AN: I own nothing
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STEVEN: Bruh . . . It's not a big deal. Promise. That being said Dany has only ever stood next to him while wearing heels, which she's almost always wore even with the Dothraki not just recently, it was Jon they put in heels as the joke. so she would still consider him only a few inches taller than her up to this point.
HYPOCRITICAL GUEST REVIEWER THAT SAID JONS NOT AFRIAD OF ANYTHING NOT EVEN DRAGONS: BRUH . . . ahahahahahaahahhahahhaa thanks for the laugh. I'll crawl out of Danys ass when you crawl out of Jons. #Kloveyabye
I love when GUEST reviewers try to act brave. . .
This chapter is for all of you that have left critical reviews logged in. Y'all are cool. Not everyone can relate.
Ten: Witches Warnings
King in the North
Jon walks as steadily as he can through the crowed obsidian walls, his torch only just barely warning him of something in his path.
He's tripped multiple times, skinned his hands and knees and pride, but ventures further and further into the mystic cave, thirsty to know how far it goes and all it holds.
Something you should have done that first day. He'd been so excited to see the glass encrusted so near the entrance he'd told his men to set up and begin working Immediately, hadn't occurred to him to go as deep as the cave allowed.
After he'd walked easily a quarter mile through the winding maze, his eyes had begun to get used to its surroundings, he's brain growing bored of what it comprehends as more and more of the same —making him almost miss something special.
The King in the North does a double take and doubles back towards the opposite direction than the one he had been headed. He brings the torch close to the wall besides an almost completely obscured opening and sees strange markings.
He eyes the markings, then the small opening, which seems to lead to a pathway so cramped he's not sure even walking side face, he'll fit . . . He calls himself a fool for it but Jon starts to get his hopes up.
He preys to the old gods that he's found something real, something undeniable, that not even a proud Queen can ignore it.
Jon ventures further.
Mother of Dragons
Dany walks aimlessly through her family's castle, examining everything her eyes found interesting, touching as much as her hands could reach. If she has it her way she won't be here much longer and she wants to remember it all.
This may not be my home, but it's my history.
She also does her best to empty her mind of war and duty to truly feel her surroundings. If she disappears enough inside of herself she can almost convince herself that she can feel her mothers presence. Almost. This is where she died, giving birth to me, I should be able to feel her.
Dany knows very little about her mother, besides that she was beautiful and loving.
I suppose what with all I know about my cruel father, that will have to be enough.
Dany finds herself walking to her throne room and eyes her houses seat. Such an odd structure her ancestor built, but somehow she can imagine Aegon sitting in the jagged stone throne, his sister-wives by his side. Rheanys perhaps petting a baby dragon, Visneya clutching her sword Dark Sister, as they do as she does now; plan how to take the Seven Kingdoms.
But this time it will not be lost to us; it will never be stolen from House Targaryen ever again, this I swear to you.
Then Dany remembers — she's the last dragon. Truly the last one as she can't have children. Feeling like she's been punched in the gut, Dany swallows back bile.
"Familiarizing yourself I see," Tyrion calls out, startling the dragon mother, Varys by his said, "it is beautiful here, in a dingy, terrifying kind of way."
Dany throws a wobbly smirk on her face as she stands before her throne and looks on to her counsel.
"I thought this would feel like a homecoming. Doesn't feel like home."
"We won't stay here for much longer." Tyrion promises.
"Good. I've waited long enough for my my real home."
Varys steps forward.
"Yes, you have, my queen. Luckily for us Cersei controls but half of the Seven Kingdoms. The Lords of Westeros despise her. Even before you arrived they plotted against her, now—"
"—they cry out for their true queen? They drink secret toasts to my health? People used to tell my brother that sort of thing and he was stupid enough to believe them. And I was too weak to try to convince him otherwise."
Varys looks to Daenerys with tight eyes.
"It is true the Lords of Westeros will not like a foreigner invader, no matter the family name, especially you family name, I'm afraid to say. But they don't have to love you, your grace, that's what we want from the people. The Lords need to fear you," Varys smirks, "and they will."
Yes they will, lest they wake the Dragon Lady Olena has begged me to be.
Missandei enters quietly, a woman bathed in a red cloak by her side.
"Forgive me, your Grace, but a Red Priestess from Ashai is here to see you." Missandei takes her place by her Queens side as the woman removes her hood.
Dany takes in the beautiful woman, shocked to see one of the Red Gods priestess so far from home.
"Queen Daenerys," she's greets in perfect High Valerian, "I was once a slave; bought and sold, scrounged and branded, it is an honor to meet the breaker of chains."
Daenerys steps forward, curious of her visit. She didn't meet the red priests and priestess in Meereen, but she has known others and to say she knows she needs to proceed with extreme caution is an understatement.
"The Red priests, helped bring peace to Meereen, you are very welcome here. What is your name?"
"I am called Melisandre."
Dany feels Varys near her back.
"She once served another who wanted the Iron Throne. It didn't end well for Stannis Baratheon, did it?" His hatred for the Woman and the magic she practices clear in his every word.
Dany watches with something a kin to amusement as a darkness creeps into the Red Woman's eyes. The one time Varys doesn't proceed with caution would of course be around someone with her abilities.
"For your king, Robert Baratheon, either."
Varys goes silent and Daenerys turns to him.
"That's right. . . You served my father, until the man that over threw him took the throne."
Varys looks to his Queen, fear creeping into his beady eyes.
"I had a choice, your grace, serve Robert or face the headmans axe."
"But you didn't serve him long, you turned against him."
Varys pauses momentarily, seeing the danger he's in. This is a conversation Daenerys has been waiting for some time to happen. Too bad it's going to be in front of a stranger.
"Robert was an improvement on your father, to be sure. There have been few rulers in history as cruel as the Mad King. Robert was neither mad nor cruel. He simply had to interest in being king."
"So you took it upon yourself to find a better one?"
Tyrion steps besides Varys.
"Your grace, when I was ready to drink myself into a small coffin, Lord Varys told me about a Queen in the east who—"
Daenerys turns back to Varys, uninterested in the clever way her Hand will defend his friend.
"—Before I came to power—"
"— Your Grace, please, Lord Varys—"
"— Saved your life and brought you to me, yes, lovely story, Lord Tyrion."
He's not going to stop me from getting the answers I deserve.
"Before I came to power, you favored my brother," Dany steps toward the eunuch, The Red Woman, momentarily forgotten, "all your spies, your little birds, did they tell you Viserys was cruel, stupid and weak? Would those have made for a good King in your learned opinion?"
Varys back stiffens.
"Until your marriage to Khal Drogo, your grace, I knew nothing of you, save your existence and that you were said to be beautiful."
"So you and your friends traded me like a prized horse to the Dothraki—"
"—Which you turned to your advantage."
Danys upper lip stiffens just a tad at his complete lack of empathy for what she endured.
"Who gave the order to kill me?"
Varys breathes deeply. "King Robert."
"Who hired the assassins? Who sent word to Essos to murder Daenerys Targaryen?"
"Your grace, I did what I had to be done to—"
"— To keep yourself alive."
"Lord Varys has proven himself a loyal servant—"
"—Proven himself loyal? Quote the opposite. If he dislikes one monarch he conspires to crown the next one. What kind of servant is that?"
"The kind this realm needs," Varys says with conviction, no longer filled with fear, despite where his next words may lead him. "Incompetence should not be rewarded with blind allegiance. As long as I have eyes, I'll use them. I wasn't born into a great house. I'm from nothing. I was sold as a slave and offered up as an offering—"
"—Which you turned to your advantage." Dany quotes making Varys look down self consciously.
"You wish to know where my loyalties lie?" He says to his shoes before glaring into his Queens eyes. "Not with any King or Queen but with the people. The people who suffer under despots and prosper under just rule. The people whose hearts you aim to win. If you demand blind loyalty, I respect your wishes. Grey Worm can behead me or your Dragons can devour me. But if you let me live, I will serve you well. I will dedicate myself to seeing you on the Iron Throne because I choose you. Because I know the people have no better chance than you."
Daenerys stares into the passionate mans eyes, all her questions answered.
"Swear this to me, Lord Varys, if you ever think I'm failing the people, you won't conspire behind my back. You'll look me in the eye as you have done today and tell me how I'm failing them."
Varys lets out a relived breath.
"I swear it, my queen."
"And I swear this, if you ever betray me — I'll burn you alive."
The eunuch stares at the Dragon Queen, stunned for only a moment until he smirks, in turn making his Queen smirk.
"I'd expect nothing less from the Mother of Dragons."
Dany turns back to the Melisandre.
"Well, it seems you've chosen an auspicious day to visit Dragonstone, as we've just decided to pardon those that served the wrong king." Dany says as if the Red woman hadn't just witnessed the disruption between her and her counselor.
"The Lord of Light doesn't have many followers in Westeros, does he?"
"Not yet, but even those who don't worship the Lord, may serve his cause."
"Don't believe her!" A voice calls out from behind the Red Woman.
Melisandre doesn't turn, having only eyes for The Mother of Dragons.
Gendry, Ser Davos and Jon Snow walk in hastily, all three glaring daggers at Melisandres back as if their gaze alone could destroy her, but it was Gendry that spoke.
"You know this woman?" Dany asks, only slightly annoyed at their interruption.
"Aye, she's a fiend! Performed witchcraft on me!"
"What are you doing here?" Jon asks, deadly calm but furious. So furious it sent a shiver down Daenerys spine. But it's Ser Davos that makes Dany pause. Dany can only remember ever seeing one other person look so heartbroken and angry at the same time.
Viserys — the day they sold their mothers crown. It was the last thing they had left of their family. It was also the last day Dany ever saw any real, genuine light shine in her brothers eyes ever again.
"I'm here doing my Lords work . . ."
"I made you a promise, the last time I saw you, do you remember?" Jon growls, Ser Davos takes a step closer to the red woman.
"I do." Melisandre turns to the King in the North. "And we are not in the North. You are not King here and I've broken no rules."
She turns back to Daenerys.
"Your Grace—"
"Your Grace," Ser Davos interrupts, "I ask your leave to execute this woman!"
Dany eyes the old man, astounded. This truly is a bad woman.
"On what chargers?"
"She burned the Princess Shireen alive at the stake. An innocent little girl no older than ten, I realize she was your enemies daughter but—"
Dany turns to the woman, every ounce of fire in her veins shining through hot and unforgiving.
So much for being cautious.
"Ser Davos it doesn't matter whose daughter she was. That is a grievous, monstrous thing. Do you deny these chargers?" Danys heart weeps for the old Ser, he obviously loved that girl as if she were his own.
Melisandre looks to the silver queen, disgraced.
"I burned the girl. But I've already been charged for my crime. His grace, has banished me from the North, and if I should return he'll hang me as a murder. As I've said before I'm not in the North and I need to do my Lords work."
"And what is your Lords work?"
"To convince you of the Long Night and the dead that rise in its darkness."
Danys eyes shoot to Jon, her first thought that he set this up; somehow convinced this woman to do his bidding and this is all an elaborate ruse.
But one look into his steel grey eyes and she knows this thought was folly. Her earlier assessment of him was right. This man is not capable of such lies. He shows too much of himself and right now he wants this woman's blood.
"And to murder innocents. She was going to murder me!" Gendry shouts.
"Is this true?"
The Priestess frowns.
"I was going to sacrifice him, yes, until Ser Davos let him go."
Hmm, no wonder Ser Davos looked so fear stricken for the boy, another surrogate child.
"Why?"
"For his blood, as the bastard of Robert Baratheon the Kings blood running through his veins would have insured my Kings victory, or so I'd interrupted from the flames at that time. Only death—"
"—may pay for life." Dany finishes, knowing those words all too well.
"And now you come to me." Dany stands toe to toe with the witch, disgusted.
"You have shamed you brothers and sisters, My lady. Too stupid to even know why you needed his blood, why you followed Stannis, to not even mention the torture of children."
Melisandre breaks eye contact first.
"But you realize now, or else you wouldn't be coming to me to fight this war, isn't that right?"
Gendry steps forward, "what are you talking about . . . Your Grace, she needed kings blood, sounds simple enough."
"It wasn't Kings blood her god demanded. It was mine, wasn't it? It was Targaryen blood."
Gendry looks to Daenerys as if she's lost her mind.
"That makes no sense, I'm not a Targaryen!"
"You are the son of Robert Baratheon, who was the son of Steffon Baratheon, who was the son of Rhaelle Targaryen."
Gendrys deep brown eyes go wide.
"As minuet as it might be, there is still power in the blood we share, cousin."
Daenerys turns to the witch.
"You have done as your God bids and told me about the Long Night. It is only out of respect for your brothers and sisters that helped restore peace to Meereen, that I allow you to leave with your life. But if you ever return to Westeros, I'll see that Ser Davos gets his justice. Now get out."
"We will see each other again, Your Grace."
Melisandre eyes Dany then Jon strangely before hurrying out of the throne room, her parting words like bugs crawling in Danys ears.
Unfortunately, she's probably right.
AN: this is the last pre written chapter I have right now, so updates might be a bit longer than what you've been getting. I'm off to write the next chapter so pleeeeease review, it'll keep me updating as fast as I can.