There was a festive mood on the streets of Volantis. Long before Empress Daenerys returned to the Imperial Capital, news of her victories in the east had arrived. And the people loved victors.
The wide promenade that led from the east gate to the Black Wall was lined with cheering people. Hundreds of the Unsullied (most of them left behind in the occupied cities) marched in lockstep down the street to the city center. They all moved synchronously and precisely like clockwork - an impressive display of military power and discipline. Daenerys had sent the Dothraki back to their homeland, where they were on call. To the delight of the citizens, the ruler herself glided low over the roofs of the houses on Drogon.
Daenerys landed the dragon in front of the great gate of the Black Wall. Chancellor Paenymion and the other members of the government were already waiting for their empress there. Among them she discovered Illyrio Mopatis. She already knew from the Chancellor's letters that the Magister had agreed to serve as Imperial Chamberlain. She would talk to him later.
After being greeted by her ministers and receiving their congratulations, she appointed Grey Worm Field Marshal of the Imperial Army in front of the assembled troops. Then Daenerys went to the palace. She finally wanted to see her children again. She chatted with Kinvara on the way. The high priestess had a twinkle in her eyes, like someone who has a sweet secret and can hardly wait to reveal it.
"What's going on, Kinvara?", Daenerys asked. "You have news for me, I'll see that."
"You saw through me, Daenerys", Kinvara smiled. "But if I say now what I want to show you, you would not believe me. You have to see it with your own eyes."
"Now you've made me curious", Daenerys giggled. "But first I want to see my sons."
"How nice to have you back, Imperial Majesty", Talisa greeted Daenerys as she entered the nursery. Even though the nursing period was over, the young woman continued to serve as a nanny.
"Hello, Talisa", replied the Empress and immediately looked around for Rhaegar and Viserys. The two boys crawled around on the floor and played with brightly colored wooden blocks.
"Mom?", said Rhaegar.
Daenerys crouched down and patted the older of the twins' head. "Yes, mom is back. Viserys, come here."
The younger brother crawled up a little hesitantly. "Mom!", he chuckled.
Daenerys picked up Viserys with a blissful smile. "I've been away way too long", she said to Talisa. She had just heard her sons speak for the first time! How good that she wouldn't have to leave the capital for the foreseeable future. She made a firm resolve to spend as much time with her children as her imperial duties would allow.
"What did you want to show me now, Kinvara?", Daenerys asked a little later as they walked through the hallways of the palace.
"Just follow me", replied the high priestess. She led the Empress upstairs. The higher they went, the warmer it got. Finally they came to a loft room that was apparently used as a storage room. And in an open box lined with straw were ... dragon eggs, five in number. Their size and flaky surface left no doubt. They were all different colors: sapphire blue, cyan, emerald green, golden red and silver.
Daenerys was speechless. All she could do was stare at the box.
"We found it on the Black Wall after you left for Meereen", Kinvara said. "You know that Drogon has chosen the top of the wall as his favorite sleeping place..."
"But...", whispered the Empress. "How is that possible? When Drogon has laid the eggs... "
"Daenerys, you should know that dragons have no unique gender. I believe Drogon was fertilized by Rhaegal before he died."
Daenerys shook her head. "I would never have expected something like this ... But why wasn't I informed about the eggs immediately?"
"I thought it would be in your interests if as few as possible knew about it. Only me and a handful of tiger cloaks - who came to me directly after the eggs were found - know. If I had sent you a message, the information could have fallen into the wrong hands."
"You are right", said the Empress thoughtfully. "At the latest when the chicks hatch, it will no longer be hidden, but until then I'd really like to keep it a secret. The soldiers who found the eggs ... are they trustworthy?"
"Each of them would give his life for you without hesitation", assured Kinvara. "I've arranged it so that they do duty here in the palace and take care of the eggs unobtrusively."
Daenerys nodded, her heart pounding with excitement as she realized what Drogon's unexpected gift would mean for the future: her children and their children would be dragonriders, like the Targaryens in the old days. Like the ancient dragonlords. Valyria would truly return.
"I am glad that you have agreed to become my Imperial Chamberlain, Illyrio."
The fat man from Pentos leaned back a little in his chair. He and the Empress sat alone in his study. "I'm honoured. Originally I should have been Master of coin in the Seven Kingdoms, but ... "He shrugged his shoulders. "Fate just wanted it differently."
Daenerys suppressed the urge to grimace. Fate. It really had caused her enough pain.
"As for your old friend Varys", she grabbed the bull by the horns, "I hope that you will not hold his death against me."
Illyrio Mopatis sighed. "Your Imperial Majesty, I do not want to offend your intelligence by saying that I am not saddened by Varys' death. But since he betrayed you, you had to kill him. I understand that. I also understand what will happen if I should betray you."
"I appreciate your openness", said the Empress with a narrow smile. "So we understand each other. Let's get down to business. I heard the Westerosi are willing to trade with us."
"Yes, indeed," said Illyrio. "Both the North and the Six Kingdoms are particularly interested in our grain surpluses."
"Please consider that we have to keep enough ourselves to feed the population and the army. We need reserves."
"Of course, your Majesty. The abolition of slavery has unfortunately thrown our economy out of sync, but the former slaves need work and bread. In the long term, there will be no shortage of workers. Only the changeover takes time."
"And what about the treasury?"
"Fortunately, the Triarches left a full treasury. The booty from the conquered cities is not bad either... However, the expansion of the army and the fleet you ordered is costly to us."
"A necessary investment", clarified the Empress. "The Free Cities are still quarreling with each other, but what if they ally against the Empire? Drogon cannot be everywhere at the same time." Besides, Daenerys would need a superior force when the day finally came to settle accounts with the Westerosi. She was still forced to wait, but she was already dreaming of her troops pouring over Westeros like a black tide. How all those who betrayed her died in Drogon's fiery breath. How Dany would take what was due to her. With fire and blood.
"Since we're talking about money...", said Illyrio. "I wanted to show you something." He held out a newly minted gold coin to the Empress. On one side was the Targaryen emblem, on the other Daenerys' head in profile. The quality of the embossing was so high that you could see individual strands in the braided hair of the empress. "Daenerys Targaryen I", was written in capital letters around the head.
"It's beautiful", said the Empress, delighted.
"With your permission, Majesty, we are introducing a new single currency for the entire Empire: the Imperial gold crown." Mopatis looked expectantly at Daenerys. "Do you like that?"
"Oh yes, Illyrio." She smiled at him. "I should have come up with this idea on my own, but my head is so full of other things..."
"That's what you have me for, Doniphos and the others, Your Majesty. Nobody can rule an empire all alone. By the way, I also thought that we should introduce uniform weights and measures... "
Daenerys listened patiently to the chamberlain. Later she would have a conversation with Dimazza Yhae, who she had appointed Secretary of State for Intelligence. It was going to be a long day again.
The weeks that followed were busy but also satisfying for Daenerys. The gigantic machinery that made up her empire still had some flaws that needed to be fixed. But the situation developed positively in all areas: the economy and trade picked up again, the coming harvest promised rich yields, the training of new recruits for the Imperial Army was in full swing, new war and merchant ships were being built nonstop in the shipyards, and the bureaucratic apparatus proved to be functional. From the more distant parts of the empire there were no reports of problems, although of course it took time for news to reach Volantis from there.
For today, however, Daenerys had taken time off, because it was the first name day of her twins. It was also the anniversary of the Triarches' failed attempt to destroy the Red Temple. In a few days there was also the anniversary of the proclamation of the New Valyrian Empire, which the Empress intended to celebrate with a large military parade.
Here and now, however, Daenerys only had eyes for her sons, who happily crawled around on the floor of the nursery. They had even tried to walk. The Empress had sent Talisa out to be alone with her children. Azzo and Ezzo stood guard outside the door.
While Rhaegar played with building blocks, Viserys fiddled around with a painted wooden ball - one of the presents for the twins. Out of the corner of her eye, Daenerys saw the ball suddenly open. Alarmed, she turned around and saw to her horror how a green, scorpion-like insect crawled out of the sphere. A manticore!
With a cry she leapt towards Viserys, dragged the child, who was screaming in horror, away - and the manticore darted towards them. Without thinking, the Empress hit the deadly insect with her bare hands - and managed to crush it! But before that, she received a stab in the left hand.
The door to the room was thrown open and the two bloodriders ran in, followed by Talisa. Daenerys' vision blurred and she collapsed. Her left arm was in terrible pain and it quickly spread.
"Majesty! Are you injured ?!", she heard the nanny call, then saw and heard nothing more.