It was near midnight when Daenerys managed to send away the crowds, leaving only herself, Jon, Tyrion, and Grey Worm. She took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"So..."

She shifted uncomfortably. The throne prickled and itched. She would have to see about putting a cloth on the seat.

"What's happened since the siege?"

"The Ironb-"

"What happened to you!? We saw lightning come from the Red Keep, then you..."

Daenerys nodded.

"When it hit me, I felt... It was like being in a dream. And..."

She stared into the distance.

"For a moment there was nothing in the world, just me, Drogon, and the faces of- of Cersei, in a sort of fog all around me. The more Drogon breathed, the more I wanted to see him burn them. Sometimes, there was a sound, and it hurt, it hurt so badly that I took off."

Jon nodded.

"The bells."

"Yes. Once the veil lifted, then I recognized it for what it was. Recognized... what I had done. And I fled."

Tyrion waited a little.

"But... you wouldn't have attacked if it wasn't for that?"

Daenerys looked up at Tyrion.

"No! Of course not! They had already surrendered."

She managed to smile weakly.

"Just as you'd hoped."

Tyrion smiled back. Daenerys turned to Jon.

"How many losses?"

"Only a few hundred. The fight had gone out of their troops."

Jon shot a look at Grey Worm, who remained impassive. Daenerys nodded.

"And... do you think they will be grateful if I spare them? Or is fear and terror the only way to obtain the obedience of Westeros?"

"Oh, you have their gratitude. You return on the eve of Euron returning to sack the city. If that doesn't do it, nothing will."

Daenerys looked blankly at Tyrion.

"Euron? Wasn't he going back to the Iron Islands?"

"We had a raven from Dorne two days ago. They'd sighted the Iron Fleet headed north, and one from Dragonstone that afternoon. The only one that made it through. We spent today getting ready for their attack."

Daenerys sighed and brought her hands to her temples.

"Will it never end?"

Tyrion laughed.

"After tomorrow? I think so. Euron can't know that you've returned. I'd like to see the look on his face when he finds out."

Grey Worm frowned.

"Even with a spy in the walls? The barbarian said you knew it was Euron who had the gates sabotaged."

Tyrion shook his head.

"Most likely dead. The Wolf found Euron's- well, his spy's helmet among his men's trophies."

"As far as I can tell, Euron killed some of the Wolf's men a few day before the attack on Dragonstone, and took one of their helmets as a trophy. He was seen to have it in King's Landing, and we saw him wear it the day we came back from parley. He must have made a copy of it, letting one of his men could pass himself off as him and sabotage the river gates."

Daenerys frowned.

"Sabotage how? Have they been repaired?"

"The chain can't be raised. It's how Davos managed to get to the River Gate so quickly. The damage is simply too great, so we had the river blocked with a couple of ship hulls."

Daenerys nodded.

"What else?"

"The plan is to let the fleet get in close, as they're expecting the river to be unblocked. The hulls won't last very long, but it should be long enough for our ships to come back around. The footsoldiers will be waiting at the River Gate."

Jon hesitated for an instant.

"We've freed the Golden Company, they agreed to use their elephants to defend against the attack. Not like anyone else will pay them anyway. And... the Lannister forces have also been released, and put on the front lines."

Daenerys sat up straight, but controlled her emotions.

"And you don't think they'll turn on me?"

"They don't have a choice. They'll be surrounded by our forces, and either fight to defend their homes, or be killed where they stand by the Unsullied."

Daenerys sat in thought for some time, then seemed to come to a decision.

"Very well. Have the word sent to the Lannister troops. I will grant them a full pardon..."

Grey Worm started.

"If they fight willingly. Those who do so, and then flee or turn against me, will join the rest of Euron's fleet at the bottom of the bay."

Jon sighed. It was as good as he could hope for.

"Although, now that you're here..."

"I'll just burn the ships while they're at the river mouth."

Daenerys looked pensive for a moment.

"Have you found out what it was that attacked me?"

Tyrion shook his head.

"No sign of it."

"So whoever did it is still on the loose?"

Jon shrugged.

"We've seen no sign of Qyburn or Cersei."

"She didn't take shelter in the cellars. She... she must have been killed instantly."

Daenerys looked Tyrion in the eye. He did not waver.

"Can't find Qyburn either. Or the Mountain, for that matter. They were last known to be in the Keep when you attacked."

Daenerys sighed and sat back.

"So we still don't know what it was, just where it came from."

Tyrion nodded.

"I'm not even sure it was Qyburn. If he had access to such magic, wouldn't he have used it at the parley?"

Jon was struck by an idea.

"Could it have been Euron's man?"

The others turned to him.

"Isn't he said to have strange magics? What if the man who sabotaged the chain was working with the one who cast that spell, or even did both?"

Daenerys turned to Tyrion.

"When was the spy last seen?"

"The night before the attack, entering the winch tower. So if he escaped..."

"What proof do we have that he's dead? A helmet."

"And he wore it ostentatiously enough that any man could have worn it and be taken for Euron. If they are one and the same, he's likely still within the walls. And he may be able to strike again."

A heavy silence descended on the meeting. Grey Worm was the first to break out of it.

"All this arguing leads us nowhere. If the sorcerer is still in the city, he can do no more harm. There will be no more ships leaving the harbor, he cannot join his master."

"True. But if he is able to cast that spell again..."

"I'll have men stationed inside the Keep itself. Maybe he needed a high vantage point to cast it."

"And I'll get the Wolf to ask his crew about who found the helmet, and where. Who knows, maybe one of them did kill the sorcerer. He has a low opinion of magic, they likely share it."

Daenerys looked unhappy at Tyrion's suggestion. She had not forgotten the Wolf was among the jeering faces that had led her to torch the city she wanted to conquer.

"Unless he killed the man himself. I suppose the barbarian was on the front lines for the looting and pillaging."

"Oh no, we didn't see him at all that day. In that respect at least, he obeyed you."

"Really?"

"Yes. His men, though..."

"Pillaged enough for an army, yes. I'll have his ship seized."

"Er..."

Jon looked considerably reluctant to defend the barbarian, but spoke up.

"His men did partake in the looting, but he disciplined them himself. I had to kill one of them who'd gone mad and attacked anyone in sight, and the morning after he brought me the man's head and weapons, saying I'd won them fair and square. I can't figure him out."

"Really? Hmm. Has he been interfering in other ways?"

Jon and Grey Worm turned to look at each other, looked back to Daenerys, and spoke in perfect unison.

"No."

Tyrion felt an interjection would be more helpful than forcing Jon and Grey Worm to further explain their divergent views on the treatment of prisoners in Daenerys' absence.

"He did raid Qyburn's laboratory. According to him they'll fetch more gold than simply plundering the city for valuables."

"He did?"

"Yes. Of course, he also thinks we won't be staying long, and intends to sell them to alchemists the world over."

"What does that mean?"

"We had... quite an argument about it. You've seen what he's like, you can imagine the kind of people he'd willingly serve. He seems to think you're just going to be in the city long enough for the Dothraki and Unsullied armies to rest up, and then lead them across the world to bring it to heel and rule through fear and fire."

Tyrion spoke easily enough, but the unasked question stayed in the air.

"And you believe him."

"Of course not. You said yourself you were about to let the city surrender, if it hadn't been for that spell. But... what next?"

"What next?"

Daenerys shook her head.

"What is there to do but rebuild? The Night King is defeated, Cersei is dead or on the run, the Iron Throne finally has its ruler. Tomorrow or the day after Euron will be in the same situation as Cersei. It will be months before this city is in any way fit to be the capital of the Seven Kingdoms again, and I do not intend to leave until then."

If Grey Worm felt any resentment at the Unsullied becoming a mere garrison force he certainly showed no sign of it. Jon and Tyrion's relief were more evident.

"Has Missandei been found?"

Tyrion looked away before answering.

"No. No one's seen her, or even her body. We found Ellaria though. She's... her mind has been completely broken. Dorne will send for her once the danger is gone."

"Very well... but that can wait for after Euron is dealt with."

Recognizing the dismissal, Jon and Tyrion left, with Grey Worm standing guard outside the wreckage of the throne room. Daenerys was left to think in silence, but as sleep threatened to overcome her, she rose and left as well.