(Authors note: Very happy you're enjoying the story, makes me extremely happy! As always I don't own characters. Just the joy I get by writing this! (: Rated for mature themes and swearing. )

"Picture you're the Queen of Everything

Far as the eye can see under your command

I will be your guardian, while all is crumbling

I'll steady your hand." – The Fray, Never say Never.

Ch.9

The day had started innocently enough, as Khaleesi sat indian style in the middle of the kitchen table, eating a small blood orange. The sticky juice dribbling down her slender wrist as she peeled the succulent fruit. He'd taken his seat at the far end of the table, his back to the wall, giving him the perfect view of the expansive room. When she saw him glance in her direction yet again she slowly stuck her thumb inside her mouth sucking off the juice, a painstakingly slow teasing gesture.

Clint narrowed his eyes at the display, forcing himself to concentrate on the task at hand; tapping his boot underneath the table he put forcibly put one of the daggers he was sharpening into its sheath. He hadn't been sure before, but now he was positive, he'd created a monster. Khaleesi had been torturing him all morning and they'd managed to accomplish very little. Today they'd intended to start preparations for the colder season, ensure the estate was ready for the lengthy storms they both knew were coming. Although the enchantments helped where food was concerned, they still had to make sure what few horses remained on the property were well tended and that there was more than enough wood to last the season.

Dismantling the compact bow, fully intending to restring it and check the distance Clint happen to glance in her direction for a split second, when she did it again. Sweet little mouth sucking the juice that dripped down her hand and onto her wrist, he set the bow down gently giving the young woman a soft glare of warning though there was no real heat behind it.

"Killing me little dove…"

She had the nerve to try and appear surprised, the grin pulling at the corners of her lips giving her away.

"Don't play coy, you know damn well what you're doing."

The smile grew, "And what pray tell am I doing?" She asked feigning innocence, brow arched.

Clint gave an exasperated sigh, fighting hard to keep from grinning himself.

"Keep it up, Khali or I swear I'll..."

She interrupted him, one leg slipping out from under her.

"Or what?"

Rising from his seat, Clint rolled his shoulders and Khaleesi felt her stomach flutter with butterflies, anticipation building.

Voice low and even. "...Or I swear I'll bend you over the chaise."

Even as he spoke the words, Clint was taking steps towards her meaning to cross the distance in but a few strides when she hopped off the table orange in hand running across the room.

She squealed excitedly as he grabbed her around the waist scooping her up in one fluid motion, goatee rubbing pleasantly against her neck as he kissed her skin.

"You're going to be the death of me."

She let her head rest against his shoulder as he cradled her, offering Clint a slice of fruit he let her pop the tiny piece in his mouth. Chewing slowly he kissed her. When she offered him another piece he shook his head.

"Oh no, I'd rather have something else."

There was something to be said for the strong appetite Clint had for Khaleesi. His back against the headboard, hands holding a firm grip on her hips, controlling the rhythm. Khaleesi's body swaying softly she held her arms up in the air, hands holding her hair up fingers tangled in the heavy curls.

That familiar fire was building, coiling deliciously in the pit of her stomach growing stronger with each roll of the hips. He could she was coming undone by the way her head craned back ever so slightly. Lips swollen from kissing, she did that thing he'd come to love. Biting down on her lower lip, white teeth faintly visible. Watching her face as long as he could, the soft gasp as she suddenly gripped her own hair tighter telling him all he needed to know. The oblivion was swallowing her whole and he wasn't far behind.

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She couldn't be sure how long they had slept; the moon was high in the night sky nestled among the stars. Something had woken Khaleesi but she couldn't remember what. Looking at Clint beside her the Archer was undisturbed, lost in heavy slumber. That pleasant ache still present she rubbed lightly at her bare stomach. Slipping from the bed she slipped on her silk nightgown and padded silently down the hall wishing to see if there were any strawberries left, perhaps a glass of water.

Not bothering to light a candle she could see her way from the bright moonlight, it cast long thick shadows across the marble floors. Once in the kitchen she did not find strawberries but was content to settle on a large peach. Taking a small kitchen knife she cut it from its pit and held the three slices in one hand, feeding herself with the other. Once she had eaten two of the four slices she set the rest down and went about finding a clean glass.

The only glass was on the very top shelf, far from her reach, standing on her tip-toes she tried again, the glass gleaming in the moonlight as if taunting her. Huffing, blowing a wayward curl from her face in annoyance, Khaleesi fought not to roll her eyes. Deciding to change tactic and climbing up onto the wooden counter, she reached up again her fingers finding purchase with the glass. Smiling, she made to sit back down on the counter, a sudden scuttling noise startling her, the glass dropping from her hand catching the edge of the counter before it shattering into a thousand pieces on the floor. She let out a quiet curse warranted for such a situation, one she had heard Clint utter many times before.

Back ram rod straight, frozen she scanned the darkness for the source of the disturbance, but could find nothing. Picking up the small kitchen knife on the counter beside her foot, she gripped it loosely in hand.

"Clint?" She called out quietly.

There was no reply.

She willed her imagination to calm, knowing if she allowed fear to control her there would be nothing to gain. Scanning the darkness again she could swear there was a tall figure standing just outside her peripheral. Whenever she tried to look at it directly at the supposed figure it vanished, melting away in the background. Turning the blade in her hand, Khaleesi gave a yelp as a jar of pickled vegetables on a near by shelf suddenly fell onto the floor, a scream catching in her throat as the kitchen was bathed in light.

Clint stood in the doorway of the kitchen holding a lantern in his hand, voice thick with sleep, he squinted at her.

"What the hell are you doing, Khaleesi."

Taking into account the state of the kitchen, he stepped around the broken glass, setting the lantern down on the counter before reaching his hands up to help her down.

"What in God's name are you even doing up there…Why do you have a knife? Don't tell me your sleep walking."

He took the knife from her, tossing it in the sink with a clatter. Khaleesi looked at him with a dumbfounded expression, mouth half open.

"I was getting a glass of water when I heard something...I thought it was you, but when I called out no one answered." She said, rambling.

Clint rubbed tiredly at his eyes, trying to follow, sighing he told her exactly what he thought about it.

"I was frightened, I thought it was you trying to scare me!" She half shouted allowing him to help her down.

He looked around the kitchen and took in the damage all the doors were locked, he knew that for a fact.

"Alright, no more stories about my old mission before bed I knew I shouldn't have told you any of those goddamn things."

Khaleesi crossed her arms, eyes softly glaring at him. "Clint! It wasn't the stories…What knocked over that jar then huh?"

Walking over to jar in question, he looked at the shelf, it was old and in need of a few repairs.

Raising both his eyebrows as if to say 'See, perfectly explainable.'

Pursing her lips Khaleesi accepted this with mild defeat, maybe it was the stories, she thought dejectedly. Clint walked back towards her meaning to lead her back to the bedroom. Hand on the small of her back.

"I'll help you clean up this mess tomorrow, but right now we're going back to bed." He gave her a playful nudge in the direction of the hall grabbing the lantern as he made to leave.

As the light retreated from the kitchen and down the hall the room was once again bathed in darkness their voices becoming fainter as they created more distance. A tall shadow stood slowly from the corner of the room, it rose in height stretching up towards the ceiling. Glass crunching under foot, grinding against the floor as pale thin fingers reached into the sink gripping the forgotten knife until its knuckles blanched white.