Manta watched as the carriage with Aegon disappeared into the desert. He walked over to Thereya's body again and scoffed "These days dragons fall from the skies like flies," Manta spitted on her body.
"Throw her into the sea!" He shouted at the two of his men who were standing in the back.
The Dothraki girl Erys watched with her eyes wide, a tear softly rolled down her cheek and met the dry land beneath.
Two of Manta's men approached Thereya's body, a few blood stains still on her face, as well as sand and dirt. They pulled her body upwards holding her underarms, the other man took her by the legs, "Not such a Princess-like sight huh?" One of them said.
Erys watched them move Thereya's body, a new feeling rising within her, her fear and worry replaced with anger slowly boiling inside her. She truly let Thereya's words of hope into her heart.
"You dogs!" Erys shouted, pulling her chained hands forward, "Today you have killed a dragon! Murderers! You shall feel the wrath of Gods themselves! You will meet justice! Every knee shall bend before the Dragon Princess!"
The men looked at each other before laughing. The other slaves looked at Erys, amused by her bravery.
One of them spoke in between the chuckles "She might as well be The Ghost of old Valyria..." The other one laughed and said "Your little speech here didn't quite send an impression on us. Men of the Essos aren't quite easily scared."
Erys's narrowed eyes pierced through his before she spoke quietly, "The message wasn't for you..." She said as she looked at the other slaves around. They were listening, some of them starting to narrow their eyes, and some of them just stared at the two men.
Suddenly the big grins on their faces slowly faded, "I will be free..." Erys mumbled softly. The men stared at her still holding Thereya's body like a bag of fruit.
"I will be free..." one of the slaves across Erys said softly as well, and that caught the men's attention. Then another slave repeated "I will be free..." and then another one, and it all became like a choir.
"Throw the body into the sea... I will get the whip..." The man said to the other one as he walked away towards the tents.
Erys was stuck in the scorching desert, chained to a pillar, as she helplessly watched one of the Manta's men dragging Thereya's lifeless body through the hot sand. The sun beat down mercilessly, making the whole scene even more brutal.
Thereya, once full of life, looked like a puppet in that man's arms. Erys tugged at her chains, desperate to do something, but she couldn't break free. The desert seemed endless, just like her sense of powerlessness.
The Manta man, in his torn clothes, walked toward a distant oasis illusion. Each step felt heavy, echoing the harsh reality of their situation. Thereya's body, now limp, cast long shadows on the scalding sand.
Erys strained against her chains, wishing she could reach Thereya. The man gently laid her down, and Erys' heart screamed in silence. The desert, indifferent to their pain, stretched in all directions.
As the man left, Erys remained chained, tears streaming down her face. The desert breeze whispered, carrying away the memory of Thereya. The sun, unfeeling, continued to watch over the desolation.
The man, burdened by his grim task, walked through the shifting sands towards a distant stretch of docks. Thereya's lifeless form, like a limp puppet, remained cradled in his arms, a silent testament to the harsh reality of this life they lived.
As he reached the weathered planks of the docks, worn by both time and tide, the man's gaze fixated on the expanse of the open sea. Without a moment's hesitation, he gently cast Thereya's body into the water, where it splashed, momentarily disturbing the otherwise calm surface. Standing at the edge, he became a stoic figure, his eyes following her descent into the unforgiving embrace of the waves.
There was a chilling detachment in his gaze, a stark contrast to the warmth that life once held. The ripples of Thereya's descent seemed to echo the fading whispers of Erys' silent mourning in the desert, lost amidst the vastness of the sea.
A cold satisfaction played on the man's face as he muttered, almost to himself, "At least there's some use for her now." He continued to watch the water as if waiting for the sea to confirm the finality of the sacrifice. "She'll feed the sharks, nothing goes to waste out here," he declared callously, the cruelty of survival etched in his words.
Leaving Thereya's fate to the hungry depths below, the man turned away from the sea. The sun cast long shadows, bearing silent witness to the harsh realities of a world where compassion was a rare commodity. His footsteps retraced the path back to the tents.
Suddenly, the sea, which moments ago lay still, began to ripple and bubble, hinting at an unexpected disruption beneath its surface.
Thereya thought to be lost to the depths, sensed an opportune moment, and broke free, resurfacing with a gasp for air.
I refuse to die... Not just yet...
In the stillness that followed, she scanned the surroundings, ensuring the coast was clear, before swimming back to the deserted shore.
Alone on the quiet beach, Thereya emerged from the water, her clothes clinging to her like a shroud of secrecy. The echo of her breath and the distant murmur of the waves were her only companions. The ripples and bubbles, remnants of her clandestine reappearance, dispersed into the vast sea, leaving the shore as pristine as before.
The deserted shoreline, now privy to the unspoken tale of Thereya's return, held the secrets of the sea and the resilience of a spirit that refused to be claimed by its depths.
Thereya hid behind the rocks near the docks on the shore, the cliff was shielding her from the eyes of Manta Ray and his men. But from afar she could see them. She could see the camp and the slaves in the distance.
Erys... You will be free... You all are...
All she needed to do now was wait until they all fell asleep. Peaceful, in the warmth of their tents.
No matter how great and big her physical pain was, nothing could compare to the physical pain she was going through.
Thereya gritted her teeth as she sat and watched the distant camp waiting for the night to fall. They took away her Dragon, her honor and dignity, they chained her and whipped her, they sold her own blood and family, her Aegon shipped off to Qarth, and enslaved her people.
They will pay the price, and all the other people who would dare to go against the blood of the dragon shall know how big of a price was paid that night.
As the day wore on, Thereya patiently waited for the night to cast its protective shadows over the desert camp. The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink, signaling the arrival of the cloak of darkness she so eagerly anticipated.
Seizing the cover of the night, Thereya cautiously made her way back towards the camp, the walls now softened by the obscurity that surrounded her. With each step, her determination grew stronger, fueled by the quiet resolve to free those held captive.
Before venturing further, she knelt at the water's edge, using the sea to cleanse the dirt and remnants of the sea journey from her hands and face. The cool touch of the water was a refreshing balm, washing away not just the physical grime but the weight of the day's events. In that moment of solitude, as the waves whispered their tales, Thereya's spirit found solace in the simplicity of the sea.
It was during this impromptu cleansing that she noticed a sharp piece of bottle glass washed up on the shore. A glint amidst the sand caught her eye. Thereya ripped a piece of her clothes, wrapping it around the glass to fashion a makeshift tool. Carefully, she stowed the glass in her pocket, a silent ally ready for the tasks that lay ahead.
As the sun gave way to the night, the camp was silent sentinels in the darkness. Thereya, now equipped with her clandestine makeshift tool, approached the camp with purpose. Thereya didn't know what to expect or what would happen, her legs moved on their own. But she did know one thing.
I am not a killer
Thereya, veiled by the night's darkness, silently approached the cluster of tents that housed Manta's crew and men. With careful precision, she gently lifted the tent cloth, slipping inside unnoticed. The interior revealed a scene of slumbering men, sprawled across the floor in the deep grasp of sleep. The rhythmic sounds of their breaths filled the air, creating a lullaby for the captive desert night.
As she navigated through the sleeping forms, Thereya's eyes fixated on a table on the other side of the tent. And there they were, a pair of keys, just as she had glimpsed earlier when her own body was dragged towards the unforgiving sea. The glint of metal promised liberation for those shackled by the chains of servitude.
Swift and quiet, Thereya advanced towards the table, and with each step, she held her breath. Her heart raced with a mix of anticipation and urgency as she reached for the keys, feeling the cool metal beneath her fingertips. The weight of the moment hung in the air.
One of the men started shifting around in his sleep, which scared Thereya for a second. But she regained her composure and just as gently and swiftly came back to the tent entrance.
With the keys secured in her grasp, Thereya stole a glance back at the sleeping men, their oblivious state offering a fleeting reprieve. The night, a silent witness, seemed to hold its breath as Thereya gritted her teeth and clenched her fist.
Men or pigs? It was all the same to her now...
Thereya stepped outside and walked toward the pillars where the slaves were. Their gaze fell on Thereya, some of them began to whisper, and some of them stared wide-eyed. But Thereya didn't care, her eyes were searching for Erys.
And there she was, her head hanging to the side as she was asleep, she was freshly whipped. Thereya knelt beside her quickly cupping her face in her hands "Erys... Sweet Erys... Speak to me..." She said with her lower lip quivering.
Erys slowly opened her eyes, her gaze softened, "My princess? But how is it possible? You really are the ghost of old Valyria..." She whispered.
"No Erys... I lived... I had to find a way out, so I could come to you... And free you as I promised..." Thereya's eyebrows slightly curled up in awe as she spoke gently with Erys.
Thereya took out the keys. Other slaves started mumbling and talking, some of them reaching their hands out to Thereya. Some of them tugged on her clothes to get her attention.
But when Thereya put the keys into the lock nothing happened, "Damnit!"
Erys looked into the distance, "Thereya... Those keys are cage keys..." Thereya followed her gaze and saw the tent a little bit further away from the other tents. Manta's tent.
Drakus...
"I have a plan, you have to trust me. Wait here, and keep them quiet." Thereya said looking at her and then the other slaves, she quickly walked to Manta's tent.
Thereya steeled herself for the confrontation ahead. The fabric of the tent yielded to her touch as she entered, the night concealing her movements like a silent ally. Inside, Manta lay sleeping on a makeshift bed, a false sense of security enveloping him in the darkness.
Adjacent to Manta's slumbering form, Drakus hung in a cage, a living testament to the cruel hierarchy that governed the camp. The screech of Drakus pierced the otherwise still night as Thereya entered. In that moment of startling sound, Thereya instinctively pressed a finger to her lips, urging Drakus to silence.
The tension in the air tightened as Manta stirred in his sleep, a flicker of awareness dancing across his face. Thereya, caught in the delicate balance between stealth and exposure, maintained her poise. The cage-bound Drakus, having quieted his screeches, now observed the unfolding scene with keen eyes, understanding the gravity of the moment.
Thereya's eyes met Drakus's, conveying a silent plea for patience and cooperation. The weight of the night seemed to hang in the balance as Manta, still oblivious to the intruder in his midst, shifted in his sleep.
Thereya put her fingers through the small bars of the cage and soothingly petted the small beast.
She slipped the key into the lock and took Drakus out, the small dragon was making noise so with two of her fingers Thereya held her mouth shut until they safely left the tent without looking back.
Thereya put her dragon onto her shoulder, moving her hair to the side, "Gīda Drakus, gīda... (Calm Drakus, calm..)"
She went back to Erys kneeling beside her. Erys looked at the beast in awe. "This is... The face of the Gods... She is beautiful..."
"Look away Erys... Trust me..." Thereya said softly and without hesitation, Erys did so. Thereya looked at the dragon on her side, their gaze met, and the dragon's eyes pierced through Thereya's.
"Dracarys!" As those strong words came out of Thereya's mouth like a rushing river. Drakus spotted flames at the chains on Ery's hands, the chains melted and snapped.
Erys looked back at her hands, oh how different they looked without those heavy chains. Smoke still coming out of Drakus's mouth.
"You are free..." Thereya spoke softly. And Erys's eyes welled up with tears.
"From this day on... You will always be our Queen" Erys said with the tears streaming down her face.
They both stood up quickly and one by one they started setting them all free, chain by chain, a slave by slave, and the other slaves followed Thereya's lead and started setting them all free.
Manta emerged from his tent. Dagger held tight in his hands. "Get up you filthy animals!!" He shouted in the direction of the other tents.
Thereya's head turned around quickly "No!" She started pushing the woman she just set free behind her, "Run!" she shouted.
Manta rushed towards her, Thereya reached into her pocket to grab a piece of glass but Manta was quicker and he lifted her by the collar of her clothes and raised a dagger above her. Drakus screeched and spit the flames burning the left side of Manta's face.
He dropped Thereya to the ground as he held onto his face and screamed in agony, just as Thereya started crawling away Manta pulled her back by her leg and raised his dagger again.
"No Thereya!!" Erys shouted as her eyes widened and her legs moved, she pushed herself between the dagger and Thereya.
Blood splashed as Manta pierced the dagger through Erys's heart.
"No!! Erys!" A loud thud was heard as Erys's body fell to the ground and Thereya reached a hand and pulled her body onto her lap, cradling what was left of her.
Don't take her away from me...
"Gods please no!" Tears started streaming down Thereya's face. And a drop of blood left Erys's mouth as her pupils tightened. Manta stood up silently, and Thereya searched her eyes for any sign of life, but she found nothing but stillness, blood slowly soaking her clothes.
She cried cradling Erys's body. She then kissed her forehead and whispered softly, "You are free now..."
"It's a slave..." Manta said bitterly as he walked towards Thereya. She heard him, and when she did, he could see the sadness and grief in her eyes being replaced by rage as she raised her head and their gaze met.
Drakus landed on Thereya's shoulder again and screeched at Manta. As Thereya started looking around her she saw his men slowly surround her, they held knives and spears in their hands. Some of them were killing the slaves she set free. Slaughtering them like dogs.
There was nothing she could do, Drakus was too small, and Thereya too weak, she had to face the bloodshed that was about to fall upon her.
Two of the Manta's men grabbed Thereya's arms and yanked her up, one of them grabbed Drakus tightly.
"No!" Thereya fought back as they brought a dagger to her neck. Chaos was everywhere. Thereya closed her eyes.
Gods... If this is where it ends... So be it...
Thereya closed her eyes and breathed out excepting the embrace of death itself.
Suddenly everything came to a halt as a loud roar from the night sky above them was heard. Thereya's eyes snapped open. Manta and his men raised their heads and looked at the sky. There was nothing. Tension grew and the silence fell.
"What is it you dogs!? Did I tell you to stop!?" As Manta shouted a large golden beast landed from the sky behind him. The land shook and Manta's men let go of Thereya as the large dragon let out another sharp roar that echoed through the night.
Sunfyre...
Sunfyre in a swift motion opened his mouth and plunged his sharp teeth into Manta. His eyes widened and he only managed to let out a scream of agony before Sunfyre snapped him in half and swallowed him whole.
Thereya fell to her knees and Drakus flew back to her and landed on her shoulder. The golden beast was roaring moving his head all around the place, not knowing who to attack next, Mantas men behind Thereya held their spears, surrounding Sunfyre, meaning to kill him.
Thereya looked at his eyes, not taking her gaze off him as she slowly stood up and moved slowly towards the raging dragon.
If you wanted to kill me... You would have done it back when we were in the dragon pit...
Step by step she was gently walking towards him, and her heart raced, only a few meters away from Sunfyre he snapped his head back at her, snarling.
Drakus spread her wings and screeched back at Sunfyre.
"I need you now... My golden boy..." Thereya mumbled softly as her lip trembled.
Sunfyre snarled and opened his nightly mouth filled with sharp teeth, meat pieces and blood stuck between his teeth. Fire in his throat slowly built up as his eyes pierced through Thereya's as if he was about to burn her to its last ash.
Suddenly Sunfyre moved his body over Thereya and started spitting the flames onto the men with spears behind her. She crouched down and covered her head as she was shielded by the large body of the golden dragon.
She looked back at the scene and moved from beneath the Sunfyre. Swinging his tail around Thereya managed to crouch once again and dodged a blow of his tail. She grabbed Drakus off her shoulder into her hands to secure her.
She stared at Sunfyre's back hesitantly, but when she realized that was her only way out she exhaled sharply with frustration, "F*ck it..."
Thereya grabbed the scales of the mighty beast and carefully placed her legs climbing up on the dragon's back.
Thereya sat on Subfyre's back, she was unsteady her eyes wide with fear but filled with determination. Sunfyre was still burning everything down in rage.
The feeling if the mighty beast's breath beneath her body felt like she was amongst the Gods
With one hand she cradled Drakus holding her near her chest tightly. And with her other hand, she grabbed one of the Sunfreyre's spikes holding onto it for her dear life.
"Sunfyre!..." Thereya spoke loudly and firmly, still afraid but in awe.
Sunfyre's pupils expanded and he stopped spitting fire as he growled sensing someone on his back.
Thereya breathed out and closed her eyes before opening them again and whispering under her breath,
"Sōvēs... (Fly...)"