Step 4: Create the fireplace

In the days before her traveling company was ready to leave, Flame tried to return to the dungeons, of course. She frantically read every map of King's Landing that she could get her hands on. She visited every place that could be an entrance to that dark, awful underbelly of the castle, that held the man that she wanted to kill so desperately. She paid several charlatans proclaiming to be guides to the catacombs underneath the castle. But to no avail. The few paths they knew didn't lead deep enough into the dungeons.

And so, on the day that her party was to set off on their long journey south, she wasn't looking forward to the adventure. She was happy to return to her land, but she wasn't looking forward to her assignment: killing a woman - however lowly this foreign woman was for wanting to marry into Dothraki royalty and watering down their noble blood.

Her mother - a proud Dothraki - had always admonished her for violence against other girls. Flame may not have many standards left, but that was a standard she intended to uphold. It is for a good cause though, she told herself. The woman was going to die sooner rather than later anyway. A highborn enemy of King's Landing simply didn't stand much of a chance. And the kind of death that she provided would be a very pleasant one. Besides...her own hands would wring the life out of Hoyts body. The prospect made her shiver in anticipation. Finally. She was finally able to revenge her little brother. She was sure her mother would have approved of some violence against a fellow woman in this case.

She climbed into the carriage surrounded by crates of King's Landing food and clothes - all part of the gifts to the future Khaleesi. The swordsmen accompanying the carriage shouted their greetings to their families as they rode out of the gates.


"Tell Spider I arrived. We have deal. Don't forget!"

The swordsmen greeted Flame. They then bowed for the Khaleesi, who thanked Westeros for its gifts once more, and bid them adieu.

Flame bowed again for her new Khaleesi and then climbed upon the platform to join the other maids. "Halé," she shouted to them, letting them know she was Dothraki too.

"Halé"s were shouted back to her as the maides returned their gazes to the dancing mob of naked Dothraki boys. They weren't bothered by the new arrival. They were Dothraki; they weren't bothered anyhow.

Flame smiled at the scene. It felt good to be back. It was almost as if she had never left. The hot rays of the sun were beating down on her, she smelled the scent of coriander, cumin, oregano and rosemary of the feast's dishes, she could taste the warm and dusty desert with each breath she took and the haunting rhytms of her childhood flooded through her. She smiled. She was home. But she was crudely reminded of the reason she was here today.

"What deal?" sounded the voice of her new Khaleesi.

"Hm?" said Flame, before realizing she was supposed to act like a servant now. "Apology, Khaleesi?"

"You mentioned a deal with a spider?"

"Lord Spider. I am here. My family is there. He protects my family," said Flame. Or at least the honour of my dead family, she thought.

"Your family is important to you?" asked the Khaleesi as she sat herself back down onto her wooden throne, overlooking the festivities.

"Hm." Flame nodded.

"That sounds nice. Mine hasn't hesitated to sell me." The Khaleesi sighed. "No offense to your people, but if there had been a way not to marry the Kahl, I would certainly have taken it. My brother wants to rule the known lands..." She shielded her eyes against the sun and looked into the distance. "Sorry, I shouldn't talk so much with a servant. But I haven't been able to speak in my own tongue for weeks..."

Flame shook her head. She had thought that the Targaryen woman had wanted to marry into Dothraki royalty for her own power and fame. Yet as it turned out, this was just one more woman getting caught in the crossfire of men's quest for power. And now the woman was going to die. Perhaps just as well… What life was this Khaleesi going to look forward to? War, conspiracy, hatred, never feeling at home...

Flame sat down at her feet.

"What are they singing? It sounds rather...violent?" asked the Khaleesi.

Flame smiled at the whirling mass of Dothraki boys. The rhythmic singing and drumming was soothing to her soul. "Not violent. It is about the oasis."

"An oasis? A place in the desert with a water source and somewhat more vegetation than the surrounding lands?"

Flame frowned at the wordiness of her new Khaleesi. It must be a Targaryen thing. "Yes. Oasis is the woman. The man drinks and eats. Wedding song."

"Ah, and why are they throwing earthenware?"

"Then where?"

"The cans and plates?"

"Show they have enough. Plenty. They can throw and still have more in the tents? Like oasis. Always enough."

"Ah, they are expressing their wealth?"

Flame smiled. Something like that. Gods, this woman was naive. She looked up at her. The setting desert sun was behind her head like a fiery aura. She had a certain outlandish beauty to her. Her light hair and light skin and delicate features. It wouldn't altogether be unpleasant to..well...kill her. A physical relationship had to be established. The sooner the better.

Flame reached out to touch the Khaleesi's leg. It startled her.

"Apology," said Flame. "You look sad."

"Hmm…You're observant. Do you share my interest in the interpretation of facial expressions?"

At the blank stare of Flame, she continued. "Yes, I'm feeling sad. I don't know. It's nice...the festivities. The gifts. But I don't know. I've dreamt of my wedding since I was a little girl, like all little girls do. And my dream was nothing like this." She paused a few moments while a big fire was started and several Dothraki women joined the men in their dance. "It's silly, but... I wanted to have a wedding on top of one of the Fourteen Fires vulcanoes…"

Flame laughed. "You burn!"

"Well, no, there are two that are relatively inactive. And I would consult a septa about the possibility of an outbreak before the wedding of course." She looked away in the distance. "Didn't you dream of your wedding when you were a little girl?"

"Never the little girl," said Flame, swatting at a sandfly.

"What did you dream of though, when you were young?"

"You want to know? Honest?"

"Yes. Tell me honestly." The Khaleesi looked at her with her sincere green eyes. Like dragon eyes, thought Flame.

"Okay. I tell you. I dream of flying. I dream of flying with the dragons."

"On your wedding day?"

"No, I don't dream of the wedding. I dream of the dragons, always."

Flame thought this would make the Khaleesi laugh at her, like so many had laughed at her dragon dreams before. Everyone knew the dragons were dead. It was childish to dream, let alone talk about them.
But the Khaleesi didn't laugh at Flame. Instead Flame saw something unfathomable sparkle deep in the eyes - deep in the soul - of the other woman.

"Come with me to my tent after the festivities," the Khaleesi said. "You will become my personal maid. I like that I can speak in my own tongue to you. You can teach me about the culture and the language."

"And more." Flame looked directly into her Khaleesi's dragon eyes.

"No doubt," the Khaleesi smiled and looked at the festivities again. The Kahl, her husband, was being carried around the fire on a wooden platform.

"I hope they will not be carrying me around like that?" asked the Khaleesi.

"This is men's fertility dance. Your fertility is different, private. The feast is in the tent with just women. I prepare you."

"Thank you." The Khaleesi held out her hand to Flame. "I'm glad you were presented to me. At least some good has come out of this awful wedding."

Flame lightly ran her fingers over the offered hand and then sat closer to the throne, leaning her bare arms against the shins of her Khaleesi, her prey.

A/N: I'm very curious to know if you'd like to read more. Please review!
Next up: the kindling will be piled onto the fire place. Mmmm ;-)