Chapter 3

Dany sat on the throne getting reports of what has happened while she was gone. She has sent a messenger to King's landing asking about the attempt on her and Jon's life when they got back to Dragonstone. Wondering, if it was a late attempt before they had struck up peace. Dany's thoughts turn to the nightwalkers. They need to start planning on how to attack. One of her children have already been struck down and killed. She is just starting to realize how fragile her children can be.

"Hello, your majesty! Lord Snow!" Artax announced merrily. He entered the castle easily. No one even stopped him when he entered in with Andromeda.

Dany looked at him drolly "I see that you have little knowledge of royal courts. You were to wait for an introduction. We were discussing delicate matters that we have no wish, as of right now, to share."

"Lady, no one stopped me as I walked in here. They barely looked at me as Andromeda walked in with me. If I were to be honest, however, I wouldn't have cared either way. I would have most likely walked in without introduction had I known." Artax said with complete disregard about etiquette. He looked around to those surrounding Dany, gauging their reaction to his tone towards her. The soldiers looked to her, meeting their gaze she nodded yes. Artax's smiled broadened.

The soldiers attacked. Artax defended with his sword still in its scabbard. He blocked each blow dealt towards him. He had no wish to kill the soldiers but gave Dany what she wanted and that was a view of his skill without threat. He knew that she wanted to test him against her own trained men. Soon Artax grew tired of the test and quickly switched from the defensive to the offensive, delivering blows faster and stronger than his counterparts. With sword still in scabbard, he landed his blows carefully to disarm and not to injure. After the last man lost his footing and his sword, Artax turned back to Dany for her viewing.

Dany watched as Artax artfully defended each blow her men sent towards him. Her men were going at him with full force and Artax danced around them effortlessly. Enthralled, she watched as her men one by one were disarmed and knocked down unharmed. He never took his sword out she thought as Artax turned back to her.

"Are you done with your assessment, your majesty. Or do you wish to see more?" Artax called out to her.

"I am done. I hear that your loyalties lie with no one. Is this true?" Dany asked.

"This is true, your Majesty." Artax said carefully, "I am a nomad. I do not have a home, or a family. I have nothing to which I need to defend."

"You own a horse. Is that not yours to defend?" Dany inquired

"Andromeda is like her own person. She has a mind of her own and she makes opinions about people based on what she sees and hears." Andromeda's ears pricked up at the sound of her name. She moved forward to stand right behind Artax. Odd, Dany thought, it is like she is showing him support. Dany kept her face carefully blank as she watched the interaction between man and horse.

"You know that eventually you are going to need to pick a side." Dany pointed out.

Artax shook his head and looked Dany dead in the face and said, "says who?"

Dany gaped at him. Artax softened his gaze as he went on. "Your Majesty, I fight when I need to and when others may need a champion, but I will never choose a side. Either sides have casualties and they play for a title of who gets the most land. I have seen firsthand what wars do to some of the villages and cities of Westeros. For this, I wander and put my skills to wherever they are needed. For the people, not their rulers. Lord Jon was the first ruler that I have ever come close to putting my loyalty to. Which is why I am here today. Because I respect him and his ongoing sacrifice to his people. But I still fight for those who cannot fight for themselves and because of that I can pledge no allegiance to one person."

Dany looked at him in wonder. She looked over to Jon who glanced back with understanding in his eyes. Jon must have already tried to convince him to join his side against the nightwalkers.

"what about the nightwalkers? Are you just not convinced that they do not exist? Will you not join us in our quest to destroy a common enemy?"

"what will happen to the people here while all the soldiers are off to war in the north?" asked Artax. "who will defend and take care of those people?"

Dany sat back heavily. She never even thought about the people here while they were in a war. Dany realized that all this planning was to win the war but who were they were winning it for? She started to question her motives in starting a war with Cersei.

"Your Majesty," started Artax, interrupting Dany from delving deeper into confusion, "I see that I have started to make you question about your devotion to the people. This is good but it was not my intention. I am merely trying to explain who I am and why I am the way that I am. I do not support a ruler because I wish to be as unbiased as possible. Now that I have shaken everyone's ideas and thoughts, I will take my leave." Artax bowed and turned to go.

"Wait." Dany said quietly. Artax turned around with a raised brow. "I actually asked you here to thank you for saving my life earlier. The discussion did get away from me and I have not been able to properly express my gratitude. Please stay and dine with us so that I may thank you in this small way."

"Your majesty, there is no need to thank me. As I stated before, I go where I am needed. Your proposal for dinner is graciously heard but I must decline. I have other obligations that I must attend to this night." And with that Artax and Andromeda were gone.

Dany sat there lost in thought. She was well and truly stumped by this man who would willingly turn down a meal from her and then walk away with the last word. She had a burning curiosity to find out more about him and what made him the way he is.