𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐘-𝐎𝐍𝐄 | Traitor

{ Coren }

✧✦✧

"𝕮oren." The Westerosi man looked up from where he was pouring over maps of Mereen. He had been in the midst of sorting out patrol routes, but Daenerys storming towards him, eyebrows furrowed and hands clasped tightly around a scroll. 

"Is Rhaenerys alright?" Coren spoke up quickly, worried about their child first and foremost. He abandoned the maps, reaching for Daenerys gently. 

"She is alright. She is asleep. Missandei is with her for the moment." Coren's eyebrows furrowed at Daenerys' words, growing confused. 

"What is going on?" He questioned.

"You cannot kill him." Coren's face dropped, standing to his full height as Daenerys grabbed a hold of him, anchoring herself in place. "Please, Coren, I need you to listen to me first. I need you to listen to what I have to say."

"Who can I not kill?" His eyes narrowed as he analysed her facial expressions and body language. He had an inkling already, but he needed her to say his name, to give him his final reason to kill the man. "Khaleesi, what has happened?"

She held out the scroll that had been scrunched in her hands. Coren paused, taking it from her and putting his back to her as he read. The more he read, the more angry he grew. This letter looked to be a royal pardon from the Usurper Robert Baratheon, with Jorah's name signed on the bottom of it. There were emotions mixed with the anger; betrayal, sadness, pain, but mainly anger.

The traitorous bastard had betrayed them.

He grabbed his sword, turning to push past Daenerys. He was going to hunt this man down, torture him, bring his head to his queen and feed the rest of his body to the dragons. How dare he? How dare Jorah attempt to serve Daenerys as if he had not received a royal pardon from the Usurper!

"Coren." Daenerys grabbed a hold of him, digging her heels in as Coren stormed towards the exit. She was dragged a few steps, before she finally managed to get him to stop. "Coren please."

"With all due respect, Khaleesi. You have told me that I cannot kill this man for over a year now, after everything that he has done to us, to our child, to you most importantly, and now, to find out that he is a traitor?" Coren paused, eyes dark with anger and an expression of pure hatred on his face, one so dark that it had Daenerys worried. He looked as if he would tear Jorah limb from limb. "If this is not a good reason for me to butcher that man, then I do not know what is. Do not ask me to show restraint."

"I have to know why this pardon was given." Daenerys pleaded, digging her heels in further and tightening her grip on his arm as Coren fumed and shook in her hold. "I have to know why he betrayed me! He was supposedly a loyal advisor of mine for four years."

Everything that had gone wrong between them and Coren not being able to have a claim on his child was all because of Jorah Mormont. The same one who had held him back from his full potential, who had constantly undermined him with the Khaleesi, who had hurled spiteful comments towards him and about his family, who had been watching over Daenerys far too carefully for someone nearly triple her age.

"Coren, listen to me. You are angry, I-"

"You think?" Coren turned to her, eyes wide. "He betrayed you! There is no mercy or judgement needed here, there is death. I will kill him, and no one can tell me otherwise."

"I need to know what he did for that pardon!" Daenerys raised her voice, as Coren reeled back, taking heaving breaths. She had never truly raised her voice towards him before, but Daenerys needed to cut through the rage and reach the rational side of Coren's brain. Every muscle in his body was poised, adrenaline racing around and causing the man to see red. "Think, Coren, please. What happens if he told them of Rhaenerys? Of our daughter?"

"The daughter that he would have sold off if he had the chance. The one he wanted to be the father too, I bet that is why he wanted to have nothing to do with her, that piece of shit!" Coren spat out as Daenerys put herself between him and the door. "Daenerys, move."

"No."

"Move." His voice deepened, towering over her with a dark glare.

"Coren, I cannot have you killing him." Daenerys warned, not feeling scared of Coren in the slightest. He would never harm her. "I have to know what was said and what information was given."

"He's been near our daughter, Daenerys." Coren pointed out, running a hand through his hair. "He's put his hands on our daughter, for that alone, I shall have him dead."

"Coren-"

"But then for him to have betrayed you?" Coren was horrified, mortified that the man who had saved him from the gutters, the one who had introduced him to Daenerys, had been the one who betrayed her. "He was my mentor. He saved me from the streets. He introduced us. I have known him far longer than you, and I have to right this wrong and I will kill him."

"Please." Daenerys begged. She had known that telling Coren was going to be difficult, that he would not take this well and when Ser Barristan came to her with it, he had offered to go with her in case Coren got violent but Daenerys knew that he would never raise a hand towards her. She also knew that if someone else had told him, they would not have the power or the authority to stop Coren murdering Jorah. "Coren, please. I have to speak with him first, to find out what was said. You are going to stay here."

"No I am not." Coren turned towards her. "I am not staying here whilst that bastard stands ahead of you and attempts to manipulate you and use your kindness against you. Do not ask me to do that."

"Coren, you will kill him."

"You're right, I will."

"So, I cannot have you in there whilst I get the information if you kill him." Daenerys snapped back. "He cannot talk if he's dead."

Coren took a step back, a deep breath shaking him to the core as he tried to ground himself once more.

"He lied to me." Daenerys pointed out.

"He lied to me!" Coren shot back, his shout rattling the walls but Daenerys could see the tears of anger and sadness welling in the man's eyes. His voice was full of anger, though it trembled as he spoke. "I've known him longer than you, Daenerys. I've known him longer than most, than everyone here. He raised me, he trained me and he told me to be loyal to you, to the Targaryens and he lied to me. With all due respect, out of everyone in this city, I have the most right to be in that room, to be the one to find out these answers and to kill him. What he has done to you is terrible, but he was my father figure and what he has done to me is far worse."

Daenerys sighed, softening as she watched Coren. Under all the anger, all the hatred, she knew that deep, deep down, there was a scared little boy in there, who had looked up to this Westerosi knight and followed him round. That scared little boy had just seen a person he had once admired fall from grace and she couldn't imagine the pain that he was bottling up inside.

"You can stay, but I don't want you protecting me." Daenerys' voice dropped to a whisper as Coren snapped towards her.

"What?"

"I want Rhaenerys near me. I don't trust him, but I also don't trust you not to kill him so you can be there but you will hold our daughter and you will protect her." She placed her hand on his arm, though he tried to shrug her off. She caught him once more, tilting his chin until he looked at her, with sorrowful brown eyes.

"Do not deny me this kill." Coren whispered, as Daenerys reached for his head, before bringing it down until it touched hers. He melted into her slightly, his forehead pressing against hers as he scrunched his nose and fought the tears that threatened to fall. "Rhaenerys will always be safe with me, but do not deny me this. I am begging you."

"I know." She kissed his cheek, before taking the scroll back. "I know."

✧✦✧

Rhaenerys was a small, comforting weight in his arms. She grounded him, calmed him slightly from his rage and he held his daughter gently as he waited for Jorah to be escorted in. 

"Little Dragon." Daenerys swept towards her throne, before leaning to kiss her daughter, who smiled and attempted to grab onto Daenerys. The queen smiled, stroking her daughter's cheek, before turning to look at Coren. He watched her with mournful eyes. 

She smiled once more, attempting to reassure him, before sitting down with Missandei at her side. Coren turned his attention back to his daughter. She had been left alone with the traitorous bastard, who had been a part of Daenerys' inner circle for years, a mole on the inside. What would have happened if he attempted to kill their daughter?

That flared another bout of anger up inside of him. He was glad for his sword at his hip, though Rhaenerys reached for his finger, holding onto it tightly as if to tell him to calm down.

The sound of feet along the corridor had Coren looking up, watching as Jorah emerged into the main hall. Rage crept up on him, teeth gritting further as he stood behind Daenerys. When Jorah looked at her, he would have to look at Coren too, to answer to both of them for what he had done.

"Why did the Usurper pardon you?" Daenerys voice was cold and calm as Jorah looked up at her and Coren. Coren's eyes were cold and filled with hatred, but Daenerys' eyes showed betrayal as if she had not expected this from him.

"If we could speak alone." Jorah stumbled over his words, before finally getting the sentence out, as if he had not expected to be caught. Coren scoffed.

"No." Daenerys was trying her best to remain detached and cold to the man who she had once seen as an advisor of hers, and a friend. "Speak to me here. Explain it to me."

"Who do you think sent this to Mereen? Who profits?" Jorah was trying to explain, but Coren scowled at his poor attempt of manipulation. Did Jorah think that this would bring him back into Daenerys' good books? "This is the work of Tywin Lannister. He wants to divide us. If we're fighting each other, we're not fighting him."

Daenerys tilted her head, disbelief plastered across her features She had not believed that he would attempt this, but he was. 

"The pardon was signed the year we met. Why were you pardoned? Unless you're saying this document is forged?" Rhaenerys yawned in Coren's arms, and he looked down at her, soothing her softly before turning his glare back to Jorah.

"It is not forged." The tension in the room seemed to raise, though it was still silent enough that you could hear a pin drop.

"Why then?"

"I send letters to Varys, the spymaster of King's Landing." Jorah's voice was shaky, like he was about to cry as Coren scofffed, shaking his head. This man had no right to be sad, or upset. The only emotion he should feel was fear, for Coren would kill him and he would not be kind about it.

"What was the content of these letters?"

"Information."

"What information?"

"When you and Viserys arrived in Pentos." Coren tried not to let his horror show. Had Jorah been using him as a way to grow closer to Daenerys, to learn more information from them and send it back to his master? Had Coren been an unknowing participant in Jorah's lies? Had he aided the man in getting in Khal Drogo's good books? "His plan to marry you to Khal Drogo. When you were married. When your brother died."

"You told him I was carrying Drogo's child?" 

"I..."

"Yes or no?"

"Khaleesi."

"Don't call me that." She shook her head, cutting him off. "Did you tell him I was carrying Drogo's child?"

"Yes." Coren's heart dropped at that, tightening his grip on his daughter. He pulled Rhaenerys even closer to his body as thoughts filled his head. If Jorah had told them about Daenerys being pregnant the first time around, then had he told them about Rhaenerys? It was only fair to assume that. Rhaenerys' hand clutched onto his finger, as Coren trembled at the thought of his daughter being harmed because of what Jorah had said.

Daenerys stood, staring down at the disgraced knight, her muscles tensing as she watched him.

"That wine merchant tried to poison me because of your information."

"You didn't drink it." Jorah protested.

"Only because Coren was there to protect me." Daenerys' face twisted into a scowl that echoed Coren's, the man shifting to the side to glare at him. "You betrayed me from the first moment."

"Forgive me. I never meant..." Coren scoffed at Jorah's words, watching as the man knelt to his knees. "Please, Khaleesi, forgive me."

"You sold my secrets to the man who killed my father and stole my brother's throne..." She was looking above his head, not making eye contact. Daenerys did not think that she could make eye contact with him, or look upon his face after what he had done.

"I have protected you." Jorah tried to cut her off. "Fought for you. Killed for you."

"...and you want me to forgive you?"

"I have loved you." Coren ground his teeth together, watching Jorah grovel at Daenerys' feet. Ser Barristan held out a placating hand to the man, who looked as if he was more than ready to take Jorah's head off with his bare hands. If Rhaenerys had not been in his arms, then he would have done so.

"Love?" Daenerys' scoffed, her face growing angry though her voice trembled. "Love? How can you say that to me? Any other man and I would have you executed."

Coren paused at her words, turning his head to look at Daenerys. She would not do this. She would not deny him this kill.

"But you, I do not want you in my city dead or alive. Go back to your masters in King's Landing. Collect your pardon if you can." 

"Daenerys, please..." Jorah reached his hand out as Coren turned to look at the Queen horror on his face.

"Do not do this." He hissed quietly, as Daenerys looked at neither of them. "You promised me."

She said nothing for a moment.

"You have until dusk to collect your things and leave this city. If you're found in Mereen past break of day, I'll have your head thrown into Slaver's Bay. Go."

Jorah didn't move.

"Now." She shook her head, glaring down at him as Jorah left the room, Grey Worm and Ser Barristan following. Missandei watched as Coren's glare grew darker, taking Rhaenerys from his hands and shooting him an apologetic look, before hurrying away with the baby, leaving the child's parents to argue.

"What was that?" He spat, eyes wide in incredulity. "You promised me that I could kill him! You swore to me!"

"I did nothing of the sought." Daenerys shook her head, shooting him an apologetic look. "Coren, you could not have killed him."

"What?"

"Would you have truly been able to kill the man that raised you?"

"Yes. That is why I offered." He stepped ahead of her. "After everything that he has done. You have your revenge by telling him to leave, where is my justice? Where is my revenge, hm?"

"Coren, you..." She stopped herself, taking a deep breath. "I know that you are angry. This is not the rational man that I have known since we were teens. That man would have understood that killing the man who raised him would do irreparable damage onto him. I do not want to see you as upset as I saw you today and killing him would have done that to you. I am sorry that I did not tell you but if I had, you would have ignored everything I said and killed him anyway."

"You cannot make that decision for me." Coren's face was etched with pain, confusion and hurt clear in his dark eyes as Daenerys watched him. "You cannot stop me from making my own choices. I am an adult. I know what I am doing and if I say that I am going to kill someone, I mean to follow through and you have denied me of that. I never thought you would do that. All that talk of doing better and being better and me being truthful and then this is what you go and do."

"I've said no, Coren." Daenerys shook her head. "When the time had come, you wouldn't have been able to do it."

"You don't know that."

"I do." Daenerys' shoulders slumped. "Coren, you are kind, and funny, and caring and you protect others above all else. I know that you are strong, that you are a good fighter and you're an amazing father, but can you truly look me in the eyes and tell me that if it came down to it and Jorah was in front of you and you were holding the sword to behead him, that you would have been able to sit there and do that."

Coren grew quiet, before leaning closer, his voice soft.

"Maybe yes, maybe no but all I know is that I would have made that choice." He watched her with angry eyes. "You took that from me."

He stood back up, and she had never seen him look at her with such anger. Coren's jaw tightened, before he walked past her and disappeared back into the depths of the castle as Daenerys sank into her throne and placed her head in her hands.

"Your Grace, he will come round." Ser Barristan approached, smiling softly at the young queen as she looked away, shaking her head. Tears were welling in her eyes.

"He won't."

"Coren will understand with time that killing someone that you have known and loved for a long time, that it takes part of your soul that you can never get back, that it kills one part of you." Ser Barristan rested a hand on her shoulder as Daenerys looked at the floor. "He might have told everyone how much he hated Jorah, but that man still raised him and cared for him, and Coren will come to see when his anger has died that killing him would have hurt Coren more than Jorah. I have seen it happen to men far older than Coren and the result is always the same."

"He will never forgive me." Daenerys took a deep breath. "Even if he realises that I was trying to protect him, he will not forgive me."

"He will, Your Grace."

Daenerys' face scrunched up as she stood up and smoothed her dress, her emotions overwhelming her.

"I love him, Ser Barristan, and I fear that he now hates me." She took a deep breath, watching Ser Barristan with sad eyes. "I'm just trying my best to help everyone and I hurt him."

She looked away, her shoulders curling in on herself as Ser Barristan sighed, seeing it more so even now, that Daenerys was still a child herself. She was trying her best, yet now she was having to come to the realisation that her best wasn't good enough.

"Give him some time to cool off, Your Grace, and then blame your reasoning on me." Ser Barristan urged. "Coren will come around, he will see sense and he will listen to what you have to say."

Daenerys nodded, though she was unsure whether that was true.

Hiya,

So, Dany is trying to protect Coren from destroying himself by killing Jorah, Coren doesn't think that he would be affected and is fuming. Dany is in love with him, so we've heard that from her, and there's just a lot here. Dany and Coren are both struggling in different ways, so we should see what happens.

Let me know what happens,

Love Li xx