Hot. It was exceptionally hot, Ranta found, far too hot for her hood to be up to hide her hair which is why she discarded her cloak entirely and stored it in her horse's saddlebag. Laemyx and Vaemarr had taken too traveling besides her horse, which was quite a task to fulfill entirely. It had taken switching out two different horses until Ranta was finally settled on the third one that did not mind either snake's presence.
Daenerys who also found the heat to be a bother sighed softly, missing the shade she often sought refuge in when she was staying with the Magister and cursing the cloudless sky they rode under. The duo did not say much as they and their horses stood atop a hill that overlooked the khalasar traveling after the Khal to a destination unknown to them. Many of the travelers spotted the Khaleesi and her friend upon the hill, the silver and blue hair easy to spot out of the corners of their eyes though none approached. None except Ser Jorah.
"You ladies need to drink, and eat something." the knight declared as he rode his horse over to them. "Where are your water skins and rations for the day?" he questioned. "I have two armored snakes to take care of and make sure they eat. I can't be held responsible if I forget to eat...or forget to grab the rations, you try keeping track of two snakes in long grass all day long." Ranta said as an excuse when the man's eyes rested upon her, but when they landed upon Daenerys, the Khaleesi sighed. Reaching into her own saddlebags, the silver haired girl pulled out said things, looking at the dried meat disdainfully.
"Is there nothing else to eat?" she asked the man. Ser Jorah smiled knowingly, "The Dothraki have two things in abundance – horses and grass. And people can't eat grass." he shook his head, digging out his own rations and handing them to Ranta. When she reached for the meat though, he suddenly pulled back and gave her a look, "This is for you, not for you to casually drop on the ground to be trampled upon by the horses." he said with a hint of amusement.
"Okay. Okay, keep your armor on." the blue haired woman swiped the dried meat out of his hand playfully and began eating along with her silver counterpart with a hint of a smile. Yes, she may have done the things he accused her of...multiple times, but dried horse meat could only do so much for a growing woman.
"Ser Jorah, where are we going? For a while now we've been traveling but no one's told me to where." Daenerys informed him. "We are going to wherever the road may take us, Khaleesi. The Dothraki never really travel anywhere specific unless it benefits them." Jorah explained no sooner had Khal Drogo suddenly passed by in the opposite direction his people were going in without giving the trio a passing glance, speaking to one of his men.
The sadness in Daenerys' eyes was palpable to the two people on either side of her, "Come, come Dany." Ranta frowned, "None of that sad and depressing pinning. Soon you will be able to communicate freely with your husband, you are still getting lessons from your hand maidens Irri, Doreah, and Jhiqui aren't you?" she asked, earning a silent nod from the girl. "Ranta is right, Khaleesi, things will get better in time." Jorah agreed, gaining a barely noticeable nod in return before urging her horse down the hill with the other riders.
The older woman sighed in sympathy for the girl, "Poor thing, it can't be easy for her." she tsked, leaning down and reaching out a hand out for her children to slither up. "She supports Viserys' decision, you know." Ranta mentioned. "Hm?" Ser Jorah mused. "His decision to name me as heir of the Seven kingdoms." she clarified as the serpents slithered into his new friend's outstretched hand and up the length of her arm before coiling around her neck and around said appendage one at a time.
"She said that if I ever intended on taking back Westeros seriously, then she would be the first to rally behind Naylor banners and as Khaleesi make Drogo and the Dothraki follow." Ranta paused to urge her horse to follow in Daenerys' footsteps, " To be honest with you, I am tempted to take back the kingdoms just to see her happy again. Dany may have grown up here, but this is not her home." she shook her head.
"Having the Dothraki at your back would certainly make you a powerful competitor for the throne." Ser Jorah acknowledged as his horse followed, " But I'm afraid you are going to need a bit more than military strength to rule and to keep your position stable once you are on the throne."
"Oh? And tell me good ser, what do you think I will need to conquer Westeros?"
"Monetary backing would be good, allies, and someone who knows the land well enough to coordinate strikes and set up strategically defenses."
"And where does one obtain such things when a woman has not stepped foot in Westeros during her entire adult life?" Ranta questioned carefully. "The Martells have always been wealthy and friends with the Naylor," Jorah informed her. " Word reaches High Garden that Ranta Naylor is in need of money and alliance for her efforts to over throw King Baratheon then they would gladly lend a helping hand. A warning though, High Garden is not known for their fighting prowess." he said pointedly and Ranta nodded, making note of this.
"The Starks have always been on friendly terms with the Naylors too despite being on opposite fighting ends," Jorah continued, " but it is hard to say if they will back you. The Lord of Winterfell and Robert Baratheon grew up together, brothers in all but blood. The Lannisters are out of the picture. So are the Boltons, best not to do business with either of them, my lady. Both are powerful, but cannot be trusted. The Greyjoys and Freys are no good either. House Arryn used to be loyal to the Targaryen family, but they are now sworn to the Baratheons, it's hard to say who they would side with-."
"Are there any good houses left?!" Ranta cut him off in an incredulous tone, " Because you've just listed seven of them, two are spotty and only one is a guaranteed ally." Ranta frowned heavily. Ser Jorah laughed deeply, "Allegiances shift, my lady, voluntarily or by force. It all comes down to how you play the great game. Either you win or you die." he advised her.
Ranta's expression softened, "No middle ground then huh?" she asked though she already knew the answer. "Nay, I'm afraid not. You will figure out where to pull your allegiances from. I am sure of it." Jorah assured her. It was silent for a moment before Ranta broke it, "Will you help me then?" her question had caught the Mormont off guard. "You said yourself that I will need someone by my side to guide me through the lands of Westeros during a supposed conquest...so, will you be my guide?" Ranta asked, bright blue eyes staring into pale blue ones.
But when the exiled knight did not answer right away, Ranta felt her hope plummet. " You do not have to if you do not want to. I can understand why someone wouldn't want to help a Naylor with barely anything to her name. All I ask is that you aren't the one to draw your blade across my throat or pour the poison into my cup." and with that she kicked her horse into a faster pace, intending on catching up to Daenerys.
Ranta cantering away, snapped Ser Jorah out of his stupor. Cursing to himself, he spurred his horse into action and followed after the blue haired Naylor. "You misunderstand me, Lady Ranta!" he said as he rode up to her side, " To be offered such an opportunity after the things I have done... it is an honor that you would trust me with such a task and I would gratefully accept your offer if it still stands."
"After the things you've done..." Ranta echoed thoughtfully, "...Why are you here Ser Jorah? A man from Bear Island all the way in the Great Grass Sea? Do you not have a wife back home?" she asked. Jorah shrugged as a distant look came into his eyes, "I had a wife once. Not anymore." he shook his head.
"She died?"
"No, she left me for someone who could afford her expensive tastes."
Ranta frowned, cursing herself. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't-" she back pedaled but was cut off by a wave of his hand. "It's alright." he soothed as they finally pulled their horses back into a walk. The woman began absently scratching at the scaly armor of Laemyx beneath her fingers, "Your wife leaving you was enough to drive you all the way across the Narrow sea?"
Ser Jorah was silent for a bit, to the point where Ranta was sure he wouldn't answer. "I sold men into slavery to afford her expensive tastes at first." he finally spoke, " People began wondering where she was getting such nice things...eventually I was discovered and arrested. It was when I was sitting alone in a jail cell did my wife come to me to tell me that she was leaving me for some other lord." he sighed heavily, " Not long after that, Ned Stark released me and instead of killing me, I was banished from Westeros and headed across the Narrow Sea. The Gods decided to show me kindness and by their good will I was put in the good graces of Khal Drogo." he finished.
"Working as a translator." Ranta stated more than questioned and earned a nod in response. Ranta thought long and hard over the information given to her, though she doubted the exiled knight minded her silence. A sudden shout broke the silence between the duo as the train of horses came to a stop, the shout being echoed by those close enough to hear it.
"We are stopping for the day," Jorah informed her, "Come, I'm sure the Khaleesi will need some help getting from her horse." he cantered off, Ranta quick to follow. Thankfully, Ser Jorah and Ranta found the struggling Khaleesi trying to get off her horse without causing herself pain, but was failing greatly. Usually Khal Drogo would help, but he was off doing whatever Khals do and the three handmaidens assigned to Dany were nowhere in sight.
"Hold on Daenerys!" Ranta called cantering up to her. Ser Jorah hopped off of his horse before it had come to a full stop and offered his help to the young Khaleesi. "Easy, Khaleesi." He cooed to her as she put her arm around his neck and allowed him to then gently pulled her from the horse. "IRRI! DOREAH! JHIQUI!" Ranta bellowed for the handmaidens as she dismounted and took her children out, placing all of them on the ground. With the help of Jorah and Ranta, Daenerys was led over to her tent that had been set up.
Ranta was about to bring the younger girl in when suddenly she was suddenly surrounded by the trio of handmaidens she called for. "No!" Ranta barked in harsh Dothraki, much to the surprise of the slaves, Daenerys and Jorah.
"You lose chance to help. Go be lost! Khal Drogo will hear this." her use of the language may have been broken, but from the blanched faces and horror filled eyes, the trio of girls got the message of what Ranta was saying and much to her ire, began speaking too quickly for her to even try to comprehend. If there was one thing that Ranta hated, it was being crowded and having people shout in her ears. Especially when she couldn't understand them in the first place.
"NO!" Ranta shouted over their protests and stomped her foot in frustration, which was immediately followed by a loud boom of thunder and a crack of lightning. Many slaves, Dothraki riders and the rest of the Khalasar flinched from the abrupt noise. Horses screamed and reared into the air at the boom of thunder echoing in their ears, throwing the riders still on their backs. Goats, pigs, and sheep all startled as well and attempted to race away from the threat of mother nature but were stopped by the ropes around their necks.
Those who were not trying to calm the animals of the Khalasar cast their faces upwards towards a now dark grey sky, lightning dancing behind the angry clouds. Ranta was shocked like all the others, there was not a cloud in sight all day and now suddenly storm clouds were hanging over them. One person however, was not so surprised by this turn of events and he knew another was not as surprised as she appeared to be. Before the argument even began Ser Jorah noticed clouds beginning to roll in at the first sight of Ranta's ire, and when the confrontation began, the clouds quickly multiplied and darkened at an alarming rate along with her mood.
"Anger not the girl with the ocean in her hair and the sky in her eyes. Both shall reign their fury down upon her enemies and shake even the heavens to their core." he whispered to himself as he watched Ranta snap out of her stupor and usher Daenerys into the tent with her armored snakes on her heels. Jorah cast a glance upwards towards the still grey sky and turned tail to find something to calm the blue haired woman's temper before she brought down something worse than a thunder storm upon their heads.
0o.0o.0o.0o.
"Was that really necessary, Ranta? You couldn't of gotten them to give you some space without summoning a storm to do your bidding?" Daenerys mused irritably, much to the annoyance of the woman in question. "If you had competent servants then perhaps that wouldn't of happened in the first place." she shot back just as equally irritable, running a hand through her hair as she moved towards a dresser holding the Targaryen's clothing.
" What if the lightning would have struck someone?"
"Then there'd be one less mouth to feed."
Daenerys sighed in exasperation, "As benefitting as it would be to some members of the Khalasar, you cannot summon lightning to strike down someone who annoys you." she scolded, earning a roll of the eyes from the older woman. "They were crowding me." she said as a half hearted defense, looking through her clothes. " But the point still stands...I have not seen you lose control like that before, are you sure you are alright?" Dany asked.
Ranta frowned, offended and turned to meet the violet eyes of the Targaryen. "That was not me losing control, that was far from it. What you seen was a mere temperamental slip. I'm fine." she declared with no room for argument. Ranta was very sensitive when it came to her unnatural powers that had been placed upon her from the gods. The woman knew that the females of the Naylor house were known for some kind of connection with nature, in fact everyone knew. It was common knowledge and it was why the Targaryens were able to stake their claim over a newly formed Westeros and keep it for as long as they did, up until the Mad King's reign anyways.
House Naylor could of easily stopped the rebellion had they still been serving the Mad King, but since they weren't...it was now why the Baratheon family sat on the throne. Ranta's mother had a connection with the earth beneath her feet, able to summon earth shakes and bid rock and stone to do her bidding whenever she was in need. Her grandmother was gifted with the ability to summon wind storms and control air and wind as one entity. Her great grandmother had a connection with water, able to summon rain storms and bend large sources of water to her will.
And then there was Ranta of course who was gifted with the ability to summon thunder storms whenever her temper had been pushed far enough. Normally, that would be the end of that when it came to a Naylors gifts. But with Ranta, it hadn't been. There were occasions when she would summon solitary thunderstorms, there were other times when she could summon wind storms, rain storms and on one occasion, her anger had been so great that the earth shook from the strength of her fury.
The girl had inherited her ancestors gifts in short, though they were rare to show, but Ranta was thankful for such rare occasions. The woman did not like using her powers and despite her aloof feelings about her agitators getting hurt, she did not want others to suffer because she could not control her emotions. "They are growing you know." the Targaryen noted, in an attempt to take the focus off of Ranta's gift and ease the visible tension in her shoulders.
"Hm?" Ranta hummed, carrying a night dress over to her that could pass for an everyday dress, a sour look still marring her features. "They used to be the length and thickness of your arm, now they are thicker than that." Daenerys said as a matter of fact, head nodding to the snake brothers.
"Are you calling my snakes fat?"
"Yes."
Ranta snorted a laugh, a smile playing on her lips thankfully for Daenerys. Ranta deposited the dress on her bed, turning her head to observe the slaves that brought in Dany a bath tub and the ones that filled it with barrels of hot water, "They will grow in length soon enough and it will not even appear that they are...fat as you say. Hopefully by then I will not have to carry them in the saddle bags whenever we move faster than a canter, hopefully they'll be able to keep up on their own."
Ranta motioned for her friend to stand so she could help her undress. Gently pushing herself up, the Targaryen made her way to the elder woman and worked together to get Dany's dress off. Ranta gently lowered her into the water and sat besides the tub to allow the water to work its magic on the Khaleesi's sores. The younger woman soaked in silence for a few minutes before speaking up, "Do you believe that there is a chance that dragons could come back? Like real flying, fire breathing ones my ancestors used to take over the seven kingdoms?" Daenerys suddenly asked, gazing longingly at the chest in the corner of the tent that held her stone dragon eggs.
The blue haired woman looked at her strangely, "Do I believe that dragons could come back?" she echoed. "There aren't supposed to be any Targaryens left in the world, but here you are. And one day you will go back home to the Seven kingdoms, will you not? If metaphorical dragons can come back then why can't real ones?" she inquired.
Daenerys slowly nodded, seeing her point. "It's just that, Irri and Jhiqui says that dragons are gone forever. ' Brave men kill them. It is known.' 'It is known' " she mimicked the handmaidens a bit mockingly. Ranta huffed, "So not only are they incapable of taking care of you after a long day's ride, they fill your head with negative and ridiculous thoughts." she commented dryly.
A slight smile graced the silver haired girl's face, "Doreah does not. She believes that dragons can still exist. A trader from Qarth told her that dragons come from the moon. He said that the moon was an egg and that once there were two moons in the sky, but one wandered too close to the sun and it cracked from the heat. Out of it poured a thousand dragons and they drank the sun's fire."
The older woman's eye brows rose well into her hairline at the end of the story. "I think all of you need to lay off the dried horse meat and mare's milk." she snorted before standing and walking over to her children who had gotten onto the animal pelt covered bed and was laying atop the covers, huddling together. "Do you think it would be a waste of time for me to try and hatch my eggs then?" Dany asked, a strange tone in her voice.
Ranta turned to Daenerys but did not say a thing, absently stoking the backs of the snakes. The Targaryen opened her mouth to explain herself but was stopped by the sound of Doreah calling out to Dany. "Khaleesi?" the handmaiden poked her head in shyly, eyes lowering the ground when her gaze landed on the Khaleesi's fiery, blue haired companion.
" The sky is clear. Khal Drogo wishes to know if you are coming out to eat with the Khalasar?" she finished her question. "Yes, I will be out soon. Thank you Doreah." Daenerys nodded, lifting herself out of the tub as Doreah bowed her head and left the tent. "You did not even bathe." The Naaylor pointed out, holding out a towel for the girl anyways.
She would help undress her old friend, but the woman drew the line at rubbing down the naked woman to dry her off. Daenerys was picky when it came to that certain aspect, the girl hated putting on wet clothes and if her dresses stuck to her in a single uncomfortable way after bathing or soaking, she got huffy about it. "I can bathe in the morning. Why? Do I smell?" she asked with a hint of a smile as she dried herself off.
Ranta held her hands up in defense, "I never said that. You did. I was just wondering is all….." she trailed off. "Are you coming to dinner?" Daenerys asked, putting on the simple dress that she did not need help with. "No," the older woman denied, " I'm going to take these two and head to my tent for the night. You have fun though." Ranta motioned for her friend to go and eat with the others. Dany hesitated momentarily before nodding and wishing the misfit family a good night before exiting the tent.
"Come along now, it's time for bed." the blue haired woman directed towards the duo under her care before standing and walking away. The night and day brothers slithered off the bed and followed after a departing Ranta. Though the sun was only just setting, there had already been a grand bonfire started in the center of camp to cook what food had been hunted earlier in the day. Dinner with Dothraki Ranta had learned, lasted for a while, from sunset until moon high - when the moon was at its highest point and its light shone down upon all who ventured under its rays.
The blue haired woman had received various greetings and invitations to join that certain individual or group for dinner, some she understood and some she didn't but her answer was always the same. A kind smile and a shake of her head, explaining that today's ride had tired her out but she would join them another time in broken Dothraki. The Khalasar had quickly grown used to the woman's presence and soon figured out that she wasn't Daenerys' lead handmaiden, or slave as many thought her to be.
They learned that she was Dany's closest friend, sister in all but blood and protector...her very own bloodrider in their terms and came to respect the woman like they do the Khal's Bloodriders. "Ranta!...Ranta!" said woman stopped and looked around for the person calling out for her, only to see it was Rakharo. Rakharo was one of Khal Drogo's younger Dothraki riders but the young man was talented in the art of war and therefore assigned to Daenerys as one of her bloodriders along with a man named Aggo and another named Jhogo.
The woman smiled at the slightly flushed man as he approached her, "Good evening Rakharo. How are you?" she asked slowly, knowing that he was a bit new to learning the common tongue like she was relatively new to learning Dothraki.
"Good evening, Ranta. I...am good. Th-thank you." the rider stumbled through with a nervous smile, hands locked behind his back. The blue eyed woman nodded in approval, he was coming along well. "Something you need?" she asked in Dothraki. "I uhm, I got you something that reminded me of you. I just thought you would like it" the bloodrider admitted bashfully, and brought his hands out from behind his back to show Ranta the cluster of small wild pink flowers he had picked.
The woman wasn't able to understand everything the young man said, but she understood once she seen the gift presented before her. Ranta had never seen flowers such as these ones before. They weren't a solid color like most were, the petals were light pink overall but the closer you got to the center the darker the pink became. Ranta couldn't help the laughter that bubbled past her lips, it was just like her hair but with a different color!
"I love them Rakharo, that was very sweet of you to do this for me, thank you." she smiled warmly at the slightly clueless bloodrider, taking the flowers from him. "Those are sweet otosie flowers, my lady." Ser Jorah spoke from behind her, gaining the attention from the duo conversing. "Those flowers when picked can survive for a whole week before showing signs of wilting." he informed her, with his hands behind his back. "Will you tell him that I love the gift he gave me? And that it was very sweet of him to do?" Ranta requested stroking the soft petals gently.
Jorah turned to the man and did as requested, a blush forming on his dark cheeks as Jorah finished. The Naylor woman was able to pick up a bit of his response, Rakharo had wanted to do something with her but the man had spoken too quickly for her to figure out what. "Rakharo would like to know if you will accompany him to dinner. He says Aggo and Jhogo will be there as well, and that they'd all like to get to know the Khaleesi's closest friend a bit better." Jorah explained.
The woman smirked lightly, "I grateful for offer-" Ranta stopped when Jorah gently corrected her, " I am grateful for your offer, Rakharo, but I am tired now. In the morning, we can...gather though when we eat?" she asked hopefully. The blood rider's face brightened considerably compared to its previous forlorn look when his offer was originally declined. "I will see you in the...morning, Ranta. Have a good night's sleep." the young man smiled and nodded to both her and Ser Jorah before walking off towards Aggo and Jhogo who were sitting off in the distance talking.
"That boy has an extra spring to his step," the Mormont noted with a careful eye on the Dothraki warrior before turning back to his companion, "I daresay you made his day with agreeing to have breakfast with him tomorrow….he's rather enamoured with you." Ranta quirked a brow and scoffed at the thought, "Do not jest Ser Jorah, it is not nice, especially about things like that." She scolded lightly before continuing her walk back to her tent where her children were sure to be since they did not stay for the conversation between her and Rakharo.
"It is no jest, I promise you. Just because you two do not spend much time together, does not mean he cannot admire you from afar. Many times during the day I hear him being picked on for chasing after a woman who belongs with a man. There is some speculation that you can be swayed into going for someone younger but many think it is laughable that Rakharo believes he could be the one that it would happen to." Jorah revealed to her as they walked.
"And why is it such a laughable thing that the thought of Rakharo and I courting?" she asked looking up at him. Jorah met her gaze with ease, "Rakharo is young my lady, he has seen battle yes, but not many. He is still a boy in many of the eyes of the Dothraki riders...physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. They do not think a mere boy, bloodrider of the Khaleesi or not, can succeed in a conquest designed for a man." He explained.
"And what about you?"
"Hm?"
"Do you think he can 'succeed in a conquest designed for a man' ?"
"..."
"Ser Jorah!" Ranta laughed, playfully swatting the exiled knight. "You aren't nice, don't be like that with Rakharo." Jorah chuckled, taking her swats without a complaint, "I didn't say anything against the boy. Not a word." he smiled playfully. "Yes but that doesn't make it any better!" she scolded lightly. "Even if your words didn't hold any truth to them then I'd still think it's cute that Rakharo is trying to get to know me better in general. He has a good heart that I envy." the woman said a bit wistfully. The duo came to a stop outside her tent, and Jorah looked at her strangely.
"You do not believe you have a good heart?" he echoed, subconsciously remembering he had gotten the woman her favorite food and handed her a bundle of cloth that held it.
Ranta smirked as she took it, a distant look in her eye. "Believe it or not Ser Jorah I can be a very cruel woman when I want to be." The man pondered over this for a moment before shaking his head, "I'm afraid I can't see you being that. A cruel woman wouldn't of followed after her lifelong friends across the Narrow Sea after a rebellion that chased them out.
She wouldn't have chosen to follow after her friend after one was married to a war lord. A cruel woman would've laughed in her admirer's face when presented the gift and invitation to spend time together, even if it is with others around. She wouldn't have taken in two armored snakes, especially ones that are intelligent and grow as quickly as yours do." he pulled back the flap of her tent and the duo was immediately graced with the sight of Raenella's children huddled together in a particularly large woven basket beside her bed, sleeping soundly.
" You followed Daenerys and Viserys Targaryen into the free cities and stayed by Viserys' side the day before he died. You are staying beside Daenerys' side throughout her marriage because you know it is not easy for her. You accepted Rakharo's invitation and gift with a genuine smile and gratitude. The children you have now if put under the care of anyone else would either have been sold, killed or chained up by now. Yet you allow them to live freely and do as they will as long as no harm comes to anyone. You show not only them care and compassion like no other that I have ever seen, but you show the same for people in general. You have a good heart Ranta, whether you believe it or not. A slip of lost temper with a few servants does not change that."
0o.0o.0o.0o.00o.
True to the words of assurance from Ser Jorah and Ranta, Daenerys had grown much closer with her husband as her knowledge of the Dothraki language grew over the next few months. During the second month of marriage the duo were much more loving of each other now that they could somewhat communicate without much help from Doreah, Jorah or at times Ranta and the couple had not been afraid to show their love out in public.
Between Ranta and Daenerys exclusively, the Targaryen was hoping with all her might that she would grace the Khal with a son and with this fact brought to her attention, Ranta unfortunately soon found out that Daenerys had become insatiable in bed according to the woman herself. Daenerys had received a light smack to the arm for revealing such an intimate fact with her and so had the Khal a few weeks later when she heard him speaking of it one day with his bloodriders.
Such an act she wouldn't have dared to do if she hadn't been as close to Dany as she was and if she hadn't of already weaseled her way into Drogo's heart by promising to help him find ways to calm down Daenerys' sex drive every now and again.
"I am working on it, you ungrateful brute. There's only so many things I can distract her with, Laemyx and Vaemarr can only learn so many tricks before growing bored and will only put up with so much bonding with your wife. Not to mention there are only so many embarrassing and unflattering stories to tell about her when growing up." Ranta had pouted and crossed her arms over her chest.
The men in front of her laughed at her disgruntled attitude, Khal Drogo rose as he chuckled and placed a large hand on her shoulder with a smile, " I am grateful, little sister, for what you have done for me. " he grinned down at Ranta, "...My little protector from those who would wish to make me defenseless against attacks, from friend or foe." he declared fondly, softening the blue haired woman's attitude and earned a smile in return for it.
"Do the Dothraki buy their slaves?" Daenerys asked Ser Jorah, now months into their journey together as they rode through some very tall grass, sheltered by shade from the trees above for once.
"The Dothraki don't believe in money, most of their slaves were given to them as gifts." Jorah answered without taking eyes off the path in front of them. However, feeling the violet eyed woman's curious look, he turned towards her and continued. "If you rule a city and you see the horde approaching, you have two choices: Pay tribute or fight. It's an easy choice for most, of course, but sometimes it's not enough. Sometimes a Khal feels insulted by the number of slaves he's given. He might think the men too weak or the women too ugly. Sometimes a Khal decides his riders haven't had a good fight in months and need the practice."
The Khaleesi nodded her head in understanding and turned back to face forward when the rider in front of her started whipping the slave beside him with a shout. She looked to the other slaves around her and noticed that their pace was sluggish, they would either drop from exhaustion, be whipped for their slow pace or a combination of both at this rate. "The slaves will never make it if we continue without a rest," she murmured to herself before turning to Jorah, "Tell them all to stop." She ordered.
Jorah looked at her confused, "You want the entire horde to stop, for how long?" he asked her. "Until I command them to do otherwise." Daenerys returned with ease, gaining a proud smirk from the Westeros man.
"You're learning to talk like a queen." He told her proudly. Daenerys flashed a smile at him in return, " Not a queen, a Khaleesi. Ranta is the queen." She corrected before looking around, "Where is she anyways?" the Targaryen girl questioned. "Riding besides the Khal up front if I am not mistaken. Do you want me to go get her?" Jorah offered but Daenerys shook her head and stopped her horse, with the ex-knight following suit. "No, I will be back shortly." she informed him before dismounting and walked into the tree line, hearing Jorah echo her order to the Khalasar.
"Stop the horde! By order of the Khaleesi!" Ser Jorah's voice echoed up to the ears of Ranta and Drogo. The duo looked at each other in confusion, what could they possibly need to stop for? "I'll go see what's wrong." she told the Khal before turning her horse around and riding towards the back of the immobile horde with Laemyx and Vaemarr following after.
Over the last couple of months, Laemyx and Vaemarr had a ridiculous growth spurt and could easily swallow things much greater than goats whole now instead of sticking to chickens, eggs, rabbits and whatever else they had eaten when they were off hunting on their own. Not only in length and size did the serpent brothers grow, but they also grew in width as well. Before you could stroke their heads with only a finger or two but now Raenella's whole hand fit atop their heads comfortably with room to spare.
While Khal Drogo was welcoming of having the duo of beasts within his horde, the horses were not and more often than not Ranta had to ride ahead of the Khalasar with Drogo or on side trails if they wanted the horses under control.
"Clear a path! Out of the way!" Ranta requested in Dothraki, assisted by the deep hisses of the serpents. Horses and people alike scattered when they first seen the lumbering oversized snakes that could easily tackle a horse to the ground and strangle it, following after their mother.
"You dare! You give commands to me? To me?!" Ranta heard an enraged voice call out as she passed by members of the horde and turned her horse to enter the tree line. "I do not take commands from a foreign whore!" the unknown man continued even though Ranta had not seen him yet. "Vaemarr, Laemyx go!" she ordered her snakes who then darted past in the blink of an eye towards the commotion. " Do you hear me?! Do you?! I will-!" his threat had been cut off by a loud, audible 'ompf!' shortly before a thump was heard.
Ranta broke through the tree line to see a Dothraki rider tangled up in Vaemarr's coils while Laemyx stood protectively in front of a dazed Daenerys. The blue haired woman turned her head and seen Daenerys rubbing her throat lightly from behind the protective stance of the giant serpent. "Dany, are you alright?" Ranta asked, gaining her attention.
Daenerys looked to her best friend with slightly watery eyes "Ranta…" she breathed softly in pure relief, moving towards the woman who sent her scaly children to save her. Rakharo, Irri and Jorah had appeared just as the Khaleesi got to Ranta's side and after observing the slightly injured Khaleesi and the slowly suffocating man in Vaemarr's grasp it was easy to fit the pieces of the puzzle together.
"Do you want him dead Khaleesi?" Rakharo asked with narrowed eyes, one hand on his own sword as the other calmed his dancing horse beneath him when its eyes landed on the mystical creatures. The man now had tinting blue from the lack of oxygen, but Ranta was fine with giving her child a midday snack for attacking her best friend and the Khaleesi of the Khalasar.
"Dany if you don't make the choice then Vaemarr will and I'm sure he wouldn't mind eating right now." Ranta warned when the Targaryen did not respond for a few moments even after Irri translated incase she had somehow forgotten all of her lessons in Dothraki from the scary experience mere moments ago. "N-no." she whispered much to the shock of everyone, "Let Khal Drogo deal with him." Daenerys said in a much stronger voice. Ranta exchanged looks with the bewildered Dothraki members and Ser Jorah but relented nonetheless.
"Vaemarr, let go. He's not your snack, not today anyways." the Naylor instructed the armored serpent. Vaemarr looked at his mother in his own incredulous way and for a moment she thought she would have to repeat her orders, but the snake did as she commanded and released his grip on the man. The moment pressure was released from around his neck, the man took in large and greedy gulps of air and fell to the ground when he was completely free.
"What is his name?" Dany asked no one in particular. Irri turned to Rakharo and asked the question seeing as she did not recognize the man. "That is Maggo's cousin Azo." Ser Jorah provided and was backed by Rakharo with a confirming nod. "His hair is awful short is it not?" Ranta asked out loud after observing the brown locks did not even touch the base of his neck, smirking when laughter reached her ears.
"He certainly has a lot of nerve to attack the Khaleesi. Had it been up to me, I would of let him be strangled to death to spare Vaemarr a hunting trip." she sighed heavily, "Oh well. Grab him Rakharo and let's go." Ranta instructed, motioning for Irri to help Dany back on her horse before mounting her own and spurring him in the direction of where the horde was stopped.
"Khal Drogo is just going to love hearing about this." the Naylor woman muttered to herself, her children making their own noises of agreement as they slithered besides her aloof horse.
0o.0o.0o.0o.
The Khalasar had stopped a few hundred leagues away from where the show down between the Khaleesi and Azo took place and set up camp for the night. Instead of retreating to her own tent though, Dany had retreated into Ranta's and was sitting in a chair as Irri sat behind her braiding her hair, and speaking to one another.
"I read in a book that a Khaleesi may be worth less than a Khal's own horse in their husband's eyes and that sometimes he will share her with his blood riders. Do you think Drogo plans to share me with his blood riders?" She asked Irri, worry evident on her face.
Irri gave her Khaleesi a comforting smile and shook her head,"No Khaleesi, you are the Moon of his life. He love you much." She finished in common tongue. Her words caused the female Targaryen to blush with a bashful smile, "Really, He loves me? How do you know?"
"The Khal no look at other women like he do you, his heart yours, just as yours his. That how I know." Irri spoke, and then frowned and reached over to cup Daenery's breast, weighing it in her hand.
"Uhhh, what have I walked in on exactly?" a new voice sounded at the entrance of the tent. "Ranta!" Daenerys exclaimed with a smile, standing with Irri doing the same. Ranta did not share their excitement however. Walking into her tent and seeing her friend being handled intimately by her hand maiden was not something she looked forward to seeing at all. Vaemarr and Laemyx slithered past their stationary mother and made for the corner they usually occupied during the nights, ignoring the humans altogether.
"Khaleesi body changes," Irri supplied before turning to her mistress, "When was last time you bleed, Khaleesi?" Her question had caused both when to freeze, but Ranta was the first to snap out of it and interrupted before Daenerys could answer, "Well you aren't giving birth in here, I don't want pregnant mess all over the rugs or my bed. Get out." she ordered, stepping to the side and motioning to the tent flap.
An amused huff came from Dany as Irri laughed freely, "Silly, little sister." though it had originally been Drogo's nickname of endearment for Ranta, many of the Khalasar had picked up on it and began to address the blue eyed woman by it as well. "Khaleesi have months until baby come, no worry." she promised. A sudden thought occurred to the Naylor at this fact being brought up, "Have you told Khal Drogo what happened this afternoon?"
Ranta watched as both women pale at the thought, "Khal Drogo did not take news well, little sister." Irri spoke, eyes distant, "Azo killed in a...a..." she trailed off uncertainly. "He was killed in a creative way she means," Dany covered for her, "We aren't sure how, but many could hear his screams until he took his final breath." Ranta nodded in understanding and rubbed the bottom of her lip in thought.
"Well at least you can lift the mood with him with the news of your pregnancy now." she tried, "But you are going to have to go to your tent to do that...so get out." Ranta motioned again to the tent flap. Daenerys furrowed her brow and looked at her friend critically, " You've never been so rude before in trying to get me to leave. Who are you expecting?" she asked.
A split second later Rakharo walked into her tent, stopping at the sight of Irri and the Khaleesi. The awkward silence that followed all but killed the blue haired woman from embarrassment, the knowing looks and full grins from Daenerys and Irri did not help matters either.
"Hello Khaleesi, Irri." Rakharo finally greeted before turning to Ranta, "Should I come back later?" he asked quietly, oblivious to the red color filling the Naylors face. But before Ranta could answer, the sharp eared Irri did for her. "No!" she cried, fighting a smile and losing much like a giggling Daenerys was, "We were just leaving, have a good night Rakharo, Ranta." she said slyly, following after the grinning Khaleesi. After the two women were gone, Rakharo turned to his female companion confused.
"Did I say something wrong?"