"As soon as we heard about the wall I called all of my banners to Winterfell. Lord Umber, when can we expect your people to arrive?"
It was Sansa who said this. She had called a meeting with all the Northern lords and ladies the day after their arrival, to discuss their next move. Daenerys hasn't expected there to be so many...
A small boy popped out from the crowd, dark brown eyes peering out from under a mop of equally brown hair. He couldn't of been more than seven years old.
"We need more horses and wagons, if it pleases my lady." He squeaked. His eyes suddenly went wide as he added, "And my lord. And my Queen. Sorry."
Daenerys couldn't help but smile.
Sansa fixed the boy with a inquisitive look. "You'll have as many as we can spare." She said, "Hurry back to The Hearth and bring your people here."
Little Lord Umber gave a timid and awkward bow before quickly taking his leave with his men following after.
Bran spoke from Jon's right. "We must start preparing soon; the dead aren't far off."
"We need to send word to the nights watch as well." Jon added, "No use in manning the castle anymore. We'll make our stand here."
A soldier Daenerys was unfamiliar with stood up, gave a bow and an "At once, your Grace" before hurrying off, presumably to do just as Jon had commanded.
"You're Grace?" A girl stood from the audience, barely older than the young Lord Umber. "But you're not, are you? You left Winterfell a king and cane back a... I'm not sure what you are now. A lord? Nothing at all?"
The girl's words rendered everyone silent. It shocked Daenerys to hear such a big attitude come from something so small. Daenerys leaned down to whisper into Tyrion's ear.
"Who's she?" Daenerys asked.
"Lady Lyanna Mormont." Tyrion whispered back. "The last of the Mormont house, besides Jorah."
"It's not important..." Jon said as he finally found his voice.
"Not important?" The young lady somehow managed to sound like a seasoned warrior, "We named you king of the north!"
Jon took a deep breath. "You did, my lady. It was the honor of my life. I'll always be grateful for your faith. But when I left Winterfell I told you we need allies, or we will die. I brought those allies home to fight alongside us. I had a choice: Keep my crown or project the north. I chose the north."
There was an uproar at that, every Lord and Lady battling for their voice to be heard among the masses. Some seemed to be defending Jon Snow's decision, and others objected. The Unsullied guards seemed nervous at the sudden cacophony, unsure of the language and unsure if there was a threat at hand.
There was the sound of wood scraping, somehow heard over all the noise, and the arguing dwindled down to nothing as they all fixed their gaze up ahead, where Tyrion had departed from his seat at the Queen's side.
"If any of us survives the war to come, we'll have Jon Snow to thank." He spoke with certainly and Pride, "He risked his life to show us the threat is real. Thanks to his courage, we've brought with us the greatest army the world has ever seen!"
The talking slowly started to rise again, and Tyrion was forced to raise his voice among the masses until they settled down once more.
"We have brought 2 full-grown dragons," Tyrion went on, "and soon the Lannister army will ride north to join our cause."
There was no silencing the pandemonium that followed. Screams and shouts of vile words, fists banging against tables and shook of sheer horror and rage among the sea of faces.
"I know, I know." Tyrion's words were lost as soon as they left his lips, "Our people haven't really been friends in the past, but we must work together now. Or die."
The shouts fell silent once more as the strict tone of Sansa Stark was heard. "May I ask how we're going to feed the greatest army the world has ever seen?" She turned to look at Tyrion, "While I made sure we had enough stores to last through winter, I didn't account for Unsullied, Dothraki, and Lannister men soon to show up at my gates, never the less two fully grown dragons." She turned away, no longer speaking to the lion or even addressing Her own people as she muttered, "What do dragons eat, anyway?"
There was Heat in the dragon queens belly, starting off as a small spark that was quickly fanned into a raging flame that took over her whole body at that final, snarky comment from the lady wolf.
"Whatever they want..." Daenerys has been half-convinced that she would spot fire in that moment.
The dragon's rage dwindled as a small force took hold of her hand, and she turned to see Tyrion looking up at her, his hand wrapped delicately around here. The lion gently stroked her palm, and then the fire was gone.
"Well they cant have 'whatever they want'." Daenerys' rage threatened to return as she She-wolf spoke, "No ones seen a dragon in thousands of years, and we sudden have to open our gates to two of them!"
Daenerys bit her tongue, and the taste of blood filled her mouth. Blood and fire. "Your brother bent the knee and promised the North to me."
"It was not his to give away!"
A few people in the crowd shouted their agreements alongside the lady of the North.
Daenerys took a deep breath, fighting to control herself as visions of fire and blood danced in her eyes. "I'm under the impression that he was your king. Your king bowed and so must you."
"Daenerys, please..." Tyrion's voice was soft; pleading.
"I don't have to do anything." Sansa growled, "You're. Not. My. Queen."
The dragon woke.
Daenerys was on her feet in an instant, as were the guards on both sides. The Unsullied were quicker than the Stark guards, at their queen's side in less than a moment, Swords ready to defend the mother of dragons, as their opponents readied to defend the she-wolf.
Another stood up from the crowd, a brown-haired, Gray-eyed girl. The winds of the north seemed to howl in her voice, and lightning flashed in her eyes. "Sit down, both of you!"
Daenerys took her seat, the fire in her belly turning to ice. Sansa stayed standing.
"Watch your tongue, sister." Sansa's threat was empty. She took her seat. "This meeting is over."
"Not quite..." Tyrion said, calm as ever.
Daenerys motioned for her handmaiden to step out of the crowd; Missandei did so, meek, yet sure in her purpose.
"Under the advice of my trusted advisors..." Daenerys said, careful to choose her words, "I've something to announce." She nodded to Missandei.
Missandei cleared her throat. "Her majesty, Queen Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, The Unburnt, Queen of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Protector of the Realm, Lady Regent of the Seven Kingdoms, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons is available to be wed. Any suitor May make themselves known at any time by appeal to me, the hand of the Queen, or the Queen herself. Sadly, our beloved queen is unable to bear children, but when the need arises, us as Queen Daenerys loyal council, have made plans for an heir to be chosen. That is all."
Daenerys stood. "With that I take my leave."
She was barely out of the hall before she became aware of Jorah following after her.
"Where are you going?" Jorah asked.
"To check on my dragons."
Jorah blinked, " sure they're fine, my queen."
Daenerys didn't dare look at him. "I need to calm down."
Her heart threatened to break free of her chest and run wild, like the dragons of old. Wild and free, as they should be. Blood of the dragon...
"Take some guards with you at least." Jorah suggested, "To protect you!"
Daenerys shook her head, and felt her voice grow weak as she said, "My children will protect me."
Her old friend shook his head. "Daenerys...
She cut him off. "Go tell the others where I'm going, I don't want them to worry."
Jorah didn't follow her after that.
It took some convincing, but eventually the guards let her leave the safety of the walls. Her dragons weren't far, after all, and their nest was visible from the wall; they have taken to staying on a distant hill, and the dragon mother would occasionally hear their calls in the night as they hunted to satiate their hunger.
It seemed Drogon was doing just that. Only Rhaegal remained in the best, surrounded by the bones and ash of his previous victims. At the sight of his mother, the drowsy dragon lifted his head and gave an excited chitter, hurrying to meet her. Just the sight of her beloved child was enough to make the day's events fade into the oblivion.
She awoke to the sound of footsteps to find the sky cast into a dismal gray. The sleeping form of Drogon stirred at the sound as well, and his yellowed eyes flicked to attention as he pushed himself up on his wings. A fresh pile of bones went tumbling at the black giant's movements.
Two familiar figures came over the top of the hill.
Rhaegal lifted his head for a moment to consider the newcomers, but quickly lay back on the burnt earth.
"Are you okay, my queen?" Said Missandei, "you have been out here an awful long time."
"We've come to take you back before nightfall." Said Gray Worm; though his voice and expression were stern, his eyes were gentle.
"Did you fall asleep?" Missandei asked inquisitively when she noticed the state of her queen's usually neat hair.
Daenerys rubbed her eyes. "I don't... sleep well in new environments. I didn't mean to scare you."
"You didn't scare us, your majesty." Missandei reassured with a soft smile.
"Jorah told us where you were." Gray Worm added.
"Oh, right." Her thoughts were frazzled; they were there, but it was like thread trying to pull itself into a blanket. All the pieces were there, but she found stringing them together to be difficult.
Gray Worm looked to the sky. "Come. We must go."
Daenerys didn't argue. She bade farewell to her sleepy dragons and followed her advisors down the hill. The short trek back to Winterfell suddenly seemed miles long.
"You say you are having trouble with sleep?" Missandei asked, fixing her queen with curious brown eyes. "I could see if Lady Sansa has some lavender..."
"That would be wonderful!" Daenerys exclaimed, putting a hand to her chest, "Just one calm, quiet night. That's all I ask!"
"You are stressed." It wasn't a question.
Daenerys laughed. "How can you tell?"
"It is clear on your face." The handmaid Said matter-a-factly, "And it is obvious, with what that boy told you. Lady Sansa isn't taking it well either."
"No?"
Missandei shook her head. "She was tense at dinner, and she always looks so pale."
"Well, she has reason to worry." Daenerys knew the feeling. "How long do you think we have until... you know?"
Missandei paused. "The way the boy talks of it, it sounds it may be any day now."
They kept going as Daenerys said, "That's what I'm worried about."
They were half-way to Winterfell, making their way up the last hill in their path. When they finally reached the top, looking down at the valley belle, nobody moved.
"What's happening?" Daenerys asked.
"I do not know." Gray Work said, his eye brows furrowing as he took in the sight.
Missandei said no word, but the worry was clear on her face.
At the gates of Winterfell stood maybe fifty men, covered in the colors of gold and red that Daenerys had come to loathe in all forms except one.
Lannister colors...