. I-It is hard for me to discern my own thoughts let alone my feelings and I do not wish to cause you pain or lead you along, but I do not know how else to explain it."

"Did you enjoy the kiss?"

"What?"

"What?" Coren mirrored her, grinning slightly as Daenerys began to smile. "Maybe I wish to know if I am at least a good kisser. I like having my ego stroked."

"You are far better than the other two men who have kissed me. Sufficient?" Daenerys replied, giving in and feeding into Coren's ego. 

"Who? Khal Drogo and who?"

"My brother."

"Oh gods above, disgusting. I should have removed his hand. You should have let me remove his hand." Daenerys giggled at that as Coren grinned at her. He went more serious for a second, watching her with warm eyes. "I hope you know, Khaleesi, you could not do anything to hurt me. If you wish to tell me that it meant nothing and you were bored, that will not hurt me. I understand and I will just scorn the next man instead-"

"Coren, no." Daenerys cut him off. "That is not it at all. I do not wish to reject you, I just do not know my own feelings. You giving me choice is making it all the more difficult because most of the time, I never have a choice. It is normally taken from me. From Xaro proposing, from being sold to Khal Drogo, from Viserys...all of them took that choice from me, and it is hard to process my feelings after everything."

"Of course." Coren nodded. "I can wait for your answer, however long you need me to and it will do nothing to change how I act or be with you."

Daenerys' heart fluttered, her face changing into a small smile as she watched the older man. He winked, before the call to stop for the day came and they were thrown into other duties.

✧✦✧

"Missandei!" Coren called, startling the woman as he winced. "I apologise. I did not mean to frighten you. How are you coping?"

"I am alright. Riding is long and tiring..." Coren nodded sympathetically. "What can I do for you, Lord Coren?"

"Please, none of that. Coren is completely fine." Coren grinned. "The queen has tasked me with finding the officers of the Unsullied, however I have come to realise that there is a bit of a language barrier. I am not that adept with day to day language, only curse words. I was wondering if you had some free time and were able to help?"

"Of course." Missandei nodded.

"Wonderful!" Coren beamed. "Come, I'll show you where they are."

The pair walked off, making quick work of discerning who the officers were, before leading them to where Daenerys was situated. She was dealing with the dragons, checking that they were all alright and had no scratches to them as they reached her.

Falkor chuffed gently, before pushing Daenerys to the side to prowl over to Coren. The man beamed, though others backed off, worried about the dragon and what it would do.

"Falkor." The dragon walked into him, pushing him backwards slightly as Coren scratched the top of his head. "One mo-Khaleesi, these are the officers. Missandei can tell you more."

He was given another shove by the dragon, being pushed back another few feet as he obliged, wrestling with the large beast as he heard Daenerys chuckling.

"Come on." Finally he succeeded in pushing Falkor away. "What do you want?"

Golden eyes watched him, unblinking, before the dragon licked his lips and Coren rolled his eyes.

"You have eaten Falkor, I see you hunt." Falkor shoved him all the same. "You are demanding."

Coren continued to bicker, before locating some dead rabbits, taking the dragon further away, both of them stomping though Falkor would occasionally snap at the rabbits. Coren would smack his nose in response.

"Ser Barristan. Jorah." Coren nodded, before shoving Falkor's nose away. "I have not seen you two. Off plotting?"

Ser Barristan was watching the large, ruby red dragon with equal parts awe and terror, though Jorah merely sighed.

"Should Falkor be with the queen?" He called, as Coren shrugged and whistled at the dragon, who stopped what he was doing and waited. Coren held his hand up before wandering over to the two. "Why do you have Falkor?"

"You assume that I took him. Falkor followed me. He has a mind of his own." Coren muttered the last part to Ser Barristan.

"This is the biggest of Queen Daenerys' dragons."

"Aye. Falkor." Coren nodded.

"That is not similar to Drogon, Rhaegal or Viserion." Ser Barristan pointed out. He had seen the other dragons, heard their names.

"No, it is not. I named him." Coren threw a rabbit to the dragon, who happily chomped it up. "The Queen said that I could because Falkor nearly took my finger off when he was born. So, Falkor."

Ser Barristan shared a glance with Jorah, as Coren disappeared once more. His eyes narrowed. 

Their talk of who would serve the Khaleesi once she sat on the throne played through his head, and whilst he was doubtful that he or Jorah would ever serve the woman on her Small Council, he could be certain that Coren Thorne would always be by the Queen's side. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing was yet to be determined.

Hiya,

So, Coren and Dany have had a little chat about the whole feelings thing with the kiss and what did you guys make of it? I also love that the unanimous decision is that people will come and go but Coren will always be at Dany's side. They're such cuties.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx