Long time no see guys! Sorry this took so long. Been an awful month, very busy and hardly any time for myself or the computer. Anyway, regarding this chapter, I'll say ahead of time that Daenerys will not be making an appearance. Sorry! She's on her way to Dragonstone and I'd like to skip the travelling part. But be prepared for a whole bunch of other appearances! Some might be expected and some might not...

And yes, the dragons are growing a little faster in my story than they did in GoT. Hey, they can't stay cute forever right?

Chapter 21: The Coming of the Storm

Loki

"She's seeing things?" Ser Jorah repeated, staring at Loki in an unsettling manner.

"As far as I could tell," Loki said in frustration. "She was screaming at me to stay away from her and she wouldn't look me in the eye."

"You're sure she wasn't just angry that you put her to sleep?" Ser Jorah demanded as he paced the room, darting nervous glances at Ser Barristan. It was hard for Loki to get a read on the older knight as Ser Barristan stood in to the shadows, his face hidden just beyond the reach of the fire pillars which dimly lit the room.

"You'd like that wouldn't you?" Loki found himself lashing out at Ser Jorah, frustrated with his inability to determine what had Daenerys so spooked. "Do you really think I would come here, to wake you in the middle of the night if I wasn't sure that something was haunting her? Of course, I'm sure! She was terrified."

Ser Jorah gave a weary sigh. "It'd be better if she was angry," he murmured softly and Loki froze at his tone. "The alternative is far worse."

"Why?" he asked uneasily. "What's the alternative?"

Ser Jorah walked to a stone bench and sank against it, placing his weathered hands over his face and obscuring his eyes. He wiped his palms down his features and it struck Loki how old and tired he seemed in that moment. "She's descending into madness," Ser Jorah explained wearily. "It has happened to members of her family before. Nearly all of the great ones were extraordinary... once. Before the dark psychosis took them."

Loki growled. "You can't be serious!"

"I wish it weren't so," Ser Jorah sighed. "But if she is seeing things as you say, then this is only the beginning."

"I don't believe you!" Loki snarled, making Ser Jorah stare at him in surprise. "I come to you for help and you're solution is to condemn her? She is your Queen! She is not insane!"

Ser Jorah glared at him. "And she will remain my Queen. I will always look out for her, even if I have to save her from herself."

"Listen to you," Loki hissed. "You speak as if she is already gone."

"That's not what I'm saying," Ser Jorah determined. "But if she is becoming paranoid and the hallucinations have begun, she will need guidance and support." He looked out the window then toward the few lights which continued to burn in the city at this late hour. "She shouldn't have to fight this war," he said softly.

Loki stepped directly into his line of vision, choosing his next words very carefully. "I know psychosis," he said, his tone darkening. "Believe me I have walked that precarious line and some have even gone so far as to call me a mad god; the God of Chaos." Ser Jorah's eyes were fixated on Loki, unable to tear his gaze away from the terrifying sight as Loki's eyes gleamed scarlet. "So believe me when I tell you that Daenerys is of a sound mind. If I am to be the example of insanity, than she is the picture of wisdom. Do not make the mistake of mixing up the two."

"I am inclined to agree," Ser Barristan spoke up for the first time. "The onset of her hallucinations is rather sudden and altogether too suspicious. Surely there is some other force at work that could cause such visions?"

Ser Jorah at last tore his eyes from Loki's as he regarded Ser Barristan. "You think someone is playing with her mind?" he inferred.

Ser Barristan tilted his head. "Such torture is not unheard of. It is not hard to imagine any number of her enemies who would wish to torment her... to keep her from achieving her goals."

"Should we speak with her then?" Loki asked quietly. "If we are to trace the source of her hallucinations, we need to know exactly what it is she has been seeing."

"The best thing for her right now would be rest, I'd imagine," Ser Barristan affirmed and Ser Jorah nodded in agreement. "We shall converse with her in the morning."

Both knights turned to go back to their chambers. "Gentlemen." Loki's smooth silken voice reached their ears and they each paused as Ser Jorah's hand rested against the door handle. Loki stepped closer and, though his tone held a warning, his expression was pleading. "For the meantime, this shall stay between us."

"Agreed."

...

Dragonstone, Westeros.

"Stop staring into the flames and look at me!" Stannis roared, grasping the upper arms of the Red Woman and shaking her vigorously. "We ride for the Wall in less than a day and I need answers!"

Melisandre remained calm under her Lord's enraged stare but she gave no other indication that she had heard him at all. When he forcefully grabbed her chin and turned her away from the flickering fire, she at last raised her eyes to meet his.

"Tell me what has become of the dragon wench," he ordered. "I hear talk that she has conquered Yunkai. Rather presumptuous, wouldn't you say? Since she is supposed to be our prisoner?" His accusatory glare bore into her but Melisandre was looking unsure of herself for the first time since he had encountered her.

"I cannot say," she murmured. "But it would be fair to say those rumours may have some truth to them."

"How can you not know? You showed me a vision in those flames once before," Stannis growled at her. "Why can you not grant me that same privilege again?"

"Because I see nothing," Melisandre informed him, gently extricating her chin from his grip. "The Lord of Light shows me nothing. For months I have seen only the vision of Daenerys Targaryen. She adorns the flames and embers both in my dreams and in the fire. And now... all I see are the flames."

"I don't understand," Stannis said, his eyebrows knitting together in frustrated confusion. "Does this mean she is dead?"

"This has never happened before," Melisandre confessed, waving her arm experimentally over the fire in the hopes that it would show her something, anything. "I don't know what it means."

Stannis grew angry once again as he turned and strode from the room. "I want to be informed the moment your foresight returns," he commanded, pausing in the open doorway. "Remember, I took your oath. I said the words and I swore myself into the service of your God. There will be hell to pay if he has abandoned my cause. We leave at dawn for the Wall, regardless." He slammed the door shut behind him leaving Melisandre mercifully alone.

Or so she thought.

A deep masculine chuckle reverberated behind her and Melisandre's eyes narrowed as she turned towards the shadows. "I suppose you found all of that amusing," she snapped.

"Amusing, entertaining, engaging..." The voice drifted off leaving little to the imagination.

"Judging by your presence so soon, I'm to assume your plan failed?" Melisandre sniped as the man at last stepped out of the shadows. "Why didn't you bring Daenerys Targaryen?"

"I didn't fail," he replied in agitation. "Things are merely behind schedule."

"And why is that?" Melisandre quipped, raising an eyebrow.

"Because..." The man stepped closer, tilting his head to either side so that the audible crack of bones echoed throughout the room. "Getting your neck snapped does that to you," R'Nhor hissed, eyes glinting maliciously.

"Shame it didn't take," Melisandre commented dryly, turning from him and letting her red dress swirl dramatically at her feet.

"You didn't really think it would, did you?" he smirked.

"Ever the favourite," she snapped over her shoulder, wishing that the Lord of Light had opted to leave him as a corpse instead.

"Speaking of favourites, how is your good little king doing? How is dear Stannis?"

"He's losing faith," she said, her voice turning softer. "The Lord of Light shows me nothing in the flames. I thought perhaps something had gone wrong but now... I think something may be blocking me."

R'Nhor's lips pulled back in a feral snarl. "Who would be powerful enough to do that?"

It was Melisandre's turn to smirk. She had never liked R'Nhor. For all his striking looks and power, the man was a monster and she took great pleasure in his insecurity. "Maybe you should ask the man who snapped your neck," she suggested smugly. She eyed the muscles in his neck as they contracted, feeling a slight thrill at the idea that there was another who was even more powerful than R'Nhor.

"You don't know what you're talking about, woman," he said dangerously. "This is exactly why the Lord of Light has abandoned you."

"He hasn't abandoned me," Melisandre snapped furiously. "I told you, something else is blocking me."

"Really?" R'Nhor stepped towards the flames sending them into a burning inferno and gazing into the fiery depths. "Because I can see your future very clearly." His eyes flicked to hers and she could plainly see the inner demon that lurked behind those golden irises. "It reeks of failure."

"Last time I checked my neck was still attached to my spine," she hissed at him. "If anyone has displeased the Lord of Light, it's you. NowI'd leave before Stannis' men find you. They might finish the job on your spinal cord."

"You talk a pretty game," R'Nhor commented, shuffling up behind her. "But I think we both know who the Lord of Light favours. Do you think he'd bring you back if someone were to slit your throat?" He produced a knife then, stepping into her line of sight and letting its sharp edge gleam as he flicked a finger over the blade suggestively.

Melisandre laughed bitterly. "Now who's playing it up?" she asked gloatingly. "However would Stannis ascend the Iron Throne if he were to lose his only connection to the Lord of Light?"

R'Nhor paused in his ministrations and stared at the Red Priestess. "You do know this isn't about Stannis, don't you?" When Melisandre's brow furrowed in confusion, R'Nhor grinned triumphantly. "Oh, but you don't," he realised gleefully. "This is too good. You still honestly believe that withered cock piece is destined to rule Westeros?"

"Stannis is the true king," she argued.

"You see only what the Lord of Light shows you," R'Nhor countered. "And he hasn't shown you everything."

Melisandre glared at him. "You were supposed to bring Daenerys Targaryen back to Dragonstone," she spat at him, hoping to deflect away from the truth that rang in his words. "That's what he showed me."

"Do you know why?" he asked silkily and Melisandre blinked at him. "I'm curious as to why you think I needed to bring her back to Dragonstone."

"Stannis is to impregnate her," she said confidently. "To gain control of the dragons."

"No, little fool," R'Nhor chuckled darkly. "I was. I was supposed to fuck her."

Melisandre's hands curled into fists and the fire sparked harshly. "What you're saying is blasphemous," she threatened.

"You really don't know," R'Nhor stated as she glared daggers at him. "Think about it. Why would the Lord of Light wish for a beaten old man to rule his domain? Why have a king when you could have a God?"

"He will rule his domain," Melisandre insisted. "Stannis is to be his vessel."

R'Nhor smiled, stilling chuckling and shaking his head in evident disbelief.

Melisandre stepped back suddenly as what he was insinuating finally dawned on her. "You-" she gasped. "You're the vessel."

"Now, you're catching on."

"But Stannis is of royal blood," she disputed. "The people will never follow someone like you. Half the continent doesn't yet recognise the Lord of Light."

R'Nhor threw his blade into the corner of the room where it clattered loudly, deciding for the meantime that he didn't need it. "Technically, the Targaryen's formed Westeros," he replied. "They united the continent under one ruler. They're the only mortals who have any real royal blood. And there's only one of those left." He closed his eyes briefly and Melisandre shuddered as he ran his hand obscenely down his chest. "And I have to say," he murmured. "That Daenerys is a fiery little vixen." He opened his eyes and grinned. "She's perfect really to carry the progeny of the Lord of Light."

Melisandre stared at him in horror. "And Stannis?"

"Stannis is a means to an end." R'Nhor shrugged. "While Daenerys is off conquering the other half of the world with next to no effort on her part, Stannis is keeping her enemies in Westeros busy. They haven't been able to lay a hand on her."

Melisandre turned from him, horrified as she realised the naivety of her mistake. It all made sense in a twisted sort of way. "It wasn't an accident was it?" she breathed. "It is no coincidence that Daenerys is the last Targaryen left. The last mortal with a connection to the dragons."

"How could something like that be an accident?" R'Nhor confirmed with an unpleasant smile.

"They won't follow you," Melisandre determined. "The people of Westeros won't recognise you as their King. They need Stannis. They need a leader who will convince them to follow the Light."

R'Nhor leaned towards her. "They won't have a choice," he whispered menacingly. He turned back toward the flames. "This world has gone on too long without proper leadership. The people follow false idols and fight over a mortal throne that was never really theirs to begin with." The fire burned brighter, consuming the darkness of the room and for the first time, Melisandre stared at the flames in fear. "It's coming," R'Nhor said ominously. "The war. The final battle will commence and then begins the dawning of a new age. For the night is dark and fully of terrors."

He stared intensely into the flames, waiting for the image of Daenerys to appear but the fire continued to burn normally. He frowned after several moments before whirling on Melisandre. "How long haven't you been able to see Daenerys Targaryen?" he demanded.

"I told you," she said angrily. "I haven't been able to see a vision in the flames for a little while now."

"The visions remain," R'Nhor said impatiently. "It is Daenerys I can no longer see."

This startled Melisandre but she masked it well as she glared back R'Nhor. "I don't know," she snapped. "You've made it clear that the Lord of Light no longer favours me."

R'Nhor cursed, turning away from her and upending the flaming bowl. "It matters not," he bit out furiously. "She can't hide forever."

Silence greeted him and he glanced up to see that Melisandre had fled the room.

"No one can hide anymore," he whispered to the empty room.

...

Yunkai

Loki

Loki stood outside of Daenerys' room, having ignored Ser Barristan's suggestion to let her rest as he leaned against her door. He raised a hand to knock but clenched his fist and lowered it again. He gave a sigh of agitation as he whirled and stormed back down the hall, swearing to himself that he would find and kill whoever tortured the woman he loved.

A light clap of thunder sounded in the distance and Loki glanced out of the hallway balcony, noticing the distinct lack of stars which signalled the sky had clouded over. "Perfect," he muttered to himself as rain began to fall. The hot Yunkish weather turned chilled as damp air settled over the city and the rain began to pour in earnest.

Loki spun on his heel again and headed back toward Daenerys' room, unable to make up his mind as to whether his presence would be a comfort or a burden to her right now. He ignored the rational voices in his head, obeying only his heart as he gently pushed open the door to her room, unable to bear seeing her in pain.

"Daenerys?" he called softly, moving toward the bed and the covers which she had drawn over herself. He felt some measure of relief that she had at least been able to get some sleep and he turned away, feeling more comfortable to leave her if she was indeed sleeping. A light growl sounded in the corner of the room and he turned to see Loreley stirring softly against some plush cushions, shaking and stretching out her scaly wings.

Loki smiled and walked over to her, leaning down to stroke the silver and violet ridges of her head. She gave a light purr which morphed into an agitated growl as she stared behind Loki at the window. The breeze gusted inward, blowing the curtains about as the storm outside grew harsher and Loki frowned, wondering how Daenerys could possibly sleep through such interference. He closed the windows, careful not to let them squeak and turned back to the bed just as Loreley jumped onto the covers.

"Hey," he scolded lightly, moving to grab her but the young dragon suddenly shrieked in alarm. Loki froze, waiting for Daenerys to shift in her sleep and wake to the sounds of her crying dragon. When the mass did not move, Loki's anxiety grew along with the frantic cries of Loreley. He strode forward and ripped the blankets from the bed, revealing a carefully compiled lump of pillows beneath, arranged in such a way as to mimic a sleeping woman. Loreley tittered anxiously and Loki stared at the cushions on the floor where she had been sleeping, only now noticing the distinct lack of three other, much larger scaly beasts.

"What have you done?" he whispered fiercely, turning to the window now with a realisation that Daenerys had left not on foot or horseback but on the back of her dragon. The storm raged outside and Loki's heart plummeted. How could she possibly be out in that?

He ran from the room, carrying the anxious young dragon in his arms as he raced toward his chambers. He shoved open the door to his room, seizing his spear which he clutched to his side as he ran back toward the Hall. As he turned in the corridor, a door to Loki's right opened and a bleary Missandei stepped out wearing a nervous expression that matched his own.

She stared in alarm at Loki as he almost barrelled into her in his haste to reach Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan. "Something is happening," she told him frightfully, glancing at the stormy weather outside.

"I know," he said quickly, seizing her arm and pulling her along after him. "Daenerys is gone."

"What?" she cried, almost tripping as she tried to keep pace with him.

"She's gone!" he repeated as they tore across the stone floor and he felt her tugging insistently against the hold he had on her arm. "She means to get to Dragonstone!"

"Wait," she pleaded and Loki did pause. "Kaz! He's scared of the storm. He doesn't understand. I'll grab him and we'll meet you at the Hall."

"There's no time," Loki exclaimed. "Daenerys is out there in that gale!"

Missandei gasped. "I don't understand it," she said frantically. "There hasn't been a storm like this in my lifetime."

"It's just rain," he shot at her as he attempted to pull her along after him again.

"No," she responded. "There's thunder and lightning. I've only ever read about them before. It means something is coming." Loki halted, turning around to meet her wide petrified eyes.

"What do you mean?" he demanded, cradling Loreley as the dragon cried for her mother.

"Storms are omens," she told him frightfully. "The last time something this severe hit the lands, acid rain poured down onto villages and lightning ignited entire cities. It brought the Doom."

"But this rain is just water," he argued. "I can smell it. And the lightning..." He paused suddenly as a thought occurred to him and he stared out to the storm. "The lightning. You have to be kidding me," he muttered as he gazed out at the unnatural bolts that flashed across the sky.

"Loki!" Ser Jorah and Ser Barristan hurried over to him, having noticed the stormy weather and feeling just as panicked as Missandei. Daario appeared behind them and he moved to comfort Missandei as the thunder clapped and the storm raged on.

"What is happening?" Ser Jorah demanded. "The sky is alight! Is it some sort of sorcery?"

"It's lightning," Loki responded dejectedly, trying to shush the squirming dragon in his arms. Giving up, he placed the youngling on the ground and she wrapped her tail around his legs instead, growling at the rain that battered the windows. He stayed there in his crouch while the mortals around him fretted.

"The Queen is gone!" Missandei told Ser Jorah as she held Daario's arms for support.

"How?" he asked horrified. He looked toward the storm and his terror grew. "Please tell me she's not out in that!"

"She is," Loki told him calmly and the knight turned toward him furiously. Sounds echoed throughout the palace as others wakened to the storm and the people turned frantic.

"You seem awfully calm!" he accused him. "She's out there while the sky is pouring rain and fire yet you seem to be in no rush to retrieve her!"

Loki did not bat an eye. "It's lighting," he said once again. "And she is not in any immediate danger."

Ser Jorah stilled and his anger abated somewhat at Loki's assurance. "How do you know?"

"Because I know where it is coming from," Loki answered. "Missandei is right. It's unnatural and something is coming. But it's not coming for you." Loki stood as Loreley climbed back up Loki's leg, seeming to have calmed herself enough to trust him once again. As she perched herself on his shoulder, Loki gave her a quick affectionate smile. "Go and comfort Kaz," he told Missandei. "Tell him everything will be fine. I need to go."

As expected, Ser Jorah called after him as Loki strode towards the doors. "Where are you going?"

"I need to meet with someone," he replied over his shoulder. "And then... I promise I will bring Daenerys back. Safe." Without another word he pushed open the great oaken doors and strode out into the raging storm, his feet sloshing through the turrets of puddles as the rain beat against him. Loreley gave a discomforting shriek and sort comfort under his cloak, merely peeking her head out as Loki strode into the eye of the Storm.

The winds whipped his robes around him, providing little protection but Loki hardly needed it. He paused at the top of the steps, watching as cascades of water poured down in a storm-made waterfall which reflected the fierce flashes that streaked across the sky. It wouldn't be long before he found him. He had only to wait until the lightning reached him.

Hello, Brother.

Hope you guys don't mind the twist I threw in about the storms! I don't actually know if there has been a storm before in Westeros but the only one I've heard of is during the Doom. I apologise if someone can tell me otherwise. Anyway just going to inform you all THERE WON'T BE ANOTHER CHAPTER FOR THE FLAME MAIDEN OF HYGARD.

There is going to be a SECOND STORY to continue the series as I feel it should have a second part, kind of like the TV show. The next part will involve the conquering of Westeros and of course the coming of R'Hllor and the final battle. I will be starting it immediately so don't fret! The first chapter will be out quite soon The story is called "A Birth of Flame and Frost"