Jon
Nothing could prepare Jon for the discussion that could no longer be delayed. Every step felt heavier and a small part of his mind told him to run out of fear of what may happen if things went wrong. Talking with Tyrion and Davos provided some council, albeit the former having extremely drastic measures. On the way up, there were some Unsullied guarding along the entrances of corridors and they stood steadfast as their training bred them to be. Some of them looked at him with silent gazes while others remained still. No doubt the ones that took notice might have seen or heard about the small altercation between himself and Grey Worm earlier that day.
Jon didn't know Grey Worm that well except for his fierce loyalty to Daenerys and the grudge he bears towards the Lannisters no thanks to Cersei executing Missandei. Seeing him publicly executing people that surrendered yet remained loyal to Cersei did no favors and Jon worries if this clash in ideals will be an issue moving forward.
With so much focus on meeting Daenerys, Jon paid no mind to the architecture of the Red Keep. It all felt like a blur with each passing moment bringing more anxiety. After passing multiple corridors and the main staircase, Jon found himself in front of the doors of the Great Hall. No one was guarding it and both doors were slightly opened with light passing through the crevice. Readying himself with a deep breath, Jon pushed upon the doors into the massive hall which made Winterfell's feel tiny in comparison. More than half the roof was gone allowing the dim light of the cloudy sky to pierce through the dark interior. Looking down the hall, he saw the object that so many people had died for with the sacrifice of thousands of soldiers and commonfolk. The Iron Throne and its eerie presence withstood the flames and destruction, and it front of it was none other than Daenerys. She had her hand on the throne before turning around when hearing his footsteps crack under the ash and snow.
"Jon." Dany said as she saw him coming out of the shadows of the double doors of the Great Hall. She failed at suppressing a small smile from forming on her lips as he made his way towards the Iron Throne. "I've been waiting for you."
Unlike Daenerys, he didn't share the same expression, holding a straight face and eyes filled with a mix of anger and determination. Walking into this room had been a struggle in of itself. Each passing second was heart wrenching and the agony only got worse the closer he approached her. He still wasn't sure if anything he said would reach her, but he needed to try. Still figuring out what to say, he remained silent as the words struggled to form.
"Ever since I was able to understand words, my brother told of me of how we would return to reclaim the throne that was stolen by the Usurper. To restore House Targaryen to its former glory and bring back a golden age to Westeros. I may not have agreed with his plans of how to get it, yet the goal remained the same. From hatching dragons to freeing slaves, this journey has brought me here after all these years in exile. But that is only the beginning." Dany looked upwards to what remained of the ceiling and back towards Jon. "Starting with my victory here, I shall expand beyond Westeros. I will build an empire that will withstand the test of time and last thousands of generations to come. This will be the rebirth of my family's legacy, no...our family legacy. "
She walked down the steps away from the throne towards him and he stood still before speaking.
How is family legacy the only thing on her mind right now?
"Have you been down into the city yet? Did you even bother to go there after setting the people on fire with Drogon?" Jon said with an intense glare. "The same people that you claimed needed saving from Cersei's reign are now being executed by the Unsullied on your orders."
Her smile quickly faded. "It is necessary."
"Necessary? Innocent people whose lives are now forfeit are being slaughtered without trial or questioning and you call it necessary?!"
"After what happened in Meereen with the Sons of the Harpy, I swore to myself that I won't let rebels sneak their way throughout the city and to kill people that supported me ever again. If any of Cersei's supporters are still alive, it is a threat that must be eliminated." Dany responded. He couldn't even detect a glimmer of remorse. Her response almost seemed practiced with how quick she spoke it.
"So women and children are now considered threats. Little children that had nothing to do with the battle are now your enemies. Reducing them to nothing along with any future they had, is what you think is needed?" Jon felt himself starting to shake in anger. He didn't want to feel this way, but the calm demeanor on Daenerys' face was making it harder to contain his emotions. "How can you possibly justify burning children and think it was the right fucking answer?!"
"I gave Cersei a chance for peace and she killed my closest friend for it. She used those children's innocence as a shield, thinking I wouldn't attack. She thought wrong. I didn't want to do it but Cersei deserved to burn for what she has done."
"You didn't have to aim for the citizens! The war was over the moment those bells rang. The Lannister forces had dropped their weapons and surrendered themselves to our army. You already won, but it just wasn't enough was it? I understand that you wanted Cersei to suffer for what she did to Missandei, trust me I know. Only Cersei had to answer for the crimes she committed, not the civilians that screamed in terror as a dragon flew towards them with fire spewing from its mouth."
With a flinch, Daenerys stopped walking and froze where she stood. He hoped it getting through to her, to chip away this delusional spell that has consumed her the moment she arrived in King's Landing. Her silence lingered on and he needed to push on this before any more excuses are made.
"Did Grey Worm tell you what happened after that first pass with Drogon?" Jon questioned.
"...He told me that even after the bells sounded, the Lannisters were still fighting." she replied quietly.
Another blatant lie based upon grief and revenge.
"The Lannister troops had dropped their weapons and were about to bend the knee. The men you believed to be fully loyal to Cersei are tired of fighting constant wars. They have fought ever since Robert Baratheon died and they only wanted to go home to their families. And what did Grey Worm do? He threw his spear into the back of an unarmed man." Jon revealed. While Jon had no previous grudges towards Grey Worm, this going unanswered for would be an injustice to the dead.
Dany needs to hear every single painful truth if she is to make up for this disaster.
Daenerys' eyes widened from shock and she had trouble processing the weight of the revelation. Her small hands were opening and closing into fists grabbing her skirt and her breathing increased slightly.
"Once that spear was thrown, everything broke into chaos. Just mindless killing and pillaging. I saw men begging for mercy and received a sword through the chest. Northerners raping women and children run down by Dothraki. You told me that you didn't want be Queen of the ashes yet you started all of this." Jon didn't feel the burning anger anymore, only sorrow. "I wished we weren't in this situation right now, but we need to discuss it. You can still save the rest before they are executed. Please Dany, enough blood has been spilled today."
"How do you know that they aren't followers of Cersei? How can I be sure what you're saying is true? So many people have betrayed and lied to me. I can't risk it anymore. I thought I could trust Tyrion and he chose his family over his Queen multiple times and look where my misguided trust has brought me. I told you what would happen if you told your sisters about your birth and look where that has left us." Dany argued. "They didn't need to know. I brought my armies north to aid you with no guarantees and all I wanted was for you to keep a secret. I begged and you still refused to listen!"
Regret and shame filled Jon's mind once more.
"You're right; I was foolish to tell them the truth. I thought Sansa would honor her vow in the Godswood and I was wrong. I'm at fault and I have to take responsibility for this. No amount of goodwill I give can ever make up for what has been lost, but I won't stop making up for it until the day I die."
"These people will take your goodwill and turn it against me Jon. I gave them a chance to follow me. I said on Dragonstone that they would never love me, that fear is the only way for them to get in line." Daenerys moved her arm to the direction of the destroyed wall looking over the city. "The ones that were lost today will serve as an example of what happens when my mercy is not taken."
Jon couldn't believe what he was hearing. "When you arrived, the people only knew of you as a foreign invader coming to burn their homes. Cersei had spread this rumor all over the South and rallied multiple houses to her cause. When I got that scroll from Tyrion, I had no reason to trust you. Yet I went to Dragonstone anyway because I had faith in Tyrion's word about how you weren't your father and I needed your help. Earlier when I spoke to him, he looked completely broken. He lost the last of his family and now he thinks the only way out of this is getting rid of you. That is just one example of how our actions have affected the people around us. Believe me when I say this, he is the first of many that will openly oppose you from here on."
Daenerys started breathing heavily with her eyes staring into Jon's like daggers. Panic was setting in and she began to back away from him. "Is that why you're here then? To kill me and take the throne?"
That fucking throne is still clouding her judgement.
"That goddamned throne is the last thing I want! If I had a choice, I would melt it down without hesitation. No, I came to see if you are willing to stop this madness before more people are killed." Jon answered. "We can still make this right by rebuilding what is lost instead of destroying what is left." He moved himself closer to her but she shook her head and continued retreating.
Realizing this, Jon halted himself before the situation escalated. He needed to calm her before she misunderstood his intent. He looked at the dagger on his belt and pulled it out of its sheath. Looking back at Daenerys, her panic peaked by seeing the dagger in his hands.
"I told Tyrion that killing you would be the wrong move and I still believe that. I'd sooner let Drogon roast me alive than kill you Dany." Jon said as he tossed the dagger towards the steps under the Iron Throne. "Which is why I'm letting you choose."
She scurried over to the knife and picked it up. Her glare pierced into Jon's soul and he could feel his heart ache with how much contempt she directed at him.
"You think I would take my own life to pay for my actions? I have fought for to survive the very moment I was born. Nothing you say here will change my decision on how to handle the rest of the rebels that are in my way." Dany nearly screamed. Jon hadn't expect her to assume suicide was the option that he gave her. "If you are willing to stand against me, then draw your sword because I will not kill myself to preserve your conscience."
Jon stood silently without moving a muscle. He kept his gaze on her, to find any of the goodness that had shone so brightly before he had snuffed it out with the truth of his birth in the crypts of Winterfell. His right hand moved toward his sword hilt by reflex when a threat was presented in front of him. But Daenerys would never be such to him. His love for her was stronger than anyone else in his life and nothing would change how he felt.
"I have fought and killed countless men ever since I joined and left the Night's Watch. My entire life is nothing but blood and death. I'm done fighting. I was done the first time I died and yet fate still pulled me right back into it." Jon explained. "I'll never fight you Dany. Never in all the lives I'm forced into."
"Spit it out Jon! Enough stalling and tell me what other choice I have!" Dany eyes were turning red from the tears forming. Her composure lost now that Jon made her assume he was betraying her like everyone else.
"Help me fix all of this. Don't continue to conquer and kill those that oppose your methods just because they don't understand the good you have brought to the people of Essos. Take the steps to bring peace by helping the people you wish to lead with the right example." Jon's first statement was meant to appeal Daenerys' kinder nature. She needed to be reminded of the good she is truly capable of and how it can benefit the people more than just herself. "But if you believe that your path is the right one, prove it with that dagger. Show me that nothing will stand in your way by eliminating the biggest threat to your reign, right here right now."
Daenerys froze where she stood. Her eyes were wide with shock with the ultimatum he gave her. The hand holding the dagger shook while still pointed towards Jon. She recovered herself with a few calming breaths. "You must think I'm foolish enough to fall for that. I'm already the Queen and no one else on this continent has the forces to oppose me. What's stopping me from calling Drogon here to alert my guards and holding you prisoner for betraying your Queen?"
"Nothing. Nothing is stopping you from locking me up while you take over Westeros. But even if you did, Sansa would just spread word of my name and it will reach the eyes of all the remaining lords within weeks. Revolts will break out and you will be forced to either kill me, kill the people, or let me go and the cycle will start over again. There is no good option if you kept me as a hostage. So you have two choices. You can help me bring order back to Westeros without any more mindless bloodshed, or you can end me with that dagger and continue conquering whatever is left to conquer."
Jon reached for his belt buckle and unlatched it as he finished issuing his ultimatum. Longclaw fell to the floor and his hands returned to his side. Looking back towards Daenerys, he saw her throat tensing up from swallowing any counterarguments and her lips quivering. Her attention went from the sword on the ground back to his eyes.
While Daenerys struggled to make a choice, Jon surprisingly felt an odd relief. When he was revived after his Night's Watch brothers murdered him, all he wanted was to go south and get warm. To forget all the frustrations of leadership and fighting and trade it for a quiet and peaceful life. It was a nice plan that got thrown out in favor of retaking Winterfell when he reunited with Sansa. Beating the Boltons just led to more unwanted power and responsibility. And yet, for the first time in his life, not having Longclaw on his side felt liberating. The pressure and weight on his shoulders from previous decisions is gone at last. All that mattered now is this moment. Whatever Daenerys chose, he would accept it with no regrets.
Daenerys still hasn't moved and it worried him. He started with small steps towards her. "I know this is a hard decision, but I have faith in you Dany. You may think that fear is the only way to rule these people, that they won't be able to learn new ways with how stubborn they are. I look back at myself and I was no different, until you came along and brought a new perspective. Compassion and kindness to your followers and fury to those that threaten them. You fought for the North even though they showed no appreciation or respect. You're the strongest person I've ever met and I love you more than anyone else in this shit world. Everything that happens now is in your hands Dany."
Jon arrived within a single step in front of her. The point of the dagger directly over his heart with a slight dent on the leather. The tears no longer contained began to fall as they slowly looked upwards towards his. Cupping her cheeks with his hands and wiping the wet streaks from her face, he wished this was under happier circumstances. The pressure from the dagger dug into his chest and he could feel it puncturing through the leather to the shirt underneath but not enough to break skin.
Daenerys tensed as her grip on the dagger increased. "...Northerners always have to make everything so fucking difficult." Dany cursed. "You most of all, Jon."
"Force of habit I guess." Jon replied with a smirk. The pressure from the dagger weakened as Daenerys relaxed her hand and let it point towards the floor.
"On our way back from Eastwatch, you bent the knee to me when you had no need to do so. That was the first time I questioned myself if I deserved such recognition and support. From a king that cared more for the safety of his people than I thought possible in this lifetime. From the man I love more than any before him that deserves better than what I can return." She leaned forward until her head was supported by his right shoulder. Jon heard a few sniffs from her crying, so he proceeded to wrap his arms around her waist to provide a small comfort.
As the tension unwinded from them, he barely heard the dagger falling from her hand to the ground. It felt like ages ago when they could just hold each other and not worry about what the rest of the world thinks. To just be Dany and Jon, nothing more nothing less. They stood together for several minutes, absorbing each other's presence. The last time they held each other ended horribly and Jon refused to let that happen again.
"I've said to myself and my followers that I am better than my father. That I would be a better ruler for the people who are now dead because of my blind rage. The Targaryen name will be mocked as full of power hungry invaders with madness flowing through our veins." Dany said with a weak voice. "They said I was mad and now they have all the proof they need." He heard her crying again and his grip tightened.
"You are not mad. Not in the slightest. I wouldn't be here right now if you were. I would've been executed after our first meeting if you are as mad as your father. Being a Targaryen isn't enough to prove you are mad like people want to believe." Jon says. "Sure you have a bit of a temper that is somewhat uncontrollable at times, but what happened here was a mistake. You have to learn from it, not to let it repeat itself."
She removed herself from his grip and looked back into his eyes to find any deception. "If I choose to help you, how do you know something like this won't happen again? I...I worry that I will lose control again."
"It was my fault. I should have been with you after what happened to Missandei and Rhaegal. It was selfish for me to push you away then, I won't leave you now." Jon answered. "We look out for one another and try to compromise whenever we disagree. I don't know what lies ahead so we will have to improvise more often. There will be plenty of people that stand in our way, but we have to adapt if we are to survive."
Daenerys didn't respond immediately, most likely contemplating the options they had left.
"Alright, I will help you...on several conditions." she says. "First, we build a council that will never plot against us. They must be loyal yet willing to speak their mind in the event of disagreeing with us on major decisions. In the past, you have conceded too much in favor of your advisors while I was the opposite. Having a middle ground is better for us and the people." Dany stated.
"I agree. We haven't had the best luck in advisors that jumped ship at the earliest opportunity."
"Not quite." Dany moved away from Jon's vicinity and started to walk back and forth along the platform beneath the Iron Throne. Seeing her mood lifted somewhat is a good sign that Jon wanted to keep up. "Before you came here, I saw you in the gardens and I was thinking about who to replace Tyrion as my Hand."
"I would be a terrible Hand Dany. I barely kept the Northern lords tolerable of the Freefolk. The South is another level of complexity I have no knowledge of."
"I'm talking about Ser Davos Jon. And yes, you would be a terrible Hand with your inability to lie." she responded with a small grin. "I don't know his opinion of me now after this incident so I'm hoping you might be able to convince him to help us. Unlike the lords of Westeros, Ser Davos is humble and he understands the common people and what their needs are. I want him to be our Hand now that Tyrion is...unavailable."
"Aye, he would be my first choice also. Then again I don't have any other advisors besides him and Sansa. However, with what has happened because of me telling her everything, we need to be cautious. I understand her reservations towards you, but the fact she broke her vow to me so easily to harm you is the final straw." Jon said bitterly.
While Jon still loved Sansa as his sister, the breach in trust has soured his impression of her to a degree. He thought he could trust her but seeing how far she went to attack Daenerys indirectly is rather telling of how she sees every little detail and secret as nothing more than weapons against her opponents. If he wanted to restore order with Daenerys, Sansa would be an obstacle they needed to overcome.
"That is the second condition Jon. You said that Sansa knowing your true identity will be a danger to me. With us working together, it affects both of us and we can't let her undermine our position, especially after what I did here. I want you to disregard what I said that night in Winterfell about hiding your secret. The world needs to know your true identity so that Sansa can't use it against us later on."
"Y-you want me to reveal my parentage?"
"It is a lot to ask for but it won't stay hidden forever. Sansa might be plotting at this moment to use this information to force you against me as the true heir. It may sound like me trying to solidify my place but I refuse to look upon you on the opposite side of a battlefield." Dany pleaded.
"...This feels like I'm abandoning my family." Jon replied sadly. "I grew up a Stark so it will be hard for me to grasp being a Targaryen."
"You're not abandoning anything. Stark blood and values course through your veins Jon. No one will deny that. All I ask is for you to accept your other half. Besides, it's not as hard as you may think. You are the first person to approach Drogon other than myself and walked away without being burned. You bonded with Rhaegal without any trouble and I finally had someone to share the skies with. The blood of Old Valyria is stronger in you than you realize. You are every bit a wolf as you are a dragon. Don't run from it; embrace who you were born to be." Dany reassured. The pride in her voice is genuine and he felt a little flustered with how much she praised him. "No more hiding behind the lies of being a bastard with no claim. Westeros needs a king that has strong leadership and compassion for all his subjects. A king that has the honor of Ned Stark, the strength of Lyanna Stark, and the humility of Rhaegar Targaryen."
She walked back towards him and grabbed both of his hands into her own and gazed upon him with her one of a kind smile. Every time he saw it, the best way to describe the feeling was catharsis. It made being brought back from death worth it to see her smile.
I swear to never let that smile fade.
"I appreciate that, truly I do. But for now, let's take everything one step at a time. We need to focus on King's Landing before anything else. The people down there need our help." Jon says. "Plans about the rest of Westeros can be discussed after we restore some order here first."
"Very well." she replied with a nod. "I'll order the Unsullied to round up the survivors and to stop the executions. The Dothraki will guard the walls and perimeters so that they won't loot what is left. You find Ser Davos and take your men to survey the city to see if anyone is trapped under rubble and collapsed buildings. I will go and distribute what supplies are left and see to the wounded."
This wasn't going to be easy. Both of them knew it well enough. However despite the odds, Jon felt somewhat hopeful that they could help salvage the city and its people. There is no time to waste and following Ser Davos' idea of thinking about the positive would certainly help. He leaned to place a kiss on her forehead. After a few moments he broke the contact to press their foreheads together and both closed their eyes to take a final moment before the hard work began.
"We are stronger together and I know we will get past whatever challenges lie ahead. You have my word. I promise."
"Thank you for still believing in me, despite...everything I've done." Dany spoke sadly.
"Let's get down to the city before it escalates further. No doubt Ser Davos has his hands full trying to sort through this mess."
He went to pick up his sword and relatched the belt around his waist. Daenerys looked down to the ground and saw the dagger she dropped on the floor earlier. Kneeling down to grab it she walked back to him to return it.
He smiled and kept his hands along his sides. "Keep it. Whether or not you think you may need it, you'll be safer with having something to defend yourself with." he says as his hands removes the dagger's sheath from the belt. "We'll have to find a belt for you as well to holster it easier."
Placing the dagger back into its scabbard and keeping a firm grip on it, Daenerys had a serious expression over her face. "I've never really kept weapons on myself before. Being surrounded by guards and my dragons seemed like all I needed. Maybe when the situation settles down, you could give me some pointers so I don't cut myself." Dany suggested.
"I'd be happy to. Besides, scars look better on me than you." he replies with a sly grin. Jon wasn't the joking type but this one was almost too obvious to pass. She simply rolled her eyes and walked past him to the large double doors and pushed them open as he caught up.
Pushing past the entrance, Jon and Daenerys made their way out of the Red Keep to the steps that led down into the city. They both knew the task ahead of them would be daunting. But for the first time, Jon had no doubts or second thoughts and felt, no believed, they could achieve this goal of restoring order. Not just to King's Landing, but all of Westeros.
AN: I had a lot more trouble with this chapter than expected. Wrote it 3 times until I was satisfied with this one. Please comment if you feel improvements are necessary and thanks for reading!