p data-p-id="599aff299c4bffc9b84f5159812449d4"Next morning, as the sun went up and its first rays dispersed the night's chill, the khalasar set off towards Meereen. Dany was given a fine horse, but after multiple times flying Drogon it felt too ordinary, even when she galloped through the seas of grass she once was so enchanted by. /p
p data-p-id="5d0ad7400c1b7feb17ca67e906891679"Now and then she caught glances thrown at her by the Dothraki. Though she couldn't see them directly, she could sense the malice and scorn the people tried not to express. They hated her for not going straight to dosh khaleen to spend the rest of her life among old widows, and they hated her for getting away with it. The only reason they treated her with some respect was her dragon, one of the few things the brave horselords fear. /p
p data-p-id="5216c75b0868dbaa95994b915a7e256c"Every once in a while she glanced around in search of the huge black beast, but Drogon only appeared once this morning. He was flying south, hunting, Dany supposed, and when a large shadow covered a good part of the khalasar, everyone looked at the mother of dragons with wide eyes, and hundreds of whispers merged with the wind caused by the flapping of the giant wings. A few moments later, Drogon disappeared again, dignifiedly ignorant of the impression he's made. emI need him, but he doesn't need me,/em Dany thought with bitterness. /p
p data-p-id="a99e92e61c44f51eb0763e8c25cd4ed8"When the sun began burning the skin mercilessly and even the grass that brushed against the riders' feet got unbearably hot, the khalasar settled down to have a meal and let the horses rest. Daenerys was invited to eat with the wives of Jhaqo, his bloodriders and kos. It was horsemeat again, but she hasn't yet forgotten the tormenting emptiness of her stomach she experienced only a day ago, so she didn't complain. /p
p data-p-id="f29def285333c0cee6a92a513f13dafb"There were nine of them around the campfire. The woman Dany already knew was Jhaqo's khaleesi, three wives of the bloodriders, four wives of the kos, and the Queen of Meereen - the nine most respected women in the khalasar. As much as the Dothraki can respect women, that is. From the moment she sat down, Dany knew that she wasn't welcome among them. They despised her, but wouldn't dare to disrespect her openly, so they simply tried to pretended she wasn't there, talking to each other. Despite the years spent with the Dothraki, Dany felt like she was an alien here./p
p data-p-id="2e28cdde76369817508de1bf664cfc33"Suddenly, the people around them started getting up, and their agitated murmurs made it clear that something was wrong. Almost out of habit Dany raised her head and looked at the sky, but there was no sign of Drogon, which meant that he wasn't the reason of this restlessness. /p
p data-p-id="ef655553d876b3ad9a7780e1abb08ddb"That reason, however, soon became apparent as the clatter of thousands of hooves came from the east, growing louder and louder with every second. One moment the warriors were sitting in groups dining, joking and laughing, the next moment they had mounted their horses and taken out their weapons, their bowls and campfires abandoned. In a few more seconds, what seemed like about five thousand riders appeared on the horizon. /p
p data-p-id="566b5734a8a267345df31df877f39f60"Jhaqo screamed something incomprehensible, and his warriors rushed towards the threat, their war cries filling the air./p
p data-p-id="c0bada69645940258abf96a90aaf2c36"Those who could not fight - women, children and old men, gathered in the farthest corner of the camp. Mothers were putting their arms around their sons and daughters, husbands were trying to shield their wives with their bodies. Dany saw Jhaqo's khaleesi step in front of the dense crowd as the two khalasars far afield turned into one storm cloud of men, horses and blades./p
p data-p-id="bf36e8213789aeb6ea071b7c2a1d34c2""We should not be afraid," the woman said as loudly as she could, so that her voice could reach even those who stood far away. "Our men are great fighters, and they soon will return to us with victory."/p
p data-p-id="144863bea660634e1948f2f1c69cad8e"Some people visibly relaxed, but many remained fluttered. Dany wasn't sure if the fighting khalasars have moved closer to them or if it was her imagination. emWhat will happen to us if they lose?/em/p
p data-p-id="4ef87601971ffa00996305f620e51850"A roar rang out above them, enormous wings covered the sun. Just like at the fighting pits, the smell of blood and the heat of a battle attracted the dragon. Dany wasn't surprised; in fact, somewhere deep inside she anticipated it since the moment she knew there was going to be a battle. Yet she was terrified. Who knew how Drogon would behave when there were thousands of men, killing and dying right in front of him? And what if the warriors tried to kill him, just like some men did in Meereen? /p
p data-p-id="032ad283ffb1b3fbbea475be823efe66""Drogon!" Dany rushed forwards, pushing everyone out of her way until there were no more people around her. "Drogon, don't! Come back! Drogon, DROGON!" /p
p data-p-id="baa3be1608cb4867938a8c1b60544cd2"Ignoring her, the dragon flew directly to the battlefield. Dany froze, watching her beautiful, terrifying child as he landed about a hundred feet away from the khalasars. For a moment the battle stopped, and then six men emerged from the crowd, directing their horses towards Drogon. Jhaqo and his bloodriders. Mago was there as well./p
p data-p-id="57a534b3690363824b1334dd27fd90c8"Khaleesi let out a cry upon seeing her husband leading an attack on the dragon. Daenerys' heart trembled as she witnessed six warriors pointing their arakhs at her child. She knew they wouldn't kill him, but she also knew they could hurt him, and if the rest of the warriors followed them.../p
p data-p-id="0dc9d3b36102c768026bd3fabd3512b2"If she was to save her dragon, she had to do it now, before it was too late. She looked at the khaleesi, screaming in vain for her sun and stars to save himself. She imagined her among the crones of dosh khaleen, wondered if she had children. Then she remembered what Mago did to Eroeh, what Jhaqo did to her, what his other bloodriders did to her. She swore to avenge the girl, and she will keep her oath./p
p data-p-id="d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e" /p
p data-p-id="3cf1f0b0bc2792c7f7614c1b2ee72343""DRACARYS!" /p
p data-p-id="145fad853c4255074c00d890b4c9d87c"Did Drogon hear her command among all the other sounds of the battle, or did he simply sense the threat and knew to protect himself? It didn't matter when black flames covered the six riders and their screams blended with the cry of the newly widowed khaleesi./p
p data-p-id="5d0ad7400c1b7feb17ca67e906891679"Now and then she caught glances thrown at her by the Dothraki. Though she couldn't see them directly, she could sense the malice and scorn the people tried not to express. They hated her for not going straight to dosh khaleen to spend the rest of her life among old widows, and they hated her for getting away with it. The only reason they treated her with some respect was her dragon, one of the few things the brave horselords fear. /p
p data-p-id="5216c75b0868dbaa95994b915a7e256c"Every once in a while she glanced around in search of the huge black beast, but Drogon only appeared once this morning. He was flying south, hunting, Dany supposed, and when a large shadow covered a good part of the khalasar, everyone looked at the mother of dragons with wide eyes, and hundreds of whispers merged with the wind caused by the flapping of the giant wings. A few moments later, Drogon disappeared again, dignifiedly ignorant of the impression he's made. emI need him, but he doesn't need me,/em Dany thought with bitterness. /p
p data-p-id="a99e92e61c44f51eb0763e8c25cd4ed8"When the sun began burning the skin mercilessly and even the grass that brushed against the riders' feet got unbearably hot, the khalasar settled down to have a meal and let the horses rest. Daenerys was invited to eat with the wives of Jhaqo, his bloodriders and kos. It was horsemeat again, but she hasn't yet forgotten the tormenting emptiness of her stomach she experienced only a day ago, so she didn't complain. /p
p data-p-id="f29def285333c0cee6a92a513f13dafb"There were nine of them around the campfire. The woman Dany already knew was Jhaqo's khaleesi, three wives of the bloodriders, four wives of the kos, and the Queen of Meereen - the nine most respected women in the khalasar. As much as the Dothraki can respect women, that is. From the moment she sat down, Dany knew that she wasn't welcome among them. They despised her, but wouldn't dare to disrespect her openly, so they simply tried to pretended she wasn't there, talking to each other. Despite the years spent with the Dothraki, Dany felt like she was an alien here./p
p data-p-id="2e28cdde76369817508de1bf664cfc33"Suddenly, the people around them started getting up, and their agitated murmurs made it clear that something was wrong. Almost out of habit Dany raised her head and looked at the sky, but there was no sign of Drogon, which meant that he wasn't the reason of this restlessness. /p
p data-p-id="ef655553d876b3ad9a7780e1abb08ddb"That reason, however, soon became apparent as the clatter of thousands of hooves came from the east, growing louder and louder with every second. One moment the warriors were sitting in groups dining, joking and laughing, the next moment they had mounted their horses and taken out their weapons, their bowls and campfires abandoned. In a few more seconds, what seemed like about five thousand riders appeared on the horizon. /p
p data-p-id="566b5734a8a267345df31df877f39f60"Jhaqo screamed something incomprehensible, and his warriors rushed towards the threat, their war cries filling the air./p
p data-p-id="c0bada69645940258abf96a90aaf2c36"Those who could not fight - women, children and old men, gathered in the farthest corner of the camp. Mothers were putting their arms around their sons and daughters, husbands were trying to shield their wives with their bodies. Dany saw Jhaqo's khaleesi step in front of the dense crowd as the two khalasars far afield turned into one storm cloud of men, horses and blades./p
p data-p-id="bf36e8213789aeb6ea071b7c2a1d34c2""We should not be afraid," the woman said as loudly as she could, so that her voice could reach even those who stood far away. "Our men are great fighters, and they soon will return to us with victory."/p
p data-p-id="144863bea660634e1948f2f1c69cad8e"Some people visibly relaxed, but many remained fluttered. Dany wasn't sure if the fighting khalasars have moved closer to them or if it was her imagination. emWhat will happen to us if they lose?/em/p
p data-p-id="4ef87601971ffa00996305f620e51850"A roar rang out above them, enormous wings covered the sun. Just like at the fighting pits, the smell of blood and the heat of a battle attracted the dragon. Dany wasn't surprised; in fact, somewhere deep inside she anticipated it since the moment she knew there was going to be a battle. Yet she was terrified. Who knew how Drogon would behave when there were thousands of men, killing and dying right in front of him? And what if the warriors tried to kill him, just like some men did in Meereen? /p
p data-p-id="032ad283ffb1b3fbbea475be823efe66""Drogon!" Dany rushed forwards, pushing everyone out of her way until there were no more people around her. "Drogon, don't! Come back! Drogon, DROGON!" /p
p data-p-id="baa3be1608cb4867938a8c1b60544cd2"Ignoring her, the dragon flew directly to the battlefield. Dany froze, watching her beautiful, terrifying child as he landed about a hundred feet away from the khalasars. For a moment the battle stopped, and then six men emerged from the crowd, directing their horses towards Drogon. Jhaqo and his bloodriders. Mago was there as well./p
p data-p-id="57a534b3690363824b1334dd27fd90c8"Khaleesi let out a cry upon seeing her husband leading an attack on the dragon. Daenerys' heart trembled as she witnessed six warriors pointing their arakhs at her child. She knew they wouldn't kill him, but she also knew they could hurt him, and if the rest of the warriors followed them.../p
p data-p-id="0dc9d3b36102c768026bd3fabd3512b2"If she was to save her dragon, she had to do it now, before it was too late. She looked at the khaleesi, screaming in vain for her sun and stars to save himself. She imagined her among the crones of dosh khaleen, wondered if she had children. Then she remembered what Mago did to Eroeh, what Jhaqo did to her, what his other bloodriders did to her. She swore to avenge the girl, and she will keep her oath./p
p data-p-id="d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e" /p
p data-p-id="3cf1f0b0bc2792c7f7614c1b2ee72343""DRACARYS!" /p
p data-p-id="145fad853c4255074c00d890b4c9d87c"Did Drogon hear her command among all the other sounds of the battle, or did he simply sense the threat and knew to protect himself? It didn't matter when black flames covered the six riders and their screams blended with the cry of the newly widowed khaleesi./p