Bab 23: Chapter 23 Tyrion, Daenerys, Sansa
Tyrion finished reading the letter in his hand, specifically written for him, and his body shuddered. He didn't know if it was from humiliation, anger, or genuine desires to kill the creature known as Winter Wolf.
His uncle Kevan and his aunt Genna, who were reading the other part of the letter that Tyrion had read first, looked at him with concern. Tyrion clenched his teeth until the taste of blood spread through his mouth, and the pain numbed his emotions.
"It's nothing," Tyrion said, approaching the fire warming his room on the frozen desert night and reflecting on the atrocities he had just read.
He then looked at his aunt and uncle, who still looked worried.
"Uncle, aunt, truly nothing is wrong," Tyrion said, looking at the other three papers they held. "I wouldn't doubt what they say. Not now that I've seen dragons with my own eyes. Besides, if magic is as real as dragons, that would explain why we were unable to face the Winter Wolf."
"On the other hand, the war is already over, and as long as we manage to keep our new queen out of the Winter Wolf's path, we'll be fine," Tyrion said, heading towards the main room's door.
"Uncle, aunt, I'm not sleepy, and I suppose our queen won't be calling us soon because the so-called Great Masters don't seem to want to give her a confession. So, for now, we don't have much to do. I'll take a walk around," Tyrion said, and without waiting for a response, he left the room.
The Winter Wolf's letter was a summary of his adventure on the wall, with legendary beings like the White Walkers. It told how he was cursed by them, resigned his position as Lord, and now returned to Winterfell to be with his family, leaving his brother Brandon Stark as the new lord of the North until his heir takes his place.
Although the letter mentioned magic and legendary creatures, as well as skin-changers, Tyrion did not doubt them, as many things now made sense. What disturbed Tyrion was the content of another letter that came within the first one, with a second type of font, which meant the bastard dared not show his sister what he was proposing…
Tyrion clenched his teeth and walked through the pyramid, looking for a clear space, because he needed fresh air.
After wandering for several minutes and climbing some annoying stairs, Tyrion reached a terrace, but it was already occupied by a girl practicing with her sword, stabbing furiously at a defenseless practice dummy.
Tyrion recognized the girl from the previous night. She was the girl they held during the meeting in the public square, but now she wore different clothes, including a doublet with the head of a white direwolf with blue eyes painted on the chest.
Tyrion knew who she was: Arya Stark, the younger sister of the Winter Wolf. He had already seen her in King's Landing a few months ago, but now she had long hair, paler skin, and was better fed. One could say that she now looked like a lady and not a peasant in lady's clothes.
As this wild girl now had the appearance of a lady, it was somewhat strange for Tyrion, which caught his attention and distracted him a little from his own thoughts. He approached the small terrace…
A huge woman emerged from a corner, making Tyrion startle, as he hadn't heard or seen her. The woman smiled, and Tyrion grimaced.
The girl paused in her furious stabbing and gave him a murderous look.
"Lannister!" Arya Stark growled.
"My lord, what makes you think it will end better than that dummy? Haven't you been told not to approach beasts?" asked the tall woman with a smile. She wore mercenary clothes and carried a bastard sword at her hip; she must be Dacey Mormont, the daughter of the She-Bear of the North.
Lady Maege Mormont would soon be the lady of the Iron Islands. Appointed by the Winter Wolf with dark plans behind that no one understood, but everyone was sure she would be a great source of gold they wouldn't part with. Lords from the Seven Kingdoms were after her. Unfortunately for them, the heir of the She-Bear was not in the Seven Kingdoms but right in front of it. Tyrion made another grimace as he remembered the letter.
"My lady, I believe I owe you my life," said Tyrion with a smile. Seeing the girl growling, Tyrion might believe he would be stabbed once or twice when approaching her before she regained her senses.
Dacey laughed, and Arya Stark spat on the ground, but then she tensed and looked at Dacey Mormont, who glanced at the spit and grimaced.
"Clear thinking is not my lady's strong suit," apologized Dacey Mormont, giving Arya Stark a look of regret, who bit her lip. From their reactions, Tyrion supposed that when he left, this girl's bad manners would cost her dearly, and considering that the punishment should be given by the Winter Wolf, Tyrion understood her fear.
"The blood of the Wolf," said Tyrion, and Dacey Mormont raised an eyebrow.
"It's strange for a Lannister to have heard that," said Dacey Mormont.
"My lady, the Starks were never known for being reasonable people. Eddard Stark is an exception who, apparently, will remain an exception," said Tyrion.
For the current Starks, they had returned to their savage origins, except for the Winter Wolf. Tyrion supposed he would be another exception like his father, but unlike him, that exception would be due to his dark reputation.
Arya Stark aimed her Braavosi sword at him; apparently, she took his comment as an insult. Dacey Mormont gave Arya a warning look and another to him. Tyrion raised his hands.
"My lady, I didn't mean to offend, though it's truly a pity," said Tyrion regretfully.
"Lannister, speak plainly!" growled Arya Stark, not lowering her sword.
"It is said that when Rickard Stark learned of his daughter's alleged kidnapping, he rushed to King's Landing to demand answers from the Mad King. His son Brandon accompanied him, and the rest is history. Your aunt, Lyanna Stark, came up with no better plan than to elope with the crown prince, while betrothed, with a beast like Robert Baratheon.
"My lady, your family is known for being brave, but very rarely is that bravery accompanied by intelligence, and the consequences of acting on impulse in our current world are not good," said Tyrion. "If the dragon queen didn't hold you in high esteem, you would have learned not to disturb a king's court by throwing a tantrum," Tyrion said.
"They…"
"I believe we are all aware of what happened, and we all have our guts twisted equally, but only one person was shouting and growling. If we were in Stannis's court, he would have sent his knights to silence him," explained Tyrion.
"Aunt Daenerys…"
"She is not familiar with the protocol and how people should behave when in the presence of their rulers in public events. As her advisor, I will make sure to explain to her why she should not allow children to throw tantrums around her," Tyrion interrupted with a wicked smile, and Arya Stark looked at him angrily but didn't attack, instead casting a sidelong glance at her guard. "My lady, bravery without intelligence is only stupidity, and letting emotions rule you will only lead to your death at an early age."
"Lady Arya, you should learn from your brother. I only know one person in this world who was just like him: my lord father, Lord Tywin Lannister, who always crushed everyone under his lion's claws, even his own children…" Tyrion's words were interrupted by the tip of a Braavosi sword grazing his neck and making a slight cut in his throat.
The sword, which was thrust after a forward leap from Arya Stark, which Tyrion could barely see, wasn't stopped by the girl's action, but by the intervention of Dacey Mormont, who also jumped and grabbed Arya Stark's thin arm to pull her back effortlessly, and then raised her hand to indicate that she would receive a strike if she insisted on attacking. But she didn't scold her, just looked at Tyrion.
"If my lord wants to commit suicide, he may as well jump off one of these terraces; he doesn't have to come begging for favors," growled Dacey Mormont threateningly. It seemed like she also wanted to strike him.
Tyrion, touching the small, stinging wound on his neck, smiled.
"My apologies!" said Tyrion. "Indeed, there are many terraces in this place; I will seek one that is unoccupied," he added, and the woman and the girl could only blink in surprise at his stubbornness.
Tyrion smiled and turned to leave before they snapped out of their shock and decided to kick him to death.
Tyrion kept walking and, following the advice, climbed more stairs to find another terrace from which to contemplate his possible suicide.
A few minutes later, Tyrion found his own torch-lit terrace and, feeling the cold night air, looked down at the ground below him. Of course, he wasn't going to jump, but putting his life in perspective helped him clarify his priorities, and at this moment, he needed to have his priorities clear.
"Tysha," Tyrion whispered and clenched his fists.
So far, Tyrion had managed to keep his mind away from this matter, although since his brother warned him to forget the past, as it would only tear his soul apart, Tyrion had tried his best not to think about those words, but in the end, a premonition wouldn't leave his heart.
A premonition that turned into certainty when he read that letter and the words in it, without introduction, without greetings, just the utmost cruelty.
"Tysha is still alive, and she never lied to you. Currently, I am ensuring that she has everything she needs and more. One could say that I am paying the compensation you deserved. Do you wish for her forgiveness?...
Tyrion clenched his teeth and fists.
"Damned bastard!" Tyrion growled because the letter didn't end there, and the rest of it made it clear that the first part of it was just a mockery, and its meaning was: "Pathetic creature, do you deserve forgiveness?" It wasn't literal, but that was what it meant…
Tyrion jumped when Dacey Mormont planted her feet to stop a violent rush at the entrance of the small terrace where he was. Tyrion thought she couldn't swallow his earlier joke and was coming to beat him up, but Dacey Mormont only sighed in relief when she saw him.
"Lord Tyrion, I would feel more comfortable if you stepped away from the edge," said Dacey Mormont, and Tyrion understood why she sought him out. "Whatever it is you said, you shouldn't take it seriously," she added when Tyrion smiled.
Dacey Mormont approached step by step; Tyrion assumed she was preparing to fall on him before he threw himself off the terrace. Tyrion raised his hands.
"My lady, I was just joking; I'm actually just a little angry. Your lord's last letter has upset me," Tyrion said sincerely, and he moved away from the terrace balcony.
"That dishonorable bastard is no longer my lord," growled Dacey Mormont, after checking that no one was around.
Tyrion figured he wouldn't have to do much to convince her that the Winter Wolf was a ruthless bastard. She seemed willing to believe anything, so Tyrion raised an eyebrow at her curiously.
"I've seen your brother cry after spending just a few minutes with the Winter Wolf. At that moment, he seemed like a worthless coward to me, but now I understand that as our allies, he treats us like puppets. It's better not to think about what he can do to his enemies," said Dacey Mormont.
Tyrion shuddered, remembering his brother's back as he marched towards the Wall, with slumped shoulders, lifeless eyes, and beyond any hope. That was one of the things he avoided thinking about.
"When my lord father died, for a few days, I felt free," said Tyrion. "But only a few days later, that feeling was gone, and until tonight, I never understood why that feeling of him still being upon me, pointing the way I should go and making me tremble at the mere possibility of disobedience, lingered. Until tonight," Tyrion said, grimacing grotesquely, as only now did he realize why that feeling of having no decision-making power still hung over him.
It was the feeling of seeing someone point in a direction and having no other choice but to follow along, with a constant fear of straying and not even wanting to know what would happen if you dared defy that pointing finger.
"What does the Winter Wolf want you to do?" asked Dacey Mormont casually. Tyrion looked her up and down, but eventually shrugged.
"He wants me to marry and have three children. Normally, I would flip him off in response, but before reminding me of my duties, he also explained to me why I'm trash and why I'm lucky someone hasn't killed me already," explained Tyrion. Dacey looked at him, still not understanding.
"How does it benefit the Winter Wolf for you to marry?" asked Dacey curiously. Tyrion smiled; it was evident that this woman still didn't understand the mindset of her puppeteer.
Tyrion turned around and approached the balcony, gesturing for her to join him. Once they both looked out over the city, Tyrion spoke.
"Security," said Tyrion. "Absolute self-belief. If you believe your reason is right, what others think is wrong or incorrect, so if you point them a path and they dare to tell you no…" Tyrion clenched his teeth, unable to get Tysha out of his head, the woman he loved and who was the only person who acknowledged him in this world.
Tyrion swallowed, feeling his throat dry. He wanted to go drown himself in wine, as his thoughts tormented him, remembering how when his father found out he had married a peasant, he took measures. Before, Tyrion truly believed him when he said Tysha had been hired by his brother to play a prank on him. Tyrion never thought anyone could be interested in him, a dwarf, wanting to marry him. That's why he didn't doubt his father's lie and participated in the atrocity his father dictated as punishment for Tysha…
Tyrion shook his thoughts, but they wouldn't leave him alone, because now he knew his father had lied and Tysha was innocent, which meant he…
Tyrion shook his thoughts forcefully again.
"Even if that were the case, I fail to see what interest the Winter Wolf would have in you," said Dacey Mormont, interrupting his thoughts. Tyrion sighed.
"Even though they're alike, the Winter Wolf and my lord father have a different way of acting. I guess we owe that to good old Eddard Stark. For my father, pride was the most important thing. He said it was family, but it wasn't, because he hated me, and if he could have gotten rid of me, I'm sure he would have. My father didn't love his family; he loved his pride, and everything he did was to protect that pride. His daughter was to be queen, his son was to be the heir of the rock, even if he was a Kingsguard.
"The dwarf who claimed his blood was not his son and would never inherit his legacy. It offends Tywin Lannister's pride, and you will pay for it with your life. Dare to tarnish it, and even though you're his family, you'll regret it for the rest of your damn existence.
"In contrast, for the Winter Wolf, the priority is truly his family. Lay a hand on or try to harm his family, and you won't have a life to regret. But that's for his enemies. For this family, he knows what's right, and like my father, he's sure of it, so what these loved ones want, in reality, doesn't matter. He points a way, and that's the way you must follow. His love won't allow you to stray from it, as he believes it's the right path, and it's his duty to keep you there and plan your entire life for you," explained Tyrion, and looked at Dacey. "But it doesn't stop there because all it takes is for him to take an interest in you for him to bother helping you follow the right path, or rather, the path he knows is right for you," concluded Tyrion, while Dacey's expression shifted from serene to shock, and then to understanding.
"Gods, I have to discipline that girl," said Dacey, and Tyrion smiled, but couldn't continue speaking because another person planted their feet at the entrance to the terrace.
The newcomer was Arya Stark, who looked sweaty, as if she had just climbed up and down many stairs. Tyrion assumed she was also looking for him. Dacey looked at her.
"Arya, you need to take a bath now; your bedtime has long passed," said Dacey approaching her.
Arya glared at her, about to spit on the ground, but Dacey Mormont, who was three times her size, or so it seemed from Tyrion's perspective, grabbed her by the neck in one swift motion and carried her away dangling like a harmless ragdoll, while Arya growled and tried to free herself.
"I'm tired of telling you not to spit on the ground because your brother doesn't like it. You shouldn't draw your sword to threaten people, you shouldn't throw tantrums, you shouldn't dirty your clothes, you shouldn't shout…" Dacey walked away while explaining to Arya some common rules of good manners.
"She should be a great mother…" "Gods!" screamed Tyrion in his mind, feeling like he was about to vomit.
Of course, Tyrion didn't tell Dacey even a quarter of the truth about the Winter Wolf's letter, which besides the truth about Tysha, said nothing about marriage or having three children. The rest of the letter was also open to interpretation, as its literal words were that blood magic could give him three children, and none of them would be dwarfs.
"Damn bastard!" growled Tyrion out of humiliation and anger.
It didn't affect Tyrion when people called him a dwarf, not even when they made jokes about him, calling him Gnome or Imp. Since he was a child, he had learned that the words people believed hurt you the most were the ones they would use against you the most, so even if they were painful, they had to be ignored.
Tyrion never thought there could be something worse than being called a dwarf or people making jokes about it, belittling him as if he were worthless. But today he had discovered something a thousand times worse, and that was someone forcing him to call himself a dwarf, and beyond that, forcing him to despise himself. "Call yourself a dwarf, despise your own condition," that was his interpretation of the Winter Wolf's words.
As for refusing his proposal, Tyrion himself had cursed his birth as a dwarf. He had always lamented to this world not being like his brother and having been doomed from his very birth. All he had ever been unable to be because he was a dwarf was his bitterness, his humiliation, and his greatest suffering. Now the Winter Wolf was offering him to relinquish that part of himself, at least for his descendants…
"Damn bastard!" growled Tyrion, and after several more unpleasant insults and a few hours on the balcony that almost kept him awake, Tyrion returned to his room.
The Winter Wolf, in the last line of his letter, had also denied him the solace of wine.
"If you find yourself overwhelmed by this letter, don't worry, you still deserve the solace of good wine," concluded the letter.
"Damn bastard!" grumbled Tyrion before entering his chambers.
…
Daenerys
At dawn on the third day of her arrival in Meereen, Daenerys still had no response from the Great Masters, but her tears had already dried, so she ordered Irri and Jhiqui to help her dress and prepare.
After finishing dressing, Daenerys left her room, encountering Ser Barristan Selmy. Daenerys looked at her only Kingsguard with concern and made a mental note to recruit new members for the guard, as Ser Barristan slept and rested little since he was the only Kingsguard.
Ser Barristan greeted her and stood behind her to follow. Shortly after, they brought her bloodriders and also escorted her.
"Your Majesty, shall we call the counselors?" asked Irri, seeing her climbing the stairs to the top of the pyramid, where the throne was.
"Just call Ser Jorah Mormont, I won't entertain anyone else for now," ordered Daenerys.
…
A few minutes after Daenerys settled into her throne and greeted her children who were already eating, her Treacherous Bear, Ser Jorah Mormont, arrived.
"Ser Jorah Mormont, after long reflection on it, I have made a decision regarding the seven kingdoms and my family's legacy. Do you wish to hear my decision?" asked Daenerys.
Ser Jorah knelt in obedience.
"I will always stand by Your Majesty's side and the decisions you make," said Ser Jorah. Daenerys nodded.
"Ser Jorah, I have considered the past. My father's death, the death of my brother Rhaegar, his children, my mother, my own exile, and that of my brother Viserys. My legacy as a Targaryen and the blood running through my veins, the blood of the dragons.
"I have contemplated vengeance, and on behalf of my family, those responsible for their downfall should pay their debts. However, most of them are already dead, and if I seek retribution for their actions, I will only chase ghosts and puppets for the rest of my life. The seven kingdoms have also been lost, and few would support my return.
"After pondering this, I have thought of myself. My life in those, after being abandoned by everyone. Everything I have lived and suffered so far, how I have begged, become a puppet, been sold, loved, cried, and lost.
"In this pain and these losses, I have traveled and met people. I have grown and seen many things that have led me to make a decision.
"I am Daenerys Targaryen, 'the last descendant' of Aegon Targaryen the Conqueror. And in his name and in the name of those who came before me, I will proclaim myself queen, and as my ancestor once did, I will make my family rise from the ashes of its former glory.
"As Daenerys Targaryen, and for all that I have lived and been forced to endure, I declare war on the slavers, the slave traders, those who live off the blood and flesh of others," declared Daenerys, looking at Ser Jorah. "Ser Jorah, do you still wish to share the fate of one who has declared herself an enemy of this world?" asked Daenerys.
"Your Majesty, I will follow you even if you declare war on Death itself," declared Ser Jorah Mormont decisively and without any doubt. Daenerys nodded.
"Then I, Daenerys Targaryen, in the name of your decision, and considering your merits, will forgive your betrayal and never mention the matter again. However, there is a price, for your betrayal has diminished some of my trust in you. I want you to know that, without this betrayal, I would have named you my Hand, but now, the most I am willing to consider is a position as one of my advisors," Daenerys pronounced, and Ser Jorah stood up and bowed, without questioning her decision.
"Call the rest of my advisors, I will inform them of my decision, and also call Daario, we cannot continue postponing the decisions I will make regarding the city, today we will begin to grant audience," ordered Daenerys, rising from her pillow throne.
Daenerys needed to walk a bit, she also wanted to visit her niece and consult her on some things. Ser Barristan followed her, as did her bloodriders. Irri and Jhiqui went to call her advisors and captains of the mercenary companies.
Daenerys descended several floors to Sansa's rooms and found her coming out of them, but what caught her attention were the shouts and growls coming from inside, along with some cries for help.
"Arya, spit and there will be serious consequences," warned Dacey Mormont's voice as Daenerys approached, and Sansa watched her somewhat embarrassed.
"Bring the rolling pin!" scolded Dacey Mormont's angry voice; it was evident that her little niece did not take her threat seriously.
"Nooooooo!" cried the voice of her little niece Arya Stark. Daenerys blinked.
"Your Majesty, my sister Arya is somewhat stressed, so Robb has suggested giving her some massage sessions; the rolling pin is a tool to relax her muscles," explained Sansa with a slightly blushing face, while one of the Karstark brothers, Torrhen Karstark, closed the door and his brother Eddard inspected his hand, which had a small bite.
"A Stark with balls, but a wolf raised by…" Sansa gave Torrhen Karstark an expressionless look. "The girl needs discipline, she has seen too much; it's all the Lannisters' fault," corrected Torrhen Karstark, and his brother nodded.
These two men must have been young because they were not yet married, but the profile of the northerners, with their long, unkempt hair, thick beards, the furs they wore, and their sturdy bodies, made them look somewhat… Wild. Their bloodriders looked somewhat lean next to them. Still, Sansa seemed to have no problem getting them to obey her, and they were the ones who had maintained order in the freedmen camps during their journey. They also helped with her administration, so it was evident that fighting was not the only thing they did, despite their appearance.
Daenerys nodded, and another northerner coming down the hall approached Sansa, carrying some papers.
"Your Majesty," greeted the man as he reached them with a bow. Daenerys nodded, although he used to call her my lady.
The man was Wylis Manderly, who, due to two months of travel, had lost some weight from his great corpulence. This man was Sansa's right hand and kept track of the camps' accounts, as well as everything they had plundered, so it was not difficult for Daenerys to imagine the contents of the papers he carried.
Daenerys remembered her own papers, delivered by Tyrion Lannister, which she had been reading, outlining his proposals for the future of Meereen.
"Sansa, I want to visit the freedmen camps and also see the current situation of the city," said Daenerys.
"Your Majesty, a guard of Unsullied would be appropriate for this task," advised Ser Barristan, and Daenerys nodded, so one of her bloodriders hurried to fetch them.
As Daenerys had been in the pyramid for three days, her bloodriders had stayed by her side, and they were already eager to leave; the Dothraki did not appreciate the luxury of grand constructions but rather the open air of the Dothraki Sea.
…
Daenerys spent the entire morning inspecting the camps and the city's situation, which was currently being managed by Ser Jorah and his niece Sansa. Daenerys was satisfied with what she saw, as the Great Masters and their families had all been captured, and in their pyramids, only their servants remained. The slaves who once owned them and all their wealth had been plundered and stored by Sansa, including food and resources from their storehouses.
The pyramids and other property remained in place because Daenerys had decided to maintain the city, and for this reason, Ser Jorah and Sansa Stark had been organizing a market, as the freedmen who had worked since their departure from Astapor and Yunkai had money to buy food.
Sansa and Ser Jorah also dealt with minor slave owners, who were the common people of the city, making them release their slaves and registering them to later swear loyalty. Those who resisted were sent to join the Great Masters, and their houses awaited a decision from Daenerys.
The exploration of the city allowed Daenerys to see how the freedmen were doing, the city itself, and to confirm the things Tyrion Lannister spoke of in his plans for the city.
…
In the afternoon, after lunching with Sansa, the northerners, and Ser Jorah Mormont, Daenerys returned to her throne room, where all her advisors awaited her, along with a long line of petitioners, led by one of the Harpy priests, who were called Graces, but there was nothing graceful about her, as she was a withered and wrinkled old woman.
Daenerys looked at the old woman coldly as she knelt before her. As Tyrion Lannister had mentioned and she herself confirmed with the freedmen, the Harpy, which was the deity of this city, glorified the killings in the city's arenas and was in favor of slavery, so Daenerys had already decided to heed the advice to rid herself of it, although, as Lannister also said, this was the local religion, and Daenerys had to act cautiously because although the religion supported violence, slavery, and bloodshed, they had not refused to hand over their slaves and were cooperating with them.
"Your grace, I beg for mercy for my people, I implore your grace, stop this indiscriminate killing and torture," begged the old woman on her knees, bowing, shedding tears, and crying as if her parents were part of the Great Masters…
Daenerys reflected and it was possible they were her family, because this old woman was part of the rulers of this city, not directly, but she did hold one of the highest religious positions, as was also explained by Tyrion Lannister in his report.
"People," Daenerys thought coldly. In the city, there were five slaves for every free citizen, and this old woman dared to speak of people. Daenerys thought of sending this old woman to her family and also demanding answers from her, but she restrained herself because her fury had already waned, and she could not delay the punishment, as she needed to begin to establish herself in this city, and for the sake of her freedmen, she could not waste time with slavers. Daenerys looked at Lannister.
"Do you have the names of the families that ruled this city and are now my prisoners?" asked Daenerys.
Tyrion Lannister, accompanied by four others, who were his uncles and two others who, by their appearances, one must be a northerner and the other a Braavosi, stepped forward, and his aunt Genna Lannister handed him some papers, which the Lannister passed to his handmaidens and they handed them to her.
There were several sheets, enough to form a book; there must have been hundreds or thousands of names, but upon a quick glance, they also had a hierarchy.
"Your grace," said Daenerys to the old woman. "The Great Masters have committed a heinous crime, and as the new ruler of this city, I do not consider them my people at all, only prisoners over whom I must judge for their offenses against my people. Therefore, I will pronounce sentence on them at this moment," said Daenerys, and the old woman tried to speak, but the Unsullied standing by her side held her shoulders to indicate that she should remain silent.
"I, Daenerys Targaryen, Queen of Meereen, Khaleesi of the Dothraki Sea, Mother of Dragons, Breaker of Chains, sentence all the heads of the families of the Great Masters to death. Each of them will be executed, but it will not be only them, but saving their heir, the next five in the line of succession who are over twenty years old will also be executed, and they will be executed first, in front of their family head.
"As your grace asks for mercy, I will grant mercy by ordering that the deaths be swift, and the corpses be delivered to their families. But they will not be granted any burial in this city, for from this moment on, all the families of the Great Masters will be exiled.
"However, I will not expel them all from the city as they are my prisoners, and I will only release a portion of them. This portion will be considered later, and it will be a gesture of goodwill on my part so that their relatives have the opportunity to organize a ransom. If half of this ransom is not paid within a year, they will have to pay a ransom for their bones," Daenerys decreed.
The old woman cried and begged, but Daenerys dismissed her with a wave of her hand, and the Unsullied guards took the old woman away. As Daenerys said, after knowing who this old woman was, she felt no compassion for her or her imprisoned relatives.
"Lord Tyrion Lannister, step forward," ordered Daenerys, as it was time to conduct her own court.
Tyrion Lannister stepped forward and knelt.
"Tyrion Lannister, I name you Hand of the Queen…"
…
Sansa
As Sansa expected, Tyrion Lannister was named Hand of the Queen, to the great disappointment of his northern followers. Torrhen made as if to spit while the Lannister swore, but Sansa looked at him, and he had to swallow his own saliva. On this, Sansa was in total agreement with her brother Robb; education in the North left much to be desired.
Sansa looked at Torrhen's long beard and hair, which were not dirty but rather disheveled. A little tidying up wouldn't hurt…
"Why did he have to have a beard and long hair? Robb didn't have a beard and had cut his hair," Sansa thought.
Robb didn't look bad; Sansa thought her brother had become very handsome, and he wasn't different from the northerners… well, there was his reddish-brown hair and blue eyes, but he was also stocky like the Karstark brothers and wore furs; he didn't even take off his armor, and even now that Ice was with Bran, who had been the new lord for a few days, he carried another great sword with him. But her brother looked totally different from the other northerners.
Sansa looked Torrhen Karstark up and down. What if he cut his hair, shaved his beard, and wore furs that were actually clothes and not tattered rags? Wouldn't he look as handsome as her brother?
Sansa smiled, and Torrhen, who looked uncomfortable, pretended to take a step back, but Sansa placed a hand on the furs covering his armor.
"Torrhen, these furs are a bit worn and battered. It's been a long journey to get here, it's been tough, but you've accompanied me and protected me without any complaint. As your lady, it is my duty to ensure that you are well rewarded," Sansa said softly.
"My lady, I swear I won't spit again!" Torrhen promised. Sansa smiled kindly.
"Torrhen, this is a reward," Sansa said, ignoring him to pay attention to her aunt, who was now naming the commander of her army, which was also not a surprise.
The appointed army commander was Grey Worm. Ser Jorah Mormont was named advisor of laws. To Sansa, it didn't seem like the right position for an escaped criminal, but she understood that he would occupy that position because of the Lannister; the queen wanted to ensure that her Hand was under surveillance. Then the queen asked for advice on naming her master of coin, and the Lannister suggested his uncle, but Sansa hurried to intervene and propose Ser Wylis Manderly.
The queen hurried to follow Sansa's suggestion; nonetheless, the Lannister named his aunt Genna Lannister as co-master of whispers, and as there was no one with experience in fleets of ships, Kevan Lannister got the position. Sansa knew that this position was as important as that of master of coin, but only Ser Wylis could occupy it, and Sansa preferred to secure the economy.
Finally, the queen officially appointed Ser Barristan Selmy as commander of the royal guard, naming six knights to accompany him. Sansa was surprised that one of Lady Maege's daughters volunteered as a member of the royal guard, and the queen accepted her. Ser Barristan also raised no objections.
…
After naming her private council, the queen attended to the petitioners, who were all merchants and some servants of the Great Masters, who wanted to know what their new status in the city would be. They sought legal security and wondered if the new queen would guarantee their properties.
Her aunt Daenerys established compensation for those who owned slaves, which was the majority, and guaranteed respect for all their properties, promising that if they swore loyalty, they would be included in her future economic plans, but if they refused, they would be exiled, although they would not be prohibited from taking all their belongings, and the value of their properties would also be canceled. Of course, there was a trap in this proposal because the price of land and houses had collapsed since the new queen did not support the city's main economic livelihood, which was the fighting pits and the sale of slaves, so the economy was at its lowest.
As the queen spent the afternoon attending to the city's petitioners, her sister Arya was dragged to the place by Lady Dacey Mormont. Her sister Arya spent the day with the dragons and practicing with her sword, so Sansa was a bit surprised that Dacey Mormont, who was her guard, appointed by Robb, brought her there.
Arya growled as she approached her side, but from her expression and way of walking, Sansa already knew that she had been dragged there.
"Lady Arya, if you want to be a lord, these matters of government should be of interest to you," said Dacey Mormont.
"That's what maesters are for," Arya grumbled under her breath.
"My lady wants double rolling for this afternoon," Dacey Mormont growled in response, and Arya grumbled, but dared not retort.
Sansa never thought that relaxing massages could be used as a threat to intimidate someone. On the other hand, so far, her brother had been more successful in disciplining his wild little sister than their mother or lord father. Still, her little sister remained wild, and despite her aspirations to be a lord, she paid no attention to governance matters, so Sansa didn't understand what kind of lord she intended to be. But now, she had been dragged there, and Sansa understood that until now, Arya had been avoiding her responsibilities.
Sansa smiled, although she didn't understand why Dacey Mormont had decided to get serious with her little sister.
…
At the end of the day's audience, everyone was dismissed, and her aunt Daenerys left only her private council, her royal guard, the bloodriders, and Sansa, but Dacey bowed and asked to leave Arya too, who growled.
"Sansa," her aunt Daenerys said, smiling at Arya's bitter expression, "I would like you to stand by my side as one of my advisors, but I don't have a position on the council for you. Would you like to be my personal advisor?" her aunt asked because, considering her status, offering her a lesser position on the private council could be seen by others as an insult.
"Aunt, I will accept to be one of your ladies, along with Lady Arya and Lady Dacey Mormont," Sansa said with a smile.
"No!" Arya shouted, but Sansa ignored her and smiled at her aunt. Her aunt Daenerys also ignored Arya and nodded in agreement.
"I'm going to be a lord, I won't accept to be a lady!" Arya growled. Sansa patted her on the head.
"Arya, a Lady can also rule without ceasing to be a Lady. Aunt Daenerys is a queen," Sansa explained.
Sansa disagreed with Arya's way of thinking. She remembered Queen Cersei. She was always complaining about men and that her father never treated her like her twin, even though she was just as capable as him. But Jaime Lannister was a disgrace; he had no chivalry or honor. He was rude and a terrible example to follow; he was not an acceptable measure of comparison for Sansa.
Queen Cersei herself was a madwoman. Her emotions always outweighed her intelligence; Sansa understood why Tywin Lannister trusted her with few things, and one could even say that the entire family was exiled because of her stupidity.
If Sansa wanted an example, she wouldn't look to Queen Cersei. Sansa would look to the Queen of Thorns, to Lady Maege, her own mother, her aunt Daenerys. If she could learn anything from them, she would consider that she had learned what she needed to learn, and at no point did she intend to give up the things she liked to have the position of a man. She would be the next ruler of the North, and only the old gods could save anyone who dared to oppose her for being a woman.
"Aunt Daenerys has dragons," Arya growled, interrupting Sansa's thoughts. Apparently, while Sansa was thinking, she had been looking for an excuse to avoid admitting flaws in her logic.
Sansa sighed inwardly, wondering if she should engage in a logical discussion with her wild little sister, because if she spat on the floor to dismiss her arguments, Sansa might be willing to resort to violence.
"Arya, if you manage to ride a dragon, then you too will have a dragon," her aunt Daenerys said, leaving Sansa, all her advisors, and even Arya stunned.
"Your Majesty!" her aunt raised her hand to interrupt an alarmed Ser Jorah.
Arya recovered from her shock to glare at Ser Jorah threateningly. Then she remembered that she had just been given a dragon and looked at her aunt Daenerys.
"I accept, but no hairstyles or embroideries," Arya declared. Her aunt Daenerys smiled, and Sansa and the others could only blink, but Sansa calmed herself, thinking that Arya couldn't ride a dragon; the Three-Eyed Raven himself said that greenseers who attempted to tame dragons ended up turned to ash…
"That's not a good reason to be more at ease," Sansa thought with concern. She had to inform Robb about this because her mother would have a fit if they told her that Arya would try to ride a dragon.
"Lord Tyrion, I plan to follow your advice, so I have appointed a private council, and I also want to rescue some laws and traditions created by my family, in honor of all of them. But now I want to know who your guests are and what proposal they have for me?" her aunt Daenerys asked, completely changing the subject and not allowing them to discuss dragons.
Tyrion Lannister was somewhat puzzled but hurried to nod.
"Your Majesty, as you know, the Winter Wolf has created new weapons and some artifacts that will change this world in a short period of time, but there is a political problem in this, and it's the Free Cities.
"Braavos and the Seven Kingdoms have strict laws against slavery, and Braavos also has enemies among the Free Cities and is not willing to hand them weapons that they can use against them. Fortunately for them, the Iron Bank has enough gold, but they don't have enough workers or territory. The Seven Kingdoms are coming out of a war and cannot support the production of these new technologies as quickly as required.
"Taking all this into account, and since Your Majesty has declared herself an enemy of slavers since she sacked Astapor, the Braavosi are willing to support us, and so are the Seven Kingdoms. That's why they have sent a fleet and enough soldiers to defend their conquered territories while we establish the production of our own weapons. The Braavosi and the Seven Kingdoms prefer to keep the factories and plants themselves and have Your Majesty provide the resources, in exchange for some discount, but I suggest to Your Majesty to reject this proposal because although the costs will be higher, the security and development of our own territory will increase the more we build and train our own people," Tyrion Lannister explained. Her aunt Daenerys reflected on the matter.
Sansa already knew all the so-called technology developed by her brother, and she also agreed with the Lannister that her aunt should demand their own factories and plants because she was the ruler of a territory and should ensure its development, not just profits.
"Lord Hand, if we accept this deal, how much of our livelihood will depend on it?" her aunt asked.
"Your Majesty, from what I've seen, all our people wouldn't be enough for this development. Braavos craftsmen complain about not being able to research on their own because there aren't enough qualified people to develop current projects.
"However, I suggest prioritizing the Winter Wolf's deal, as sugar and salt are activities that will generate millions of gold coins in profits and do not depend on scarce resources like iron or other metals. Copper mines are also a very valuable resource, and with the steam engine, mining in Braavos has reached absurd production quotas," Tyrion Lannister explained.
Again, Sansa agreed with his opinion. Sugar and salt were resources that could not be ignored because even if they couldn't trade weapons with other cities, everyone would desire sugar and salt. Additionally, these were projects that her brother only entrusted to her aunt Daenerys due to their family relationship since he didn't offer this very profitable business to Braavos.
On the other hand, it was also true that they lacked labor. Skilled craftsmen were few, some couldn't even read, and for these new projects, that was an almost indispensable requirement.
The meeting continued for another hour, and the council supported the new Hand in prioritizing the copper mines, salt, and sugar projects, followed by weapons and the railroad. Ships were discarded as they suspected they wouldn't have enough manpower to continue planning. Although this discussion was only preliminary to offer something to the merchants and people who decided to stay, they were not yet fully approved. However, they were on the right track, and with the coffers overflowing with gold thanks to everything Sansa and her aunt had looted in Astapor, Yunkai, and Meereen itself, money for the projects was plentiful.
Like in Braavos, the biggest obstacle for Meereen would be the lack of trained personnel and labor, so they would have to carefully plan how far they could commit to the different projects.
Author's Note 1: Braavos will not share its technology with the other Free Cities, with which it has already had wars and political differences. Stannis even less so. Daenerys, who is going in the same political direction as them, is a great ally, and this is an ally who will fight for them, making her twice as convenient.
Author's Note 2: The trend of men spitting, thick beards, and messy long hair that exists in the North will suffer a tragic fate when Sansa takes power. Dacey will take Arya's upbringing more seriously; Arya wants to be a lord but doesn't want to learn to govern, only to practice with her sword and play with dragons.
Author's Note 4: For those wondering, at this point, Robb has left the Wall and headed to Winterfell, where he will spend a month before going to King's Landing. Robb will arrive in Meereen four months after this chapter, a year and a half after his rebirth in this world, and six months after the war in the Seven Kingdoms ended, although not entirely, as the Iron Islands were still outstanding.
Author's Note 5: The fic is coming to an end, so it is necessary to make some time jumps after Robb's last POV to see how some things turn out and tie up loose ends.
Author's Note 6: There are two chapters left, and the next one is already written; at this moment, I am writing the ending. I will pause all other fics to finish this one without interruptions in the upload schedule.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
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