Still Soulmate

Chapter 5: Daenerys Targaryen

  Missandei and Tyrion entered the hall ahead of the other three, the great doors heaved open on creaking hinges by Dothraki guards. The banners of Stannis Baratheon no longer hung from the walls, instead it was the dragon of the Targaryens. Ahead of them was Daenerys Targaryen, she sat on a jagged throne of dragonglass, flanked by yet more Dothraki men. Missandei strode up to take her place on the queen's right, a few steps below while Tyrion stood to her left at the base of the steps. Jon and Ygritte stopped a respectable distance away, Davos a step behind them. The doors closed with an echoing thud behind them.

  "You stand in the presence of Daenerys Stormborn of the house Targaryen, rightful heir to the Iron Throne, rightful Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Unburnt, the Breaker of Chains," Missandei listed with obvious pride.

  Jon looked between Ygritte and Davos, all of whom were unsure.

  "This is Jon Snow and Ygritte... They're King and Queen in the North," Davos offered with a shrug.

  "Thank you for travelling so far, my lord, my lady, "Daenerys said from her seat, "I hope the seas weren't too rough."

  "The winds were kind Your Grace," Jon returned, he had not missed the slight over his and Ygritte's titles but he wasn't going to bring it up, it wasn't important to him. Davos did though.

  "Apologies, I have a Flea Bottom accent I know, but Jon Snow is King in the North and Ygritte here is his Queen wife, Your Grace. They're are not a lord and lady," Davos corrected the dragon queen.

  "Forgive me--" Daenerys started.

  "Your Grace this is Ser Davos Seaworth," Tyrion supplied.

  "Forgive me Ser Davos. I never did receive a formal education but I could have sworn I read the last King in the North was Torrhen Stark who bent the knee to my ancestor, Aegon Targaryen, in exchange for his life and the lives of the Northmen. Torrhen Stark swore fealty to House Targaryen in perpetuity. Or do I have my facts wrong?" Daenerys challenged with a smug smile chasing the corners of her mouth.

  "I wasn't there, Your Grace," was Davos' reply.

  "No, of course not. But still, an oath is an oath. And perpetuity means... what does perpetuity mean Lord Tyrion?" Daenerys continued.

  "Forever," Tyrion answered.

  "Forever," The queen repeated," so I assume, my lord, that you are here to bend the knees." 

  "I am not," Jon replied with a false smile. He had thought that this might be a topic of discussion but he hadn't expected the queen or her adviser to be openly disdainful towards them. 

  "Oh. Well that is unfortunate. You've travelled all this way to break faith with House Targaryen."

  "Break faith? I thought it was clear that the whole of Westeros was fed up of you and your family when the Stag started his rebellion of the Lannister lordling put a sword through your daddy's back," Ygritte snapped. Jon held up a hand to silence her, she only did so because she knew that he knew a lot more about formalities than she did.

  "To follow my wife's words, it was House Targaryen that broke faith with House Stark," Jon continued with a sarcastic smile before Daenerys could speak, he would show the queen his mind but he would be considerably politer than Ygritte would, " your father burned my grandfather alive. He burned my uncle alive. He would have burned the Seven Kingdoms--"

  "My father... was an evil man. On behalf of House Targaryen I ask your forgiveness for the crimes he committed against your family and I ask you not to judge a daughter by the sins of her father. Our two houses were allies for centuries, and those were the best centuries the Seven Kingdoms have ever known. Centuries of peace and prosperity with a Targaryen on the Iron Throne and a Stark serving as Warden of the North. I am the last Targaryen, Jon Snow. Honour the pledge your ancestor made to mine. Bend the knee and I will name you Warden of the North. Together we will save this country from those who would destroy it," Daenerys said, seeming to swallow any indignation at the soulmates' words.