Gendry put the last plate and knit it together with the others. The newly minted Valyrian steel glistened under the rays of the morning sun, making Drogon looks like a giant star.
Her Dragon was covered from his nose to the top of his tail with a Valyrian ste
el armor. Gendry has worked whole night with the help of all the other blacksmiths to finish it.
Only the eyes and the opened mouth weren't covered with the steel and Daenerys reminded herself to keep these parts out of reach from arrows.
He has done modifications so the armor to be flexible and move with the spikes of her dragon and made a saddle and handles for her hands and legs.
He had made an armor for her as well and now she had a plated short armor that covered her from top of her head to the knees and her wrists. Only her face was exposed but he had made a helmet, a copy of her winged helmet and had improved it with a folding in face mask. He had made steel protectors for the top side of her palms and fingers.
Her knees had protectors too and Gendry has worked on steel boots, covering her feet and shins.
The steel was very light. Daenerys felt it lighter than her heavy leather robes. Drogon also accepted his new armor and she could feel he liked it.
The Valyrian steel armor made him look even more menacing if that was possible.
Before they started the armor, Gendry has made a sheet of hair thin plate and then had tested the Scorpion weapon.
The giant arrow broke at the impact with the armor, not leaving a dent on the shiny surface.
She was very pleased with Gendry and when the armor was finished, she smiled and thanked him profusely.
Gendry had looked very pleased with himself and although he was very tired, he has looked with pride at the glistening armor.
He was going to work on the armor of her other two Dragons when he was awakened from his restorative sleep and in the meanwhile the other blacksmiths were smelting new armors, swords and arrows for her army, made from Valyrian steel.
Ser Jorah looked at her and smiled, "My Queen, you look like splendid. I am so glad to be at your side now that you are conquering the world! "
She hugged him and looked at him, "If it wasn't for you Jorah, I wouldn't be standing here! You saved me so many times and always had the best in your heart when you were advising me. I owe you my life."
They shared the heated moment and then she stepped aside and composed herself.
Jorah was blushing under his tan and they both knew that this time there were no secrets that can fall apart their partnership.
"Come, let's feed my babies."
With the help of Jorah, she removed the plated armor and gave it to one of the Dothraki. She was wearing now only blue tight fitting pants and a shirt that could be worn under the armor. She put her regular boots and Jorah assisted her with putting a cloak.
Drogon turned around and joined Vyserion and Rhaegal at their place, where they expected the breakfast. The Dothraki herded a dozen cattle close to her babies and in the next minutes the air became thick with dragon fire and chewing sounds of what was the first meal for the day for her children.
She was looking at them with love and happiness, when a Dothraki rider approached her respectfully.
"Khaleesi," he said, "Grey Worm and the Unsullied are approaching our camp. He sent a messenger that he brings a guest who wishes to speak with you," the Dothraki bowed his head and Daenerys followed him, curious to see who this guest was.
Flanked by Ser Jorah and her Dothraki, they crossed the camp and she could see the approaching army. Grey Worm was riding ahead of a carriage and a small cohort of Unsullied soldiers.
She smiled at him and his eyes lit when he saw her. Missandei approached as well and Grey Worm was hugged first by Daenerys and then by Missandei.
The reunion was sweet and Daenerys watched with a huge smile when Grey Worm and Missandei kissed.
Once they unlocked their embrace, Grey Worm nodded respectfully to Jorah,
"Good to see you Jorah the Andal. This man is pleased you are healed," he spoke and Daenerys could sense how honest was Grey Worm.
Ser Jorah smiled, "I am too pleased to see you well and fighting for our Queen, Grey Worm!"
After that Grey Worm looked seriously at Daenerys, "My Queen, I need to speak with you about the guest that is coming. She requested her own tent and when she is ready, she wants to speak with you."
Daenerys raised her brows at that bold request but looking at the serious expression on her trusted friend, she realized that Grey Worm won't speak empty words.
"Very well," she conceded and gave orders for the Dothraki to build a tent and refreshments to be brought to the carriage.
Grey Worm continued, "In Lannisport she is known as Maggie the Frog. All people go to her for healing and for asking about their future. She is very influential and when we ceased Lannisport, she gave orders the people to not resist us and because of her we managed to organize the population and to bring peaceful transition to our rule. The people supported us and even fought against an attempt of Euron Greyjoy to take over the port."
Daenerys was listening with growing curiosity at what had happened in the Westerlands.
"She came to Lannisport and I had a meeting with her. She has visions and she can see the future..." Grey Worm finished speaking and stood straight.
Daenerys had mixed feelings about fortune tellers and healers. She well remembered that witch that had poisoned her beloved Droggo. But she trusted Grey Worm judgement.
The tent was raised very quickly by the Dothraki and the carriage was moved to the entrance.
Grey Worm put his helmet on and went to the wagon and after a respectful knock he opened the door.
Daenerys watched with curiousity as a middle aged woman with with salt and pepper hair exited the carriage.
The woman looked straight at her and Daenerys felt the same eerie feeling as when she was communicating with her Dragons.
The woman smiled, revealing a full set of ivory teeth and said, "I saw you in my vision, Mother of Dragons and there were times when I doubted myself that my visions will come true..."
Daenerys instantly liked the woman and despite her reserves, she smiled.
"Grey Worm speaks so highly of you. I want to thank you for the help you gave him in Lannisport. How can I repay you for your kindness?" She asked the mysterious woman.
Maggie the Frog gave her a crooked smile, "Let's talk in private, Mother of Dragons. There are some things that are only to be discussed in private..."
Daenerys saw how Ser Jorah opened his mouth to say something, when Maggie continued, "Your Maester of War can join us..."
Daenerys and Jorah exchanged looks. How does this woman knew that he has been made Maester of War. Daenerys had met him yesterday and the news couldn't have traveled so fast. Besides she was traveling with the Unsullied so no ravens could have brought the news...
Maggie disappeared in the tent and Daenerys took a deep breath and followed by Jorah, entered the tent.
Inside was semi dark. The Dothraki had brought few benches and stuck a fire, there were torches that lit the place.
Maggie was standing next to the fire, looking at the flames.
Daenerys and Jorah stood on the other side of the fireplace, waiting for Maggie to speak.
Now at the gloomy light, she looked more like the witch she was, than as a middle aged woman with too much eyeliner.
Without moving her eyes from the flames, the woman spoke, "Once I was a priestess in the temple in Volantis. I believed in the God of Light. I followed his every command till the day he asked me to kill a man, not because the man was guilty of anything but just because R'lor wanted to test my strength..." She twisted her lips in a vicious smile, "I guess even the Gods get bored from time to time. I refused and I waited to be struck by lightning. Nothing happened. I fled the temple and took on the first ship I could get on. It was a merchant from Lannisport and that's how a century ago I went to Westeros. I knew that the Targaryen Kings don't like the priests of the Red God with their human sacrifices so I hid in the forest. I didn't want to have any interaction with the people. Then one day I found a young woman, almost dead. She has been raped and left to die by some Lord. I couldn't stand and do nothing, so I saved her. That's when I realized that my talents were still with me and it was my ability not the Gift from R'lor that was behind my strength.
It is how my reputation as a healer began. Then the woman asked me will there be a redemption for what the Lord did to her..."
Maggie laughed bitterly, "Lannister would have never punished his Lord for raping a peasant. I looked at the flames and I saw him being killed by another man and I told her. The Lord was killed exactly as I had foreseen it.
And with that the people began coming to me. I couldn't stop them or ignore them. But everything I was doing was pointless because they were kept crushing by the merciless wheel of the Lords. It doesn't matter if the Lord's name was Lannister or Stark, they all crushed the common people, spitting them out when they were useless...
I felt like I was trying to dig a hole in the sea with my efforts and one day I set myself to see would there be an end of that suffering, would the wheel be crushed..."
She looked at Daenerys, "I saw you in my first vision, standing amongst Dragons, breathing fire. I thought I had began to go mad. The Dragons were gone thanks to the mindlessly stupid Targaryen Kings. Then the time went and I started to lose hope that anything could be changed. Then one day Cercei came in my den uninvited and wanted to know would she marry Rhaegar..." Maggie smiled, "I was angry but I didn't want trouble with the Lannisters. I tasted her blood and I saw you. You took everything Cercei cherished and crushed it down. And then I knew that my vision was not a hallucinating dream. The time would come very soon. I felt when the Dragons were born and this was the sweetest song to hear. So I prepared to wait for. "
Daenerys looked at the strange woman, "How old are you?"
"I was born at the time your ancestor Aegon was conquering the Seven Kingdoms. Then I became a priestess and received the Gift of Light from the Red God. I am no longer receiving it and I don't wear his Gift, so I am slowly aging and probably in a century I will die from natural age..." The ex priestess spoke calmly.
Daenerys was awed by what she heard, "I didn't know that the servants of the Red God lived that long. I have only met one of them Melisandre..."
At the mentioning of the name, Maggie laughed, "She is still trying to please the Red God, following his stupid rules and killing children!"
Daenerys blinked and then remembered that Stannis had burned alive his daughter and that Varys said it was the Red Priestess who had implanted the idea in his head.
The witch spoke, "I want to make a deal with you, Mother of Dragons."
Daenerys braced herself and carefully asked, "What deal?"
"I will show you the future and I will assist you in your war against Cercei and the Great War to come. But in exchange I want two things..."
Maggie's eyes were mirroring the flames and Daenerys felt how the hair on her neck stood up.
"The first thing I want is to have the Great Sept of Balor in King's Landing. Once you conquer the city you will rebuilt the temple and I will be the Head Priestess of the Faith. I want the people to have faith but not in a murdering human sacrifacing God that requires nothing but obedience. I want the Old Gods to be restored and the believe of people in themselves..."
Daenerys liked the last part, she was a strong believer in herself, "I can agree to that!"
Maggie grinned, "And the second thing I want is to give me your firstborn daughter..."
Daenerys blinked and Jorah stepped closer to her. She felt how tears began to fill her eyes.
"I know what that stupid witch that lacked talent for anything else except to infect a wound had told you. But the time will come when your womb will quicken again and children with the blood of the old Valyria will be born by you. Is it so much to ask for one of them?" Asked Maggie the Frog.
Daenerys really wanted to believe in the words of the witch. She had trusted once and now she felt cautious to do it again. And she didn't believe she will ever have children.
Instead she asked, "What are you going to do with that daughter?"
Maggie smiled and the smile was genuine this time, not the twisted manically moving of lips that Daenerys has seen so far. "One day I will die and I want my apprentice to continue what I have started. If you agree to give me your first born daughter, I will teach her everything I know and one day she will became the Head Priestess."
Silence became thick and Daenerys looked to Jorah. He cleared his throat, "With all my respect milady, when my Queen takes over the Seventh Kingdoms, she will have to tolerate all religions not just a single one."
Maggie frowned, "I don't mind the other believes, but the Sept of Balor was once a holy place of the Old Gods so the Faith of the Seventh us nothing else than an Usurper. I won't ask her to make my temple exclusive, I only ask to be given a fair place amongst the others. Everything else I will achieve myself!"
Jorah threw a look at Daenerys and asked again, "And if she has only one daughter and she is the heir?"
Maggie's frown straightened and she smiled, "You don't believe my words, Northerner but I tell you that she will have more than a daughter." She looked intensely at Daenerys, "Do we have a deal, Mother of Dragons?"
Daenerys felt how every cell in her body screamed. She could sense that that ex priestess was powerful and right now she needed trusted allies.
'And what if one day her words come true?' she asked herself. It wasn't so bad to be a priestess in a temple after all. Especially in one where the Faith in Yourself has been preaching.
She met the serious eyes of the priestess and nodded, "I accept your terms!"
Maggie smiled sweetly at her, "We have a deal, Mother of Dragons. Now, I will show you what is next to come..."
She extended her hand over the flames and suddenly Daenerys had a vision.
Jon Snow killing her with a sword...in an Ashen Throne Room...
Then she saw her baby Vyserion killed by the Night King...
And Tyrion talking Jon to kill her after he had sabotaged her war...
She saw Missandei killed by Cercei and Jorah killed by the Whitewalkers...
A book with a page where her brother's name Rhaegar and that of Lianna were signed under a marriage certificate...
Daenerys blinked and the world focused back on the present. Jorah was shocked by what he had seen.
She was standing too stunned from what she had seen, when the voice of Maggie the Frog sounded in the her ear.
"The future is not set in stone, Mother of Dragons. It is like a river that flows and it depends on us what decisions we will take..."
Daenerys looked at the witch that has come to stand close to her, "So I can change it?"
"Yes," said Maggie the Frog, "When I told the future to Cercei, she also had a chance to change it." She chuckled without any attempt to hide her true feelings, "The evil Lannister spawn had the nerve to treaten me in my own den and this she will walk away just like that Lord that had raped the peasant girl. I don't told her that what she could change the future...
Instead I left her to stew in her own memories every time she was at the crossroads of taking a decision. She made everything possible this future to happen. She was a terrible mother that couldn't see beyond her self interest when Tomen became king.
If she had left him live with Margaery, he would've still been alive and happy with his wife and children. Instead she only thought of herself and that's why all her children are gone and there is an empty space where the Temple of the Seventh once stood. Cercei let the river run and drowned her, instead of taking a boat and sailing the river."
Jorah licked his lips, "We saw what are the dangers ahead of us and it depends on our smart decisions to change them!"
Daenerys looked at the stone face of the priestess, "Will you help us to sail the river, Priestess?"
Maggie the Frog smiled enigmatically, "That's why I am here, my Queen!"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Arya took the mask and look at it, "Who is that?"
"One of the servants of the queen," said Jacqen.
Jacqen had hidden her in his room on the third floor of one of the watching towers that surrounded the Red Keep. His room was simple, with a window facing the fortress wall, simple bed and a table with two chairs. A chest was sat in the corner and a simple copper night pot was under the bed.
Now that they were alone, Arya realized that his uniform he was wearing wasn't exactly the King's Guard she remembered.
There was too much golden colors and silk, and the hilt of his sword was decorated with rubies.
"Whose face are you wearing?" Arya eyed his massive golden chain around his neck.
"Captain Dieno, third in rang in the Golden Company, at your service!" Grinned Jacqen.
"The Golden Company?! But..." Arya began to think quickly aloud, "What would the Golden Company do here in Westeros? Why is Captain Dieno here?"
"The Iron Bank decided to take sides in the War between Lannister and the Dragon Queen. They supported Cercei with everything she will need to defeat Daenerys Targaryen...," Jacqen gave her a tight lipped smile, "Cercei sent her Hand to Bravoos and he made a deal with the Golden Company. As of right now their ships are approaching King's Landing with fifty thousands troops and cavaliery, battle elephants and most important of all, giant arbalets that can throw thirty feet long arrows at the Dragons. Cercei was very generous with the money of the Iron Bank!"
Arya was listening with a knot in her stomach. She remembered the stories her father had told her. Rhaenys's Dragon was killed in Dorne with a giant arrow. She had always admired that warrior queen and had imagined how she was riding a dragon like Rhaenys. The thought of that vicious bitch Cercei killing a dragon made her furious...
She studied her former teacher, "Who paid the price to kill the queen?"
Jacqen kept smiling, "A man can't reveal his sources, as a girl knows."
"Then why did't you kill her yourself? And why did you wait for me to show here?" She put the mask on the table, "I was heading North when I decided to come back."
Jacqen shook his head, "A man knew you won't let someone else kill the first one in your list. And the price was offered when the girl decided to go back to the land of snow and cold. So a man knew a girl will come."
He stood up, "The man will leave the girl now to make herself like Lady Terron. The girl will find the dress and shoes in that chest there. Then the man will show the girl where the target is."
Jacqen bowed politely and exited the room.
Arya looked at the mask, still overwhelmed by the news when she realized something.
'Jacqen had killed Lady Terron very recently, so her absence won't be noticed...How did he know when Arya was going to come in King's Landing?"
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
An hour later Arya or Lady Terron was standing in the Throne Room as was her duty as a Lady in waiting of the Queen.
Arya felt a cold anger, looking at the Lannister bitch that had killed her Father.
Cercei right now was sitting smugly on the Iron Throne and listening to the report of General Attavius, First in the Golden Company.
Arya was also forced to listen and the more she heard, less confident she became that the Dragon Queen would won. They were talking about enormous arrows that could kill a bull from five hundred meters…
After the general was dismissed, Arya and the other Ladies in waiting were released and Arya pretended that she was going to her room. After several corridors, she ditched her mask and dress and decided to take a shortcut through the underground galleries. As a child, she had gotten to know them quite well and she remembered that there was a secret passage back to the King's wing.
She was walking fast when she heard something and she stopped and listened. Someone was walking in the corridors. She found a place to hide and waited.
A scrawny man, with brown robe and the pin of a hand was walking, carrying a torch. After him was Cercei, still in her ceremonial dress from the Throne Room and next to her was Jamie Lannister.
Arya instinctively grasped her knife, thirsty to kill her enemies but she knew better.
After them was walking a giant man, covered with armor.
'Clegene!'
This was the brother of the Hound. Arya has heard different stories about him being undead and resurrected by the Hand of the Queen. Now she could see that the stories were true.
She was curious, 'Did Jamie Lannister return so fast?'
When they crossed the turn of the corridor, Arya carefully followed them through the maize of turns and corridors. They were heading to the river exit.
They stopped at the half light of the exit and waited. Cercei turned to her brother, "Are you sure they will come?"
"Yes, Cercei" the voice of Jamie Lannister sounded grimly. "I know him."
Ten minutes later Arya watched as Tyrion Lannister and Varys climbed the steps from a small boat. Obviously Varys had been rowing because his face was sweaty. This made his oily appearance even more slimy.
'What is going on?' wondered Arya. She knew that the dwarf and the fat slimy man had fled to Targaryen girl….
"Brother!" Said Cercei and a gentle smile crossed her face. The last time Arya had heard her sound do kind was when she had talked with King Robert Baratheon.
Tyrion was eyeing her like he expected any moment his sister to stab him with a knife. Cercei stepped closer and to Arya bewilderment knelt, wrapping the dwarf in a tight embrace.
The shoulders of the kneeling woman shook, like she was crying and when she lifted her head Arya could see that her face was covered with tears.
"Forgive me, brother" she hiccuped, "Jamie told me about Olenna. She has killed my beloved Joffrey. I have put the blaime on you and in my grief, I was going to kill an innocent man…"
Tyrion looked like someone had struck him with a lightning. He tenderly embraced his sister and Arya could see how he longed to be accepted and valued.
After a long moment of sharing family reunion, Tyrion stepped back and Cercei with help of her Hand raised up, delicately brushing her tears with a silk handkerchief.
Arya couldn't stop herself from thinking, 'Didn't the crocodile shed tears just before it devours its kill?'
Tyrion hugged Jamie, who whispered, "See? I told you that Cercei will never reject you if she knows the truth, brother!"
Varys had used his sleeve to wipe the sweet from his face while watching the Lannisters. He took the word, "I don't want to ruin your reunion, my Queen," he bowed to Cercei, "my Lords," another polite now to Jamie and Tyrion, 'But we need to be back or the Dothraki may become suspicious and decide to search our tent. We told them we need two ours rest and we already used half an hour rowing to come here."
"You are right, Lord Varys" nodded Cercei and looked at him and then at Tyrion. "My brother Jamie told me that you wish to return and I will most graciously accept you back. Lord Varys will be reinstated at his previous position of course." Cercei looked at Tyrion, "And for you brother, I will give you what you always wanted. You will be a Warden of the West!"
Tyrion's eye lit at her words and more crying and embracing followed.
"I have news, Cercei," Tyrion brought a piece of paper from his cloak, "The King of the North has sent a raven, Varys intercepted the bird. He is coming to Targaryen's camp to bend the knee to her…."
Cercei took the paper and read it, a worried expression on her face. She looked like a damsel in distress, biting helplessly her lower lip, when Tyrion continued.
"The King of the North wants her help against the Undead beyond the Wall. I will convince them that you will want to join them as this threat is greater than this war but Jon Snow will have to provide a proof to you. And what better proof than a captured Whitewalker? He will go beyond the Wall and hopefully Daenerys will go too. If the danger is so formidable, they might be killed or at least delayed the war. This will give you time to bring the Golden Company armies and choose where to hit them!" Tyrion was speaking confidently and was rewarded with another hug from Cercei.
Then Tyrion began to talk how the Dragon Queen had produced Valyrian steel but it was yet to be tested if her attempt could rival the original Valyrian steel. They had left the camp after she had emerged unburnt from the fire and Tyrion thought that it will take weeks, maybe a month to fully equip her Dragons.
The Hand of Cercei wanted to know more but Tyrit and Varys didn't know anything else except that to make Valyrian steel you need Dragons and water.
Arya was barely able to restrain herself. 'Traitor!' She wanted to shout and stab this dwarf.
How could he be so dishonest? He was a Hand of the Dragon Queen and from what Arya had heard of her she wasn't anything like the Mad King. She had banned slavery, making the lives of the common people easier and trying make Westeros a better place. And this Lannister wanted to kill her and her Dragons. He also wanted to kill Jon and this made it personal.
Arya was interrupted from her thoughts, when the Hand of Cercei handed a metal vial to Tyrion.
"This is a poison that you need just a drop to kill an elephant. I assume that the same quantity will incapacitate or kill a dragon. It is fast, tasteless and without a smell. If you have a chance try it on King of the North…"
Tyrion carefully took the vial, looked pale and uncertain.
"Why only on King of the North? Why not the Targaryen's girl?" asked Varys.
The Hand gave him his first smile, "Our Queen has special plans for her. Poison is too easy…."
Arya had to endure another disgusting view of Cercei taking a good bye with Tyrion and asking him to come back safely and after that Tyrion and Varys finally got in the boat and Varys started rowing back to whatever they have come.
Jamie excused himself, saying that he will go and take bath after a long kiss from Cercei.
Once Jamie was gone Cercei's expression shifted from that of the crying damsel in distress to the serpentine malice that Arya so we'll remembered.
Cercei spoke, "At least once Jamie was useful!" she turned her eyes to her Hand, "Those eye drops you gave me are really good. Crying was effortless even when I wanted to strangle that abomination and the slimy traitor!"
"Thank you, Your Grace," nodded the man, "You looked very sincere. I congratulate you "
Cercei smiled coldly, "I can't wait to kill that dwarf!"
"Soon, Your Grace, soon…" assured her her Hand and with that the trio departed.
Arya stood long after they steps disappeared, deep in her thoughts.
She felt a breathing and without a surprise, she turned and met Jacqen's eyes.
"Now the girl know why a man had waited for her. The first must choose would she save her brother or kill here!"
Arya was still thinking of the smug face of Cercei, when she said, "I will kill Cercei but first I must save my brother!"