Neither Trystane nor Myrcella attempted another escape after their first and Rhaena was satisfied that they had learned their lesson. They flew to Meereen in relative silence, though occasionally Rhaena would sing in order to pass the time until finally the great city came into sight. It looked very much how she had left it and hoped this was to mean that there had not been any further incidents with the Sons of the Harpy in her absence. The alarm was raised to signal her return, word no doubt already spreading throughout the city as Rhaena circled with the dragons overhead so that if any of the Sons of the Harpy were watching they would look up and see them and know that they had returned. Rhaena hoped that they would be afraid. Smiling to herself she guided Rhaegal and Viserion back to the opening they had made in the catacombs beneath the Pyramid, landing upon the ground where she dismounted with a fling of her leg over his neck and slid to the ground. "Well done my loves. I cannot thank you enough for all your help. Go rest now, I shall have a carcass brought to you for eating then we shall discuss with your mother when you may come and go from your nests." Hissing and growling softly to her, Rhaena giggled as she felt their minds brush with hers and felt their emotions as she stroked their faces. Myrcella found it so strange to watch Rhaena with these dragons. Everything they did and each sound they made seemed threatening to her, especially when they growled, but Rhaena was never afraid of them and once when Myrcella had asked, Rhaena had told her that she can understand them to some extent, and they were never aggressive. Myrcella was not convinced. The moment Trystane had helped her from the white and gold one's back she moved as far away from it as she could, clutching her pack of belongings against her chest as the dragons slipped away into a dark opening which seemed to be where they lived. She hoped she would never have to ride one of them again.
Instead, she was escorted by Rhaena with Trystane at her side into the great Pyramid which overlooked the entire city, guards soon flanking them with their spears and shields where they were taken to the audience chamber where the Queen of Dragons herself sat. Myrcella blinked, at first overcome with the likeness between sisters before recovering herself. Courtly manners which had been drilled into her since birth took over and Myrcella curtseyed before the queen who regarded the young girl curiously as Trystane bowed, though kept his hand upon the hilt of his sword. "So you succeeded, sister. Though it appears you have returned with more than you intended. Pray, who is the boy?"
"Trystane Martell, my queen." Rhaena introduced with a hint of amusement in her tone as she stood at the base of her sister's seat beside Missandei who had smiled to her in greeting. "Princess Myrcella's betrothed. He utterly refused to be left behind and insisted that he travel with the princess to act as her knight and guardian." Looking back at her sister, Rhaena gave her a light smile. "The two seemed so dearly in love I could not bear to separate them, and so here we are." Nodding her head in understanding, Daenerys turned to the pair before her and greeted them kindly, welcoming them to Meereen.
"It is my hope that you will be comfortable here. If there is anything either of you require then you shall have it, you need only name it. You are my guests and you will be treated with courtesy. My only request is that as I show you respect, you return it in kind. You must give your word that you will not attempt to leave this place without my express permission. You will do no harm to my people and send no secret missives to our enemies. If you are found in violation of any of these rules then you will be taken and treated with less cordiality. Am I understood?" Using her most queenly voice, Myrcella nodded her head meekly before managing to give her word as Trystane also gave his word, more confidently than Myrcella. "Good. Missandei, please show our guests to their quarters. Ensure that they have adjacent rooms. I am certain they will find this more agreeable to be near one another." Grateful to her sister, Rhaena sent Daenerys a little nod as Missandei stepped away from the raised seat and bowed to Daenerys before indicating that Trystane and Myrcella follow her. Unable to help themselves, they looked first to Rhaena who chuckled.
"Go on, I shall come to you soon. Do not fear, no harm will come to you." They left, taking the guards with them which left only Daenerys and Rhaena in the audience chamber. They quickly embraced one another and Daenerys swiftly demanded the details of the mission which Rhaena readily gave, though could do little else other than describe how it had felt to fly. She held her sister in complete rapture as they walked arm in arm back to their own living sector where Sansa was waiting with Lady, both having eagerly awaited Rhaena's return. Syrio Forel and Ser Barristan were with her, all rising when the twin sisters entered and Sansa swiftly ran to Rhaena in order to embrace her tenderly, Lady bounding to her side also. Rhaena felt happy to be back, already beginning to think of this as her home. Not Meereen itself, but this place and moment where all the people she cared for were with her together. They were her home, and it was such a relief to be able to return to them. Ser Barristan smiled to her lovingly, brushing at her hair and placing a chaste kiss upon her brow as she went to her side and took up his hand. There surely could be nothing more wholesome than returning from a long journey to be greeted so warmly by your loved ones and welcomed back so heartily. Rhaena smiled to them all. She spoke with Sansa and Daenerys the longest, all three of them going to the bathhouse together in order to soak and discuss what Rhaena had missed in her absence which in truth was not a great deal, but Sansa was very animated in telling Rhaena that she was beginning to take lessons in language from Missandei and had started to assist Daenerys in court proceedings as well as developing a ledger system to mark the incoming profits and the outgoing expenditures of the royal retinue.
"It is just as my mother taught me to manage a household, only instead of a household it is much larger but essentially the essence is the same." Taking note that this was the first reference Sansa had made to her other without beginning to weep, Rhaena was utterly thrilled that Sansa was beginning to find her own feet whilst Daenerys smiled to her adoringly.
"She has been a wonder, my sister. Everything she touches becomes orderly and structured. I have given her authority to manage my private household as well as charging her with the keeping of my books. Sansa works excellently with Missandei and together they have developed a system which allows us to prioritise petitions. Would you care to explain, dear Sansa?" Blushing handsomely from the heat of the water and from Daenerys's praise, Sansa proceeded to explain to Rhaena that each petitioner must now go through a record keeper who will note down their name, their profession and the nature of their grievance. This way the list can be reviewed either by a steward or by the queen herself who can decide which issue required swift attention, and other minor issues may be handed over to someone else to take care of, usually Sansa herself.
"It is usually only petty squabbles or minor complaints such as the price of salt, however the day before yesterday there was an accusation of a butcher selling human meat from butchered bodies and calling it pork. This required some investigation, and although he was not selling human flesh, thank the gods, but he was butchering cats and dogs and selling them falsely as other meats. He was forced to pay a fine for fraud and given a warning so that if he does it again, he would be imprisoned, and his shop would be confiscated from him." Looking to Rhaena to see her reaction, Rhaena could only admire how bright Sansa seemed. She was almost glowing with pride at her own achievements and Rhaena wanted to do nothing more than shower her with praise, which she did. Daenerys found the new system incredibly effective as it allowed her to focus her time upon those who truly needed her help and spared the rest for other matters that required attention. The records were amended with the result of each grievance so that if any appeal wished to be made then it was effortless to simply look up the record date and review what was done. Sansa had done exceptionally well to implement such a scheme and had done far more. She now oversaw the records of the court as well as the household, standing in equal position to Missandei and Sansa had blossomed in her role as she was able to finally put her talents to good use. Sansa no longer felt useless or helpless. She was now serving a beautiful, kind and just queen. Everything Cersei was not. She could not be more content.
"I shall have to work harder in that case, sweet Sansa, otherwise soon you shall completely overtake me and I shall have no further use here." Rhaena teased her, splashing the water gently in Sansa's direction which made her giggle. The three women enjoyed a luxurious massage with scented oils after their baths before retiring for the evening, though not before Rhaena went to see how Trystane and Myrcella were being treated. In truth they had no reason to complain. They had been sumptuously feasted upon the finest delicacies Meereen had to offer and Myrcella had already been gifted a brand new silk gown in the Essos style, a pale mint green tone which suited her beautifully as it followed the shape of her build and flowed down to her feet. Despite herself, she was smiling. So long as Trystane was with her Myrcella did not seem to mind too greatly that she was now even farther away from her mother, for the boy was the only thing in her eyes that mattered at that time. He remained her handsome and courtly prince, seeing to her comforts and whispering sweetly into her ear until she giggled from his teasing and his jokes. Rhaena had watched them for a little while, smiling with a warmth in her heart as she recalled the golden haired princess from her youth, little and bright and squealing with laughter whenever Rhaena had given her chase. No matter what she had said to others, part of the reason Rhaena wanted Myrcella within her sights was because she was adamant that nothing was ever going to hurt that little girl. Having become the deposed princess of the last war, she would not wish such a fate upon any other, especially not gentle Myrcella. No. Here Rhaena could protect her and ensure her safety no matter the outcome of the war. No more children would be thrown against walls or dragged from their mother's breast, or taken hostage by the enemy or forced to flee to strange lands for survival. No. For as long as she breathed, Rhaena vowed that Princess Myrcella would have a peaceful and easy life as she deserved.