With the last breath of the bear
Daenerys POV
The clashing of steel and screams of pain dwindled as the night got darker. It was infuriating to stay in my room and not know what happened behind those doors. Only Ser Selmy Barristan and Missandei were with me, keeping me company. Tyrion was in another room, hiding too. I didn't know where Ser Oscar or Asha was. I could only pace around the room and wait for the battle to end.
Once the silence descended, it only unnerved me more. I felt like someone would burst through the doors soon, an enemy or an ally. I didn't know. That was what made me most furious, not knowing what exactly was going on. From the window to the city, I could see fires coming from Marketplace. Distraction, Jorah said before he left to try to get to the lower floors.
"Your grace, there is nothing to worry about," Ser Barristan looked like he needed these words more. "Grey Worm and his men will push away the assailants soon enough."
"How did it even happen?" I asked.
"It was a desperate move by Aegon," Ser Barristan answered. "He didn't have enough men to strike in a day, but he failed to see that the apex floor is most guarded at night. Even if he surprised us, this attack lacked the momentum to overtake the floor. It was a fool's play."
"He is trying to kill me," I couldn't help but comment. "He dared to point his blade at me!"
"A fool's play, your Grace," Ser Barristan replied.
"It's quiet," Missandei said. "Is the fighting over?"
"Grey Worm probably managed to have pushed the assailants away, but he will need to secure the rest of the Great Pyramid before he returns to report to you, your Grace," Ser Barristan answered. "It still isn't safe for you."
I couldn't convince Ser Barristan otherwise. How much more time will I have to wait? It already felt like an eternity since the fighting started. How could I stay calm when I didn't know what was happening? I could only have faith in my men and trust them to put down the foolish ambitions of Aegon.
"What if he didn't want to kill me?" I asked as realization hit me.
"Your Grace?" Ser Barristan looked at me.
"The dragons!" I shouted, hoping I was overthinking. "Aegon wanted the dragons, not me."
"Your Grace, please calm down," Ser Barristan tried to reassure me. "Everything is all right, Grey Worm will retake control over the Great Pyramid, and Ser Jorah will return with news soon."
"We are going," I said, going for the doors.
"It is not safe, your Grace," Ser Barristan stood before me.
"I have you to protect me," I stated. "We are going now!"
"I implore you, your Grace, to think wisely about it," Ser Barristan didn't relent.
"My children are in danger!" I shouted. "I am coming to them with or without you, ser Barristan."
I knew I had put him in a difficult situation, but I must hurry if my suspicions were confirmed. Ser Barristan only sighed as I pushed past him and went out through the doors of my chambers. Ser Barristan was behind me soon enough and followed me like a shadow. I didn't apologize for my actions, as I thought I was right to do so.
The hallway was empty. The fighting didn't come here. Yet the stairway was bloodied with bodies lying around. Two Unsullied stood guard near them, and seeing me, they tried to block me. With one look from me, they backed off and let me pass, but they didn't leave me and followed close behind.
Ser Barristan took the front as we climbed the stairs and started leading us down. One body after another lay by the walls as I walked down. I had to take careful steps to not slip on the blood or trip on weapons. Among the men from Gold Company, I saw some men dressed as servants.
"Your Grace," Grey worm met me as I was halfway down. "It is not safe yet. We haven't even cleaned the bodies. Please return to your chambers."
"We are going to the dungeons," I said. "Follow me."
Grey Worm looked at Ser Barristan, but my knight could only nod. Grey Worm accepted his orders and gathered most of his men to lead us down. Before we proceeded, I told few Unsullied to return to my Chambers and protect Missandei. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to her.
With each floor we passed, my fears grew stronger. There was no ambush as Ser Barristan feared. There wasn't anything—only empty hallways and staircases. Not even a sentry was put to watch for us. Grey Worm had said that Aegon didn't have enough men, but where was he then? Neither Aegon nor Euron has shown themselves yet.
If they risked everything to attack me, why have they not risked their lives? Were they craven? But then they wouldn't have instigated this attack to begin with. It only meant I wasn't their actual target but a distraction. Realizing it, I almost started to run down the stairs, only for Ser Barristan to hold me back.
"Your Grace?" I saw Ser Jorah limp as we neared the dungeons. "What are you doing here?"
"Jorah!" I saw blood running through his side. "You injured."
"We don't have time for this, your Grace," Ser Jorah pushed my hands away from his injury.
"What going on?" I asked.
"The dragons have gone mad," Daario answered me and pushed two men in front of himself.
"You are the warlocks from the Undying House," I recognized the two men with long robes and blue lips. "What are they doing here?"
"Euron brought them," Daario answered.
"The Horn," Jorah took a big horn with weird engravings to show me. "Euron used the horn to make the dragons listen to him."
"Impossible," I couldn't believe it. "It can't be true."
"We watched ourselves as Euron told the dragons to burn Jon Connington and Aegon," Daario explained.
"Edmure stayed back and told us to take the horn and the warlocks," Jorah continued.
"Edmure?" I asked, hearing an unfamiliar name.
"Ser Oscar," Jorah corrected himself. "Euron called him Edmure."
"We don't have time to concern ourselves with names," Daario said. "We need to know how the horn works. Aegon blew it, but instead of gaining control of the dragons, he died."
"They are my children. They will listen to me," I stated. "Let's go."
"No," Daario stood before me, and Jorah held my hand. "It's too dangerous. We need to know how the horn works and what it has done to the dragons."
"What have you done?" I turned to the warlocks, directing my fury at them. "What have you done to my children?"
The warlocks didn't answer. Nobody answered me. My mind started to get clouded with rage, and it took a lot to hold myself from taking the sword from Ser Barristan and running it through these men's hearts. I knew it would not accomplish anything, and I had to stay calm, but I had to make the warlocks talk one way or another.
"Make them talk, Daario," I ordered. "And fast."
"As you wish, your grace."
It didn't take long before the Warlocks started to sing. It was enough to break their fingers before they confessed. The horn worked only with blood magic. And only those who believed the horn would grant what they wished for could blow it. But it would only take them as a sacrifice for the horn's true master.
"How do I become its master?" I asked.
"Blood," One of the Warlocks said through gritted teeth. "The blood of the master must run through the horn."
I looked at the horn, examining it as best I could. It was heavy, and I could barely lift it. The strange engraving caught my eyes as I traced my fingers through them. Taking a dagger from Ser Barristan, I cut my palm and let my blood fall on the engravings. The blood started to run through the engraving like they were veins.
"Your Grace," Ser Barristan bandaged my palm after seeing what I did.
"We must hurry," I said.
"Come," Daario took the Warlocks. "If your words are false, you will be the first to die."
"We don't fear death," One of them said.
"We shall see," Daario didn't believe him.
We quickly started to march down the stairs, and soon I heard my children. They sounded like they were in pain. I ordered us to walk faster, as I couldn't listen to my children's pain. Soon, we reached the place where I chained my children. I shouldn't have done that, punishing them for what they might do.
"Euron is gone," Jorah commented as he looked around, not finding the man who started this farce.
"Your Grace, look," Ser Barristan pointed at a man lying against the wall as my children were entangled in their chains and trying to reach them.
"Ser Oscar," I tried to get close to him, but the dragons started snapping at me.
"Please stay away, your Grace," Ser Barristan said.
"They are my children," I tried to convince him and myself. "They won't hurt me."
"Their minds are clouded, your grace," Jorah said. "They can't recognize you."
"The horn," I said as I looked at what Jorah held. "Daario, get the Warlocks."
"We can't trust them with it," Jorah said.
"You can't mean," I looked at my bear's eyes.
"The wound is too deep, your Grace," Jorah showed his wound, and I saw a massive amount of blood pouring through it. "I don't have much time. Let me repay you for your kindness. It is the least I can do for your forgiveness."
"No," I couldn't let him do so. "You can't do this. I shouldn't have made you leave me. Without you, I wouldn't be here."
"I have made many mistakes, your grace and I have accepted them," Jorah smiled weakly at me. "If you ever meet my father, tell him I am sorry for what I have done to his name. Tell him I paid for my crimes and honored the Mormont name."
Before I could say anything, Jorah held the horn to his mouth. The sound of the horn silenced my scream. I could only watch as the dragons calmed down at the sound of the horn, and Jorah bled through his eyes and nose before falling to the ground. He died with a smile on his face. I closed his empty eyes.
"Your Grace," Ser Barristan called out for me.
"Kill them," I said.
Daario knew what I meant and cut the heads of the Warlocks. I didn't even look at them as I heard their head hitting the ground. I walked to my children as they looked at me longingly. They put their heads on my hands as if asking for forgiveness. It was me who should ask them to forgive me.
"Ser Oscar," I looked at the man lying by the wall with a bleeding right arm.
His face wasn't as scarred as he made me believe. If his red hair was longer, it could cover the burned eye. While I was near my children, Grey Worm helped Oscar, but seeing that he won't wake up soon, Grey Worm ordered some of the Unsullied to carry him away and have a healer to look after him.
"Your Grace, what are you doing?" Ser Barristan asked as he saw me helping my children from their chains.
"What I should have done a long time ago."
I freed them. Ten Thousand Golden Company men standing outside the city's wall would not escape the dragon they woke up. I will let the world know what it means to stand against me. Viserion and Rhaegal held their heads high and let out a low roar as if knowing my feelings. Another roar answered them, and I smiled as my last child had returned to me at last.
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