"I would've handled the situation if you weren't so insistent on me doing nothing."
"You did well on gathering so many savages here, I will admit..." Edric praised. "You helped me greatly."
She raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"It doesn't quite concern you," Edric leapt off his horse, and silver moved in. "Get on your horse."
He helped Daenerys mount up silver, courteously. The Dothraki crones tried to stop her, but Edric sent them to their knees with a spark of lightning from his hand.
"Worthless hags,"
Edric didn't even look at them.
"Let's get going,"
...
Vaes Dothrak had been truly turned into a ruin. Half the structures had been outright destroyed, while most were not left untouched. Its borders were lined up with blood, ash, riderless horses and endless corpses. There was not a soul in sight.
"Is this the sort of slaughter that all of your enemies earn?" She questioned him.
This… seemed very much intended. If he had just come for her, he'd go straight through. Instead, he spent a day fighting all around Vaes Dothrak.
"To this extent? It is a first," Edric replied, glancing back at her. "Though, I have driven the mountain clans in the Vale to extinction before. Are you pitying them, the Dothraki? There's nothing good about them. They are capable savages at best."
"And that gives you every right to slaughter them all?"
"You seem to care far too much for a culture built around destruction. Even this very city, the only settlement they bothered to bring to the world, was built by slaves from other cultures after bringing ruin to numerous kingdoms. Why do you think the Dothraki Sea is so empty? Some day… I would've had to deal with the Dothraki as my Realm would expand. It was best to get them out of the way now and save thousands of others from suffering their barbaric ways in the meantime."
"You were able to make it sound like a noble deed, although… I don't feel like that was your true intention."
"I had my own reasons," Edric didn't say. "Even so, this strange fondness for them truly baffles me. Did you forget, you were sold as a slave to Khal Drogo?"
"We were married," Daenerys corrected.
"Were you?" Edric laughed. "Mayhaps it's been so long you've forgotten and warped the experience into something nostalgic. You were sold by your brother into a marriage you had no desire for at the age of three-and-ten. Then you were raped, continuously by this very man who was more than old enough to be your father. Raped… until you grew to like it."
"..." Daenerys stopped her horse. "You don't know a thing about me-"
"That's where you're wrong. I know everything about you," Edric turned his horse back, looking at her. "You eventually take 'control' of your sex with Drogo, which brings the illusion of some sort of budding love. Truthfully, you were just his broodmare and nothing more. If you ever chose to defy him, he'd put you right back in your place. You had no control over his khalasar, no control over even his most loyal bloodriders - your only privilege was the way Drogo would fuck you each night and the ability to keep a couple slaves for yourself. Oh, and he didn't choose to share you with his bloodriders like other khals could have… you were his own little princess, such a luxury,"
She rode to him and hit him, although his helmet ended up hurting her hand more than him. She doubted he even felt anything.
"Here," He took off his helmet, revealing an indifferent expression. "Hit me as hard as you'd like if it makes you feel any better."
She didn't need his permission, striking him with all the anger in her heart.
He took it, his head tilting only slightly.
"You did more to me than a hundred thousand Dothraki did…" Edric chuckled, spitting out some blood. "Now do you feel any better about the truth?"
"... It…"
It was as if he was grabbing her fondest memories of her 'beloved' husband, smearing them with mud and ripping them apart. Burning them, desecrating them. Defiling them in every way.
"It's not the truth."
"Only sheep should live in blissful ignorance… Khal Drogo was far, far from your deluded image of a wonderful husband. He didn't give a rat's ass about fulfilling the original 'deal' where he'd fight to put your brother, or even you, on the throne. He was perfectly content just fucking you, and that would've stayed the case if not for Robert's assassins threatening his unborn child. THEN he decided that he would pillage the Seven Kingdoms, enslave their people, rape their women, slaughter their men… and you did what, breaker of chains?"
The answer was nothing. Her influence was… far too little. She couldn't influence him to even consider crossing the Narrow Sea, how could she control an entire invasion? At that point, she had only seen it as a necessary sacrifice to have what was rightfully hers... and her son's.
"... I did the only thing I could do."
"You spent so long in a cage that you grew fond of it," Edric chuckled, shaking his head. "It's not your fault, in the end. It's... quite... natural."
He suddenly frowned, seemingly freezing. For a moment, he closed his eyes.
"What's wrong? Did you run out of things to say?"
"... No, it's just... I know how that is like. I don't mean to piss on Khal Drogo's grave and all the memories you might've shared, simply, I'm someone who would rather live a life of hard truths than hide behind blissful ignorance. You've never truly had a positive influence in your life... your brother, I mean, do I even have to talk about him? Khal Drogo, Ser Jorah, who sold you out and wants to fuck you as well, who else? Daario? It's a small wonder you remember Drogo so fondly, you haven't had anyone else..."
It felt like he truly did know everything there was to know. It almost seemed like he knew about her more than she did herself.
"Dorian and Ser Barristan," She replied.
"Hm, fair, but they're a little too recent."
"And what great influences have you had?"
"My uncle, Renly Baratheon, Ser Cortnay Penrose - a good man, friends and allies who would never turn their back on me. A... brother, not by blood, but more important to me than any blood brother could be. I am truly blessed." For the first time, she saw him truly smile, even a little. "Even so, as I soar, they grow out of reach... or so it feels that way. The inner circle grows smaller and smaller, and the secrets I carry stack on top of one another, the burden growing heavier."
His smile slowly faded.
"There... isn't a single living person in the world who truly understands who I am."
He turned away, putting on his helmet.
It made her wonder which was worse? Him knowing everything about her or nothing at all. Strangely, as time passed, she found his words insightful, revealing the harsh truths behind her past. And, by doing so, leaving her very little to be reminiscient of. It was very much a double-edged sword.
...
Eventually, tired, she stopped at a place that seemed suitable.
"I expected a little more endurance from a so-called Khaleesi," Edric noted as she dismounted.
"My silver needs to rest, and..."
Her stomach growled for her.
She looked to the pack of horses that followed them. Horse meat seemed very desirable right about now. Better than those poisoned berries she had eaten before.
"As you wish," Edric dismounted. "I'll take care of all of your needs."
All of her needs? There was one she had been holding herself from for a long time, and... Edric looked finer than the horsemeat. Tall as any man she had seen, muscled like a bull, eyes more mesmerising than the stars, the bearing of a king, a voice that moved her at will, even the lack of hair was not so bad...
No, that would not be... fitting.
She turned away, pursing her lips.
"This ability of mine happens to be especially convenient in situations like these," He took out a carpet from himself and draped it across a patch that had shorter grass. He performed the same 'magic' and took out a wooden basket carrying various fruits. There were blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, melons and apples. "A feast from yours truly."
He was charming when he chose to be.
"You don't have any meat?"
"... Meat?" Edric looked behind her, where his herd of horses roamed. "Well, I heard you quite like horsemeat."
"You'd be right."
"I suppose a break wouldn't hurt."
He would butcher one of his horses, cleanly and swiftly. He built a campfire quickly, too, as if it were second nature and began to cook a large part of the horse's chest. He would, from time to time, use flames from his own mouth to quicken the process...
Before long, he prepared a good number of finely sliced cubes. He had prepared a plate, fork, knife and even a waterskin to quench her thirst - it very well looked like a feast just for her.
"Blackfyre, once the sword that belonged to kings, used to chop horse meat," Edric remarked. "I'm sure the last Targaryen does not mind."
"That sword is Blackfyre...?"
"Yes... Aegon was kind enough to bring it straight to me. The Golden Company seem to have been hoarding it since the days of Aegor Bittersteel. Oh, I forgot, do you want your meat with some spices?"
"Sure."
He sprinkled several different spices before digging into some of his fruits. She tried one cube, it was very hot, yet she could handle it. It tasted wonderful. Definitely the best food she had eaten since Drogon took her from Meereen.
Edric sat down, eying her enviously.
"What's wrong?"
"Meat..." He muttered, shaking his head. "Gods, can't there be a chicken around or something in this shithole? It's horse, horse and even more horse."
"What's wrong with eating horseflesh?" Daenerys questioned, blinking.
"It's almost like eating dog meat... horses are, well, companions. I don't know how Dothraki, of all people, who treasure them so greatly, yet would eat them so regularly. It's a bit strange, no?"
"It's because they treasure them so greatly that they eat them," Daenerys answered. "They also believe it makes them strong."
"Hm... they might be right, to be fair. Equally, this Dothraki Sea has fuck all else to eat. I can't even blame them."
"What, you don't want it to be known that the great lord of the Seven Kingdoms enjoys horseflesh?" Daenerys chuckled. "How far could your honour plummet from that alone?"
"I'd get deposed immediately," Edric replied with a tone of sarcasm.
"Or it could be our secret..." She stabbed another cube with her fork, moving this one towards his mouth.
"Uh, how about no?-"
He leaned back, but she pounced on him.
"What are you-"
She slipped the cube into his mouth, and his mouth closed out of instinct. He ended up giving in and chewing it, his eyes widening with every second.
"Mmmmm... it's really good," Edric admitted. "The forbidden fruit always tastes the sweetest... or meat, in this case."
"It sounds like you want more," Daenerys sat back, watching him rise. "All that muscle needs meat to sustain it, no?"
"I've been getting a tad thinner, true... and since I've already sinned, I may as well fill my stomach."
In the end, he would most certainly eat his fill after cooking more of the horse's corpse.
"You know..." He dropped his head on the carpet. "I've not slept or even rested for over a week. All this time, just riding, fighting, willing myself forward... so I'm sorry if my words were harsh before."
"For over a week?" She raised an eyebrow. He seemed absolutely inhuman.
"Only little lapses, no longer than a few seconds. So, yeah... my head's probably a mess. In my heart, I blamed you for something you weren't responsible for when it was my fault entirely."
His words were sincere, soft... almost like a song. She couldn't blame him even if she wanted to.
"Your words have been... enlightening, if anything. Like you, I'm someone who prefers the truth over a convenient world of lies."
"... We're more alike than you'd know," Edric remarked, yawning. "Anyway, I'm going to rest now."
"You have earned it."
Almost immediately, Drogon dived down from the skies - swifter than the wind. He looked down on Edric, opening his jaws slowly.
"What are you doing?" Daenerys rose to her feet. "Vestri ūndegon daor!"
She ordered him not to attack in High Valyrian, and Drogon paused.
Edric opened his eyes, grinning slightly.
"Well, well... this is the weakest you'll ever find me, Drogon. Is there any pride to be won from killing me like this?"
The dragon's eyes narrowed.
Was he talking to it plainly? Drogon seemed to understand every word.
"Vezof jin azantys!"
She said, and Drogon finally obeyed, closing his jaw. He flew off, but not before taking one of the smaller horses for prey. Edric then looked at her, surprised.
"I suppose the mother's sweet words sound better after the iron fist. That one... really is troublesome."
"Why do you look so surprised? You think I have no control over my dragons-"
"Well, given your history, a little."
"Mhm..." She crossed her arms.
"But, hey, it seems like you're improving," Edric chuckled. "To be honest, I'm more surprised you didn't let him burn me."
"And why would I let that happen?"
"If I were dead, you'd reap all the benefits of our alliance while having no debts to pay. Sure, you'd lose my army, but you'd have a Meereen that wasn't under siege and only the fragments of the Slaver's Coalition to deal with. Not to mention, all of your dragons are reunited. It's a steal."
It was a ruthless way of seeing it. The thought hadn't even remotely crossed her mind.
"I don't think like you do," She replied.
"Dorian's finest teachings..." Edric chuckled. "First lesson... trust no one. You missed that one?"
"I doubt you trust no one."
"Yeah... I might've made a few exceptions to that rule. Living entirely by someone's teachings is not a prospect I find compelling. I see them more as guidelines, and I believe Dorian had intended them as such."
"He taught you well, it seems. I have to ask... have you reconsidered your stance?"
"On what...?"
"You know what I speak of."
"Hm, I'll answer that with a clearer head..."
"As you wish..."
From so short a time together, she found the idea of a future together... compelling.
More than she ever imagined.
Was that mutual?
She could only wonder for now.