The plan goes wrong.
12. Dragonbinder - Daenerys
Dany awoke with a start, gasping for breath.
As her heartbeat slowed, she tried to recall the details of her dream. Something about… the sea? Yes, that was it. A dragon was drowning, and there was nothing she could do to help. That was odd, she considered, my children can swim. There were other details in the dream, but they escaped her memory as fast as she tried to remember them, and soon she forgot everything.
After calming down, she rose from the bed. Glancing out of the cabin window, she couldn't make out much in the darkness. Dany took a sip of the water jug she kept nearby. I need some air, she thought, between gulps. She quickly got dressed and stepped outside.
The Balerion was quiet at this time of night. The few sailors who were awake bowed respectfully as she passed them, but otherwise continued with their work. The Greyjoys kept their crew happy, no doubt worried about rumors of their uncle amassing a fleet of his own. Not for the first time, Dany reflected on the coincidence that most of her allies were about to fight a war against their own family. The gods are cruel, indeed.
Her eyes went to her family. Viserion and Rhaegal were flying overhead, just low enough to avoid the ship's masts, while Drogon seemed to be resting. His massive weight made the ship move much slower, but he needed the rest. Dany was considering riding with him ahead of the fleet, to see what awaited them at Storm's End.
"Can't sleep?" A voice made her turn around. Yara Greyjoy came walking towards her from the helm of the ship. She wasn't the captain of this vessel, yet Dany had given her full authority over the entire fleet as the most experienced naval commander.
"Bad dream." Dany replied without thinking. She couldn't remember much now, only the fear that had made her wake up.
Yara smiled and sidled closer. "I could help you sleep, you know." She said, licking her lips. "I promise you'll be… satisfied with my help." Her eyes seemed to linger on Dany's mouth, before going over the rest of her body.
She looks hungry. Dany couldn't help feeling tempted by the offer. It had been too long since she had shared her bed with anyone.
Dany smiled back. "I'm sure I would be. However, now that I'm awake, I'd rather stay that way." She turned to look out over the water. "How long until we reach Storm's End?"
If Yara was disappointed, she didn't show it. "If the winds are kind, it won't be long. No more than a week, I'd wager." She glanced up, probably feeling the wind somehow.
"Good." Dany had lingered in Dorne only long enough to give their land forces a head start. Tyrion's plan was a good one. If his information was correct, Casterly Rock had been financing the realm for years. Their gold mines must be quite valuable.
"If you wish to move faster, I can be of service." A new voice made Dany turn around again. High Priestess Kinvara came striding towards them, her long red robes seeming almost black in the night. "A sacrifice to the Lord of Light shall grant us speed, Your Grace." She spoke with confidence.
"I don't think that will be necessary." The longer she spent listening to this woman, the less certain Dany felt about this alliance. It would be hard enough to convince people to follow her without adding the complication of preaching a new faith. This is a terrible idea, she had told Tyrion many times since they left Volantis. Yet the man was adamant about their importance.
Yara seemed amused by the woman. "Did you have trouble sleeping, Priestess?" She asked, with a smirk. "Does your Red God send you visions to keep you awake at night? How rude of him." Her voice was dripping with mock sentimentality.
Kinvara smiled too, her eyes almost glowing red. "I'm awake simply because I do not require sleep." She then reached for Yara's arm with surprising speed and gripped tight. "Beware the one-eyed crow. He flies tonight." Releasing the shocked Greyjoy, she turned to Dany. "Before the sun rises, Your Grace will want to move faster. Look for me then." And with that, she walked back towards her quarters, her long red robe billowing behind her as she moved.
"A strange woman." Yara regained her composure, rubbing her arm. "I think she was talking about Euron, but that makes no sense. He should still be rebuilding the Iron Fleet back home." Despite her words, she still looked concerned.
Dany shook her head. "Don't worry too much about it." She had had her fill of prophecies. "In my experience, people who claim to see the future often just like to hear their own voices. And they are just as often wrong." She remembered the crones of the dosh khaleen during her first visit to Vaes Dothrak. They had promised her son would be the stallion who mounts the world. And yet, Rhaego was stillborn.
Yara nodded. "I hope so. We're not ready for an attack now." She glanced at some point to the west. "Just in case, I'd better go check on our defenses. Your Grace." And she left too.
Dany wasn't worried, but she walked over to Drogon. Flying would provide a better view. If something were to happen tonight, she should be on Drogon's back. When she got closer, her child opened his eyes and fixed her with a stare.
"Let's go for a ride." She told him in High Valyrian. He unfurled himself and waited patiently. When she was about to climb on his back, she heard a loud bang followed by the cracking sound of wood breaking. Following the sound with her eyes, she saw the mast of a ship falling into the sea.
The alarm was sounded, and sailors were waking up everywhere. She couldn't see very well what was happening in the darkness, but Yara came running. "EURON!" She yelled, as the sounds of cannon fire continued to break the silent night.
Suddenly lights were popping everywhere, most of them from lanterns. Though she could tell some of her ships were burning already. Now that she could see better, Dany paid more attention to the chaos. The Balerion and the other ships scouting ahead seemed to be doing fine, but their right flank had been the initial target. And they seemed to be firing something other than cannonballs, for each hit had caused a small explosion. I'll send some fire back their way.
"Let me see what I can do." She told Yara and climbed on Drogon's back. As the dragon took flight, she tried to keep her mind focused. She needed to find Euron's flagship and take him out. Rhaegal and Viserion joined their brother as they searched, patiently waiting for her order to unleash their fiery breath. We have to be careful, or we might hurt our own allies.
Looking down, Dany had a better view of what was happening. We're losing. That much was obvious. Euron's fleet had taken them by surprise and several of her ships were already on fire. Yara seemed to be trying to gather the remaining ships into a tighter formation, but it was a slow process. Their fleet was better prepared for naval warfare, while Dany's fleet was mostly just carrying her army.
An army which is being destroyed. Her soldiers weren't sailors, even if most of the Dothraki were already on the way to Casterly Rock. The plan is ruined. She made a mental note to discuss her options later, as she witnessed the ship with Ellaria Sand being boarded. The woman had insisted on joining her, for some reason. Lady Olenna had been more pragmatic and stayed behind.
Viserion got distracted by something off to the west and flew away, while Rhaegal continued to follow them. There! She spotted the biggest enemy vessel. The galley had one mast with black sails and what seemed to be a red hull, though it could be the glare from the fires blazing all around it. There was also a strange figurehead on the prow, but Dany couldn't tell what it was from this distance.
She led Drogon down and got closer. Rhaegal was lighter and faster, managing to fly ahead. When she could make out the smiling face of a man with an eye-patch she knew it was close enough. Time to finish this.
"Drac-"
AWOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooo
Aaaah! She put her hands over her ears, but that made almost no difference. The shrieking sound coming from that ship made her blood boil. She felt the pain of a thousand needles piercing her skin at the same time, and even her eyes failed her for a moment. All she could see were stars, yet she knew Drogon was falling.
Dany willed her mind to keep Drogon in the air. A fall from this height probably wouldn't kill them, but she couldn't help remembering her dream. No dragon will drown tonight. After some effort, she felt Drogon change direction and fly away.
She blinked a few times and regained some of her sight, feeling a little better. Dany patted her child's back in a soothing way, reassuring him. What was that? She would have to ask someone later. Now we must flee.
Whatever that was, it had rendered her and her dragons useless. Without her dragons, this battle was already lost. Glancing around, she spotted Viserion flying at a distance, but Rhaegal was nowhere to be seen.
Where is he? The last time she saw him… She turned back towards Euron's galley and saw what she feared. Rhaegal was in the water, thrashing in pain. NO!
She resisted the urge to go help him. That sound would just cause her to fall again. And if she fell… If I look back, I am lost. No, she needed to save whatever remained of her fleet. She landed back on the Balerion and looked for Kinvara. The red woman was right all along.
Luckily, the High Priestess was already waiting for her. "I'm assuming you'll require speed now, Your Grace?" She asked, without a shred of modesty.
Dany nodded, impatient. "What about this sacrifice? What do you need?"
"It's not about what I need, only what the Lord of Light demands." She opened both of her arms wide, as the fires raged all around her. "R'hllor demands blood."
Dany looked around. "Isn't all this blood enough? Surely enough people are dying tonight to meet whatever demand your god requires."
Kinvara smiled. "Men die every day, Your Grace. And wars are fought for many reasons. The Lord of Light cares not for the squabbles of men. If you want His attention, you'll need to offer up a life."
Only death can pay for life. Dany's doubts were growing by the hour. She looked out at the enemy ship. It was far enough, but she could still make out that Rhaegal had stopped thrashing, and a net had been thrown to capture him. Damn them. "Fine, then. Who's the sacrifice?"
Kinvara clapped her hands and two soldiers of the Fiery Hand came, each clasping one arm of a man who looked terrified. He knows what's about to happen.
"What's your name?" Dany asked the man.
Kinvara forestalled him. "Do you truly wish to know that, Your Grace? His life is forfeit. You might as well call him wind, for that is what his blood shall become."
Dany knew the woman was no stranger to this kind of ritual, but in her mind she owed it to him to at least be able to remember his name.
"I will hear his name." She spoke with determination.
The man seemed even more scared now, having to address the queen. "G-Gwynt, Your G-Grace." He stuttered eventually, keeping his eyes down.
"Do you understand what is expected of you?" She didn't know why she needed to hear him so much. I don't want to do this, there has to be a better way.
He nodded, beads of sweat trickling down his brow.
Dany stood facing him for a few seconds, before turning to Kinvara. I can't do this. "No. Release him." The soldiers didn't move, she noted.
The High Priestess was taken aback. "Your Grace, I've seen what will happen if you don't do this. Look around!" She turned and spread her arms. "This battle is lost. Your enemy has already claimed one dragon." She then pointed at a terrible scene.
Dany couldn't believe her eyes, but Rhaegal was burning her own ships. Squinting, she could make out the shadow of someone on his back. Is that Euron? How did he manage to tame my child? And if he could do that…
"Do it." Her voice was steel. If I look back, I am lost.
Kinvara clapped and the soldiers worked to tie up the man to a small boat on the side of the Balerion.
The High Priestess intoned, "Lord of Light, please accept this humble offering from your loyal servants. Allow his blood to grant us the speed to escape our foes. For the night is dark and full of terrors."
"The night is dark and full of terrors." The soldiers of the Fiery Hand echoed, as they pulled on a few ropes and released the boat into the sea.
Kinvara made a hand gesture and the boat caught on fire. Gwynt started screaming in pain, his voice failing as the flames grew stronger. Eventually, only the fire could be heard, consuming both man and boat until they both sank into the depths.
Dany started feeling sick. What have I done? Then, a massive gust of wind buffeted them. The sails filled quickly, and within seconds they were moving much faster than before.
Dany turned back to see Rhaegal flying in the distance. I'll save you. I don't know how, but I will. I promise. A dragon is not a slave.
This one was a challenge. Action scenes are complicated to write. It's one thing to imagine it, but quite another to turn it into words. I hope it was clear enough.
I know what you must be thinking: Why Rhaegal? But what about Jon? Don't worry, I have a plan.
And sorry about the Dany and Yara tease. The original draft had a scene of them together, but I couldn't work out a nice transition. I'll try to make up for it in the future.
Also, I forgot about Tyrion here. My bad. He was supposed to be in the same ship, but I really had no lines for him. I just wanted to show Dany making up her own mind.
The date is 18/05/2019