Artos Stark

Second Sons

"Men who fight for gold have neither honor nor loyalty. They cannot be trusted." Barristan told them as they watched men ride around the outside of the city. Jorah was the only one not observing the men. His eyes were glued to Aros's hands. They were placed on Daenerys's waist as he leaned against her looking over her head.
"They can be trusted to kill you if they're well paid." He said staring heatedly at Artos. Artos felt his gaze and let his eyes lazily glide over to him. Jorah quickly looked away and to the men on horses.
"The Yunish are paying them well." He finished.
"You know these men?" Dany asked him not taking notice of the looks exchanged.
"Only by the broken swords on their banners. They're called the Second Sons. A Company led by a Braaos named Mero, ''The Titan's Bastard." Jorah answered looking longingly at her.
"Is he more titan or bastard?" Dany asked smiling a little at herself.
"He's a dangerous man, Khaleesi. They all are." Jorah told her in warning. She looked between the three men.
"How many?" She asked them looking up at Artos. She loved to look at him. He was truly handsome, and he captivated her.
"2,000, Your Grace. Armored and mounted." Barristan told her after a quick estimate in numbers.
"Enough to make a difference?" She asked them.
"'It's hard to collect wages from a corpse. I'm sure the sellswords prefer to fight for the winning side. Like you said Jorah, they will kill anyone if they are well paid." Artos said. His chest rumbled against
Daenerys's back sending chills down her spine.
"I imagine you're right." Jorah said, even though he hated to agree with him he knew Artos was smart. He also didn't miss the warning laced in the message. Artos knew the things Jorah was thinking. Now he had to be sure to watch his step around the young Stark.
"I'd like to talk to the Titan's Bastard about winning." Dany said looking between them again.
"He may not agree to meet." Barristan informed her.
"He will. A man who fights for gold can't afford to lose to a girl." She told them watching the man in question through the gap in the rock.

They were back at the tent now and Artos had argued with her about sitting next to her. The man they were about to meet would be more inclined to listen to her if Artos wasn't sitting at her side like her king. She reluctantly agreed but still wanted him close, so Artos now stood behind her chair while the other two men stood off to the side.
"Your Grace, allow me to present the captains of the Second Sons- Mero of Bravos, Prendahl na Ghezo, and..." Barristan trailed off looking at the youngest man in line.
"Daario Naharis." He said bowing to her. Mero stepped forward slightly but stopped short when Artos
sent him a warning look.
"You are the Mother of Dragons? I swear I fucked you once in a pleasure house in Lys." He told her smugly.
"I'd stop there." Artos said at the same time Jorah spoke.
"Mind your tongue." He said.
"Why? I didn't mind hers. She licked my ass like she was born to do it." Mero said taking a seat next to Dany flicking his tongue. Artos clenched his jaw and grabbed the man by his short hair. He pulled back his head and held a dagger to his throat faster than any of them could react. Daenerys placed her hand on his and pulled the dagger back.
"You, slave girl, bring wine." He ordered Missandei and Prendahl took a seat at the bottom of the steps and Daario sat on the edge of the steps at Mero's feet.
"We have no slaves here." Dany told him in her normal sweet voice. It calmed Artos down slightly and he laid a hand on her shoulder. Her warm skin eased his anger and he needed it to keep from killing the man now. That or setting Beast lose on them. He had been sleeping behind the couch this whole time and none of the captains were aware of him.
"You'll all be slaves after the battle unless I save you." Mero said looking over Daenerys body.
"Take your clothes off and come and sit on Mero's lap and I may give you my Second Sons." Mero told her smugly. He struggled to stay cocky when he could practically feel the rage and bloodthirst coming from the much larger and younger man behind them.
"Give me your Second Sons and I may not have you gelded." She told him placing her hand on top of Artos's.
"Ser Barristan, how many men fight for the Second Sons?" She asked to prove a point already knowing the answer.
"Under 2,000, Your Grace." He told her broadly.
"We have more, don't we?" She asked in fake curiosity as she turned back to Mero.
"10,000 Unsullied." Barristan said once again in the same tone.
" I am only a young girl, new to the ways a war, but perhaps a seasoned captain like yourself can explain to me how you propose to defeat us." Dany asked him as Missandei passed out wine.
"I hope the old man is better with a sword than he is with a lie. You have 8,000 Unsullied." Darrio told her smugly.
"You're very young to be a captain." Daenerys said slightly dropping her fake sweet act.
"He's not a captain. He's a lieutenant." Prendahl finally spoke.
"Even if your numbers are right, you must admit the odds don't favor your side." She told Daario.
"The Second Sons have faced worse odds and won." Mero spoke again. Every time a word left his mouth it seemed to anger Artos more. Beast had woken at that point and Artos held his hand up to keep him from exposing himself.
"The Second Sons have faced worse odds and run." Jorah said feeling accomplished as Daenerys smiled at his statement.
"Or you could fight for me." Daenerys told him. Mero laughed.
"We've taken the slavers' gold. We fight for Yunkai." He said watching Missandei pour more wine in his cup. He leaned over to smell her but Artos grabbed ahold of his ear tugging him back and gently taking the hub of win from her shoving it into Mero's chest.
"I would pay you as much if not more." Dany tried to reason.
"Our contract is our bond. If we break our bond, no one will hire the Second Sons again." Prendahl told her.
"Ride with me and you'll never need another contract. You'll have gold and castles and lordships of your choosing anywhere outside the North. When I take back the Seven Kingdoms." She told them with a smile. Artos squeezed her shoulder in thanks for not offering up his homelands.
"You have no ships. You have no siege weapons. You have no cavalry." Daario said calling her bluff.
"A fortnight ago, I had no army. Nor did I have such a tight allegiance with a man who holds such value to the North. A year ago, I had no dragons." She told him turning back to Mero.
"You have two days to decide." She informed him.
"Show me your cunt. I want to see if it's worth fighting for." Mero told her. Artos smirked and let out a low whistle and Beast leapt over the couch and growled menacingly in Mero's face making the man shrink back into his seat and the other two quickly get to their feet. Grey Worm asked Dany something in Valyrian and drool dripped from Beast onto Mero's shirt. Dany answered him before turning to Artos gesturing to Beast. Artos whistles again and the dire wolf back up and paced back around the couch to stand at Artos's feet. His head was still visible over the tall back of it.
"You seem to be enjoying my wine. Perhaps you'd like a flagon to help you ponder." Dany offered the still shaking man.
"Only a flagon? And what are my brothers in arms to drink?" He asked her trying to regain his broken pride.
"A barrel, then." She countered.
"Good. The Titan's Bastard does not drink alone." He said standing up.
"In the Second Sons, we share everything. After the battle, maybe we'll all share you." He said following Daario who walked out slower to look Dany over being sure to avoid Artos's gaze.
"I'll come looking for you when this is over." He told Missandei slapping her on the ass. Artos took long strides over to the girl and pulled her further into the tent.
"Are you alright?" He asked in a comforting tone. She nodded her head and smiled in thanks to him.
"Ser Barristan, if it comes to battle, kill that one first." She said with a nasty look on her beautiful face.
"Gladly, Your Grace." Barristan told her with an almost eager look.