Artos Stark

Walk of Punishment

'The Walk of Punishment is a warning, Your Grace.'' Jorah said once he noticed the look on Dany's face. Every ten feet was a man tied up in the blistering sun. They smelt of burnt and dying flesh.
''To whom?'' She asked him in disgust.
''To any slave who contemplates doing whatever these slaves did.'' He told her. Dany glared at a couple tugging along a slave.
''Give me your water.'' She said holding her hand out to Jorah.
''Khaleesi, this man has been sentenced to death.'' Jorah said handing it to her. She walked up to the bloody man who refused to drink.
''Leave this place, Your Grace. Leave tonight, I beg you.'' Barristan said standing next to Artos who watched her carefully.
''And what is she to do for soldiers?'' Jorah asked him. Dany looked down at them, she looked tired.
''We can find sellswords in Pentos and Myr.'' Barristan said watching as Artos walked up to the steps and offer her his hand. He was an old man and he knew plenty well that he and Cersei had been together. He also wasn't blind, he knew Artos had loved her and that Cersei had loved him in the only ways she could. But with Daenerys, it was purer than that. Artos was gentle and inventive, he was patient and kind. He remembered having a conversation with Ned about him. He had said not a woman in this world could hold Artos in one spot. Barristan was just sad Ned wasn't here to see how wrong he was.
''Is it 'we' already, Ser Barristan?'' Jorah asked him in a defensive tone.
''If you want to sit on the throne your ancestors built, you must win it.'' Jorah said watching Artos closely as Dany held his hand descending the stairs.
''That will mean blood on your hands before the thing is done.'' He finished taking the water skin from her.
''The blood of my enemies, no the blood of innocents.'' She told him pulling Artos away. The two older men followed shortly after.
"How many wars have you fought in, Ser Barristan?'' Jorah asked him.
''Three.'' Barristan said looking out over the sea.
''Have you ever seen a war where innocents didn't die by the thousands?'' Jorah asked him in the hope Daenerys would see his point. Barristan thought for a second before shaking his head no.
''I was in King's Landing after the sack, Khaleesi. You know what I saw? Butchery. Babies, children, old men. More women raped than you can count. There's a beast in every man and it stirs when you put a sword in his hand. But the Unsullied are not men. They do not rape. They do not put cities to the sword unless they're ordered to do so. If you buy them, the only men they'll kill are those you want dead.'' Jorah told her.
''Do you disagree, Ser Barristan?'' Daenerys asked him looking up at Artos's face. He didn't give much away through his expression.
''When your brother Rhaegar led his army into battle at the Trident, men died for him because they believed in him, because they loved him, not because they'd been bought at a slaver's auction. I fought beside the last dragon on that day, Your Grace. I bled beside him.'' Barristan said placing a hand on Artos's shoulder. He knew the Starks didn't like to talk about that day. Lyanna's memory was still present in their home.
''Rheagar fought valiantly, Rhaegar fought nobly, and Rhaegar died.'' Jorah said.
''Not because he fought valiantly or nobly. It was because he found someone stronger and driven by more rage. There will always be someone stronger or more rageful. Robert dwarfed Rhaegar both in size and strength. Add the anger he felt after Rhaegar ran off with Lyanna, he didn't stand a chance. Not only were Robert and his men angry so was the whole of the North. That's a lot of bloodthirsty men.'' Artos said flatly staring off into the air.
''Did you know him well, Ser Barristan?'' Dany asked the knight after taking a moment to look at Artos. His jaw was set and his form was stiff.
''I did, Your Grace. Finest man I ever met.'' Barristan told her while he side-eyed Jorah.
''I wish I had known him. But he was not the last dragon.'' She said making Artos smirk at her strong tone. He patted the hand holding onto his arm.

Artos, Daenerys, Jorah, and Barristan stood in a room with the slavers. They were talking about the army she wished to buy.
''All? Did this one's ears mishear, Your Grace?'' The same girl from before spoke.
''They did not. I want to buy them all.'' Dany told them.
''There are 8,000 Unsullied in Astapor. Is this what you mean by all?'' She asked them.
''Yes, 8,000. And the ones still training as well.'' Dany said almost smugly.
''Master Greizhen says they cannot sell half-trained boys. If they fail on the battlefield, They will bring shame upon all of Astapor.'' She told them.
''I will have them all or take none. Many will fall in battle. I'll need the boys to pick up the swords they drop.'' Daenerys told them. Kraznys groaned.
''Master Kraznys says you cannot afford this. Your ship will buy you 100 Unsullied. Because Master Kraznys is generous. The gold you have left is worth 10. But good Master Kraznys will give you 20. The Dothraki you have with you- The Dothraki you have are not worth what they cost to feed, but Master Kraznys will give you three Unsullied for all of them. Master Kraznys asks how you propose to pay for the remaining 7,877 Unsullied.'' She told them. Dany looked over the slaves looking down at them. She turned to Artos who nodded his head. They had talked about it before. Artos had said it would be a good plan to free them all. He reminded her of how she burned the warlock before and how only a fool would turn down a dragon.
''I have dragons. I'll give you one.'' Daenerys said smiling up at Artos.
''You will win the throne with dragons, not slaves, Your Grace.'' Barristan said walking up to her and Artos.
''Khaleesi, please.'' Jorah begged her.
''We have a plan.'' Artos told them. While Dany stared them down. She walked closer to the slavers pulling Artos along with her.
''Three dragons.'' Kraznys said.
"One.'' Daenerys held her ground.
''Two.'' He argued back.
''One.'' She said locking her eyes with his. He leaned back to whisper to the other man before speaking in Valyrian again.
''They want the biggest one.'' The girl told her.
''Done.'' Daenerys said making the man echo her.
''I'll take you as well, now. You'll be Master Kraznys' gift to me. A token of a bargain well struck.'' She told the girl who translates for them.
''Khaleesi, a dragon is worth more than any army.'' Jorah to her as they walked out of the room.
''Aegon Targaryen proved that.'' Barristan added in. Dany stopped making Artos halt as well. She had yet to let go of him.
''You're both here to advise me. I value your advice, but if you ever question me in front of strangers again, you'll be advising someone else. Is that understood? Besides. as Artos said before, we have a plan.'' She said turning and resuming walking.
''Do you have a name?'' She asked the girl.
''This one's name is Missandei, Your Grace.'' She told her falling in step beside her.
''Do you have a family? A mother and a father you'd return to if you had the choice?'' Dany asked her.
"No, Your Grace. No family living.'' Missandei told her.
''You belong to me now. It is your duty to tell me the truth.'' Daenerys told her. Artos looked at her strangely for her choice of words.
''Yes, Your Grace. Lying is a great offense. Many of those on the Walk of Punishment were taken there for less.'' She told them.
''I offered water to one of the slaves dying on the Walk of Punishment. Do you know what he said to me? 'Let me die.''' Daenerys told her.
''There are no maters in the grave, Your Grace.'' Missandei said softly.
''Is it true what Master Kraznys told me about the Unsullied? About their obedience?'' Dany asked her.
''All questions have been taken from them. They obey, that is all. Once they are yours, they are yours. They will fall on their swords if you command it.'' She told Daenerys.
''And what about you? You know that I'm taking you to war. You may go hungry. You may fall sick. You may be killed.'' Daenerys told her watching her reaction closely.
''Valar morghulis.'' Missandei told her.
''Yes, all men must die. But we are not men.'' Daenerys told her.
''Just make sure I'm buried at home.'' Artos told them smiling at Missandei. She looked down and smiled back.

[I've missed Artos so much. I'm really happy to be getting back into his character. Thank you so much for reading.]