Chapter 27: True Allegiance!
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Thunder rang around Dragonstone the evening after Daenerys had settled back into her place of birth, it didn't take them long to settle back into the castle as they all stood in the War room, the table of Westeros in the centre while Daenerys looked over the balcony, watching the sceptical in front of her
Tyrion: On a night like this, you came into the world.
Tyrion stood at the head of the table while Grey Worm and Missandei stood either side of their Queen, Varys however stood at the complete opposite side of the table, looking to the other four in the room
Varys: I remember that storm. All the dog's in King's Landing howled through the night. I believe there was quite the Snow storm the night, your beloved Wolf was born also.
Daenerys glanced over her shoulder to them a little, every time she even thinks about Kenway, she can't help but smile, she is of course a little disappointed in him that he left with only a letter, which she is still yet to read, she's not sure why she can't read it, it's just every time she try's, she get's scared that it say's goodbye, she's not confident that she can handle that.
Daenerys: I'm not surprised. He was born to cause chaos.
She said looking back out to the Ocean covering as far as her eyes could see, Varys nodded a little in agreement with her as Tyrion gave a single huff of amusement, Kenway isn't the most subtle man they've met and has caused his fair share of trouble since they first got acquainted.
Daenerys: I wish I could remember it. I always thought this would be a homecoming. Doesn't feel like home.
She told her little prince they were home but the longer she's here it doesn't sit right, she knows her birth right and knows what she needs to do to get it and is prepared to do whatever it takes to make sure she sits on the Iron Throne.
Tyrion: We won't stay on Dragonstone for long.
Daenerys turned from the view and stepped towards the map of Westeros, beside Tyrion who is holding a cup of wine in his hand, Missandei and Grey Worm staying where they stood while Varys continued to stay at place towards the bottom of the table.
Daenerys: Good. Not so many lions
Daenerys replied to Tyrion then looking across the table to see only three lions standing at Kings Landing, everyone pretty much knows why but Varys was the one to inform the Mother of Dragons.
Varys: Cersei controls fewer than half the Seven Kingdoms. The lords of Westeros despise her. Also with the Black Wolf taking back the North, being officially crowned their King. Word is he even took back the Riverlands, Lord Frey and his army were found dead with only a single message. "Winter is here". Although Even before your arrival, they plotted against her. Now...
Daenerys was pleased to hear that Kenway didn't leave her for nothing and in the space of only a few months total of him being back in Westeros, the rest of his time away from her, he spent on the water, he's taken back his home and re claimed the North, greatly increasing her odds of sitting on the Iron Throne, like he promised he'd do.
Daenerys: ... They cry out for their true queen? They drink secret toasts to my health? People used to tell my brother that sort of thing, and he was stupid enough to believe them.
Daenerys had cut Varys off to make her own point as she walked around the table, stopping at the left side closest towards the fire, Tyrion moved to the head where she stood once before and watched her as she picked up a model of a Dragon.
Daenerys: If Viserys had three dragons and an army at his back, he'd have invaded King's Landing already.
Her thoughts seemed to be elsewhere as she pictured how easy it would be for her army to march North bound and take King's Landing before they even had chance to understand what's happening, Daenerys looked from the model of her dragon, then to the North of the map, where six Wolves sat, all huddled together, ready for instructions, she hopes Kenway has received her message by now and is on his way, she misses him.
Tyrion: Conquering Westeros would be easy for you, but you're not here to be the Queen of the Ashes.
Daenerys looked from the Wolves back to her Dragon as Tyrion's words seemed to compute with her, she toyed with the dragon a little longer before responding to her hand with a single response
Daenerys: No.
Daenerys put the Dragon back into it's place while looking at the map, Westeros is a big place, a large place filled with the enemies of the Lannister house, Daenerys needs to see, she doesn't need a fight to take back the Throne, just a little patients.
Tyrion: We can take the Seven Kingdoms without turning it into a slaughterhouse. If the great houses support you claim against Cersei, the game is won. With the Tyrell army and the Dornish on our side, we have powerful allies in the South.
Tyrion listed off as he actually meant Six Kingdom's, the North will remain it's own once Daenerys takes King' Landing, she owes Kenway that much for all he's already done for her, Daenerys though stood with her hands clasped before turning to Varys at the end of the table.
Daenerys: I never properly thanked you for that.
Varys actually seemed a little caught out by her praise and happily accepted it with his usual humble attitude directed towards the queen.
Varys: They joined our side, my queen, because they believe in you. Much like the Black Wolf does and continues to do.
Daenerys once again had something to smile about, she kind of enjoyed when people called him that as well, made him sound more powerful every time, almost like people fear him and the name, she never once thought Kenway hated being called it at one point.
Daenerys: You served my father, didn't you, Lord Varys?
Varys once again seemed a little caught off by her question but also saw where it was heading and spoke with truth to her question, it's either that or, well, he'd dread to think.
Varys: I did.
Tyrion looked between the two as Grey Worm and Missandei still stayed out of this, in the respective corners of the room, by the balcony still looking over to the storm brewing outside.
Daenerys: And then you served the man who overthrew him.
Tyrion looked to Daenerys with a curious gaze while Varys just seemed emotionless and answered her questions, almost as if he's on trial here.
Varys: I had a choice, Your Grace. Serve Robert Baratheon or face the headman's ax.
Daenerys still wasn't satisfied as she continued to question the eunuch, Varys didn't seem all that bothered, neither did Grey Worm of Missandei, maybe they should be a little.
Daenerys: But you didn't serve him long. You turned against him.
Daenerys seemed to just want to know if she can trust Varys the way she has been able to trust the others in her little circle, she does have a son to think about now, so she needs to be extra careful when it comes to trusting others.
Varys: Robert was an improvement on your father, to be sure. There have been few rulers in history as cruel as the Mad King. Robert was neither mad nor cruel, he simply had no interest in being king.
Varys spoke the truth, Robert was a good man, a good warrior but an awful leader, he should never have taken the crowd for his own and left it for another to claim, he lead the rebellion he did his duty, maybe someone else should have done theirs.
Daenerys: So, you took it upon yourself to find a better one.
Daenerys continued to berate Varys trying to make sure she knows where his loyalties lie, Tyrion however felt the need to jump to his friends aid here and spoke up drawing the attention of the Dragon Queen.
Tyrion: Your Grace. When I was ready to drink myself into a small coffin, Lord Varys told me about a queen in the east who...
Daenerys was clearly not in the mood to hear what had to be said by Tyrion and wanted to hear from Varys, alone and no one else, so she interrupted him turning back to he man who hears many whispers.
Daenerys: Before I came to power, you favoured my brother. All your spied, your little birds, did they tell you Viserys was cruel, stupid and weak? Would those qualities have made for a good king, in your learned opinion?
Varys took a deep breath as the queen wanted her answers, Tyrion didn't dare speak in his defence again as Varys held his forearms in his sleeves like he does most of the time, still willing to answer whatever she has to ask of him.
Varys: Until your marriage to Khal Drogo, Your Grace, I knew nothing about you, save your existence and that you were said to be beautiful.
Daenerys didn't seem to faze by the flattery and continued her bombardment of the man who arranged to have her killed, poisoned in the market as a matter of fact.
Daenerys: So, you and your friends traded me like a prized horse to the Dothraki.
Varys: Which you turned to your advantage.
Varys answered back instantly not ashamed of what they did, they did what they did and he has no way of changing it so why be ashamed of it, her next question was the one he was hoping she wouldn't have found out about which sent a layer of silence around the room.
Daenerys: Who gave the order to kill me?
That question, if had been asked when Kenway was here, might have ended with a man's life being taking away, instead she's dealing with it more politically then with a sword, Tyrion clearly had no idea this happened and looked from Daenerys to Varys a little hint of surprise in his eyes.
Varys: King Robert.
Varys answered back with a short silence, Daenerys needed to know more, so she asked again while approaching him still at the base of the table.
Daenerys: Who hired the assassins? Who sent word to Essos to murder Daenerys Targaryen?
She spoke while taking a step closure and closure to the man as he started to look a little nervous by what she'll do, Tyrion certainly is a little worried while Grey Worm and Missandei still stood out the way.
Varys: Your Grace, I did what had to be done to...
Daenerys wasn't interested in excuses and cut him off again, finishing what he was going to say for him before he could do it himself.
Daenerys: ... To keep yourself alive.
This time it wasn't Varys that spoke to her it was once again Tyrion who jumped to his friends defence, Daenerys didn't look away from Varys though while her hand spoke up.
Tyrion: Lord Varys has proven himself a loyal servant.
Daenerys did look away from the taller bald man, then to the small Imp she entrusted to advise her on her journey to the Iron Throne, this wasn't one of those times though.
Daenerys: Proven himself loyal? Quite the opposite. If he dislikes one monarch, he conspires to crown the next one. What kind of a servant is that?
Daenerys said towards Tyrion then turned back to Varys half way through clearly not pleased with the fact he tried to have her killed and has on more then one occasion, changed who he follows with the click of his fingers.
Varys: The kind the realm needs. Incompetence should not be rewarded with blind loyalty. As long as I have my eyes, I'll use them. I wasn't born into a great house. I came from nothing. I was sold as a slave, and carved up as an offering. When I was a child, I lived in alley, gutters, abandoned houses. You wish to know where my true loyalties lie? Not with any king or queen, but with the people. The people who suffer under despots and prosper under a just rule. The people whose hearts you aim to win...
Varys went off on his answer stunning the room into silence as the four of them listened to his words, even Daenerys was listening to ever word he was saying to her, taking them all in as he spoke.
Varys: ... If you demand blind allegiance, I respect your wishes. Grey Worm can behead me, possibly wait till the Black Wolf returns, or your dragons can devour me. But if you let me live, I will serve you well. I will dedicate myself to seeing you on the Iron Throne, because I choose you. Because I know that people have no better chance than you.
More silence followed his words as everyone took them in, Tyrion looked from Varys to Daenerys wondering what's to come next, even Grey Worm and Missandei looked intrigued by what's going on, watching like hawks from the corners of the room.
Daenerys: Swear this to me, Varys. If you ever think I'm failing the people, you won't conspire behind my back. You'll look me in the eye as you have done today, and you'll tell me how I'm failing them.
Daenerys made him swear his vow to her as this all seemed to be one long drafted test, one long way of getting to know if she can trust him as much as Tyrion says she can.
Varys: I swear it, my queen.
Daenerys stepped towards Varys, now standing only a few feet away from him, Tyrion and the other two continued to watch while keeping their silence as tonight has not exactly gone how they expected it to have.
Daenerys: And I swear this. If you ever betray me, I'll burn you alive.
It was a little tense for a second as an Unsullied soldier walked into the room and over to Grey Worm while Varys gave off a little smile with a huff of amusement.
Varys: I would expect nothing less from the Mother of Dragons.
Daenerys gave a small grin in return as the Unsullied man left the room leaving it back to the original five before he stepped in, Grey Worm had some news to tell their queen so he needed to interrupt the smiling stare down going on.
Grey Worm: Forgive me, my queen. A red priestess from Asshai has come to see you.
Daenerys and the others looked to him with confusion till they left the war room to see what she wants, meanwhile back at Winterfell, Kenway is on the balcony with Sansa, Jon and Davos, he decided to share with them the news about the Dragonglass waiting at Dragonstone as well as his invite to travel down there, he didn't show them that message though, that one's personal.
Sansa: You can't leave. Your their king.
Kenway is looking over the railing watching as men taught boys how to shoot a bow and arrow,, their a lot younger then he was when he started to learn, yes, he tried to teach himself when he was 4 but you can't really hold something bigger then you at that age.
Kenway: It has to be me...
Kenway was going to come up with some excuse about why he needs to be the one to go but before he could, Sansa jumped in, Kenway has relaxed a little since his therapy dream with the Night King, now he's confident in the Prophecy, not scared.
Sansa: Why? Why can't you send Jon? He knows more about the Walkers then any of us, he's the better choice.
Kenway sighed while leaning on the railing, Jon to his left also leaning but looking towards Davos and Sansa as they stood around a fire pit, Kenway wanted to tell them, but he can't, not yet anyway, not all of it.
Kenway: Okay, the reason it has to be me...
Kenway stood from the leaning position and turned to them, he's apologized for his mind-set over the past few days, his little one on one with the Night King really helped, they however just put it down to the pressure of being King getting to him, now he's more relaxed into the position.
Kenway: ... When I was missing, I was in Meereen. With her. She helped me get back to health and in return, she asked for the North's help in her claim to the Iron Throne.
Sansa didn't like the idea of Kenway going South to meet a Targaryen, the last time their ancestors did that, their Grandfather, Rickard Stark and Uncle, Brandon Stark were burnt by the Mad King, she doesn't want the same thing to happen to Kenway, who was quick to defend Daenerys before Sansa could put forward her worries.
Kenway: She's not like them, she freed slaves, brought peace to a place filled with misery. I know you don't trust her Sansa, but I'm not asking you to trust her, I am asking you to trust me. Please, she's different.
Sansa still wasn't too sure about it but and allow she actually couldn't stop him from leaving, she did have one last request, one that Kenway wasn't going to agree too.
Sansa: At least take Jon with you, that way I'll know you'll be safe.
Kenway waved it off, Jon's his heir, if they both go South and neither one comes back, then who will take over Winterfell, Rickon isn't ready and Sansa is way to emotionally unstable, Kenway's just mentally when it comes to the Night King, everything else, he's got in the bag.
Kenway: No. Jon will stay here and act as King Regent while I'm gone. I'll send for him if I need, I'll be taking Duncan and Elis with me.
Sansa was going to argue but Elis and Duncan are great swordsmen as well as Kenway, if they got into trouble, they'd be able to get out of it pretty easily, Sansa reluctantly agreed as did the Knights about joining their King on his voyage South, Kenway just hopes Dany will believe him when he starts talking about a dead King with an army of undead, it really doesn't sound all that realistic when you say it out loud...
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(To Be Continued)
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