Chapter 1: My Queen

Since the day they met, even at first glance, it was blatantly obvious that Daenerys Targaryen was a true Dragon, strong and fierce, with fire in her gaze that burned brighter than the sun. Jon Snow had experienced the force of her look, had been awed by the royal power that she exuded with every breath. He had witnessed her strong will and her brave, untameable spirit, he had come to admire her authority and determination and he owed his life to her now.

The courageous Queen had risked everything, her three precious dragons, herself, to come to their rescue. She came as a vision, striking, both beautiful in appearance and majestic in action. Dragon fire had spread around them, had engulfed and shredded the dead and the ice surrounding them. She had descended on her magnificent dragon and had burnt their enemies in a display of power far more heroic than any man had ever seen.

Fire surrounded them. A fire so hot, so feared by many, was now their salvation.

It was the most glorious sight that Jon had ever witnessed, his heart soaring at seeing this beautiful woman, this powerful Queen, arriving just in time to save them all. Her dragons were already destroying hundreds, suddenly the Army of the Dead not seeming so unstoppable after all. They made it look easy even.

The moment that her eyes met his, Jon Snow understood that there was so much more that he hadn't let himself admit. Feelings that he hadn't been able to place had surged into his heart. But this was not the time, nor the place for that sort of thoughts.

That had seemed to be the thing he had kept saying to himself ever since he met her.

'There is no time for that...'

Instinctively, he had run up to her, wanting nothing more than to accept her extended hand in desperation and fly away on her dragon, but he was still determined to protect the others and so, with a promise in his eyes, he kept battling the few dead soldiers that escaped the dragon fire.

Then, dread took over him, a fear so strong that he felt it in every fibre of his body. A piercing, most agonizing screech echoed loudly, his eyes catching the ice spear roaring through the air and slicing right through one of the flying dragons. The creature fell, blood gushing heavily in the air behind him, his brothers roaring back in heartbreaking pain.

It was something unheard of. Tragic.

Daenerys's eyes followed her beloved child falling from the sky, to his death. Her heart stopped, her mind not being able to process the tragedy that was unfolding before her eyes. The last screeching sound that Viserion made would forever be imprinted in her mind. She wanted to scream with him, wanted to jump down to his rescue, to SAVE him, but her body would not listen to her, frozen.

Frozen in utter shock and fear.

Fear.

The Queen was not used to being afraid. Fear was not something she thought she would experience. She didn't think that she would ever be afraid of anything. And it wasn't fear for her own life, it was far worse. She feared for the lives of her children, for the life of the brave hero that she had come to rescue.

The most agonizing moment of her life unfolded as she watched as one of her children crashed on the ice and slowly sunk to his watery grave. She saw his eyes close one last time. No one moved, no one could, paralyzed in sheer stupefaction. No action would matter now. No words could have made any difference for her.

The first to react was Jon, his rage fuelling him on as he started towards the Night King, wanting nothing more than to drive his sword through him and end him once and for all.

He remembered most clearly how the Nigh King was about to deliver the second spear. He remembered the moment that he realized just how much she had risked and how much he was willing to let go – for her.

He yelled in despair that they go, he tried to make it, but he knew he wouldn't, he watched her, watched how she looked at him. She didn't want to leave him, but she could not lose another dragon. Her suffering was already abysmal.

The greatest battle had been held within her heart, after all.

Jon Snow had sunk in that icy lake along with her dragon and Daenerys could only try and keep the rest of them safe. Only she knew the war waging inside her soul as she surged in the air, her eyes still searching for any sign of him. She felt the cold wind harshly as another spear flew right past her, the most important thing then being to get Drogon and the other men safely back and hope that, by some miracle, Jon would return to her.

She couldn't have lost him too.

She suffered and waited. She looked on from the high wall as her remaining children wailed for their fallen brother and flew high up. Her eyes were searching for a sign that Jon would come back. The cold wind of winter was nauseating, the fear that he would not come – great- but she hoped, she waited.

Since her dragons were born, she had always been strong, fearless, determined, powerful, but she had also never thought it possible for them to be vulnerable. Now she didn't know what to do, how to react, how to come to terms with what had happened. She felt raw and exposed. It felt as though the harsh breath of Winter was seeping into her veins.

Daenerys Targaryen mourned her beloved dragon as she had mourned the loss of her unborn child.

Solace.

That was what she wanted to feel. And only by seeing him again would she find it. He was her ally, she didn't want to lose him, but also... She cared for him. Deeply.

It was never what she had intended, nor what she had thought when she had first met him.

The King in the North was nothing like the other men that bent to her will and bowed before her. Jon Snow had been in open rebellion since they first met, stubborn and unwavering in his quest for her alliance. He had challenged her and infuriated her at times, had never given up his honesty, even though his ideals were not in sync with her own in the beginning. He was courageous and reckless, a true leader in battle, heroic, inspiring, a man worthy to be called King.

She both admired and hated him for it.

Since they saw each other first, she had seen something in him, she liked being challenged, enjoyed his powerful presence, the passion with which he spoke. She had ended up supporting him even before she had seen how true his words had been, how real the threat. She trusted him.

A trust that weighted more than her Hand's advice, his plea, for her not to go Beyond the Wall.

She supposed she was just as reckless as him in the end...

When he pulled himself out of the water, when he grabbed his sword, when he was ready to fight till his last breath, he thought of her. He thought that at least she was safe, at least she knew now. She would convince everyone else and they would fight for her, they would follow her in battle and she would defeat the Night King. He trusted that everyone will see how brave she is and that she is the only one that could actually change something, the one that could save them, the one true Queen.

His body would not last long in the cold and against the dead, he wanted to run, he wanted to fight, he wanted to get back to her, but he knew he wouldn't be able to. His mind was hazy. It was all a blur when his uncle Benjen appeared and lifted him up on the horse and sent him to Eastwatch. He was baffled and forever grateful to his uncle. As much as he could, he stayed awake, but in the end, his body was too tired and darkness came over his eyes.

Daenerys was a Queen, she didn't need to stay with him, but how could she not?

The moment she had seen him get carried back by a horse, she knew. She could start breathing properly again.

She watched him get put to bed, his men hurrying to pry the frozen clothes off him and making him warm again. They were even quicker in leaving once they heard her demand and saw the haunted look in her eyes. She had a glimpse at the deep scars that marred his chest, Ser Davos's words coming back to her "He took a knife in the heart, he died for his people".

He was definitely different, stupidly brave, indeed.

So she sat down on the bed, next to him, watching, for who knows how long, silently listening to his ragged breathing. The world outside didn't matter in that moment, she just wanted to look at him, to see the colour return to his skin, to see his chest moving, to know that he was breathing.

That he was alive.

She was relieved. He was safe, he would recover.

Tears threatened to spill from her eyes and she had not the power to hold them back. Now she could allow herself to grieve, to join her other dragons in mourning their beloved brother.

There was no one there to see, no one to consider her vulnerable for crying, no one to witness the Queen's weakness, her distress. She hadn't thought she would suffer as much as when Drogo and her child died, but the pain was almost greater now because she had thought it impossible. One of her dragons – dead.

In the stillness of the room, the rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, a woman who was so powerful, a woman that was respected and adored and feared – shattered to pieces. A few warm tears fell onto her frozen face, trails of fire and pain.

What a strange feeling.

She hadn't cried in so long, she wished she never would have to do so again. It was so much sorrow, so much heartache. Too much, too great. The cries of her two remaining children echoed her own misery, her eyes peering out the window and seeing them flying far away. They were already sailing back to Dragonstone, the world hadn't stopped just as she had felt it had. They were still at war, they still had a long way to go. And through it all, the sadness, the ache in her veins, she was resolute, she would fight and defeat the Night King.

But in these moments she didn't know what to do with herself, a sob escaping her lips, her hand muffling it. There was no one near to hear her, but even if they were, they would understand.

Her eyes landed back on the man that was still unconscious, naked under the furs, so his scars were visible, the chest of a true warrior, a commander. Her conversation with Tyrion came back to her. She had been angry at Jon Snow for being heroic, still thought that what he had done was equally brave and stupid.

But had she not done the same?

A shadow of a smile curved her lips. Yes, she had been stupid and brave and it had cost her the life of Viserion, but she had also saved the life of those men, the life of Ser Jorah and the life of the King in the North. Also, it had saved their chances at convincing Cersei to accept the truce, and, thus them getting to wage war on the White Walkers.

Unconsciously, her hand had rested over Jon's scars, her palm flat against his chest, gathering strength from feeling his heart beating. She had been so lost in thought that she didn't notice the calmness that had settled over her grieving heart. It was good to have something to rely on, to not feel alone. Pulling her hand back, she gently wiped her tears, committing the moment to memory, it would remain in her heart, next to the memories of the death of her son and husband. To be cherished, to intensify her fire and give her strength.

A piece of her heart would be forever gone along with Viserion, but she still had a war to wage and she wanted this to be her drive, she would still have the power of three magnificent dragons, only that one would be from the deepest depths of her soul. Her connection to her children was stronger than even death itself.

Her attention returned to Jon, she enjoyed watching him rest, he looked serene and it calmed her, too.

His body was marked with scars, his battles embedded on his skin, yet he was only more fearless and driven into war. She remembered the vastness of the Army of the Dead, she had seen it from above and it terrified her. Yet, he had faced them before, and survived. She wondered how many of these scars were left by the dead and how many not...

Fingers trembling, nervous, she joined her hands in her lap, her emotions chaotic, but always returning to worry. She wanted him to wake, to talk to her, to be assured that he was fine. Time was not something she had kept track of, only the light coming from the window letting her know that it was daytime.

When he came to, eyes heavy, his vision blurry, the only thing he saw was her. Beautiful silver hair simmering in the sunlight, he saw that she was standing on the bed with him, her hands tightly clasped into her lap. His gaze met hers and the most painful thing to witness were her teary eyes, reddened by the grief and despair. It all came back to him, the agonizing screech of her dragon, the loss that he could not possibly imagine getting over.

How could he ever repay her for this enormous sacrifice?

Daenerys felt blood rush back into her the moment that Jon's eyes opened. It was alleviating to see him wake. Fresh tears brimmed her eyes, this time tears of relief. No words escaped her mouth. She wasn't sure she could speak, but her eyes conveyed how good it was to see him, a new wave of warmth, intense and persistent.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." This was all that he could think of to say, his brow furrowed, feeling her pain, hoping that somehow, she understood just how much he meant those words.

Watching her like this, so heartbroken, was breaking his heart, too. She didn't care that he saw her so unguarded, so raw, she needed the comfort and he was so sincerely saddened, that it didn't matter that she was supposed to be strong and fearless. She would allow herself to be vulnerable with him.

Her lip trembled, new sorrow flooding her at seeing a man so concerned for her, so selfless that even if he was the one that had suffered physically, he still comforted her. Eyes downcast, he still saw how hard it was for her to show vulnerability and he was struck by how delicate she looked, he just wanted to protect her, to take away her pain.

Jon reached out for her hand and held on tightly. He was not very good with words, he couldn't begin to understand her suffering, but he would do anything in his power to alleviate her sorrow.

Daenerys smiled slightly, the action of Jon taking her hand giving her comfort. It was strange, his hand now was warmer than hers, his skin raspier, but still so soft. She watched their intertwined hands and smiled, still at a loss for words, but now strong enough to meet his gaze.

"I wish I could take it back. I wish we'd never gone." He confessed, regret pouring from within his heart.

His eyes were so dark, so full of emotion, so fervent, so full of sadness. She took a deep breath, a chill running down her spine as she processed his words. She didn't blame him, she wanted to make sure he knew.

"I don't. If we hadn't gone, I wouldn't have seen. You have to see it to know. Now I know."

With every word, she was more resolute, she had needed to see that it was all true...the impending war with the dead. Her eyes were fierce, still red and teary, but intense, filled with determination that the death of her child would not be in vain. It was his turn to watch, silently as she opened up to him.

"The dragons are my children. They're the only children I'll ever have. Do you understand?"

Another wave of tears threatened to fall, but she willed herself not to cry. She wanted him to understand, she was confessing something that she had not dared talk about since her child died. Her pain from her now two lost children was clearly reflected in her eyes. She could never have children. That is why her dragons were all she had.

They were her family, her only family.

She would not have successors, she would not carry a child, she was cursed and she was to be the end of the Targaryen bloodline.

The aching of that truth, she bore with her, it was something that she had come to terms with, but now...it was too raw, too real, saying it out loud.

Jon looked down, he couldn't bear to see her like this, so powerless. How could she be so strong after all that she had been through? He had heard her confession when they first met, had seen her fire when she declared that faith in herself had gotten her through all and he knew, she was a true Queen, a most formidable woman.

"We are going to destroy the Night King and his army. And we'll do it together. You have my word."

Completely baffled by her, Jon watched in awe as she returned from her grief with even more strength and resolution. He swallowed hard, now, his turn at being speechless. What could he say to convey just how strongly he felt? To let her know how much he appreciated, not only her might, but her openness toward him.

"Thank you, Dany."

Daenerys chuckled, not sure what she had expected, but pleasantly surprised by the way that he addressed her, without the need for titles and formality.

" 'Dany'? Who was the last person who called me that? I'm not sure. Was it my brother? Mm, not the company you want to keep."

She was getting carried away, so comfortable in his presence that she didn't even mind the thought of her lost brother. A sliver of laughter in her sea of sadness. How had he managed that?

"All right. Not 'Dany'."

Jon gazed longingly at her, his heart racing, he had taken a leap calling her simply Dany and was pleased that she didn't seem to mind the disregard of any formal title. In that split moment he knew what he had glimpsed at before, what he had felt, he could no longer deny. He saw her for who she was.

"How about 'my queen'?"

Jon's hoarse voice seemed to echo in her heart. This she had not expected. Daenerys was stricken by the ardour with which he laced those words, his tone imposing, giving even more meaning to his words. His dark eyes were so sincere and full of emotion. That look that she gave him said it all. She wasn't expecting that, she was surprised and the tenderness in her eyes was all that he had hoped to see.

"I'd, uh, bend the knee, but..."

He continued, looking down at his body.

"What about those who swore allegiance to you?"

She couldn't accept that just as is, because she had understood his reasoning before. She respected him and she could see why the Northmen had pledged themselves to him, why he was deserving of the title of King. She had not gone Beyond the Wall with the intention of saving them so that he would have to bend the knee, but, by the look in his eyes and his next words, she knew that he had other reasoning.

"They'll all come to see you for what you are."

In that moment, eyes locked with his and millions of emotions coursing through her, she held back fresh tears, her hand reaching to grab his tightly. She moved slowly, her hand fitting so perfectly within his. He was her anchor right then and she couldn't express just how much his words meant to her.

Jon looked at her, eyes not wavering from hers until they travelled to their joint hands. It was so surreal, her touch so delicate, but strong, he never wanted to let go. How could a simple touch like that make him feel so much? She was about to cry again, so many sensations assaulting her in such short time, she didn't know what to do with them. But this was a warmth that she welcomed, a feeling she gladly accepted and rejoiced in.

Her thumb was drawing small circles on his hand as he squeezed back in comfort and longing. He was not only yielding his power, but they were sharing control with that simple touch.

"I hope I deserve it."

She responded in the only way she could, now seeing this honourable King trust her to such depths. Jon's eyes portrayed exactly how much he trusted her, how much he felt for her.

"You do."

And he looked at her with such fervour, his eyes were burning deeply into hers, such strong sentiment reflected in them that it shook her to her core. He held onto her hand tighter, the moment turning into so much more. It was all conveyed in their eyes. They didn't have to speak another word...they didn't know how to say it, but their eyes spoke for them.

Longing for something that they barely knew...

They had gone a long way, this moment reshaping their whole worlds. It was with such intensity that they looked at each other, with such intimacy from just a simple touch that it unnerved them both. It was all so new, so consuming, their connection so heated and passionate that she almost feared it.

Daenerys had never felt something so intense, so deeply, she didn't know how to name it, but she saw it reflected right back at her in Jon's eyes.

Thank you for reading! I would appreciate your thoughts on this story. I wanted to add more details to this beautiful scene, I felt like we deserved more and I will continue with the events in the finale in other chapters or as one shots, depending on your thoughts.