𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐍 | Rituals
{ Daenerys }
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𝕿he sun grew ever hotter as they continued to ride through the plains ahead of them. Coren rode beside her as Daenerys watched Drogo sway to and fro ahead of them on his horse. Daenerys felt her heart clench, before gasping as Drogo pitched forward and fell into the dirt.
"My lord...My sun and stars...Drogo." She rode forward, dropping from her horse's back to crouch beside her husband. She was scared, even more so now that all of this had begun to feel very real. Drogo was injured, more so than he had let on.
"My horse..." He mumbled, reaching his hand around for the reins but only grasping at the sandy air. His blood riders drew near, looking concerned.
"Blood of my blood..." Cohollo, the elder one backed off, shaking his head.
"No, l must ride." Drogo tried to reaffirm, his muscles trembling in protest as he attempted to pull himself upright.
"He fell from his horse." Qotho spoke, looking down at Daenerys. "A Khal who cannot ride is no Khal."
"He's tired, that's all. He needs to rest," Daenerys pleaded, her eyes going wide. Drogo couldn't die. "We've ridden far enough today. We'll camp here."
"This is no place to camp," Qotho spat as Coren approached slowly, his hand resting on his sword as if he anticipated trouble. "A woman does not give us orders. Not even a Khaleesi."
"We'll camp here. Tell them Khal Drogo commanded it." Daenerys kept her voice steady, glaring up at the man.
"You do not command me, Khaleesi." She ignored his words, continuing with her orders.
"Find Mirri Maz Duur. Bring her to me."
"The witch? I'll bring you her head, Khaleesi."
"Bring her to me unharmed or Khal Drogo will hear why you denied me." Qotho glared, before jumping on his horse and heading back up the column of riders to find Mirri Maz Duur. Coren crouched beside her, his eyes narrowed.
"Is this a good idea?" Daenerys sent him a disbelieving look as Coren shrugged. "I don't wish for you to be harmed, Khaleesi, and I do not trust a witch. You wished for me to be truthful."
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{ Coren }
Coren hovered by Daenerys' side, his arms folded across his chest as he looked down at Drogo's prone form. He would die soon enough, that much was true.
"Khaleesi." Jorah entered the tent, coming to a stop on the other side of her.
"Come. He's very strong," Daenerys smiled, tears in her eyes as Jorah looked over at Coren. The man shook his head. "No one understands how strong he is."
Jorah leant forward, pulling the herbal treatment from Drogo's wound, and revealing how infected it had become. Coren's nose wrinkled at the smell as he licked his lips. This was not a good sign at all.
"He will die tonight, Khaleesi." Jorah told the girl, something that Coren had told her twice before this but still, Daenerys protested.
"He can't. He can't. I won't let him."
"Even a queen doesn't have that power. We must go quickly," Jorah turned to Coren. "I've heard there's a good port in Asshai."
"There is." Coren nodded, formulating a plan in his head.
"I won't leave him." Daenerys cried, turning back to look at the Westerosi knights.
"He's already gone, Khaleesi."
"Even if he dies, why would I run? I am Khaleesi, and my my son will be Khal after Drogo." Daenerys rested a hand on her stomach, rubbing her thumb across it gently.
"This is not Westeros, where men honour blood. Here they only honour strength," Jorah tried to persuade her. "There will be fighting after Drogo dies. Whoever wins that fight will be the new Khal. He won't want any rivals. Your boy will be plucked from your breast and given to the dogs."
"I won't leave him." Daenerys growled, as Coren stepped forward, growing tired.
"Then you sentence your son to death." Mirri Maz Duur entered the tent before Daenerys could reply, bowing to the woman as Qotho entered as well.
"The wound has festered." Mirri spoke in the common tongue, shaking her head. Qotho turned, spitting words at her in fast Dothraki as he pulled a dagger from a sheath, glaring. Daenerys turned around, Dothraki being shot between them before Jorah stood up and glared, speaking swiftly.
Coren was confused about what was going on, watching as Qotho and the other Dothraki blood riders left.
"I think you should wear your armour tonight, ser." Daenerys turned to Jorah, before looking at Coren. "Sharpen your sword."
"Aye." Coren nodded, grabbing his sword and dagger from the side of the tent as he followed Jorah out. He knew that she would want to be alone with the witch, though he didn't like that decision in the slightest.
He hurried off, pulling his armour on and grabbing the whet stone to sharpen his sword. He was in a hurry, knowing that at any moment, Drogo could die and the Dothraki might try and harm Daenerys and her son. As her personal guard, he had to make sure that they would not.
When he returned to the main clearing, in front of Drogo's tent, he found Daenerys having a stand off with Qotho, exchanging words with him in Dothraki. He grew closer, eyes going wide as Qotho punched Rakharo, and sent the man into the ground.
Daenerys held her hands out, pleading, but Qotho ignored her, pushing her to the ground as well. Coren raced forward, dodging onlookers as he saw Daenerys land on her stomach, crying out in pain.
"Khaleesi!" Irri's voice mixed with Coren, as Jorah drew his sword to push Qotho back. Coren reached Daenerys' side, turning her over and checking for blood on her body. The woman cried out in pain again, tears forming in her eyes, as Mirri Maz Duur's chanting grew louder and louder from inside the tent.
"Khaleesi?" Daenerys opened her eyes, tears welling inside of them as Coren looked down at her. "Khaleesi, are you hurt? Does anything hurt?"
Jorah was still fighting with Qotho in the background, as Coren tried to work out why Daenerys was still crying out in pain.
"Irri?" The Dothraki woman looked at him. "What's going on?"
"The baby..." Daenerys managed to stammer out, as Jorah rushed to their side after killing Qotho.
"What?"
"The baby is coming..." Daenerys' was interrupted by another cry of pain as Jorah turned to Rakharo.
"Fetch the midwives." Rakharo licked his lips, shaking his head.
"They will not come. They say she is cursed." Rakharo trailed off into a whisper.
"They'll come or I'll have their heads." Jorah growled.
"The witch...she can bring baby. I hear her say so." Rakharo nodded, as Coren knelt and picked Daenerys up and into his arms. She clutched onto his armour, tears leaking from her eyes as Coren stormed into the tent, Rakharo and Irri behind him.
If this witch did not save Daenerys, or her son, then Coren would kill her himself.
Hiya,
So, Coren is down to murder Mirri Maz Duur, which I think is fair enough, and he's growing annoyed that Daenerys is not listening to him (but I mean, she has her reasons for that). I'm so excited to continue onwards, because Coren is getting more and more fun as the seasons go on.
Let me know what you think,
Love Li xx