THE KHAL

Whilst sleeping, he kept turning to his left side, neglecting the wound that carried Daario’s name, and each time the sharp pain woke him. It felt like years had passed since his last decent sleep. Even the recent cuts on his shoulder from the khal… well former khal, were clotted, yet the deep wound on his leg would still open and bleed, starting the healing process all over again. The daily riding didn’t help, nor did the deprivation of sleep, slowing his whole body.

It was never his intention to become a khal, but rather stop an unnecessary war between the horse lords and the eunuch warriors. Yet by doing so, he ended up with a few thousand decent warriors at his command. These horse lords followed power and he overpowered their khal, he never knew it would make him their new leader. His new khalasar rode behind him, whilst he followed Dany and Daario. By his side was the only rider who spoke the Common tongue amidst his new army of dothraki screamers by the name of Aego. It could have been worse, he could have been forced to rely on Dany or Daario for translation and he had enough of their seduction games as it is. Riding right behind them, he had a front row seat to the show. Lately, he would catch Dany stealing glances from the man riding beside her, as if deciding whether to give in to temptation. A glance he knew too well. Glance he was at the receiving end of the first time he knocked on her chamber’s door, on the boat that carried them to Winterfell. 

Jon was still to return to the North and spend the rest of his days on the Wall after they have dealt with Drogon though, so he let Aego know that. He chose not to pick three blood riders either, didn’t even wish for these horse lords to follow him at all, but perhaps they would prove useful during the task at hand. The hardest part for Jon was yet to begin. He was riding to face his brother’s army. How did it get to this? How could Bran order new scorpions to be build? Perhaps it was the only way to stop him from turning the world into ash one city at a time. Perhaps Jon was fighting on the wrong side, he wasn’t even sure anymore. 

Aego had told them Drogon was last seen flying West… towards Westeros. His old lair by the stream had lost its peacefulness, robbing him from his home. That meant he spent each day somewhere else, making the task of finding him that much harder. But their only option was to ride west and search. And so they did. The Unsullied continued their routine of marching whilst those lucky enough to ride, rested. 

On the road, they ran into a small group of a dozen slaves who had escaped from Yunkai’s war. The ruffled clothes and dirty faces of the children laying hopelessly in the dirt, made Dany halt her horse. They looked as if no food or water had entered their bellies for days. 

“Don’t go near them, they might be ill!” Yelled Daario, but she did not care to listen, grabbed her canteen and went near them.

The woman who held the children by their hands pulled them behind her and spoke in a language Jon didn’t understand. Dany replied in High Valyrian and stretched her arm out, handing over her water to the woman. After the mother decided them friends, Dany picked up the smallest child in her arms and stood in front of Daario.

“Make room for the other two children on your horse… Daario please, it’s my fault their city is at war.” Doubtful, Daario sure took his time evaluating the health of the children before obeying. Jon ordered Aego to bring four horses for the rest of the slaves. His riders could walk but these slaves looked as if the only thing standing between them and death, were few tiny little steps. He helped the mother on his horse whilst Dany got on hers, placing the child in front of her and guarding it with her arms. Their eyes met and she nodded as a sign of a thank you before continuing the ride. How could this woman be the same one who burned a city to the ground within a day? If he was unsure before, it seemed obvious now, he could love this woman with no doubts ever to make him question it.

That night the wind died down and the temperature rose higher. The sky was dark and filled with stars.  Jon was restlessly turning and tossing around unable to give in and let dream take over. The insects around them and the calm river twirling near them, were all he could hear other than Dany’s rapid breathing. She couldn’t find rest that lightly either, even though she was asleep. But her restlessness seemed more exhausting than not sleeping at all. Where does she go every time she falls asleep? Jon laid on his right side, turning to her, wondering what she might be torturing her in the dreams. Behind her the light of the rising moon shimmered on the surface of the flowing black water. Daario was fast asleep, laying on his stomach, smiling even. He never had trouble falling asleep. He even slept while they were riding during the day.

Suddenly, Daenerys jumped, waking up from her nightmare, she sighed and rubbed her eyes, looked up to the sky and her lips curved into a slight smile. She took a deep breath as if trying to breath in the beauty of the night. The moonlight fell on her face, tracing her features in a way that Jon couldn’t take his eyes off her. Suddenly, she got up and walked slowly to the coastline, stood for a few moments as if trying to reach the disappearing point of the slow, yet tireless river with her eyes. She dropped the silver dragon off her shoulder and unlaced her tunic, dropping it on the ground, stepped out of it and slowly went into the water. The  moon floated on the black waters, shattering and re-forming as her ripples washed over it. Jon was almost sure he had fallen asleep and started dreaming - until Daario got up.

He laid his eyes on Dany who was floating into the water never moving her eyes from the stars, only her face, toes and the aroused tips of her breasts lurking on the surface. Not a minute passed before his manhood pressed against his breeches and he followed Dany into the water. She turned her head to Daario as he wrapped his arms around her naked body pulling her to him. At first, she seemed unsure if this was what she wanted and it wasn’t until she wrapped her legs around his waist and felt how much he wanted her that she slid herself on him, throwing her head back in pleasure. Jon was unable to move his eyes from the two shadows dancing in front of the moonlight’s reflection over the black water. It was in that very moment when everything became clear, his emotions, his feelings, what she meant to him whilst it was happening right in front of his eyes, losing her right there and then. She would never look at him as she once did, besides… should she? She was still his aunt after all, although that fact didn’t, unfortunately, lessen his feelings. And for her… it was as if he weren’t even there. Eventually, he managed to turn around, close his eyes and pretend those soft moans weren’t coming from the woman he loves.

>> Chapter 24: SANSA