Daenerys was captured by the Dothraki. Drogon was scared away by the hoard. She was imprisoned in a hillside and curled up inside the small alcove, lying on the sandy dirt ground. This was not going to end well she feared. They would kill her she was sure of it. But then why had they confined her? Dany's name as the mother of dragons was famous all over the known world, even the travelling tribe of Dothraki knew who she was. From her dragon standing beside her at first to her silver hair and tattered gown from Meereen.
This hilly region she had found herself in had caves carved almost into every hill side. This Dothraki tribe had took refuge in one and now Dany could see and hear them eating and talking amongst themselves. It reminded her of when she was Khaleesi of the greatest Dothraki tribe in Essos. She was one of those laughing around the fire with her Sun and Stars. Her only love. It seemed like an age ago but she had grown stronger since then, she was a queen now, feared by many and loved by even more. Dany was shaken from her memories when some young girls entered her enclosure with food. Horse meat that she had once grown used to eating and some hard brown bread.
"I want to speak to your Khal" Dany, though weak said with force. Her tongue was not used to speaking Dothraki. The girls didn't answer her but quickly left her presence. The bread was dry in her throat and the horse meat was sour and chewy, Daenerys could hardly swallow more than a few bites. Her head felt heavy and she lay down again. It took a while for her to sleep though, noise distracted her and the ground was uncomfortable. When she slept, her dreams were fevered. She dreamt of fire which turned to ashes falling like snowflakes around her.
She awoke to a hand shaking her shoulder. Daenerys looked up at one of the girls who had given her food earlier. She said in a quiet voice "Khal Jahqo wants to see you." Dany stood up her head spinning from dehydration. She brushed over her dress which was in tatters anyway. She would look a mess meeting with the Khal. Dany followed the girl. She looked about thirteen and her dark brown hair was tied into a braid down her back. She led Dany into a large cavern with a huge fire in the middle. Khal Jahqo was sitting on the far side on a pile of furs and cushions with his blood riders around him. The girl stepped aside into the shadows as Khal Jahqo shouted for quiet. He gazed at Dany for a few moments and then made his way around the fire in the middle. Dany felt fear stabbing through her. Jahqo moved closer until he was centimetres from her.
Jahqo spoke, his voice a rumble "Daenerys, mother of dragons." Dany hardened her face and said confidently, "Don't keep me here as your prisoner if you don't intend to tell me what you will do with me."
"You are well known throughout our lands, the one who gave life to dragons, you are the blood of the dragon a Targaryen of Valyria." Jahqo spoke softly but his voice carried amongst his people.
"I am the Queen of Meereen and rightful ruler of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros and when my army comes and finds me, I will take my dragons and burn your Khalasar to ashes." Daenerys poke this all the while knowing there was a possibility her army would not find her and she would die here. She swallowed back her fears of never reaching her home country and taking her rightful place on the throne, her fears of never seeing Daario again or feeling his lips on hers or his loving embraces.
"You think we will be the ones to burn?" Jahqo said this not expecting an answer. "There are old stories passed through generations of our people. Dragons being born from fire and ash, Targaryens transforming themselves into dragons. Dragons are the most powerful creature that have ever lived and ever will live. They are weapons that can be used to burn cities and to take their master's desires."
"Dragons have no masters, a dragon is not a slave." Dany spoke fiercely remembering her time in Astapor when she freed the slaves in the city.
"You are a dragon, Daenerys Stormborn." Jahqo said quietly, "and you are my prisoner, a dragon belongs to whoever imprisons it. You will become a dragon Daenerys and you will belong to me."
Dany didn't understand. "What do you mean? What do you mean that I will become a dragon." She was panicking now and Jahqo turned around and began speaking fast to his Khalasar, "Build a big fire on the hillside and do it quickly." He turned back around and regarded Dany carefully. "Restrain Daenerys Stormborn, she must not be allowed to escape, tonight she becomes a dragon."
Dany was roughly bound and shoved back in the cell she had spent time in before her meeting with the Khal. She had begun to realise what was happening. Jahqo believed he could turn her into a dragon by burning her in a fire. Dany had stepped inside afire before when her own dragons had been born. She had risen from the smoke the next morning unharmed and her three dragons clinging to her naked body. But the idea of being burned on a pyre frightened her. She was not convinced that the old legends of Targaryens being able to transform themselves into dragons was true. This time there would be no dragon eggs in the flames.
Dany choked back tears, she had not cried for a long time and she would not be seen to be crying in front of Khal Jahqo and his Khalasar. She was along with her thoughts for a while. The cavern ceased to be a place of merriment as the tribe slowly migrated outdoors towards where the fire was being built. Dany heard a soft noise, the sound of someone clearing their throat quietly. She looked up to see a young girl, about her age looking at her. The girl had long, dull copper coloured hair, she had a sad look in her eyes. "Queen Daenerys, I'm sorry, they want you now, outside. I wanted to take you, I don't want them to hurt you." Dany struggled to find an answer for the girl. So she just stood up, it was difficult with her hands tied behind her back. The girl put one of her hands gently onto Dany's arm and steadied her. Dany was weak and stumbled as she walked alongside the girl through the cavern. "Everyone has heard of you," the girl began to talk, "even us, the Dothraki. I have heard tales of you and your dragons, how the fire that gave birth to them did not harm you. You are the defender of the weak and breaker of chains." Dany listened to the girls words. They had reached the hillside now and a huge crowd had gathered around a pyre. Dany could feel her whole body surging with fear. She felt dizzy. The girl placed a hand on her back to keep her balance as they began to meander through the crowd. They were almost at the break around the pyre when the girl said " I love you." Dany didn't know what to say, she could hardly hear the girls words anyway. "I love you Daenerys Targaryen." The girl said again. "You are a good person and that is hard to find in this world, don't be afraid, I don't believe that you will die."
Together Daenerys and the girl walked up to the pyre. The fire had already started to burn but there was a small walkway leading up to the post in the middle where Dany was to be tied. The Dothraki took slaves and there were some standing now by the fires. They were keeping the blaze going and Dany could see that there arms were red, burnt and blistering.
"Tie her." Grunted Khal Jahqo to the girl. The girl pushed Dany lightly to down the narrow walkway towards the post. Kindling littered the ground. Dany gazed up at the sky as the girl bound her arms and then her legs to the post. "I don't want to do this." Dany whispered desperately.
The girl fixed her grey eyes on Daenerys, grey eyes that were unusual for a Dothraki girl. Don't be Scared Daenerys. I love you." She turned and walked away. The feeling of fear that Dany experienced was different to anything. It crept into every part of her body and mind. She wanted to scream. She felt breathless and she felt like she wasn't really alive. It was strange this feeling was almost pleasurable. She would have found it so if she was not tied to a pyre. Her cheeks were wet as slaves came forward with burning torches which they threw into the pyre. The flames started of small. Licking around the outside and then rising up as they encroached on the post, and then the whole thing was ablaze in a hell like inferno.
Daenerys's body went up in flames. It hurt intensely. She was not aware of herself screaming but the Khalasar watching would surely have heard her. The fire was inside and outside of her. Her blood was replaced with the black and orange flames. But she felt it change her. It felt as though it were ripping apart everything inside her and then replacing it.
And then it happened. The fire was changing her body. From her arms grew leathery wings. Her legs powerful with a tail at the end as well. The fire was in her head and face, her eyes. Her eyes changed and became golden instead of their violet colour. Her silver hair became horns that descended down her body turning into spikes on the way. Her face elongated and from her mouth sharp teeth grew.
And she was big and powerful. She ripped away from the post and beat her wings. They lifted her into the air away from the flames. She was fire made flesh and intended to show it to the watchers on the ground. Out of her mouth came terrible black flames, turning the burning pyre into an out of control beast. She could hear the wails of the Khalasar but they didn't seem to matter to her any more. She was a dragon, the legends were true. The Targaryens could transform into the greatest creatures to have inhabited the known world. Khal Jahqo had wanted to keep her, to use her, but she was too strong and too big. And a dragon is no slave.
She flew. Away from the hillside and the Dothraki sea. Her wings beat steadily. She knew where she wanted to go and she could go anywhere at all.
Khal Jahqo's Khalasar or anyone who looked up at the nights sky would see a huge dragon sailing against the stars. A dragon the colour of silver, the colour of the moon.