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Dany howls. Her face is wet and red from tears. Betrayal is a sharp dagger and the blade cuts deep into her chest, reaches her heart, leaves it bleeding. Everything hurts. She shuts her eyes but the burn still stings behind her lids. For the first time since she arrived at Winterfell she doesn't feel the cold that makes her miss the warm lands of Essos and when she speaks her rage nearly chokes her.
"Stand aside!"
He doesn't move. Half his face is covered in blood where Drogon's tail had hit him and struck him to the ground. Just a brush, but his eye was lost. Still, he stands and raises his sword. Her heart sinks even more. I shall end this now, she thinks, end it right here and kill them both. But she can't. She feels lost. She knows what she wants but it's out of reach however hard she tries. Yet he's so near and she remembers. Remembers all the sweet nothings whispered to her ear. All meaningless words and she fell for it, simply because she wanted to. How could she ever been that foolish?
"Don't!" He takes a step forward, looks up at her, while Drogon spreads his wings and screams a high-pitched threat. "Please, don't."
She can hardly hear him.
"Stand aside," she repeats. I beg you. "Or I'll burn you first." And make the woman who calls herself queen in the north watch.
Betrayal, she's surrounded and there's no escape. The snow is white and bright, so bright it's blinding her.
"I can't." He takes a deep breath while he watches Drogon with caution, then he shakes his head and even gives her one of his rare smiles. "I won't. Burn me if you must."
The queen in the north calls out to him and he turns. Dany can't see his face but she knows how it softens when he looks at her. She's seen it many times before. The queen in the north calls him Jon, which is not his real name. It never was. Lies, all lies and she can't help but wonder if anything in her life was ever true to begin with.
Her hair is a red stream, glowing embers in snow. Drogon opens his mouth. His hot breath is vibrating in Dany's bones. Just seconds and she would be gone forever. They'll be gone for good. Simple as that. Yet she has to ask him, has to know and the answer's no surprise.
"I love her."