Author's Notes: 3 reviews for my first ever SON fic, so thanks go out to EagleSenior, Cyberbaby and jbs10. I guess from the reviews I should continue right? The story won't pick up just yet but I am trying to write longer chapters and I'll probably skip a couple of events from the book so this story doesn't go on forever…although if people like it that might not be such a bad thing right?

Disclaimer: Forgot to add this to the first chapter. Some of the character names, places etc belong to Mr George Martin so they aren't mine, my imagination isn't that brilliant otherwise I wouldn't be in school, I'd write instead!

Chapter 2:

Her brother held up the gown for her. "This is beauty. Touch it. Go on. Caress the fabric."

Ashley touched the fabric. It had been such a long time since she had felt anything so smooth or silky. It frightened her a little. "Is it really mine?"

"Off course. Magister Illyrio thought that you might want to wear something befitting a princess," Nicholas said. He was high spirits today. "The color will bring out your eyes more and soon you shall have jewels and gold as well to go with you attire. Illyrio promised. Tonight though you must look like a princess so you must wear this."

A princess, Ashley thought. Once upon a time maybe, far back in her memories, she remembers that she was once treated as a princess and dressed as such. Sometimes she forgot and it felt as though her brother was pretending still. "What does he want Nicholas?" Ashley and her brother had spent almost half a year living with the magister, eating his food and being pampered by his servants but Ashley learnt a long time ago that gifts such as these came with a price, and here in the free city of Pentos, that was no different.

"Illyrio is no fool," Nicholas stated darkly. He was a gaunt, pale man with nervous fingers and his usually brown eyes had a feverish look to them. "He knows I will remember my friends when I come into my throne."

Ashley sighed quietly. Everyday her brother spoke of his stolen throne and how he was going to get it back. She didn't believe that though. Even though he told her every chance he got to never forget who he was, who they were, Ashley couldn't help but feel that maybe he brother spent too much time in the past and not enough time in the present. He spoke of his future quite frequently but she doubted he had any substantial plans to regain his throne.

"Hurry up and get dressed. Illyrio has some guests over that he wants us to meet. I mean to get their assistance into forming my army so you need to look presentable and of your birth when we enter," he stated, bringing her out of her thoughts. Nicholas then left to go prepare himself.

Ashley looked wistfully out of her window to the streets of Pentos. She could hear children playing and laughing just below her and the priests beginning their evening hymns as the light their night fires. For a moment she wished she could be out there, running around barefoot and breathless, with her clothes in tatters, and no past or future or a feast with Khal Drogo at his manse. Somewhere beyond the sunset, across the sea, lay her homeland according to her brother. Hills and valleys of green, rushing rivers, sunlight filtering through all below it, knights with their armor glinting in the sunshine, riding through to battles which would long be told after their deaths, a place of fairytales and dreams. In the Free Cities they spoke of these lands as Westeros and the Sunset Kingdoms. Her brother had a simpler name. "Our land," he called it. He stated these words as if in prayer, as though if he said them enough the gods would surely hear him and answer him. "Ours by blood, taken from us by treachery but ours still now and forever. You do not steal from a dragon because a dragon never forgets."And maybe a dragon did remember but Ashley only could now see vague shapes in her mind when she thought of their supposed home. She still dreamed though, hoping that one day her love would one day come and take her away to live in those kingdoms forever.

A knock at the door announced the arrival of one of the servants to help her prepare. The old woman came in with towels while a few other servants brought in her bath and hot water for her use. Ashley stepped into the bath and let the old woman bathe her. The woman washed out her long dark hair, which needs to be cut now she thought to herself, and gently combed out any knots, all in silence. She was then dressed and scented before her brother stepped back in to escort her to the feast.

He chattered the entire way of how this Khal Drogo was going to lend him his army as an alliance of sorts so that he could regain his throne once more. Ashley barely paid attention and only nodded or made the appropriate noises to keep her brother believing that's he followed his dream too. As they drew closer to the manse, Ashley felt a chill go through her. All around their party were strange men with oiled, braided hair and hardly any clothing. She had heard some of the servants refer to these men as barbarians and she couldn't help but fear for herself and her brother for dealing with these men. Magister Illyrio approached their party from the main door.

"She is a vision, Your Majesty'" he stated when he looked Ashley over. He grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"She's far too skinny and doesn't stand straight," retorted Nicholas "but, all might still work out. Are you sure Khal Drogo likes his women young?"

"She is sixteen, no? She will do just fine," Magister Illyrio told him, not for the first time. "Look at her. Those piercing, dark eyes, the dark hair. She is of Valyria blood most definitely…and the daughter of the last king, the sister to the future king, he will be enchanted." When he released her hand, Ashley trembled.

"I suppose…they do have queer tastes. Boys, horses, sheep…" Nicholas countered.

"You best not let Khal Drogo hear that Your Grace," said Magister Illyrio.

They entered the main manse as they were announced and were placed not too far from a tall, dark barbarian who Ashley assumed was Khal Drogo. His braid of hair fell to below his waist, almost to his thighs. Ashley looked at his face. His eyes were cold and hard and they scared her. Nicholas hurt her sometimes, when she awoke the dragon in him, but even his eyes didn't compare to this man's. In fact, all the men surrounding them scared her. She wasn't sure why her brother was dealing with men when, clearly, they would kill them without any hesitations. She began to tremble again. This was not how she wanted her night to go.

Her brother's words filtered through her mind again. "I won't need all his men, just enough to rid the West of the Usurper'" Nicholas stated, fingering the hilt of his sword. "Just ten thousand would be enough and the realm would rejoice as their rightful king to his kingdom back. The people are crying out for their king…aren't they Illyrio?" Nicholas turned to face the magister anxiously.

"They are your people Your Grace," replied the man amiably "they still toast and drink to your health in secret places in fear of the wrath of the Usurper but they do still cry out for you." He shrugged "Or so my agents tell me."

Ashley had no agents or any way of knowing if this man was telling the truth so she and her brother had to believe his words but she mistrusted Illyrio's words and everything else about him. She did not voice her opinions out aloud thought, her brother would not like it. The two men continued their conversation around Ashley as she once again stared at the Khal.

"I must go make my submissions and bring the Khal to you," stated Ilyrio as he stood up.

"Do you see him sister? Do you see the length of his braid?" Nicholas whispered to Ashley as he tightened his hand around hers, so much that it began to hurt. They followed Illyrio towards the Khal as Nicholas continued to whisper.

"They say that when the Dothraki are defeated they cut of their braid in shame. Khal Drogo has never lost a fight that is why his braid is so long. He is Aegon the Dragonlord come again and you shall be his queen."

Ashley paled at his words. His queen. 'I don't want to be his queen," she replied in a small desperate voice. "Please, please, Nicholas, I don't want that, I want to go home now."

"Home?" He replied in barely concealed fury. "How can we go home when our home was taken from us!" He pulled them into the shadows so no one could hear their argument. 'How do we go home?" He asked meaning King's Landing and all the realm they had lost.

Ashley had meant their rooms at Illyrio's estate but her brother did not want to hear that. His fingers dug into her arm and he ignored her whimpers of pain, demanding her answer. "I don't…I don't know" she replied, her voice shaking and tears beginning in her eyes.

"I know," he spat out. "You will become his queen. Wed him and bed him if that is what is required." He smiled at her " I'd let his whole army fuck you if that was what was needed, sweet sister, all forty thousand of them and their horses if that was what was called for in order for me to gain my army. Be thankful it's only Drogo. In time you may even learn to like him. Now stop crying. He is on his way here with Illyrio and he will not see you crying."

Ashley turned and saw Magister Illyrio heading towards him with the Khal behind him. She wiped away any fallen tears from her face with the back of her hand.

"Smile," Nicholas whispered quickly, his hand falling to his sword. "And stand straight. Let him see that you are a woman. Gods know, your breasts are small enough as it is."

Ashley smiled and stood up straight.

Alright, there you have it. Good? Bad? Laughable?