The Lost Stark

A Kings Justice.

Standing next to Daenerys, we look upon the old knight as he slumbers, resting from a hard day of battle. Only he knew how badly he was injured until Alexandria was able to see to him. I offered to assist with my blood seeing as it helped on Condon; however, since he is not of The North, she said he would have a better chance of healing on his own.
Ever since our return, Daenerys has been switching from being mad at herself for allowing him to enjoy some time in public to being angry with me for putting my life at risk to save him, then to being rightfully angry at the Sons of the Harpies who committed these crimes. When we first left the tunnels, he was able to walk mostly on his own, but by the time we reached the pyramid, he was leaning heavily on me. If I had known then that he was this hurt, I would have carried him on my back.
Quick, quiet footsteps break the tense silence that fills Ser Barristan's chambers. "Your Grace, Your Majesty, the one who aided the Harpies has been caught. She awaits your justice," the young woman spoke in a nervous tone as Daario stands now clean from blood behind her.
Looking over to Daenerys, I see she's still entranced with watching over Ser Barristan. "Take her to the Throne, have her heavily guarded and in chains," I tell her gently. She nods her head in acknowledgment then leaves us. "Daenerys," I whisper, walking to stand across from her.
She shakes her head. "Nothing I do helps," her reply is broken with a small sob. "I don't know what to do, Ryker. How can I help them?"
"You have done enough for them, my dragon. Let me handle this one. Maybe what they need is not a Queen's justice but a King's," I offer my suggestion.
She lets out a sigh. "Perhaps you're right." Her reply is cut short as Hizdhar walks in, interrupting us.
He comes to a stop, glances at me, and places his hand behind his back. "I'm so sorry, My Queen. He was a good man."
I let out a scoff. "He still is a good man. The Harpies failed in the quest to murder both him and Grey Worm," I tell him with a glare.
Surprise flashes in his eyes before he composes himself once more. "Then I am glad to know he will be able to continue to protect our Queen," he replies back as sweat beads on his forehead.
"Do you know what they call him?" She asks the man as Daario joins me at my side. "Barristan the Bold. He has crossed a continent to serve me. He is a loyal friend. And he was attacked in an alley by cowards who hide behind masks."
Daario looks to me when Daenerys's eyes don't move from her Knight. "We could pull back to the Pyramid district, secure it, and use it as a base from which to operate."
I nod my head. "Then clean out the city, neighborhood by neighborhood, street by street." Daenerys's eyes finally meet mine.
"Until the rats have nowhere left to hide," he finishes, glaring at Hizdhar.
I can see the pain she feels swirling in her eyes as she thinks. "I prefer your earlier suggestion," she says to me. "This city is in need of a King's Justice."
I give her a tight nod and look to Daario. "Round up the leaders of each of Meereen's great families and bring them to the cells," I order him.
"But I'm the leader of my family," Hizdhar says confused. I give the guards behind the man a nod, and in an instant, they step forward and take hold of him. "No, Your Grace, I had nothing to do with this," he pleads to Daenerys as the guards drag him out.
I look to my wife whose eyes are back on Ser Barristan. "What are you going to do?" She whispers.
"I don't know yet; first, I have people to question," I reply and walk around to stand in front of her. "I will be as fair and just to them, just as my father once was." I assure her, placing a kiss on her temple. I gesture for Daario to join me as we leave her in peace.
"You're not going to change?" He asks with a grin. "I mean, if you're going with intimidation, then you have the look down pat."
"I'm not going to dress up for the people who sought out to destroy my wife's protectors," I tell him, gritting my jaw. "I'm not out to intimidate them, I'm out to make them regret the thought of overthrowing Daenerys from ever crossing their minds."

By the time we make it to the Throne room, there is a woman on her knees, bound in chains, waiting for us with six Second Sons guarding her. My hand rests on Blackfyre as I walk closer to the sobbing woman. "I didn't have a choice," she cries out before I reach her.
"Everyone has a choice," I respond coldly. "Your choice resulted in the deaths of Queen Daenery's men. Men who came here to free those who have ever known pain and suffering. You chose to help them."
Her head lifts, and I can see the tears are indeed not fake. "They took my children. The Masters threatened their lives if I did not coerce the Second Sons soldiers into drinking so much," she pleads.
Daario places a hand on my shoulder. "Maybe we keep her alive long enough to find out if this is true," he whispers quietly.
My head snaps back to his, and I'm baffled when I see the tender look upon his face as he inspects the desperate woman. Letting out a frustrated sigh, I say, "She will become your responsibility." He nods without hesitation. "That means if she is lying, you will have to be the one who swings the sword, Daario." His eyes jump to mine.
"I understand," he promises.
I look back to her. "Who took your children?"
She shakes her head. "Zhak, Hazkar, and Phal," she whispers desperately. "They have been working with the others and the lower families, organizing the Harpies."
My eyes narrow in suspicion as I look over her ragged brown clothing. "How did you come by this knowledge?"
She lets out a small humorless laugh. "No one suspects a whore to actually listen when they fuck you. Boasting about how they still hold power regardless of who rules over the city."
"Maybe we gather all the leaders and not just the Great Houses," Daario suggests.
"Aye," I nod. "Take her to a cell, then gather the rest of the leaders. Search their homes; anyone found with a mask or her children bring to me alive." I order the guards before turning to an Unsullied, "Bring me the three Harpies that surrendered."
"They know nothing," Daario says before the guard leaves. "They are nothing more than paid henchmen carrying out orders."
Looking over to him, I ask, "Let me guess you questioned them?"
"They murdered my men," he replies, nodding. "What is your plan for the masters?"
I shake my head and start my journey towards the baths. "Honestly, I don't know. I'm half tempted to let the dragons eat the Harpies in front of them to scare them into submission."
He lets out a laugh. "Weren't you the one who said the dragons aren't weapons?"
I nod my head once more. "Aye. I did, however, that was before we needed them," I say as I walk through to the communal bath. The blood that once covered us had long dried and has started to itch at my skin.
Somehow knowing I would be here, Missandei walks through the other doorway and places a set of black and gray leathers on a bench. "Her grace thought you might need them," she tells me as she readies a cloth and soap and kneels next to the edge. Not caring that Daario is still behind me, I strip out of my blood-soaked clothing and toss them next to the clean ones.
"You don't have to help me," I groan as I sink into the hot water, regretting that I did not let Alexandria look at the wound on my back along with the new ones I had acquired.
"I want to, Your Majesty," she replies, dipping the cloth into the water and running it along my collarbone and down my chest. "If it had not been for you and Daario Naharis, we would have lost Ser Barristan and Grey Worm." She explains as she continues to wash me.
"Does this mean I'm next?" Daario asks, grinning at her.
I almost laugh when Missandei rolls her eyes at him. "You are not my King."
"Don't test her, Daario," I warn with a small grin of my own. "How's Grey Worm doing?" I ask her.
"He will be better after he rests," she whispers as her eyes fill with tears. I lift my hand, catching her wrist, effectively getting her attention off of me.
"They will pay. Every last one of them," I promise her.

"Her children are secure," Daario tells me as we make our way through the gates.
"She was telling the truth?" I ask, surprised.
"Aye, a babe of maybe eight months and another no more than three years," he answers solemnly.
"Fucking hells. Are they okay?"
He nods his head. "Brought them to her myself; they are recovering together in my chambers."
My eyebrows jump in further surprise. "Guess that settles it then," I say as we reach our destination.
The sun sets on the water as we head out through the gates of Meereen. I had asked Daenerys what she thought about my plan, and while she did not like using dragons as weapons like her ancestors once did, she agreed after taking a moment to herself to think about it.
We had sent an invitation for the remaining family members of both the Great Houses and the lower ones to witness the judgment. It was not my intention for the former slaves to line the streets and watch their former masters being guided in chains to the barren lands in front of the very gate we walked through so long ago. Once we reach a good distance away from the walls, I gesture for them to be lined up side by side.
"Who would like to step forward and take responsibility for the crimes committed against Queen Daenerys?" I ask once everyone has settled into their places, and the Unsullied remove the chains that join them together. Anger starts to grow in my chest as I wait. "No one?" I ask once more. "How about this, I will make a one-time offer of leniency to those who confess. I would also advise you to think about your families." I warn them. They take another moment looking at each other before a single man looking a lot less off than his counterparts steps forward. "What is your name?"
"Dhazzar lo Ghazeen," he answers with his chest puffed out proud, not thinking I would not notice his shaking hands nor the nervous sweat starting to cover his body.
My eyes dart to Daario, silently making sure he was not the one we were looking for. I let out a chuckle when he gives me a small shake of the head. "While I appreciate your courage, Dhazzar, it is not you who I am looking for, now is it?" I ask, whispering into his ear.
"No, Your Majesty," he whispers back.
I pat his shoulder and gesture to Daario to escort him off to the side. "Will the leaders of the houses of Zhak, Hazkar, and Phal, please step forward," I ask one last time. When they remain still, I nod to the guard standing in for Grey Worm. The three Harpies that surrendered are brought forward and thrown on the ground just past Daenerys and her guards. I let out a loud whistle and wait.
Everyone looks confused as I stand still with my hand resting on the hilt of Blackfyre, staring back at them. Their confusion is quickly replaced with fear when a loud roar rips through the air, confirming that they heard my call. I give them a smile when I see the men before me start to tremble as Rhaegal and Viserion land before the men lying on the ground.
"I had once proclaimed that my wife's children were not weapons. I told myself that the way I would help Your Queen rule would not be the same as her ancestors before her had." I state as I start to pace. I tap the side of my head. "Then I remembered something. You would know nothing of how anyone ruled being all the way over here." I pause in front of one of the few men whose silks are far nicer than the others, and I look over to Daario. When he nods, I grip onto the front of his silks and pull him forward, throwing him to the ground. "That you lead your families making the same decisions that your fathers have made before you, not knowing any better." I pause in front of another as a black shadow moves across the sky, and another roar almost splits my hearing. I look to Daario then do the same to him as I did to the first man. "It's understandable to want to revolt and try to overthrow the one who came and changed everything in your worthless lives. I mean, she took away what made you great, took away your enjoyment, took away your power." I pause for a final time in front of the last one I was looking for. When Daario gave me a nod, I threw him forward to join the other two. "Nevertheless, I fear she went too easy on you, for this isn't the first time you have stepped out of line." I walk behind the first man I threw down and walk him over to kneel behind the Harpies and gesture to the guard to bring the other two. "However, I am not the Queen, and I hope this will be a lesson to all those who want to stand against her." I say, turning around and facing those who watch on, and let out another loud whistle. "I hope that seeing the fate that lays ahead for any one who thinks of revolting again will deter any future attempts that may be planned." I finish as Drogon lands behind me, shaking the ground with every step he takes. "Dracarys," I say, looking him in the eye.
In a second, the sound of screams fills the air as the six men are set aflame, and the dragons feast on their burnt flesh.