CHAPTER 59 | OVERREACTING

NOTE: DOTHRAKI TRANSLATIONS AT THE BOTTOM

MAIA was showing. Quite obviously, if not for her bigger dresses.

Daenerys had given her Dothraki handmaidens to assist her in baths and dressing, despite Maia's protests. The Dothraki women before Maia drew her bath, the hot water almost boiling from inside the tub. Jon had gone to plan the mining of the caves below Dragonstone, so Maia was glad to just be alone in their chambers.

Dragons were carved along the walls of the bedroom. The floorboards creaked under all the feet, for they were old. The windows were of stained glass and could be opened, allowing the fresh sea breeze in. The sheets on the bed were red, made of fresh linen. Every corner lit with a candle or torch. Maia stared at her bare self in the long mirror before her, cupping the end of her protruding stomach. She looked at it in fear.

The Dothraki handmaidens barely spoke any of the common tongue, so Maia tried her best to understand them, as they did for her and their Khaleesi. Their names were Tashi and Talli, twins in everything but eye color, for one had bright hazel eyes and the other had brown. "Come, come," Talli instructed, guiding a naked Maia to the steaming bath.

Maia slowly slid herself in hot water, relishing in the warmth. She had never felt more at peace in these troubling times. Tashi washed her hair, running her fingers through the wet strands. "Zheana noreth," Tashi muttered under her breath, in awe of the blonde's soft hair.

Her sister gushed in agreement. "Haf ilek akka, inavva."

Talli brushed the soap across Maia skins, who laid back in the tub, trying her best to relax. The Dothraki women had soft, yet rough hands. If there was anything Maia learned from the psychic, Edna, hands said a lot about a person.

Talli's hand dove in the water, scrubbing the soap over Maia's chest, and then her stomach. Maia's eyes snapped open to see Talli's mouth going agape. She stopped scrubbing to look at Maia with wide eyes. "Mai," Talli whispered softly, and her sister grinned big. Talli struggled to remembered the word in the common tongue, but eventually said, "Mother."

Maia stared at the Dothraki women in shock. Tears pricked her eyes. No one could know, and she decided that these handmaidens knew this. Maia shook her head, rubbing away the tears that were not needed. Talli then placed her hand underneath Maia's chin and raised it, so the blonde could look in her eyes.

Both Talli and Tashi put a finger to their lips and muttered, "Shh."

•••

"This is beautiful, Jon. Unlike anything I've ever seen before."

Maia stared at the dragonglass in awe. It was everywhere – along the corners, the ceiling, the walls. Maia had never seen dragonglass before, and here it was, a load of it before her very eyes. Jon held up the flaming torch in his hand, and it allowed the dragonglass to shine in an iridescent way. Maia went up to the wall, brushing her finger slightly over the dragonglass, causing it to prick her finger. She wiped the residue on her dress before turning to Jon.

"Amazing, isn't it?" He asked, looking to the ceiling.

Maia approached him quickly, throwing her arms around him and then cupping his face. "I'm so proud of everything you've accomplished," she said, her breath fanning his cheeks.

Jon's face grew red. "I didn't expect for your feelings to come out at a time like this."

Maia giggled, brushing her lips just over his. "This is but a dream, Jon." She turned her head to the ceiling. "You might have a chance against the Others with all this dragonglass. You've defeated every odd you've come across. You convinced the dragon queen to give us her dragonglass. You've stayed true to your Northern word. You've ... come back from the dead." Maia's thumbs caressed his cheeks, which made Jon's arm slightly struggle to hold the torch up. "You ... You found me again, and that's all I could ask for."

Jon leaned in and pressed a kiss to her lips. A million butterflies exploded in her stomach, but as soon as she closed her eyes – her mind reverted to dread, like her imagination was running wild.

She was in the snow, the great winter. Everything around her was dead. Crying ensued over the wild wind, and when Maia looked down, she held a baby in her arms. The child wailed and wailed as snowflakes dug them deeper in a pile. She called out to Jon, but she was nowhere to be found. She had ... no one.

Maia's eyes snapped open when Jon leaned away, sending her a smile. Maia swallowed hard. "Jon, I – I must tell you something," she muttered, taking in a deep breath. "I –"

"Can this wait?" Jon interrupted. "I need to show this to Daenerys as well. I've found other important things in this cave."

And with that, Jon was off, away to find the Mother of Dragons. Maia didn't understand why – maybe it was her hormones skyrocketing – but she began to cry. Maia sucked in a large sob as her hands cupped her stomach through the large dress. Her garments hid the bump well, but it was only a matter of time. Nerves gnawed at her insides. Would she ever be able to tell him? Would he accept another bastard in his life? Maia quickly rubbed the tears away as she heard voices approaching the cave.

Jon came forward into the cave, holding his torch high above his head. Daenerys and Missandei followed, both regarding Maia's presence with a nod of their heads. Jon held the torch near the dragonglass, and Daenerys marveled over the artifacts. "Well, this is it," Jon exclaimed, holding out his arms. "All we'll ever need."

Daenerys had no words. It was beautiful; the glass reflected off every crevice of the cave. She was stunned, truly, and so was her adviser. "This is unworldly," Missandei whispered. Maia patted the advisor's shoulders, sending her a warm smile.

"There is something else I want to show you, Your Grace." Jon muttered, allowing Dany to follow him up a path deeper in the cave.

Missandei and Maia shared a look. They followed the two leaders once they were far enough away. Maia had a bad feeling creeping in her stomach. She crept along the sides of the cave, noticing that the farther they went in, ancient carvings began to appear. They were of different geographical symbols, and a lot of them were only spirals.

"What do they mean?" Missandei whispered.

Maia raised a brow. "Geographical patterns tend to have some spiritual meanings. Spiral carvings can be very important and have a lot of meanings to different cultures. They can mean a lot in any world you go to, I presume."

When the two reached the end of the cave, they saw Jon and Daenerys holding the torch light close to a specific large drawing of White Walkers, but all Maia could focus on was one thing: Jon's arm. It snaked around Daenerys' waist to give her a better view of the drawing. The two were immensely close. Bile crept up Maia's throat, threatening to come out. Jealously swirled in the pit of her stomach.

Jon was looking at her, guiding her over to several other carvings. Maia found her eyes watering. She tried her best to convince herself it was her hormones, but was that really the cause? She was going to scream. She was going to riot. Her only suitable exit was to run out; she didn't need to stand around and watch something like this, no matter how innocent.

Jon said he loved her. He was loyal to her. The Azor Ahai and the Traveler are our destiny, Melisandre had said – but what if destiny had taken a different path. Gods, she needed to tell him of her pregnancy. But she didn't want it to come off as a reason to make him love her over everyone else. She wanted him to accept the child for being the blood of both of them, for being the bastard of destiny. But that was the problem: the child would be a bastard, and although he would love the child, the last thing Jon would want at a time like this was a bastard of his own. She would tell him – before they leave Dragonstone. She would tell him.

Maia sprinted out as she heard Daenerys murmur, "I will fight for you. I will fight for the North."

She ran out of the cave like a banshee. Trying her best to suck in all her sobs; she wouldn't dare to let them see her in such a state. She exited the cave with red eyes, not even noticing Tyrion and Varys waiting outside. She pressed her back on the outside stone, holding her hands in front of her face. "I'm overreacting. I'm overreacting. I'm overreacting," she repeated. But why did she still not feel like she was breathing?

Jon rushed out moments later, finding Maia along the entrance of the cave. She tried her best to hide the consistent tears flowing down her cheeks, but Jon knew her better than that. He approached her carefully, trying to peel her hands away from her face. "What's wrong?" He asked softly, but Maia wouldn't budge. "I know you're stubborn, but it's me. Talk to –"

"Am I ... but a nuisance to you, Jon?" Her red eyes focused on his, and he hesitantly rubbed away the snot dripping from her nose. "This was a mistake. I never should've came here with you. Why did –?"

"Because Daenerys wanted you here," he replied. "She wanted all of us here. We need this dragonglass and her as an ally, Maia. It's the only way to help the North."

Maia nodded slowly, wiping her tears off her cheeks.

"Why are you crying?"

She looked off in the distance of the waves. "You and her – you're ice and she's fire. You're everything that the prophecies foretell. All this shit was fate Jon, working in your favor."

He grabbed the edges of her face them, holding her in a comforting way. Their stares connected – Maia's bloodshot eyes to his dark, muddy ones. The same ones of the baby in her dream. Jon pursed his lips. "But you're my lady," he said. "I love you, Maia Sanders. Nothing is going to tear us apart. Not a prophecy; not fate. Not even a whole universe could. Nothing. I would die for you."

Maia allowed a sad smile to form on her face. Jon's arms wrapped around her tightly. Her face buried itself in the crook of his neck, his lips at her ear. He pressed a kiss to the side of her face. Maia never felt more loved in that moment. She just hoped this would be Jon's reaction to her important news as well.

DOTHRAKI TRANSLATIONS
Zheana noreth – Beautiful hair
Haf ilek akka, inavva – Soft skin too, sister
Mai – Mother