The Dragon Awakes Part II
The first chapter is set in AC 312. The events of Part I took place in AC 305/306 AC. I have used the Show's dating rather than the books' dating, which ages up the characters slightly. Daenerys and Jon would therefore be 30, Sansa 27, Arya 24, at the time of the first chapter.
In the books, Meereen is 3,000 miles from Kings Landing as the crow flies, and Volantis 1,500 miles, and much further than that for a ship to sail. The show seems to place Meereen and Volantis closer to Kings Landing than that. I have therefore assumed that Volantis is about the same distance from Kings Landing as Palermo is from London, and that Meereen is about the same distance as Alexandria.
Talisa Maegyr never left Volantis, in this fic.
Chapter 1: Kinvara Saves a Life
24th March, AC 312, Volantis
There's only one thing worse than living in a city under siege. The moment it falls.
Talisa Maegyr senses that the city has fallen, even before she knows it. One can tell. In the distance, she can hear roars of triumph from the attackers, cries of dismay from the defenders. She knows what's coming as well. Surrender to the Dragon Queen on terms, and you can rely on her soldiers to behave in a civilised fashion. Force them to storm the city, as her stupid relatives have insisted on doing, and things will go less well. Everyone has heard what happened at Mantarys when that city was foolish enough to fight to the bitter end. What to do? Stay indoors with her children, and hope that the conquerors' bloodlust will have run its course, by the time they reach her? No chance of that. She lives far too close to the city walls. In any case, the attackers will be burning just as much as they plunder. Dying in a fire is about as bad a death as she can think of.
In her imagination, she can see the soldiers pouring through the breach, sweeping the last defenders away. She imagines she can hear screams, as the soldiers reach the first houses. She is no enemy of the Queen, but the victorious soldiers won't know this. Pretending a calmness she doesn't feel, she leaves her bedroom, after pocketing her jewellery, calling for her maid, and her two sons, telling them to meet her in the hall. The boys are 12 and 13, the maid only a few years older. They are slow, agonisingly slow, to get dressed. All of them are white-faced and tense. Her sons grab a few prized possessions, a knife, a toy. They step out into the road. Already, people are out in the street, panicking, unsure where to run to. Some are cursing, others praying, others weeping. All equally useless. However, she knows where she is going. "The Red Temple", she hisses to her family. "Run".
They run hard, down flagged streets. This is one of the better areas of the city, clean, well-lit, and free from robbers and looters; even in a situation like this, there are scum who would take advantage of their fellow citizens. There are people running with her, but it's far less crowded than in the slums. Behind her, she can feel a rising wind. She can hear sounds that she would rather not hear; shouts and cries, the roar of flames, and the shattering of broken class. She can smell the smoke, and already, embers are drifting past her. One snags in her hair, and she screams as she beats at it. She looks round once, and sees buildings catching fire a couple of hundred yards back, an orange glow in the darkness. She dodges a riderless horse that races out of a side street in front of them, cursing it in language she has never used before. "Faster", she screams.
She feels the wind of the Queen's dragon flying overhead, a dark shadow in the night. She braces herself for the withering fire which must follow, but fortunately, the Queen has other targets in mind. Perhaps the Queen is making for the Black Walls, where her relatives have taken shelter. She doubts if that will save them.
They turn a corner into the square where the Red Temple stands. Thank the Lord of Light that they converted! It infuriated her noble brother, who thought she was adopting the religion of the slaves, and who expelled her from his family's palace, but it may just save the lives of her and her children. The temple is built of black stone, and set well away from the other buildings. They should be safe from the burning, at least. She recognises other worshippers crowding the gates to the Temple compound, and joins them. The Temple guards are present, armed with long spears, looking closely at the people begging to enter. One recognises her, and beckons them through.
Inside, the Temple is crowded. Men, women and children look equally scared, many of them crying. The Priestess, Kinvara, alone remains calm, tending the sacred fire. The Red clergy preach unswerving obedience to the Dragon Queen. She is their Saviour, Azhor Ahai Reborn. She saved the world from the Great Other, and now she is come to purge it of the followers of Druj, the Lie. When the Triararchs executed the Queen's envoys, Kinvara and the other priests denounced them as sinful. Many followers of R'hllor now serve in the Queen's armies. They are all the Queen's supporters. Surely, they will be safe here. The pagans will have to take their chances, elsewhere.
Long, tense, minutes pass, until she hears a commotion outside. Plainly the Queen's soldiers have arrived. She sees Kinvara go to the entrance, with her acolytes. "Do not resist," she tells the guards, "We are on their side." Figures enter the Temple. The Unsullied. They have a fearsome reputation, but at least they are reputed to be well-disciplined. Scores of them form up in close ranks, crowding the worshippers backwards. Talisa remains in the front rank of the congregation, holding her sons' hands, keeping an eye on her maid. Kinvara remains calm, awaiting their commander.
Eventually, he arrives, a man in his early thirties with a smooth brown face and close-cropped hair, lean and muscular. His men salute him, but he in turn waits for another. The woman who enters is every bit as beautiful as Talisa has heard, with hair of silver-gilt, and vivid purple eyes, immaculate in a suit of black mail, inlaid with the rubies of House Targaryen. The commander of the Unsullied salutes her in turn, and Kinvara comes forward, and kneels.
"Your Grace, allow us to be the first to congratulate you. We have prayed for your victory over the unbelievers. We rejoice to see House Targaryen bring Volantis to the path of righteousness; punish the Triararchs and their followers as they merit, purge our city of the pagans." She speaks in the Valyrian dialect of Volantis.
The other woman gives her a cold, hard stare. Then she replies in the same language "Tell me what you have done to aid my army, during this siege".
"We have prayed for Your Grace and for your success in battle " replies Kinvara smoothly.
"Have you indeed? But, did you provide my soldiers with intelligence? Did you rise against the Triararchs? Did you flee the city, and offer to assist my troops? Did you provide us with food, money, supplies? That is what I would call aid."
For the first time, Kinvara's composure wavers. But, she answers "Your Grace, the Triararchs held the city fast. We would have helped you in such ways, but we could not. We are guiltless."
The woman frowns "How do I know that that the guilty are not seeking shelter among you?"
"No pagan would dare to take refuge among us."
The commander of the Unsullied approaches the lady, and bows. "Your Grace, allow me to give my views. " The pair of them drift away. It's clear that they're arguing heatedly, but Talisa can't hear them. The woman returns to the front, and stares at them for while, while chewing her lower lip. Talisa suddenly feels sick, knowing what is about to happen.
The Queen speaks "Loyalty should be rewarded. Your lives are not forfeit. " She turns to Kinvara and says "Priestess, you are responsible for the behaviour of your people from now on. Grey Worm" she commands, " give sanctuary to all those who are sheltered by the Red Priests."
Talisa finds that she has wet herself with relief.
Notes:
The religion of R'hllor is based upon classical Zoroastrianism. which held that its followers must constantly strive against followers of Druj, The Lie.