A/N: Prompt word: Effort.

02x09, 'Blackwater'

Jorah's eyes burn. It's a struggle to keep them open. He doesn't have to. But he will do so anyway.

By his side, Daenerys sits with her knees tucked up to her chin. Sheer exhaustion has led her to sleep.

Jorah is glad she has found some brief respite.

He'd taken the first watch for the night, but Kovarro has succeeded him now. Jorah can only make out the black shape of him. They dare not light a fire in case it brings their enemies swarming.

But it still fills him with unease.

Enough unease that even though he should sleep, he won't. What if they're taken by surprise? What if Kovarro is overwhelmed before they can gather their own defences? What if Daenerys' throat is slit while he sleeps? He'd never forgive himself.

So he sits there as she slumbers, his eyes watering and burning. He blinks, Kovarro a fuzzy image. He rubs a hand over his eyes to clear them. His head is heavy. He blinks again when Kovarro shifts. Then again.

He doesn't remember closing his eyes. But he jerks violently awake when something touches his shoulder, his vision swimming, struggling to connect the image in front of him to Kovarro.

The Dothrakan whispers, "It's dawn, Jorah the Andal."

Jorah turns his head just slightly. His neck is sore and his shoulders ache, but all of that vanishes when he sees Daenerys. It ought not to surprise him. After all, she is blood of the dragon. Dragons are fire made flesh.

She's moved in the night; now her cheekbone presses against the meat of his shoulder. Any further and she would be in the crook of his neck.

He's acutely aware of Kovarro grinning at him, and feels heat prickling at his skull.

"I'll join you in a moment," he says quickly.

But Kovarro waves his hand casually. "Stay where you are, Jorah the Andal. Khaleesi looks comfortable. And so do you."

Jorah opens his mouth to argue, but Kovarro has already turned away, smirking knowingly to himself.