By the time they neared Vaes Dothrak, Daenerys was already two months pregnant.
She lay atop him, her fingers tracing patterns across his chest, speaking in a coaxing tone.
“I wonder if it will be a boy or a girl?” “It is a boy.” Drogo felt her slightly rounded belly.
He felt none of the joy of an expectant father; instead, his expression was somber and his heart heavy with conflicting emotions.
The dragon must be born, yet I must also protect the child in her womb.
And I do not have much time left.
I will defy fate and change my destiny; I will never be a mere pawn used to usher the dragon into this world.
“How do you know?” She looked up at him.
“I just know!” Drogo kissed her lips.
Daenerys leaned back against his chest, twirling his braid around her fingers.
After a moment, she asked again: “Where shall we go after we have met with the Dos Khaleen?” Drogo asked her in return, “Where do you wish to go?” “I want to go home.
Viserys says that if you only give him ten thousand men, he can reclaim the Seven Kingdoms!” “Even if I gave him an army, he lacks the strength to lead them.” Daenerys propped herself up on her elbows and lay on her side, looking down at Drogo, waiting for him to continue.
“The Dothraki value strength above all.
Especially after you made him walk, everyone in the Khalasar knows how weak he is.” He paused.
“A man who cannot ride is no man at all!
Rakalo should have told you this.” Daenerys looked at Drogo and remained silent for a long while before speaking.
“If Viserys finds out that I am the reason he cannot lead the army, will he be very angry?” She was on the verge of tears.
“I have woken the dragon’s wrath, haven’t I?” Drogo touched her face.
“He is no true dragon.
You are.” Daenerys felt a deep sense of guilt.
With a soft voice and reddened eyes, she pleaded again and again, using all the “skills” Doria had taught her until Drogo finally agreed to allow Viserys to ride at the front of the column with them once more.
For Drogo, this was simply going with the flow.
Since Daenerys still held onto hope for that useless man, he couldn’t make his move against him just yet.
He thought to himself, *Let you siblings spend more time together!
Let Viserys continue to court death!* The next day, the vanguard of the Khalasar arrived at Vaes Dothrak.
At the entrance stood two bronze stallions, their forehooves leaping high and meeting a hundred feet above the road.
Their eyes were made of obsidian and their bodies were a greenish-bronze.
Sunlight struck them, casting a dark, somber glint as if they had just returned from a battlefield.
Statues of gods plundered from various lands were scattered along the roadside—the Great Shepherd of the Lhazareen, the Mother of Harvests from Pentos, The Stranger from Braavos, and the Goddess of Love from Lys.
There were also nameless stone statues jutting out at crooked angles, like a group of silent captives.
Drogo entered first with his Bloodriders and a portion of the cavalry.
Having just been permitted to ride again, Viserys began to grumble, his mouth never stopping.
“How much longer must I wait?” He rode alongside Daenerys, his voice low.
“When will Drogo give me my army?
I am losing my patience.” Daenerys said timidly, “Drogo said…
you cannot lead those ten thousand riders.” Viserys looked at Daenerys, his eyes narrowing.
“What does that mean?
I sold you to him, and he won’t pay the debt?
Is he making a fool of the dragon?” Jorah Mormont spoke up from the side.
“Your Grace, the Khal is not a merchant.
You believe you sold Daenerys and now wish to collect, but Khal Drogo views Daenerys as a gift from you.” “He will give you a gift in return.
However, when he chooses to do so is entirely up to him.” Viserys’s face flushed, and his voice rose.
“I think that savage wants to wait until I am dead to return the favor.
That way he gets my sister for nothing.” “He is my husband now.
He speaks the common tongue, knows much, and he even built that hot air balloon,” Daenerys said softly.
“Brother, please stop calling him a savage.” “hot air balloon?” Viserys scoffed.
“What use is that thing?
Let him give me the army, and I will stop calling him a savage.” Daenerys pursed her lips.