A Shadow and a Wolf

Trystane III

The sun came from the openings in the structure of the Pyramid. It cast its light on half the room and warmed Trystane's back. The temperature inside the Great Pyramid was quite similar to the one in the Water Gardens, but without the flowers, the fountains, and of course the sun. Without the woman he loved. He wished he could be back in Dorne, back with Myrcella. But she was dead, and now he had to save a city his new betrothed abandoned.

Grey Worm stood outside the reach of sunlight. On his own side, Trystane sat. He was trying to calm himself before the meeting, but so far he failed. So much depended of it. He saw his father negotiate several times with his bannermen, even with representatives of the Free Cities, but he never took an active part in these negotiations. Every time, he was only there to watch. This time, however, he would have to negotiate himself, and almost without help. The meeting was his decision, and only his decision. If it was a failure, it would be his failure, and only his failure, but he had no other choice. He saw no other option.

The angry stares Grey Worm sent him didn't help to soothe his nerves. The Commander of the Unsullied had disapproved at the second Trystane explained his plan. He couldn't really blame the eunuch. Not since he knew what the masters of Astapor did to him in his youth, but the survival of Meereen was at stake. They had to do it. He only hoped Grey Worm wouldn't do something irreparable. After all, he commanded the Unsullied. If he was to order them to kill the emissaries, there would be nothing Trystane could do about it.

They heard footsteps approaching. Trystane tensed. He took a gulp of wine and stood up. They came into the room, all three of them. A young and comely girl, small of frame, with brown hair, certainly a slave they brought with them considering the collar she wore, came forth to introduce them.

"Now come the noble Yezzan zo Qaggaz, representative of the Good Masters, emissary of the great city of Astapor, master of men and speaker to savages, and the noble Razdal mo Eraz of that ancient and honorable house, representative of the Wise Masters, emissary of the great city of Yunkai, master of men and speaker to savages, and the noble Belicho Paenymion of that ancient and honorable house, descendant of Paenymio the Warrior, triarch and emissary of the great city of Volantis and its masters, master of men and speaker to savages."

So here they were, the representatives of the three powerful cities in war with Meereen. The fact that one of them represented the city of Astapor when Grey Worm was present didn't make him feel any better about the outcome of this reunion. They looked at Trystane with disdain. They were all older than him. Trystane tried to look sure of himself and in self-control of the situation, though he didn't quite feel this was the case. How to deal with slavers?

"Welcome to Meereen," he said as a welcoming. They kept looking at him with disgust. "I am..."

"You stand before Trystane of the House Martell, son of Doran Martell and Mellario of Norvos, heir to Sunspear and Prince of Dorne, ruler of Meereen." A young woman with green eyes, long brown hair falling before her shoulders and wearing a heavy red gown came out of darkness behind the three masters who almost jumped at her voice. They turned their back to Trystane to look at Lady Kinvara. "And you also stand before Torgu Nudho, Commander of the Unsullied and loyal servant to Daenerys Stormborn, of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals and the First Men and the Rhoynar, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, the Breaker of Chains, the Mother of Dragons."

She had an easy and satisfied smile on her lips. "Good to see you again, Belicho Paenymion," she added to the triarch of Volantis.

"What are you doing here?"

Trystane couldn't see the face of the Volantenese master, but he could perceive anger, and also fear, in his voice. The High Priestess of the Red Temple of Volantis surely knew him. They came from the same city after all. Lady Kinvara kept smiling.