The Age of Daenerys Targaryen

Part 79: The queen of love and beauty

"May the Seven stand by us", said Tyrion as the Chancellor stepped beside him. "They must be from Leng. I hope they aren't upset about Kenzai's death?"

"I hope neither", said Doniphos anxiously. "You should know, we also sent an invitation to Leng. It would have been impolite not to do it when the whole world is invited to this wedding. Maybe that's just why they came."

The three foreign dragons landed outside the city walls. "We'll see it soon", said the dwarf.

It took about an hour for the excitement to subside and for the three dragon riders from the island of Leng to arrive at the palace to be received by Daenerys in the throne room. When the newcomers were led in, the Westerosi and other guests were also present.

Two men and a woman entered the hall, all three towering over Brienne but still slim. Like Kenzai, the Lengii had teak skin and large gold eyes. The two men wore lamellar armor similar to that used by Kenzai, and the strange, curved blades that marked them as samurai hung from their hips. Since all the other guests were allowed to carry weapons, the Lengii could not be prevented from doing so, but soldiers with crossbows had been posted up in the gallery as a precaution.

The woman was the tallest of the Lengii, she wore no armor, but a midnight blue silk kimono. Her black hair was tied in an elegant bun and adorned with a beaded ivory comb.

She bowed gracefully to the Empress and Jon, who was sitting in a high-backed chair next to the throne.

"Hail, Daenerys Targaryen, Empress of New Valyria", she said in High Valyrian. "May your rule last ten thousand years. I am Toyoda Reiko, daughter of the Divine Empress Kasumi of Leng and Shogun Toyoda Daisuke." She pointed to her two companions with her hand, which had long, pointed fingernails. "These are my cousins Toyoda Tashiro and Toyoda Isoshi. We accepted the invitation to your wedding, but above all we are here to beg your forgiveness on behalf of my mother for my half-brother's attack on you. She is deeply ashamed of what happened in Braavos."

"I'm glad to hear that, Princess Toyoda Reiko", Daenerys replied. "I know from Kenzai's notes that your mother had nothing to do with what he did. Neither I nor anyone else in the Empire holds a grudge against Leng for this matter."

Tyrion could almost grasp the relief that swept across the hall now that it was certain that the Lengii had come with peaceful intent. Many of those present did not understand High Valyrian, but the friendly tone of the conversation was palpable for them too. The Empress and the princess from Leng exchanged a few more polite words, and then it was time for dinner.

No hall in the Imperial Palace was large enough to accommodate all the guests. As the Empress had expected, they were almost ten thousand. Only two thousand of them were housed in the palace itself, the rest stayed in palaces or inns nearby.

For this reason, dinner was eaten in eight different halls, courtyards or terraces, and the highest-ranking guests dined with the Empress on a large terrace, the same on which Daenerys had breakfasted with Sansa, Arya and Gendry when they were still her prisoners. Long tables had been set up and covered with food from all over the world. While musicians played, people ate and talked.

"You really kicked old Salla's ass at Tyrosh", Salladhor Saan growled while he and Davos Seaworth were sitting together. "Nobody has ever beaten me so badly."

Bran's Master of ships grimaced. "It was war, my friend, and we were on different sides. Believe me, it was not my pleasure to unleash such an inferno against a fleet that was not ready for action in port ... especially considering how my son died. And the crews of the demolition ships also perished."