Chapter 23:

Author's Notes: The usual suspect was holding me hostage again, I've been given some yard time now so I decided to update. Until next time...

When the khalasar of Ashley Targaryen reached the Last River, they stopped to set up camp and gather any food or water needed for the army. Moving with such a large number hampered the speed of the march but slowly, they were edging closer to King's Landing. At Castle Black which was at the centre of the Wall, Ashley had learnt that she had not been the last of House Targaryen. Her kin, Maester Aemon, still lived but he had travelled to Oldtown, under the command of Clay, to escape harm. This had made her uneasy for a time, then saddened when it was revealed that he had died on the journey, making her once again the last of her house. Even if he had remained alive, I would not have harmed him, she mused. He was all the family I had left.

Her first sight of Westeros had been a good one. Clay Carlin was a just man and she hoped that she encountered more men with his sense in the coming days. She did not want to fight every man along the way. She wanted them to see her for what she really was and judge her by her actions and not hearsay. Is that not why she had spent so much time in Meereen, learning how to rule a city?

"Khaleesi, your bath is ready." Irri said, bringing Ashley out of her thoughts.

"You mean my stretch of the river," she responded with a smile.

"Yes Khaleesi. The water is cold but I think any water would do for now."

"Yes it would. Show me the way."

When they had finally reached the area that had been set aside for her, she immediately disrobed, ready to remove the grime and sweat of the last few days' travel. As she entered the water, she could feel the cold temperature slip through her body. She rubbed her arms to build some heat but did not step out of the water. Around her, trees stretched on as far as she could see, which Spencer had said they would continue to see more of until they passed Winterfell. To her other side, some mountains and more trees. Her army would cross the river and march down the King's Road in between the woods and the mountains until they reached Winterfell, where they would stop once again and gather as many supplies as they could.

She could feel her body heat up again. As her dragons grew so did the connection between her and them. Sometimes, she could barely contain the pressure that was inside, especially when her children hunted. Thank the gods for this foul Westeroi weather, she thought. She had not expected this…link. No one had ever instructed her on how to raise dragons, and the stories she had heard growing up with Nicholas, never mentioned the bond one would create when rearing dragons. It just seemed to come to her. Each and every single day, the strength of the bond grew. And now, as her dragon reached mating age, she could feel flushes of passion whenever they did. She was eternally thankful that they were all male, but the annoyance with each other did nothing at times, to deflect her own annoyance with some of her captains, making her more short-tempered than normal.

At that moment, she felt another hot flush. Grumbling to herself, Ashley placed her body further into the cold water, almost angered by her children's natures at this time in their lives. She dove deeper into the water, trying to douse the heat. There were times when she had fled from her councils, fearing that her control would weaken and she would attack the nearest warm-blooded being. This was always almost Spencer, and she had no intention of approaching the girl like that. At any other time, I would welcome it, but in front of my captains, knowing that my bloodriders would rejoice at my newly accepted Dothkari ways, she questioned, no, I will keep fighting until my children have learnt control themselves. She could see them now, laughing, calling out all things crude, wishing her well in her endeavors. She could never do that, she was mortified at the mere thought.

Ashley finished her bath, her body now close to that of the river she was in. She walked out of the water, naked, and headed for her robes which had been placed on a branch nearby. She was glad that her handmaids had left her to wash alone. They had all seen her without clothes before but sometimes she felt the need to shy away and cover herself in front of them. They had laughed at first, their Khaleesi's strange behavior amusing them, but they had accepted it all the same, just as Ashley herself had accepted the customs of the Dothkari. She walked away from the river towards her khas, knowing that one of her handmaids would be there to welcome her and to ensure that she had dressed herself accordingly. Sometimes they treat me like a child, she thought mildly. As she approached her khas she could hear the shuffling of someone inside. Assuming it was Irri inside, she walked in boldly.

"I dressed myself again Irri…." She trailed off as she noticed who was in her tent.

"Irri is not feeling well at this time. She argued that the wind is after her soul so she asked if I could take her place." Spencer said, walking over to Ashley to hand her her spiced wine.

"Oh." Images from her bath flooded her mind once again. Blast those creatures! How can they be feeling this again so quickly, it is just not possible!

"Are you well?" Spencer asked as she watched some emotion pass by Ashley's face.

Clearing her throat, Ashley headed towards the fire blazing in her hearth. "I am fine. The weather takes some time to take in."

Spencer smiled. "You seem to be dealing with it better than your men."

"They are all cowards under all that bluster." Ashley stated, a smile forming on her lips.

"And the dragons? They must probably wish they were back out at sea now."

"Oh, they do but they are happier here now as the forest gives them a chance to hunt, find new prey. As long as they keep close by and do not attack my men then they can roam freely."

"They do seem better than most here," she answered. "You should remove those robes. They will not help to keep the cold out if they are wet."

"Ah…yes. I did not have a chance to dry myself as of yet."

Spencer turned to face the flap covering the opening of the khas, giving Ashley the room to change unwatched. She could feel her face warm up at the thought of what was going on behind her but she dared not look back. What happened to my new found courage? It fled the minute she walked in. She quickly turned around at the sound of Ashley's gasp and was met with the site of a naked back. Ashley had not finished putting on her dry clothes and was doubled over. Spencer swallowed at the sight before moving forward to help.

"Ashley, are you not feeling well?"

"No. I mean yes. I…" Ashley gasped again, a heat flush rushing through her body. No, not now!

"Ashley?" Spencer questioned again as she drew closer to the other girl.

"No! Wait, stay there." Ashley said as she tried to distance herself from Spencer. Her control was slipping further and further away now. She knew that her dragons must be hunting now, hence the rush and passion coursing through her now.

"Ashley, do you need me to get some water? You seem to be sweating heavily. Should I put out the fire?" Spencer could not understand what was going on. It seemed as though Ashley was in pain, yet she would not let her help to ease it. She reached out a hand to touch her queen. "Ashley?"

Ashley swiveled, her will trying to hang on but losing out to her passions quickly. Her eyes had turned a swirling purple, her breath came in short bursts, her pupils the size of small dots. Her mind was slowly giving way to a more primal emotion. Flashes of colour blinded her for a short moment before Spencer's face was the only thing she could see. She shuddered, the last of will overcome, and grabbed Spencer's head before crashing her lips against the Westeroi's. She swallowed a gasp, then a sigh and felt two hands wrapping around her shoulders. Ashley could see herself from what seemed far away. One part of her cried out in joy and passion while another part of her backed away in horror. Her hands grasped at Spencer's robes, ripping them away from the body her hands were eagerly seeking out. Feeling no resistance she mapped the skin in her palms. Her body was aflame and her lust ruled her actions. She pulled back to breathe, watching as Spencer's eyes darkened, and groaned at the lust flushing through her again.

"Spencer, if…this…" she panted in a moment of clarity. "Run now. I will not hold it against you but leave now…I cannot hold on any longer."

Spencer answered by pulling Ashley to her again. Ashley's body felt incredibly hot to her cooler skin, adding to her passion. Their tongues dueled, both trying to assert their dominance. She reached out and removed the first layer of clothing on Ashley, giving Ashley the chance to control the battle. She felt herself being moved to Ashley's bed. Fear quickly gripped her before it left again when a hand cupped her breast. When Ashley pulled back again, Spencer wondered at the colour in her eyes. All thought was removed from her mind when a hot cavern encased her nipple, sending a jolt through her body. She was being taken for the very first time, and rejoiced in the feeling.

Ashley tongued the rose pebble in front of her, wanting to swallow it whole. She took the other in her mouth, with the same aggression, and almost growled at the scream she heard erupt from her mate's throat. She continued her torture, flicking the nipple, biting then licking away the pain. She moved upwards and claimed Spencer's throat. A dark bruise began to form before she leaned in again and bit down, drawing blood before licking it away. Another scream came out from Spencer, her mind clouded by pleasure and pain. Ashley reached down the body beneath her and stroked the quivering flesh between Spencer's legs. Her fingers became slick and the scent brought out a growl from deep within her chest. Now close to a frenzy, she entered Spencer with two fingers, not waiting for Spencer's body to adjust. The smell of their mating tipped her over the edge and she began to push into Spencer faster and more deeper with each thrust. She could feel a familiar pressure building in her and tried to release it by thrusting even deeper into Spencer. Spencer could not scream anymore, her voice spent, so with a soundless shout, she let go, Ashley following her release soon after.

Outside, three dragons shrieked into the twilight sky.

:blinks: …giggles madly…then runs away.