Wolf's Blood | Daenerys Targaryen |

Chapter Nineteen

Dragonstone

  Donner sat silently in the rowboat as they grew closer to Dragonstone. Since the day he left Westeros, he had always wanted to return, but the recent events left him considering if he had made a mistake leaving in the first place.

  Three large dragons flew ahead of them to inspect their new home. A smaller dragon lagged behind as its body was not yet proportional to its wings. Watching Robb grow had been an interesting experience. Donner had come to the conclusion that ice dragons grew much faster than the fire dragons of Old Valyria.

  Even if they had finally made it to Dragonstone, worry still gripped the edges of his mind. The Night King. The army of the dead. They were comfortably in the south, but if Winterfell and holds in the North fell, the South would be gone.

  All members of the party get out of the rowboat. Daenerys walks a few feet ahead of them and kneels down to press her palm into the sand. She then stares up at the castle and walks further down the beach. Ser William and Donner exchange glances as they watch the others follow, “So this is it. It's happening isn't it?”

  Donner sighed as he turned around, watching as other rowboats began making their way to the shore, “War. It's happening and it's not going to paint a pretty picture.”

  “Do you think Cersei would ever take peace over war?” William asked as he nervously ran his hands over the belt that held his sword.

  The Stark shrugged, “She’s your sister. Deep down, I'd like to think she would, but I always have to remember she is the reason we're here.”

  They climbed the steps, lagging far behind Daenerys and her party, “What are you going to do after this?” William suddenly asked.

  “Why?”

  “Well, you're the heir to Winterfell. Sure, Rickon and Bran could rule the kingdom, but you're much more experienced.”

  Soon they had finally caught up with Daenerys and were greeted by a gate flanked by two statues if dragon heads. Two Unsullied soldiers approach the gate and push it open, revealing a walkway up to the castle, “A Stark bending the knee to a Targaryen. Right now I'm nothing to the North.”

  “You should go home then. You've told me before that you wanted to go home. Now you can, ” Ser William said as they followed Daenerys up the steps.

  They continued up the steps until they enter the foyer. A tapestry bearing the stag sigil of House Baratheon is hanging off to the side. Ser William and Donner watch as Daenerys approaches it and tears it down. As they continue to a set of doors, the same duo of Unsullied soldiers open the doors for her. Daenerys enters the throne room followed by others.

  Varys, Missandei, Donner, and Ser William stop following her halfway into the room. Grey Worm starts to continue onward, but Missandei puts her hand on his chest to stop him.

  Daenerys approaches the throne and stares at it longingly. Tyrion soon enters the room and stands alongside Donner and looks around the room, taking in all of the details. They watch as Daenerys ascends the steps, but walks past the throne into the Chamber of the Painted Table.

  Tyrion looks to Donner and gestures for him to follow. Once he's caught up with her, he watches as she walks alongside the table and runs her fingers across or. Donner walks alongside the table and stares at the dragon carvings on the wall. Daenerys stands at the head of the table and stares down at the map of Westeros, “Shall we begin?”

  

  Daenerys and her small council are standing in the Chamber of the Painted Table, staring out at a storm that rages on outside. Rain falls on the beach and the castle as lightning flashes nearby and thunder crackles overhead, “On a night like this, you came into the world, ” Tyrion said finally after they had been standing in silence.