Whew. I really hope you guys like this chapter. I'm particularly fond of it. There's just one more chapter left before I begin the second part of the story and start to stray more from the plots in the books, and create my own scenarios etc.
7th of the Eleventh Month 299 AC
Ser Jorah
The Northern knight awoke to find Carmella patiently waiting outside his tent, for what must have been hours, judging by the stillness with which she sat, her back propped up against a tree.
"Might I help you, Ella?" He called.
"I need you to come to the market with me," she stated. "I have an item I'd like to purchase."
"Since when did you need my help to go to the market?"
"Since the market owners became inane, misogynistic pigs," she retorted. "Will you come or not? Because we need to leave before Viserys wakes."
He chuckled. "Why are you hiding from him?"
"In case he wants to come along. This is for his nameday, it has to be a surprise," she explained with a heavy eye-roll.
"You're giving him a gift for his nameday? I was under the impression the two of you weren't friendly?"
"So?" She returned. "Come on, Jorah, we need to go," she grabbed his arm and proceeded to drag him, ignoring the confused stares she received.
~x~
Carmella looked up at him, eyes as wide and vulnerable as he'd seen them in a long while. "Do you think he'll like it? I've never been gifted with - "
He cut her off. "He'll like it."
She smiled gladly.
~x~
From a distance, Ser Jorah watched Carmella hand the king the present she'd apparently been slaving over for days. He grinned as he eyed the quiet blush that slid up her cheeks as the man unwrapped the gift. He didn't understand why she was so hesitant about what she'd made him; the sentiment was sweet and the effort she'd put into it, admirable. The king would love it. Jorah's thoughts were confirmed as Carmella was swiftly drawn into the man's arms. The first time the two had hugged in weeks. She ought to tell him the truth, he thought gravely, the longer she delays the harder it will be for him to forgive. If Jorah had been a different man, he might've told Viserys the truth himself, but alas, he was not prepared to betray the trust he'd worked so hard to earn. He'd made a vow that he would never do anything that would result in him having to ask Carmella for her forgiveness. He'd made a vow never to betray nor hurt her. So far, so good.
"Do you know what it is she's given him?" Daenerys - who'd appeared behind him almost silently - inquired.
"A picture, I believe, khaleesi," he replied somewhat tightly.
"I didn't know Ella could paint," the girl mused.
"She can't. Not well, at least," Jorah chuckled. "But she has a lot of patience so it turned out all right."
"She always has done. I admire her for it; Viserys and I have never had much."
The knight smiled.
"You need not be so rigid with me, ser. I would like to be your friend, as Ella is."
Ser Jorah had no idea how to answer this. He knew that Daenerys was aware of his previous affections for her, and heartily ashamed of it. Lusting after a girl barely flowered, he'd often thought, you have become depraved, Jorah. The true attraction had laid with the fact that Dany resembled his wife rather much, and then grown when she'd revealed herself to be nothing like his Lyesene mistake. But those feelings were gone now. The girl was round with another man's child, and Ella's best friend besides. What father preyed on his daughter's best friend? Sounds like something Robert Baratheon would do, he thought to himself. That alone was enough to cure Ser Jorah of any feelings he'd harbored for Daenerys.
"Even my brother speaks highly of you," she continued. "I doubt there is a knight in Westeros who could walk in your shoes to those two. I hate to be left out of the loop," she added.
"You're an important woman, khaleesi. Important women have no business with me."
"More important than the king himself?"
"The king is not a woman," he countered.
"Well Ella then," she amended. "If she is not already, upon Viserys' return she will be a very important woman."
"How fares your pregnancy, khaleesi?" He figured this was an appropriate place to begin the friendship the girl seemed to desire.
She smiled widely. "Very well."
At this point, Carmella came bounding towards them, hair flying wildly behind her. "He liked it!" she confirmed.
12th of the Twelth Month of 299 AC
Viserys, Third of His Name
Viserys was quickly becoming tired of Carmella's complaining.
"You can't just let her do this," she insisted, over and over again. "We have to tell Dany that the witch will not help her!" She'd been arguing this for days, unable to accept the fact that Drogo has to die.
"I don't see why," Viserys replied airily.
"Drogo just burned, raided and raped her entire town! Mirri Maz Durr is not going to save his life! Drogo's going to die if we don't stop her."
"Drogo is going to die what ever Dany does. And he needs to anyhow, we can't very well have the Princess show up married to some horselord."
Carmella's eyes darkened, and Viserys sensed he'd gone a step too far. Again. Under normal circumstances, he may have apologized, but in this situation he needed to keep his foot firmly down. I am king. Carmella cannot make all my decisions.
"She loves him, Viserys," she stated. "He is the father of her child." Her lips quivered and Viserys knew this was what was truly troubling her. My sweet Ella, you've never been able to hurt a child, even an unborn one. Viserys did not think it would be useful to point out that all three of them had grown up without a father and hadn't been affected to greatly by it. "Your nephew! What will you say when Rhaego grows up and asks why his father's not around, huh?"
"I will tell him that his father died trying to bring him home," Viserys answered calmly.
Carmella paced angrily a few moments more. Eventually she stopped, sat down and sighed loudly. "You've already tried telling her, haven't you?"
"Yes," he admitted. He mentally groaned; he hadn't wanted Carmella to know this. How little will she think of me now she knows I cannot even control my own sister. Making Daenerys a khaleesi had been both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, she'd grown far less pliant than she'd once been yet now Viserys was sure he'd never be able to dictate her actions as easily as he used to. "She wouldn't listen."
"Stubborn as a mule," he heard her mutter.
"Since she refuses to heed my counsel I've decided this can be both a lesson to her and rid myself of the roadblock. She learns to listen to me in the future and I get to keep my sister unwed for any possible negotiations back in Westeros. How does the saying go again? Two birds, one stone."
"Yeah," Carmella murmured.
"Trust me, El. I wouldn't hurt her for no good reason."
"I know."
"Once Drogo is dead, I assume at least half the khalasaar will desert us."
"That leaves roughly fifteen thousand. Not enough to take back the Iron Throne."
"I won't be using the Dothraki to take it back. They have no place in Westeros. I will set myself apart as a foreigner with a horde of them at my back."
Carmella looked up at him curiously. "What will you do with them?"
"Turn them into a proper army. Take a city with them in my name and order them to stay there. It'll be useful to have allies over here in Essos."
"I suppose. My family will send enough money to supplement the numbers. And provide a large enough army."
He bit his tongue from asking the question that had plagued him for years. We have only just begun to rebuild our friendship, I can't risk it now. It was true. Carmella's rejection of his hand had seriously bruised their relationship, coupled with the fact that it had also pushed her firmly into the company of Ser Jorah and not him, had left lingering feelings of resentment and jealousy on Viserys' part. It was alien to him, not having Carmella empty her troubles and thoughts on his lap and not being able to do the same. He'd assumed that after his birthday, whereupon things had almost been as they once were, that they'd quickly slip back into their old routine and he could work on charming her again. But that had, unfortunately, not been the case. Carmella purposely kept their conversations short and light or purely focused on his invasion of Westeros. So he did the same. Once in a while she'd slip up and ask after his wellbeing, but Viserys never offered anything that would lead to a long conversation, knowing that by doing so he'd only fool himself into thinking she'd forgiven him. I must abandon my hopes concerning Ella for now, and focus on my throne.
"I'd better go. Check for a letter from my family."
"Of course."
She scurried out without a second glance.
Viserys sighed forlornly.
Princess Daenerys of Dragonstone
Drogo was dead. Viserys, Carmella and Ser Jorah had all been right and now she'd lost her husband. My sun-and-stars. Deep down, Dany had known the witch would have done some sly thing behind her back, but she couldn't help herself. She'd wanted to save Drogo, not some Dothraki healer who wouldn't have known what to do. And she'd convinced herself that Mirri Maz Durr would do it. I saved her, Dany thought bitterly. So what if they burnt down her town? I saved her when I could've left her to be raped and killed. She knew she wasn't being exactly reasonable. She didn't care. Reason was not on her mind. All she could think of was her dead love. Still, till the end of time.
Viserys had attempted to comfort her, but he didn't understand. He'd never seen Drogo as more than piece in his plan. Carmella was the same, if a little more compassionate than her brother. It had only been Irri who Daenerys could discuss her grief with. Irri did not know Drogo well either, but she'd seen the love they'd shared and did not view him as simply a means to an end. I will never find love like that again. Every man in Westeros will simply see me as the heir to throne, and once Viserys has children, a royal to increase their status. None will love me for me. None will treasure me as Drogo did.
~x~
When Daenerys gave birth to a bloody mess, she had ordered for Mirri Maz Durr's tongue without hesitation. She will hurt me no longer with her wicked curses. Viserys had been overcome with rage. He'd been so angry. Much angrier than his sister had assumed. I hadn't know he ever cared for Rhaego's life beyond seeing him as a safety net should his wife turn out to be barren. Carmella had taken Dany into her arms after the tragic birth and laid with her for hours, as if Dany were seven again. Daenerys had sobbed. Uncontrollably. My baby, she moaned, my only son. I loved him more than that witch's magic could even begin to comprehend! How could she take him away from me? Late in the night, when Carmella had thought Daenerys asleep, the khaleesi heard her friend bawling too. In her grief she'd forgotten Carmella's infamous weakness for children. Rhaego hadn't just been mine, he'd been ours. My son, and their nephew. Dany couldn't even bring herself to think about the fact that without Rhaego, she had nothing left of Drogo. Only the pain in my heart.
Days wandered by. Carmella never left Dany's side, fearful of what the remaining khalasaar, who did not know of Drogo's catatonic state, would do upon seeing the woman who'd invited a maegi into their ranks. Daenerys didn't understand this. What could Ella do to stop a bunch of trained fighters if they wished to kill me? Persuade them not to with her words? Words are wind amongst the Dothraki.
Viserys was keeping the khalasaar in order, with the help of Ser Jorah. He seemed to have a natural affinity for leadership as there seemed to be no objection to his rule. Daenerys was slightly pleased at this.
"It's because they know him and he knows them," Carmella explained once, when Dany had asked.
31st of the Twelth Month of 299 AC
Ser Jorah
Anxiously, Jorah grabbed at Carmella's arms, desperate for her to do something. Viserys and his sister had ordered for the muted witch to be tied to Khal Drogo's funeral pyre and had laid the dragon's eggs around them. The siblings stared into the fire with an expression that scared the knight and the remaining ten thousand Dothraki, while Carmella seemed at a loss.
"Viserys," she shouted, panic evident in her voice. "Viserys, what are you doing?"
He turned to her, a comforting smile on his face. "Fire cannot kill a dragon," he told her patiently.
His words seemed to put Carmella utterly at ease, who even had the nerve to brush Ser Jorah's fingers off her arm. "He's right. It's going to be fine, Jorah. Viserys wouldn't leave me."
It was then that the silver duo stepped into the large, burning flames. Jorah gasped.
Moments later, he heard the indescribable sound of baby dragons being hatched.
Faintly, he heard Carmella laughing quietly to herself, before falling to her knees at the sight of the charred, but unharmed siblings.
