Sorry for the wait! This chapter took me forever to write. I had to write it, edit it, scrap it and then re-write it several times because I was never happy with it. Thank you once again avid readers

Chapter 10: Life's Great Lie

Loki

The sight before him was not one Loki would soon forget. Arid desert stretched for miles ahead of him as he urged his black stallion forward. To his left spanned the coastline, the water reflecting the merciless sun which beat down on tanned, sweat-soaked backs and weathered armour. Thousands upon thousands of men carrying swords, shields and spears marched in formation across the dry sand whilst overhead, swooped three magnificent beasts, screeching a warning to any who might approach them.

But more than this, the army that marched ahead did not stop, did not delay and did not complain. Daenerys rode at the face of the Unsullied army, perched atop a white mare and clothed in a warrior's garb. Loki had thought that her creamy skin would have to blemish in time with the sun but it remained as porcelain as ever. Her silver hair was held back by two braids, allowing the bulk of it to cascade freely down her back. Her face was fierce and determined as she rode with purpose, having gained the loyalty of over ten thousand men in less than a day.

Loki's mouth twisted into a grim line as he thought back to what had transpired only hours before. He had assumed Daenerys would take her army and whatever treasures they could carry after conquering Astapor before riding for Westeros. His desires however were overruled as Daenerys stood before her army, willing to grant them the very thing that had long been denied them.

...

Astapor lay smouldering as the Unsullied stood in battle formation beyond its gates. Other slaves waited in droves just inside the city gates, staring out curiously as their masters lay dead, rotting and quite forgotten. The Unsullied awaited further instruction as Daenerys mounted a snowy mare, brought to her by one of her new warrior. Missandei stood still, unsure of her next move as her Mistress steered her horse through the rows of Unsullied.

"Unsullied!" Daenerys called out in Old Valyria. "You have been slaves all your life. Today you are free. Any man who wishes to leave may leave, and no one will harm him. I give you my word."

Loki froze at her words. What was she doing? He stared in horror at the men before her, waiting for them to drop their spears or even to laugh at her. But they did neither as she made her grand speech. Perhaps they did not believe her.

"Will you fight for me?" she demanded of them, fiercely addressing the collective before her. "As free men?"

She was greeted with silence as the Unsullied stood stock still and Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan eyed the men warily. After a few moments, a soft tapping could be heard and Loki twisted his neck, attempting to locate the source of the sound. Several more tapping sounds joined the first and Loki realised that some of the Unsulllied soldiers had begun to softly rap the base of their spears into the sand. Before long, the entire army were slamming the hilts of their weapons against the ground in unison, all hailing the Daenerys, the Mother of dragons, who had set them free.

Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan looked on admirably as Loki's blood boiled beneath the surface. He kept his silence as they rode out of the city, leading a mortal army to which he had not seen the likes of. As Daenerys' horse cantered past him, Loki watched as she looked disdainfully at the whip in her hands, gifted to her by the masters, before casting it into the sand. He continued to gaze at the whip as the Unsullied trampled it beneath their feet, following Daenerys and not sparing the 'cat of nines' a second glance. After a few moments, Loki spurred his own horse as well, galloping after Daenerys as her dragons roared in earnest, leading the deadly army along the coastline.

...

She had done the exact opposite of what he would have done for he would never, not in a thousand years would he ever have set free his only chance of claiming an army in his name or the throne that they would shortly conquer. Perhaps that was why Daenerys now rode with an entire army at her beck and call, willing to fight for her, to die for her even, whilst he was left with the bitter memory of the army he had once used to try and conquer Earth. They had fallen so easily and once he had lost the fight to the Avengers, the Chitauri, his allies bought and paid for, had abandoned him. The men who rode before him now, however, would not do as the Chitauri had done. All of them, each and every one, intended to see this through to the end. Loki could feel their resolve like the taut string of a bow, poised and ready for direction, to wound and to kill. All for a mortal woman whose life had not yet spanned two decades.

Daenerys had left a small council of temple men in charge, to restore Astapor to its former glory and to ensure the slave trade did not return. She had even handed over the Astapor treasures, telling them to sell the trinkets and use the substantial gold to feed and clothe the people of the city. She gave them all but the dagger, which she allowed Loki to have, and the dragon's egg which the priests insisted she keep as it would be of little use to them regardless. And now, they marched forth, on their way to Yunkai, another slave city where Daenerys intended to free further victims of the slave trade. By the gods, Loki thought, gritting his teeth, she was an exhilarating yet stubborn woman.

Loki had long ago determined freedom to be one of humanity's great lies for it brought them nothing but misery in the end. Humans, like trout to a fishing lure, would wriggle and writhe for the deadly hook and take it willingly until it ensnared them. For once freedom was granted, one was never truly liberated. As a slave, one had purpose and direction, to fulfil the actions and needs of their master. It was a simple state of living, natural even, to kneel before their superiors. As liberated men, they were not free, not really. They simply served another master. They were all slaves to the whims of mortality, craving subjugation, riches, sex, alcohol and power. In freedom, humans were lost. They would bend and kneel to sin until they became tired, fell sickly and grew old. In the end, they would always kneel. And then they would die. Freedom was a petty sentiment, a mortal lie.

But Daenerys had granted it to the Unsullied this very day. And rather than engage in the mortal whims of whoring and boozing as typical men did, they had looked to Daenerys with reverence. Not as a lustful man would do to a maiden, but as spiritual men would do to a God. Daenerys really had given them freedom. These men did not look conquered or scared. They looked hopeful as they followed Daenerys in her quest for Westeros.

Loki continued to ride in silence, brooding as he contemplated this woman who had gathered to her a force to be reckoned with and who would surely succeed where he had not. "It is no small thing to love one of the great ones," Ser Jorah observed as he steered his horse next to Loki's. Loki ignored him but this did not deter the older man. "I first met her over a year ago as a girl. A child," he murmured, eyes fixed on the young Khaleesi as she guided her army West. "That was back when she still let her brother rule her life."

"Does it look like I'm in an ample mood for conversation?" Loki growled, staring straight ahead.

"How else shall we pass the time?"

"There is no passing time for me. There is just time and I have no shortage of it. I am immortal."

"So you say," Ser Jorah uttered disbelievingly. "And where does one hail from to warrant longevity such as yours?"

"As one would expect," Loki replied, glaring at Ser Jorah. "I was born into it."

A look passed between the two as their horses cantered side by side and the Unsullied marched ahead through the dry sand. "Why are you here?" Loki demanded suddenly.

"Because the Khaleesi wishes it."

"So you stay because of your feelings for her?"

Ser Jorah glanced at him sharply, not wanting to rise to the bait but unable to hide the anger lacing his words. "I have known the Khaleesi far longer than you. She trusts me and she heeds my council."

"And yet you were surprised by her ability to speak fluent Valyrian?" Loki asked smugly.

Ser Jorah blinked and averted his gaze. "Perhaps you are ignorant of the term trust," he retorted acidly. "It goes both ways. I am sure the Khaleesi had her reasons." He looked at Loki then and if Loki were a mortal man, he might have flinched under the heat of the elder man's gaze. "I don't like you," Ser Jorah grit out. "But I have complete and utter faith in Daenerys. So if I must put up with your company because she deems it necessary, then so be it. But know this... I will always protect her. Even from you."

Loki was appalled to find that Ser Jorah's words actually moved him. He was growing far too comfortable in this mortal realm. Worse still, he was beginning to find some form of kinship with this mundane man. "You have nothing to fear from me." Loki found himself assuring the man. "At least not where Daenerys is concerned."

As dusk morphed into early evening, Loki despite himself was growing curious of Daenerys' background. He had listened to her recount of the Valyrian history for hours during their travels however she had revealed very little of herself in all that time. Loki glanced at Ser Jorah resignedly, knowing there was only one person to ask at this point. "You said that Daenerys used to let her brother rule her life," he said grudgingly, immediately capturing Ser Jorah's attention. "Is that true?"

Ser Jorah was so surprised by Loki's interest that he did not even bother with a haughty reply. "Yes," he admitted. "She married Drogo because Viserys wished it. He wanted to reclaim the Iron Throne in the Targaryen Name. So he sold his sister in marriage to the Dothraki Lord in exchange for his army."

Loki's jaw tightened as his eyes blazed with fury. "I can't imagine Daenerys putting up with someone like that," he said venomously.

"Not now," Ser Jorah pointed out. "But Daenerys was a very different person when I first met her. She was timid. Afraid. Her brother was the only family she had ever known and she looked to him for guidance."

"Some brother," Loki spat, empathising with her. "He should have protected her. It is no wonder she hates the slave trade. The hand dealt to her by Viserys was no better."

"True," Ser Jorah conceded. "But it needed to happen. Viserys used to warn her not to wake the dragon. He truly thought himself a son of the Dragon's Blood. It was with his death that Daenerys learned her true calling. The blood of the Dragon runs deep, but only in those who are worthy."

"I hope the stupid prick got exactly what he deserved," Loki snarled.

"He did," Ser Jorah mused. "Drogo poured molten gold over his head."

Loki's eyebrows shot up as the corners of his mouth tilted down with surprise. "Artistic," he said admirably. "And Daenerys allowed it?"

"I think she saw the futility of fighting for the brother she knew she would never have," Ser Jorah said wisely. "Viserys was not Rhaegar."

"Viserys and Rhaegar," Loki repeated as he looked to the dragons flying overhead. "It is no mystery then where she got the names of her dragons."

Ser Jorah nodded thoughtfully as the beasts screeched from their skyward positions. "Her brother Rhaegar was a true leader. Much like she is now. Kind and compassionate, and yet utterly ruthless toward her enemies."

"Is that what you call that?" Loki questioned harshly, spurring his horse again as the stallion had started to slow. "I would say Daenerys dealt those slave masters a kindness. If it were me at the reigns, I would have made them suffer a far worse fate for their impudence. Their deaths took but moments."

"And therein Daenerys demonstrates leadership in a way which men do not. She may be fierce but she is never cruel."

"Compassion and ferocity seldom go hand in hand," Loki noted scornfully.

"Perhaps that is why there is only one Mother of Dragons."

Loki looked at Ser Jorah's serious expression and scoffed. "If she isn't careful, her kindness will be the death of her." With that he urged his black horse into a gallop, tearing away from Ser Jorah as he steered toward the front of the Unsullied army where Daenerys continued to lead them into the night.

...

Daenerys

The moon had slowly started to rise long before the stars as Daenerys and her Unsullied army marched on into the early night. She knew they would have to stop soon, for rest and food, but her determination kept them soldiering on for much longer than they should. The sooner they reached Yunkai, the sooner they could free more people from the heinous trade of slavery. It had also been some time since Daenerys had seen a full moon and it made her heart ache. At least while they marched on, she could pretend her eyes watered from lack of sleep and not for the true reason; that it reminded her of her stargazing nights with Drogo.

"Do you plan to eat anytime soon? Or do you intend to march until we drop, as the Unsullied would do?" Loki's silky voice floated to her ears.

"The more ground we cover now, the less we shall have to travel later," she said resolutely.

"Yes but if I am not mistaken the desert can get quite cold at night for lack of a sun. Can you not see the shivers of your men?"

Daenerys felt her stomach turn over in guilt as she saw the Loki was indeed correct and the Unsullied, though they marched, were beginning to break out in cold shivers. She noticed a large coastal canyon about 1 mile ahead, stretching just far enough to provide shelter even for her vast army.

"Halt!" she commanded to the front lines as the Unsullied came to a stop. She turned to the large group, pointing to the great canyon. "We rest there for the evening. And travel at first light."

As the soldiers began making preparations to settle and make camp, Daenerys turned to Loki as something occurred to her. "I don't know if we have enough rations to make it to Yunkai, even with what we have taken from Astapor. I know the Unsullied can go for a long time without food or water, but it is not a habit I would like to get into."

Loki turned toward the coastline, eyeing the turbulent waves. "Wait here," he told her. He dismounted, shaking himself free of horse hair and made his way over to Missandei who was chatting amiably with Ser Jorah. Their conversation quieted at his approach and Ser Jorah dismounted first, moving to help Missandei as she climbed down from her horse.

"The Unsullied are trained to last for days without food or water," Loki stated. "Is this an act of survival or can they also fend for themselves?"

Missandei clasped her hands demurely in front of her as she gave her reply. "The Unsullied are trained for the purposes of battle, endurance and survival. They know all the common forms of foraging and hunting so they may keep themselves nourished enough for the battlefield. They can also fast when resources are scarce."

"Can they fish?"

Missandei gazed at him meaningfully. "Yes, of course."

Loki nodded. "Spread the word. Tell the men to spearfish along the coast. We will save the bread and dried meat rations for the hot days ahead."

...

It was an incredible sight, all the beacons lit along the coast as several hundred fires roasted all forms of fish, shellfish and other catch sported by the Unsullied. Daenerys was impressed as she munched on the hot flesh of a cooked trout which Loki has spit roasted for her over the flames of their bonfire. "How is it that we managed to feed an entire army?" Daenerys asked in astonishment. Not one of her men had had to go hungry.

Loki gave a slight chuckle as he turned Missandei's fish over in the ash pit. "Celestial event," Loki explained. "When the moon is high, fish tend to bite." When Daenerys gave him a dubious look, he smiled knowingly. "Okay, I may have had something to do with it. It's easy enough to coax the catch into the shallow waters... with a little magnetism," he said gesturing to his spear which he had laid gently against some sea rock.

"Amazing," Daenerys said, shaking her head in wonder as she took another bite into the tasty flesh.

"Did your brother teach you this?" Missandei asked with interest. Loki paused and slowly turned to face her. Missandei averted her gaze immediately upon receiving his glare and Daenerys frowned at him.

"Loki," she began, her tone reprimanding. Loki stood before she could utter another word, stalking past them all and into the darkness. He passed a few other bonfires where several dozen Unsullied had gathered and ignored their curious gazes. His boots sunk into the soft sand as he made his way down the sea rocks toward the water.

The moon was high in the sky by now and the stars stretched for eons through space. For a mortal plane, this world had an astounding view of the cosmos. Loki came to a stop just before the sea, the waves lapping mere metres from his feet. He stared out to the open ocean as he considered his temper. He didn't really know why the mentioning of his brother had set him off except that he tired quickly of any praise Thor received, even if unintentional. Thor had never really taught Loki anything, even when they were boys and had thought themselves blood brothers. It was true they had played together and were raised side by side but Thor was the warrior and the great, white hope for Asgard.

Loki bent, picking up a smooth flat rock and turning it over in his fingers. Yes Thor was the warrior, he thought grimly, but not here. Here, the mortals could care less about his pompous blonde brother. This world was his chance, he knew. It was his opportunity to matter. No longer would he be forced to prove himself in reverence of his brother's shadow. No longer would he have to cater to the man's ego, him or his bloody hammer. He flipped his hand harshly, skipping the rock sharply across the water. It skimmed the surface several times before sinking into oblivion. Loki sighed, hands raking through his hair in aggravation as he slowly sunk against the damp sea rock. A ragged shriek came from his right and Loki turned to see Drogon as he swept down to the sand, claws perched outward as he settled on the rock next to Loki. He eyed Loki keenly and Loki smiled as he reached out a hand to caress the beast's snout. The dragon huffed as he noticed some light steam coming off Loki's skin, a consequence of Loki's cool touch upon his own scorching scales.

"I bet you're the only one who's less thrilled than I am about our current company," Loki guessed as his fingers tingled with the warmth of the dragon's breath.

"Funny, you seem to enjoy your own company more than anyone's," Daenerys speculated from behind him as Drogon gave a happy growl at seeing his Mother.

"I enjoy it even more when I'm alone," Loki said harshly as Drogon crawled forward to receive Daenerys' touch. She gave him a tentative pat before focusing her attention on the man before her.

"Loki." Daenerys came to stand directly before him as he sat against the sea rock. Unusually enough from this position, it was he who looked up to her and it felt odd as she extended a hand against his face. He pulled away from her touch and stood, cursing softly as his skin sung from the soft caress of her fingers. "Leave me," he threw at her.

"No," she said stubbornly. "It is time we had a talk. Long due."

"I won't apologise to Missandei," he snapped. "My brother is no business of hers."

"This is not about Missandei," Daenerys said in exasperation. "She will live. It is your sore point which we need to discuss."

"My family?"

"If that is your sore point..."

"Do not try to counsel me!"

"And do not avoid the subject!"

Loki threw his hands up in frustration as he turned from her to regard the sea instead. It was easier than keeping a level gaze with her stormy eyes.

Daenerys however refused to relent. "Why do you avoid every possible discussion of your family? Or your home? Do you care so little for those closest to you?"

Loki turned, giving her a full view of his face so she could read the sincerity in his eyes. "Yes."

She flinched at the truth in his words. "But that was before," he continued honestly. "No one ever mattered before. I cared not for the hurt of others. In fact, I revelled in it. At times, I even caused it. What I did and who I hurt in my quest for power never mattered... Not before you."

Daenerys felt her heart soar at his words as her mouth opened in surprise. "Loki..." she tried again, for she could find no other words to express the emotions she felt at this moment.

"And now," he continued still. "When that power is within reach, I find myself questioning it." His eyes focused heavily on Daenerys. "I never question anything, Daenerys, least of all myself." He stepped closer. "Power is what matters." Another step. "Now, I'm not even sure I want it." One more step and he seized Daenerys by her upper arms, earning a startled gasp from her. He shook her but not very hard. "And it's all because of you! What have you done to me?" he demanded, his eyes wild and searching her face as though her expression held the answer to his tortures.

"Nothing I intended," she murmured. "Believe me." He released her and stepped back, grumbling softly.

"You are a paradox," he decided, pretending that his short outburst had not occurred. "You court war and yet you fight even more fiercely for the freedom of others. It is a futile mission. You cannot give it to everyone."

"You're right. I cannot give a man his freedom when it is not mine to give. I can only secure it for them."

Loki tore a thick, jutting tree branch from the sand and heaved it into the water in aggravation. "What good is an entire army of freedom fighters?!" he yelled as he advanced on her. "Why would they go to battle for you?"

The dragon he had been petting only moments before suddenly rose up and snarled at him, ready to protect Daenerys at any cost. Daenerys was not put off in the least. "Because they want to," she said fiercely. "Because they can and they choose to. Not because of you or me or anyone else."

"Really? And what will this freedom buy them? An early grave?" he spat, so close to Daenerys now that he towered over her once again. "They are no better now than they were before. Soldiers are slaves to war. Freedom is life's great lie."

"If that is what you think, then it is you who wears the chains," she snapped at him and he actually took a step back. "Bound forever to this obsession for power and dominion, as you say, is no way to live." She spread her arms wide and gave him an aggrieved look. "You speak so harshly of your family, Loki, only now I think your hatred for them is simply because they did not share your vision. You claim to crave power above all else, but truthfully you have been running from it this entire time." She stepped forward boldly, her gaze never wavering from his as she braced her hands against either of his broad shoulders. "Family is power. And love. We are lost without them. I won an army today, Loki. And I did it without forcing the hand of any slave. Every man here will fight because they are free. They may seek out their families now if they have them or create their own. They may fall in love. They have choices."

Loki's feet were glued to the ground and he found himself unable to tear away from her haunting words even as his hands shook with a new sense of clarity. "Don't you see?" she begged pulling Loki's face into her soft hands. "They will stick together, because they are one and the same. All these men, who share each other's pains and torture, will fight together. They are family."

Loki refused to believe her. His adopted family had betrayed him. His true family had abandoned him. Family were nothing but sentimental lies, born to wreak misery for his entire immortal existence.

"You truly want everything Loki?" Daenerys questioned as she cradled his jaw in her palms and gazed into his icy blue eyes. "You can have it. And one day when you inevitably lose it all, you will have nothing. Less than nothing. But this-" She reached down then and took his hand in her own, gently placing it over her heart where he could feel its steady rhythm. "-this you can hold forever as your own." His fingers splayed against her breast and the warmth of blood tingled softly against his skin.

He swallowed convulsively as his eyes darted frantically to hers but he did not pull away. He couldn't. "You will be the end of me," he vowed tugging his hands free of her chest and pulling her face to his eagerly as he captured her lips in a blazing kiss. His kiss was gentle, not like the others, but so full of passion that Daenerys worried she would burn up on the spot. His lips melded with hers so perfectly that she could feel every emotion he felt as he pressed himself against her. Hesitation, desire, anger, insecurity, sadness, passion and finally surrender.

It was him that broke the kiss, pulling away and breathing sharply as he yanked her to her feet. "Come on," he urged her, pulling her along after him, back towards the camp.

"Where are we going?" she asked breathlessly as she struggled to keep up.

"Back to your tent," he answered over his shoulder. "There are many, many things I would like to do to you in this instant, but they all require comfortable quarters. I will not make love to you in the dirt."

Daenerys smiled and did not argue as he towed her back to camp like a caveman. To say that everything was exactly as she wanted it would be a lie. But as she had said to Loki, to have everything is to risk losing it all. This was enough.

You fascinated me, cloaked in shadows and secrecy
the beauty of a broken angel.
I ventured carefully, afraid of what you thought I'd be
but pretty soon I was entangled.

You take me by the hand, I question who I am.

Teach me how to fight, I'll show you how to win,
you're my mortal flaw, and I'm your fatal sin.
Let me feel the sting, the pain, the burn under my skin.

Put me to the test, I'll prove that I am strong
Won't let myself believe, that what we feel is wrong
I finally see what you knew wasinside me all along;
that behind this soft exterior... lies a warrior.

~ (Warrior – Beth Crowley) ~

Annnnnnd I hope that wasn't awful. Hit a bit of writer's block during this chapter but I'm back on track now. More juicy chapters to come!