The Age of Daenerys Targaryen

Part 8: Like a phoenix from the ashes

"The last trump card is Drogon," Daenerys said. "He feels it when I'm in danger. And think of the opportunity that presents itself."

The priestess nodded silently. Daenerys had informed her of the impending danger as soon as she returned from Vaes Dothrak. What unsettled Kinvara was the fact that neither she nor any other priest had seen anything in the flames that suggested the machinations of the Triarches. Of course, no divine signs were necessary to understand that Volantis 'rulers were not at all happy with the activities of the Red Priests. Still, the First Servant of the Lord of Light felt unaccustomed ... blind.

Inwardly she called herself to order. R'hllor had sent her Daenerys Stormborn and her dragon. It was through her that she had received a warning and the opportunity to turn the tables. Kinvara could hardly ask for more.

From the crowd of armed men, a man who looked like an official stepped out and stood in front of the temple portal. He said something Kinvara and Daenerys could not understand from the tower, but it was evident that he was demanding that the temple be handed over. The priest Kinvara had sent to the entrance as her spokesman would of course refuse the request.

And in fact, after a short time, the officer turned back, not without threateningly shaking his fist in the direction of the temple. A little later the first mercenaries advanced with a portable battering ram. Since there was a staircase in front of the entrance, they could not use heavy siege rams with a canopy.

The attackers were shot at with crossbow bolts from the windows and balconies. There were already the first dead. Shield-bearers rushed to cover the men carrying the battering ram. Other mercenaries returned the fire with bows and crossbows. The projectiles did not go up to Kinvara's window, however. Not yet.

Finally, the attackers reach the portal with the battering ram. Thereupon the crack of the ram's head, which knocked incessantly on the door leaves, echoed ominously through the temple.

After half an hour the inevitable happened and the gate gave way. Beyond it the Fiery Hand warriors were waiting with their spears. They were outnumbered ten times, but the cramped interior of the building helped them.

From time to time someone would come upstairs and report on the progress of the fight. The mercenaries gained ground, albeit with heavy losses. Soon the attackers controlled almost the entire first floor.

Suddenly there was a commotion outside. Somebody attacked the mercenary army.

"Now comes the decision", Daenerys said grimly. In advance, Kinvara had secretly informed the tiger cloaks, as the slave soldiers of the city guard were called, about the triarches' plans. Since most of them worshiped the Red God, some of them were certainly willing to turn against their masters - but how many?

In the dim light of the torches, Daenerys could see a large crowd stabbing the mercenaries in the back. It actually appeared to be tiger cloaks. Now the Dothraki also showed their true colors and joined the slave soldiers, just as Daenerys had ordered them to do in Vaes Dothrak.

But the attackers were still in the majority. They were veterans of the numerous wars the Free Cities waged ceaselessly against each other, and the Dothraki horsemen were not as effective in the limited space of Temple Square as they were in the open field.

The experienced mercenaries quickly recovered from the shock and took the initiative again. The reports Kinvara and Daenerys received from the lower floors became more and more worrying.

The Dragon Queen remembered the arena of Meereen and the attack by the Sons of the Harpy. She remembered how helpless she had felt then and how she had mentally pleaded for rescue. And salvation had come. Drogon had sensed his mother's distress and had rushed to her aid.

Daenerys closed her eyes and focused her thoughts on her dragon. She couldn't tell whether he noticed or not.

Time passed. The mercenaries pushed deeper and deeper into the temple and Daenerys' fear grew. Then at last she heard what she had been waiting for: a terrible roar tore through the night air. Drogon's huge black outline appeared out of nowhere over the temple square. A beam of flames was already bathing dozen mercenaries in deadly fire.

Now everything happened very quickly.

The mercenaries knew about the fate of the Golden Company in King's Landing. Mindful of this, the sudden appearance of the dragon robbed them of the will to fight. Whoever could withdraw did so. The others dropped their weapons and begged for mercy. In a matter of moments the tide was completely turned.

When the sun rose on the eastern horizon, all of Volantis, with the exception of the city center, which was surrounded by the Black Wall, was in the hands of the rebels. Crowds of now freed slaves had flocked to Temple Square to thank R'hllor. High Priestess Kinvara gave a short speech in front of the portal, which was received with loud cheers.

Then when the obviously pregnant woman who had been standing next to Kinvara pulled back her hood and revealed her silver hair, there was suddenly silence. Tens of thousands collectively held their breath when they realized who was standing before them. No one in the crowd had ever seen her before, but everyone knew her description from the stories that were circulating. And if there were any doubts, the dragon now crouching next to the temple entrance cleared them out.

"I'm Daenerys Stormborn from House Targaryen!" Called the Dragon Queen in a loud, clear voice. "You have all heard of me - and you have all heard the news of my death. The Lord of Light has brought me back to the living in His grace, because there is still something for me to do: End the time of slavery in Essos for good! " She took a deep breath. "But I can only do that if you want me to. You have to decide now; do you choose chains or freedom?"

For a moment there was still silence, then the crowd began, growing louder, to chant a single word: "Freedom!" The calls rolled like a roaring surf against the walls of the temple. Now the Dragon Queen knew that the city was hers. The Triarches might still hide behind their black wall, trembling with fear, but this could not protect them from Drogon.

Daenerys felt relieved of a burden. Finally the time of hiding was over. The news that she had risen from the ashes like the mythical phoenix would inexorably spread throughout the world. It would be many weeks before the news reached Westeros. Daenerys only regretted that she wouldn't be able to see the stupid faces of her "friends" there when they finally found out.

All of a sudden she felt a sharp stabbing in her abdomen. She would have fallen if her two bloodriders standing behind her hadn't supported her.

"Are you all right, Your Grace?", Kinvara asked worriedly.

"It's coming", Daenerys groaned as new waves of pain hit her. "The baby is coming!"