In the late afternoon, Varys was busy at work writing letters to all the lords of Westeros informing them of Jon Snow's true heritage as Aegon Targaryen, the true heir to the Iron Throne. He had decided to take this action after a fruitless conversation with Daenerys over how to best take back King's Landing from Cersei Lannister. Believing Daenerys would torch the city killing innocent civilians in her pursuit of the Iron Throne and believing her unfit to rule, Varys positioned himself with Jon Snow's claim. A claim he only learned about through Tyrion, through Sansa, through Jon himself, through Samwell's research.
There was a knock on the door that gave Varys pause. Would this be the moment he would be taken and burned alive? The knock was too soft for that, not a soldier's pounding. "Come in," he said, his voice cracking.
"And?" he asked a young kitchen girl. She shook her head fearfully. "Nothing?" Varys questioned.
"She won't eat," she answered.
"We'll try again at supper," Varys said slightly frustrated.
"I think they're watching me?" the girl said timidly.
"Who?" Varys asked.
"Her soldiers," she replied.
"Of course they are. That's their job. What have I told you, Martha?" he asked holding out his hand to her.
"The greater the risk, the greater the reward," she recited.
Varys nodded and then handed her a small vial. "Go on," he ordered. "They'll be missing you in the kitchen.
Daenerys hair appeared frail, her skin was paler than usual, she had sunken eyes, and looked thinner. She stared out into the ocean and felt a growing paranoia as Varys and Jon Snow conversed on the beach together. She was in great physical pain from the inside, a pain that reflected her grief for Missandei's death. A kitchen girl came in with soup.
"Your Grace," Martha said innocently.
"Put it on the table," Daenerys said softly.
Martha did as she was told. "Have a taste. My treat," Daenerys told the girl.
"I'm not hungry, Your Grace," Martha replied.
"Do it. I am your queen, and I command it!" Daenerys snapped at her.
Martha reluctantly sat down and ate a spoon full. Daenerys watched as nothing happened to the child. She sighed with relief but then the child began to seize up, foam at the mouth, and then fell to the floor severely ill.
Daenerys stared at the girl in horror. "Guards, come quickly," she ordered.
Unsullied guards entered the room. "Yes, my queen?" they asked.
Daenerys could already tell the girl was dead. "Sweet...sweet little bird," Daenerys said kneeling down next to the dead child. She then glared angrily.
"Put Varys in chains," she ordered.
That night, Grey Worm and a few Unsullied men came to Vary's chambers. They knocked on the door. When there was no answer, they kicked it open, but Varys was already gone. Grey Worm searched the room and found nothing. All of Varys' letters had either been burned or taken with him. Frustrated, Grey Worm went out of the room. "I want him found," he ordered his men.
Varys ventured across the island on foot and found himself a small boat. "I am going to miss this place," he said sadly as he got into the boat and rowed away.
After the Unsullied had searched the island, Grey Worm reported to Daenerys. "He is gone. There is no trace of him on the island."
"Then he must be at sea. I'll hunt him down, myself," Daenerys said angrily.
Daenerys took a few steps and then collapsed. Grey Worm was instantly at her side. Daenerys coughed up blood and found her stomach in intense pain. "What is wrong, my queen?" Grey Worm asked concerned.
"I have been poisoned," Daenerys said weakly.
"I will use every man we have to find Varys," Grey Worm pledged.
"No, we must take King's Landing," Daenerys insisted.
Daenerys struggled to get back to her feet. "Bring me all the kitchen boys and girls. I'm going to burn them all," Daenerys said.
"My queen, you are not thinking clearly," Grey Worm protested.
"They betrayed me! They tried to kill me! I hate them all!" Daenerys screamed.
"My queen, get some rest," Grey Worm said to her gently.
"Alright," Daenerys said relenting.
"Let me handle this," Grey Worm said to her.
"I want to be guarded at all times," Daenerys requested fearfully.
"Of course, my queen," Grey Worm agreed.
Later that night, Daenerys rested in a chair next to the fireplace with Grey Worm guarding her. She had Missandei's slave collar in her hand. "This is what she brought with her over the narrow sea. It was her only possession," Daenerys said and then handed it to Grey Worm. He promptly threw it in the fire. The two of them watched it burn.
Jon Snow then entered the room. "It's alright, Torgo Nudho," Daenerys told him as Grey Worm became protective of her. "Let me speak with him."
Grey Worm left the room as she ordered. "Varys is still not found. There are caves he could have hid in," Jon suggested.
"He's already sailed away. He would never allow me to catch him," Daenerys said bitterly.
"What he did was treason," Jon said.
"Was telling your sister the truth about you...treason?" Daenerys glared.
"I'm sorry. I just wanted her to know why I wasn't staying in the North," Jon said sincerely.
"Jon, I'm sick," Daenerys admitted. "Varys poisoned me. I know he did."
Jon gave her a stunned look. "If I should be unable to ride Drogon, you must lead the attack," Daenerys said to him.
"I don't have nearly the experience you have. You're the Mother of Dragons," Jon protested.
"What good am I if I can't even think straight?" Daenerys said drowsy. "Drogon knows what to do. He's the greatest of his brothers."
"Alright," Jon agreed.
"You have Targaryen blood. You can do this, Jon," Daenerys said to him.
"I love you, and you will always be my queen," Jon assured her.
Daenerys struggled to get out of her chair. "This night, comfort me like it's my last night," she requested.
Jon embraced her and kissed her passionately.
Early morning, Daenerys sat on her throne and was counseled by Tyrion. "The people that live there are not your enemies. They're innocents like the ones you liberated in Meereen."
"I do not have time to wait," Daenerys said sickly.
"Your Grace?" Tyrion wondered.
"Your brother crossed our lines. He claimed to be coming to King's Landing to persuade his sister to surrender or kill her if she refuses. I don't know whether to believe him or not. But if there is a chance he could end the battle before it starts, I am willing to entertain it. I have also sent some Northerners into King's Landing acting as refugees to spy and if need be assassinate Cersei," Daenerys said.
"Why wasn't I told?" Tyrion asked.
"Because I don't trust you when it comes to your sister. You have divided loyalties. After this battle is over and the Iron Throne is mine, I will consider taking your counsel," Daenerys said to him.
Tyrion then realized he was being arrested by Grey Worm. "You betrayed me by telling Varys. I may be dying because of your mistake!" Daenerys shouted at him.
"Believe me, I didn't know," Tyrion pleaded.
"I believe you. That's why I'm not going to kill you," Daenerys said and then had Tyrion taken away.
Daenerys then turned to Grey Worm. "We do not have much time. The attack on Winterfell is imminent," she pressed.
"What attack?" Grey Worm wondered.
"The dead. They gain strength with each day that passes," Daenerys said obviously.
"My queen, we defeated them at Winterfell," Grey Worm reminded her.
Daenerys gave him a confused look. "I thought it was all a dream," she said.
"Rest, my queen," Grey Worm led her back to her chambers.
The next morning, Daenerys woke up throwing up blood in a bowl with a nurse looking on. "I must attack now. He's here," she said unable to decipher her dreams from reality.
"Who's here?" the nurse asked.
"The Night King," Daenerys said fearfully.
Daenerys stumbled out of bed and went to dress herself.
Meanwhile, the Unsullied, the Dothraki, and Northerners took up a position facing the walls of King's Landing. Disagreeing with Daenerys, Jon released Tyrion and had him at his side at the battle.
"Do you think they can pull it off?" Davos asked Jon.
"We'll see," Jon said uncertain.
"My brother will not fail us," Tyrion said confidently.
Jaime, Arya, and Hound made their way through the city towards the Red Keep. As they traveled, civilians and soldiers got in their way slowing them down.
A deathly pale Daenerys stumbled her way to her dragon and collapsed on his hide. Her head felt like it was spinning, and her body felt feverish. "One last ride, Drogon," Daenerys said getting on his back.
Drogon then took off towards King's Landing. On Drogon's back, Daenerys focused on the Iron Island fleet. Looking up at the blinding sun, she directed Drogon higher into the air. It had been a tactic used by her ancestor. Drogon seemed to understand her meaning as he used the background of the sun to blind the Iron Island fleet from seeing him. Drogon then quickly annihilated the Iron Island fleet destroying their ships with dragon fire. The Iron Island fleet scrambled to fire at him to no avail. Drogon blasted each of the ships destroying every single one of them.
Daenerys then directed Drogon to attack the scorpions on the walls. Drogon expertly fired on the walls destroying each of the scorpions and their crews before they could fire a decent shot. The shots that were fired, Drogon easily dodged. Drogon made short work of the scorpions on the walls and then used a fiery burst to explode the wall forward stunning the Golden Company. With the walls breached, the Unsullied, Dothraki, and Northerners charged forward.
Daenerys targeted the Golden Company hitting them with dragon fire. The Golden Company was soon overwhelmed in the fire and quickly destroyed. Drogon then perched on a building overlooking a frightened Lannister army. The bells then rang signalling the city's surrender. Daenerys was too delirious to even notice the bells. She looked around at all the people and saw ugly misshapen faces. They had decayed and rotten bodies with glowing blue eyes.
"I'm too late," she realized. "I doomed the city," she sobbed.
Jon eyed Daenerys as she appeared to cry. Was she finally happy to realize she had just won? Daenerys then looked around in all directions for Viserion and the Night King. Directing Drogon back into the air, she saw wights everywhere. They were men, women, and children. The whole city was infested with wights. Instead of heading to the Red Keep directly, Daenerys targeted the wights blasting them in the streets with dragon fire. Men, women, and children were quickly consumed by the flames.
Tyrion gave a horrified look as the Daenerys slaughtered defenseless civilians before his eyes. He had never imagined Daenerys would be capable of such a horrific crime. He couldn't even believe his own eyes. Jon also stared in disbelief as Drogon went city block-by-city block roasting the inhabitants. The Lannister army in front of him looked around unsure of what to do.
"Fall back. Everyone out of the city," Jon told his men.
Grey Worm nodded realizing the danger they were in. In an orderly retreat, Daenerys' ground forces shifted out of the city. The Lannister army also tried to evacuate the city only to be destroyed by Daenery's dragon fire. Daenerys spared no one as she fired on her own allies as they retreated out of the city.
Daenerys proceeded to burn the city down killing virtually all of King's Landing's inhabitants. By the end of it, nearly a half-million people were burned or crushed. Daenerys then went for the Red Keep blasting holes in the towers. Large sections of the Red Keep were destroyed by her attacks. Finally, Drogon came to rest in a court yard at the base of the Red Keep.
Daenerys looked around at the destroyed city in front of her. She then noticed the Iron Throne, the very thing she had wanted for so many years. Stumbling towards it, she collapsed at the base of the throne. With all her strength, she pulled herself onto the throne and placed herself on it. As she did, she collapsed her head exhausted.
Jon found Daenerys resting on the Iron Throne in the ruined Great Hall of the Red Keep. The air was filled with ash from the city burning. He cautiously walked up to her. Daenerys suddenly awoke startled by Jon. She looked around wondering where she was and then got up from the throne.
"Is it everything you imagine?" Jon asked crossly.
"Is the war over?" she asked as she overlooked the burned city.
"Have you been down there. Little children burned in the streets!" Jon shouted at her.
"Not children, Jon. Wights, all of them. They can't be turned back to what they once were. I had to destroy them all," Daenerys told him.
"There are no wights here," Jon said confused by her.
"I saw them with their blue eyes. They had taken over the entire city. We were too late, Jon. We waited too long. I should have taken King's Landing so long ago when I had the chance. Now all of them became wights," Daenerys sobbed.
"Dany, the Night King was defeated at Winterfell. We were there," Jon told her.
"We saw what the Night King wanted us to see, but he's here somewhere in the city. We must find him and destroy him," Daenerys said urgently.
Daenerys then nearly collapsed as she spat blood on the ash covered floor. Jon caught her just in time. "We must find him, Jon. Take your sword and destroy him," she ordered.
"Dany, you're not making sense," Jon said to her.
"He has my dragon, Jon," Daenerys cried.
Jon comforted her the best he could. "You're sick. You need rest. I'll take care of the Night King."
"I trust you, Jon. I always have," Daenerys said on the verge of passing out.
"Let me find a room where you can rest," Jon offered.
Jon assisted Daenerys away from the Iron Throne to the end of the hall. Daenerys then noticed her men in formation at the steps of the Red Keep with the Dothraki in the city square. "You have won a great victory, my queen," Grey Worm said shaken from what he had seen.
"What victory?" Daenerys wondered.
Tyrion then came up the city steps with a burned child in his arms. It was completely burnt beyond recognition. "Your Grace...why?" he asked.
Daenerys eyed him confused. A weight should have shattered to pieces upon being hit with dragon fire. "What is this?"
"This is a little girl. An innocent little girl you burned alive. How could you?" Tyrion asked her.
Daenerys eyed Tyrion in disbelief and then looked over the entire burned city. Suddenly fearful of what she had done, she backed away from Tyrion. "You need rest," Jon insisted.
"She needs to explain this senseless massacre," Tyrion said angrily.
"It's not that simple," Jon defended her.
"How can you continue to defend her after what she has done?" Tyrion demanded of him.
"It's not what you think!" Jon shouted back at him. Jon turned back towards Daenerys, but she was already gone back inside the Great Hall. Jon followed her back inside.
Daenerys stared at the city in disbelief. "I did this?" she asked herself.
"Yes," Jon said softly.
Daenerys looked at the city horrified. She had become the very thing she swore never to be. She had thought she was purging the city of wights. She had thought King's Landing already lost. She had wanted to save the world. Daenerys spun around, took Jon's dagger from his waist belt, and tried to slit her throat. Jon stopped her just in time and disarmed her.
"I killed them. I killed them all. I am a monster. I deserve to die," Daenerys said sobbing.
"You didn't know what you were doing," Jon consoled her.
"How can I make this right?" Daenerys asked as she clutched her face in grief. Clutching his shoulder, she screamed in grief and guilt. "Kill me, Jon," she begged of him.
"No, I love you," Jon said, tears in his eyes as well.
"How can you love me after what I've done?" Daenerys asked him.
"You didn't know," Jon said simply.
Daenerys coughed up more blood and started bleeding from her nose. "Lay me down, Jon," she requested.
Jon placed Daenerys on the floor and sat her up with his arms. "When I am gone, the last of the Targaryens you will be. You must take the throne," she said.
"I don't want it," Jon shook his head.
"That's why you must take it," Daenerys replied. "And when you do, you melt down that damn throne."
Jon nodded. "Take care of my son for me," Daenerys said referring to Drogon. She then passed out in his arms and died finally succumbing to the poison.
"No," Jon shook his head in grief. He clutched Daenerys body tightly as he cried over her.
Grey Worm and Tyrion entered the Great Hall and found Jon over the body of Daenerys. "It was the poison that caused her madness. That's how it shall be written," Jon said to them.
Tyrion eyed Daenerys sickly body and nodded. "We shall search all of Westeros for Varys," Grey Worm pledged also grieved by Daenerys' passing.
"My real name...is Aegon Targaryen, the rightful heir to the Iron Throne. Will you follow me?" Jon asked Grey Worm. "Or will you strike me down and take the city for yourself?"
"She trusted you. We will follow you now," Grey Worm replied.
Jon picked up Daenerys body. "She is to be buried with her ancestors with full honors."
On a hill overlooking King's Landing, Varys eyed the burned city. A part of him felt vindicated that he predicted that Daenerys would go mad and become the tyrant he feared her to be. Still, he also felt a nagging feeling that perhaps he had been the cause of it all. Varys then covered his head with a hood and walked away never to return.
Author's Notes: So, in an ironic twist of fate, man-of-the-people, Lord Varys, causes the very massacre he hoped to prevent. I figured if Daenerys burning down the city was inevitable in this rushed fashion, this would be the explanation. Scenes not written occurred as they would in the episode. The title is a reference to the Hong Kong move Curse of the Golden Flower in which the Emperor secretly poisons his wife causing the downfall of his entire family.