Jon
The smell of ash and smoke blankets the city of King's Landing. Gray skies and the beginnings of snowfall is creeping towards the Red Keep after the Dragon Queen, Daenerys Targaryen, razed the city while riding her dragon. Everywhere he looks, Jon Snow sees survivors with burns ranging from minor to complete incineration. The buildings are blackened by soot and smaller fires are still waiting to be extinguished. After witnessing the complete chaos that Grey Worm incited by throwing his spear, nothing seems to make sense anymore.
Jon had lived his whole life to be honorable and good just like Ned Stark taught him. But nothing could have prepared him to the carnage and complete breakdown of military command. Seeing Northmen joining the frenzy of rape and pillaging destroyed the foundations of what he believed in. Honor doesn't matter in a battlefield between factions with too much bad blood between them both. Despite the silence, there is no calm as people are scrambling to pick themselves up with whatever they have left.
As he tried to help people in what way he could, his mind kept going back to the speech Daenerys had given to her troops and Tyrion's arrest. Although he couldn't understand what was being said, the way she spoke wasn't the same Dany he fell in love with. This Dany was ruthless and it didn't help with so many betrayals and losses happening in such quick succession. Jon understood that both Dany and Grey Worm were devastated by the loss of Missandei, but this was unwarranted.
What was the point of all this? So many civilians are dead, and for what? A gods forsaken throne. I need to find Tyrion before he gets even more reckless.
Making his way to the Red Keep, the destruction was worse with each passing building. Some were reduced to ash while one of the towers of the Keep fell from the dragonfire melting through the middle portion, causing it to fall to the city. Mounds of charred bodies became more prevalent with some reaching to the roofs of the smaller homes. Unsullied troops continued to pile more with wagons arriving every few minutes. The bodies were so burned you couldn't even tell what they were anymore, just husks in the shape of a person. Passing another street, the survivors were getting rounded up by the Dothraki. The people were panicked and still suffering from the shock of the attack.
As he pushed onward towards the Red Keep's prison, he gave up his weapons to the Unsullied stationed to guard Tyrion's cell. Whether the dwarf gave any reasonable advice is up in the air but it's better than nothing at this point. Opening the door, Jon sees Tyrion sitting against a storage crate.
"Did you bring any wine?" Tyrion asked.
"No." Jon replied.
"Ah...well, thank you for coming to see me. Our queen doesn't keep prisoners for long. I suppose there's a crude kind of justice."
Jon remains silent, not knowing what to say.
"So is there life after death?" Tyrion wondered.
"Not that I've seen." Jon felt uncomfortable talking about this. Getting stabbed by his brothers still held a phantom pain that would never fade. There was nothing on the other side and it was pointless to think otherwise.
"I should be thankful. Oblivion is the best I could hope for." Tyrion admitted with a smile. "I strangled my lover. I shot my own father with a crossbow. Betrayed my queen."
"You didn't." Jon interrupted.
"I did. I would do it all over again after seeing what has happened. I chose my fate. The people of King's Landing had no choice. No matter how much they may hate and accuse me, they did not deserve to be set on fire by a dragon when the bells were rung."
"I can't justify what happened. I won't try. But the war is over now." Jon responded. At least I hope it is.
"You can't possibly believe that. When you heard her talking to her soldiers, did she sound like someone who was done fighting?" Tyrion's tone was beginning to flare. "She liberated the people of Slaver's Bay. She liberated the people of King's Landing. And she'll go on liberating until the people of the world are free...and she rules them all."
"You've been by her side, counseling her from the beginning. None of this would have happened if you hadn't told Varys. None of those people would be dead right now if you hadn't spread the word." Jon argued. "If you kept your mouth shut, all of these people including your brother and sister might still be alive."
Jon's expression was a mix of anger and regret. Despite sounding like all the blame was on Tyrion, Jon knew this was also his fault. Dany had warned him what would happen if he told his siblings about the truth. And now that decision has led to countless thousands dead. Looking back, he knew that Arya and Bran had no reason to tell anyone even with their personal opinion on Dany.
That leaves Sansa.
"You've had a taste of the power of a dragon. Would you have done the same thing?" Tyrion asked shifting focus.
Jon stayed silent. Any way he worded this would lead to more discord and Tyrion's rising conflict against Daenerys. Looking back on hindsight won't help now and he needed Tyrion to understand this. Even with the multiple mistakes that Tyrion had a indirect hand in, he is still one of the few people that understands the politics of Westeros well enough to maybe put some of it back in order.
Obviously I wouldn't have set the city on fire. Only a madman would do this. But if that is the case, then what does that make Dany?
"It doesn't matter if I would or wouldn't have. King's Landing has been destroyed and no amount of looking to the past is going to change that. We need to focus on how to save what is left."
"Don't change the subject! Answer the damn question Jon! Would you have set fire to a city of a million innocent civilians who had nothing to do with Cersei? People that wanted nothing more than to live another day without even caring who sat on the Iron Throne." Tears were on the cusp of falling out of Tyrion's eyes. The devastation of the civilians and the loss of his siblings were the breaking point. While he tolerated some of Daenerys' previous reckless actions, this is one crosses both his and Jon's moral lines.
"No, I wouldn't. Even if they were all guilty criminals, I wouldn't have torched the city." It was the truth, what more can he say.
Taking a deep breath Tyrion continued. "Every time she has brought justice, whether it was the slave masters or dothraki khals, she believed what she was doing was right and no one was able to argue against her. As she keeps pushing on, more evil men die and we cheer her for it. It has gotten into her head that anything she does is good and right. She had many advisors but she rarely listened and unless it benefitted her immediately."
"I know she is headstrong. But she has heard reason before. Both of us told her on Dragonstone that burning the Red Keep was not the right decision when you lost three allies at the same time."
"You're forgetting the part where she completely disregarded my advice. The only reason she didn't go through with her plan was because of you Jon." Tyrion countered. "Ever since you met her, she has ignored me, Ser Jorah, and Varys at every opportunity in favor of your opinion."
"So I'm the cause of all this, is that what you're saying?" Jon accused. "I should have just ignored the dragonglass and let my people suffer under the hands of the Night King?"
Tyrion just closed his eyes and shook his head in disappointment. "After all this time, your foolishness continues to amaze me. It should be so obvious that Daenerys values your voice most of all because of her love for you. The only one that can save us is you, Jon."
"'Save us?' We're not the ones that need help with how many people are still down in the city getting treated for burns all over their bodies."
Our well-being should be the least of his worries right now. Any number of survivors is better than none.
"And what do you think will happen when our Queen sees these people. Would she treat them as the slaves she liberated or see them as universal Cersei loyalists and continues to burn them? She will kill anyone she deems a threat to her rule, that includes us most of all." Tyrion suggests. "I have betrayed her far too many times so I don't have much going for me at the moment. You may think you are safe Jon, but you are the biggest obstacle she faces with your true lineage beginning to spread."
"I've said I don't want it more than enough times by this point. I bent the knee and gave up my claim to that damn throne."
"You bent the knee as Jon Snow, the King in the North before you found out your heritage and what it entails. As Aegon Targaryen, you haven't bent anything if no one has witnessed you giving up the throne and documented it for all to hear. Knowing Varys, he would have sent out ravens the moment he learned the truth about you."
"So now you are plotting against Daenerys again by trying to put me on the throne?"
"If it means no more cities and people set on fire, then I am planning to do anything, regardless of the risk," he says. "I have no family left, House Lannister ends with me and I couldn't give a damn about that. I'll do whatever it takes, even if means I have to fight Drogon with my bare hands."
Hearing this made the room feel heavier than before. Jon was well versed in betrayal, better than most; the stab wounds on his chest proved that. Being on both ends of betrayer and betrayed, he knew the consequences are rarely worth it. To see how far Tyrion was willing to go to stop Daenerys is worrying.
Daenerys' mission to reclaim the Iron Throne was strong, bordering obsessive. It represents everything House Targaryen built over the past 300 years. It was the closest thing she had ini connection to her family after losing it from Robert's Rebellion. Until Jon himself. Now to find out the man she loves is her blood and true heir to the Iron Throne, who can possibly guess what she desires most.
Jon knows that she suffered constant betrayal and loss, especially with the recent deaths of Ser Jorah, Missandei, and Rhaegal so close together. He blames himself for telling Sansa even after how many times she manipulated his blind trust for her own benefit.
I'm probably a traitor now also in Dany's eyes…
"You're naive if you believe me accepting my claim of the throne will prevent more cities and castles from burning." Jon states.
"I argued with Varys about his plans for Daenerys before we arrived at Dragonstone, now it seems to be the only path to peace. Removing her from the equation is-"
"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Jon exclaimed. Hearing this was the final straw. To suggest killing Daenerys is the last thing he wanted to hear from the former Hand of the Queen. It felt like the Spider had set a lasting influence. He figured Varys was actively trying to poison Daenerys from how she avoided eating for days. Jon didn't like Varys from the beginning and his intuition was right by how easily the eunuch flipped his allegiances to try to undermine Daenerys without a second thought.
"I understand you love her Jon, I truly do, but you must realize what is best for Westeros far outweighs personal feelings."
Jon felt himself struggling to breathe. Being asked to take the throne for peace is one thing, killing Daenerys to do so is another. The repercussions could also be disastrous the minute the Dothraki and Unsullied get word and more people are potentially at risk.
He isn't thinking clearly if killing Dany is the way. There is little to no logic with this plan.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself Jon begins again.
"I understand that what happened to the city, the people, and your family was cruel and unjust. You may see it as necessary to kill Daenerys to stop more pain and suffering, but I know that it is driven deep down by revenge. There is little logic in doing this because you're forgetting about her soldiers. The moment they learn she is dead, nothing will be able to stop them from rampaging over Westeros."
"Then what do you plan on doing? She believes destiny is on her side and that nothing can change that. Words are wind when a dragon is involved. How else are you planning to stop her?" Tyrion looked desperate.
"You said I was the only one that she would listen to. If you're right, then maybe I can convince her to stop."
"Did you not hear me when I said you were the biggest threat to her rule? What's stopping her from commanding Drogon from setting you on fire the moment she sees you? Not only are you the biggest threat, you were the one that told Sansa everything with the expectation of keeping it secret. So congratulations Snow, welcome to the club of traitors to the Dragon Queen." Tyrion said sarcastically.
"While you have lost faith in her, I haven't. Whether she will execute me is up for debate, but killing her will be the last thing I ever think of so don't ask it of me."
"You are so blinded by love that you won't even acknowledge what she has become. You northerners are truly stubborn beyond comprehension." Tyrion retorted. "You remind me of Jaime and how he couldn't see past Cersei despite all of the horrible things she did. Do you remember what he did to the last Targaryen that terrorized the same people he was supposed to rule over? He stabbed the Mad King in the back to protect the innocent from wildfire."
"Don't you dare compare me to your brother. I'm nothing like him nor will I ever be. You chose to follow Daenerys because you saw a better Westeros. If all those titles she earned in Essos were lies, then you would not have sought her out in the first place. Daenerys is not her father." Jon argued.
"No Jon, she isn't her father. She is worse."
To think that Tyrion fell this far was unexpected. Jon had hoped for some reasonable advice on how to handle this situation and found none here. Turning around, he proceeded to the door and knocked for the guards outside to open it.
After retrieving his weapons, he exited the prisons and made his way to the gardens. Despite being covered in ash from the destroyed parts of the castle, most of the gardens surprisingly remained intact. It was eerily quiet with no soldiers patrolling around. He approached a balcony that had a table and two chairs overlooking Blackwater Bay. The bay itself was littered with the remains of Euron Greyjoy's fleet. Jon took a seat, not knowing how to move forward when confronting Dany.
How can I make her listen? Enough people have died already.
Twenty minutes of silence and brooding later, he heard footsteps approaching. Turning his head around, he sees Davos walking with a somber expression. Taking the second seat, Davos sighed from exhaustion.
"I was born and raised in this city." Davos began and pointed a finger towards a specific area. "Right there in the heart of Flea Bottom. The stench was nothin' but shit, poverty, and crime. To this day I didn't think anythin' would erase that smell, yet here we are."
"Aye, here we are. I spoke with Tyrion. He thinks that Daenerys should die if peace is ever going to be possible. I honestly don't agree with him but I don't know where to begin when I see her."
"Truthfully, I can understand where he is coming from. When I lost my son in battle right in these waters, I was angry and wanted nothing but revenge. But war is not a place of morality and compassion. We both know the horrors of a battlefield and it will always be hell to witness. What comes afterwards is the real hardship."
"All those deaths can't be justified on the excuse of war Davos."
"No, they can't be. Yes, all those people might be innocent in some way and were in the wrong place at the wrong time. It doesn't change the fact that we need to figure out how to deal with it. I agree with you that killing Her Grace is the wrong move, for your sake."
"Then what would you have me do. I asked you to be my advisor because you have experience of being a Hand and always kept a clear head. So please give me something. Anything." Jon begged.
"Aye, you made me an advisor during your rule of the North. I may not be the most educated person in Westeros, but it doesn't take a maester to realize that Her Grace is willing to listen to you. Best example was on Dragonstone."
"Tyrion said the same thing. He also went on to say that I should take my rightful place as King to stop her."
Davos had a confused look on his face. "What do you mean rightful place?"
Jon was surprised. He thought everyone in his inner circle had known about this by now. "Did no one tell you about my parentage?"
He shook his head and his attention shifted from the city to Jon immediately.
"Shortly after we arrived in Winterfell, Sam told me of my mother and Bran confirmed it. I am the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen." Jon said. "They were married in secret and I was born in Dorne. My father, or uncle, Ned Stark took me in as his bastard to protect me from King Robert. My real name isn't Jon Snow, but Aegon of House Targaryen and Stark."
Davos is stunned. He was taking longer to process the whole revelation than Jon expected.
"I didn't know Ned Stark well, but his honor is legendary. To think that he was the greatest liar in all the seven kingdoms. Hiding the true heir of the Iron Throne under his best friend's nose this whole time, that takes guts." Davos gave a small laugh. "Tyrion was right about you being a threat."
"I've said I don't want a crown. I didn't want to be King in the North. I only did it because it was the easiest way to unite the North before the Night King attacked. They already questioned my loyalty the moment I brought Dany up north. Now they find out I'm not even Ned Stark's son but the son of the dragon prince that stole their beloved Lyanna. My very existence is the whole reason this entire continent is this fucked to begin with."
"Let me stop you right there. You are not the reason for everything that happened. All the shit the stirred before the Rebellion had nothing to do with you and it is foolish to believe otherwise. Jon, you need to understand that a child shouldn't take the blame for something their parents did. A newborn babe is innocent despite all the odds. Growing up as a bastard, you should understand this more than most. Yes it was a harsh life, but I have no doubt in my mind that your true parents loved you all the same, just like Ned."
"The northerners followed me because I was Ned Stark's son. They wouldn't want to follow someone related to the Mad King."
"The blood of the dragon runs through your veins true, just every bit as much as the wolf. Your mother was a true Stark and that counts for more than you realize. You aren't a bastard Jon, but trueborn making you a prince and heir. You might not want to rule, but that is precisely why you are the best candidate."
"Are you trying to push Tyrion's agenda as well?"
"Let me finish before you assume anythin'. I'm not speaking to you now as an advisor, but as a friend. You are a good man that is willing to put your life on the line to do what is right. That has led you to success and failure, which is to be expected of any leader. You delegate to reach compromise without the need for violence unless there is no choice. You bent the knee because you saw Her Grace as worthy of ruling this land and to save your people. That proves you would be a good king, if not one of the best we have seen in the history of this country. You may not want it, but are you willing to give up the realm for your own wishes?" Davos questioned.
"Would you have me go against Dany in another war to take that throne?" Jon was getting frustrated with this notion popping up over and over.
"No, another war is the last thing that we need right now. I know you love the Queen, a blind man can see it. I may not know her well enough to judge but after this inferno, do you still believe that she is the right person to govern over these people?"
Jon was hesitant to answer. "...I do."
"Then make her understand that. Show her that this is not the solution to a peaceful and united Westeros. You can brood all you want Jon, but as of now you are the only one capable of getting through to her."
"How does my status of heir affect any of this?" Jon was getting more confused by the second with Davos' intentions. He knew the old smuggler wasn't the type to be manipulative so this whole conversation felt odd.
"It's not about the throne, this is about how you are the only living blood relative she has left. She grew up mostly alone thinking that there is no one else waiting for her here. To now find out the man she loves is also her kin makes me believe that she would want you alive." Davos explained. "But you weren't the only one remember. I can't recall his name, that old maester in Castle Black."
"Maester Aemon…" Jon felt stupid for not remembering this. All this time with Daenerys and he still managed to forget to talk about the wise old Targaryen that helped him during his time in the Night's Watch. "I'm still ahead of her in succession. What if she doesn't care about blood and kills me anyway?"
"Possible, but I wouldn't think like that." Davos answered with a small smile.
"You seem more optimistic in this approach than I do."
"I tend to look on the bright side of things. Better to have some small shred of hope in dark times than to waste it wallowing in despair."
Davos was right, and his advice was more valuable with each counsel. Besides Sam and Tormund, the old man might be one of the few true friends that Jon had left. Killing Dany was out of the question, but maybe he could talk her down somewhat if Tyrion is to be believed.
Standing from his seat, Jon looked to Davos. "Thank you for your help Ser Davos. I don't know what I did to deserve your respect and friendship but I will always be grateful."
"It has been a privilege to have met and served you Jon. 'twas nice to finally follow someone that cared about the people more than himself to point of dying and coming back. I truly believe we can fix this without any more bloodshed and I hope to see it lead us to proper peace." Davos said.
"I'm going to Daenerys now. If I don't come back, I hope you can try to convince her in my stead."
"With my luck, you better pray to every god in this fucked up world. Good luck Jon or do you prefer Aegon now?" Jon couldn't help but give a small laugh.
"Jon will always be my name. It was the name Ned gave me and I'll keep using it in honor of him. If Aegon does come up, who knows."
Davos brought up his left hand and Jon took it in what could be their final handshake. Turning around he begins his march towards the throne room where Daenerys is most likely waiting.
AN: That's the first chapter and it follows what happens in the last episode but with more conversation and fallout of the razing of King's Landing. I'm hoping I captured the essence of the characters, but if you have any feedback for improvement feel free to review. Thanks!