𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘-𝐒𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 | Healing touches

{ Coren }

✧✦✧

𝕴t was hard to sleep.

Coren's room was too warm, and the child beside him was even warmer still. No matter what Coren did, he could not get the fever to break, nor could the healers that had been sent to check on her. Rhaenerys was ill, and there was nothing he could do to help.

Luckily, she had fallen asleep, after spending part of the night screaming, and Coren was left, leaning by her bed to keep an eye on her. He was terrified.

Ever since she had been born, it had been rare that Rhaenerys had fallen ill, in fact he could not remember her ever having done so. It terrified him that she was ill and no one knew the cause of it. It made him think of his mother, of how she had passed.

It had happened so quickly. One moment she had a fever, merely a cough and a slight temperature that had all been brushed off as being too hot from the Essos sun, and the next, she could not move. They had to sit in an alley for days, attempting to feed her and give her water as she grew sicker and sicker. Then, when Coren had thought she was getting better, blood had started to drip from her eyes. Then it came from her ears, and her mouth.

Emelda, his sister, had dragged them away. Their mother had not wanted her children to see her die, the last words that she could get out before she began to choke up blood. 

Of course, Coren had paid little heed to his sister. When she had fallen asleep, he had crept away, back to his mother's body. He had only meant to try and urge her to get better, to hold onto her hand and get one last hug from her. But the moment he had touched her hand, there was a shredding sound. It was the sound that parchment made when it had torn, and her skin had slipped away from her bones too easily. 

Coren could still remember the scream, remember how it rattled in his ears and deafened him. He could remember the blood. It was the first injury of that extent that he had caused, and it had been his own mother that he had inadvertently killed.

He could not do the same to his daughter.

A knock sounded on the door, and Coren stood, reluctantly leaving his child's side as he approached the door. Opening it, he found Missandei standing, her expression worried.

"How is she?" Coren looked back at his daughter, before shrugging.

"I do not know. She has stopped screaming, but the fever is there and I worry if I leave her, what if she stops breathing or she overheats?" Coren whispered, his eyes on his daughter. He needed to see her chest rising and falling, to reassure himself that she was still breathing.

"Do they know what it is?"

"No." This was how it had started with his mother. "No one knows."

"She will get better." Missandei urged. "I know it. Have faith."

Coren huffed, before taking a moment.

"You have come to tell me something else."

"I have."

"About the Sons of the Harpy." Missandei nodded, as she entered the room. Coren leant against the desk, watching his daughter as he waited for Missandei to tell him. "The bald man, Lord Varys, he has found out who is funding them."

"Who?"

"The masters of Astapor and Yunkai, with support in Volantis." Missandei explained. "Grey Worm wished to take the fight to them, to march the Unsullied and reconquer the cities but was persuaded against it. I believe that Lord Tyrion wishes to send messages to the Masters of Astapor, Yunkai and Volantis to bring them here and for us to deal with it as a conversation."

"What do you think?"

"The Masters only know one language and if we do not answer in it, then they will not listen to us." Missandei spoke quickly. Both paused as Rhaenerys coughed, but she merely went back to sleep once more. "I think we need to warn them off. We should send a message, in a language that they understand. They do not know of the dragons, they do know of Falkor's capabilities and if they did, then they would be more scared than they are. What can mere mortals do against a dragon?"

"I do not wish to find out." Coren hummed, before relenting. "If you think this is the best way, and Grey Worm does too, then I trust your judgement. You may go ahead with the plan, merely keep me update."

"Of course." Missandei nodded, bowing her head. "Your Grace."

The door closed behind her, as Coren turned back to his daughter, chewing on his nail. He did not know what to do?

"Daddy...?" There was a pathetic whimper from his daughter, her voice hoarse and Coren was on his feet in an instance and by her side.

"I am here, it is alright." Coren hummed, grabbing the glass of water. Helping her up, he let her have a small drink, before changing the cloth on her head. Rhaenerys' looked up at him with blurry eyes, before raising her arms up. She wished for him to hold her, and Coren faltered momentarily.

If he held her, would her skin fall off too? He hesitated, as Rhaenerys began to whimper.

"Daddy, please." She pouted, her cheeks red, as Coren reached down cautiously. She was hot to the touch, her skin burning up but it stayed in place as he picked her up. He could hold her with ease in one arm still, his other cradling the back of her head as he rocked her. "I am hot."

"I know."

"I want mummy."

"I know." Coren agreed, pushing down the memories of his mother and sister to hush his daughter. She calmed momentarily, her eyes drooping closed as he bounced her softly.

"Kor?"

"Kor is outside, my darling." Coren muttered, as Rhaenerys pouted. "It is hot out there."

"I want Kor. I can't see mummy, I want Kor." Who was Coren to deny her? He picked his sword up, holding it in his other hand as he left his chambers. Dodging guards and the normal patrol routes of the Unsullied, Coren slipped through the pyramid until he could head out onto the plateau. The sun was beating down, and Coren faltered for a moment in the doorway, worried that this would only make his daughter worse.

Falkor seemed to sense he was there, chirruping and growing closer. He drew to his full height, blocking the sun from view as Coren stepped onto the plateau.

"Good boy." He muttered, patting his dragon's flank and hurrying to stand beneath Falkor's wing, protected. "Look, Rhaenerys, Kor is here."

"Kor?" Rhaenerys voice was weak as she lifted her head up, with great effort, looking for the large dragon. Falkor chirruped, drawing closer until she could press her hand to his nose. "Missed you, Kor."

The dragon huffed as Coren sat down. His dragon followed suit, letting Rhaenerys press her hands to his snout and use him to hold herself up. Coren's grip was tight though as he watched them.

"Have you seen Drogon, Falkor?" Falkor huffed, his head turning away as Rhaenerys curled back into her father, her eyes drifting close. "I do not know what to do. Daenerys needs to come back, but you cannot find her for I need you here and I cannot leave."

Falkor chuffed, before shaking his head as if to say that he did not like it either.

"The masters of Astapor, Yunkai and Volatis are funding the Sons of the Harpy, the same ones who almost killed us." Smoke curled from Falkor's nose as Coren hummed in agreement. "We should have killed them when we had the chance, you are right."

Rhaenerys' breath came out in huffs as Coren kissed her head and rocked her. Leaning back into his dragon's side, Coren let his head slump back and eyes close. Falkor would protect them, he would keep them safe and Coren was just so tired. His eyes drooped, as he pulled Rhaenerys closer.

One minute would not harm him.

✧✦✧

When he awoke, the sky had gone dark. 

Falkor was still beside him, huffing and surveying the surroundings. Rhaenerys was still in his arms, fast asleep with a hand fisting his top. Coren blinked a few time, trying to wake up as he dragged a tired hand down his face.

"Gods above." His groan had Falkor twisting. The dragon pushed his head underneath Coren, helping the man up as he picked his sword up. "Rhaenerys, sweetheart, come on?"

There was nothing for a second, as Coren jostled her gently.

"Rhaenerys?" She twisted away from him, pushing her head into his chest, as Coren let out a sigh of relief. She was still alive. Reaching up, he pressed his hand to her forehead and thanked the gods once more. Her fever had gone down, abating a little. "Thank the gods. Come on sweetheart, let us get you into bed. You must be tired."

Rhaenerys grumbled, curling back around her father as he rocked her. Falkor stood as Coren headed for the doorway, shaking his scales off as Coren patted his head.

"Stay close, yes?" Falkor grumbled, chuffing as he nudged Coren's head before blowing hot air over Rhaenerys. She smiled in her drowsy state, raising her hand and waving slowly.

"Bye bye Kor." Falkor chuffed back, before taking off, blocking the moon for a moment until he gained height. Coren watched as his dragon swooped around, dipping and rolling for a moment, before taking off once more and to his hunting grounds of the mountains. "Sleeping time?"

"Yes. Let us get you to bed." Coren agreed, worried that this might all be a dream and Rhaenerys' fever had not truly abated. He had some theory that perhaps, being around the dragon had helped to heal his daughter. After all, there was always the muttering that Targaryens were partly dragon, so perhaps being near other dragons healed her. 

Whatever the case, Coren was more thankful that his daughter seemed to be getting better. It meant his mind could focus on the Masters and how their deaths would be, for Coren would not let them live after all they had put his family through.

Hiya,

So, Coren is actually traumatised from his mother cause he thinks he was the one who killed her, and Rhaenerys is not doing well, not at all, poor baby. She is mildly better cause she was with Kor and Missandei is worried for both of them. The Sons of the Harpy thing is about to come to a head, and Coren is actually the least diplomatic person ever, so this might be interesting.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx