Chapter 25: Daenerys IV

Daenerys woke up early as she always did, hoping to see Rhaegal had come back from wherever he had gone. Alas, once again, he was nowhere to be found. She had naively hoped that he had left because she refused to listen to him about Daario, and now that he was dead, Rhaegal would return, but that did not actually appear to be the case based on his absence once again this morning.

She resisted the urge to cry out in frustration at his continued avoidance of her. Rhaegal had brought his siblings back to her only to leave himself. She had been so consumed by her emotions when Rhaegal had revealed to her that Goatherd had lied, and Drogon was innocent of killing Zalla.

She had climbed on Drogon's back without thinking and flown off with Viserion hot on their tail. She had wanted Goatherd to burn for his lies and had been consumed by her desire, she had never checked if Rhaegal was following them.

Rhaegal probably felt abandoned by her decision to ride on Drogon instead and now he had left her, for who knows where. She had tried to ask Drogon to find him but he was clueless or simply refused to divulge his location.

She sighed as she watched the sunset for any sign of Rhaegal coming to visit her. She loved Drogon and she was sure that he was the one she was supposed to ride but he wasn't Rhaegal. Drogon was her companion and her familiar, the one that she just felt right when seated on their back. Drogon was the one she would ride into battle and take the throne from the back of.

Rhaegal was different. He might not have been the one she was destined to ride but he was her best friend. He was the caring one who understood what she needed when she needed it. He was the one who she would hold real conversations with and had no fears sharing anything with him. He was the one who was always there for her, her closest confidant. The one person in the world she was confident she could trust to never betray her.

She had enjoyed their morning conversations just as much as she enjoyed flying on Drogon's back. He was as intelligent as any of her council and she had trusted his advice almost every time. She missed having his help ruling her kingdom. He had been her right hand while she ruled Meereen, both the authoritarian who enforced her laws, and the one who she'd consult while making them.

She giggled at the thought of how people would react if she tried to name a dragon as Hand to the Queen. He had essentially been the closest thing to that for her since he had freed himself from his chains. As funny as it might be, she obviously couldn't actually name Rhaegal as her hand. They would think her madder than her father even if he would be and already was a great one.

Oddly enough, Drogon and Viserion even had shown no understanding when she tried to communicate with him in the common tongue. He could understand a handful of Valyrian commands seemingly but nothing in the common tongue. Rhaegal had understood the common tongue only and very little Valyrian. Why did Rhaegal speak a different language? It made no sense at all to her.

Without Rhaegal here Daenerys knew that the sons of the Harpy would rise back up. Daario's execution for rape wouldn't be kept quiet and they would learn that Drogon and Viserion weren't like Rhaegal and able to detect crime and stop it in a brutal fashion. They would cause havoc once again- until Rhaegal returned. She would do her best to stop it on her own but Rhaegal had given her more help than anyone in running her city and now he was gone.

Perhaps if he had stayed, Arya Stark wouldn't have been raped by Daario. To think she had once let that pedophile and rapist share her bed. He had shared her bed the night before he had gone out and raped Arya even. It was horrifying, she had never suspected a thing, but Rhaegal had known, he always knew.

She had chosen to ignore his instincts or perhaps his knowledge of the future. Maybe he had Dragon Dreams just like Daena did. She had trusted him with her nephew, about Zalla, with her safety, with the Harpies, about the Others, and even about Theon Greyjoy when all of her council argued differently. Why had she refused to believe him about Daario? Was it her lust that blinded her? Why did she dismiss his hostilities as jealousy? He never acted that way towards Missandei or Jhiqui. Not even Tyrion did he regard with such contempt. Daario was the only one who of those whom stole their time together that he was actually antagonistic towards. In hindsight, she should have executed Daario the first day that Rhaegal had attacked him. Rhaegal always knew best and she would never doubt his judgment again.

Would her nephew hate her for letting his cousin- sister, whatever they called their relation be raped? Daenerys was sure that if their positions were reversed she would hate her. She had a family now. That would never stop being weird. She had a Targaryen nephew and his supposed sibling was currently in Meereen with her, sleeping away her injuries that had come at Daario's grubby hands.

She should have listened to Ser Barristan even and not have knighted Daario. She had been foolish and blinded by her lusts for him. She had been unaware of Westerosi culture when she made her decision and now his crimes were also her own in a way. She had been the one to trust him with such responsibility and to call him a man of honor by knighting him and now her own judgment was called into question. If she could be so wrong about her "paramour" then why should anyone ever trust her judgment? All that decision had wrought was her appearing as mad in the eyes of the people of Westeros. From a political perspective, it probably would have been better to declare Arya as the liar and arrange Daario's death in service. That's what she was certain Tyrion and Varys would have advised her to do. She had hurt herself by seeking justice above all else. All because she had ignored her advisors and knighted Daario, believing him to not be the complete scum he was.

She sighed once more. As much as she needed to confide in Rhaegal right now, receive comfort from him, she couldn't. He would reassure her that she didn't know better like he always did. He would tell her what to do with Arya, how to make up for what she had allowed Daario to do to her. That was not an option today, or possibly ever again. Rhaegal was gone and she would have to figure this out for herself.

She turned and headed back inside, leaving the balcony and any hope of Rhaegal visiting her today behind. She still had hours before she needed to attend to any petitioners today but she would do something more productive then mooning over Rhaegal's absence. She had a niece to get to know and by extension her nephew. Granted she was likely asleep at this time but she still wanted to check on her, it was her fault that she was in that position after all.

Daenerys stepped out of her chambers and past the unsullied who stood stationed outside of her chamber throughout the whole night. She nodded at them as she walked past them down the long hallway to the stairs as they had Arya situated on the ground floor for ease of access when they first brought her back here.

She descended the stairs two steps at a time, eager to get to see her new niece. She might be sleeping but it was still exciting to actually have a family of a sort there in Meereen with her. She really wanted to converse with her and if she was awake then she didn't want to waste any time since she did have a finite limit on their time together before duty called her away for the day. There had to be a chance she was awake anyway right? At the very least it was a distraction from mooning over Rhaegal and stewing in her guilt for a while.

She quickly reached the door and put her hand on the doorknob to push it open before remembering her manners and instead knocking. It only took a moment for the door to be opened by a surprisingly awake and functioning Arya. She was dressed in the same gown Daenerys had lent her yesterday to go confront Daario. She supposed it was the only thing that the girl owned right now and she wasn't comfortable appearing naked in front of anyone, she could hardly blame her.

Arya bowed when she realized who was at her door, "Your Grace," She said quietly in Valyrian, grimacing as she bowed.

Daenerys's lips twitched slightly into a frown. "Skip the pleasantries while we are alone. No need to bow if it causes you any pain. You didn't need to stand to open the door either, I'd rather not cause you any more discomfort than necessary."

Arya frowned. "I was already up. I'd rather not spend all the day lying around, it's not like the pain will go away if I curl into a ball and hide. All men must die, I'd rather not waste my limited time doing nothing."

Daenerys nodded and entered the room shutting the door behind her. She could understand that desire, she had been the exact same after a while with Drogo. Her crying and doing nothing wasn't going to change her circumstances, she would always have been in that situation unless she had been assertive about it and taken control as she had. "Please call me Daenerys," She replied pleasantly. "We are family after all."

Arya frowned slightly. "Are we? Why are you convinced that Jon is a Targaryen all of a sudden? That he is unburnt? He has the looks of a Stark, Your Grace. He is my brother. A Stark." She said adamantly

"Would you prefer to talk in the common tongue? I am quite fluent in both languages." Daenerys asked after Arya badly butchered the word unburnt.

Arya nodded but scowled. "You still haven't answered my question, Your Grace," She said petulantly in the common tongue of Westeros.

Daenerys sighed. "You'll want to sit down, the tale is not a kind one." She took a seat on the edge of the bed and Arya sat down beside her.

"Are you aware that your brother was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch?"

Arya nodded. "Yes. I hardly see how that has anything to do with him being a Targaryen." She said impatiently.

"Are you aware that he let the wildlings settle in the gift?" She pressed, ignoring Arya's impatience. This wasn't a story she wanted to rush, it could not be easy to hear that who she believed was her brother died.

Arya scowled but nodded. "I heard that while I was in Braavos"

Daenerys sighed and grabbed Arya's hand. Thankfully, she did not pull away from her. "There is no easy way to say this but your brother died. He was killed in a mutiny at Castle Black."

Arya shook and her eyes swelled up with tears. "Jon is dead?" She asked quietly, in disbelief as she pulled away from her.

Daenerys smiled and was quick to reassure her. "He died but did not stay dead."

Arya had a perplexed expression on her face at that statement but said nothing so Daenerys continued. "Prince Jon was dead for seven days but when they put him on a funeral pyre, he did not burn but instead rose again."

"How?" Arya demanded at Daenerys's rather simplified explanation. "That's not possible. All men must die. Death can not be defeated, it's the only certainty in life."

Daenerys shook her head somewhat fondly. "Prince Jon is no man, he's a Targaryen. A red priestess used foul blood magic to bring him back to life, the fire re-awoke his body." Daenerys did not miss the clenching of Arya's jaw at the mention of a red priestess or perhaps it was blood magic, she obviously had some bad experience with one of them like Daenerys herself did.

"So because Jon did not stay dead you believe that he's Lyanna and Rhaegar's son? What if it was just the blood magic that brought him back that made him unburnt?" Arya repeated Daenerys's own questions when she had heard of Jon's resurrection.

Daenerys shook her head with a small smile. "We considered that. Lord Tyrion spoke to another red priest about that very idea after we initially heard of Prince Jon's resurrection. He's not the only one to be resurrected by a red priest, but he is the only one to become unburnt after being brought back. Rhaegal also vouched for his heritage."

Arya gave a sharp intake of breath at the explanation Daenerys provided. "He's not the only one to defy death? Who else has done so?" She demanded, her eyes frantic and searching, obviously in disbelief at the concept of death not being permanent, the idea of her brother truly having died and coming back.

Daenerys frowned slightly at the line of questioning. Why was she not just happy that Jon was alive? Did it matter that he was not the only one to defy death? "I don't know, I just know that the red priestess knew of Prince Jon's resurrection before we told them and said he wasn't the first to come back. She didn't name any examples."

Arya seemed to be frustrated by the non-answer but nodded her acceptance all the same. "So where is Jon? Is he here?" She asked hopefully.

Daenerys sighed. "Jon is not in Meereen yet although I sent an envoy to bring him here if he chooses to do so. As far as I'm aware, he's still holed up in the Last Hearth waiting for the Bolton and Lannister armies to arrive for battle…" She sighed once more and forced herself to keep her face blank. "He's outnumbered three to one, and will likely die before we ever meet. There's nothing I can do to help him." She said quietly.

Arya said nothing at that but did look notably concerned at the idea. "You said that Rhaegal- your dragon, confirmed that Jon was a Targaryen? How could it know that?"

"He." She corrected gently before answering the question. "Rhaegal always has a way of knowing things that should be impossible. He understands the common tongue, as well as any human and, will give gestures in response to questions. He would hunt down criminals and execute them for their crimes in the act. He saved my life countless times over. He knew that Drogon hadn't truly killed a little girl like I had thought and took me to Drogon to apologize and explain the situation. He knew that Daario was not to be trusted and I foolishly ignored him." She sighed and looked away from Arya. "He's always been right about everything and I ignored him that once so you suffered. My hubris led to your rape."

Arya remained as stubborn as she had been the previous day before Daenerys knew who she was. "You couldn't have known who he was, you could hardly execute Daario on your dragon's hostility even if you did. I don't blame you for my rape and neither should you blame yourself." She declared resolutely. "The only one to blame is myself for being so foolish as to walk around dark alleyways, without any means to defend myself."

Daenerys forced a small smile at Arya's declaration of her innocence. "Let's just agree it's neither of our faults and put all the blame, where it lies, with Daario Naharis." It was her fault though, even if she knew Arya would never let her accept the blame.

Arya gave a small nod in consent and then they sat in companionable silence for a moment before Daenerys finally let her curiosity win out over her sense of decorum. "How did a Stark wind up here in Meereen?"

Arya looked away from Daenerys for a moment. "The same reason anyone comes to Meereen these days, I wanted to see the Dragons. As a young girl, I was always obsessed with the stories of dragons and their riders. Visenya was my hero. My entire family was lost to me when I fled Westeros. My father was executed by Joffrey, my mother and eldest brother executed at a wedding while protected by guest right." She squeezed Daenerys's hand gently likely looking for emotional support of some kind.

"Bran and Rickon had been murdered by Theon Turncloak, and Sansa was missing after the purple wedding, nowhere to be found. Jon was Lord Commander of the Night's Watch and as such not allowed to help me. I tried to go to my Aunt Lysa but she had just died as well. A Lannister soldier had just killed my traveling companion and was searching for me. There was nothing left for me in Westeros so I left and booked passage to Braavos."

"In Braavos I heard of the Dragon Queen and it sparked something inside of me that I had not felt for a long time. I felt like a child again and dreamed of Dragons once more. I had nothing in Braavos, I had nothing anywhere. The only person I wanted to see was Jon who was off-limits at the wall where no woman could go. If I had been able to, I would have given up everything and taken the black to be with him but that just wasn't possible. I needed to start over, to leave Arya Stark behind, so I sold Needle- the sword that Jon gave me before he joined the Night's Watch and that had saved my life many times in the past to afford passage to Meereen. I would live in a new world where dragons roamed and dreams still came true. Where I could be someone other than Arya Stark, a homeless girl with no family left in the world. It was an overly idealistic dream that was only bound to disappoint. That was a mistake. I was robbed my first night in the city and without a weapon to defend myself, I became homeless and defenseless. I was raped by Daario only a few days after I arrived here."

"Did my dragons live up to your expectations?" Daenerys asked curiously after another awkward lull in the conversation. Would the Starks fear her children? Would her nephew refuse his Targaryen side and shun her children? Would he be afraid of them? Arya was not Jon but she would give her a general idea of how the Starks and the Prince might think of dragons.

"No, Your-Daenerys. They surpassed them, a hundred-fold. They're the most beautiful and magnificent creatures I've ever seen." Arya responded cheerfully. "The white one is my favorite."

Daenerys smiled at that. "Would you like to meet one once you've recovered?" She offered, partly out of guilt for what Daario had done and partly her wanting her children to connect with their cousin. "I'm afraid you probably can't meet Viserion as he and Drogon are more hostile towards people other than me so it would likely have to be Rhaegal you meet. Rhaegal is very friendly and passive towards those who are good."

Arya hesitated but then nodded eagerly once more. "I would like that, Daenerys." They once again fell into a companionable silence but this time it was Arya who broke it. "I presume you didn't come here to hear about me but my brother, Jon. What is it that you would like to know?" She asked openly.

Daenerys felt slightly guilty at caring more about second-hand stories of her nephew that she would never get to meet than the girl in front of her who had been raped because of her but nodded all the same. She did want to know her nephew more than his family. "Everything." Was all Daenerys said in response.

Arya nodded. "Well then let me tell you about how Jon taught me to use a bow right under my mother's nose until I was a better marksman than him even."

Daenerys had enjoyed her conversations with Arya over the last few days immensely. She finally had a grasp on who her nephew really was. Theon had given her anecdotes about Jon's life but he had lacked an understanding of who Jon was and why he did what he did. Arya's tales made her feel like she actually knew her nephew. The passion and love with which Arya spoke of her nephew made the man in the stories come to life and Daenerys was extremely eager to finally meet her nephew if he somehow manages to survive the conflict with the Boltons and Lannister forces. He sounded like a wonderful man and one that Daenerys was proud to call family, unlike all of the family she had previously known.

Her nephew was a lot like her. He knew what was good and what was not. He understood evil even four years ago when Arya last saw him. He understood that it was wrong for Arya to be forced into being someone she didn't want to be, a Lady. He tried to give Arya the choice to be the warrior she wanted to be even when she wasn't allowed to be one and he had no real power. He still did everything he could to help her. Her nephew was not blind to the injustices of the world, he was a bastard and from what she knew from both Arya and Tyrion had a soft spot for the weak and powerless. Despite not ever being shown love by his aunt, the Lady Stark or his eldest sister he still cared for them and didn't turn hateful or against the world as most lesser men would, as Viserys had. She would be glad to have him by her side when she built the new world and he would serve well as the Warden of the North and her master of laws if he wanted the spot. And if he survived the incoming battle with the Boltons or Lannisters that was likely going on right now. He might even already be dead and she just didn't know it yet.

She had taken to conversing with Arya in the early mornings, a time that had once belonged to Rhaegal. Rhaegal had abandoned her, there was no more denying that fact. He was gone for whatever reason. Yet unlike with Drogon and Viserion, she knew that Rhaegal's motives for fleeing weren't particularly vicious. He still cared for her she knew, he had reunited her with her other children, against her protests to the contrary before he had left her. He had always planned on leaving for a time, she just didn't know where or why. She rarely understood why Rhaegal acted the way he did though so her confusion was hardly unusual. What was unusual was his leaving her, that was something he had never done for more than a day since he had freed himself from the cave and he had rescued her from the Dothraki sea.

Daenerys missed the opportunity to speak to someone as good at listening as Rhaegal was, it helped her process how she felt about things she couldn't speak aloud to any humans. Drogon was not a listener nor was Viserion. Missandei and Arya were good listeners and she enjoyed her time with both of then but there were things she couldn't voice to either of them so it stayed pent up insider her.

She needed Rhaegal back, to apologize for trusting Daario- for letting Arya be raped. She also needed to confess to someone who would not judge her that she was somewhat glad that Arya had been raped as it had brought her before her. She wouldn't have known Arya without Daario's actions and she really did not want to give up their friendship, nor the knowledge of her nephew she had gleamed in her talks with Arya. She wished that the rape wasn't how they were introduced and that Arya had never suffered that way but to herself and Rhaegal if he were here, she would admit that if this was the only way she could learn all of this about her nephew and Arya then she would let Arya suffer again. It made her feel completely awful but it was the truth, the truth she could never voice aloud to anyone ever.

Daenerys had made a mistake by trusting Daario and she would not repeat that mistake with the new captain of the Storm Crows that she was supposed to meet with any minute now. She had to keep them loyal to her with gold and nothing more. She had to be clear that just because they served her or had a position of power did not mean that their abuse of power and law-breaking would be tolerated. She had to show them that she had an iron fist and would not give them any leeway as she had with Daario, they needed to fear the consequences of angering or betraying her. She would never risk having someone she did not trust in her bed or on her council again. He would receive his orders but have no say in the decision-making process of Meereen or the seven-kingdoms. If Daario had betrayed her by raping her people then what was to say that he hadn't sold her secrets as well? Why would he stay loyal in that area? Varys probably would have informed her if the false king Tommen had information about her but what was to say that the Lannister's weren't marching North to defeat her nephew on Daario's report of his heritage. He might have been unburnt and resurrected publically

They called their new commander the Widower. An ominous name that made Daenerys more than a little bit worried about his character. His true name was Kyrven but people called the sour-faced older man the widower because he made many women a widow and was rumored to brutally rape those newly widowed women. It was incredibly important that she be firm with him and tell him that his practice of raping and killing cease or he would be burned alive. She would not repeat her mistakes with this new commander.

She had thought that the Storm Crows had been kept in check under the command of Daario Naharis and that they had followed all of her laws but if Daario had been breaking them in secret them how many many of his underlings did the same right under her nose. She had to put a stop to it, even if it meant making an example of the new commander of the Storm Crows.

"Your Grace," Missandei said gently pulling her out of her wandering thoughts. "Captain Kyrven is here to see you as you requested."

Daenerys nodded and steeled herself for what was sure to be an uncomfortable confrontation. Missandei opened the door and Captain Kyrven walked in and immediately dropped to a knee.

"Your Grace, on the behalf of the Storm Crows I offer our humblest apologies for the actions of Daario Naharis. His actions were unforgivable and he deserved his death."

Daenerys resisted the urge to roll her eyes at his theatrics that he obviously did not mean. He like Daario would swear to be good and honorable to her face before going behind her back and raping innocent children. "Forgive if I find it hard to believe that a sellsword company who has been paid to rape and pillage finds issues with their captain doing such things." She said clearly and emotionlessly.

The Widower sighed at her as he rose from his knees to address her. "You're right, we have no problem raping, murdering, raiding, or pillaging. Daario Naharis did not deserve death because he raped a girl. He deserved death because he disobeyed you, Your Grace."

Daenerys lifted an eyebrow at the Widower's explanation but did not interrupt him. "Daario Naharis deserved death because he angered our employer and endangered all of our lives and livelihoods by opposing you. I've already put all of his co-conspirators and the men who covered for him castrated and put to death and had you not already executed Naharis then I would have done so myself. As long as you continue to pay us, the Storm Crows will remain loyal and obey all of your laws."

Daenerys nodded that was the most she could expect out of dishonorable sellswords. She didn't need them to be good men or care about her people. They just needed to be loyal to her gold nothing more, and she certainly couldn't expect love to keep them loyal as she had with Daario. Still, actions spoke louder than words and she had yet to see that from the Storm Crows. Although executing Daario's accomplices was a good start at least.

"I would like to know all of the men who covered for Daario's excursions and the frequency of those excursions." She ordered calmly. He needed to prevent proof that he had done as he claimed and wasn't just giving her empty platitudes. She would not be blindsided by this despicable behavior again.

The Widower nodded. "Of course, Your Grace," He proceeded to list off a dozen names of the men that had been executed for helping to hide Daario's excursions. Some of them Daenerys recognized in passing and others she had no clue who they were. A handful of the names he mentioned had participated in some of the rapings alongside Daario Naharis.

"And the frequency? How often did Daario go and rape children? How many women did he fuck to death?" She asked sternly.

The Widower replied ever so dutifully. "Thankfully, there were only six occurrences that we were able to find any evidence of. Four of which occurred while your dragons were chained. He only went back to his habits when the green dragon left, he feared that one too much to act while it was here."

Daenerys's jaw clenched. Six women raped by the man who she had welcomed into her bed, at at least six women defiled by the one who she had knighted and presumed to call honorable. Six women who suffered as she once did because Daenerys refused to trust the judgment of Rhaegal and Ser Barristan. She would not make that mistake again, perhaps it was good to listen to the opinions of others on occasion, even when it came to her personal life. "I want those women found and brought before me, they will be paid a thousand Meereeneese honors for what they endured at the hands of my men."

"I'm afraid that's not possible, Your Grace,"

Daenerys stood from her bench and took a step towards the sellsword. "And why is that? If you are not capable of exacting justice for the crimes of your men than I will find a new sellsword captain who is." She declared with clear passion.

The Widower flushed. "That's not what I meant, Your Grace," He said quickly. "Three of the woman are according to our interrogations of those present died during the rapings of half a dozen men and they wound up fucking a corpse instead of a living person." His nose crinkled in disgust at the thought of fucking a corpse no doubt and Daenerys couldn't help but shudder at the depravity of it all. How had she never noticed that Daario was like that? "The other two women looked rather plain, light skin, dark hair, and dark eyes. There has to be at least a hundred women matching that description. If you would like I can procure two women who meet the qualifications but it's doubtful that they would truly be the ones raped."

Daenerys frowned. A part of her wanted to demand that they would still pay recompense to everyone who was raped by Daario but the pain of Zalla stung fresh. She would bankrupt Meereen even more than it already was if she tried to repay all the no-doubt imposters who would lie and claim they were raped by her men. She could not repay the woman who suffered because of her besides Arya as much as it pained her to let them suffer. She was helpless in this regard.

"Captain Kyrven, I trust that no more of this behavior will persist, if it does all of the Storm Crows will suffer not just the guilty ones. You must stomp this disobedience out."

The Widower nodded. "I understand completely, Your Grace, and vow to do as you command."

Daenerys nodded. "You will not have a place on my council, you will receive your orders from the command of my unsullied, Grey Worm and you are to obey him as if I myself had commanded you. Understood?"

If he had any displeasure at being told to follow a former slave he did not show it. He nodded once more at her words. "Yes, Your Grace. I assure you the Storm Crows will cause you no more troubles.

"See to it then." She said in dismissal and the Widower bowed once more before leaving her presence.

"You wanted to see me, Your Grace?" Tyrion asked as he entered Daenerys's solar.

She nodded. "Take a seat, Lord Tyrion." He did as bidded and she poured them both a glass of wine.

"The incident with Daario has forced me to realize that I am unaware of many of the traditions, gods, and the culture of the Seven Kingdoms. Ser Barristan tells me that Daario's actions will put me in a negative light in the eyes of the inhabitants of my kingdom. That the crimes will be counted as my own in the eyes of the Westerosi Lords."

"You are the one who 'knows things' so tell me all about the traditions and practices of all of my Kingdoms so I can not make such a colossal blunder of that magnitude again."

Tyrion took a sip of his wine. "The unfortunate incident involving Daario is not actually that big of a blunder. The North holds little esteem for the concept of knighthood and will not care if Daario was knighted when he raped Arya Stark or if he was just under your employ as a sellsword. The decision to knight Daario while perhaps foolish and after his actions towards a noble lady of Westeros would earn you plenty of hate if they knew of it- especially in the Stormlands, and the Vale they do not need to do so. What will do more damage is the decision to bed a sellsword you were not married too and that news will be impossible to contain as those rumors have already spread across the Narrow Sea."

Daenerys's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "How do you plan to keep Daario's actions secret? Or my decision to knight him? People will talk."

Tyrion smiled and looked entirely too smug. "Your decision to knight Daario was done in front of only Jorah, Missandei, Daario, and I. The Storm Crows and your council knew of it, but if you swear your council to silence on the matter and leave the Storm Crows here to protect Meereen when you return to Westeros then it's unlikely that the news gets out. Anyone who does hear a rumor about this knighting of Daario you can dismiss it as Daario being over-presumptuous and giving himself a title he had not earned. More so, the fact that you were the one to knight Daario Naharis before your coronation as Queen of the Seven Kingdoms means that according to the faith of the seven, and their tradition of knighthood, you do not actually have the power to knight anyone as only a King or a knight is able to knight one in the eyes of the seven and you are neither yet… in their eyes at least." He hastily added at her glare.

Daenerys frowned at his explanation. Leaving the Storm Crows here in Meereen made perfect sense and was a decision she should have always planned on making. They would protect the city as long as she gave them gold and unless she planned on burning all of the rest of the Bay of Dragons into ashes before she left, someone had to protect Meereen in her absence. She would feel safer without the sellsword company at her back although losing two-thousand men would make conquering Westeros harder than it already was.

"You said that my bedding a sellsword would incite more disgust than his actions towards Arya, how?"

Tyrion sighed. "Westeros is not like Essos, they are a bit more uh prudish. They will blame you for the actions of Daario to an extent, but this is entirely your own actions and you will and likely already are being lambasted for it." He explained calmly. "Westeros is a bit less progressive on their views of women. Here in Essos, women are either slaves or free. They are sold into marriages yes but their view on them is much more like those of the Dornish. They marry for politics with a paramour on the side. The rest of the Seven Kingdoms are much more strict."

"Marriages are always arranged and a woman who is caught with a man they are not married to will be punished severely. If a noble-born woman lays with a man they are not married to, that man will often be sent to the wall even if the female consents. Your choice of a spouse will be extremely important in how you are perceived, by bedding Daario you will be called the Whore Queen by many of the Westerosi Lords. They will look down on you for bedding a foreigner and one without any honor even."

"I can not undo what I have done with Daario," Daenerys said interrupting him. "I understand that it was a mistake to sleep with Daario but we need to move past this, not focus on the past. If we can not cover up that I was bedding Daario then how should I approach the Lords to get them to accept my mistakes and move past it?"

Tyrion winced at her question and seemed to shrink down into his chair. "You could arrange a marriage for yourself," He said quietly, his voice squeaking at his suggestion.

Daenerys scowled. "Absolutely not," She declared. "I aim to break the wheel, to end arranged marriages and the taking away of women's rights. I aim to end slavery and I will not force anyone into a marriage. I am not a slave." The idea of it was absurd, she was a dragon, not a slave. She should take the dwarfs head for suggesting such a horrid idea even if it was at her prompting.

Tyrion held up his hands defensively. "You asked how you get them to accept that you slept with Daario and how to get them to not call you the 'Whore Queen'. This is how. You would, of course, choose your own partner among the suitable candidates and they would only serve as King Consort. That would show the Lords of Westeros that you are willing to respect their culture and would gain you an army to help take the throne. Stopping the wheel wouldn't break and that's what you would be doing by refusing to play the game. The moment that you showed weakness the wheel would come back in full force and you would be trampled by it. If not you than your successor. You can't win the game by cheating and not playing by the rules. You have to play the game by the rules and you have to win to break the wheel. Let them think that you are allowing the wheel to spin and don't let them realize that the wheel will break until it is already broken. You have to work with the Lords of Westeros to do this."

Daenerys's first instinct was to deny that idea outright but perhaps an arranged marriage was best for her at this point. Her first two husbands had been far from perfect but they had been better than Daario who had been her choice. Her judgment at choosing her partner had proven extremely suspect. She would choose among Tyrion's candidates if she wanted to marry any of them but she would at least consider looking down that avenue. Maybe her stubbornness to be different and not abide by the rules of society was only going to doom her in the end. She had chosen to break the wheel by being with Daario and that had ended in a complete disaster of nightmarish proportions. She had broken the wheel when she took Astapor and Yunkai and those cities were worse off than ever before. Even her breaking the wheel in Meereen had led to their financial ruin. She wouldn't apologize for freeing slaves, she would always do that but perhaps there was a better way to do this. Maybe Tyrion was right and she had to use the wheel to break it. Diplomacy was a necessity, as was compromise apparently. "Who are these suitable candidates? I will consider this option if I find any of them acceptable."

Tyrion beamed slightly at her not rebuking his controversial idea. "The most obvious candidate would be your own nephew, Prince Jon if he somehow manages to survive long enough. He'd likely get the North to rally behind you and if Rhaegal is to be believed, he is trustworthy. From what I've seen of him, he's a good man who will respect your authority. Of course, it's possible that he bends the knee without marriage due to your familial connection, and in that case, you would be better off choosing someone else that you need the marriage offer and the position of King Consort to entice to fight for you."

Daenerys nodded. Jon would be a fine choice if he manages to survive long enough to actually marry her. He was good, she knew that from Arya's tales as well as those from Tyrion and Theon even. He was her family and they did belong together in some capacity as all Targaryens do. The only issue was it would mean that the Targaryen line would end with her, unless her nephew sired some bastards for them both which from what she knew of Arya's tales about her brother's sense of honor was extremely unlikely. Still, she could force him to do so. "Go on," She prompted Tyrion.

Tyrion frowned and took a long drink. "The rest of the Kingdoms are a bit more complicated to find the perfect suitor for. Trystane Martell just married Myrcella Baratheon so it's unlikely Dorne would break that alliance to form one with you, in spite of your shared kin, especially if you plan on allying with your nephew; the son of the Northern whore. Not impossible, since you would be able to offer Quentyn Martell the position of King Consort whereas Myrcella is just a backup for if Tommen were to die, but it's not an easy path forward, or one free of strife. The same is true to an even greater extent of the Tyrells in the reach with Margaery Tyrell married to the King. Perhaps the Tarly boy could be persuaded but that would only get you a portion of the Reach's forces and you could probably get the same might by offering to make the Tarlys the Lords of Highgarden if they back your claim. The same would hold true for the Daynes, Blackwoods, Royces, and Cafferton's. Marriage won't gain you any more men then offering them a spot as Lord Paramount."

"The Westerlands are held by my brother now so that's out for obvious reasons. The Stormlands and Crownlands are also held by Tommen, so again not a practical option. The Iron Islands we already have as much of them as we'll get and the Freys hold the majority of the Riverlands now but with how universally hated they are in Westeros right now, it would be incredibly foolish to marry one and would turn all of Westeros, most notably including your nephew against you. The Vale might be the next best choice but Lord Robyn was still drinking milk from his mother's tit when I last saw him three years ago, he's extremely frail and weak-willed. Littlefinger is his regent for the time being but there's no one in all the Seven Kingdoms who I trust less, so I'd advise looking elsewhere. Ramsay Bolton might be a candidate in theory if he wins his war but considering his cruelty that Varys and Theon have testified of that would not be wise. Prince Jon might be your only real option. Perhaps a Baratheon bastard, if you can find one, once legitimized would win you the Stormlands. I'll look into more on other more minority candidates but our options are extremely limited right now. If I am honest this is far from the ideal time for a conquest, Westeros is mostly united under Tommen's banner right now."

"I will take what you said into consideration," Daenerys replied after a moment of pause. Her nephew was her first choice anyways if she did choose to go down that route. If he survived, of course. "Now Lord Tyrion tell me about all of the quirks and culture of the Seven Kingdoms and what I will need to do to assimilate myself with them." She ordered.

Tyrion set his now empty wineglass back on the table. "There are Seven Kingdoms, Your Grace, all of them have their own cultures. Which would you like to hear about first?"

Daenerys didn't need to think it over, there was only one that was currently relevant to her and one she knew some about from her conversations with Arya. "The North."

"So Jon-" Arya snorted, giggling at the story she had been retelling. "So Jon lied and told my mother that he hadn't seen me. My mother looked around the room, not believing him and didn't find me so she left to go check the stables."

"Where were you hiding?" Missandei asked curiously.

She had already told them that she was in the room after fleeing from her rude sister and her callous insults. How she had put Arya down for a laugh. Arya had come to Jon in tears and her mother had only wanted to drag her back to her sowing lessons, not worried about her feelings but just the etiquette. "I was hiding right beyond Jon the entire time, perfectly still and every time my mother moved, Jon would shift his position so he obstructed her view again."

Daenerys smiled and let out a light laugh. It was a sweet story with no deeper meaning or hidden morals, just a tale of a real sibling bond between her nephew and Arya. A nephew that was caring for those hurt but not a complete pushover. He didn't hide Arya when she bailed on her lessons because she didn't want to attend but he did when she had a legitimate gripe and had worked with her on her archery when she was forbidden from it by her mother because she was a girl. She was supposed to be a Lady of some castle, forcibly married off to some Lord and to stay at home and knit. To be a trophy wife.

Jon despite his humble upbringing and bastard status, or perhaps because of it he seemed to know what was right and wrong in the world. He seemed to understand that the wheel needed to be broken. He didn't appear to be mad like her father had been, nor was he like Viserys. Everything she heard had indicated that he would be like his father Rhaegar, not her other family members. He almost sounded like Rhaegal with how he would risk himself to protect the innocent, he had literally died to save lives and he had a heart for the weak and powerless. He cared about the happiness of those he cared about even more than his own well being.

Arya was quickly becoming a confidant she enjoyed spending time with. Most of their conversations were still centered around Jon but she didn't only speak with Arya to hear about him anymore. The stories were becoming less about getting to know her nephew and more conversing with her friend. She wondered if their relationship would remain intact when they learned of Jon's almost certain death after he had foolishly tried to proclaim himself a King to the entire North.

A part of Daenerys was upset that he had done that, she was Queen. He was just a prince. Yet, he didn't know her, he didn't know that she was good. He thought that the only choices were Tommen Baratheon or him. He didn't know that she had dragons and wanted him on her side. He would have bent the knee as Rhaegal claimed if he only lived long enough to do so. He was probably dead by now, they were just waiting for the news to arrive.

There was a knock on the door. "Your Grace," Ser Barristan called from outside. "Varys claims he has urgent news from Westeros and is requesting that you call an emergency council meeting."

Daenerys closed her eyes and sighed. Speak of the pale mare and it'll manifest.

"Is it about Jon?" Arya asked quietly of Daenerys, grabbing at her hand.

Daenerys frowned. "Probably. Let us find out." She spoke louder now so Ser Barristan could hear. "I'll call the meeting. Only invite those who will be returning with me to Westeros are invited. None of the sellswords or Meereenese council." She paused and then added another thing. "Don't invite the Greyjoys either." She didn't want Theon Turncloak as Arya called him to be with her when she learned of her nephew- Jon's death. Again, perhaps he would come back again. That meant that Yara couldn't be there either since she would tell Turncloak and Daenerys wasn't a fool enough to blindly trust her in such an emotional state.

"I will do as you have asked, Your Grace" Ser Barristan vowed.

Daenerys rose from her armchair and Missandei did the same. She gestured for Arya to rise as well.

"I'm not on your council," Arya protested, an empty protest that she used to try to hide her happiness at being allowed to hear the news of Jon first hand. She had refused to believe that Jon was going to die, too afraid of losing her favorite sibling once again. She thought that Jon could win, he always had- Arya had claimed.

Daenerys knew that Arya would be even more crushed than she was by Jon's death. She would be cruel to make Arya wait in order to hear the news second hand. "He's your brother. You should be there to hear the report of his battle first hand. If the news pertains to something else then I'll dismiss you from the session."

But really what else would spark a council meeting so urgent? The death of the mother of the false King, Cersei of House Lannister hadn't been noteworthy enough. The only time Varys had considered anything so urgent was when he had found out that Jon was Prince in the first place. Everything else, he had thought could wait until the next scheduled meeting.

The three of them headed towards the solar, in silence. All of them for their own reasons. They took their seats and watched in silence as the rest of them arrived, Varys was the final one to show up.

"Why have you called this meeting, Lord Varys?" Daenerys asked with trepidation and some fear.

"I have news from the North, Your Grace." He responded with some eager glee. Was he happy that her nephew was dead? Why would he be? Did she dare hope that he had won? "Prince Jon has defeated both the Lannister and Bolton armies with the rest of the Northern men bending the knee to him."

Daenerys could hardly believe it. She knew that he was Targaryen and they always did the impossible but this wasn't one man doing the impossible but apparently an entire army. Was Varys truly correct? Could she still have a family? Could her house live on beyond her? She glanced over at Arya who looked entirely too smug and mouthed I told you so at her. Daenerys smiled, her nephew was alive and soon they would be together. She hoped so at least.

"How!?" Tyrion demanded in disbelief. "How could an army of a mere two-thousand men defeat one that you told us was eight-thousand men. I know that Prince Jon is a good military commander but that is beyond reasonable."

Ser Barristan nodded. "Clearly we and likely his enemies as well underestimated the Wildlings battle prowess. Perhaps they used some previously unforeseen wildling tactic to win the battle."

Varys tutted. "Prince Jon did not use his Wildlings or even his northern men in the battle." He looked towards Daenerys. "He had a dragon."

"Rhaegal," Daenerys whispered to herself quietly. That was why he had left, he had abandoned her in favor of her nephew. He had betrayed her for her nephew after assuring her that he wouldn't do that. She had thought that Rhaegal was the only person she could trust to stay by her side. She should have known that he was planning to usurp her with her nephew the entire time. He had sworn to her that her nephew would bend the knee so she would acknowledge him and allow him to live.

No, she couldn't allow herself to doubt Rhaegal. He had saved her life multiple times now, he had enforced order in her city even before they knew her nephew existed. He had spent so much time by her side, comforting her. He had even revealed Goatherd's lie for what it was and brought her wayward sons home before leaving.

"Where on earth did Prince Jon get a dragon," Tyrion asked rhetorically, not really expecting an answer.

"My source says that Prince Jon claims Queen Daenerys sent it to him," Varys said after only a moment of pause.

"Rhaegal went to Prince Jon on my orders, to protect him and destroy our enemies," Daenerys said half-honestly, confirming what her nephew had said. She had confessed to Rhaegal that she wished she could do something to help Jon, he clearly had taken the initiative she had lacked. Perhaps Prince Jon was his rider but he was still her dragon first, he wouldn't betray her for her nephew.

Varys shook his head, somehow knowing that she was not being entirely honest. "There is no easy way to say this, Your Grace, but Prince Jon declared himself the King of the Seven Kingdoms. He burnt the Boltons alive and decimated their army before making them all bend the knee and swear fealty to Houses Stark and Targaryen to retain their lives. They proclaimed him as the King in the North."

"So he our enemy? Greyworm asked. "He try to steal my Queen's throne. We destroy him."

"Jon wouldn't do that," Arya protested. "When he hears of how good Daenerys is, and that she saved me, he'll step aside and bend the knee."

Daenerys did her best to retain control of the situation. Rhaegal would never side with this Prince against her. He would learn the hard way if he tried to stand against her. He might have a Kingdom now but she was still the one with three dragons. She didn't want to kill her only relative and be branded a kinslayer but she would force him to return to the wall if need be, even if it might break her heart.

"He is a King, he will be my King Consort." Another half-truth. She had considered him as a possible choice; the only choice even according to Tyrion. She would even name him as her hand as well if that's what was required. Regardless, of how he might have won his battle, this was the logical outcome. He would accept the position of power she was offering him, even if it was still beneath her or he would refuse- fight her and be sent to the wall when her dragons decimated his army.

"And Jamie?" Tyrion asked quietly. "What did Prince Jon do with him? Is he…"

Varys shook his head. "He surrendered. King Jon took him a captive after the battle. The Lannister army was largely unaffected by the King's attack. Rhaegal specifically targeted Lord Bolton and his son. He's kept Lord Jamie as a hostage and is sending the entirety of the Westerlands army to the wall."

That would take some getting used to. Hearing someone being called a King to her face. She had refused to acknowledge the usurper as a King but she had no choice but to call her nephew a King. She had needed to retain control of things, she needed to know Rhaegal hadn't betrayed her. She would make him King Consort, which had to be what he had meant by calling himself, King. He just didn't mention her because the Northern Lords had a grudge against their family and his Stark side appealed to them more, that had to be his reasoning. He'd reveal her true position and his beneath her after he had their fealty. Rhaegal wouldn't have stayed with him if he had any other intent.

"Your Grace, I have a rather preposterous theory but I ask that you hear me out," Tyrion spoke up, abruptly changing the subject from the Kingslayer brother of his.

"Go on," She conceded.

"I've been reading up on Northern mythology as you've asked in search of a method to defeat the Others. I've found very little in that pursuit but there is one myth that I think might have some relevance." He refilled his wine before continuing.

"There is a tale told in the North of men who could slip into the skin of beasts. Wear their skin as their own and control the animal as if they were them. The Mormonts became bears, the Hornwords were moose, and the Starks became dire wolves in legend. They said that they were bonded in both soul and mind. Whichever one died first, their spirit would join the other in their body."

Tyrion took a long drink of his wine. "I'm not usually one to believe in myths or magic but perhaps I should be. The Red Priestesses saw Prince Jon's resurrection in their flames and another one brought him back from the dead. The Others are apparently real and mobilizing beyond the wall. Dragons have returned to the World and both our Queen and Prince Jon are unharmed by the flames. Why should wargs be the exception?"

"Prince Jon had tamed a direwolf as had the rest of the Stark children, just as the wargs did in legend. I made the young Prince mad on our journey to the wall when I revealed the kind of men that were there to him and his wolf somehow knew that he was upset and came out of nowhere to attack me- as if connected to his emotions like wargs were. The Starks have their direwolves, and the Targaryens have their dragons. I believe that Prince Jon is a warg of a dragon, Rhaegal to be precise."

"A dragon is not a slave!" Daenerys spat back, offended by the suggestion. Rhaegal wasn't being controlled by Jon. He was a dragon, not a slave. The idea of her nephew being her favorite dragon was impossible. He was her dragon, not a puppet, Jon had no say in her governing of Meereen. That was Rhaegal whose human-like intelligence had been her advisor, not Jon. "Rhaegal is not one to be controlled by the whims of any mortal man."

"That's not how wargs work," Arya spoke up. All eyes turned towards her. "They aren't a myth, at least I don't think so anyway. I used to dream I was my direwolf, I would see through her eyes and share thoughts. When Joffrey had his sword on my friend, she knew I wanted him to stop and attacked him as if drawn by my distress."

Tyrion smirked. "Aha!" He proclaimed triumphantly. "Your Grace, Rhaegal escaped from his cage and started acting differently, as if captivity had changed him. When you returned he hunted the Harpies, knowing who to target. Then he started acting more like a dragon during the day. He knew that Prince Jon was who he claimed to be and that the Others were real. He attacked Theon Greyjoy, surely you don't think it's a coincidence that he was so connected to Prince Jon? We've all remarked on his human intelligence on multiple occasions. I'm sure Varys could corroborate the timelines, that Prince Jon's spontaneous death and resurrection line up perfectly with the changes wrought in Rhaegal."

Varys chuckled. "I can do more than that, I can confirm with absolute certainty that King Jon is indeed a warg of Rhaegal. I confronted Rhaegal one morning, called him Prince Jon and he flinched at the form of address. I gave him intel about the Whitehills plan to betray him and he acted on it, executing the current Lord and denying them axis to his keep. I wanted to tell you, Your Grace, but I didn't want to risk the news getting out and causing both the King and Rhaegal's death. I planned on telling you, in private, after this meeting."

Daenerys closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "This session is dismissed. Leave me." She said quietly.

No one stirred at her order. "I said get out!" She shrieked as the anger she felt towards her bastard nephew enslaving Rhaegal bled through. This time they all quickly fled with Ser Barristan being the last one to leave.

Daenerys was a fool. Why had she expected that her bastard nephew would be any different than all the previous Targaryen bastards? Why had she ever believed that there could be a bastard with a heart of gold? The seven were right, bastard truly were evil abominations. The Blackfyre rebellions made it clear that he was not to be trusted but she had allowed herself to trust Rhaegal's judgment. Rhaegal had been the puppet of her bastard nephew the entire time.

A slave, she called herself the breaker of chains yet here she was with her own child enslaved. Her nephews was making a mockery of her and her titles. The breaker of the chains was a lie, the unburnt was one he also shared with her. He claimed himself as King of Westeros, another one of her titles that he stole from her. He would take everything from her, if he could steal Rhaegal why wouldn't he steal her other children as well? Why wouldn't he use her dragons to steal Meereen from her even?

She had been a fool to believe him like Rhaegar and her. He was clearly her father's child; as mad as any Targaryen that had come before him. His madness only outmatched by his cruelty and lack of care for her children. He was exactly like Viseerys, they were only just a means to get him her throne, nothing more.

She had trusted Rhaegal's judgment in everything. He had told her that her nephew would bend the knee and she had listened to him. He had told her that the Others were real and she believed him. He had told her to kill Theon Turncloak and she had listened to him even if not exactly how he might have wanted. Rhaegal had just been a puppet to her nephew, controlling his actions and bending him to his will. She had even been his puppet herself.

She would have to free Rhaegal but she was clueless as to how. If Tyrion was correct and the bastard's spirit had joined Rhaegal in death than how could she free her dragon? How did she force him out of Rhaegal's mind? How did she stop him from stealing more dragons from her? She wouldn't kill Rhaegal to get rid of the bastard's presence but she wouldn't let her nephew stick around after he was killed in the form of her dragon.

There was a scuffling noise in the corner and Daenerys's head immediately perked up, her queenly facade back in place. Standing in that corner was Arya, the cousin of her bastard nephew and one of the many who had tried to convince her that the bastard was to be trusted.

The one who Daario had claimed was trying to set him up for raping her. The one who claimed that she hadn't seen the bastard in three years and had coincidentally shown up on her doorstep right after Rhaegal had left. The bastard as Rhaegal had attacked Daario to set up the situation with Arya where she would believe that Daario was guilty of the accusations she leveled against him. How many of her decisions had just been the bastard exercising his will through her? She would have to reverse much of what she had done in the last few months to remove the bastards taint from her Kingdom.

"I told you to leave," Daenerys said sternly as she glared at Arya.

"You did," Arya acknowledged. "I left as you ordered but you didn't say not to come back so here I am."

Daenerys couldn't stop her lips from twitching slightly at that remark but she quickly squashed it down. "I'm not in the mood for these games right now, Lady Stark. Leave now or I will have you forcibly removed from my sight and tossed in a cell."

"You're being quite stupid, Daenerys," Arya said as blunt as ever. She took a few steps closer to her from the corner she was in.

"I'm being stupid? The only stupid thing I've done was trust you. Was Daario right? Tell me, Lady Stark, did my nephew fake your rape in order to make me kill my sellsword captain?" She asked quietly.

Arya flinched back as if slapped and Daenerys couldn't help but feel more than slightly guilty about using that against her. Of course, she hadn't intentionally arranged her own rape, no woman would ever do that. Her nephew might have no problem enslaving her dragon and even if he was cruel enough to let someone do that to his sister; there is no way Arya would have consented.

"Yes, you're being stupid, Daenerys. If Jon is Rhaegal as they claim then this is nothing but a good thing." Arya declared, undeterred by Daenerys's hostility.

"How is it a good thing that my nephew has enslaved my dragon? How is it a good thing that he wants to steal my throne, to take everything from me?" She demanded angrily.

Arya took a seat at the table, a few chairs down. "If Jon had truly enslaved Rhaegal and was using you to steal your throne then he would have killed you already. If he only saw you as a threat to eliminate then he would have attacked you as Rhaegal long ago."

"Rhaegal wouldn't let him." Daenerys snapped out.

Arya smirked at her. "Then he clearly isn't a slave to Jon, is he. Clearly, Rhaegal still retains at least partial control over their actions or Jon isn't out to steal everything from you."

What was Daenerys to say to that? That Rhaegal could only stop him from that one thing? That Rhaegal only cared about her life and not her happiness? Was she supposed to go back to naively believing that her nephew- that Jon was good? Did she assume that Varys and Tyrion were wrong and Jon wasn't Rhaegal?

Arya sighed. "I've never met Rhaegal but surely you can look at his actions and see reason- see that Jon doesn't mean you any harm. You said Rhaegal hunted down criminals in your streets, that he saved your life. You told me that he showed you the innocence of Drogon when you accused him of killing a small girl. If Jon was the selfish and manipulative bastard that you seem to think he is, then why would he do any of those things? If he didn't care about you then why wouldn't he have called Rhaegal to him the moment he had awoken, why would he wait until the last moment to call his dragon?"

Daenerys hated how much sense Arya was making. It was so much easier to believe that Jon was evil and had enslaved Rhaegal, than to accept that Rhaegal had betrayed her. That he had willingly sided with her nephew and had lied about who he was to her.

"He clearly cares about you, as much as I've ever seen him care about anyone. He attacked Daario because he was jealous of his place in your bed. He waited to summon Rhaegal because he didn't want to leave you alone. He made sure the other dragons returned before he left because he wanted you to be safe. He wouldn't have spent hours talking to you each day if he didn't. Jon never spends hours talking to anyone, even me."

Daenerys agreed with Arya in a way but she couldn't accept it. He had still betrayed her. "If he cared so much then why didn't he say anything? Why not tell me who he was instead of lying about it?"

Arya snorted and Daenerys glared at her. "How would he have told you? As far as I'm aware, dragons can't speak in any language you could understand. What else was he to do? Write it down? He's a dragon whose claws are as thick as your arm, if he even could control them well enough, writing it down would take an absurd amount of space and wouldn't be easily undone so others would see it. Jon clearly does not want everyone to know he is Rhaegal. He wouldn't send a letter explaining things either since that could far too easily be intercepted. The North is a long journey away from Meereen."

"He promised me he would bend the knee," Daenerys protested half-heartedly. She understood just fine that she was being unreasonable by trying to stay mad at Jon- Rhaegal whichever one he was- both maybe but she needed to cling to that. She wanted to be angry with him, it would stop her from choosing her family over what the world needed. She had to break the wheel and that meant not bending the knee to him. He couldn't be King and if he tried to make himself one then she would be forced to destroy him.

"And he will," Arya replied with absolute certainty.

"How can you know that?" Daenerys asked voicing her fears aloud. "He's proclaimed himself as King of the Seven Kingdoms. Of my Kingdoms. That does not sound like a man willing to kneel."

Arya smiled. "Maybe a year before he was sent to the wall and had to take the black; Jon and I shared our deepest and most terrible desires with each other. We never planned on acting on them, they were just dreams that we imagined could be possible one day. Mine was to run away from all my responsibility, abandon my family and explore the world as a badass warrior who discovered something new, that changed the world."

Daenerys smiled at that. "And Jon?"

Arya sighed. "Jon's deepest and most terrible want was not to be King, or even the Lord of Winterfell. His dream was to be one Robb's bannermen; to hold a small keep of his own and for his siblings to respect him- for Sansa and my mother to not hate him for even existing. He wanted respect and to be seen as more than just a bastard, that was all. He never dreamed of claiming power; he didn't want power. He was ashamed to even want that little thing, he was a bastard, he had no right to any lands or titles. Jon wants family more than anything else. Even when Sansa was cruel to him, he still cared for her and was kind to her because they shared the blood of the Starks. You're not a Stark but you're still his family- our family. He cares for you far too much to try to take something so important to you away. That's not who he is."

"Then why proclaim himself as King if he has no desire for power and only wants family?" Daenerys wondered aloud.

Arya shrugged. "He wants to do what he can to help you, if proclaiming himself as King gets the North to kneel to you than he would do it. Seemingly, it has. He obviously does want to be your King Consort, and he can give you the North by doing so. Perhaps if he thought you were just the Mad King's daughter and had never met you he would want your throne but that's not the case. If he is Rhaegal, then he knows that you are a good Queen and will gladly step aside."

"What if you're wrong? What if he's changed since you've last seen him? What if he does plan to usurp me? What if he wants to steal my throne and has just been using me? If I trust that these are his intentions and they are not then I could lose my kingdom. I have to assume he has the wrong intentions." Daenerys declared resolutely.

"I'm not wrong," Arya said with a grin. "Besides, even if I was wrong you have all the leverage here. He very clearly does not want you dead, in fact, he clearly wants you as his wife in all likelihood. Even if Jon was controlling Rhaegal and could make him fight you, Jon wouldn't cause a second dance of the dragons just to be King. He's not that selfish. If I'm somehow wrong about all of that, then you have me as a hostage to leverage against him. He'll kneel, likely by choice, and if needed by force; that outcome is inevitable.

"Why would you side with me instead of your brother?" Daenerys asked suspiciously.

"I'm not. I'm siding with both of you, it'll never come to the point where you need to leverage me because Jon isn't like that. He cares too much for you to fight you and is too selfless to not do whatever stops a war. If he has changed into some power-hungry monster who doesn't care about innocents than I would choose you over him. Just like if the reverse happened, I would choose him over you. That's purely hypothetical since neither of you are like that, nor will you ever be that way. He gave you credit for Rhaegal coming to aid him in the battle. If he planned to usurp you, he wouldn't publicly make himself indebted to you. He did that because he wants the North to know that you're a good Queen, unlike your father. He cares about you."

Daenerys sighed perhaps she was reading too much into all of this, perhaps he truly did only have the best of intentions. He had named himself as her King Consort without her consent, trying to take away her choice but that was forgivable. He had only meant the best she knew now. Tyrion had made it abundantly clear to her that the North would have an easier time rallying behind Jon than her and had even suggested a match with Jon to gain her the North. Had he survived she would have likely married her nephew anyway, it would have been her decision to do so. He had been over-presumptive and made the decision for her but it wasn't a decision she didn't want.

He had already bent the knee to her as Rhaegal hadn't he? He had told her that her nephew would kneel and if he was her nephew then that meant that Jon had knelt right? He would have to do it publicly to makes it clear to all of his people that she was Queen and he was just King Consort but it would be done. Rhaegal had promised her that and she didn't think Rhaegal had ever lied to her.

Arya was right about how illogical his behavior would have been if the plan was always to usurp her or if Rhaegal was truly a slave as she had originally feared. Arya was right about Jon caring about her, that much was abundantly clear to her. He had from their first meeting, saved her life from the Dothraki. He had burned the horse for her, he had taken her to get cleaned up, and hunted down a rabbit for her, even nicely cooking it to a standard she might have had from a low-quality human cooked meal.

How many times had she thought Rhaegal was human-like and been happy for it? How many times had she wished that he could talk back to her? Apparently he could, if Arya was correct then he was both Rhaegal and Jon. She had a nephew who was her dragon and her soon to be husband. As Arya said this didn't have to be a bad thing. This was good news, it meant that her nephew was who he claimed to be, that he loved her, and that she liked everything she had ever heard from him. He wasn't making her give up on breaking the wheel, he would do it with her as Rhaegal had claimed.

She would be marrying Rhaegal, the thought sounded completely absurd. She chuckled. Had she not told Rhaegal only a few months prior that he couldn't be her mate because he wasn't a human? Apparently, the joke was on her the entire time and he was one.

He had only attacked Daario because he was jealous and wanted her for himself. Not because he knew what Daario was like, or what he would do to Arya. He was just jealous and she had been right to treat it as just jealousy and nothing more. That was a relief, she was not the only one responsible for Arya's attack. Rhaegal had not known what he would do either or else he would have killed him regardless of her wishes. Jon probably wouldn't blame her for Daaario's actions- hopefully.

Her nephew was not her enemy but her greatest ally who had already secured a Kingdom for her. He had given her credit for his actions, Arya was right, that made no sense if he didn't plan on bending the knee. She hadn't lost her dragon or been betrayed by her nephew. She had just become closer to them both and gained a husband who actually cared about her and not the power she gave them or her womb like the other two had. Even Daario had only cared about her body but Rhaegal had seen her at her worst and stuck with her. Jon had protected her- even first met her when she was hideous and caked in dirt. He was different than the others.

He like her knew what was wrong in the world and she would name him her hand and King Consort, he had already done more for her rule than any of her advisors. He could be trusted, he had to be after how much he had seen of her and learned from her. Arya was right if he was planning a move against her than he would have already killed her. He had to be loyal, just like Rhaegal was because in a way he was Rhaegal.

"Tell me, Arya, is my husband to be comely at least?" She asked with a mischievous grin.

Arya laughed in response, clearly pleased with her decision to accept Jon as her King Consort.

The Widower doesn't have a cannon name in spite of being Daario's second in command but I can't see Daenerys ever referring to anyone by such a moniker verbally so I made something up.

The thing with Daario was a wakeup call to his ignorance of Westerosi culture, and how she needs to be prepared for compromising with the Lords just like she had to in some ways with the Harpies. Ultimately, the decision to knight him is whatever due to how it's not at all notable news but it does put her in the position where she realizes that she can't break the wheel for the sake of breaking it but she has to be methodical and compromise.

The most obvious way is to marry for political reasons, and while after being forced into two sub-optimal marriages that's not something she wants to experience again, she's scarred by her chosen partner supposedly being evil. Tyrion notices that and takes advantage of it to maneuver her in the way that makes success the most likely.

Who are good candidates for her to marry? There really are none right now. The next best option after Jon is Quentyn Martell but they're also tied to the Lannisters right now through Myrcella and while they might switch sides it's not a guarantee. Most of the non Lord Paramount families could be persuaded simply by offering to make them Lord Paramount. Robin Arryn might actually be the best choice but a kid with his mental health and just physical health issues is probably going to make a terrible King, even if only in name. If Robin were to die than Harold Hardying would be a great option but that's a pretty big if. The best option is probably actually Gendry/Edric to get the Baratheon loyalists to fight for a Baratheon by blood to sit on the throne as King Consort, but even then is it better than having a Baratheon by name on the throne for ages to come? Jon is both the most logical choice from a tactical and personal standpoint. Tommen has accidentally united most of Westeros after Cersei's death, and it makes a conquest difficult.

The Culture Lessons with Tyrion will go on behind the scenes for a while but I only actually have plans to show one more session. They are important background she needs to be aware of before she journeys to Westeros but hearing is different from experience with the cultures as she'll later realize.

Varys tells of Rhaegal's appearance at the battle, and Daenerys desperate to retain control reaches out and claims she sent him, and that Jon will be King Consort because she doesn't want Rhaegal to have betrayed her and Jon to be a usurping bastard. Then Tyrion reveals his suspicions of Jon being a warg which Varys confirms to her horror.

Obviously she reacts horribly to that revelation at first believing Rhaegal is enslaved in spite of Arya vouching otherwise. Her whole motto has been a dragon is not a slave and believing that to be false shakes her. She lashes out at everyone but Arya talks her down by pointing out how illogical Jon's behavior is if he is a usurper. I probably should have had her stay mad at him and consider him an enemy for longer than a few thousand words but quite frankly we're already 200K words into this and they haven't even met in person. I don't feel the need to needlessly draw this out when it can be resolved immediately.

I do feel the need to clarify before the simp Jon comments come flooding in, Daenerys is agreeing to make him King Consort. That does not mean that Jon will be content with only being King Consort that is just all she is willing to offer him right now.

Also I haven't forgotten about Jorah, Meereen is just a long way from Last Hearth and it's a long boat ride. He'll return in the next Daenerys chapter.

Next chapter should once again be up on Friday and it'll be from Jon's POV as he breaks the siege of Riverrun. Depending on how much I get done this week it'll either be a really super long one or it will be around the length of this one if I decide to split it.