Chapter Text
The drumming stops and so does the marching. His master is introduced by a woman in the common tongue and it gives Jon a sense of calm. He doesn't know where he is or why he is there. He just knows he is important somehow considering he is the only slave in chains. From experience, they only keep slaves in chains when they are to be sold or punished.
The sound of some beasts scares the soldier that is holding his chain along with the master and everyone else. Not the slaves, however, they are thought to stay still with their gaze on the ground. Therefore Jon is able to contain his curiosity. Never in his life has he heard a creature like this. What on earth can that be?
'' Noble lord, you are in the presence of Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen. Queen of the Andels and the first men, Khaleesi of the great grass sea, breaker of chains and mother of dragons.''
Jon's heart jumps a beat. Daenerys of House Targaryen. It feels like he has seen a ghost. He has met one Targaryen in his life and he did not think he would ever meet the other. A once great house is now even more rare than their dragons. His father's best friend was responsible for that. He is sure it pleases her that both his father and the king is dead. Her only regret she did not get to kill them herself. His thoughts start trembling. How much did the slavers know about him? Are they aware of who he is? Is that why he is here? They found out who he is and decided to give him to the dragon queen. She is going to kill him.
The beasts growl again, but this time he is not able to control himself. He sees three dragons in the tent fighting over a piece of meat. Eventually, one of them gets it and returns to the ground so he no longer can see them hidden behind the crowd in front of him. It's true what they say about this Targaryen woman. He had heard rumors of her in the north, but he never imagined them being true. As he watches the beast devour the stake he can't help asking himself: Is that what she is going to do to him? Throw him to her dragons like a piece of meat and let them rip him apart as she watches.
The queen's demonstration of power has silenced every remaining sound and he can now hear every word.
''Good. My unsullied need practice. I was told to blood them early.''
''If blood is your desire blood shall flow, but why? It's true you have committed savageries in Astapor, but the Yunkaie are forgiving and generous people''. That's when his master claps and slaves carry chests towards them. The soldier that holds his chains pushes him forward and Jon is back to the reality of the situation. His head is too high and he quickly corrects himself before anyone else does it with a whip. Eyes on the ground, he tells himself as he is brought towards his master, the dragons, and their mother.
'' The wise masters of Yunkai have sent a gift for the silver queen''.
Chests with gold are placed on the ground and opened in front of her. Just like the gold Jon is brought in front of her like an object. He is pushed to his knees by the side of his master who now holds his chains.
''There is more than this waiting on the deck of your ship''.
''My ship?''. her voice is soft, intrigued and somehow offended all at the same time.
''Yes, Khaleesi. As I said: we are a generous people. You shall have as many ships as you require''.
The silence that comes from her is unsettling, even for the lord. She is aware of the fact and waits a couple of seconds extra before she turns her gaze to him. Not the master, her attention is in the hands of the man on his knees in front of her by the master's side. Chained like a dog and on the ground like a piece of dirt. This ''Lord'' was already not on her good side.
''And what about him?''. she asks in a stone cold manner.
For the first time since arriving the master seems to be in a good mood. The master smiles broadly and says: "We acknowledge that women have needs here in Yunkai. The higher-born women in this city would pay chests of gold for a boy like this, but as I said: we are a generous people". He grabs Jon's chin and pushes him to look at the queen. ''He is pretty, isn't he? Wait until you see his cock".
Jon shakes as he is forced to look up at her so she can see his face. The thought of being the bed slave of a Targaryen scares him, but the thought of what may happen to him if she declines scares him more. When he can't look away. When his gaze meets her face, however, she is nothing like he had imagined. He had imagined a tall woman wearing armor in the Targaryen colors. A woman with a strict and cold face. What he is looking at is a small woman in a white dress. Yes, her face is cold and strict, but it is her look of power. He can sense it. And gods, she is beautiful. Blonde hair like silver and eyes warm despite their cold color. Why had he never heard anyone mention her beauty? Her eyes turn to look at him. He expects her to inspect his face, his body. To his surprise, she keeps eye contact. Not looking at him like a priced pig or a piece of trash. It frightens him. Maybe she knows? Maybe these ignorant slave masters don't recognize a northerner, but she might.
He cringes in pain as he feels his master hit him across the face followed by words he knows well in a language he does not understand. He had heard those words again and again until he eventually knew what they meant: "Know your place bastard". They caught him staring at the queen before he realized it himself. Afraid to be further punished or humiliated he closes his eyes and bows his head again. His body is shaking and he can't stop despite his efforts.
Daenerys' blood boils, but she knows better than to show her disgust at his actions and his words. She won't let her enemies see her weaknesses. Her gentle heart as Jorah calls it. She turns back to the lord and asks: "And what do you ask in return?"
"All we ask is that you make use of these ships. Sail back to Westeros where you belong and leave us to conduct our affairs in peace".
Daenerys let his words sink in and keep him waiting as she studies her guests. The man with curly raven-black hair in chains and a collar, the other slaves unchained but in collars bowing in front of her and then back at the master. "I have a gift for you as well..." she says giving him enough time to smile before she continues: "your life".
"My life?"
"And the lives of your wise masters, but I also want something in return". she says knowing very well how it provokes him
Jon had stopped listening to their conversation after the blow to his face fearing he would be hit once more if his curiosity went out of hand again. Although he no longer followed the conversation he feels the mood of the room drastically change as he now hears the distant sound of her voice. No more short sentences keeping everyone on their toes. She speaks softly yet powerfully, and whatever she is saying makes his master mad. When the silver queen is done with her speech his master uses the voice Jon is so familiar with. The voice he uses when he threatens his slaves. Eventually, he stands up so forcefully his chair is pushed backward. A big growl comes from one of the dragons and it pushes Jon out of his bubble once more.
"You swore me safe conduct" his master says in both anger and fear.
"I did, but my dragons made no promises. And you threatened their mother".
"Take the gold!" he says and gives Jon's chains back to the guard.
Jon looks up and watches the black dragon claim the gold and growl against his fellow slaves. They decide they fare the beast more than their captors and retreat out of the tent.
"My gold. You gave it to me remember? And I should put it to good use".
The green dragon, a bit smaller than the black, appears and lands on Jon's shoulders claiming him as his mother's. He can feel the claws of the beast on his shoulder blades. Her gold. Her bed slave, he thinks as he hears the beast growl at the guard holding his chains. Not a second later he can hear them hit the ground. Jon realizes he belongs to the Targaryen woman now
The master stands there alone, abandoned by his slaves and guards. "You'd be wise to do the same with my gift to you. Now get out". she finishes. He leaves in anger muttering curses in his mother tounge.
She watches them leave and Ser Barriston speaks up: "The Yunkish are proud people. They will not bend".
"What happens to things that don't bend?". she says and her advisors smile.
She gives Rhaegal a command in Valyrian and he leaves Jon's shoulders to return to her side.
"He said he had powerful friends. Who was he talking about?". she asks looking at Ser Barriston and Ser Jorah.
"I don't know". Ser Jorah replies.
"Find out". she says. He nods and she stands up from her comfortable seat.
"Ser Barriston stay here with me, the rest of you may retire". she says almost in a whisper
"Do you want me to close the canopy, your grace?". Missandei asks kindly. Daenerys looks at the man on his knees in front of her and then back at her friend. "I think that would be the best. Thank you Missandei".
Already. Jon thinks to himself as he feels a pinch of guilt in his chest. He thought he had until tonight to prepare himself to lay with the Queen. He thought he had time to convince himself that he had no choice. That he wasn't betraying Ygritte. Then again; she's dead. He takes a deep breath as the curtain gets pulled aside to provide privacy. At least the amount of privacy one can get with an older man in the room. He is probably here for her protection. That's at least what he is hoping for. She wouldn't share him with her advisor, would she? Take her turn then let her advisor bend him over and... Some of his master's guards had tried. When they knew what his use was going to be they held him to the ground as he begged them for mercy. They were stopped just in time by their senior officer. He had yelled at them in the common tongue and was told not to touch him. What would the Lord do to them if he knew they had used the Silver Queen's gift?
"They have no shame."
Daenerys usually tries to keep her feelings to herself, but that master had truly angered her. He had brought a slave as a peace offering to the breaker of chains and abused him right in front of her. "They don't know your values, your grace. Soon they will". the knight says and grins. She returns to look at the man in front of her. "The man". He is around her age or perhaps his newly shaved face is fooling her. No, he is a boy. A scared boy that has been cleaned and prepared to be sold. She knew that feeling all too well.
The queen kneels in front of him letting her white dress lay on the ground around her. He didn't know what to expect earlier, but not anything like this. It is not his position to judge, just do as she desires. On the ground, in a bed, wherever. She speaks softly, almost like she is singing a serenade to him. It takes him a couple of seconds before he realizes she is not using the common tongue. He understands the last words, and like most Valyrian words he knows, they are a command: "Look at me" In a panic he raises his gaze at her, afraid he is slow enough for punishment. He meets her gentle gaze and he understands he had no reason to fare. Maybe she will be kind. Perhaps if he gets her with child she will legitimize it if he begs.
She whispers some more words and leans in. He didn't expect her to go for a kiss. Time stops and he knows it's now or never. He needs to get through this and perhaps the only way is to enjoy it.
He is scared of her, she could tell the moment she knelt in front of him. Therefore she let her leader's voice go and talks to him as softly as she knows how. She leans in to remove his collar to free him. That's when his hands gently cup her face and he kisses her. The element of surprise keeps her there and she forgets who they are. Before she gets to think it through she kisses him back. Maybe it has been so long that the need for intimacy has taken over. It feels like an instinct like she was made to kiss this man.
This man. The man who was given to her as a bed slave. He does what he thinks he has to do, just like she did on her wedding night. He thinks she went in for a kiss despite what she told him. He thinks he must kiss her, pleasure her and fuck her to not be killed. She pulls back from him and drops her hands from the back of his neck. "You are not from here are you?". she asks as she tries to get eye contact.
He returns his hands to his lap and his gaze to the ground. "No, mistress". he whispers in perfect common tongue. She can see panic wash over him: "I'm sorry, I will do whatever you want. Please forgive me". Those words are confirmation of her suspicion, he didn't understand what she said.
"Don't be afraid. Looking at me is not forbidden" she says softly.
Jon hesitates but slowly raises his head to look at the Targaryen woman. Woman? No. The more he looks at her the more he realizes how young she is.
"You shall not lay with me unless it is your desire. You shall not serve me in any way unless it is by your own will. You shall no longer wear a collar".
He looks at her in disbelief and in shock. "I don't have slaves'' she says. Those words don't register with him he keeps quiet, still scared of the whip.
"May I help you with your collar?" she asks carefully.
He nods, still shaking with fear. "What will you do to me?".
"Nothing. You are free to go".
He turns silent again. Both in shock and because of his realization: he has nowhere to go. She picks up on his behavior quickly. Has he never been a free man?
"Do you want a horse perhaps? Some money to go to Bravos maybe? Westeros?". No response
"What's your name? Not the name they gave you, your real name. Have you had another name?".
There it is. She might be kind to a slave, but not the bastard son of the man that helped remove her family from the throne. He happens to look up at Ser Barriston. The man who was the Captain of the king's guard not too long ago. How he ended up as an adviser to a Targaryen he does not know. He might recognize his Stark-like features and if he does he is doomed. "Don't be afraid. No one will hurt you anymore".
"If I tell you my name you will not be able to keep that promise". He can see the knight has recognized him now. The Queen stands up and looks at her advisor.
"Do you know each other? Do you know him?".
"I do have my suspicions, your grace". Ser Barristan says not looking away from the boy.
Before she gets to ask any further, Jon speaks up: "My name is Jon Snow, mistress".
She does not recognize the name. Not at all and she wonders why she should know it. Her gaze reconnects with Ser Barriston and he says: "He is Ned Stark's bastard". A part of her cringes at the word bastard and the other part of her is in rage.
"Who sent you? Who sent you to kill me?".
"No one...".
"I have experienced so many assassination attempts, but this..."
"I am not...."
"What was your family's plan, huh? Excepting that I would take advantage of a slave and then stab me while we were fucking?".
"No, mistress. I have not seen my family in months. I was sold by members of the night's watch".
"You honestly think I would believe that Ned Stark's son would be sold to slavery without any consequences. Your family would start a war!".
"I'm just his bastard, I'm not worth anything. Especially now that my father is gone".
She is not able to yell any further. She could feel those words crushing her heart, but also her anger.
"How do I know you are not lying?".
He hesitates for a second, the instinct that if he moves too suddenly he will be whipped. He turns his back to her, praying for her mercy
They had cleaned him up nicely for her, but his back was impossible to do anything with. He had been whipped more than she could count. Some healed scars and others were wide open. A living person shouldn't be able to carry such wounds she concluded. She falls to her knees touching the marks when she realizes some of them are infected.
"Is the healer's tents ready?" she asks looking at her advisor.
"No. They haven't been unpacked yet".
She's not able to look away from it and makes a sudden decision.
"Put him in my bed, but keep him in chains. I will find someone to help"