Game of Thrones: Deadly Alliances

Chapter 21 of my Game of Thrones story, we now return to Daenerys and her current predicament.

Reviews

Boris Yeltsin: Thanks :)
Marina Ka-Fai: Yeah, well, I'm afraid it's only going to get worse.
Wolfgirl2013: Thanks :)
Veridissima: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it; yeah, they're in a tight spot; I'm afraid it's not going to go well.
CadeTheSlowpoke1: Well, I'm afraid things are bleak for them, with this new enemy; however don't forget, Ygritte had something important to tell Jon, the only question it, what could it be?
wazzup11: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it; glad you liked that bit.

Now onto the story.

Disclaimer: Game of Thrones belongs to George R.R. Martin.

Daenerys

Dany fought to keep herself under control; she had been weeping for some time but stopped. She had to stay strong for Irri who was still weeping. But the despair almost consumed her, she could see from the single small window of their cell that it was now the following day. Even with that, the pain didn't dull, Jhiqui was dead, hanged and humiliated for the joy of the crowd.

"Jhiqui…" Irri sobbed as Dany embraced her.

Dany tightened her grip slightly. "I know…I'm sorry, it's my fault, I should have saved her.

Irri shook her head. "No Khalessi, we…"

She stopped and Dany's eyes widened. They were both terrified as they heard heavy footsteps approaching.

'No, it cannot be…' Dany thought in dismay. 'There's still four days till the day they set for Irri's execution, what are they…?'

The door opened and that point and the men entered.

"Get up, both of you." The man in charge ordered them. "Don't struggle, if you know what's good for you."

Dany nodded to Irri and they did so, almost immediately finding themselves chained and manacled again.

Dany bit her lip, wondering what was going on. 'At least we aren't naked this time.'

They still wore the ragged prisoner dresses, not much but thankfully better than no clothes at all. They were then forced out of the cell and made to walk, uncertain as to what would happen to them.

They both blinked in the sunlight, unsure where they were going, but it wasn't the main square. When they finally stopped Dany let out a horrified gasp.

"What is this?"

The man in charge grinned. "There were just so many bodies after our victory, burying them all would take too much work and time, so, this is the best result, wouldn't you say?"

Dany grit her teeth as she was forced to look down at the pit, filled with dead bodies, a mass grave. Irri was fighting not to retch from the smell.

"Ah, here we go." The man remarked as he pointed.

Following where he was pointing both girls let out wordless wails as they saw another man, carrying Jhiqui's naked body, the ropes binding her had been removed, but the noose was still secured around her neck, only partially covering the deep welt in her neck.

"Jhiqui, what are you doing to her?" Irri pleaded desperately.

She got her answer as the man then callously tossed Jhiqui's body into the mass grave and then, shocking Dany and making Irri scream in horror, a torch was thrown in, immediately engulfing the bodies and filling the air with the overpowering smell and making Dany's belly threaten to empty itself. Irri's did and the men laughed as she retched violently.

Without a care for either woman's well-being, the men dragged them back to their cell, having made them witness their friend's final degradation. They were released from their bonds before being thrown back into the cell and locked in. They held each other again and wept, horrified by Jhiqui's fate.

While she had been burned, it hadn't been proper, no pyre, no proper Dothraki funeral, she was denied even that simple dignity.

Dany could feel the panic consuming her; they had been left alone in the cell since being made to witness Jhiqui's burning in the mass grave. The only people to visit them were those who brought them what meagre food they were allowed. Now the day was upon them, the day of Irri's execution.

"Irri, this is…" Dany choked out.

Irri shook her head, remarkably calm. "No Khalessi, all is well, I am at peace…I will be with Jhiqui again, I will ride with my ancestors tonight."

Dany felt like crying, the thought of losing Irri now only made her more scared. Irri; after panicking and weeping, seemed to become calmer and more relaxed as the days passed. Dany realized now, she was readying herself for death. She even tried to ensure that she didn't suffer the same indignity as Jhiqui by using the slop bucket provided only a few minutes ago.

Now they could only wait for her to be taken to meet her fate. Sure enough, at that moment, the door opened and the man from before, with his comrades, entered.

"Well, it's time, the other savage dies today." He remarked darkly.

Dany wanted to protest, to beg for Irri's life; but Irri shook her head, remaining calm. They were soon bound, exactly as they were before and were taken out of the cell. To Dany's relief they were spared the indignity of being naked as they were once more made to walk through the city. They still faced the jeers and taunts of the crowd, many of whom remembered their show five days ago.

They reached the pillars and were immediately shackled, facing inwards, and, to Dany's surprise, the laces at the back of the ragged dress were undone. It was the she realized they opened at the back, exposing hers, Irri no doubt suffering the same.

She did her best to ready herself and sure enough she felt it. Still she couldn't stop herself from crying out from the bite of the whip, Irri screamed too as they were whipped again; both of them punished once more. Despite the pain Dany didn't want the whipping to stop.

'Please, don't…when this ends, when this ends, Irri will be hanged…please.' She thought desperately.

But it was futile wishing; the whipping ended and the dresses laced back up. Dany was turned around, facing the gallows again as she was shackled and kept in place. Her eyes filled with tears and she fought to hold them back.

'No, I will not break, be strong, for Irri's sake.' She told herself. 'Poor Irri, I've never seen her so brave.'

It was true, apart from some tears that had fell from her eyes, leaving streaks across her cheeks; Irri remained impassive. Dany could only watch in frustrated helplessness as Irri was taken up to the gallows and her wrists, ankles and legs were bound in the same manner as Jhiqui had been. The noose was fastened around Irri's neck and she let out a weak sob, more tears falling.

Dany felt her own tears falling, her heart wrenching. 'Oh Irri, my poor brave friend.'

Dany watched as Irri looked up, her eyes locking with Dany and she gave her a tremulous smile. Then the lever was pulled and she dropped until the rope went taunt and she let out a choked gurgle.

Dany could only watch in dismay as Irri's face reddened as her body swung to and fro on the noose; letting out small strangled gasps.

'No, no, no…Irri, no…' Dany thought in utter dismay as she broke down in tears.

Irri's face turned purple as her eyes rolled up, her head falling to the side and finally, moments afterwards, she was dead. Dany wept bitterly as her dear friend swung lifelessly on the gallows before her. It was over now, she had lost. Despite her sacrifice in trying to save them, she had failed both her dearest friends; now they were dead, and she was next.

She was so lost in her weeping that she didn't resist as she was removed from the pillar, chained and manacled and forced back to her cell, where she was finally released and locked in. Adding insult to injury, Irri's lifeless body, still with the noose fastened around her neck, was thrown in after her and left there. Dany tried and failed to remove the noose and instead broke down and hugged Irri's body, gently kissing her forehead.

'Oh sweet Irri, I am so sorry.' She thought sadly. 'You will be remembered, I promise.'

She wept uncontrollably for her lost friend, but swore she would not let Irri's body be so callously tossed aside. She would not fail Irri as she had failed Jhiqui.

Dany wiped the last of her tears away; she had no more to cry now. She respectfully closed Irri's lifeless eyes and when she heard the approaching footsteps. The door opened and the men stepped in. Dany knelt before him, bowing her head.

"Please; I beg of you; give my friend Irri a proper funeral." She pleaded; desperate to get her point across.

The man in charge snarled. "You think we care if that savage…"

Dany continued, her desperation mounting. "Please; if you have any decency within you at all, give her a proper funeral. She shouldn't have to pay for me; I am the one you truly want here. Please give her a proper funeral; in return, I will not fight my fate."

"I'm sorry, what are you trying to say?" The man remarked, confused.

Dany clarified. "I will give you no trouble tomorrow, I will go to the block without argument or pleading, give Irri a proper funeral and my head is yours."

The man smirked and nodded. "Well; we've had enough trouble with this nonsense; so…Very well, the masters are likely to agree, so do we. You shall have your wish."

Dany let out a sigh of relief and watched as Irri's body was reverently carried out of the cell, to be prepared for her funeral.

End of chapter, now poor Irri has died, and Dany knows she is next. Read and review please.