As Daenerys walked through King's Landing, she was aware of a million eyes boring into her. Some were filled with anger that war had been brought back to their doorsteps, while others were grateful that the Lannisters were finally going to be overthrown. But mostly the new Queen felt fear emanating from her people, fear that the Targaryens were back.
"I will not fail them," Daenerys thought, "Not like the previous generations of my family,"
Daenerys was grateful that the townspeople, for the most part, had stayed in their homes as she passed through. If they had come out, they would have seen her eyes were red from crying. But she'd already shed all the tears she had at the time over the loss of Jorah. Daenerys knew she had not run out, and she knew when she was alone that night she would be wrought with a new wave of sadness. But until then, it was the time to think in terms as a Queen who was about to meet her enemy face to face.
Jorah had not been the only person she'd known who'd fallen. Upon learning they had secured the Red Keep, she'd also been informed that Grey Worm had died in combat with Jaime Lannister, but not before taking the Kingslayer down with him.
"I want you to send a raven to Dragonstone informing Missandei of this," Daenerys had told one of her scribes in private. "I do not wish for her to cling to a hope that he will return in a few months when he has already passed,"
War had not spared the Red Keep. Just as when she'd been attacked in Meereen, signs of battle were apparent in rooms leading to Cersei, from overturned tables to the occasional body sprawled on the floor. This continued until they'd reached the tunnels where the Unsullied had found her.
"She was trying to escape," one of the soldiers said, "As if fleeing like a rat,"
Daenerys observed at the usurper before her. Cersei appeared defiant, but Daenerys saw past thtis façade. Underneath she could tell the woman was on the verge of breaking; Daenerys had known the feeling all too well.
The new Queen clasped her hands together. "It is a shame," Daenerys said to Cersei. "In some respects I see myself in you,"
"You don't know a thing about me," Cersei sneered.
"No," Daenerys admitted, "But I know you want power. This is what I seek as well. The difference is you have no claim to the throne, as you are not of the Targaryen bloodline. I, on the other hand, do,"
"The people of Westeros hate the Targaryens," Cersei said.
"And there are others who hate the Lannisters," Daenerys replied coolly. "But you see, this is another aspect where you and I greatly differ. You desire power for the sake of control. I seek it to better the Seven Kingdoms," Daenerys narrowed her eyes. "There is a fine line between ruling with fear and love. I did not always understand that, but I see it now, just as clearly as I see you before me. I do not wish for control; I wish to free the slaves, and to bring justice where there is injustice, which is something you and your late husband King Robert failed to do,"
"You can sit on whatever throne in the world you desire," Cersei said evenly, "But it will never bring back your Jorah Mormont. Were it only that I'd sent assassins sooner to kill him before you could infect the world with offspring,"
Daenerys slapped Cersei across the face. She hadn't meant to; it wasn't right, nor was it how nobility acted. But the emotional wounds she'd suffered on the battlefield were still actively bleeding, just as the dress she was wearing still bore Jorah's blood.
"You are not to speak of my husband," Daenerys said furiously, "And you are not to even THINK of my daughter,"
Cersei gave a cruel smile, relishing the fact she'd gotten under Daenerys' skin. "So long as you call yourself a Queen, you will never be safe," Cersei said. "There will always be someone who will want you dead,"
"An unfortunate notion, but alas, you speak nothing new," Daenerys said. "All my life there have been those who wanted to me dead. Better it be behind guarded castle walls where I can make the world a better place than running aimlessly around in the desert,"
Daenerys turned toward the Unsullied. "Keep her in the dungeons," she said, "With an eye on her at all times. She will look for any means to escape this castle, but I want her alive to witness this new era,"
"Where will you be, Your Grace?" one of the Unsullied asked.
Daenerys turned to the chamber entrance. "If I am needed, I will be in the Great Hall on the Iron Throne,"