(Ra's POV)
It had been a week since Robert Baratheon took the throne.
I have been using this time protecting Elia and the people of King's Landing from the Lannister soldiers who still wish to rape or pillage.
And now, it seems things have settled down. Lannister soldiers don't dare look at the citizens, and even the king and Ned Stark have men patrolling the city to keep peace.
I was in my room, in simple clothes, as I painted a memory from my homeland while a cauldron simmered behind me, when I heard a knock on the door and the voice of Elia calling out to me.
I hesitated before I said, "Enter," as with my transformation I have gained golden hair, golden eyes, and elongated canines.
I sometimes scare people, and I don't wish to scare her. She entered the room with baby Aegon in her arms.
She seemed stunned for a second as she saw me, then glanced at the painting I was drawing.
"Beautiful," she said, looking at the painting, and I smiled. "Thank you, Princess," I said and gave her a chair to sit.
She sat with a little effort, and I supported her. "You should have called for me," I said, and she shook her head and smiled at me.
"Is that your homeland?" she asked me, and I nodded.
"There are a thousand tales of Goldmere I have heard over the years," she whispered, and I smiled.
"They are all wrong if they call it Goldmere… it's called Nightshade," I told her and checked on the cauldron.
She giggled and looked at me again. "You should remove your helmet more," she said, making me shrug.
I scooped up the contents of the cauldron and placed them in a bowl, bringing the bowl to her.
"You came at the right time. I was going to seek you in a moment," I told her and placed the bowl in front of her.
"I made this for you," I said. The bowl contained a healing concoction; it did not look appetizing but had great healing properties.
"You shouldn't have…" she said, making a face. I rolled my eyes at her. "This is a healing broth from my homeland," I told her.
"Well… it doesn't seem fit for human consumption," she said and looked away.
I sighed at her antics. "I cannot eat anything anyway. I have my hands full," she said with a smile, looking at the baby.
"I… can hold the baby for you," I told her, and she shook her head. "He is asleep. Just feed me that yourself," she said.
I took the bowl and spoon and approached her. I knelt to reach her level and fed her slowly.
"You are like a child sometimes," I told her, and she stuck her tongue out at the taste of the broth.
"Does it heal by killing the drinker?" she asked me, and I ignored the statement, giving her another spoonful.
"Will… you be leaving?" she asked me before I fed her another spoonful.
I tilted my head. I had not thought about that. "You are safe," I said simply and fed her again.
She bit her lip and sighed. "I can't ask you to protect me all my life, now can I?" she said with a shake of her head.
"I… have lived a long life," I blurted out for some reason.
She raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "Is about thirty a long time for you?" she asked, and I shook my head.
"I have many times more than thirty," I told her, and she looked surprised and touched my face.
I held her hand and smiled. "So you could feed yourself after all," I teased, and she giggled.
"I don't know if I want you to stay if you are going to be feeding me things like this…" she said, looking at the still half-full bowl.
I laughed and scooped up another spoon for her. "I am afraid you should ask me to depart then," I said, feeding her again.
She gulped and looked thoughtful. "It's not that bad now that I think about it," she said and looked away. She does that when she lies.
After the bowl was empty, she got up and placed baby Aegon on the bed gently before approaching me.
"Be honest with me. Will I be asking you for the rest of your life if I ask you to stay?" she asked me, and I shook my head.
"I did not lie just now… I have lived long," I told her and sat on the chair so we would be at the same height.
She stood in front of me. "Why did you protect me?" she asked. She knew I did not work for her house.
I looked at the baby and then back at her. "I am here to help the innocent, and that is what I did," I told her. Why am I so bad at communication… I lamented in my mind.
She nodded and bowed to me. "Please, then I request your aid in my protection," she asked me.
I smiled at her and nodded. I knelt in front of her and vowed, "By my blade, by my name the Golden Sun, and by my father the Golden Dragon. I, the custodian of the Nightshade, vow to protect you and yours," I said.
She placed her hands on her heart, and tears escaped her eyes as she hugged me. "Thank you," she whispered to me again and again.
I hugged her back. "It seems you are healthier already. I shall make the broth regularly," I said, and she punched my chest lightly.
"Never mind… you can leave," she muttered, still not letting go of me.
After some time, she sat on her seat again and opened and closed her hands. "It seems you are right. I feel better," she said, looking surprised.
"Of course. My father told me this recipe, and the ingredients are from my homeland," I told her with pride.
She placed her hand on her chin. "Still… I think I would rather be frail. You are not a good cook," she said, and I gave her an offended look and looked away.
She giggled and approached me, cupping my face and trying to turn my face towards her. I did not budge, and she coaxed for almost fifteen minutes before I was satisfied.
A/n: power stones and reviews please.