Daenerys
It's been a long time since Dany saw so much food at the same time. Fruits, vegetables, meat of all sorts, desserts, everything on the table is looking incredibly delicious.
She takes place at the right of Regina. The long table and royal etiquette would have wanted her at the other side, facing the Queen but the Mother of Three didn't want to dine alone tonight. Dany is thankful Regina had that same idea.
"Regina, there is too much food on this table." says Dany, almost in awe of a perfectly shaped dark-brown sort of cake.
"That is chocolate, dear. You're gonna have to try it later. It's better than some of my past lovers" whispers the Queen and winks at Dany. "You may choose whatever you want. Eat all you need. Don't worry about your dragons, their meal is being uhm prepared as we speak..." continues Regina on a normal tone.
"I wouldn't know what to take..."
"May I make a suggestion?"
"Oh yes, please!" answers Daenerys with a big smile on her face
"I always begin with this, my chef makes an amazing spicy sauce for lamb, and the salad is the right way to balance it so your mouth won't catch fire." says Regina as she helps herself from the platter.
"Lamb? It's been so long since I've tasted lamb..." says Dany dreamily.
"Then by all means!" laughs Regina.
Daenerys begins to eat. Almost too fast. She was so hungry. She's only had squirrels and berries when she could find some. Sometimes a loaf of bread when she could steal one. The travel to this castle has been hard on her.
At first, not a word is spoken between them. It's not an awkward silence as one may think. Just enjoying good food and good company.
When the meal for her Dragons arrives, though, Dany almost chokes on her own food. Viserion and Rhaegal are being offered an elbow of what seems to be cow, each. And Drogon receives an almost entire rear flank. She had never been able to offer them so much food at once.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. This..." Daenerys Targaryen, who never shed a tear in front of anyone, cannot hold that one back. So much generosity. So much kindness toward a complete stranger with nothing to give in return is too much to take for a very physically and emotionnally tired Khaleesi.
The Queen looks at her, water in her eyes.
"This is why we invented chocolate. Who cares about lamb and salad. You need comfort food. Here, have a big piece of this delicious cake." Dany knows that the Queen won't awknowledge her gratitude simply because she wouldn't. It's what queens do: they give whatever they want and expect a thank you. They don't say "you're welcome" or "it's my pleasure". It's too... personal. But Dany can see in her eyes that she is happy to have pleased her guest. So she dries her cheek and takes a bite of that thing called chocolate.
"Oh by the new Gods and the old." the sound coming out of Daenerys's mouth is absolutely not worthy of a queen but she cannot help it.
"I told you..." says Regina with a smirk. "I could only find a worthy equivalent in the arms of a woman..."
And once again, Daenerys Stormborn, Mother of Dragon, almost chokes on her delicious piece of chocolate cake.
Regina
Once they both decided that they've had enough food, they moved to the big comfortable chairs in front of the fire. It wasn't really cold but the fire in front of them was more for the mind than for the flesh. Watching a fire burn was something Regina always found soothing. And being the blood of the dragon, Dany agreed.
So there they are, both looking at the gigantic fireplace in silence. Listening to Drogon's snoring and Viserion's whining. The little dragon is probably dreaming of her next meal.
"They are beautiful" says Regina dreamily. "How did you have them?"
"They were supposed to be fossilized eggs. Gifts for my wedding."
"How did they go from fossilized to... very much alive?" smiles the Queen.
"That is a long and painful story, Regina. And I do not wish to bother you with it, not after that wonderful meal." answers Dany, loosing her gaze into the flames once more. Regina remains silent for a few minutes. Knowing that her new found friend won't open up to her if she doesn't give her reasons to trust her.
"I was 18 when my mother... when she... I was in love. I was in love as much as one can be. When my mother accepted the proposal of the King in my place, we decided to run away. Unfortunately some... the daughter of the King caught us and told my mother. She... she killed my love in front of me. My eyes weren't even dried from the tears I shed for Daniel that my wedding was being celebrated. The King was an old and selfish man. He took what he wanted when he wanted it. See, Daenerys Targaryen, my story is painful as well. Many things happened. Many things will happen. But sometimes, you need to stop and tell someone you've been suffering. You need a witness. The world may hate me but when I go to sleep at night, I cry in the same way a widow cries for her departed husband. Only my tears are not for my husband. They're for the only one I've ever loved. A stable boy."
Dany says nothing. What is there to say. Regina keeps looking into the fire, afraid to see pity on the face next to her. She does not want pity. She just wants someone to know. She doesn't want to be judged by a complete stranger, not without said-stranger having all the facts. And if Dany had travelled a lot to get here, Regina is pretty sure she heard what she did and who she supposedly is. An Evil witch thirsty for the blood of a sweet and innocent girl.
"I was 13 when my brother, Viserys, sold me to Khal Drogo. A Khal is the equivalent of a King in the Dothraki language. The first time I saw him, I felt so afraid. Drogo seemed all mighty and powerful. He had never been defeated, you could know that by the length of his hair and the numbers of little bells attached in his long braid. Kind of like this one." Dany stops and shows her small bell in her long braid.
"My brother called the Dothraki savages. And from what I saw during the ceremony, that was what they were. Men died and women... Our host at the time offered me a large box with what I first mistook for stones in it. I learned that they were dragon eggs. Dragons where I come from were extinct. But those eggs were gorgeous and gave me courage. That's when Drogo offered me his wedding gift. A beautiful horse. I had never seen more beautiful horse. I wanted to thank him but there is no Dothraki word for thank you. But what I saw in my husband's eyes was enough. I fell in love with him then."
Daenerys takes a long heavy breath. Regina knows something terrible happened. She can feel it in the voice of Dany. She desperately wants to run to the young woman and hold her and tell her it's okay.
"A maegi killed him. Out of revenge because my tribe sacked her village and burnt her temple. She told me she was healing one of his wounds. I was pregnant. I trusted her because I saved her from rape. Or so I thought. He magic killed my unborn child as well. I am unable to bear life anymore. Those dragons were born in the funeral pyre of my lord husband. I walked in it and somehow along the hours, I felt life hanging on to me. Rhaegal on my leg, Viserion was sucking on my breast and Drogon was standing proud on my shoulder. That's why they call me Mother of Dragons. Those are the only children I am likely to have. That's why I am constantly on the run. Everyone told me to sell one to gather an army to get back my throne and land. But what seems like a fair price to a mother for one of her children?"
Regina is at loss of words. Now she understands why Daenerys is so protective of her dragons. It wasn't an obsession. No more than a mother is obsessed with the well-being of her children.
"Dany, I promise you. You are safe here. You are free to stay for as long as you wish. I can have you meet someone who knows a great deal about dragons, maybe you have some questions left without answers regarding your children. I know you want to take back what is yours, but right now I can only offer you shelter and food. For you AND your dragons. I don't know about you, but I could use a friend around here. This castle is empty and lonely. And... look at Viserion, just watching him puts a smile on my face. Am I mistaken in thinkng that he is the funniest of the three? And Rhaegal, the way he comes near you, searching your hand in comfort. I'd really like you for you and your family to stay for a while but that is your decision. You are free to go as well as free to stay. So what do you say?"
