Valyrian Steel

Chapter 8

Mother of Dragons

Daenerys watched in horror as her children tore each other apart. Rhaegal had always been wild but Viserion had always been the gentlest of the three, or the least savage. Rhaegal was the first to wander away and the last to come when beckoned, Viserion on the other hand had been the gentlest, he never nipped or billowed smoke at her handmaidens and always obeyed her even after she had locked him in that terrible vault. He even avoided fights rather than rush to them like Rhaegal so often did, and now Viserion had joined Rhaegal in taking down Drogon. What could she do?

Daenerys turned to yell at the archers to aim at Viserion and Rhaegal when she saw Lya on the floor and Tyrion and Marwyn removing her face. The image was so bizarre that for a moment she froze in an attempt to process what she had seen. A cry from above drew her gaze and Rhaegal had risen above his siblings and dove, Daenerys took a deep breath, she was certain Drogon would be knocked from the sky. He could hold his own against Rhaegal and Viserion individually, but against both, while trying to protect her and her people. Rhaegal knocked Viserion down and stunned Viserion from his position in the sky. Rhaegal unfurled his wings and attacked Viserion again, he knocked him further down and with Drogon's aid managed to pin him to the ground.

"Keligon" Daenerys commanded in High Valyrian to keep Drogon from killing his brother.

"He needs to die!" Marwyn yelled pointing at Victarion while he tended to Lya's wounds.

Daenerys turned towards her husband who was currently fighting Jorah.

"Jorah! Kill him!" Daenerys commanded addressing him for the first time since he returned.

"Yes Khaleesi!" Jorah said, her orders seemed to give him more strength in his fight. They were evenly matched until an arrow hit Jorah in the back of his knee. Victarion buried his axe in Jorah's side, he seemed triumphant until Jorah swung upwards with his blade lopping the krakens head off. Suddenly Viserion stopped struggling with his brothers and collapsed in exhaustion. Daenerys rushed to Jorah's side kicking her husband's head out of the way.

"Khaleesi." Jorah gasped as he reached out for her hand

"Marwyn, heal him!" She called out desperately. All around her Victarions men surrendered their weapons as Marwyn rushed over bodies with Alleras in tow.

"Khaleesi, bring me to Bear Island. Bring me to my mother." He said as he fought for life.

"The wound is too deep my Queen." Marwyn murmured at her side. "I can give him milk of the poppy and slow the bleeding." Daenerys nodded.

"Khaleesi, I am sorry."

"I know Jorah, I know."Daenerys held his hand and stroked his head gently, "Shhh, Alleras will be back soon with milk of the poppy."

"I know, what this is. This is death." He said motioning towards his wound. "If it was in service to you then I am happy."

Tears rolled down her cheeks, she leaned over and kissed his lips. Jorah smiled and exhaled his last breath. Daenerys raised her head and wiped the tears from her eyes, she took a deep breath and turned towards Selmy. "Find some Silent Sisters to prepare his body for transport and burial."

"Of course my Queen."

"Marwyn, gather the healers and tend to the wounded." Daenerys ordered.

"Alleras can do this, we should focus on the faceless assassin sent here."Marwyn waved his hand to motion towards the girl still passed out on the floor. Rhaegal loomed over her while everyone gave him a wide berth.

"Why is he protecting her?"Daenerys asked in confusion.

"Self preservation," Marwyn explained. "It seems that she is an initiate with the faceless men, and a warg." He continued when he saw Daenerys' look of confusion. "Wargs are people who can enter the minds of animals and occasionally people. This isn't a talent normally taught by the House of Black and White, it is a rare talent found amongst the Wildlings or Northerners. If I'm not mistaken she is currently within Rhaegal."

Daenerys stared incredulously at Rhaegal who was poised over the girl who decidedly did not look like Lya.

"She came to kill me and now she has my Dragon." Daenerys fumed until she noticed Rhaegal shake his head.

"If she had come to kill you, you would be dead, instead she saved all our lives. I believe she came for some other purpose." Marwyn tilted his head to side. "I believe she wants something before she leaves Rhaegal. Perhaps your word that no harm will come to her."

Rhaegal purred and nodded his head while Daenerys watched. She watched her dragon and mulled over the decision. She could tell her men and Drogon to restrain Rhaegal, but she had already lost enough people for one day. Then again she could lie. But what would her word be worth.

"If she swears to answer all my questions truthfully and proves no danger she will leave here unharmed." She looked towards Rhaegal who leaned forward till he was merely a foot from her, Daeneys stopped Ser Barristan from stepping in front of her and held her dragons gaze. His wings unfurled and he flew away leaving the girl behind. Daenerys commanded her men to take her to a secure room under guard.

"Betrayals all around", she muttered under her breath.

"Marwyn, I want you to tell me everything you know about the Faceless Men and wargs."

)O(

A few hours passed before Daenerys felt ready to interrogate her would be assassin. The wounded had been tended to, the dead were being prepped for a burial or cremation, depending on their personal preference. Tyrion, Varys, Selmy, Marwyn and his pupil decided that they wished to observe. Apparently none could tell her if a faceless man had ever been captured before. There were no records and they left no trail, how could they if they could change their face as easily as others could their clothes. Tyrion told her that the previous Master of Coin claimed that he had previously tried to hire them but the price was too high. Varys said that they did not always ask for money, they ask for what you hold dear which was probably why they wished to charge Petyr Baelish so much. She walked into her impromptu court room, one of the only locations untouched by the slaughter that had spilled into her manor, and sat with retinue. Daenerys motioned for the guards to bring in her prisoner and waited.

The faceless girl was brought in by two unsullied, her hands were manacled behind her back and she was walking relatively well despite the arrow that had been lodged in her thigh earlier in the evening. Marwyn and Alleras had patched her up while she was still within Rhaegal. Daenerys studied her face for any trace of the companion that she had once come to care for. Lya was lovely, a gentle serene beaty with deep blue eyes that seemed soothing and wise and hair that was always neat and tidy. She was graceful and kind with a silent air of serenity about her and seemed the perfect lady. This faceless girl was agile, she walked like a cat despite her injury and fixed Daenerys with a gray predatory gaze. Her hair was dark brown and fell in wild curls to below her shoulder and her face was strikingly beautiful. It held none of the gentle loveliness of Lya's face, instead her features were sharper, her face longer and her gaze harsher. There was a wildness about her that reminded Daenerys for an instant of Drogo.

"You stand here now accused of treason and attempted regicide, how do you plead." Barristan Selmy asked.

She smirked and tilted her head to the side. "Not guilty."

"You agreed to answer all our questions truthfully while in the body of my child, do you still agree to the terms."

"Course I do." She said with a bored expression that served to aggravate Daenerys.

"Who ordered my death?"

"No one."

Daenerys was about to accuse her of lying when Marwyn motioned for her attention.

"She tells the truth. The faceless men abandon their names when they join the service of the Many Faced God. They abandon their identities and after years of service and training they are sent on missions, someone as young as her has probably been in service to them since her infancy or early childhood."

"About three to four years, I'm still considered an initiate." The faceless girl interrupted with a shrug of her shoulders. "If I were truly faceless that skin would not have come off without my consent, and I did tell the truth, I wasn't ordered to kill you. I was told to watch you and listen, should your gaze have turned towards Bravos you would be dead and I would have returned. Which is why I continued to urge you towards Westeros, I wanted to go home."

"Home?" Tyrion asked

"The North, my lies were not as vast as you would think. If you went to Westeros I would have regained my name and been reunited with my family, what little I have left. As it is, if I had wanted you dead you would be dead, your latest husband would be blamed and none would know I was ever here."

"Then why did you help us during the battle?" Sarella asked, Daenerys had been livid when she found out the secret Marwyn was keeping, but he insisted it was only because the small minded maesters of the Citadel did not believe that a woman should receive a chain.

"How can I get home if she's dead?" she shot back

"Why would I turn towards Braavos, there is no slavery there and I have no quarrel with the people." Daenerys questioned, her anger had subsided for a moment.

"The Braavosi are suspicious of anything remotely Valyrian, including you. While you are a popular figure those in power still fear that you may have your father's madness or your forbearers hunger for conquest. The Iron bank supported your Usurper and you and your brother were driven from the city after the death of your guardian. I am just an insurance policy, the free city of Braavos wishes to stay free."

"Seems rather reasonable if you think of it from their perspective, they do not want you dead but that doesn't mean that they aren't prepared to defend themselves." Tyrion said with a smile.

"So reasonable" Daenerys deadpanned, Tyrion always spoke the truth, even if she didn't like it.

"Why should we allow you to live?" Varys asked with a smile Daenerys did not like

"If I die they'll send someone else. You have your food tested extensively at my recommendation so it would be harder to reach you. If I had to hazard a guess they would probably steal Missandei or Selmy in order to reach you. Over time you would realize that something was amiss but I don't think they would steal those faces until they knew it was time to take action. Plus you wouldn't know if I died or I just jumped into the body of one of your dragons, maybe Drogon this time." Every person in the room stilled at that thought while the faceless girl grinned as if she had just told a raunchy joke. "Not to mention I have something to offer you that I know you want."

"And what would that be?" Daenerys asked with dread.

"Will you go to Braavos?" The faceless girl fixed her with a lupine stare that innerved Daenerys. She wanted to fight her, order her men to behead her but instead she answered truthfully.

"Not to conquer. I don't want the Iron Bank to support my enemies, so I've decided to pay off some of the debt my usurpers have accumulated over time. A quarter of the gold and wealth that I have accumulated should satisfy them for the time being and give them confidence that I will pay the rest. Now, what do you have to offer?"

"The North, The Riverlands and maybe the Vale. Not to mention my services as a spy and assassin.", The faceless girl stood up straight and lifted her chin. "My name was, …is Arya Stark. My father was Eddard Stark, my mother Catelyn Tully. I am the daughter of two great houses, I can give you Winterfell, I can give you the Riverlands and since I am the niece of Lysa Tully I can bring The Vale into the fold. When you land on Westeros and meet your supposed nephew Aegon you will already have the support of more than half the country. Sail to Westeros and I will swear myself to you."

Tyrion was staring with open mouthed shock along with Barristan Selmy.

"How do we know this is true?!" Daenerys said as she stood and gripped the table in front of her. How could she believe this, how could anyone. "Arya Stark hasn't been seen in more than six years.

"I always wondered how you managed to escape." Varys said with a smile.

"She looks like Lyanna Stark, I thought so as soon as I saw her face." Ser Barristan said still shocked.

"There was another girl who called herself Arya Stark, but she proved to be a fraud. Prove it." Tyrion said. "I spoke in length with Jon Snow and he told me about the gift he gave you before you left for kings landing, no one else knew about it. I even managed a glance at it before we left, what was it"

"Needle," Arya murmured and for a moment Daenerys saw her features soften "my Braavosi blade, I still have it in my quarters if you want a look. It's strapped to the rafters. I never did manage to thank Mikken for making it."

Daenerys motioned for one of the guards to verify this.

"I have a few questions," Varys said "First, what was the name of the dancing instructor I helped your father acquire for you?"

"Syrio Forel, former first sword of Braavos. He had me catching cats all over the red keep and I saw you and Illyrio in the cellar where they keep the skulls of the dragon. He urged you to move forward you urged him to wait and mentioned something about the lion and the wolf being at each other's throats. I guess you want to ask me how I escaped next?"

Varys nodded his expression a bit more serious now that he knew that she heard part of whatever conversation he had with Illyrio. Daenerys would have to ask him about it later.

"I went out through some passageways in the cellar of the Red Keep. If you wanted to take the Keep that way you could, there are no guards and it would be easy enough to do so with a small force."

Daenerys filed that information away for a future date and turned towards the guard who had come back with a blade. She motioned for him to hand it to Tyrion who studied the blade. "This is it, she seems to be telling the truth."

Daenerys leaned back in her chair and let out a sigh, "Even if you are Arya Stark who else would believe you, few people knew about the blade. We need resounding proof that you are Arya Stark, proof that will win over the populace."

"Will my dire wolf do?" Arya said with a grin.

Daenerys was confused until Tyrion explained. "Lord Stark found a dire wolf bitch that had whelped her litter shortly before or during her death. Six for each of the Stark children. The followed them around everywhere and defended them from anything. Bran Stark and Catelyn Stark were attacked by an assassin while he was comatose, The wolf pup tore out the man's throat. And something happened along the Kings Road to the other wolves. You left with two but arrived with none."

"Nymeria and Lady, I was playing with the butchers boy when Sansa and Joffrey showed up, Joffrey started hurting my friend so I hit him over the head with a stick. He attacked me with his blade and Nymeria attacked him. I took his blade, threw it into the river and ran away with Nymeria. Cersei was livid and she had Lady killed, father had her bones sent north to be buried in the family crypt. I warg into Nymeria almost every night. We eat boltons, Freys and Lannister men."

The room was silent.

"You eat men?" Marwyn inquired with a curious gaze. Arya shrugged her shoulders.

"Meat is meat, and men are prey. Nymeria and her pack know who to hunt."

Daenerys tried to keep a calm face but she noticed her retinue seemed slightly horrified. This girl could change her face, was trained by the world's best assassins, could enter the mind of any creature including her dragon, and seemed to have no compunction over killing and eating other humans. But she could bring Daenerys the support in Westeros that she needs.

"Will you swear your forces to me"

"On a few conditions," Daenerys clenched her jaw as Arya sat down cross legged "The Freys and Boltons will be wiped out and their lands ceded to me. I'll agree to give you half of the profits from the Twins in order to help you pay off your debt to the Iron Bank. You don't need to provide me with men for this task, I could do it myself. You will make it against the law to cut down, burn or in any way damage a wierwood. My father's name should be cleared, he never betrayed anyone and we all know he spoke the truth. My sister, if she is ever found, will never be forced or pressured into any marriage, the same goes for me. And we will never be ordered South, Starks do not do well in the South."

"I can agree to all points save for the last one, I will need you and your men to help me take Kings Landing."

"But afterwards, never order us South. My father, aunt, uncle and grandfather all died in the South. I'd much rather avoid that cesspool. If you need men I'll send some, if you need an assassin or spy" She shrugged her shoulders "If I'm bored and the target is interesting I'll go. I'll stay for the coronation, but I belong in the North."

"Agreed," Daenerys nodded he head and rose

"Fantastic," Arya said with an uncharacteristic clap of her hands and a broad smile. The guards tensed, she'd eased her way out of her manacles.

Daenerys fixed her with a stern gaze.

"Are you going to be trouble?"

"Not for you," Her smile seemed cruel until it softened. "Let's go home my queen."

Daenerys smiled despite herself.