Valyrian Steel

Chapter II

The Dragon Queen

Daenerys sat amongst the cushions and listened to a Pentoshi magister drone on and on about the loss of his "servants". He used the term "servants" loosely considering the fact that they were, until three weeks ago, slaves in all but name.

"If they are not willing to return to your employment then that is no problem of mine. If any do return to you, you will abide by the new employment laws that were put into effect last week. I will hear no more about this. There are plenty of people in Pentos looking for work, it is no fault of mine that you have a reputation for being a cruel task master. Ser Barristan this is the last petitioner I will hear today."

The magister sputtered angrily for a moment and was led away by one of her unsullied.

She let out a sigh as Missandei gave her a cup of mulled wine. She smiled appreciatively at the Naathi girl who always seemed to know what Daenerys needed before anyone else. Daenerys looked up, She had decided to hold court outside so that she could look upon her dragons. Drogon had grown so large that he could swallow sheep in one bite. He had taken to eating a cow a day and was currently sleeping off his meal in the sun. He was the only dragon that she dared to ride. Viseron and Rhaegal were out hunting, Daenerys would not ride them, but she still approached them from time to time when she knew that they had eaten. There was a nip in the air, winter had arrived. Luckily winters in Essos were not as severe as those in Westeros.

She remembered her last Winter. Viserys had handed her his cloak when she had complained of the cold and blown on her fingers with his warm breath.

"You are a dragon you carry fire in you." he had told her as he wrapped her in his cloak.

"Not in my fingers" she had said. He smiled at that and took her had.

"I have fire enough for the both of us" he told her as he guided her back through the red door where it was warm and safe.

Daenerys smiled sadly at that rare happy memory. Viserys had once loved and cared for her as a brother. After the death of their childhood protector Ser Willem Darry, his servants had stolen from them and thrown Viserys and her out on the streets to fend for themselves. Viserys traveled from one great house to another with her in tow. He had to grow up and care for her, and with each door that slammed in his face his smiles died. He grew colder as he was forced to sell their jewels to survive and ignore the snide remarks. The final injustice that killed the kindness in his heart was when he had to sell their mother's crown. Daenerys remembered reaching out to touch the crown when she was younger. Viserys had told her to be gentle and placed it on her head calling her "my little dragon princess". It was their most precious item and Viserys parted with it bitterly. He took out that bitterness on her. The harsh realities of the world had turned her kind brother into a harsh mad man, willing to sell his only sister if it could bring him one step closer to his throne.

"Has this one chosen unwisely?"

Daenerys smiled sweetly at the worried twelve year old. "No, I was just lost in a memory. And you should use I."

Missandei gave an apologetic nod. "I hope it was a pleasant memory."

"It was bittersweet. Thank you for the wine. Is there something else?" Daenerys said as she patted the girls hand in what she hoped was a comforting manner.

"I have hired a new handmaiden that I think will be to your liking."

Daenerys sighed, Irri was heavily pregnant and could barely perform her tasks. Rakharo had finally gotten her with child. Jhiqui had left her service a few months earlier for a similar reason. She had promised to return after the babe could walk, but she was blessed with twins. Missandei and a rotation of the serving girls had been picking up the slack. Daenerys was wary of inviting just anyone into her life. She still expected her betrayals, but could not see from where. Missandei stroked her hand.

"I like her. She looks you in the eyes and speaks honestly. Not the best traits for a handmaiden, but it is what you want for someone who will spend much time with you. She is also from Westeros."

That drew Daenerys' interest, she still craved stories and voices from home. Even if she did not trust this new girl she could enjoy her stories. Ser Barristan would tell her the occasional story of her family, or knights.

"Bring her."

Missandei motioned to one of the unsullied who led a dark haired girl in. Daenerys heard a sharp intake of breath behind her. She turned to look at Ser Barristan whose face had gone white.

"Barristan do you know this girl?"

"I apologize your grace, for a moment I had thought I was looking upon a ghost."

Daenerys turned to look at the girl who was still making her way towards the pillowy dias. She was short with pale skin and long black hair. Her eyes looked grey at first glance, but it was just a trick of the light, she had a heart shaped face, high cheekbones, Plump lips and an seemed the perfect image of a gentle beauty. That is until Drogon rose his head. The girl stopped and stared at her child. Most who entered the plaza hurried as quickly as possible towards Daenerys, it the hopes that the dragon would not eat a guest in front of his mother. Others stared in awe until Drogon turned his gaze on them and they quickly turned away. This girl met Drogon's gaze stood rooted to the floor. At first Daenerys was sure the girl was petrified with fear, but she was staring down her dragon. Drogon rose and Daenerys reached for her whip, but he did not move. He only held her gaze, there was silence in the plaza until Drogon curled back into his previous position. The dark haired beauty continued towards the dais as if nothing had happened and curtsied before Daenerys.

"Your Grace, I hope I am to your satisfaction."

"There are not many who can meet a dragon's gaze. Tell me your name."

"My name is Lyanna Snow, though most call me Anna." She said as she held her curtsy.

"Please rise, curtsies never look comfortable."

"They rarely are your grace." She said with a mischievous look in her eye that Daenerys liked in spite of herself.

"Snow is the name given to northern bastards, and you bear the name of a misfortunate woman."

"I am sorry if my lack of name offends you, Your grace."She said as her face shifted to politely cold.

"I care not if you are a bastard, I have met many without names who are more honorable than those with old names. Tell me what brings you so far from home." Daenerys said waving away her apology. She was wary of anyone from the north.

"Many things your grace. The war has taken my family. Most died during the Red Wedding and the burning of Winterfell, My father died at King's Landing in service to the Hand. I only have one brother, he is at the wall"

"Most bastards do not know their fathers."

"Lord Stark acknowledged his bastard, my father did the same." she said with her head held high.

"So you were loyal to the Starks. Shall I expect the same loyalty from you that they showed me?" Daenerys said with barely concealed venom.

"If you burn my father alive in front of my brother who is slowly being strangled to death while trying to reach a sword to save him. All of this after your kin stole a sister that did not belong to him. And you then demand my head. Then yes."

Daenerys glared at her while the girl stared blankly at her. Her eyes flashed gray for a moment in the sunlight and she smiled a wolfish grin.

"Then again they are all dead so that would be very difficult."

Daenerys let out a short one-breathed laugh. "Indeed. I may not like your politics but I'm sure that I can always trust you to tell the truth. How are you at hair styling?"

"Terrible, at least with my own. I'm also awful at stitching. I speak the tongue of Bravos, Pentos, Lys and High Valyrian. I know all the great houses of Westeros and all the houses of the North. I can read and write. I also have a good mind for numbers, I can maintain a household better than most. I am also a good judge of character and can tell you when someone is untrustworthy. I spent sometime working in an apothecary shop in Braavos and I can discern most poisons by smell and develop a countermeasure for some. The Tears of Lys and the Strangler are the only ones that I can not detect. I suggest you keep a cat or dog and feed it from your plate and goblet. All I want is to serve you and watch you sail across the Narrow Sea to reclaim your throne." Anna crossed her arms and waited for Daenerys' decision.

Daenerys leaned back into her cushions and held her gaze. She could be an enemy, if so she was a poorly concealed enemy. If Anna had wanted to ingratiate herself to Daenerys she would have used the name Sand. She chose to call herself Snow and show her love of the North and their lords to her. She was truthful to a fault which could prove troublesome or entertaining.

"You start tomorrow. For now you will share a room with Missandei and serve me at dinners and public gatherings. If I believe you to be trustworthy then you will attend to me during my private moments. There will be one day in the week that you may have to yourself. Missandei, show her to her room and find some more dresses for her to wear, but first feed her. ser Barristan please accompany me to my rooms."

Selmy followed her

"Who did you see when you first looked upon her?" Daenerys asked her knight as they walked to her room.

"I saw the ghost of Ashara Dayne. But only for a moment. She is too short, her eyes are not violet and her manner is ...different."

"What do you think of her?" Daenerys asked as she waited for her unsullied to open the doors.

"She is honest to a fault. She will challenge you, though I believe her to be clever enough to do so only in private. Her allegiance to the North may cause her to be impolite to Lord Tyrion. I also find her knowledge of poisons disquieting."

Daenerys nodded in agreement. "Be sure to warn her. I don't want her starting trouble with lord Tyrion. He has provided the best information on our enemies and the politics in Westeros."

"I'll make sure to tell Missandei. I could also attempt to curb Lord Tyrions mouth." He said with a clench of his jaw.

Daenerys smiled "You and I both know that Tyrion says what he likes. Any attempt to curb his tongue will only sharpen it. Anyways he is entertaining and useful. He never says anything without reason. There is wisdom in his words, it is annoying, but it is there. My problem with Tyrion is the company he keeps."

"You agreed to leave command of Pentos to the Tattered Prince. When we leave for Westeros you will no longer have to be in his presence. You would only need to converse with his through letters and dignitaries to make sure he keeps to the laws you set forth." Ser Barristan said.

Daenerys whirled on him "You know that is not who I mean."

"Jorah is loyal to you, and you admitted he once gave you good counsel." Selmy answered as he motioned for the servants to open the doors.

"He betrayed me and he-"

"Voiced his desires, I will make sure that you are never alone in his presence. The man bled for you in Meereen and all over the Free Cities, he is loyal to you. Why do you scorn him so? I know you once cared for him." He asked as he walked into her room to check her bed and windows.

"I trusted him and I loved him. Not the way a woman loves a man. The way a girl loves a father. I never had one, and he was kind and protected me from Viserys and others. Then he twisted that and asked me for more than I wanted." Daenerys said as he checked under her bed.

"He betrayed my trust twice. I don't want him alone in the same room as me, or within 2 feet of me."

"Understood Your Grace. Is there something else I can serve you in?" Selmy asked as he stood straight by her bed.

"Tell the guards at the door that the new girl is only allowed in my room when Missandei is with her. And find me a few hounds. Her suggestion seems prudent. The guards watching the kitchens may one day miss something. It's too cold for a bath, tell Missandei I'll have one in the morning. Goodnight Ser Barristan" Daenerys said as she dipped her feet into the wash basin by her bed.

"Goodnight Your Grace." Ser Barristan said as he bowed out. Daenerys stared out her window. Viserion was sleeping outside her window, he raised his head and shook it good naturedly. He had always been the gentlest of the three, or the least violent. Rhaegal was the wildest and concerned her the most. She would find a rider for Viserion before Rhaegal. The only reason she could keep him in line was because of Drogon. She was their mother, and she loved them. But she could not trust them. Viserion let out a chirrup that reminded her of when they were hatchlings and she smiled. She went to the window where he nuzzled her hand with his massive snout.

"My sweet golden child." She murmured as he purred under her touch. "You will never betray me."

That morning Daenerys awoke to the sweet voice of Missandei. She was wearing a yellow dress that brought out the gold in her eyes and singing a sweet Naathi song of butterflies. Anna was with her, wearing a plum dress and adding rose oil to the steaming hot tub. She looked up at Daenerys and smiled sweetly.

"Good morning Your Grace." She said kindly

Missandei turned, obviously surprised that a new handmaiden could beat her to the morning greeting. Anna smiled apologetically at her and rose from her perch on the edge of the bath and curtsied.

"Good morning Your Grace." Missandei said as she bowed.

Daenerys smiled at both of them and rose from her bed with a discreet yawn. She removed her bedclothes and slipped into the bath with a pleased sigh. She motioned for Missandei to help her bathe, it was best to keep the new girl at arms length. But she did not need to alienate her.

"Tell me a story of Westeros, Tell me of the North. Something only a Northern girl would know." She said as she tilted her head back and let Missandei wash her hair.

Anna smiled her gentle serene smile. "Winterfell is the heart of the North, and while the snows may pile over thirty feet high within the walls it is warm. It was built by Bran the Builder over eight thousand years ago. He had the help of giants and built the castle over natural hot springs that keep the inside warm. The glass gardens provide fruit and herbs for Winterfell long into winter. In the North there is also old magic. Wargs who can enter the body of any animal. Greenseers who can see past present and future. Wierwoods that have been in existence since before the first men landed on the shores of Westeros. We in the North keep to the Old Way and the Old Religion." Anna lay a dress on the bed and observed the pins in her jewelry box.

"What is the Old Way?" Daenerys asked while Missandei massaged her scalp with the rose oil.

"Lord Stark never had a headsman. That is not the way of the North. We believe that the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword. If you can not bring yourself to conduct the execution yourself, then the crime may not have been great enough to warrant death. I once heard him say to his son 'A ruler who hides behind paid executioners soon forgets what death is.' words I would hope all rulers heed."

Daenerys turned to look at Anna, the girl was gazing pensively at the two dresses laid out. She tried to gauge whether or not the last comment was intended as a slight.

"I think the red one would be best." Anna said

"I had planned on wearing the green one. Missandei helped me choose last night." Daenerys said as she rubbed her arms.

"I wasn't speaking for today. I meant for when you first land on Westerosi red one with the black Myrish lace. Targaryen colors, no one could deny your rights." She bit her lip while Daenerys stared at her in surprise. The Northern girl was planning for Westeros, itching to return home as much as she was. "We could commision a crown, three interlocking dragons, yellow diamonds, emeralds and rubies for the eyes. We could also find an armorer to give you a breastplate, something delicate enough to keep you enticing but still strong enough to protect you and make you appear the conqueror."

Daenerys laughed "You should speak to one of the former slave smiths from Myr. Have you planned your outfit as well?"

"No, all eyes will be on you" Anna said as she placed the dress back in the wardrobe.

Daenerys rose out of her bath and thanked Missandei when she handed her the robe. She strolled towards the bed and allowed Missandei and the new girl to help her into her green silk dress.

"Have they told you about Lord Tyrion?" She addressed Anna

"Yes, he seems to hate his sister as much as I do. He happily admits to killing his father, though he denies killing Joffrey. I think I may like the man if I don't I can still manage to be polite."

"Good, now lets go see what other complaints the magisters have for me this day." Daenerys said as she stepped into her shoes and walked out the door.