When The Wolf Meets The Dragon

Chapter Four

It's late and the night is dark. Footsteps walk down the cold stone floor. They get closer and closer. Suddenly, a light is visible. Fire. From behind the fire, emerges Queen Daenerys. She holds the torch as light flickers through the dark hallways. Finally, a small external light leaks through. The moon is full and its light shines through a dark cell. Two guards stand by.

"Ivestragī nyke rēbagon," The Queen says quietly in High Valyrian. It's not a whisper but not a normal volume either. The guards turn, letting her pass. As she nears the cell, she says, "Henujagon īlva." The guards leave immediately.

Once the guards are out of sight, Daenerys hangs the torch on a nearby wall stand and waits. Finally, a figure appears. "Come to gloat again?" a voice says.

Cersei Lannister is now visible by torchlight. It's difficult to see but tiny bits of her flicker with the fire. Daenerys stays quiet. She just stares at the woman before her. Cersei is not the person last seen at the Red Keep. Rich, royal, and regal. No, she's a mess. Poor, filthy, and exhausted. She still has her mind though. Cunning, manipulative, and wicked. She can read Daenerys like an open book. "I see," she continues. "You're afraid."

"Afraid?" Daenerys questions. "What am I to be afraid of? I'm not the one in a cell."

"Yourself."

"What are you implying?"

"Madness does run in the family, doesn't it?" Cersei says, getting closer to the bars. She knows she's getting a rise in Daenerys. "The lords, not the welcoming you expected is it?"

Startled, Daenerys steps back a little. She is not mad. She's not her father. She's good. Daenerys Stormborn, the good Targaryen. Cersei doesn't know what she's talking about. She doesn't know her.

She continues, "You want to kill them. Every inch of your body is telling you, 'Burn them all!' I know the feeling. But you won't. And that's why you're here."

Daenerys breathes heavily. Clearly, she is triggered by Cersei's words. 'I am not Mad! I would never kill my Lords,' she thinks in her head."If I wanted to kill them, I would've done it at King's Landing when I had the chance."

"And why didn't you?"

"I'm not here to be Queen of the Ashes," she replies. She recalls when her Hand told her that. She was ready to take King's Landing. She had three dragons and a massive army. Nothing could stop her. Except for her mercy. Tyrion convinced her not to attack. Not yet. She had to find another way that wouldn't slaughter the thousands, leaving only windows and orphaned children.

Cersei rolls her eyes. "My brother's words. I know them like the back of my hand," she says. "Tyrion is a murderer. An imp. And you trust him? You're even more stupid than you look."

The Queen disregards her comment. "When I took King's Landing," she starts. "I made sure no innocent got hurt. Despite your efforts." She looks directly into Cersei's sinister green eyes. "I'm not a monster."

"You took out our defenses. The kingdom walls began to fall," Cersei responds. "How many soldiers did you kill?"

"Soldiers are different."

"Are they? They're still people. Innocently fighting for who they were told to fight for."

Daenerys turns away for a moment, looking to the side. "They decided to become a soldier," she says, losing eye contact.

"Did they? You don't know a thing about Westeros."

"What do you mean?" Daenerys looks at her. No response. "What do you mean?!" she repeats. But it's too late. Cersei vanished into the darkness of the cell.

Suddenly, the guards come back, two more are following. "Your Grace, two prisoners escaped," one says in High Valyrian. "We think they are armed. All the men are dead."

"What?" the Queen whips her head around and faces the soldiers. She starts to storm off. Two soldiers stay on guard while the other two follow behind Daenerys.

They approach the prisoners' wing. It's still dark and can only be seen with torchlight. Dead bodies line the hall. At least 20 men have fallen. Each body is covered in blood with a distinct origin from its neck. Two small dots show the punctures. A fork maybe? What could have done this? Daenerys walks through, mortified by what she sees.

Suddenly, a hand grabs her foot. "V- v-" the person tries to make out before giving up. They lay limp on the floor. She shakes the hand off and continues through the massacre.

Finally, they pass. She strides back onto the main floor of the Red Keep. Grey Worm and Ser Jorah are there, awaiting her command.

"Khaleesi," Jorah breathes.

Skipping the pleasantries, Daenerys immediately starts issuing commands. "Grey Worm, I want you and a small troop to patrol the streets. They can't have gotten far," she looks at Ser Jorah. "What do you know about these prisoners? Your men detained them."

"They're serial killers. Arrived on a massive ship. The entire crew and guests are dead. Each bloody with what looks like bite marks on their necks."

"Serial killers?" Daenerys recalls the Sons of the Harpy who harassed and murdered the people of Meereen. She does not wish to go back to those days. "Kill them on sight," she commands before walking off again.

"Where are you going?" Jorah asks.

"To find these 'killers'," she responds. She walks to an open balcony where her dragon, Drogon, is already awaiting as if instinct knew she needed him.

"It's too dangerous, my Queen."

Daenerys looks back at Ser Jorah. "I just walked through their wing. They killed 20 men in who knows what amount of time. I have to help find them."

She and Drogon flew off and began circling the city.