Notes : Really sorry for the late update. Hope you guys will like this chapter.
Chapter 16
The Decision and The Change
Daenerys found herself seated on the throne in Dragonstone. Her advisors were enroute to King's Landing, where they would meet her in two days upon their arrival. In the capital, Lady Olenna awaited their arrival. However, Daenerys needed to make some crucial decisions about her own future and her path forward. To instil belief in herself, she had chosen Dragonstone as the ideal place. She had explored the palace, which exuded the essence of Dragon Lords, and every moment she spent there filled her with joy.
One tower's bedroom had a vast space outside, seemingly designed to house dragons near their lord. Daenerys made up her mind to move her chambers to this tower, wanting her sons to be closer to her.
As her thoughts turned to the matter at hand – what to do about Sansa – Daenerys contemplated whether Sansa would accept her offer or attempt to challenge her, leveraging her brother's status. Daenerys hoped that Sansa would prefer a position of power where she could feel more in control and that becoming a queen would provide her with that security. All Sansa needed to do was make her brother king and secure the independence she had desired. But circumstances had changed since Daenerys had envisioned this. She had offered Sansa a position on the small council, and if Sansa were as clever as she believed, she would recognize that their chances of success against Daenerys were slim. They only had the North, some survivors of the Long Night, and perhaps support from the Riverlands. The others would side with Daenerys. Even if Daenerys granted them independence, she had no intention of engaging in trade or providing aid during the harsh winters. Independence meant they would stand on their own.
The decision to start a war or not hinged on Sansa's choices. Daenerys didn't think Jon aspired to be a king, and neither did Arya. Bran, who had once been unfeeling and solely focused on defeating the Night King, now appeared more concerned about his family and less detached from others. But if Sansa made a decision, the others would likely follow her lead because, after all, the pack stuck together.
A pang of loneliness gripped Daenerys. She lacked a "pack" – a family or someone she could wholeheartedly trust to support her decisions. She envied what the Starks had and yearned for a family with all her heart. She had declared that her people were her family, but in moments of solitude without distractions, she felt miserable and alone. Maybe she should have asked Daario to stay, but she didn't want that. Daenerys let out a long sigh and shook her head firmly, banishing self-pity from her thoughts. She had come to conquer, to reclaim her home, and she was determined to achieve her goals. With visions and dragons, it seemed even the gods themselves wanted her to succeed. She was resolute about winning and making life better for the people in her realm, even if it meant further conquest.
With this determination, she awaited the meeting with her allies and, potentially, the Starks.
Daenerys commenced her journey toward King's Landing one day prior, with both Rhaegal and Viserion accompanying her. She needed them. She enjoyed the flight and felt lighter, having made peace with her decisions. Upon arriving in King's Landing, she was elated to see ships bearing the flags of various houses, including her own. Reinstating her house to its rightful place was one of her dreams.
The new Red Keep was a magnificent sight, befitting a Dragon Lord. The palace's design mirrored her dragons, with a black base and splashes of red, green, bronze, and cream. Daenerys communicated her joy to her dragons through their bond, sharing her vision of their rule being represented by these new colours. They roared in response, making her laugh heartily. She landed in the Red Keep and designated a space for her dragons, cautioning them not to harm any humans.
The throne room matched her expectations, similar to the previous one she had destroyed but with its unique elements. A long corridor with pillars on both sides led to the throne, which was grand, placed atop numerous stairs, and under a dome. Daenerys moved toward the throne, ignoring the palace's inhabitants. Once they noticed her, they stood silently at the sides. Her advisors and allies were due to arrive the next day, and for now, only Lady Olenna and her grandson were present, looking at her with pride. Daenerys admired the throne but refrained from sitting on it. She would wait for her coronation the following day before doing so. Her destiny was about to be realised, and she could afford to be patient.
Lady Olenna and her grandson greeted Daenerys, and she returned their greetings. "Thank you for looking after King's Landing while I was gone. And thank you for believing in me to win the impossible war, Lady Olenna."
"I heard a lot of stories about you before you reached Westeros, dear. You winning the war was not impossible. It's just another one of the difficulties you had to face, and there is no doubt you will face more. But I am sure you will be the victor in the end."
"I am flattered, Lady Olenna."
"What is this that I hear about Rhaegar's son, your grace?"
"It is true. Jon Snow is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Ned Stark used a bastard title to protect him from Robert."
"Ned Stark stayed honourable until the end, then. What are you going to do about this, your grace?"
"There is nothing to do, Lady Olenna. Jon Snow doesn't wish to have power. His sister does, but not him. The Starks are arriving here tomorrow. We will discuss this with them, and I will make my decision clear then. I am the Queen of Seven Kingdoms, and I will stay as its queen. Either they accept my terms, or they get ready to face me in a war." Daenerys made her decision clear. Lady Olenna smiled at her.
"Yes, your grace."
Daenerys then started roaming around the Keep. She found a map room of both Westeros and Essos. There were soldiers' quarters, a big kitchen, a garden, and a lemon sapling right in the middle of it. Daenerys wanted to cry when she saw it. The plant will grow to be a tree soon, and Daenerys will be able to see it from her room. She couldn't even describe what she was feeling then. She felt overwhelmed. This was what she wanted for a long time. Yes, she knows she needs to work harder to bring peace to the realm, but once it happens, Daenerys will be able to enjoy it with her people seeing the lemon tree outside her window. Daenerys spent all of her remaining morning there beside the plant.
She went to her chambers to rest and found her room decorated with both Westerosi and Essosi elements. The architect who built this keep will be heavily rewarded because he made her day today. After her exploration of her castle, she felt relaxed and calm and ready to step forward towards her true dream. Her lunch was brought to her room, and she was ready to taste the food served in Westeros. The maid bustled around serving her food. Daenerys felt something was wrong. She has never seen this maid before, and Daenerys had ordered before that only Dothraki are allowed to serve her food. After all, she experienced a lot of poisoning accidents both in this life and her vision. Nobody is brave enough to ignore her orders here. If this maid is here, then that means either this food is poisoned, or she is someone who doesn't know about her orders. Daenerys knew who she was.
Before Daenerys confronted the disguised maid, a strong wind blew from her balcony, and the maid found her neck ready to be sliced open with a knife. Daenerys stopped that from happening, but still the knife wielded by her very expensive guard stayed near the maid's neck.
"What brings you here, Lady Arya?" Daenerys asked.
"How did you know?"
Daenerys ordered the Faceless Man to retreat. She called Drogon through her bond, and he landed on her chamber's balcony, peering inside the room and scanning for threats. Daenerys asked him to calm down, and he settled there on the balcony. Once the Faceless Man retreated to the shadows, Daenerys addressed Arya.
"Is the food poisoned?"
"No. I came to talk to you."
"Then why the disguise?"
"I need to talk to you without any interference or audience."
"Again, you could have just requested that. Why the disguise?"
"I didn't think you would allow me to meet with you before the official meeting."
"Take your seat and eat the food."
"I can assure you it isn't poisoned. But I will eat the food first. After all, I am the one intruding."
Arya started eating it, and she stayed alive without any symptoms of poisoning. There is no use for her to poison me in the long run. The meeting will still happen tomorrow, and I might still hurt her family. Still, Daenerys didn't touch the food. She lost all her appetite having to deal with this so early after having a happy day. All she could do is curse her situation.
"What do you want to talk about, Lady Arya?"
"Don't hurt my family."
"This isn't how you talk to a queen, Lady Arya. I think you are mistaken. You don't have the upper hand here. I do. You don't want to make me angry. You won't be alive to see whether I spare your family or not."
Arya stared at her for a long time, no doubt weighing the situation. The Faceless Man, who was stronger than her, is definitely somewhere very near. Drogon is right there beside her, peeking his head in. Just like Daenerys said, it looked like Arya realised who had the upper hand.
"Looks like you got the point. Now tell me why you are here. And let me also warn you, if the face you are wearing is one of my people's, you will face the consequence."
"I am not stupid. It isn't."
Daenerys raised her brow once.
"I am sorry, your grace. I am here to talk about the situation we are facing right now."
"What about it?"
"Jon doesn't want to be King, your grace."
"I don't recall offering him anything for him to decline, Lady Arya." Arya flinched a little. Daenerys was surprised she could notice that.
"I know, your grace. I said that because I don't want you to misunderstand him even if others say something about his birthright. I came here to talk to you because of what Bran said on our way here. We, Sansa and I, thought that you would be readying for war against us, but Bran told us that you were doing nothing but just getting ready for the meeting with all the representatives of the kingdom. I saw who you were during your time at Winterfell. You were every bit of the Targaryen queen I knew. Powerful, Strong, and Kind when needed. So I thought if I talked to you and found out what you were thinking, then maybe we can avoid the war."
"I know Lord Jon doesn't want the throne even before you told me. But what about your sister?"
Arya sighed. "It's like you know everything." Daenerys had to smirk at that.
"I admit that Sansa wants and seeks power, but it is only to protect herself and her family. She was living the life of a very rich princess before we set off to King's Landing when we were little. Sansa was spoiled and did not know who she could trust and who she couldn't. She revered Cersei in the beginning and she paid for it with our father's life. Then she went through many awful things under that little bitch Joffrey and then Littlefinger and then Ramsay. That is not something that heals quickly. So she wanted to protect herself, and she chose the way she knew how. Being Cersei and Littlefinger and if needed even being Ramsay was her way of protecting herself and the North she knows."
"And that means she could hurt my people?"
"She didn't, your grace."
"Yet. She didn't yet, Lady Arya. I know she wants to be the queen of the independent North. Say if I give independence to the North, you think she will hurt your brother for the throne? And what and who she will use for becoming the queen, you think she will only touch people of the North? No, she will use the surrounding kingdoms and the innocent people around her."
Arya looked at her with resignation in her eyes.
"No need to look at me like that, Lady Arya. I don't want to hurt your family either. If things work out, we could be family too. Lord Jon is the son of both Lyanna and Rhaegar after all. You might become my niece, who knows."
Daenerys laughed at the look Arya had in her face.
"Like I said already, Dance of Dragons is the last thing I want. But that decision depends on Lady Sansa herself. I offered her a position in the small council once I rebuilt it. She will have power then. She can protect herself then and can do some good in the world. Not only to the North, but the whole world. Go talk with your family and let them know of my intentions. Tell your sister to think and to look at the future before taking unnecessary actions. This is my advice. Your brother Bran is also invited to the small council. The decision is in your family's hands. Thank you for your visit, Lady Arya."
"Thank you, your grace. And I am not a lady."
"I wanted to ask you about that. Why do you not want to be called a lady? You think it is an insult to be called one?"
"Yes. I am not a lady. I like swords, not embroidery. I like battles, not courtroom shenanigans. I don't like to marry, I don't want children, and I don't want to be seen as weak just because I am a girl."
Daenerys smiled at her. "You think your sister's dream of becoming a queen by marrying a king was the start of all your misery, don't you?" Arya's eyes widened at that, and Daenerys got her answer from that. "You can like swords, you can like battles, and you do not need to get married, you do not need to sire any children, and still, you can be a girl. You can be a lady. You think your sister was weak because of her naive dreams, and you think your dreams of holding a sword makes you stronger? No, it doesn't. Your dreams don't determine your strength, Lady Arya. Your effort and your belief in yourself determine your strength. Your sister believed in herself, that's why she is standing there this strong after all that. A war depends on her decision. She rose to that position all by herself, and she still wears dresses, and she still wants to be called a Lady. Being a lady doesn't make you weak. Only you yourself make you weak. You may kill people in power with your strength, but her strength is what is needed to keep the situation stable after that. I am also a woman, I am the one riding dragons, not my brothers. They are both dead, aren't they? So do not consider being called a lady as an insult. Do think about it."
Arya was looking at her differently. She had respect in her eyes.
"Lady Arya, you can leave now."
"Can we talk like this again sometimes, your grace?"
"Of course, my lady."
Arya laughed at that and left the room in her own skin after greeting her. Daenerys had to think, if only persuading Sansa was easier like this.
The day of the meeting came, and just like before, they all gathered in the Dragon's pit. Daenerys didn't want this to happen in the throne room since the attendants in the palace were getting it ready for the coronation. Representatives from all the kingdoms were present. Daenerys was sitting in the small throne that was set up in the middle of the platform, and as usual, Drogon was behind her, ready to burn if his mother orders. Missandei, Grey Worm, and Qhono were sitting on her right. Ser Jorah and Tyrion were on her left. Lady Ellaria, Lady Olenna, Ser Jaime Lannister, and their entourage sat on the left side of the platform, while Lord Jon Snow, Lord Edmure Tully, Lord Robin Arryn, Yohn Royce, and their entourage sat on the right side of the platform. Lord Gendry Baratheon and Lady Yara and their entourage sat opposite the queen, completing the group.
"You are in the presence of Daenerys Stormborn, of House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, Queen of the Andals, the First Men, and the Dragon's Bay, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, the Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains," Missandei announced her titles.
Missandei stepped forward and started speaking. "We all have gathered here today to address the legitimacy of Lord Jon Snow, to choose the small council members, and to discuss the future of Westeros. Lords and Ladies who believe that Lord Jon is the rightful heir of the Kingdom, please come forward to make your point." And with that, she stepped back near Daenerys.
To Daenerys's surprise, nobody came forward, not even Sansa. She couldn't seem to understand what was happening at that moment. Daenerys was shocked that nobody thought of him as the rightful heir. Daenerys was suspicious and began to grow restless. She suspected that they might have all joined together against her to enthrone Jon. Maybe it all happened when she was spending her time at Dragonstone alone. What is going on? Daenerys shook her head without others noticing to get her thoughts together. But Missandei was there to save her. She didn't hesitate and announced, "Lords and Ladies who think Lord Jon is not the rightful heir, please step forward to state your thoughts."
Lady Ellaria stepped forward and told everyone there that Rhaegar is not allowed to annul a marriage on his own without the King or the wife's permission when an heir is present and that is why she believed that Lord Jon is not the rightful heir. Lady Olenna took the same stand. Ser Jaime Lannister stepped forward to say that a month before Aerys's demise (and he flinched when saying that), Aerys announced Viserys as the next heir to the throne, and Rhaegar was denounced from the crown prince position. And since Jon is a son of Rhaegar, he is not in the line of succession, and that is why he believed that Jon is not the rightful heir. Gendry Baratheon didn't vote on both sides and said he would abstain on this matter. Yara said that she believes that Daenerys is the rightful heir, and others simply cannot be one since Daenerys exists. Daenerys smiled at that and noticed her advisors smiling too.
Edmure Tully agreed with Ser Jaime while Yohn Royce on behalf of Robin Arryn abstained on that matter. Now, all attention fell on Jon, who was sitting there looking very uncomfortable. Of course, his birth was being debated as some sort of problem in a public place, and many are claiming that he is a bastard. Daenerys understood him.
Sansa stepped forward. "Since, Lord Jon's legitimacy is the one being discussed, I would like to represent the North in this matter. The North also agrees with the illegitimacy of Lord Jon, and now that we have come to know that the line of succession is also changed, we will comply with that too. And the other reason is that Queen Daenerys conquered the realm from Cersei Lannister, and Lord Jon, who was the king of the North by then, bent his knee to Queen Daenerys. We acknowledge her as the rightful heir of the realm."
Daenerys was stunned.
"But I would like to introduce another agenda on the list of discussions today."
Now, Daenerys felt more in peace. There has to be something hidden, else it wouldn't be Sansa.
"What is it, Lady Sansa?"
"I want the ladies of the noble houses, big and small, to have more independence than they are already given. I want the ladies to learn what they want and decide by themselves who they want to marry. I want this introduced as a law in Westeros."
Daenerys smiled at Sansa and told, "You don't need to claim your brother as illegitimate for introducing this in the agenda, Lady Sansa. All you need to do is ask Missandei here to add it in. Now please just tell us the North's real opinion on this legitimacy matter. We will include your proposal in the agenda."
Sansa stared at it for more than a minute and started talking when she came to a decision. She looked at Jon one time and then turned to her. "The North stands by what it said before."
"What would you like to say about this, Lord Jon?" Daenerys questioned him.
After looking at all the Lords who were staring at him, Jon stood, "It is really not pleasant to be discussed like this. I bent my knee to Queen Daenerys, and that goes for my legitimacy issue too. I don't want the throne, and I promise right here before everyone, that I will not desire the throne in the future too."
Once Jon took his place, Daenerys addressed the gathering, "I will announce my decision then. Lord Jon is indeed the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Since the marriage couldn't be annulled, he is not the rightful heir. But I don't want him bastardised by people. He did not choose to be born that way, so he shouldn't be burdened with that name nor any other child for that matter. There will be no more concept of Bastardization in this continent from now on. The parents will take responsibility for the child just like they would any other, and the child will be rewarded with a proper family name. There will be no more Waters, Snows, Sands, Blackfyres in this continent from now on. Now as the Queen, I legitimise Lord Jon. What name would you like, Lord Jon? Stark or Targaryen?"
Murmurs broke out from the people from all over the place. Some looked at Daenerys with confusion, others with admiration, and some others with awe. Jon was one of them.
"But, your grace, if you legitimise me, your position will be in danger."
"No, it won't be, Lord Jon. You promised that you won't desire the throne, and just as Lady Sansa said, I conquered the realm by conquest. I am not sitting here because I am the rightful heir. So even if
you become the rightful heir, you have no rights over the throne. And I don't think my nephew would wage a war against me." Daenerys smirked at him.
The tension in the atmosphere eased a little.
"Now, what would you like your name to be, Lord Jon?"
"I don't know anything about being a Targaryen. I have been raised as a Stark, lived as a Stark, and I would like to live as a true Stark too." Jon answered her.
Daenerys did not feel bad for him not choosing the Targaryen name. She understood his longing of having the Stark name.
"As you wish then, from today onwards you will be Jon Stark."
Notes : Thanks for reading. Please share your thoughts in the comments.