The Wars to Come - J.S.

13 - LOST

— meereen —

With the knowledge of her father's passing, Aurora Mormont feels lost, even more so than when she was alone at Castle Black for a year awaiting the return of her father and her friends.

She can't stop the thoughts that tell her she should have pushed harder to go with them. She could have prevented this, if she had only gotten her father to let her come. It's her fault, the thoughts whisper over and over in her head. As she's walking the halls of the Great Pyramid, or trying to go to sleep, 'You could have saved him'. 

Deep down she knows it isn't true. But the thoughts prevail despite her best efforts to talk herself out of them. 

She goes through her daily routines and duties, but in a ghostly shell of her usual self. Everyone that knows her, knows that she is not alright, but at her request they let her be. They talk to her about normal things, they allow her time and space to recover. 

She begins spending more time with Rhaegal and Viserion in the catacombs, Daenerys and Daario both find her there quite a few times. The dragons provide comfort for her as she stands in the dark and cold room with them, the only sound being their occasional little noises of happiness as she pets them gently. It also helps her to get away from the tense atmosphere given by the political situation in Meereen. 

She spends meals with Daenerys who helps her to work through her grief, knowing much about loss from her own experiences. Aurora has seldom lost anyone close to her, a few friends among the watch when she was young but not anyone as close as her father. And then, there is the added pain of hearing about Pyp and Grenn as well. She knew those boys for a year and had considered them to be some of her greatest friends.

After a few painful days, she decides she needs to write back to Jon, knowing that every day that he doesn't receive a response from her will be another day that he will worry. 

She sits down and carefully pens her response before rolling it up and heading down to the docks to give it to her usual messenger. 

—

After Daenerys decides to free all of the heads of families that she imprisoned previously, she declares that she will marry Hizdahr zo Loraq in an attempt to get the people of Meereen to follow her, much to Daario and Aurora's dismay. 

"I can't believe that she thinks this is a good idea." Aurora announces angrily, each of her words accompanied and emphasized by a clang of her sword against Daario's.

"I know, I've tried to talk to her about it." he responds, in his usual casual tone. 

Since Jorah left, Aurora asked Daario to train with her. They get along well and their sparring sessions are much of an outlet for both of them. 

"I mean, really, he's an ass." she responds. 

Daario is about to respond when her sparring sword hits him in the chest and knocks him on his ass. 

He looks up at her and smiles. "I didn't think anyone was quicker than me." he comments amusedly.

Aurora rolls her eyes and helps him to his feet again, ignoring his compliment as she does with everyone. She turns away and heads over to the rack of weapons to put her sword away. 

"Truly, Aurora, I know you don't like to hear it, but you are quite the amazing fighter. Jorah would tell you that too. And your father." he adds the last part softly, as if he is afraid to offend her. 

She smiles softly as she stares at the floor in front of her, before deeply inhaling and looking up at her friend. "Thank you." Her voice is sincere, and Daario may not know it but those were the exact words she needed in that moment.