Sacrifice | Daenerys Targaryen

-9-

" They will come, Your Grace. When they're ready."

" Perhaps they didn't want to be conquered."

" You didn't conquer them. You liberated them."

" People learn to love their chains."

Daenerys anxiously awaits for the gates of Yunkai to open and for the newly freed slaves to appear. But once they do, they pour out in droves. The Unsullied stand to protect their Queen as she watches with soft eyes and a kind heart of the people whom have endured so much. She stands before them as a symbol of hope as Lyla stands directly off to her side. Lyla serves as Daenerys's anchor in a moment of need as the red-head holds the child in her arms.

" Bisa iksis Daenērys Targārien, se Jelmāzmo, se Dorzalty, se Dāria Sikudo Dārȳti Vestero, se Muña Zaldrīzoti.  Issa naejot zirȳla ao enkagon aōha."

But Daenerys refutes the claim that she gave these people their freedom.

" Gaomā daor enkagon nyke aōha.  Nyke daor tepagon ziry naejot ao.  Aōha iksis daor ñuhon naejot tepagon.  Ziry naejot ao Se ao mērī.  Lo jaelā ziry arlī, istia gūrogon ziry syt. Se tolvie mēre hen ao," The Queen announces to the people, her people.

The words fall upon Lyla's deaf ears as she struggles to understand the language, but the Yunkai people immediately take to their Queen.

Mhysa is the word that leaves their tongue—a word of adoration and hope.

" What does it mean?" Daenerys asks.

" It is old Ghiscari, Khaleesi," Missandei replies, " It means... mother."

Mother.

The word hits Daenerys right in her heart as her eyes fill with love for the people of whom are now free.

The chanting of 'mhysa' continues to echo through the air, a chorus of gratitude and adoration for the woman who has brought them liberation. Daenerys's eyes shimmer with tears as she watches the people she has freed, their voices uniting in a single word that carries the weight of their collective pain and hope.

"Mother," Daenerys whispers to herself, her voice barely audible amidst the chant.

Beside her, Lyla's heart swells with a mixture of emotions. She gazes at Daenerys with pride and affection, her own eyes moist with unshed tears. The bond between them feels stronger than ever in this moment, as if the energy of the crowd is a reflection of the connection they share.

As the chant reaches its crescendo, the Yunkai people suddenly surge forward, lifting Daenerys up into the air. Her arms spread wide, and her eyes find Lyla's across the sea of faces. In that heartbeat, time seems to freeze, and it's as if it's just the two of them, locked in a moment that transcends words and barriers.

Their eyes meet, and in that gaze, they share a universe of emotions – love, longing, and a shared understanding that goes beyond the surface. Lyla holds Aera tightly against her chest, her heart pounding in rhythm with the chant, her eyes locked with Daenerys's.

Daenerys's heart races as she's carried above the crowd, her eyes never leaving Lyla's. The world around them fades into a blur as their connection becomes the only thing that matters. The chanting of 'mhysa' melds into a symphony of shared feelings, a testament to the impact Daenerys has had on these people's lives.

Finally, the crowd begins to lower Daenerys back to the ground, their hands gentle and reverent. As her feet touch the earth, she remains in their midst, her gaze never leaving Lyla's. Aera stirs in Lyla's arms, and Daenerys offers a radiant smile, her love and appreciation evident in every curve of her lips.