𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 | Fire

{ Coren }

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"𝖄our Grace!" For a moment, Coren had forgotten that this title was now his by marriage. It had made him think that perhaps, even though she had been gone for a year, Daenerys had returned and she was with him. He was wrong of course. Missandei came rushing to his side, panic in her features though she desperately tried to hide it. "Come quick!"

"What ever is the matter?" He set down the papers that he'd been reading, detailing the trade reports and the finances of Mereen and the other great cities. This had never been something that he was good at, barely having learnt to read when he was young and numbers were far beyond him.

"The ships. The ships have been set ablaze." Coren froze, before spinning on his heel and hurrying out of the room after Missandei. They rushed through the temple, before emerging onto the balcony where Grey Worm stood overseeing what could only be described as carnage.

Sure enough, in the bay beneath them, all of Daenerys' ships were covered with fire, sinking into the water, the remnants of their masts clawing to the surface. Coren clenched his jaw, his anger growing as he kissed his teeth.

"Shit!" He cursed, before taking a deep breath and regaining his temper. One of his wife's greatest achievements and he had allowed it to come to ruin. "Shit."

"What do you want us to do?" Grey Worm asked, watching Coren with furrowed eyebrows. Despite having been ruling for a while in Daenerys' absence, it still took him a moment to remember that they were oftentimes speaking and looking to him for guidance. He had been elevated to a position of responsibility that he had never expected.

"Whoever did this will be long gone by now, so we're not going to be able to find a culprit." Coren shook his head, trying not to let the others see him angry. Composed, he had to be composed because if he looked like he had lost it, then everything went wrong. "We can only assume that it was the Sons of the Harpy, out to cause us grief as per usual."

"So...?"

"So, increase patrols on the streets, that's the only thing we can do at the moment." Grey Worm nodded, before storming off as Coren leant on the rim of the balcony and let his head drop forward.

"Are you alright?" Missandei asked quietly, standing next to Coren. The man turned and looked at his friend, smiling softly as he tried to work out how to answer it in the best way possible

"I promise. I'm alright." Missandei did not look convinced for a moment, an eyebrow cocking as if to ask him to be truthful. "I am not Daenerys. She is a lot better at all of this than I am. I just feel out of my depth, like I am constantly making the wrong decision."

"You are doing well." Missandei smiled, patting her friend's shoulder. "I think you are doing well."

"Thank you, Missandei." Coren nodded, before straightening up. "Do you think increasing patrols is the right thing to do?"

"It will show that we are hovering and prepared. Maybe it will make them more cautious when we have more guards."

"I might call Falkor in." Coren muttered, knowing his dragon was off hunting around the city, trying to find food. "Gods know that a large dragon should make them think twice."

"It should hopefully." Missandei smiled, before excusing herself as Coren was left on his own. He kissed his teeth again, sparing one final glance at the burning ships in the harbour, before heading back inside to collect his daughter and then to call Falkor back.

Rhaenerys was playing in Coren's chambers, little wooden soldiers in front of her as she commanded them. The man smiled, before crouching beside his daughter and smiling gently.

"Afternoon, Rhaenerys." The girl jumped, before a huge smile broke across her face.

"Daddy!" Rhaenerys cried, grinning and wrapping her arms around as much of her father's chest as she could. He clung onto her, rubbing a hand up and down her back. He might believe that he was doing a terrible job, but if Rhaenerys was happy and safe, then he could rationalise his decisions with himself. "I missed you."

"I missed you too." Coren pressed a kiss to her white hair, that was steadily growing longer and longer, before pulling away. Missandei, it seemed, had braided her hair that morning in something far more intricate than Coren was able to do. "Do you want to come and see Falkor with me?"

Rhaenerys' face lit up, a wide grin appearing as she began to nod her head enthusiastically.

"Falkor! Can we go flying?" 

"Sure." Coren grinned, before picking his daughter up and spinning her around in the air. She laughed hysterically, wriggling around as Coren caught her back into his arms.

"Not that flying, daddy!" Rhaenerys spoke as if she was talking to an idiot, which caused Coren to grin and laugh.

"What? But that is flying."

"No! Flying on a dragon, like mummy does." Coren felt his heart falter, though he tried not to let it show on his face. "Then we can go and find her!"

"Oh, no, Rhaenerys," Coren shook his head, causing Rhaenerys to pout and fold her arms as they descended the stairs that led to the outside plateau, a place that had become Falkor's home. "Mummy is far away on a special mission."

"We can help!"

"No, it's a special, secret mission," Coren nodded, as Rhaenerys eyes lit up in wonder. "She's got a job to do which we unfortunately can't help with but don't worry, she'll be back soon and she can tell us about all that she has done."

"She'll be back tomorrow?"

"I don't think so, little dragon." Coren smiled sadly, before pressing a kiss to her head. "It might be a few weeks. She's got to make sure the job is done right."

"Why can't someone else do it? I want to see mummy." Rhaenerys pouted, as Coren sighed and let a pained smile fall onto his face.

"Rhaenerys, mummy has to help other people. She's got to make sure that they are safe and happy, just like you are, and then she'll come back to us." It broke Coren's heart to tell his daughter that when even he didn't know if Daenerys was even alive. There had been no news, from Daario or Ser Barristan, and Coren was getting worried. He wanted to be out and looking for his wife, not playing politics. "Look, we can call for Falkor now!"

His daughter, who was only two and a half years old, was very easily distracted so perked up at the thought, wriggling to be let down.

Coren sighed, before setting her on the floor and crouching next to her as he pulled the whistle from around his neck. Rhaenerys wriggled next to him, already reaching her arms out to grab onto it.

"Now, remember. One long breath and two short ones, yes?"

"I know, daddy, I know!" Rhaenerys rolled her eyes, before taking it from his hands and bringing it to her lips. Coren smiled as he watched his daughter take a deep breath, before putting all of her energy into blowing into the whistle. Her face was red from the exertion by the time she did the two small blasts, causing Coren to chuckle.

"Good girl." He tucked the whistle away, having already seen Falkor's large form swooping towards them in the distance. His red scales shimmered, before the massive animal swooped towards them on the ground. Rhaenerys was clapping and cheering, undoubtedly giving Falkor an ego boost, as the dragon extended his wings to slow his descent and land in front of Coren and his daughter.

The ground trembled, as Falkor settled down and stalked towards them, golden eyes glinting in the afternoon sun.

"Hello Falkor." Coren smiled at the large animal, bending down so that Rhaenerys could grasp onto his hand and drag him over to the animal. "Rhaenerys, remember not to surprise him."

"I know." Rhaenerys snapped, as Coren finally let go of her so that she could run and hug the dragon's snout. Falkor, to his credit, did not seem to mind, staying still as Rhaenerys giggled and scratched his scales.

"You're getting bigger still." Coren muttered, pressing a hand to the dragon's cheek as he stood by Falkor's eye. Even his eye was almost as tall as the man, which was a terrifying sight for all else, but Coren had raised Falkor since he was as big as his finger. The dragon could never terrify Coren, not even if he tried. "Still bigger than Drogon. Have you seen him?"

The dragon snorted, as if to say no, which drew a loud giggle from Rhaenerys as she attempted to climb onto the animal, though she would never be able to reach. Coren caught her, lifting her onto his shoulders so that Rhaenerys could pat the top of Falkor's eyelid.

"I need you to stay close for a while." Coren muttered. "I need you to help protect her, Rhaenerys. There's been some attacks and I do not want anything to happen."

Daenerys always teased him for speaking to Falkor as much as he did, but deep down Coren believed that the dragon understood every word he said. Falkor chuffed, chirruping and whistling in a way that meant that he was agreeing. 

Coren hummed, patting the dragon's side, before turning to peer out across the city. Somewhere, down there, Sons of the Harpy were plotting to try and destroy Daenerys and murder their daughter. Now, Coren had to be strong enough to defeat them.

Hiya,

So we're back for the first chapter of book 6 and Rhaenerys is a sweetheart. Love Coren, but man is stressed, and Coren and Missandei have such a good friendship. Dany's off causing havoc elsewhere and Falkor is back and he's grown. Everyone's having a good time (except Jorah).

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx