Season 8 Episode 4
The Yi Ti armada came upon New Ghis in the Gulf of Grief. The Ghis fleet came out to meet them but were quickly destroyed by the Yi Ti cannons. Before the Ghis fleet could even get close, they were blasted apart by cannon balls. The Yi Ti fleet then bombarded the city for a few hours before sending land forces. The Ghis defended themselves with a large army of their own that included elephants. The Yi Ti soldiers had little difficulty downing the massive elephants with their muskets. It quickly became a one-sided slaughter.
On the deck of his battleship, Gen. Qo addressed his officers. "Ghis claims to be the oldest civilization in all the world. Burn down their libraries and museums. No one shall again question our claim."
"Yes!" they all shouted obediently.
Gen. Qo then looked up slightly nervous of a dragon attack.
Meereen
Daenerys sat in bed with a bandage on her shoulder. "It went through cleanly," Jorah judged.
"I didn't even feel it enter," Daenerys said.
"In the heat of the battle, that can happen," Jorah said understanding.
"Have Daario negotiate a peace treaty with them. We need to know what they want," Daenerys ordered.
Jorah nodded taking his leave as Missandei took over caring for her.
King's Landing
Varys and Olena Tyrell watched passively as the senators argued over the famine that had spread over Westeros. Winter had devastated the northern kingdoms. Snow even reached as far south as King's Landing. Only The Reach and Dorne were unaffected, but Dorne was not known for its agricultural production. The brunt of food production then went to The Reach.
"You make us slaves to the rest of the country," Lady Allana Costayne argued.
"The Reach has the grain. It must share it," Theon argued.
"Perhaps it was a mistake to join this compact," Allana lashed out.
Varys raised his eyebrow to that. "Dorne will do its part to acquire grain through our trading partners in Essos," Aegon said to the appreciation of the others.
Varys then departed from the senate chambers with Olena following him. "Forgive my granddaughter. She doesn't mean it," Olena said to him.
"They're just words and besides, you are the true power behind The Reach," Varys said to her.
"I don't imagine I will last too much longer," Olena admitted.
"We will all be poorer for it," Varys said politely.
"Don't flatter me, Lord Varys. Can I depend on you to watch over my granddaughter?" Olena asked.
"Of course," Varys agreed.
"And I don't trust Aegon Targaryen or whatever he claims to be," Olena said seriously.
"I make it a policy to not trust anyone," Varys replied.
The Wall
Davos was drinking his sorrows away at the Night's Watch when the Night King attacked. The Undead swarmed the Night's Watch base taking them by surprise. Jon took the lead expertly slashing down his former comrades. The Night King stayed a distance away from the fighting. Jon then entered the jail, opened the cells, and allowed all the prisoners to be killed on the spot.
"Jon?" Davos wondered horrified upon seeing him.
With icy blue eyes, Jon cut Davos down. He then opened the gate to the Wall. The Undead waiting outside flooded through the gateway.
Astapor
Daario went out to meet with Gen. Qo on his battleship off the coast of Astrapor. The two sat together in the captain's quarters and had drinks. "You have ended the Jade Sea toll for all of us to which we are thankful but what does your Emperor ultimately want?" Daario asked.
"All of Essos," Gen. Qo replied.
"He must be joking. No one can control the entire continent," Daario said dismissively.
"The Emperor is divine. If he says he can, then he can," Gen. Qo said confidently.
"Why conquer when you can trade instead? Much more profitable," Daario suggested.
"In the history books, no one gives a shit about trade surpluses. We have waited thousands of years to finally unite the continent under heaven," Gen. Qo said.
"From what I can see, you've been looting every city you come across. Is this really about uniting the continent?" Daario asked skeptically.
Gen. Qo gave him a serious look. "We will accept Queen Daenerys Targaryen rule in Slaver's Bay on the condition she become a vassal to the true emperor of the world. She will also be required to put down her dragons."
"She will never accept that. Her dragons are her children," Daario said to him.
"And how many children do you think we are willing to give up to win this war?" Gen. Qo asked. "We will blockade Slaver's Bay for now. You will be given time to consider our offer before we invade."
Meereen
Daenerys looked over the coast of Meereen towards Slavers Bay. She took a vial and drank it down as Daario approached. "Gen. Qo of the Yi Ti Empire has offered us peace if we become a vassal."
"Is that all?" Daenerys asked surprised.
"The dragons must also be killed," he added. "In the meantime, he will blockade the bay."
Daenerys bristled at that. "I am Queen of the Seven Kingdoms, and he shall feel my wrath."
Drogon then landed near Daenerys. She got on his back ready to fly away. "Buy me time," she ordered him.
Daario nodded as she took off towards King's Landing.
White Harbor
The Wildling boats arrived at at White Harbor only to be boarded by the Targaryen armada. Sansa and Bran were quickly identified and apprehended. They were then sent to the captain's quarters of the ship where they faced Gendry Bratheon.
"Lady Stark and Lord Stark," Gendry addressed.
"I'm not a lord," Bran insisted.
"Yes you are," Sansa hissed at him.
"Be it as it may, you have committed treason against the Iron Throne," Gendry said simply.
"We've all been traitors to the Iron Throne," Sansa pointed out.
"Where is Jon Snow?" Gendry interrogated.
"They took him. The Undead are back, and they took him," she cried.
Gendry gave her a sympathetic look. "I'll take you to Storms End where no one will expect you to be. You can stay with me until this war is over."
"Thank you," Sansa said gratefully.
"You must warn Daenerys that the Undead have breached the Wall," Bran said knowingly.
"How did they do that?" Gendry asked.
"They used whales to get around the Wall, attacked the Night's Watch, and opened the gate," Bran replied.
"Holy shit," Gendry realized.
King's Landing
Daenerys landed at King's Landing with just Drogon with the other two dragons still recovering. Varys went out to meet her. "My little birds told me the whole thing," Varys said concerned.
"Is the Senate still in session?" Daenerys asked.
"They are, Your Grace," Varys confirmed.
"Bring me the King's Guard. I wish to speak to them," Daenerys ordered.
"As you wish, Your Grace," Varys said suspicious of the request.
Danerys interrupted the Senate meeting and took the Iron Throne. The Senate immediately quieted down for her. The King's Guard then entered the Great Hall guarding her and intimidating the Senate. "There is a grave threat in the East. The Yi Ti Empire has attacked the city of Quarth. They now blockade Dragon's Bay formerly called Slaver's Bay. Their armies are advancing across the Dothraki Sea," Daenerys told them.
"I have spent many seasons liberating slaves and cities from despots and tyrants. I will not let these cities fall to another kind of tyrant. The Dothraki helped give me the Iron Throne. I will not abandon them. I will not allow the Yi Ti Empire to take control of all of Essos," Daenerys continued.
There was a murmured among the senators. "To fight the Yi Ti, I require the raising of taxes, armies, and confiscation of grain from our farmers. All of Westeros will provide for the war effort. You will sign this legislation here and now," Daenerys ordered them.
"We are facing famine all across Westeros from this winter. We have become poor from these many wars. We have nothing to spare," Allana spoke up.
"You do not know what it means to be poor. I lived on scraps in the burning desert of the Red Waste. I saw my people die of thirst. You do not know true poverty!" Daenerys shouted at them.
"Dorne shall give the Queen everything she requests," Aegon said loyally.
Daenerys eyed Aegon's white hair and pale eyes. She saw so much of her brother in him. "Thank you, Lord Aegon. But this is not a request. This is an order," Daenerys told them. She then motioned to her King's Guard. At once, they took out their swords.
"Make no mistake. I am the Senate," Daenerys told them.
Daenerys walked down the halls of the Red Keep with Varys following her. "You're doing it again," he said annoyed with her.
"I fought the Yi Ti fleet with my dragons and was forced to retreat. They fucking shot me," Daenerys told him. "A Dothraki hoard was destroyed by their armies."
"I understand your concern, but Westeros has its own problems," Varys said.
"What do you think happens once the Yi Ti have Essos? Westeros will be next," Daenerys said to him.
"A troubling development to be sure, but your fragile peace here in Westeros can only continue if the Senate has real power," Varys said.
"Has the North bent the knee?" Daenerys asked irritably.
"There appears to be no one left in the North to lead them," Varys said.
Daenerys eyed Varys assuming Jon Snow was dead. "Is the Night King responsible for this winter?" she asked.
"Hard to say," Varys admitted.
"I want this bill signed. I am not leaving until it is," Daenerys said seriously.
"And should it fail?" Varys asked.
"I did bring a dragon with me," Daenerys warned wide-eyed.
"Remember our arrangement," Varys reminded her.
Daenerys eyed Varys hatefully. "Careful, Lord Varys. Somethings are worth dying for."
"I couldn't agree more," Varys stared her down.
Riverrun
At Riverrun, Edmure hosted a victory feast with Jaime awkwardly attending. Next to Edmure was his wife Roslin and their infant son in his arms. "When are you going to get married and have an heir?" Edmure asked Jaime.
"When the women at Casterly Rock are no longer ugly as fuck," Jaime replied.
"You still thinking about her?" Edmure asked referring to Cersei.
"Fuck off," Jaime told him off.
A messenger came to Edmure and gave him a note. "We're to head to King's Landing. We're sailing to Essos," Edmure said surprised.
"What the fuck for?" Jaime wondered.
"The Queen wants our forces to block the Yi Ti advance," Edmure frowned.
"What business do we have there?" Jaime wondered.
"Good question," Edmure agreed.
King's Landing
Despite her victory, Daenerys was still pissed-off the vote wasn't unanimous. She walked with Varys to the coast where Drogon waited on her. "I want you find whatever dirt you can on all those fucks that voted against me," Daenerys ordered Varys.
"I already have," Varys said.
"Why aren't you using it against them?" Daenerys asked.
"That isn't how this works," Varys told her.
"They don't respect me in there. If they don't respect me, how can they love me?" Daenerys asked rhetorically.
"You're going insane again. You need to realize when it's happening," Varys said patiently.
"No other king or queen would put up with this shit," Daenerys said angrily.
"You are not them. Do you really wish to be called Robert the Fat or Cersei the Terrible?" Varys asked.
"Once I defeat the Yi Ti, everything will be as it should. Until then, I need Westeros' full cooperation," Daenerys said.
"There will always be someone to fight," Varys said.
"Give me my medicine," Daenerys demanded feeling ill.
"You will have to wait until you are back in Meereen. I will send it to you there," Varys said.
Daenerys glared at him. "Give it to me now, or I burn you alive."
"Then, you die soon after me," Varys stood his ground.
Daenerys got on her dragon. Drogon snarled at Varys waiting for the command to roast him or tear him to pieces. "Pleasant journey home," Varys gave her a fake smile.
Daenerys hesitated to kill him and then ordered Drogon to fly off leaving Varys behind with his thoughts.
Author's Note: I'm using a number of historical examples within the GOT narrative such as the Roman Emperor's relationship to his Senate, Britain requiring India's participation in WW2 despite a massive famine there, the American Revolution, and the Opium Wars in reverse.