Chapter 20: Refugees

Brienne came up on deck as dusk approached. She saw the foreign woman, she never bothered to learn her name, standing next to the mainmast. The woman was looking at Arya, who was at the bowsprit staring across the sea.

"Is something wrong?" Brienne asked her.

The tiny woman looked upset. "She has been standing there all day. She will not eat or sleep."

Brienne, who was well acquainted with Arya's moods, wasn't distressed. "She gets that way sometimes. You may not know it, but she has a sensitive nature. She has already had to do more fighting this trip than she'd liked."

"I know. She told me. But why is she worried about this place we are going? Isn't it part of her kingdom?"

That was a thornier question than she realized. "It is and it isn't. Our queen's sister, the true Mother of Dragons, once ruled there. But Meereen rules itself now. They are vassals to our king but order their own affairs."

"Is there some problem with this?"

"No. It's just..." Brienne found she could not find the words. How to explain to a woman who has been a slave most of her life?

"The woman who rules there now was not the best of friends with our queen." Even now, Brienne found herself unable to speak well of Daenerys' followers. "She tried to poison her."

Yūko was perplexed. "She allowed her to live?"

"She served the Mother of Dragons." Brienne faltered, opening and closing her mouth.

"But she attempted murder. The queen has killed for less."

"I know. I think she didn't want to upset her sister. Daenerys was very fond of the woman."

"You knew her well?"

"Not well. I didn't like her."

Brienne walked up to Arya, who may as well have been a statue for all the reaction she gave. Nevertheless, she spoke before Brienne could open her mouth. "Do you know what the name of the island was we just passed?"

Brienne wondered if this were a test. "The Isle of Ceders." Arya had to know that. She was constantly studying the maps.

"Do you know what happened there?"

Now Brienne was certain it was a test. "It was a colony of Valyria. Drowned during the Doom. No one's lived there since."

"Why do you think?"

Brienne shrugged. "Does it matter?"

Arya finally turned to look at her. "It seems strange that an island capable of supporting life should be neglected this way."

"Maybe its diseased. Or the monkeys. I've heard there are hordes of monkeys there."

"So there are."

Arya left the bowsprit and headed for the hold. "We will be in Meereen soon. Thoughts?"

"Don't know why we're going. Its out of our way. I thought you wanted to get home as quickly as possible."

Arya opened the door. "I am still queen of this place. I made peace with New Ghis but that doesn't mean the war is over. First there was Qarth, then New Ghis."

"You think Volantis is planning something?"

"Best to find out now," as she moved through the door.

A few days later Yūko sat at her accustomed place at the end of the table during their evening meal. She was trying to elicit information from the Queensguard. "What can you tall me about this woman who rules them?"

Lyanna was having trouble getting over the fact that the foreign woman was speaking. Yūko had obtained a reputation for perpetual silence. She shrugged as if the answer was self-evident. "Her name is Missandei."

"You already told me that. What is she like? How does she talk? Is she married?"

"Why do you want to know?"

Obella made a rude noise. "She just wants to know who we're dealing with." She turned to Yūko. "She was Daenerys' translator. Spoke nineteen languages, as she never tired of reminding us." The others laughed. "Beyond that we didn't know her. She was gone before most of us joined the Queensguard. As for her being married, well, anything's possible."

The implication was not lost on Yūko. "Is she ugly?"

Brienne answered. "She was little more than a child when she left. Right after the Night ended. She was pining for her lost lover, the Unsullied Gray Worm."

"You told me Unsullied are all eunuchs."

"They are. I imagine she would obtain a taste for a real man eventually."

Arya now spoke and her voice was harsh. "Missandei had more experience with men than I have ever had." Brienne, who remembered how young Missandei had been when she last saw her almost dropped her cup. "She was slave when Dany found her. Have you forgotten?" Brienne put down her cup.

Yūko understood the implications better than any of them. "Then it is good she chose to serve you."

"Not me. My sister. She resented me. Felt I was too close."

"She was jealous, no doubt. Your sister gave her freedom. Just as you have for me."

None of the Queensguards, who had never been slaves, could understand how much that meant. Alys said, "That doesn't excuse her attempt to kill our queen."

"That was nothing," answered Arya, much to everyone's surprise. "There was no possibility of her succeeding."

"Well, yes. She was a child…"

"That had nothing to do with it. Children can kill. You all should know that. And she wasn't much of a child anymore. I mean, I would have had to have been totally out of my mind not to notice. It was a clumsy effort by one who did not know how to kill. The purpose was to gain my attention."

Alys was mystified. "Why did she want your attention?"

"Not her. The Faceless Men. They were giving me a message."

None of them had been there when all of this happened and had only heard rumors. Brienne had heard more than most. "Jorah told me you acted very decisively."

"At the time I was unsure as to their intentions. I could not risk my sister's life."

"But you risked your own."

"I wasn't a queen then," Arya pointed out. "That was before Dany met Jon."

Yimi asked, "What was the message they were trying to tell you?"

Arya blinked several times before answering. "Private."

That ended the discussion.

Arya did not know it, but word of her travels was flying faster than she was. When people have news, they tend to want to tell it.

So it was that as Arya's fleet approached Meereen, another ship, not quite as fast, was docking at the pier on Dragonstone.

An hour later, the king and queen having bid their children a good night, Davos knocked on their bedroom door. Ebrose was with him, a letter from the ship's captain in hand.

Jon, dressed in his nightclothes, was surprised to see them. "Davos?"

"Apologies, your grace. The matter seemed too important to wait until dawn."

Jon was prepared for any number of tragedies. "A war started?"

"This is good news. At least I believe your graces will consider it such."

Dany had joined her husband. "Any good news I can think of can wait until tomorrow."

Davos smiled. "Not this I think."

Ebrose had tired of waiting and pushed past Davos. "We have word of Arya."

That was all they needed to hear. Jon snatched the letter from Ebrose. The writing looked like chicken scratches. "What does this say?"

Ebrose buried his annoyance. "It is written in a form of Valyrian popular with the spice merchants of Qarth. It says Arya's fleet has docked in Yin and she has gone to speak with the emperor, the 18th Azure Emperor Bu Do."

"Is that all?" Dany took the letter from Jon.

Ebrose hesitated. "The letter is not clear. It implies that some difficulty arose."

"What kind of difficulty?"

"Nothing is explained. But it does say that the emperor had his own palace guards standing watch upon the ships and that none of their crews have been allowed to disembark."

Jon sighed. "Trust Arya to find trouble wherever she goes. Does he say anything about the condition of the fleet?"

"Nothing. Only that they are ships of an unknown type."

"Yes, well, he wouldn't know them, would he. Any mention of anyone else from the fleet."

"The letter does say that she went to the palace with her Queensguards."

"She hasn't lost her sense at least. We need to get a ship to Yi Ti."

Davos said, "I've already sent a message to Jaqen H'ghar. He's up near the Twins. He should have someone available."

Dany asked, "Do we have any word on Arya herself?"

"Not beyond her visit to the emperor. The captain was eager to get here as soon as he could."

Jon nodded. "Thank him. And give him a suitable reward for his service."

"Already done." Davos spoke with pride.

"Thank you, gentlemen. We shall see you tomorrow."

The king and queen moved to their bed. Or rather his bed because this was his room specifically. Dany stepped out of her nightdress and lay on the bed. "Its good to hear that Arya is alright."

"At least she was several months ago, or however long it took for that ship to get here."

"Let's not worry about that. Let's just think about how good it is to finally know she's coming home."

Summer sailed into Meereen's harbor to great fanfare. It seems the city had gotten word of their coming for the populace was crowded upon the walls. The cheers they heard set Arya's mind at ease on one issue at least.

She and Asha set out in a longboat for the shore, the Queensguard with them. Marwyn and Jack were too. On the quay to meet them was Missandei and Bronze Spear, the newest captain of the Unsullied. He was a giant of a man, almost as tall as Sandor, with pitch black skin.

The two smiled as the boat was tied off. This put Arya at ease even more for she could tell Missandei's smile was genuine and not dissembling. The warmth was made even more real as the woman from Naath embraced Arya as if she were her own sister.

"It is so good to see you," she said.

Arya couldn't resist smiling. "To be honest, I had no idea what our reception would be."

"Why wouldn't we be overjoyed to see you. One of our queens has finally visited us."

To Arya's surprise Daario suddenly appeared. "I told you she'd be surprised."

"Of course." Arya now saw things clearly. "You must have run your horse into the ground to have gotten here before us."

"Not at all. I simply took a more direct route."

Arya smiled up at Bronze Spear. "We've never met."

"No, your grace." He still retained his accent despite having been taken from his home when he was a child. "Though I did see you when I fought beside Gray Worm. I'm afraid the climate of Meereen suits me better than your Westeros."

"No need to apologize. I well understand. You won't be averse to allowing the Ironborn sometime ashore."

"Not at all. We welcome them. Our merchants can always use more coin."

Asha signaled the ships as Missandei continued. "We have a meal waiting for you up at the pyramid."

"And then we can discuss more important matters." Daario spoke with the air of someone about to reveal something unpleasant.

Arya's mood soured. "Why do I get the feeling you're hiding something?"

"Later," Missandei interjected. "Let us show you our hospitality first."

After a long feast in which the well to do of Meereen did their best to outdo one another in their efforts to impress the queen, she gathered with a select group of wise councilors in the upper chamber of the Great Pyramid. With them were Brienne, Sandor, Asha, Marwyn, Crackjaw, Daario, Missandei, and Bronze Spear.

Arya was not smiling. She had little to smile about. Despite the cheer they had demonstrated at the feast the attitude of the assembled notables now was distinctly grim. She stood staring out the window, making no effort to participate in the discussion.

"We must do something," Missandei said for what must have been the twentieth time. "They threaten to overwhelm us."

"I don't see how." Clegane was never one for romantic notions. "They don't have weapons."

This comment might very well have upset those present at an earlier moment of history. But at this time many of them agreed with him. Particularly the Ghiscari. Even the man, Modi, who represented the Freedmen, was in accord.

Missandei was not. "How can you say that? How can any of you think that?"

"They are threatening to take our homes," Modi replied.

Missandei was particularly disgusted with him. "I seem to recall you taking someone's home."

Kandoz mo Vondak rebuked her. "No need for such words. He is a citizen of Meereen. As much as you."

"I seem to recall that you did not want him to be a citizen of Meereen."

"That was before the Dragon Queen came to Meereen."

"Enough of this!" Marwyn exploded. "There is no call to reopen old wounds. That will not answer our present crisis."

"How do you propose to answer it?"

It was at times like these that Marwyn tried to be the archmaester he was supposed to be. "Well…" he said, trying to gather his thoughts. "We could ask the Lhazareen to take them in."

"We already have," Missandei shot back. "They no more want their lands flooded by these people than we do."

Sandor sounded disgusted. "Yet you don't want us to kill them."

"They did not choose to have their country ruined." She didn't bother to mention who she thought deserved that epilate. "When they were in Yi Ti they were little better than slaves. Just like our queen."

"Our queen is standing right here."

"You know which queen I mean." Missandei was allowing her temper to show.

"We know what happened in Yi Ti." Arya's voice was quiet, even. But it wasn't the dangerous voice. She was calm and reasonable. Nevertheless, it silenced everyone at the table. "I was there. It was not my intention to cause the overthrow of the Azur Emperor."

"You must not blame yourself." Marwyn was quick to reassure her. "If meeting you alone was enough to cause this general to turn on his emperor it was probably a sign he was going to do it anyway."

"I am aware of that." Arya now turned to face them. "Regardless of what may or may not have taken place in Yin, we do bear some responsibility."

"How so? Marwyn asked.

"As Yūko demonstrated when she joined our company, Westeros has become known far and wide as a place that grants freedom to all."

"This isn't Westeros," Sandor pointed out.

Modi said, "It is a place without slaves. They do not wish to be slaves."

"Weren't you arguing the other way?"

Modi felt downright offended. "I do not wish to enslave them. I only wish for them to find somewhere else to live."

"Be silent," Arya said as angry voices were raised.

They all sat still, almost like children preventing a scolding, as Arya paced around the table. She clasped her hands together behind her back and spoke to the floor, as if trying out her thoughts.

"We will ask the Lhazarareen again, but they will say no. This is our problem. Nor is it desirable for them to return to Yi Ti." Kandoz opened his mouth to speak but she held up her hand to silence him. "Just as with the Freedmen, many of these people have useful skills that could benefit us greatly. Also, Missandei has already mentioned the stories they tell of all those who died trying to get here. We are all familiar enough with the Sandway to not doubt them."

"Sand Road," Marwyn corrected. Her look silenced him.

"The fact so many would willingly face the Red Waste is testament to what is waiting for them in their homeland."

Bronze Spear felt compelled to point out, "If they go south, they can avoid most of the Waste as they travel to Qarth." Arya silenced him too.

Brienne spoke for the first time. "Weren't you listening. We destroyed Qarth on our way here. I doubt any of them would want to stay near its ruins."

Marwyn said, "Now that you mention it, none of us heard any word of these refugees when we were in Qarth."

"We didn't ask, and I doubt the Qartheen gave them any welcome."

Kandoz added, "The Qartheen control the Coast Road and they certainly wouldn't have allowed any to use it."

"That still leaves the question of what to do with them."

Arya finished her thought. "The Dothraki Sea is north of here, yes?"

Marwyn knew where she was going. "The Dothraki do not permit settlements in their land." He was almost angry. "They would kill them!"

"Not if I tell them not to."

"You can't do that?!"

"Why not? Am I not their queen?"

"It is against their religion."

"They worship my sister."

"Your sister, yes. Not you."

"When they see me on my dragon they will. The Dothraki respect strength."

Marwyn found himself unable to come up with a convincing argument against this. "Respect you, yes. But there is nothing to stop them from retaking their land when you are gone."

"We will not take all their land. Or even most of it. They conquered all the Dothraki sea, but they do not live in all of it. Large parts remain empty for years. That portion closest to Lhazar will be more than enough to serve our purposes. The Lhazareen might even welcome the newcomers."

Marwyn tried to think of some way of talking her out of her decision. But he could find no other solution. "That still won't prevent the Dothraki from attacking them. You know well how they attacked our people in Westeros even with the Others breathing down our necks."

"I am aware." Arya tone of voice showed she did not appreciate the reminder. "Those that did were punished. Most did not. They will not disobey me now. I know the Dothraki better than any of you. They will obey."

"You may have led an army of them…"

"Yes archmaester. A point you need to remember."

Sandor found himself wondering a different idea. "I would have thought you would be more sympathetic to them."

"Why?" Arya sounded almost angry. "Just because they followed me doesn't mean I like them. Yes, they were excellent soldiers and obeyed me totally. But I have not forgotten that they took slaves, murdered and raped at will, and stole anything they could get their hands on. They took the lands of the Dothraki sea from the people who lived on them before don't forget."

"Isn't that the same as us?" Asha's question was loaded.

"Exactly the same." Arya's glare punched daggers through Asha's skull.

Lockjaw felt compelled to defend the Ironborn. "We were living the traditional way of life of our people. We don't any longer."

"Why should the Dothraki? Why should they of all the peoples of the world be allowed to take from others and not suffer retribution?"

Marwyn was quick to jump on her words. "So, you admit you think of this as retribution?"

Arya's look was turning dangerous. "I look at this as a means of solving a problem without bloodshed."

Brienne admonished him. "Archmaester, there is no need to rebuke our queen. You are not offering us any alternatives."

Arya was calm again. "I am not suggesting that this is a permanent solution. There are none. Eventually the problems of so many peoples living together will arise again. But we are not gods. We cannot solve this problem, or any problem forever. If that were true than the Long Night would not have happened."

Marwyn was still at his worst. "Not to argue semantics…"

"Then don't. I do not say this will keep the peace forever. Only that it will allow peace for now. We will have to wait and see how long the peace will last."

He finally gave up. "Exactly how are we going to settle them?"

Arya thought that over. "All the refugees that have useful skills will be encouraged to open trades in the city." She held up her hand to forestall Modi. "I know the Freedmen will not like the competition, but it will greatly expand Meereen's trade. That will benefit everyone. For the remainder… men with families will be offered two hides of land. Single men will be given one. That should encourage them to marry."

"Do you want them to marry?" Kandoz asked.

"I should hope so. I was thinking more of all the women who need providing. Meereen already has all the whores it needs. Unfortunately, there aren't many trades that women are permitted even in Westeros. The temples are not rich enough to care for all the widows and orphans as it is."

Marwyn couldn't keep his mouth shut. "Who is going to organize all this?"

"You are."

Everybody else in the room burst out laughing. Arya confined herself to a slight smile. All Marwyn could do was stew in his resentment.

He tried to throw out an objection. "It will take months."

"Years," she agreed. "Missandei will ensure you have all the resources you require. And Jake is perfectly capable to taking care of any needs we have for the rest of the voyage."

That wasn't what he meant, and she knew it. Brienne guessed that Arya was finally taking revenge on the infuriating archmaester.

Later that night Brienne visited Arya in the apartments Missandei had given her. She was shocked to see Arya dressed in flimsy silken gowns. She didn't as a rule. Arya didn't like girls' clothes as she called them. It wasn't as if she had never dressed up in her life. But it was so uncommon, especially during the voyage. Arya had also had her hair done in the same style favored by Daenerys. She really didn't have long enough hair for that because she preferred it short. Even so, Brienne had to admit she hadn't seen Arya looking so beautiful since her wedding night.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked without preamble.

"Like I said, I am trying to maintain peace. Do I think this will last? No. But I can think of nothing else."

"You are forcing the Dothraki to surrender their sacred grass."

"What of it? Everyone assumes I must like them because they were loyal to me in a war. I don't. I detest them. I hate everything they stand for. Like the Ironmen. They believe they should take what they can."

"You hate slavery, I know. I do not know why it offends you."

"Doesn't it offend you? It is bad enough women must depend on men to protect them. Must they have their freedom taken away as well? Every man, woman, and child should be able to choose their own life. My father told me I would marry the king, though I'm sure he meant a lord."

"Did he?"

Arya smiled. "Maybe not. He knew how fond I was of Jon even then. It is ironic. If he had told me I would be queen of Westeros I would have considered it the worst of nightmares."

"Because Jeoffrey was the one who was going to be king."

"Not entirely. Sansa may have dreamed of crowns. Not me. I wanted to rule my destiny. Only I've discovered that my destiny is what I always wanted."

"You're lucky. Most women never get that chance."

"Is there something you need?"

With that the intimate moment was over. Brienne shook herself. "How long do you intend to stay?"

"Only until this business is concluded."

As required, a Queensguard stood vigil of the door to the apartments. Much to Brienne's annoyance the foreign woman was staying in them too. Not, she noticed, in Arya's bed. Yūko had placed a mat in a side chamber. Was the queen finally tiring of her exotic toy?

Arya was once more wearing armor as she prepared to set out the next morning. Daario and his Second Sons were escorting her and the Queensguards to find her dragons. Reliable reports said they were guzzling sheep on the other side of the river. Missandei and Bronze Spear saw them off.

"What is the name of the man who leads them?" Arya asked.

"They don't really have a leader. Not the way you mean," Missandei answer. "The man who claims to lead the largest group of them goes by the name Wonton. He has a woman who often opposes him. She is called Sesame."

Arya laughed. "What kind of name is that?" Lyanna asked.

"It's a kind of seed…"

"I know what it is."

Missandei shrugged. "It is the only thing I have heard her called."

"Are they married?"

Missandei shrugged again. "It is hard to tell. She stands near him often as if they are intimate. But she argues with him constantly."

"Sounds like a typical marriage," Sandor muttered. The Queensguards all looked at him sourly.

"He also has a man he calls his general."

"What's his name?"

"Tso, or Soe. I'm not sure how to pronounce it."

"Is he a general?"

Bronze Spear shook his head. "When I spoke to him, he showed no knowledge of military matters."

"What was he then?"

"A chicken farmer."

They all burst out laughing.

Marwyn, short of breath, came running up. His arms filled with charts. "Miss something?"

Sandor answered, "No. we're just laughing at the presumption of farmers who think they're warriors."

"Don't underestimate farmers. They can fight hard when their land is threatened."

"These aren't defending their land."

"No, but its land they want. Desperate people do desperate things."

"True enough," Arya answered. "That is why the dragons will be with us. Where is the closest khal?"

The Meereenese always kept a close eye on any Dothraki who came near. "A days' ride north," Bronze Spear said.

Missandei felt it her duty to worn them. "Do not underestimate them, my queen. They number in the tens of thousands. And this Wonton… they say his is a wizard."

They were all stony faced. "Are you sure of this?"

"I have not seen as sign. But then I don't know what to look for. All I know is that his followers are terrified of him."

Sandor was unconvinced. "That could just be he's clever at tricks."

"It could be. Or it could be something else. Be wary my queen."

"We will be."

They set off, riding hard to the north. Crossing the Skahazadhan by midday. They neared the area where the dragons lay and could hear them long before they came within sight. The group topped a slow rise and saw the huge beasts in the distance. The sell swords muttered at the sight of them.

Daario said, "This is as close as I want to get. Dany's dragons were big enough."

"You won't need to." Arya dismounted and petted the horse's neck. "Sandor, take the Queensguards toward the refugees. I'll meet you there. Daario, find the Dothraki. Give them the message I gave you."

"I really don't think they'll believe me."

"Just tell them. They'll listen."

As the Second Sons rode off Sandor exclaimed, "Dothraki aren't known for obedience."

"My name carries weight. They never stop worshipping those they recognize as stronger. They'll come."

Brienne asked, "Shouldn't we come with you?"

"I don't need you. Get on with it."

It proved a much longer walk than she had anticipated. The sun was hot, and her armor felt like lead. Neither dragon showed any interest in aiding her approach.

Sandor led the Queensguards in the direction Daario had indicated. It wasn't hard for them to find the refugees. Within a short time, they saw the smoke from cooking fires. Before they ever set eyes on the place, they could smell it. They topped a rise and there it was.

It was more than an army. It was a city. A city of tents, hovels, and more. A veritable feast of filth and vermin. These were people who had struggled to reach this place and it showed. There were no guards or sentries. The Westerosi didn't see anything that even looked like a weapon. Yet they felt fear, nonetheless. This wasn't a camp. It was a horde.

People stood to gaze at them as they went by. There were no streets. They had to make their way between endless rows of squatters. Some had no shelter to speak of. The lucky ones had crude tents to shelter under. No planning had gone into this place. People had planted themselves in whatever spot they found convenient.

The smell was indescribable. None of the Queensguards could see where they got their water. What they could see was that these people made little effort to maintain sanitation in this place.

The more daring held up their hands, begging for alms. They did not get any. Most were too scared to come near.

"This place is a horror show," Brienne said.

Even Marwyn couldn't take the smell. He held a sleeve up to his face. "These people are not planners. They did what they were told and left thinking to their betters."

"Surely they didn't live this way at home," Yimi said. She looked like she would cry.

"Of course not. They must have left Yi Ti with almost nothing. They crossed the Bone Mountains and the Red Waste. It's a miracle this many got this far."

Lyanna said, "I'm surprised the Dothraki aren't all over them."

"The queen forbade them from taking slaves," Obella reminded her.

Travelling through the huge camp was an arduous process. None of them relished the idea of staying anywhere inside it. Brienne wondered how they were ever going to find the mysterious wizard Wonton. Had it been a normal camp one would expect the leaders to be in the center, the safest place. It was obvious that no one had any such control over these people.

Thanks to some luck, Joella spotted a much bigger tent within the mess off to the north. Doing their best not to ride over people, they navigated their horses toward it. It was only as they neared it that men with weapons finally appeared. These were not soldiers. Just looking at them was enough to tell them that. They were dressed in the same rags as everyone else. Their weapons were crude. Mostly knife blades tied to sticks.

One of the armed men held up a hand. Marwyn spoke to him in Yitish. The man answered and then ducked into the tent.

Marwyn said, "He said to wait out here."

They did not have to wait long. To their surprise, men suddenly pulled up the sides of the tent. What was left was now more an awning, revealing an empty space inside. The only furnishing was a single chair. In it was a surprisingly young man. He looked about twenty summers. He had the long facial hair that was favored in Yi Ti. His clothes were of no better quality than that of his guards with one exception. They were covered in some sort of writing. Brienne had not learned the Yitish language, nor any other on their journey for that matter. But she was certain they bore no resemblance to any she saw in Yi Ti.

Marwyn leaned over to her, his sleeve still covering his face. "Careful."

"You know them?"

"The symbols? I don't recognize them. But I do sense power in this boy. He may not be as helpless as he looks."

Feeling the need to show some respect, Brienne dismounted. Marwyn followed suit. None of the others did. The guards moved aside and the two approached the man. On reaching the edge of the pavilion one of the guards barked a command.

"This is as close as they allow."

Sandor muttered, "That's what they think."

Brienne did not feel the man deserved a title. "Are you the one called Wonton?"

He did not answer.

"Is he deaf?"

"You want me to ask him?"

Brienne was sorely tempted. "No. Just ask him the question again."

"I think he expects difference."

"Why? Neither he nor his guards are any threat to us. Tell him I am an emissary of the queen."

When Marwyn duly translated her words, a woman appeared from behind the remaining tent wall. She stood behind the man, placing her hands on his shoulders. Surprisingly, she spoke Valyrian. "My lord does not treat with underlings. We told the black woman this already." The man remained silent.

"He better treat with me. You will not find our queen so understanding."

Marwyn wanted to remind her of what Arya had already decided but thought better of it. Brienne did not need reminding and it would be bad to give the impression they were weaker than they were.

The woman, whom Brienne guessed was Sesame, left Wonton and walked up to her. If she was intimidated by Brienne's size, she gave no sign of it. "Master Wonton fears no one. It would be well if your queen respected his power."

Brienne was rapidly losing patience. "Don't make threats. If your little wizard were truly so powerful, he would not be here now. You might think you can command this camp of rabble. But our queen commands the Dothraki. I'm sure you've heard of them."

Sesame blanched. "Then why are they not here? Where is your queen?"

"Have no fear. She is coming right now. You won't like it when she gets here."

"You make threats."

"I tell you truly. I am Brienne of Tarth, sworn sword of the Queensguard." She indicated the others with her hand. "And this is the Queensguard. We alone could slaughter everyone in this camp."

Sesame sneered. "They are all women, except for him." She pointed to Sandor.

"They are soldiers, which is more than any of you can boast. As is he. He is Sandor Clegane, lord captain of the Kingsguard."

"Kingsguard? You have a king also?"

"You find that strange? In our land a king always has a queen."

"Then where is he?"

"Across the sea in Westeros."

Sesame laughed. "He does not like his queen then. Or is it normal in your land for your queen and your king to rule separate lands?"

"He rules all this land. Our queen was visiting foreign lands to see the world. We are on our return journey when she chose to stop here. Meereen is under the protection of the crown, and she felt it her duty to ensure its safety."

"You mean you are leaving again?"

"Do not mistake our intent." Brienne was starting to get angry. "We will remain for as long as is necessary to ensure the protection of Meereen. And if that requires us to use force to drive you all out, we will."

Now Sesame was mad. "I thought you Westerosi were supposed to be kindly people?!"

Marwyn suddenly pounced. "Ah ha! You did know who we were after all!"

Sesame looked abashed. Brienne's hand went to Oath Keeper's hilt.

"Peace warrior!" Wonton finally moved. He stood up with his hand raised. His Valyrian was considerably better than Sesame's. He proceeded to ignore Brienne completely and instead addressed his words to Marwyn. "You are the one called maester, yes?"

"I am an archmaester. Archmaester Marwyn, master of the higher mysteries. I can see you are a man of learning. A warlock?"

"No, good master. My own master held nothing but contempt for those dust eaters. I am an aeromancer. My master came from the city of Asshai when I was a boy. I had the good fortune to be available when he was seeking an apprentice."

"Ah, you were a slave."

Wonton paused. "Only if an apprentice is considered such. Is that how it is in your land?"

Marwyn was no Faceless Man, but he could tell a lie when he smelt one. "No. There are no slaves in Westeros."

"That is what we were told. That is why we came here."

"With your master."

"No." Wonton's answer was just a little too quick. "My master fell victim to the chaos that now plagues Yin. I did not wish to suffer the same fate."

"Understandable."

"Are you here to make threats?"

"On the contrary. Our queen is not unfeeling for your plight. She sent us to make you an offer."

"Oh?" Marwyn could tell Wonton sensed weakness.

"She has no wish to kill all of you. Nor to send you back to Yi Ti. She is willing to give you land… if you are willing to become citizens of Meereen."

"You mean we must be your slaves."

"Do not insult us. The queen believes your people might contribute greatly to Meereen. And she doesn't want anymore bloodshed. We have had to spill enough as it is."

"What exactly are you offering?" Wonton had advanced until he stood directly in front of Marwyn. Sesame had moved to his side.

The archmaester laid out the details of Arya's plan. To the Westerosi is sounded more than reasonable. Even generous.

Wonton did not agree. "Unacceptable." He walked back to his chair.

Marwyn was nonplussed. "Why?"

"You intend to plant us next to the horse savages? You think us mad? We know these brutes. They are no better than Jogos Nhai. We did not come here to be your wall."

"Then what are you asking for?" Marwyn was starting to lose patience.

"We are not asking. We are demanding!" When Marwyn finished translating there was ominous muttering coming from the Queensguard.

"What are you demanding?" Brienne's hand was on her sword again.

"Meereen!"

It was said with such a tone of triumph that Brienne had to laugh. "Have you lost your mind?! Why would we give it to you?"

"Have you not seen my army?" His voice had risen as he stood. He made a sweeping hand gesture to indicate the masses around them.

"Army?!" She couldn't keep the smile off her face. "They're a rabble. The Second Sons could wipe them out even without us helping them."

"We may be weak, but we are many!" Wonton's voice had risen with fervor. "We will drown you in our numbers and take the city for our own."

This was as much as Sandor could take. He cleared Heartsbane from its scabbard. "I've heard enough!" The Queensguard followed his lead.

A sudden gale pummeled them from nowhere. The wind was so strong it threatened to topple their horses. It took all they had for the Queensguard to keep their seats. Throughout the camp they heard panicked voices. Tents and hovels were toppled. Trash and detritus were sent flying in all directions. Marwyn noticed Wonton chanting something under his breath.

A roar split the air. The gale died as rapidly as it'd appeared. From out of the west flew two gigantic beasts. The refugees pointed to the sky and ran screaming away from them. In seconds the Queensguards found themselves alone with Wonton and Sesame, his guards having fled with the rest.

The dragons circled the camp twice before finally landing. Arya did not land near the lean-to. Instead, the dragons alighted on a rise not far from it. Cannibal, having made his point, chose not to remain and launched himself into the sky. He vanished, no doubt planning to search for more sheep. Arya made the long walk alone, leaving Snowflake to settle herself. The mob, having grasped that the monsters were not going to eat them, began to trickle back. Though they did keep a healthy distance.

Brienne and Marwyn stood aside as Arya marched between them. Absent mindedly handing her helmet to Brienne she went straight to Wonton. She spoke to him in her excellent Yitish. "What were you doing?"

Wonton did not reply. Instead, it was Sesame who answered. She tried to sound tough, but fear weakened her voice. "My lord was demonstrating his power."

"I could see that. Why?"

Sesame's voice was a squeak. "He was demonstrating to your recalcitrant minions…"

"Those minions came her with my authority. Did they not inform you of my offer?"

Wonton suddenly broke in. "They did. I found it inadequate."

Arya's eyes bored holes into him. "How?" Sesame hid herself behind Wonton.

It was the quiet voice. Wonton was perceptive enough to grasp its significance. He did his best to keep a tremor out of his own. "We have a quarter million people…"

"I know. I can count. And dragons see far better than we do. How much land do you think it will take to house them?"

"That is not what he said," Brienne interrupted. "He demanded Meereen."

"Did he?" Arya's eyes had gone cold and dead.

Wonton knew he had pushed his luck, but his pride wouldn't allow him to back down. For a long moment he stared into those relentless eyes. In the end prudence won out over his pride. "A negotiating tactic." He tried to keep his voice light. It didn't work. "Obviously, I misunderstood the situation."

Marwyn spat. "Misunderstood doesn't go far enough. Take what you've been offered before our queen loses patience. She won't offer it a second time."

Wonton wasn't willing to give in without getting something. "Surely great queen, you see my power. That must be worth something to you."

"Her power is greater than yours. What is it you are suggesting?"

He never gave an answer. For a long time, unnoticed, a huge cloud of dust had been rising in the west. They felt the beat of drumming hooves through the earth long before they heard them. They all went dumb as the noise reached their ears.

From the same direction as the dragons the Dothraki arrived. One thousand of them. They split into two on either side of Snowflake, keeping a heathy distance away from her. The Second Sons were with them. They halted on the rise, waiting with military discipline.

Wonton knew he had no bargaining power left. "It appears I must submit."

Marwyn was outraged. "Is that all you can say?!"

"Archmaester," Arya chided. "You have caused no harm to me or mine. If you cause no harm to Meereen we are willing to accept you. But your people must obey all Meereen's laws and do nothing to aid its enemies."

"Of course, your majesty." He bowed low.

"As for your own… unique talents… This is not Asshai. Whatever activities you engaged with there will not be tolerated here."

"It was his master who was from Asshai," Marwyn interjected.

Arya ignored him. "That being said, if you can constrain your studies to what is permitted within Meereen I am certain they will allow you to practice your craft."

Brienne, who had no love for blood magic no matter its nature, objected. "Is that wise your grace?"

Arya ignored her too. "Are you willing to accept this? Otherwise, you and your people can take yourselves back to Yi Ti."

Wonton did not have to think about it very hard. "Naturally, we must accept. I am grateful you found it in your heart to help us."

Demonstrating appalling rudeness, he turned from her without waiting for a reply and sat himself back on his seat. By this point most of the refugees had realized that neither dragon nor horsemen were going to slaughter them. Many had begun to conglomerate in the vicinity of the lean-to.

Arya didn't bother to get offended. She took her helmet back and marched off toward Snowflake. With the discussions concluded the Queensguards followed, leaving Brienne and Marwyn behind.

Sesame lost her fear and wandered over to Brienne's side. She looked with disgust at Wonton, for a pair of almost naked girls had joined him. Brienne noticed, despite the dirt, that they were quite pretty. In fact, they were identical. Brienne noted the look on Sesame's face and smiled.

"You don't like his choice of companions?"

Sesame didn't take her eyes off Wonton. "They are his favorites. He calls them Sweet and Sour."

At the top of the pyramid that night Arya had a discussion with Missandei, Brienne, Daario, Sandor, Asha, and Bronze Spear. She was once more dressed in the silken gowns Missandei had given her.

"Are you sure they will keep the peace?" Missandei asked.

"They are in no position to do otherwise."

Daario said, "My Second Sons are keeping an eye on them."

"Are they enough?"

"The archmaester is the one who has to figure out how to settle them."

"Don't be so dismissive Daario," Arya said. "You're going to have to help him. He will need people to pace out the parcels and see to it that people stay on the ones they are given."

"We can handle that."

"But we will also have to protect them," Bronze Spear said.

"They are next to the Dothraki. And the khals have already pledged to obey her majesty. Between us we will keep the peace."

"What of New Ghis and Volantis?"

"We are going to have to do something about them," Arya admitted.

Asha asked, "Have you thought about how you're going to deal with the Volanteen allies, Tolos, Elyria, and Mantarys?"

"You will take a squadron of our fastest ships. Impress upon them that peace would be preferrable to suffering Qarth's fate."

"And if they won't listen."

Arya's face was hard. "Make them."

This was entirely to Asha's liking.

Brienne asked, "What will we be doing?"

"Once we have re-provisioned, I intend to continue our journey."

"To Volantis."

"To Valyria."

END CHAPTER 20