A/N: Wow! I did not think that I would have this much response so quick! This chapter is getting posted early because I was pumped about the response, but after this its back to weekly postings on Friday (there will be one this Friday, too). Thanks to xenocanaan, busybeekisses19, LoveTheBadGuys77, and ZabuzasGirl for reviewing as well everyone who favorited and followed. I hope you all like this chapter, too!
I also made some light edits to the last chapter. I realized that the chapter I posted was not the final edit I had made and I wanted that version to be posted. Nothing major changes, so I don't think you will have to re-read it, but you may want to. Hopefully it won't change anyone's opinion of the story, haha.
Dany and I sat on the balcony of my room in piles of blankets with plates of food around us. We had been sitting there for hours while I made a list of words I wanted to know in Dothraki. Dany would continually suggest silly words and we spent a lot of the time laughing. It made me realize how wonderful life here was. After begging in the streets any life would be better, but we we truly treated like royalty here. Viserys would still lose his temper ever now and again, but in this large house we could avoid him.
It was then I realized how much I would miss this place.I set my scrolls to the side and stood up moving to stand at the edge of the balcony. I stood there staring out at the sea and I heard Daenerys getting up from the blankets. She came and stood beside me leaning slightly against my arm. We both stood in silence for a while before Dany turned her head up to look at me.
"Do you want to marry the khal?" I looked down at her and smiled.
"I think it's wonderful that I will get to marry at all. If Viserys had his way I would probably be left here in a brothel once he got his throne." I smiled wider before looking out at the ocean again. "Besides the khal is very handsome. At least I will be able to look at him." We both laughed.
"And you will get to travel all around Essos." I looked at her again as she gazed at the ocean, a sad look on her face.
"What is it my little dragon?" She looked up at me, eyes wide and moist.
"I will be scared to stay here alone with Viserys." I gripped the balcony tight as I thought of a way to keep Daenerys away from our brother.
"Would you come with me? Maybe I could ask the khal if you could come along with the khalasar." I knew that men were often more accommodating after sex and I hoped I could use that to my advantage on my wedding night.
"Do you really think he would let me?" She looked so excited that I would hate for the khal to say no.
"I don't know I have never spoken to him." I picked up the pages to take to Illyrio. "And if I don't get these translated I never will. I will talk to the khal tomorrow night. Please don't get too excited, in case he says no."
"But I should pack right because you leave the day after?" I could already tell she had her heart set on going and I sighed, but nodded. She laughed and hugged me before racing off to her room.
"Dany!" She stopped at the door. "Say nothing to Viserys." She nodded quickly before leaving.
I knew he would be furious when he found out that I planned to take Danearys with me, but once I was married he would just have to like it. I knew that no matter what kind of husband the khal would be, his pride would not allow Viserys to mistreat me. I left my room as well traveling the halls to Illyrio's study. I knocked on the door and heard him call for me to enter. I opened the door and walked in slowly turning and closing the door before I approached the large desk. Illyrio looked up from his papers and smiled at me.
"Good evening, my dear, words for me to translate?" I nodded smiling shyly before passing the papers to him. "Good, I will have them done for you by the wedding tomorrow." I turned to leave, but Illyrio started to speak once more.
"I first chose you to be the khal's bride." I turned back to him shocked. "I have done trading with the Dothraki for years and when he was last in the city Khal Drogo asked me to find him an exotic wife."
Drogo, Viserys had never used his name before.
"I knew it had to be you." Ha smiled at me. "You have your father's eyes, a brilliant purple, but your mother's hair. While the bright red it was in your youth was pretty, I prefer this deep color, like polished mahogany, that can catch the light like rubies." I fingered the ends of my hair, I knew that it was why my father had taken my mother. He always said I was touched by fire, especially with the vibrancy it had when I was child. It had darkened closer to brown as I aged.
"And your skin, as pale today as it was when you first arrived, despite your hours in the gardens." He smiled at me. "Yes the khal had never seen anyone like you. I could tell he was pleased with my choice."
"But Viserys decided I was to marry the khal at the last minute." He laughed slightly.
"Your brother is highly suggestable. I may have planted the idea of marrying you to the khal instead of your sister." He smiled at me before looking back down at his desk. "You should rest child, tomorrow will be a busy day."
I returned to my room and removed my dress before climbing into bed. As I lay in bed, for the first time I wondered what it would be like to marry the khal. I had never expected to marry, but the times when I had thought of a husband, my only hope was that he would be kind. Living with Viserys had been terrifying and as long as the khal treated me kindly I did not care what he did. Drinking, fighting, bedding hundreds of whores, he could do it all and I would not say a word, provided he did not raise a hand to me.
I woke the next morning when the blankets were pulled from my body. I sat up quickly and saw Viserys at the end of the bed holding the covers. I quickly crossed my legs and wrapped my arms around my chest. He smirked at me before dropping the sheets and walking to the head of the bed. He kissed my forehead and placed a gentle hand on the back of my head. He ran his hand down my hair pulling some of it in front of my shoulder. He stood and placed his hands on his hips.
"Come now, you can't be so shy. Your husband won't want you covering up so much." I didn't move and Viserys clapped his hands. "Get up, a lot to do before the wedding. I've had a bath drawn for you."
I slid across the bed and got out on the other side, away from Viserys. I walked quickly across the room sinking into the bath. I could hear him walking up behind me as I reached for the cloth resting on the side of the tub. I poured some of the oils onto it before rubbing my arms and neck. I tried to ignore the feeling of someone coming up behind me. Viserys crouched behind me and placed his hands on my shoulders. I tensed, but continued washing myself, trying to stay calm.
"You have never been with a man, but I know you are aware of what happens. I saw you watching that night."
I froze and Viserys began to run his hands up and down his arms. I immediately knew what he was talking about. Years ago when we were still living on the streets, we had enough money to afford a few nights in a inn. Viserys had gone out, while Dany and I had gone to sleep. Later I woke up and saw Viserys in bed with a woman he had returned with. I was not too young to be ignorant of what happens in the marriage bed and I was naturally curious. I had watched them for a while, but after a few moments it made me uncomfortable and I had rolled over and tried to go back to sleep.
"You have a beautiful body and I expect you to use it to please the khal tonight, or I will make you may tomorrow."
As Viserys stood and left the room I could feel myself shaking and let out a long breath. I quickly finished washing and got out of the tub as two maids came in. One was holding another new dress, this one a pale purple. They both helped me to dress before I sat in front of the vanity and they began to work on my hair. They put complicated braids around my head to hold my hair back from my face, but left the rest down. One maid rubbed scented oil beneath jaw and between my breasts before they both left the room.
I stood and looked in the mirror. The dress was beautiful but looked almost sheer, which made me more nervous. It cut deeply between my breasts and tied around my neck. I turned around and saw that most of my back was left completely bare. I turned back to the front and shifted some from side to side. Nothing fell out when I moved so at least the dress would keep my modesty. The pale purple color made my eyes more noticeable and overall I was pleased with how I looked. Despite the nerves I had this was still my wedding day and I would remember it forever.
"It is time my lady." I turned to see a maid in the door and I panicked. It could not be time already. I looked out the window and saw that the sun was still low in the sky. I followed the maid out into the front entrance where Dany, Viserys and Illyrio waited. The moment he saw me Viserys walked out of the house to the waiting carriage to take us out into the plains. Dany ran to me and hugged me before spinning, to show me her dress.
"Isn't it pretty, Viserys got it for me new." It was a pale purple similar to mine, but was far less revealing.
"It's beautiful sweetling, but not half as pretty as you." I smiled at her and she beamed up at me. I walked towards Illyrio, who held out his hand, full of folded papers. I gasped and took them from him quickly reading over what he wrote. The words looked strange and had dashes in the middle.
"I wrote out how the words sound so that you would be able to pronounce them." He pointed to one of the words. "vod-jor, it means god. I translated all the words you gave me as well as some others I thought you would find useful."
"Thank you, this means more to me than you realize." He smiled before taking my arm and leading me down the stairs.
"There is an important aspect of the wedding you must know. As the new khalessi the people will offer you many gifts, but it is essential that you turn down the whip, the bow, and the arakh, a curved sword. These gifts are meant for your husband." He turned and looked at me, as we reached the bottom step. "Traditionally there are specific words you would use, but there is no time for you to learn them. Try to make it clear that you are politely declining them when they are offered to you."
"Hurry up!" Viserys had poked his head out of the carriage. Illyrio smiled at me gesturing to the carriage I climbed inside and sat across from Viserys. Dany followed and sat beside me, leaning slightly against my side.
The ride out to the wedding site was over quickly and I was surprised by how loud it was. I looked out the window and saw a mass of people. I gasped at how many there were and I felt Dany come up behind me to look out as well. I turned and looked at her and her eyes were wide, with her mouth agape. The large group appeared to be feasting, but the large central area was mostly clear, but held dancers wearing red, yellow and orange. It was like nothing I had ever seen before and I felt less prepared than ever for this marriage. I tightly gripped the papers in my hand, as I looked out the window.