Secret Flames (Sandor Clegane)

Chapter 43

As groups of armoured men marched down the corridors of the Red Keep and through the city streets of Kings Landing. As men, women and children ran into their homes, locking doors and windows. As the city became still and quiet, Arya Stark was walking through the Red Keep, dressed as another. The young girl, the outcast pup, not as pretty as her sister, but still a woman who everyone said could never follow in her brothers footsteps. Even her father had once told her she would marry a kind lord, own lands and see over his keep. Yet, she was destined for so much more. A warrior, fierce and loyal. She had her orders from the one she grown to trust more than any, and she would follow them to the end.

Under the face of Qyburn, passing freely through the Lannister and City guards, Arya was able to make her way to the cells beneath the castle. Through the darkness and smell of decay, she passed each cell until she found the one she seeked.

"What do you want?" A hoarse voice hissed from the back of the cell.

Smiling, Arya pulled off her mask and replied. "To get you out. Your fight isn't over and we have a war to finish."

Slowly, a dirty and thin figure crawled from the darkness. As the face appeared at the bars, the light of the flickering torches shone over her face. "And you are?" Yara Greyjoy scrawled.

"A friend," Arya replied.

Outside of the city walls, Tallulah was flying over the lands around the walls, chasing after Daenerys. She had never flown a dragon before, yet she felt no fear, no nerves. It was as though her body knew what to do, and she trusted her new friend. As they neared the city, she watched as Drogon became to breath fire down upon the city. Even from above, she could hear the sudden screams of fear and terror below.

With the sound of the suffering in her ears, Tallulah urged Rhaegal on. Fiercely watching her target as she closed the gap between them, Tallulah screamed out a command, "KILL!"

Instantly, Rhaegal began flapping it's long, powerful wings more intensely as they reached the side of Drogon. Turning to her side, Tallulah locked eyes with Daenerys, seeing them full of a madness like never before. Without another word, Rhaegal suddenly slammed into the side of its brother, snarling it's teeth as it tried to bite chunks from its side.

At the sudden attack from his brother, Drogon stopped its fiery attack on the city and with a large flap of its wings, began to climb upwards. Tallulah didn't have to order Rhaegal to follow, he already knew his order and quickly followed after them. As they neared the long tail of their target, Rhaegal let out an ground shaking roar of flames ahead of him, forcing itself to move in closer before it was finally able to reach forward with it large open mouth, grabbing its brothers tail and pulling down.

Tallulah was forced to hold one tightly as the two dragons began to fall through the air. Drogon was almost helpless as it was forced down from the hold of his brother behind. As the city below them, grew larger and larger as they neared the ground,  Rhaegal quickly let go, moving its wings up and down at an increased rate in order to not smash into the earth below. Yet, Drogon continued to fall before crashing into the ground below. Soaring through the air over them, Tallulah watched as Daenarys forced her dragon to take off again, but one of its wings was obviously badly hurt from the collision. Now much slower, but more angry, Drogon and Daenerys chased on after them.

Tallulah knew they had to move from quickly to get stop Drogon from making the same move on them. Rhaegal, already knowing what to do, sharply turned right, soaring downwards straight for Drogon. As their enemy panicked and tried to breath fire over them, Tallulah smiled, fire could not harm the true dragon. Reaching down, she pulled out one of the blades from the belt around her hips and held it tightly in her hand. Her moment to attack was nearing, she had to be ready.

As the dragons continued to soar towards each other, Tallulah positioned herself to stand on Rhaegals back. And just as it seemed they were about to crash, Rhaegal swerved left, but Tallulah jumped right, soaring through the air, her arms held out before her until she finally reached out to drive her blade in Drogons neck.

The angered beast roared out with pain as Daenerys tried to look down and locate Tallulah. She knew Daenerys wouldn't be able to do anything though, with no sword or weapon expect for her dragon. So with focus and adrenaline rushing through every part of her body, Tallulah used her blades to climb up the dragons thick neck. Pushing them into his thick scales as a climbing hook until she could see the the smoldering red circles of his eyes.

"I warned you!" She hissed, and with a roar of strength and fury, she pulled out the longer sword from her belt and slammed it deep into the beasts eye.

Drogon instantly roared out in agonising pain, but slowly, the sound began to fade and his wings stopped moving. Looking up, Tallulah could see the mix of terror and anger in Daenerys eyes. With her attack completed, Tallulah let go of her target and began to fall back towards the ground far below them. She didn't fall down to the ground though, and suddenly Rhaegal had soared below her, catching his master on his back. Relieved, Tallulah quickly repositioned herself on him and looked down just as Drogons lifeless body fell heavily to the ground.

"Down!" Tallulah ordered him.

As they quickly flew down to the ground, landing a few feet from the body of Drogon, Tallulah could see Daenerys, broken and covered in blood, sliding from her childs back and landing with a clump on the ground beside him. Slowly, Tallulah walked over to her and bent down to her side.

"Y..you.. you," Daenerys whispered in pain as she coughed up blood.

"Am different from you. You promised me and the people of these lands death. You promised us fire and blood, yet it is you that has met your end in such a way. You could have been great Daenerys, a true and kind ruler. After everything you faced and survived. Yet in the end... in the end you allowed that darkness inside of you to take control and I will never forgive you for that."

A single tear dropped from Daenerys eye as she coughed up more blood and looked up at her with pain. Sighing, Tallulah pulled out her blade and held it in her hands, "I had so hoped we could have had peace. I so hoped you would be the one to bring change. In the end, you were no different than those before you. I will not let that darkness consume me though, even as I kill and finish this war, I will remain true to myself, and the love I have for this land. That is why... why I shall try to show you some mercy, some form of kindness in these last moments. A quick death, people will say it's more than you deserve, but it is what I offer you now. Do you have any final words?"

Closing her eyes, tears ran down Daenerys cheeks and she coughed painfully again. It was true, she had wanted to bring change, a fresh start of hope and light. Away from the chains of the powerfull, yet in the end she had allowed her anger, her rage to control her actions. Looking up to the sky, she could see the smoke that had been blown over from the city she had tried to burn to ash. Even now, the sounds of screams and pleas for help filled the air. Finally, she looked back over at Tallulah, "I'm sorry," she whispered.

A/N - so I hoped you enjoyed this latest update and the ending I gave Dany. Let me know your thoughts below. As you've guessed, this story is coming to an end with only a few chapters left. Soooo, I'm starting to think about the next one. I have a few already half competed in my unpublished library, but I really want to hear from you guys. Would you like to see another take from me on Sandor Clegane, or another character? Maybe a Rory McCann Story. I also have a Hobbit one in the works, and two Severus Snapes stories (yes, I'm very bored in the lockdown and done nothing but write so theres a lot to choose from). So let me know in the comments and as always, stay safe and happy reading x