Rhaenar had never moved so fast as she burst from her seat, her feet carrying her through the pyramid, desperate to get to her closest friend and ally. Qotho! Qotho was awake! He'd woken while she wasn't here. Rhaenar grinned, perhaps she should have asked more questions about him before she left but she couldn't help it, she wanted to see her friend.
It had been almost a year since she had seen his smiling face, his dark eyes shining at her. She hadn't seen him since Yunkai when he'd gotten himself caught in a fight when they first met Mero and Daario. Her heels clicked down every step as she made her way down to the infirmary, cutting across several Unsullied as they made their way through the hallway. "Sorry!" She cried out as Rhaenar just about dodged them, her head ducking as she dipped below a spear.
Rhaenar wanted to tell him everything, from being called Mhysa to her trip to Braavos, and she didn't want to spare on the details either. Her right hand man was back by her side, and happiness seemed to ooze from her as she reached the door. Indigo eyes twinkled as her hands landed on the doors, pushing them open.
The infirmary beds were clear, the healers moving around in the room folding linens and straightening pillows but she couldn't see her Qotho. Where was he? She thought he'd be here? Her shoulders dipped slightly as she double checked the beds again, stepping into the room to look fully. She couldn't see Sake, his normal healer.
Had he left to join the Dothraki already? Was he with the few that had decided to help the farmers on raising and caring for horses? Rhaenar couldn't believe it, they said he was asking after her but he wasn't here. "If I didn't know any better, I would think you were being chased by a rabid crowd." A deep voice, wheezing slightly, called from behind her; the softest, smallest of smiles on Rhaenar's face as she turned.
There her best friend was, looking as though no time had passed at all - besides a thick scruff of a beard that had settled on his jaw and two twinkling dark eyes staring down at her. She froze for a moment, mouth agape as she stared up at him. He was healthy, his olive skin filled with a rich warmth and no wastage of muscle as he watched her.
"Qotho." She uttered, barely moving an inch.
"Hello Rhaenar." Her throat thickened as her eyes tingled, a wave of pure happiness settling in her chest as she just looked at him. "Are you going to get over here and hug me or continue to stand there gormlessly?" He teased, a smirk on his stupid face.
Rhaenar broke, running at him before launching herself at his body, her arms wrapping tight around him as she buried her face within the crook of his neck. He was here, and he was real, and he was breathing as though he hadn't been asleep for months on end. "You truly know how to ruin a moment." She whimpered, not minding the hot trails that seemed to mark their way down her cheeks.
He chuckled, the sound music to her ears as she could feel his chest vibrate beneath her. He was here! "I missed you." Rhaenar admitted, her throat choking up as she continued to cling to him.
"I'm not going anywhere." Rhaenar was completely going to hold him to that. Those months away only solidified his place by her side, her need to have him with her. She'd missed his stupid teasing, the dumb jokes he would come up with that half the time he came up with just leave her confused; she missed the way he knew how to handle a situation, and the advice that he'd give on it. But most of all, she just missed him.
Rhaenar dropped down from his arms, pushing on his chest slightly. "How could you be a complete idiot!" She scowled at him, the fury in her gaze enough for him to crack a smile. "I can't have you asleep all the time, you're supposed to be my advisor!"
His grin widened. "What should I tell you Khaleesi? Khal Drogo was desperate to get me back." Rhaenar rolled her eyes, shaking her head; she couldn't believe him. "You're not the only one that wants me by the side."
"Next time you see my husband," She began, glaring. "You tell him I need you more, and to not pull the same stunt again. Otherwise he'll have me to deal with."
Qotho wrapped his arms around her shoulders, grateful just to see her again. "I think you and I both know Khal Drogo would not mind." The corners of her lips rose; no, she didn't think Drogo would mind at all. "It has been a long time since he had seen his Khaleesi."
"One day, but not today. I'm just grateful that he brought my bloodrider back to me." She said softly, bringing her hand up to cup his cheek. His hair had gotten longer in the time he was asleep, his braid thicker than ever as several braids wove down into one; the bells tinkling every time he moved.
"Missandei has told me all that happened, how you were attacked on the road to Meereen, how you managed to take Yunkai." Rhaenar shook her head.
"No, I don't want to talk about that now. I just want to celebrate you being awake and up and moving." She said to him, their eyes meeting as she tried desperately to show how happy she was for him to still be here; when she left for Braavos, she didn't know what sort of state he would be in.
He smirked. "Gods, Khaleesi; if I knew you liked me this much-"
She shot him a look, pushing him once more. "Do not finish that sentence." He laughed, the sound warming her. Qotho's eyes darted to a figure behind her, his dark eyes sparkling as he focused on whatever it was. Rhae turned, her smile only growing as she saw Sake wait patiently.
"Forgive me, Khaleesi, Qotho. I'm here to check up on your wounds." Sake said with a grin, motioning for them both to sit on the bed. Rhaenar hovered as Qotho lowered himself, pulling at the ties of his leather before pulling it away. White bandages had been wrapped around his centre with red still clinging to them, Rhaenar frowned. It had almost been a year, why hadn't he healed yet?
Qotho, noticing the confused look, smiled at her. "I got in an altercation last week, this is the repercussions." He uttered as though it was nothing.
"You wake up from a deep sleep, get in an altercation, and you think that's okay? Qotho, you have to let your body heal." Rhae hissed.
Sake laughed. "Finally, someone who sees sense." She said, beginning to unwind the bandages that had been pressed to his middle.
"It was a training match, it was nothing." His eyes hadn't left Sake as she crouched in front of him, pushing back on his stomach slightly. Rhaenar's eyes drifted from Qotho to Sake and back again; he smiled at Sake as she gently swiped the bandages away.
"It was hardly nothing, a sword got caught in your side." This peeked Rhaenar's interest; over the past few months Sake and Qotho must have gotten close, especially if he was getting injured. Her heart clenched for a moment, a painted smile remaining on her lips as she watched the pair. "You're lucky I got to you when I did, another minute and you would be toast."
Sake moved slightly, letting Rhaenar get a glance at the wound. His chest had been littered in scars light trails across the olive skin but the glaringly large deep wounds on both sides. She could see the mottled skin on the left, from the wound of Yunkai that had taken him out for almost a year. The skin sewn shut but puckered slightly from fusing back together again, no doubt the same scar sitting on his back. Fear struck her at the sight of it, just how close he had been to losing him altogether.
She could only imagine it must have felt like Drogo had, the same cold fear that struck her body, rendering her useless; the waves of complete loneliness consuming her. No, she scolded herself; she wouldn't think of that. She couldn't, it would cause her heart to break even further, and in truth, it wasn't looking as stable as it should have been; cracks lining the beating life source.
On the right of his body, a small version; not nearly as deep or scary looking as the scar mirroring it but enough to cause pain if too much pressure was applied. "You can't be reckless, Qotho. I beg of you." She uttered softly, her eyes drifting between the two cuts. "You are far too important of a person to lose." Rhae admitted, watching as Sake looked to Qotho, brushing away the dried blood.
"I am okay, Khaleesi. Believe me." She nodded.
"I am in debt to you Sake for caring for my closest friend." The healer turned for a moment, smiling in a nod.
"I must admit Khaleesi, you are not in debt to me. It is my job, I am happy to do it." Silence fell around them again as Sake continued to clean the wound, her fingers lightly prodding at the skin. "You need to rest, Qotho, before I readmit you." She warned, watching as he flinched from her grasp at the top.
Rhae's hand tightened, bringing it to her lip as she observed. "It's bad?" Rhae questioned, her gaze filled with worry.
Sake shook her head, shrugging her shoulders. "It's tough to say, most of it looks like it is on the mend to healing; but the top..." She poked it again, Qotho leaping from her touch as he moved further back onto the bed. "You're definitely being readmitted."
Qotho's guilty gaze turned to Rhaenar. "But my Khaleesi is home, I can't miss the celebrations."
Rhae moved forward, taking his cheek as Sake soothed the wound, her eyes darting up to Rhae and Qotho. "I would rather have you well, you know that Qotho. Stay here for the night and get better for me, we can always drink to your health when you are better." He sighed but didn't disagree. "I will leave you to get attended to; Sake, I'm leaving him in your trusted hands, again." She quipped with a smile, Sake grinning at Qotho as the two women kept him to the bed.
"I can't promise he'll come back in one piece." Sake replied, watching Rhaenar pull away from him. Rhae let out a soft laugh before stepping back entirely, ensuring her indigo eyes didn't leave Qotho as she retreated back. Raising her finger to symbolise one piece, he laughed, letting her disappear out.
Rhaenar felt a million times better for having seen him, for having felt him beneath her fingertips and ensured that he was okay; but she couldn't help the slight pit in her stomach as she swallowed, glancing back. Qotho and Sake seemed to be wrapped up in their own world, the two at ease with one another.
Rhae left, ready to find her children. It wasn't a long walk from the infirmary to the base of the Pyramid, and down the subterrain level where her babies were being kept. The distance rather short as she got to the front doors, and stood on the steps. Though Meereen was seemingly quiet, the presence and laughter of her men gained her attention as they sat jesting outside of tents; Unsullied, Dothraki, and Golden Company all mingling.
She smiled for a moment, watching as Malthar and Sebastion remained clinging to one another, laughing as Red and Blue chatted idly. This is where they all belonged, and this was how she wanted to forever remember them. Laughing, cheering, smiling. "Khaleesi!" A voice shouted out from the crowd at the sight of the Queen, a thousand other Khaleesis being called to the air as she grinned, waving to them.
Taking the steps down, she came to a point where four Unsullied stood guard, a round stone blocking the entrance. She looked to them before nodding, encouraging them to pull it back. Nerves filled her stomach as complete darkness stretched before her, no light bar the moon allowed inside. Rhaenar reached up, clasping onto a metal torch before freeing it, taking the first steps into the chamber.
The small flicker of the torch gave her a soft glow, but not enough to light up the tall caverns as she stepped down to the base of the steps and looked around. "Rhaenys?" She called out first, knowing the female enjoyed the attention. There was silence, nothing to alert her to where the dragons were.
She swallowed, fear building in her chest. They may have been her children, but that didn't stop them from lashing out at times. "Viserion?" Again, silence. "Rhaegal?" Rhaegal was the first to crack, a cling of chains before the soft scraping of claws etching into the stone hit her ears.
Rhaenar smiled. "Please, babies. Don't be angry at me." She hushed out, keeping her tone soft so not to anger them. Rhaenar lifted the torch closer, hot breath falling to her neck as she turned, jumping. Rhaegal had managed to make his way around her, his moves deadly silent as he stared at her, his yellow eyes capturing her as he lowered his head.
She could see that he desperately missed his older brother, dried tear tracks marring the space beneath his eyes in brown. She reached out, her hand falling to his snout as she rubbed against it so softly. They had grown to be huge beasts in the time she was away, their bodies cramping against the ceiling as Rhaegal slumped down behind her, content with feeling the gentle stroking on his nose.
Viserion, seeing his brother receive the attention, moved forward; his movements less calculated than his brothers as he stumbled to her, curling into her brother. Rhaenar perched herself against Viserion's neck, Rhaegal's large head sitting perfectly on her lap like an incredibly heavy dog. She laughed at the pair, before glancing out to the darkness. "Rhaenys? Are you not going to come out?" She coaxed to the female dragon, Viserion's tail thumping on the ground.
She could hear the soft rattle of the chain, before two red eyes peered back at her, a look of pity in them as she threw herself down, her eyes quickly darting away. The poor female was feeling more than sorry for what she did as she could hardly glance at her mother, Rhaenar's heart tugging in her chest. "Rhaenys, I'm not mad at you." Rhae said softly to the dragon, hoping that she would listen. "I know you didn't mean to; and you're all being punished for these actions."
A huff erupted from behind her, Rhaegal agreeing with the words. "But I'm going to find a way to get you out of this cage, you need to be with your brother." Rhaenys cried out at the mention of Leirion, moving her head to Viserion's neck as she rested it besides Rhaenar.
Rhaenar reached out to her, cupping at the cheek before rubbing against the rough scales. She'd have to figure something out, she couldn't stand to see her children in pain. Rhaenar eyed the chains that sat around their neck, cutting into the scales. She reached over, pulling at the bolt before freeing it, the shackles falling to the ground.
This wasn't the time to chain them, they needed to be free. She continued to pull on Rhaenys and Viserion's before both became free, their spines twisting at the new found freedom. She couldn't imagine the betrayal and pain that they must have felt having trusted Daenerys to lead them to here, and it only irritated Rhae further than Daenerys believed this was the best place for them. Rhaenar could already tell this would have affects on their health, their size. They weren't designed to be locked away, the last Dragons that the Targaryens owned were proof of that.
Rhae remained in the clutches of the dragons until early morning, when she gently shifted Rhaegal's large head from her legs, pressing a kiss to each of them. "Be good." She uttered to them as she passed. "I'll get you some treats."
Rhaenar nodded to the fresh set of Unsullied guarding the door, looking between them. "Keep the dragons home well lit, and ensure they have enough food. Pay for a whole flock of goat if you must, but keep them happy." She would visit when she could but even then, she wasn't sure. Rhaenar shot a longing gaze down into the pit, seeing the three dragons now curled into one another. She wanted them free.