Chapter 71

Gregory approached the Red Keep with a large box in his hands. He was met by a small squad of gold cloaks and he made his request to meet with the King in private regarding the armor competition. Soon he was greeted by Brienne, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. The box was carefully inspected before he was led inside to a small armory. Both King Hannibal and Queen Margaery were waiting.

Gregory immediately dropped to his knees and bowed his head. "Your graces."

Hannibal had hoped that his contest for the 'best' armorers would spread throughout the city. He knew the truly skilled craftsmen would come forward, eager to prove themselves superior. Hannibal looked over the box and gave the man a wave of his hand. "You may stand. Show us this armor you have brought for me."

Gregory opened the box from where he knelt and pulled out the different pieces. He then looked up at the king. "It is meant to be worn akin to a second skin, your grace. Toughened leather that has been dipped in tar and wax to seal out any liquids is the base. I used Valyrian steel shavings to create metal scales to cover the leather. I patterned the steel to overlap like the scales of a dragon. There is no blade or arrow that can penetrate the steel and leather. I have made two pieces. The pants are worn high and use leather straps to keep them bound tight above the navel. The top overlaps with the bottom past the sword belt. There are clips that will hold it in place and seal the armor. The top has a cover that goes over your head, leaving only your face exposed. The plates on the hands are specially fashioned so that when you are gripping a weapon, your knuckles become additional blades to inflict more damage upon your enemies."

Hannibal slowly approached the suit and acknowledged the inventive design. He touched over the metal as he listened to the description. He then looked at the man. "Are you prepared to demonstrate its effectiveness?"

Gregory watched with hope as the armor was inspected more closely. He nodded his head. "Of course your grace."

Hannibal nodded. "Put it on and Ser Brienne will attempt to stab you. You may defend yourself with one of the training swords if you wish."

Gregory looked a bit intimidated when he realized he would likely be getting hit very hard. He reached for the armor and pulled the pants on first. He was a bit shorter and thinner than the King and the armor did not fit him very well, it was a bit baggy on him. He chose not to pick up the sword as he turned to face Ser Brienne .

Brienne drew her sword and came in with heavy blows to the man. She aimed for the ribs to see if the armor would protect her King from getting a broken bone within the armor. She also took out her dagger and tried to stab the man in a variety of areas to see if there was a weak point.

Gregory grunted as the heavy blows hit. The worst thing to happen was he grew a bit winded, but otherwise he did not seem injured from the heavy blows. He felt relief filling him as he waited for the next series of blows.

Brienne returned her weapons and moved in to try and break some bones with her hands. The metal scales prevented her from bending anything in the 'wrong' direction. She then got a bucket of boiling water and threw it on the man's back. They would see if it was resistant to liquids.

Gregory felt a bit of discomfort from the attempts to break his arms and legs, but was relieved his design had held up so far. He did step forward as the water hit him, but he did not cry out in pain. It felt warmer within the armor, but nothing too uncomfortable. He turned to see if that was the end of the testing.

Margaery had been listening and watching. She stood next to Hannibal as the armor was tested. She began to feel hope that Hannibal would be safer with this armor. She would wait to see if the man was wet or not from the boiling water, and what kind of bruises he had from Brienne's assault once he took the armor off.

Hannibal watched and found himself impressed with what he saw. After Brienne threw the water he waved her off. "Remove the armor. I want to inspect it now that it has been tested."

Gregory nodded as he removed the armor. Brienne checked the man for any moisture from the water and for bruises or broken bones. She shook her head to her King to inform him that the man was uninjured.

Hannibal looked over the pieces of metal for dents or damage and found none. He reflected on the weight and glanced to his wife. He then stepped into the armor himself to see how it fit on him. It fit over his form perfectly and Hannibal moved his arms about to see how mobile and heavy it was. He found that his ability to move forward and strike was quite easy. The weight was easily less than half the weight of his normal armor. He looked to Margaery again before nodding.

Margaery watched as the man took the armor off and Hannibal put it on. She saw that he was bone dry and that he didn't seem to be injured in the least. She saw her husband standing in the armor that was made for him, and gave a nod of her head that it met her approval.

Hannibal turned to look at the man. "How many of these can you make? I want a few members of my King's Guard and a few top officers to have armor made from the same materials."

Gregory bowed his head. "I have enough materials to make a dozen more, your grace. Beyond that, I will have to use a lesser steel."

Hannibal gave a nod of his head before looking at Brienne. "Give this man the measurements for yourself and the other members of your guard. Also give him the measurements for my admiral, my personal guards, my warden of the East, my hand, and my wife." He then turned to take Margaery's hand and lead her back upstairs.

Brienne nodded and motioned for Gregory to follow her. Once they were outside, she looked at the man and gave him a small bag of gold coins. "Complete this order in secret. I will send a messenger to deliver the measurements to you. Be aware that four of these orders are for women. I will note that with a W on their measurements. If you are able to complete this order efficiently, quickly, and at the same quality, you will likely win the assignment."

Gregory took the coins and relief washed across his face. He nodded in understanding. He bowed his head and began walking back towards his shop. He would set to work immediately on crafting the metal scales. The leatherwork would not take as long as the scales would. He would do nothing but work and sleep until they were done.

...

Jorah carried his young daughter Daella as Daenerys walked next to him and they went back to their room. "Such a brash woman." He muttered under his breath as a complaint about the 'princess' of the Iron Islands.

Daenerys chuckled softly at his initial anger, it was a pleasant distraction from her own irritation at the situation. She glanced up at him playfully. "You don't like the way she looks at me, do you?"

Jorah shook his head. "No, I do not. If she were a man, I would have fought to defend your honor against such a bold ruffian."

Daenerys found herself amused at his jealousy. "So jealous...it is an interesting look on you." She teased as they entered their private chambers.

Jorah frowned slightly at her teasing. "I suggest we have your top Unsullied and blood riders with us on her ship. I will feel better knowing she can't box us in if we have that great level of protection."

Daenerys nodded her head in agreement. "I think that is the safest plan." There was a knock at the door before Grey Worm entered. The look on his face brought suspicion and worry onto Daenerys' face.

Grey Worm bowed to her. "Mhysa, this one has found that all troops can be transported with the ships that just arrived plus those that were still floating after the fire. To put extra water on every ship would leave no water in the city for those left behind."

Daenerys felt her heart sink when she heard this. "We can't leave the city dry." She began before turning to look at Jorah with a bit of anger in her eyes. "He planned this."

Jorah had listened and a frown slowly crossed his face. He turned to look at his wife and slowly nodded his head in agreement. "I agree. He is forcing you to choose between your soldiers or the people of Essos."

"My people. My subjects." Daenerys thought long and hard. She growled lowly in anger and shook her head. "We will take half of our forces. I will not play into his game. I want to take more than half of the more experienced soldiers here. I do not want this city to be lost in my absence."

Grey Worm bowed before leaving to begin gathering the troops.

Jorah stepped forward to wrap his arms around Daenerys to try to comfort her. Daenerys smiled softly when she felt his strong arms wrap around her, she turned to look up and into his eyes.

Jorah smiled and kissed her forehead tenderly. "As always, I am at your service my Queen."

Daenerys smiled as she curled into him. Her sweet Jorah, always there for her when she needed him most.

…

Tyrion swirled some wine in a glass as he waited for Varys to join him. He heard the faint rustle of fabric behind him. "Let me guess….the extra water for the ships would cause problems in the city?"

Varys gave a soft chuckle. "Indeed, if the Queen takes her entire army the city will be left with no water, and to gather enough for the city to survive would take too long. Although, strategically it would be wiser for her to leave some troops here in Mereen to ensure her control remains secure."

Tyrion sighed deeply before turning to look at Varys. "I thought you believed in her."

Varys sighed softly, "I do believe in her. However, I also believe that this Hannibal is far ahead of us and this journey is not likely to end how we all thought it would."

Tyrion scowled at that name, "Yes, he is quite the strategist it would seem. He learned well from his father." Tyrion still felt sick about what had happened to his siblings.

Varys waited a moment before continuing, "Do you recall a conversation we had about someone gifted with foresight?"

Tyrion focused his gaze upon Varys as the conversation came back to him. He considered the possibility. "Perhaps, my sister is conveniently dead and cannot speak if she was behind the poisoner or not. However, what could he possibly gain by inviting our queen with her army and dragons?"

Varys was glad to see that Tyrion did indeed remember. "I'm afraid that will not be known until we cross the sea and meet with him."

"You." Tyrion finished his wine before continuing. "That won't be known until you go across the sea to meet him. I have volunteered to remain in Mereen to keep the queen's laws and control intact."

Varys gave a nod of approval, "A wise decision. I'm certain we will have plenty of traps awaiting us, you would likely add to the danger of this trip."

Tyrion nodded, "I agree."

…

Eddison Tollett paced his new chambers as he waited for the 'new recruits' the King had sent to finish settling in at Castle Black. He was still surprised that he had managed to beat Alliser Thorne in the election for Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. He slowed his pacing to stop and collect himself. He took a deep breath before stepping outside.

Edd was still so surprised. He had expected half a dozen at the most. He had not expected to see nearly three hundred men standing before him. He looked at the brother that had helped bring them up from King's Landing. "There seems to be a great host with you, brother."

The man gave a bow. "Aye Lord Commander, and most of these men have come here as volunteers. Only a few are here to save their limbs." He said as he glanced at a group of six at the front of the group.

Edd shook his head in disbelief, still stunned by this. Perhaps this new King understood the conditions here better than he had hoped. He gave a nod of his head. "Very well, sort them out into groups to begin their training. I want them grouped into twenty-five men to a trainer. Have them circle through each of the different jobs we have here in the Night's Watch."

He bowed his head. "Aye Lord Commander." The brother turned to begin grouping the men to begin their training.

Edd felt hope that they could fortify the three forts they were currently running and perhaps begin work on opening a fourth with this many men. He hoped more might join voluntarily the next time a collection was made. He spotted Alliser Thorne nearby and called to him. "Ser Alliser."

Alliser too was impressed at the number of men that had arrived. There were some strong fighters within those ranks. He heard his name and turned to find the new Lord Commander. He set his jaw and approached, he did not speak a word yet.

Edd had expected some insubordination from Alliser, he was not surprised when he was not verbally greeted by the older man. "I want you in charge of identifying possible rangers and men to be trained with The Wall defenses. If one rubs you the wrong way with his personality but he is a good sword, then give him a sword. There is an army waiting for us on the other side. We need as many fighters as we can get. Part of every man's rotation will be to help rebuild Castle Black and begin to dig entrances to new tunnels. Builders should be arriving soon, but we need to start breaking through the ice and snow before they get here."

Alliser was pleasantly surprised at the first few words; however, his excitement soured quickly when he was once again reminded of how he denied moving Jon into the Rangers out of spite. He heard the logic and knew Edd was right, but he hated being reminded over and over again about that damn bastard. He gave a nod that he understood his orders before turning on his heel to get to work. It was going to take some time to get this rabble ready for battle against White Walkers.

Edd nodded as he looked out over the men. It would be a lot of work to have everything ready for the builders, let alone the army that would be marching up from King's Landing in a few months.

Chapter 72

Hannibal and Margaery were returning after a successful family hunting trip. Young Rhys and Reina had managed to bring down a sizeable deer for dinner. Rhys had even acted quickly and saved his sister by killing a badger that they had accidentally disturbed during their hunt. Hannibal had praised them both for doing such a good job.

Margaery had been very worried when the badger attacked, but she was relieved when her sweet Rhys protected his sister from the beast. She too was proud of her children for doing so well on this hunt and successfully getting plenty of food for the feast.

Jon and Bran had once again joined the royal family for the small feast. Everyone was enjoying watching the children retell the story. Aenar was pointing and making sounds of excitement towards his siblings. He was still too young to form any words, but he was getting closer to speaking. Olenna was not shy about showing her concern that the children had been in such danger on this hunt.

A messenger arrived with a sealed message. There was a Targaryen seal on it. Hannibal opened it and read it carefully before passing it over to Margaery. "It would appear that my niece has agreed to a family reunion. Based upon this letter, we should expect her arrival in a fortnight." He looked to Willas. "She does not mention how many she is bringing with her, but prepare the guest wing for her and her main core of advisors and bodyguards. The rest of the people she brings will have to remain upon the ships. We do not have enough rooms to accommodate any groups of soldiers she might bring with her. Make certain that the grand arena is refitted to house her dragons. I will offer her the same area where my dragons nest, but let us have an alternative prepared."

Willas nodded that the preparations would be handled.

Olenna glanced to Hannibal. "Are you certain her dragons are well behaved enough to be this close to the Red Keep?"

Hannibal had taken that into consideration. "Based on the reports from sailors, the two smaller dragons are far better behaved. The large black one she uses as a mount is the most unruly. I think that with Vhagar's influence, he will be better behaved."

Hannibal had a plan to keep her three dragons in check, he was not concerned in the least.

Margaery knew what her grandmother was concerned with, and she had a similar worry. However, she also knew her husband's plan and trusted what he said would happen. She glanced to Jon. "Perhaps one of her dragons will bond with you and allow you to ride them into battle. That would be the quickest way to and from the battlefield I would think."

Hannibal smiled to Margaery, she had said that at the absolute perfect time. He turned to look at the surprised Jon and nodded his head in agreement. "That is an excellent point, my dear. Two of the heads of the dragon ride upon dragonback into battle. It wouldn't do for the third head to go in on foot." He said in agreement.

Jon wasn't certain how he felt about that idea. He took a large sip of his wine. "If she consents, I will give it a try."

Hannibal smiled at the answer. "Excellent! You can come with me next time I spend time with Vhagar. I will show you a few tricks to earn the respect from a dragon to not wind up being eaten." He said casually.

Rhys and Reina clapped in excitement. "Dragon training! Can we come too, Papa?"

Hannibal smiled and nodded his head. "Yes, the two of you can come as well."

Jon wasn't certain if he felt more at ease seeing the excitement from the young prince and princess about working with the dragons. However, he truly did not want to be bested by such young children in bravery.

...

Daenerys walked to the bow of the command ship and gazed out at her dragons flying ahead of them. They were halfway to King's Landing now and the weather seemed to be quite favorable so far. Unfortunately, Yara's prediction of men getting sick had been accurate. There were many who had been perched at the rails of the ships for hours. The extra water had saved multiple lives, they would have run out by now had they not loaded extra water. For that at least, Daenerys was grateful. Perhaps it had not been a trap by this Hannibal to force her to bring fewer troops with her.

Yara spotted Daenerys alone near the bow of the ship watching her dragons fly. She had given the young dragon queen and her husband space during the first few days in an effort to build some trust. That would give her a better opportunity later. She approached slowly, "I'm surprised you didn't choose to ride them." She said casually.

Daenerys jumped slightly when Yara spoke so close to her. She didn't look at the other woman just yet. "They have to fly a great distance. The less weight they carry, the better." She then turned to face Yara. "Have my soldiers recovered from their illnesses?" She wondered how many would be ready for whatever was waiting for them in King's Landing.

"Well, your Unsullied do what they are told to recover and are coming along fine. However, the Dothraki are stubborn and do not listen. If they continue to refuse water, some of them might not make it." Yara answered.

Daenerys nodded in understanding. She knew the Dothraki, they saw illness as weakness. It had taken her so much to get them all to follow her. She began walking towards the cargo hold. "Then they shall obey as an order from their Khaleesi, I need them healthy." That, and she was terrified to lose them.

Yara waited for Daenerys to pass her before following directly behind her. She stared openly at Daenery's slender curves and the seductive sway of her hips. She would make a move when the opportunity arose.

They entered the cargo hold where a majority of the Dothraki lay in exhaustion from being sick. Daenerys looked out at them sternly and looked every bit the imposing Dragon Queen she was. "Do you want the warriors of Westeros to best you in battle? Do you want the braids cut from your heads? That is not the Dothraki way!! You need your full strength to show these Andals that you are the superior fighting force!"

Some of the stronger warriors with longer braids got up and crawled to drink water. The rest did not seem as motivated.

Yara stepped forward and spoke lowly so that her voice would only be heard by Daenerys. "These men are just as stubborn and hard-headed as mine. Anytime I need to motivate them, reminding them of the fun to be had with their cocks oftentimes gives them more motivation than glory. Some men are better at fucking than fighting."

Daenerys did not like how close Yara got to her, but she recognized that the woman was right. Once again she found herself caught between a rock and a hard place thanks to her morals. She didn't want to encourage them to rape and pillage the Seven Kingdoms, but she also needed all of them alive and healthy if she had hope of claiming her throne.

Yara enjoyed the closeness and only shifted back after a long moment. She was curious what the Dragon Queen would do. She was known to be very much against reaving and raping...so Yara had heard.

"Do you want this sickness to render you impotent and unable to take pleasure with the women of Westeros? You will not be able to enjoy this new land without your health. Now I say again, drink more water. Follow instructions to combat this sickness, I will not give the command again!" Daenerys said as she stood tall.

Yara simply observed Daenerys. This woman was gorgeous, but she did not have the absolute authority over her men like Hannibal did. Hannibal might have killed one man and fed him to the dragons as an example of what would happen to those who did not drink the water. She wondered if Daenerys realized she would have to relay this stern message across all of the ships, and she was curious how many of these stubborn men would die rather than drink the water. This woman was far too soft-handed to rule Westeros.

Some of the Dothraki looked up and seemed more motivated to drink water after that. There were still a few that remained in their hammocks, but they seemed too weak to get to the water.

Yara chuckled softly. "See? Most men think with their cocks. Have you experienced how much men think with their cocks first? They follow blindly into battle to earn enough honor to win the heart of the fair maiden."

Daenerys was satisfied with the overall response and had turned to return to the deck. She paused on the steps and turned around to face Yara. She had tilted a brow and slowly crossed her arms before her chest. "I have, but why does that concern you, I wonder? If a man charges blindly into battle for a woman, could that not mean that he is led by his heart? After all, he could avoid the threat of death by paying a whore."

Yara smirked when Daenerys answered. She stepped up to keep the conversation low. "Some men think their cocks are too precious to sink into a whore. Some are addicted to other men's wives. Some would fuck anything with a hole in it." She could feel the waves picking up beneath her ship. Just the right swell would mean they would briefly press up against each other, she began praying fervently to the Drowned God for a good wave.

Daenerys tilted a brow as Yara leaned in closer. She was indeed quite bold, she briefly wondered how Jorah would react to see her so close. "What is your motivation I wonder? What is it that you're addicted to?" She said as she leaned back.

Yara smirked as she let her eyes look over Daenerys slowly with open desire. "I am addicted to showing women just how pleasurable it is to have those softest parts within us touched in just the right way." She said with a cocky smirk. The Drowned God must have heard her silent prayers. They were hit by a hard wave that caused the ship to lurch. Yara quickly grabbed the rails to prevent herself from falling backwards.

Daenerys didn't like how Yara looked at her. She was about to respond when the ship rocked. Daenerys lost her footing and stumbled into Yara, making their bodies press together.

Yara couldn't resist the perfect opportunity before her. Her balance was settled and she used her arms to put Daenerys back on her feet. She breathed in Daenerys' scent for a moment, but stopped herself from doing anything else...for now.

Daenerys was quick to stand up straight after regaining her feet. Her eyes were hard as she looked at Yara. "I'm going back to my quarters. To be with my daughter. To be with my husband." She emphasized the last word before turning to start walking off.

Yara smirked at the fire she saw in Daenerys' eyes. "I will be here. Should you find your husband not quite as satisfying the next time you go swinging, you can find me. I can never leave a beautiful woman unsatisfied."

Daenerys glared over her shoulder to Yara. "Mind your tongue. Another comment like that and I will feed you to my dragons."

Yara smirked and spoke lowly so that Daenerys would only hear her if she was listening closely. "One glimpse of your naked body and I would die happy."

Daenerys ignored the comment and went straight back to her cabin. She shut the door behind her and latched it securely. She did not want to be left alone with that woman again. A shiver raced down her spine at the thought. Daenerys frowned as the realization that she was not certain if that shiver was one of disgust or excitement.

Chapter 73

Sansa's heart was racing in her chest as the cloak of house Stark was placed around her shoulders. She was excited that she was finally going to be married to a man she actually loved. After seeing and talking to Bran and Jon, Sansa had been worried about not experiencing all of the joys in life if they waited too long on their wedding. Thomas had suggested that Rickon give her away in the ceremony and that they get wed before the great weirwood tree in the center of Winterfell. Sansa had agreed.

Rickon smiled when he saw his elder sister so giddy. He offered her his arm. "Are you ready, Sansa?"

Sansa smiled as her heart fluttered in her chest. "I am." She said with confidence as she took his arm.

Rickon turned to lead her to their father's weirwood tree to be married to Thomas.

...

Daenerys had gone out to the bow of the ship once again. Grey Worm had just reported to her the loss of nearly a quarter of her Dothraki to illness at sea. There was plenty of water available for them, they just refused to drink it. She felt a deep sadness at this loss, it was not safe to keep bodies aboard the ships and she had been forced to send the order to toss their bodies overboard. Each ship had a small funeral for the lost warriors.

Daenerys had gone for some quiet and solitude. Jorah had tried to comfort her, but his words and gentle touch had not helped her in that moment. She was more upset than sad at this turn of events. She was beginning to feel boxed in and trapped on this ship. She was doubting her strategy and was growing more and more worried that this trip would need to be repeated for them to be returning to Mereen.

Yara had seen the report of how many had died and suspected this would have an effect on the Dragon Queen. She spotted the silver-haired beauty walking across the deck and to the bow alone. She watched from the helm before climbing up to check the top of the sails, and to watch from above for a few moments. Yara used the ropes and beams to get across the ship from above until she was looking at the sails directly above the Dragon Queen.

Daenerys sighed as she threw the report over the side before hanging her head for a moment. She would need to speak with her military advisors about an alternative plan to reclaim her throne. Their original plan was no longer possible with the loss of so many Dothraki.

Yara spotted an opening and worked her way down towards the deck. She did not make a strong effort in being silent. She didn't want to startle the queen completely. She jumped the last few feet and landed close to the queen. "Good evening, your grace."

Daenerys had heard movement, but she had not realized how close anyone was until Yara landed far too close for comfort. She turned with a slight start and her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Have you been watching me?" She asked in a flash of anger.

Yara held her hands up defensively at the accusation. "I have made my desires known to you, your grace. I would never hide like that to watch you. I was above, checking the sails and looking ahead. We will be hitting some rougher water soon, and we will be arriving in King's Landing the day after tomorrow."

Daenerys' eyes filled with irritation at the continued boldness, but when she looked up she did see sails. It was possible for her to be telling the truth, but Daenerys didn't believe her about this. The news of rough seas caused her to frown. "I have not seen any clouds, why would the seas become rough?"

Yara felt a boost in her confidence when her lie about checking the sails was acceptable enough. "There are strong currents that cause the sea to roll in powerful waves. The ship will roll quite a bit. I recommend getting into the hanging beds to sleep tonight. You are far less likely to be thrown out of that than to stay on the bed and roll off in the middle of the night."

Daenerys frowned when she heard that the waves would get stronger. "Would these waves make some of my men sicker?"

Yara gave a nod of her head. "That is very likely. As long as they continue to drink water they will make it to King's Landing. They might want to spend some time in a bed to regain their strength. Although, if they get up and move on the ship, that will likely lessen their sickness."

Daenerys frowned at that. She couldn't lose any more men.

Yara heard the breaking of waves and recognized the opportunity she was about to have. She waited until the first wave hit and watched to see which way the queen would fall.

Daenerys had not expected the ship to move so much beneath her. She felt herself falling backwards and her eyes widened in concern that she would fall over the side.

Yara moved quickly to catch her before pulling her back and holding her tight against her body. She whispered softly into her ear. "Careful, your grace, the waves make the ship roll like she's getting fucked proper." Yara had managed to let her hands explore as much as possible while holding the smaller woman.

Daenerys hated the relief she felt at being caught. She quickly pushed away from Yara, but found herself in the brash woman's arms once the next wave hit them. "Remove your hands from me immediately!"

Yara put up no resistance when she was pushed away; however, she easily caught the queen when she fell into her on the next wave. "I can't let you fall, your grace. Why don't I escort you back to your cabin? Wouldn't want you to fall over the side."

Daenerys pushed back again and gripped the railing to not fall over again. Her anger had flared, and she didn't trust Yara's intentions. However, she didn't want to fall and possibly go over the side. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at Yara. "Very well, you may escort me to the door."

Yara smirked as she held out her hand. She would lead the beautiful queen back carefully. She did take advantage of a few rolls to fall back against one of the masts so that Daenerys would fall into her. But she did get the queen to the door eventually. "Sleep well, your grace." She said as she looked upon Daenerys with open lust in her eyes.

Daenerys had tried to walk, but found it nearly impossible. She kept falling into Yara and disliked it every time. She was relieved to finally be at the door. She saw the look in Yara's eyes and felt herself conflicted for a moment.

"Do not return to this door until we are at King's Landing." Daenerys opened the door and felt herself stumble through it before shutting and latching it behind her. She sighed deeply as she leaned against the door to keep her balance. They needed to get off this ship soon, this woman was far more dangerous than she appeared.

Yara had a huge grin on her face once the door shut. There wasn't a threat after her boldness. The Dragon Queen was curious. She went to her chambers to imagine how amazing the body she just felt up would look naked.

...

Jon had just finished reading the raven that had been sent to him. He was both happy and upset by what he had read. Sansa had gotten married to that man Thomas and Rickon had given her away to represent the family.

He was happy to hear that young Rickon was alive and apparently healthy. He was glad to hear this news, but sad that they had missed it. Although, with the upcoming battle he was happy that Sansa was now married to a man she actually loved.

Chapter 74

The city was primed for the arrival of Daenerys Targaryen. A majority of the people in the city hated her and were beginning to gather to protest her upon her arrival. All of the brothel owners had done their part in getting their staff to have small meetings throughout the city to stir up the whole city against her and the arrival of her hordes of savages. There were crowds gathering near the docks to protest her arrival very loudly. They had some rotten vegetables on hand to throw at the savages if they tried to get off of the ships.

...

Yara looked through her spyglass at the harbor. She saw a crowd beginning to gather and spoke loud enough for the Dragon Queen to hear. "It looks like there is a crowd gathering."

Daenerys was standing with Jorah at her side. They lost a dozen more warriors since they hit the rough water. She was comforted to see land once again. The news that a crowd gathering filled her with hope. She glanced to Jorah with a hint of a smile on her face. "It would seem that there are some loyal to my family."

Jorah could hear the swell of chanting as they got closer and he pulled out his own spyglass to look at the crowd. A frown crossed his face at what he saw. "I do not think they are supporters."

...

Hannibal was making the final preparations with his family. Rhys and Reina worked on putting the saddles on their dragons on their own. He was not going to assist them with their project. Hannibal had special saddles made for them to use so that they would be more secure on their dragon's backs. They had practiced flying around together very low to the ground. Both had plenty of practice after riding Mab. Hannibal wanted them to be prepared to greet their cousin on dragonback.

Margaery had not liked this plan of letting Rhys and Reina ride their dragons already. She knew they had just turned five, but she still saw them as too young. She was slightly put at ease when Hannibal had the saddles made. At least they could hold on better with a saddle. Hannibal had even had a double saddle made for Vhagar so that she could ride with him.

They were all dressed in formal attire to greet their guests. The royal tailors had been working to add the Targaryen sigil into their clothing. Hannibal had sent Brienne, along with half a dozen gold cloaks to 'keep the peace' by the docks. He fully intended to fly down and greet Daenerys himself, with his family. His children had been prepared for the show they were about to put on. They were ready to put down the 'riot'.

They were all mounted on their dragon's backs and were waiting for the signal that Yara Greyjoy's ship had docked. Hannibal kissed Margaery's temple as she held Aenar in her arms. "She will bend, have no fear."

Margaery gave a nod of her head, she hoped that Hannibal was right. She was still slightly uncomfortable with part of this plan, but she trusted his judgment that it would be the most effective.

...

Brienne had led half of the Kingsguard down to the docks alongside the City Watch guards that were present. The gold cloaks began to set up a perimeter to keep the royal family safe once they arrived to greet the arriving guests. Brienne scanned the area to make sure that no one in the crowd would do anything so foolish as to attack anyone.

Within an hour of the gold cloaks arriving, the ship docked in the harbor. The crowd was jostling and jeering at the ship. Many were shouting a string of profanities.

Daenerys had not expected such a greeting upon disembarking from the ship. She was surrounded by her core of advisors as they walked along the gangplank. She kept her head high as she got off of the ship. She was not going to let the cruel words of a few dampen her spirit.

Brienne stepped forward and bowed her head. "My lady, I am Ser Brienne of Tarth, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. I have fresh horses to take you and your advisors to the Red Keep. There are rooms prepared for all of you. Are all of your advisors here?"

Daenerys regarded the captain with some surprise and gave a nod of her head. She was glad Jorah was holding their young daughter. "Yes, these are all of my advisors."

Brienne gave a bow of her head and motioned for the horses to be brought forwards. There was a loud roar from overhead and the crowd looked up before they all fell to their knees quickly.

Hannibal guided Vhagar down to land in the street that led to the Red Keep. The crowd moved out of the way. Rhys and Reina guided Dracon and Marcha down to land in front of Vhagar. Roose flew a bit more on his own before landing. Margaery held Aenar in her arms as she rode in front of Hannibal. Rhys and Reina easily dismounted before they commanded their dragons to lie down. Both Dracon and Marcha did as their masters commanded. Hannibal assisted Margaery from Vhagar's back. Roose moved to nuzzle Aenar before lying down at Hannibal's command. Vhagar in turn sat back as Hannibal commanded.

Daenerys had heard the roar and she felt her stomach drop as she saw four dragons flying overhead. What made the feeling worse was seeing that three of them were being ridden, and the fourth seemed very attached to the small child being held in the woman's arms. They had a dragon for each child...but she was the Dragon Queen. She did not like seeing another on the brink of taking her title.

No one in the crowd spoke as King Hannibal looked out at them with a stern gaze. "This is not how a guest of the king should be greeted."

A foolish man in the crowd stood to shout. "Tell her and her bastard daughter to go back with her personal slaver to where they came from."

Two gold cloaks moved after a glance from Hannibal to arrest the man. Hannibal looked over the man coolly. "Prince Rhys, this man needs a lesson in respect."

Rhys and Reina matched their father's cool face. Rhys stepped forward and regarded the man for a moment before turning to his sister. He asked what lesson should be taught using the High Valyrian they had been practicing. The lesson of not speaking too much was chosen. Rhys told the guards to hold the man's mouth open. He drew a small blade and passed it to his father. Hannibal cut out the man's tongue before giving the small muscle to Rhys. Rhys tossed it to Dracon to eat.

The insult was harsh, but the swift punishment was appalling. Daenerys felt defensive for the people until she saw his children, speaking in High Valyrian and casually discussing how to punish this man. She felt it was unnecessarily ruthless; however, now did not seem like the best time to say such a thing.

Hannibal looked out at the gathered crowd. "Let this be a lesson to never insult my personal guests."

Margaery knew this was planned and she understood why it was necessary, but she was still uncomfortable with what had been done. She had discussed with Hannibal her distaste of Rhys doing so much and taking such an active role in punishment and torture, but it solidified her son as a strong prince.

Jorah held Daella close, he did not like any of this one bit and felt like there was now a noose about their necks. It was just a matter of time until the floor disappeared from below them and they all swung. He grew more and more tense with each passing second.

The crowd quickly dispersed from the streets after the man lost his tongue. Hannibal then gave his son a pat on the back and had the guards drag the crying man towards Daenerys. He spoke in High Valyrian to her. "Welcome, I do apologize for the rude behavior. I promise that you will not be mistreated so cruelly again while you are here. What would you like done to this foolish man for his actions?"

Daenerys gave a nod of her head and responded in Valyrian, "I believe he has been punished more than necessary for his crime."

Hannibal gave a tilt of his head before motioning for his family forward and giving a nod to the guards to let the man go. He then slid an arm around Margaery's slim waist. "Let me introduce you to my wife Margaery of house Tyrell, my oldest son Rhys, my daughter Reina, and my youngest son Aenar."

Rhys and Reina gave a bow before welcoming her in Valyrian. Jorah took a step forward and slid an arm around Daenerys as Hannibal brought his family closer.

Daenerys saw with her own eyes what Yara had told them in Mereen. The oldest children each had one violet eye, and the youngest did indeed have silver hair. There was no doubt that Targaryen blood ran through their veins. She was no longer the last Targaryen. She felt Jorah's arm around her and motioned to him. "This is my husband Ser Jorah and our daughter Daella."

Hannibal gave a bow of his head. "It is good to meet all of you. I do hope your journey was quite calm."

Daenerys gave a stiff nod of her head. "Yes, we had a very smooth journey. Thank you."

Hannibal motioned towards the horses that were brought forward. "Come, I am sure you are quite tired of being cooped up on a ship."

Daenerys gave a nod of her head. "Yes, being on solid ground is quite a comfort."

Hannibal gave a nod of his head as they began mounting up atop the horses. He sent the dragons off to return to their nests.

Chapter 75

Arya had been watching from the rooftops the arrival of the final head of the dragon. She could easily see that the riot was created to manipulate the situation into the king's favor. The foolish man who had spoken out was obviously a plant. Arya found it interesting that the prince had given the command, but passed the blade to his father to carry out the punishment.

Arya wondered if the queen had prevented the prince from cutting the man's tongue out. She seemed to have quite a bit of control over a man as powerful as the king. Perhaps there was something to this love so many people talked about. Arya saw all of them getting on the horses and moved from her spot to wander onto the ships. She was sent to find out exactly how many troops the Dragon Queen had brought and if they were in any condition to fight.

...

Daenerys took in the city as they traveled on horseback towards the Red Keep. Once they were away from the docks, there were plenty of citizens moving about doing their daily work. They all stopped and bowed to the royal family as they passed before continuing on their way. People were trading goods and transporting items. No one seemed afraid in this part of the city. The people seemed happy and healthy. Daenerys looked to Varys, she wanted to know if this was true that they were so happy. She suspected this was a play for their benefit. She would not fall for this if it was simply an act.

Varys nodded his head that he understood. He would speak to his little birds and discover if the people were truly happy here or not under King Hannibal's rule.

Hannibal led the party to the Red Keep and found himself curious how they would react when they saw what remained of the Lannisters. He made the final turn before all that could be seen was the Red Keep with the two slowly roasting bodies on either side of the entrance.

Jorah was also suspicious of how happy the people seemed to be here. However, he held his tongue for the time being. Once they made that last turn, he quickly turned Daella away so that she didn't see the grotesque display above the main drawbridge.

Daenerys was stunned by what she saw as she looked upon the Red Keep. She did not feel pity for the pair, knowing precisely who they were, but she did feel her appetite disappearing rapidly. She turned and was relieved to see that Jorah was keeping Daella from seeing.

There was a roar overhead as Drogon landed in front of them, blocking their path. Everyone grew tense as the black dragon looked out at them.

Margaery immediately shifted her horse so that Rhys and Reina were behind her. She kept her mask of composure, but she was terrified of what might happen next.

Daenerys grew worried when Drogon landed. This was not a safe place for him to be. She was not prepared to start an attack should he injure Hannibal. She spurred her horse on to try and get to the front to talk to him.

Hannibal sat tall in his saddle and gave a special high pitch whistle to call Vhagar. He then spoke in High Valyrian to the black dragon. "There is no need to stop us, my friend. Your mother is tired and desires to sleep on something that does not move."

Jorah had feared that they were all about to be killed. Drogon was the most unreliable of the dragons in terms of obedience. He grew more worried when Hannibal began speaking to the creature.

Vhagar flew in and landed near Drogon. He sat back and lowered his head to Hannibal as he waited for instructions.

Daenerys froze when Hannibal began speaking to her dragon. She was worried that Drogon would roast him alive.

Hannibal continued speaking to Drogon. "Vhagar knows where there is good hunting. Go with him and stretch your wings. There is a nice nesting spot that is quite comfortable." Hannibal spoke to the dragons as if they were people. He looked directly into Drogon's eyes and never backed down.

Hannibal gave another whistle and Vhagar flew up into the air. Vhagar gave a few short roars that sounded like communication to Drogon. Hannibal didn't move or flinch. Drogon sat up to his full height before taking to the skies and following Vhagar.

Margaery felt relief when the large black dragon left. She felt pride that her husband had sent the beast off instead of Daenerys. She remained calm and worked very hard to not be smug.

Daenerys became enraged at his boldness to try and send her dragon away. Her rage lessened when Drogon actually listened to him and then flew off. She felt true fear grip her then….how was he able to control Drogon like that?

Hannibal turned to look at Daenerys. "Your son is a stubborn one. Now I understand why he is so trying for you to train. The dragon for my youngest son is similarly stubborn. It has taken quite a bit of work to get him to obey basic commands. But he is young yet." He said before turning his horse to go across the drawbridge and finally enter the Red Keep.

Daenerys felt a mixture of anger and worry at Hannibal's words. She felt as if he were taunting her and did not like that one bit. However, she was even more worried that Drogon had actually done what he had commanded. Had he somehow gained control over her dragon?

Hannibal's full Small Council was waiting within the Red Keep to greet the party. Along with the companions who traveled with Jon Snow. Many had seen the great black beast land and then fly away, someone had controlled the beast and sent it off.

The party on horseback dismounted and walked inside. Hannibal and his family in front, followed by Daenerys and her family.

Jorah stopped walking as he spotted a young girl glaring at him from across the room. He recognized her face and then spotted the sigil of Bear Island she was wearing. He stood tall, but chose not to say anything to his cousin Lyanna. He knew he would not gain forgiveness from her.

Lyanna Mormont looked to Hannibal. "I do apologize, your grace, I will not be able to stay for dinner. I cannot sit at a table with a cowardly criminal." She said as she glared at Jorah.

Hannibal gave a nod of his head. "Thank you Lady Mormont for being here. I know your duties as Master of Laws has kept you quite busy."

Daenerys' eyes darkened when the young girl spoke so boldly towards her husband. She was about to speak, but was cut off by Hannibal. She held her tongue as she realized this was Jorah's kin. She then looked out at the others and waited to see if anyone else was going to leave.

Lyanna bowed her head and turned to leave in a hurry. She moved past the party and made certain to roll her shoulder hard into Jorah as she walked past him.

Margaery lightly rocked young Aenar as he slept in her arms. The early morning had worn the young child out.

Hannibal nodded when everyone else seemed to be staying. He turned to Daenerys, "Well, that was Lady Mormont from my Small Council. Let me introduce the others before we adjourn to dinner. You have already met my Master of Ships and Admiral of my fleet, Lady Yara Greyjoy. Next is my Master of Coin, Tyene Sand; Grand Maester Wolkan; Master of Whispers Olenna Tyrell; the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Ser Brienne; my Hand Willas Tyrell; my Warden of the South Ellaria Sand; my Warden of the West Brynden Tully; and finally, my Warden of the East Jon Targaryen. My Warden of the North is Lady Sansa Stark who could not be here today due to her duties in the North."

Each member gave a bow of their head to identify themselves as their names were given. Jorah found it interesting that Sands and many women were on this council, not what he expected to find.

Jon got a nod from Hannibal as he stepped forward. "It was recently discovered in the archives, that I am your nephew. My father was your brother Rhaegar and my mother was Lyanna Stark."

Daenerys listened to the list and gave a nod of her head to each. She focused in on Jon when he introduced himself. She had not met her oldest brother, but she did recognize something familiar in how Jon stood before her.

"It is good to meet you, nephew." She then motioned to those behind her. "Let me introduce my advisors. Ser Jorah is my King Consort and the Lord Commander of my Queensguard, Grey Worm is the commander of my armies, Lord Varys is my Master of Whispers, Missandei is my advisor, and my bloodriders Jhogo, Aggo, and Rakharo. My Hand and Master of Coin remained in Mereen with the bulk of my army." She said as a slight bluff.

Hannibal and his entire council knew Tyrion Lannister was in Mereen. They also knew exactly how many of Daenerys' forces had sailed across the sea. However, they were to hold their tongues for the time being.

Margaery gave an easy smile. "Now that we are all introduced, let us feast." She turned to lead the way towards the large banquet hall that had been prepared.

Hannibal and his family sat at the head of the table and the various advisors and council members spread down the table to the right of the royal family. Daenerys and her family were shown to seats next to Hannibal and his family. Her advisors were seated down the table to her left.

Wine was poured for everyone and toasts were made for safe travel and future alliances.

Hannibal spoke lowly to Daenerys. "After this meal we will meet more privately to discuss the true purpose of my invitation to you. Jon will be there along with the young boy who is crippled. He is Brandon Stark, the one Jaime Lannister shoved out of a tower window in Winterfell because he caught Jaime fucking his sister Cersei."

Daenerys was suspicious of the wine, but noted that her wine was poured from the same vessel as Hannibal's and he did not hesitate to drink. She heard his words and her eyes found the young Stark. She felt pity for the boy and realized that factored into the punishment they had seen. She gave a nod of her head in agreement to the meeting. "Very well, I will have my husband and Lord Varys with me."

Hannibal gave a nod of his head. "Your daughter can come as well. My children will be playing while we are meeting. It would be good for them to play with another child of similar age."

Daenerys gave a nod of her head in agreement. She wasn't letting Daella out of her sight, but she didn't like the thought of her playing with the child that just ordered a man's tongue cut out. She would have to consider it carefully.