Qarth, 299 AC

Daenerys

.

"Robert Baratheon is dead, Your Grace." said a messenger. Dany stopped writing her letter and looked at him. Her daily council meeting had just ended when the man arrived.

"When did that happen?" she asked, confused and satisfied in equal measure. It was the man who had made her life a hell, a man she grew up hating. But somehow, Dany did not feel overjoyed like she had expected before.

"More than a moon ago. Travelers were unable to bring these tidings sooner on account of your recent…change in regime." he said with caution.

"I see. How did he die?"

"He was injured on a hunt, Your Grace. Impaled by a boar."

A fitting end for the cruel man.

"So his son rules now?" Ser Jorah asked. Dany had forgotten the name of the Usurper's son.

"Joffrey Baratheon reigns, yes, but there are whispers that he is a bastard born of incest, the son of Ser Jaime Lannister and Queen Cersei, not the king. He executed Lord Eddard Stark for treason, when the man revealed his birth."

That was too much to take in.

"How did the North react to his death?"

"His son Robb Stark has declared independence from the realm. They call him the King in the North. Stannis and Renly Baratheon too have put forth their claim to the Iron Throne and plunged Westeros into war."

After fighting the dragons, the stags, wolves and lions are at each other's throats. Dany handed the messenger a bag of coins before sending him away.

"This is good news, Khaleesi. Do you intend to sail west?"

The thought was tempting, but she had to refuse. "No, Ser Jorah. I am the queen of Qarth now, which means I have a duty to my people. I will not abandon what we have built here."

"An opportunity like this might not arise again."

"Be that as it may, but my decision is final. The gods have something different in store for me. There will be no more discussions on this matter."

Ser Jorah resigned. "Yes, Your Grace."

"Good. Now, what news of our secret experiment?"

By 'secret experiment' she meant the production of weapons, that could not yet be revealed to the newer council members. The knight pulled out a long piece of parchment and started reading from it. "A craftsman from the empire of Yi Ti, who goes by the name of Junfeng, was successful in creating the black powder used in firearms. Council members Vanderlind and Matthews have confirmed its legitimacy."

"Did he tell us how?" Dany was pleased by the breakthrough.

"He informed us that the powder is made of three ingredients- saltpeter, charcoal and sulfur. The alchemist guild of his homeland had recently discovered this concoction, but they do not know how to turn it into a weapon. It is used for lighting signals only."

"Convenient for us then." she said. "I want this man rewarded and put in charge of making more."

"As you wish, Your Grace." the knight replied. "The Azure Emperor's representative will arrive in two days to discuss matters of trade. Perhaps we can offer him something in exchange for the black powder?"

"Very well, we shall see. Anything else?"

"The Slaver Cities have made an alliance with Volantis, anticipating an invasion by our regime in Qarth. They might declare war. In the north, Khal Pono and Jhaqo too are threatened by your growing power."

Hearing those two names always fueled her anger, for she had to avenge the death of Aggo. "I have unfinished business with both, and I will address it at some point. For now, we must consolidate our forces before acting. How many sellswords are amenable to our cause?"

"The Golden Company is the largest of all, but they will never fight for a Targaryen because of their Blackfyre sympathies. The Company of the Rose has a dislike of Targaryens as well. The rest are small units with somewhat unsavory reputations."

"Surely some of them must have honor?"

"It is possible, Your Grace. I will have to make enquiries on the subject."

With that, she dismissed her Queensguard and retired to her chambers. Doreah and Irri had prepared a hot bath for her, and she needed it after a long day at work. This was a time for peace and to ponder over recent affairs.

Ruling was tough, but she was slowly getting better. Her new council, except Ser Jorah and the Americans consisted of five Qartheen men and three women of various qualifications. The other two were Alequo Hestis the merchant and Wendello Qar Deeth of the pureborn. They had been quick to come to her side, and even though Dany wanted someone from the common people, the two were highly experienced in the city's affairs and could not be ignored. Dany had thought of reaching out to Quaithe, that mysterious woman who had advised her to stay, but she was nowhere to be found in the city. The warlocks were kept at arm's distance on her council's advice, though she granted them their occasional requests.

When the city gates were opened again and the curfew lifted after her takeover, there were many things to be done. The destruction of the merchant houses allowed space for a new housing district, complete with apothecaries and mess halls serving healthy meals. With the problems of food and shelter taken care of, Dutch Vanderlind had suggested building a 'school'. It was a center of learning where children along with willing men and women could learn how to read and write, with former slave scribes being paid to teach. The works were expensive, but with the overflowing vaults and resumption of trade, there was enough money for every plan.

Her dragons were growing larger with their increased diet and could now fly out of the city to catch their own food. Her khalasar had adapted well to their new life, with some even joining the Americans in their 'ranch', though the young hungered for battle. It would come, but not now. Now was the time for meetings, alliances and deals.

When the Azure Emperor's representative arrived, Dany was disappointed at the sight. The Yi Tish man was very fat and had to be carried around in a palanquin to get anywhere. He had brought an interpreter to carry out the new negotiations. While her council members were precise and went straight to the point, the official would make long comments about various unrelated things after every sentence, which annoyed her a great deal and reminded her of Xharo Xhoan Daxos. Nevertheless, unlike the merchant, she needed the friendship of the neighboring empire.

"The Magnificent Emperor wishes to negotiate the heavy toll on the Jade Gates, which Qarth has always collected from all ships visiting and departing our glorious empire. It restricts trade and contributes to the isolation of our people from the west." the scribe spoke for the official in the middle of the discussion.

"I understand. I have discussed this matter with my wise council." she was told how the ships going to Yi Ti had to either pay the toll or sail around the dangerous waters of Great Moraq. "In exchange for increased trade and a few materials we desire, Qarth will reduce the toll by three-fourths."

The man's eyes grew wide upon hearing her words and he was quick to send a reply to his scribe. "What manner of things does the Mother of Dragons desire? Expensive stones, jade or diamonds?"

"Nothing of the sort, only three things commonly found in your homeland, the ones used to make black powder."

The official scoffed. "What use can that powder be to Her Grace? It is only used by scouts and alchemists."

"Those are my conditions. Do you accept?" Dany replied, not giving any more information. After much thought, the man laughed and accepted, no doubt praising himself on getting a cheap deal. Little did he know. While reducing the toll would affect the treasury to some extent, she hoped that new trade would compensate for that. She had the powder, and it was worth it all.

One day, she decided to visit the ranch outside her walls. It was a queer sight- a wood and brick keep with no fortifications, but her friends had insisted on that. Beautiful horses were grazing in the distance, with some members of her Khalasar riding along. Arthur Morgan was the only one present in the moment, teaching Missandei how to use a bow.

"Khaleesi, so good to see you again!" he said as he saw her approaching.

"The pleasure is all mine, mister Morgan." Dany smiled. "Would you give me a tour of your property?"

Arthur sent Missandei back to the house and mounted his horse. Dany was looking forward to meeting him again. For some reason, his presence made her feel…safe.

"I thought Ser Mormont would be with you."

"Ser Jorah is occupied with some matters." she had sent him on patrol so that she could meet with Arthur alone, for the man had a tendency of never letting her leave his sight. "I wish you would change your mind about joining the council."

Arthur chuckled. "Unless you're declaring war on some slavers, I doubt I can help you."

They rode around for some time, seeing all the sights the place had to offer. Dany could see why the Americans preferred to stay in the open. It was a place of peace and calm, where one could live without a care in the world.

"I was informed that the Usurper has perished." she revealed. "Now his kingdoms are at war."

"I'm happy for you Khaleesi." Arthur said, but then saw her face. "You don't look happy."

"For so long, I hoped that my ears would hear these words and I would rejoice in them. But now that I have, I feel nothing." she said. "What could this mean?"

"It means you're not cruel or stupid." Arthur stated. Dany was taken aback.

"What do you mean?"

"When I was younger, there were many people I wanted to kill for some reason or the other. It was Dutch and Hosea who picked me up from the streets and gave me a purpose. Sure, the things we got up to weren't always honorable, but I had a family and I learnt to take care of our own, to put their needs before mine. If not for that, a boy like me would've turned into a real degenerate and most likely ended up dead. What I mean to say is, revenge is a fool's game. You can't be stuck on the past all the time, or you'll lose sight of your future. Once you get into that nasty business, you can never get out."

Dany was at a loss of words but could understand the wisdom in Arthur's opinion. Viserys had always talked about revenge for their family, of how he would kill the Usurper and his dogs along with the Kingslayer. He eventually lost his wits and died a pathetic death at the hands of Drogo, while those that wronged them lived still.

"What if the man was responsible for taking away my family? How could I let that go unanswered?" she asked.

"I can't speak for them, Khaleesi, but you have a new family now. All those slaves you freed, they love you and will do anything for you. Is it really worth it to leave them over something that you can't change?"

"I suppose you are right. Still, I find some comfort in the knowledge that his rule is falling apart." she admitted. "Even his children are not his. They are the bastards of his queen and her brother."

"Hah! They must really like keeping it in the family!" Arthur laughed.

"Not that the Targaryens can object to incest. For generations we married brothers and sisters to keep the bloodline pure."

Arthur stopped and looked at her with wide eyes, his laughter ending abruptly. "You mean…"

"My king father and queen mother were siblings, yes."

"I've seen folk like that before. They look hideous, but you're…well, pretty." he said awkwardly. Dany blushed at the compliment. It sounded genuine, unlike like the flattery which she was used to hearing from every man she met, even Ser Jorah at times. Their trip around the ranch went on for an hour, after which she parted with Arthur and returned to her palace, still in thought over the man's words.

.

Outskirts of Qarth, 299 AC

Arthur

.

A week after the queen's visit, the gang was summoned back to Qarth. The port seemed busier, and Arthur had observed an increase in ships passing through the Jade Gates recently, thanks to Daenerys reducing the toll. She had also made a deal for tons of gunpowder materials, which were bound to arrive any day. The city itself looked very different- there were no more slave auctions or shady merchants. They were replaced by new houses and food shops.

Arthur, John and Charles were supposed to reach the craftsmen district which was filled with blacksmith shops and the sound of hammers hitting steel. A skinny old man awaited them.

"Greetings, good sers. Please follow me." he said. They followed him to a building with the dragon banners, under heavy guard. The men bowed to them as they entered and escorted them to a large courtyard. He could see Dutch and Hosea, but also Daenerys and Mormont.

"Ah! Just in time. Sons, I want you to meet the brilliant Junfeng, the man from Yi Ti I told you about." Dutch exclaimed as he introduced the boy. Junfeng looked like the Chinese folk that Arthur had seen building railways all over the country.

Looks like Yi Ti is the China of this land.

The three men shook his hand before the boy spoke perfect English with a heavy accent. "I hope the black powder was to your satisfaction, sers?"

They nodded. It was a bit weak, but it had worked properly.

"Junfeng has been working with Mr. Hestis and his men for some time, and it's my pleasure to announce that they have been successful in building a rifle."

So that's what it's about.

Three blacksmiths came forward with three newly made rifles, but Arthur noticed that they looked…ancient? It had a metal barrel with a wooden body and stock, even a mechanism near the trigger, but it looked nothing like a modern gun.

"After studying your weapons, I concluded that they use black powder to cause an explosion in the barrel, which shoots a metal projectile like an arrow. Correct?" he asked.

"Yeah." Arthur replied.

"My people use the same concept in our signal fires. I must admit, your weapons are too fine for my understanding, but I was able to make something."

Hosea took the gun and explained further. "What he's saying is that it's like a matchlock gun from my grandpa's time. You have to load the gunpowder with this thing-" he took out a long stick which Arthur remembered was called a ramrod, "-put some gunpowder here-" he pointed at a small hole near in the mechanism, "-and when you pull the trigger, this burning rope will ignite it. I helped them with some of the basics."

So much work.

"That's well and good, but it's ancient. We haven't used guns like these in what, ages?"

"Credit where it's due Arthur. Our friends had never seen a gun before, yet they were able to create one." said Dutch. He wasn't wrong. In the distance, the queen and the knight were watching the discussion with curiosity but didn't say anything.

"Allow me to demonstrate." the Yi Tish man said seriously as he started loading the gun. Everyone took a step backwards.

It all happened in a sequence- he put some gunpowder in the hole and inside the barrel, then he pushed a metal ball inside using the rod, then he lit the rope on fire and joined it to the mechanism. A piece of armor was placed as a target a few feet away. The man took aim, maintaining proper posture and pulled the trigger.

The bang was louder than any Arthur had ever heard. A large cloud of smoke emerged from the barrel and the armor was knocked out of place. It had a huge hole in its center. Daenerys finally broke her silence with a fascinated look on her face.

"It is incredible. I am most impressed with you, Master Junfeng, and you will be rewarded handsomely."

The man bowed and went back to work.

"Come, friends. We have much to talk about." she said to the gang. They exited the building and walked along the wide streets.

"We have enjoyed peace for a while, but I believe that war is upon us." Daenerys began. "The cities of Slaver's Bay have united against us, supported by the Free City of Volantis. We have to prepare for an attack."

"How many slaves do they have, Your Majesty?" asked Dutch.

"More than four hundred thousand, if reports are to be believed." Mormont answered for the queen. "Adding to that, Astapor has an army of Unsullied eight thousand strong while Yunkai has five thousand slave soldiers. Meereen claims to have an army twice as large."

"Which brings us to the next part of our plan. I have a thousand Qartheen camel archers and three thousand swordsmen under my command. The army is small, but I plan to reinforce it with sellswords and a proper fleet. Of the slaves we freed, more than two thousand have willingly decided to join our forces and I believe they should be the first 'riflemen' as you call them." Daenerys declared.

"Six thousand local soldiers against more than twenty thousand." smirked Dutch. "Our rifles will tip the scales in our favor quite easily."

"That was my instinct as well, and I would like you all to train the new riflemen in this art."

Well, shit.

A lot happened in the next month. Ships kept arriving with more powder, the blacksmiths worked day and night making guns and most of all, the 1st Qartheen Rifles was showing considerable progress.

The ranch was serving as a temporary training camp, turning former slaves into riflemen. The two thousand men who arrived had never seen much combat but were eager to learn. Arthur was charged with teaching them how to use the new guns, something he had to get the hang of beforehand. The matchlock gun, which the people called a 'dragon', took too much effort but was still deadly. John would teach horse riding while Charles would be seen at the sparring yard teaching them archery and close quarter combat.

There were a few accidents, of course. Sometimes a faulty rifle would blow up, sometimes a fool would skip a few steps leading to injury. The kind blacksmiths back at Qarth would take note whenever that happened.

"Ready, FIRE!" yelled Arthur. The men at the very front pulled their triggers, covering the place in smoke. Their targets were annihilated.

Dutch had helped in their training by suggesting tactics used by musket men in old wars. The riflemen would march in strict formations. When the line at the front fired their shots, they would retreat to reload, and the next line would take their place. Arthur felt like a fish out of water while commanding soldiers and decided to take a break.

"How's it going Marston?" he asked John.

"They're coming along just fine. But the horses are still scared of those damn camels." said John. "We ought'a do something about that."

"A problem for another time. These men should be ready before those sons-of-bitches to the west decide to attack us, which can be any day."

"We should put bayonets on the rifles, in case someone gets close." added Charles. "They might lose concentration when the firing starts."

"Good idea. The small knives can do the trick for now." Details like these were hashed out over time.

As the new army continued its training, Daenerys had gotten hold of a fleet. Those ships and a few extras carried with them sellsword companies she had purchased- The Second Sons, The Windblown, The Bright Banners and The Long Lances to name a few. Colorful names, Arthur thought. The entire city was preparing for war.

"Arthur, this man wants to have a word." Charles brought in a tall man in robes. He had long white hair with a beard and looked old but tough.

"Good day, ser. I am Arstan." the man said while extending his hand.

"Arthur." he shook it. "What can I do for ya?"

"I have recently pledged my service to Queen Daenerys. She told me to visit your camp to learn 'rifling'."

Arthur scrutinized the man before replying. "Aren't you too old for fighting?"

Arstan laughed. "Looks can be deceiving, friend. I can use a sword, but I would like to learn the art of the 'dragon'. Your companion was satisfied with my skill."

He looked at Charles who shrugged. "We need every man we can get."

"Fair enough." Arthur conceded. "It's easy to use a gun, but you need to get used to something called recoil…"

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Notes: Please do leave a review on any chapter you read, even if it's criticism. It will make the story better in future.