AU. The Hunger Games meets Game of Thrones. In Westeros, Gale is the leader, Khal, of a Dothraki khalasar and Madge is a princess from a once upon a time affluent and high, but now almost obsolete House, House Undersee. Her prissy, evil older sisters marry her off to Gale in exchange for riches to buy their way back to the top of the royal hierarchy and restore the Undersee name.
Gale and Madge come from two different cultures, do not speak the same language, but feelings emerge and they form a relationship so strong that it shakes the entire Seven Kingdoms.
(There's going be sex in this story soooo… you're forewarned.)
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Madge stands outside on the steps of her family's old castle alongside her only remaining family, her older sisters, Johanna and Glimmer. She has an older brother, named Peeta, but he's been missing ever since he went on a scouting mission with the last of their guardsmen and never returned. That was two years ago now, but she still remains hopeful that he is alive and out there somewhere, for her Peeta was strong and brave, and would never go down without a fight. Peeta was the only person Madge could say she truly loved. He had a heart of gold and when their parents died, he would hold her close every night and tell her stories, recounting the Undersee's long history and promised her that one day we would return to that prosperity again.
She's still holding on to that promise.
Johanna and Glimmer, on the other hand, were mean. They ordered her around like their servant, forcing her to clean the castle and wait on them hand and foot to do their every bidding. Since she was the youngest, smaller and weaker than them, she didn't know any better than to comply to their demands. Now with their brother gone, there was no one here to protect her from what they were about to do right now.
"Shoulders straight, Madgie pie, and put a smile on that face for christ's sake! You must look happy for your new husband," Johanna whispered harshly into her ear, an awful sneer twisting her lips making her naturally pretty face look ugly, a more fitting reflection of her character.
Madge ignored her screechings and did nothing, for her behavior would not change that she was still being married off to some strange man from a foreign land, whom she had never met before. Frustration and anger boiled in her belly, that she had no choice, no say whatsoever in this matter that would completely change her life. No, she was simply used as a mere piece for her sisters' in their game for power. They sold her over to the Dothraki lord and in exchange they gained a hefty sum that they planned to use to buy back their claim to the throne.
"Please, I don't want to be his queen," Madge pleaded when they first unveiled the news.
"I don't care what you want! I will let their whole tribe fuck you, all 40,000 men, and their horses too, if it meant I got the crown." Glimmer yelled in her face. That shut Madge up real quick and she never bothered to dissuade them again after that.
A rumbling sound like rolling thunder erupted and in the distance, to the east, sand was kicking up and billowing out creating a thick brown cloud that was quickly growing in speed and magnitude. Squinting her eyes, Madge is able to discern the shapes of several figures masked behind the winding mass. Even from her distance, she can tell the shapes are large and the nagging nervousness knotting in the pit of her stomach since she woke up that day, grows into full blown anxiety. The sound of horse's hooves pounding against the ground, drawing closer and closer, rattles in her brain.
While Madge was busy getting lost in thoughts of doubt, the horses pick up speed and before she's mentally composed, come to a roaring stop at the Undersee women's feet.
Beside to her, her sisters cough melodramatically as sand disperses in the air and settles to the ground with not so much as a sound until the view is clear again, and Madge sees for the first time, her soon-to-be husband.
Hes situated at the front of the pack, a position reserved for the highest ranking, surrounded by six other unsmiling faces, very similar in appearance that they all blur together in Madge's eyes. He has the traditional look of the Dothraki, tanned -practically brown- skin from being in the blazing sun. Dark hair that is quite longish, falling into dark eyes. The garb they wear exposes their upper body and his is all made up of hard planes and muscles. She gulps. They say hes killed a thousand men and he looks like it.
Once she gathers the courage, Madge drags her eyes over his wide shoulders, up his neck to meet his eyes to find that he's already staring at her, hard. Her face grows hot, but she refuses to back down for no matter how much shes freaking out on the inside, on the outside she remain strong. She is Magdalene of House Undersee, we show no fear.
Upon closer inspection she realizes that his eyes are lighter than the rest, more grey in color.
After several, agonizing, minutes he breaks their stare match and barks out something to someone in the back. The pack rustles, shifting around to let something pass through when Madge sees one of the guardsmen leading forward a white horse. She gasps before she can stop herself; the horse is beautiful. She knows how horses are sacred to the Dothraki, sometimes even held to a higher degree than their woman, and she can tell this one is special, white horses are rare to come across.
Gale takes the reins, walking the few feet between them. He grabs her hand and she jumps a little at the touch of his calloused fingers, but then he places the reins in her open palm and he must have seen something promising about her for she knows this is his way of saying he accepts her.
Madge lets out a short breath; she passed the first test.
Gale nods and his pack of men start cantering away. She stands beside the horse uneasy, not sure how to approach getting onto the large creature when Gale lifts her up from her waist, plopping her on easily.
She gives him a little smile for his kindness and he looks straight back at her, not smiling, but not entirely unfriendly either.
Madge misses the sliver of envy swirling her in sisters' eyes.
"I guess this is farewell, then, little sister" Johanna smirks "Hopefully we will reunite again some day, under different circumstances." Although she speaks words of hope, Madge knows what kind of circumstances Johanna means. The two of them intend to become Queens of wealthy Houses to rule the Seven Kingdoms atop their high throne while Madge becomes just another poor slave of a savage, lesser tribe under their complete control.
"I hope so too, Johanna, Glimmer." Madge looks at her last remaining blood relatives, the only people shes ever known, for the last time before turning and walking off towards her new life.
xxxx
The journey is difficult.
Madge has little experience riding a horse and she wiggles her butt about trying to get situated on the saddle, but sores are opening along her thighs and the whole ride is just plain uncomfortable. Her and Pearl, that's what shes decided to name her mare, are at the back of the pack and she's annoyed with herself for not keeping up. Through all the bodies she can still see him though, Gale. He sits tall atop his stallion whom must be atleast 7 feet high, a height she did not think possible for a horse, and it is russet colored with thick muscles looking strong just like its rider.
From behind she sees something she missed before, that is, the scars that mark her lord's back. There are many, short and long, thin and thick, and they criss cross over each other. Some are dark and permanent, deeply embedded in the back tissue and others lighter, healing and fading with time. She wonders if he'd like it if she asked how he got them...but that is probably a bad idea.
They ride for hours and around them all the eye can see is desert; sand stretching on with no end in sight. But then they pass through large sand dunes the size of mountains, weaving around the travelers, creating shapes shes never seen and with perfect lines down their sides at even intervals like God himself took a rake to them; its mesmerizing.
Her skin burns, she is not accustomed to being in the strong sun for such a time and sweat is running down her face, her neck, she feels it slide down her back and pool in the seat. She must look gross, but she dare not complain as she glances at the men to her left and right who look completely at ease, not a drop of sweat detected on them.
After the twentieth or maybe thirtieth mile, shes lost track, the scenery starts to change and they transition into a sort of chaparral environment with low lying shrubs, cacti, a few dwarf trees rising from the dirt and patches of grasses break the monotony of sand. It is not longer after when they all suddenly stop and Madge, unsuspecting, bumps into the horse in front of her.
The horse lets out an annoyed huff, eerily human-like, while its owner looks back at her with a glare.
"Oops," she awkwardly tries to laugh it off but the man does not join in her sentiment. Well, okay then.
She moves her head around and sees they've come to the camp they must have set for the night. Scattered around are tents made of many layers each layer draped over another and pulled taut by stakes in the ground and held up by long wooden sticks along the sides. They have a unique look that's almost beautiful.
Tents are everywhere, there must be hundreds of them and Madge is surprised at how many people there actually are, as heads pop out the opening flaps of tents to watch them pass and more in particularly stare at their new visitor.
When the group stops and climbs down from their horses, a young woman who looks close in age to Madge, comes forward quickly.
"My lady, I am Katniss, I am to be your language teacher," Katniss bows her head to her and Madge's eyebrows raise at the formality. Shes never had any delegates to show her respect before, her family having lived alone for so long that she often forgets she even is a princess.
"Its a pleasure to meet you Katniss, please, call me Madge." She is happy to hear she speaks the common tongue, even with the slight accent, and she's going to need all the help she can get to learn Dothraki. Katniss shakes her head at Madge's last statement.
"My lady, it is time for you and my Khal's toasting ceremony." Madge has prepared for this. She read from books in her family's library before she departed that this toasting ceremony was the informal way the Dothraki marry, but she was not expecting it to happen so soon, they only just arrived!
"Already? Can't we wait til the morning at least, its getting late!" The nerves from earlier come back, full force. She is not ready for this.
"Yes, Hazelle wants it to happen now. It will be fast, my lady, best get it over with now." Madge wants to strangle whoever this Hazelle woman is. She has no doubt the toasting will be fast, it is just what must happen after the ceremony that scares her; when they'll have to consummate the marriage.
Katniss waits patiently, the girl looks like she has much patience, until Madge moves her feet toward the largest tent.
They enter and Madge can't help but be in awe of how big it is inside.
An older woman rushes over to her with a big smile and kind eyes, and grasps her face, talking animatedly to her in words she can't understand. Madge looks over to Katniss desperately; the girl looks back amused.
"This is Hazelle. She is saying how beautiful you are and how she knew you'd be perfect for her son."
Oh. This woman is Gale's mother; Madge can see some resemblance.
Madge smiles back at her soon to be mother-in-law, "I'm happy to meet you." Madge knows Hazelle doesn't understand what she just said, but she smiles anyway and gives Madge a big hug that the girl gladly reciprocates. She likes her already.
When they break away, Madge sees him watching them. Standing with him are two boys and a third man whom she recognizes as one of the guardsmen who accompanied them on their journey. A little girl, no more than five years old, sits nearby and that is all. Madge is relieved it is going to be a small, intimate affair.
A fire pit burns in the middle of the space and he takes a seat in front of it. Taking that as her cue, she drops to her knees beside him. She watches the flames dance for a bit, almost forgetting whats going on until she sees a piece of bread on a stick appear near the fire. She hurries to do the same. When their bread is nice and toasty, they pull it back and turn cautiously toward each other.
He is handsome, she thinks, as her eyes run over his face, very handsome. Gazing into his unique eyes, she forgets how unpleasant she thought the entire situation was previously.
His hand comes up to her cheek, his thumb pulling down her lower lip while pushing the toast gradually towards her mouth. She bites a large chunk out when its close, not very graceful, and then she's pushing her piece towards him truly acting on instinct here.
He takes a clean bite without breaking their eye contact and when he hums as he chews, a deep throaty sound, she shivers.
Its not long before the bread is gone and cheers and hoots erupt around them, breaking her from her trance. One of the boys says something to Gale causing him to laugh and push him over, and Madge starts staring all over again at the display of emotion.
The others get up after that and say their goodbyes, not before each giving Madge a kiss on the cheek.
Then they are alone.
Breathe in, breathe out, Madge she repeats in her head, but then Gale puts out the fire and they're cloaked in darkness.
She almost considers calling Katniss back in here, but that would just make things awkward for everyone.
Light from the moon is shining softly, so her eyes adjust until she can see him standing, a silhouette of shadows, a gradient of shades and shapes.
In the dark his eyes illuminate, drawing her in till they stand face to face.
He is so tall, completely towering over her, that she has to crank her neck back to see him but she drops it down just as quickly, feeling so very scared.
His fingers come up to her face, rubbing moisture from under her eyes when she realizes shes crying.
"No," Madge's head shoots up at that, the first time he's spoken to her and it's something she understands!
"You know the Common Tongue?" She doesn't miss the excitement in her voice.
His eyebrows furrow, "No."
"Is no the only word you know?"
"No."
Madge sniffles, almost laughing at his confusion, but then his hands are moving and shes amazed at how someone so large and rough, can also be gentle.
She burrows deep into his chest as his hands glide over her neck, her shoulders, her back, murmuring words she doesn't know, but sound soothing. He pulls down her hair pin by pin, giving her time, then unwraps her gown and she's completely bare, still plastered to his front.
He pushes them down and her head meets soft, silky sheets, spreading her hair all about. When he lifts himself off her, his eyes zero in on her chest. His hands run over her breasts and Madge releases a shuddering breath.
"No?," His voice gruff.
After a moment, Madge wraps her arms around his neck, pulling him down till their foreheads touch and looking into his beautiful grey eyes she whispers,
"Yes."
XXX
Hey you made it to the end! haha
Thanks so much for reading, this is my first story and it was a bit of a tough one to tackle plus a lot happening in this chapter, so I'd love to hear all your thoughts.
(PS. I'm looking for a beta reader if anyone is interested!)