𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐅𝐓𝐘-𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 | Diplomacy

{ Coren }

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𝕮oren Thorne had never been known for his diplomacy. No, Coren Thorne was known for his threats and his actions. His words were not often used to talk others down from a fight, more to be used to urge them into one and he was good at it.

He was very good at it.

Except, this meeting, it was the one thing he had been warned not to do. His one talent was useless, and he was reminded that attacking a Master of another city would have them attacked.

"Remember. You are the prince consort. You are the mouthpiece of the queen." Tyrion whispered to him as they advanced towards the meeting room. "You cannot swear, you cannot cuss them out or threaten them with a dragon."

"I know how to conduct myself in diplomatic meetings, I am not a toddler." Coren hissed back, tightening his grip on his sword as he spoke. 

"Let me do most of the talking." Tyrion pleaded once more, as Coren rolled his eyes. Missandei hovered next to him, nodding her head slightly, causing Coren to relent. He did not know how they were planning to approach this, and he was unsure of the best road to take, that was true. But, he supposed, that Tyrion could handle this and Coren would step in if needs be.

"Fine."

"Thank you." Tyrion sighed in relief, as the doors opened ahead of them. There were three men in the room already, talking in hushed tones though it came to a stop at the sight of them. Coren sank down into the seat in the middle, Tyrion taking his right and Missandei taking his left. Varys and Grey Worm remained behind him, as he looked across at the men.

"I bought this dwarf for a single gold honour. And somehow you've risen to the top of the Great Pyramid of Mereen. It's most impressive." If this was how the meeting was going to go, then Coren was going to die of boredom.

"And now you speak for the good Masters of Astapor. Here's to reversals of fortune." Coren tried not to move, already disliking being away from his daughter for however long this meeting was going to take.

"We came here to meet the Queen and instead we are greeted with her personal guard, a dwarf and a eunuch."

"You speak to the prince consort. Just like us, he has also gone up in the world." Tyrion smiled, as Coren fought the urge to roll his eyes. He did not like this. 

"Let's make this simple." Coren cut them off. He would be more than happy to kill all three of them and keep killing masters until they sent new, more cooperative ones. "Tell me what you want."

"We do not speak to common boys playing at power."

"I am a lord in my own right and the queen's spokesperson, you will speak to me either way." Coren smiled. "What do you want?"

"We want you to leave Slaver's Bay." They said it as if it were simple. "Take your dragons and your mercenaries and go."

"Queen Daenerys won't stay in Mereen forever." Tyrion held out a placating hand towards Coren. "Her path takes her westward."

"When we last met, I offered her ships so she could return to Westeros where she belongs." Coren knew that he recognised this man. They had met three years earlier, before Coren and Daenerys had begun to admit their feelings to one another and they had stolen his gold. "She refused them."

"She refused them because hundreds of thousands of men, women and children still lived in chains." Missandei voiced her opinion quickly, as Coren hummed in agreement.

"As they have since the dawn of time."

"Not anymore." Grey Worm corrected.

"You think you're a free man now?" The one who paced like a trapped animal spun. "You still follow orders. Just because your master has silver hair and tits doesn't mean she's not a master."

"Careful." Coren warned. "You speak of the queen. My hospitality has extended so far, do not make me rescind it."

"Friends, friends, friends, please." Tyrion shot Coren a glare, but the man merely cocked an eyebrow. He did not care if he had upset them, or angered them. They spoke of his wife, and Coren would take the tongue of the next man who said something about her in that way. "There have always been those with wealth and power and those with nothing. That is the way of the world. I'm not here to change the way of the world."

"Slavery is the way of our world." It would be a world destroyed should Daenerys get her hands on them.

"You don't need slaves to make money. There haven't been slaves in Westeros for hundreds of years and I grew up richer than any of you." Coren huffed at Tyrion's words, leaning back to listen to whatever mad plan he had. "But our queen recognises that she erred by abolishing slavery without providing a new system to replace it. So here is the queen's proposal. Slavery will never return to Mereen but she will give the other cities of Slaver's Bay time to adjust to the new order."

Coren fought to keep the surprise from his face. What game was Tyrion playing? Daenerys would never agree to that, and would never wish for this. Her idea had always been to abolish slavery as best she could, not let them continue it whilst she ruled.

"What does that mean?"

"Instead of abolishing slavery overnight, we will give you seven years to end the practice." The masters all looked at each other as Coren turned to Missandei, furrowing his eyebrows. She huffed, before holding out a hand in a manner meant to calm. "Slaveholders will be compensated for their losses, of course, at fair prices. In exchange, you will cut off your support for the Sons of the Harpy."

"We do not support the Sons of the Harpy."

"Fine, fine, but you will cut it off all the same. I do hope you accept my friends." Tyrion smiled, as Coren's temper grew. Grey Worm looked as if he wished to say something, but Coren shook his head slightly. "You will not receive a better offer."

The Lannister picked a bell up, ringing it.

"Let us sail on the tide of freedom instead of being drowned by it. And as a parting gift to our honoured guest..." Three women entered, sitting on the lap of one of the master's each as Coren's anger boiled. "Give freedom a chance. See if it doesn't taste every bit as good as what came before."

"There are representatives of the common people waiting to speak with you." A guard appeared, whispering in Coren's ear as he stood with a nod. Missandei and Grey Worm were on his heels in an instance as he headed for the halls.

"I wish one of you might have given me a warning of the direction the talks were going." Coren muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"I did not know it was that direction. I knew that we were giving them a choice." Missandei replied.

"I was hoping that choice was do as I say or I will kill you." Coren sighed, as Tyrion called his name, hurrying to catch up. Coren hummed, emerging into the audience chamber and starting down the stairs. 

"You met with the slavers today." Was spat at Coren as he did. They knew of him, of his lack of knowledge of Valyrian, and Coren bowed his head at their kindness of speaking in the Common Tongue.

"I did."

"Our brothers and sisters died fighting these scum. Now you invite them to our city and drink wine with them." Both men stood in front of him as Coren nodded his head, thinking of how to respond. "You let a stranger represent Mereen in these talks with our enemies?"

"Our queen chose me as her advisor." Tyrion spoke up. "Until she returns from her travels..."

"When does she return?"

"Soon." Tyrion promised, as Coren rolled his eyes. They should not be making promises that they could not abide by. "You have my word."

"We don't know you. We don't trust you." The men spat, before turning their sights on Coren and Grey Worm. "We know Torgo Nudho. We know Coren of Westeros. We fight with them against the Masters. We trust them."

"And that is why they were part of these negotiations." Tyrion agreed. "They know how to defeat slavers and when it is time to make peace."

Tyrion needed to learn the art of keeping quiet it would seem.

"You have made peace with the slavers?"

"Terms were offered." Coren held a hand out as Valyrian was rattled off between Grey Worm, Missandei and the men. When they came to the end, Coren turned back to the men. "Trust that we are working in the city, the people and the queen's best interest. If you do not take his word, then take mine."

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"Should you ever catch me off guard like that again, I will refuse to let you help until Daenerys has returned." Coren looked down at Tyrion. He knew that Grey Worm and Missandei had already said their peace to the man, but Coren needed to reiterate the point. This was not Tyrion's rule or his kingdom. This was Daenerys' and Coren did not wish for any harm to befall it, not whilst she was not here.

Least of all, he did not want harm to befall their daughter, who would be the first casualty that the Masters aimed to take, to either kill or enslave. Either option horrified Coren.

As if thinking the same thing, Rhaenerys hand tightened around his leg. She was leaning into her father's side, dressed in clean clothes with damp hair. Her fever was slowly, but surely starting to go down, but Coren was still going to take her to see Falkor just to be on the safe side. It seemed that being with the dragon calmed her, and healed her, and it eased Coren's nerves too.

"It was the best possible course. Nothing can be solved in a day."

"You are right. But you give them an inch, they will take a mile." Coren shook his head. "You know Westerosi politics, with Westerosi men, who you can trust will do whatever it is that they do. These men are not the same as the ones in Westeros. I have grown up around them, seen what they do to people and how they do it. They will not do what you expect them to do."

"I have had similar warnings from Grey Worm. You are cheerful people." Tyrion shook his head. "They will underestimate us."

"I hope you are right." Coren agreed as Rhaenerys peered around him to look across at the Lannister. "But if you fail to inform me of something like this again, there will be consequences and I will make sure of it."

"Of course Your Grace." Tyrion nodded, before disappearing as Coren watched him go. He huffed for a moment, before crouching by his daughter. 

"Yes?"

"Falkor?" Rhaenerys was clutching onto her toy horse that Coren had carved her. "Can we go now?"

"Aye, we can go now." He kissed her head, before patting her back. If Tyrion's plan went wrong, then Coren was worried that Rhaenerys would be the first to be punished for it.

Hiya,

So, Coren is annoyed at being left out of the loop but also just wants to murder everyone so is a terrible diplomat. Love that for him. Rhae is such a cutie, and I can't wait for a mother daughter reunion if I'm honest. I'm hoping that it's soon. But yeah, that's the chapter, hope it's alright.

Let me know what you think,

Love Li xx