Book 3: Dragonfire

Chapter 22 - Reunions

Jaeherys clung to Lyon wherever she went and the Chamber of the Painted Table was no exception. The dragon was no larger than a common housecat but he had the energy of a kitten - when he wasn't napping in the sun. As Lyon stepped into the chamber, already inhabited by Daenerys, Jaeherys lounged along Lyon's shoulders. The dragon's tail lay at the hollow of her collarbone like a piece of jewelry.

"He is quite attached to you, it seems." Daenerys said, a smile passing over her lips. There was no jealousy in her words, only a soft look in her eyes as she watched Jaeherys lay his head on Lyon's shoulder and close his eyes.

"And I to him. I understand what you mean now when you say they are your children. It is a fierce love that fills me whenever I look upon him, as though he were my own son."

Lyon lightly brushed a finger over Jaeherys' head scales. He made a noise that resembled a purr, but did not wake. Lyon found herself smiling softly at the creature before she turned back to Daenerys and wiped her expression clean. The queen's eyes were on her, but she didn't say anything else. Before she could the room was being filled by familiar faces. Lyon took her seat at one side of the table while Tyrion, Varys, Missandei, and Grey Worm entered the room. Greeting each of them with a nod, Lyon turned her gaze to the window. She found it almost impossible to listen as Daenerys spoke to her advisors and was lost far in her thoughts by the time Yara and Theon entered. Though she didn't show it, Lyon's nerves coursed through her like a hive of angry bees.

It had been some time since Lyon had spoken with her late wife's grandmother, Olenna Tyrell. The matron of House Tyrell, as well as Ellaria Sand, would soon by sitting in the Chamber of the Painted Table across from her. She was preparing for every outcome, even Lady Tyrell's wrath. After all, Lyon was supposed to be as dead as the woman's granddaughter. She didn't expect Olenna to see it as happy news, not when both of her grandchildren burned alive in wildfire of Cersei's making. The very thought made Lyon's gut coil and bring her back to the present just in time to find the two women enter the room.

Lyon rose from her chair as the women entered, smoothing the skirt of her pine green dress. It's long sleeves allowed Lyon to hide the scars and the marks from her chains, while the long neck hid the flesh of her throat. She didn't need anymore eyes upon them. Daenerys greeted their guests with a smile that the queen had likely rehearsed. Pleasantries were exchanged, then Olenna's and Ellaria's eyes roamed the room to find its inhabitants. When Olenna met Lyon's eyes it was though Maergery's own eyes were staring her down. Lyon spoke first, her voice cracking despite how hard she tried to stop it.

"I'm so very sorry for your loss, Lady Tyrell. Loras and Maergery meant a great deal to me. They still do." She wasn't tearing up, at least, knowing that now was no time for tears.

Olenna was silent for some time before she spoke. "Their losses weigh heavily on my heart, as I'm sure they weigh on you, just as I am sure you will do be the kindness of explaining exactly how you stand before me. As far as the world knows, you burned alive in Flea Bottom. There was a rather convincing corpse to prove it."

Had she not been facing the Tyrell matron, Lyon would have made a face. Instead, she met the woman's eyes.

"I survived the fire, but I knew they would be expecting to find my remains. That girl's death will be forever on my conscious, but I knew I had to find Daenerys." Lyon's gaze carried her to the Queen, who smiled faintly at Lyon. "I had to find the sister I never knew."

"We all knew you weren't Ned Stark's. We knew you weren't Cersei's spawn either, but a Targaryen...Well, I supposed as much should be obvious, if the creature at your neck is any indication." Olenna's unreadable gaze fixed on Lyon where she stood, then she simply stepped past and slid into a chair. "So, there are two of you now. At least I won't have to worry about sibling rivalry when it comes to succession of the throne."