Chapter 33

Sundas, the 3rd of Sun's Height, Year 202 of the 4th Era

That battle for the Ragged Flagon didn't last long. Caught between the Dragonguard and her mercenaries most of the beggars and thieves surrendered quickly. A few people had to be fished out of the sewage pond in the center of the chamber, but even that didn't take long. It was certainly possible that an Argonian or two escaped by hiding underwater or swimming out through flooded pipes. There wasn't anything they could do about that. They didn't have any Argonians in the Dragonguard to check. However, a few people escaping didn't matter much in the scheme of things. She ordered Marcus to secure the prisoners, send the injured to Nura for healing, and systematically loot everything of value. He immediately took charge using the men assigned to him and began making order out of chaos with typical Imperial efficiency.

However, her war against the Thieves' Guild wasn't over yet. They still had to clear out the twisty maze of passages known as the Warrens. With all the people that had fled, some were certainly hiding down there. According to her information from Karliah, the Warrens were a dead end – except for the secret passage to Mercer Frey's home. However, Daenerys couldn't be certain that there weren't other secret passages out of the Warrens that Karliah didn't know about. Daenerys put Sofija in charge of searching every nook and cranny of the Warrens and capturing everyone hiding down there.

While Marcus and Sofija oversaw their parts of the operation, Daenerys sent Jenassa to find the secret passage to Mercer Frey's house. According to Karliah's scribbles, it was a shaft in the ceiling that would require a tall ladder to reach from below. Unfortunately, Karliah's mapmaking skills left a lot to be desired, which was why she needed Jenassa to locate the passageway and hopefully make contact with Karliah at the top of the shaft. Equally important, they needed to find it without letting any of the Riften Guards or Harrald Law-Giver finding out.

That still left a lot of other important details. "Torvar, Shield-Brother, I need your help," said Daenerys beckoning him to her side.

Torvar gave her a nod and hurried over. "How can I help?"

"Walk with me." She led him a little bit away so they could have a more private talk. "You haven't been in contact with Jenassa for days, so you missed out on some events. We had someone on the highest levels of the Thieves' Guild defect to our side. That's the reason we've been able to move so fast."

"Are you sure you can trust him? A thief is still a thief."

"He is a she, and she is a Dunmer. The guildmaster of the Thieves' Guild killed her lover and tried to kill her. She wants revenge."

Torvar laughed. "Well, I think we can trust a Dunmer to do whatever it takes to get revenge, but it still doesn't mean we can trust her after."

"I've got leverage on her." Torvar didn't need to know about Nightingales. The fewer people who know about her spies the better, and it was better that no one who didn't already know discover that she made a deal with Nocturnal. "One of the things I got out of her was a list of the officers in the Thieves' Guild. I want these people found and I want them questioned by the Dragonguard – not the Rifties."

"That's going to be a good trick. How are you going to get them out under the Rifties' noses when you have several Riften Guards running around down here?"

Daenerys was less worried about the Riften Guards than Harrald Law-Giver, which was why she had him in the other room guarding Nura Snow-Shod. "Jenassa is working on that right now. It will be like a shell game. We'll keep their attention focused one way and slip them out another. What I need from you is to separate the wheat from the chaff. I have a list of names and descriptions. Hopefully, you'll recognize them."

Torvar nodded. "I'll try. I spent a lot of time drinking down here like you told me to. I know some names and faces. I can tell you many who are thieves and who are drunks, but I never sorted out who was an officer and who were the go-betweens. Who do you want me to find?"

"The top three are Brynjolf, Vex, and Delvin Mallory. I'm pretty sure we already caught Delvin trying to escape out the back door. He should be moved here shortly. Marcus is concentrating all the prisoners in here so we can keep an eye on them." And so Harrald Law-Giver couldn't watch as they made some of them disappear.

"That I can do, Shield-Sister. All three of them hung out at the Ragged Flagon. Brynjolf was even the one who recruited me. He was also involved in rigging fights at the Forgotten Hole."

"Good." Those were the ones Karliah thought most likely to be worthy Nightingales. "I'm also interested in Galathil, she's the face-shaper, Thrynn, and Tonilia." She wanted the face-shaper to cure Faralda and as a resource. Thrynn and Sapphire were second-tier choices as Nightingales. Tonilia and Mercer together oversaw the fencing of everything the Thieves' Guild brought in. Daenerys wanted her questioned as to where the money went. Karliah was certain that Tonilia and Mercer had been skimming from the top for years. Daenerys intended to acquire everything she could to fill the Dragonguard's coffers.

"Tonilia, I know. She's a Redguard and a fence. She spent most of her days down here in the Ragged Flagon. I've seen the face-shaper, but she always had the hood of her cloak pulled down low. I never got a good look at her face. I never knew her name, but I'll look for her. I never heard of Thrynn."

"Even that much helps. I don't have a good description of Thrynn, just that he is a large brown-haired Nord. He has two horizontal marks in red facepaint on each cheek."

"I saw a man with red facepaint like that pass through the Ragged Flagon. Didn't get a name, but if he's down here. I'll find him."

"Good. Finding those people is top priority. Just make sure you know where they are. Don't separate them. I don't want to call attention to them. I'm also going to need you to finger all the other thieves you can. I'd like to give the Riften Guard at least a dozen so they don't notice we kept some out."

Torvar scoffed. "That won't be a problem. I can name two dozen even after you separate out the officers. I might finger some of the beggars, too. They're just as guilty. They're the eyes and ears for the Thieves Guild. They case places and get a cut afterward. I've heard some of them brag about picking pockets as well."

Daenerys felt a little bit uncomfortable at that. She had been a lookout and shilled for things like shell games when she had lived on the streets of Essos. When you didn't know where your next meal would come from, you did what was needed to survive. "Let the eyes and ears be. The ones that bragged about picking pockets, those are fair game."

"As you wish."

Daenerys reached out and grasped arms with Torvar in Companion fashion. "Good to have you back by my side, Shield-Brother."

Torvar laughed. "You certainly make things interesting, Shield-Sister." He walked over to where the prisoners were kept and began checking faces.

Daenerys looked around and didn't see anything else that she needed to handle in the Ragged Flagon, so she returned through the no longer hidden passage to the cistern that was the guildhall for the Thieves' Guild. A line of warriors and captured prisoners waited to be healed by Nura Snow-Shod. Harrald Law-Giver stood by her side standing watch. None of the men standing in line looked severely injured. Daenerys was relieved that Hemming and the Riften Guard hadn't found them yet. She had Shouted in the Riften graveyard and had expected someone to come investigate by now. She certainly wasn't going to complain about them being slow to respond. She moved over by Nura and started helping heal the wounded. With both of them working together they soon had everyone healed.

"So, this was the Thieves' Guild," said Harrald once the last wounded man was healed. "It really existed all along. I owe you an apology. You were right about that. How is your plan going to catch them all?"

"I never expected to catch every single thief in Riften. I'm sure that some of them escaped, but I believe I have captured their leadership and broken their back. They no longer have a safe place to hide. I would encourage your mother to make examples of the leaders, send a message. The few that remain will be much less bold in the future."

He nodded in agreement. "I'll push for that. I've never been fond of just throwing thieves in jail. I'd like to see them all executed. Really send a message."

"You might want to put some of them in crow's cages or in the pillory," suggested Daenerys. "Let the people see that that they've been captured."

Harrald nodded. "That's an excellent suggestion as well."

Daenerys considered Harrald a moment. Now that he had his nose rubbed in the truth, was he ready for more? She glanced over to Nura Snow-Shod.

Nura touched her talisman of Talos and dipped her head a bit.

Daenerys mulled over Nura's gesture. What did she mean? Trust Talos? She looked back to Harrald. Despite this being a victory, he had the air of a defeated man. She decided to push a little more. "Of course, a lot depends on whether or not Maven Black-Briar helps the Thieves' Guild get back on their feet."

Harrald scowled. "You've been talking to Mjoll the Lioness."

"No." Daenerys spoke firmly. "Mjoll just confirmed what Torvar reported. You saw me greet him as a Shield-Brother?"

"Aye, I did." Harrald sighed. "He's a Companion of Jorrvaskr?"

"He is. I sent him on ahead of the Dragonguard to look around. It took him less than half-a-day to be contacted by Thieves' Guild. He was also given a warning when he entered Riften. Care to guess what he was told?"

"Something about not crossing the Black-Briars? I've heard the rumors and they're false. The Black-Briars are loyal to my family."

If she had just met Harrald, he might have fooled her, but she could hear the doubt in his words. "Are you certain of that?" She focused her eyes on him.

"I have always believed that," he said the words firmly, but he turned to Nura Snow-Shod. "I did not expect to find you supporting the Dragonborn. You don't believe all of this about Maven, do you?"

"I've known for some time that Maven had unsavory connections. The Snow-Shods and the Black-Briars were allies, so I looked the other way. Sometimes you have to do some wrong to do what is right, but I let myself be blinded by our alliance. I did not dig too deeply because I feared what I might find. I did what helped Clan Snow-Shod, but not what was right. Now… I believe that everything that Mjoll said of Maven is true, and even more."

"But…" He looked from Nura to Daenerys and back to Nura. "When did you change your mind? Why?"

Nura held her amulet. "I knew for a long time. I let myself be deceived. Greed. Pride. I was wrong. The Dragonborn showed me a letter penned in Maven's own hand. What I saw shocked me. Maven has turned from the Nine. She is consorting with Sithis, and she hired the Dark Brotherhood."

"What letter?" He turned to Daenerys. "What letter?"

Daenerys shrugged. "I don't have it on me. Things were hectic this morning. I believe that Vulwulf Snow-Shod still has the letter."

"He does," agreed Nura.

"Letters can be forged." Harrald's reply sounded more like Hemming's sulk. He turned to Daenerys. "And why didn't you show me this 'proof' if you believe that Maven was behind the assassin that tried to kill you?"

"Because, as you said, letters can be forged, Harrald Law-Giver, and when a man's mind is already made up, he will not listen to reason." She could tell by the stubborn set of his jaw that he wasn't really listening any longer. "I will be glad to discuss it later when you are willing to listen. I've spent enough time chatting while my men fight. I need to get back to my men and see what is going on. Please, protect Nura." She turned to the priestess. "I wish you luck trying to talk sense into him. I'm starting to wonder if the Law-Givers are under the effect of a spell."

Nura promptly disagreed. "They're not. Maven is merely very persuasive. She has a silver tongue, an eye for seeing to the heart of things, and the will to see things through."

"True enough." Daenerys remembered that she had even found Maven convincing. She walked away wondering if Harrald would take the easy route of letting her go or chase after her seeking answers. He stayed behind.

When she returned to the Ragged Flagon she found all the prisoners were bound securely and under the watchful gaze of Marcus and several of the Dragonguard. She noticed that Jenassa was back and quietly talking to Torvar.

"Marcus, Torvar, Janessa, come over here. I want to discuss the prisoners with you."

Torvar and Jenassa headed straight over to her. Marcus paused to issue some orders to the guards, but he was only a few paces behind them.

"So, we talked about this briefly at Snow-Shod Manor, but we didn't have time to go into details." Although Jenassa knew more than the other two. "There are some very important prisoners that I want questioned by the Dragonguard, and I don't want them caught by the Riften Guard. Understand?"

There were nods of agreement.

"So, first things first. Jenassa, you're back. Did you find the shaft in the ceiling that leads to Mercer Frey's house?"

"I did, and Galdrus dropped down a note tied around a rock. When I whistle, he will lower a rope. We secure the rope around the prisoner, and then Galdrus and Karliah pull them up."

"That will work." Under the circumstances it was the best she could hope for. "How visible will that be?"

"Very," said Jenassa. "It's right near the front of the Warrens. There are still men all over down there running around. You would have to station guards to keep it quiet."

"Then we'll do that. I don't care if the Dragonguard know. It's the Rifties that I want to keep in the dark." She turned to Torvar. "Shield-Brother, did you find who we're looking for?"

"I found all of them, but Thrynn and Tonilia are dead. Devin Mallory won't be going anywhere without healing, but he's in no danger. The rest are fine."

"Good. That's real good." Of the seven she wanted to acquire, she'd only lost three. She didn't consider Thrynn or Sapphire to be much of a loss since she had Brynjolf, Vex, and Delvin Mallory. However, she would have liked to question Tonalia about the fencing side of the Thieves' Guild and see where the money was hiding. Too bad she was dead. At least Torvar found the face sculptor. "Now, here's what we're going to do…"

The problem she had was that they had eight members of the Riften Guard mixed in with her men and Harrald Law-Giver to keep in the dark. Mjoll the Lioness was still something of an unknown and might also be a problem, but she was down in the Warrens clearing them out. She had Marcus station Dragonguard in the Warrens blocking off access to the corridor with the hidden passage to Mercer Frey's home. She had Torvar supervise removing men from the Ragged Flagon.

The Dragonguard carried most of the prisoners into the cistern that was the former guildhall for the Thieves' Guild. There Torvar divided them into two groups. Thieves to be turned over to the Riften Guard on one side. Vagrants and beggars to be released on the other. All of that was just to distract Harrald and the Riften Guards. Torvar also pulled out the high priority prisoners. He gave them to Jon Battle-Born, Olfina Grey-Mane, and Jenassa to smuggle into the Warrens so that they could be passed to Karliah and Galdrus and stashed in Mercer Frey's home.

Daenerys watched the prisoner shuffle unfold. This was very much a shell game. She was making sure that the Riften Guard and Harrald had plenty to see while she moved the prize off to the side. It should work.

As the last priority prisoner, Delvin Mallory, was removed Jenassa returned and started marching toward her with a determined stride. "Lady Targaryen, Karliah sent another message. She wants you to climb up the rope and meet with her now. She claimed it was important."

Daenerys was sure it was important. Unfortunately, many things were important right now. One of them was not getting caught smuggling out the high priority prisoners. Another was being ready to intercept Hemming Black-Briar when the Riften Guard finally showed up. She couldn't do that if she was in Mercer Frey's home. However, the Riften Guard wasn't here yet.

"I'll come speak to her, but we'll have to make it quick." Daenerys raised her voice so it could be heard across the room. "Marcus, I'm accompanying Olfina to the Warrens. I'll be back shortly."

Marcus nodded. "If anyone shows up, what should I tell them?"

"Have them wait. I shouldn't be long." She turned to Olfina. "Lead the way."

Lydia fell in behind her as Olfina lead them through a door and into a multistoried room. Off to the side at the very top was a rope hanging down. Without the rope to act as a guide for the eye, it would be hard to spot the opening in the ceiling. Before she even gave the order, Lydia went up the rope making it look easy. Daenerys followed with difficulty. It wasn't so much the weight of the armor. She was strong enough to pull herself up. The problem was gripping a rope while wearing metal gauntlets and boots. Fortunately, the rope had knots tied in it, and she made her way to the top with only a little bit of struggling. At the top Galdrus helped pull her up into what was presumably Mercer Frey's house.

"This had better be important."

"It is. Trust me." He turned and walked away before she could reply. Galdrus led them down a twisty trapped corridor, past a room where the priority prisoners from the Thieves' Guild were bound in ropes, and into another room.

Karliah was in the room, but Daenerys only gave her a brief glance. Her attention was drawn to Karliah's victim, Mercer Frey. She had never met the man, but it couldn't be anyone else. He was a shell of the man he'd once been. His left eye was an empty socket. His fingernails were missing. His skin had been removed over much of his chest. All of those wounds were partially healed, which meant they could never be properly healed.

Daenerys felt sick at her stomach. She had seen the victims of torture before, including crucified children posted upon the road to convince her to turn back, but this was worse because she was responsible. She had been the one who had told Karliah to ditch her complicated plan and just take out Mercer in his home and be done with it. She had even suggested that Karliah put Mercer Frey to the question. Daenerys had wanted what was inside his head to help take down the Thieves' Guild and the Black-Briars. That had been days ago. The Thieves' Guild was already broken now, but what he knew about Maven Black-Briar might still matter. Yet, this was wrong. She knew that in her heart, but sometimes what was wrong was also necessary… and she remembered burning King's Landing. She had known it was wrong, but she had convinced herself that it was necessary. Or maybe she had gone mad. Was this the same? However, Karliah had also deserved her vengeance. Mercer had betrayed Gallus and Karliah, murdered Gallus, and tried to kill Karliah. She had the witch Mirri Maz Duur burned alive. Wasn't this the same?

Karliah knelt down beside Mercer Frey. "Mercer, she's here. The Dragonborn has come. What do you say to her?"

"I swear! I swear! I'll serve!" His voice had an unpleasant rasp to it as he begged and pleaded.

Daenerys felt a familiar flutter of wings followed by the sound of a cage door snapping shut. She couldn't see the tattoo on the back of her hand through her gauntlet, but she was certain that there was now a third black bird inside the gilded cage. Her third Nightingale, but not like this -

Karliah slapped him. "No. The other first. Tell him how Maven Black-Briar controls the jarl."

"Skooma! Her medicine! It's skooma! That's how."

Skooma? Daenerys suddenly felt the pieces click together. A disease that kept coming back no matter how many times it was healed. Magical healing cured the body. It would not cure the craving of an addict. Jarl Laila Law-Giver was addicted to skooma! Maven had provided her medicine. Saerlund had told her that. Probably small doses at first, getting her hooked calling it medicine until the jarl could barely think about anything else. This would take down Maven Black-Briar and the jarl with her.

Karliah stroked Mercer's hair. "Good. Now, say the oath, properly. Like I taught you."

"As, as a Nightingale of Nocturnal." Mercer coughed. "I pledge… I pledge to serve the Dragonborn in life and Nocturnal in death."

"Those weren't the words." Karliah kicked him in the kidneys.

Daenerys intervened. "Karliah, the words were enough. Just him swearing to me was enough. Intent matters more than the exact words."

Karliah smiled. "You're certain?"

"Yes, I am."

"Good." Karliah drew her knife and with one swift motion cut Mercer's throat from ear to ear. "Your oath is fulfilled. A third soul was provided, but I will not work with him."

Daenerys forced herself to watch as Mercer died. It didn't take long. Blood gushed from his neck and the light faded from his eyes. Daenerys heard the sound of bird calling and a brief sensation of pain on the back of her hand. Apparently, the mark would also let her know when a Nightingale died. That could prove useful, but that was something to think about later. The knowledge that the jarl was a skooma addict with Maven in control of her supply changed everything. However, she still had to deal with Karliah.

"You're a cold woman, Karliah. I didn't think you had it in you to torture him that far, but you had the right. He killed your man. He almost killed you." And the information she'd uncovered had been worth it. She couldn't judge Karliah when she had done as much. "Are you going to treat the others that way?"

"No, they'll get a simple choice." Karliah wiped her blade clean on mercer's shirt and sheathed her dagger. "Serve Nocturnal and you or die. At least Delvin, Vex, and Brynjolf will have that choice. I'll let you handle the face-shaper."

"Her name is Galathil. Treat her kindly, but don't let her escape. Just keep her hidden for now with the others. I don't have time to sort her out now. I need to get back before I'm missed." But she couldn't just leave Karliah like that. "Karliah, you did all I could ask and more. You did good. Enjoy your vengeance and get the prisoners hidden away. Get in touch with me, Camilla, or another of my small council tomorrow or the next day. Tonight… will be busy."

.oOo.

When Daenerys returned with Lydia to the Ragged Flagon, she found Sofija and Marcus both waiting for her along with an old man that she didn't know. From the looks on their faces something was wrong. She went straight over to them. "What happened?"

The old man surged forward. "Is it real? Are you truly the Dragonborn?"

Sofija grabbed the old man by the collar of his shirt dragged him back. "You will show respect to Lady Targaryen."

Marcus sighed. "Hemming Black-Briar is here. He came in the back way through the crypt with two dozen guards. He and Harrald Law-Giver are shouting at each other. Aringoth and Nura Snow-Shod are trying to calm them down without much success from the little I heard. As for him." He glanced at the old man. "I'll let Sofija explain."

Sofija had a tight grip on the old man's arm. "His name is Esbern. He claimed to be a Blade and that he knows things about Al-Du-In. I'm inclined to believe him. We found him in an out of the way corner of the Warrens behind a locked door. When we bashed it in, we found him burning documents and saying that the Thalmor would never have them. I saw more books in his room than anywhere outside of the College of Winterhold. However, he's a little off his rocker."

"I'm not," insisted the old man. He had a wheezy way of speaking as if he was constantly short of breath. "I'm the only sane one. Alduin has come, and he brings with him the end of the world. Only a dragonborn... Only you, Lady Targaryen, can stop him and save the world!"

"I know that already," replied Daenerys. "However, it's not ending today. If you have useful information on how to stop it, we can talk about it. Later. Right now, I don't have the time."

"But, you don't understand!" The old man tried to rush forward again, but this time Sofija was alert and kept a firm grip on his arm. "I'm talking about the end of everything."

"Sofija, gag him if you must, but keep him safe. I'll want to talk to him, but I have to deal Hemming and the Riften Guard first."

Sofija thumped her chest in a salute and hauled the old man away by grabbing his ear as a mother might do to a stubborn child.

"Marcus, are the Warrens cleared out?"

"Yes, Lady Targaryen. We were just stalling for you. We're shifting the rest of the prisoners to the next room and starting on the loot as well, but you had best talk with Hemming. He's threatening to throw us all in jail for violating the peace."

"Of course, he is." Daenerys shook his head. "Keep looting. I'll handle Hemming." She marched off through the short passageway to the former guildhall of the Thieves' Guild. The room was crowded now with prisoners divided into two groups on either side of the room and two dozen Riften Guard occupying the center. As she entered the room Hemming Black-Brair and Harrald Law-Giver were loudly arguing. Aringoth, Nura Snow-Shod, and Asgeir Snow-Shod were standing close to them, but they were obviously on the sidelines of the argument.

"I don't care what she says!" said Hemming. "She has no proof! She can't just kill anyone she pleases and take all their possessions because she claims they're thieves. Maybe they just have nowhere else to go."

"They had a lot of gold for people with nowhere else to go!" replied Harrald equally loudly.

Just the fact that Harrald was arguing with Hemming meant that things were going well. As much as he had tried to deny things, Hemming obviously believed the evidence of his own eyes. However, this was a long way from over. Daenerys strode right up to the two angry men. "I hear a lot of yelling going on instead of the gratitude that I expected for taking down the Thieves' Guild. Let's make this simple. The Dragonguard will sit here on the loot and the prisoners. You can leave the Riften Guard to watch them. We can go straight to Jarl Law-Giver and put the case before her. Let her decide. That's where it is going to end up anyway."

Harrald nodded his head in agreement. "That is an excellent suggestion."

Hemming sneered. "No, I'm done coddling her. Lady Targaryen, you are under arrest!"

Daenerys Shouted, "Iiz!" Iiz meant ice. It was not a blast of cold like Fo, Frost. Iiz was the cold that settled in around you and made your breath turn to steam and your teeth chatter. Iiz was the chill that turned water into ice. Iiz turned Hemming Black-Briar into a frozen statue of a man.

The room went silent and all eyes were on her.

"Does anyone else want to try and arrest me?" She waited and none of the Riften Guard made a move to attack. Some even raised their hands into the air making it clear they had no plans to attack her, but most of them just remained where they were.

"Did you kill him?" ask Harrald in a subdued voice.

"No, he is just frozen in place. He'll be fine in just a little bit. If I wanted him dead, he would be dead." That was a lie. The only Shout she had that would have killed him would have been Yol-Toor-Shul and that would have burned and likely killed others as well. She didn't want to escalate that far. At least not yet. "See, his fingers are already starting to wiggle. While he thaws out, we'll need witnesses…" She scanned around to see who was in the chamber. "Aringoth Golden-Glow, Nura Snow-Shod, Asgeir Snow-Shod, and Vignar Grey-Mane, you'll do for a start…" She looked around and spotted Lydia. Her housecarl was so good at following, she was almost her shadow. "Lydia, I'll also need Olfina Grey-Mane, Jon Battle-Born, Mjoll the Lioness, Torvar, Burly Orryn, and Sofija Dragonslayer." As witnesses go, they were very strong. Most of them were nobles or Companions which meant their words were considered truth until proven otherwise. Calling any of them a liar was a good way to get challenged to an honor duel. "Also, inform Marcus that he is in command and is not to release any of the prisoners until I tell him otherwise."

Lydia thumped her chest, "As you wish, my Thane." She hurried off.

Daenerys glanced at Hemming. He was already starting to move a little. He would be fine. She gestured to her mentor. "Faralda, a quick word with you?"

Faralda nodded and stepped away. "You want me to stay behind?" She asked quietly.

Daenerys was glad that Faralda was quick-witted. "Yes, the witnesses I chose were some of my best warriors. Without me present, it will help keep the Riften Guard in line to have you remain. However, that was only part of the reason. We found her, the face sculptor. She's alive and with Karliah. When this settles down, you will have your face restored."

Faralda barely nodded her head. "Thank you."

If Daenerys had not known the reserved elf so well, she would have thought her unmoved, but Faralda was a private person. The only emotion she ever let slip was anger, but that was understandable given that she was a Mistress of Destruction. Daenerys knew just how much this meant to her.

"Ah- Ah- Arrest her," stuttered Hemming Black-Briar.

Daenerys turned back to see Hemming shivering and pointing at her. None of the Riften Guard seemed eager to follow his command. It certainly didn't help that Hemming had only been put in charge of the guard yesterday, but it was telling sign that the Black-Briar power was already crumbling.

"No." Harrald Law-Giver said firmly. "There will be no arrests. We're going to wait for the witnesses Lady Targaryen has called, and then we're all going to talk to the jarl Law-Giver. This has gone too far for too long. We'll let my mother settle this."