Okay, so before you start reading I will warn you: this one mentions two characters that only appear in the books, but I strongly suggest that you do some research if you want to know more, since they will be featured in the upcoming chapters ;)
Daenerys woke up on the fifth day after Samaya's departure with an excited feeling in her stomach. As soon as she had walked to the big window overlooking the castle, she spied the two remaining dragons soaring over the landscape, calling to her. She smiled blissfully and knew that her sister was coming home today.
It had been only two days after the Greyjoy fleet had departed with Ellaria Sand and her daughters and Olenna Tyrell had returned to Highgarden to aid her two remaining grandsons in the governing of their House's affairs. Dragonstone had almost become quiet, but she had noticed the dubious conversations between Varys and the Red Priestess. She did not trust the woman, and her presence here was still a mystery. Was she, as the priestess had said, really Azor Ahai reborn? She liked to think so, but it was a heavy burden if it was true.
The Targaryen Queen had not been raised in any particular faith, her constant travelling as a child hindering that. She did believe in the Gods of the Dothraki when she had been Khal Drogo's wife, but which Gods were so cruel to take both her son and her husband? As she dressed and walked down to break fast, she contemplated the Lord of the Light and his faith. Was it possible that there was one true God? Or was it many, worshipped by all living beings under different names? It was a question she most likely would not find an answer to. And besides, Daenerys believed in people much more than Gods. Most of all, she believed in herself.
"Your dragons are restless, your Grace," Tyrion greeted her as she sat down at the table next to him.
"My sister will return today. They sense that their brother is coming home," she told him matter-of-factly.
"Oh, well that was not a very long trip then," the Lannister said and took a bite out of his crispy bacon.
"I believe in Samaya, and her success. I do not think she would return so quickly had she failed," the Queen told him, eating away at her breakfast. For once, Tyrion Lannister did not know what to reply.
It really was a curious thing, riding a dragon. It was even more curious, when there was a stranger sitting behind you on the beast's back, holding onto your waist for dear life, at least at first. Samaya and Jon Snow had left Winterfell under the judging eyes of the Northern people. When Jon had announced that he would go with her, outcries of rage and disapproval echoed through the Great Hall. Samaya stood silently and watched in awe as the King in the North calmed his people. He did so with determination and reason, although in a loud and gruff voice. She understood that these were not people that could be swayed with sweet-talk, but rather with iron will.
Rhaegal had appeared as soon as they had set foot outside of the gate, and waited patiently for the two to climb onto his back. To Samaya, the dragon seemed happy to be able to leave this colder climate, and almost giddy at the sight of Jon Snow. Just like he did with her the first time, he used one of his wings to nudge the Northerner onto his back. Samaya had to stifle laughter at the sight of Jon's terrified face, but she did not want to embarrass him in front of the crowd that had gathered to watch their departure. A few of the younger children tucked on their mothers' hands excitedly and wanted to get closer to the dragon, but the women had enough sense to hold them back.
The dragon pushed off the ground with great force, and Jon's hands dug harshly into her middle. Sam held on tight to the scales and spikes on his back, and they ascended slowly to a height where they could almost kiss the clouds. Where he had been keeping a distance at first, Jon Snow now nudged closer to her, pressing his front into her back. It felt exciting and familiar to have a man's body pressed up against her again, but Samaya kept her focus and watched the world below them. There were moors and rivers, forests and fields, but all seemed deserted or destroyed. When she had flown to Winterfell, the trace of war had shocked her, and seeing it for the second time was almost as bad. Villages black from fire, completely deserted. Empty holdfasts and castles. Every once in a while, there would be people, but they were only as big as ants, and Samaya could not distinguish their clothing or armour.
After a few hours of soaring through the air in complete silence, the dragon started to descend. They had left behind the North and the mountains, and the sea had welcomed them with its salty air. In the distance, Sam could see the huge castle that was Dragonstone, and the remaining two dragons flying towards them. Jon Snow's grip had lessened after some time, but now he increased his hold again. Drogon and Viserion joined their brother, all three dragons screeching in greeting. Especially at the sight of the large black dragon, Sam could hear Jon Snow take a sharp intake of breath. Rhaegal was big, yes, but his brother was massive. Sam knew that Daenerys had a special bond with him, and that must be why he had prospered so much. It was probably also due to the fact that while Rhaegal and Viserion had been locked in Meereen's dungeons, Drogon freely roamed the land, hunting at will. She got angry thinking about her sister's decision, and wished once again that she had joined her sooner.
The dragon now started descending in circles around the castle. It looked majestic from this point of view. As they neared the cliffs, Samaya could see a small welcome party having assembled there. Wings started flapping, and Jon held on tight at the sudden stop in mid-air. Carefully, Rhaegal landed on the soft grass. Samaya looked over her shoulder and smiled at Jon Snow, who had let go of her waist and put a distance between their two bodies. He was wearing his Northern mask, stern and unyielding in its expression.
"Welcome to Dragonstone," she said quietly and gave him a small smile, which he returned hesitantly. A moment later, he had slid down from the dragon's back, and was looking up at her, arms stretched out. Sam felt giddy at the sight of him and let herself go all too willingly only to get caught in his arms. They steadied each other, his hands on her waist, and hers on his shoulders, before turning to the small group not too far away. Sam started walking, and he followed her. A few paces before them, they stopped.
"Jon Snow. Never thought I would see you again," Tyrion, who was at the head of the party, said and smiled.
"Nor did I you. Especially not as Hand to the Queen," Jon commented, nodding at the badge the small man was wearing proudly.
"Well, I like to think that this Queen is not a duplicitous bitch who murders every one that stands in her way," was the response and Jon gave him a careful smile.
"I will have to build my own judgement on that," he answered and then they started walking. Missandei joined Sam, and spoke to her silently as not to be overheard by their guest.
"How is it possible that Rhaegal let him ride with you?" she asked quickly, surprise on her face.
"He seems to like Jon Snow. I do not know why, but he seems to be an honourable man, Missandei," Sam told her. Missandei studied her face for a few moments before answering.
"You like him, Lady Samaya," she observed and grinned cheekily. Sam blushed at her words.
"He is not ugly to look at. However, he would make a valuable ally against Cersei so yes, of course I like him if that means he will help my sister become the rightful Queen," she replied in a formal way. There was another reason why they needed him, but that was his story to tell, not hers. Until then, she would keep the information to herself.
Dragonstone had changed a lot in the few days that Samaya was in the North. It had been cleaned and put back to its former glory, as little as there must have been under Stannis Baratheon at least. However, she still noticed that it was only Unsullied guards and Dothraki that filled its halls. No servant girls, or little boys, eagerly roaming around. If Daenerys wanted to be Queen, the people needed to stop being afraid of her.
They winded up the few staircases that led to the Throne room, and entered to find her sister waiting expectantly. Samaya walked first and bowed deep before speaking.
"Your Grace, may I present Jon Snow, King in the North?" she said, stepping aside to give them a good look at the stranger. He stepped forward and gave a short bow.
"You stand in the presence of Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, rightful heir to the Iron Throne, rightful Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, Mother of Dragons, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, Breaker of Chains," Missandei's voice spoke up and Sam had to conceal a smirk. Her sister did not know what to make of this man.
"Thank you for travelling so far, my Lord," the woman in question followed in a strong voice. She pierced the man with her gaze, holding up her chin to show her superiority.
"I was honoured to do so on the back of one of your dragons, your Grace," he replied instantly. Daenerys cocked one eyebrow and looked at Samaya.
"Yes, indeed. What a special honour to grant a stranger," she commented and gave her sister an annoyed look. Sam cheekily winked back. The hint of a smile graced Daenerys' face before she turned back to the newcomer.
"Have you come to bend the knee, Lord Snow?" she asked him straight-forwardly.
"I am no Lord, your Grace. And no, I have come to ask for your help," he said in an equal manner. The Queen's eyes widened slightly.
"If I remember correctly, the last King in the North was Torrhen Stark, your ancestor, who bent the knee to Aegon Targaryen, my ancestor. In exchange for his life and the lives of the Northman, Torrhen Stark swore fealty to House Targaryen in perpetuity. Or do I have my facts wrong?" she said in a stern manner, and Samaya could see she was enraged.
"I wasn't there, your Grace. But the last King in the North was my half-brother, Robb Stark," Jon Snow answered, seemingly not intimidated by her power play.
"Not according to King's Landing or the rightful Queen," she replied. "Now, let us assume Torrhen Stark was the last rightful King in the North, what does perpetuity mean, Lord Tyrion?"
"Forever, your Grace," the small man replied and Daenerys grinned in a satisfied way. Samaya was getting a little impatient with the whole back-and-forth.
"Forever. So I assume, my Lord, you are here to bend the knee," she concluded, giving him an arrogant look. Jon Snow's hands balled into fists at her statement.
"Your Grace, Your father burned my grandfather alive, he burned my uncle alive. I do not care what happened in the past, which oaths were made or crimes committed. I have come to ask for your help against an enemy more dangerous than Cersei Lannister. An enemy that if we do not fight, will bring us all death," he told her, his voice having gotten louder with every word. Samaya was surprised at his reaction. He had seen him take this tone with his people, but she never thought he would speak at her sister the same way. She was a little torn between defending Daenerys and taking his hand to give it a comforting squeeze. He seemed enraged and sad at the same time.
"What enemy are you talking about? And mind your tone, Lord Snow. You are still in the presence of your rightful Queen," she answered sharply.
"The Army of the Dead is on the march. I have seen them with my own eyes. They kill everything in their path, and what is more, the dead don't stay dead. Their numbers grow by every passing day, and they only have one goal: to breach the wall and bring death to every man, woman and child living in Westeros," Jon Snow replied, his tone having gotten softer. He looked at the Queen with pleading eyes.
"The Army of the Dead? Lord Tyrion, you told me Jon Snow was a reasonable man," Daenerys asked in a mocking tone. Tyrion, however, had his gaze fixed on his old acquaintance.
"They are real? They are coming?" he asked, his voice laced with terror. Jon Snow nodded.
"Aye. And if we stay here squabbling amongst ourselves, fighting for the Iron Throne, it will not matter who will win. It will be a skeleton sitting on it," he answered. There was utter silence for a few moments. Quietly, footsteps shuffled closer and Varys entered the room. He did not spare the visitors a second glance as he stepped up to the Queen and whispered something in her ear.
"Lord Snow, you must be tired after such a long journey. We will have baths drawn for you and supper sent to your rooms. Samaya, please show him the way," Daenerys said coldly, dismissing the King in the North. Sam looked at Varys sceptically, but left to accompany Jon Snow a few moments later. This first meeting had gone horribly wrong, and she just hoped her sister would come to her senses.
Jon Snow stayed silent all the way to the rooms, and they entered to find maids drawing him a bath, as promised. Samaya dismissed them and closed the door in the face of the guards. She looked at the black wood for a moment before turning around to the Northerner.
"I am sorry if my sister spoke harshly. She is more of a ruler than I am. I see opportunities, she sees an occasion for treason," she told him silently. He regarded her for a long moment before sitting down on the edge of the bed.
"I think I have made a mistake by coming here. I fear your sister is holding me prisoner," he sighed, his tone defeated. Sam stepped to his side and looked on the floor, avoiding his eyes.
"I will not let her hold you prisoner. She will come to her senses, and if it's the last thing I do. I promise, you will have Targaryen support in your fight against the Dead," she vowed in a quiet voice, not wanting the guards to overhear. To her surprise, he lifted his arm and took her hand. Her gaze swerved to his face, and his look was tired, but earnest.
"Thank you, Sam."
A few levels below the sleeping chambers, a heated discussion was taking place amongst Daenerys and her advisors. They had just lost the Greyjoy and Dorne forces, and she was not happy.
"Nobody could have known that Euron Greyjoy would attack," Tyrion tried to soothe her.
"Nobody thought that he would! Why did we not think that this… madman… was most likely planning to get his revenge! I have listened to your council, and see what it brought us! At least half of our armies lost! Ellaria Sand most likely dead! Who will bring us Dornish support now? Who will bring us ships if no the Greyjoys?" she almost screamed at him.
"Your Grace, we still have enough ships to carry the Dothraki to land," Varys intercepted.
"Yes, but my trusted advisors warned me about taking Westeros with foreigners! You said the people would turn against me if I let… how did you call them, savages? If I let savages lay siege to their homes!" Daenerys was furious now. Olenna Tyrell had warned her not to listen to clever men, but she had done so anyways. At this moment, she wanted to take her dragons and burn the Red Keep down more than anything.
The door to the council room opened, and Samaya entered with a hard look on her face. Just what Daenerys needed right now, her half-sister in a bad mood.
"What happened?" she asked as she neared them, reading the atmosphere. Daenerys gave Tyrion an angry look and walked over to the window, gazing out at the sea. He had gotten them into this mess, he could explain.
"We had sent the Greyjoy fleet and Ellaria Sand to Dorne, but they were attacked by Euron Greyjoy," Tyrion filled in the newcomer.
"And?" Sam asked in an annoyed tone.
"A few ships were able to flee. The rest was sunk. No word yet from our allies," he reported.
"So you mean to tell me we have lost Dorne and the Greyjoys?" she prodded further. Tyrion gave a hesitant nod.
"It seems so," he confessed. Daenerys turned around to see the look of discontent on her sister's face.
"We might be able to get the Dornish support back," the Queen said and walked back to the table. All eyes were on her.
"Your Grace, the Dornish are proud and do not take likely to strangers. Ellaria Sand and her daughters had established dominion by force, I fear the country will be utterly divided now. The Martell line only has bastards left, and without a strong leader, there will be no chance to unite them," Tyrion spoke up. Daenerys smiled at him and then looked at her sister.
"Actually, you are a Martell now," she said and Samaya's eyes widened in shock.
"No. You cannot think…" she started to speak, but her sister cut her off.
"I sent you to gather support in the North, but you bring me a defiant King that tells tales of dead people marching in an army. I asked you to make him bend the knee, but he refuses. I ask you now to travel to Dorne and secure their armies. I do not care how, just do not fail me this time," Daenerys told her in a strong voice. There was utter silence in the room. Samaya was in shock, she never thought her sister could be so cold to her.
"I refuse," she finally said. Daenerys' brows shot up and she gave her an annoyed smile.
"You refuse your Queen?" she gave back.
"I refuse to go to a land where I will find certain death. The Dornish do not know me, they will not follow me," Samaya argued and before the Queen could answer, Varys stepped forward.
"Your Grace, there is one Martell left that we are forgetting," he told her quickly. The two sisters were still staring at each other, fire in both their eyes. After a few moments, Daenerys relaxed and looked at the eunuch.
"Who are we forgetting, Varys?" she said and regained her composure.
"Arianne Martell," Samaya answered for him. Varys nodded at her.
"Exactly. Last I heard, she had tried to free Myrcella Baratheon and crown her instead of Tommen. Her plan was fooled, and Myrcella taken back to the Watergardens, but Arianne was able to flee. Darkstar was with her," he said and Sam's brows shot up in surprise.
"Who is this Darkstar?" Daenerys asked, confused by the name.
"Ser Gerold Dayne. A cruel man, but a skilled fighter," the eunuch explained.
"Any relation to the famous Arthur Dayne?" the Queen continued.
"His cousin. Always was jealous of the Sword in the Morning," Tyrion finally spoke up, making the three of them look at him.
"Rumour has it that he has imprisoned Arianne at High Hermitage, his stronghold," Varys explained further.
"Which would have kept her safe from the Sand Snakes…," Samaya mused, hope springing up. She did not want to set foot back into Dorne if she could help it, and Arianne Martell might just be the key to that.
"And might make her interested in an alliance with us," Tyrion finished her sentence. "But we would have to free her first."
"Is co-operation with this Darkstar not an option?" Daenerys mused.
"He is very unpredictable, but yes, maybe," Varys concluded.
"High Hermitage is not far from Highgarden," Samaya spoke up and the group looked at her.
"You want to see your grandmother?" Daenerys asked her. Sam nodded.
"And my brothers. I wanted to ask your permission to go see to their wellbeing before…" she started saying, but did not know how to finish the sentence.
"Before we start an invasion?" the Queen completed it. Once again, Sam could only nod. Daenerys took a long, hard look at her before she turned to Tyrion and Varys.
"Leave us," she commanded, and they did so quickly, not wanting to get involved in their little power play. Sam sat down on a chair, her shoulders slumped. She was utterly exhausted.
"I cannot believe you refused me," Daenerys spoke up when they were alone. Sam sighed.
"Dorne is… different. You should know, Targaryens found it hard to conquer it in the past. My gut tells me that I will die if I return to the Watergardens or Sunspear. Are you willing to let that happen?" the older girl asked.
"No, of course not. Tell me, do you believe Jon Snow?" the Queen changed the topic quickly. Sam looked at her long and hard before she nodded.
"I do. I have not known him for long, but he is… different. Northerners always are, but he seems just and kind. I cannot see him as a man who would make up such a tale. And I believe that if we do not band together in this fight, we will all find death," she concluded. Daenerys nodded and looked at the big map of Westeros, carved in the table in front of them. She pointed to where High Hermitage was located.
"I will give you permission to go home. But first, go here. Try and convince this Darkstar and Arianne Martell to fight with us. Tell her we will restore her as ruler of Dorne, if she supports me. Find out what the knight wants. The Unsullied are on their way to take Casterly Rock from the Lannisters. When they succeed, I will draw them back to Highgarden, where I intend to meet them and you. We will see what happens after," she told her sister of her plan.
"What about the threat in the North?" Samaya asked, not giving up on Jon Snow's cause. Daenerys stared at where the wall was carved into the surface before her.
"Leave Jon Snow to me. If he bends the knee, we will assist. And trust me, he will," she said solemnly and started to move towards the door. She stopped and put a hand on her sister's shoulder.
"Be safe," the younger girl whispered before she left the room. Samaya was left sitting alone, the world she lived in stretching before her in miniature. She was more than relieved to go back to Highgarden, but she just did not know what would be waiting for her in High Hermitage…
Thoughts? Feelings? Please leave me a review if you have any :D
AND to one of my most loyal reviewers: starfallen: you are such a treasure! I always enjoy your constructive phrasing and how you seem to be able to understand what I am trying to do/where I am taking the story. I really appreciate your kind and encouraging words :) so happy you're enjoying this story!
