Mother Of Dragons

Chapter 16

Dany smoothed her dress nervously as she approached the temple, flanked by her maids and by her closest khas. She could see her silver filly tied to a post just outside the temple, so she knew she would be expected to ride at some point. She glanced at Irri, who nodded encouragingly at her before gesturing her to keep moving forward.

The heat made the buildings shimmer around her, the dry earth hard beneath her boots as she walked. She could feel her stomach turn in anxiety. The only thing that kept her feet propelling her forward was the thought that Drogo was waiting for her inside that room. Well, that and the threat of a jab between the shoulder blades from Irri. It was enough. She took a deep breath before the doors were opened for her, and she stepped inside the cool and smoky room of the temple of the Dosh Khaleen.

It was darker inside than she expected, and the smoke was not unpleasant to her senses. She stepped forward slowly, the pillars circling the center of the room obscuring her view. She hesitated a moment, unsure, but felt Irri's finger prod her in the middle of her back, as expected. It was like a spur on the side of a horse, so she blinked and tried to get her vision to adjust to the darkness as she walked ahead, her stomach flopping once again in her nervousness. Drogo is here, she reminded herself. He won't let anyone hurt me. She straightened her shoulders and raised her chin.

The middle of the room had a round, raised platform, and she could see the columns had faces carved into them. Her eyes met Drogo's on the other side of the room, and she could feel the anxiety and fear leave her body as he gave her a slight nod, the warmth in his gaze visible only to her. She smiled softly at him, and stepped up onto the round, low table in the middle of the room. She watched a few women standing around a fire between two of the pillars, very near where Drogo was sitting, and saw them toss something into the fire. A plume of smoke rose from the flames, a sickly sweet scent with it, and her eyes began to water. The women began to approach her, and Drogo sat forward in his seat to hear them better.

Dany stood very still as the old women surrounded her and took her arms gently in gnarled, ancient hands. One laid a hand on her pregnant belly, but Dany wasn't afraid. The old woman's touch was gentle and her face was kind. She muttered something to the other crones, and they all smiled at her then, truly smiled. Dany ducked her head, suddenly more shy than she'd ever felt. She looked down, but one of them touched her chin and made her meet the gaze of the old woman in front of her. Dark green eyes, so much like Drogo's, met her lavender ones, and there was peace in them. The old woman patted her cheek softly, and then turned to Drogo.

"Khal Drogo. You have taken your Khaleesi from outside your khalasar, outside the sacred herd of Dothraki. Do you claim her for yourself or for the Dosh Khaleen?" the old woman asked.

Dany panicked for a moment, not understanding the meaning behind the crone's demand. Drogo rose from his seat to his full height. "I claim her for all Dothraki to see. I claim her for myself, no other woman will ride with me, and I claim her for the Dosh Khaleen, may one day she honor you with her wisdom and truth," he said confidently. Oh, it's his part in this, she realized, relieved.

The old women turned from them, the eldest muttering some words and tossing a handful of twigs and brush into the fire. Red smoke rose, heavy and sweet. Dany watched the plume as it made its way to the round opening in the middle of the roof. She felt the clasp of a large hand in her own, and she turned to see Drogo next to her, holding her hand tightly. Everything depended on what the old women saw in their fire. Drogo was edgy and nervous, his hand damp in hers as he brought her hand up to his mouth for a tender kiss. She squeezed back, lacing her fingers between his and holding him tightly, locking her eyes to his. She held his gaze and smiled, trying to reassure him, then took advantage of the platform she was standing on and laid her head on his shoulder. She breathed him in, letting his familiar scent wash through her and overpower the smoke. His free hand came up and stroked her hair gently before traveling down to rest on their son.