Author's Note: (Eight Months Later) First and foremost, I am soooo sorry that I abandoned this story for so long! I know I left you all hanging, and I apologize for that. I do have an ending in mind for Charming Dragons, and I would say the story is about 75% complete at this time. I promise the next update will be soon(ish) and that I will stick with this one until it's finished, probably within the next month or two. Thank you all so much for being so ridiculously patient. Enjoy!
"Jackson, where are we going?" Dany yelled over the roar of the motorcycle as it idled in the driveway. He'd practically dragged her out of the house as soon as the boys left for the day. His friend Lyla was taking them to the park for the afternoon, along with her three children. Dany liked Lyla. She was quite rough around the edges, if not entirely uncouth, but she was kind to Dany and seemed to have a genuine interest in Jax and the boys' wellbeing, which was an interest Dany shared more each day.
"I've been thinkin' since our talk the other night, you know, about this guy you're supposed to find, this wizard or whatever."
"Sorcerer," Dany corrected him as she snapped on her helmet.
"Same thing," Jax grumbled. Dany could tell it made him uncomfortable, the subject of sorcerers and witches and blood magic, but he humored her just the same. "Anyway, I don't know anything about magic or other realms or any of this shit you're always talkin' about, but I know someone who might. Now hop on."
Dany climbed onto Jax's bike with ease, wrapping her arms securely around his waist. As much as she wished to take command of her own steel horse like the queen she was, she didn't completely hate being so close to Jax. He smelled good and made her feel safe in a way that only one other man ever had.
The further away from the city they traveled, the easier it was for Dany to imagine that she was back in Westoros, riding through the hills on horseback. When she closed her eyes, she could almost hear her Army behind her, following her wherever she went, as they always did. She missed home. But the longer she was in Jax's world, the harder it was to imagine going back to her own.
"We're here," Jax called over his shoulder as he brought his bike to a stop. It took Dany a moment to return to reality.
"And where is 'here'?" she asked as she took off her helmet and began to smooth out her hair.
Jax smiled and took her hand, leading her down a dusty path to a very small house that more resembled Jax's garage than an actual home. "Welcome to the Wahewa Reservation in all its glory," he said quietly.
"Jackson!" called an elderly man with caramel skin as he rounded the side yard. "To what do I owe the pleasure? First the fat one, now you?"
Jax cocked his head to one side, an amused smile on his face. Before he could ask for clarification, a man Dany recognized as Jax's friend Bobby came stumbling out the front door.
"The hell you doin' here?" Jax asked as the men greeted one another in a way Dany was slowly becoming accustomed to. She still found the sight of two men embracing a bit odd, but it seemed to be a common practice here.
"Had to restock on the magic mushrooms," Bobby explained, dangling a clear plastic bag of what looked like dried animal droppings in front of his face.
"Jesus Christ," Jax muttered.
"What about you guys?"
"Yes, what are you doing here?" the dark-skinned man asked as he approached.
"Hey, Chief," Jax offered warmly, shaking the man's hand. "How's it goin'? This is my friend Dany."
The man nodded graciously. "Ma'am."
"Lovely to meet you," Dany replied.
"So my friend here," Jax continued, placing a gentle hand on Dany's shoulder, "is in need of a little spiritual guidance. I thought a powwow with your ma might do her some good. She around?"
"Mother's napping," the man explained. "You're welcome to wait. If you'll excuse me, I was right in the middle of something." He bowed his head and disappeared behind his house again, leaving Jax, Dany, and Bobby alone.
"Let's walk," Jax suggested.
Bobby chuckled. "You can walk me back to my bike. I don't even know where I parked it, to be honest with ya." Jax laughed and shook his head.
The three of them started down a path that cut between two small groupings of trees. Dany enjoyed the quiet countryside and the sounds of nature- there was a certain melody to it that she found enchanting. Her eyes grew wide when she heard a familiar sound. At first, she thought she'd imagined it. But when she heard it a second time, she knew it was real. She took off down the path, toward the noise, Jax on her heels, calling after her. It was the whinnying of…
"A horse!" she gasped as she reached an open meadow encased by metal fencing. In her excitement, she nearly tripped over the bars on the gate as she climbed them.
"Dany!" Jax yelled. "What are you doing?" She held up a hand to quiet him. The horse was calm, but it would bolt if startled. She approached with caution as Jax and Bobby hung back on the other side of the fence.
"Hello there," Dany crooned as she took slight, slow movements toward the chestnut colored mare. "You're a pretty one, aren't you?" The horse snuffed and clomped its heel against the hard ground, creating a small dust cloud. It didn't bother Dany. Westoros was nothing if not dusty. "Don't be afraid," she murmured. "I won't hurt you." She reached carefully toward the horse. "It's aaaaalright. It's alright." The feel of the horse's coat under her hand sent adrenaline racing through her veins. It was the first time since arriving in Charming that she'd felt in her own element. The horse responded positively to her touch. It nuzzled into her hand as she stroked the single patch of white, right between its eyes. "Let's go for a ride, shall we?" she whispered. The horse almost seemed to know what she was saying. It stood perfectly still as she grabbed a tuft of its mane as leverage to pull herself up. She didn't dare look back at Jax. She knew him well enough to know he wouldn't approve.
She hoisted herself up onto the horse's back on her first try, even though she was quite out of practice. The horse shifted a bit under her weight, and she tightened her legs against its sides to steady herself. Once she felt secure, she looked toward Jax and Bobby. Bobby was leaning against a tree, enjoying the show as he picked small morsels out of the bag in his hand and ate them. Jax was standing just outside the gate, gripping it tightly with both hands, ready to leap over it and run to Dany's rescue if necessary. His face was twisted up with worry. Dany waved to him, beaming with excitement. His eyes wide and his jaw set, he was pointing frantically at the ground, signaling for her to get down. Who did he think he was? Dany winked at him as she dug her heels into the horse's side.
"Yah!" she shouted, and the horse took off. The weight of a thousand worlds lifted from her shoulders as the horse galloped through the meadow, turning at every curve of the fence. It knew its boundaries. She could hardly hear Jax yelling at her as the wind whipped against her ears. She took deep, deliberate breaths, releasing her sorrow with each one. Round and round they went, Dany and the horse. Each time she passed Jax, he looked a little less tense. Dany's heart was so full of joy, she was afraid it might burst. For the first time in a long time, she felt like herself. She threw her head back and laughed as her long hair twisted in the breeze. The laughter was contagious, and soon Jax and Bobby were laughing right along with her.
She was so lost in the moment, it took her a while to notice that the man Jax called "Chief" had joined them, with him, a petite, frail looking old woman. He studied Dany and the horse, wide-eyed. She steered the horse toward her audience, stopping just in front of them.
"I'm sorry," she said, out of breath, as she quickly hopped off the horse. "I should have asked your permission. I hope you don't mind."
The chief shook his head. "No," he said quietly. "Not at all. It's just…we took her in as a wild one. She was injured, and my son thought he could nurse her back to health and then put her to work around here. But no one has been able to break her. No one has even been able to get close. It's remarkable."
"Oh," Dany said, shrugging off his compliment as she pressed her forehead against the horse's muzzle. "I don't believe that. She's a sweet girl." She could feel Jax's eyes on her. "What?" she demanded, turning to him.
He shook his head and smiled. "You just constantly surprise me, that's all."
"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" she asked, heat rising to her cheeks.
"I don't know yet," Jax mused. The horse whinnied, stealing his attention for just a moment. "You scared the shit outta me, you know."
Dany gave him a sly grin. "I know."
"Dany, this is my mother, Hania," the chief interrupted. Dany turned to greet the woman. When their eyes met, an instant connection took hold. This woman was not like the other people in Charming. She was other worldly, like Dany. And judging by the shocked look on her leathery face, she felt it too.
She reached a shaky hand toward Dany, placing it gently on her cheek. "Khaleesi," she whispered.
