A Dragon Fate

Chapter 9: Ship

We went to King's Landing the next day. A little swim in the sea made me feel better, but i still felt the blood on me. In my hair, under my nails, even in my mouth where it's never been.

I'm waiting for the moment when we stop at Driftmark more than anything else. Then can I finally take a bath.

My shoulder still hurts. Lord Corlys was courteous enough treat my wounds, but the bandage needs to be changed. Initially, I pulled out the arrows myself and Daemon volunteered to help with the one that hit from the back. But the tension between us was depressing, so i drove him away and he brought Corlys.

I'm alone in a double cabin because there are no more women on the ship. I don’t know if there is enough space, because our people and ships have decreased in number. So far i'm enjoying the loneliness that i've rarely gotten in the past three years.

Someone knocks on the door and it's hard for me to even answer. I hardly slept last night struggling with nightmares and very tired. Just closing my eyes, i plunged into every moment when i pierced someone with a sword.

My wrestling and fencing lessons started when i was twelve but i never thought what it really is to kill someone. The worst nightmare i had was the one where i was in the middle of yesterday's carnage. In a crowd of distraught people who fought for their lives and took away others.

"Alysanne?" a voice comes from behind the door.

"I'm naked" i said with effort. The door opens and Daemon walks in.

His hair is short, which isn't surprising given the state he's put it in. Although he looks better with short.

"It will never work, you know?" he goes into a small cabin and sits on the opposite doss.

"Someday it will turn out to be true and i'll have to cut your throat" i blink slowly, sitting down too. I lean on a wounded hand and hiss with displeasure in pain. "Why did you come?" i asked.

Out of the corner of my eye, i see how Daemon twitches in my direction and i suddenly feel embarrassed. I transfer the weight to a healthy hand, and then sit down facing him, leaning against the wall. Daemon looks at me intently. Again.

"I wanted to know how are you" he said.

I raise my eyebrow. I didn't think he was so worried. "My shoulder still hurts but less, thank you"

He looks down and nods, but i have a feeling he's doing it more for himself. Part of the hair falls on Daemon's face and i feel like removing it. I calm myself. This is a very bad idea and since when did i start thinking about it.

"That's good, but it's not what i meant" he finally said. He still doesn't look at me keeping his eyes on his knees. To say i'm surprised is like saying nothing.

"And what did you meant, Daemon?" i almost whispered.

He looks up at me and his feelings pierce my head. A mixture of sadness, sympathy, pain and something else that i can’t figure out are reflected in them like in a mirror. They weigh me down and it seems that I can't breathe.

I see so much that was previously hidden in it. Not flashed by an accidental loss of control, but voluntarily open. All games are thrown aside. Now only his true soul, crippled by years of battles, is here.

I'm too tired to think about something and my mind doesn't control what i say.

"Did you saw a nightmares?" i asked.

"Yes" he doesn't look away, doesn't try to reduce it to a momentary clouding of my mind. This word gets inside me, sits in my bones. It means everything.