Chapter 7- The Spider
"There was me, thinking that we were such good travelling companions" came a voice form behind Tyrion as he stood, watching over the city of Meereen from one of the many paths. He felt someone come to stand beside him and knew immediatly who it was.
"You found me then?" Said Tyrion, without turning to see who it was.
"The birds not only sing in the West but in the East as well. One just needs to know how to listen" stated Varys as he looked to Tyrion. Tyrion finally turned slightly to see his old travelling companion standing beside him.
"It was getting to stuffy in that box" said Tyrion with a slight smirk.
"Surely my company made up for it though" reasoned Varys.
"Not particularly" replied Tyrion, stil smirking.
"They tell me you have already gained favour with Daenerys Targaryen" said Varys.
"She decided to let me live. So that must be a promising start at least" informed Tyrion.
"Indeed" agreed Varys, nodding ever so slightly.
"And whilst the heroes are out there somewhere, looking for her. I'm here, trying to bring order to the city that is on the brink of civil war" stated Tyrion, the smirk disappearing as he looked lost in thought. "Any advice for your shortest friend?" Ask Tyrion, almost sounding hopefuly and not his usual assured self.
""You have to learn which of your friends are not your friends and which of your enemies are your worst enemies" advised Varys.
"If only there was someone with a vast network of spies who could help me with that" muttered Tyrion.
"If only" smiled Varys, who seemed to ponder something for a moment. "Speaking of friends, i believe that i am not the only new addition to Meereen in recent times" started Varys. Tyrion turned to Varys and realisation dawned on his face.
"The two children" realised Tyrion before a little chuckle left him as he thought about the two children that had seemed to be playing like any other children only a few metres away from where himself and Aegon had been discussing his new name and the Dragon's.
"Seems your mind is still as sharp as it used to be" smiled Varys.
"What exactly have you heard?" Asked Tyrion with curiosity.
"Apart from the details of your conversation with him, next to nothing about his past except that he grew up in in Winterfell and was thought to be Ned Stark's bastard until i hear otherwise when i arrived here" replied Varys with a slight shrug.
"Nothing about what has happened to him in the last six years?" Wondered Tyrion with slight surpirse. It was unlike his friend, who had so many spies whispering in his ear, to have next to no knowledge about someone.
"Not a thing" confirmed Varys with a slight frown.
"I'm not sure what to make of that" said Tyrion.
"The only place where my spies are sparse is in the North" suppplied Varys with a slight shrug.
"He left Winterfell at around the same time I did, are you saying he's been in the North for six years?" Asked Tyrion.
"I heard the first mention of him from one of my birds around two years ago, and even that only contained the information that he was a bastard calling himself Aegon and that he grew up in Winterfell. I only heard who's bastard he actually was when i arrived here" explained Varys. Tyrion's face scrunched up in thought as he contemplated what Aegon had been up to these past years. "I know about his first meeting with Daenerys' Dragon's" stated Varys.
"From my conversation with him, no doubt" whispered Tyrion, under his breath. Varys only smiled down at him.
"The news that one of the Dragon's allowed this Aegon to properly touch him, is intruiging" pondered Varys.
"That's one word for it" replied Tyrion.
"If they accept him, and by allowing him to touch them, it seems they have. That means that the Mother of Dragon's will be sure to allow him into her counsel" said Varys.
"Even if he has decided to take the Blackfyre name" shot back Tyrion.
"The Blackfyre name isn't regarded that well, as you know. They all died fighting in rebellions and in the process killed thousands of people" nodded Varys. "But then again, The Mad King isn't regarded that well either. He died after mrdering thousand of people as well. You think that people across the Narrow Sea are going to treat his daughter any differently?" Asked Varys.
"With the right counsel and by doing the right actions, she will be able to persuade them that she is not like her Father" said Tyrion with assurence.
"Then by using the same logic, perhaps Aegon will be able to show them that House Blackfyre has changed from it's past and has a new Lord. One that stands by House Tararyen and supports them in their actions and is willing to fight alongside them on the battlefields. Having House Targryen and House Blackfyre standing side by side, not a lot of people would be stupid enough to oppose that. Not with three Dragon's standing behind them" explained Varys. Tyrion looked up to Varys with a slight smile on his face.
"Oh, i have missed you" said Tyrion.
"I know" smiled Varys in response as a calm silence settled between them, both lost in their own thoughts.
Tyrion, Varys and Missandei were all sat in the same room where they had had their first disussion with Aegon, who had remained standing along with Grey Worm. They had conveined in there to discuss the burning of the fleet that were all docked in Meereen.
"So the fleet was all burned?" Asked Varys, turning to Grey Worm for confirmation.
"We are searching for the men who did this. We have found nothing so far" answered Grey Worm with a slight shake of the head.
"Surely there is some good news lurking somehwere?" Asked Tyrion, glass in hand as he looked aorund himself to emphasise his point.
"You wont be seeing anything if you get drunk all the time" said Varys, looking at him with a frown.
"If I didn't have a cock then i would drink all the time" replied Tyrion who then glanced at Grey Worm who's steely gaze turned to him, "meaning no offence" he added swiftly.
"You drink all the time anyway" said Aegon, hands behind his back, like Grey Worm.
"That I do" agreed Tyrion with a nod of the head and a smirk in Aegon's direction.
"Astapor and Yunkai have stopped asking us for aid" said Varys.
"Perhaps you could enlighten the rest of us who are not fotrunate enough to have little brds whispering into our ears daily?" Asked Tyrion, taking a sip of his wine and not gulping it down for once.
"The Masters have retaken both cities. Outside of Meereen, Slavers Bay has returned to the Slavers" informed Varys.
"How i have missed your little birds" muttered Tyrion as he went to fill up his wine glass. "Any update on the Dragon's?" Asked Tyrion, turning to Missandei.
"Ever since they have been freed from their chains they have started to eat more but not as much as they used to" answered Missandei, glancing at Aegon.
"Looks like our little gambit paid off, for now at least" stated Tyrion, downing his glass again.
"If the Matsers ever tried to attack Meereen, do you think the Dragon's would help protect us?" Asked Varys, turning to Missandei and Grey Worm.
"I am not sure. I have never been around them when their Mother has not been with them" responded Missandei. Grey Worm nodded.
"Do you think they would help?" Asked Tyrion, directing his question at Aegon.
"If their Mother was here, yes. But she isn't so I can't say" answered Aegon with a slight shake of the head.
"Do you think Rhaegal would listen?" Probed Tyrion.
"No, Rhaegal has not been around me anywhere near long enough and just because i have some Valyrian blood in me, doesn't mean that he would just bow to my command" responded Aegon.
"What if you spent more time around him?" Continued Tyrion.
"I don't think that would be wise without their Mother there to supervise or give permission" said Aegon. Tyrion nodded in silent agreement and left the matter to be talked about on another day.
"Having said all that, i believe that we may be able to deal with the Masters without bloodshed" announced Tyrion, making his way back to where the bottle of wine was waiting for him.
"And how to do propose to do that?" Asked Varys with a slightly raised brow.
"By inviting them here to make peace" said Tyrion, turning back to them, wine in hand. They all looked at him like he had just lost his head.
"You can't be serious?" Asked Aegon, looking bewilder.
"I am" nodded Tyrion, confidence evident on his face.
"They have just reintroduced slavery, which is now making them rich, why would they consider giving it up?" Asked Aegon again, looking confused.
"Because I will offer them something better" responded Tyrion.
"Like what?" Asked Missandei with a furrowed brow.
"Compensation" said Tyrion with open arms.
"What type of compensation?" Asked Aegon.
"The type that please all Men and Women, money" responded Tyrion with a smile. Missandei and Grey Worm glanced at each other in concern.
"I will not make peace with My Queens enemies" stated Grey Worm in defiance.
"As a clever man once said, we make peace with our enemies, not with our friends" assured Tyrion.
'Which clever man was this exactly?" Asked Varys leaning forward slightly. Tyrion didn't answer and went back to drinking his wine.
"I kill The Queens enemies" added Grey Worm once Tyrion was finished drinking that particular glass.
"Yes, that's the military approach, how has that worked so far here in Meereen?" Asked Tyrion, looking at Grey Worm expectantly. Grey Worm didn't answer.
"I represent the diplomatic approach, hopefully with better results" said Tyrion.
"The Queen tried to make peace with them but they tried to murder her" protested Missandei with a fire that surprised Aegon. Aegon had, up until that moment, thought her to be kind and a little timid. He was pleased to see that she had the fire and ability to stand up others and when and if the times comes, herself if needed.
"We shall enter these negotiations with open minds. My own expeierience's have taught me how inhuman the practice is" said Tyrion.
"How long were you actually a slave?" Asked Misandei.
"Long enough to know" ssured Tyrion with a smile.
"Evidently not long enough to understand" spoke Missandei from where she was. Aegon noticed Grey Worm move a little closer to her and Aegon smiled to himself a little. She then got up and walked out the room, throwing what could be described as a glare to Tyrion with Grey Worm following close behind her. Tyrion looked at Varys and then went to follow her, Aegon assumed to try and persuade her that he was doing the right thing.
That left both Varys and Aegon they only people left in the room apart from two Unsullied soldiers either side of the door.
"Lord Blackfyre" greeted Varys, turning to Aegon with a gentle smile.
"Lord Varys" nodded Aegon.
"It occurs to me we have never met" started Varys.
"We have never had occasion to" responded Aegon with a shrug.
"Indeed, but i have not heard a lot about you, Aegon Blackfyre II" said Varys, looking Aegon over.
"Im flattered that i have managed to avoid your little birds" smiled Aegon. Varys chuckled back at him.
"A feet that few manage, i assure you" said Varys.
"At some point i would like to learn more about Rhaegar Targaryens bastard" said Varys.
"Maybe in time" reponded Aegon, cryptically.
"Indeed, maybe in time" agreed Varys with a nod.
Aegon was walking along the same pathway as himself and Tyrion had just a couple of days ago. The smell of burnt ships overwhelmed his senses at first but he got used to it. He then saw Missandei standing alone just ahead of him. Her eyes fixed on the bay below with a somber look gracing her features.
"Missandei of Naath" greeted Aegon as he came to stand beside her.
"Lord Blackfyre" nodded Missandei, turning to him and nodding with a kind smile.
"Please, just Aegon" smiled Aegon. Missandei nodded and turned back to look out over the bay. "Your uncomfortable with Tyrion's suggestion?" Asked Aegon even though he knew the answer. He could see how she felt about it due to how she was looking at the bay.
"Yes, everyone knows that they are supporting the Son's of the Harpy and yet he is going to have us sit down with them and attempt to make peace. Even after they tried to kill The Queen" answered Missandei.
"From what i have learnt from my few conversations with him, it's that Tyrion likes to talk, if anyone can reason and persuade them to stop slavery, it's him" assured Aegon.
"They can't be persuaded, they have made their entire fortunes on the slave trade and have ruined many life's in the process" argued Missandei with a frown.
"I think Tyrion understands the financial aspect but maybe not the human aspect" said Aegon. Missadnei turned to him with a slight look of surprise.
"And you do?" She asked, almost tentatively.
"Many bastards aren't treated much better than slaves. Growing up, i was one of the lucky few that was, too an extent, looked after and cared for and had food given to me on a daily basis. Many aren't so lucky, many don't even come to know who their real parents were" explained Aegon.
"The term, bastard. It seems rather derogitory" noticed Missandei.
"It's supposed to be. It's not something to really be proud of. But there was one good bit of good advice that Tyrion once gave to. And i think that it's also relevant to you as well. You were once a slave before The Queen freed you?" Asked Aegon.
"Yes, i served as an interpreter for the Masters of Astapor" confirmed Missandei with a nod.
"I used to hate it when people constantly reminded me that i was a bastard. I used to hate it that they looked down on me and despised me just because my parents weren't married. Even now, it does sometimes affect me now and again, but not like it did before. I couldn't even talk about myself being a bastard without getting filled with contempt" explained Aegon. Missandei was looking at him with her full focus. "Tyrion said something to me six years ago in Winterfell, the place i grew up. He said that the rest of the world wouldn't forget who I am, so I shouldn't either. He said that if i did that, it would soon turn form a sword that was trying to kill me, to a shield that protects me. And he was right. We haven't known each other for very long, but i could see how talk of the slave trade affected you. It brought out a fire in you and that's a good thing in may ways. I wouldn't suggest be proud of being a slave, but I don't think you should ever be ashamed of it either" adviced Aegon with a gentle smile in her direction. Missandei smiled back.
"Thank you Aegon, i shall think on your words" she nodded and turned to leave.
"You couldn't prehaps tell Grey Worm to lay of with the guards yet could ya? Their starting to drive me mad" smirked Aegon at her as she nodded and then went and walked away. Aegon watched her back. Ever since he had met her, he felt a kinship towards her. Like she was his sister that needed protecting from the danger in the world around them. But by the way that the Commander of the Unsullied was looking at her and the looks she was giving him in return, Aegon guessed that she had already found her protector. He chuckled at that thought and started to steadily make his way back to the great Pyramid of Meereen.
A/N
Hope you liked the chapter. The next chapter should be out very soon. And as for when are Aegon and Dany going to meet, it is only a couple of chapters away. The next chapter is called 'Dealings with the Devils'.
Please Review thoughts on the chapter :).
See you next time,
chaser10
