I was hoping that Season 8 will be better after two years in production. It was a huge disappointment. I hope all fans that were slapped in the face by the producers took their time and signed the petition to remake Season 8.
This is my version of the serial.
'How should I protect my babies?'
That thought was gnawing at her on the flight back. The wind was swirling around her and her companions behind her, so talk was impossible without shouting. Daenerys had plenty of time to think about that problem.
According to Bron, the disgraced Maester of Cercei was working on bigger arbalets and they have been installed on Euron's ships and all around King's Landing walls...
'How Varys has skipped that information from his spies?' she asked herself again. He had proven useful, bringing Dorne and The Reach into her coalition. But she had that strange feeling ever since their tet-a-tet in Dragonstone.
'Is he really loyal to me or to some twisted scheming goal, that she was only a small part of?'
'If I had attacked as I wanted, there would've been no time for Cercei to do all this...
'I have listened to Tyrion and he was wrong again...'
She didn't have time to ponder more on the questionable loyalty and advice of her Council Members, because she saw the gathered armies down there.
At least this Tyrion had made it right, following her orders.
She saw her Dothraki and the glistening armors of Lady Olenna's knights.
She gave orders to Viserionn and Rhaegal to make a circle above and then to land next to the Dothraki and she landed next to the big tent with the Targaryen symbol.
Her friend Missandei was waiting for her, surrounded by Dothraki warriors. Daenerys hugged her and was hugged back.
"I was so worried about you your grace,' whispered Missandei and Daenerys could feel every word to be true. Her friend loved her and worried about her, not the Queen, not the Khaleesi...
Ser Jorah followed her steady and helped Sam to roll down the wing of Drogon. Her newly appointed Grand Maester looked green and was swallowing with a frightened look in his eyes. See Jorah basically handed him to the Dothraki bodyguards.
When the Dothraki reached to the bags with books, Sam finally exited his stupor and shouted, "Be careful with the books!"
When one of the Dothraki warriors gave him a nasty stare, Sam gulped and said with much softer tone, "Please?"
Daenerys instructed her Dothraki elites to help Sam and introduced Ser Jorah as the new Maester of War. Many of them remembered him from his duel with Bhago when Drogo has been sick and she could see how Ser Jorah managed to leave good first impression.
Next she was approached by Tyrion Lannister and Varys. She smiled without the smile reaching her eyes, listening to the report of her Hand.
They entered the tent and Daenerys was briefed about the updated plans of besieging King's Landing.
Again no word from Varys about the arbalets. She had gained more intelligence from Bron than Varys had put together.
She didn't argue with Tyrion and his plan. She had no intention to listen anymore and follow like a good girl.
She and Jorah crossed eyes. He was listening with a frown on his face the elaborate plans of Tyrion.
Daenerys could see how threatened her Hand was feeling from Jorah's presence. The question was was he only jealous or also unloyal?
When Tyrion was done with his plan, she smiled at Jorah, "What do you think of this plan, Maester Jorah?"
He licked his lips and glanced thoughtfully at the map on the table.
"My Queen," he made a slight now to her, "Do you remember when we discussed back in Essos if the Dothraki can defeat Robert Baratheon in battle?"
She recalled that memory, "You said that only a fool will meet them in open battle. That the Lords are not stupid like Robert and will wisely hide in their castles, while the Dothraki run out of food and leave Westeros..."
She moved her eyes from Jorah to Tyrion and frowned. Unlike her, Ser Jorah Mormont didn't pack formal education and was well versed in battle strategy...
Tyrion threw an angry stare at her newest Council Member and began again to speak about how the Siege will be merciful to the common people, when Ser Jorah interrupted him.
"Lord Lannister," he draweled, "How besieging hungry and desperate people is more merciful that storming the walls and doing fast with the forces of your sister?"
A heavy silence hanged in the tent.
She pursed her lips, feeling something bitter. 'Are you intentionally sabotaging my campaign?' She wanted to ask but she kept silent. How many times has Tyrion talked her out of following her 'wild side'?
She looked at Bron, "What about the Lannister that we have captured?"
Bron threw a weird look at Tyrion and said, "Cercei has agreed to swapp him for Ilaria Sand. Her daughters have been killed in execution and Euron won't part with his captive."
She didn't say anything, just raised her brows.
"Very well," she said and looked at Tyrion.
Daenerys had seen him as a kicked puppy but the more and more she was starting to see his intentional stupidity as a threat for her babies.
"Our Maester of War will forge a new plan and will present it to us tomorrow!" She announced and with that it was clear that the meeting was over.
She indicated for Missandei, Sam and Ser Jorah to stay and waited till they were alone.
"While you were away, a man came to Dragonstone," began Missandei. "He said that he is a bastard son of Robert Baratheon. The Hand of Jon Snow confirmed his identity. It seems that Robert Baratheon has been sleeping around in the Seventh Kingdoms and didn't care at all for his progeny."
Daenerys was silent, keeping her face blank. This was something unexpected and she had to digest the news. Ser Jorah had a thoughtful expression on his face, while Sam was silent.
"He has been raised as a slave and escaped from King's Landing when Cercei has killed all bastards of the Usurper. Then he met King Stannis and the Red Priestess that came to us on Dragonstone. She tried to sacrifice him to her God and Ser Davos helped him escape.
Ever since then, Gendry, that's his name has been hiding and now came and offered his services to you. He said that he can't stand the thought of working for Cercei anymore," finished Melisandei and waited for her answer.
Daenerys made a long pause, thinking over the words.
"Do you trust him?" She asked
Melisandei looked back at her, "Yes, my Queen"
"Very well then," decided Daenerys, "Let's meet him."
Her friend smiled, "I will ask him to clean himself and present to you, Your Grace. He has been very useful since he arrived and is probably working in the forgery right now..."
"Forgery?" Exclaimed Daenerys and felt how suddenly her inner sense is rising.
"Yes, he has been an Apprentice of the best Blacksmith in King's Landing and the Dothraki are very fond of the swords and arrows he is making..." Missandei said but Daenerys was already standing.
"I will meet him now..." She ordered, "Show me where he is?"
She looked at Ser Jorah and Sam Tarly, "Come with me!"
Daenerys marched through the settling camp, nodding at her Dothraki and the Knights from The Reach.
After a short walk, they reached a tent, where a muscular young man with back hair was pounding with a huge hammer a piece of iron.
He stopped when he saw her and put the hammer on the ground. He licked his lips uncertainty and sank to both knees, still looking with trepidation at her.
"My Queen," mumbled the man and lowered his gaze at the muddy ground. He knew that she can kill him and despite of that had come
Daenerys stepped to the man, "Rise..." She paused, "Gendry..."
He looked hopefully at her and stood on his feet. He was a head taller than her and outweighed her twice.
She looked at his blue eyes. He reminded her of the portrait she has seen of Robert Baratheon as a young king. It has been put in the basement in Dragonstone, when she had taken over the island.
"I won't judge the children for the crimes of the Father's..." She told him and could see how his shoulders relaxed.
"Would you fight for me? She asked and he immediately knelt on a knee and answered,
"Till I am alive, My Queen."
She nodded, sensing his honesty.
"I was told by my closest friend," she snatched a glance at the silent Missandei, "that you are an excellent blacksmith. I have a task to give you..."
He was listening intently and Daenerys continued, "I want to start production of Varyrian steel again!"
He blinked and she could see how he was thinking.
"I have seen only once how a Varyrian sword was melted and then forged into two new swords. I have been thinking about that miracle steel, but I have never had time and opportunity to spend more time..."
His hand brushed his hair, thinking aloud, "I was thinking that probably a very high heat was used to purify the iron but there should be a secret ingredient, that I am not sure what it should be..."
"Dragons..." Blurted Sam and all eyes looked at him. He blushed, "Dragons are a walking alchemist dream, their bellies are probably full with unknown acids that produce the fire."
Gendry looked at Sam, "But Dragon fire evaporates everything...It is so hot that not a single man can withstand the heat and if the melted iron is not cooled down quickly, it will become brittle again..."
Daenerys felt the eyes on Jorah on her and she smiled at the blacksmith.
" I can help with that..."
Half an hour later Gendry had gathered a pile of all iron ingots from the cargo wagons and from her army and had put them on the ground outside the camp. Several cargo wagons were loaded with water from the river and placed upon ten meter gathered stones, making a water tower. The water was high enough so it wouldn't evaporate immediately.
Daenerys was standing, only with a cloak on her body. She could see the curious stares of the gathered Dothraki, Tyrion and Varys were standing there and looking like she has gone crazy. Bron was standing next to the caged Jamie Lannister and she could see the doubt on his face.
Jamie Lannister gave her a weird look and Daenerys wondered what he was thinking.
Sam and Gendry were fiddling with the complicated mechanism of water cooling and she waited for their sign.
Finally they stepped away and Daenerys summoned her Dragons. The connection was instantaneous, they understood what she wanted and they approved it.
They gathered, hovering above the blinking ingots.
She gave the cloak to Missandei and ignoring the curious looks at her body stepped to the tower.
"Dracarys!"
Three rivers of fire erupted around her. Her Dragons enjoyed breathing fire and she could share their joy at doing what they loved most. She felt pleasantly cool in the center of the three rivers and she noticed how the iron melted so high that it sparkled first in yellow, then in flourecent green. She pushed at the melting stones of the water tower and the hissing water evaporated over the metal.
Nevertheless, her Dragons continued breathing heating the cooled metal and suddenly Daenerys could feel it. The melted steel vibrated at the same way as her heart and she had that strange feeling when she had touched for the first time a Dragon egg back then at her wedding in Pentos.
This was more than heating and cooling, more that melting metal, it was so much more. Like a part of the old Varyrian magic that had guided her when she had hatched her babies.
Daenerys instincts took over. She stepped to the steel and bit her finger, producing a single drop of blood.
The drop didn't evaporate, it stayed cool as her, singing with the magic of the old Varyria.
The melted iron changed its color to brilliant metallic and Daenerys knew it was ready.
She ordered her babies to stop the fire.
The land around her had been scorched and baked into clay.
She could see the crowd gathered around at a save distance around the circle and then looked at the pile of newly forged steel.
Above her her Dragons began to sing. She looked at her finger and smiled when she saw the pink and healthy skin.
For the first time in centuries, the Valyrian steel was reborn again in the Dragon's fire.