The spoils of war
AN: A Happy Easter to everyone! I wanted to thank all of you as well for your nice reviews! ^^ See these chapters as a little present. - QueenNothingness
Daenys is thrown into a cell and time passes, but she does not know how long she is there. She gets food and water once a day, and she hears voices. Sometimes she thinks she even hears Argella, but she is not sure.
She sings or hums songs to keep the silence at bay, and in those moments, it is the only thing keeping her sane.
Than one day, the door to her cell is opened, and she is forced outside. They take her to a room where she is bathed and put into black pants and something that resembles a long black dress that comes to her knees. Her hair is washed and braided and they give her her sword, and eventually she is pushed into a long corridor. She than sees her friend Argella, who looks tired and thinner than before, but all in all fine. She dons the same clothes and same hairstyle.
'What is even going on here?' Argella whispers, after they have greeted each other. The doors open and they are forced onto sandy ground. 'What the?' Daenys' fear is confirmed. They are standing in a giant arena. The House Droughtden is known for holding fights in this arena. 'They want us to fight in the arena? Against what or who?' Argella whispers, but Daenys admits she does not know.
'There they are, the Targaryen Queen and the Lady of Harrenhal!' a voice shouts, the noise in the arena quieting down. 'You know, my father asked for Daenys' Targaryen's hand in marriage. But you know what Lord Aerion answered? He said our house was not worthy of a lady of the House Targaryen!' The arena is filled with people booing, Daenys starting to understand what is going on.
'Than I proposed my sister's hand to Aegon as a fourth wife, and he also refused! Now, the third Targaryen queen will fight to the death in the arena!' This claim brings cheers and applause. 'We will see how your husbands like that, ladies! It is nothing personal, I assure you!' Daenys looks up and spits on the ground. 'You go fuck yourself, you coward! Come down and I will show you what fighting with a Targaryen means.' Daenys taunts him, but the lord just laughs and sits down. 'Where is my sister?!'
'Wouldn't you like to know that? Begin!' he says to the master in the arena, who makes the crowd go crazy. Daenys and Argella are surrounded by tons of men, soldiers in full armour while they have barely any clothes on. So this is his plan. He wants them to fight to the dead against dozen of soldiers and probably will send their heads to Aegon afterwards.
'We cannot win this!' Argella murmurs, tears pooling in her eyes. 'Queen Daenys!' she murmurs in desperation, Daenys taking her friends' hand and squeezing it. 'Do not despair, Argella.' But even Daenys has to admit their future is bleak.
Argella snaps out of her desperation and a hard expression comes on her face. 'We will not go down without a fight. It was an honour serving you, Queen Daenys. It was a pleasure calling you my friend.' Daenys nods and says the same, gripping her sword a bit tighter and taking a battlestance.
The soldiers surround them and slowly inch closer, they are too many to count. The first one runs to them with a battlecry, Argella parrying his attack and Daenys quick to spear her sword through his neck. They take them on like this, one by one, Argella attacking them and Daenys finishing them off, while all the while defending each other.
Even the Lord of Droughtden has to admit their teamwork is impeccable. The soldiers keep on coming however and they tire out. Daenys is panting, the hair is coming lose from her braid and she does not see the man that is coming for her.
A blinding pain pierces her side and Daenys screams at the top of her lungs, seeing a dagger is jutting out from her side. She manages to tear it lose and impales the man with it, blood gurgling out of his mouth. 'Daenys!' Argella shouts, her shout of her queen's name also changing into one of pain, as a dagger slashes across her arm. 'ARGELLA!'
An evil laugh comes from the tribunes, high up in the air. 'What will you do now? Tell me, Ugly Queen?!' he cackles. Daenys' arm is wrenched to the side by another soldier and another scream of pain leaves her throat, as it is the arm on her wounded side.
Her scream is answered by a roar high in the air, a roar resembling a wail and someone who is weeping at the same time. The soldier that is holding Daenys' arm stops tearing at it, their fight momentarily forgotten. Daenys looks up as well, her mouth falling open in disbelief when she sees who it is.
A shadow falls over the arena, the wind picking up as the beating of wings is heard. A roar sounds again and this time the shadow lands. Magavin looks around for a moment with burning yellow eyes, the giant arena barely big enough to hold her. Her tail swishes down on the tribunes, causing several fatalities already. Magavin sees the soldier tearing at Daenys arm and does not hesitate for a second.
She tears the soldier away from Daenys and throws him in the air, a spiral of fire coming from her mouth and burning the man alive, who is still falling down. Magavin breathes fire around her, effectively burning everyone around them. The she-dragon turns around, tail swishing anxiously and Daenys suddenly understands she has come for her.
The young Targaryen queen runs around the dragon to her left, and starts climbing on the dragon on the back of her leg. Her wound in Daenys' side is throbbing and she manages to split her fingers open on Magavin's spikes one too many times. Eventually Daenys is seated, or more lying on the dragon's back, and she sees Magavin wants to leave.
'Wait, Magavin! Argella!' Daenys shouts, Magavin swishing her tail at the last soldiers that hold her friend captive. Argella does not hesitate and comes running but falters in her steps when Magavin screeches in pain.
The dragon has a spear in her neck, and it hurts like hell. Argella turns around and starts tearing the spear lose, ignoring the screeching Magavin. 'Argella! Hurry!' Daenys shouts at her friend, extending her hand. Argella runs around the dragon and starts climbing as well on Magavin's wing, grabbing Daenys who pulls her friend up. Argella screams in pain since it is her arm that has been wounded by the dagger, but eventually she sits behind the young queen and throws her arms around Daenys' waist.
'HOLD ON!' Daenys screams over the screaming and dying people in the tribunes, were it is chaos and people are being trampled. Daenys hands are a bleeding mess, but she grabs hold of the spikes on Magavin's back. 'Sōvēs.' she whispers in High Valyrian to Magavin, who shakes her head and readies to fly.
She has no place to start running here, since the arena is barely big enough to hold her. Magavin takes one, two steps while at the same time beating her wings, Daenys feels the wind pick up in her face, and soon they are gaining height.
The arena gets smaller and smaller underneath them, and she can feel the wind blowing in her face. Her fear is replaced by nervousness which is eventually replaced by butterflies and even Argella is quiet. Her friend is holding on for dear life to her queen, but Argella lets out a laugh as they fly over the arena. Daenys spots a bunch of horses galloping away, and sees it is Lord Droughtden and his sons.
Magavin seems to sense what Daenys wants and gains speed, going higher and than flying down, Argella crying out in fear. 'What are you doing? Going for the Lord?' Argella shouts over the whistling wind. 'Not especially. We just need one who will tell us where Rhaenys is.' Daenys grins sadistically, Magavin roaring out in approval.
Magavin swoops down and manages to grab one of the horses with her claws, quick to evade the spears and arrows thrown at them. They fly for a while, Magavin eventually throwing the horse down. The horse bucks off it's rider and gallops of, winnying all the way. Magavin lands, teeth showing at the man before them. The dragon lowers her head so that Daenys becomes visible.
'Please do not kill me!' he begs, sitting on his knees and holding his hands together in a begging gesture. 'That depends. If you tell me where my sister is, I might let you live.' Daenys hisses, Magavin hissing as well and still showing her teeth.
'She is in another arena further away to the South. You cannot miss it.' Daenys looks unimpressed, Magavin snapping her teeth together right next to the man. 'I swear!' he promises, tears falling out of his eyes. Daenys sees he is in fact only a boy, sixteen at the most, and scared to death. Daenys has never been one to be cruel, so she decides to let him go with a fair warning.
'You are not responsible for your oldest brother's madness. You may go. If I however find out you have lied to me, I will find you and burn you and your whole House alive. Do you understand?' Daenys says, the boy nodding in fear. 'Go.' Daenys says, the boy standing up and running away.
'That's what makes a good queen.' Argella says out of nowhere, having observed the exchange in silence. 'Knowing when to be merciful.' Daenys smiles and nods, patting Magavin's side. 'Let's go, Magavin. We have a sister to save.'