I suppose, I am not the only one disappointed with how the things were going with Season 7 of GOT and the mundane and stupid plot and most of all the plot holes.

This is an alternate version of mine that takes place after Daenerys hears that her allies were captured by Euron and Cercei. Rated T for now.

x x x

The cracking flames of fire brought warm in the hall but the stone walls were seeping greedily the heat, making the room cool.

Ever since coming to Westeros, Daenerys felt cold. It was either raining or was about to rain on Dragonstone. It reminded her of her early child's memories from Bravos. When she was just a little girl, terrified from the Viserys's outbursts of anger and caged no less than the slaves with their collars.

'I am caged now…' she thought, listening to the elaborate plan her Hand was laying down. The sewers of Casterly Rock that her Unsillied will use to take over this impregnable fortress. This was supposed to bring Lannisters to their knees and surrender.

'I am caged here…' Daenerys couldn't get rid of that thought, something in her deep down was rebelling against this confinement in Dragonstone. They have just received the news that her allies were captured and most of her fleet destroyed. Cercei had outsmarted Tyrion's smart and clever plan to take the Seven Kingdoms without bloodshed.

And here she was, Daenerys, the Mother of Dragons, tiptoeing in Westeros, trying not to harm anyone, being a good little frighten girl…

'I had to listen to Yara Greyjoy and strike without mercy…' she thought. All her efforts, all those people and ships wasted away. She realized that Tyrion had stopped talking and now everyone was looking at her.

She focused back to her cage. "Good, I hope this plan works." She tried to believe that this time it will be good but something was gnawing at her. So far Cercei had thwarted her move, what if…

Daenerys looked at Varys, "Any news from King's Landing?"

Her Spy Master looked as oily and smug as always, recovered from the shock, when she had suggested flying with her babies and burning Euron's fleet in sea.

"Cercei had summoned some of the bannermen from the Reach, trying to convince them to follow her. So far none of the lords from the Reach had accepted her offer to switch sides. They are aware that we have Dragons, just like Aegon and Cercei had made vague promises to stop them."

"It will be unwise for the bannermen of House Tyrell to choose the losing side," inserted Tyrion. Daenerys could see how he was so self-confident in his own smartness. "They won't betray their House."

'Lords of Westeros are sheep!' the words of Lady Olenna echoed in her head. Daenerys suddenly felt how restricted she was in the cage that she allowed to be put in.

"How did Cercei try to convince them?" she inquired quietly. Another thought crossed her mind, "And how is she planning to stop my Dragons?"

"Apparently, My Queen" Varys made a slight bow to her, "Cercei told them lies that you have crucified the nobles on Essos and fed them to your dragons, that your Dothraki savages will destroy the castes and take as slaves their people…" Varies continued on, giving more and more details of Cercei's arguments.

Daenerys listened carefully, her inner voice screaming louder with every word coming from Varys.

She remembered all too well how she had crucified the masters, 'I should've crucified them all, not just these few,' she thought. 'If I had listened to Daario and killed them all and started anew…' There would've been no Sons of the Harpy making a mess of her rule in Mereen and Slaver's bay, because there would've been no left alive to make a revolt. She had shown mercy to people that deserved none.

If it wasn't for Jorah killing the assassin and Drogon saving her…

'Are you a sheep?' Lady Olenna had asked her. Daenerys was begging to feel like a sheep in this cage. 'And the Lions are out there, waiting for the sheep….'

A knock on the door interrupted Varys's retelling of Cercei and the sheep meeting in King's Landing.

One of her Dothraki blood riders called Bhergo, came in, bringing a tiny scroll. 'A raven just arrived with this, Khaleesi,' said respectfully the Dothraki rider. It was clear that he was unused to bringing scrolls or talking politely. Just like her, he was caged…

Daenerys took the scroll and unwrapped it. "My bannerman Lord Tarly has switched sides and is now following Cercei. "Daenerys read aloud, feeling anger boiling in her. "Lannister army crossed the border and in two days will be in Highgarden." It was signed Lady Ollena with a steady writing.

'No call for help,' realized Daenerys. The date of the letter was from two days ago. That's how long has taken to the raven to fly to Dragonstone. Lady Ollena had understood that even for the Dothraki it will take at least a week to reach the Reach. At that moment Lannisters were probably taking over at High Garden.

The room was in dead silence. Daenerys raised her eyes from the damn scroll and looked at Tyrion. He was perplexed how his own plan had backfired to him.

"Cercei had outsmarted you again." She stated flatly. "It seems my troops are trapped in Casterly Rock, aren't they?" she was speaking with a rising anger. "Now we know where is that mysterious fleet of Euron!"

"Call back the Grey Worm and the Unsullied," said Tyrion frantically, "We must commit to the blockade of King's Landing. This is the right plan…"

Daenerys cut him back, "The right plan!"

"You still have enough ships to carry the Dothraki army to the continent…" tried to say Tyrion but stopped at the look in her eyes.

"Enough with the clever plans!" Daenerys had enough with this bullshit.

She turned to the Dothraki, "Summon all riders, we are going to battle!" Bhergo, lit up at her words. He had been waiting patiently for so long. Daenerys understood him completely, watching as he stormed off the hall.

She turned to Tyrion, "You will assist with the Dothraki transportation to the mainland!"

"Yes, this is the right way, my Queen. When at King's Landing…" he was about to lay down another smart plan, but Daenerys was fed up with listening to wise men.

"No, the destination is the Reach," she said. Tyrion and Varys looked at each other, "But, My Queen, the Dothraki can't ride so fast…"

"I know," she said. "But I can!" She paused, glancing at the map. She took a figure of a dragon and put it on Highgarden. "And I will!"

"Your Grace, it is one arrow to kill you!" said Misandei, her loyal friend. She worried about Daenerys, not about Queendoms and High Lords.

"Misandei, this is war and this is the war for my home. But…" she turned around to the door, followed by Misandei, that has come to her side. "I think we can remedy that."

She took the corridor to her quarters, followed by the steps of Misandei, Varys and Tyrion.

Daenerys knew it was dangerous, but she wasn't here to hide in a cage. The two Dothraki standing guard in front of her room, straightened up and opened the door. Daenerys went right to the big wardrobe room and opened one of the chests.

When sailing to Westeros, she had arranged to have all types of outfits. This one was a heavy black leather coat, with steel plates covering the midsection and shoulders area. She put it on, looking in the mirror. The plates were knitted so closely that resembled dragon's scales. A light steel helmet with Targaryen's sigil on the forehead was another armor, crafted in the forgeries of Mereen.

As she put the helmet, Daenerys realized that this is how her ancestors had looked like. Not flying around clad only in scantly clothes. She remembered reading one of the history books Ser Jorah had gifted her at her wedding. She has read it in that stinking Dothraki tent, taking herself in the glorious days of Aegon's Conquest, that stood in stark contrast with her unhappy first days as Khaleesi.

'Visenya had taken an arrow in the shoulder but recovered, because the armor stopped most of the arrow,' she remembered. She also remembered how Rhaenys, the other sister of Aegon has been brought down with a giant arrow in Dorne.

Drogon didn't have an armor…

Taking a last look in the mirror, she turned to Varys, "I want your spies to find everything they can about Cercei plans to stop my dragon. Spare no resources in that."

He bowed, this time deeper.

Tyrion was staring at her liked a kicked puppy. She sighed, "Tyrion, you are my Hand. I count on you to move our troops in the quickest way to Highgarden."

He didn't argue with her this time but she could see how worried he was.

She was worried too. So far her experience with the Master's fleet had been fast and brutal. She had to be very careful because she had never tested herself on land battle.

x x x

Daenerys quickly walked outside the castle. The ancient statues of dragons were staring at her.

'What would Aegon do if he was here?' she asked herself. Unlike her, her ancestor didn't have any remorse when dealing with his enemies.

"What do we know about those Tarly traitors?" she asked Varys. He was trotting at her side, unused to her fast pace.

"Lord Randyll Tarly has the strongest army in the Reach. He is known to be very strict and brutal. His first son was sent to the Night's Watch because he wasn't strong enough. His second son is known to be a trained knight and he was a close friend to Lady Olenna. His has over five thousand men and the best archers in the Seven Kingdoms." Varys was licking his lips, trying to summarize all the important things about this traitorous lord.

Daenerys recalled reading about Tarly fighting on her father's side and brother during Robert's rebellion.

"Cercei probably promised him to make him Warden of the South now that House Tyrell is without heirs," inserted Tyrion.

Daenerys kept all that information, putting it in her mind for later use.

Her party encountered Jon Snow and his Hand looking at the sea. The King of the North's eyes widened with bewilderment, seeing her in armor and helmet.

"Your Grace," he gave a polite nod.

"I am going to war with my enemies," told him Daenerys, fighting the urge to grasp his hair and give him a kiss. He reminded her of Drogo, his stubbornness and strength not to bend the knee. "I will allow you to mine dragon glass and send it to your people. Any resources you need will be provided to you."

Jon Snow's first reaction was that of bewilderment. 'What do you think that I was about to feed my dragons with you?' she thought with amusement.

"Thank you." He answered and she saw how relived her was at the news of her giving him the dragon glass. Maybe some of his stories about the Undead were true. But she didn't have time to mull over it.

He and his Hand joined her party. "So you believe me about the Night King army?" he asked.

Daenerys was with mixed feelings about that. She only believed in herself, not in mystical creatures. But here she was and her dragons…

"You better go to work, Jon Snow," she glanced at him and noticed the flames in his dark eyes. She was sure he wasn't indifferent at her.

They reached the open field outside the castle and she turned and looked at her companions. Her dragons roared in the vicinity, answering her summoning call.

Varys didn't look smug anymore, but outright afraid. Tyrion felt guilty and she almost felt pity for him. Misandei was worried for her. Her Dothraki guards eyed her with admiration. Battle was a time for celebration for them. Davos, the Hand of Jon Snow was looking at her like with curiosity and something else but she didn't have time to dig deeper.

And the last one of her party was Jon Snow. He was standing there with that look of constant angst he has perpetually on his face. 'Once I am done with Cercei, you will bend the knee…' she thought.

Drogon landed, making the land shiver. Jon Snow and Davos stepped back at the look of her baby.

She turned and climbed on his wing and then sat on his back, grasping his ridges. Her mind connected with his, they were now one, a Valyrian and a dragon. Her blood sang in unison with him.

He took to the air; her companions were soon a small dot down there. Viserion and Rhaegal took on her both sides. Now all four minds were linked. She was flying and feeling everything they felt. Unlike her, her children weren't afraid. They loved to burn and they loved to fly.

They also loved to hunt.

She remembered that the sigil of House Tarly was a huntsman. 'A huntsman no more…'

x x x

Highgarden was besieged. Smokes and fires were burning in some of the parts of the outer wall.

Lannister and Tarly forces were targeting the walls with catapults, throwing a blow after blow. Tarly's archers were killing the soldiers on the walls and the Lannister army was in formation, ready to storm in as there is an opening in the wall.

Lady Olenna Tyrell, the Queen of Roses, sat in her chambers, turned her back to the battlefield. She had sorted her thoughts. This was the end. The end of her House. Just like her grandchildren were gone. She had trusted that Targaryen girl and now everyone was going to die. Tyrion was not that smart as Daenerys thought.

'Cercei will win...'she thought bitterly. This was her only regret.

She was staring at the image of her granddaughter Margaery, delicately made on a small portrait-medallion. She was wearing it ever since she made a pact with Tywin Lannister and send Margaery to be a Queen in King's Landing.

Lady Olenna closed her palm around the image of her beloved and felt a tear slip from her eye. Now she could only wait for her execution. Tarly had betrayed her and her forces could not withstand both Tarly and Lannisters.

x x x

Bronn of the Blackwater held his horse, who was getting nervous with all those shouts, catapults and fires.

"How about that castle?" he asked Jaime, "This could be my reward."

Jaime Lannister didn't respond at once, "My sister has promised Tarly to make him Warden of the South after the war."

Bronn knew that he shouldn't feel disappointed but he was waiting and waiting and no castles was coming around.

"But I promise you, Lannisters…" began Jaime but Bronn had heard that so many times that he was getting sick of hearing it again.

"Yes, I know, they pay their debts, except to me!" he spat and went to check the carriages with the stones for the catapults. Dickon was approaching, obviously to talk with Jaime and Bronn couldn't stand the idiot.

This war was pissing him off, he wasn't being paid, but received only promises. First by Tyrion, now by Jaime.

"A sellsword shouldn't ride with the losing side," he muttered to himself. And that is what he was doing right now. Fighting without being paid for the army of that mad bitch Cercei.

To be honest, Bronn really didn't understand this devotion of Jaime Lannister to his sister. She was cruel, loyalty meant nothing to her. He remembered all too well how she tried to kill her brother Tyrion during the siege of Kings Landing. The same Tyrion who was nearly killed, fighting for her and her vicious bastard.

'Maybe it is time to find someone who can give me a castle and a pay.'

He was about to inspect the crates with pigshit when his horse whined and almost threw him off. Animal's ears stood up and he noticed the fear.

"What is going on?" he wondered when a shadow fell upon him. Looking up he saw a huge dragon flying silently above him. Then he noticed the second one, and third one….

His mind was stunned and trying to contemplate what his eyes were seeing when dragons opened fire.

Lannister army, built in attack formation was set on fire on three sides, making suddenly a giant pile of melting flesh and metal. The screams of the burned soldiers deafened even the roar of dragons. Then the big dragon fired again and again, covering with a fiery blanket all parts of the army that were still alive.

The men around the cargo carriages abandoned their posts and ran for their lives. Horses were running with carriages in all directions opposite of the dragons. He saw Jaime who had stood with the Tarly's son and was saved from the blow at the gathered army.

Bronn drove his horse to Jaime.

"Scorpion's weapon, this is our only chance!" shouted Jaime. Bronn didn't like it, this whole thing sounded like a bit defeat.

"I can't use it with one hand!" Jaime shouted again and drew he sword. The gates of Highgarden opened and the forces inside spilled out, cutting at the running soldiers that had broken off the Lannisters and some of the Tarly's cavalry.

Bronn noticed that Tarly was killing one of his soldiers who tried to defect the battle. Dickon was close to him, following his father.

Bronn tried to guide his horse back to the carriages when the big black dragon flew very low and his horse threw him off and ran off. He couldn't blame it; his horse was wiser than him.

Running on foot, he managed to avoid another suddenly laid down river of fire, noticing that a whole line of archers was made into a giant roast. Tyrell army had encountered Tarly's but he couldn't see more details.

He finally reached the carriage with the weapon, opened it and tried to find a target.

The big black dragon was flying low so he decided to focus on him. He saw the white hair of the woman who was riding the dragon, noticed the sparkles on her armory and helmet and how bravely she ducked the arrows of Tarly's archers.

In this moment Bronn felt something switching in him. This was a young woman, that he had only heard unbelievable stories that he took with skepticism. But here she was and her dragons, fighting without the big army that was probably somewhere still in Casterly Rock.

Daenerys had a courage to fight her battles, not like Cercei that had sent her army and her brother to kill for her. This was more than money, more than castles, more than anything.

'If I kill her, how can I stand myself to live and obey a hateful bitch like Cercei?' the thought imbedded in his mind, waking up things he had thought he had gotten rid of long time ago. He wasn't the blinded by love fool like Jaime.

'Conscience. Honor.'

Bronn looked at the spear of the weapon, then looked back and noticed that the rider of the dragon has turned her dragon even lower, firing at the archers. Jaime was shouting at him, but he couldn't hear what he was saying.

Then the woman turned her head, the polished helmet, creating a hallo around her head and Bronn realized she was less than ten feet above him.

So close, that their eyes met. She noticed the spear and tried to fly her dragon as far as possible. The other dragons also took off the battle, flying at the field.

But Bronn had decided. He wasn't going to fire that weapon.

He sat at the weapon and waited with raised hands the coming Tyrell's knights.

x x x

Daenerys kept quiet her dragons, knowing that her appearance should be sudden to wipe out as much of the enemy's army.

She noticed on the field the running scouts of the army but they were no match for her dragons. She was faster than them. Flying on Drogon, she saw the Highgarden. The magnificent fortress was still in the far vicinity but only the outer walls were burning.

'I am on time,' she thought and commanded her dragons for the ground attack.

They approached fast the siege and she noticed that Lannisters had concentrated on making a breach on the South Wall. She spotted their red cloaks, all gathered in attack formation. From her point of view, they looked like a big arrow on the ground. Flanked on both sides were the Tarly forces and lines of archers. Behind the armies were the groups of cargo carriages. Horses had sensed her dragons and some of them were starting to run, having more intellect than the sheep riding them.

Without hesitation, Daenerys targeted the Lannister army. Her dragons opened fire from three sides, quickly engulfing the whole formation. She set on fire all of them, firing again and again.

The gates of Highgarden opened and the loyal bannermen of House Tyrell quickly attacked the cavalry of Tarly.

Then she observed how some of the archers on the left side of the burning army were pushed in a group and she knew what that mean. They were about to try to take her with arrows. She ducked them, avoiding any encounter with the flying arrows and lifted off higher where they couldn't reach her. Viserion and Rhaegal burned the archers of the ride side, who were not so well organized as those on the left side.

'So here is Tarly, making the sure his men are killed!' she mused and took back, this time lower and obliterated the gathered archers. She was very close and felt pity to see these men burn because of the reckless actions of their lords.

One of the knights, on a white horse shouted something at the direction of the carriages. He was waiving a metal hand, that caught the sun light.

'Jaime Lannister!' Daenerys recognized him from the stories she had heard from Varys. She turned at the direction that Jaime was shouting and saw a man, opening a carriage like a giant box. Enormous arrow was revealed and the man started turning the weapon.

With a sinking feeling Daenerys realized what was this. Cercei or whoever had designed that weapon, had read about the Dorne battle too.

Jaime shouted again and the man, handling the weapon looked at her. Daenerys saw him looking right at her, holding the weapon. She ordered Drogo to fly up as faster as he can and sent a command to Viserion and Rhaegal to fly away.

Drogon obeyed, taking her quickly from the battle field and flying crisscrossing to be harder to hit. She turned and look down as they were taking up.

The man at the weapon continued to stare at her. He dismounted the weapon and sat at it, raising his hand up and surrendering to the coming Tyrell knights.

Daenerys felt calmer now. This man hadn't fired. And she had to understand why.

x x x

An hour later the battle has ended, with Tyrell forces capturing what was left from the Lannister and Tarly armies. Daenerys had hovered around till Tyrell had taken hold of all carriages around the castle and then ordered Drogon to land in the big yard of Highgarden. She ordered Viserion and Rhaegal to wait for her on the nearby mountains and to be careful for any humans around them.

Lady Olenna was standing there, surrounded by her vassals and her Meister. Daenerys noticed how many green plants and flowers were everywhere. They were left unscathed from the siege.

She stepped on Drogon's wing and climbed to the paved yard. Drogon was behaving well, showing his teeth in a friendly manner to the stunned lords. The Meister looked ashen at her baby but stood bravely.

Lady Olenna smiled at her, with the first honest smile Daenerys had seen on her face. She was hugged closely by the old woman, engulfed in her rose perfume.

After the hug, Daenerys took a look at her ally. Lady Olenna looked older than a month ago when she had been at Dragonstone but now she seemed radiant.

"I promised you, Lady Olenna that I will bring peace," smiled Daenerys and Lady Tyrell smiled back. "Peace indeed."

From there she was escorted to the castle halls but first she had to ensure that Drogon was well fed. Cattle was brought and Drogon devoured them amid a fire and smoke. She sent a message back to Viserion and Rhaegal to come. Now that everything was back to normal in Highgarden, they had to feed before the long flight back.

The Meister seemed calmed down when she ordered cattle for Drogon. 'What did you expect that I will feed my baby with captured soldiers?' Speaking of sheep….

She turned to Lady Olenna, "Did we capture Tarly and Jaime Lannister?"

She was escorted to the Great Hall of Highgarden, lavishly decorated. Daenerys was offered the throne that was the seat of Warden of the South. Lady Olenna herself poured wine in a golden cup, encrusted with rubies. Daenerys took a sip of the wonderful red Dornish wine and took off her helmet.

Her silver hair, flew freely, some of the plaids untangled and she was well aware how the attention the male lords shifted from fear and near worship to something much deeper.

'Men!' she thought, exchanging a knowing eye with Lady Olenna. She politely waited till every liege lord present in the hall was introduced to her and bent a knee. A stout man Lord Mathis Rowan bent a knee and his son and heir knelt next to him. The son, Lord Thaddeus reminded her of Jon Snow. He had the same black hair and athletic body, but this one had a smile on his face and a look that promised her his obedience and much more. Daenerys felt a slight warm in her belly. She hadn't had sex since their parting with Daario. 'Another smart plan about me forging alliance with marriage…'

And here she was, sitting in the great Hall of Highgarden, feeling horny for a man that resembled another man, that refused to bend a knee. 'After effects of unlocking the cage and being free of my self-imposed fear.'

Daenerys knew that she was attractive, single and have Dragons, armies and ships.

'Speaking of ships…', her thoughts brought back the image of her captured allies.

She took a sip of wine, smiling at the standing handsome lord and politely asked Lady Olenna about the captured soldiers. At the nod of the Lady of the Reach, the guards walked in five men, all in chains and covered with the ash from the battle. The Valyrian sword of Jaime Lannister was brought at her. She knew that it was forged from the sword of Ned Stark and touching the steel, made a note to herself to give it back to Jon Snow.

Jaime Lannister stood tall but Daenerys could see his shock from the battle. He has survived the fire of her dragons and the look of defeat in his eyes told her that he would be more inclined to surrender than his sister.

She didn't move her eyes from his. 'Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer…'

Strangely, she didn't feel the anger she thought she would when she meets him. Her father had been a horrible man but this man, standing in chains had done no lesser evils, including trying to kill a little child.

Next she looked at Lord Randyll Tarly and his son Dickon. 'Who in his right mind will give such a name to his son?' she wondered. The other two were the commander of Tarly's archers and a man wearing simple leather clothes. Suddenly Daenerys recognized the man. 'He is the one at the weapon!'

This brought her full attention to the man. Middle aged, with blue eyes and dark hair. He didn't look like a high lord, more like a common soldier or…a sellsword. He was looking wearingly at her and Daenerys loved to talk with that man but she had more important matters to focus on.

All eyes were on her and she well knew what they expected from the daughter of the Mad King.

"Lady Olenna," addressed Daenerys with a slight nod, "Lord Tarly betrayed you, so I leave his punishment and that of his son and commander on to you."

Olenna Tyrell had a hard expression on her face. Daenerys had a feeling that Lord Tarly will face something fierce. The Lady of the Reach had lost the little mercy she had when her heirs were killed.

"Send a raven to King's Landing," continued Daenerys, looking at the covered with ashes Jaime Lannister. "Let's see how much Cercei values her beloved brother. I am willing to spare his life in exchange for my allies from Dorne and the Iron Islands."

The Meister gave her a strange look and Daenerys suppressed a smile. She was not here to burn people on stake or to feed her Dragons with humans, and she was not her father. The whispers from the gathered lords confirmed her determination that she was acting right.

"I would also like to send a raven to the Wise Meisters from the Citadel in Old Town." The Meister froze with his feather over the paper. "It would be my greatest pleasure to meet them and express my sincere veneration to the great Knowledge they keep and share through the Meisters."

She avoided bend the knee part. This was about to come. Unlike the Lords of Westeros, the scientists in the Old Town were not sheep.

The captured enemies were taken from the hall to the dungeon, except for the man that didn't fire the weapon. Daenerys stood from the throne and walked down to him.

Again a silence spread in the hall, everyone expecting something to happen. She circled the man and stood, facing him.

"What is your name?" she asked.

The man gave her a crooked smile, "Bronn of the Blackwater, a knight without a castle."

She felt a smile appears on her lips, "Are you a knight from a long time, Ser Bronn?"

"No, Your Grace," responded Bronn, "I was knighted into knighthood by Tyrion Lannister for my action in the siege of King's Landing. Before that I was a sellsword. He promised me a castle so I followed him."

She looked thoughtfully at the man. He hadn't fired the weapon not because of some castle or a pay. He reminded her of Daario.

"Why didn't you shot the weapon?" she locked her eyes with his.

Bronn didn't blink, didn't look away. "I have seen Cercei do unspeakable things, I have seen men burn and be slaughtered while she plot for more and more. She doesn't give a pigshit for the people that die for her, as long as she is sitting on the Iron Throne. You on the other hand, came here, fought bravely and didn't hesitate to risk your life for the people that you asked to the same for you." He was completely serious, "I chose you!"

"Remove his chains," commanded Daenerys and when he was free she locked her eyes on him.

"Would you fight for me?" she asked.

Bronn immediately bent the knee.

"You didn't ask me for a castle or a pay…" teased Daenerys, this time smiling openly.

Bronn winked, "I am sure that this time I will have my castle, My Queen!"