Little Dragon - Game of Thrones

23

The northerners seemed to be well ahead of the winter. They recently crossed the Twins. Soon, the people of the Vale would be joining them.

"This is stupid." Arya voiced her irritation with the whole plan. "If we run, they're still going to catch us."

"Well, then they'll have to put up with all of Westeros, then." Sansa reminded her sister.

"But Cersei won't help us. She's where we'll really be backed in this." Arya grumbled. "Remind me again why you all didn't ask for her help?"

"This way we win either way." Jon began to explain. "Instead of bringing one wight to them, we'll bring all of them. And if they ignore them, then they can't ignore the entire North, and the Vale, and the Riverlands. She'll be pushed to either join us, attack, or seek out the undead herself."

"And if she attacks us?"

"We cut the head off the chicken, and let it run itself out. Then, we take the spoils." Tyrion explained cooly. "Trust me, King's Landing won't run itself. Not even with the guard, or the golden company."

"What if she runs?" Arya asked. "Takes the whole army and leaves to Essos?"

"If she runs, she loses the golden company. She's already dug herself a hole promising them pay, that much is for sure, and if she leaves the whole kingdom, they'll either kill her, or just go back to Braavos." Tyrion theorised. "Either way, we have to close her in, get her closer, and closer, until finally-" He clapped his hands together. "We earn their side in this."

"And how much will they aid us in this?" Daenerys asked doubtfully. "How much can one city of soldiers aid us? We have the Vale, we have the North, we have the Riverlands, the Unsullied, the Dothraki. Why are we focusing so much on King's Landing?"

"Because!" Tyrion took a long swig from his wine. "If we get Cersei out of power, with force, or alliance, we will be making someone very happy!" Daenerys raised an eyebrow. "Dorne!"

"Dorne?" Daenerys hasn't been expecting that reply.

"Yes!" Tyrion emphasised the importance with his hands.

"But why would they care if we got Cersei out of power? Unless we kill her, I think they'd still be rather hesitant to help."

"Because, who lost power over the seven kingdoms BECAUSE of a Lannister? Who was murdered by a Lannister, so many years ago?" Tyrion tried to pry the answer from her. Daenerys blinked in realization.

"Elia Martell? Rhaegar's wife?" Daenerys hummed thoughtfully. "But I couldn't let them take over King's Landing."

"Yes you do. You move the Capitol back to Dragonstone, both expanding the the control of the seven kingdoms, AND you put a Martell in power in King's Landing." Tyrion paused. "By marrying one."

"What?" Daenerys gawked. "But Quentyn died. Rhaegal... He killed him."

"That is true, but Trystane is still pent up in King's Landing somewhere. Cersei is probably keeping him somewhere to hold over Dorne's head to force them from taking a side. ALL the more reason to throw out Cersei, to get Trystane back to Dorne, and get Dorne on our side, and get Trystane to run King's Landing- well, get Doran to run King's Landing- AND they'll be a large help in defeating the undead!"

"How?" Daenerys was still sort of reeling from all this to take in.

"Dorne was one of, if not the first, to take down a dragon without the help of another dragon." Tyrion pointed out. "If their limited forces, which have since grown substantially, could take down a decades old dragon using only guerilla tactics, then I have no doubt that they could do significant damage to the wights. They're fast, silent, and know how to hit them just where it hurts them."

Just a little, Tyrion nudged their head piece on the map just a little closer to Cersei's.