Chapter Ten

A/N: Thank you to Shazza72 for reviewing the last chapter.

For that small moment, that one blissful moment, time was simply what it was- time. The rising and setting of the sun, the waxing and waning of the moon, an endless cycle of summers and winters, ever changing until the day you drew your last breath and for many years after.

But time will always move forward, no matter how many thousands sought to stop it from doing so. And as the seconds and minutes took up their constant rhythm once more, Jorah found that Daenerys was pushing him away.

Immediately, Jorah staggering backwards, ashamed that he had done something so foolish. 'She will command me to leave her now and I will never lay eyes on her again.' he realised, and cursed his trust in the impulse that had tugged at his heart. 'I have squandered all my work for one kiss, a few seconds of heaven before being cast out into the hell of the desert alone.'

"Khaleesi, I..." Jorah began, but found that he could find no more words. All he could think of was to apologise, to say he regretted what he had done. But the knight could not bring himself to do that, to tell such a lie. In truth, though he regretted the consequences sure to be brought, Jorah would have done the same thing a thousand times over.

Daenerys held up her hand to silence him, but made no attempt to fill the silence by speaking herself. In the distance, the pair could hear a heated argument, the clash of arakhs and, even further, the screech of the dragons. It was the latter sound that caught the queen's attention, but she ignored her children's cries for now, choosing instead to study the man stood before her.

Finally, she broke the silence. "Ser Jorah, why did you make such a move?"

Jorah could scarcely conceal a sigh of frustration with himself. 'She thinks me a fool.' he knew now and cursed his impulsiveness once more. Had he really been alone for so long that his desire could overpower his reason so much?

"I do not know, Khaleesi." was the answer he gave, thinking it to be a safer one than the truth. But it seemed that Daenerys did not believe the same, for her eyebrows were raised and her mouth set into a firm line. 'She is even beginning to look like a queen.' he thought, although, of course, she always had done to him.

"But you do know, Ser Jorah, or else you would not have done it, so tell me the truth." she instructed, forming each syllable carefully as if she could not convey her meaning without emphasising each letter.

"You know the truth." Jorah sighed, his eyes entirely focused on the patterned rug covering the floor of the tent. "I would be worried if you did not, for I doubt I've been secretive."

Daenerys' expression had not changed in the least. It seemed that she was not satisfied with his answer. 'I'd be a fool to think that she would be.' he thought, with a faint smile.

Jorah took a deep breath, then spoke the words he had thought so often but never dared to say. "I did it because I love you, Daenerys. More than I have loved any woman in my life."

Jorah's words seemed to echo all around the silent room, for once he had spoken, Daenerys did not do so for a long time afterwards. Eventually, she took a few deep shuddering breaths and spoke.

"I knew." she told Jorah, much to his shock. "I always knew, even back when I was wed to Drogo. I could see it in your eyes, in the way you tried to protect me from that market trader after Viserys was killed. You always tried to keep me safe, gave me prudent advice... you were always more than just a friend to me."

Jorah's heart soared in his chest and he felt so light that he imagined he could sprout wings from his back and fly above the desert like the three dragons would soon be able to do.

"But of course, there was Drogo." At the mention of the khal, Jorah drew in a deep breath. He had been so lost in his happiness, he had not noticed her choice of phrase. I knew. She knew; that did not mean she felt the same way. "Khal Drogo was my husband and I grew to love him more than I had loved anything in my life. And then he was taken from me, torn from my arms by Mirri Maz Duur just as Rhaego was torn from my womb. I thought I'd die from the pain of it. But just as I had fallen and did not think I could rise again, you were there. Always, you were there, Jorah."

The knight listened intently, hanging on the queen's every word. He did not allow himself to become either elated or disheartened, although his heart skipped a beat when he realised she had addressed him, for the first time, as only Jorah. When she had finally finished speaking, he took a moment to gather his thoughts, before bowing his head and turning to leave the tent. He could feel tears beginning to burn in his eyes and did not want to embarrass either of them with the sight.

"Jorah, wait." the woman instructed and he turned at the sound of her voice. Daenerys was slowly pulling herself to her feet. Ser Jorah was going to tell her that this was a bad idea when she had only just recovered, but the determination in her eyes made him falter. He waited in the doorway for her to speak again, but she did not. Instead, she strolled the length of the tent, cupped his face in both her palms and kissed him with a fire as fervent as the dragonfire which flowed through her veins.

A/N: Please review!