Ciri part-1

Essos – The Red Wastes

Ser Jorah squinted at the high sun above him before staring out at the vast wasteland before him. Even with the sun so bright, his trained eyes could see the red streak in the sky, the Red Comet which had appeared the night before. The group had been following it ever since dawn, going east through the Red Wastes on the order of their new Khalessi. The disgraced knight knew just how dangerous this wasteland was since even the Golden Company made sure they were well supplied for marching across it. It takes a miracle to cross the region without major losses, considering the group had few horses and low supplies.

Then again, a miracle had happened last night. He'd glance back to the rest of the group, the few khalasar and three young warriors of Khal Drogo who were now Bloodriders to their new queen. Among the crowd of wanderers was a young beautiful girl, Daenerys Targaryen, the last of the great House of the Targaryens.

Among the copper-skinned Dothraki, she stood out. With her pale skin, long silver-gold hair and beautiful violet eyes, she looked exactly as the tales described the Valyrian people. She was dressed in the same simple garb her handmaidens wore, plain brown cloth and leather which showed off her slender figure. However, around her form were scaly shapes that at a glance seemed to be serpents, yet up close revealed they were small winged reptiles...dragons. The young Khaleesi held one of the newborns in her arms while one had curled around her waist almost like a belt and the last sat on top of her shoulder.

Jorah still couldn't believe the creatures were real, though last night overall felt like something out of a legend. One of the greatest Khal's had died in disgrace and Daenerys had lost her only child who had been destined for greatness in his life. Whether it had been the cruel hand of fate or the dark powers of that shaman, the young woman had lost everyone dear to her. The funeral that happened last night was meant to be the end of her. It pained Jorah to have seen her walk so calmly into the burning pyre of her husband, all while the witch howled her last as she burned. Yet in the morning, he was shocked to see she had been untouched by the flames and had her three dragons curled around her.

"Times are changing…" He muttered to himself before he heard hooves behind him as the new Bloodriders approached him.

"Any idea where we are Jorah?" One of the young men questioned in Dothraki. "We need to find water soon, considering our supply is low, to begin with."

"I know…" He muttered back. "If we had a landmark like a ruined city or natural structure we could get a better idea of our location. Though this part of the Red Wastes is completely barren and vast. I doubt we'll find many resources in these parts."

One of the Bloodriders nodded. "At the least, we are far away from the other Khal's territory. I'm beginning to understand why the Khalessi wishes us to follow the Red Comet."

"Safe path or not, we'll slowly perish without water." The last Rider muttered.

"Heh…perhaps it will fall from the sky." Jorah chuckled, trying to give some humour to the grim discussion though the Dothraki didn't show any amusement with the remark.

Suddenly though there was a resounding bang much like a lightning bolt, followed by a short flash of light from above. The three horses of the Bloodriders panicked for a moment before the Riders calmed the beasts, while the group behind them screamed out in terror. Jorah cursed out in surprise as he quickly tried to find the source of the boom, thinking it was a distant storm beyond one of the surrounding mountain ranges.

"There! By the spirits what…the sky it's splitting?!" One of the Bloodriders yelled, pointing up to the sky.

Indeed, the air seemed to warp and tremble before ripping apart for a white void to be revealed. Another echoing boom and flash followed, making everyone shield their eyes from the intense light. Then suddenly there was an intense chill…a cold that Jorah hadn't felt in a long time.

An icy gush of wind and the caress of snow touched his wrinkled face, the feeling making him gasp in surprise. When he opened his eyes, he'd see before him a large patch of snow, frosted rocks and uprooted pine trees. It was as if someone had scooped up a piece of the wooded North and dropped it before them. One hand was at his sword as he'd look about the cold surroundings, sighing as the lingering cool air relaxed his warm body. The bloodriders kept back, confused and nervous over what they saw before them. One of the young Riders tasted some of the snow off one of his hands before lapping it up as it melted into water.

"What is this?" The Rider muttered in amazement.

"Snow…something that shouldn't be here." Jorah calmly stated. "Go the others and tell them to gather every waterskin and container they have to collect the snow. This is going to quickly melt, so we can't let such a boon slip by!"

The Riders nodded as they'd hurry back to the party who was moving slowly forward, cautious over what they had just witnessed. Daenerys was stepping forward though, seeming more curious than fearful like her subjects.

Jorah moved further into the snow-covered area, glancing over at the fallen trees nearby. Nearing the end of one, he'd crouch down to see that the tree hadn't been uprooted by cutaway smoothly at the base. "No weapon could do this…" He muttered before hearing something, a low pained groan nearby. Standing up, he'd look about the icy rocks and other toppled trees until he heard the groan again.

Soon he'd see a figure laying on the snowy ground, a woman dressed in furs and leathers, yet it wasn't of any design he knew from the North. What was most striking about her though was her appearance…it almost was a spitting image of Daenerys, having the same pale skin and silvery-white hair. There were differences though, such as the fact she was older, had a more fit toned figure, along with having a healed scar that started at the left side of her head and arched along the cheek just below her eye. There were more recent injuries though, her winter clothes being ripped by what he recognized as blade cuts. In her right hand, she held a beautiful blade, a finely crafted weapon that seemed to rival a Valyrian blade.

As he'd move closer and crouch down, the girl muttered something before turning her head to look at him. Her eyes opened weakly, revealing her gaze to be an emerald-green colour. With her head turned he'd see an odd handprint at her throat, yet it was created by light frostbite across her skin. The minor cuts she had along her body had hints of frostbite as well, a strange detail to her injuries.

"Who…who are you?" She muttered, exhaustion hinting her voice. Her accent was unfamiliar, sounding nothing from Westeros or Essos. "Where am I…I…the Frost! I have to-" Sudden energy showed in her eyes as she'd struggle to get up, yet cry out as she'd grasp at her right side.

"Be still. You're more injured then you look." Jorah quickly remarked as one hand pressed at her right shoulder. "My name is Jorah Mormont. I'm not sure what happened to you, but you appeared in a flash of light and a swirl of snow."

"Light…snow?" The woman muttered, eyes closing as she'd try to remember. "That thing…it grabbed me…felt it draining my life and power away…I panicked…jumped to escape it."

Everything she was muttering seemed disorganized and confused since nothing made sense to the knight. "Relax. Whatever attacked you isn't here." He'd get a piece of cloth out to wipe the melting snow off her brow. "What is your name?"

"I'm…Ciri…just Ciri…" The woman answered back before turning her head to see someone approaching. She'd see Daenerys stand over her before shifting down to kneel, the sight of the girl drawing a surprised look from Ciri. "You…you look like…me?" She muttered in confusion.

"I was about to say the same thing." Dany's voice was soft towards Ciri, before the one dragon in her arms stirred, giving a small screech as it eyed the ashen haired woman.

"Is that a…dragon?" Ciri questioned, yet she'd groan again in pain as she'd start to lose focus. "Who are you?"

"My name Daenerys Targaryen. Titles can be shared another time." One hand moved to touch Ciri's scarred cheek, the touch oddly relaxing to the young woman. "Rest Ciri…by my honour as Khalessi you will be safe under my care."

Ciri struggled to speak, wanting to argue and explain why she couldn't sleep now. Her mind was still fresh of her battle with that horned creature and the last moments she had shared with Geralt a world away. Yet exhaustion took hold, her eyes closing with the last sight being of the kind face of Daenerys and the baby dragon in her arms.