Chapter 8: Close Call

~o0o~

Jorah quickly dialed Grey's mobile.

"Where is she?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't have sent you that text." Grey's voice was the tersest Jorah had heard from him. He could hear noise and music in the background, and if he wasn't mistaken, Missy's voice.

"Do you have any idea where she may have gone…where are you, anyway?" Jorah asked agitatedly as he walked towards the docks.

"At Albert's in Kensington. She may be with Daario, I haven't seen him in a while."

Jorah knew the spot well – Rhaegar had favored it, especially to spend time with Lyanna. "Who the bloody hell is Daario?"

"Her ex?" Grey said, unsure. Jorah heard Missy chime in and correct him, " Her friend…from Uni."

Great - Jorah thought. As he neared where the ferry left from, he felt a sinking in his stomach. He knew he wouldn't be going back to Bear Island tonight. "Do you trust this Daario guy?"

He didn't hear Missy say anything this time and it took a while for Grey's answer. "Not really."

It caused Jorah to turn back around and retrace his steps up to the High Street. "I'm heading to the airport now. I'll catch whatever plane I can get and I'll keep you informed. Text me if you hear anything from her."

Jorah hung up his mobile and shoved it in his pocket. He was thankful he had everything he needed with him to make a quick getaway. He'd have to make another trip back to Bear Island soon to pick up his duffel and as an apology to his father and family for cutting the trip short.

He could have stayed. It was well within his rights to. He was expected to be on call twenty-four hours a day, but never on his weekends off. But Grey was young and he remembered times he had fucked up in the service, in MI6, and in the early days with Rhaegar. Others had helped him. He and Captain Lannister had constantly had each other's backs and he wasn't about to leave Grey alone in this. She was their Princess.

Princess, can you please let me know if you are okay? Grey is looking for you - Jorah typed out the message on their private, encrypted chat and sent it. They hadn't exchanged a word on it yet, but his with Rhaegar was their lifeline to one another. Jorah had to admit he was saddened when the palace IT team wiped the chat clean after Rhaegar's death – it was a source of a thousand memories between them.

He hopped into the first cab that stopped for him and headed to the airport.

~o0o~

Daario and Daenerys pulled up to a rather nondescript pub that had some people milling about outside. He helped her off of the motorbike and out of the helmet, laughing a bit when he saw her long, blonde hair messy from the ride through the city. She was sure he had broken more than a few traffic rules en route.

"Where are we?" she asked, her legs a little shaky from the ride as he took her hand and led her into the quiet pub and down a staircase.

"The Troubadour…I know a friend playing here tonight…" he told her and she followed him and the sound of music thumping below them. The basement venue was packed and filled with cigarette smoke. Her heels stuck to the concrete from the sticky spilled drinks as they moved through the people. She could see how this was Daario's scene, but it certainly wasn't hers.

The band had been in a lull between songs, but when they started up again, it was deafening. The bass reverberated through the tiny venue and the bodies around them bobbed to it.

"Do you want a drink?" Daario asked her, practically having to yell over the music.

She shook her head, saying that she was fine, but he left and returned with one for her anyway. She sipped on the cheap whiskey sour and her lips puckered as she tried to get into the music. She pulled out her mobile to text Missy, but it was dead.

"This was the first venue I played at with the band." Daario leaned closer and told her. Did he think she would be impressed? Was he trying to show off? When she finished her drink quickly, mostly from having nothing better to do than sip it down, he got her another and she was starting to feel all the alcohol catching up with her.

"Daario, I think I should be getting back…" Daenerys told him. His glassy eyes were fixed to the stage, his head nodding with the beat and his long hair messy and a bit sweaty.

"Not yet, love. I've been waiting to be alone with you all night." Daenerys wondered why he just didn't take her somewhere quieter if that was what he wanted. His arm slipped around her waist and before she knew it, his lips were on hers.

Daenerys had thought about kissing him for a few years now. Back at Uni, there was always this chemistry between them, always a flirtation. She had felt it earlier that night as she danced with him, but now, with his wet lips on hers and the music shaking her body, she was over it.

He wasn't as great of a kisser as she thought he would be. In fact – he was terrible. All talk and no walk. When it came down to it, there weren't the sparks flying in front of her eyes that she hoped there would be, like there was with Drogo. She pushed him away.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm just…" Daenerys didn't want to explain here, where she could barely hear herself think. There was no way he would be able to comprehend that she just wanted them to stay friends with the singer wailing on about her failing love life. "…tired. And I think we should head out."

At least she didn't have to ask him a third time. He held her hand as they walked back up the stairs and onto the street.

Flashes blinded her as they tried to walk to his motorbike. Clearly someone from the pub had tipped off the paparazzi that she was there, as there were a handful of them standing outside and some tourists clamoring for a look as well.

She knew she never should have left with him.

Daario seemed unfazed, and even gave them a wave as he helped her onto the motorbike before getting on himself. A few seconds later, they took off, with Daenerys telling him to take her back to the palace.

~o0o~

Even though it was not even two hours, the flight back to London seemed to drag on for Jorah. He was lucky that he had been able to flash his credentials and get a seat on a plane taking off twenty minutes after he arrived at the airport, charging it to his spend account. But it was still going to be a long night.

It would be nigh on three in the morning when he landed and then another thirty minutes to Kensington. He checked his mobile constantly. His message to Daenerys was still unread and Grey sent regular updates but he hadn't located her yet.

It was starting to worry him. Daenerys didn't seem like the reckless type or one to just up and run off without telling anyone. He knew she and Grey had a close relationship and that she would never try and give him the slip.

Grey had texted him what he knew about Daario, with Missy's help. He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help but look him up.

He was Daenerys' age and apparently in some popular band called 'The Second Sons'. Jorah had never heard of them and he felt he was pretty up-to-date when it came to music, as Sansa had concurred earlier that evening.

The multiple images online of Daario drinking iced coffee whilst wearing Ray Bans and strolling around London looking unwashed and unhappy only further confirmed what Jorah had already guessed – that this guy was an asshole. Not dangerous, but absolutely pretentious.

The thought of Daenerys out with this guy made Jorah oddly uncomfortable. He tried to reason to himself that it was simply because she was currently missing and that it had nothing to do that she was out alone with a good-looking guy.

But it was because of that. He felt protective over her somehow and it made him want to get off the plane even faster.

I'm just being protective. I just want her to be safe. Grey and I both do -Jorah told himself as the plane started to descend. He could see the lights from parliament as they flew over. He told himself that he was just doing his job. He cared for Rhaegar in the same way, always wanting him safe and happy.

But this was different and no matter how many excuses he came up with, it nagged at him, wanting him to admit it. He pushed the thought away when the plane landed, when got into the car waiting for him, and as they drove.

He was attracted to Princess Daenerys Targaryen. As was half of England and some guy named Daario Naharis. In the same way that he realized earlier that night that he was attracted to Lady Sansa Stark.

He chuckled to himself - for years he had sworn off women since Lynesse, not wanting to go down that road again. And now, he had what could only be defined as a 'crush' on two women a little too young for him. And both way out of his league. His night was really going from bad to worse.

He thought back to Sansa. They had a connection. They had a nice time talking to one another and found quite a bit in common. And she was beautiful. That meant more than his emotions running on high from finding out Daenerys was missing, surely? They had barely had more than a few passing conversations. There was nothing there but him simply being worried and fascinated by her beauty. That's it.

But the contents of Rhaegar's damned letter crept back into his mind. Damn it. He recognized the street they were turning down – he'd be at the palace in ten.

~o0o~

"Thanks…" Daenerys said breathlessly as Daario parked in the back service driveway of the Kensington residences and she hopped off.

"Maybe we can finish what we started?" he asked, taking off his helmet and moving towards her.

"Like I said, Daario…I'm really tired and I don't think…"

"If only the paps had caught us kissing…" he smirked and Daenerys' face fell. It had bothered her when she saw how nonchalant he was over their presence. Now she realized why.

"You brought me there and tipped them off?" she asked only to confirm her suspicions. He ran a hand through her hair and a few lights turning on in Lyanna's apartments momentarily distracted Daenerys.

"We make a cute couple." He shrugged and she felt used. Thank God no one had been able to photograph that more than forgettable kiss.

"I'm glad we were able to catch up tonight, but I'm not interested, Daario. Especially after knowing you tried to stage a photo-op." She raised her voice, pissed.

"Oh, come on Dany, don't be like that…we've been in the making for a while…" he laid on the charm. Any other girl would have just melted at his outstretched arms in his leather jacket – would have gone in for the hug. Instead, she crossed her arms and shook her head.

"You need to leave."

"Dany…"

"You just wanted publicity for your fucking band…" Daenerys shook her head, realizing it. It was so obvious now and he was so self-centered.

"Dany, are you okay?"

Both of them turned to look for whoever was behind the voice that had called out into the night. A few moments later, Lyanna Stark came into view, covered up in a robe and her hair tied up in a messy knot. She had clearly just come from bed.

"I'm fine, I'm sorry we woke you." Daenerys apologized, stepping closer to her friend and away from Daario. She was thankful that someone else was there with her.

"Dany, love, please…" Daario reached for her arm and missed and in horror she realized that he was tipsy, if not drunk, as was she. They had been driving nearly 90 kilometers an hour on his bike and they could have easily been in an accident. What had she been thinking?

He reached out again and grabbed her. Daenerys yelped and Lyanna seized her other hand.

"Daario, what the hell? Let go of me!"

"Get your hands off of her!"

A black car had just pulled up in the driveway and Jorah stepped out. When he had heard from Grey and Missy that they had canvassed Kensington and hadn't seen the Princess, he decided that he should start from home base to see if she had returned. He was glad he did and came up behind Daario, yanking him away from the Princess. Daario stumbled and fell back onto the asphalt.

Daenerys stepped back and Lyanna wrapped her arms around her as they both watched Jorah look down at Daario, who was getting to his feet.

"What the fuck, man?"

"Leave, or I'll make this worse for you than it already is. That car will take you wherever you tell it. And don't think about coming back for your bike." Jorah said, his voice rough and angry. Daario didn't fight him on it, mostly because they both knew he'd lose if he tried to go at him. He just stood up and headed to the car.

"Stupid bitch!" Daario called back to Daenerys before he got in the car and slammed the door. Jorah clenched his fists but there was nothing he could do. If the car weren't already pulling away, he would have started a real fight with the little punk. But he was just the equerry – if that was anyone's job, it was Grey's. He was getting far to ahead of himself. He looked to Daenerys, who looked visibly shaken and to Lyanna, who looked worried and confused.

He messaged Grey to come home with Missandei. It was almost four in the morning and they needed sleep. The explanations could come in the morning.