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Chapter 13: Ch13 Pandemonium level three: Awakening the DragonChapter Text

Chapter 13 Pandemonium Level three: Awakening the Dragon

Daenerys Targaryen

Drogo was coming today and nothing was as planned. He came for an innocent bride and was received by a bloody handed conqueror. He came for a lowly Princess of House Targaryen and instead found the new Queen of Pentos.

Her heart thundered in her chest as she prepared to welcome Drogo. He was coming, her scouts had reported his coming as well as other riders heading for the city. And now he would be her first audience as the new Queen of Pentos.

Do you remember me my Sun and Stars?! Gods...this is going to be awkward! Did you feel it as I suffocated you? She thought darkly. Her thoughts were scattered, jumping from point to point.

She remembered the time they had been together, for all that she had been completely unwilling in the beginning...she had turned her situation to her advantage by the end. In the beginning she had been a little better than a prisoner, but in the end she had had control, a great deal of control. Looking back she realised just how much she managed to make Drogo bend to her will. The fewer slaves taken in the raids as they rode for Westeros was but the most blatant of the signs of her control. Some had come to recognize and resent her influence, hence the challenge that gave Drogo his disastrous wound.

How different would things have been if you'd lived? A part of her lamented. Most of her realised that it had been for the better, if he hadn't died than her dragons wouldn't have been hatched. She wouldn't have been free to become the Breaker of Chains . Or start to change the Dothraki into something less barbarous.

Drogo, her Sun and Stars, was a part of the old world. How would he react to the new world she was forging? Old dreams and old possibilities came back to haunt her as before. The impossible possibilities had haunted her in Westeros as the plan was forged. As it became clearer and clearer that the plan was actually going to happen.

One of her last private moments with Jon came back to haunt her.

***

A private moment between them was a rare thing now. As she lay on the bed roll her mind was dominated by dark thoughts. Too many responsibilities, too many hours spent running South, the North had fallen. Moat Cailin had fallen and Jorah with it. The Twins came next. The Riverlands had been open to them and the Others spread all directions, gathering the dead with each mile they took. West they'd already taken Ashemark and the Golden Tooth. Casterly Rock was already under siege. To the East, the Eyrie had already fallen, the might of the Vale shattered and scattered. Roving bands of Others and Wights had been sighted near Gulltown and heading further along the coast. Bands of White Walkers and Wights had bypassed the strongholds and were ranging as far down as Dorne, raising a second undead army from the dead of the South. Riverrun had held for a while. But in the end it too had fallen...Edmure Tully had valiantly held the Others off as he set fire to his ancestral castle - all in the name of slowing the Others' advance. At the end he knew he was just buying time for them to put the plan into action.

But it was all to naught, each failure increased the numbers of Wights under the Night's King's command. With the fall of the North the numbers had reached catastrophic levels...

She shuddered, the dead were truly numberless now.

A warm hand rubbed her back, breaking through her dark thoughts, she turned over and faced him.

"You should be sleeping," Jon said, his eyes filled with concern.

She looked at his dark eyes, not for the first time wondering how he could be her nephew. There were no signs of her family's features anywhere. The Stark in him dominated his face, with his dark eyes and black hair.

"Too many dark thoughts," she retorted unhappily then raised an eyebrow at him in response, "You should be asleep as well."

He huffed unhappily, "Too many dark thoughts," he said throwing back her own words at her.

She sighed, "Is it about the Others or the Ritual, this time?"

His unhappiness deepened, he became more dour as she watched, "It's dangerous. Magic of this scale. Bran's sure it will work, and when it does..." he trailed off.

She looked at him for moment before finishing his sentence, they'd spoken of this before, but maybe this time he would speak about whatever he was holding back, "...everyone we've lost will be back. Family, friends...even lovers?"

For a long moment Jon was silent. "Did you love him?" he asked eventually.

She knew who he was taking about; Drogo. It took her longer to answer than she was comfortable with.

"Not at first...he was bigger than Tormund and I was just a little girl sold off by her brother for an army...I was intimidated by him," Daenerys pursed her lips. Old thoughts swirling in her mind. "We were not happy at first. I wasn't happy - he was. At first I was just a warm body to warm his bed. A prize no other Khal could ever gain. The last true daughter of old Valyria. A trophy to be paraded around for his supporters and his enemies...and a beautiful girl to be bedded whenever he pleased."

Jon winced at the description of her situation.

"...but that was just at the beginning, after so many years of thinking of that time, I realise how much I changed him when I began to assert myself. Eventually even the great Khal Drogo bent to me," she shook her head, "He never realised it at the time, though others did. He was challenged because of it. He won, but his wounds festered...and then I became the Mother of Dragons and the Unburnt." She pushed her thoughts past that the end of that time. Refusing to focus on Rhaego, the son that had never been. Those memories were too painful even after all these years.

They were silent for a while, idly she caressed his chest, her fingers walking over the wound over his heart.

"And what about this...Daarion?" Jon asked finally.

She snorted and gave him an amused smile, "Daario...I never loved him, but he was..." she paused and she cast a sly look at Jon before her smile turned smug, "...fun. Loyal as Jorah, but more fun." She laughed.

Jon looked away unamused at her teasing.

She enjoyed his amusement for a moment, before her own insecurities came back to her.

"Jon...what about her...I know you loved her," She began slowly,

Jon's face when blank and unreadable before he finally found his words, "I loved her first....I've never stopped loving her," he admitted, his eyes unable to meet hers, unhappy with his admission.

"You haven't spoken of what happened to her, I know she died at Castle Black, Tormund told me that much," she admitted, trying to gently pry the knowledge from him.

His face cracked, "Olly killed her to save me."

Her face became hot, "Oh..." She knew who Olly was, and what he had meant to Jon...and just how much his betrayal and later execution still ate at him. The irony of him first saving Jon was not lost on her and added a level of absurdity to the situation.

Jon was blinking away tears.

She bit her lip, "What will you do when you see her again?"

She watched emotions war for supremacy on his face before he answered her, "She won't remember. It won't matter."

"But you'll remember her..."

His silence was his answer.

She didn't let herself sigh. She hadn't meant to make his mood darker, she tried to changed that, taking a light tone, "Too bad you're not Dornish, you could have kept her as a paramour," she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He looked at her in disbelief before the absurdity of it overwhelmed him. He snorted in amusement and held her tighter.

"As if you'd let me have a paramour in the first place," he retorted in amusement.

She raised and amused eyebrow at him, "And as if that overdeveloped annoying stiff sense of honor of yours would let you keep one as well." She pushed herself up and kissed him lightly on the lips.

He pulled her closer and then kissed her harder, and for a moment they lost themselves in the kiss. Forgetting about the end of the world.

They parted and she lay her head down on his bare chest.

"When we go back everything will change. So...we just enjoy this moment now...for now nothing else matters." he said hugging her against him.

***

She shook the old memory off and the melancholy that came with it, and willed herself to return to the here and now.

Today...she was in her new throne room, formerly that of the Prince of Pentos, the Prince's small palace was hers now along with everything else in the city. A new place for her to project her power from. Surrounding her, her loyal Dothraki and Unsullied were arrayed. They guarded her and her new palace now.

Irri stood by her side as her loyal handmaiden. Jorah, Adaro, and Rakharo stood in positions of power near her, while Illyrio was sat at a lower station to signify his less trusted but still good position in her new court. All were arranged in a manner to project her newfound power and strength.

There were many coming to see her today, most coming to pledge their fealty to her or plead their case for something or another.

But he would be first, before all other Khal Drogo was here. Coming either to take his bride or to reclaim his Khaleesi. Whatever the reason so many were remembering was beyond her and would stay beyond her till she managed to get word from Winterfell.

She sighed and pushed that last thought away, there wasn't anything she could do about that now. Adding it to the long list of messages she needed to send eventually, she focused back on the situation at hand.

The doors of her new throne room were opening...with a deep breath she forced herself to relax and focus.

A contingent of Dothraki strode into her impromptu throne room, she recognized them all. Drogo's Bloodriders strode in proud and unflinching. They were all armed but their hands were not on their arakhs. Among them, Qotho was glaring around at everyone and everything- and not focusing solely on Jorah...he probably doesn't remember, her mind declared offhandedly.

Then he came...

Khal Drogo stood in front of her in all of his glory, tall, proud and strong. His smoldering eyes were staring at her, "Moon of my life." he proclaimed in Dothraki.

Her heart jumped up into her throat as she knew without a doubt that he remembered her.

He took a another step towards her. In response, her guards stepped forward menacingly, stopping him from approaching further. He stopped and turned menacing eyes towards her guards, sneering at them.

She thanked whatever Gods were watching that the guards were here to stop him from coming closer. This close and already her resolve was melting. Her skin warming as she imagined what it would feel like to be back in his strong muscular arms again. She hoped that none of her inner turmoil showed on her face.

She stood up from her new throne, "Welcome my Sun and Stars...to my city," she proclaimed proudly in Dothraki, projecting an assurance she didn't feel into her voice.

The menace vanished from his eyes and were overcome with confusion now. He gave her a long scrutinizing look before turning around and looking at all the others assembled a nd arrayed in front him. Finally recognizing the gesture of strength and intimidation that was in front of him. He turned back to her, "My love, what is going on? Your city?"

"I am Queen of Pentos now," she said simply.

Confusion and surprise coloured his eyes now, "How?"

"I commanded it...and it was done," she said standing firm and powerful in front of him. She cast a hand towards the Unsullied and other guards; Dothraki and otherwise, "All here have chosen to serve me now."

Drogo's eyes widened in surprise and then narrowed as he gazed at Rakharo, Irri and others that had been a part of his own khalasar. He growled low and sneered them. "You betray me?" he asked in a dangerous tone.

Rakharo stepped forward defiantly, "We serve the Khaleesi."

Jorah stepped forward, putting himself between them as Drogo's eyes flashed with anger, Jorah pointed back at Daenerys, "Know that you stand before, Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, rightful Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, the Unburnt, The Mother of Dragons, the Breaker of Chains, Queen of Meereen, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea...and now, Queen of Pentos. She is not the woman you once knew."

The anger had disappeared from Drogo's eyes and he was staring at her with a considerable amount of confusion. The moment stretched out filled with tension, before Drogo spoke.

"Khaleesi...of the Great Grass Sea?" he asked inquisitively. "The Great Grass Sea belongs to no man."

She raised an eyebrow at the phrasing, stopped herself from smiling at the opening he had unknowingly given her, "I am no man."

He raised his chin defiantly, with some amusement, "How did you take the Grass Sea?"

She matched his amused tone and let a small smile play on her lips, "The Khals were weak. I killed them with Fire and Blood. I took their khalasars...all of them." She let her, as Jon called it, her 'imperious Queen tone' dominate her voice.

The mirth disappeared from Drogo's eyes and was replaced with disbelief that was gone just as fast leaving in its place a modicum of respect.

"...You have come to claim your Khaleesi once more...but I belong to no man now. My fate is my own...but be my guest tonight, this evening will be special," Daenerys advised him aloofly.

Drogo continued to stare at her, his eyes again unreadable, before finally, nodding curtly.

She nodded, after tonight no one will stand against me lightly and my Sun and Stars, you will see me in new light...

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Many more petitioners came after Drogo left peacefully. Thankfully, none were as nerve wracking as Drogo's initial audience. Near the end of the morning her second most important group came to her.

Qhono stood before her, he threw the still living, bound and gagged Khal Moro at her feet. Others with him threw the rest of their prisoners onto the polished floor.

She gazed down at them and knew them. The other Bloodriders of Khal Moro, along with another Khal, Qorro and his Bloodriders.

She smiled and looked to Qhono, "Welcome Qhono."

He went down to his knees, "Khaleesi, I bring you these gifts. The rest of your loyal khalasars come more slowly." he reported faithfully.

Her smile widened as the implications of his words were realised by her mind. Soon, her position would be more secure, much more secure.

"I thank you for these gifts...they will come in most handy..." Dany replied cryptically with a smug smile as she gazed into the terror filled eyes of the bound and gagged Khal Moro.

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Jorah Mormont

Everything was prepared. All that the Queen had requested was done. She had given him one special task because she trusted him...because he was probably the only one who wouldn't kill him if he became too annoying.

He would bring Viserys to the Ritual.

Daenerys had given him three Unsullied guards to help him with this task, not that Viserys would be that much of a problem for him. Though whether Khal Drogo took offense or not at his presence was another issue....so maybe the Unsullied were a good idea. This wasn't the time for another gold crown...

Reaching the door to Viserys's room cut short his musings. The memory of Viserys's grizzly end flickered across his mind's eye. With a deep breath, he opened the door and entered Viserys's impromptu prison, bracing himself for the Beggar King's self importance.

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Viserys Targaryen

It was unconscionable!

How dare they lock him away like this! He was the King! Damn you Magister! Are you a servant of the Usurper now?

His thoughts simmered and boiled as he paced back and forth in his rooms. Whatever was happening, they had awoken the Dragon! And he would show them the rage of the Dragon! And Dany! What were they doing to her now? If they hurt her, they would know endless pain!

Since yesterday, he'd heard such noises. At first, he'd thought that the Magister had been hosting a feast...at least until he'd heard the blood curdling screams and the sounds metal against metal. The sounds of swords clashing...had the Magister not betrayed them? Was he instead protecting them from the Usurper's assassins?

In the deepest part of his soul, he admitted quietly that fear had grown in at that possibility. Fear...especially for Dany, who the Magister had taken away to Gods know where after their meeting in the morning.

The hours started piling up and lengthening, the noises had gotten quieter and more spread out as time passed. Almost distant at times. Servants had eventually brought him food, they refused to speak to him or answer his questions, ignoring his every word. They dared! And he still remained locked away!

He picked up a goblet from his table and threw it across the room in frustration. He fumed with dark emotions, overcome with emotions and a furor of rage. The noise had eventually disappeared and despite himself sleep had eventually overcome him. The day had passed and the new one came, and he still didn't know what happened to Dany! Or Why there had been so much fighting!

It was already evening, and he still remained unenlightened. The second day of his imprisonment had passed with him so bored and angry! The servants still refusing to speak to him and treating him like he didn't exist.

The door of his room opened and instead of more servants coming to bring him his evening meal, in walked a large man.

Viserys gave him a scornful look hiding his confusion. The man was no Essosi, this was a large Westerosi man with dark hair and a scraggly beard, wearing proper armour, almost looking like a real Knight.

"Who are you?" he demanded angrily.

The man looked at him with a glower in his eyes, "I am Ser Jorah Mormont, previously of Bear Island."

"A Northerner?" he asked in disgust, "So the Starks and the damned Usurper has have sent you to kill us? I am the Dragon! I will not die quietly!"

Jorah gave him a smug look, "Your sister wishes you to come," he took a step back and gestured towards the open door.

Surprise blossomed on his face, "Dany?" he scowled suddenly, "What have you done to her?!" he demanded irritably.

Jorah shook his head, "I have done nothing to the Queen...I am only obeying her."

Viserys frowned, "Queen? What Queen?"

The smug look remained on Jorah's face as he spoke with an amused tone, "Your sister."

Viserys froze and blinked in surprised, Dany...a Queen? "Dany? How can she be a Queen? And a Queen of where?"

Jorah didn't answer him and instead just gestured again, "It is not wise to keep her waiting..."

Unsure and wordless, stunned by the Knight's strange words, Viserys warily walked forward and out of the room.

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They walked through the manse, the Knight, Ser Jorah leading the way with three Unsullied guards with them. For all the noise that he'd heard will in his rooms, the manse appeared largely untouched. Though there was more people going about tasks in the manse than before. Servants mainly, but there were a lot of Dothraki as well for some reason.

The came to the main courtyard of the manse and more confusion came to Viserys's mind as he saw the red three headed dragon standards of House Targaryen flying free over the gloomily lit main entrance of the manse. They didn't look to be of the best quality, some of them were quite simplistic in design with rough cloth. He was confused, on the one hand it was pleasurable to see his house's colors flying boldly in the air on the other hand, he was uncertain, as it made the manse a target for those who hated the Targaryens. For Robert fucking Baratheon, the fucking Usurper...

"Where are we going?" he demanded of Jorah as they now left the manse and walked out into the streets of Pentos.

"You should pick up the pace, we still have a ways to go," commanded Ser Jorah without looking back at Viserys.

Viserys fumed silently at the words, while more confusion plagued his mind. For once in his life, he chose to be silent as he looked about at the streets.

Here the signs of battle could be seen, men and women were still trying to clear away the signs of battle. And from the look of things it had been a lot of battle. The people barely gave them a look as they went about repairing the damage and cleaning the streets.

On and on they walked, till they came to the outskirts of the city itself. The darkness should have been everywhere but to all sides, people held burning brands and torches. It was almost like half the city was gathered outside the city. A lot more Dothraki as well.

The crowds were thick but the people moved out of their path, some even bowing as they passed.

Well, finally some people realise who I am, Viserys thought smugly.

As his feet became to tire, they reached their destination and that did nothing to answer any of Viserys's questions. The people were gathered around a large wooden structure. It almost looked like a funeral pyre. But instead of a dais for a body, three thick wooden stakes were raised in a triangular pattern at the center of pyre.

The people in front of it parted and Viserys smiled as he finally laid eyes on Daenerys. A fetching Dothraki girl stood attentively behind Dany. Perhaps someone to fuck later? Yes...I'll have Dany send her to me after whatever is happening here finishes, He thought smugly.

The smile froze on his lips as he looked back at Dany who was giving him a hard stare, her eyes unreadable, her back straight and head held high with an assurance that he'd never seen in her before. She dressed in a severe and flowing blue dress that seemed to scream authority. A woman's dress not a girl's. Dothraki and Unsullied stood guard around her and the Dothraki girl.

Ser Jorah walked up to Dany and bowed, "My Queen." Dany nodded in acknowledgment and turned to face Viserys, as Jorah rose and took a place by her side.

"Dany?" he called out warily.

She was giving him a look he couldn't decipher now, "Brother." she finally said.

He cast a significant look around them at the crowd and then back at her, "What's going on Dany?" he finally demanded, "And why are they calling you a queen?"

"You're just in time for the Ritual," she retorted cryptically, not answering him.

"Bring them out!" she commanded, turning back to the pyre.

Two men ran off to obey his sister and before long a great cry rose from the crowd. As he watched the crowd parted as a small group of men were dragged forward. He continued watching in confusion as the group became three groups. Nine men in total, six Dothraki and three Magisters that he recognized having met them before.

The men were all dragged onto the structure, and quickly tied to the stakes. Three men to a stake.

Viserys's eyes narrowed, as Magister Illyrio and assistants stepped forward bearing a chest in his arms. The assistants placed the box at his sister's feet and Illyrio opened the lid. Surprise blossomed in his gut as he saw the three dragon eggs in the box.

Dany quickly nodded and the dragon eggs were each taken from the box and placed in front of each of the stakes. Dany strode onto the structure, the men tied to the stakes, Viserys could see fear in the men's eyes as his lithe little sister approached them.

Light glinted off the blade of a dagger that was suddenly in Dany's hands. With a sudden slash, he watched as she cut open the palm of her right hand. He could hear her chanting something softly in Valyrian as she moved and marked each of the prisoners with her blood, but he couldn't make out the words.

Finally, after all the men had been anointed, she strode to the middle of the pyre. She looked at Ser Jorah and gave him a curt nod.

She raised her bloody dagger above her head and cried out in Valyrian, "Fire and Blood!"

There was a whoosh of heat and the men on the structure screamed out in fear.

All rationality fled Viserys's mind as the flames rose to completely engulf Daenerys, the men and the whole wooden structure as he watched. The fires spreading faster than he could believe.

"Dany! Dany!" he heard himself screaming hysterically. In his hysteria, he broke past his guards and ran unthinking towards the flames.

"Aaagh!" he screamed reeling back in agony, his hand had entered the fire, and his sleeve was on fire. He recoiled back. Ignoring the pain and he stared into the fire looking for any signs of Dany moving in the flames. Strong hands clasped his shoulders and arms pulling him back and away from the flames and putting out his flaming sleeve.

"Dany!" he screamed again as they were dragging him to a safer distance. He fell to his knees, inconsolable, he could hear the men on the pyre screaming but not Dany.

He was weeping now, like a woman, his sobs audible to all those around him, as he clutched at his burnt and now smoldering hand.

I'm sorry mother...I failed you...I couldn't protect her.

He continued to weep loudly. He fell to his knees and stared forlornly at Dany's funeral pyre.

The fires leapt up increasing in intensity and then a great cracking was heard. Through tear streaked eyes, he began to see shapes moving in the flames. His breath caught in his throat, as quickly as the fires first rose they started to die down, enough for him to get a clear look at what was moving.

Dragons...the shapes were Dragons! Real living Dragons!

A beast the size of a horse rose to its back legs, spreading it's wings wide and giving a savage scream that reverberated in Viserys's ears. Two more screeches came and he saw two other dragons standing by its side. They roared again, all in unison.

For a long while all thought of Dany disappeared from his mind as he stared at the impossible sight. The Dragons settled down for a moment before turning towards something between them.

A figure stood there and it took second for him to recognize her. Her clothes were on fire and yet she was standing tall unmoved and scarred by the flames.

Dany stood in the midst of the dragon...she raised her hands and the dragons came to heel at her feet, sniffing at her. She stood there uncaring of the fires around her and her burning clothes.

Viserys just stared unthinking, on his knees, unable to tear his eyes away from the incredible sight.

The fires had completely abated now and out of it, Daenerys stepped forward, the last of her clothes, burning and falling off, leaving her bare unburnt skin for all to see. She approached her brother walking steadily as the newly hatched dragons started to roar again behind her. He was cold and trembling now, his face still streaked with tears, as he gazed at her. She came to her kneeling brother and looked directly into her brother's eyes and gave him a dismissive look.

"Fire cannot burn the Dragon....And I am the Dragon!" she screamed out into the night.

Viserys stared at his naked sister as if this was the first time he'd ever seen her, his mind too addled to put together any coherent thought.

The Pentosi people screamed. The Dothraki screamed. All chanted the Queen's names as the dragons raised their heads to the sky and roared again together, as one.