The day after negotiations with Yunkai ended riders came and made camp in front of the gates Dany watched from a nearby hill along with Thomas, Jorah, Barristan and Grey Worm.
"Men who fight for gold have neither honor nor loyalty." Barristan muttered to himself.
"You think they are mercenaries?" Thomas asked, having overheard him.
"What else could they be? Obviously they were hired to bolster Yunkai's defenses." Barristan pointed out. "Regardless, they can't be trusted."
"They can be trusted to kill you if they get enough gold." Jorah rolled his eyes. "And I believe the Yunkish have more than enough to guarantee that."
"You know these men?" Dany asked.
"Only by the broken swords on their banners. They're called the Second Sons." Jorah answered. "They are a company run by a Bravosi named Marro. The Titans Bastard."
"Fancy name for a sell sword." Thomas muttered.
"A name feared throughout these lands." Jorah scolded him.
"Is he more titan or bastard?" Dany asked.
"He is a dangerous man Khaleesi." Jorah warned. "They all are."
"How many?" Dany nodded towards the encampment.
"2000 your grace, armed and mounted." Barristan answered. Thomas wondered how the man counted all of that but didn't bother asking the question.
"Enough to make a difference?" Dany turned towards him. Barristan nodded. "It's hard to collect wages form a corpse." Dany stated after a moment. "I'm sure the sell swords prefer to fight for the winning side." Dany looked towards Jorah.
"I reckon your right." Jorah smirked.
"I'd like to talk to the titan's bastard about winning." Dany smiled.
"He may not agree to meet." Barristan pointed out.
"Please," Thomas scoffed. "A man who fights for gold can't afford to lose to a girl. They will meet with us." Dany nodded towards Thomas and soon they made their way back to camp.
*2 hours later*
"Your grace, allow me to introduce the captains of the second sons." While Barristan was introducing the three men Thomas was watching them like a hawk. He found it funny how they were all in height order but kept his snickering in check. He stood on Dany's right slightly behind her. The only dragon in the tent at the time was Rhaegal who had wrapped himself around Thomas's feet to sleep. When introductions were done the middle man stepped forward.
"You're the mother of dragons?" He questioned, clearly not believing it. Dany nodded with a pleasant smile on her face. "I could have sworn I fucked you once in a pleasure house in lees."
"Mind your tongue." Jorah warned. Thomas glared at the man but said nothing for the moment.
"Why? I didn't mind hers." He walked forward and sat on the couch near Daenerys. She raised her hand calming Jorah down when the knight made to draw his sword. She honestly looked more amused than insulted from what Thomas could tell. "She worked her tongue like she was born to do it." The man proceeded to wiggle his tongue suggestively. Thomas just grimaced in disgust. The man noticed it and chuckled before turning to Missandei. "You, slave girl, bring us some wine."
"We have no slaves here." Dany informed the man.
"You will all be slaves after the battle. Unless I save you." The man sounded so arrogant Thomas was sure he could cut it with a knife. "Take your clothes off and come sit on my lap and I may give you my second sons."
"How about I shove my dagger up you're arrogant ass and maybe I will give you a cushion to sit on." Thomas growled out.
"So the silent bitch speaks." The man laughed. "Save the threats for real men sweetheart. Wouldn't want you to break a nail."
"Give me your second son's and I might not feed you to my dragons." Dany growled, getting annoyed at the man. "Ser Barristan, how many fight for the second sons?"
"2000 your grace." The old man smirked.
"And how many do we have?"
"10,000."
"Now I'm a young girl, new to the ways of war, but perhaps a seasoned captain like yourself can explain to me how you propose to defeat me." Dany's voice was smug.
"I hope your old man is better with a sword than he is with a lie." The youngest captain spoke up. "You have 8000 unsullied."
"Aren't you a little young to be a captain?" Thomas asked.
"He is not a captain." The third and shortest member spoke up. "He is a lieutenant."
"Even if your numbers are right we still have more and there for more likely to win." Thomas mused. "Even if some should escape the massacre who would hire a group who lost to a young girl?" Thomas smirked thinking he hit a sore spot. The bastard laughed heartily.
"You got some spunk kid. I will enjoy ripping your head off." The man smiled. "But still, the second sons have faced worse odds and won."
"The second sons have faced worse odds and run." Jorah chimed in. This time Thomas couldn't stop the snickers that came forth. The Bastard glared at the two men.
"You could fight for me." Dany offered.
The bastard motioned for more wine and maneuvered his cup to get a better look at Missandei. "We've taken the slavers gold, we fight for Yunkai."
"I would pay you as much if not more." Dany offered.
"Our contract is our bond. We break our bond. No one will hire the second sons again." The midget stated.
Ride with me and you will never need another contract. You'll be lords with castles and lands of your choosing when I take back the seven kingdoms." Dany smiled. Thomas noted the lieutenant's apparent interest as his eyes never left Dany's face.
"You have no ships, no siege weapon, and no cavalry." The lieutenant pointed out.
A fortnight ago I had no army. A year ago I had no dragons."
"Funny how everyone claims you have dragons but I haven't seen a single scale of one." The bastard scoffed. "I think it's a myth."
"Thomas, if you be so kind." Dany smirked. Thomas scooted his foot, waking the sleeping dragon who grumbled before climbing up onto his back. Thomas struggled to remain upright as the weight of the dragon seemed to increase every day. When Rhaegal reached his favorite spot, clinging to his shoulders, head nestled against Tom's neck, he hissed at the three mercenaries.
"You have two days to decide." Dany's voice was monotone as their eyes stared at her dragon.
"Tell you what, show me your cunt. I want to see if it's worth fighting for."
"My queen, shall I cut out his tongue for you?" Grey worm growled. Rhaegal screeched angrily and Thomas grabbed his sword.
"These men are our guests." Dany calmed them down. "You seem to be enjoying my wine perhaps you would like a flagon to help you ponder?"
"A mere flagon? And what are my brothers in arms supposed to drink?" He motioned to his fellow members.
"A barrel then?" Dany asked.
"Gooood." He drew out the word mockingly. "The titan's bastard does not drink alone." They all stood to leave. Before he left the tent, he turned back. "In the second sons we share everything. Perhaps after this we will all share you." He smirked as the dragon hissed and Thomas began to draw his sword. The bastard smirked before whispering to Missandei and slapping her ass.
They soon left and Thomas glared after them.
"Thomas."
"Yes Dany?" He asked.
"If it comes to battle, capture that one and feed him to Rhaegal." Dany's cheery demeanor changed to one of hate and annoyance.
"It would be my ultimate pleasure." Thomas growled.
*the next day*
Thomas was tending to the dragons as was his usual morning ritual. Ever since they left Astapor Dany had entrusted him with making sure they were taken care of before sleep and right as they woke up. He had suspected it was to keep his mind off of Irri and it had worked for a little while. Then she called him to her tent and allowed him to grieve properly. He was eternally grateful for this and now hummed a tune as he rubbed down Rhaegal. The dragon purring slightly, loving the attention. This continued for some time until Ser Barristan burst into the tent.
"Thomas the Queen requests our presence." Thomas nodded, grabbed his sword and soon joined Barristan on the walk towards Dany's tent.
"SO what do you think we should do about the second suns?" Thomas asked.
"I don't think we need to worry about that anymore." Barristan growled.
"What do you mean? They haven't left their camp." Thomas asked confused.
"You shall see." Was all Barristan said for the remainder of the journey?
When they entered the tent Thomas froze in shock. Standing around the map of Yunkai was Jorah, Dany and the lieutenant of the second suns. "What is he doing here?" Thomas asked. Putting his hand on his sword.
"Thomas this is Daario Naharis, leader of the second suns." Dany smiled as she introduced them. "Daario, this is Thomas Ward, my second in command and most trusted friend."
Daario held out a hand. "Pleasure to meet you, Thomas Ward." Thomas glared at the man, not taking his hand.
"Why is he here?" He asked Dany.
"He has killed the leaders of the second suns and pledged them and himself to me." Dany answered. "The Second Sons now fight for us."
"You trust him because he murdered his commanders?" Thomas asked, baffled by this logic.
"No, I trust him because when he broke into my tent last night, instead of killing me he pledged himself and pointed out weaknesses in Yunkai's defenses."
"And why should we believe you?" Thomas turned towards Daario.
"Because I value our queens beauty above all else." Daario replied with an easy smile. Thomas rolled his eyes and scoffed.
"Don't worry Thomas, we can trust him." Dany tried to reassure him but he still held doubts. Even as he nodded towards Daenerys. "Now you were showing us where a lightly guarded gate was?" Dany asked Daario.
"Right there." He pointed on the map. Dany struggled to find the spot prompting Daario to move behind her and guide her hand. Jorah frowned and Thomas tensed. Dany however seemed to enjoy the contact. "It's a back gate. My men use it when they visit Yunkai's bed slaves."
"Your men?" Jorah asked quickly. "Not you?"
"I have no interest in slaves. A man cannot make love to property." Daario stared down Jorah but caught Dany's appraising look. Thomas scoffed and was promptly glared at by Dany for his rude noise.
"This is where we hit the city. Very few guards and they know me." Daario continued explaining. "I can get you inside."
"We aren't going to sneak an army through the back gate." Barristan sighed.
"I kill the guards and take your two best men through the back streets which I know well and open the front gates. Then comes the army. Once the walls are breeched the city will fall in hours." Daario smirked at his own plan thinking it was brilliant. Thomas had to agree that it had its merits but it wasn't without risk.
"True but how can we trust you? You could be leading me and Grey worm into the slaughter." Thomas pointed out. "With us dead the masters of Yunkai would pay you a small fortune and you could cripple our army."
"You and grey worm?" Jorah asked as he was about to suggest himself and grey worm.
"We are the best fighter aside from Ser Barristan and he needs to stay here to protect Daenerys. He is much better than me and his experience on the battlefield would be more help to her than me. I have beaten you Mormont in our last few practice fights if you remember. If I can beat you, so can grey worm." Thomas explained Dany's face paled slightly at the thought of him in danger but reigned it in for now.
"You are very suspicious young man. In my experience only dishonest men are suspicious." Daario seemed to examine him with cold, calculating eyes. Thomas stared right back.
"In my experience only dead men aren't suspicious." Thomas shot back. Tension rose between the two as they silently battled for dominance. Dany looked between them before opting to move the discussion along.
"Grey worm, you command the unsullied, what do you think?" When he seemed unsure she spoke to him softly in Valerian. "You are a leader now. Do you trust him?" Dany nodded her head towards Daario.
"Looking at Daario for a moment he turns back to Daenerys. "I trust him."
Dany nodded with a smile before looking at Thomas and Daario. You leave tonight." The two men nodded and left to prepare.
Later that night outside Yunkai's back gate Daario, Thomas and grey worm sat in the shadows watching the two guards on duty.
"When you hear a songbirds whistle you come." Daario explained the plan. "And don't worry I'm a great whistler, the greatest in the land." He smirked as he walked towards the gate. They watched as he talked to the guards and entered the city with them.
A minute after he entered the gate a whistle sounded. Thomas and grey worm bolted for the door and quickly went through. Looking around they noted the two dead guards on the floor and Daario down the road.
"That one was quick." Daario motioned to a dead guard near him when they approached.
"We should hurry, there may be others nearby." Thomas looked around nervously. He would never admit it but he was truly scared about this mission.
"I wouldn't worry too much." Daario stood and began moving to a side street. "The Yunkish prefer to let their slaves do the fighting for them." Right after he finished that sentence shouts ran out and men filled the streets. Forming a ring around the three, the guards pointed their weapons.
"Nothing to worry about huh?" Thomas grunted as they all went back to back, ready to fight to the death.
"No man is right all the time." Daario replied. "There are only 6 of them. Think you both can two at a time?"
"Care to rephrase that mercenary?" Thomas took his fighting stance.
"My apologies young Ser, of course you can kill two trained men." Daario rolled his eyes and darted towards his chosen two. Grey worm did the same, pushing them back with his spear.
Thomas drew his dagger and moved forward. Stepping to the side when the two men lunged he dodged both blade and ran in close. His sword was blocked by the man's blade while the knife quickly entered his head before he could move to stop it. Ripping it out Thomas rolled away dodging the other man's swing. Twirling back around Thomas glimpsed his allies and was pleased to see Daario and Grey worm each have one opponent as well. When he looked towards his adversary again he noticed the man charging. Switching the knife to a reverse grip he parried the first few strikes before spinning around his opponent until the dagger pierced flesh. After that everything was silent except for the gurgling man on the knife.
Ripping it out the three intruders formed another small circle looking for more guards who heard the fighting.
"That was more than a few guards Daario." Thomas breathed deeply trying to regain his breath.
"You're better than I expected boy." Dario smirked as Thomas growled. "I look forward to sparing with you."
"It would be my pleasure mercenary. Now get us to the gate." Thomas whispered.
Before they could move dozens of guards swarmed the small square they were standing in and Thomas, for the first time in his life thought he was going to die.
Back at the camp Dany was pacing around her command tent while Missandei tried to get her to calm down. Barristan helped himself to some wine while Jorah sharpened his sword.
"We have been waiting a long time. Haven't we?' Dany asked suddenly. Barristan shrugged his shoulder. And looked at Dany expectantly.
"I don't know, tell me how long does it take to sack a city." Dany whined. "I should never have sent him."
"Thomas will be fine Khaleesi." Jorah spoke up. "He was trained by me, Ser Barristan and a few Dothraki. He was right when he said we was one of your best fighters now. As loath as I am to admit it." Jorah grumbled the last part prompting Barristan to chuckle.
"But his lessons aren't complete yet." Dany stated.
"No, but he is a swift learner and has blended what Jorah taught him with the Dothraki fighting style. I am simply enhancing what he already knows. I can only beat him because of my experience. If I didn't have that it would be a pretty even fight. I would still win, don't misunderstand." He held up his hand when Dany was about to speak. "I would still turn out victorious but it would be a tough fight."
Dany sighed but nodded, trusting in her advisors and sending a quick prayer for Thomas safe return.
Suddenly boots marching caused all of them to look towards the entrance. Entering now was a bloody grey worm as well as a bloody Thomas.
Smiling Thomas stepped forward. Dany was going to pounce him but he spoke stopping her. "You won't believe this. Their slave soldiers threw down their swords and spears and surrendered." He let out a laugh. "We won."
"Why are you covered in blood?" Dany asked. If the soldiers surrendered then why would they be bloody?
"A few decided to fight but the majority stood with us." Thomas explained.
Dany's shoulders drooped as tension fled her body. Looking back up she smiled until she noticed the missing person. "And Daario Naharis?"
Thomas's smile faltered before he stepped out of the way. Stepping through the unsullied behind them, Daario came forward and presented her with Yunkai's flag. Kneeling he looked up at her. "The city is yours, my Queen." Dany smiled brightly at him and eagerly made them sit down and eat something.
The next morning Dany stood outside the gates of Yunkai with her army. To her right stood Thomas and to her left stood Jorah. Slightly behind her was Missandei and Barristan and standing in slightly in front of her to the right was Daario. She had elected they stand on a small rock outcropping to be able to view the gates unobstructed. On the ground before them sat her three dragons.
"They will come your grace." Barristan assured her as she started getting antsy.
"Perhaps they didn't want to be conquered." Dany muttered.
"You didn't conquer them." Jorah was quick to shoot that train of thought down.
"You liberated them." Thomas brushed her hand with his and sent her a reassuring smile. Dany blushed slightly and smiled back at him.
As if on cue the gates open the people started pouring out. When they got too close the unsullied readied their spears and the dragons screeched. When the people stopped Missandei stepped forward to speak to them.
"This is Daenerys Targaryen, the Stormborn, the unburnt, the queen of the seven kingdoms in Westeros, and the mother of dragons. It is to her you owe your freedom."
"No." Dany touched her arm and stepped forward. "You do not owe me your freedom. I cannot give it to you. Your freedom is not mine to give. It belongs to you and you alone. If you want it back, you must take it for yourselves. Each and every one of you."
Everything was silent for a few minutes. Then suddenly a man from the crowd raised his hand and cried "Missa!" Soon the entire crowd was chanting it and taking cautious steps towards the unsullied.
"What does it mean?" Dany asked.
"It means, mother." Missandei explained.
"Mother on Yunkai?" Thomas wondered aloud. "Not as good as mother of dragons." He chuckled lightly. Before urging Dany forward. "Go, embrace your new children." Jorah and Barristan both looked at him like he had grown two heads while Dany took slow steps down. "It's alright, they won't hurt her." Thomas smiled softly as the unsullied let Dany pass. When Dany entered the crowd Thomas stepped forward to the dragons. "Fly." He spoke in valerian. All three dragons took to the sky and circled the massive crowd adding their cried to the peoples.
He continued to watch Dany as she was lifted into the air as people tried to touch their hero. He knew Jorah and Barristan would have words with him later about her safety and he even surprised himself with how he so easily let her go. He smirked as he watched her and suddenly knew why he did it. "I will missed seeing that smile." He muttered to himself. Dany looked over the former slaves. The biggest smile adorned her face. Her eyes landed on Thomas and his happy expression. She nodded to him before looked back towards the people.
"I can't believe you would tell her to walk into that crowd." Jorah growled from beside him.
"Look at her smile Jorah." Thomas pointed out. "Daenerys hasn't smiled like that since she found out she was pregnant. Ever since we left Astapor she has been carrying a burden on her shoulders. A burden I can only guess at. She needed this as much as I needed her these past few days. She needs their love now more than anything and she got it." Thomas continued watching her while Jorah went silent. He figured Thomas was crazy or just had a lapse of judgment. While that could still apply he never noticed that Dany carried any kind of burden other than the usual burdens a ruler possesses.
"I'm surprised you noticed and not me." Jorah muttered.
"I may have been grieving Jorah but I never took my eyes off her. I know her the best. She was worried about sacking her first city. She thought hundreds of innocents would die. She thought she would fail she thought she would lead her people to ruin before we even began. She wanted to prove to us and more importantly herself that she can win without a huge body count. Today all those worries have washed away. She is ready to take the seven kingdoms."
SO sorry about the delay. Time just flies apparently. Anyway that is season 3! I hope you liked the chapter, especially the closing. I am very nervous it won't live up to your standards. So if you would please let me know what you think I would very much appreciate it. Also on another note, I have been thinking about the future seasons h=and have a very good idea on what I shall be doing. Except for one part and I want your opinion on it. Should I have Daario and Daenerys have their romance? Or should I not go through with that? This is a DanyXOC story for those who didn't know or still don't know. I am just doing it slowly and in my opinion realistically. Now I can go either way but it all depends on when you want Dany and Thomas to get together. Sooner or later. I hope you enjoyed this chapter so have a wonderful Day/Night everyone. I love you all!