It's time to say farewell, my friend

Hi eveyone! I'm sorry for the late update! I have been sick for the better part of a week and have needed quite a lot of time to recover... I was not in the mood to write. With a bit of a delay, here's the next chapter. Enjoy! -QueenNothingness

The sun rising, seeing it from the pyramid, is still one of Riley's favourite things to see. She has gotten used to the early mornings, though she has never been an early riser before.

'Riley, are you coming?' Damotra called out, Riley sighing and turning her back to the beautiful sight before her. 'I'm coming, Damotra.' Riley grinned at her friend, the darkhaired girl raising an eyebrow.

'What is so funny?' Damotra asked again, Riley shrugging goodnaturedly. After their little 'talk', she and Damotra had gone back to their former friendship, now that all the secrets were cleared. The only thing missing was dragons flying in the sky. It was a familiar sight Riley had begun to miss, if she was honest.

'You know that Hizdahr Zo Loraq has been lobbying with Queen Daenerys to reopen the fighting pits?' Riley sighed. 'Still? That man does not know when to stop.' Damotra shook her head in thought, long braid moving around in tandem. 'I don't think he means to be difficult. I think he really believes that reopening the pits will do good for the City of Meereen.' Riley nodded. 'Maybe.'

'Ah, if it aren't the two favourites of the queen.' a voice sneered, Damotra closing her eyes and praying for patience as Riley ground her teeth together. 'What do you want, Lerana?' Riley asked, all friendliness gone from her voice. 'Can you not leave us alone? Are you jealous maybe?'

That question hit close to home, Lerana's face forming into an angry one. 'Don't get cocky with me, stranger. You think that cosying up to the dragonqueen will help you with your stature in life? You are worth nothing!' Lerana hissed, Riley raising an eyebrow in response. So there were even bitches in this world, huh?

Riley looked her up and down, her bitchface in place, ready to drop an answer on her that would leave her ashamed. 'I do not think you are in the right place to judge who is worth anything or not.' A voice interrupted them, Lerana stuttering and bowing. 'Ser Barristan! My excuses, I was just...' 'Reminding miss Riley of her stature in life?' Ser Barristan finished, eyebrow raised, clearly not impressed. 'Yes, she was reminding me why I was worth nothing.' Riley added, smiling at the Lord and curtsying.

'I did not mean it like that! Please accept my apologies, Riley. Do not tell the Queen!' Lerana begged, thinking Riley had a great deal of power. If only she knew...

'Should I?' Riley said, but a smile appeared on her face. 'Stop crying Lerana, it's allright.' Damotra turned to Ser Barristan, a questioning look in her eyes. 'What can we do for you, Ser Barristan?'

Ser Barristan motioned for them to follow. 'The Queen would like to talk to you two.' Both girls nodded and followed the old man, exchanging pleasantries on the way. Riley did not know Ser Barristan as well as the Queen or Lady Missandei, but he was always friendly and gentle with her, and always listened to her problems if she ever had them. He was a dear friend to her, more like a mentor.

'Did things work out between you two?' Ser Barristan asked her a bit later when Damotra had gone ahead. 'How did you?' 'When you were talking about a friend, I did quickly catch on you talked about her. I'm not stupid.' Riley laughed and nodded. 'Yes, we managed to clear our differences.' 'Than I'm glad my council worked well. The Queen will need friends like you who support her.'

Ser Barristan's next phrase was interrupted when Daenerys walked in, motioning for Riley and Damotra to sit. 'Did you see anything weird yesterday evening?' Both girls looked in confused silence to the queen, shaking their heads. 'No, Your Grace. Why do you ask?' 'One of my soldiers was killed yesterday evening nearby your house. I wondered if you heard something.'

'I'm very sorry to hear that. We did come home rather late, since we went to the tavern and went to drink with some of the maids after work.' Damotra's voice betrayed her shock as Daario raised an eyebrow, Damotra grinning back at him. 'You think women don't like to relax and drink from time to time? A girl needs to socialize.' Riley answered, Damotra nodding in tandem. 'But for what it's worth, I'm very sorry for your loss, sir Greyworm.' Riley finished. Daenerys sighed but smiled at them.

'That's all I wanted to ask, Riley. You may both go.' Daenerys sighed, Riley and Damotra both walking out of the door. 'I wonder...' Greyworm whispered, eyebrows raised in suspicion. 'What are you thinking about?' Missandei asked out loud, interrupting Greyworm's thoughts. 'She is hiding something.' he finally said, Daenerys looking up. 'Who? Riley?' Greyworm nodded. 'I don't think it is something dangerous, Your Grace. I can see the way she reacts that she has a secret to keep, one that begins to weigh harder on her shoulders every day. Sooner or later she will snap.'

'Should we stop by the market to get some food?' Damotra proposed as they strolled home. 'Yes, and maybe than we can go for a walk with Ruby and Pearl. They have not had a lot of chances to stretch their legs.' Riley wondered, Damotra nodding in enthusiasm.

Both girls were quick to go home and cook dinner, excited to go for a ride. Pearl hinnied in their pen when Damotra came walking towards her, long black hair lose. 'Hello girl. It's been a while.' Damotra whispered, scratching the horse behind her ears. Both girls quickly saddled their horses, taking them out of the pen and walking next to them on the street.

'Here, take Ruby's reins. I always need more strength to get on her back.' Damotra took the reins, Ruby grazing and not moving at all. Riley grabbed both of the leather cords that were sticking out of the saddle, specifically made on her request so she could hoist herself up. It was with a lot of difficulty that she finally sat on the horse's back. Damotra was quicker to mount up, Pearl being used to such an agile rider.

Both girls trotted through the streets of Meereen, the sun starting to shine less hard, a soft breeze settling in. Once out of the city, they galloped for a while, the horses having the chance to work their excess energy off. They stopped atop a hill, underneath a tree, the horses grazing as both girls sat and drank some water.

'The view is beautiful here.' Damotra mused as Riley put her head against the bark of the tree. 'It's moments like these that make me feel alive.' Riley whispered not to anyone in particular, and closed her eyes as she took a deep breath. She had never taken the time to enjoy nature in her former life, but after dying and waking up here, she had decided to live every day to the fullest. So she did.

A screech above their heads interrupted her musing, Damotra cursing when she looked up. 'Is that Drogon? He has grown huge!' Riley muttered, looking on as the black dragon disappeared in the horizon. 'He does keep coming back from time to time. I suppose to check if Daenerys is allright. She is his mother after all.' Damotra answered as she calmed Pearl and Ruby down.

Maybe Drogon did still have some lingering feelings for his mother.

The next day Riley was walking, basket with fresh fruit and vegetables from the market on her arm. 'Miss Riley!' a voice called after her, Ser Barristan jogging up to her. 'Ser Barristan. Enjoying the beautiful weather today?' 'Something like that.' Riley laughed and grinned at the man. 'Patrolling more likely.' Ser Barristan nodded with a smile on his face, looking at the basket Riley had on her arm.

'Went to the market?' Riley nodded. 'I wanted to try to make an applepie as a surprise for Damotra, well as good as I can remember. I used to be good at it when I was younger. It cannot be that hard, right?'

Ser Barristan opened his mouth to respond when at once they heard screams and people started running past them. Ser Barristan's jaw hardened, sword quickly unsheathed. 'Riley, I want you to go back to your house and block the doors. Do you understand?' Riley gasped, stuttering as she felt fear creeping in. 'But...' 'Do as I say. Go now!' Ser Barristan ordered her. 'I will keep a piece of applepie for you to the side. Be careful!' Riley called out after him as she ran the opposite way. 'I always am.' she heard Ser Barristan mutter and than in the blink of an eye he was gone around the corner.

If only she knew it was the last time she would see him alive.

The next night Riley was working the late shift. She had managed to keep a piece of pie to the side for Ser Barristan, asking the kitchenstaff to keep it safe. Now she only had to find the man, she mused, cleaning the corridor.

'Riley.' a voice whispered, almost cracking. Riley looked up in the tired face of the dragonqueen, her usual friendly face gone. 'Your Grace? Are you allright?' Daenerys sighed and took Riley by the arm. 'I need to show you something.' Riley, still a bit stunned, followed the queen in her footsteps.

'No! Oh God, no!' a broken whisper left Riley's lips as she saw who was lying on the burial table. Ser Barristan, eyes closed, all life gone from his face, lay on the white cloth. Riley could almost pretend he was asleep, the only thing betraying he was dead the cold that radiated off his body.

'No.' Riley whispered again, tears starting to leak out of her eyes. Damotra was there next to her, squeezing her shoulder. 'I'm sorry Riley.' 'I spoke to him yesterday! He was fine!' Riley insisted through her tears, a sob wrecking her body. 'How?' she blubbered.

'He was killed by the Sons of the Harpy.' Daenerys' gaze flew up as Hizdahr Zo Loraq walked in, stumbling when he saw who was dead. 'Barristan the Bold they called him. He crossed a continent just to serve me. And he died alone in an alley, killed by cowards hidden behind masks.' Daenerys said, Riley's tearstricken gaze locking on Hizdahr. 'The Sons of the Harpy are as far as I know hired by nobles. Maybe you had something to do with it!' Riley hissed and accused the man, finger pointing to him.

'Your Grace, I had nothing to do with this! I am innocent!' he protested, Riley's red eyes glaring coldly at him. 'Riley! Do not make accusations you cannot prove!' Damotra whispered, begging her friend to calm down.

'No, I think she is right Damotra. Maybe he does have something to do with it.' Daario sighed and looked at Riley. 'We will never know, I fear. But I propose we clean the City out street by street, neighbourhood by neighbourhood. Until no harpies are left.' A vengeful smile cracked on Daenerys' lips. 'I liked your earlier suggestion better. Round up every head of the Great Families of Meereen.'

Hizdahr stuttered, mouth falling open. 'But I am the head of my family!' A nod from Daenerys made the two Dothraki warriors grab the man, him begging for Daenerys to let him go, exclaiming he was innocent.

Daenerys started walking down the steps, stopping at the door. 'Well?' Riley looked up, grief still fresh, but her thoughts were finally silent. 'Riley! Don't!' Damotra whispered, but Riley was too far gone.

She walked down the steps towards the door, turning around, gaze locked on Damotra. Her friend snapped her mouth shut, disapproving look on her lips. Damotra eventually sighed but started stepping down the steps as well. Riley could get all the support she could get, even if Damotra was not happy with the decision her friend made.

'Are you coming?'