Daenerys's POV
I stare myself down in the mirror to see how the Valyrian armor looks on me. However I can hardly recognize myself in the mirror. All I can see is who I once was before Viserys ever walked into the bathing chambers with the dress he wanted me to wear before meeting Khal Drogo for the very first time.
I see all of my silver hair hanging past my shoulders with not a single braid in it. My eyes are looking down upon the floor, hardly looking anyone in the eye due to being afraid of speaking my mind no matter how much I wanted to do so. Especially against my one and only brother, Viserys.
It feels just like yesterday but yet a lifetime ago when I was that shy little girl. How I have changed since then. I admit a small part of me misses who I once was. However I am no longer that same little girl anymore.
I see that little girl I once was fall away to reveal who I am now as a woman. I stare at myself as a true woman and know that quite a few will miss the girl I once was. The girl I use to be would have been easier to kill compared to the woman I am now.
I see myself fully armored in the mirror. The armor fits me like it was made solely for me and only me. Some of the black armor is styled like dragon scales with my house sigil just below my right breast and on my left forearm. I am wearing black sort of riding trousers and black knee length leather boots.
The more I admire the armor, the more I like it. I give a small smile in how it feels to be in something made just for a Targaryen. Especially when I see the dark red shawl hanging past my upper back with my three headed dragon brooch pinned to the armor like I have always done with the brooch.
My silver hair is braided mostly at the top half and the lower half is hanging below my upper back. The part of my hair not in braids is curly like is usually is when I do this hairstyle. I do wonder what my Sun & Stars, Drogo would say to me right now if it was possible for him to see or say anything to me.
However I get the feeling he would say to me, 'You are Daenerys Stormborn, the dragon's Daughter and the Mother of Dragons.' And he would be right. I am Daenerys Stormborn, the Dragon's daughter and the Mother of Dragons here to free Westeros from the previous Tyrants who sat on the Iron Throne. I will show what a true Targaryen is and the heart Jorah and Jon says that I have.
I stop my thoughts when Missandei tells me that he is here like I asked him. I turn around to see Samwell Tarly staring at me like it is the first time he has seen me even though he has seen me before.
"Please have a seat." I tell him with a small smile.
He does so and still looks at me. I sit down across from this man named Samwell. He seems a bit nervous however he has nothing to be nervous about from me. I exhale knowing how much this will pain him when I tell him what I am about to tell him.
"I asked to speak to you because of two things. First, I want to thank you. You are the man that saved Ser Jorah when no one else would. I will definitely have to make some changes to the Citadel. You did something when none of them would. Ser Jorah means a great deal to me. I am in your debt. Is there something I can give to you in return?"
"I could use a pardon."
"For what crime?"
"I borrowed a few books from the Citadel."
I stare at him wondering if he was trying to be a fool about this but I notice that he was not. He is quite serious. I cannot resist in chuckling in his innocence of what a crime is. Jorah spoke true about this man. He has a good heart and I don't like giving good people terrible news.
"You shall have your pardon, Samwell. Is there anything else I could give you?"
"I also took a sword." He says in a shy way.
"From the Citadel?" I ask out of curiosity. I do not recall the Citadel having any sword of importance in their vast keepings.
"From my family. It's been in House Tarly for generations. It would have been mine eventually but my father had other ideas for it."
"Randyll Tarly, your father."
"You know him?" Samwell asks me, wondering how I would know his father's name. That is when I knew this was going to be troublesome to say what I am about to say to this man next.
"I went up against the Lannister Army and after the battle, I spoke to the remaining soldiers to gave them a choice. They could bend the knee and join me. Anyone who did shall retain their lands and titles. But your father did not and refused. He chose Cersei Lannister's claim to the Iron Throne. Tyrion Lannister tried to convince him otherwise. His mind did not change."
I see Samwell try to remain calm in hearing my words of his father's death. He does what he can to remain calm and without shedding a tear for his father who probably treated him badly by the look on his face alone.
"At least I will be allowed home again, now that my brother is the Lord of House Tarly."
I freeze in his words knowing that what I am about to say next will be daggers in his heart. I gently extend my hand over and place it on top of his hand. He stares at me in terror of the words I am about to speak out loud.
"Your brother stood with your father. Tyrion tried to convince him not to, even your father told him not to but he did so anyway." I softly tell him.
Samwell did not hold it in well and let out a few sobs for his brother. I place my other hand on his and I see his eyes fill with a few tears even though he was trying not to show any grief before me.
"I'm so sorry, Samwell. I'm so sorry. Tyrion told me who you were and I wanted you to hear directly from me what happened to them. I know there is nothing I can do to take back what I have done to your father and brother. I'm so sorry."
Samwell does not look at me for a moment with a few tears slowly going down his face. He finally looks at me and says, "Thank you for telling me, your grace."
"I know that I can never give anything to you to make up for what I did however I hope that this will help in some small way."
I stand to my feet and grab the written up parchment I made just for Samwell. I extend the paper to him. He stares at the paper then looks to me in shock.
"You are making me..."
"Lord of House Tarly. And if this helps any further, I got word that your mother is alright and safe. You are now Lord Samwell Tarly by my decree if you wish it. All I need to do is sign it and give my seal. Just say the word and it will be done."
He stares at the parchment to make it officially legal that he is now Lord of House Tarly. I take a few steps back toward the candle where I have a stick ready for my seal. I stand here in silence with Samwell Tarly in his reaction to all I just told him.
He slowly extends the parchment toward me. I watch him slowly shake his head yea to become Lord of House Tarly. I do not hesitate to get my signature on the parchment.
I start writing his pardon toward the Citadel. I tap the edge of the feather into the ink. I write down all I need for his pardon. I make sure I do not leave anything of importance out of the pardon.
He still remains silent when I sign my whole name at the bottom then take the stick over the candle flame. The stick waxes just enough into the spoon that I pour the wax right next to my name. I grab the seal then press it onto the warm and soft wax. I firmly press then release the seal off the page.
I watch as the three headed dragon symbol rests on the parchment. I turn to see Samwell still in deep thought. I fold up the parchment then stand before him extending his pardon and lordship to him.
He looks at his papers then directly into my eyes. Samwell stands to his feet, face to face with me. I wondered what he was going to do next and I had a gut feeling that no matter what I did, he will forever despise me for it.
"I will take your pardon and yes, I will become Lord of House Tarly. After that, I want nothing else from you ever again." He has a bitterness toward me.
I cannot blame him for feeling the way he is feeling. I hand him the parchments. He starts to walk away in a bit of rage but then stops. He looks back at me.
"I knew your great uncle, Aemon Targaryen. He was the Maester of the Night's Watch. He was a good man. He did receive news of you often. I often told him what the news said of you. I thought you were quite a woman. After that, he told me this:
'And she's alone, under siege. No family to guide her or protect her. Her last relation thousands of miles away, useless, dying. A Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing.'
"I am starting to think that he was wrong about a Targaryen alone in the world being a terrible thing. Then again, you are not alone anymore."
I stare at him immediately knowing he knows the truth about Jon. This man does not have to say anything further to be threatening me with Jon's identity. I cannot allow him to do so. I walk over to him and stand face to face with him.
"You have more than every right to be angry with me. I wish I could take it back however there is no changing it now. But I warn you here and now that if you speak of who Jon truly is to anyone, I will ensure that no one will believe you. And I will already climb the steps to the Iron Throne before Jon or anyone else can be within sniffing distance of the throne. I have already ensured it to be nearly impossible by the time anyone finds out his true identity. Do you understand?"
Samwell has a bit of fear in his eyes in every word to speak to him. I keep my eyes locked with his fearful eyes before he finally leaves the tent. I exhale in what I just said to him.
I go back over to the fire pit to recollect myself in what Samwell said about Aemon Targaryen, my great uncle. And there is another Targaryen I wish I knew but never shall know. And if what Samwell said is true, my great uncle was right. A Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing.
I place my right hand over my stomach feeling such sadness in what I have to do next. I close my eyes knowing in who is to come next into my tent. I hear the carriage approach. I lift my head up knowing what I must do next for Sansa, the Lady of Winterfell. I do not bother to turn around when I hear her enter my tent at this very moment.
Sansa's POV
I walk into the tent to see Daenerys standing right by the fire pit with her back turned to me. I see that she is alone in the tent. She has so much trust and faith in her people. A part of me wishes I had that exact trust and faith in those around me.
I walk a bit closer to her but she still does not say a word to me. I wonder if she even realizes I am in the tent. I wait a few moments to see if she would say anything to me but not a single word is spoken from her.
I decide to speak first and ask, "May I speak with you?"
"Approach, Lady Sansa." She says softly and no way of command to me like I was expecting her to do.
Before I could say anything, she says, "Someone once told me these words."
'I've known a great many clever men. I've out lived them all. You know why? I ignored them. The Lords of Westeros are sheep. Are you a sheep? No. You're a dragon. Be a Dragon.'
"She is right in the end."
"And who was this?"
"Lady Olenna of House Tyrell. I believe you meet her while you were in King's Landing."
I give a small smile at the thought of that woman. She was many things however she certainly was a clever woman until she chose to side with Daenerys herself. It lead to her downfall.
"Yes I did. She is one of the rare few with some wits about her. She never betrayed my trust. Tyrion, Lady Olenna and her grand daughter, Margaery were the only ones who gave their condolences to me about my father, mother and brother. No one else did. Everyone just called me a traitor's daughter except for them."
I come to realize that no matter what I did, I would always be a traitor's daughter no different than how everyone including myself calls Daenerys the Mad King's Daughter. I never thought of it that way until now.
I begin to see Daenerys a little differently compared to when I first saw her enter into Winterfell. Although I know there is no time for small talk.
"I understand that you and your advisors want to leave even after giving your word to help in the Long Night. Am I understanding this correctly?"
"Yes, that is correct. I did give my word. Things changed so drastically that I have to leave while I still can."
"And what things have changed?"
"You shall learn soon enough when Jon returns." She still keeps her back turned to me, not showing any decency toward me like when she first arrived to Winterfell.
"And when will that be since your other beast has him?" I say in anger that one of her dragons took Jon and flew off.
"That is not how it works. Jon and Rhaegal are spending some time alone. Jon needs it with all that he has learned." She says to me.
"And what is it that he learned to make him fly off?"
"He learned who his mother was and much more." Daenerys tells me.
I think for a moment in seeing how Jon would want to be alone in finding out who his mother was. Especially since Bran is whatever Bran is. I can see why it would make Jon want to be alone for a while. However now is not the time for that.
I wonder what else did change for this silver haired woman to break her word to Jon. I know that Jon loves her. But does she love him?
"What about Jon?" I ask her.
"What about him?" She asks in response.
"You gave him your word as well. He will expect you to keep your word." I tell her.
I speak the truth about this. Jon will expect her to keep her word. If she leaves and he learns of this, I am not sure how he will react to this. It won't be good though.
"Yes I did however why should I keep my word if the word of his people is not also kept to me? He gave his word that he and the North will back my claim to the Iron Throne. And as far as I can tell, not a single one of you are doing so except Jon and maybe Arya. That is it."
She turns to finally face me. My eyes immediately glare at her Targaryen armor. I must admit that the armor is beautifully built. I cannot help but to realize that her armor is made of nothing but Valyrian steel. The value of the armor alone could buy her another army or plenty of ships or even a castle.
"I will not lie to you. The North will for a long time see you as the Mad King's Daughter. You will have to do quite a bit to change their views about you." I tell her.
"I understand that. Jon was the exact same way when he came to Dragonstone. However he and I both came to an understanding that my father was an evil man. I know he burned your grandfather and uncle alive. And there is nothing I can do to change the horrible acts my own father did. All I can do is ask for forgiveness and in the hopes that over time you and the whole North will come to see me for what I am just as Jon has. And not to punish the sins of the father onto the daughter." She tells me with respect.
I can see that she appears to speak honesty to me. She acknowledges what kind of man her father was just as she did in the great hall of Winterfell when she came here on arrival. However I cannot let this alone sway me.
"I do certainly know how Jon sees you. He loves you." I do not want to bounce around the issues I have toward her.
She does not seem surprised that I know about the two of them. She places her hands together, keeping her composure. "And that bothers you. I understand why it does. Tyrion and Varys told me what happened to your brother, Robb Stark. If I am right, he was called The Young Wolf and he rode into battle on the back of a giant direwolf. And he could turn into a wolf himself when he wanted to. Many believed that he couldn't be killed. But the Red Wedding proved otherwise. And it was all because he chose to marry a woman named Talisa, he loved rather than the woman he was promised to, one of Walder Frey's Daughters."
I am surprised that she knows about Robb Stark. I took her for someone who only cared to know about her enemies and nothing more. She must have asked Tyrion and Varys whatever she could about what happened in the War of the Five Kings before coming to Westeros or Winterfell.
"I also know quite a bit about your father, Eddard Stark. Or as others called him, Ned Stark. In the stories I was told of him, he seemed like a good man. Lord Varys even told me that Ned took off his Hand of the King badge and said himself that he would not take part in my murder that Robert Baratheon wanted. Robert Baratheon wanted me dead because I was pregnant and for nothing else. Ned Stark walked away. He didn't want to kill me. Ned Stark saw me as an innocent girl; not as the Mad King's Daughter like all of Westeros did. I wish I got to speak to him, to say thank you for what he did."
"But sadly I cannot. But in knowing what I know of Ned Stark, I can say that he died before his time. He seemed like a good man that many admire him still to this day long after his death. But he was lucky enough not to live long enough to see his people being stubborn asses that the North will fall. And it is all because you and the North couldn't give some trust and respect to me."
I stare at Daenerys feeling like my heart was getting torn out with her words about my own father. I never knew that is what my father did while he was in King's Landing. It explains quite a bit before he got his leg injured by Jaime Lannister.
"I never knew my father did that. And since Lord Varys is the only man alive to confirm it, I have no doubt about what you speak. It does sound like my father. I was told he never liked what happened to the other Targaryen children that were killed on the orders of Tywin Lannister. He called it murder and wanted Tywin Lannister to pay for what he did since they were only children innocent. But Robert didn't allow it."
"Yes. Robert Baratheon was known for his hatred toward all Targaryens, no matter how innocent. Even to my unborn son, Rhaego." She sighs placing her hand on her stomach. I can see the look of sadness on her face at the mention of her unborn son.
"Daenerys, you need to understand why all of us are having a hard time to trust you with anything that we care about. The North itself has lost so much and we finally took it back and we said we would never bow to anyone ever again."
"But I do understand, Lady Sansa. I know that my family, The Targaryens and the Lannisters have taken so much from the North. And you are one of them. Your father, mother and brothers taken from you. However my mother, brother, niece and nephew were taken from me before or after I was born. I cannot change what has happened but I would if I could. And I am not asking you to bow to me. All I ask is that you follow me. Nothing more."
I stare at this woman who knows how it feels to have everything taken from her however she never knew any of them like I knew my loved ones. It does not change anything right now.
"Lady Sansa, I love Jon and I trust him. He is the only third man in my life that I can trust. The first was my husband, Khal Drogo; the second is Jorah Mormont. But I am here for more than just the love and trust I have with Jon. I am here to save the people of Westeros of what is to come. I have seen the Army of the Dead myself. I didn't truly believe Jon until I saw them with my own eyes. I have seen many strange and terrible things in my life. But the Army of the Dead is at the top for me."
"Then why leave? Why are you leaving?" I ask her without hesitation.
"Because I know that no matter what I or my men do to help against the Army of the Dead, it will never be enough to prove that I am not a mad Targaryen like my father or countless others before him was. So why should I fight in a war that will lead to the deaths of my men for nothing?"
"Because you gave your word and you must keep it." I answer to her.
"One of the things I learned about being a ruler, that is what Kings and Queens do. We make promises to everyone and whatever works for the people, the realm, we keep. Other than that, they never happen. Jon and I knew this was a risk as did you, Lady Sansa. However lives are at risk, the lives of the free men who swore to follow me. I won't risk their lives for something that will mean nothing in the end. And that is why I am leaving to finish what I started when I arrived to Westeros, to take the Iron Throne."
"No. It will not be for nothing in the end. Their lives will be risked for those who cannot fight against the Army of the Dead. They will be fighting for the living." I say to her in a begging manner.
"I am sorry, Lady Sansa but what good is it for my men to die for people who will never view them as nothing more than savages who crossed the Narrow Sea with the Mad King's Daughter?"
I stare at her in shock that she is actually saying these words. None of this should matter with what is to come when they reach Winterfell which could be any day or hour now.
"Queen Daenerys, I beg you to stay. If not for the people then at least for Jon. I know you love him. Stay for him. Please!" I cannot believe that I am begging this woman to stay for Jon. But if it gets her to stay then I will say and do whatever I can to keep her here.
Daenerys stares at me with a heavy heart. She takes a step closer to me with her right hand over her stomach. "Sansa, I confess that a big part of my heart was influenced by Jon, his goodness and his heart. I realize that if I let anything such as love influence my heart, I could lose every single one of my men just as I nearly did before when I lost my husband and unborn son. I could lose everything I have again and I cannot rule with my heart nor trust it. It is the only way to rule, Lady Sansa."
"Queen Daenerys, I cannot let you leave. You cannot rule like that. You cannot-"
"Yes, I can. I am leaving, Lady Sansa. There is nothing else that can be said or done to get me to stay. But I will say this to give some comfort; when I take the Iron Throne, I will make sure to be ready if the Army of the Dead gets past Winterfell. I will be the final front; it will be for risks that my men can take and mean something in the long run unlike here. It was a pleasure to meet you, Lady Sansa."
Suddenly some her men enter into the tent and begin to take it down and pack up things. I watch in horror of what is happening. She is about to turn until I ask her, "Why does any of this matter? We are all here to fight, to live. Why does this matter so much to you?"
"It matters because all of you see me as your enemy just like you see Cersei Lannister. But the only difference is that you show respect to Cersei after all she has done toward you alone, Lady Sansa. But you can't show me an ounce of proper respect when I am not your enemy at all. That is why it matters to me. Even enemies can show respect."
Daenerys goes over to a small metal box and opens it to reveal a crown. I can easily see that it is a Targaryen crown by the red jewels. Daenerys gently picks it up, admiring it for a few moments. Then she goes over to the mirror and places it perfectly on top of her head.
Daenerys exhales saying, "Only certain people get to wear a crown, Lady Sansa. I was born to rule and be great. And so I shall."
She turns to face me. I stare at this silver haired woman that has a look of regret on her face but dead set in her decision. She walks past me and out of the tent. I follow her out calling her name several times but she does not respond nor looks back.
I realize that most of her forces tents were packed. The rest of her forces were riding away as if they were never here. I hear some of the riders whooping like wild men away from here. I would beg these men to stay however I doubt any of them speak the common tongue.
I stay shortly behind Daenerys in the hopes that I can say more in order to keep her here until Jon returns. I know Jon will find some way to keep her here. However she keeps on walking until she reaches an open field. I wonder what she is doing until I hear the sound of massive wings above me.
I immediately try to duck and cover from her beast. Her dragon flies low over our heads and circles around then lands beside Daenerys. Daenerys remains motionless when he does. The dragon sets its wing on the ground. Daenerys uses his wing to climb up onto his back. She settles herself between his shoulders and grips two of its spikes.
"You are making a terrible mistake, Daenerys. The blood of the North will be on your hands for breaking your word." I say to her with disgust in what she is doing when I stand up right.
"No, it will not. My hands are washed of this and I have made peace with it. You and the entire North will do the same when I sit on the Iron Throne. I wish you good fortune in the war to come, Sansa Lady of Winterfell."
Her dragon lets out a small roar before taking massive steps forward then takes off into the sky. Daenerys and her dragon fly over Winterfell. I can hear some screams from Winterfell when she does. Daenerys does not have her dragon linger long over Winterfell when a rider comes below them.
Daenerys looks down at the rider. The rider is Jorah Mormont. It is almost as if they were waiting for each other. Jorah gazes up at his Queen and I knew right away that he loves Daenerys with all of his heart just as he spoke to us earlier.
Jorah and Daenerys both urge their beasts onward and upward away from Winterfell. I watch every single men of Daenerys that remain leave nothing but snow and dirt in the wind. Jorah and Daenerys disappears into the snowy woods from all of Winterfell's eyesight.
I know they will head to White Harbor for their ships to sail back South now. I have a terrible pit in my stomach that none of us will survive against the Dead. I begin to walk back. I feel as if I am back in a nightmare when walking into Winterfell.
I look to the sky and ask out loud, "Jon, where are you?"
I know he cannot hear me but he needs to come back now. He is probably the only one who can bring Daenerys back to fight. I reach the gates of Winterfell to see the look on everyone's faces now that she is gone.
Many are staring at me with dread of what is to come without her against the Army of the Dead. However I dread the detailed thought of Daenerys Targaryen climbing the steps and sitting on the Iron Throne. I fear of what will become of Westeros in her Reign.
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Hey guys. I hope this chapter is really good. Please leave you thoughts in the comment section. And don't forget to vote if you like/love.222Please respect copyright.PENANAbIK1eM1CAV
Apologies for the delay on this chapter as well. One of my doggies, Asher needed dental surgery terribly and it lead to me working doubles, making sure to donate plasma, any extra money I could make so I could get the money for the dental surgery as soon as possible. He had 10 teeth total taken out this morning. The vet says he is coming out of the surgery good. And I will be able to pick him up soon.222Please respect copyright.PENANAwrfdO9rN31
I will post one more chapter for Game of Thrones after this one then I will work on 6 chapters for Dracula Untold. After that, 6 chapters for GOT. I'll keep you posted if anything else delays me. I hope everyone is doing well. Have an awesome day. XOXO - Faith Hammett 🖤🖤🐶🐶🙂🖤🖤222Please respect copyright.PENANAEAddppWjQY
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