The cold sun beamed down on the snow-covered canyon. Daenerys, Jorah and Bruda stood together as they waited for their guests to arrive. The night before, Davos had gone in search of the queen, politely asking for a small favour. He had spoken earnestly about a young girl who had grown up besotted with the fairytales of old and had begged him to let her see the dragons up close. Initially, she had been hesitant to allow it simply because of the risk involved but the passion and total endearment in his voice had quickly swayed Daenerys and she had, with a smile, told him to come out early in the morning with Shireen to where she had landed when she first arrived at Winterfell. They were lucky that it was such a beautiful morning, something that didn't seem to fit the sense of impending doom among the trio. Yet they had vowed not to think of that for the time being, wanting to use this opportunity to forget about the troubles that lay ahead of them.

"If she gets eaten by one of them, that's on you," Bruda muttered to her, causing Jorah to chuckle. He stopped when he received a dangerous glare from her.

"Don't say anything like that when she gets here. There's a minimal chance that will happen."

"How reassuring. Should I say that to her when she arrives?" Jorah shook his head at their quarrelling, a common pastime for the two of them. He got the sense that they enjoyed annoying and riling up each other.

"Will you stop your bickering?" he asked them, a dreary tone in his voice. Daenerys pouted at him, which softened his look. Bruda looked aghast at their small interaction.

"I wouldn't get away with anything if I tried pouting like that," he complained, mainly in jest. The blonde woman smiled at him and patted him gently on the cheek.

"You can have all the magic in the world," she started, "but you will never be able to challenge my charm." He huffed at the comment.

"Only when it comes to him. You'll have to tell me what spell you have put on him." Daenerys was about to continue their conversation when she saw two figures, one much smaller than the other, approaching them from the distance. She nudged the warlock to make himself look more welcoming and friendly than he normally did. She grimaced at his efforts.

Davos guided a nervous Shireen towards where he had been told to meet them. He couldn't tell whether the young girl was more worried about meeting the dragons or the queen. He had gone to her room when the sun had risen, knowing that she would likely be awake reading. Although initially curious and concerned why she was receiving such an early visitation, Shireen had been overjoyed to hear Davos's plans and hadn't taken long at all to get herself ready.

They eventually stood in front of the trio, Shireen partly hiding behind her father's Hand. She fully understood how important this woman was to her father and so was trying to make sure not to do anything to disrespect her.

"Good morning, ser Davos," Daenerys greeted, a customary warm smile gracing her lips. The young Baratheon couldn't believe how beautiful she was in person, just like the princesses she had read about so many times in her books.

"It looks like it will be, yes. I must thank you again for doing this." She waved away his words of gratitude.

"There's no need. I'm glad that some people are taking a keen interest in my dragons. And they do enjoy good company." She looked at the girl with a glint in her eye. "You must be Shireen. Ser Davos has spoken a lot about you." Shireen looked up at Davos who nodded his head encouragingly. She stepped forward cautiously before performing a small courtesy, which prompted Daenerys to smile again. Bruda, however, looked at her in concern.

"And polite too. Your father must be very proud." She was about to respond to the queen's comments when the warlock stepped forward and knelt down on one knee so that he was the same height as Shireen. The others looked at him with confused looks.

"May I?" he asked gently. She nodded her head, even though she didn't know what he wanted to do. She was surprised when he reached out softly touched the area of infected skin on her face. "Greyscale. How long have you had this for?"

"Since...I was an infant," came the hesitant reply.

"Can you not cure it?" Jorah asked, thinking back to the time Bruda had saved his life in their Meereenese cell. Bruda shook his head.

"There's nothing to cure. It has been treated already. Somehow. Incredibly lucky indeed. They just weren't able to save the affected skin." Daenerys was worried that he was making her feel uncomfortable judging by the worried look on her face. "I could do something about that though." He looked into her eyes. "Do you want me to remove it? I've got practice now. I managed to cure my friend here." He gestured at Jorah, who gave an awkward smile. Shireen thought about it for a moment before shaking her head.

"Thank you very much for the offer but...it's a part of me. For as long as I can remember. And I don't feel like I need to change."

"Too right," he said. "Wise words for such a young girl. No wonder Davos goes on about you." The man in question looked up into the sky when she turned to him. "Now would you help an old man out? I don't know how I got myself into this position." She giggled and held his arm as he pushed himself up with the help of his staff. He stepped back next to Daenerys who looked at him affectionately. She whispered into his ear.

"I didn't know you could be so gentle and...kind. It was lovely to see. You should do it more often. Maybe you do have a heart after all." He simply shushed her whilst pressing a finger to his lips, although he did wink at her as well.

"Well," Davos said, after Shireen had joined his side again. "I think I have a princess here who really wants to see a dragon." As if on cue, a low rumbling snarl could be heard from the canyon behind them before Drogon flew out in a vertical line, showing his smooth belly to the group. Shireen gasped in equal measures of surprise and awe but still made sure to back up into Davos. They were soon joined by Daenerys's other two dragons, soaring from below to glide well over their heads. Viserion and Rhaegal were the first to land, with the former to the left and the latter to the right of them - Davos had to work hard to stop the girl from running over to them. Daenerys was about to lead her over to him when Drogon's feet heavily made contact with the soft snow that covered the ground in front of them. He sniffed curiously at the new person, his eyes searching hers, measuring her up. They were now surrounded by the three large creatures. Bruda made his way over to Viserion, the first of the three he had properly interacted with. He stroked the creamy white scales with a visible fondness.

"Now aren't you just beautiful," he whispered, the great beast pushing its snout into his open hand. Each hot breath messed the warlock's long hair up but he didn't care at that moment. Daenerys, meanwhile, took Shireen's hand in her own and slowly led her over to the largest of the trio. Shireen's feet didn't feel like they were working properly as she approached the dragon. She realised that her stories didn't do Drogon good service, thinking that he was more beautiful than any of the pictures she had seen. She marvelled at how all the scales fitted together to form an intricate pattern all over his body. When he turned his head to directly face her, she stopped, knowing that he was still a dangerous creature. Daenerys gave her an encouraging smile.

"He won't hurt you. He's very smart and can see that you're my friend. He doesn't attack my friends." Her reassuring words seemed to do the trick as Shireen took a few more steps closer before reaching her arm out, although her eyes were clamped tightly shut. After a few seconds of feeling his snout, she opened her eyes and began to smile. She turned to look at the other woman.

"Thank you so very much," she said sincerely with a smile. "It is a dream come true to see a dragon in real life."

"I'm sure there were more to your dreams. I bet you were just like me when I was your age. You wish to fly with them."

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Stannis paced his room, glowering as his thoughts darkened. He was currently considering what Davos had told him the night before. Daenerys Targaryen appeared to have a tight-knit group of advisors, something that any leader would strive for. He himself had tried to forge a similar form of government and had had some success with acquiring Davos and Melisandre, although he could easily tell that there was some tension between them. For what reason, he didn't fully know. That meant he was envious of the supposedly harmonious atmosphere of his alliance's administration. Yet he knew that, if he were able to break one of those connections she had, it could prove to be incredibly damaging to her potential campaign. He almost smiled at the very thought. He wondered how he would accomplish such a feat, thinking back to how quickly she had punished the traitor who had once been her closest confidante. Obviously she was quick to rile, so similar to the dragons she kept company with. It might be possible for him to sow the seeds of doubt in the near future but he knew that the majority of his sabotage would need to be done after the Great War against the White Walkers.

Even then, there were multiple reasons why he had to be careful. For one, he needed her, and especially her large army, to increase his chances of taking the Iron Throne from his nephew. Those dragons of hers would be especially effective, he was sure of it. They'd be able to burn down the entire capital if they had to. If there was a way of getting Daenerys to trust him, then it was possible he'd have a say in how those beasts went about with their business.

Yet that was the issue. If he wasn't careful and tactical enough with his actions, then those very creatures would be turned on him. And he knew that he wouldn't survive a fight against fire, even if he was the Prince that was Promised according to the Red Woman. That fact had almost slipped his mind in recent times. It made his life much more peaceful because he could watch everyone else slowly begin to descend into worry and sadness due to the looming threat of war whilst he had the comfort of knowing he wouldn't die. The Lord of Light had practically said so. It was his duty to defeat the Night King, which meant none of the undead soldiers would be able to touch him. He wouldn't make it obvious to his men of course. He'd still fight, do his bit. But he would be making his way to his destiny during all of it.

He was going to be presented with the perfect opportunity to get close to Daenerys in the coming days. It was as if fate was on his side. That pesky old warlock, who seemed too confident in his own ability and knowing how capable he was of capturing an audience with his silky words, had practically begged to go to the Wall. If he wasn't torn to shreds by the monsters up there, it was a good probability that his old age would finally catch up to him on the journey. Oh, and how upset she would be about his death. He'd soothe her and comfort her, all the while making sure that her trust in him grew.

Then there was the case of the knight, who Davos had said was her closest advisor. If he wanted to gain access to Daenerys properly, then he would have to navigate around the Mormont protector. Normally that would be a tricky and almost impossible task but, again, luck was on his side. How clever his Hand had been in suggesting a party, headed by the very knight that stood in Stannis's way, travel to Bear Island to seek the help of the noble family there. All the stars were aligning in his favour.

By the time he had finished plotting, Stannis was almost in a good mood. That changed when he heard a nearby ferocious roar. He immediately went to the window and looked to the sky, grey clouds beginning to form and group together. He knew that it had to be the dragons but he didn't understand why the commotion was happening now. Was something happening that he didn't know about? In his own castle and grounds, no less? If Daenerys was showing off the power she possessed then it would undermine the authority he had collated during his time at Winterfell. If that was true, she was apparently a worthy political opponent and a useful pawn in his game but it still infuriated him. A sour expression now returned to his face, he stormed from his room to get outside and confront them all.

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"Are you sure that this is a good idea?" The question came from Bruda as he looked at Daenerys with a concerned expression. When she had initially suggested it, he had thought that she was simply joking with them. But then he had seen the sincere look on her face and his hopes were dashed. She was now directing Shireen to Rhaegal, Davos closely following behind who was also hesitant about the new developments.

"You sound like you're scared of heights," she joked back, brushing aside his worries with ease. That just annoyed him more and he looked over at Jorah for some support. Surely she would listen to him.

"Can't you get some sense into her?" he pleaded but the knight shrugged his soldiers.

"When it comes to this, she knows what she's doing," he reasoned.

"But this is the daughter of her newly formed political ally. She won't be able to sweet-talk her way out of it when he finds his only child as a pile of mush on the floor." He stopped and looked at the girl in question. "That won't happen. Don't listen to me."

"She's flown with her dragons before now. She'll be able to keep hold of the princess while they're up there." Daenerys gave him a confused look.

"How? I'll be on Drogon. With you. We're all going up." Jorah's eyes widened.

"All of us? There aren't enough for us. The fourth dragon doesn't usually interact with these lot."

"You can come with me. Davos will go with Shireen. And Bruda can have Viserion since he is seemingly so attached to him." The two of them knew that Davos wouldn't disagree with the notion due to the look he was getting from the young child. "You'll be fine. Very intelligent creatures. They wouldn't dare let anything happen to you."

Bruda grumbled as he walked past Jorah and gave him a pointed look. "I hope you're happy. And if I hear any screams emanating from your good self, I will use it against you for the rest of your life. However long that may be." He patted him on the soldier as he made his way to the white dragon. Jorah turned to look at Drogon, uneasily staring into his eyes. He walked over and stroked the giant beast. He could remember how small he had been when he was first hatched. He would climb and scramble over his shoulders all the time, which would prompt laughter after the first time it happened. Now he towered over all over creatures and animals. And Daenerys wanted him to climb on his back as he soared through the air. How the tables had turned.

After helping Davos and an incredibly excited Shireen onto Rhaegal, the dragon patiently waiting as they used multiple horns on his neck to climb up, Daenerys quietly walked up to her waiting knight. He was transfixed on Drogon for some reason. She gently placed a hand on his back as she stepped level with him. He startled at her touch.

"Are you okay?" she asked softly, looking into his eyes. He gave a short nod after a moment, which gave her the go-ahead to help him navigate his way onto the dragon's back. She found it quite funny how cumbersome and awkward he looked as he straddled the neck. He didn't complain though when she slotted herself in front of him, the shape of her body fitting perfectly in the groove of his. Within seconds of them getting comfortable, Drogon was rising into the air. The other two copied his movement and shouts of glee could be heard from the vicinity of Rhaegal. Daenerys enjoyed the sound of Shireen's joy almost as much as the laughter that could be heard over the noise of flapping wings coming from Bruda. He obviously had quickly gotten over his tentativeness.

All three dragons now in the air, Drogon led the way, picking up speed quickly as they descended into the canyon. The gaps were just wide enough for him to pass through with his wings fully stretched out but Daenerys could tell Jorah was still nervous about the tight fit. His hands were almost painfully clenching hers. The rare sign of vulnerability made her smile but she wanted him to enjoy it too. She ordered her dragon to fly upwards so that they were free from the rocky scenery, now gliding through the air. He seemed to relax at this, sitting up a bit more than previously. Viserion was soon level with them and they looked over at the warlock, his brown and grey hair blowing wildly in the wind.

"You call that flying?" he shouted over to them as Viserion picked up speed to inch ahead of them. Bruda, waving his staff in a large circle whilst he clung on to the scales with his other hand, produced a golden circle in the air that his dragon passed through with a roar. Not wanting to lose such a blatant challenge, Daenerys patted Drogon on his neck and he flapped his wings twice to push air behind him. He easily went ahead of Viserion, much to the audible disappointment of Bruda. The excitement had even prompted Jorah to relax slightly, although she could tell he was trying his hardest not to look down at the ground. She looked back and saw Rhaegal in the near distance, Davos obviously attempting to take things slower than them with Shireen as a passenger.

She noticed, surprisingly, that they had left the snowy landscape behind and were nearing the castle of Winterfell. She hadn't planned to bring them so close to the settlement, wanting to make their little adventure a bit more private, but it was obvious that she could only control the dragons so much. She didn't care though as she settled into the touch of Jorah's hands on her sides as they watched the sky go by. All three beasts were dancing in the clouds now, going in between visibility as if they were playing a game. She laughed as she watched this happen, thinking to herself that this was probably one of the first truly happy and peaceful memories she had made. She vowed to make more once the war was won. She realised, after questioning so often why she was here, that this was the reason why she was fighting.

After enough time in the sky, they landed just outside of the open gates of Winterfell. Not unexpectedly, a small crowd had formed, obviously attracted by the sight of three fully grown dragons weaving their way through the ever-increasing cloud cover. When they were off the beasts, who immediately took flight once again to return to their hideout, Shireen instantly took off in a run towards Daenerys. She gave her a tight hug, thankful that a fantasy of hers had been realised that day. The woman was quick to brush over her gratitude, stating that she wanted more people, just like her, to realise that her dragons were not monsters. Shireen then ran back to Davos, walking with them as they neared the castle. Daenerys looked over to the two men by her side.

"You didn't fall off," she pointed out to the both of them. Bruda simply rolled his eyes at her comment, although he still wore an excited smile on his face. "Maybe I'm disappointed. Maybe I intended for that to happen, warlock." The man in question dismissed that point with a laugh.

"You're more clever than that. If you wanted me dead, you'd have found an easier way to do it already." Sadly, for Daenerys, it brought back memories of their conversation the day before and she felt wrong joking about a topic that worried her so much. Sensing her new sadness, he tried to lighten the situation by goading her. "I think you're just jealous that I was better at flying than you." Her eyes widened as she looked aghast. Jorah gave him a worried look.

"You're in for it now," he whispered as he began to walk away, not wanting to be there when Daenerys exploded at the warlock. One thing he knew that would rile her up was questioning her ability with her dragons. And Bruda knew that too. Clever. All he could hear in this distance as he got further away was the queen begin with an indignant "How dare you?". His smile faded as he made it to the entrance to the courtyard, where the crowd had dispersed. The only people there were Davos and Shireen, along with Stannis, who looked as furious as Jorah had ever seen him. It was obvious that he was the one who had made the rabble leave. He heard snippets of a conversation taking place between the trio.

"What was going through your mind Seaworth?" Stannis asked angrily. He had taken Shireen and placed her by his side, a protective arm around her shoulders. She looked worriedly at the man under fire.

"You know as well as I do that she has a fascination with dragons and stories along those lines. I thought it would be a treat for her to see one of them up close."

"See a fire breathing, uncontrollable monster up close? I have the right mind to label you insane. And don't think I didn't see you all up there. Whose idea was it to suggest that you take my daughter, presumably against her will, in the sky on one of those creatures?" Stannis was seething, his words bit out tersely. Davos hesitated and Jorah shook his head when he answered.

"It was...mine, your Grace. There was no danger according to the Queen but I will still ask for your forgiveness." He bowed his head slightly but Stannis gave a bitter laugh.

"No danger? Oh, of course not. A fall from that height wouldn't do her any harm."

"It wasn't ser Davos's fault," Shireen pleaded with her father. "I practically begged him to let me see them since he is friends with Queen Daenerys." That only made Stannis's expression darken further.

"He is my advisor, first and foremost. Not her friend." He spat out the word. "And I would hope that any of my advisors would have better thought than to agree to such an escapade. I wonder if you are still up to the job?" He looked intently at the sorrowful man.

"Is something the matter?" The question came from the gates, where Daenerys and Bruda stood. They shared the same expression, looking unimpressed at the interaction going on in front of them. Stannis stopped himself from answering straight away, not wanting to say anything that would be politically costly. Daenerys arched an eyebrow at his apparent hesitation.

"No...your Grace," he eventually said through gritted teeth. He then took a step closer to Davos so that he could whisper in his ear. "Don't think for one moment that your new group of associates will keep you safe. By the time the war is over, they will all be long dead if I'm lucky. And, as for you, stay away from my daughter. If I catch you anywhere near her again, I won't be so lenient in my punishment." He was about to walk away before he thought of one last thing to add. "It's time you faced reality, Davos. Pick a side. The man who will be king or the woman who is doomed to fall victim to the flames she so loves." With that, he left, dragging a distraught Shireen with him. Davos's shoulders slumped. The others made their way over to him so he made sure to compose himself.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," he said to them, doing well to keep his voice even. Daenerys looked sadly at him.

"I should be the one who is apologising. It was all my idea that we do this. I could go speak to Stannis and explain the situation." He held out a placating hand.

"I don't think he's in any mood to listen to anyone right now. And it was initially my suggestion. You didn't have to agree to it but you granted me a favour. And I'm extremely grateful for that. The look of wonder and happiness on her face was worth anything he can give out. If you'll excuse me. Your Grace, gentlemen." He nodded his head to them before walking off into the castle.