Freedom
Daenerys had never known true freedom. In her childhood, her brother and Ser William Darry took care of her, teaching her and always making sure she knew to never leave without one of them, that the world was a dangerous place for a 'weak little cunt such as her,' to quote her brother. Illyrio was no different. Then her brother sold her to a Khal, leaving her under his dominance.
Her flowering was during her time with the Dothraki. She had been so very excited, wanting to see her soulmark for the first time. She eventually found it, though she had to strain her neck to see it. It was on her right shoulder blade, a Targaryen symbol with two heads instead of three and two different coloured eyes - amethyst and ice blue.
Unless her soulmate was her own brother she had no idea what to think of this. She asked Viserys about his soulmark and he barked at her, snarling vile insults like he always did. She backed away, never asking him again.
Her time with the Dothraki gave her some power. She learned to rule the Dothraki people, commanding them when need be. Viserys despised her for it but he couldn't stop it, no matter what she did. She was finally becoming free, and she was not going to let Viserys ruin that for her.
When he tried to steal her dragon eggs, her precious dragon eggs, she was furious. She wanted to teach him a lesson and her Khal Drogo did it for her, beating him half to death and making sure the healers had him repaired in the most painful way possible.
Her Khal's death was incredibly painful, even more so when the death of her son followed. Viserys tried to take charge of the Dothraki himself but they rallied to Daenerys instead, electing her to lead until they found a suitable Khal to replace Drogo. It did benefit her, though, when she made the decision to walk into the burning pyre with her dragon eggs. Jorah tried to stop her and Viserys mocked her for being a fool but she ignored them both. If she truly was a dragon, she would not burn.
When she made the decision to carry her eggs inside with her, Viserys exploded on her, yelling about how she was destroying the three things that could bring them a fortune. She ignored him, instead taking her first step into the flames.
When she emerged with her three children, that was when the Dothraki truly realised how powerful she was. Viserys was gone, likely thinking she was dead and trying to win over the Dothraki. She didn't care. She had her children, and Viserys would not take them from her.
Jorah took care of her, getting her clothes and finding meat for her newly hatched dragons. Viserys didn't pop up anywhere during the time so he likely either hadn't heard or didn't care that she had survived. The dragons he would want for himself, though, and she knew she had to get them away from him.
She turned south, first hitting Qarth and then turning to Slaver's Bay. Astapor went down first, then Yunkai and lastly Meereen. She gained the Unsullied and the Second Sons, also rallying the slaves onto her side after freeing them. Her dragons grew bigger every day, becoming more powerful yet also more destructive and reckless. Viserion especially grew restless. Whenever he saw her his eyes went wild and he would often poke and prod at the soulmark on her shoulder, sometimes spitting flames uncontrollably when it was at its worst. Eventually, it got to the point where she had to lock them up. Rhaegal was easy to round up, Viserion being a bit harder but not impossible. Drogon resisted but got him in the end.
When he saw where they were going, Viserion went mad. He shrieked, flames spurting from his mouth as he spun on her, snarling. Daenerys tried to calm him but he only got more agitated. He shoved his muzzle against her shoulder, inhaling the scent of her soulmark before letting out one final shriek and busting out, taking off into the sky and heading west. He didn't return.
Two years later and she once again faced the slavers. They were attacking Meereen and agreed to meet her beside the pyramid, three masters in total. None of them looked very happy with her.
"Shall we begin discussing terms of surrender?" One master said bluntly.
"We shall," Daenerys agreed.
"Very well," the master said. "The terms are simple. You and your foreign friends will abandon the Great Pyramid and the city of Meereen. The Unsullied you stole from Kraznys mo Nakloz will remain to be sold again to the highest bidder. The translator you stole from Kraznys mo Nakloz will remain to be sold again to the highest bidder. The dragons beneath the Great Pyramid will be slaughtered."
"I don't believe we communicated clearly. We are here to discuss your surrender, not mine," Daenerys corrected.
"Oh, really? I have your city under siege. You know, I knew your brother before he died. He came to us wanting revenge against you, but his recklessness killed him off soon enough. He described you as pitiful and compliant. What changed?"
"Because I am not the meek girl he remembered. I conquered Slaver's Bay. I have a hundred thousand men at my back. Do you really think that you can beat me?"
"Perhaps, but you have no fleet. All your troops are on land." The slave master gave her a proud look. "Your reign is over."
Daenerys looked over behind the masters. "My reign has just begun."
The master opened his mouth to protest but stopped as a low rumble was heard. The master's troops readied their weapons, looking around. A loud growl reverberated off the cliffs and suddenly a giant golden dragon swept over their heads, circling around the pyramid. Viserion set himself down on top of the pyramid, letting out a loud roar. Calling his brethren. He stayed atop the pyramid, smoke curling out of the corners of his mouth. Two roars answered him as Drogon lifted from the city below, free of his shackles with Rhaegal behind him.
The masters gaped at the three dragons, looking to her and back to them. "But-how-" he stuttered. Daenerys ignored him, calling to Drogon. He responded, setting down beside her and allowing her to climb onto his back. He shuddered, running forward and leaping off the cliff with Rhaegal and Viserion following. With the combined efforts of three dragons, the fleet was burned to ashes. When she returned the last remaining slave master was gone, having fled the city.
With that, she decided it was time to leave Essos and sail for Westeros. The Greyjoys pledged fealty to her, providing her with the fleet needed to transport her troops. Drogon and Rhaegal flew overhead with Viserion going ahead, disappearing into the distance with no sign of returning to them. Daenerys was interested to learn where he was going.
Afraid
Sansa was nervous. Her dragon had been gone for a month, disappearing without a trace. Perhaps it was for the better, considering he was so large that he couldn't even land near her anymore and had to stay in the sky if he wanted to see her, but she missed him. She missed seeing his large golden bulk in the air each afternoon, missed watching the archers go crazy trying to shoot him but never hitting their mark. It was sad.
She'd never given him a name. She knew he could only be Daenerys's dragon and he must have a name from her, she just didn't know what. Sansa wanted to know what his true name was before she called him anything permanent.
When he returned to her, he didn't even try to hide his presence. He swooped down from the clouds, landing just outside the castle and announcing himself with a loud roar. Sansa scrambled onto the wall, looking down at her dragon standing in the snow. Arrows flew toward him but only bounced off his armoured scales, him barely taking notice. When he saw her he crooned, his entire body shuddering with delight. She smiled as he practically bounced in happiness, completely disregarding the many soldiers attempting to pierce his scales.
She heard someone coming up behind her and glanced to the side to see Ramsay beside her. "Are you not afraid?" He breathed in her ear. "Does this beast not scare you?"
Sansa shivered uncomfortably. "You speak as if it doesn't scare you. Tell me, is the beast yours?" She knew it wasn't, it was her dragon, but she would never tell him that.
Ramsay laughed. "Not at all, my lady. That is a dragon. There is only one person in the world who we know to have dragons." He smirked. "Daenerys Targaryen."
"The one across the sea, yes," Sansa said. "But why would one of her dragons be here?"
"She must have sent it. There is no other explanation. Now why she sent it is the question. Perhaps she wants to parlay?"
"She would have to send someone with the dragon if she wanted a parlay."
Ramsay grinned. "Aren't you smart? Tell me, Sansa, what is stopping that dragon from burning down the entire keep right now?"
"How could I know? I don't have much knowledge of dragons." Lie. She'd spent hours upon hours in the library researching dragons after she first met hers. Again, he didn't need to know that.
"It's mother, that's what. The dragon queen does not want Winterfell to burn. Perhaps the dragon is here as a warning, maybe as a sign of peace. We'll just have to wait and see." Ramsay moved to shout commands down to his troops and Sansa took that change to urge her dragon to leave. He whimpered sadly, backing away and raising himself onto his hind legs, leaping up into the air and rising over the castle. Sansa watched him go with sadness in her heart. She hated to send him away, but he wouldn't be safe otherwise.
Fire Hair
Daenerys landed in Dragonstone about a month later, Drogon and Rhaegal flying ahead to inspect the castle. It was grand, with dragon carvings everywhere you looked and huge structures, many fortified as to hold the weight of dragons bigger than even her own. It was the most beautiful building she'd ever seen, greater even than the Pyramid of Meereen.
She took about a week to settle down before she decided to find Viserion. She called for him, drawing him back to her, and then waited. It took him an entire day to arrive but he came, landing in front of the castle and giving his brothers an affectionate greeting. Daenerys mounted Drogon and watched as Viserion realised she had no need of him and took off again, heading in the direction he came from. Drogon followed.
They flew into the night, Daenerys watching the ground below her. They passed over the Vale, close enough to see the Eyrie in the distance. She watched as the landscape turned to snow, felt the cold grow greater and cursed her decision of wearing silk.
Finally, Viserion slowed and began to circle around a large keep that she recognised as Winterfell. She had been told the Boltons had stolen it from Theon Greyjoy, who stole it from the Starks. None of those families had any connection to dragons.
Drogon suddenly perked up, smelling the air. He called to Viserion who called back, an excited screech as he pulled his wings back and fell down toward Winterfell. Daenerys felt Drogon dip under her to follow his brother. Viserion had smoke steaming out of the corners of his mouth in his excitement, his wings flaring open to land outside the walls of the keep. Drogon was more careful, pulling himself to a stop so as to not throw her off his back.
Daenerys watched Viserion lift his head up to one of the walls on the castle where a red-headed woman is standing. He exhales smoke from his nose onto her and Daenerys can hear her laugh as she waves it away. She casually set her hand on his snout, stroking him and murmuring. He purred, a shiver running through his body. Viserion turned to look back at his mother and then moved so that his shoulder was pressed against the side of the castle, level with the red-headed girl. She hesitated, looking down at Viserion and stepped onto his back. Daenerys watched in amazement as Viserion turned with her clutching onto his back for dear life, and casually dumped her into the snow.
Revenge
Sansa was thrilled when her dragon landed outside the castle and offered her a ride in the dead of night. She was less thrilled when he threw her off and into the snow.
"What are you doing?" She hissed, reaching up to grab his wing. He grunted, nudging her forward. The moon was barely visible, leaving barely any light and Sansa couldn't see anything in front of her. Then she caught a glint of orange and locked onto that. Glowing slightly in the darkness was one large, reptilian eye. Her dragon lit up a fire in his mouth beside her and bathed a black dragon in the golden flames.
This dragon was even bigger than hers was, more menacing. She took a step back, getting the opposite vibe she did with her dragon. This one didn't look friendly or homely, this one looked like it was going to kill her first chance. Her dragon seemed to disagree. He bumped his head into her back, sending her stumbling forward. She glanced back at him and saw no fear from him. He was confident she would be okay. She trusted him.
Sansa took a brave step forward and then another. The black dragon shifted in place, a small curl of dark red flame curling out of the corner of his mouth. She held out her hand to it, putting it barely a foot away from its nose. The dragon leaned forward to sniff her, inhaling her scent and dipping down to smell her hip. Her mark. It seemed satisfied with her, nuzzling her stomach affectionately. Her dragon placed his head beside her, pressing his cheek against her side. She rested her free hand on his muzzle, softly stroking the black dragon with her other. She felt his flames licking at her robes but they didn't seem to hurt her. When the black dragon exhaled a few sparks, though, those burned her skin. She hissed, rubbing at the areas they hit. Her dragon growled in warning and the black dragon whined apologetically.
Her dragon then lifted his head to look over the black dragon, the light from his fire extending further up the other dragon's back. She looked up with him and locked eyes with an astonished girl sitting atop the black dragon. Her hair was a shining silver-blonde and her eyes glowed purple with the same intensity as a dragon. Her dragons. This could only be Daenerys Targaryen.
Sansa felt her body shudder pleasantly as she looked at the other girl. The black dragon dropped one shoulder low to allow Daenerys to climb off and she did so, standing mere feet away. She watched as Daenerys, her soulmate, moved closer, slowly, ever so slowly. She stopped with little space between them and Sansa took notice of the fact that Daenerys was almost a whole foot shorter than she was.
"You're my soulmate," Daenerys breathed. "You have to be. No one else could tame one of my dragons."
"And you must be mine. There is no other Targaryen for me to match with," Sansa answered.
Daenerys frowned a bit at that. "Two-headed dragon?"
"Indeed."
Daenerys smiled, her face glowing golden from the dragonfire. "Then perhaps we should introduce ourselves. I am Daenerys Targaryen."
"Oh, yes, I know of you and your many titles. Quite flashy." Daenerys giggled quietly. "I am Sansa Stark, daughter of Eddard Stark and," she cringed, "wife of Ramsay Bolton."
Daenerys frowned. "You speak unkindly of him. Is he mean to you?"
"He's a sadistic bastard. Quite literally, he was born a bastard. Legitimised before his father died."
Daenerys nodded solemnly. "Do you wish him dead? I can have him killed this instant."
A smile began to make its way onto Sansa's face. "If we can storm the castle with two giant dragons and scare him shitless."
A crazy grin made its way onto Daenerys's face. "I like the way you think."
Sansa made to mount her dragon and paused. "What's his name?"
"Yours? That's Viserion. Mine is Drogon. I have a third named Rhaegal."
"Viserion," Sansa said softly, rubbing his cheek. She swore she saw him smile.
As she was mounting Viserion, she thought about what her family would think of what she was doing. The last remaining Stark, blindly trusting a Targaryen and about to storm Winterfell with two dragons. They'd probably disown her. It would be reasonable, considering how untrustworthy Targaryens were, but she knew she could never love anyone like Aerys. If Daenerys was her soulmate that meant she would love her, so it was only right to trust her. She was someone Sansa could love, no doubt, and she couldn't love a madman.
She could feel Viserion's heat underneath her, the scales rough on her hands put not uncomfortable. She was nestled in a little crevice between his shoulders, the fins stopping directly in front of her and restarting right at her back. She was made to sit here. She felt as if her connection with him was heightened as well. She knew what he was going to do a second before he did it and when she wanted him to move he moved. She gripped onto his fins and looked over at Daenerys. The silver beauty was sitting confidently on Drogon, looking back at her. She smiled and nodded, gesturing for Sansa to go first. She happily did.
Viserion moved forward much quieter than Sansa thought was possible, stalking around toward the front gate. She noticed that all the guards were positioned toward the front of the keep, where the entrance was. It was a dumb move on Ramsay's part but a fortunate one for them, for none of them had seen Viserion's fire. He rounded the corner, growling and lifting his head to make himself look bigger. Sansa watched as the guards turned toward them, their faces hidden in the darkness. She could imagine what they were feeling, though. Looking up at a creature at least twenty times the size of a horse, glowing yellow eyes and golden sparks coming out of his mouth.
Viserion regarded them for a moment, letting them process what was standing before them. Then he let loose.
Golden flames burst from his mouth, encasing half the troops in a second. Sansa was careful to keep his fire away from the actual structure, not wanting her home to burn. The screams of the men awoke others and Sansa saw candlelights burst forth from windows. More troops marched out of the castle, swords in hand. Drogon heaved himself up onto the wall behind her, opening his mouth wide and letting red fire glow in his throat. The troops stumbled to a halt and Drogon stepped down from the wall striding toward them with murder in his eyes.
Sansa urged Viserion to follow, holding tightly as he lifted onto his back legs to grip the wall with his wings. She charged toward the troops, stopping right in front of them. "Surrender and you can live!" She yelled down to live. "Accept that Ramsay Bolton will die and Winterfell will once more belong to the Starks and you can stay alive. Refuse and you burn along with your Bolton leader."
Two-thirds of the men dropped their weapons and booked it away from the two dragons. Sansa nodded to Daenerys and watched as Drogon erupted with red fire, not unlike a spew of lava. Sansa noticed Ramsay emerging from the hold, more men by his side as well as multiple lords. Viserion snarled, stepping closer to then and letting golden flames trickle from his mouth.
Ramsay looked up at her and looked shocked, an expression that was entirely new on him. "Sansa?"
"Hello, Ramsay. Ready to pay for your sins?" A crazed smile made its way onto her face as she thought about Ramsay's death.
The men around him abandoned him as Viserion charged forward, looming over him like some dark shadow. His jaws opened, throat burning gold as he dropped his head and bit Ramsay in half. Within seconds Ramsay was gone, the only evidence he was there the blood stains on the snow.
