Mother Of Dragons

Chapter 3

The khalasar traveled late into the evening that day. The stars were starting to come out before they began to circle the grass and crush it down for tents and firepits. After circling a few times with the other riders, Daenerys began to look around for her tent, normally one of the first ones erected by the slaves. She couldn't find it. Her home was nowhere in the khalasar's camp. She stayed mounted on her silver, wandering and confused, before Doreah found her. "The Khal has requested you come to your new home, Khaleesi," she said with a soft smile. "He would have Khaleesi stay with him now."

Dany let herself be led to the Khal's huge tent, where she dismounted, took off her boots and entered. Immediately, she noticed that the Khal's bed was made up with her blankets and cushions, and that her clothing and possessions were scattered about in an orderly way, as if they'd always been there. Already hot water was waiting in her bath, the lightly fragrant almond oil inviting her to soak away the dust from the day's journey. She turned and looked back at Doreah.

"He's waiting for you to be comfortable, Khaleesi," Doreah answered her unspoken question. "He will come later, after the khalasar is settled for the night. He said whatever you wanted to change in here was yours to do so."

Daenerys glanced around and then met Doreah's with eyes full of gratitude. They shared a smile. "Thank you, Doreah," she said softly.

"I only did what you needed me to, Khaleesi," she replied, casting her eyes downward. She quickly undid Dany's braids with deft fingers and prepared her for the bath.

Dany eased herself into the hot water and explored the Khal's tent with her eyes as she soaked. She'd never been in it before. Their first night together was under the open sky full of stars, and the next night was in her tent, where he'd been expecting more and was disappointed when she didn't know what to do or what he wanted. She wished she had saved them both many nights of trouble and had spoken to Doreah right away.

She spotted many of her bride gifts, including the beautiful bow and arakh given to her by Drogo's blood riders, the gifts she had followed tradition and refused, instead giving them to Drogo. Her clothes for the night were hung carefully next to the bed, as well as what she would wear the following morning. It really was as though she'd been living here with him all along.

As she dressed in her soft dressing gown, she discovered more of her bride gifts, and more of her clothing and items that wouldn't have fit in her small tent. Items she'd completely forgotten about, jewelry and adornments, her set of silver bands that had been braided into her hair for their wedding in Pentos. They'd been here and waiting for her the whole time. He had been waiting for her, she realized. She had married him in Pentos, but their real marriage was truly only a day old.

She expected him to come to her late that night, just as he had always done in the past, so when he entered the tent before the evening meal had been laid out, she was surprised. He removed his arakh and then his boots before glancing up at her. She saw something in his eyes as he saw her there, and then he smiled slightly, a look of satisfaction on his usually unreadable face. He's happy I'm here, she thought. She walked toward him timidly, and was relieved to see the smile grow as he reached out to her.

She took his large hand in her small ones, once again intimidated by their size and strength. She still was only accustomed to her brother, and his hands hurt her more often than any other action. He sensed her hesitance, and curled his fingers gently around her hands, holding them softly. She looked up at him, and he started to say something but stopped, frustrated by the lack of common words. Drogo squeezed her hands a bit more firmly and then slowly pulled her close. He leaned down and rested his forehead against hers, the Dothraki way of kissing, sharing their breath - their souls. Dany closed her eyes, breathing him in, his scent of a thousand fires and summer grass, sun and wind, sleep and sex.