The low hum of the water fountain was the only sound breaking the silence of the winds. The sky was painted in a tapestry of pink and orange, and a sun resembling a supple egg yolk was being swallowed by a rocky horizon. It was cool, but humid. Occasionally there would be a soft rustle of leaves or a clutter of footsteps echoing down the hallways. Daenerys Targaryen was lent against a marble wall, gazing down at the city of Mereen. She sighed, and closed her eyes a little.
She had been in the city for only a few months, yet she had been loved and shunned and loved again many times over. Those that had called her Mhysa now stoned her whenever the opportunity arose. Her most trusted advisor, he that had named her the love of his life – Jorah Mormont – had betrayed her in exchange for a royal pardon from the Usurper himself. Men sought to wed and bed her, believing she was still merely an ignorant little girl.
They knew nothing. Her sun and stars Khal Drogo, her son she had birthed with his seed, her brother… No. She blocked her rapid train of thought. Overthinking was her weakness, and if she did it too much, she could end up like Viserys. And he was vile and bitter and cruel and sad and vengeful all at once. The moment was too perfect to be ruined with impending doubtful thoughts.
She had almost managed to fall asleep. Almost. Viserion's roar echoed through the palace, shaking the walls like thunder. Dany's heart ached. It ached for her Drogon back. It ached for the Iron Throne. And most of all, it ached for peace. But that was a foolish sentiment, and the Mother of Dragons was anything but a fool. It had gotten chillier as the sun had set for the night. The stars surrounded the glowing moon like excited children pestering a sweet shop owner. Dany felt conflicted. She was angry at the world, yet she continued to be amazed by simple wonders time and again. Yes. It was a cruel world. But also beautiful.
She heard her coming before she saw her. Missendei entered the room dressed in a flowing gown of white silk and blue ribbon. Her sandals clacked along the floor, and for some reason it infuriated her. Clack. Clack. Clack. Her eyebrow twitched a little. Daenerys took a deep breath and stood before her with her chin held high.
Missendei was a woman of natural beauty, anyone could see that. Though not nearly as beautiful as me, she thought. Rather unique for a girl of slave origins, but a gentle soul. The women smiled at each other, and Missendei gave a sweeping bow to her queen. A little curtsy too. She gave Dany more respect than she deserved.
"Mhysa." She rose slowly. "Ser Barristan bids me tell you, there is grave news. I…" She hesitated. Her mouth opened to speak, but the words appeared to catch in her throat. "May I speak freely?"
Oh gods, what now?
The queen gave her a reassuring nod, before saying, "You may."
Her maid took a deep breath. This isn't good.
"The Stormcrows have returned." Dario Naharis, Dany thought, heart soaring, though she kept a face of stone. Missendei paused for a moment, and looked up at her, as if asking permission to continue. With gritted teeth, and as much patience she could muster, she said, "Tell me."
Her maid stood up tall, and looked her in the eye. Breath.
"They passed the Astapori camp outside the city. They are starving, dying…the pox has touched them all. The sellswords…" Her speech faltered. Dario, Dario, Dario. She almost did not want her to continue.
"They were attacked on their way to the gates of glorious Mereen, to sing to you their songs of the victories destroying Yunkai forces, and, and, and," The next part came out fast, an incessant rapid of vicious truths, pouring from the mouth of her messenger, come to grip her peaceful content with two harsh fists and from the bottom of her soul force it up from her throat and throw it down to the unkempt sewers of regret and defeat.
"The Astapori tried to beg them for food, clothes, medicine, a way into the city. They refused, of course, and shied away from them all, in fear of catching the pox. But they were angry, and tired, and so they attacked. The lot of them, pelting stones and sticks, whatever could be found. Men were pulled off their horses, and though the captains swear that it was not intended, the sellswords… "
Her voice caught. She breathed in quickly, than stammered: "It was more than they could bear. They were overwhelmed, and they hacked away at one another, slicing arms, biting, and oh. I saw, I saw them, I did." Missendei was moaning now, and she moved her hand to cover her mouth. Sweet girl, what have you seen? Dany wanted to comfort her, to take her in her arms to keep her safe. She wanted to. Instead the Mother of Dragons sat stunned on her balcony, as silent and petty as a coward boy teen in his first back alley fight, while a young girl from Naath recounted horrors that played out below in her pyramid.
"They brought them here to recover the dead, the dying, but no one could help them, oh, oh, mother."
The little girl from Naath was sobbing now, tears crawling from eyes meekly at a snail's pace.
"Sellswords and Astapori were slaughtered, a massacre, a massacre." She stuttered. "But your captain." Dany's heart dropped like a stone. "Dario Naharis was pulled directly from his horse, his company rode away. Not a soul stopped to help him." No. No, no gods, please not him, PLEASE, she thought. Was that a thought? Her mind and body seemed scrambled as one, and for a moment she could not comprehend what the little scribe had told her. Would the gods be so cruel?
Her fear was confirmed, when Missendei from Naath told her that Dario Naharis had not been found.
"Leave me." The words left her mouth unknowingly, but nevertheless she was grateful for the quiet solace of her balcony. Her lungs were heavy, and suddenly Dany could not stand for a moment longer. She heaved her body up, thick with grief and the plague of never-knowing. Perhaps she would've gone to see the extent of the damage, or inquired after Barristan. Instead, she turned to see the man who had been her brother, smiling, wearing a crown of molten gold, eyes cold and blue.
"Hello, sweet sister." he said.
