Missandei of Naath came out of the water, coughing and sputtering. Everything had gone so wrong so quickly, they had been approaching Kings Landing when that dreadful Euron Greyjoy had ambushed them with his fleet. They hadn't stood a chance, the ships had been torn apart by scorpion lances, and Rhaegal…..Missandei sat upright, forgetting for a moment how much her body hurt, as horror struck her, a dragon had fallen! Her queen had been on Drogon, but Missandei did not know if she had escaped!
A few moments later, it seemed that she had her own problems. Their enemies had know they were coming, and Lannister soldiers were coming directly for her, three of them. Missandei saw nowhere to run, they had seen her. She would be taken to Cersei, and Missandei knew what would become of her from there. She lowered her head "I'm sorry my queen….I'm sorry Grey Worm, I will love you even beyond death'. Missandei had only a passing fear of her own death, it was one of the many things the Wise Masters had taken from her or beaten out of her, but never seeing Grey Worm again was far worse. Some said the Unsullied were not men, but Grey Worm was the only man she would ever love, and she knew him to be more a man than any who threw those insults. If only she could have embraced him one last time.
As though summoned by her thought, a man in a dark cloak and weathered armor climbed down from the rocks above her. He had obviously seen a lot of fights, and missandei thought she had seen him at Winterfell. He looked at her "You're that translator, the one who follows the dragon queen?" Missandei nodded, not sure what to make of this situation. The man continued "She's pretty fond of you? She'd like to get you back?" Missandei felt a little more confident, but the soldiers had almost reached them "Yes, I would never allow her to harm her cause for me, but we are very close, and she would be upset if Cersei killed me". The man smiled "Alright then" and pulled a sword. It was not a shiny, beautiful thing like Jaime used, or like Ser Jorah had died with. It was very much like the man himself, simple to look at, rugged and worn and obviously more used to violence than to being a silent warning.
As he drew his steel, the soldiers did the same, except the one up front with the spear. The spearman charged, lowering his weapon and crying out. The stranger produced a heavily decorated crossbow from beneath his cloak and killed the man with a bolt to the heart. He darted forward, grabbed the spear, and quickly dispatched the remaining two before they could get their bearings.
He walked back over and Missandei bowed "Thank you ser, I am Missandei of Naath, and I find myself in your debt". The man grinned, a smile Missandei had seen on many men, arrogant but not unkind, like a Braavosi. He replied "It's very nice to meet you Missandei of Naath. I like Naath, beautiful place. I'm Ser Bronn of the Blackwater...and I'm afraid that for the moment, you are my hostage". Missandei moved to run back to the sea, this was all happening too fast, most knights were loyal to the Crown, and she would drown before being sold to Cersei. Bronn caught her wrist "Easy there missy, I didn't just take on three Lannisters so you could drown yourself in the fooking bay I got my title from! I plan to ransom you back to your Targaryen queen. Like I told a friend once, until I get what I'm owed, a Lannister don't get to kill you, a Greyjoy don't get to kill you, YOU don't get to kill you, only I get to kill you". Missandei felt a wave of relief that made her feel a bit unsteady. She didn't fear her own death, but Cersei would have far worse for her. She composed herself and smiled warmly "Well in that case Ser Bronn of the Blackwater, I thank you and gratefully accept your offer of an escort back to my companions".
They got back, and when they came in sight of those who had escaped the Greyjoys, they joy on the faces of Dany and Grey Worm were visible from many yards away. Grey Worm broke ranks and ran to her, then pulled up short and looked at Bronn, spear in hand. "Did they hurt you? Did this man hurt you?" he asked in Valyrian, Dany hadn't broken into a run like him, she was a queen, but she did come up to them. Missandei smiled "No my love, I am unharmed" Grey Worm changed in that moment, they had both known how they felt, but that was the first time Missandei had used the word 'love'. Dany was smiling, these two were two of the dearest companions she had left, and she wished them all the happiness in the world. Missandei switched back to the common tongue and indicated Bronn "This is Ser Bronn of the Blackwater. He saved me from several Lannisters who would have taken me to Cersei. He has been good to me, but as I understand it, I believe I am his hostage and I am being held for ransom?"
Grey Worm tensed, Missandei had been teaching him the common tongue, he knew 'hostage' and 'ransom' and he did not like them being applied to the woman he loved. He looked at Danaerys for his cue, one gesture from her and the man would die. His queen simply smiled, addressing him in Valyrian " It's okay Grey Worm, this is not a problem". She smiled at Bronn "That seems perfectly reasonable, you save someone of value to a queen, you certainly deserve to be properly rewarded, what did you have in mind? We have little enough on hand, but arrangements can certainly be made". Bronn relaxed, let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. He had fought an Unsullied once and wasn't eager to do it again. "Well I am glad to hear that we can be friendly about that Queen Danaerys, I have to say, I have brought back my share of captives, and so many times, people are prickly about a ransom...sure I kidnapped some of them myself, but that doesn't change anything". Dany looked at him, trying to see if he was serious. He absolutely was, but he laughed to relieve the tension and they followed suit.
An hour later, he walked out of her command tent. The dragon queen was just about ready to load Tyrion into a catapult and fire him into the city, but she wasn't mad at Bronn, it wasn't his fault that he looked out for himself. He left with ten gold dragons and as long as Danaerys won, the promise of Highgarden formalized. He kissed Missandei's hand and wished her well, then wandered off whistling, this was a good day. Danaerys was fuming at Tyrion, but she took a deep breath. She was still annoyed, but Bronn had no interest in being Warden of the South, so that was still a powerful title she had for an ally, and since the Crown could always make a better offer than a challenger, he would be a reliable Lord of the Reach, not afraid to use strength to keep his realm safe. It was not how she would have wanted it ideally, but he was acceptable (so long as she rarely had to deal with him, he WAS crude) and she had Missandei back.
Back in the tent, Grey Worm had seemingly lost his military discipline. He and Missandei were holding each other on a large chair, whispering in High Valyrian, both smiling. Danaerys smiled fondly, there were hard days to come, the war wasn't over, and her heart ached from the loss of her second dragon, but she hadn't lost her best friend and closest confidante as well. She had felt real fear when they realized Missandei was not with the group. If she had drowned, Dany didn't know if she could take it. If Cersei had killed her, Dany knew that Grey Worm would have lost himself and not survived the coming fight. Everyone was happier with Missandei alive, and they all deserved and needed a small moment of hope.
Missandei noticed that Dany had entered, she and Grey Worm rose, she bowed "My Queen, I apologize deeply for being taken in that manner, I never meant for you to have to pay a price for me, I cannot ever earn back Highgarden, but I will certainly work to reimburse the gold…." Dany hugged her "I'm not mad, Highgarden was already promised to him and it would have been a problem if we denied his claim. The gold…..I have so few people left in the world I care for, fewer still I can say I love as family. If money can save us a measure of suffering, I am glad for it".
Missandei nodded, her heart swelling with love. Danaerys had had bad days, moments when even her most devoted followers wondered if they had made a mistake, hut this was not one of them. Missandei remembered the day the Wise Masters had burned, when Danaerys Stormborn had destroyed them. She could have taken the slaves and kept them as they were. The Unsullied would still have followed her, Missandei would have followed her instead of staying in that city. But she had freed them, with no reason to think they would follow her, she had done it because despite her Targaryen temper, she was a good person. Days like today reminded Missandei why she stayed, and made her glad she had done so. But she still had one favor to ask.
"My queen?" Dany had been stepping outside again, but turned back to her friends. Missandei continued "My queen, Grey Worm and i have been talking, and we wish to be one, in the event we should die in the war to come. We have no septon, no maester, no local lord…..but if it please your grace, a monarch may perform a marriage ceremony". Missandei looked worried, as though she had overstepped, or as if there were ANY chance of Dany declining. Dany came back, hugged them both, overcome with joy for them. The camp spent the next few hours setting up a small ceremony and at sunset, Missandei and Grey Worm pledged themselves to each other. It was long odds that either would survive, but now they could live and die without regret.