Chapter XVI
Brandon
If Brandon wasn't already worried about his brother, he'd wished he was somewhere else. Victory over Tywin Lannister was complete. The old lion was dead, by his hand, and his armies completely destroyed. The only pockets of resistance left were King's Landing and its surroundings.
However, victory had come at a cost. Four thousand men lay dead, and a thousand more wouldn't live to see the end of the week. Roose Bolton and Leobald Tallhart were dead, along with many others, but he couldn't spare a thought for them right now. Only one thing mattered.
Seeing that the maester had finished his work, he rose up from his chair and hurried towards him.
"Will he live?"
"I'm not sure." The maester answered. "Your brother has suffered a dislocated shoulder and several deep cuts across his chest, including one that went close to severing an artery. I've stitched him up, but he has lost a lot of blood. Time only will tell if he lives or not. I'm afraid I've done all I can, and his fate rests with the gods."
Bran nodded and came closer to his brother's figure, laying flat on the bed, bandages all over his body. Slowly, he took Robb's hand and squeezed it with his own.
"Please Robb." Bran pleaded with tears in his eyes. "Don't abandon me. Don't abandon us. For mother, for Alys, for Cregan, for Arya, Sansa, Rickon and Jon, don't do this to me do you hear? I command you to live, Robb!"
He sighed deeply. Had he heard him? Or was it futile?
"You must let him rest. I fear you cannot do much here." The maester said once more.
Bran nodded and placed Robb's hand back on the makeshift bed. Drawing a deep breath, he took his coat and cape, and headed outside.
Slowly, he made his way back towards his tent, walking slowly as people saluted him on the way. Their faces were full of joy of having won a great victory, and the prospect of going home soon. His face wasn't one of joy, but a sombre one.
In fact, he couldn't tell the difference between his mood now and before. He couldn't remember the last time he'd smiled, actually. Was it when Robb announced Jon's true parentage? Or was it even before that, when he won the tourney at Robb's wedding with all the family present? Or was it even before that?
He sighed and continued moving towards his tent, his friend for Karhold, Torrhen, pulled him aside.
"What's with your mood. Bran?" Torrhen smiled. "You killed the Old Lion himself! We've scored a great victory today."
"A sword in a man's back is hardly an honourable way to kill." Bran answered gravely.
"If there's one thing I've learned about this fucking war" Torrhen replied. "Is that honour doesn't count for shit. The only thing that matters is being alive at the end of it. You're alive. He's not."
"What's the point of being alive if you can't protect the ones you love?"
"Listen, Bran." Torrhen put a hand on his shoulder. "You can't save everyone. Sometimes the gods just decide that you've accomplished your destiny here and recall you to their halls. Lord Stark is a warrior, he's seen worse, I've no doubt he'll pull through."
"How do you know that?"
"He has the best maesters with him and it isn't the first time he's been injured."
"This is different, Torrhen. He's been gravely wounded. Heavy bleeding." Bran got tears in his eyes. "He's unconscious and the maesters don't know if he'll wake up again."
"It's graver than I heard then." Torrhen frowned. "I thought it was just a bruised shoulder and a few cuts. I'm sorry Bran, I…"
"Don't be. You couldn't have known." Torrhen sighed. "Listen, I was supposed to go celebrate with Eddard and the Smalljon in town today, but if you need someone to stay by your side…"
"No." Bran pushed Torrhen's hand away from his shoulder. "You shouldn't have to bear this burden with me. Go enjoy yourselves, it is a great victory we've achieved, but I don't feel like celebrating."
"Bran…"
"Go, Torrhen, before I drag you there myself."
With a sigh his friend nodded and hugged him before leaving. He would have accepted Torrhen's offer to stay with him any day, but not this one. To everyone else, this was a victory to celebrate, he shouldn't have to drag his worries with them. Let Torrhen and the others drink to this, he could stay with his demons.
He finally found the entry to his tent as dusk set in, but something wasn't right, he had this eerie feeling of being watched. Briefly looking around him, he saw nothing out of the ordinary, until a voice called him out of the shadows.
"Is it me you're looking for, young wolf?"
"Val." Bran said, simply. "You're alive."
"I wished I could say the same for you, but it seems like some piece of you died out there." She answered. "You look like shit."
"My brother is standing on the bridge between life and death, how the fuck do you think I'd be?"
To his surprise, she didn't lash out or even answer, but instead stood straight, her eyes looking down as she set her braid behind her back, then up towards him.
"Listen, young wolf." She said, smiling, in a voice that seemed almost…tender. "You cannot do anything for him now. Get some rest, mayhaps pray to the old gods if you believe in this kind of thing. You don't have the power to magically heal wounds, young wolf."
Bran nodded and entered the tent.
"Let me keep you company." She grabbed his hand as he made his way inside the tent. "I know what it means to lose someone."
Bran nodded. He didn't have the strength to argue anymore, as he led her inside, and sat on his small bed.
"Have you ever lost someone?" Bran asked.
"My mother and my father." Val sighed. "And my lover."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't be." She answered, nervously sitting next to him. "I've long made my peace with their deaths."
"How long did it take you?"
"I never really knew my father. He died fighting another tribe, and I was young, I couldn't remember." She sighed. "My mother died, killed by a falling tree when we were moving south, and my lover died scaling the war while preparing a raid on the crows. For the last ones, it didn't take much. We free folk are used to death so much, that despair and grief soon pass, and we go on to worry about our survival."
"Do you never miss them?"
"Of course, I miss them!" Val hissed. "But when you live in a world where you can die at any moment, you don't linger over the dead. You celebrate the long life they've had, and urge their children or relatives to move on. My mother wouldn't have wanted me to grieve over her for long, and your brother likely doesn't want you to worry about him every single moment of every day."
Bran nodded sombrely.
"All of this made me realise something. If Robb dies, then Cregan becomes the new Stark of Winterfell, but he won't rule." He continued, looking Val in the eyes. "I'll have to be his regent till he comes of age, and I know nothing about ruling, or what it means to be Lord of Winterfell. I didn't want this; I didn't want any of this."
Bran started sobbing quietly, as Val took his head and placed it on her shoulders.
"I forgot what it meant to be happy." Bran let out as tears rolled down his cheeks. "I don't know what to do. I'm scared."
"Shhh. You need to forget about your brother for the night, young wolf." Val said softly. "You need to forget about these thoughts for a moment. You need to learn to be happy again. Show your smile, not your frown."
Val then closed her eyes and brought her lips to his. It was a small kiss, but Bran was too far in to care, and reciprocated it, slowly, before realising what he'd done.
"I…I can't." Bran shook his head. "I'm to be married."
"But you aren't." Val smiled. "Do you want this?"
"I…I don't know…I…"
"You need to forget about everything, young wolf." The wildling woman smiled as she undid her top, revealing her beautiful breasts, which made Bran blush. "Let us have this night together, in happiness and pleasure, and forget about both our troubles. We both want this, young wolf."
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Bran didn't argue as she leaned in to kiss him again, slowly undoing his top, revealing his naked chest. She spared no time in pushing away the rest of her clothes, slowly undoing every garment she wore, until she was completely naked.
She was beautiful, a true beauty of the North, and even though his honour screamed at him to stop, he couldn't. She was right, he needed to forget about Robb, lest he wouldn't sleep for days. And so, he abandoned himself to her kisses, to her touches.
Soon, he was naked as well, but as green as he was, he preferred to let Val take control. Soon enough, she stroked his manhood, making it bulge to a size Bran didn't know was possible.
Val smirked and licked her lips, moving to bring Bran's manhood towards her folds. Bran felt her dripping sex, and by the looks of it, she was very wet already.
Suddenly, Val dropped down on his cock, as he groaned in surprise.
"Ah…" Val moaned. "Try to hold it in as long as you can, young wolf."
Bran nodded as Val started moving up and down, her breasts bouncing as she did so, moaning with every bounce she'd make on his chest. Soon enough, Bran found his rhythm and answered with small thrusts of his own.
"My…wolf…ahh…is learning…ahh…" Val moaned as she continued riding him.
Soon enough, Bran lost himself in bliss and pleasure, thrusting wildly insider her, and bringing her closer and closer. He moved towards her, taking her breasts in his lips and kissing them slowly, earning a few more moans from the wildling.
Suddenly, he felt Val shudder, and by reflex, moved his mouth away from her lips. The wildling was faster though, and brought his lips to hers immediately. She moaned into his mouth, as he felt juices dripping on his shaft.
He didn't pay it any attention, grabbing her tongue with his, and continued thrusting deep inside of her, as he felt her moan louder and louder.
Her moans combined to the juices dripping on his cock, and the warmth of Val's cunt were soon too much to bear for him. He broke the kiss and stared into Val's eyes.
"Val…I'm going to cum."
"Go ahead…right inside of me!" she pleaded as she kept her pace.
It only took a few more thrusts for Bran to spend inside of her cunt, his release soon painting the wildling's insides white.
"For a green boy…that wasn't bad at all…" Val smirked, unleashing her braid as she let her blonde hair flow freely. "Now let's teach you how to take control…"
Bran kissed her and started moving his cock out of her cunt, but the wildling just sat on it harder. He smiled as the wildling smirked, biting his ear.
"The night is ours, young wolf." She whispered, and Bran moved towards her neck, biting it as Val shrieked in pain and surprise.
"Let me show you how I take control…"
When Bran went to sleep that night, he did so with a beautiful woman in his arms, their bodies intertwined and his manhood buried deep within her. For the first time in what felt like years, Bran went to sleep with someone by his side, and a smile on his face.
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The next morning hit hard, as the realisation of what he'd done set in, and regret filled his heart.
Jaehaerys
As soon as the dragon queen landed, Jae felt an urge to go and meet her directly on her island. His advisors calmed him down from that idea however. If she came to conquer or offer an alliance, it was best she came to them rather than he come to her, for that would put her in a position of strength.
And so, he waited for a few days, until the raven finally came, offering him to come to Dragonstone to discuss an alliance. What reassured Jae was that the dragon queen wished no ill will upon him, but she still seemed determined to go after power.
Ravens flew, and finally Daenerys Targaryen agreed to meet at Storm's End instead of Dragonstone, under a flag of truce. The autumn storms had lessened in intensity, and her venue could be arranged properly.
Jaehaerys made a show to present all of his power, and ordered most of his army to camp outside of the walls under the banners of their houses. In total, over sixty thousand men waited under the walls of Storm's End, waiting for the fateful day.
And today was that day. Clear skies, a perfect time for travelling over the usually rough seas around the fortress, and both he and Arianne were getting ready for the occasion.
"What do you think she'll want?" he asked Arianne, who had recovered from her childbirth and as beautiful as ever, a golden robe draping her body.
"The throne." She sighed. "She'll think it is her birthright, by blood."
Jae nodded.
"I won't let it go that easily." He shook his head. "I'm too far gone for that. If she wanted it, she should have come a lot earlier, before my f…uncle died."
"Then so be it." Arianne kissed his lips, nibbling slightly at his jaw. "You know I'll follow you, whichever decision you wish to make. Besides, she hasn't conquered anything here."
"Yet." Jae was quick to point out that although she hadn't done anything here, but she had still submitted Mantarys, Volantis, Lys, Tyrosh, Myr and Pentos to her will already, plus the Slaver cities, which was no small feat.
And then there were the dragons.
What could he do against such beasts? She obviously couldn't have conquered all of these powerful cities by herself, so the tales had to be true. And if the dragons were indeed the size of villages, if it came to war, could he even do anything against her?
He tried to chase these thoughts away, he could make her see reason, or at least, he hoped.
"Shall we?" Arianne gave him her hand, as he adjusted the small golden band that served as his crown.
Jae nodded and took her arm. Together, they walked down the fortress' corridors, escorted by their kingsguard, and into the field of tents on the outside.
Facing the sea, the tents were made of silk and gold, and were to demonstrate both the wealth and power of Jaehaerys, as well as the strength of his armies. But once he saw what vessel Daenerys chose to come meet them, he felt that this show of power would mean nothing.
She didn't choose a ship, but rather a large, black dragon. His wings were immeasurably large, so large that while flying, he cast a shadow over Storm's End and the camp at once. He was flanked by two smaller but imposing dragons, which Jae couldn't stop looking at either.
The largest dragon landed on the cliffs beside the camp, and a small figure descended from its back. Wearing a black robe with red streaks, was the dragon queen herself. Wearing a dragonglass crown representing a dragon, she was beautiful, with long, silver hair dropping to her waist.
She was soon joined by several guards, including an old man in white armour. That one, he recognized, was Barristan Selmy, the legendary lord commander of the kingsguard Robert Baratheon had dismissed. With her were a few other knights he didn't recognize, and as her fleet came in, he noticed more unique bodyguards.
The Dothraki were a peculiar bunch. They rode horses all the time, even on their boats it seemed, and had blades curved inwards at their side, not swords. Although, they had no armour, and that would prove a terrible weakness in battle.
There were also the Unsullied, a private army he heard the dragon queen had liberated, and who now served as Daenerys Targaryen's most loyal forces, their spiked helmets instantly recognizable. There were a few others by her side, including a mountain of a man, close to seven feet tall and nearly half as large. Those knuckles could probably strangle a horse without much difficulty.
But he noticed one thing about her guard, excluding the eight or nine knights by her side, all of them were foreigners, not Westerosi. And the kingdoms had all but pledged their allegiance to him, not her. That was something he could take advantage of, should the worst come to pass.
The dragon queen came closer and closer to them, walking with confidence as she smiled and put her hands behind her back. It was then that Jaehaerys could admire her beautiful eyes, indigo in colour, resembling two perfect amethysts.
None of them said anything for a moment, and it was in fact her knights that made the first move, bowing in front of him and dropping to a knee.
"Your grace." Ser Barristan, his white armour making him unmistakable, took the lead. "It is an honour to meet you."
"As it is an honour to meet you Ser Barristan." Jae nodded. "And a pleasure to meet you, Lady Daenerys."
Jae bowed curtly, but didn't drop to a knee, instead taking the palm of her hand and kissing it. The dragon queen raised an eyebrow, but continued smiling nonetheless.
"It is a pleasure to meet you, nephew." She nodded in response. "And you, Lady Arianne."
Jae looked towards his wife, and thought that she'd explode at the obvious lack of respect by addressing her as "Lady Arianne", instead of "Princess" or even "Queen". But she grit her teeth, and exchanged a short bow.
"Shall we begin?" Daenerys took the lead of the conversation. "I expect you haven't brought me here to talk about the weather."
"Indeed, we haven't, dear aunt." Jae answered, "if you would follow me?"
Daenerys nodded and signalled for a few knights to lead the way, as her dragon took to the skies above Storm's End, acting as one of three great clouds.
Ser Barristan came up to him then, as they walked towards the tent where the negotiations would take place. He looked at him intently, before chuckling.
"I don't know how I failed to see it, but Ned Stark was right." He smiled. "You are Rhaegar's son."
"If I wasn't, I wouldn't have taken on these responsibilities." He answered.
"You'd be surprised at the number of people calling themselves Rhaegar's son these days." The old knight chuckled.
"In any case, my kingsguard do need a veteran." Jae approached him as they entered the tent. "Your position of lord commander is still secure should you wish to resume it."
Ser Barristan looked around and chuckled.
"We'll talk once all of this is done, your grace."
Jaehaerys just nodded and entered the tent, where his kingsguard were waiting along with Daenerys and Arianne.
"Now, if you please, let us talk sincerely here, aunt." Jaehaerys started. "Do you wish to challenge my claim to the throne?"
"No." Daenerys smiled, pouring herself a cup of wine. "Not unless you are not what you claim to be."
"I am what I claim to be."
"Really?" she smiled, downing her cup, before moving towards him, coming dangerously close to his face. "All I see is a man, a handsome man, yes."
Arianne cleared her throat.
"As I said, a handsome man, but not one with Targaryen features." Daenerys continued. "Where is your silver hair, and purple eyes? Your eyes are dark grey, and your hair black as Drogon's scales."
"If it pleases you, aunt, Baelor Breakspear had neither silver hair or purple eyes."
"It is true. But his son Valarr had both."
"Then if that is so." Jae called out to Ser Brienne. "Ser Brienne, could you bring in Daeron and Visenya please?"
"Of course, your grace." The warrior woman answered and crept out of the tent.
Jaehaerys smiled as she, Ser Daemon and Jeyne Swann soon appeared with the twins, as Jeyne handed both of them to Jae, who brought them onto the small bed made for them.
Daenerys approached both of them, and chuckled. She began stroking their silver hair, eliciting a small laugh from Visenya as she did so.
"I see." She smiled. "Daeron and Visenya?"
"Daeron was named for Daeron the Good." Arianne spoke up. "The conciliator between Dorne and the Six Kingdoms. Visenya was named after Aegon's queen, the warrior woman."
"Good names." Daenerys nodded. "But this still proves nothing of your own parentage, Jaehaerys. Who's to say Ned Stark didn't lay with a Lyseni or Volantene whore or noble lady?"
"You didn't know my uncle."
"I didn't." Daenerys nodded. "Although Ser Jorah, Ser Barristan and Lord Torrhen have told me that if I'm alive, it is by his doing. However, I can hardly trust his word."
"If Daeron and Visenya aren't the proof you seek of my parentage, then I do not know what proof will convince you." Jae shook his head.
"When in Qarth, I was given a prophecy by a woman named Quaithe." Daenerys smiled. "She gave me other prophecies, all of which have come true. But there was one that stood above the rest. It went like this: The last dragon's son will be the one to tame his soul, the others will fail or burn, but he will succeed. And you will know you have found your family."
"And what does this mean?"
"I have a dragon named Rhaegal." She smiled. "Ser Barristan always tells me he has my brother's soul inside him."
"You wish for me to tame a dragon?" Jae scoffed.
"You don't have to do this, Jae." Arianne growled as she stared daggers at Daenerys.
"He doesn't." Daenerys shrugged. "But you may come and see him if you'd like? I promise you I shall not let any harm come to you, provided you do not touch him."
He eyed Arianne, who looked worried, but there was something inside him that told him to go, and so he accepted the offer.
Leaving Daeron and Visenya to Ser Archibald and Ser Daemon's care, the three of them headed towards an empty field where the dragons were circling. Daenerys called out towards Rhaegal, and the dragon came flying towards the ground at incredible speed.
His scales were green, and he was large. Not as large as the dark one he saw earlier, but large enough to be able to grab horses with its claws.
Suddenly, Jae felt something stop in his heart. There was something in this dragon calling out to him. He took one step closer.
"Jae what are you doing?" Arianne asked, but he didn't answer.
Another step and another.
"Jae? Can you hear me?"
He let go of her hand and stepped towards Rhaegal. One step at a time.
Arianne's pleas were becoming more frantic, desperate for him to come back, but he wouldn't. He couldn't.
By the time he stopped he was face to face with the dragon's jaws, large teeth pointing at him as he could stare the dragon dead in the eye. He slowly put his hand up and closed his eyes, trying to touch the beast. And when he slowly moved his trembling hand on its snout, it finally all came to him.
"Mother?" he let out with a whimper. "Is that you?"
The dragon let off what seemed like a small whimper, and moved its head away, instead nudging Jae closer so that his hand could feel the warmth of its neck.
"I…how?" Jae continued to tremble, but the dragon urged him forward, and spread its wings wide, nudging for Jae to climb.
And climb he did, slowly, as so not to fall off, gripping at its scales as he admired the view from above.
Then the dragon took off, circling over Storm's End as Jae struggled to keep control, but with every nudge, he could feel the dragon answer. And with every turn, he could feel his legs start shaking less and less, and his pose becoming more confident and aware, more of a rider than a mere passenger.
It felt like hours flying through the skies above Storm's End, but it really was only a few minutes, as he and the beast landed back where they'd taken off.
Jae jumped off the beast and smiled, looking at its right eye.
"You're with me now, mother." He smiled as he closed his eyes, patting the dragon just over the snout. "I promise I'll make you proud."
With a nod, the dragon leaped up into the air and took flight, back over the ocean. Jae cleared the few tears from his cheeks as he saw the beast disappear behind the fortress, and turned towards his baffled audience.
As soon as he stepped up, he felt a slap come right through his face.
"Don't you ever do that to me again Jae!" Arianne yelled as she hugged him deeply. "I thought I was going to lose you."
"She wouldn't have hurt me." Jae answered slowly. "She would never."
"She? How did you…" Daenerys was completely shocked. "How did you and Rhaegal…"
"Not Rhaegal." Jae smiled. "Not anymore. Her name is Lyaellion."
A deafening roar was heard as the green-scaled dragon passed overhead, his wings blackening the sky as he made another turn over the small party, as if to acknowledge Jae's statement.
"Thank you for your gift, dear aunt." Jae smiled. "It is beyond what I could ever dream of receiving."
"I think we need to talk." Daenerys sighed. "I believe we have some negotiations to return to."
With a defeated face, the dragon queen turned her heels and turned back towards the tent. But this struggle war far from over. Jae had gained an ally, but he still had to stop a war.
Daenerys
Daenerys walked slowly back towards the tent, unsure of how to feel. She doubted Jaehaerys parentage so much, for so long, despite what her closest advisors told her, and she had paid the price for it.
She thought the man was just another pretender, like the one who called himself Aegon. Yet this one was a real Targaryen, her nephew by blood if not marriage. She should have felt elated at the thought of meeting him, but she persisted. And her persistence might have led to war.
Not like bringing Jaehaerys to see the dragons was a good idea in the first place. What was she thinking? She wouldn't have let Rhaegal burn him, she knew that would have started a war, but if the man's pride had taken over? Maybe she could then sway the other lords to her side?
She now realized how stupid this sounded. And when Jaehaerys approached, she nearly yelled for Rhaegal to step away, but didn't. Something stopped her, and her heart sank when Jaehaerys mounted the green-scaled dragon and flew off.
She stood there in silence, stunned with the rest of the audience. Jaehaerys' queen had likewise been stunned and her tears had stopped rolling. Interesting. The woman was very beautiful, and Daenerys saw that her whole game was about seduction. She assumed she was using Jaehaerys, using her charms and looks to fulfil her desires for power.
But her tears were genuine, and she could almost feel some pity for her after what she saw. Thankfully, Jaehaerys flew over the castle and back unharmed. Then his words stung like a blade through her heart.
Lyaellion.
The dragon she called Rhaegal, the only memory of a brother she never knew. Gone. In an instant her world shattered. She thought she knew Rhaegal more than anyone, felt like there was a connection between them, just like she had one with Drogon, and Viserion to a lesser extent.
How wrong she was. It seemed like she knew nothing about her dragon, and now he and Jaehaerys had bonded, a bond that couldn't be broken. And now Jaehaerys had a dragon.
She should have felt elation at the prospect of another Targaryen in the world. Hells, there were three more with Daeron and Visenya. But now she felt nothing, because she knew she had pushed her luck too far, and wouldn't be able to salvage much from this disaster. Jaehaerys would hate her, and now had the means to fight her if necessary.
Never another Dance, she thought. This must be avoided.
Daenerys sat down in front of Jaehaerys and Arianne, and while the queen was smiling, Jaehaerys kept a blank expression.
"Well, are you satisfied?" Jaehaerys finally spoke.
"Yes." Was Daenerys' only answer. What else could she do?
"Now, let us be clear. What are you coming to Westeros for?" Jaehaerys asked "You have an Empire stretching from Meereen to Pentos. I hardly see the point of creating a civil war between us to get hold of another continent you won't hold."
"I do not challenge your claim, nephew." She answered. "But I do want power, as is my right as a member of House Targaryen. I want vengeance for my mother and my family, and I want to rule as a member of my house."
"But why?" Jaehaerys asked confused. "You would trade a position on the small council or a small title like Princess of Summerhall for an Empire?"
"I would have both. And I would settle for nothing else."
Jaehaerys laughed.
"First things, the handship is already given. Stannis Baratheon will have the honour."
"The man who chased me down?" Daenerys roared with anger. "Have you gone mad?"
"The man who knows his duty to House Targaryen and who will serve to see his family rise to heights never seen before." Queen Arianne added. "The man who knows how to rule, how to dodge the politics of King's Landing, and owes a debt to House Targaryen for letting him live. If you were in Jae's boots, you would have burnt him to a crisp. Sometimes, it is good to acknowledge your enemies' talents, and learn to forgive."
"And forgive me, aunt." Jaehaerys continued. "But Stannis Baratheon never killed any Targaryen loyalist. He was under siege for the whole war, and then failed to intercept you as you left Dragonstone. He has done no wrong in that regard. His only crime was to take arms against me."
"Alright." Daenerys calmed down. "Unname him, give me the handship."
"And why would I do that?" Jaehaerys scoffed. "You haven't proven yourself to be a good politician in any regard. It seems that your victories have been due to your dragons more than any skill in battle. I won six battles without any, can you say the same?"
"I have ruled."
"For a month or two, before dumping the task on a local governor you didn't bother choosing. The Slaver Cities are already revolting, and the sellswords you kept in every city aren't getting paid." Jaehaerys exclaimed. "Can't you see it? If I give you any position in Westeros, your empire will crumble to dust!"
"I have three dragons."
"Two." Arianne corrected with a smile.
"More than enough." Daenerys replied, unphased.
"You cannot rule through fear. You will submit city after city and crush rebellion after rebellion with your dragons, that is true." Jaehaerys replied. "But what happens when you die, or weaken? Brutal repression doesn't work, you need to guide your people, and be there for them. They call you the Breaker of Chains, the leader of the Free Legions, but what will they think of you if you turn your back on them, and let the slavers take them anew?"
"I'll be there, with my dragons."
"And they'll resurface, again and again, because you won't be there to keep them in check." Jaehaerys said, frustrated. "Because you'll be far away, the slavers will rise up again and again, and develop tactics against your dragons. Dorne resisted them, no doubt cities controlling areas as large as these can do so as well. What if the slavers decide to use the commoners as shields? Would you burn your cities then? You'd need an army, but your armies would be here, and it would take time to ferry them to far-flung corners of the world."
"His grace speaks true." Ser Barristan added. "It took us two months just to organize the logistics from Tyrosh to Dragonstone. Imagine how long it would take to ferry your army from Dragonstone to Yunkai for example."
"I'll settle my armies in each city to act as garrisons, I won't need them here."
"Pardon me, Daenerys." Jaehaerys interrupted. "But I've seen these men. Your Unsullied are sworn to you, and they'll stay by your side. The Company of the Rose is sworn to me and House Stark, and will do as Robb Stark commands, not you. Finally, the Dothraki do not cross oceans for nothing. They follow strength, and as I see it, you are strength. Send them away and at best they'll scatter back in the Dothraki Sea. At worst they'll just pillage and run."
"Is that a no?"
"That isn't a no." Jaehaerys replied. "The handship has already been given. I can propose a seat on my small council and the title of Princess of Summerhall, that is all I can offer. So far, you've given me nothing, and you've yet to win any battles here. These lords, they follow me because I've won, because of what my uncle has won, because of what we believe in. You come here with an army of foreigners, with only a dozen Westerosi. How many houses have you swayed? How many will you sway?"
"You're telling me that you refuse my alliance?"
"I do not refuse your alliance." Jaehaerys continued, shaking his head. "I merely point out that you are making the wrong choice here. You say you come here for vengeance? What would that be? Tywin Lannister is dead, killed by my cousin two days ago. The Usurper is dead. The Mountain is dead. Amory Lorch is dead. Stannis Baratheon has been punished. None of the ones who harmed your family are left alive, lest Grandmaester Pycelle, which whom I will deal once I take the capital. Now are you really going to continue to get vengeance on an old man in drapes?"
"I wish to see the Usurper's dynasty fall." Daenerys looked dead into her nephew's eyes. "I wish to see all of the bastard Lannister line dead. And you are wrong. Not all have been punished. I want Jaime Lannister."
"Jaime Lannister will have a fair trial. I do not wish to do sham trials for anyone, especially a knight of the kingsguard, however disgraced he may be." Jaehaerys sighed. "But if you wish, I shall give you what you seek. We shall attack King's Landing together. We shall see the traitors die together. We shall bring justice together. We shall rebuild together. And once all of this is set and done, I will rule the Seven Kingdoms, and you will return to your Empire."
"You wish to just send me away?"
"I want you to lead your people. They believe in you, and taking a city doesn't mean you've solved every problem and driven out slavery. They still need you, Breaker of Chains." Jaehaerys smiled. "Cement your own legacy, as Daenerys of the House Targaryen, who liberated Essos from slavery, who saved thousands of lives, and turned her back on a throne which would have given her nothing. Essos is your future, not Westeros."
"Your words do indeed ring true." Daenerys sighed. "I do not wish to fight you. I do not wish another Dance of Dragons. But you fail to realize, I can never conceive. I need an heir."
Jaehaerys nodded.
"I…cannot make any promises on that." He looked at his Queen, who squeezed his hand gently. "All I can do is send my second-born son, if I ever have one, to be fostered with you, and should you find him worthy of holding such office, to name him as your heir."
"That would be amenable indeed."
"I cannot promise this. We would need to talk with Ari." Jaehaerys sighed. "I understand your predicament, but it is the best I can offer."
"An alliance then?" Daenerys stretched out her hand.
"An alliance." Jaehaerys stretched out his hand, and they shook.
This was official now, and soon enough, Daenerys found herself signing a contract. The contract that would forever bind her to Essos, and drive her away from Westeros. Maybe Jaehaerys was right, her people did indeed need her. There was much left to be done, and some of the governors she left in place were not the most trustworthy.
But she had an objective first of all, and that was to see the end of the Usurper's line, or really the Lannister dynasty. And King's Landing was isolated and alone. The time to strike was nearing, and she was damn well going to use her dragons, even as a means to scare the loyalist forces cowering behind the city's walls.
"Are you heading to Dragonstone next?" Arianne called out to her once the formalities were done.
"I'm afraid I'll have to; I didn't expect to be held here for so long."
"There's always the guest chambers in Storm's End, and we can arrange for your host to be fed and housed for a few days." Arianne nodded with a small smile.
"I'd be happy to." She nodded in response. "But why the hassle?"
"Well, we're family, are we not?"
Daenerys just laughed in response.
"Yes. Yes, we are."
Next chapter: Final preparations.