Guest review comments
LadyUmba:
I love the idea of your story. As much as I love George R. R. Martin's story of Robb and Jeyne, your idea of Dany with Robb is so cool. Dany being strong and independent, Robb and her as king and queen of the iron throne - I really like that idea.
Me:
Thank you. I do what I can to respect GRRM's amazing female characters, Daenerys chief amongst them, and I liked developing Jeyne's character as a serious medic.
A/N
While working on this, Chapter 3 Daenerys II, I revised Chapter 1 Daenerys I, mainly expanding the news conversation with Jorah.
Chapter
The Iron Throne was still out of Daenerys' reach, but now it was closer to her grasp. The Lhazareen shepherds' territory was on the southwest of the Dothraki Sea, leaving only the Free Cities and the Narrow Sea between her and Westeros. She felt it would be unlikely to win further Dothraki to her cause and didn't want to wear down her forces. So Daenerys led the horde west, which would avoid contact with other Dothraki. Hostile khalasari were always a concern for the Dothraki, but especially the Dothraki following her – other remnants of Drogo's forces would bear a grudge, and Dothraki society as a whole would be displeased with how she didn't join the other khal widows in Vaes Dothrak. That group, the dosh khaleen, ruled that place, the only city of the Dothraki. However, she was destined to rule a whole continent herself.
They needed ships, so it seemed obvious to travel to a coastal city. Following the coast of Essos would lead to Volantis, the southernmost of the Free Cities. However, Daenerys did not wish to land that far south in Westeros, the region of Dorne. Lys and Tyrosh were somewhat the same in that regard.
Braavos was too far a trek across Essos and would land her too far north in Westeros, the Vale of Arryn. It was rich and powerful; the poor nearby Lorath couldn't even offer that. Furthermore, that path was obstructed by Norvos and Qohor, two cities that were landlocked and thus would do her no good. Also, Qohor was notorious for defeating even a large Dothraki horde.
Pentos and Myr were in the right location, and Pentos was the home of Illyrio Mopatis, who has put these plans into motion. After a decade of Viserys' begging, someone had answered. "But remember, Your Grace," Jorah counseled. "Illyrio is loyal to Illyrio."
"That impulse seems straightforward enough," Daenerys answered. "He wants money and he shall have it. And food, gods that man eats a lot."
"How do you intend to cross the Rhoyne, my queen?" he continued, referring to the river that ran nearly the entire north-south distance of Essos on the way to Westeros.
"We take the pass in the plains south of the Forest of Qohor and north of the Selhoru," she said, naming a massive grove and one of the Rhoyne's southern tributaries. That river had massive marshes surrounding it, more territory to avoid. "We cross the river at the ruins of Ar Noy and again at the ruins of Ny Sar. That brings us to the Golden Fields and The Flatlands, an easy path to Westeros," she finished.
She was right in that last part - the trek did not bring much trouble. Then again, Daenerys thought, it was wise to not trouble twenty thousand Dothraki. Many of those they passed paid tribute, to the conventional sight of a mighty khalasar or to the unknown sight of dragons. The Dothraki had no use for money, but Daenerys would need wealth amongst other things to secure her birthright. Viserys had instilled in her the importance of birthright, and his claim to the Iron Throne was now hers.
One of Daenerys' wedding gifts had been a beautiful filly with a silver coat. Much of the time, Irri had to ride it on Daenerys' behalf. Dothraki demanded to see their leader ahorse, but the newborn Rhaego was considered a reasonable excuse to take to the cart. Daenerys found it rather difficult to hold the reins and hold Rhaego to the breast at the same time. Amongst the Dothraki, there was no shame in the breast, especially when it was being used for its intended purpose, so how Daenerys traveled was a strictly practical decision. She had also found herself less and less able to ride while she was pregnant with him. She missed the saddle, since in true Dothraki fashion she had become especially close to her mount. Viserys had always told her she was a princess, but she hadn't felt like one until she had learned to ride the silver.
In calling for the khalasar to cross the river twice, Daenerys knew she had presented a challenge. However, a single crossing would have been too far to the south, making the route longer and exposing them to the haunted and diseased ruins of Chroyane as well as the pirates of Dagger Lake. Horses could drink river water, so the Rhoyne did not instill fear in the Dothraki the way the Narrow Sea would. However, those crossings were a necessary prelude for the final crossing to Westeros.
The khalasar reached the vicinity of the first ruin. One pirate ship had struck north from Dagger Lake, but Aggo planted an arrow in its mainsail and it quickly retreated. Daenerys thought he acted awfully quickly, but she recognized that he needed to take advantage of his bow's increased range. Dragonbone shot further than wood. A bow was a traditional gift to a Dothraki wife to be used by her husband, and Daenerys had passed hers along to Aggo after Drogo's death. The khaleesi had received a particularly good bow, and Aggo was an archer worthy of it. Similarly, Jhogo had received a whip and Rakharo had been given another one of the curved Dothraki swords known as arakhs.
The ruins had apparently provided enough material to bridge or dam the waters sufficiently to cross them. Daenerys and the silver were fourth across after the bloodriders. Despite repair efforts, a few riders were swept away as the structure started to crumble towards the end of the crossing.
The khalasar had encountered a band of slave traders on the march, men who found themselves dead, their material wealth confiscated and their slaves freed. Daenerys was blood of the dragon, and she burned even hotter with righteousness as some chose to follow her and some didn't.
"Yet you feel the people of Westeros must follow you," Jorah pointed out.
"As a monarch not a master," Daenerys replied tersely. "No one should be under the lash, but all men must serve somebody, however high or low in society, however refined their lifestyle. I of course intend to be a leader worth following."
"That you are, and this khalasar is proof enough of that," Jorah replied confidently. "I do not wish to meet the fate of those other slavers," Jorah admitted much more nervously.
"And I do not wish to condemn you to such a fate. It is normal in Westeros that joining the Night's Watch takes a man off the chopping block, is it not?" Daenerys pronounced.
"It is known," Jorah agreed. "I took a wife, and what good do it do me?" he said, referring to how he had eschewed that limitation of the Watch. "Everything I did was to support the luxury lifestyle she was accustomed to, I even took her with me when I went on the run, and she still left me. That was my second. The first one died after several years with no children. Yeah, I'm done taking wives. Taking the black it is. My lord father is lord commander of the black brothers now. Took the black to give me Bear Island and I fuck it up. He'll be one disappointed man, but they say that on the wall all past crimes are forgiven."
Daenerys took in the rant and offered "I am sure you'll serve them as faithfully as you have served and will serve me."
When they finally approached the walls of Pentos, envoys rode out to meet them. "The horselords come, we give them gifts, the horselords go," an official said of the usual tribute.
"We do not seek trinkets this time, but rather ships," Daenerys answered with a sharp edge.
"Let them in," a fat man ordered.
"As you wish, Magister Illyrio," the official answered.
Many trading ships from Illyrio and some others would serve as transports. Some sellsails would screen the fleet, mercenaries at sea as Jorah and so many others were on land. Whip, arakh and longsword wouldn't do much good aboard a ship, but those men stood ready in case their ships were boarded. Aggo would lead the archers in ensuring enemy sailors never got close in the first place. It was paid by Illyrio's money, the tribute Daenerys had received, and the promise of more once the wealth of Westeros was under her control.
The Targaryen kings and the Usurper after them had a small council of their highest advisors. Daenerys would continue the tradition, and with that in mind, she played another card with Illyrio. "There's an appointment as Master of Coin in it for you." It made sense to put the successful merchant in change of the kingdom's finances. Other small council positions were reserved for Westerosi allies or perhaps compliant current occupants. Barristan Selmy, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard to become Queensguard, was an old honorable knight who ought to see the justice in her cause. The Grand Maester was a neutral servant, as were all maesters, at least in theory. Stannis had been in charge of the royal navy, and he could return to his spot on the council if he was compliant. However, the master of whisperers was by necessity a devious sort, and he would have to go. A leader's role was to bring justice, so the master of laws was of paramount importance. She could certainly find a suitable Hand of the Queen.
The Narrow Sea was not so narrow that she could see across it. However, the dream of reasserting the Targaryen dynasty was now metaphorically in sight.
