Title: Northern Fire

Crossover: George R.R Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire & Dreamwork's How to Train Your Dragon

Summary: How fitting the Mother of Dragons would be aided by the Tamer of Dragons; her children need no taming, but there is no doubt the two of them were a legend in the making.

Author's Note: I had to work a little harder on Dany's introduction than I did on Hiccup's chapter, if only because her universe is a lot more complex. I must state beforehand a couple explicit things: I will not write like George R.R. Martin so please do not accuse me of 'dumbing it down'. I must also stress that nothing from A Dance With Dragons will be included, so beyond some general hints about the city from Wikipedia most of Meereen will be based on ancient Mesopotamia, not content from the books. Why Mesopotamia? I think their pyramids, mathematics, and advanced language are a good fit for what I want to do with this story.


Chapter 2: Khaleesi


Her sleep was disturbed, dreams passing unnoticed but somehow still allowing the nightmares to slip into her thoughts. They were not enough to wake her or the handmaidens who guarded the foot of her bed, but still she woke restless with smudges of worry beneath her eyes. She was the blood of the dragon; only through strength would she overcome her worries. But how could she bring peace to Slaver's Bay if she could not bring peace to her own mind?

Daenerys let herself be dressed in violet silk, her braid fixed with its silver bells tinkling softly when she moved. Then she was led into the audience chamber of her Meereen court, the largest hall in the Great Pyramid she now called home. From here her council would meet and she would rule wisely and justly. The other councils she had left in the other cities had fallen apart. Officially she was the Queen of Astapor, and Yunkai, but they were already reverting to their old ways, as if she had not broken the chains of their slaves and set them free from bondage. Her birthrights lay across the sea, but here is where she would start her empire one step at a time.

As she entered the room her minuscule council stood. They were all gathered along the walls in chairs plainer than the one on the dais in the center of the room. Dany nodded to each one, acknowledging them before taking her seat in the red sandstone throne of Meereen. Order was settled quickly as her three bloodriders stood watch, fiercer than anything the Meereenian nobles could muster now that she had dissolved their slave pits. On her shoulders was Drogon, his wings curled around her neck and his tail circling her other arm. He was too large to perch so he lounged like an elegant lady in her silks.

"My Queen," the Meereenian noble bowed to her. The jewels on his robe were richer than she had expected for one who had just had his city sacked and his slaves stripped from him. He seemed to be the appointed leader of the council, at least the council which had not fled or been killed in her conquering.

"You may speak." Her voice carried across the room; she would have been impressed with the echo had the noble not interrupted the reverberations.

"It pleases us unworthy ones that you sit in on the council today. We have not had a queen before and it a welcome experience." Dany doubted that, but she let him continue. Interest was high to see how these rich men would react to their wild queen; she was refined but to them she expected all they saw was a horselord's widow from the DothrakiSea, smeared with blood and anger. Not that they were wrong, but it would be prudent to act more regal in case these powdered halfwits sought to oppose her. The Unsullied would deal with them, but at what cost to their force?

"I am glad you think so. I plan for great things to come of this city and the others under my protection." Daenerys told the man. She straightened up in her throne, wishing she had worn her crown. "What is your name?"

The man bowed, his jewels twinkling in the yellow sunlight from the windows. "I am Nareen Mayabanni. I am the head councillor of Meereen and will handle the day to day affairs of the council. My family is an old house and we own many farms outside the city walls. I hope to serve you well." Surprisingly she did not hear any resentment in his voice, despite the fact she must have taken what was once his job as head of the city. Dany wondered if 'day to day' meant he expected her to be a figurehead in her own kingdom; that would not stand.

"I would like to hear more of your farms, and of your family once we depart this chamber Nareen Mayabanni." Dany's voice held the authority she hoped it would, with enough strength to enforce who was the ruler here. He was a councillor, nothing more.

"May we begin your grace?" Nareen asked. Dany nodded and let him introduce each council member, their names and families followed by the role they played in the council. Many seats were empty, not explained besides the roles that were needed to be filled. No names were mentioned besides those who stood there. Nareen was wise in trying not to make his new queen feel guilty; she would simply cut him out if he tried to incite rebellion.

The last man who stood to be introduced was elderly and hook nosed. He had a long curling black beard which was parted far enough to show his slender lips, thin like a rat's tail. His voice was quick and nimble, his tongue silver as he introduced himself. "And I am Aanepada Eti, your grace. I was in charge of the slave trade but now I suppose the welfare of the freemen in my prerogative now that your grace has seen fit to remove the morally repugnant industry from our great city."

"Is that so?" She asked; she would have raised her eyebrows if she was not keeping herself regally composed. She wished to have Drogon leap from her shoulders and burn this man alive where he stood, however this was not how a proper Queen dealt with those she felt unpleasant. He could be useful. A tongue like his could never go amiss.

"Yes. I only wish to serve and hope that my talents shall be put to a more fitting use in the service of Meereen. I was born outside these city walls just like others in this room." He nodded politely to Daenerys. "Yet I still love this city very much and wish to offer my gifts in a more fitting way which honours the traditions of the divine and mundane." She noticed that unlike his companions he carefully omitted any titles when he spoke to her. No 'my ladys' or 'your grace'. He spoke to her as if he was an equal, and yet still kept courtesy in his voice at all times. How infuriating.

"Your wishes are heard Aanepada Eti." Daenerys said, enjoying the echo of her voice once again. "As Queen of Meereen I would wish you aid your fellow councilmen in whatever they see fit until a proper position is found for you."

Another councilman bowed on creaky legs and a withered spine, it was Urumanpan Turitu who was in charge of trade. "Your grace, if I may be as bold as so suggest something? Councilman Eti is a well travelled man, often going outside of our walls to find the finest goods. May his talents simply be redirected to a new trade good? I am only one man who is getting advanced in years; may I divert my attention to our land based trades while my compatriot take his ships to find the finest goods to befit a queen of your station?"

Dany smiled at the old man, she liked his words and the solution he offered. "How ingenious Councilman Turitu. To use his gifts for a much more noble purpose… yes I agree this is a good plan. Aanepada Eti, I say from now on you shall regulate and monitor our sea faring trade. You shall always come back to report to this council however every month, if you are unable to you must send a messenger."

Eti bowed deeply to Dany and to Turitu. "Both are wise and decisive. I accept the responsibility. I will serve well."

Dany saw Nareen about to speak when the doors burst open to reveal a young nobleman in rich robes of red and yellow. His long dark curls lay about his shoulders in disarray as he raised a knife.

"It's all you! The white ghost! Sitting on my father's rightful seat like a queen when you are nothing more than a slut in silk and fire!" He shrieked, rushing past the councilmen's seats with the blade.

Dany's eyes went wide and was about to order Drogon into action, the dragon's wide wings already rising up to the challenge as he shrieked his own battle-cry in return. She stood up, her hands pushing out in front of her as the man rushed forward. "I command you stop!"

The command was unheeded, although Dany felt almost pleased when Drogon didn't even have to move. The nobleman's head was already departed from his shoulders, rolling through the air to land at her feet. Her bloodrider's sword was red and she understood. She thanked him silently and he understood. The council around her was silent, so was Councilman Eti who looked like he wished to say something but was holding back.

Dany looked down at the head at her feet. "Who was this who dared threaten the life of their queen?"

Nareen looked pale as he raised his golden ringed hand. "My son…"

Dany said nothing in response. Her heart went out to him silently though. She had almost counted him as an ally, and his face was genuine as he started to make excuses about how little he knew of his son's apparently treasonous thoughts. She regarded the other councilmen silently as Nareen got on one knee, pleading for mercy to his family and requesting no more shame be brought on his name. After all, his son had just been beheaded before his eyes; which given the situation, Nareen was doing the right thing by not breaking into crying, he was staying strong. She admired that in a man.

"Please my queen, I beg that you show clemency. I did not know of this and-" Her bloodriders tightened their grips on their weapons, the whole room alight with thought as the young man lay bloody on the ground. It was almost like he'd just been pushed over it was so strange.

Dany raised a hand. "Do not fear. I am not to be a queen who punishes one for the sins of another. The example has been made and your son shall serve as a sign to all those who wish harm against the rule of the Unburnt." She smiled beautifully. "However as your queen I must warn you if it is discovered you shared in this crime then I will have no choice in the matter." She tried to tinge the words with just the right amount of venom to make it sting.

Nareen was still pale but he bowed slowly, his mind obviously on fire with the events that just transpired. Dany made for the body be prepared according to Meereenian custom, whatever that may be, but ordered the head be set on the side of the Great Pyramid's gate for one week before joining the body. Drogon croaked on her shoulder, enforcing the order merely by his presence. Dany stroked his neck tenderly as the council members had not choice but to accept their queen's version of clemency.

The council was quickly adjourned after that; whispers already starting about the loyalty of the Mayabannis, and everyone dispersed with hasty reminders to continue the meeting the next morning. This was merely the third of what would be numerous attempts on her life, already she was jaded about it. Would it be like this for the rest of her life? Allies birthing traitors and traitors turning ally? She did not know if that meant she could trust everyone or no one. Of course that was the risk of becoming a powerful ruler, people envied power and wished to take it for themselves. Dany had never been so glad for the Dothraki customs, that meant she at least had her khalasar to rely on in the days to come.

In her own walk back to her chambers Daenerys realized that the difference between allies and her khalasar was indeed the true struggle she faced. She knew how to be khaleesi but being a queen was much harder. People were not bound by blood like they were with the Dothraki. She heard the whispers around Pentos and now around the hallways in her new city that being one of the horse people was uncivilized, but having undying loyalty was not so bad come to think of it. If you were one of them that was… She could see now that despite the freedom her reign would bring it would also be a struggle being queen, so many things she did not have to deal with before like politics, diplomacy, and patience. A dragon did not need any of these things, but a queen did.

Being khaleesi was much like being a dragon, it suited her once she became accustomed to the rough and saddled life. Now she would have to readjust and find a way to make all love her, not fear and hate, but respect and admire her. She enjoyed being loved, it was like being mother to every single subject, something she would never feel outside of her beautifully scaled children. Nothing of flesh could be hers, but a whole nation of flesh could be her kingdom of fire and love.

She was being idealistic for the moment; burning them to a crisp would be effective enough but already her cities were rebelling in the south because of that plan. Without love there was only fear, and as she had seen with the three failed assassinations thus far none of them loved her. Drogon nuzzled his head into her neck, his scales cutting her soft skin. That was the love she needed, bleeding love. They would hurt themselves for her, throw away their lives her for her, not raise their blades to her. She needed to be their queen, but also their khaleesi.


End Note:
Nareen Mayabanni is the head of the council, a wealthy farm owner and father to the man who attempted to kill Dany at the morning meeting.
Aanepada Eti is the ex-head of the slave trade, now he is simply a seas trade specialist.
Urumanpan Turitu is the councilman in charge of general trade.