Life After Death

Braavos

MEEREN

Daenerys woke up alone in their room. She immediately started to search for Missandei and Jon and that was not too hard to find them. They were in the hall, and it was filled with laughter. Missandei was laughing so loudly, selflessly and happily. She had no idea what happening around her ... and somehow Dany envied her. She could watch for days how Jon is playing with his daughter. That was the best thing... and the only thing she cared about. She did not want to go and wage another war. She did not want to rule Westeros... she just wanted that, this family, but she knew that is not that easy, and Bran won't let them live. Nor the ones who serve him. She heard how the baby dragons are whining. Slowly she turned to that direction then walked inside. They were on the cage, and two unsullied soldiers were taken care of them.
"You can leave. Wait inside," she ordered them and walked closer to the dragons.

"Sam" Jon greeted his friend. He looked more worriedly than usual. "What happened?" he asked him, while he raising up Missandei.
"Good to see you are all... healthy and well," Sam stated.
"Almost." Jon raised his eyes at the top of the stairs, referring to Daenerys and her mental health.
"Is it still that bad?" Sam frowned.
"Slightly better. But... she is still blaming herself and ... Drogon." he sighed.
"Time will help. Ahm... " Sam clearly wanted to say something to him, but he hesitated.
"What is going on?" Jon was scanning his face.
"Can we talk in private?"
"Sure." he nodded, and he turned to Nesera and Yara, they were at the other side of the hall. Talking. Giggling. "Nesera. Please."
"Sure." She immediately jumped there and took Missandei out from his arms.
"Daddy will be back soon." he caressed her small cheek then turned back to Sam. "So?"
They started walking around in the corridors, and when Sam saw there is no one around is, he took a deep breath.
"I've continued my research about... the link between the Night King, the Three-Eyed Raven, and your daughter. Just as you asked." he started. Jon grabbed his arm and stopped him. Staring at his face.
"And?"
"You won't like the thing I am going to say, but... everything leads to that... her blood is ... is the key. If she is really the one who we think... she is..." Sam trying to find the right words. "If she is the princess who was promised. But... Jon that is a myth."
Jon was speechless and he just shook his head.
"The eye that can see everything only can be destroyed by the blood of the prince who was promised. Or in this case by the princess's blood." Sam continued, quoted that he read on his old books. "A weapon must be dug in her blood and ..."
"Enough" Jon stopped him and raised his hand.
"I tried to find something... which refuses this, but..."
"I said enough." Jon raised his voice and stared at his face. "I won't sacrifice my daughter."
"What if it is the only way? For protecting humanity?" Sam frowned.
"Then I would beat the Night King and Bran again and again if it necessary in another way," Jon answered, and he walked on, and Sam followed him. "No one can find out. This. Not even Daenerys, do you understand?" he told him, while they were walking forward in the corridor. Sam did not answer just nodded, but Jon stopped him, turned him to himself, and looked into his eyes. "Do you understand?"
"Yes." he nodded again. Jon tried to think. If Daenerys gets to know this, she will break even more. That was not an option. He won't let her daughter be sacrificed for anyone, not even for humanity. Not even for the living. He suddenly spotted the guards in front of Missandei's room and he frowned.
"What are you doing here? You shouldn't be inside?" he stepped closer.
"The Queen sent us out."
"The Queen is there?" his eyes widen, and he immediately entered into the room. For his biggest surprise, Daenerys was standing there, and she was holding the dragons in her arms. Caressing them. Feeding them. She looked to Jon then she turned back to the babies. He stepped closer and the words stuck in his mouth.
"There were crying loudly," Dany stated. Jon caressed her shoulder and kissed her head.

A couple of days passed, and Daenerys spent more and more time with the dragons. She also returned to her normal days. She welcomed the people who wanted to speak with the Queen, she continued the training with Arya... and Jon was there next to her. Supported and loved her. He kept in a secret what Sam told him. It was not the right time to tell it... she was just recovering from their loss. She became stronger and stronger day by day, but that strength was fragile. He knew it. She was still not able to meet with Drogon. Most of the time she acted herself stronger than she really was. Her real self only came to the light, when they were together alone, or with just Missandei. At least, she was not afraid anymore to show her weakness to him. They spent the nights in the arms of each other, and he felt more and more the desire for her. The lust... love. He wanted to show her how much he loves her in another way too, but he also knew... he cannot hurry her. They were kissing and cuddling at the bed, and that night his hands were sliding down on her body towards her sex, but she stopped him.
"Don't worry." Jon smiled a bit. "I understand"
"It is not because I don't want you." she lowered her head.
"I know." Jon nodded and kissed her forehead.
"No, you don't." Dany sighed and sat up on the bed. "I am not ready to ... if ... we... there is a chance I'll get pregnant and... I... am not ready." she tried to explain. "Right now I don't think I'll ever be ready to...."
Jon sat next to her and kissed her shoulder.
"If you want to we can ask Sam to make something. I've read about there are methods and ... herbs... that can prevent ... " he took a deep breath "prevent pregnancy." he tried to act that this thing is okay for him.
"And you would hate yourself if we ask him, and you would hate if... I take something." Dany glanced at him. "I know that. Just... give me some time." she placed her hand to his face. "I love you, Jon. And ... I want to be with you." she whispered to him and kissed his lips. "I want to make you happy."
"You are my happiness. Don't worry about that" he smiled and kissed her again, and laid back to the bed with her. "It is just hard to ... not touch you. To not... be with you. But I understand..." he was caressing her chest, above her breasts.
"I love you so much" she whispered to him and they kissed each other again.

BRAAVOS

"I still don't understand what the hell we are doing here. We should stay in the North. Probably they are not even here anymore." Tormund huffed, while he, Gilly and her children were passing through the city, following the two-member of the Second Sons.
"I am sure they are still here. We would have known if they are already in Westeros."
"Fuckin hot here." Tormund continued. "Is that far away?" he asked the two men.
"We need horses." one of them answered, and walked on.
"Mom I am hungry" little Sam pulled Gilly's skirt.
"I know honey, we'll find something to eat. Don't worry." she tried to calm him down. The route was long, and she also had doubts. She knew Sam wanted her to stay in Westeros, but something really worried her. The winter was still there... the weather cooled and the snow more and more falling. She persuaded Tormund for a long time to send their people to the southern side of the Wall, and he finally did it before they left.
"This is so unnecessary and idiotic." Tormund kept talking and he was loud.
"Quieter. You already make an impression. You are so different than the people here." Gilly tried to calm him down.
"And what is the plan? If we even find them, which I doubt. What if those are just little shits, who tried to cheat us out from there?" Tormund was nervous. He hated that place, he was a northerner, and he has nothing to do there here in Essos, in the south. The weather was too warm, the people were so different. He felt everyone was staring at him. "I swear if those two little shits lied, I kill them with my bare hands," he added.
"Wait here." one of the soldiers turned to them and entered into a house.
"I don't trust them." Tormund looked around.

MEEREN

"Improving. Your skills are improving." Arya stated after they finished practicing with Daenerys.
"I have a good teacher." She answered kindly and smiled a bit.
"Ahm. May I ask something?" Arya hesitated but then she took a deep breath.
"Sure." Dany frowned.
"Do not misunderstand me, but... I have to ask this." she took a step closer. "What are your plans for Sansa?" she looked at her. Dany opened her mouth to answer, but stopped, then she lowered her head.
"It depends on her." she sighed.
"Do not make me chose between you." Arya's face became serious.
"I never wanted to hurt her, you know that. Not even when she betrayed me... I wanted to give her a chance to accept me as her Queen. But she never able to do that. If you can convince her... then do it. I am not her enemy, but she never wanted to accept this." she answered.
"Would you just let me go to do this?" Arya frowned.
"Since when you are asking my consent?" Dany smiled a bit.
"You are the Queen." Arya smiled back at her.
"And you free woman. You can go wherever you want to. Although I am not sure, Jon would let you go back to Westeros alone." She admitted.
"Mentioning Jon." Arya cut her "He is waiting for you outside in the garden, he asked me to tell you when we are done." she bowed a bit with her head and walked out from the hall. Dany was standing there and she was surprised. She thought Jon is with Missandei, he told her he is going to spend the evening with her. She walked outside and she hardly could believe in her own eyes. The dragons were there, with Jon and with Missandei, and Drogon was there too. Laying next to them. She froze and staring at them. Jon did not even notice her at first. He was paying attention to his daughter, who was playing with the two baby dragons. He just felt it is normal. He started to feel so natural and normal to be around those beasts and seeing Missandei smiling around them ... just made him feel more confident.

"They are just waiting for you, Your Grace." Ser Davos stopped next to her. "I would have never thought that boy from the north once will sit around those creatures with his daughter... Without any fear and doubts." then Davos turned to her "after all, they all belong to the family," he stated.
Dany did not say a word just staring them. Jon finally spotted them and smiled. He wanted her to take a step towards Drogon. That is why he brought Missandei there. He thought... maybe seeing them together will change her mind. Dany raised her eyes at Drogon and he raised his head. They were staring at each other for a couple of seconds.
"I ... I can't." she shook her head and took a step back, placed her hand to her belly.
"Dany," Jon whispered. He knows she can't hear that he just wished... though his plan would have worked. Daenerys almost ran away, and Jon stood up, while Davos walked closer. That moment Drogon flew up to the air as if he had known... the plan did not work.