In the hours of early dusk, the threshold was quiet. The humid air stood so still and thick, you could probably carve it with a knife, and the only commotion was that of bugs and insects, buzzing lazily. The sun sent its last, feeble sunlight down through the foliage, shadows getting longer and painting an intricate pattern on the soft, black dirt below. The undergrowth here was sparse, some withered away from lack of water, and a peculiar sweet smell was spreading through the air. Viserys snorted harshly; the stench of rot wasn’t unfamiliar to him, and he didn’t appreciate it at all. Gracefully, the pearlescent stag moved across the terrain, his silky tresses stuck to the sweat on his arched nape. Such heat wasn’t becoming him; it made him irritable and venomous - even more so than usual.

Coming to a halt, he raised his finely chiseled skull and let his violet globes search the grounds ahead. Not exactly what he had pictured, but it was better than where they came from. Looking over his shoulder, his ears flicked back and forth a couple of times, restlessness causing him to toss his head. I shouldn’t have brought her along, she’s been nothing but a burden, the hessian told himself angrily. She moved too slow, did nothing but complain and whine. If The Others got to him, it would surely be because he had to drag that little wench along with him. The thought sent a cold shiver down his spine, and he couldn’t help but glance around once more. Being on your own made you vulnerable; he would need a place to settle down, to allow him to scheme his vengeance on the cowards who killed his family. He would return with unforeseen power and destroy them – a smile crept upon his handsome face. It wouldn’t be long now.

Not caring to fight off the annoyance in his voice, he sneered at his companion. "Keep up! Maybe I should have left you for the wolves."

They had been traveling for what seemed like forever. In the beginning, she had tried to keep count of how many times the sun would rise and set, but along the road it became pointless. Her limbs were aching, but she didn’t want to show any weaknesses in the presence of Viserys. His tyranny had only gotten worse since they fled the homelands, and Daenerys couldn’t tell why she was putting up with it. Part of it had to do with the fact that she was scared; she couldn’t risk traveling on her own in foreign lands. The stories that had been passed on to her when she was little fueled her vivid imagination; the nights were the worst. She hadn’t been getting much sleep, jumping at every rustle of leaves. It felt embarrassing; she was almost a mare grown now, yet she still felt so insecure, and Viserys was the only part of her old life she had left. A life that had meant love and security, but which was now left in ruins, the memory bringing tears to her eyes.

His voice cracked down over her like a whip, but she didn’t cower. He always spoke to her like that, with contempt and anger, but there were rarely any consequences tied to his threats. Her lilac eyes wandered curiously, taking in the impressions of these new surroundings. Unlike her brother, Daenerys didn’t mind the heat at all; she relished in the warm weather, loving the feeling of the warm sunrays on her skin. Increasing her stride to a relaxed trot, she caught up with her brother, standing next to him. She didn’t flinch as he placed a hard pinch on her rump, but she did lower her head in submission. Peering up at him, she remained quiet, even though the questions were filling her head. Was this it? Were they finally there? Honestly, she wasn’t sure what Viserys was really looking for, but she was tired of running from the ghosts in his mind. No one was coming after them, she realized as she stood there, and Viserys was fleeing from his own shadow.

[Done]