Trials and Tribulations of the Oathkeeper

Chapter 35: A Slave Rebellion

―Essos―

Slaver's Bay ― Near Meereen...

The Dragon Queen and her army of followers had been on the march for a long time now. Among the most noticeable individuals accompanying Daenerys Targaryen was her handmaiden Missandei, Grey Worm, Daario Naharis and Jon Connington. She had not received any word on Jorah Mormont after exiling him once Connington revealed the bear knight had been spying on her, but she didn't care. Mormont had betrayed her trust, and she swore she'd never forgive him for that. With Astapor and Yunkai liberated, Daenerys set course for Meereen. Yet this constant walking on the road in the scorching heat, she was adamant that the Second Sons and Unsullied stay the course with her.

"Have you ever been to Meereen?" Daenerys asked.

She nodded. "Several times, Your Grace, with Master Kraznys."

"And?"

"They say a thousand slaves died building the Great Pyramid of Meereen."

"And now an army of former slaves is marching to her gates. You think the Great Masters are worried?"

"If they're smart, Your Grace."

"Best be prepared for anything," Connington reminded them. "No doubt word has already reached them of what happened at Astapor and Yunkai. Underestimate your opponent, you pay the price."

"Your counsel is taken under advisement, Lord Connington," Daenerys remarked. "But it's my decision to make."

Before Jon could even open his mouth to speak, the group came to a sudden stop as Daenerys held her arm up. What stood before them had left their mouths open in shock and horror. A little slave girl, couldn't have been more than nine or ten years of age, had been crucified upon a wooden cross. Judging by the coloring of her skin and how thin she was, the child had been dead for quite some time. "There's one on every mile marker between here and Meereen," he pointed out.

Daenerys continued staring at the dead slave girl. "How many miles are there?"

Connington knew that tone in the Dragon Queen's voice, full of disgust and anger at such cruelty. "163," he answered. "I'll tell our men to ride ahead and bury them. You don't need to see this."

"You will do no such thing. I will see each and every one of their faces. Remove her collar before you bury her."

The Dragon Queen gently kicked the side of her horse and motioned for it to move forward, which the animal neighed in compliance. Jon, Missandei, Grey Worm, and Daario along with the Unsullied and Second Sons marched forward behind Daenerys; they could tell that seeing the crucified, dead slave girl lit a fire in her eyes. It was something they hadn't thought about seeing, but they followed Daenerys onward to Meereen to end the horrid practice of slavery and all its harsh punishments with it once and for all. Jon Connington, however, took notice of Daenerys' posture rather closely. He didn't let his expressions made public, but something seemed to unsettle him a bit.

It took several days but once they rose to the highest point of the hill, their faces were mired in surprise. Smoke was rising from the nearest horizon towards their destination and a faint noise was slowly growing louder. Meereen, the greatest of the three great city-states of Slaver's Bay was within sight, but it looked as if it was currently besieged by an unknown force.

"What's going on here...?" pondered Daario.

"A siege," Jon answered, "Or an uprising. If the slaves are indeed rebelling, then they won't last long against the Great Masters."

"So, we're marching into a slaughter, then?"

"We won't know unless we get a closer look, lad. If we are to do something, then it must be done now. With every minute we waste here, thousands of people will die."