The wedding feast began at dawn.
Khal Kerse summoned all his people to the ceremony: a total of fifty thousand dothraki warriors, in addition to countless women, children, and slaves.
Soon, miles upon miles of tents stretched across the land like a sea of leather and cloth.
Both men and women went bare-chested, wearing painted leather vests and bronze belts around their waists. The male warriors used animal fat to grease their long braids, which gleamed in the light of the rising sun.
The servants soon arrived with food: steaming cuts of meat, thick black sausages, dothraki blood pies, fresh fruits, and sweets brought from Pentos.
Everyone feasted on horse meat roasted with honey and peppers, while drinking fermented mare's milk and the wine provided by Illyrio. They laughed, drank, and joked with one another around the bonfires.
Then, a roar of drums shook the camp, and the women began to dance to entertain Kerse.
Not far away, two warriors fixed their gaze on the same dancer and began to strike each other with their fists. The others quickly formed a circle around them, with no intention of stopping the fight; on the contrary, they watched the scene with enthusiasm.
"Fight! Fight!"
The crowd shouted in unison, exhilarated.
Unlike traditional dothraki weddings—where it was believed that a wedding without at least three deaths was a failure—the religious reforms dictated that any blood spilled on a festive day was blasphemy. Only the blood of enemies, shed on the battlefield, pleased the god Thor, Horse Head.
Not far from there, Ser Jorah Mormont sat beside Viserys. His eyes drifted from time to time toward Daenerys, revealing deep concern.
When the sun began to set, Kerse clapped his hands. Instantly, the drums, shouts, fights, and feasting ceased.
Kerse rose and helped Daenerys to her feet.
Daenerys seemed small beside him: she stood barely 1.57 meters tall, while Kerse reached a height of 2.4 meters.
Soon, the ceremony of presenting gifts to the bride began.
Viserys cast a meaningful glance at Ser Jorah, who left the tent with a bitter expression and returned shortly afterward accompanied by several slave women chained with bronze shackles.
Viserys spoke with a forced smile:
"Illyrio and I have chosen them for you. They are not common slaves. All of them are very skilled. Irri will teach you to ride, Jhiqui will teach you the dothraki language, and Doreah will teach you how to sleep."
Then Magister Illyrio gave a slight order. Four sturdy slaves stepped forward and placed before Daenerys a chest overflowing with the finest velvet and brocade produced by the Free Cities. Among the gifts was also the dragonbone bow.
The tributes continued.
According to tradition, the Khal's bloodriders gifted Daenerys three gleaming weapons. Other dothraki approached with various gifts: jeweled slippers, silver ribbons for the hair, belts with medallions, painted vests, needles, a nightgown woven with furs, soft silks, and bottles of perfume.
The gifts piled up around her, far exceeding anything she had ever imagined or needed.
At that moment, Daenerys felt deeply happy. For the first time, she felt like a true princess.
Finally, Khal Kerse presented his own gift.
He stepped away from Daenerys, and an expectant silence spread across the camp. Everyone waited, holding their breath.
When he returned, he did so accompanied by several dothraki carrying a box.
Before the eager eyes of all, Kerse opened it.
"Is it… a dragon egg?" Daenerys asked, excited.
The surface of the egg was covered in tiny scales that emitted a golden sheen, reflecting the light of the setting sun.
"It's beautiful," Daenerys murmured, cautiously extending her hand to touch the shell.
Kerse looked at the egg and smiled.
It was one of the two dragon eggs that had appeared with him when he reincarnated into that world.
Seeing Daenerys's expression, his smile grew even more satisfied.
…
Gradually, the noise of the wedding faded away. The crowd began to withdraw, leaving behind disorder, the strong smell of wine, and the occasional sparks from the bonfires.
Then, Kerse led Daenerys to a tent prepared solely for them.
The tent was decorated with colored silks, and the floor was covered with soft carpets.
Kerse carefully lifted Daenerys and placed her on the bed. Then he sat in front of her, so that their faces were at the same height.
Daenerys understood what would happen next. Blushing, she asked softly:
"Are we going to do it?"
Kerse smiled. He leaned toward her and, close to her ear, spoke fluently in the common tongue of the Seven Kingdoms:
"Princess Daenerys Targaryen, with the blood of Aegon the Conqueror flowing through your veins. I, the chosen of the god Thor, Horse Head, swear to lead you to conquer the Seven Kingdoms and reclaim the Usurper's throne."
Daenerys's eyes widened in surprise.
She had never imagined that a supposed barbarian could speak the common tongue so clearly… nor that he knew so much about her.
But before she could respond, Kerse gently captured her lips and drew her toward him.