The Game of Thrones

DAENERYS XIII

"We will storm the city, my Queen. We will kill your enemies. All of them," Grey Worm assured firmly.

Dany smiled. They were in the Chamber of the Painted Table along with Jon, Ser Davos, Tyrion, and the rest of their advisors discussing what to do about Varys' kidnapping.

"This is a mistake," Tyrion insisted. "Cersei needs to be destroyed, but if we attack King's Landing with Drogon and the Unsullied and the Dothraki, tens of thousands of innocents will die. That is why Cersei is bringing them into the Red Keep. These are the people you came here to protect. I beg you, Your Grace. Do not destroy the city you came to save. Do not become what you have always struggled to defeat. You are not your father's daughter. You need to show them that."

Dany glared at her Hand. "Your sister kidnapped your best friend. Doesn't that bother you?" she shouted passionately.

Tyrion took a deep breath as if to defuse the situation. "Of course, it bothers me, but we cannot afford to be reckless. We are at war, not just with my sister, but with the dead as well."

"Tyrion's right," Jaime added. "Cersei will not go down without a fight. She has scorpions to shoot down your dragons, Your Grace. Do you really want to risk their lives when they should be used against the dead?"

Dany tapped her nails against the table as she considered their arguments. They're right, but we need Varys. "We need to get Varys back. I will not just leave him there to be subjected to her torture."

Sandor Clegane snorted. "I say we just kill them all. Fuck King's Landing. It's just a city full of shit and cunts."

"I don't care who we kill as long as I get to kill Cersei," Arya chimed in from beside the Hound.

Jon glared at them both. "No one will be killing anyone right now," he hissed. He turned to Dany and took her hand in his. "There are a million people in King's Landing. That's a million living souls we could have on our side for the Great War. We cannot afford to throw life away and make the Night King's army greater."

Dany squeezed his hand before turning back to the table. "What have we heard last of the dead?"

"They are getting closer and closer each day," Bran explained.

"How long do we have?" Sansa asked nervously.

Bran contemplated the question. "Perhaps a moon, maybe less. He's swept through all the cities, collecting all the bodies he can. Many are on the run seeking refuge with you or in the Red Keep."

"We have no time to be wasting then," Dany said firmly. "Does anyone have any clever ideas?"

"How about, since the dead are a waiting game and we must get Varys back, we demand Cersei's surrender. Offer her life in exchange for the throne. If there's a chance to avoid the coming slaughter, we should make the effort," Ser Davos proposed.

"Speaking to Cersei will not prevent a slaughter," Dany made clear.

"But if it would save lives from falling into the Night King's hands, it's worth the effort," Jon insisted.

She looked at her husband in the eyes as she felt her extremely swollen stomach. It's not just about me anymore. It's about the child too. She took a deep breath. "But perhaps it's good the people see that Daenerys Stormborn and Jon Snow made every effort to avoid bloodshed, and Cersei Lannister refused. They should know whom to blame when the sky falls down upon them."

"Aegon Targaryen," Jon spoke up suddenly.

She looked at him, completely confused along with the rest of the table.

"My name is Aegon Targaryen."

Dany smiled. A dragon wolf. "Very well," she stated firmly, trying to hide her excitement. "Send the raven to Cersei Lannister requesting a meeting. If she accepts, we will need a ship to get there."

"We still have plenty left in the fleet that we're not used in the journey to the Iron Islands. Many are also being rebuilt," Yara said.

"Good," she nodded. "But you must stay here. If Bran says more people are seeking refuge with us, we must take them in. You need to transport them to safety. Ser Davos, you will be our captain."

Yara and Ser Davos nodded.

"I'd be honored, Your Grace," he said.

"Sansa, you will be acting Lady of Dragonstone until we would return. And Jaime," she said as she looked at the knight.

"Yes, Your Grace?"

"You will help us in coming up with a strategy to defeat your sister. You know King's Landing and your sister better than any of us. As a result, you will work with my commanders as Master of War. This is your chance for you to prove your loyalty. Succeed and all your crimes against House Targaryen will be forgotten. But betray us," she said firmly, "you will be burned alive."

Jaime bowed down in shock. "I am honored, Your Grace. I will not disappoint."

Dany smiled. "Good. I look forward to hearing from you soon."

He bowed his head as Dany turned back to the rest of the council that was in shock from her decision. However, no one was angry because she could see the smiles under Tyrion and Ser Davos' faces.

"Then, if no one has anything else..." Jon asked as they waited for someone to raise a concern, but no one did. "I believe we are done for now. We will see you all later."

The council began leaving the chamber as Dany spoke up again, "Except for Arya."

Arya made a face in confusion as she was left alone with Dany and Jon. "What can I do for you?"

Dany exchanged looks with Jon and smiled. "We wanted to talk to you about our child."

"Your child?" she repeated as she looked down at Dany's stomach.

Dany nodded. "If anything were to happen to me or Jon, we want you to be the guardian."

Whatever Arya was expecting, it clearly wasn't that. "W-What?"

"There is no one in this world that I trust more than you, Arya," Jon said with a smile. "Except for my wife of course."

Arya gave a slight laugh as her eyes became glassy. "I'm not a lady though. I'm not motherly. Sansa, Sansa would be great. Or Tyrion—"

Dany shook her head. "We don't want Sansa. We don't want Tyrion."

"We want our child to be brave and strong, and there is no one better than you."

A small tear escaped Arya's eyes as she looked at them lovingly. "I-I don't know what to say."

Jon laughed as he went over to give his sister a hug. "There's nothing to say. We just wanted to let you know. Of course, we don't plan on anything happening to us..."

"Of course!" Arya reiterated.

Dany beamed. "But we love you, Arya. What you did for me, helping me wield a sword, and being Jon's only friend in his childhood... it seems only obvious."

The child in the little assassin briefly showed as she ran over to hug Dany tight. She then kneeled and held her swollen stomach in her hands.

She watched as Arya whispered to the child, "You are going to be so brave. Brave like Visenya and Aegon the Conqueror."

But first we must win the war. The War of the Queens.