The Dragon and the Hawke 19

Things were going well for the new Targaryen Empire that Daenerys Stormborn had started, too well. Word of her success at subduing the three great cities of Slaver's bay had finally reached Westeros.

Now, Westeros didn't have much reason to care for a young queen on the far side of a continent an entire sea away, but appearances had to be maintained. Robert Baratheon had ordered the death of the Targaryen girl, and so his son must do the same now that word of her continued survival had finally been brought to the table.

Unfortunately, they didn't have any agents to spare at the moment, all of men actually being capable of murdering a well protected queen either being on opposite sides of a bloody civil war or dead, and so the decision was made to just cause strife.

Thankfully for the westerners, that was very easy to do, what with the fact that Jorah Mormont was one of the queen's favored advisors and had been a spy for them. With this knowledge all the Master of Whispers, the spymaster of King's Landing, had to do was send a letter that had been signed nearly half a decade ago.

The recipient of that letter was a very confused Barristan Selmy, who when he opened the letter and read the contents marched off to confront Ser Jorah. He found the man he had not an hour ago considered his friend in a mostly roofless building, a former sunning balcony that had been converted into the man's quarters.

Jorah looked up from a map of the known world at the sound of Barristan walking down the steps and greets him, "Ser Barristan."

"Ser Jorah."

"Did I forget a council meeting?"

"No," Barristan shakes his head, then holds out the scroll that had come halfway across the world.

"What's this?" Jorah asks as he takes the scroll

"A pardon," Barristan tells him, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Jorah, "From Robert Baratheon."

Jorah blinks, and his eyes fall to the paper. He reads it, then closes his eyes in pain, before asking, "Have you told her?"

"No," the queensguard shakes his head, "I wouldn't go behind your back."

Jorah winces a bit at the dig, but nods, then requests, "Let me speak to her, in private."

Barristan shakes his head sadly, "You'll never be alone with her again."

He then held out his hand for the letter. Jorah nodded, slowly rolling the paper up and then set it into the knight's hand. Barristan and Jorah locked eyes, both feeling a deep regret, though for different reasons, and then the older man left.

It took another hour for Barristan to reach the palace and call for a council meeting. He was sure to make clear that Jorah was not to be included in this missive, and then he ascended the pyramid to the council chambers.

One by one, the other members of the council made their way into the chamber, and after a while Dany came out of her personal quarters to see what was going on. When she saw the whole council with the exception of Jorah assembled she had to asks, "What is going on?"

Marian and Daario both shrug, and everyone looks to Barristan. Dany herself turns her attention to him and she simple enquires with her eyes.

"Your grace," Barristan tries to think of how to tell her what he has learnt, but no words come to he. After a second, he simply holds out the letter to her.

Dany furrows her brow, and gently takes the letter. She notes the seal, one she has not seen before, then unfurls the scroll. She reads the contents, and blinks. She sits down heavily and sets the scroll on the table, her throat suddenly dry.

Marian draws the letter to herself with some telekinesis and opens it herself. She reads it, and frowns. She licks her lips and sets the letter on the table and asks, "So, how'd you get this?"

"It was delivered to me," Barristan tells her, and the room at large, "But a child I had not seen before, and he did not tell me where he got it himself. I suspect that he is one of Varys's little birds."

"Who is Varys?" Dany asks

"The Master of Whispers, the royal spymaster of Westeros."

"What is in the letter?" Daario asks

"It is a royal pardon," Dnay tells him, "For Ser Jorah, signed by robert Baratheon."

Daario furrows his brow, then turns to Barristan, then Marian for some form of explanation. Missandei and Grey Worm simply lean forward, awaiting an explanation themselves. Marian is the one to answer, telling them, "Robert Baratheon was the man who usurped Dany's family from Westeros. He's also dead, and has been since before I met Dany and Jorah."

"He has been dead for three years," Dany tells them, "And this pardon was signed five years ago."

"It could be a ploy," Daario offers, thinking, "Trying to seed discord amongst our ranks."

"Oh, there is no doubt about that," Barristan nods, "I was given the letter, not Jorah. No, it certainly is a ploy. The problem is that the pardon is still valid."

"How do you know?" Dany asks quietly

"I confronted Jorah, before coming here," Barristan tells her, "From his reaction, I knew."

Dany nods, "Summon him, and we will meet him in the throne room."

The group stood nearly as one, and they made their way down to the throne room. Only Grey Worm separated from them, to tell one of his men to summon forth Ser Jorah.

It was to a united front that Jorah entered the throne room. He slowed down when he saw that the entire council was assembled to hear him speak. To accentuate just how serious the matter was, he could see that even Marian was sitting straight for this hearing. He began to ascend the steps, stopping only when Barristan and Grey Worm made move to stop him from going any higher.

He swallows, and bows his head, "Your grace."

"Why did the usurper pardon you?" Was her question

Jorah looks up at her face, then his head lowers again as he asks, "If we could speak alone?"

"No," Is the definitive response, "You will tell me here, explain it to me."

Truly not wanting to tell her, he instead tries to divert attention, and asks, "Who do you think sent this to Meereen? Who profits? This is the work of Tywin Lannister."

"Who?" Marian asks

Barristan turns his head to her and shakes it, telling her silently that he would explain later. She nods as Jorah goes on, "He wants to divide us. If we're fighting each other, we're not fighting him."

"The pardon was signed the year we met," Dany tells him, and as he straightens his back in an effort to shore himself, she asks again, "Why were you pardoned? Unless you're saying this document was forged?"

Jorah can hear the hope in her tone, and he so wishes that he could reassure her. He wished that he could tell her that it was a forgery, that there was no truth in it and that he had been loyal to her since the first day that they had met each other.

But he would not lie to her again, "It is not forged."

"Why then?"

"I sent letters to Varys, the spymaster of King's Landing."

"What was the contents of these letters?"

"Information."

"What information?"

"He probably told them everything," Marian buts in with a sigh, and bows her head when Jorah nods at her assertion.

"Did you tell them I was carrying Drogo's child?"

"I," Jorah swallows

Before he can continue, she asks, "Yes or no?"

"His answer is yes," Marian tells her, eyes once more locked on Jorah

Dany's eyes widened in rage and she stands, descending the steps to Jorah, "That wine merchant tried to poison me, because of you."

"I stopped you from drinking that wine."

"Because you knew the attempt was coming."

"I suspected."

"You betrayed me!" Dany accuses him, whispering harshly, anger pouring from her lips as she regards the man she had once seen as a friend and now knew as lower than any she had ever met before, "From the first."

Jorah drops to his knees and starts to beg, but before he can say anything, he is struck by a jolt of lightning and thrown back. Dany jumps up a step as he is thrown down the stairs. She watches him tumble, roll, and finally drop onto the lower platform of the throned staircase as Marian steps up beside her.

She turns to her friend, but before she can say anything, Marian whispers to her, "I know, you hate him right now. But eventually, you will regret any decision that you make in anger, and right now, you are so angry that it's making me angry."

Dany does not say anything, only orders, "Leave us! And take Jorah to his quarters, he is not to leave until I have reached a decision on what to do with him."

There is a murmur of agreement, and the rest of the council shuffle off the throned stairs. Missandei and Daario both look back up at the throne before exiting fully, and take comfort in Marian's reassuring smile.

And then they are alone, and Dany falls into Marian's arms with a quiet sob.

The mage bears her friend's weight, and gently lowers them until she is sitting on the steps and Dany is leaning against her. She runs her hand down Dany's hair and whispers reassuring nothings as her friend releases all of her anger at Jorah.

"Why would he do it?" Dany finally asks after a moment

"He didn't know you," Marian tells her, "He started when he met you, before he became devoted to you."

"He killed my son," Dany whispered

"No, that witch did," Marian corrects

"He as good as did."

"Maybe, but right now, you can't make a decision on what to do to him. As it is, I think you'd probably banish him from the Empire."

"I would have."

"See, I'd recommend just sending him to Yunkai or Astapor."

"Why?"

"You're angry at him, and don't want him near you. But you could also use someone who knows how you want things run helping run one of the other cities."

"But I don't trust him."

"Neither do I," Marian assures her friend, smiling softly, "But he is our friend, and no matter what, you give your friends a second chance."

"And how many do they deserve?"

"Only one, that's why it's called a second chance."