The Dragon that Decides 3 (Patreon)

The Dragon that Decides

Chapter 3

-VB-

Curiosity overwhelmed me.

I needed to know.

I reached down, gripped the ankle of the carcass, and pulled it up above my head. The limbs flopped around in all direction towards the ground, but I didn’t find it disgusting. In fact, the way that the limbs moved told me that the meat hadn’t rotted or undergone rigor mortis.

Which meant fresh meat.

I opened my maw and dropped the meat into it.

I snapped my jaw shut, and rich, flavorful blood popped out like it was some kind of a berry.

Feeling someone looking at me, I hurriedly gulped the entire carcass in one-go and then looked down.

On the ground in front of me was Daenerys Targaryeon and her khalasar, and what I ate was a massive elephant-like creature that was as twice as tall as its Earth counterpart.

And I just swallowed it whole in one-go.

… Having been on the other side of this experience (ie, the audience who watched an animal swallow an animal whole like a crocodile swallowing an entire deer), I lowered myself to look at them at eye level, even if it wouldn’t do much to assuage them.

What prey would be when they sat in the presence of a predator they knew nothing about?

Unlike gazelles who drew close to lions that they knew wouldn’t eat them, an elk never got close to a bear regardless of the occasion.

Despite my offer to bring her and her khalasar to a fresh pasture away from the war of Essos and Westeros, Daeny made a counteroffer. She asked for something ridiculous; in exchange for her, she asked that I restore what rightfully belonged to her. Though I had been hungry at the time, I told her to wait and went hunting. A whole day later, I came back from my hunt with it.

I may have also killed the blood rider who was coming back with good news.

On a side note, I had to keep a tight leash on my presence, or I would cause weaker individuals to die from heart attacks from how much fear they feel in my presence.

“Now that I am full,” I spoke directly to her, turning my head a little so that my slightly forward-facing eyes both locked in on her. Her children took my attention as a threat and quickly screeched and cawed as they circled around Daeny.

I just found that so fucking cute. They were no different from yipping puppies to me.

I lightly blew on them, and they tumbled away, but they came back and persistently yipped at me.

I laughed.

Now, it wasn’t a booming laugh like a man would make. It was a grinding and hissing sound that thundered and echoed in the rocks and hills of the Red Waste. The closest comparison would be a giant ore crusher. I had the misfortune of being near one before.

My laughter wasn’t what I expected from a dragon like myself, but I had to say that it was a new sound, and certainly from the way some of the dothraki were backing off, it was a new sound for them, too.

A horrifyingly terrorizing sound but still new.

“Let’s get back to negotiating, little dragon,” I hissed mirthfully as I sat down like a dog would and rested my long neck and head on my scaly forearms and hands (hands because I had fingers, and thus they were not paws). “Sorry, I forgot what you asked me.”

Daeny visibly mustered up her courage before she spoke. It was the little tells like how she squared her shoulders, straightened her back, and met my gaze with a resolute stare of her own. “In exchange for me, I want you to return to me what is rightfully mine across the Narrow Sea,” she demanded boldly.

I laughed again.

“Rightful? There exists no such thing,” I crooned with a pity smirk while raising my head up just a bit and flapping my wings a little. “Look upon me. I am a dragon. I am a superior creature compared to you humans. There are dragons less powerful than me who have resided over kingdoms, republics, and empires. Do you know why?” I leaned in. “Because we dragons are powerful and you humans are not.”

She looked like she really wanted to bring up how her people in Valyria controlled dragons.

“By what cause do you proclaim that you have a ‘rightful’ rule over something?”

“Because it is the right of my blood?”

“You mean to be prey?”

She froze.

“You are human. I am a carnivore that can’t be beaten. The only right that exists here, little wyrm, is what I give you.” I paused. “Has that gotten through your little head yet?”

She glared at me, impotently.

“Then why even bother to offer something to me in the first place?” she asked angrily. “Why go through civilized charade? What do you even want?!”

“Didn’t I tell you yesterday?” I asked her, pulling up one hand and finger and poking her lightly. She nearly stumbled back, but the stubborn woman held her place. “I’m here for you. Just as you proclaim that you have rights to something, I too proclaim that rights exist, but I can back up my right. Right, though, is a wrong word. There is no such thing as a right, only privilege. It is by my physical power and intellect that I enforce my will to the word.” I leaned forward. “And the privilege I bestow upon you is choice. You might not know what I do with you, but I offer you something good for the people under you. You may reject me and that might get you killed, but at the end of the day, you choose because I give you the option of choosing.” I glanced at her khalasar. “This is a choice given to you, not your people.”

I lowered my head again and smirked, waiting her response.

She looked at me, baffled beyond words. “You sound more like a dothraki than a Westerosi despite speaking Westerosi,” she uttered. She looked at me with an emotion that I couldn’t place on her face before she spoke up again. “And what would be our fate if I agree?”

“Your khalasar would go to a new land where they would have no immediate threat and time to grow. You, however, will remain with me.”

Her shoulders sagged. “For what purpose?”

“Does it matter?”

“Yes, it does.”

“Just know that you will be taken care of and live a long life.”

She clenched her hands.

“... And if I refuse?”

I tilted my head a little. “Then I leave.”

“You just … leave.”

“Yes, I just leave.”

“But take very good note of your situation. You’ve been out here in the Red Wastes for a very long time, and our little conversation has lasted over a day. Your khalasar are starving… I doubt they have much more left in them.”

She looked over her shoulder before looking back at me.

“And if I accept and ask you to restore to me the throne and the kingdom my father once held?”

“I would reject.”

“Why?”

“Because it is stupid.”

“Stupid…?!”

“Do you conquer horse herds?”

“What does-?”

“Do you conquer ant hills?”

“... No.”

“That is what a human kingdom on this world is like to me. Things that may be interesting or annoying at the periphery of my awareness. I care very little about such things as ruling. I am a dragon. I exist. My very presence demands respect. For what reason should I lower myself? If it was a hobby, then perhaps I might, but it is not my hobby.”

“Are we so worthless?”

I laughed. “You exist across infinite worlds, live on infinite worlds, and will perhaps live on til the death of the universe. You are no better than cockroaches in that regard: persistent survivors.”

“Then why even offer me something if I am a worthless human?”

“I will ask a question in return: why do humans keep pets?”

“That’s it? I will merely be a pet to you?”

I scoffed. “I care very little how you perceive yourself. You will be mine and that is the only thing that truly matters. I merely responded to a stupid question with another stupid question. It is stupid,” I added when I saw her get angry. “Because I have already told you the relevant reasons. You asked a question for an answer that you have already been provided.”

My words stalled her.

And then she finally responded.

“No. I refuse.”

I smirked. “Very well, then. I would bid you farewell, but I will be seeing you very soon anyways.”

I stood up on all four, flapped my wings, and gently took off into the sky.

Now, to wait for her to beg me to save her people. I wondered just how many bodies her pride was worth.