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Animosity towards the Lannisters and the old kinship could be a common ground with Dorne, but Dany momentarily isn't overly popular amongst the Martells (because of Quentyn's fate) and she knows this.
What we call home
Daenerys is not able to sleep, so Theon accepts he will not sleep either.
It is late at night. Daenerys' unbraided silver curls are spread on the pillows, shining in the full moon's light.
"Stannis was charged with the assault of Dragonstone and the capture of Viserys and me."
She recites every real and imagined sin of her cousin, as if trying to convince herself not to negotiate with him. Although, it is a bit late for that. They have to meet tomorrow.
"He also fought at the siege of Pyke, didn't he?"
"He fought by the Fair Isle, then, on Great Wyk, I think," Theon replies.
"Still the same war," she declares. "And he brought you here."
"No, I was brought to Winterfell. I had lived there for two years before Lord Eddard died."
Finally, this rouses Daenerys' interest. She turns to her side even though in the dark she cannot see his face clearly.
"What was it like?"
Theon frowns, deep in thought. So much time has passed since then.
"Terrible… at first. I was angry. I was scared. Someone told me House Stark had a man-sized valyrian sword for executions. Every morning I was afraid Lord Eddard would enter the great hall with that sword in his hand and drag me out to the godswood to take my head before his savage gods."
To his own surprise, the memory makes Theon break into a slight smile.
Daenerys, however, sounds horrified when she asks, "Do they behead men before the heart trees?"
"No. Executions aren't sacrifices. But I heard a lot of tales about the northerners and had my prejudices, and my imagination made them even worse. Then… morning after morning came and nothing happened. I got used to my new state. Lord Eddard had a son, six years old, friendly and curious. He didn't know what being a hostage meant and I was older, so he listened to me. Just like his half-brother, Jon. Though, we didn't like each other very much, as I remember." He cannot name the reason for that anymore. It must have been some kind of childish animosity. "In the end, I was sorry I had to leave."
"Was that… nine years ago?"
"Almost ten."
"Does this place feel like home? Despite everything."
Theon answered that for himself a long time ago.
"I think home is not a place but people I care for."
"Like Shireen?"
"Like Shireen."
"Strange…" She murmurs wonderingly. "Home was always a place for me. Or rather the idea of a place. A red door and a lemon tree. The sense of being safe. I looked for it amongst the dothraki, then, in Meereen… A place can be yours, something you can own, defend. People however… People can leave or betray you. They can and they will."
"What happened in Meereen?"
Daenerys lies on her back again and keeps silent for a long time. Theon does not expect she will reply at all, but suddenly she starts speaking.
"I had a lot of enemies, a lot of supporters… and I had suitors. There was Hizdahr, a noble merchant, the High Priestess urged me to take him as husband to appease the Meereenese. There was Quentyn Martell from Dorne. And… Aegon. He came to me at the head of the Golden Company claiming he was my nephew, son of Princess Elia and my brother, Rhaegar."
Theon would like to ask so many questions but he does not want to distract her.
"He was everything I had dreamed of once. But I changed and I doubted. He believed himself Aegon but I was unable to believe it. And if I could have … he said we would conquer and rule the Seven Kingdoms…"
"But you want to be the queen not the king's wife," Theon quotes her words.
"Yes." Her voice becomes more bitter. "Quentyn was determined to fulfill his mission and return to Dorne with a Targaryen. So after he failed with me, he went to Aegon offering alliance and the hand of his sister to him. He tried to convince him to take Viserion and Rhaegal and sail to Sunspear together. But Aegon refused and when Quentyn tried to steal one of my dragons he wanted to stop him and died."
"And Quentyn?"
"Rhaegal burned him. He was past saving."
Daenerys falls silent, it seems she does not want to say more. She moves closer to Theon, he can feel the warmth of her skin. This time, her words are not only bitter but desperate.
"I'm fed up with talking for tonight."
