A Dragon's Flame

Chapter 102

"Sixteen."

"Too bad he didn’t die sooner," Danys says.

They smile at each other. "Yes, too bad."

We eventually arrive at a secluded spot. "Is it true you have three dragons?" Asks the girl.

Daenarys nods. "Mm-hmm."

"And they breathe fire?"

She smiles. "They do. Would you like to see them one day?"

"I am Dosh Khaleen. I can never leave Vaes Dothrak until I rise as smoke from the pyre on the day I die." Says the girl

Suddenly a man grabs the woman from behind and places a dagger to her throat. I recognize the naked woman hilt of the dagger. Its Daario Naharis.

Jorah is standing behind him

"No, don’t hurt her." Gasps Daenerys.

"She’ll give us away." Says Daario.

Jorah nods. "We have to go now."

Daenerys grabs Daario's hand and he takes it away from the girl's neck.

"We will never get out of Vaes Dothrak alive." Whispers Daenerys.

"All we can do is try." Says Ser Jorah.

"No." Daenerys looks serious. "We can do more than that. And you’re going to help me." She looks at the woman. "And you...Have faith in me, Khaleesi. Do not betray me." She says to her in Dothraki.

The woman nods and Daario takes his hand from her mouth.

Daenerys tells us her plan, and so tonight we will wait for the all the Khals to meet in the temple.

When the sun sets, I wait outside the temple as instructed. Daenerys is led inside by the other Dosh Khaleens. As soon as they exit the temple again, the young woman and I bar the temple doors from the outside. Daario is inside with all those Khals. I beg to all the gods to keep her safe and for her plan to work.

Suddenly the smell of smoke fills the air, and I can hear the Khals on the other side of the door, trying to get out. They pound and scream.

The Temple of the Dosh Khaleen is engulfed in flames.

The Dothraki soon gather around the flames, screaming and watching in horror.

Soon Daenerys descends the steps of the temple, naked, but completely unhurt from the flames.

The Dothraki exclaim in shocked voices.  I kneel on the ground, and soon, all the Dothraki kneel too. Jorah kneels and Daario does too.

I look up at her and she smiles down at me.

The Dothraki are hers. She was right, they are her people. She is their Khaleesi.

The next morning Daenerys, Daario, Ser Jorah and I stand on a cliff overlooking the city. Daenerys has commanded her new Khalisar to leave Vaes Dothrak and move on Meereen.

Daenerys turns toward Jorah. "I banished you twice. You came back twice. And you saved my life. So I can’t take you back and I can’t send you away."

She moves to embrace him but he moves away. "You must send me away." He says sadly. He rolls up his sleeves and shows stone coloured scales.

I gasp. Its greyscale. I feel some tears in my eyes for my friend.

"Is there a cure?" Daenerys whispers sadly.

"I don’t know." He says.

"How long does it take?" I ask.

"I don’t know that either. But I’ve seen what happens when it goes far enough. I’ll end things before that."

Daenerys begins to cry and feel tears fall down my cheeks as well.

"I’m sorry. I’m so sorry." Daenerys sobs.

"Don’t be. All I’ve ever wanted was to serve you. Tyrion Lannister was right. I love you. I’ll always love you. Goodbye, Khaleesi." He starts to walk away.

"Do not walk away from your queen, Jorah the Andal." Commans Daenerys.

He turns back around and she steps toward him. You have not been dismissed. You pledged yourself to me. You swore to obey my commands for the rest of your life.

He nods.

"Well, I command you to find the cure wherever it is in this world. I command you to heal yourself and then return to me. When I take the Seven Kingdoms, I need you by my side."

He smiles and nods.

"Goodbye Ser Jorah," I say, tears falling down relentlessly.

We part ways leaving Vaes Dothrak. Daenerys, Daario and I lead the hundreds of thousands of Dothraki soldiers, women, children and former slaves down the road toward Meereen.

We ride for a few hours when Daenerys commands for the horde to stop. Daario and I ride up to Daenerys as she stares at a mountain ahead.

"Everything all right?" I ask her.

"How many days’ ride to Meereen?"

"A week at best, my queen," I say.

"How many ships will I need to bring my khalasar to Westeros?"

"Dothraki and all their horses, the Unsullied, the Second Sons... 1,000 ships easily. Probably more." Answers Daario.

"And who has that many?" She asks.

"Nobody," I say.

"Nobody yet." She smiles at me.

"So we ride for Meereen and after that, we sail for Westeros. What then?" Asks Daario.

"I take what is mine."

I nod. "You will my love... we will."

She looks at the mountain again. "Wait here."

Daario rides away from the horde, and we wait there for almost an hour. The Dothraki are growing uneasy behind us.

Daario looks at me. "What is she doing?"

I smile. "Don't you trust our queen Daario?"

"I’m going after her. Wait for me here." He starts to go in the direction she went but stops when a Dragons roar erupts from somewhere nearby.

The Dothraki look around in fear and confusion. A huge shadow overtakes the valley. Drogon lands infront of the horde. Daenerys on his back. He lets out a loud roar.

The Dothraki look on in amazement.

"Every Khal who ever lived chose three blood riders to fight beside him and guard his way. But I am not a Khal. I will not choose three blood riders. I choose you all!" Yells Daenerys in Dothraki.

The whole horde erupts in cheers.

"I will ask more of you than any khal has ever asked of his khalassar! Will you ride the wooden horses across the black salt sea?"

They cheer in response.

"Will you kill my enemies in their iron suits and tear down their stone houses?"

The Dothraki cheer again.

"Will you give me the Seven Kingdoms, the gift Khal Drogo promised me before the Mother of Mountains?"

They cheer.

"Are you with me?"

Their yelling and cheering becoming deafening.

"Now and always?"

They continue to cheer.

Drogon spreads his wings and adds his voice to theirs.