I finally finished this chapter😭
I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. I'll try to finish the rest of Season 3 as soon as I can.
"And so he spoke~ And so he spoke, that Lord of Castamere~ But now the rains weep o'er his hall and not a soul to hear~"
Rhaenys turned around in the direction where the voice appeared to be coming from. "Who's there?"
Despite being in her nightgown inside a large hall made of grey stone, the architecture following the aesthetic of Westeros rather than of Essos, Rhaenys didn't seem to find anything wrong with her situation. Only that soft yet eerie voice had startled her.
Rhaenys turned in circles while standing in the same place, searching everywhere for the owner of the voice, but other than her, there was no one else in the hall.
There were no doors to go in or out, or windows on the walls. The only sources of light were the flickering candles, but their effect was minimal, making the grey hall appear even darker.
"Lord Eddard Stark said that the lone wolf dies while the pack survives. Say, what is a lone young wolf meant to do while being surrounded by enemies so far away from home? Its pack is gone. The woods where it roamed are gone. What a poor wolf. Don't you think so as well, little dragon who grew up in the North?"
Rhaenys took a step back, nearly falling back as her bare feet stepped on a pool of water on the floor. Rhaenys steadied herself and looked down, moving her feet away from the water so that she wouldn't fall again. As she did, wet footprints formed on the floor.
Except, the more Rhaenys looked at the water that had suddenly spread all over the floor, the more she realized what it actually was. The candles continued flickering, barely reflecting the dark crimson that had stained the stone floor.
The liquid on the floor wasn't water. It was blood. The blood of who knows how many people for it to have spread like this, forming pools all across the room.
The pools were like lakes and they were all connected by smudged tendrils that were like thin rivers. Rhaenys followed the direction from where the blood was flowing with her eyes.
At the very end, in a spot that was previously empty, a woman suddenly appeared. She wore a long, pure white dress with long sleeves. The skirt flowed behind her. Her face was impossible to see as she wore a thick veil that hid her head and hair, reaching past her chest.
The dress would have been beautiful despite the lack of detail if it weren't for the blood staining it.
The bride tilted her head to the side, the veil following her movements. "Well? What do you think, little dragon? What will be of the young wolf without its pack? I think... it will die."
Rhaenys snapped her eyes open. As her sight adjusted to the darkness around her, she recognized the ceiling as that of the tent where she slept. She wasn't inside that stone hall anymore.
Rhaenys tried to regain her breathing as she focused on what she had seen, trying to remember any details that could help her understand what it meant.
It was only when Rhaenys felt a cold touch on her hand that her mind stopped running. She lowered her sight, finding Lady with her head lying on the bed, her snout touching Rhaenys's hand and soft whines coming out.
"I'm sorry. Did I wake you as well?" Rhaenys moved to sit on the edge of the bed and stroked Lady's furry head. The fur was kind of thick despite it having been shaved just a couple of days ago. It seemed like it would have to be trimmed again to avoid the direwolves getting too hot in the climate of Essos.
There was no way Lady could respond to the inquiry. She kept her eyes directed at Rhaenys with what looked like a frown forming in between.
Rhaenys couldn't help but smile, raising her head when she saw Nymeria approaching as well. "It was just another nightmare. I'm fine. Well, not as fine as them, but..."
As if understanding, the two direwolves looked in the same direction as Rhaenys. Despite the noise and movement close to them, the four dragons were slumbering away with no signs of stirring awake any time soon. They curled around one another, their growing bodies preventing them from sleeping in the bed any longer.
In this short time, they had already gotten close to reaching Rhaenys's height. The most surprising one was Aegal. He was originally the smallest in comparison to its siblings but now it was showing signs of catching up to Rhaegal who was the largest from the beginning. Soon, they wouldn't even fit inside the tent.
"Am I spoiling them too much, by any chance? They have no sense of their surroundings."
Nymeria snorted, silently agreeing with that statement.
"Your Grace?"
Rhaenys looked toward the division that separated the inner and outer rooms of the tent. "Yes, Ser Barristan. Something the matter?"
"No, I'm sorry. I heard voices and came to check. Is everything all right, Your Grace?" Ser Barristan never entered the inner room as he spoke. It was only when Rhaenys called him in after she had put on a robe over her nightgown that Ser Barristan stepped inside.
Ser Barristan wrinkled his brows, "Another nightmare, Your Grace?"
"I'm afraid so. This time it was a bride covered in blood inside a dark hall. What a great premonition to have at such a time." The sarcasm in Rhaenys's voice wasn't hard to detect.
Maybe at any other time, it wouldn't have been so bad, but how many brides were entering a bad marriage at this time? Not counting the people Rhaenys knew, there was even the little lady of House Hayford who had become the head of her House in the same year she was born. Right now, she had barely turned two years old, and Tywin had already found a husband for her.
Though, "The bride in my dream kept saying something about a young wolf who was alone without its pack."
"Then, it might have been referring to Lady Sansa. The poor girl is surrounded by enemies and from what I remember, she wasn't the best at differentiating friend from foe."
"Let's just hope our friends are able to keep her out of trouble. At least until it's safe to sneak her out of King's Landing when we return."
"I don't know about the others, but Tywin Lannister won't allow her to be seriously harmed unless she has given birth to a healthy son through whom he can control the North. If Tywin wants something, they will all do as he wishes."
Rhaenys curtly nodded, "You knew him for a long time, didn't you?"
"He was your grandfather's Hand and I was Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. Not only did we serve the same King, but before Robert changed it, my position entitled me to a seat in the Small Council. I had many chances to see Tywin Lannister in action. He is a ruthless man, Your Grace. Taking Westeros from him will not be easy."
"If it were easy, everyone would do it." Rhaenys stepped into the outer area with Ser Barristan. Just because she couldn't sleep didn't mean she had to disturb the little ones. "Is everything ready for tomorrow night?"
"Yes, Your Grace. Should we have... the one from the Second Sons join us?"
"Of course. We should see just how loyal he truly is to our cause. The earlier we find out the better."
To be honest, Ser Barristan wasn't particularly against the presence of this stranger. However, cautiousness still prevented him from not thinking the worst. "He's a frivolous man, but I don't feel he is a liar. At least not when it comes to this. However, the possibility still remains that he will tell the Wise Masters our plans. Without the two captains to share the reward with, he can obtain more gold for himself. And yet, I don't know why, but I do not suspect him."
Rhaenys slightly smiled as she looked at the conflicted man. "Your experience and instincts play a part. And his charisma plays another. You don't get an army of sellswords to fully support you in a coup against their leaders just by having a pretty face."
"I do suppose we shall find out soon enough."
"Aye. Let's hope we are not wrong about him. It would be a great shame. I quite like him." Rhaenys took a seat, placing her hands on top of her lap. "How are our guests faring in their cells?"
"The one named Prendahl na Ghezn has remained quiet. The other one, he has been more of a problem. Your Grace..." Ser Barristan cut himself off, not finishing his inquiry.
But even if he didn't, Rhaenys could sort of understand what he wanted to ask. Such a troublesome character like the Titan's Son was more trouble than he was worth. He didn't serve any purpose. Mero and Prendahl weren't hostages to keep the Second Sons in line or sources of information about Yunkai.
Getting rid of them from the very beginning would have been better, but... "I need something from them first, Ser Barristan. Until then, they stay alive."
Ser Barristan wasn't one to stick his nose in everything, so he didn't mention it further. "I understand, Your Grace. I'll have the men guarding them be even more careful."
"As long as they are breathing and their mouths work, I don't care about the rest."
"Yes, Your Grace."
– The Twins –
Grey and white banners with the heads of direwolves approached the large, symmetrical structure of the Twins. The tall towers on each side were practically identical, although the one in the south was where the main members of the family resided, including Walder Frey. The long bridge was a straight path with nothing in between.
The Northerners had not seen this sight since the beginning of the war. Now they had returned and for a wedding out of all things. There really were way too many wedding arrangements this year.
The southern gates were opened for the guests, and they were greeted by Ser Stevron Frey, the eldest of Walder Frey's sons, and Lothar Frey, who was also known as Lame Lothar because of his disabled leg. He was number twelve out of Lord Walder's 22 sons.
One was the heir to the Twins and the other was the chief steward in charge of everything inside the Keep. Nothing could be nitpicked about these two welcoming Robb and his army.
Robb dismounted his horse, still wearing a full plate of armor and his sword tied to his belt. He approached alongside Grey Wind, Ser Brynden aka the Blackfish, and Lord Edmure. "My lords."
"Your Grace, my lords. Our father has eagerly awaited your arrival these past few days. When he heard you were approaching, he moved to the main hall with the rest of the family." Ser Stevron was polite with his every word, lowering his head.
"We're sorry for making him wait." Having already offended the Freys, Robb's every action was even more polite than those of his hosts. "We should not make him wait any longer."
"Yes, we shouldn't." Ser Stevron motioned for them to follow him once he saw the rest of the main characters of the Northern-River army gather behind Robb, his smile growing wider.
As Robb took a step closer to follow him, Grey Wind beside him suddenly growled. The sides of his snout rose, showing his fangs. The fur on his back flared up and his claws dug into the ground.
Ser Stevron and Lothar stepped back, the latter immediately shouting, "Your Grace, what is the meaning of this?! Do you wish to start a fight right here?!"
"No, of course not." Robb didn't understand what had gotten into Grey Wind. Robb had never seen him act like this in front of others unless Robb had commanded him to. Robb kneeled beside him, trying to appease him. "Grey Wind, calm down now, boy."
Grey Wind seemed unable to hear him. He kept growling and barking, his reaction growing more intense.
Lothar kept moving back, his eyes not leaving the direwolf, afraid that as soon as he moved his sight, the beast would attack him and rip him apart. "Your Grace, we want to accommodate you, but if you cannot control your... companion, it must stay out here, locked in a kennel. We cannot risk it attacking someone and frightening Father. Surely, you would not want that either."
Robb hesitated, but he had no way to retort. It was true that Grey Wind was acting strange. He needed the Frey's army. Fighting against them now, and for a creature that the Freys saw as nothing but a wild beast, would only cause bigger offense.
Robb looked back at those with him, then down at Grey Wind, before rising and facing the Freys, "We'll do as you say. Let's find a comfortable place for him first."
After Grey Wind was locked up in a kennel, it kept whining and scratching at the ground. He was used to being free and this small space made him uncomfortable.
Robb kept glancing back at him, stopping himself countless times from running back and letting Grey Wind out. Talisa approached him, holding his hand within hers to comfort the man. Robb could only repeatedly remind himself that it would only be for a night. Then they could return to the road and things would get back on the right path.
Just as Robb and his retinue had been told, Walder Frey sat on his tall chair in the main hall. His newest wife, Lady Joyeuse of House Erenford, a 17-year-old girl, was standing to his left. It seemed like the Noble Houses had finally stopped sending ladies from their families to marry the old bastard and Lord Walder could only make do with the child of one of the Vassal Houses under him.
To the left and right of the room were chairs on top of a platform with a wooden fence encasing it, leaving a space on each side for people to go in and out. It was like a jury box of some kind. And it was in there that Lord Walder's sons and grandsons were sitting. There were so many of them that some were sitting on the two steps to reach the platform. The daughters and granddaughters still living in the Twins were standing on each side of Lord Walder.
Two of the younger grandsons went around the hall with a plate with torn pieces of bread and another with salt. One of the boys brought the plates to the Freys while the other took them to Robb's group.
No one had to ask what it was as they all knew. They grabbed a piece of bread and put it on the salt before eating it, invoking the guest right. Now, Robb and his people were under the Freys' protection. Neither could Robb's group do anything to harm the Freys nor could the Freys do anything to harm them. Or at least so did the customs say.
The plates went to Walder Frey last. Before the plates reached him, he mechanically said all the words he should for the occasion. "My honored guests, be welcome within my walls and at my table. I extend to you my hospitality and protection in the light of the Seven."
"We thank you for your hospitality, my lord." Robb watched the man eat his own bread covered in salt and not say anything else. Robb knew it was his turn, so he took a step forward, increasing the volume of his voice. "I have come to make my apologies, my lord, and to beg your forgiveness."
"Don't beg my forgiveness, Your Grace. It wasn't me you spurned. It was my girls." Lord Walder lifted his hands and motioned for the girls to go forward.
They all kept their heads lowered, their hair which was tangled and unbrushed, not forming any hairstyle and just falling freely down their backs and over their shoulders, covered most of their faces. Their clothes were nothing special, being no different from what any servant girl would wear. Or rather, it was something that not even servant girls would wear in the South as their appearance also represented the ladies and lords they served.
But this was just the normal attire of the members of House Frey. The men and boys in the family were not dressed any better and some had clothes that didn't even fit them.
The girls formed two lines to each side, standing shoulder to shoulder, while leaving a space in between for Robb to be able to see Lord Walder still. Lord Edmure wasted no time in looking at each one of them, wondering which one was the Lady Roslin he would be marrying tonight. He couldn't say he found any of these ladies particularly pleasing to the eye.
"One of them was supposed to be queen. Now none of them are." Lord Walder pointed at each one, beginning up the line to Robb's right. Each time he introduced one, the girl would lift her head before lowering it again. "This is Arwyn, my daughter. My daughter Walda, my daughter Derwa, my daughter Waldra. My eldest granddaughters Ginia and Neila. Serra and Sarra, granddaughters, twins. You could have had either. Could have had both, for all I care. My granddaughter Marianne. My granddaughter Freya. My granddaughter..."
The girl before last on the line furrowed her brows, knowing her grandfather had forgotten her name again. It wasn't like this was the first time.
Still, Lord Walder at least "tried" to remember, saying a bunch of names one after the other that began with W. "...Wertha. W... Waldra. Waldina."
The girl shook her head each time. In the end, she just directly introduced herself. There was no point in waiting for him to remember. "I'm Merry."
In his defense, a whole bunch of his grandchildren had been given a name that was a variation of his own. It gets confusing at some point. "Fine. And here's my youngest daughter, Shirei, though she hasn't bled yet. Clearly, you don't have the patience for all that."
Each time he said a name, Lord Edmure looked at the girl. He was wondering which one was Roslin but by the end, he didn't hear anyone being called by that name. It made him both relieved, since he found all the girls kind of too young or too old, and too ugly, and it also made him worry further. Just how terrifying was Roslin that Lord Walder hadn't brought her here to scare him away?
The girl at the end of the line was but a child, not even reaching Robb's waist. Robb nodded at her, then faced each one of the girls, one by one. "My ladies. All men should keep their word, kings most of all. I was pledged to marry one of you and I broke that vow. The fault is not with you. Any man would be lucky to have any one of you. I did what I did not to slight you, but because I loved another. I know these words cannot set right the wrong I have done to you and your House. I beg your forgiveness and pledge to do all I can to make amends so the Freys of the Crossing and the Starks of Winterfell may once again be friends."
Lord Walder clapped his hands, the sound coming out muffled because of the fingerless gloves he wore. His daughters and granddaughters said nothing, all of them walking back to stand by Lord Walder like before.
"Very good." Lord Walder furrowed his brows, looking directly at Talisa, the woman Robb had broken his pledge for. "There she is. Come closer. Let me have a look at you."
Talisa took a short couple of steps, still remaining close to Robb.
Lord Walder leaned forward on his chair, "Still can't see you. Old eyes."
Talisa looked back at Robb, only moving when he nodded at her comfortingly. Talisa proceeded to stand in the center of the hall, keeping her hands underneath her blue coat. Once she had drawn closer, she nodded at Lord Walder.
Lord Walder grinned, lying against the backrest of his throne, "Love. That's what the Starks of Winterfell call it, eh? Very honorable. I call it a pretty face. Mmm. Very pretty. Prettier than this lot, that's for sure. Very shapely as well. Oh, you try to hide her under that dress. If you wanted to hide her, you shouldn't have brought her here in the first place. I can always see what's going on beneath a dress. Been at this a long time. I bet when you take that dress off, everything stays right where it is. Doesn't drop an inch. Your king says he betrayed me for love. I say he betrayed me for firm tits and a tight fit."
Robb couldn't take it anymore and opened his mouth, taking a step forward. Lady Catelyn reacted faster than him, moving her arm to stop her son.
Lord Walder might have known he was going too far as he quickly raised a hand, changing the tone of his voice. "And I respect that. When I was your age, I'd have broken 50 oaths to get into that without a second thought. Well, I've enough room in the hall for you lot. We'll set up tents outside with food and ale for the rest of your men."
Talisa went back, standing to Catelyn's left. Robb who was to his mother's right, ground his teeth, needing to take in a deep breath to not punch the old man. "Thank you, my lord."
"Well, let's get ready." Lord Walder stood up from his chair, clapping his hands once. "The wine will flow red, and the music will play loud, and we'll put this mess behind us."
– Yunkai –
Rhaenys walked toward a long table in the middle of the tent. There was gravel directly underneath as no tapestry had been placed on the floor.
To the right of the table were Daenerys, Ser Jorah, Gabriel, and Aeron, and to the left were Ser Barristan, Missandei, Grey Worm, and Qoren. And at the other end, facing Rhaenys, was Daario Naharis.
Rhaenys pressed her hands against the surface of the table. "Shall we begin?"
Daario Naharis was the first to speak. "Just as you asked, I had my men act like before. The Wise Masters sent a messenger today to ask when we would make a move against you. I told them we were scouting the terrain and planned to assassinate you quietly. They only needed to wait."
"Good. That should keep them still. At least for tonight."
Daario Naharis lifted a brow. Today was the first official day of their cooperation and he still didn't know anything about what Rhaenys's plans were.
The one thing he did know was that from the get-go, Rhaenys and her people hadn't appeared particularly concerned about having to siege a stronghold like Yunkai.
Of the three cities to the east of Slaver's Bay, Astapor had the weakest walls but the strongest soldiers, albeit they were all Unsullied, and Mereen had the strongest walls and naval force but not much of an army.
Yunkai was somewhat in between. It had the largest port but no naval prowess and its whole military force was composed of 5,000 slave soldiers that couldn't come close to the Unsullied but could still stand its ground against other armies.
However, although not as thick and tall as Meereen's, Yunkai's walls were still no joking matter. Without any siege weapons and a supply chain to keep the army fed, it was already hard enough to penetrate the city. And Rhaenys had neither.
But from what she had just said, Daario Naharis could at least tell that she planned on attacking tonight.
Rhaenys didn't keep him in suspense and nodded to Aeron. The man turned away from the table and once he returned, he spread a long scroll that had the blueprints of a city.
Daario Naharis narrowed his eyes, leaning forward to better see the blueprint. He wasn't familiar enough to be able to distinguish which city the blueprint belonged to, but for it to be shown at this time, it could only mean one thing. "How did you manage to obtain this?"
It wasn't a simple map of the overall structure of the city and its surroundings. If it were, he wouldn't be so surprised. This was a detailed map of every structure within the city of Yunkai.
"A little bird dropped it." Rhaenys didn't explain anything further than that and nodded to Aeron.
"The city itself is built like a pyramid. The lower the level, the lower the status of the residents there. The main structures are two pyramids at the top that are connected." Aeron pointed at the two large pyramids that were shown in the center of the map. A tall structure between them connected the two pyramids, and surrounding them were walls that kept the pyramids separated from the rest of the city.
The rest of the city was composed of towers, stores, residences, and most importantly, brothels. Except for the two main pyramids, there weren't many others in the city and those that were built, were scattered and a much smaller size in comparison to the two in the center.
"The word is that the Wise Masters moved to the main pyramids with most of the soldiers. There are only about 500 of their slave soldiers patrolling the walls and the city with a few of their free soldiers."
"As soon as we make a move, the Wise Masters should try to escape. Heading for Meereen would be their best option then. Other than Astapor which is now in ruins, Meereen is the only city nearby." added Ser Jorah.
Rhaenys nodded, "Aye. And when the time comes, the only way they'll be able to get out is through here." Rhaenys traced her fingers over a long tunnel that went from the two pyramids in the center of Yunkai to outside the city walls. "Yunkai is filled with these underground tunnels. They're perfect for escaping. And they're also perfect for us to sneak in."
Aeron brought out another map and placed it over the first blueprint. This second blueprint was full of long tunnels that twisted in every direction. They all went from the two main pyramids in the center to various places in the city and there was a single long tunnel that led outside.
Rhaenys pointed at the only entrance and exit of the tunnel. It was outside of the city walls, to the northeast. "We've been guarding the exit since we found out about it. Still, we don't know exactly what the security will be like inside and how many men will be positioned there. But that is our best way in. There is a path that we can take that will lead us to the wall gates. A small number of us will sneak in and enter the city at night. Once we open the doors to Yunkai, the Unsullied and the Second Sons will march in. The only real opposing force we'll meet are the slave soldiers. We convince them to surrender, and there won't be a need for much bloodshed."
"Us?" Daario Naharis lifted a brow. It was rare for leaders to step directly onto the battlefield even if they knew how to use a sword. Although, he had yet to see Rhaenys fight.
Rhaenys slightly curled her lips upward. "Yes, us. You included. Uncle, I want you to remain outside the tunnel's exit. Capture anyone who comes out."
"Of course. Anyone who tries to escape, I shall chain them up for you. Whether it is those Wise Masters. Or anyone else." Gabriel grinned while he kept his arms crossed over his chest.
Daario Naharis understood the implication but didn't directly comment on it. "I thank you for your trust, Your Grace. I won't disappoint you."
"You should hope you don't. If you do, I'll make sure you die with us."
As if on cue, two soft growls came from the inner tent, and the cloth that made the division was parted, allowing two wolves that were nearly the size of a horse to pass through.
Lady and Nymeria slowly walked until they were to each side of Rhaenys. Rhaenys placed a hand on each of their heads and trailed her indigo orbs to Daario Naharis. "Even if I don't manage to do it myself, these two will ensure it."
"I appreciate the warning, Your Grace."
"Then let's hope for a happy cooperation. If everything goes according to plan, Yunkai will be ours by the morning."
They didn't disperse until much later as there were still many details that needed to be finalized. Only when everything was set did Rhaenys send the others away for everyone to start preparing for tonight.
Only Ser Barristan and Missandei were meant to remain. But it seemed like someone still had some matters to handle. "Is there something else, Daario Naharis?"
Ser Barristan took a step closer to Rhaenys, remaining right beside her. His actions didn't escape Daario Naharis's eyes. "Seems there is still much work for me to do to prove we're on the same side."
"Trust is earned with time. You're already halfway there, so don't get greedy." Rhaenys stepped away from the table and motioned to Ser Barristan and Missandei that there was no need to follow her.
Ser Barristan stepped back to Missandei's side while Daario Naharis drew closer to Rhaenys. Though not too close since Nymeria began growling as soon as he got within one meter of them.
Daario Naharis didn't move any nearer, but his eyes were filled with interest and a tad of fascination. "Are these... wolves?"
The only times he had seen beasts such as these ones were in markets. Although those were pelts and not living wolves, and because they were not creatures of Essos, they were rare and the prices were exorbitant. As far as he had heard, the only place where wolves could be captured nearby was in Westeros and those who were found hunting them would be severely punished.
Now, not so much. Because of the war, there was no one to bother with hunters. The chances of dying were still relatively large, however.
This was the first time Daario Naharis had seen a living wolf. "It seems like the wolf pelts sold in markets are from the younger ones. Your little friends are considerably larger."
Rhaenys placed her hand on Nymeria's head, stopping her from growling at Daario Naharis anymore, and guided them to the inner side of the tent. "They should be two years old by now, I believe."
"Only two?"
"They're not wolves, Daario Naharis. They're direwolves. Much rarer, and much stronger." Rhaenys tilted her head back to glance at the man before pushing the cloth that divided the inner tent from the outer area.
Inside, even rarer creatures were waiting. Edgon cracked his eyes open, barely moving his head, before lying down again to continue sleeping. The entrance of a new human into his territory didn't seem to be as important as his sleep.
Eliria was more curious. As if she was a direwolf herself, she began sniffing this unfamiliar human. Her snout was practically pressed against his skin and Daario Naharis could feel the considerable heat emanating from her.
He was a fearless man. That was something Daario Naharis had always been proud of. But right now, for the first time in his life, he was seeing dragons.
Direwolves were ferocious but their appearance was within the realms of normality, except for their exaggerated sizes. But dragons, dragons were something else entirely.
They were still growing but were already as tall as a person when they stretched their necks high. Their scales glowed under the light and the fire in their veins could be barely seen. Their eyes were like snakes but brighter and deadlier.
A person could imagine how they would react when they saw a dragon for the first time, but only after experiencing it would they be able to truly understand how terrifying it was. Your ingrained survival instincts would kick in, wishing nothing more than to escape from their presence.
Luckily, Eliria didn't linger for long around him and the other dragons didn't approach. Since their mother was present, they knew this person had been permitted to enter their nest. Unless he made a move or their mother commanded it, they wouldn't bother with the new guest.
Aegal was as sticky as ever. As soon as Rhaenys took a sit on the long couch, he forced his large figure beside her and pressed his head against her belly. Rhaegal and Eliria had at least begun to understand that they had grown too large for their mother to carry them anymore, so they would stay close but not demand more. As for Edgon, he was as lazy as a cat and was never the type to fight for attention. But Aegal, he still acted like a baby that couldn't comprehend a thing.
It was only after the little ones had calmed down that Rhaenys noticed that Daario Naharis was still frozen by the entrance. "You may come in. They won't bite you."
"Ha, easy for you to say." Still, he moved to a chair diagonal from Rhaenys. "So, this is why you are called the Mother of Dragons. I had wondered how much of it was true and how much an exaggeration. Why didn't you bring them out to our first meeting? Mero might have held his tongue more, then."
"I don't need them to frighten people for me. They will, whether I want it or not, but that is not their job or their purpose." Rhaenys ran her fingers through the hard scales on Aegal's neck. "Either way, I didn't want your former captain to hold his tongue. I wanted to see his true self, and then determine whether he could be an ally or a pest I needed to get rid of."
"And once you take Yunkai, what are your plans? Will we sail directly to Westeros?"
"First, we'll fortify Yunkai and organize the Unsullied. And your Second Sons. Then, we will sail to Westeros."
Daario Naharis glanced down at the growing yet still small dragons. "Seems you don't plan to wait for them to grow... It would sure make things easier."
"It would, but we don't have time. They would have been great companions on the battlefield and I wouldn't have minded fighting alongside them. When Aegon the Conqueror, alongside Rhaenys and Visenya Targaryen, took Westeros, they did so in the backs of dragons as well. They managed to make all the kingdoms submit, even the stubborn Northerns. They ruled the Seven Kingdoms... for less than 300 years. Even before dragons were gone, there were still countless who went against us. When we lost our dragons, House Targaryen became nothing. Dragons are powerful. They can make people fear and revere you. They can make people bend their knee and proclaim their loyalty. But they don't make the people love, respect, and accept you. They just make people fear you. I don't want to take Westeros and have it lost to another Usurper in another 300 years. What I want is to create a united and strong nation that can last thousands of years. An empire that rivals the Old Valyria."
Daario Naharis could see the light in her eyes. The light of the future she was able to visualize and the ambition of creating that future. "Then, we'll do that. Starting with Yunkai. Then Westeros. And whatever comes after that."