Valyrian Steel

Chapter 3

Tyrion

Tyrion sat on a cushion outside and watched Rhaegal and Viserion circle each other, The emerald colored dragon had become more vicious in the past year and the only one who could make him come to heel was Drogon. Viserion could handle his own against Rhaegal, if the green dragon started to get too vicious he would just fly higher or dive into the sea.

"He's going to be trouble that one." Tyrion turned to look at the Tattered Prince who had joined him to watch.

"Not as much trouble as our young Queen's intended."Tyrion said as he watched Viserion rise higher. "scouts say that he's only an hour away."

"Hopefully you will all leave soon after his arrival, I'm not saying that I don't love your company, but I would rather not have that barbarian in my city for long." The Tattered Prince looked out at the water with a concerned frown.

Tyrion sipped his wine and nodded in agreement. Victarion Greyjoy was stupid, vicious, and fanatically religious. He was at the head of the largest naval fleet in Essos and seemed to be aided by magic. To make matters worse Daenerys' forces were in debt to him for saving them in Meereen and Daenerys needed his naval forces. Their allegiance with this man made him nervous, he had met him once in Meereen. The man had a mad look in his eye whenever Daenerys was brought up, he both drowned and burned his prisoners and managed to put everyone on edge. He was trouble, and Tyrion was half tempted to do away with him entirely, but he wasn't the one who would have to suffer Victarion in bed, thank the Seven for that.

"Shall I call for more wine my Lord Lannister?" Tyrion looked up and smiled at Daenerys' new handmaiden Lya. She had only been working with them for a week but had always been kind and courteous, even smiled genuinely at a few of his jokes. She also had never recoiled from his touch or looked disapprovingly at his whoring and drinking. When he inevitably tried to persuade her to sleep with him all she did was remove his hand from her rump, placed it in his lap and thanked him for the compliment. She reminded him very much of his dear Sansa, for a bastard she acted more like a true lady than his vicious cunt of a sister.

"Not yet, I want my wits about me when our honored guest arrives, lest he decides to drown or burn me to appease his gods." He said with a wave of his hand.

"I shall keep the wine at hand anyways incase his company proves to be too much my lord." Lya said with a graceful bow. Lya walked away to speak to some of the servants, she stopped halfway there to bow to Barristan Selmy.

Selmy marched toward them and watched the two playfully fight for a doe one of them had recently picked up. "Preparations have been made by Missandei and Lya to greet our guest. Lya took initiative to ask the whore houses to accommodate our guests, and Missandei has made sure our food stores can support the fleet. The Queen wishes to leave as soon as possible. Victarion will want the wedding to take place immediately, but we will delay, for her sake."

"We did away with one husband, why not another?" Tyrion suggested. Selmy scowled in response and the Tattered Prince grinned with Tyrion at the same time.

"You may scowl at me ser, but should he be as terrible as his reputation what would you do? What if he tries to sacrifice her people, tries to savage her as Aerys did Rhaella, tell me, would it not be better to do away with him quietly?" Tyrion said in all seriousness.

Selmy clenched his jaw and looked away, Tyrion knew that he had hit a nerve when he mentioned Rhaella. Daenerys would have to marry Victarion, but it would be best if he did not live past the week. Daenerys would win no loyalties with a brute who had raided most of the coast by her side.

Drogon and Daenerys came into view, they landed in the plaza and Daenerys dismounted in one smooth motion, she patted her child affectionately and joined her small council. Daenerys scanned the plaza, her shoulders relaxed, Tyrion knew she had been checking for Jorah. He was sulking in the Dothraki camp with the knowledge of another wedding for his beloved Khaleesi. The Queen was still on edge when it came to Jorah, with her impending nuptial his dour face was probably the last thing she wanted to see. Lya dismissed herself to prepare the finishing touches of the feast, also because she was not privy to small council meetings. Missandei on the other hand stayed by her side.

"It seems my intended will be arriving soon, there will be a feast to welcome him and the leftovers will go to the poor. It's no secret that I am not looking forward to this union, but it is necessary. Victarion brings with him a large fleet and if he had asked for anything else I would have given it to him. Before we go forward with this wedding I am prepared to make an offer. Lya has told me that more than anything the Greyjoys desire and independent Iron Isles, if I made this offer would I be able to avoid this." She directed this question to the small council, but she only met Tyrions eyes.

"No, the Iron Isles are already independent, my dear sister could not stop them from sacking Lannisport a second time, and the Tyrells are constantly being harassed by their forces, they have gained control of some lands in Highgarden and the North. Euron is the King of the Iron Isles, so even if you did make the offer Euron would have no authority to accept. If you want out of this marriage, kill him" Tyrion raised his hands to silence Selmy's protests. "Not right away, first you have to gain control and influence over some of his men, by way of money or land, then you can get rid of him discreetly. Usually I see death as a final option to deal with a problem, but Victarion is not to be trifled with. He may be as dumb as a stump, but he has power and we need him. Kill him in a month or two, poison, drowning, or an accident with a dragon. It matters not."

Daenerys rubbed her forehead in some frustration "My first husband was killed by one of my servants, my second by my Tyroshi lover, how can I gain the love of my people if I keep killing the men who come to my bed? "

"Then say no my Queen" Selmy pleaded.

"I need his ships" Daenerys said with some level of defeat

"We have enough ships to take us to Westeros, many of the ship under his command are sworn to you, not him. Our fleet will not be at full power, but we will manage." Selmy said with all the conviction of a man who had been to war many times before.

"If you arrive in Westeros with a Greyjoy at your back you will seem little more than a raider." Tyrion added. If the queen didn't like what he had to say he would tell her what she wanted to hear, and handle the situation on his own. It was better to ask for forgiveness than permission, especially if you hold several bargaining chips.

Daenerys looked out at the sky, she took a deep breath and straightened her back. "I will marry him, if….when he steps out of line he will be dealt with. I handled Drogo, I handled Hizdar and I can handle this brute. "

Tyrion smiled, going through with the marriage and disposing of him later was the best option. A cream colored cat with grey eyes hopped onto his lap and purred. He'd seen it around the palace and was about to shoo it away when it licked his hand. He thought better of it and stroked the cat absentmindedly as they talked of the preparations for Victarions arrival and their plans for Westeros.

)O(

Victarion arrived late in the night with his entire fleet behind him, the Burned Priest was by his side along with a man holding a large horn. Tyrion was standing in between Mormont and Selmy, both were armored and on alert. Daenerys had commissioned new white steel armor for Selmy which had been buffed and shined for this event, despite his age he looked like the drawings in Tyrions story books of knights and ladies from his childhood. Mormont looked drab beside him, his armor had gotten better since the battle for Meeren where he wore whatever he could find. Tyrion had commissioned a black steel set of armor for him but Jorah had argued that it would be too heavy for tonight's festivities, he wore chainmail and a light leather studded vest. Daenerys was standing next to Selmy and Greyworm wearing a light lilac dress that served to highlight her eyes. Lya and Missandei were standing behind her, the Naathi girl wore a dress that looked like spun sunlight while Lya wore a sky blue dress. Together the three reminded Tyrion of a sunset. Daenerys stepped forward and greeted Victarion with a chaste kiss and led him inside. The rest of Victarions men were led away to eat, sleep and whore on the East camp.

"Maqorro can marry us tonight." Victarion said to Daenerys at the table. Tyrion resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Victarion had no concept of the word patience. He wanted to steal away the young beauty and make his brother seethe with jealousy.

"I have the chefs working on a spread, I've invited most of the Pentoshi lords and a few from Braavos. The wedding will take place in a week." Daenerys said as she sipped her wine and avoided contact with him. Victarion blustered in his seat while his captain ate around him. Tyrion noticed that a new serving girl with auburn hair and forest green eyes tending Victarions captain and avoiding their pinches with a good natured laugh. She poured a drink for him and smiled.

"You're new." Tyrion said as he motioned for her to stop

"My name is Kat m'lord, but everyone calls me Kitty." She said with a grin.

"Northern girl?" Tyrion asked when he heard her accent.

"Yes m'lord. Family live in Torrhens square for over a century, left when the Greyjoys attacked. Been in Essos over a year now." She said.

"Well the weather is definitely an improvement." Tyrion joked

"But not the company" Kitty glared at Victarion Greyjoy with a look in her eyes that gave her a decidedly feline look. "My father fought during the Greyjoy rebellions, always called them viscous sons of cunts."

Tyrion followed her gaze, "I remember when they burned Lannisport, sacked the city and left their bastards in the bellies of countless women. Bad days call for worse allies. He has ships, and we need him."

"You need his ships, and his captains aren't happy about his red priest or their cut."

Tyrion turned to look at her but she had already moved on to another empty cup. He mulled over her words, Victarion had brought the majority of his bounty as a brides gift. If Daenerys could be convinced to part with it they could but off most of his captains. The rest would fall in line with the promise of bounty.

Tyrion smiled and drank his wine, tomorrows small council meeting would be interesting.

)O(