Daenerys let Viserys take all the time that he needed to bathe and freshen up. It was strange to see her brother after so many years of thinking that he was dead. She saw him die in front of him. The molten gold killed him. Her husband had killed her brother. Though she will always mourn for the loss of her husband and unborn son, she would not let that get in the way. She hasn’t told Viserys that Drogo was dead and she lost her baby from black magic trying to bring him back. She wouldn’t take about it unless it was brought up.
Daenerys was pulled from her thoughts when she saw Viserys walk into the dining area, greeting him with a soft smile. “They seemed to have cleaned you up well, Viserys,” she said. “Yes, the food tastes even better here in Meeren than it smells.”
He felt like he was a child again, being freshened and wearing his best attire to impress the wealthy statesman with a hope of a new future, a lavish meal placed before him. Only this time the statesman was his sister, the new ruler of Mereen and he himself no longer a child. Speaking of children…Viserys thought back to the day she announced she was carrying a child and that child would be what? nearing three or so if he did his arithmetic correctly.
“Will Khal Drogo and your child be joining us?” He asked before he took a spoonful of the soup, licking his lips as some of the liquid started to fall from the spoon. “I do wonder, how he feels about being here…you, his Khalessi being Queen here. Seems odd the wondering Khalassar would put roots down anywhere.” Perhaps she had managed to change the great Drogos mind, after all it seemed like he had softened towards the end of Viserys’s knowing of him. Maybe he decided ruling a place wouldn’t be so bad for his people. “Wait…”
That’s when it hit him. She had named her dragons after Rhaegar, himself and Drogo..she knew Rhaegar to be dead and thought him to be dead and if that was the case and pattern…”Dany. I–I am so sorry I didn’t know…I figured that-” Viserys stuttered at the realization that the Khal was most likely dead and he prayed that he was wrong, the Khal would show up, laughing at the Khal Raggat and kiss his wife before joining them for the meal. “My niece or nephew are they…?” He didn’t want to be too presumptuous after all but he felt like he needed to know.
“You and Rhaegar would have gotten along well. Very well in fact.” He told Daenerys as he thought back to their older brother and the small times that he had been around him that had been far and few in between. “I have no doubt in that, sister.” He felt the Unsullied’s eyes that had been staring at him had finally dropped upon seeing the two siblings interact and Viserys bite his lip. “Might I trouble you for a meal Daenerys?” He asked as he tried to hide the grumbling hunger sound that came from his stomach.
“I would hope that we would’ve gotten alone. I feel like I don’t know any of my family other than you. We are the only living Targaryens left alive.” Daenerys sighed and shook her head slowly. When Viserys mentioned a meal, Daenerys giggled softly when she heard his dragon chirping from her perch on Daenerys’ shoulder. “That sounds like a wonderful idea, Viserys,” she said softly, gently transferring the dragonling from her shoulder to Viserys’ before turning to one of the Unsullied and speaking. “Maghagon naejot issa nykeā havor.” she said. Watching the Unsullied nod, her soldier went off to mind Missandei because a soldier could not make a meal. Turning back to her brother, she smiled. “Shall we go inside?” she asked. “It will take a while to prepare a good meal, so why don’t you bathe and have proper and cleaner attire?”
“No one wanted to know father. That you are lucky for.” He commented bitterly as his eyes found his feet. “If only Rhaegar could have disposed of father before–” It was useless now to deal in what if’s and he knew that and his dragon was returned to him and he grinned as his dragon nuzzled into his cheek and rested again on his shoulders. “Yes that would be wonderful” He mumbled as he followed Daenerys to where he was supposed to go and was relieved to have a bath and was elated to have fresh clean clothing provided for him.
One of Daenery’s staff came to get Viserys once he was dressed and Viserys followed, soon finding himself sitting across from Daenerys at the dinning area and salivated at the array of food and drink before him. “This all smells and looks delicious.” He commented before he took a small bite of bread and a sip of wine.
Daenerys gave Drogon a stern look, like a mother scolding her child, before her face softened and looked at Viserys again. “Yes. My dragons are named after the three most important people to me, even though I have never met Rhaegar. Viserion and Rhaegall are not as aggressive like Drogon. He’s the one you have to watch out for,” she chuckled. “I would hope you do change your ways, Viserys, because I will not hesitate to turn you away.”
“You and Rhaegar would have gotten along well. Very well in fact.” He told Daenerys as he thought back to their older brother and the small times that he had been around him that had been far and few in between. “I have no doubt in that, sister.” He felt the Unsullied’s eyes that had been staring at him had finally dropped upon seeing the two siblings interact and Viserys bite his lip. “Might I trouble you for a meal Daenerys?” He asked as he tried to hide the grumbling hunger sound that came from his stomach.
“She is very beautiful.” Daenerys said, her voice soft and gentle as a mother’s voice, as she held out her hand to let the dragonling smell her, smiling when the small creature crawled onto her hand. She pulled a small treat out of her pocket and held it up to the dragon, giggling when it eagerly took the food and gently rested the dragon on her shoulder. “Careful, Viserys. They’re feisty and still wild,” Daenerys warned, hearing her dragons hiss. “Nahko. Zohhe.” she said in a strong and firm voice, watching her dragons’ heads perk up and look at her. Relaxing, Daenerys looked at her brother again.
“Drogon, the larger dragon, is the aggressive one,” Daenerys said, gesturing to the black dragon. “Rhaegal and Viserion, however, they are not as aggressive, but they do listen to my commands, unlike Drogon. As you can tell, my dragons are named after my husband, you, and Rhaegar.”
Upon his approach the dragons hissed, the one called Drogon reared his head and made himself look larger than he already was and Viserys almost faltered until Dany chastised the dragons. “Viserion…you named a dragon after me?” He asked her as his hand reached towards Rhaegal and Viserion to stroke their neck gently, still wary of Drogon. “Drogon seems to fit his namesake.” He commented with a small chuckle at the strong male who seemed to relax as well but still on guard waiting for one wrong move. “Rhaellion is sweet. Protective and fierce when need be but even as a hatchling she had a kind nature about her.” Viserys closed the distance between himself and Dany and he reached out, his hand open and inviting “Thank you again, dear sister, for taking me in. I swear I will be a better brother to you, as I should have done from the start…”
A small smile creeped onto her soft features. “You are still family, Viserys. You do not need to thank me. What you can do for me is rest and gain your strength back,” she said, her eyes shifting towards the small blue dragon perched on Viserys’ shoulder. She looked frightened. “May I?” Daenerys asked Viserys. She was asking permission to hold the dragon. The Mother of Dragons herself. Daenerys would, of course. This was not her dragon and she did not want to scare it further. Perhaps if she interacted with Drogon, Viserion, and Rhaegal, the small creature wouldn’t be so scared. After all, that’s how Daenerys trained her own. It was easier since she had three to deal with and even now they are similar to rebellious teenagers.
She was closer to him now and he forced himself to take a step closer, his feet feeling heavy as he nodded his head at her question, coaxing his little one towards Daenerys’s hands. “She’s a bit clingy and protective” He mentioned as he had to nearly force the dragonling away from her perch. “I named her after mother. Rhaellion.”
The dragon looked from Viserys to Daenerys and stared at the woman, sniffing her and smelling the smell of dragons, knowing it smelled like her but she felt unease and chirped at Viserys for reassurance. “Ao sagon sȳz byka mēre“ He told Rhaellion who became much more at ease with Dany. “I wonder if Rhaellion will grow to be as large as yours…The black one, he’s already so huge, I wonder if he’ll grow to even half of Balarion’s size” Viserys said as he himself approached his sister’s dragons with cauition, a hand extending slowly and shaking with nerves.
Daenerys watched and listened to her brother, like she always had. When she was younger, all those years ago, she always listened and always believe. After the incident, though, she stopped listening and stopped caring so much after believing that the only other living Targaryen was dead. Or so she thought. But here he was. Viserys. Standing and talking and…alive. He was still her brother, no matter how much she hated him.
“I saw you die, Viserys. Fire cannot kill dragons. I know you are not one. Not like me. That is how my dragons hatched. Fire. With me in it,” Daenerys said, her gaze shifting to the dark blue dragon and curiously suddenly filled her eyes as she watched the young creature protect her handler, stroking her hand down Drogon’s scaly neck as she looked back at her brother. “I do not want to hear that you survived, because I know you did not.”
“You are still my brother, Viserys. I cannot sell you off and I cannot kill you,” Daenerys shook her head and stood up, Drogon scurrying off her lap. “I will give you sanctuary here to give you a place to heal and recover.”
“You are right.” He commented, his affirmation of her words a hush. He felt as if he had died and he was a ghost wondering the land but there were times where he was reminded he was still alive and he wondered if they were phantom pains but as he looked at Dany he knew he was here, flesh and blood. There was a lull in their conversation as her last words hung in the air and he stared at her in surprise, similar to the surprise he’d experienced when she had hit him back with the Dothraki. She could not kill him but she would watch as he had molten gold poured on him..The chuckle that came from him came out as more of a huff and he managed to finally put thoughts into words and he hung his head only further.
“Thank you Dany.” He felt so small and helpless now as his violet eyes met his sister’s and before he knew it a smile crept on his face. A smile of relief, of gratitude and still of disbelief. He would be fed and he’d be safe here. A proper bed to sleep on even and his eyes caught the tatters of his tunic, the one he had cared for so much the ones he preferred over Dany’s gift to him all those years ago. “I…I’ll do whatever I can to pay you back for your graciousness though I deserve it not” He had done horrible things to her, treated her as bad his own father had treated their mother or at least in a similar fashion and here Dany was letting him live and stay in her kingdom.
Since Daenerys had seen her brother last, it wasn’t on the best of terms. Khal Drogo had melted gold and “crowned” Viserys with it. It had instantly hardened and seemed to have killed him immediately. She knew at that point that her brother was not a true dragon like he had claimed his entire life. He’d been lying to her and, honestly, Daenerys felt no sadness at that unfortunate event because she knew his lie.
Years later, Daenerys had her army of Dothraki as well as the entire army of the Unsullied under her command with many ships as well. She had more in her army than Westeros had, as well as more ships, so she was well taken care of and was more than capable of taking over Westeros. Not to mention that she had three dragons that were growing rapidly, especially Drogon. He was the biggest one. She was shocked to see her brother being escorted toward the overhang that she was sitting under, her three dragons around her with Drogon in her lap. “Viserys,” she said slowly, looking him up and down. “I wish I could say the same for you.”
Her dragons were impressive already. A sight that made him fearful and they weren’t even fully grown yet. When she spoke his name he stared up at her in awe at how regal she seemed. So sure of herself and her power. “Yes well…” He paused as he tried to think of what to say. “There were points in the heat and with dehydration and starvation…I wasn’t sure which was going to kill me first” He told his sister still marveling at her armed men at her side. She had a real army. Not just the Dothraki he had been envious of earlier and now he was even more so and yet in that envy there was a spark of admiration.
One of the Unsullied got too close to Viserys and the small dragon that was perched on Viserys’s shoulder reached out, it’s small mouth attempting to try to bite at least in warning and before Viserys could chastise his dragon the Unsullied about made a move in defense before Viserys put his hands up, shielding both parties from the other. “She won’t hurt you. I promise.” Viserys spoke softly before he turned to look back at Daenerys. “I didn’t know I’d find you here. I’d heard various rumours about you, mostly in Qarth. I had hoped you were still here…” Viserys trailed off as he hung his head, recalling his actions towards Daenerys before his ‘death’. “I ask for sanctuary. I don’t expect it. You have every right to throw me out, sell me off…kill me even.”
“I am no Princess, Viserys. I am a Queen. A Khaleesi at that. I do not want a new husband. I am happy with Khal Drogo, but you don’t see that in your eyes,” Daenerys said, staring her brother down. “We? There is no we. I will be taking my throne with or without you. You’ll just be in my way.”
“Westeros will not accept Khal Drogo. I hardly think they would accept you as their ruler dear sister. There hasn’t been a true woman ruler outside of marriage to a King. Dorne perhaps but our throne is not in Dorne now is it? You need me Daenerys. Without me where would you be?” He paused waiting to her her reply. “No, you’d be dead. Mother died birthing you, I was the one that kept you alive before and after Ser Darry. I starved and begged so you could eat and live. So you could be….be a Khaleesi.”
“I say again. Nothing is owed to you. Not now. Not ever. With the Dothraki is my home for now until I get more of an army to sail to Westeros to claim my seat on the Iron Throne. Khal Drogo is my husband and soon I will carry his child,” Daenerys seethed, standing her ground in front of her brother. She didn’t even flinch when Viserys seemed that he’d strike her. She wasn’t scared of him. “Touch your Queen, and that will be the last thing you do, Viserys.” she said, her voice cold.
“Claim your seat…” He was regretting letting his sister marry Drogo now, she was thinking she should have more than what she was supposed to. Queen…she was not his queen. The idea was laughable. “You? I am your King! You are nothing more than a horse lord’s bitch” Viserys noted how she stood her ground and he still drew closer to her, still entertaining the idea of hitting her, but something in her voice made him stay his hand if not out of curiosity.
“Sometimes, Viserys, I feel like I do not know you anymore,” Daenerys said slowly. “I marry and you still want more. If it were you being married, perhaps you would be the next to rule. I am the rightful heir. Not you.”
“You? Mother named me heir when Rhaegar passed. I am and should be king. You my heir. Princess. Not Queen.” Viserys growled as he stepped closer to her, standing with his back straight and proud. “Don’t you want more? Or are you content to be this horse-lords wife? His Khalessi? Don’t you want to be a Princess in Westeros? Free of this Khal once they get their army and we gain our throne, I dissolve your marriage to him and find you a proper good match. Is that what you want? Would you be happy than?”
Goldnwulf 