A Dragon's Flame

Chapter Sixty-Two

Her eyes widen in surprise, and then she chuckles. "My... you only call me Daenerys when you're cross with me." She places a basket of fruit on her cocked hip and studies me. "What have I done this time love?"

I blink at her stupidly. It is definitely Daenerys, there is no denying it, but she looks different. Her purple lilac eyes are gorgeous but ordinarily blue. Her long silver hair is brown. She is beautiful, but everything Targaryen is no longer there.

She approaches me still smiling. "I was just gathering some fruit for the children to eat while they study." She chuckles. "They have been working so hard... sword lessons with you... language and literature with their tutor. I'm so proud."

"Children...?" I whisper.

Her brows knit and she steps closer. "Yes... our children." She chuckles. "Have you been in the sun too long? I told you to be careful... did Jon convince you to go on some hair-brained venture with him again?" She shakes her head and chuckles. "I swear I will wring his neck next time I see him." She turns back to gather some more berries. "He is lucky the children love him so much. I swear he spends more time with my wife than I do!

"Your... wife...?" I whisper.

She looks at me really worried now. She places a hand on my forehead and I'm too shocked to move. She clicks her tongue. "Did he take you drinking? I swear Nyla..."

I'm too confused. The warlock is truly evil to make this wild dream for me. "We aren't married..."

She laughs. "Gods, you are drunk. Yes, we are! If you can't get it together Nyla, I'm rinsing your head in some cold water."

"This is an illusion. We can't be married, it is impossible!"

She chuckles and places a hand on my shoulder. "If you're trying to flirt it is not working my love. Yes, sometimes it feels too good to be true I will admit." She sits on a nearby bench. "Sit Nyla, you look as pale as a ghost."

My throat gets tight. "He can see into my deepest thoughts and desires..." I whisper. "How cruel to tempt me with this, when I know the real Daenerys is here somewhere, needing me."

This Daenerys looks very concerned. "You're scaring me Nyla. I am the real Daenerys." Her brows knit and her heart looks broken. "Sit with me love, please. Stop this joke it is cruel."

"You're not real. I'm sorry." I start to back away.

She stands and starts to cry. "Please my love stop this! Stay with me. I love you."

My heart breaks looking at her. She looks so much like her, sounds like her. She loves me, loves me like I love her. We have a house, a family, no war, no politics, just us. But she isnt the real Daenerys. She isn't my Daenerys.

"Nyla!" I hear a yell from behind me. "Nyla!"

I turn toward the voice and draw my sword. I burst through a door and there she is. My Daenerys.

She is chained to the wall in a circular room. The Dragons are behind her chained as well.

Her eyes widen she sees me. "Nyla!"

I resist the urge to run to her and raise my sword defensively when I see him. The warlock. Pyatt Pree.

"Let her go!" I demand.

He shakes his head. "I think not. Her dragons make our magic stronger, and she makes her dragons stronger. She will stay with us."

A copy of him appears on the other side. "You are worthless to us little one. So it will be best to dispose of you."

"Your magic is nothing compared to mine. Her dragons make me strong too. But she makes me stronger. You will not have her."

I lunge for one of them, but as I stab they turn to cloth. Another Pyatt stabs at me with a knife and I parry his attack.

"Behind you!" I hear Daenerys cry. And I dodge in time as a duplicate appears behind me. I slash at him as well.

I jump to Daenerys' side, breathing heavily. Pyatt Pree stands in front of us. He chuckles humorously. "If it is your wish to be imprisoned here forever as well... so be it..."

I look into Daenerys' eyes. They shine violet, she is real, she is mine. "Dragonfire," I whisper. I drop Dragons Claw.

She looks down at her dragons and then to me. I nod.

She looks at the sorcerer. "Dracarys."

The dragons chirp and smoke comes from their mouths. Pyatt Pree looks at them.

Drogon shoots a long stream of fire at him, and his sleeve catches fire. He starts to panic and the flames enveloped his body. He screams as he is burnt alive.

The dragons burn Daenerys chains and then their own. She smiles.

I walk toward her and embrace her. "Thank the gods you're alright Dany."

She hugs me back tightly. "I was so worried about you." She pulls back and looks at me from arm's length. "Let's get out of this awful place."

I pick up Rhaegal and she takes the others. The towers illusions have fallen away with Pyatt Pree's death, and we follow the stairs down to the exit.

Ser Jorah is where we left him, visibly panicked. He runs to us when he sees us.

"My queen, my lady..." he gasps. "I could not enter. I thought..."

She smiles. "No need to worry Ser. Nyla protected me. The sorcerer is dead... but I think it is time to have a word with the "King" of Qarth."

Ser Jorah leads us back to the manse, the sun has fallen by now. We enter the manse quietly and go to Xaro's bed chambers.

I'm disgusted and disappointed to see him sleeping with a naked Doreah beside him. So she betrayed us. Daenerys motions for the amulet around his neck. I draw my sword and snatch the amulet, causing him to wake with a start.

"What the..." he is obviously surprised to see us. Seeing Daenerys, Ser Jorah, and I, along with the rest of the Dothraki in his bedroom must be a shock to him.

Doreah's eyes open wide in shock. "Khaleesi, please. He said you'd never leave Qarth alive..."

Daenarys raises her hand. "Come."

She turns and Xaro moves suddenly. I raise my sword to his throat and he glares.

"Don't try anything," I whisper.

We walk to Xaro's safe, and I use the amulet to open it. Daenerys walks in.

The vault is empty.

She turns around. "Nothing." She turns to Xaro. "Thank you, Xaro Xhoan Daxos. Thank you for teaching me this lesson."

The Dothraki push Xaro and Doreah forward into the vault.

Xaro starts to plead. "I am the king of Qarth. I can help you now, truly help you. We can take the Iron Throne. I'll bring you a thousand ships."

Doreah starts to cry. "Please, Khaleesi, I beg you."

The door starts to close on them. "All that you have dreamed is within your reach!" I hear Xaro shout as the door closes.

"I beg you, please!" Screams Doreah.

"Khaleesi!"

The door shuts and I take the amulet. It is cruel, but they betrayed her, took her children, and had her locked in a tower, believing she would be there for an eternity.

I hand the amulet to her. She smiles.

We walk around the house, taking anything of value.

"It's all a lie." Ser Jorah says looks around.

I lift up a golden vase and toss it to him. "Looks real enough to me."

Daenerys nods. "Real enough to buy a ship?"

Ser Jorah smiles. "Aye, a small ship." Ser Jorah turns to the Dothraki. "Take all the gold and jewels."

Daenerys beams at me. Her Dragons curled lovingly in her arms and around her neck.