Frozen Fire

Hard Truths

Daenerys

Her father didn't want to ruin the evening of his home coming; she had understood that much and she also knew he had a serious matter with her, he had never spoken to her in that tone. She hardly had slept during the night thinking of what she should and shouldn't say and had no appetite this morning. While others were breaking their fast, her mind was racing at the confrontation.

"Good, everyone left so let's begin"-said Oberyn. "Begin what?" says Dany as she seats herself on table of the meeting room. What have you been doing during my absence for example." Asks Oberyn walking around the table.

"Not much. There is nothing interesting when you just sit around in the same place." She knew very well he must know something but she didn't know how much of the truth he knew so she played it safe. "Oh; Is it so? I have different information."

"Let's hear it I'd like to get informed too" she says shifting her gaze from her father to Arys. "I see. You are in mood for games. Then let's play. Where were you the last week? Dany tries to keep calm she had been rehearsing this all night: "In my room mostly. Why?

"In your room? And four moons ago right after I left?" "Mostly home beside when I wanted to come here and the "clever" guards didn't let me. The rest of it was pretty much the same, nothing interesting compared to what you were doing father. I imagined you would have much more interesting stories and adventures to share than me."

"Hh.. Good one. You want a story? I'll tell you one." - Warned Oberyn "There was once a man he had a to leave home for work and told his stubborn daughter to stay inside the house. But the stubborn daughter wanted to go out in the wild and left home to wonder around deserts. Too bad for the girl, her protector had noticed her absence and when she turned home he locked her in, to make sure she wouldn't escape again. But the silly girl would give up "oh my father will come home later than he said, I have time for a little play" so she searched for a way to get out of the house without getting noticed and somehow she made it. Went out and about, did whatever she wanted and when her father came home she was there like nothing ever happened."

"Let me guess. In the end a big evil beast came and ate the girl."

"Not really. But here comes the catch; The girl would have gotten away with it. If it wasn't for a little mistake; She forgot the gardener." Her father might had sound playful to anyone present but she knew him better, it was an open thread to her. It was crystal clear he had all the information and someone has seen her. She was expecting him to know about her previous visit to desert but not of the last one. No one could have seen her leaving Sunspear no one knew the secret passage. Master Myles might have said that she was searching for old maps of the keeps but that proved nothing. Someone in water gardens must have seen her. Trystane would never sell her so it should have been someone else someone she failed to notice. I should have been more careful. "I was expecting an interesting story from you father not a boring one."

"Let me make things interesting then" he threatens coming closer to her: "How many times have I told you not to leave home?"

"Who said I left?" - says Dany wearing a calm mask. "Now you take me for a fool? You left your room right after I left and went to gods now where for a fortnight. A fortnight." -Yells Oberyn. She had been in Red Dunes after for an unfortunate event had happen in the quarries there and she had helped the wounded. What always frustrated her was the fact that her father instead of seeing the good she had done, complained always about her not staying inside. She wanted to rub it in his face but she kept her tongue, didn't want to turn this into a fight. "I was here in water garden with Trystane. What's wrong with that?" "What's wrong? Lying to me and disobeying my orders is wrong. You can talk all you want young lady but you will confess. You will not leave this room without spilling out the truth." "Confess you said?! What am I, a criminal to be trailed? Who has to confess his crimes? You want truths? Fine! No more secrets. Go on spill them!"-Snaps Dany. She has had enough. To her that was it. If it was the time for truths, it was her time, what she had been waiting for years and she would not let go. "Ser Arys, leave us" orders Oberyn. The Knight left closing the door behind him. "You don't talk to me like that! I'm your father! What is wrong with you?"

"What is wrong with me? You are wrong with me! You keep me locked like I am a prisoner. You bring me here like I'm in some trial. Why don't you ask Obara or Tyene or Nym where they are? What are they doing? Why you don't trial them? No! Anyone here can do whatever their hearts desire but not me and you will never even speak the reason. Why you have to hide me from every House? Why do I always have to hide? Why I should not be a Sand Snake? Why I can't I even say I'm your daughter? Why? Why... Why are you so ashamed of me?"She says barely holding her tears. "Don't you even dare to think it. I am not ashamed of you, I've never been. But this is not the matter..."

"Then you are ashamed of mother!"She says interrupting him; now that she took the tuck out of him, she will now allow him reopen the escapes topic without having her answers. "Where do you get these ideas?"-asks Oberyn annoyed. "Then why don't you speak of her? Why don't you even tell me her name or who she is? Why all my sisters know their mothers but I can't now mine?"

"Enough! Or.."

"Or what? What are you going to do? Lock me in for life? "-she says, yelling. Her father is surprised and in lost for words.

"Yes I thought so too!" She rises from her chair and puts the hand on the table. "You can try to lock me all you want I will always find a way and I have been waiting for years for you to tell me about mother, I never pressured you, father. You told me you would tell me when it would be the time. I'm not five years anymore, for you there was never a good time to speak of her and it will never be. So enough! I will hear about my mother or I'll find it out myself!"- She snaps.

"The less you know the better it is."

"For whom? For me, or for you?"

"I know it's not much but you have to believe me. It's for your own good." He warns. "Yes you say that every time you lock me in." Understanding she will not get the answers she wants she walks way.

"I lost your mother"- her father says, his voice cracking. "I am not going to lose you too." Dany was about to open the door, she turns her head to her father before leaving:"It's clear for me why you lost her, she got sick of you."

...

Her room in Water Gardens was vast with lavish floral decorations, had a canopy bed with sheer curtains and long sheer curtains sent to the big balcony over viewing the gardens in one side and Dornish Sea in the other. She had stormed to her room, and changed her loose blue dress into a yellow one but her mind was racing. I knew father would put me on spot but he treated me like I was on trial for treason when all I did was to help our people. A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. "May I come in?- Asks her father. "Yes you may"-she says. "I'm sorry if I was harsh on you! Maybe sometimes I am more strict than I should! But I love you very much and all I want is for you to be safe!" "Keeping me locked it's not a solution father, and I'm not an egg I won't break if I go out Sunspear alone, I am stronger than you think." Oberyn smiles:"Yes it was pretty clear some moments ago" he says smiling at her as he continues "I don't want you ever to think of yourself as lesser than your sisters because you are not, I'd say it's quite the opposite but they'd kill me for it"-he says trying to make her smile. "It is true I have kept you away from other Houses and I have never wanted you to join the Sand Snakes but I swear it has never been because I'm ashamed of you but to protect you. Your snake sisters are never in one place I would have been worried sick if you were to be with them."

"Father, you think that this obsession of yours to keep me safe is the answer to all problems?"- she asks softly. "Perhaps it doesn't but it's the truth."

"Do you hate her?"

"What?"

"Do you hate mother? Did she do something bad?"

"No! Why would think that? I loved your mother like no other and I will always love her... And I love you to and I don't want us to fight. We will talk about your mother I promise, but not today hm..?"

Dany smiles in agreement "I have waited seventeen years, I can wait a bit longer." Her father gives her a kiss in forehead and leaves the room.

I won't take that bait father she says in her mind.

***