Disclaimer:
Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
ASOIAF and all of its characters belong to GRRM
I own nothing but the original characters I make.
"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 51: A Tempting Offer
Daenerys's fingers hovered over the ancient pages, her violet eyes fixed on Joffrey's face. The lamp flickered between them, casting long shadows across his sharp features, and for a moment, he looked almost like a different person...older, wearier, as if he were carrying the weight of centuries on his shoulders.
"Prince Joffrey," she said slowly, "tell me your true goal. You, who took this knowledge from my ancestors... what do you intend to do with it?"
Joffrey leaned back in his chair, studying her with those unsettling green eyes. "You want the truth?"
"I would not have asked otherwise."
He was silent for a long moment, his fingers drumming lightly on the table. Then he smiled. It was a measured smile, as if he had been expecting this question and had prepared his answer long in advance.
"The truth, Princess, is that I seek power. Just like everyone else in this world. Although perhaps the kind I want is more direct. More fundamental." He gestured to the book. "The Valyrians understood that true power comes from within. They interpreted it in their own way, yes. Seeking to borrow qualities from the dragons, forming a bond with them."
Daenerys took her hands off the pages. "You want to use this ritual on yourself? To become a dragonlord? Or something like that?"
"I wish to understand what makes a dragonlord. And once I understand it, I want to perfect it." Joffrey leaned forward, his eyes gleaming in the lamplight. "The Valyrians were strong, but they were not as strong as they could have been." He pointed at the tome. "The alchemist who wrote this diary understood that. He was trying to do something about it. Unfortunately, he never got to conclude his research."
Daenerys felt a chill run down her spine. "What you want to do goes against nature."
Joffrey's expression never wavered. "Sometimes we must go against nature to get what we want. Your Valyrian ancestors knew this."
"The Doom killed my ancestors. It would have destroyed the Targaryens as well, if we had not left Valyria."
Joffrey gave her a bored look. "Please, do not tell me you believe it was some divine retribution for their sins. The Valyrian Empire lasted nearly five thousand years. Whatever caused their doom had nothing to do with gods."
Daenerys did not think it had anything to do with gods, but still...
"Think of it, Princess. Even if you manage to retake the throne with an army, will you be able to maintain control over the Seven Kingdoms as the only dragon rider in existence? And what will happen after you are gone? There will be no Targaryens left to control those dragons. With luck, they would leave without burning the capital down. And then your dynasty will come to an end. No more pureblood Targaryens. No more dragons."
"And these experiments will fix that?"
"They could." Joffrey's voice was soft, persuasive. "Imagine for a moment having an army of warriors enhanced by dragon's blood. Stronger, faster, resistant to fire and magic. Men and women who could ride dragons into battle, who could command the skies and burn entire armies to ash."
He paused, letting the image take root in her mind.
"I am offering you a chance to be more than a queen, Daenerys Stormborn. I am offering you a chance to be a goddess."
She stared at him, her mind reeling. "A goddess?"
"Why not? Aegon the Conqueror was referred to as a dragon god by some. He rode a dragon, conquered seven kingdoms, forged a realm that lasted three centuries. But he was still mortal. He still aged and died." Joffrey's voice dropped to a whisper. "What if you could be more? What if you could live for centuries? What if your bond with your dragons became so strong that you could feel what they feel, see what they see, command them with a mere thought?"
"You are speaking of things that belong in old tales."
"Those old tales are often based on truth." Joffrey pointed at the book. "The rituals described here are just the foundation. With your help, I can refine them and perfect them. Together, we can create something the world has never seen."
Daenerys looked down at the ancient pages, at the symbols that spoke of blood and fire and transformation. She thought of her brother Viserys, who had sold her like a horse and died for his arrogance. She thought of Khal Drogo, who had promised her the world and fallen to a wound that should not have been fatal. She thought of her dragons...small and vulnerable, but growing stronger every day.
"These rituals are unnatural and twisted." Her voice was soft, but there was steel beneath it. "You are talking about changing what it means to be human."
"I am talking about making you more than human." Joffrey's eyes were intense. "Tell me, Princess, do you feel entirely human? When you walked into Khal Drogo's pyre, when the flames consumed his body and left you untouched, did you feel like an ordinary woman?"
Daenerys said nothing.
"The fire did not burn you because you are special. Because your ancestors submitted to these same rituals generations ago. The blood of dragons flows in your veins. That is not poetry, but simple biology." He tapped the book. "And with this knowledge, we can ensure that the blood of dragons flows in the veins of thousands. Tens of thousands. We can build an army of dragonlords the likes of which the world has never seen."
"An army." Daenerys's voice was flat.
"Yes. Isn't that what you wanted more than anything? An army that could help you retake what is rightfully yours?"
Joffrey's words were so tempting that it was becoming impossible for her to ignore them.
"Those men and women you brought on the ship cannot help you against the armies of Westeros. Not as they are now. But I could improve them..."
"And you can do this? This ritual?" She tapped the pages of the book.
"I believe that with your help, I can learn to make it even better." Joffrey's voice was earnest. "The book describes the rituals, but it does not explain the underlying principles. Kaerion knew what worked, but he did not always understand why. I can fill in the gaps and refine the process. All I need is your full cooperation."
"You want to use my dragons," Daenerys stated.
"I need to take samples. Blood, mostly. Perhaps some scales. Nothing that would harm them." Joffrey paused. "And I will need samples of your blood as well."
Daenerys recoiled. "My blood?"
"Your blood carries the legacy of the Valyrian rituals. It is the key to understanding how the bond works. Without it, I am working in the dark." Joffrey met her gaze. "I will not take more than a few drops at a time. You will not be harmed."
Daenerys rose from her chair and began to pace the small chamber, her hands clasped behind her back. The runes on Joffrey's armor pulsed softly in the corner, a constant reminder of the power he wielded. She could feel his eyes watching her, waiting.
She could not shake the feeling that he was not telling her everything.
Beneath his calm exterior, there was a bottomless hunger for power and knowledge that went beyond anything she could understand.
But she could not deny the truth of his words. The Targaryens had been in decline for centuries before Robert's Rebellion. Their dragons had died out long ago. By the time of her father, there were none left at all. She was the last of her line, the last hope for a house that had once ruled the world.
She stopped pacing and turned to face him. "You are offering me a chance to restore my house. To bring the Targaryens back to their former glory. To surpass even Aegon the Conqueror."
"I am offering you a chance to build something new. Something that will last for countless millennia." Joffrey rose from his chair, moving to stand before her. "The Valyrian Freehold is gone. It will never return. But with my assistance, you can build something better. An empire of dragonlords."
"An empire..." The words were sweet as honey. But could she do that? Could this strange prince keep such a promise?
"What do you say, Daenerys Stormborn?" He extended his hand.
"Together, we can change the world."
Daenerys looked at his hand, then at his eyes. The hunger was evident there. He was not offering this alliance out of altruism. He wanted something more.
But then, so did she.
"I will not serve you," she said. "I have spent too long serving others...a brother, a husband. Now is my time to rule. I am a Khaleesi, the mother of dragons. And I will be queen."
"No one will ask you to serve." Joffrey's hand remained extended. "This will be a relationship among equals. We will work together."
Daenerys studied him for a long moment. The lamp flickered. The ship creaked.
He is hiding something, she thought. I can feel it. But perhaps it does not matter. Perhaps what he offers is worth the risk.
"You said you would need my knowledge, my blood, and my dragons' blood."
"Yes."
"And you said that with these, we could create an invincible army of dragonlords. To restore the glory of Old Valyria."
"Yes."
"And you said that I could become more than a queen. That I could be a goddess."
Joffrey smiled. "I said that you could become something akin to a goddess...from the perspective of the common folk, of course. The distinction matters."
Daenerys nodded slowly. She thought of Aegon the Conqueror, of the crown he had worn, the throne he had built. She thought of her ancestors and the power they had wielded, the empire they had built. She thought of her father, of the madness that had consumed him, of the broken legacy she had inherited.
I can be better, she thought. I can be greater. I can be more than any of them.
She reached out and took Joffrey's hand.
"We will work together as equals," she said. "I will help you with these experiments, as long as no unwilling subjects are harmed."
"Agreed."
"And when the time comes, when we have built this army you spoke of, you will not use it without my consent."
Joffrey nodded. "Agreed."
She gripped his hand firmly. "Then we have an accord, Prince Joffrey."
"We have an accord, Princess."
They stood there for a moment, hands clasped, eyes locked. The lamp flickered, casting its shadow on the wall.
Daenerys released his hand and stepped back. "I will begin working on the translation tomorrow. For now, I need to rest. And to think."
Joffrey did not seem to mind. "We have plenty of time. The journey to Asshai will be a long one."
Daenerys walked to the door, then paused, looking back at him. "Prince Joffrey?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you. For saving me. For saving my dragons." She hesitated. "I do not trust you yet. But I am grateful."
Joffrey smiled...a small, genuine smile that softened his sharp features. "Gratitude is a good start, Princess. Trust will come in time."
Daenerys nodded and left the workshop, closing the door behind her.
She had indeed much to think about.
A.N: - Remember to comment, vote, and/or leave a review if you have the time. Those things help me a lot and I would really appreciate it.
You can support me on P@treon if you like and get 10 advanced chapters. You can also find character images to view for free in Collections/Got: Sorcerer Prince Images
-patreon.com/Kriogenix
For donations and commissions, go to ko-fi.com/kriogenix