Chapter 23: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

When dawn came the masters chose. The twins received them in the Central Plaza. They've marked those they've chosen by ripping their clothes away leaving them bare for the world to see. From the shootings of the rest, it was assumed that these masters were the first to advocate for the nailing of children.

With a nod, the unsullied forced the masters into makeshift clothing from potato sacks. They were then escorted away from the plaza. The Unsullied nailed them to the posts as the former slaves cheered in glee. The sight confirmed to Daemon that he was right to move the children of the masters to the Great Pyramid.

Soon after they broke their fast on the terrace garden connected to their chambers. Their chambers were located at the apex of the pyramid giving them a vigil of the entire city. Perched atop the pyramid stood a great bronze harpy, the twins have already made plans to tear it down. Their dragons flew around the harpy, chasing each other around playfully.

Below Meereen had a variety of buildings, smaller pyramids, narrow alleys, wide brick roads, temples, granaries and the great circles of the fighting pits. Beyond the walls was the twisted river, the Skahazadhan, dry hills, blackened burnt fields with lively green fields even further beyond. Missandei had informed them that a few masters resided in the Ghiscari hills where they had slaves grow wheat, olives and grapes and herd sheep and goats. Mines also reside within the hills where the slaves had mined copper and salt.

They had sent their Dothraki to sweep the countryside to free the remaining slaves and the Unsullied to hold the estates until they could instate someone they trust to oversee these resources.

"Do all gods feel this lonely?" Said Daenerys absentmindedly.

Daemon looked up from the fruit in his hand, "What do you mean?"

She only shrugged, "Here we are at the highest point in the city looking down at them all it feels. . .lonely doesn't it?"

"It would be. . ." He shrugged, ". . .if we were alone." He added with a sheepish smile. Dany gave him a smile in return, "Personally I don't believe in the gods." He muttered.

Daenerys blinked before she sighed, "Honestly, I've begun to feel that way as well. The Seven, the Old Gods, the Red God, the Drowned God, the Black Goat, all worshiped as all powerful deities and yet allow something as horrible as slavery to exist."

He nodded in agreement, "The gods were just made up to comfort frightened children I reckon." He looked up at the sky and sigh, "Let's not dwell on things that don't exist."

"Yes, we must prepare for court." Daenerys stood up and was soon followed by Daemon.

After their handmaidens had prepared them for court they made their way to the audience chamber. It was a level below their royal chamber. It was a grand room with high ceilings, a grand white marble staircase and walls and floor made of purple tiles made of marble. There had once been a throne at the head of the stairs before Daenerys ordered it destroyed for firewood. It was a throne made of carved gilded wood in the shape of the harpy.

Instead of the great throne at the head of the stairs they had opted for a pair of simple ebony benches near the foot so as to meet with their people face to face. Jorah and Arstan cautioned them against this stating that they could be vulnerable to any would-be assassin. They had stationed two dozen Unsullied along the walls of the hall with Grey Worm and Jorah flanking their sides, their bloodriders forming a wall between them and any guest, and lastly, Arstan and Daario at their backs. Daemon jested saying that the men were their Kingsguard.

"Was the night as peaceful as it sounded?" Daenerys asked.

"It seems so, your grace." Daario answered, "But for how long we cannot be certain."

"Send word to the people that we decree that any murderers will be hanged and that rapists will lose their manhood, and looters their left hand." Daemon ordered, "Enough blood has been shed."

"It will be done, Your Grace." Jorah nodded.

Arstran then spoke, "The bodies have begun to ripen, your grace. Many of the masters bled out in the night and their bodies have begun to decay."

"Their bodies will bring flies, the dead man's revenge." Daario chuckled, "I say take them down and bury them in unmarked graves."

"My king, my queen." Missandei said who stood just behind them, "Ghiscari honor their dead by placing them in the crypts beneath their manses. If you would boil the bodies to the bone and return to their kin it would be a kindness."

"It will be done." Daenerys stated and Daemon nodded, "Have any come to seek audience this morning?"

"Two have presented themselves to bask in your radiance." Daario smiled, gaining a glare from Daemon, "They arrived in the night on the Indigo Star, a trading galley, from Qarth."

"Slavers, not traders." Daemon said bluntly.

"Who are they?" Daenerys asked cooly.

"The Star's master and one who claims to speak for Astapor." He answered.

The twins looked at each other and seemed to have a conversation based on a silent gaze, "We will see the envoy first." Daenerys proclaimed.

After a few moments the wooden doors to the hall groaned and opened revealing a ferret-faced man. They quickly noticed how he was adorned in pearls and gold, "My king, my queen it is an honor to bask in your radiance!" His Valyrian echoed in the hall, "I am Ghael. I bring greetings to the Mother and Father of Dragons from King Cleon of Astapor, Cleon the Great."

The twins exchanged a shocked glance before Daemon stated, "We left a council to oversee Astapor."

"Your Worship, those rogues betrayed your trust." He spat on the ground, "It was revealed that they were scheming to restore the Good Masters to power and the people to chains." Daemon kept his gaze locked on the man looking for any trace of a lie, "Great Cleon exposed their plots and hacked their heads off with a cleaver, and the grateful folk of Astapor have crowned him for his valor."

"Noble Ghael." said Missandei, in the Valyrian of Astapor, "Is this the same Cleon once owned by Grazdan mo Ullhor?"

"The very same." He admitted before he quickly added, "A great man."

Missandei leaned forward between the two and whispered, "He was a butcher in Grazdan's kitchen." She had informed.

Daemon sighed before he eyed the man, "What does King Cleon seek from us?"

Ghael rubbed his knuckles, "Perhaps we should speak of this privately, your radiance?"

"If you have anything to say to us you can say it before our council." Daenerys announced.

The man quickly bowed his head, "As you wish. Great Cleon bids me to declare his devotion to the Mother and Father of Dragons. Your enemies are his enemies, he says, and chief among them are the Wise Masters of Yunkai." The twins gave him curious looks, "He proposes a pact between Astapor and Meereen, against the Yunkai'i."

"We've dealt with Yunkai." Daemon stated, "We've given the freedmen enough gold and food to start anew."

"The remaining masters have band together. The Yunkish dogs are even now plotting against you. New levies are being formed, war galleys built and envoys sent to New Ghis and Volantis." He explained, "They've even sent riders to Veas Dothrak to bring a Khalasar down upon you. Astapor remembers what you've done for us. Astapor will not forsake you. To prove his faith, Great Cleon offers to seal your alliance with a marriage to the Mother of Dragon."

Daemon immediately gave the man a deadly look, "A Marriage to me?" Dany asked before she quickly stated, "I'm afraid I am already wed."

"In the customs of the Dothraki, your radiance. It is not recognized as an official marriage." Ghael explained.

"I'm afraid I recognize it as an official marriage." Daenerys replied, glancing down at Daemon's hand as it gripped the ebony bench, "I am sorry you've come all this way for such a disappointing result, please enjoy one of our rooms for the night you must be exhausted."

The man bowed his head before he was escorted out. They all waited for the large wooden doors to be closed behind him to say, "That's going to be a problem." Daemon sighed, "Should we do something about it?"

"We'll discuss it after we've met this trader captain." Daenerys replied, "Bring him in." She ordered.

The captain wept before them as he explained the state of Astapor, "Astapor bleeds, dead men rot, unburied on the streets. The pyramids have become armed camps, the King Cleaver has taken the noble boys to make new Unsullied for trade and profit."

Neither twin seemed surprised, Cleon had been a butcher as a slave and remained one in his freedom.

"What would you have of us?" Daemon sighed.

"Slaves." The captain answered, "My holds are full to bursting with ivory, ambergris, zorse hides, and other fine goods. I would trade them here for slaves, to sell in Lys and Volantis."

"There are no slaves here." Daenerys said bluntly, "Unfortunately we are unable to help you."

"My queen." Daario spoke, "The riverside is full of Meereenese, begging for leave to be allowed to sell themselves to this Qartheen. They are thicker than the flies."

"They wish to be slaves again?" Daemon asked dumbfounded.

The captain then spoke, "The ones who come are well spoken and gently born, young king. Such slaves are prized. In the Free Cities they will be tutors, scribes, bed slaves, even healers and priests." Daemon seemed to be in deep thought, "They will sleep in soft beds, eat rich foods, and dwell in manses. Here they have lost all, and live in fear and squalor."

"Lesson learned." Daemon took a deep breath before he nodded, "Very well if they so wish to be-"

"Wait." Cut in the queen, "I would like to speak the Meereenese before they sell themselves. We would like to receive them on the morrow."

"Your Grace." Daario nodded.

Daemon gave her a questioning look and she replied with one of reassurance. With that they sent the trader off to stay within a private chamber. They stood and nodded to each other, "Lastly." Dany turned his gaze to Arstan, "Who are you?"

"Your grace?" The elderly man questioned.

"That day in Qarth, you lied about your name." Daemon stated, "I've allowed you this persona because it seemed that you didn't seek to harm my sister or I but now we must know who to trust." The warriors in the room slowly reached for their blades, "I will ask only once more before I order them to attack, who are you?"

Having been figured out, Arstan let out a ragged sigh, "My name is Ser Barristan Selmy, your grace."

Jorah immediately stepped closer to the queen, "He's a member of Robert Baratheon's Kingsguard, your grace."

The twins fixed a pair of glares on the elderly man, "Why are you here?" Snapped Daenerys, "Did he send you here to kill us, if so why save my life, why fight for us?"

Daemon drew his blade and pointed it at the man, "The truth, all of it. Now." He ordered, "Knights regard honor above all else so on your honor tell us the truth, is your blade sworn to the Usurper or us?"

"Yours if you would allow the honor, your grace." The elderly man had tears in his eyes, "Aye, I took Robert's pardon. I served on his Kingsgaurd and he excluded me from his council. I've served with Jaime Lannister, the Kingslayer, and others nearly as detestable who soiled the white cloak I bore. I know nothing will excuse me from that, I may even still be serving in King's Landing if that idiot boy kind didn't dismiss me."

"But those of the Kingsguard are sworn for life." Daenerys stated.

"Aye, you're right, your grace but Joffrey had little care for the laws. He sent men to kill the same day as I was dismissed." He explained, "That was when I knew that I had to find the one true king and die in his service."

"Your grace." Jorah stepped forward, "He is who he says he is. I've seen him with my own eyes half a dozen times. He's the greatest swordsman Westeros has ever seen."

Daenery looked at the man and asked, "Why lie to us then?"

"My king, my queen, I am sorry to have misled you." The man bowed his head low, his gray hair dropping over his shoulders, "It was the only way to keep the Lannisters from knowing that I had joined you, especially after what happened in Qarth. You are being watched, Varys' little birds keep vigil for you as they had for your brother."

An ache panged in Daemon's heart at the mention of Viserys, "If what you say is true then you bent the knee to the Usurper. You served our father for years, fought beside Rhaegar at the Trident and yet you abandoned Viserys, Daenerys and I to fend for ourselves. Why?"

Barristan shifted his gaze between the twins before he answered, "Robert was. . .a good knight. . .he spared my life and many others. Prince Viserys-"

"King Viserys." Daemon corrected.

"King Viserys had only been a boy and it would've been years before he was fit to rule and, forgive me but you asked for the truth, as a child your brother seemed to be your father's son in many ways Rhaegar wasn't."

They looked at him confused, "How do you mean?" Dany asked.

The old man did not hesitate, "Your father is called the Mad King in Westeros, did you not know?"

"Viserys told us it was a lie concocted by our enemies." Daemon replied.

They watched as the aged face hardened, "I told you before that I used a false name so the Lannisters would not know that I'd joined you. That was less than half of it. The truth is, I wanted to watch you for a time before pledging you my sword. To make certain that you were not . . . "

"Our father's children?" Dany asked.

". . .Mad." He sighed out.

"And what have you deduced about our state of mind?" Daemon asked skeptically.

"I saw no taint in the queen but you were harder to decipher but then I found my answer when . . .you ordered me to escort the children to safety." Daemon glanced to the ground, "Every child knows that the Targaryens have danced too close to madness. Your father was not the first. King Jaeherys once told me that madness and greatness are two sides of the same coin. Every time a Targaryen is born the gods flip a coin and the world holds its breath, waiting for it to land."

King Jaehaerys, their grandfather, knew this man. The only ones who've told them of Westeros were Viserys and Jorah. This man has lived longer than the both of them, "Sorry to disappoint you Ser Barristan but we don't put much stock in gods."

"No I don't suppose you have any reason to." He replied, "Faith in the gods or not, you are the rightful rulers of Westeros. I would be honored to be a member of your Kingsguard if you'll have me."

Daemon leaned closely to Dany, "He isn't lying." He whispered.

"You'll need a sword." Daenerys stated before she turned to Darrio, "Get Ser Barristan a longsword."

"I haven't touched a blade since I laid down my sword at Joffrey's feet." Disclosed the old knight, "I swore to never accept another blade unless it came from the hand of the king."

Darrio returned with the sword, "Very well." Daemon took the sword, "Kneel and swear yourself to our service."

The elderly man kneeled and muttered the words. The twins could hardly hear him. Once he stood back on his feet he took the sword in hand. The twins dismissed everyone aside from Jorah and Barristan who remained at their side. The two knights felt a tense somber feeling weighing in the air as the king and queen returned to their chambers.

Once inside the twins made their way to the garden terrace. Daemon sat down at the table while Dany leaned on the terrace looking down at the city, "I suppose our conquest of Slaver's Bay isn't running as smoothly as we thought."

Daemon spoke, "Does any conquest ever run smoothly?"

Dany looked down at the city with an exasperated sigh, "Aegon the Conqueror brought fire and blood to Westeros, but afterwards gave them peace, prosperity and justice. All we've given Slaver's Bay is death, destruction and misery. All we've done is plunder, destroy and move on."

Daemon stood up and walked forward, "We've given them freedom, Dany."

"The freedom to die, to suffer and starve?" She snapped looking at her twin, "Are we more dragons or harpies? Are we no better than the Mad King?"

Daemon blinked in shock before he tried to formulate an answer, "Ser Barristan, tell us what atrocities did our father commit?"

The twins turned to face the old knight. Both knights shared a look of hesitation before Ser Barristan spoke, "When the people rose in revolt against him he set their towns and castles aflame. He murdered children in front of their parents and burned men alive with Wildfyre and laughed as they screamed."

Daenerys took in a sharp breath, "So what happened to the Starks-"

"It was true, all of it." The old knight stated.

"So we're just as mad as he was?" Asked Daemon who looked down at the city below.

"Just the fact that you ask yourselves these questions gives you your answer. Aerys never questioned anything; he was always so sure that his most baseless suspicions were true, he never gave a passing thought about those he hurt. Everything and everyone were just petty obstacles in his path. You're not like your father, neither of you are like your father."

They stood in silence for a moment, "How can we rule Seven Kingdoms when we can't control Slaver's Bay?" Daenerys asked, receiving no answer from any of them. She looked down at the city, "Our children need time to heal and learn. Our dragons need time to grow, test their wings and master their fire. We need the same. We must prevent more Astapors from happening. We have to stop Yunkai from enslaving those we've freed."

Daemon knew what she was saying and nodded, "Westeros must wait, we will not march."

"What will you do, your grace?" Jorah asked.

"We will do as all rulers should do." Daenerys answered looking up at the old bear, "We will serve."