Zokla | Theon Greyjoy

Chapter 15

The Dragon Queen had arrived.

Jon gathered them on the ramparts some weeks later, a raven arrived from Dragonstone claiming to be from Tyrion Lannister. With them came Ser Davos, now a constant at Jon's side what with Lyarra needing to step aside for hours at a time. He was a good man, one whose opinion Lyarra trusted was true and come from a place of reason.

As Jon finished summarizing the letter, Sansa questioned, "You think it's really Tyrion? It could be someone trying to lure you into a trap."

Jon nodded grimly. "Read the last bit."

Lyarra peered over his shoulder, "'All dwarves are bastards in their father's eyes.' That doesn't sound very kind."

"It's something he said to me the first night we met," said Jon pensively, peering off the railing to watch the young boys shoot at targets, Rickon and Ned among them. He glanced at Sansa, "You know him better than any of us. What do you think?"

She hesitated. "Tyrion's not like the other Lannisters. He was always kind to me, but it's too great a risk. 'The Seven Kingdoms will bleed as long as Cersei sits on the Iron Throne. Join us. Together, we can end her tyranny.'"

Ser Davos asked for the parchment, reading it for himself. "Sounds like a charmer. Of course, the casual mention of a Dothraki horde, a legion of Unsullied, and three dragons– a bit less charming." He faltered, as if this reminded him of something.

"What?" asked Jon.

"Fire kills wights, you told me," he said. "What breathes fire?"

Sansa blinked. "You're not suggesting Jon meet with her?"

"No, too dangerous," said Ser Davos. "But if the Army of the Dead makes it past the Wall, do we have enough men to fight them?"

Lyarra drummed her fingers against the wooden rail. "Speaking as a Northerner, it would be a poor choice for you to abandon your seat and run off to Dragonstone due to an invitation from the Mad King's daughter. This could go poorly. And yet, you both have something the other needs."

"Lyarra, it's too dangerous," insisted Sansa.

"That it is," she agreed. "And yet, aren't both of these wars dangerous, too? I, for one, wish to see the Night King vanquished before Minisa's reached her second name day. At this rate, I'm unsure it'll happen. Queen Daenerys needs your support– it sounds as though she's trying to gather the support of the other kingdoms for a larger scale battle instead of simply storming King's Landing on her own– which she would be very capable of doing. Perhaps it is a sign that she wishes to be more than just a conqueror. She might want your input. Likewise, we could use the numbers she holds as well as three dragons. Unfortunately, I get the sense we won't have that without some sacrifice."

She took the parchment from Ser Davos. "This letter does not necessarily state an alliance, it implies submission. She's been in Essos for very long; I do not believe she understands what being an independent Kingdom means to us. That sort of understanding can only come from a true conversation, perhaps even from being here. If we're patient with her and meet her demands, she may yet be patient with us and meet ours."

"The fight against the Night King is for all of the people in our country, allies or not," said Sansa. "Her fight is for herself."

"And so it will continue to be unless we convince her otherwise," argued Lyarra. "How can she give us freedom if we don't try to understand her? She's our age, she's suffered things, too. We can appeal to her if we make that attempt. It may not be easy, given the power she holds– we, too, would want everyone to bend the knee to us if we had three dragons and thought we could make our lands better by removing Cersei from the throne. Her ideals are different and we can attempt negotiations. I say... I will go to her."