[This chapter used to be titled "Conspiracy?" In truth, most of the Pentos arc was essentially me using the chapters from a fanfic called "Game of Thrones: The Prideful One." as a template. When I started this story, I had no intention of publishing it, so I didn't really care where the words came from as long as they expressed my idea. But now that I've made progress, I feel obligated to rewrite the scenes so that they are entirely mine. Don't worry—the plot won't be too different, as it will still follow the series closely. Thank you all for reading and for your understanding.]
Vlad remained motionless for just a moment, watching the blood trickle down Daenerys's neck.
Without a word, he crossed the distance between them and struck Viserys with enough force to break something—but not kill him. The first punch shattered his cheek, the second split his lip, the third broke his nose with a sickening crunch. Viserys fell to the ground, but Vlad didn't stop. He knelt over him, grabbed him by the hair, and raised his head just enough to slam his fist into his face again. And again. Blood splattered the floor, and several teeth flew.
—Vlad, stop! —Daenerys cried, throwing herself toward him and grabbing his arm with both hands—. Please, stop!
Vlad looked at her, his face twisted with fury, his eyes red. For a second, he didn't seem to recognize her… but then his fist loosened, though he didn't rise just yet.
—You're a fool, Daenerys —he growled, his voice hoarse and deep—. If you think your mercy is well spent on this man, then you're an idiot. That bastard wouldn't hesitate to sell you to a brothel if it meant he could reclaim his throne. He doesn't love you.
Daenerys trembled, tears running down her cheeks. She pressed her lips together before whispering:
—He's my only family…
Vlad turned his face toward her, his expression hardened.
—Not anymore, —he said coldly—. I am your husband now. And I swear by all that is sacred, I will burn to ashes before I allow that bastard to touch you again.
She sobbed, lowering her gaze, but knelt beside him, her voice breaking with anguish.
—Please… don't kill him. Not like this. I don't want you to be the cause of his death. If that happens… I'll never be able to forget it.
Vlad took a deep breath, his fists tense, his whole body still trembling with fury. He closed his eyes for a moment. Then he slowly stood up.
Viserys, bloody and disfigured, barely managed to sit up. He muttered something unintelligible, though the arrogance still flickered in his half-closed eyes.
Vlad approached him calmly, with absolute contempt in his gaze. He crouched down and whispered a single word:
—Fall.
And Viserys dropped to his knees instantly, unable to understand why his muscles had betrayed him.
Vlad kept his voice low, almost intimate.
—If you ever try to harm your sister again, your heart will stop on the spot.
At that moment, several men entered, alerted by the commotion. They froze at the sight, tense.
—Take him away —Vlad ordered, not taking his eyes off Viserys—. Tend to his wounds… and then lock him up. In a cell where he'll eat what livestock eats. That will be his crown now.
The men nodded, dragging away the unconscious and battered prince.
Daenerys stood beside Vlad, her tears still fresh. She gave her brother one last look… then turned and slowly walked away.
Vlad watched her go, still tense, his hands still stained with blood. Then he murmured, more to himself than to her:
—Ruthlessness is mercy upon ourselves, Daenerys… You'll learn that soon.
Then he simply walked away to clean himself.
Vlad returned to his tent in silence, his face clean but still furiously tense. Not with Viserys, but with himself. How could he have been so foolish? He had assumed that the events he knew would unfold in the same sequence as the original timeline. He should've known that, in reality, someone as unstable as Viserys would be completely unpredictable.
How naive. How arrogant.
He entered his tent without bothering to raise the threshold curtain too much. The place was dark, save for the dim glow of a few candles. He pulled off his bloodstained shirt, tossed it into a corner, and put on a clean tunic without bothering to tie it.
Daenerys was lying on the bed in silence. She looked asleep, but her eyes were open, fixed on the figure that had just entered.
Vlad said nothing. He didn't want to disturb her further. He simply moved to his worktable, picked up a few scrolls, and began preparing what he needed to continue the ritual. At this point, it was a good way to relax.
Then he felt her approach.
Daenerys walked slowly, completely naked, her feet bare and her hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. She slid up behind him and embraced him from behind, wrapping her arms around him, her warm breasts pressing against his back, her breath soft and warm against his skin.
Vlad didn't turn around right away, but spoke in a low voice:
—Are you alright?
He received no answer. Only silence, and the warmth of her body. Then, with quiet insistence, Daenerys turned him around in his seat. She leaned in and kissed him. It wasn't a timid kiss, but a deep one—hungry, full of longing.
Vlad held her by the waist and kissed her back with passion, but still stopped, trying to restrain her.
—You're not thinking clearly —he murmured against her lips as she reached for his belt, undoing it—. You've been through too much today…
Daenerys didn't stop. She looked into his eyes with a mix of tenderness, heat, and that stubbornness so typical of her.
—I need you —she whispered—. Please… help me forget.
Vlad closed his eyes. He could say no, he could be rational—but he knew she wanted him, she needed him… and even if the timing wasn't ideal, she had asked for it. That was enough.
He kissed her again, this time without hesitation. His arms wrapped around her completely; he lifted her effortlessly by the hips and carried her to the bed. If Daenerys wanted to forget, then Vlad would give her a night that would make her forget even her name.
And so they spent their first night as husband and wife, lost in moans, gasps, and the muffled cries of the last Targaryen princess.