STRANGER ━ Jon Snow

SEVENTY

CHAPTER 70 | THE HARDEST THING TO DO

IF Maia were being honest, her physical healing didn't matter. She had fully recovered in the past weeks from her miscarriage, but the sadness over her loss remained. She was scared if it would remain forever. This was her fault, after all. If she hadn't wished to take the moon tea at first, things would be well. If she hadn't been questioning her duty as a mother, things wouldn't have turned out this way. If she had told Jon sooner, she'd have a child.

Maia tried not to cry in front of people, but oddly enough, Daenerys' story of her child loss had made her stronger. If someone like Daenerys could rise up from that struggle to become the woman she was now, Maia could too. If she didn't think of her loss, things could get better over time. But internally, Maia knew that she would never mentally recover.

Daenerys stood beside her friend, hooking her arm through Maia's. They walked along the stairs of Dragonstone, taking in the salty air. Maia's eyes squinted at the sun and realized the wind had been colder for a solid week. The wintery air was coming closer and closer to the South.

"Have things been better, Lady Maia?" Daenerys asked hopefully.

Maia sent her a false smile. "I've physically recovered. No more weakness or spotting."

Daenerys hugged her arm closer. "Good," she replied. "In time, things will only get better. After the war is over, you and Jon Snow may stay in the Red Keep whenever you'd like. I'll have a special room reserved for only you two."

"That's very nice of you, Your Grace." Maia thanked as they walked down multiple steps. "I just hope we'll survive this war."

Daenerys didn't have a chance to reply to her odd comment, because they both heard their names being called: "Your Grace! Lady Maia!" The two women turned with confused expressions. Their eyes went to Tyrion Lannister, sprinting their way with a scroll in his small hands.

Maia's breathe hitched in her throat. Her hands instantly went to her now flat stomach, that held sagged skin in the random places. Each step Tyrion took felt longer and longer, for she knew what this scroll could be about. She didn't want to read it.

"A raven came," Tyrion said as he reached them. He was out of breath. "It's from Eastwatch."

Daenerys plucked the scroll from Tyrion's hand and smoothed out the edges. Maia peered at the letter from over her shoulders. It was from Gendry, who wrote to them in dire circumstances. He left the group just to inform Daenerys of what was going on. They needed her. They needed help.

Maia and Daenerys viewed up at each other. The decision had been made.

•••

Maia grabbed her gift from Daenerys quickly, sliding the bag of dragonglass arrows and bow along her back. This was what she needed. This was the kind of adrenaline and purpose she needed to get out of Dragonstone. This would make the sadness dull. She needed something new in her life; a purpose. This was a hasty decision, yes, but the act of helping Jon in a dire situation gave her a new sense of meaning after the loss of her child.

She slid on Jon's black leather gloves as she stalked behind Daenerys. The dragons stirred at the sight of their mother, causing Maia to slightly hold herself back, but she knew she couldn't. Tyrion followed them and tried to keep up, screaming, "You can't! Both of you cannot do this!"

Viserion shook himself awake and trained his eyes on Maia. The blonde stared at Viserion as she walked past, and could've sworn she saw a delighted look in the dragon's eye when he saw both Maia and Daenerys together.

Fog circled the air around them, but Daenerys still glowed in her white winter coat. It was stunning, made of bear and rabbit fur throughout the coat. All Maia had on was her Northern fur cloak and gloves to keep herself warm, but she, amongst the others there, knew the cold of the North. She only hoped this would be enough to protect herself, especially with the arrows on her shoulders.

Tyrion continued to reason with Daenerys. "The most important person in the world can't fly off to the most dangerous place in the world!"

"Who else can?" The dragon queen asked.

"No one!" Tyrion exclaimed. "They knew this when they left. You can't win the throne if you're dead."

Maia turned to glare at Tyrion. "Who's to say we'll die?"

"Lady Maia," the dwarf scoffed, "you as well as any can attest that this is a terrible plan! Why are you going along with it?"

"Because I need to do something! I must get out of this castle. If the gods don't wish for me to have a child, I need a new purpose." She bit her lip and looked across the shores of Dragonstone. "Jon Snow has saved me many times. It's time for me to save him."

Tyrion shook his head, gesturing to Daenerys again. "You can't break the wheel if you're dead!"

Daenerys climbed up on the side of Drogon, leaving Maia to wonder how she'd get up there. Would she ride a dragon? Her eyes opened wide with shock.

"So what would you have me do?" Daenerys asked.

"Nothing!" The dwarf stared at her, awestruck. "Sometimes nothing is the hardest thing to do. If you die, we're all lost. Everyone. Everything."

Daenerys scowled. "You told me to do nothing before and I listened to you. I'm not doing nothing again."

Tyrion's mouth opened as the dragon queen gestured for Maia to come forward. "Climb using his horns," she explained. "His scales are tough. Use them to hoist yourself up."

Maia wrinkled her nose. "Are you serious?"

"There's no time for questions," Daenerys said. "Up."

Maia looked up at Drogon, who stared at her curiously. "I don't think he likes me," she whispered. Her hand went to one of his scales, and it practically burned her fingers. When she looked back to Daenerys, she stared at her with a lofted brow. Maia swallowed hard and began to climb up the dragon. She used his horns as stepping marks and to pull herself up. It was tiring, almost as if she was rock-wall climbing back in summer camp. Her bow almost slipped from her back several times, and her hands burned from Drogon's scales, but she hoisted herself up after several minutes.

Daenerys followed in suit, except she took much less time than Maia. The woman had been riding her dragons for quite some time now, and she was indeed a pro. Daenerys sat near Drogon's neck, and held onto his horns as a way to steer and keep herself on the dragon. Maia slid closer to her, as instructed. She locked her arms around Daenerys waist and stuck her boots against Drogon's thick scales. The dragon shook hesitantly at the new rider on his back, but soon adjusted to the weight difference.

"Whatever you do," Daenerys said, "don't let go."

Maia nodded quickly. She took several breaths in, not knowing if she was prepared for this action. It almost seemed like a dream to remember when she was younger, reading her dragon books and wishing they were real. She was on one, right this second, and ready to ride through the air on it. She was doing this for Jon, and only for Jon. He was her purpose.

Drogon's belly rumbled, and before Maia was prepared, the dragon was sailing in the air beside his brothers. The wind almost knocked her backwards. Maia was on her way North, to save Jon, but in the back of her mind, she suddenly wished she hadn't left the walls of Dragonstone.