A Tale of Kings, Queens and Bastards

Chapter 4

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  Grass as tall as the horses stretched out as far as the eye can see. That's all there was out here. No mountains nor hills or trees, nor cities or roads, aside from the dirt path the Dothraki horde's made.

  Day-in and day-out, she's been on the back of a bay mare that's been bleached from endless days in the sun. From ears to withers, her dark-brown, once black, mane was the length of the bastard's pointer-finger. Her tail -the same colour as her mane- only reached her hocks. From hoof to knee, -if there is no dust- her coat was milk white.

  A breeze blew. The thin blades of grass rippled like the waves of the Narrow Sea. She missed Pentos. And Belos.

  Rhae looked west. Two more hours, she reckoned. Each time the khal seemed it fit for the khalasar to rest for the night, she would look at the sun -she learned to read it for an estimated time before they stop. When stopped, she would survey more.

  There was almost always a stream of water for man and horse, and an area within close-distance for game. Sometimes, though (three times since Rhae and her siblings have been in Khal Drogo's khalasar), it was one or the other.

  Somewhere ahead, toward the front of the khalasar, was Viserys. For the past couple of days, he's allowed his bastard-sister to ride alone amongst the khalasar -until they reached camp.

  It won't last. It is too good to be true. A horse sneezed, startling her. She looked behind her, spotted the horse and Dothrakan atop his back, then looked ahead again. Anything good that involves him never lasts.

  In the distance, as she came around a bend in the path, she spotted her sister atop her Silver -Rhae's also learnt the Dothraki don't name their horses. This, she did not know. On the fifth night with the Dothraki, Daenerys had told Rhae the mare was "the silver" to her.

  Daenerys was on the side of the dirt path to the left, blue eyes fixed on nothing in-particular in the distance as her silver hair blew softly in the wind. Rhae buried her heels into the faded-brown mare, weaving in-and-out of Dothrakans at a trot.

  When only a horse-lengths back, she eased up on the reins and came up beside her sister at a walk; but Daenerys didn't notice, too absorbed in her thoughts.

  "Dany," the bastard-dragon called, and the khaleesi inhaled a sharp gasp in surprise. "I didn't mean to frighten you."

  "It is quite alright, sister," Daenerys breathed through a small chuckle, and met her baby sister's icy-coloured eyes -they were filled with concern.

  She eyed the way Daenerys held the leather reins and studied how stiff and uncomfortable she looked to be in the saddle. "How are you?" Daenerys averted her gaze, her Silver stomping a front foot. "Tell me what is troubling you, sister."

  "It's nothing you need wor-"

  "If it concerns you, I do." Their eyes met. "Please tell me. I can't help you if you do not tell me, Dany .  .  ."

  "You can't," Daenerys sadly whispered. "You can't help with this." Her sister's frown deepened. "He hurts me every night. And every night I am scared. Viserys said to make him happy, but how can I make Khal Drogo happy if I don't know how?"

  Rhae moved her mare closer. She leaned over, grabbed Daenerys's hand, then squeezed it. "It may not seem it, but it'll get better." I hope she believes me; she can see through any lie I tell. It seemed she believed the bastard's hopeful lie. "It will take time. And when he truly knows who you are and not the woman our brother wants you to become, he will love you as much as I. Which is quite a lot."

  The corner of Daenerys's lips turned upward, and her sister smiled too. She released Dany's hand and placed it on the off-white-humped fabric of the saddle on the mare's withers.

  "As for how to make him happy: ask. Ask the new handmaiden our brother bought you."

  Daenerys's dark brows furrowed. "How do you know that?"

  "The night of the ceremony, Viserys and Illyrio discussed a woman that would make a suitable handmaiden for you. She has been in his services since. That is why she's not in yours."

  "And you are sure of this?"

  "Yes." Rhae's met her sister's current handmaiden, Irri. She's a Dothrakan through-and-through; dark hair and eyes, and more olive-skinned rather than copper, unlike the khal. At first, Irri was a hard one to swallow, but now, the Dothraki woman's warmed-up to the khaleesi's sister. Rhae remembered her brother say that Irri's been tasked with teaching their sister the horse-lord's language and their customs. "I also overheard that she has a specialty in pleasing men." Daenerys looked at her sister, wide-eyed, and Rhae shrugged smally, "Sometimes being with our dear brother has its perks." This was the only perk I have gotten from him. Daenerys need not know that, though.

  "You need to drink, children," Ser Jorah rode up alongside the half-dragon. "And eat." He reached into his saddlebag and handed her two pieces of dried peppered-meat. She handed one to Daenerys.

  She hesitantly took it, while Rhae bit into it. It was one of the better foods the Dothraki had, in her opinion. "Isn't there anything else?"

  "The Dothraki have two things in abundance: grass and horses. People can't live on grass," said the Westerosi knight.

  Daenerys took a small bite after Rhae nodded in reassurance. It tasted a lot like cow.

  "The Shadow Lands beyond Asshai," Ser Jorah informed, as he looked out at the endless sea of grass. "They say there are fields of ghost grass, with stalks as pale as milk that glow in the night. It murders all other grass. The Dothraki believe that one day it will cover everything -that's the way the world will end," he explained.

  Rhae looked over her mare's ears and over the khalasar.

  "It'll get easier," the knight's voice was as soft and gentle as Dany's.

  Without so much as a glance at him or her sister, Daenerys nudged her Silver and filed back in line with the khalasar.

  Rhae watched her with saddened eyes. I wish I could take it all from you, sister.

  "She's a strong one, your sister."

  The half-dragon smiled, "She's the strongest person I know. She's taken care of me since before she could learn how to form proper sentences." She followed her sister's lead and filed in line with the khalasar, Ser Jorah at her side. "Viserys helped, of course, but Daenerys always said he was forced to because she was so young. When she was old enough to not need his assistance, she did everything: to walk, to talk, to use the privy."

  "I did not know that." Since he did not know, she explained; how her brother and sister, with the remainder of the Targaryen loyalists, were meant to sail to Essos -to Braavos- but instead got blown into Blackwater Bay during the storm. "You did not have to tell me, Inavva ki Khaleesi."

  "I am aware, Ser Jorah Mormont of Bear Island." Rhae looked at him, and smiled softly.

  He returned it. "Thank you, Inavva ki Khaleesi."

  Her dark brows furrowed, and she asked, "What does that mean?"

  "It means, 'sister of the queen', Inavva ki Khaleesi." And Rhae smiled, flashing her middle two front teeth.

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