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"Covered in blood in the middle of nowhere. You really are lucky I found you, sister."

Unlike Daenerys, who'd nearly died in the desert after their parting, Viserys had suffered little discomfort on the rest of his journey back to fertile land. He found a traveling band of soquili the day after he left Daenerys, and while they hadn't always been pleased with his company, they had been too charitable to abandon him. They led him to the edge of the desert and left him there, alone in a new land, but not in any sort of immediate danger. Viserys had been wandering on his own ever since. He'd discovered that the soquili in this land knew little of royalty, much to his aggravation.

Viserys probably would have never found his sister again if it hadn't been for a stray bit of gossip he heard about a kirin-kalona cross with pet dragons. He decided that this mysterious mare had to be his sister and soon after decided that he would find her. His vicious mood in the desert had passed and he decided that he wanted his sister's company again. Daenerys had been his one constant companion since foalhood and he had a sense of possessive interest over her, if nothing else. Besides... she needed him. Seeing her looking so pathetic and bedraggled only proved that in Viserys' mind.

"Of course I survived." Viserys looked at his sister like she had grown a third eyeball. It wasn't like it had been hard to get out of the desert, and this new land was easy to live off of. The locals were so friendly that he could have joined a dozen herds if he had chosen to. Of course, he didn't want to join a herd. He wanted to rule one.

"Where's the rest of your herd?" he asked imperiously. "I know it's not you out here all alone, unless they just left you."

"Very well," conceded Viserys. "Take me to this herd of yours." It didn't occur to him at all that Daenerys might actually be leading the herd, not just being a part of it.

Together they returned to the khalasar. There was no one awake who bothered to question Viserys' presence. It was a bigger group than Viserys had expected and with a large variety of breeds too. "What exactly has Dany been up to?" he wondered, a question that would have to wait until morning.

"Three," replied Daenerys tightly. "We have three warriors." It was still a small number, but she wasn't going to let Viserys ignore one of her queensguard. She had managed to find some time to clean the blood off of herself, but the cloud hanging over her khalasar would be much more difficult to cleanse. They moved listlessly, even though danger might still be lurking. She would have pushed them faster had it not been for poor Mi Ren Ko. The mare was obviously still weak and heartsick and Dany didn't have the stomach to try to force her faster at a time like this.

Viserys had behaved well enough during the initial introduction. He hadn't started being difficult again until they were on the road. Somehow it seemed like he always waited until they were out of earshot of the others to take his digs at her. "He is family," she reminded herself. "He is the last family I have and blood of the dragon... even if he behaves more like a snake."

"Every army must begin somewhere." Daenerys tried to keep her temper through Viserys' barbs. "Even if it only starts with three." She might be a young mare who knew little of war, but she knew more than Viserys assumed. She was quite aware that they weren't going to be winning any wars with their current force. They might not even be able to win a fight against another herd right now.

She had certainly started with the intention of building an army, but that wasn't what her khalasar had become. She didn't welcome new followers because she thought they might help her win back her kingdom, she-

And of course, Viserys had more to say.

"... Useless nags?" She was used to his barbs against her, but this was an insult she couldn't tolerate. He insulted her khalasar now, a group of soquili that trusted her enough to put themselves under her protection. Daenerys bared her teeth, showing the sharp fangs that she rarely exposed.

"If you dare to insult them again, I'll have those 'useless nags' throw you alone into the wilderness!" Three was a small number, but three could easily overpower one. "They are not an army, but they are my khalasar! I would much rather cherish them than go chasing after a homeland that we may never see again." There it was, the thought that Viserys had cut off before. She no longer was certain that she ever would have the power to take Westeros back... but that in no way devalued what she had in the Kawani lands.

Several days passed. Viserys avoided Daenerys after their conversation and she seemed glad to do the same. Things had changed between them, things that Viserys didn't quite understand yet. He was still determined that he'd be able to set Dany straight, but it was going to be no easy task.

He found her other followers much more agreeable. They generally treated him with respect, even if not with the deference that he would have enjoyed. He couldn't stand the mopey mother or her burly mate, but the others were better. There was one that he hadn't had a chance to talk much to yet, a mare of particular beauty and grace. He understood that her name was Illyria and that she was some sort of foreigner, but that was all he knew. Deciding that it was time to get to know her a little better (And maybe get to know her a lot better later if things went well.), he strode over to her one evening after the herd had stopped to rest.

"Illyria, isn't it?" he said as a greeting.