Chapter 47: Chapter 42
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King's Landing. Small Council Meeting.
At a semi-circular table sat a multitude of councillors and masters at something. At the head of the table sat Queen Daenerys. She was already nineteen years old, young and beautiful. Varys, Barristan Selmy, Thoros of Myr, and many who still remembered her mother, Reila Targaryen, compared her to her.
Lately, however, she has begun to be compared to her father Aerys. And the reason for all this is her obsession with the welfare of the people, educating orphans and giving more rights to women. She has taken up the legislative part of her powers, but has completely forgotten that there are also the interests of the nobility and merchants. Two and a half years before this meeting, the new Lord Commander of the Watch, Alicer Thorne, had brought a living dead Wycht with a dozen of his brothers to prove Blackheart's point about the threat beyond the wall. Even a man like Thorne has decided not to anger the gods and rescue the surviving wildlings from Harsh House, who have now sworn an oath to the new Guardian of the North and House Stark in particular.
She's not too worried about that, relying on her dragons, which she assures her can burn any dead man at any time. And dreams of freeing all the slaves in Essos.
At the same time, she has little concern for the situation in the country. There is political infighting going on. Daenerys has been pregnant three times. Twice she lost a child in the third and fourth month of pregnancy. And the last third she gave birth to was as ugly as her firstborn son by Drogo - with scales instead of skin, no eyes and fangs like a shark.
After the Grand Maester examined the queen, Marvin concluded that she could no longer not only bear, but also become pregnant. Her ovaries were inflamed, so they had to be removed. So far, this information was only known to the court and the nobility. But soon it would be leaked to the people.
Though one individual named His Sparrowhood, who became the new Grand Septon, already knew about it, and urged Daenerys to repent of her sins and surrender to the True Faith. He was not executed for this, of course, but was removed from the Red Castle and forbidden to appear there. After that, Varys's birds, which had recently thinned in number for a variety of reasons, began to keep an eye on the "sparrows".
In addition to the question of succession to the throne, which will soon become acute, and after the death of Daenerys vital for hundreds of thousands of people, was the question of influence and power in the country.
With all the recent events with the change of ruling houses, economic hardships and wildling relocations. There are several factions and alliances that rival or even antagonise each other.
The first is the North and the Vale. Though Lysa Tully and Robin Arryn are dead and the Arryns do not rule the Vale, the Royces, who are also distant relatives of the Starks, are at the helm. Harrion Karstark, who became Sansa Stark's husband and Keeper of the North (thanks primarily to the Lords of the North and Lady Catelyn) and Jon Royce made an unspoken alliance, and before that these men had met at the Rivalry and respected each other.
Next came the Riverlands and the Stormlands. In the Riverlands, the Freys ruled. And in the Stormlands, Blackheart's former squire and the lords who served the same kings as Blackheart. It just so happened that both happened to have a lot of relatives or friends that were related to each other. That's why they stuck together. And lately, Victarion Greyjoy and his Iron Islands have also gravitated towards them. Since neither the Westlands, led by the Crakeholes, nor Spaceland, nor Dorne liked them. Daenerys was indifferent to them. The North and the Vale had a hostile dislike for them.
The West was mostly in league with the Tyrells, and the Tyrells were trying to take over the Kingslands, or rather their knights and lords.
Dorne was mostly alone, but their prince was consort, co-ruler of the realm, and they had some of the lords of the King's Lands on their side.
The Riverlands, Stormlands and Iron Islands did not want to ally with the North and the Vale. They were trying to snatch their piece, and even Varys suspected that they planned to put Gendry on the throne as Baratheon after Daenerys died. And Varys suspects that the Old Ferret's secret negotiations with Dorne have it in them to marry Gendry to Arianne. And Baratheon is much more related to the Vale and the North than either the Tyrells or the Targaryens.
The Tyrells are in trouble. They have seats on the Small Council, they've gained new lands, wealth and influence, but that's about it. With a new king or queen, they might lose that. Oleanna Tyrell is already cursing the day she didn't persuade her son to side with Blackheart and Jhaerys Targaryen, according to the information Varys got from his whisperers. After all, they would have gained so much more with him. And Margaery would have been queen. Now she's just a maid of honour to Daenerys.
The meeting had just begun. Daenerys was arguing with Quentin again about allocating money for orphanages and schools.
Varys and Jon Connington, whom Daenerys had demoted to a mere councillor and whose position as Hand was still vacant because she had "not yet thought of someone to fill such an important and responsible position," were about to stop the argument.
But they heard a noise outside the door.
- You don't understand! I have to see the king and queen! - shouted a familiar voice.
- What's going on in there? - Daenerys asked irritably.
- I need to see the queen! - someone shouted again.
- Ser Barristan!
- Yes, my Queen. - The elderly knight went out the door and after a while while the councillors were discussing something, he joined Mendon Moore and Loras Tyrell, a rather familiar figure to some.
- Ser Davos Seaworth. - Oberyn recognised him. - I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you were supposed to be at your castle on Cape Wrath by now. No, I think Lord Redwyne gave you a mission. And it had to do with Volantis. So why are you here and not in that fair city?
Varys and some of his advisors knew something was wrong, but they couldn't figure out what it was.
Davos was alarmed and even a little frightened, but he spoke nonetheless:
- Please forgive me Your Grace, Lords and Ladies, but I bring very important news from Volantis. They are in some ways unbelievable and even insane, but they are pure truth I swear! My words can be confirmed by the entire crew of my ship, my two eldest sons with their ships and crews who also accompanied me. I assure you!
- Well, then, don't keep me waiting!" snorted Olayna Tyrell. - You talk too much, but you haven't said anything concrete.
Davos closed his eyes and gulped:
- King Jaehaerys and his Hand Damian Blackheart are alive and well and in Volantis!
Silence reigned in the Small Council Hall.
- Ha-ha-ha. - Mace Tyrell laughed. - You have a very funny joke.
- Shut up, Mace! - His mother cut him off.
- What do you mean they're both alive? - John Connington and Doran Martell asked at the same time.
- They died, and then one of the deities called the Lion of the Night resurrected first Jehaerys and then Damian as his most loyal companion. In doing so, they gathered great forces. I have seen several hundred people in appearance who bear a resemblance to Damian and Rex, whom I have also seen and could not confuse them with each other. And according to the Blackheart brothers, those I've seen are their kin from all over Essos who have sworn oaths to Jaehaerys. They have eight thousand Unsullied, a dragon of Jaehaerys, a small support from Quokhor, and part of the Volantis army and fleet has also defected to Jaehaerys' side, and Blackheart told me in confidence that armies are preparing to march to the Seven Kingdoms to reclaim the throne for the rightful ruler of those lands.
- Silence! - Daenerys jumped up sharply. - It is impossible, I saw Blackheart die, and the death of Jehaerys, my nephew, was never in doubt. You were drinking in Volantis. Your words are nonsense!
- I'd love to be wrong. But I even checked the Lord Hand's scars and injuries. It's him! There can be no doubt. I have spoken to him, and I assure you, I am not lying, and it was no hallucination.
- Lady Mellisandra. - Varys turned to the red priestess with a stone face. - Why are you so happy and yet... crying?
- I am happy that the future is in safe hands. The Chosen One has risen, and he who was loyal to him more than anyone is as well. Azor Ahai has returned and those who fought for him have risen as well.
- Many died for Jaheiris. - Oberyn pointed out. - But for some reason only Blackheart has been resurrected.
- Those who survived now serve Queen Daenerys, those who died were not fully loyal to the Chosen One. Damian Blackheart might have given up on the Chosen One, but he was loyal to him until his death. He not only fought for him, not only served him while he was alive. But he was willing to follow his king into the afterlife. He is the most loyal and honest man I have ever known.
- This most honest man has done many bloody deeds! - Mace Tyrell exclaimed.
- For the good of his kings. - Mellisandra answered him.
- You-" hissed Daenerys. -... knew from the beginning that he would survive? You betrayed me!
- No. I never served you. I only do the Will of the Lord of Light and protect the Chosen One.
- Seize her! And throw her in the dungeon! - the queen ordered, and immediately the priestess was seized and taken away.
For some time all those gathered pondered over what had happened and did not know what to do? Or rather, their heads were splitting from the information they had received and they were simply agitated.
- Ahem. - Davos came to attention.
- Ser Davos? - The former Hand looked at him questioningly. - Did you have something else to say?
- Yes. Both Jaheiris Targaryen and his Hand have two messages for you all.
- Speak!
- Jhaerys Targaryen said only, "Flame and blood!" and his Hand said he's had enough of negotiation and intrigue. They intend to take Dragonstone, they will send ravens to all the kingdoms from there. And those who do not answer the call to serve the true king will know the full wrath and fury for their treachery and treachery.
At the same moment, the Grand Maester's apprentice, Alleras, entered the Small Council Chamber.
- I apologise for entering unannounced. But an important message has arrived from Dragonstone.
- Please give it to me! - Marvin the Mage demanded.
The apprentice handed it over in silence, and the now not-young Maester read the message aloud:
"To all men and non-men, lords, ladies and noble knights, wildlings and aliens of the Seven Kingdoms! I the true King Jhaerys Targaryen have risen, as has my Lord Hand Damian Blackheart. By fate and the gods, I have returned to this world with new forces and loyal men, not only to bring order to Our Realm, but to repel the threat from beyond the Wall. We have waited patiently for a long time for loyal men to come to our side, but it seems time is of the essence, and as my Hand says, "A king should not ask his vassals for help, they should give it themselves." Therefore, my decision is this - I give you all ten days from the time of the dispatch of the ravens. If I do not receive assurances of your loyalty to me, you will be declared traitors to the crown and punished!
The rightful King of the Seven Kingdoms, Jaehaerys Targaryen, Third of that name, King of the Andals, the Roynars and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms!"
- Hm. - said Mendon Moore standing behind Oberyn Martell, who was examining the message that had once reached the Prince of Dornish. - I recognise this handwriting. It's Damien Blackheart's handwriting.
- He wrote it himself? - Mace Tyrell wondered. - Why? If there is a maester, then...
- He did it so that those who knew him and fought him might realise that he is alive. And if he's alive, then Jaehaerys is alive, and it can't be a trick. And I think there's a war coming.
- I am the rightful queen. - stared unkindly at her guard Daenerys.
- Like Jaheiris is the rightful king. - said the Queen of Spikes.
- Ser Barristan! - the Queen addressed her Lord Commander.
- Yes, my Queen.
For a while, everyone watched as Daenerys calmed her emotions and gathered her thoughts. After a couple of minutes she opened her eyes and announced:
- Gather yourselves, you who are travelling to Dragonstone as my envoys to my nephew. I wish no more bloodshed in House Targaryen and recognise his right to inherit the Iron Throne. But! But only after my death. I will make him my heir, and he will take the throne after me. On those terms, I will accept him and his men. - then she turned her gaze to Mace Tyrell. - Moreover, I think you Lord Tyrell can pave the way for you to marry him to Margaery. She has become a good friend to me of late, and I am sure that such an intelligent and strong girl will be a fine support for my nephew in the future. Behind a great husband, there is always a great woman. However, I will write a message to him personally to come here to talk to him. I want to meet him face to face. We're of the same blood, but we've never met.
- I will, Your Grace. - Mace nodded in agreement.
- Yes, my queen. - Ser Barristan bowed.
Damian Blackheart.
The pieces are set and we must wait for Daenerys' first move.
Daenerys now sat on the throne that had once served as a seat for his great ancestor, who had taken over most of Westeros. This throne was made of stone that was hewn in such a way that it looked as if a real dragon had spread its wings behind its owner and was sheltering Targaryen's head from anything above.
Kneeling before Jehaerys were Lords Auran Velaryon, and once Waters, who had become the owner of Driftmark after the death of his lord brother and nephew's wife. Next to him was Lord Bar-Emmon, Petyr Massey, son of the late Lord Massey, Lord Corinne Saltigar and both branches of the Bruins, who lost their lands to Daenerys. Before that, they had been staying with Auran, and the latter had even married, one of Ser Brune's daughters. And now they have all come to Dragonstone, which we captured in the night two days ago, to kneel before Daenerys.
The messages I had laboured over for a long time on the journey between Astapor and Volantis were sent as soon as the island was captured.
When we arrived in Volantis, we intended to broadcast our resurrection through the Arglorians who had joined us. I wasn't particularly thrilled with them, though. Though of Kinvara I was. But damn, she'd only paid attention to Jaehaerys, and he'd ignored her and lusted after Volantis's noble matrons and whores. What a shortsighted man... and a prick! We had intended to leak this information through the Arglorians and merchants, but Lord Davos Seaworth himself came to our attention. He appreciated the events that had taken place, as well as our strength, and once again knelt before Jaehaerys. Then we sent him and his sons back to King's Landing.
At the same moment that Davos was leaving Volantis, a small squadron of five hundred Unsullied and five hundred Nigrorrmeum and another hundred Kinvara Guards to guard Azor Ahai marched from Volantis towards Dragonstone. Jayheiris, Myself, Uncle Daniel, Marik, Damon Storm and Victarion Sunderland settled on Jayheirion and flew to Dragonstone.
There we were to be waited for by another six dozen servants of the Lion of Night, who had smuggled in under the guise of traders from Braavos. Their speciality is virtually the same as my brother's. Only they were his apprentices from that glorious city, whom he hadn't seen in a long time. But he said he chose them on purpose because he knew they should be able to help us capture it at night.
And so they did. About the "hour of the wolf" we flew low over the water so the sentries wouldn't spot us from afar. And we landed on the Southeast side of the island, where there was a small shelter that hid the dragon and us from the eyes of the sentries. There we had already met our men. Not only had they managed to get a good look at the area, but they'd learned that there were nearly two hundred wildlings in the castle dungeons, working on the dragon glass.
I was surprised to find Vel among the captives as we freed the night shift of wildlings working on the loot.
Then we took control of the castle with the freed wildlings and our men and swore in the rest of the wildlings and the small garrison of the fortress, which after all looked at the events like a grandfather from the old Soviet film "Wedding in Malinovka". They only lacked the phrase: "The power is changing again!".
From such nostalgia for the cinema of the USSR, I even suggested to Jeyheiris that we call our operation to return power to him in Westeros "Wedding in Malinovka". He didn't get the humour, and waved it off, saying I could call it whatever I wanted. I did!
As for Vel, it turned out that she was pregnant when I was executed and five months after my capture, she gave birth to premature twins, a boy and a girl. And the reason for that was Daenerys' orders to capture her and send her to Dragonstone with the other wildling rebels to work for the "good of the fatherland". Really, I don't think Dany knew she was pregnant with my child. And that Tyrell knight who commanded the convoy that led them and beat Vel didn't care if she was pregnant or not.
After that, I had a grudge against the clan. It wasn't that I was so sensitive about children I didn't aspire to, or even see in my mind's eye. But a member of the Tyrell family, albeit a distant relative of the main branch, actually killed two of MY children. And I'm the owner, and he hit someone who belongs to me!
So the Tyrells' share will be solved very quickly. And Margaery will not be queen. I decided to make her queen, and I'm the one to reverse that decision.
- Lord Hand! - A guard came running towards me. - A ship has arrived from King's Landing.
- Who has arrived? - I asked, looking at the completion of the oath.
- Ser Barristan Selmy and Lord Mace Tyrell.
- Interesting. Greet them well and escort them to the guest chambers. The King will see them in. - the guard is gone.
- Jay. - I addressed our king when we were alone. - The messengers from the capital have arrived. As we'd hoped, she'll want to negotiate first. Although she's more likely to issue an ultimatum.
- We'll find something to say. - Jaehaerys grinned. - Maybe we could have a reception at the Painted Table Chamber. We'll need to discuss some details with Qyburn there anyway. He'll be out of the torture chamber in about two hours, so he'll need an hour's rest. And I've got some work to do.
- Jay, I'm sick of you. - You and Rex are always giving my grandmother a hard time. Why don't you take care of a matter of national importance?
- Oh! Isn't that jealousy and envy I hear? - Jaehaerys grinned wickedly. - It's angry that he and I can get anything from Shira, unlike you.
- I don't care about that. - He waved it off. - I can get dozens of Shira like that in my bed. Besides, she's my grandmother. I'm a Targaryen on her side, but you have the privilege of bedding your relatives.
Man, I can't help but feel a little hurt by that.
- I'll take that as a yes. But don't worry. I'm no second Aegon the Fourth or Robert Baratheon. I need to ask her for some advice on a bit of magic. So don't worry too much.
- That's my post. If you don't like it, you can replace me with Rex, for example.
- Well, no. - the Chosen One shook his head. - It's the same balls, but in profile. At least you don't have my brains for religion.
- Then appreciate me for being so precious. - smiling and waving.
- I'll pay extra in gold for your weight if they take you away from me.
- You better watch out, or I'll sell out to your aunt. She may not be able to give birth anymore, but she's hot.
- You want the Western Lands for yourself, don't you? - Jaehaerys said, and I nodded. - Well, then you'd have to marry either Myrcella or one of Lord Bainforth's daughters. The Crakeholes will probably have to be cut out, though. You're right about them. Too willful and unreliable.
- That's fine! - I smiled, anticipating the demise of that family, for I didn't like the look on their leader's face when we met. But I also liked the prospect of having all their land to myself.
An hour later we were seated in the aforementioned Hall. Jaheiris was sitting in the same place where Stannis had once sat, planning the takeover of King's Landing, even looking the same, only Targaryen's face was simpler.
With him was I, who sat at his right hand. Maric was also present, having also come to Dragonstone from Rex with assurances that all three groups of armies were ready to move out of Volantis, Myr and Braavos at any moment, the main thing being the command and the coordinates of the location. Some army from these three could be moved to Dragonstone. But why? It is much more logical to keep them there for now and not to bother the lords of Westeros' eyes, and afterwards to land them practically anywhere in the Seven Kingdoms on the Eastern and Southern coasts. And the Daenerys situation won't be solved with troops. There's no point in going after an Elephant with a pellet, especially when Mama Dragon has three of them. It's much simpler. Besides, the lords will back Jaehaerys after Dany steps aside to rule the country. It was enough time for them to realise what they had gained from their efforts.
Marik sat on the left side of Jaehaerys. He was the appointed castellan of Dragonstone, the last one we killed during the takeover of the castle, and he was needed. So Marik remembered the time when he had been castellan in Storm's Edge and silently cursed the time when he had bumped into me when he was a simple apprentice blacksmith.
There were three white cloaks in the faces of Daniel Blackheart, my uncle now officially a household name for the plain and simple Westerosi and appointed by Jaehaerys as Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, standing behind Jay. And standing at the entrance were Damon Storm and Victarion Sutherland.
Quibern was the last "of ours" to arrive, he was interrogating one morbidly curious merchant, but he turned out to be just a small-time member of a trading family, nothing interesting.
Finally, two of Daenerys Targaryen's envoys entered the Hall.
I could detail their surprise that we were alive and well after all. But that would be a waste of time.
Despite the importance of the meeting to them and the mission Daenerys had assigned them, we didn't care about the negotiations. The main thing for us was to prove to these two and to inform the other "bigwigs" in King's Landing that the true king and his hand demon Blackheart, as some people call me, are alive and near the capital with an army, however small, but with a dragon, even with one. And our skills and luck are already so legendary that I wonder how we are not confused with such ancient heroes as Brandon Stark and Garth the Green-handed?
To our surprise, she limited herself to a formal invitation to a real negotiation with her in King's Landing. She wanted to see her nephew in person and talk to him. And beyond that, Mace mentioned in passing, as did Daenerys in her florid letter at the end, that in the Seven Kingdoms, there were good parties for Jaheiris to heal his mental trauma and soothe the pain of losing loved ones in the past war.
Both Jayhaerys and I were about to walk away from another negotiation, but then he thought about it, and I remembered the good scene in Thrones season 7 of all parties meeting in the Dragon's Den. And quickly signalled Jay to agree to this negotiation. I don't think anyone would mind if we set our side to negotiate there.
Neither Jaehaerys nor any other party but me will realise the full extent of the situation. After all, I've always sympathised with the screen Jon Snow, and the book Jon Snow too. And the fact that the King of the North, Jon Snow, admitted that he was swearing an oath to Daenerys... it pissed me off. I wanted to fly to the writers and showrunners, shoot them and burn their bodies. But now, thanks to me, the history of the world has changed. And I can make it so that MY king, the one I raised, will put them all in their place and make them rally around him to defeat the Others.
And Selmy and Mace didn't mind having the negotiations at the Dragon's Den. Though they were surprised at the suggestion. But they promised to do everything they could to make sure the negotiations were held there.
They were scheduled in thirteen days.
We didn't just sit on our arses for thirteen days, but made good use of them. I gave Rex the command to move the Volantian faction to Dragonstone. The Myrian to Splinterclaw, and the Braavosian to the North to Dreadfort. Even before his death and departure to the South by Jaeheiris, he granted this castle not to the Magnars of Skagos, but to Ingritt and their joint son, and even gave the surname Greystark. The three lords of Skagos were squabbling over the castle and a couple of lands near it, so when Jay and I suggested this option, it was a compromise that suited them all. They got most of the land, and the castle and enough land to maintain it and keep Ingritt and her and Jayheiris's child safe, remains a feral. And according to Rex, Ingritt and her child were simply forgotten about by both the Guardian of the North and Daenerys, though she was reported to her. But no one has evicted the Skagossians or Ingritt from their lands. So there we have a springboard to take the North, even if we have to reconquer it. But that can't happen.
And we also needed this time to get answers from all the lords of the Seven Kingdoms. The most important ones for us are from the Iron Islands, the Riverlands and the Stormlands. And we got them first. Victarion, my papa and Gendry knew my handwriting well for different reasons and at different times. But they did! So they and their bannermen will be on our side. Admittedly, I'm not sure about those ex-golden swordsmen who came over. But I think Gendry and the old man will not coddle them and will simply remove them and put in their place those of their own men or as in the case of the father of the other Freys.
The North and the Vale have been vague, but have made it clear that they will not go south to bow until there is only one Targaryen left. They don't want to be traitors, and neither do they want to fight a civil war again. That's an answer we're happy with. And if anything, it could be used to replace some of the clans with their protégés. After all, not everyone wrote that they were in a neutral position, some openly stated that they were with us, and some that they were on Daenerys' side.
With the Spacer, almost everyone sent us except the Hightowers, the Redwins, and the Tarlys. Those just replied neutrally that they couldn't change suzerain while he was alive or it would be treason. And they will serve Targaryen as long as they can. That is, we were given to know under what conditions they would swear an oath not to be "traitors". Dorne was almost unanimously in favour of Daenerys. Only the Daenys hinted that they were with us. And the salt of the situation was that the lord there was Edric Dane, who had already received knight spurs, and his aunt had already married Berrik and was living in Stormmark. And Edric has Arya Stark herself as a bride, and possibly already as a wife. I laughed at this news for a long time, and then I felt sorry for the Danes. His uncle - "Sword of Dawn" died defending Lyanna Stark, and his nephew will be under the oppression of this fighting she-wolf for the rest of his life and there and there Stark women badly influence the history of men Dane. She won't let her own go. Even the return letter with the ornate message was written in her hand, which meant that the Daines were with us, and if the Martells hesitated, and after Daenerys either swore oaths to Jaehaerys or got her hands dirty, they could be replaced by the Daines....
Soon the waiting time has passed and it is time for the "final chord"...
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