Trials and Tribulations of the Oathkeeper

Chapter 158: Unbridled Fury Unleashed

"We're outnumbered," Jaehaegon observed the map. "How do we proceed?"

Daenerys observed each piece closely. "Victory in battle is not always won through superior numbers," she recalls Daveth telling her at Winterfell. "Victory in battle is not always won through superior numbers..." she repeats almost silently.

Her advisors looked at her surprisingly.

"You remember Daveth Baratheon and Euron Greyjoy at the Dragonpit Summit? Those two appear to have a history with one another. They may have the larger army, but we have something better: Drogon. My ancestor had fewer armies, but he still managed to unify six of the seven kingdoms with his dragons."

"But what about...?"

"Remember the Field of Fire? The King Loren I Lannister of the Rock and King Mern IX Gardener of the Reach combined their armies to form the 'Iron Fist' – 60,000 men to Aegon the Conqueror's 10,000. My ancestor was heavily outnumbered, but he still won the pivotal battle. While both sides wear each other down, the rest of us can move in. We'll hit them hard and fast." The balance will hopefully grow increasingly even by then. Daenerys raised her head up. "But first... I need answers from Connington."

"Hopefully our objective of taking King's Landing without destroying it remains the same."

Missandei tried to chime in. "When the people find out what we have done for them, that we helped save them—"

"They'll only flock to Daveth's banner instead of ours. As long as he sits on the Iron Throne, he can call himself King of the Seven Kingdoms." She turned to an Unsullied guard. "Jiōragon iā lōgor syt ñuha amīsagon. Nyke'll sagon jāre lēda Drōgon. (Get a boat for my guards. I'll be going with Drogon.)"

"Kessa, ñuha Dāria. (Yes, my Queen.)"

"Umbagon va urnēbagon syt se Āegenka Mentyr. (Keep a close eye out for the Iron Fleet.)" Jaehaegon warned in High Valyrian. "Lo pōnta ūndegon ao, konīr kessa sagon daor jiōragon qrīdrughagon. Pōnta urnēptre daor tepilla. (If they catch you, there will be no escape. They'll show no mercy.)"

As the Unsullied guards, Grey Worm and Daenerys left the room, only Jaehaegon and Missandei remained.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," the Velaryon youth contemplated.

"You worry for our Queen," Missandei observed.

"Of course I do. Not just for safety out there, but... I fear for her mental state as well. After losing Viserion, Ser Jorah and the recent stings of betrayal..."

"Grey Worm will protect her, Lord Jaehaegon. She's overcome much more in Essos and came out unscathed."

"I hope you're right, Missandei. Oh wait, you never told me how you did it across the Narrow Sea."

"If you're curious, she bought me from my master at Astapor and set me free."

"You were a slave?"

She nodded. "I was stolen away from Naath by slavers."

"That's terrible."

"It's different here?"

"What? No! No, there is no slavery in Westeros. It's been illegal for thousands of years. Always has been even long before there were 'Seven Kingdoms'. Anyone caught selling people—even outlaws—into slavery or takes part in strictly forbidden, abhorrent practices in secret are a crime punishable by death."

"And some people live impoverished lives?"

"No one's perfect. That, and there are events that we don't see coming. So, we seek something—or someone—to believe in. I believe Dany can deliver on her promises."