Town of Salem
Witches.
The very reason that the town was so paranoid. Word of the Devil's servants hidden in their own ranks, black magic performed after dark, infiltrators ready to destroy the believers of the Faith. Reasonable reasons to worry, if not for the fact that already there had been eighteen villagers accused. With what evidence?
None. Absolutely fucking none.
Daenerys Targaryen was tired of it.
Not that being accused would make a difference to her. She'd always been an outcast in Salem, ever since her family had perished. Up until a few years ago, it was just her and her brother, but then he died as well. She didn't care. She'd never cared much for her brother. He'd never taken very good care of her either, so she was used to fending for herself. If anything, she was thankful for it. She had so much more free time on her hands, free time that could now be spent exercising her… gift. Her power.
Perhaps that was another reason why she was tired of the witches. She'd certainly be considered one if anyone knew. Despite her magic, she wasn't a witch. At least, not according to the villager's definitions. She'd never spoken with the Devil. Not the actual one. Though there were a few people she'd known who she would swear were secretly demons. Namely, her family.
Her entire family had been a bit on the odd side, at least the family she'd known. Her mother had died mere days after her birth and ever since her father and brother had set the blame on her. The only one that didn't was Rhaegar. He was kind enough, but even he had his evil side. He'd kidnapped a maiden and taken her away to be his, abandoning his wife and children. All of them ended up dead.
That left her with the worst of them.
The oddest thing about it all was that none of the others shared her gift. It was only her. Neither Viserys nor Father had known, but Rhaegar had. She had faint memories of crashing across the floor of their home at his feet, him playfully trying to catch her. He'd been the one to teach her to fly despite the fact that he couldn't fly himself. The most clear thing she remembered was his warnings. He always told her, over and over until she could say it in her sleep: Don't let them see the power they don't have.
And now she lived alone in a small wooden house, fending for herself. A small garden in the back to grow food. Any extra was sold for the occasional pastry. Everything else she took at night when no one was around to witness her magicks. She'd even stolen livestock from people in Salem, not that they knew it was her.
For the most part, she was ignored. And she preferred it that way. That didn't mean she ignored others.
Watching the other villagers was always interesting. How they interact, which ones get along and which ones don't. There was also the political side of things. Laws and trials, worships and engagements. The two biggest families, Stark and Lannister, had to be the most interesting. They were attempting to get along, Ned Stark offering up his eldest daughter Sansa to be engaged to Joffrey Lannister, son of the Mayor.
The Mayor. Cersei Lannister. A harsh, mean woman that held no remorse in her heart. The only reason she was even mayor was because of sheer will. No one was willing to protest when she declared herself head of the town after her husband's death. That was the way it would be, and the way it was now.
Cersei hadn't brought up her opinion on the witches, but she'd neither accused nor defended anyone called 'witch.' She didn't care what happened to them. It all depended on the people. Or, more her family acting on the word of the people. She didn't care about anyone in town. She just wanted to rule them.
The most recent accusation was Margaery Tyrell. The High Priest of the church had accused her himself, saying she was using her magic to sway the people. It was possible. Everyone in the village loved her. Or, had loved her. Not anymore. Especially not with how fiercely she fought back.
Dany didn't think she was a witch. She didn't believe in witches in the first place, but Margaery just had an aura around her that spoke of kindness and generosity. She couldn't see how others would ever believe she could be working for the Devil, yet everyone did. Everyone except one.
Sansa Stark was an… exceptional girl. Different. She had protested against the accusations when they first appeared, not loudly, but she had. She'd backed down eventually. She was smart; she knew if she kept defending them she'd be next. Margaery, on the other hand, was very vocal. In her mind, she'd already been accused, what else could they do to her?
That answer eventually came, and it wasn't a good one.
Daenerys witnessed the entire thing with her own eyes. Margaery was put on trial and though everyone agreed, her protests kept up. The priests decided there was only one way to find out. A sure way to see if she was magical.
A sure way to kill her.
They threw her in the river. They threw her in the damned river and said that if she was a witch, she'd use her magic to save herself. If she wasn't, she'd die and 'join the gods.' An excuse. No one could survive that river and live. It was impossible.
And yet Margaery was only the first of many.
People were distraught after Margaery died, knowing they'd falsely accused her, but they moved on. The next day, nobody seemed to even remember her. Nobody except Sansa Stark.
Daenerys kept a close eye on her. She went about her day like normal, acting as if it didn't bother her any more than the others, but she could see that it was only a mask. She had tears ready to fall and still, she refused to let them go. She was strong. Daenerys could appreciate that. But even the strongest had to fall.
The very first night, Sansa snuck out into the woods to cry. Dany followed her. She glided above her, watching her red hair through the trees. When she stopped, falling to her knees and collapsing onto the ground, Dany landed in the shadows, curling up and watching. She pitied the girl. It wasn't fair for her to have to suffer. Then again, it wasn't fair that Dany had to suffer either, and we all know how that worked out.
Dany would watch her. Every night, she'd follow. Sansa didn't cry each time, she stopped after the second night, but midnight strolls became common. Dany liked to think she was just taking a walk with the younger girl, to pretend that they were friends spending time together late at night. She knew it was wistful thinking. She was an outcast. Sansa was the daughter of a wealthy family. Sansa was a pretty girl who lived a normal life. Dany was a monster.
Still, she dearly wished for a friend to call her own, and Sansa would be ideal. She was intriguing, to say the least. Something to occupy the time in her pitiful life. Though she longed to acquaint herself with Sansa, she was satisfied with watching from afar. She'd rather be an unknown than hated.
Sadly, or perhaps fortunately if we looked to the future, it couldn't stay that way. Dany's confidence grew and she would often walk only mere feet from Sansa, trusting the shadows of the night to conceal her. Sansa didn't notice, whether because it was actually a good disguise or because she wasn't paying attention, it didn't matter. But she didn't see her.
It was a normal night. Sansa was pacing the clearing, oblivious to the dragon hidden in the shadows nearby. She was muttering something to herself too quietly for even Dany's heightened senses to pick up when she tripped and stumbled to the side, straight into the scaly chest of Daenerys.
Sansa didn't seem to notice at first, pushing herself up and brushing off a couple of leaves, all the while leaving a hand resting on Dany's chest. Dany stayed as still as she could, holding her breath. Sansa shook her head as if to clear her mind before her face turned confused. She ran her hand over the scales of Dany's chest and looked up to meet the glowing purple eyes of a large silver dragon.
Sansa screamed and leaped backward, watching anxiously as Dany crept out of the shadows. She kept as low to the ground as she could, hoping to make herself less threatening, but as soon as she was within five feet of her Sansa bolted. Dany didn't bother following. A loud whine escaped her throat and she glumly took off, flying as far away as she could.
Come morning, Dany watched as Sansa rushed out of her house, striding over to Joffrey and taking his arm in her hands. "Joffrey, there's a monster in the woods!"
A ripple of chuckles went through the surrounding townsmen. Joffrey frowned at her. "What makes you say so?"
"I saw it!" She said frantically. "I was taking a walk last evening and fell right into it!"
He scoffed. "It was probably just a tree. You were making things up."
"No, I wasn't, I swear! It was big and scaly and it had giant wings on it's back!" They had drawn a crowd by now and whispers erupted after she said that. Joffrey looked with disdain at his promised bride. Sansa clutched his arm tighter. "Please, Joffrey, I swear I saw it! It's out there somewhere!"
He turned to the crowd and saw the nervous faces of the people. He sighed. "We will search the woods today. If we find nothing we will assume that there is no monster, do you understand?" Sansa nodded, looking relieved. Dany slipped off to her house, planning to hide out inside the entire day. She didn't know how they would do it, but she didn't want it traced back to her.
When Dany finally slipped out, darkness had fallen. Joffrey was returning from the woods with his search party and the villagers gathered around to hear the news. "We found nothing," he announced. "There is no monster in the woods." A collective sigh went through them and they trickled back to their respective homes until it was only Sansa and Joffrey.
Joffrey scowled at her. "You lied to me."
"I didn't, I swear!" Sansa pleaded. "I saw it! It must have flown away!"
Joffrey stalked toward her. "You stirred up trouble in this village, made them afraid something was going to come for them. You lied to me, you little bitch!" Quick as a flash, his hand flew out to strike Sansa. Dany gasped, smothering it before either could notice but both seemed too focused on themselves. "I don't need you causing trouble as well. If you get accused, do you know how much that will damage my reputation?"
"I'm sorry," Sansa whimpered. "I… I didn't mean to do that."
"Louder, you bitch!"
"I'm sorry!" She cried, ducking her face. Joffrey nodded, finally lowering his hand and without a word went into his home. Which left Sansa alone in the street clutching her cheek.
Dany felt a rush of sympathy for the girl. As Sansa rushed off back into the trees, Dany followed her, this time staying as her human form. When Sansa reached the clearing, Dany nervously circled around it, debating her next move. Now was the time if there ever was one.
"Sansa?" The redhead turned to see Daenerys stepping out of the trees, her hands clasped together nervously. "Are you alright?"
She sniffed, wiping away her tears. "I'm fine."
"I saw what he did to you. He's a terrible husband."
"I suppose he is. Yet I can't change my fate." Sansa shuffled in place. "Did you follow me?" Dany bit her lip and nodded. "Why?"
Dany shrugged. "I wanted to make sure you were okay."
"And are you satisfied?"
"Not at all." Dany stepped closer, looking at the red mark still on her cheek. "He hurt you."
"That's what he does."
"I'm sorry you have to deal with that."
Sansa nodded, squeezing her eyes shut. After a beat of silence she broke it again. "Daenerys, right?"
Dany was taken aback. "Yes. I'm surprised you know that."
She smiled slightly. "I guess you would be. No one ever talks to you, do they?"
Dany shook her head. "Not since my family died."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be. They were terrible people."
"Then congratulations, I guess." Dany burst out laughing at that, nearly doubling over. Sansa chuckled along with her.
Dany sighed. "You know, they abused me too, my family." Sansa looked back up at her curiously. "I can relate to you on that. I never knew my mother or eldest brother, but the two others I was left with hated me. My father blamed me for my mother's death and my brother just needed something to take his anger out on. So, in a way, I can relate to you."
"Why would you tell me that? You just met me."
"I'm not afraid to hide it. I think my past makes me stronger." She smiled up at her. "Besides, you seem like a nice girl. I doubt you'll use it against me."
Sansa flushed red. "You flatter me." They fell into an awkward silence. "Are you… are you not afraid?"
Dany furrowed her eyebrows. "What do I have to be afraid of? There's nothing else out here."
Sansa sighed. "So you don't believe me either. Figures."
Her. Sansa was talking about her. The 'monster.' Of course. "If you know it's out here, they why'd you come alone?"
She snorted. "I already have to put up with one monster. At least this one isn't going to publicly humiliate me." She paused. "If you agree with Joffrey, why did you come and help me?"
"I never said I agreed with Joffrey. Sansa, I believe you when you say there's something out here. I just don't think there's reason to be afraid of it." She knew she was revealing too much, but she'd rather Sansa know about it then let anything that comes after be a lie.
Sansa gazed at her in confusion. "You think it's a nice monster? You haven't even seen it. No one else has."
Dany laughed. "Oh, trust me, I've seen it. I see it every night. And I think it can be nice when it wants to be. Tell me, did the monster chase you? Did it try to harm you?"
"Well… no." Sansa's stare changed from confused to accusing. "How did you know that? And what do you mean you see it every night?"
Did she really want to do this? Yes, she absolutely did. Worst comes to worst, she can just fly away. Dany sighed. "Promise me you won't freak out."
Sansa stepped back. "I don't think I can promise that."
Whatever. Without another word, Dany released the dragon.
From Sansa's point of view, it was a horrific sight. Dany's entire body began to expand, small silver plates pushing their way out of her skin. Her knees reversed, her fingers grew longer and webbings formed between them. From her back, her spine began to lengthen, adding a long extra limb on her back and a long versatile neck. Her jaws grew into a muzzle, baring teeth each as long as a finger. When all was said and done, a dragon stood almost twice as tall in front of Sansa.
Sansa had fallen back onto the ground and now stared fearfully at the large creature above her, grabbing a rock from beside her and throwing it at Dany. It ricocheted off of her chest and Dany frowned at her the best she could. She lowered herself close to the ground and whimpered.
Sansa lay frozen, one arm holding her up and the other held up awkwardly in the air. Dany pushed closer, setting her head down on the ground barely a foot from Sansa's feet. She sat up, carefully reaching out. Her hand brushed against the scaly snout of Dany once, then twice. Sansa finally exhaled. "Oh, my gods."
Dany crooned, a puff of smoke escaping her nose. Sansa jerked back. "What the hell?"
Daenerys pulled herself up, opening her mouth and letting a small stream of fire escape her. When she saw Sansa's fear she pulled it back, slapping the flames out with her tail. She urred at Sansa and waited for her to speak.
It took a few moments, but she did. "So I'm not crazy," she said. "There really was something out there last night. You followed me then too?" Dany nodded. "Why?" She shrugged, putting together a string of sounds that made no sense to Sansa. She laughed. "I suppose you can't answer that like this. Tell me, are you… are you a witch?"
Dany shook her head. Sansa frowned. "Then how…" She gestured at the dragon. Dany shrugged. "You've just been able to your whole life? No 'deals with the Devil' or whatever?" Nope. Sansa took a moment just to admire the scary yet admittedly beautiful beast. "Wow."
Dany shifted back, Sansa wincing at the loud cracks and pops of the bones. "You aren't afraid of me?"
"I mean, you're pretty damn scary, but it's still just a person in another form. I don't think you'd try and hurt me without good reason." Dany smiled brightly at that. Sansa returned it. "Perhaps next time you could come out and talk to me instead of hiding in the shadows."
Dany gave her a shy grin. "I'd like that."
"Good. See you tomorrow, then." Dany watched her go with a large smile on her face. She hadn't imagined it would turn out this way, but she was glad it did.