The Dragon and the Hawke 54

News of Volantis' conquest spread quickly across Essos, and through the majority of the Free Cities especially. With the exception of Braavos, the rest of the Free Cities began to fear for their continued status as "Free." Braavos was calmly building up its forces, as it always did, but a quiet meeting between the Sealord of Braavos and Daenerys Targaryen settled the city of escaped slaves from fear.

It wasn't even a day after the ravens were sent from Volantis that the second city fell. Norvos, long battled neighbor of Braavos, fell to a sudden assault from the Scalebound and Dragons. It lasted two hours, more to do with the fact that Daenerys took that long to make sure all of her troops were out of the breaches.

Once everyone was aligned, Marian enhanced her voice and told the city, "Hi there! I'm pretty sure you know who we are, but just to be on the safe side… I'm Marian, and next to me on the big black Dragon is Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen. On her other side astride the green Dragon is Aegon Targaryen, who does not have a cool name title like his aunt. He's still good at killing people though, so… know that in advance."

There is a brief moment of silence as the denizens of Norvos look carefully between each other, and then Marian's voice returns as loud as ever, "Oh, yeah! I'm supposed to tell you that you have two hours to surrender or we sack the city and kill a lot of people."

It didn't take two hours for the cities Ruler to decide to surrender, he had in fact done so the moment he knew that the green lights were the Empress and her army. He stepped out of the city gates with his entourage less than a minute after Marian stopped speaking and set up a white flag and a meeting tent.

Terms were made, surrender was given slaves were freed, threats were made, it was the usual affair with a conquest from the Dragon Empress. The only thing of note that happened was the sudden voice of god exclaiming, "Holy shit, you look like a puffed up - Oh, shit! Sorry! Let me-" before dying off suddenly.

Thus the second Free City fell to the might of the Dragon Empire, and everyone went home somewhat happy. Except for the Masters, they were miserable because they had to feed the poor.

After the fall of Norvos, Ravens were sent to the other Slave holding Cities with much the same conditions of surrender as had been given to Volantis and Norvos. They were given a single month to respond, or face the wrath of Dragon fire. So the drama that revolved around the Free Cities was dealt with for the moment, and the problems of Westeros were instead on the minds of Dany and her advisors.

"So, in order of issues in Westeros," Tyrion sighs, tapping the Council table in frustration, "My sister has gone well and truly mad, Stannis is stuck at the Dreadfort, the Reach and Dorne are willing to support us as rulers, and you wish to gift the Iron Islands their independance. Oh, and we still have the threat of Ice Monsters from beyond the Wall!"

He rubs his face and takes a breath, "Is there anything else I should know before we start?"

"Aye," Yara agrees, smiling, "Seeing as I'll be Queen, the Iron Islands won't be breaking off from the rest."

The dwarf blinks, then turns to her. He stares at her for a hard moment before his gaze shifts to Dany. The Empress merely raises an eyebrow in challenge and he nods, "I wish you well in your coming nuptials. May I ask when the ceremony is?"

"We will wed when the Free Cities have been taken," Dany tells him.

"Ah, there is something I would have liked to know about," Tyrion snaps his fingers and raises one to the heavens, "Why are we conquering the Free Cities? I was under the assumption that we would hold off for at least a decade."

"They tried to destroy us," Barristan tells him.

"Truly, were any of our associates harmed?" Tyrion sits up and looks along the Council table, everyone was there, including Hizdahr and Mossador, who with their exception as well as the Greyjoy siblings were all his friends.

"They did not break the beaches," Grey Worm assures him.

"And the remaining Harpies who thought to cause trouble were eradicated," Daario tells him.

"Ah, splendid," Tyrion claps his hands together, "So… of the issues I've lain out, that Varys has already informed you of before me, which should we address first?"

"I think we should speak with my father before we make a decision on the Reach and Dorne," Shireen notes, "He has been besieging the Dreadfort for nearly half a year, he could also probably use some assistance in that."

Dany nods, "I was thinking much the same, though I am hesitant to send Drogon and Viserion to the North. They are not used to the cold yet, and I would have them well rested should the Free Cities try to fight."

"I could go," Marian offers, "Be easy for me, plus I can you something to call me back with if you need to."

After another moment she adds, smiling "Plus, the cold never bothered me anyway."

There is the distant sound of a wall crumbling, the results of the continued construction to restore the city to it's previous glory. It takes a few seconds for Tyrion to note, "It makes sense, she can get there quickly, no doubt reduce the Dreadfort to rubble if the Bolton's try to resist, and then establish a breach for us to talk to Stannis through."

Dany nods, "A good idea, one I approve. You'll depart tomorrow to help King Stannis claim the ancestral home of the Boltons."

"And if I might make a second suggestion," Varys leans forward, "The Twins are now without lords, and the Riverlands are without a Lord Paramount. I hear that Edmure Tully still languishes in the cells in the Twins, perhaps if you free him while you are in Westeros, you might claim another nation's loyalty."

Marian nods, and turns to Dany, "Wha'd'ya say?"

"Make it so," Dany nods, "Though be sure that Stannis is who receives the credit, I do not want to fracture his or Shireen's realm any more than it already is."

"Thank you, your Grace," Shireen smiles.

The meeting continues, steering away from the viscous topics of the Westerosi affairs, and towards the upkeep of the Empire. Varys tells tales that he has heard from his little birds in the newly conquered cities, Daario goes over local crime rates and the city rebuilding, Barristan shares what Jorah Mormont and the current Administrator of Yunkai have sent him, and Missandei shares the attitudes of the populace as a whole and gets backed up by Hizdahr and Mossador.

With nothing as pressing as what was already discussed, the meeting lasts half an hour longer before adjourning. With it finished, people pair off and go their separate ways. Notably, Missandei and Marian, as well as Dany and Yara.

The Storm God and her wife head quickly to their rooms, strip down, and make the most of their final night together for a few weeks. They do as they usually do, and Marian smiles alluringly at the love of her life, asking with a low purr, "Do you have any threes?"

Missandei holds up her cards to get a better look at them and keep Marian from seeing what she actually has, and tells her just as seductively, "Go fish."

"Damn," Marian laughs, and picks a card.

"Do you have any sevens?"

Marian sighs and hands over the card, much to her wife's glee. She leans back and laughs at her wife's pout before popping back up and asking, "Do you think they truly were planning to wed?"
"What, Dany and Yara?" Marian shuffles her cards and thinks, "I'd say yes. Now way our girl would let herself get hoodwinked like that."

"What, just as I did you?" Missandei asks, reminding her of their own sudden marriage.

Marian snorts, "You didn't tell me we were getting married at all, dear."

Missandei snorts, "then is it any different at all, really?"

"I think so," Marian nods, "And I stand by the fact that they probably talked about it before."

On the subject of talking, the pair in question were doing some of that and a large amount of the other thing.

Leaning over her soon to be bride, Dany bites at her and asks, "When did you think to ask for my hand?"

"Didn't," Yara leans forward, and groans as Dany pulls away, "I was planning on taking you tonight."

Oh, i don't think that will be happening, at all," Dany notes, rocking.

"Of course not," Yara sighs, and tries to bring her hands to Dany's hips, but can't quite reach, "What with me being tied to the bed and all."

"Yes, and you are going to stay there until I have decided to release you," Dany tells her, running a finger between breasts, "After all, that is the point of marriage."

"By Marian, I get it!" Yara groans in frustration, "Please."

Dany laughs, and settles down for bed, "Maybe in the morning."