Daenerys watched on from her window side vigil as her Dragons continued to circle over the lofty heights of the palace, staying close by upon sensing their mother's unnerved nature. Although she knew she had the loyalty of her most valued protectors looking out over her during this council, she still kept cautious. This was her first formal meeting with the heads of the Westerosi houses, the rulers of the Seven kingdoms in place of the last Targaryen, since her capture of King's Landing. Already it was cursed with the luck of a sinner. There was no sign of the Iron Island representatives. There reasoning probably had obvious roots. However, one of the Targaryens older allies in these lands, the Dornish, had not showed either, confirming even further their fall to the religious fanatics of the Lord of Light.
Those who were in attendance were a scattered and unorganised bunch at best. The only houses that stood with any true remaining accolades and flourishing lands were those of Houses Tyrell and Arryn, yet even they were rife with either civil dispute or fear. The Starks were being represented by a young boy and his sisters, with their ancestral home having been ripped from them before this war with the dead had even begun. The Baratheons had all but been wiped out by previous war or justice, with only a few lower ranking families being able to speak on behalf of the people of Storm's End. The Tullys had been erased all together after their last members fell at Harrenhal so there was nobody to represent the Riverlands. And then of course, there were the Lannister's, or more specifically Jaimie Lannister, who was hardly impressed by her recent rulings of justice, but was still here regardless. Tyrion would keep him in check.
The lords and ladies had begun taking residence in the main room, awaiting the Queen's approval to begin. There wasn't much intermingling between them. Most of the houses resented each other for one reason or another, a summer's worth of deceit, treachery and war fuelling those fires. The heavy tension and silence was enough to begin unnerving even Daenerys. Tyrion could see this in her expression as Missandei helped clean her up, her face still slightly smeared by soot and smoke from her Dragons flames and their results. Whilst she was a strong leader at heart, she was still youthful. Those follies could still emerge at any time.
"Just remember what you've learned" he lectured her, swirling a tall glass of wine in his left hand as he began. "These people may seem intimidating, but they can be overcome by strength and initiative as well as intelligence. You've possessed all three of those traits in the past dealing with the masters of Slaver's Bay. This will be no different". Daenerys knew he had a point but she still had doubt lingering on her already troubled mind. "That didn't stop them rebelling and killing hundreds of people" she replied, her uncertainty obvious in her words. Tyrion laughed somewhat at his Queen's naeivity as he took another swig of wine.
"If you're going to believe one thing out of my mouth today Daenerys then believe me when I say that those 'leaders' out there are very far from ever trusting each other enough to rebel right now". A small, shy smile crept on to Daenerys' face, though until this meeting was over, she would always maintain a hint of scepticism. She took a deep breath and watched as Tyrion poured another glass from the jug present on the nearby table, being considered 'presentable enough' now to face the delegation.
"Does wine help? With all this?" She asked out of curiosity. "Wine helps me with everything your Grace" Tyrion smirked, gazing down at the deep red liquor swirling in his cup. "It's got its cons and pros though. Best to take it in moderation" he advised, taking her hint into consideration. Pouring out another glass, he handed it to her. She took a deep look into the red liquid, smelling the fruity aroma rise from the beverage. Taking a small sip, she noted how sweet it tasted compared to that she had been used to in Essos. She was surprised Tyrion could still be such a connoisseur with his choice despite the obvious lack of supplies coming to the city.
Daenerys steeled her mind and her expression as she prepared to greet the council. She kept Tyrion's advice in mind and remembered her past experiences. She had ruled over people like these before. She could do it again. Eventually, the group emerged, Missandei leading them as Daario and Greyworm flanked the wings as the Queen's two most trusted protectors. Tyrion accompanied Daenerys out, taking his place beside her as the Queen's hand. The reactions amongst the group varied as they gazed upon their new Queen. She looked back at them, beginning to decipher who was who.
The Tyrells had been represented by Lord Mace and the wise Lady Olenna, with Margaery still banned from the capital by law. Lord Tyrell looked upon her in amazement, his first sighting of a true Targaryen in years being one of wonder and marvel. Olenna wore a mostly neutral expression, keeping her thoughts private until they were required. The Starks, though noble, looked out of place amongst the weathered veterans. Young Rickon was at their lead as direct heir to Winterfell, having matured in his tenure as a Lord whilst under the guidance of the stewards of Bear Island.
He was accompanied by both his sisters, the elegant Sansa and the fiery Arya, again not much older than he. Both they and Yohn Royce, an experienced knight and lead representative here on behalf of the Arryns and those trapped in the Vale, looked upon her with more honour than she would have first expected from them when she first landed in Westeros, her saving their 'bastard brother' and pledging to free the north a key factor in that.
The Baratheons were represented by what seemed like a younger upstart and an experienced captain, both of whom she did not know. The younger, Elvar Eroll, was a young man with the standard mop of black Baratheon hair, a thin face and frame, as well as a superiority complex as he looked to stake his claim in this meeting as well as defend his house's honour with blind valour. The other, Davos Seaworth, was far more calm and composed. Though she did not recognise him by name, she remembered his face from the rescue at Harrenhal.
There was only one Lannister representative in Jaime. Whilst he would always hold the title of 'Kingslayer' in her mind, she would learn to suffer him in order to keep Tyrion at her side. Jaime didn't pay her much dividend as she entered, keeping a straight face that harboured hidden intentions. She was only thankful that she had his 'brother' at her side to help him see more sense than his sister had.
As the Queen took her seat at the front of the table, the others waited for Missandei's command before taking theirs. She and Daenerys both glanced at one another before the former spoke. They had come a long way from being oppressed as they were in Essos before meeting each other. Now they commanded word of the lords of the Seven kingdoms. Daenerys also took a look at Daario for assurance. Their expressions spoke the words for them.
'I'll keep them in check'.
'I can look after myself' was Dany's.
Looking out over the table, Missandei began the proceedings. "Noble representatives of the Seven kingdoms. You are in the presence of Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, the first of her name. Ruler of the Andals, the Rhoynar and the First Men. The unburnt. Breaker of chains, mother of Dragons and rightful Queen of the Seven kingdoms".
The young representative from Storm's End simply rolled his eyes at such a profound forgery of extravagance. Lord Tyrell seemed far more enthralled however. "My word, it is true" he gasped, taking in the presence he hadn't seen in years. "I could recognise a trueborn Targaryen a mile away with eyes as vibrantly violet as yours". "Oh do hush, you're making a fool of yourself" Olenna intervened, reeling the clearly smitten Lord back in. Daenerys took his compliment in good stead.
"May I also introduce Lord Tyrion of House Lannister, hand of the Queen" Missandei continued.
This brought a vocal, unimpressed tut from the arrogant Baratheon representative. His companion even seemed caught off guard by his obvious ignorance.
"Does something amuse you?" Daenerys asked him sarcastically, trying to draw reason from such an outburst. "Well it seems preposterous, your grace, that such a character as the imp could hold such a seat of power on the royal council" he replied snidely, clearly unimpressed at such an appointment. Tyrion just laughed under his breath at such a statement as he swirled his wine somewhat. He had heard this all before and knew exactly how to counter it. "Elvar, of house Eroll is it?" He began. "The Baratheons most loyal representatives yes" Elvar replied, trying to assert his position amongst the council.
Tyrion looked directly at him as he weighed out his counter insult. "Tell me Lord Eroll - how many terms as hand of a King or Queen have you served"? Elvar had no reply for this. He was simply taken aghast at the Lannister's ignorance in calling him out. Jaime in the meantime, smiled at his brother's defence, missing the legendary satire he could spout on que. "In fact, I don't believe house Eroll has ever directly served as the hand to the Lords of Storm's End have they?" Tyrion continued, further making a fool of his competitor. Elvar clenched his fists in disgust, shaking mildly with pure anger at Tyrion's words. A stern hand on his shoulder from the other representative curbed his actions however.
Daenerys was curious now of the other Baratheon subterfuge, seeing he was clearly the more reasonable of the two. "You sir. I'm afraid you're the only person on this council I'm not familiar with. What is your name?" She asked the older gentleman. "Davos Seaworth your grace" Davos replied, bowing his head in respect. "I'm not quite a member of a long and prestigious bloodline like everyone else here, but I was a close representative of Stannis Baratheon and fought alongside Jon Snow at Harrenhal". "Yes, we all know of your story, Davos Seaworth" Olenna Tyrell interrupted, beginning her analysis of the man. "The story of how you supplied Stannis with provisions against our army is one of great merit in the Seven Kingdoms it seems" she noted with sarcasm.
Her distaste for the man's past actions was clear. Tensions were beginning to boil over now as the lords of the various houses spoke their minds. Daenerys made sure this would end before it began however. "We aren't here to dig up skeletons of the past Lady Olenna" she began, addressing both the wise yet scorned Tyrell matriarch as well as the rest of the council. "This council has been raised to discuss the immediate future of the realm". Olenna wasn't ready to back down just yet however. Despite her house's former alliance to the Targaryen Empire, she didn't know this girl or what she had planned in her pretty little head.
"Forgive me your grace, but I thought the roots of justice were set in what has been done and not what is yet to occur" she pointed out. "The Queen's justice has already been served in full to those stood against her previously Lady Olenna" Tyrion butted in, jumping to Daenerys' defence. "Ah yes, the traitors to the throne. I only wish I'd been here sooner to see their family's humiliation after what they did to ours" Olenna smirked, seemingly picturing Cersei's execution at the hands of Dragons with great content. Jaime remained silent, though both he and Tyrion displayed a hint of dismay at this.
"Now now, this is meant to be a delegation of peace, a new way forward" Mace spoke, trying to spare his House's blushes as bitter bedfellows in the eyes of the Targaryen ruler. "He's right" Rickon spoke up from across the table, making himself known. "The future of the Seven Kingdoms lies at stake and we are the ones to decide its fate. Pointless disputes will only dismount unity". Elvar seemed to take more interest in the boy to his right than the bickering Tyrells and the so called Queen before him.
"Honourable my boy" he merited his counterpart. "I'm guessing you are of the north". "I am Rickon Stark of Winterfell, yes" Rickon answered him, not fully convinced by the Baratheons olive branch. Then again, he was sceptical of all those around him who had conspired in his family's downfall. "The rightful heir to the north" Arya added, making sure that the council knew this was no mere boy. On the other side of the table, Olenna smiled at her confidence. "You must be Eddard's other daughter then" she addressed Arya. "I can see you have a fighting spirit about you". "Thank you" Arya replied. "It's something we'll all need in the wars to come". She turned to meet Daenerys as she stated her earlier quote. Daenerys shone a look of thanks back at the young Stark girl.
"Look, I think we're getting rather off track here" Tyrion sighed as the constant bouts of superiority amongst these 'leaders' began to make his brain hurt. Daenerys could sense his frustration as she experienced it herself. Some of them were behaving like children as opposed to heads of great houses. Still, it was beginning to give her an idea of who she could trust and whose intentions lay elsewhere. "Let's begin this meeting properly if we are to do so at all" Tyrion continued as he fumbled with a small letter in his pocket of his waist coat. Olenna just folded her arms in discontent and frustration whilst the others sat patiently.
Fiddling a small parchment from the envelope, Tyrion cleared his voice as he commenced. "Of course, there are notable absences from our calling today. There has still been no contact from House Martell or any of its allies in Dorne". Some concerned faces began to form in the room at this grave news. "There is however a letter from the ruler of the Iron Islands regarding their position". Tyrion cleared his throat but a slight hesitation in the letters content kept him from reading it aloud for a second. "It states...'We do not sow. Go fuck yourself Targaryen'... Signed sincerely by Asha Greyjoy, Queen of the Iron Islands".
Daenerys rolled her eyes at the pitiful insult. She did not have the time or patience for their pestering. Ironically, the same feeling was mirrored by Olenna Tyrell, though she was far more vocal about it. "Oh to the Seven bloody hells with the Greyjoys. If they want to rot on those islands than let them"!
"I must agree, this is irrelevant right now" added Yohn Royce. "Let the Queen speak of her course of action". All eyes turned to her at that moment. As much as she had been engaged in the conversation, everyone converging on her at once caught Daenerys off guard. It took a moment of brief hesitation before she rose from her seat and engaged her audience.
"My lords and ladies of Westeros. Now is not the time of for division and indecisiveness in these lands. Our families and their accomplishments stretch back for eons yet they could be erased in mere days in the face of the storm to come. The dead ravage the north, adding to their armies with the dead they create. We cannot let this go un-abided, lest we suffer the same fate".
Olenna interrupted her upon hearing the statement. "I'm sorry, but do you really believe these Northern fairy tales?" She spoke, almost taken back by what she considered foolishness on behalf of the Queen. Ironically, the same sentiment was now mirrored in Dany's mind about stubborn old matron. "Lady Olenna, I have seen them for myself. Even atop my Dragons, I felt the immense danger this presented. The warriors of the north have fought this enemy alone long enough. It is time we stood beside them, as a realm united". Whilst many at the table headed their Queen's warning, there was one unlikely source who seemed to back Olenna.
"Do you really expect us to believe that is the only reason the Northerners are migrating south?" Elvar intervened. "They seek passage to these lands for its resources and plenty. True, I will not blindly deny that their corner of the world has been decimated and oppressed by the previous stewardship of course". He looked at Jaime as he spoke this, who in return just rolled his eyes. "But we've seen this before. When the North has become too cold to inhabit, they feel the need to seek shelter and refuge from the cold like any mortal men". "The north has weathered enough winters without Baratheon intervention" Rickon instantly replied, jumping to his people's defence. "Do not call my people liars and beggars when we have defended our lands for eons". Elvar, taken back as he was, would not be upstaged by a teenage boy.
"Boy, you may be of a noble birthright but you have much to learn about this world and the way it works" Elvar tutted, dismissing what he considered to be youthful ignorance. This angered Rickon. "So you'd sooner let thousands of people being cut down unmercifully go unnoticed? Is that what you're trying to tell me?!" He spat back, clearly not impressed with this upstart Lord from the South. "And how many of my people have had to suffer a premature death in defence of this crown? You aren't the only people to have lost out here" Elvar aimed back. Their anger was at its peak now with these jealous gestures. Daenerys briefly looked to Daario, who held close the hilt of his curved sword. A peacekeeper came in the most unlikely form imaginable before he could act however.
"Enough!" Jaime shouted, clearly having enough of the two boys and their bickering. "The Queen has spoken of her concern in this matter and we, as a small council, must help her find a solution. Honestly, you call yourselves politicians?" He questioned them as he sat back down. This did inevitably shut up the two stubborn young lords. However, it only lit the kindles of another fire. "Oh and look who's talking" Olenna patronised. "Don't try and preach honour to us, Ser Jaime, when it was your house, and indeed your nephew's doings that have led the Kingdom into its current climate". Jaime could handle criticism of himself but he would not tolerate ill words against his children.
"Yet it seems that you were all too keen to marry your own into not only our own, but both of these deceitful households you criticise in order to gain a foothold in the realm. Tell me, where does the loyalty of House Tyrell really stay?" Jaime countered. This was not what Daenerys wanted. She had been worried about the houses of the Seven Kingdoms turning upon her. Instead, it seemed they were perfectly content to turn upon each other. She held her head in her hand as the overwhelming pressure of what she sought to achieve became all too real. Tyrion could see the stress in the expression of the young Queen and decided to intervene.
"Honestly, do we need a bell? What is the point in this endless quarrelling? We could sit here and pick out each other's faults for an eternity. I'm sure even the walkers would grow tired of waiting for us to finish in the end. Time is not a luxury we have anymore" he told the council. Jaime took his words into consideration. Olenna kept quiet for a minute, crossing her arms like an aggravated child not getting their way. Daenerys gave Tyrion a look of thanks in subduing the situation before she tried to continue.
This meeting was turning into a disaster already and it had only just begun. Daenerys held her head in her hand, the weight of what she was really undertaking really dawning upon on her now. Still, she had to be strong and decisive as Tyrion had taught her. She needed something that would shut the bickering lords up and assert her position as the one in control. As her stress began to build, she could sense her dragons were feeling her frustration. She called out mentally to Drogon, who had been monitoring his mother's emotional state. From his position high over the city, he swooped down toward the palace.
As the pointless insults were thrown, a deafening roar came from outside. Drogon was circling the palace, using his sheer scope and size to intimidate the council, the shadow of his wingspan enough to blacken the sky outside. This certainly resonated amongst the group, their instant silence a sign of obedience in the face of power. It was enough to even catch Daenerys' closest off guard as the humongous beast sensed its mother's frustration. Daenerys stood to attention, overlooking her subjugates as she asserted her authority. Outside, Drogon landed on the roof on the palace, its foundation trembling as the dragon perched his weight upon it. He let out another terrifying roar, one that could be heard throughout the city. It was enough to startle and wake many, even those who had been in a deep sleep.
Daenerys saw this brief intervention as a moment to seek clarity amongst the council. "Justice will be answered. I have seen the tyranny of cruel men first hand and the atrocities they bring upon their people. I have never let this go unpunished and I assure you now that justice will come to those who deserve it. But it will not be today. Today is a day for decisiveness and moral. Surely some of you must harbour it". The committee simply sat in silence, even the most vocal of the group now paralysed at the tongue by the Queen's impressive display of power.
"This isn't about the right to rule over the common people anymore. This isn't about the right to who has the most gold or the most land. Those battles will be fought another day" Daenerys continued, asserting her stance on the situation. "Right now, the only battle that matters is the one to survive. We are living in a fractured land, poisoned by those to seek to divide us, those who seek to deceive us - those that would see the living extinguished and scattered to the wind with the dirt and the snow".
"She's right" Rickon spoke up, seemingly having the most courage amongst the lords. "We can't just sit idly and argue over these pointless matters while people continue to die. Pretty soon, we won't have a Kingdom left to be indecisive over". Yohn Royce nodded in approval at the boy's courage and the example it led. "Now is the time to banish the old ways and put aside old rivalries. I will if you do". With this, he extended his hand out across the table to the man sitting directly opposite him. "Rickon!" Arya exclaimed, not trusting a Lannister for a second. It was enough to catch both Jaime and the others by surprise. He looked down at Rickon's extended hand before gazing up at his face. The young man was holding back on all the hate he felt, the fires of revenge still evident in his eyes. Despite all that though, he was willing to try.
Jaime extended his natural hand, needing Rickon to change over sides which he soon caught on to. The two enemies grasped each other by the hand and looked directly at one another. "I will fight beside you Jaime Lannister, for the future of the realm" Rickon told him, looking the man whose family had demonized his own dead in the eyes. "And I beside you Rickon Stark. For the realm" Jaime answered, shaking the hand of the boy whose father he so used to loath for looking down upon him. Even Daenerys was surprised by their actions. It was a thin truce, one that balanced on a literal knife edge, but it was a start.
The two lords retook their seats, the rest of the temporary cabinet reluctant to be the one who would follow up such actions. Eventually, Lord Tyrell spoke. "Well...whilst I can't falter your ambition and courage, one question remains. How do we fight an army of the dead?" He asked, voicing the question on everybody's lips. "Now that it something both I and Davos can answer" Tyrion replied, allowing the knight of fleabottom to take the lead. "Valyrian Steel" Davos told them. "I've seen how it can down a walker first hand. It's the only thing they fear". Elvar looked at him with surprise, not suspecting a former pirate to have the answer to all their questions.
"Why didn't you tell me you knew this?" The Eroll prince asked, seemingly quite displeased by the actions of his so called comrade. "To be perfectly honest your grace - you didn't ask" Davos told him rather bluntly. Elvar just folded his arms in frustration. It was enough to make Arya giggle under her breath, the arrogant man being frustrated being a source of humour. Sansa elbowed her lightly for this, hinting at her to remember where she was and whose company she was in. "How do we obtain enough of this to fight such a massive army? I thought Valyrian steel was only found in relics" Mace questioned. "It's quite simple really. We forge as much as much of it as we can" Tyrion answered, confident in his response.
"How on earth do we go about that?" Olenna queried. "Well we use Dragon Fire of course" Tyrion replied. "With three Dragons? Big as they are, I'm sure even they won't be able to spare enough fire to weld what we need". "That's where you underestimate me Lady Olenna" Tyrion began. "If my...recently deceased sister decided anything faintly helpful during her controversial rule, it was that stocking the underground catacombs of the city with Dragon Fire was somehow a good idea". "You mean?" Jaime exclaimed.
"Yes my brother. We are sitting on top of what is, quite frankly, the biggest explosive in the Seven Kingdoms".
Several of the delegates looked down to the floor in nervousness, almost expecting the humongous figurative firecracker to go off at any second. "That was something you failed to inform me of when we began torching the city from above" Daenerys patronised. "Let's not go over that again" Tyrion sighed, the thought of another bout of justifying himself in front of her not seeming very appealing. He still had the council hanging on his words, something which he quickly took advantage of once again. "Since I learned of the threat facing us, I decided to take it upon myself to arm every blacksmith in the city with as much of it as they could handle. They've been working day and night to arm the royal army".
"How did you convince them to do that?" Rickon asked, still stunned by such a bold proposal. "A Lannister always pays his debts" Tyrion answered, contently smug in his position right now. He found an unlikely approval from the Tyrells. "Now that certainly is big ambition" Olenna noted, pleasantly surprised by what she considered an otherwise loathsome little man. "For such a short body?" Tyrion mocked, wanting to draw her bluff. "I wasn't going to say that?" She replied, quite confused. "But you were thinking it. I've heard it many times before" Tyrion patronised, taking a gleeful sip of wine as he revelled in proving his point. He was enjoying himself.
"My unsullied can't face this force alone, even with this new armament. We will need more fighters" Daenerys hinted at the congregation. "The north will fight for you!" Arya answered, triumphant and almost instantly. "Arya?!" Rickon exclaimed at his sister's sudden outburst. "Well it will won't it? This is our fight more than anyone else's here!" She pleaded, seeking sense from her seemingly apprehensive brother. "I don't mean that! I mean how will we get everyone outside the city walls to fight on our behalf?" Rickon questioned. "You are a Stark of Winterfell. They will listen" Yohn told him. "I would lend you the forces of the Vale your grace but...".
"You are dutifully excused from this call Lord Royce. Your people need to be protected" Daenerys reassured him. His expression was a thankful one upon this news. "Well what about the South? These zealots and madmen of the Rhoynar are right on our borders and burning anyone they can get their hands on!" Olenna protested. "The South will not be left defenceless Lady Olenna" Daenerys answered. "The Tyrells forces will be needed in the north but we will still need protectors of the South. That is why I am also excluding the Lannister's from the call".
This took the room by surprise. Even Tyrion wasn't aware of her intention. "My Queen, the Lannisters have the largest army in the Seven Kingdoms outside your own" he stammered as he saw a different page to the one she did. "Precisely. With other forces fighting in the north, does it not make sense to leave the most well equipped force to guard the free lands?" Daenerys put to him. He could see her logic in doing this, though it would create obvious tensions. Daenerys didn't quite understand its implications either. In truth, she didn't trust the Lannisters being anywhere near King's Landing. They were unpredictable at best and had betrayed the Targaryens in the past. Having an army of them on her doorstep wasn't a comforting thought. She could only hope that, in holding this fragile truce with Jaime Lannister, he would keep them preoccupied at Casterly Rock. It was an idea crafted of either genius or madness. 'Madness' she thought. There it was. That word again.
The protests brought Daenerys back to reality. "Do you really expect us to trust 'Lannister protection'? After all they've put our family through?!" Olenna shrieked, her dismay as high as it had ever been. "I must agree with the Tyrells, they are not to be trusted" Elvar added swiftly afterwards. "Lord Eroll, you've not seen what we're fighting" Davos tried to intervene. "And you watched the seven kingdoms most of your life from a boat Ser Davos. You don't know what these people are capable of" Elvar hissed. For all the criticism he received, Jaimie remained neutral in his expression. He had been used to jealousy and bitterness aimed his way his entire life. In the end, it was simply 'water off a ducks back'. "If you are so strung to the past then let it be so" Daenerys said, playing their bluff. "I cannot command your armies. Only you can give them the order. Even then they may reject you. I have always believed the people should have a freedom as to what they choose. They can either die fighting for a stake in a broken Kingdom, or they can believe that there will be another tomorrow for honour to remain a part of. The choice in what you tell them it seems, is yours".
Again, this silenced her critics. She was starting to win them over with a stern will. Tyrion's lessons had come in well. "The Lannisters shall warden the South my Queen, if that is what you desire" Jaimie assured her. She thanked him in kind regard. Jaimie wasn't a fool however. He could see her divided motive toward his family. At least this way, he had time to restore what was theirs. He would play the game, as he had always done. "One question comes of that your grace. With such, divided loyalties, who could lead an army of such size and diversity?" Mace asked. He made a very good point. Daenerys hadn't thought this herself. She didn't expect the various armies to rally behind her automatically. They would need a leader of a neutral stance, someone who knew what was truly at stake.
"Am I too late to make a contribution?"
Daenerys glanced around swiftly to meet the unknown voice. Others around her recognised it instantly. The accented northern voice had come from a character still wearing the same black leathers the brothers of the Night's Watch had given him when they had betrayed him. He limped somewhat from his leg injury and looked like he had been dragged through a mill backwards, but he was alive and awake.
"Jon!" Arya screamed with joy as she ran to embrace her brother. The other Stark children followed swiftly afterwards, jubilant to see the boy they had been raised with standing tall once again. "Ok ok, watch the bruises!" he joked as he held them close. "Well I'll be damned. The bastards alive" Tyrion mused, impressed by Jon's resolve. Whilst the others around her applauded his return, Daenerys remained far more subdued. She should have expressed the same delight. She knew it to be the only logical conclusion. His violet eyes shone as brightly as hers, the 'dragon' beaming with joy to be back amongst the living. Here he was, the closest thing to another true Valyrian descendant she would ever see. Yet all she could hear was the voice of fear, shouting deep within the confines of her consciousness. The madness was telling.