Chapter 22: Kill the Masters
A harsh kick immediately woke Lyman. Opening his eyes he felt the ache in his back and his still soring feet. Sitting up the bounds connected to his wrists jangled. Looking around he saw the small group of children he was chained to. In the beginning, they numbered nearly two hundred but now there are less than twenty of them. Those who are gone have been nailed to posts leading to the large city.One by one they were picked off and crucified. Those who tried to escape were slain and then crucified. For the past two days, they walked, and at every mile one of them was nailed to a post. Lyman doesn't try to understand why they do this as he had given up trying to understand their strange tongue. He hardly understands how even got here.
Lyman only spent a few short weeks at Claw Isle before he was quite literally shipped off again. He was meant to sail for Driftmark but their small vessel was attacked by slavers in the Narrow Sea. Those who fought died and those who didn't were enslaved. From the ship, the few survivors were separated and sold into slavery.
Lyman never learned much about Essos other than the tales of Old Valyria and their dragons. From one large city to a boat which took him to another large city. From there he was sold at an auction and forced to polish swords, daggers, and armor belonging to fighters of the great arena. For months he would remove the chunks of meat and wash the blood off of blades.
That ended when he was put into chains put in a group with other children around his age. They dragged them all out the large gate and out onto a trail. At first, they were unaware of what was happening until they made it to the first post. Lyman was about to run away before he saw them cut down any who tried to escape. After that, he made sure to keep his head down and tried to remain unnoticed.
Looking around he saw as the slavers kicked the others away. The sky was blue without a single cloud. It must have been just past dawn. A loud shout startled him before they were all forced on their feet. They were forced to walk for nearly twenty minutes when they made it to the next mile marker.
The master looked around at the whole group. He was deciding which one of them would be nailed to the post. The children looked amongst themselves as well. Lyman tried to remain low attempting to be unnoticed. When the slaver finally decided he pointed a young girl who let out a shrill wail.
Two slave soldiers pushed through the small crowd before they grabbed the girl. She tried to fight them off as they unchained her. She fought and screamed desperately trying to escape. Lyman's hands shook as she was being dragged away. Without a thought, he dived down and grabbed one of the soldiers by the ankles, tripping him.
This seemed to inspire the others as they tripped the other soldier. The slaves piled on the soldiers, holding them down. The slaver atop his horse raised his whip and lashed at the dogpile. One lash after another the pile eventually broke.
Once the soldiers stood, the slaver pointed at Lyman and spoke. The boy did not understand what he was saying. He must have changed his mind as the two soldiers placed the girl back in her chains and moved towards Lyman.
"No, please no!" Lyman begged as they grabbed his arms.
A thud silenced him. Everyone turned to see the slaver on the floor with a long arrow in his back. A few of the children screamed as the soldiers took out their blades. Lyman saw the two soldiers shaking as they desperately looked around for the assailant.
Everyone jumped as shrill screams echoed through the trail. Lyman recognized the sound of hooves hitting the ground. Standing up he looked around to see who was approaching before they heard shrieking from the sky. Everyone looked up to see three figures flying across the sky.
Everyone spoke in their native tongues. Lyman didn't understand them but he knew what they were saying. Everyone knew what they were.
"Dragons." He whispered.
In the days following the sack of Yunkai they had taken a census. More than half the masters had died in their sleep. The few that survived were taken before Daemon and Daenerys. The self presumed leader was none other than Grazdan Mo Eraz. He attempted to negotiate before he was forced to accept their terms. All the slaves were freed, they were given food, clothes, land and money. At the end Yunkai had just enough to survive and Daemon made sure that they only had enough gold for food and not anymore sellsword companies.
They had enough gold for the Second Sons to be under their employment for the coming wars even without Daario's leadership. Even a few hundred soldiers from the Yunkish army joined their ranks. They joined the younger Unsullied soldiers in training.
Splitting their forces was a tough decision but it was necessary. They had Jorah, Greyworm, Darrio and Missandei sail ahead to begin the siege while Dany and Daemon rode with the Dothraki. They wanted to sweep the land and make sure no one fled from Yunkai to warn the Meerenese. They sent scouts ahead just in case some stragglers had a horse.
"At this pace we should reach Meereen before midday tomorrow." Dany said and Daemon hummed in agreement.
"Since we left the young and the elderly with the fleet perhaps we could pick up our pace so we could arrive by dawn." Daemon suggested.
Suddenly a screech echoed in the air. The King and Queen smiled up at the sky as three shadows glided over the ground. Some of the horses were startled by the dragons as they swooped down just above their heads. Dany took her arm out for one of them and Drogon landed on her arm. He had grown larger so much so that he weighed down Dany's arm.
Daemon smirked, Drogon took a shine to Dany more than him although he was fine with it. Children are allowed to pick favorites with their children. His smirked fell when he saw their scouts approaching over a ridge. Dany noticed them too and let Drogon take the sky once more before a crowd of children appeared after them.
They immediately rode ahead to meet their scouts, "What happened?" Daenerys demanded.
"Masters." Kano replied, "They were nailing these children to posts."
"We slew them all, Qoy Khal." Ozo stated.
"Good." Daemon nodded looking down at the children, "Make sure they're sent to the healers in the wagons." He ordered before he glanced at Dany, "How many children do you think they crucified?" He asked.
"Too many." Dany said, rage building in her chest.
"One hundred and fifty-three." A small voice said.
Looking down the look for the child who spoke, "Who said that?"
A young boy with brown hair stepped forward, "You speak the common tongue?" Dany asked gently.
"I do." The boy replied, his voice shaking.
Daemon turned to his scouts, "This one will ride with us." He ordered in Dothraki and the scouts nodded.
The boy was aided onto Dany's horse where she wrapped her arms around him holding the reins, "Have you ever rode a horse before?" She asked gently as they continued on their way.
"Yes, back home." He said quietly.
"Where are you from?" Daemon asked, looking at the boy with a small smile.
"Westeros." He answered.
The King and Queen immediately paused before Dany asked, "Where in Westeros do you reside from?"
"The Riverlands." He answered before he looked up at Daenerys, "Where am I?"
Daenerys gave a concerned look to Daemon. This boy was dragged across the world and doesn't know a thing about the lands he's in. At least when they roamed the Free Cities they knew where they were going. This boy most certainly knows nothing of Essos.
"We're currently at Slaver's Bay." Dany replied gently, "We're riding to Meereen."
"Is that the city I was at?" The boy asked with shaky breaths.
"Yes." Daemon answered, "You see we are seeking to end slavery. We've freed the slaves of Astapor and Yunkai. Meereen is the last city in the bay and the largest."
"Are you going to kill the masters?" He asked, tightening his hands into fists.
"Most likely." Daemon shrugged.
"Good." The boy thought.
It wasn't long before they came across the posts with the children nailed to them. Daemon and Dany made sure to see every single one of them. Their faces were etched in their minds like carving in stone. Each time they passed a post they made sure to give them all a proper burial.
Arriving at the siege they were seething with rage. They counted each post, each crucified child, and the boy was right. One hundred and fifty-three children. Children who've died without the taste of freedom.
These masters will know what it means to wake the dragons.
Arriving at the siege they were approached by Jorah, Missandei, Grey Worm, Daario, and Whitebeard. They all paused as they saw the rage in the two pairs of amethyst eyes. Jorah was the first to speak, "My king and queen, we have news."
"Good news?" Daemon gritted out.
Daario shrugged, "A mix of good and bad."
"What's the good news?" Daenerys asked with a sigh.
"We came across the Meereenes fleet in the bay." Grey Worm reported, "We captured most of them and sunk the rest."
"Fifty-six ships." Daario cut in receiving a glare from the knight, "We freed their slaves who have a knack for sailing and are honored to be a part of their mother and father's fleet."
"The bad news?" Daemon glared at the sellsword.
"The masters scorched most of their fields and poisoned almost all of the wells." Whitebeard answered, "We were lucky to arrive when we did less we could've lost all of the crops and water."
"My king, my queen." Missandei spoke softly, "May I ask, what has you so agitated?"
"The masters crucified one hundred and fifty-three children down the road." Daemon answered gripping his reins until they creaked in his grip. The group shared the looks of shock and bewilderment, "The masters did it to scare us off. Thanks to our scouts we saved the last few of them." Daemon nodded to the boy sitting in Dany's arms.
"We will seek justice for this heinous crime. The masters will pay for this." Daenerys declared before looking at Missandei, "Missandei please oversee the children. Send them to healers and make sure they are well fed."
"Of course, your grace." Missandei gave a slight nod.
Dany looked down at the boy, "You'll be safe with her." She assured the boy who nodded before he was guided onto Missandei's horse.
"What's your name?" Missandei asked gently as they rode away.
"My name's Lyman." His small voice replied.
"Ready the catapults." Daemon ordered riding past them.
"And arm them with those." Daenerys nodded to the wagon full of the collars that once belonged to the children, living and dead, "We have a message for the masters of Meereen."
Soon twins and their council arrived at the head of the army. The walls of Meereen were higher, thicker, and better maintained than Astapor and Yunkai's. Atop the walls, the masters watched in amusement at the siege. Even with the Dothraki and the Unsullied, the walls are too strong to sack the city.
Dismounting their steads the king and queen walked ahead. Side by side they stood together looking up at the masters neither showing any fear. The gates groaned opened revealing a single rider. The man rode out of the gates and began to ride around like a showman.
"He's been going on like that since we've laid the siege. Missandei said his name is Oznak zo Pahl, the heir to the richest family of Meereen." Jorah explained, "We've waited for you to arrive to pass judgment."
The man suddenly stopped his stead and dismounted. Everyone watched as the man disrobed, released his manhood, and unleashed a stream directed at the king and queen. Daemon began to take deep breaths as his blood grew hot with rage.
"Simple. I will silence him." Daemon said taking his dagger in hand.
Dany quickly caught his arm, "No brother."
"The Queen is right my king." Jorah said, "A man such as this doesn't deserve the honor of being struck down by a king."
"Shall I cut it off and stuff down his mouth for you, your grace?" Daario asked pulling out his arakh.
"It's his city we want not his meager manhood." Dany replied, "Though my brother is right. He needs to be silenced."
"Allow me, your grace." Jorah offered.
After him Arstan and then their bloodriders offered to strike the man down. Dany thought it over as she looked up at the masters who lined the wall and then to the slaves who served them. The masters jeered and laughed at the display of their champion. Their slaves however kept quiet and lowered their faces, "No." She denied, "Bring me, Belwas."
Everyone, even Daemon, looked at the queen in astonishment, "That fat fool?" Daario asked skeptically.
"We're better off with the old man facing him." Jorah jested.
Dany met Daemon's eyes. The twins kept their eyes locked for a moment before he nodded, "I agree."
They found the large eunuch lounging within the shade of their pavilion. He was eating a string of spiced sausages which he finished in a few bites. When they explained the situation the man sucked the grease off of his fingers before he ordered Arstan to fetch him his arakh. When the old squire returned with his steel the former slave rose to his feet.
He gave the arakh a quick inspection before he gave an approving grunt. He slid the curved blade into its leather sheath before Arstan strapped his shield, a small circle made of steel, on his left hand. Ready for combat Belwas lumbered his way to the front where Oznak still pranced around.
"Whitebeard, fetch liver and onions." Belwas ordered, "For after. Killing makes Strong Belwas hungry." He then made his way out towards the rider.
"He must love his killing then." Daario muttered.
"Why this one, Khaleesi?" Rakharo asked concerned, "He is fat and stupid."
Dany replied calmly, "Strong Belwas was a slave here in the fighting pits. If this highborn Oznak should fall to such the Great Masters will be shamed, while if he wins . . . well, it is a poor victory for one so noble, one that Meereen can take no pride in."
"Aside from that Belwas doesn't command any troops or has a mind for tactics or counsel so if he does fall it won't be much of a loss to us." Daemon added with a shrug, "Besides, if Illyrio was so confident that he could protect us then we have nothing to worry about."
The screams and jeers from atop the Meereenese wall grew louder as they saw Belwas approach. Oznak steered his horse to face Belwas and lowered his lance, pointed straight for the eunuch. The white stallion he mounted on huffed out puffs of air impatiently. As large as Belwas was he seemed small compared to the rider and his stallion.
Arstan gave a disapproving scowl, "A chivalrous man would dismount."
"A chivalrous man would." Jorah agreed, "A smart man would run him down." He added gaining a glare from the elderly squire.
Once the man finally charged Belwas took a stance, spreading his legs wide. Raising his shield he eyed the man from behind the small shield. He placed his hand on the hilt of his blade and waited.
"We should've given him chainmail." Daenerys said anxiously.
Daario shrugged, "I doubt there were any that would fit him."
"It would only slow him, Khaleesi." Jorah replied, "They wear no armor in the fighting pits. It's blood the crowds come to see."
A cloud of dust followed the white stallion as Oznak charged Belwas. The masters screamed even louder as the rider grew every closer to the eunuch. In contrast the Unsullied remained as silent and as unmoving as statues much like Belwas who hasn't moved an inch. Oznak aimed for the center of his chest intent to kill. They all thought that it was over for Belwas before the eunuch spun sideways escaping the point of the lance.
Daario chuckled, "What's so funny?" Daemon demanded.
"The fat ass is giving them a show." He answered as Oznak rounded for a second charge.
Oznak aimed the spear at Belwas' chest once more. Belwas remained still as before before he spun around, avoiding the lance once again. This time he knocked the lance aside with his shield. He let out a booming laugh as the rider slowed to a halt.
"The lance is too long." Jorah stated, "The fool should just charge him down instead of trying to split him."
Beginning his charge once more he aimed for Belwas. This time he tried to anticipate Belwas' movements by swinging his lance to the side. Belwas knew this was coming however and ducked his head down allowing the lance to pass harmlessly over his head. Moving quicker than any of them have seen him move, Belwas rolled and swung his arakh in a silver crescent. They heard the rider scream at the gash in his leg, then the horse fell over, the man tumbled to the ground.
The screams and jeers from before fell silent. Daemon looked up at the masters who lined the wall and smirked. Now it was their people who were screaming and jeering.
Oznak rolled away from the toppling horse and drew his blade and got on his feet. The two men met in a song of steel clashing and hissing together. Daemon eyed the brawl before him, each swinging of the sword and each movement of feet. It didn't last longer than a minute as Oznak slashed under Belwas' breasts before the man had a large arakh lodged into his head. With a grunt Belwas pulled on his blade detaching the champion's head from his shoulders.
Belwas pulled the head off his his blade and held it high towards the city with a triumphant roar. He then reared the head back before chucking it at the city.
Daario laughed, "So much for the hero of Meereen."
"A pointless victory." Jorah declared, "We can't take a city by killing one soldier at a time."
"No." Daenerys agreed, "But I'm pleased that this one is dead."
The bowmen on the wall let loose a storm of arrows at Belwas but each one came up short. Just then Belwas pulled down his trousers and squatted over Oznak's headless body. They watched as Belwas defecated on Oznak's body before tearing fabric off of his robes and wiped himself clean.
Daenerys and Daemon stepped forward as Belwas walked past them and back towards the siege. The duo kept their gazes locked on the people lined on the walls. They looked past the colorfully dressed masters and looked at the slaves who served them food and wine.
"We are Daenerys and Daemon of House Targaryen!" Daenerys declared her High Valyrian echoing, "Your masters may have told you lies about us, or they have told you nothing! It doesn't matter for we have nothing to say to them! We speak only to you!"
Daemon stepped foreward, "First, we went to Astapor! Those who were slaves in Astapor, stand behind us, free." He announced, "Next came to Yunkai. Those who were slaves in Yunkai, now stand behind us, free!" He declared, "Strong Belwas, once a slave now a free man, has slain their champion, for freedom!"
"Now we have come to Meereen!" Daenerys stated, "We are not your enemy! The enemy stands beside you! Your enemy steals and murder your children! Your enemy forces you to serve them to your death! Your enemy has nothing for you but chains and suffering!" She stated as the catapults were loaded, "We do not bring you commands! We bring you a choice! And we bring your enemies what they deserve!"
The twins locked eyes before Daemon looked back at their army.
"Catapults, forward!" He commanded.
Their catapults were dragged to the frontline locked and loaded with barrels. The twins looked up at the masters with a look of disdain.
"Fire!" Daenerys commanded.
The catapults swung forward enleashig wooden barrels. The barrels flew over the walls and crashed against the stone buildings. They burst open allowing broken collars and chains to fall down below. They rained down on masters and slaves alike, showing them what broken chains look like.
The damage is done.
Once they returned Targaryen army cheered for Belwas as he returned to camp. The Dothraki hooted, screamed and jeered and the Unsullied thumped their spears on the grown in a rhythmic beat. The king and queen watched the cheering from a distance.
"They're right, we can't take this city by force, the walls are too strong." Dany whispered and Daemon nodded in agreement.
"No." Daemon shook as he eyed Belwas, "But Belwas' little display gave me an idea." He smirked.
When the night fell they made their move. Under the cover of darkness Grey Worm, Jorah and the small troop of men they lead snuck around the walls and into the banks of a river. There they found a small gate that lead into the sewers. Together they used their collective strength to lift up the grate. Once they entered the sewers they lighted torches illuminating the small area around them. Dressed in rags and collars they posed as slaves.
The snuck their way into the slave quarters. From the looks of it it appeared to be more of a cellar.. Eventually they heard voices echoing in the darkness speaking Valyrian. They followed the voices before the they found a room full of slaves huddled to the floor. They stuck to the shadows as they continued their debate.
"I have been through two slave revolts." The elderly slave stated to the room, "They always end the same; the masters in power and the slaves dead."
Grey Worm stepped into the light, "All men must die." He declared gaining everyone's eye as they stood up, "But I promise you a single day of freedom is worth more than a lifetime in chains."
"Who are you?" The elderly slave asked.
"This one is called Grey Worm." He answered, "This one was taken as baby by the masters of Astapor, raised and trained as Unsullied. Now I fight for the Last Dragons. Daenerys and Daemon, the Mother and Father of Dragons, the breakers of chains." He declared causing a few slaves to murmur to themselves.
"You are Unsullied?" The elderly slave askes,"You were trained before you could walk. We are not warriors!"
"We do not have weapons." Another slave agreed.
Just then a hand landed on Grey Worm's shoulder. The Unsullied commander stepped aside to reveal an elderly man. The man limped his way past Grey Worm and Jorah. The slaves looked at the man curiously before he raised a hand to the crook of his jaw.
The slaves watched in horror as the man peeled off his face revealing a man with silver hair. The slaves stood and gasped at the sight of Daemon. He looked across the room before he spoke, "You are right, you have not been trained in combat but nor was I when I was a bed slave in Lys." He declared gaining a few whispered discussions, "I was forced to pleasure men and woman before I decided that I had enough. I killed my master and took my freedom. Now it's time for you to do the same."
Daemon dropped a sack over his shoulder revealing blades of steel. Swords and daggers and the like. The rest of their troop did the same as the slaves huddled around the swords.
"Your freedom isn't ours to give," Daemon declared, "it's yours to take."
The slaves revolted and slaughtered the masters. Daemon had warned them to refrain from hurting the children. By daybreak the number of masters in the city fell by half. The ones who were left where rallied up and presented to Daenerys and Daemon.
"Daemon, how many children did they nail to those posts?" Daenerys asked looking down at the masters with a cold gaze.
"One hundred and fifty-three." Daemon replied his gaze equally as cold, "They have to be punished."
"My king my queen." Arstan stepped foreward, "May I speak freely?"
Daenerys looked over her shoulder at the elderly man and nodded, "You've taken the city, these people are your people now. Sometimes it's better to answer injustice with mercy."
"We will answer injustice with justice." Daenerys replied looking at Daemon, "Daemon?"
"I agree. But I don't just want to punish them physically." He stated, "I want them to see how vile and selfish each and everyone of them are."
"How, your grace?" Jorah asked.
Daemon stepped foreward and yelled, "One hundred and fifty-three! That's how many children you had nailed onto posts!" He glared across the sea of masters, "This crime will not go unpunished! One hundred and fifty-three of you will take their places but I will not decide which of you will!"
The masters remained silent, who will decide?
"You will!" He announced causing an uproar, "You will have one day to decide who will be nailed onto those posts. In that time if you haven't decided then you will all die!" He looked at Grey Worm, "Take them to the dungeons."
The Unsullied took the masters away and Daemon stepped away. Arstan stepped foreward but Daemon quickly spoke, "Arstan, I want you and Belwas to help escort all of the children of the masters to the Great Pyramid. The slaves will want revenge no matter who has to die for it."
The elderly squire only nodded before the king and queen walked away.
