khaleesi ― 𝐋. 𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐅𝐄𝐘𝐒𝐎𝐍

━━━━ CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

˖*°࿐ chapter fifty-three.
liii. A DRAGON AND HER WRATH

ARIN WALKED THROUGH THE ASHES OF THE DEAD LEYGOOD ARMY ― though some were still some that had survived the Enochians' swinging swords and the dragon's flames. The green grass that had been growing abundantly in this part was just dirt and soot, barrels were thrown about, and splints of the wagons were buried deep in it. The khalasar Laelia had brought was looting the men's pockets, hoping to get something valuable to take with them, and other Enochian bloodriders escorted the remaining group of infantrymen to the spot in front of the hill in which Aenerys sat on top of, bloodred wings giving an eerie glow to the ground below him. his dark body nothing but a silhouette in the sunlight, growling as Laelia walked onto a large rock. Her eyes scan the crowd, seeing the dirty men with their blood splattered faces and clothing, the ashes getting matted into their hair. 

"I know what Catherine has told you," she begins, "that I've come to destroy your cities, burn down your homes, murder you and orphan your children. That's Catherine Leygood, not me." A few men bow their heads, knowing what she's saying is true. "I'm not here to murder. And all I want to destroy is the wheel that is rolled over rich and poor to the benefit of no one but the Catherine Leygoods of the world. I offer you a choice. Bend the knee and join me. Together we will leave the world a better place than we found it, or refuse and die." 

A few bend their knees, but most remain standing. Aenerys takes note of this and gives out a soft growl as he faces the men, teeth bared, crouching low before he gives out a long, harsh cry, scaring most of the men into kneeling while others withstand their fears and continue to stand, including Fredrick and William Frank. When Aenerys sees that most of them are bowing, he stops and gives a low grunt of satisfaction. Laelia's eyes land on Fredrick, "Step forward, My Lord." He walks through the men, eyes glaring at the Queen, but it doesn't faze her. If she can ride on the back of a falling dragon, she can sure as hell resist an old man's glare. "You will not kneel?"

"I already have a Queen," he replies in a gruff voice.

"My sister," Arin interjects, "she wasn't your queen until recently though, was she? When she murdered your rightful Queen and destroyed House Cronan for all time. So it appears your allegiances are somewhat flexible." 

"There are no easy choices in war. Say what you will about your sister, she was born in Björndottir, has lived here all her life. You, on the other hand, you murdered your own father and chose to support a foreign invader. One with no ties to this land, an army of savages at her back," Fredrick retorts, looking up at the Greystone.

"You will not trade your honor for your life," she nods to him and turns her head to Arin. "I respect that." Arin looks at her, "Perhaps he could take the black, Your Grace. Whatever else he is, he is a true soldier. He would be invaluable at the Wall."

"You cannot send me to the Wall. You are not my queen," Laelia raises her eyebrows at him, then turns to look at her Enochian escorts, who understand and goes to collect the man. As they are pulling him away, his son, William, steps forward: "You will have to kill me too." Fredrick pulls away from the savages and faces his son, "Step back and shut your mouth."

"Who are you?"

"A stupid boy."

"I'm William Frank, son of Fredrick Frank."

"You are the future of your house. This war has already wiped one great house from the world. Don't let it happen again. Bend the knee," Arin is now standing beside Laelia, William looking at his father and Fredrick nods at him: "I will not." Arin turns to Laelia, speaking meekly so no one but his Queen can hear him, "Your Grace, nothing strips bold notions from a man's head like a few weeks in a dark cell." She looks at him with an unreadable face.