It was times like this that Daenerys regretted her own obstinacy. Tyrion had assured that she was not needed for every council meeting, given her current condition, and promised to tell her all that had transpired afterwards. Daenerys had declined without hesitation. She trusted her friend to keep his word, but that was not the issue. She would not shirk her responsibility regardless of her health.
Her advisors had been locked in discussion for what seemed like an eternity. A storm of monstrous size and ferocity had swept into the Riverlands from the Bay of Crabs a little less than a moon's turn ago. Refugees were streaming into King's Landing all with tales of destruction and newfound poverty. The Crown's response to this disaster was far slower than Daenerys would have liked.
"I have said it before and I will say it again. We simply do not have the coin to support those fleeing the Riverlands. We are already stretched thin as it is with the aid we are sending Riverrun. Not to mention the repairs to the city from the war have yet to be completed." Lord Wyman Manderly, her master of coin, leaned his impressive girth back and waited for the predicable retort from her master of laws.
Lord Royce did not disappoint. "That is easy for you to say, Manderly. It is not your people who have suffered. Gulltown was near destroyed by that devil of a storm and yet the damage done there pales in comparison to Maidenpool and Saltpans. Would you have us turn a blind eye to their suffering?"
Her Hand interrupted before another argument could take place. "Nobody is saying that we should simply leave the Riverlands to their fate, Lord Royce. But Lord Wyman raises a valid point. How are we to pay for these people? We have sent what we can spare to Lord Tully, yet he asks for more every time. The King himself writes that the people are suffering and that time is of the essence. My heart goes out to the smallfolk, but hearts will not pay for bread and mortar."
Ser Davos, the master of ships, piped in. "Surely we could divert some funds from the city repairs? Most of the essential parts are already done."
Tyrion shook his head. "That would put many a King's lander out of work. We'd have riots in the streets."
Grey Worm, who had been silent until now, spoke. "My Queen, many of us Unsullied are prepared to forswear payment for our service. The coin can be used for other purposes."
Daenerys frowned. The Unsullied had served her well all these long years. After the wars she had insisted they receive rewards and be paid. "Some Unsullied have families to support."
Grey Worm nodded. "This is true. But there are also a large number who do not have families. Who stayed in your service because of what you are, what you have done. We do not serve you for coin, my Queen. We serve you for you."
She felt her heart swell at their selfless loyalty. Although it left a bitter taste in her mouth, she accepted their generous offer.
Lord Wyman was rubbing his fat hands together merrily. "That will go a long way in helping us in this matter. Still, it does not solve the problem completely."
The situation was too complicated. She wanted to help all of her people, so badly, but not at the expense of another group of her subjects. She clenched her jaw and came to a decision. "So be it. We have little time and are in need of a large amount of coin. There is no choice but to take out loans."
Her advisors were surprised by the suggestion. They knew her feelings on the matter. Daenerys despised loans. Although she understood that they were a healthy part of her realm's economy, she abhorred the shadow they cast over a person. Like a blade hanging above one's head.
"A fine idea, but from who?" asked Lord Royce.
"Not the Iron Bank, I hope," said Ser Davos. "I have had enough dealings with them to last me seven lives, beggin' your Grace's pardon."
Daenerys agreed wholeheartedly. After Cersei had been dealt with, the Iron Bank had come to her with sweet smiles and the promise of friendship. She had them thrown out on their bottoms and declared that if any lord or lady in Westeros wished to deal with them, they could so only with the express permission of the Crown. The bankers of Braavos had proven themselves a danger to Daenerys in the past and she would not forget that.
"Rest assured, Ser Davos. It shall be a cold day before I go to the Iron Bank begging bowl in hand. I thought instead that we could turn to Pentos or Mereen for assistance."
She saw the wheels turning in her Hand's eyes. "Mereen has been prosperous as of late. And the common people love you still. You can't walk two feet in the city without bumping into a girl named Daenerys, or so I have heard."
Daenerys felt a wave of satisfaction. Finally they had a working plan. "I shall pen a letter to the city's council. Lord Tyrion will select our envoy. We must make an impressive sight if we hope to get good terms. Ser Davos, ready the finest ship we have for the journey."
That signaled the end of the meeting as her men dispersed to carry out her commands. With a sigh, Daenerys rose ponderously from the chair, her swollen belly making her ungainly and slow. Nobody ever said the life of a Queen was easy, she thought.
Alone in her chambers, Daenerys sank into the bed with a groan. Her entire body was one giant ache. Her back felt as if she had been whipped several times. Someone had placed fire pits in her joints and dumped all the fire wood they could into them. Her feet were so swollen she couldn't put her slippers on. Her breasts felt as if some lusty beast had ravaged them for hours (which was impossible as her husband had not been home in weeks).
After the meeting she had met with the Commander of the City Watch to discuss keeping the peace with the recent influx of peasants. She had promised three centuries of Unsullied to supplement the guardsmen. After that she had spoken to the master of horse who had sworn that the sickness that had afflicted the castle's animals was passing. Then she had addressed some petitioners (which annoyed Tyrion immensely) and swore to consider their requests with all seriousness. With no more pressing responsibilities at the moment, Daenerys could relax and rest for once.
A sharp rapt at the door shattered that dream and woke the dragon in her.
Daenerys rolled over and did not bother to hide the bite from her words. "What is it?"
"The Princess is here requesting to see you, your Grace."
Before she could reply, a shrill voice rang out. "Mama! It's me! Let me in!"
Sighing, Daenerys said, "The door is open, sweetling."
The door burst open and in bounded her daughter and heir. Rhaella was five, a small thing with dark hair and indigo eyes. She grinned upon seeing her mother and said, "Mama, Missandei says I am doing very well in my lessons. That I am a faster learner than even she was at my age."
Daenerys couldn't help but smile at the brightness in her daughter's eyes. "I am glad to hear it. But aren't you forgetting something?"
Rhaella frowned, pondering the question put to her. Every man in the kingdom swore that she had Daenerys' face, but when she frowned like this the Queen saw the shadow of Jon Snow. Her heart filled with longing at the thought of Jon. Come back to me soon, my love.
"Oh!" said Rhaella. She smiled shyly before skipping over to give her mother two kisses, one on each cheek. Before she could pull away Daenerys wrapped her arms around her daughter and pulled her close. Rhaella shrieked and tried to squirm away. In response Daenerys began planting kisses on her forehead. Rhaella giggled and angled herself so her head was on her mother's belly. "I wish the babe would come soon," she said suddenly serious.
"Me too," she replied, thinking of her aching back.
Rhaella looked up and into her mother's eyes. "Do you think the babe will like me?"
Daenerys' heart clenched tightly at the hope in her voice. "Of course it will like you. Hear me, Rhaella. Whether the gods give you a brother or a sister, they shall love you as much as I love you."
Rhaella bobbed her head. "Okay." She frowned again. "Papa says the babe will be a big responsibility for me. He says I will be a big sister after the birth. That I must be brave because I will have a brother or sister looking to me. I promise I will be as brave as I can be, Mama."
Daenerys could take no more. She squeezed Rhaella as tightly as her condition would allow. Despite the warmth of the moment, she felt afraid all of a sudden. I have so much to lose now and the gods have never shied away from taking what is mine from me.
Rhaella pulled away. "Mama, when will Papa return? I want to practice my dancing lessons with him. Gerion left to go see his cousins and his uncle Jaime on Tarth and Ser Jorah went away with Papa. There's nobody for me to practice with now."
Daenerys smiled. Rhaella loved her sword play and she had no greater supporters than her father, Ser Jorah, and Tyrion's young son Gerion. "Your father and Ser Jorah are on their way home as we speak. And you know Gerion will return when he is ready. He loves spending time with his cousins and uncle though, so you must be ready to wait. Lord Tyrion explained this, remember?"
Her daughter turned away and pouted. Jon always said Rhaella looked most like her when she pouted. Daenerys had not even dignified that with a response. "Come now, sweetling. If you are a good girl then your father will take you to Dragonstone to see Drogon when he returns. Would you like that?" Once peace had been achieved, she had decided that she would not allow her dragons to be chained in the dragonpits. Instead she had them reside on her family's ancestral island where they could roam freely without endangering others.
Rhaella's face lit up. There was few things she liked better than Drogon. "Yes! I swear I shall be a good girl Mama!"
Daenerys chuckled and got up to walk Rhaella to the door. She ordered one of the guards outside to take her daughter to her quarters. With one last kiss she wished Rhaella sweet dreams and returned to her bed. She quickly changed into a thin, silken nightdress and pulled the furs up and over her belly.
She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Daenerys was awakened many hours later by a soft kiss on her forehead. Her eyes blinked open to find her husband staring down at her. There was a small smile on his lips.
"You're home," she said dreamily.
"Aye. I am sorry, I did not mean to wake you."
She shook her head. She was glad he did. "I have missed you," she took his hands in her own and kissed them gently. "How was your journey?"
Jon frowned. "Long and tiring. There is much work to be done before the Riverlands are set to rights. But let us speak of that on the morrow. Is Rhaella well?"
Daenerys nodded. "She is even more rambunctious then when you left."
Jon's smile transformed his face into a tender thing. "It is a shame I arrived so late. I wish I could see her."
"And what of my wishes, husband?"
Jon quirked his eyebrow at her, until she rolled over fully and allowed the moonlight to illuminate her form. She heard him suck in a sharp breath. Through the sheer fabric Jon could see his wife's flawless skin. Her heavy breasts and the large milk stains they had left in her gown. And finally, her belly so huge and swollen with their child.
He had never seen a more beautiful sight.
Daenerys took his hand and gently brought it to her cunt. She rubbed their joined hands into her slickness. "Do you feel that, Jon? How wet I am? I have been like this every day since you left. Every single day. You have no idea what it is like. To wake up, drowning in your own desire. Are you so cruel as to leave me to this fate?"
Jon had gone very still. He said nothing, but his eyes were very dark and very scathing. He did not take her then and there though, as she hoped. Instead he jerked his fingers out of her grasp and roughly grabbed her wrist. He never broke eye contact as he brought her hand to his face and plunged her soaking fingers into his mouth.
Daenerys felt her cunt throb. She could not stop her legs from squirming as he licked and sucked her fingers. His mouth was a hot pit that would surely kill her. "Oh, you monster. You cruel, heartless monster. I am your Queen and this is how you treat me..." her words died as he began to rub his tongue between her fingers methodically. Making sure to lap up every drop of her essence.
Daenerys was on the verge of sobbing. "Enough, my King. Enough. Make love to me or I am certain I shall die."
Jon popped her fingers out of his mouth and instead bent to capture her lips in a bruising kiss. Their tongues wrapped around one another and all the air in her lungs suddenly vanished. She felt dizzy and dangerously hot. He's lit the fire in my blood.
The knock on the door was as chilling as a pail of ice water.
The kiss ended and Daenerys felt the dragon in her awaken. If the entire city wasn't about to be swallowed into the Blackwater, she was going to throttle someone. Jon was breathing heavy when he wiped his hand clean and rose to go see who had disturbed them. She heard him talk to whoever was at the door for a moment before shutting it again. When he turned to face her, all the white hot fury in her died.
Oh, now that's a sweet sight.
Jon had Rhaella tucked securely in his arms, her head pressed into his neck. Some of his hair brushed against hers and blended in so well Daenerys could not tell the difference. She felt her heart clench tightly again.
Father and daughter sat down on the edge of the bed together. She could not stop herself from drinking in the image of them. Rhaella looked up and locked eyes with her own. "Please don't be mad at me, Mama."
Daenerys couldn't stop the smile from spreading to her face. "I am not mad. But why were you up so late?"
Rhaella shook her head. "I wasn't. I dreamed that Papa had come back. When I woke I came to check. Can I sleep with you tonight?"
She knew that she should say no. That Rhaella was getting too big and that they had spoiled her enough. But with father and daughter both staring at her so, Daenerys felt any strength in her body wither. I am a weak woman, she thought ruefully.
Daenerys spread her arms in welcome and the two slid in to join her. Rhaella laid snuggled against her and Jon took position behind his daughter. She intertwined her hand with that of her husband's and they shared a chaste kiss before burying themselves deeper into the bed.
With her hand in Jon's and her face pressed into Rhaella's curls, Daenerys fell into a deep sleep. She dreamt she was at Dragonstone that night. In the sky above the castle flew countless dragons. They nearly blotted out the sky with their wide wings and colorful scales. When they roared for her to join them, the Mother of Dragons took to the air and flew amongst her children and family.
Where she belonged.
Ending note: Keep in mind smut isn't my forte.