Chapter 19: Negotiation

Marwyn was not happy. That went without saying. The destruction of one of the greatest cities of the world by dragon fire upset him deeply.

This bothered his companions not at all. None of them really liked him very much. And none of them held any reverence for Qarth. While they did not all agree with Arya's actions, they didn't condemn her for it.

Marwyn sulked in his cabin, ignored by the others. Only Jake came to see him and then only to bring him his meals and empty his chamber pot.

A fortnight after their leave-taking from Qarth he finally deigned to show himself. It was as they were breaking their fast, with Steel Pans doing his usual thing of moving from seat to seat, carving off slabs of bacon. Without speaking, Marwyn, accompanied by his faithful shadow, took his usual seat. Everyone stared at him as he entered, but remained silent. Once seated, they all proceeded to ignore him and went back to their previous conversations.

Out of the blue, towards the end of the meal, Arya announced, "I'm going to be flying ahead."

In an instant all activity at the table stopped. Asha said, "We're getting near New Ghis."

"Exactly."

"You plan to burn them too?"

This sounded odd to their ears. Asha had been the strongest defender of Arya regarding Qarth. It was strange she seemed more concerned with a city she had never been to before.

"Only if I have to. Word of Qarth is unlikely to have reached them yet. I fully expect a hostile reaction."

Arya had decided to sail straight to the Bay of Dragons and avoid Port Yhos and Qartash. Neither was particularly important anyway. Both cities were technically controlled by Qarth, but that had no meaning now.

Asha wasn't happy. She never was when the prospect of battle was taken away from her. "So you burn their fleet and we're left with nothing again."

"I'm not burning anything. Not yet."

Marwyn suddenly exploded. "Defiler! Abomination! Destroyer of worlds!"

Arya was no longer the short tempered child she was back when her family still lived in Winterfell. But that didn't mean she no longer had a temper. "Silence old man! I will not tolerate your ranting."

Marwyn, stubborn as he was, was no fool. He sank into sullen silence.

Jack though felt compelled to defend his master despite not understanding his mood. "To destroy a city is a terrible thing."

The Queensguards were surprised once again by the courage they constantly forgot he had. But they were more shocked by Arya's reaction to it. "That is true," she admitted. "Which is why I gave them several opportunities to prevent it."

Brienne asked, "You knew you would have to destroy the city?"

"I knew it was a possibility. They had plenty of time to make peace. Our archmaester may have forgotten, but they never made peace with Westeros or even tried to. They never spoke to us at all. Not after Jon married Dany and me. Asha may have wrecked their harbor, but she left the city itself intact if you'll remember."

"I do remember," said Asha. Indeed, it had been much on her mind the past moon's turn. She had shown Qarth mercy back when Arya was destroying the slaver armies. A fact she often sourly noted that seemed to be conveniently forgotten. She had held her men in check then because she'd known Jon wouldn't have approved of her destroying the city. She had to wonder how he'll react now.

"Destroying cities is wrong. I know. But so is enslaving people. And making endless war on a people who have never done you harm. Qarth and its people, the Thirteen and the Guilds, have done nothing but cause trouble. When the Long Night ended we sent envoys to try and make peace with them. They wouldn't even talk to them. They only allowed us to dock because I have dragons." She looked at Marwyn. "I know why you hate that I unleashed the Cannibal. Don't try to pretend your ass is out of joint over Qarth's people burning. You care only for their precious walls."

Marwyn didn't bother refuting her. "Those walls were one of the greatest achievements of mankind!"

"So was the Wall, but that didn't save it from Hardhome exploding."

Obella spoke on the one thing she found most troubling. "There were thousands of slaves in Qarth."

"Yes and I regret that too. But even the lives of innocents should not be used to shield the guilty. We cannot allow slave masters to use their slaves as hostages. Dany was too soft on them in Meereen. That was one reason the Sons of the Harpy were out of control."

Marwyn wanted to argue with her, but his own callous indifference to the wellbeing of others was already well known. He would only make a fool of himself. Besides, she was right.

"That is a harsh thing to say," Alys said. She looked on the verge of tears.

Arya's voice was gentle. "It is. It would be better if only the guilty suffered. But what god exists who makes that happen? As the Kindly Man once told me, 'does death only come for the wicked and leave the decent behind?'"

They had all seen too much battle to argue over philosophy. None of them was so idealistic as to believe painless war was possible.

The Hound was more concerned with practical matters. "When are you leaving?"

"Tonight."

The Faith, or rather the more extreme members of it, had gathered at the Stony Sept. It was a place rich in tradition and had long been the meeting ground of the faithful. On this occasion the communion was of a most grave sort.

Not that the High Septon was in attendance. Indeed, he would have been most unwelcome if had appeared. No, the ones here now considered themselves the most pious. All others were pretenders in their view. Other members of the Faith accepted the Heretic King and his whores. Such was intolerable. For good and righteous folk only a return of the throne to its proper place within the bosom of the Faith was acceptable.

The gathering would not have impressed most of Westeros' High Born. Or even common folk for that matter. None held any position of great importance. But they had, most of them, been members of the Sparrow movement before Queen Cersei purged them. Many had even fought in the Heretic King's army against the demons of the north, and bravely. But all had believed, once the evil dead ones were slain, that the king would return to his rightful place as defender of the Faith. This was something Jaehaerys Zaldizes Zokla would never do.

So they had taken it upon themselves to bring Westeros back to the true faith. They were not popular. They did not receive the affirmation the Sparrows had. Dismissed by most, their movement had nonetheless grown. For there were many problems in Westeros and this new movement offered simple answers.

What title they would adopt was still subject to debate. The New Sparrows was a common one, but it was not popular. Some members wanted to name themselves after the Faith Militant, but that group had suffered repudiation as the Sparrows had. Most of their own just called themselves 'the Faithful'.

The Faithful could not attack 'Good King Jon' directly for the Small Folk insisted on considering him their savior. More than a few of the Faithful agreed. His whores were not held in such high regard. One was a barbarian tree worshipper from the North. She was barely even a Westerosi, hardly less palatable than a dingy Wildling. The other,… how would one describe her? A vile, fratricidal, depraved eastern witch? One rumored to have carnal relations with her own beasts?

The Faithful held no animosity toward his children. They did not ask to be born from such harlots. Even among the Faith there was outrage when the mad woman attacked the child. But it would be right and proper for the Heretic to set them aside and get himself new ones from a suitable woman of the Faith.

All these thoughts and many more coursed through the mind of the man who was the all but publicly acknowledged leader of the Faithful. As with the High Sparrow, whatever names he'd had previously had been discarded. That he was Small Folk was undeniable. He could not even write his own name. He had no connections within either the court nor among the Most Devout. But he had been a faithful follower of the High Sparrow and stayed with him to the end. It had been pure luck that had sent him on a task into the Reach when Cersei destroyed the Sept of Baelor and everybody in it.

His followers had taken to calling him the Eglie Voktikudo, or the Vokti for short. They used the High Valyrian to distinguish him from the pretender who had usurped the title. He was not so arrogant as to believe he had earned it yet. Nevertheless, he was far more entitled to it.

Right as this moment he and his followers were waiting. They knew what was coming as soon as the dragon had been seen. The Heretic King had made no effort to hide his approach. Most of the Faithful had wanted to fight it out. The Vokti was not so foolish. He had ordered most of them to scatter into the city while he and about forty of the most pious would remain within the sept.

What actually happened was somewhat less than they expected. The doors were flung wide and in marched the Kingsguard. Harry Folsom, their young commander, led the way. To either side strode Ayron Flowers, Ubart Maples, Rychard Mallister, Geophry Cargyll, Lyander Sand, and Michel Mooton. Their white cloaks trimmed in silver. None was a name destined to go down in history among the greatest of the Kingsguard. But all were skilled knights and leal.

Harry stepped aside to make way for the Heretic King himself. That he would so willingly place himself among his enemies showed the courage for which he was famed. Lest any of them got ideas, however, his dragon was also behind him. The beast's head was too large to fit through the doors, wide though they were. But its jaws could and that was enough. Having made its point, the huge beast withdrew its head.

What came through the doors next was no less threatening. A white wolf as large as a pony marched in rich as you please. It stood next to its human master, its blood red eyes bored holes into the Vokti.

Jon let them stew for a minute. He looked over the man who was the evident spokesman of the group. The figure that met his eyes was an older man, much as the High Sparrow had been, dressed in rags. "You the leader of this group?"

The Vokti pulled himself up to his full height, which was rather impressive. "I am their spiritual leader. Their septon." He spoke very quietly. This too was akin to the High Sparrow.

Jon nodded. "Were you responsible for the attack on my daughter?"

There was outraged grumbling among the assembled throng, but the Vokti's tone did not change. "No your grace. We were as shocked as was all of Westeros by the actions of the mad woman."

"Did you know her?"

The Vokti hesitated just slightly. "I was one of those tasked with her treatment when she was sent to the Quiet Isle. We had hopes for her cure, but I'm afraid it was the Stranger and not the Mother who guided her course."

Jon seemed taken aback by this answer. "Ghost tells me you are telling the truth."

"Ghost?" The Vokti wondered what barbaric belief the Heretic was referring to. Jon glanced at his direwolf. "I see." He did not ask how Jon could communicate with a direwolf. Just another of those heretical Northern beliefs.

"I'll come straight to the point." Jon knew the man and his followers hadn't caught on to the fact that he and all his Kingsguards were wearing dragonscale and carrying Valyrian steel. Even without Redflame or Ghost, these fanatics were no match for them.

"Your group has threatened the crown. Don't bother denying it. You haven't exactly been subtle. As you know, we have established a system whereby everyone, from Small Folk to High Born, can have their grievances aired before an impartial judge. You actions are treason."

The Vokti projected fury into his voice, but did it without shouting. "We answer to a higher law. The Law of the Father is paramount."

"Not anymore."

"Blasphemy." The curse was spoken almost under his breath. "The laws of the Father cannot be set aside, not by any king whether he rides a dragon or not."

"You say that. Yet it is my law you will answer to."

"The Father will reign his just punishment upon you."

"Until that actually happens you will obey me or you will suffer for it."

The Vokti could see that threatening the king with divine retribution wasn't going to make him back down. "Your grace, your judges are biased. They favor the High Born in every contingency."

"If you have proof of this show it to me."

Of course the Vokti had no such proof. It was common knowledge. "Do you know what the Faithful are about?" If Jon was confused by this sudden change of tack he showed on sign. "As with the Sparrows before us, we believe that all are equal before the Seven. The High Born should not have rights that the Small Folk do not enjoy. The High Born should not own all the land in the kingdom."

"Most of the rights and privileges you speak of have already been removed. And I have already redistributed most of the land. The Estates of the High Born are now but a shadow of what they had been. What other grievance will you speak of?"

The stubborn man doesn't want to understand, the Vokti thought. This did not help his case any. "The High Born still have their feasts. And their whores. And their hunts. What is there for the Small Folk?"

"Employment. I would have thought that was obvious. Who is it who purchases most the farmers' crops? Who hires Small Folk to repair their manors or to work their fields? Much as you resent them you need the High Born. As long as they are kept under control-"

"Does that extend to your grace?" The Vokti suddenly cut him off.

Jon was rapidly losing patience. It wasn't as if he was ignorant of what the Faithful wanted. Jaqen H'gar had fully briefed him. "I do not have to justify myself to you." As if to add emphasis to this the direwolf gave a long, deep growl. "I have given you a chance to explain yourselves. You have failed utterly at doing so."

The seven members of the Kingsguard all drew their swords. The Vokti and his followers were willing to fight a hundred Kingsguards. The huge direwolf… the Vokti could see that they were terrified of it.

"You will disperse your group and you will not hold any more meetings. Any legitimate grievances you may have must be brought before the lawful authorities, as with everyone else. Any further talk of treason and you will be punished. This is your only warning."

He turned to leave, but before he got halfway to the door a though struck him. "Oh, and I am not getting rid of my wives. Either of them." He marched out followed by his wolf and the Kingsguard.

As soon as he left several men entered. These were not wearing armor and were armed only with truncheons. But every single one had the sigil of a white wolf embossed on his tunic.

Jon was walking to Redflame just outside the town before Harry finally spoke. "Do you think that will be enough?" Harry had favored killing them all.

"For some yes. We don't need to stop them. Just discourage them. Cersei's greatest mistake with the Sparrows was trying to use them rather than get rid of them."

"They were able to take down House Tyrell."

"At the cost of losing most of whatever support she might have had. When word gets around of how I handled this problem most people will turn to the courts."

"Do you really think it will be that easy?"

"Do you really think they want to face a dragon?"

Jon took wing and flew off the Dragonstone. Harry had his own job to take care of. He sent back most of the other Kingsguards while he took charge of the army Jon had assembled outside Stoney Sept. his orders were clear. Wait a fortnight, and if they failed to obey before then, exercise his discretion.

The fleet had entered the Ghiscari Strait the previous day. So far there had been nothing to indicate they had been noticed. Asha remained fixed on the forecastle, staring ahead, looking for any sign of dragons rampaging. Everything remained calm.

Crackjaw came up to her. "Staring isn't going to make her appear."

"I know," she snapped. She felt bad. "I don't know why I'm so gloomy. We don't need to fight another battle."

"We're Ironborn. Battle is what we live for."

"That which is dead my never die."

Crackjaw silently stared at his princess and occasional lover. He had never been able to tell just how much influence the queen had on her. Truth be told, he preferred her how she was.

"We're more than halfway home."

"Yes. And the most dangerous part of the journey is just ahead."

Crackjaw didn't need to ask what she meant. The two had discussed it at length. The queen and Queensguard might think only of the mysterious new lands they had found. But the Ironborn thought only of the known lands ahead of them.

Arya stood at the cliff top looking south. Behind her the dragons were wreaking havoc among the sheep herds of Ghaen. Arya didn't care. The Ghiscari could afford to lose some sheep and if the sheep herders got burned it was their own fault.

Arya had heard stories about New Ghis, but she had never met anyone who'd been there. At least no one who'd spent more than a few days there, Barristan and Belwas excepted. New Ghis wasn't a necessary stop on any trade route and had little to recommend it.

The distance was far, but she could see a few details. The city covered the entirety of the island. Formidable walls surrounded it. It was a true fortress, one the Ironborn could not take. Not even with her ships. Fortunately, its founders hadn't learned how to protect themselves from the sky.

She called Snowflake to her, ignoring the she-dragon's complaints.

In the city people rushed about in panic at the sight of the dragon. It was the first sight of a dragon ever over the city. It wasn't as if they had anywhere to hide. That was the disadvantage of building your city on a tiny island. The Ghiscari did not know of what had happened during Arya's previous stops. What they did know was that the dragonlords of Valyria had destroyed their previous empire and they didn't want it to happen again.

Snowflake landed on the wall near the northern gate. Arya had expected the guards to take shots at them, but those worthies understood the foolishness of this. The iron legionaries followed their fellow citizens into hiding.

For a long time nothing happened. She stared out over the city, studying the pyramids and market squares. It wasn't until the sun was nearing the horizon that she spotted a group moving in her direction. Most were iron legionaries. They were easily recognizable because their uniforms were very similar to that of the Unsullied.

It was the man who led them that attracted her attention. He was tall, with hair coiffed up into horns that reminded Arya of an auroch. He wore an expensive tokar. Its lack of practicality was proven by his taking twice as long to climb the stairs as it would take an ordinary person.

The man was panting for breath by the time he reached Arya. She remained seated on her dragon. The man spent several seconds getting his breath back. "Vendik mo Vendik," he introduced himself.

The lookouts spotted the camp long before the ships became visible. It was an army camp of considerable size. Likely for at least a full legion if not two. It was surrounded on three sides by a short stockade, the only possible given the shortage of wood in the area. Most of those visible in the camp looked to be slaves.

The people in the camp took no notice of the approaching fleet until it was almost on top of them. Their eyes were fixed to the north, where a giant dusk cloud indicated the march of the army who made the camp. It looked to be more than halfway to the ruins of Old Ghis when the alarm went up. Most camp inhabitants fled. A few raced after the army. The rest scattered to the winds.

Asha found her ships hitting sandy bottom long before they got near the shore. So she ordered the lowering of the longboats. The fleet emptied, for few of the Ironborn wanted to be stuck aboard. Ironically, Sandor and the Queensguards chose not to participate.

It was a disappointing fight. The slaves that were left surrendered immediately and what soldiers were there were composed of camp guards. Nobody with the stomach for a real fight. Only when the Ironborn began hauling back everything they could carry did the Queensguards go ashore.

The Hound sought out Asha and found her near the front gate. The stockade only stood seven feet high and wasn't very formidable. Before he opened his mouth she said, "There isn't a horse to be found here."

Brienne answered, "The Ghiscari aren't known for being big horse riders."

The Hound could see the Asha's eyes were focused on the huge dust cloud north of them. "You want to go chasing after them?"

"You know where they're going, don't you?"

Brienne and the Hound knew. But the other Queensguards, who were less familiar with maps than they, were lost. "Where are they going?" Alys asked.

It was Marwyn who answered. He and Jake had snuck about a boat without anyone noticing. "North of here is the Bay of Dragons. Or Slavers Bay for those who refuse to acknowledge the change. Those troops are marching toward Astapor."

"Shouldn't we stop them?"

"How? As Princess Asha has said, there are no horses here."

Brienne saw it as their duty, as did all the Queensguards. "Even so. We are sworn to Westeros and the Bay of Dragons is under the protection of the crown. We must find some way to slow them down. Or get around them and reach Astapor first."

The Hound didn't bother to keep the scorn out of his voice. "Don't be a dumb fuck. We have no way of getting around them. We can't fly. We have to wait for the queen to get back."

"When will that be?" demanded Yimi.

"Clegane's right," Marwyn said. "The queen can fly faster than anyone can run. Even if she doesn't returned for two or three days, she'd still be able to fly to Astapor in a few hours."

They all understood the sense of that. Still, it was hard for them to just stand there and do nothing. Fortunately, this uncomfortable state didn't last long.

The very same day, barely an hour before dusk, Yimi spotted a white streak moving across the sky. Most of the others couldn't see it. It took the eagle-eyed archers to spot. What was clear was that Arya had no intention of stopping at the camp. She was flying straight for the army.

Suddenly, Snowflake dived toward the ground several leagues short of her target. "She's clutching something," Joella said as the dragon rose upward again.

"She's attacking the messengers," Lyanna said matter-of-factly.

"Looks like she just dropped him," said on the Ironborn, Alan Twoships. He was standing on one of the few squat watchtowers that had been built into the stockade.

The dragon dove three more times. "So much for warning them."

"You think she's going to take on the army herself?" Obella asked.

"Wouldn't you?"

That was indeed Arya's intention. But she saw something they did not. Indeed, something the army hadn't spotted either. Snowflake's draconic eyes had noticed movement within the ruins of Old Ghis and Arya made a real good guess as to what it meant. Seeing the army still hadn't spotted her, she dived out of the sun onto them. Snowflake belched white flame in a long line from one end to the other. In a heartbeat the lockstep legions had degenerated into pandemonium. Arya made several more passes. Very few missile troops were among the legionaries and those few couldn't hope to penetrate the scales of a dragon.

What Arya had suspected came to pass. From out of the ruins of Old Ghis charged a couple thousand horsemen. These were sellswords. Arya knew them anywhere. What mattered was that Arya knew which ones they were.

Though the distance was a bit far for a cavalry charge, the legions were in no position to take advantage of it. When the Second Sons hit them they broke immediately and scattered to the winds. Deciding they had things well in hand, Arya made for the camp.

She was actually happy when she dismounted. "I'm surprised," Brienne said. "Normally killing so many upsets you."

"I can't be depressed all the time. And you should have seen it from up high. It was just like when I destroyed the slaver armies all over again. The Second Sons may not be Dothraki, but they're good enough."

"That's who out there? We couldn't see. It good to know that the people here are keeping their eyes open."

Jake felt the need to point out the obvious. "They are constantly under threat by the masters." Finding himself the center of attention he subsided into silence.

Arya ignored him. "This is something their envoy didn't mention."

"Envoy?" Asha asked. "You mean the Ghiscari?"

"Yes. Didn't I say? I flew to New Ghis yesterday. Had a little talk. He was very quick to assure me of how peaceful they were."

Jake was determined to try to find an innocent explanation. "Maybe he didn't know?" They all stared daggers at him and Marwyn felt like slapping the boy.

Brienne ignored the comment. "Do you expect to see him again?"

"Oh yes." Arya made her way into the camp, the crowd splitting to let her by. "I gave them a few days to think things over. I'm sure they will be surprised by the change in the situation."

Before the envoy arrived they had another guest. At dawn the next day Daario Naharis rode in with a couple of his riders. For the life of her Arya couldn't see what about him Dany found so attractive. Good thing he was an excellent leader.

The Ironborn had set up a royal tent for Arya, having found one among the supplies. The Hound, though he had no love for Daario, nevertheless recognized him as a veteran soldier. He led the sellswords into the tent where Arya, Asha, and the Queensguards were waiting.

Everyone set to an excellent meal. They had no clue as to who had commanded the army, but clearly people of high rank had been part of it. Very expensive foodstuffs were among those discovered. Though the more exotic foods they chose not to sample. Steel Pans did his usual thing, but it was mutton instead of bacon on his spit now.

For an hour the travelers enjoyed themselves to a degree they hadn't in months. Other ship boys had been dragooned into helping and they kept the cups full.

Daario, at the opposite end from Arya, found himself sitting next to an exotic, raven haired Yitish beauty. He tried repeatedly to get her to talk, but she kept signing that she didn't understand.

"Interesting things you pick up," he finally said to Arya.

"She did not want to be a slave. I agreed to let her come along."

"For no reason?" Daario could imagine a lot of slaves may have wanted to come along.

"Because I wanted to." Arya felt no need to explain. "Tell me how things are going here."

Now to business, Daario thought, setting his plate aside. "You already know about the legions. The Ghiscari have been threatening us for the past few moons."

"Did you send a message to Jon?"

"We haven't received an answer yet. As you know I'm not the kind to sit and wait. I figured they'd try to move on us before Westeros could send any help."

"Typical Ghiscari," Asha muttered.

"Just how serious have the threats been?" Brienne asked. She was acutely conscious of what happened to Qarth.

"The cities in the Bay must all be returned to their rightful masters."

"And they only just did this a few moons ago?" Calculations were being made in more than a few heads.

"We've been getting warnings out of Ghis for the better part of half a year."

Marwyn's reaction surprised him. "That was moons before we reached Qarth."

"Qarth? You all know something I don't." Brienne took it upon herself to explain, though she made a point of not mentioning the Cannibal. He gusted a sigh. "You really shoot high."

"I gave them chances." Arya sounded surprisingly defensive.

"I'm not arguing against it." Of all people he was the last to argue for mercy.

"Your news gives new perspective on things."

"Without Qarth their forces are greatly weakened."

Brienne was trying to follow him. "You think Volantis is part of this too?"

"Makes sense," Asha answered. "The Ghiscari aren't the kind to fight on their own. They prefer stooges to hide behind."

Arya didn't bother to point out the flaw in her reasoning. "It is reasonable to assume they have allies. Are you prepared for them?"

Daario had been waiting for this question. "The freeman companies are north of the Skahazadhan. We have men waiting to march on Mantarys and Tolos. We don't yet have the ships to deal with Elyria."

"Don't worry yourself. We do."

Sandor asked what they had studiously avoided till now. "How is the king going to react when he hears what's happening?"

"I intend to solve the problem before then."

"Meaning you agree with me that he'll want to talk?"

Only Clegane could ever challenge her that way. Daario took a long swig from his cup.

Arya was a long time answering. "Meaning, I have no intention of allowing this wound to fester."

Vendik mo Vendik arrived a few days later. Daario and the Second Sons had ridden north for Astapor before then. The Sons had killed a good many of the legionaries, not bothering to take prisoners. Nobody knew how many were left, but it was safe to say they weren't interested in taking on a dragon.

Vendik was more than a little flummoxed to find the camp in Westerosi hands. He was led to the tent where another feast waited.

This one was rather different than their usual gatherings. The maesters were both absent, as was Yūko. Instead, seated next to each Queensguard except Brienne was an Ironborn captain. Jak Drumm sat next to Lyanna. Emmit Goodbrother was with Obella. Qynton Harlow was with Alys. Jery Orkwood sat with Yimi. Harry Pike with Joella rounded out the group. Brienne kept her seat next to Clegane, while Crackjaw continued to give Asha his company. Arya made certain to seat Vendik at the opposite end of the table from her. Vendik was not so unversed in Westerosi customs to not understand that this was an insult.

They also made a point of giving him the exotic food they had been unwilling to touch. He understood this too as an insult. But this one did not bother him for these were delicacies in New Ghis which he seldom had the money to afford.

What did bother him was that all the largess on the table had once belonged to his people.

After a long time in which it became obvious she wasn't going to acknowledge him and finally spoke. "Do you intend to keep me waiting?"

"I'm sorry, you were waiting for something?"

He allowed his Ghiscari pride to get the better of him. "Queen…"

"Your grace!" Brienne spoke with emphasis.

"Your grace," he said more quietly. "You asked us to speak with you again after our meeting days ago."

His attempts to insult her back didn't land so well. "I did not ask you to do anything. I gave you a set of conditions that I expected you to follow if you wished to have peace with Westeros. I was unaware at the time that you had already sent an army to attack my subjects. A fact you pointedly did not bring up. Not having a dragon breathing down your neck has certainly made you bold."

This reminder of his situation had him sweating. "Your grace, if we had known…"

"No doubt. You cannot take actions without Westeros discovering it. And you have now seen what happens to those who defy me."

"Your grace, I'm sure your husband…"

"Do not try to throw the dutiful wife crap at me. Jon trusts me implicitly. Need I remind you that I led a Dothraki army in the Disputed Lands, crushing every slaver army that was sent against me? Jon and Daenerys will support whatever I do. You face three monarchs, not one. So, unless you have an answer for me we have nothing more to discuss."

He knew nothing of Qarth, otherwise his response would be very different. As it was, he knew what the Council had ordered him to say. What he also knew was that they had a very inaccurate picture as to the events on the mainland.

"I am putting myself at great personal risk doing this. I am prepared to negotiate a temporary treaty. One that will last at least until envoys can be sent to your capitol. This will give us peace between us, albeit not much else. We can hope that this will be the beginning of a better relationship."

"You are a wiser man than you know Vendik mo Vendik. I am prepared to accept that. But be assured. The dragon has long ears. And it flies. We can and will return if we do not receive the answer we like."

Grudgingly, he nodded.

END CHAPTER 19