Chapter 6:
Author's Notes: So my story is a little (or very) confusing at the moment. No biggy. I'll try and explain as much as I can before I start the next chapter.
Firstly, Chapters 1-4 were mostly background and setting up the story. I may have gone too far with the whole starting slow thing lol but I will work extra hard to be better so just hang in there;)
Ashley and Nicholas Targaryen are of royal blood. Their family was wiped out by Robert Baretheon (the Usurper) but they managed to escape and lived in secrecy with Magister Illyrio (he took them in) until where the story starts. Ashley is betrothed to Khal Drogo, who is the leader of a race of people called the Dothkari. The Dothkari are known to be fierce warriors/barbarians so they'd be perfect to have in any army and that's what Nicholas thought he'd gain if his sister married Khal Drogo (Nicholas wants to reclaim his throne from Robert as he is the eldest remaining Targaryen). Ashley then takes over her brother's goal of retaking the throne from Robert.
Spencer, Kyla, Glen etc are all Carlins (I made a few name mistakes in the last chapter, sorry. Eddard Stark is supposed to be Arthur Carlin and Spencer's surname is Carlin not Stark. My apologies once again) and their home is Winterfell. The Carlins are a family from a long line of lords so that makes Arthur Carlin a lord. As a way of insuring alliances, King Robert "persuades" Arthur to let Spencer be betrothed to Aiden (who is his first born with Cersei) that's why Spencer goes with her father to the capital of Westeros (a country), Sun City. Kyla also joins them at the palace.
Aiden, Cersei (Aiden's mother) etc (there are others which might pop up later in the story) are Lannisters which is another noble house. Cersei is married to Robert Baretheon but she really wants to be in charge of everything (i.e. she believes a woman should be in charge of a kingdom which wasn't even considered back then) so she resents Arthur Carlin's appointment as the Hand because of his friendship with Robert and the strength that friendship has. She tries (and succeeds) to have him removed without any suspicion falling on her (can't give anymore away coz I'll mention it later in the story).
Other names such as Pentos, Irri, Jhogo etc are places and character names from the book. Um…I'm not sure what else I have to explain so if there's anything I've left out just get back to me and I'll explain it as best as I can. Okay! Back to the Spashley…
"Do I know you?" Ashley asked quietly.
After her immediate panic at the other girl's sudden approach, Spencer took a breath before answering. "No…" Spencer cleared her throat "No you don't. I'm one of Ser Jorah hand maids."
"He has never mentioned that to me. Yet you seem familiar. Are you sure we have not met?" Ashley questioned again.
"Yes," was Spencer's response. She could not believe what had just happened. She should have been more aware of her surroundings. Ser Jorah had commanded her to never interact with others who were not of his immediate personnel. Now here she was facing this girl who already seemed fairly suspicious of Spencer's presence there.
"You are not Dothkari," Ashley stated. "Where are you from?"
"One of the free cities," Spencer answered. One little lie would not hurt anyone and no one could know of her true identity, especially here.
Ashley studied the girl in front of her. She did not give much away with her answers. I should question Mormont about this one, there's something she is hiding. Her eyes though, they filtered in and out of Ashley's conscious. She knew those eyes but for them to be a reality was not a possibility. No one thought dragons existed anymore either, she countered to herself. Slowly taking in the girl's appearance , Ashley could not hide the appraisal in her eyes. She is beautiful.
Spencer tensed under the gaze of the other girl. She wanted to withdraw within herself, just to escape that gaze. She could feel her face flushing and hoped that the other girl would not see that on her fair skin. Clearing her throat she bent over again to continue with her washing, knowing full well that the other girl had not taken her eyes of her. She hoped that she would lose interest and walk away.
Ashley saw the girl retreat within herself and decided to let her be for the mean time. She walked a little further down and sat down on the bank of the river they had set up camp at. She pushed those haunting blue eyes out of her mind and began to think through her plans again. It would be a long road, one she did not want to lose many of her people on but she had no choice. It was her birthright. Nicholas was right. The only thing he had been correct on. The difference was that she would rule differently from Nicholas' plans and doctrines. She hoped she would be a good queen. She sighed and took a deep breath. The sound of the river and the women working along it lulling her into a semblance of calm. The men could hardly be heard as they were either sleeping of their weariness or fighting it out.
Spencer kept her head down as she worked even harder than before. As if her memories did not plague her enough she now had to contend with her dreams. Her fantasies of something that could not, no would not, happen. Her eyes kept drifting to their intended target. A dark haired, bronzed figure with her head tipped to the sky as her feet dangled into the water. Stop. You know you cannot afford to make friends. Your old life is over and it is time you let it go. Spencer's eyes noticed the girl stand up after a time and head back towards the camp. She hoped that the girl would face her again but at the same time she hoped that she would be left alone with her thoughts.
"I shall see you around I suspect," Ashley stated as she left Spencer by the river.
Stepping into her tent Spencer laid her bundle down and stepped wearily towards her bed. She was worn out from her various duties and avoiding the Dothkari men. She shuddered at that. Those men looked at her like she was their next conquest. It scared Spencer and she moved quickly whenever she was confronted with any of them.
"Good day?"
Spencer jumped. She had not seen the person with her in the tent. "Ser Jorah. I did not expect to see you so soon."
"I decided I should stop by and see how you are living with these new arrangements in your life. I hear you have been making friends."
"No. I don't think I have. I don't speak to anyone so that opportunity will never arise."
"What about the girl at the river?"
"She came to me, Ser. I did not expect her to deem myself worthy of her conversation."
"Do you know who she is?" Ser Jorah asked as he stepped closer to Spencer.
"No. Just some hand maid I suspect."
"She is the Ashley Targaryen. Your queen and the queen of the Dothkari," Ser Jorah wiped his face with a cloth. "Did you tell her anything that might have been suspicious? Did you reveal anything about your true identity?"
"No…I-I did not know that she was who you say she is. Even then, I did not reveal myself. I know what would happen if I did."
"Good," Ser Jorah placed an arm on her shoulder "I promised you I would get you back to your family safely and I will. Trust me when I say it is better for all if you remain unknown and for those in Westeros to think you are dead."
"Yes, Ser," Spencer responded quietly.
"Get some rest. I hear we shall be moving soon." Ser Jorah exited the tent, leaving Spencer to try and numb her thoughts as she struggled for sleep to take her.
I know it's not as long as the previous chapters but I've been really busy with school so I decided to put up something for you all. R&R!!!