Unnamed

Meereen remained in a state of mourning. Within the Great Pyramid, Daenerys and her lover Daario Naharis stand in a dark room with only a few candles lighting the room. Both of them stand over the body of Meereen's queen, heroine and greatest slave liberator—Queen Saqnizza Dhardu—who died of injuries sustained fighting Sons of the Harpy. Bells outside tolled and its denizens mourned her loss, former slaves and moderate ex-slave masters alike; the slaves cried "mhysa" meaning "mother" in the Old Ghiscari language.

Hizdahr zo Loraq, one of the former aristocratic slave traders in the city from an ancient and proud wealthy bloodline, walked into the room behind Daenerys and Daario to pay his respects and offered his condolences—not just for her, but for Saqnizza as well.

He lowered his head submissively.

"Word has already spread throughout the city, Your Grace. The people mourn the loss of their beloved monarch," he curtsied. "Saqnizza was… an admirable woman. Most heads of the noble houses might not have agreed with her, but we respected her for her spirit."

Daenerys didn't turn to face him. "The slave masters called her the 'Rebel Queen,' but the people we helped free knew her as 'Mhysa'. We didn't always see eye-to-eye on how best to free the former slaves and give them a future of their own," she said simply, "but I learned a lot from her. She was a good mentor." She frowned angrily. "And she died in an alley to protect those she freed from the chains of slavery, butchered by cowards who hide behind masks."

"We could pull back to the pyramid district, secure it and use it as a base from which to operate," Daario suggested, walking over to Daenerys. "Then we clean the city out, neighborhood by neighborhood, street by street, until the rats have nowhere left to hide. It's the best we could do to avenge Queen Saqnizza and deliver the people of Meereen justice they're entitled to."

The Dragon Queen looks over her shoulder and nods. "I prefer your earlier suggestion," she agreed. "Round up the leaders of each of Meereen's great families and bring them to me. One of them has to be clandestinely backing these insurgents."

"But… I'm the leader of my family," Hizdahr realized.

In that instant, two Unsullied march up behind Hizdahr and grab him roughly, restraining him as he is being led away whilst the former slave master protested loudly.

"No, Your Grace! I had nothing to do with this! Your Grace!"

One-by-one, each of the city's noble household heads were gathered and escorted beneath one of the Great Pyramids' Dragon Chambers—some came voluntarily whilst others were dragged into the chamber forcefully. Each of the men were uttering things to each other, asking why they were brought in for questioning when Meereenese still mourned. No doubt most will likely demand answers to their questions; with Saqnizza out of the way, there are no doubt some would easily accuse Daenerys of attempting to seize power.

The chamber was dark, with only Daario holding a lit torch. After a few moments, the Second Sons leader follows closely behind Daenerys, some Unsullied and a number of men. Daenerys turns around and looks directly at the gathered nobles, with only a distinct sound of chains rattling breaking the silence.

*RATTLE!*

"Geron naejot (Walk forward)," she ordered in High Valyrian.

Each of the Unsullied lowered their spears at the other men threateningly.

"Ao daor gaomagon bisa (You cannot do this)," one of them exclaimed.

The Unsullied begin walking forward, forcing the men to move. After a few moments, they stop. Chains rattle again.

*RATTLE!*

"Mēre tolī dekūra (Another step)."

The Meereenese were pushed further again by the Unsullied; Daenerys walked through them to the front of the group as they heard more chains rattle and dragons snarling. This terrified the nobility as they finally realized where they were being led to.

"Kessi ipradagon ao, lo nyke ivestragon zirȳ naejot. Kostis ipradagon ao sesīr lo nyke don't. Riñar. Mirri ivestragon eman tepagon bē va zirȳ (They will eat you, if I tell them to. They may eat you even if I don't. Children. Some say I should give up on them)," Daenerys explained. "Yn iā sȳz muña dōrī tepagon bē va zirȳla riñar. Ziry qilōnarion zirȳ lo ziry ēdruta (But a good mother never gives up on her children. She disciplines them if she must.)"

She glances over at Daario, who walks over and pushes one of the mumbling terrified men forward onto his knees.

"Yn ziry gaomas daor tepagon bē va zirȳ (But she doesnot give up on them.)"

The man's eyes widen as the dragon coming out of the shadows is none other than Rhaegal; jade-green and bronze scales with yellow-orange colored wings, he grew considerably larger during his captivity along with his brother Viserion—easily towering over the group of humans standing in front of him. Rhaegal's sharp teeth shined a bright orange hue in the darkness before the dragon opened its mouth and breathed fire on the Meereenese man. He erupted in flames, screaming loudly as he did.

"AAAHH! AAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Both Rhaegal and Viserion stalked closer before tucking in, sinking their teeth into the man before fighting over their meal and ripping him in half. The Meereenese nobles were utterly horrified at the scene, either covering their eyes and mouths with shock or simply turning their heads to look away while taking occasional glances at the savage scene. Even Daario and Missandei looked equally disgusted, but Daenerys glanced over her shoulder towards the nobles.

"Qilōni iksis mijegon? Kostilus mirre hen iksā, kostilus nyke ivestragī se zaldrīzoti udligo. (Who is innocent? Maybe all of you are, maybe none of you are. Maybe, I should let the dragons decide)."

Hizdahr, still trembling, spoke out half-heartedly. "Valar morghūlis (All men must die)."

The other men besides Hizdahr grovel before Daenerys. The dragons continue eating. After a moment, Daenerys eyes Hizdahr up and down as Rhaegal and Viserion chomped down and tore the carcass apart. She then switched to using the Common Tongue.

"Don't want to overfeed them. Tomorrow perhaps," she said sarcastically.

Daario and the Unsullied take the men out. Daenerys watches her dragons eat for a moment, and then walks out herself.

The next day, however, word of what happened spread throughout the streets of Meereen. Dozens of free citizens gathered outside the Great Pyramid, demanding answers.

"Ziry drī hae se uēpa āeksia (She acts like the old masters)!" one of them protested.

"Se Muña Zaldrīzoti pendagon ēza īlva skoros's sȳrje syt īlva, yn zirȳla actions ivestragon lodaor! (The Mother of Dragon thinks she has our interests at heart, but her actions say otherwise)!" another shouted.

"Īlon iepagon qilōnarion (We demand justice)!"

"Daenērys Jelmāzmo narejozlivis Dāria Saqnizza iōragon syt lēda zirȳla gaomagon zaldrīzoti hae qilōnarion (Daenerys Stormborn dishonors Queen Saqnizza's memory with her use of dragons as punishment)!"

Daenerys did not expect word to spread so fast. She believed that she had Meereen's interest and the interest of its people at heart when she sentenced a former slave master to death, but was met with strong opposition from the local populace. The Dragon Queen watched as the Unsullied and Second Sons guarded the entrances to prevent an all-out riot from breaking out in the streets. Daenerys recognized that she might have made a mistake and had to make things right. All part of the lessons of ruling; taking a moment to compose herself, Daenerys donned a white dress with a silver dragon pin on her shoulder and walked over to meet the protestors.

"Uh, I don't think it's safe for you to be out here. They're really pissed at you," Daario implied.

'Normally I'd have agreed, but this is a problem I have to solve if I'm to rule the Seven Kingdoms,' she thought. "Quptenkī hen Mīrīn, rȳbagon nyke (People of Meereen, hear me)," she addressed them in High Valyrian, "Īlon mirre ilimagho se rēbagon hen īlva jorrāelagon dāria saqnizza. Sir, tolī than mirre, istiti iōragon hēnkirī— (We all mourn the loss of our beloved Queen Saqnizza. Now, more than ever, we must stand together—)"

One of the leading protestors rudely interrupted her. "Kesi daor sagon—! (We will not be—!)"

"Lyka! Ivestragī zirȳla ȳdragon! (Quiet! Let her speak!)" a moderate chastised.

"Ziry's iā quptenka! Ziry's daor mēre hen īlva! Dāria saqnizza dōrī ivestragī iā quptenka— (She's an outsider! She's not one of us! Queen Saqnizza would never let a mere outsider—)"

"Lyka! (Quiet!)"

Daenerys understood she had to pick her words carefully. "Iksan gīmigon bona iksan iā quptenka (I'm aware that I'm an outsider)," she spoke. "Nyke gīmigon bona nyke ȳdra daor sytilībagon kesīr. Ēdan daoriot else naejot jikagon, yn īles dāria saqnizza qilōni gūrotan nyke se ñuha azantys isse skoriot ziry emagon ilzitan īlva hen onto se geralbri (I know that I don't belong here. I had nowhere else to go, but it was Queen Saqnizza herself who took me and my people in where she could have thrown us out onto thestreets)."

Murmurs were slowly dying down and silence flooded the streets as the Meereenese looked on.

"Nyke iēdrosa pendagon skorkydoso se buzdari āeksia treated vali, ābrar, riñar se hen quba mijegon; nyke iēdrosa pendagon se riñar nailed naejot guēse va se sikagon hen oktion (I still remember how badly the slave masters treated men, women, children and elders. I still remember the children nailed to wooden crosses on the outskirts of the city)."

Whispers spread among the free citizens who still carried with them the memories of their treatment when the Great Masters still ruled Meereen, along with at Astapor and Yunkai.

"Nyke could daor iōragon naejot urnēbagon pōja cruelty jikagon mirre dombo hae toil mijegon botagon. Mirri hen ao qilōni vīlībāzma lēda Dāria Saqnizza iēdrosa umbagon lēda īlva. Sesīr lo ziry's daor lēda īlva dombo, kosti rigle zirȳla lēda īlva. Nyke kivigon naejot ao kesi mazverdagon ziry paktot zirȳla (I couldn't stand by and watch their cruelty go any further while more innocent suffer. Some of you who fought with Queen Saqnizza still remain with us. Even though she's not with us anymore, I swear to you we will avenge her)."

Slowly but surely, few Meereenese started applauding which slowly grew in even greater numbers. Cheers and reassurances that the people will get the justice they so desperately wanted for as promised, Daenerys raised a hand up.

"Se dovaogēdy, Tȳni Trēsi se se oktion urnēbagon kessa arghugon ilagon se Trēsi hen Jazdanī kessa sagon arghugon ilagon se kessa addemmagon syt pōja quba. Se pār … (The Unsullied, Second Sons and the city watch will hunt down the Sons of the Harpy will be hunted down and will pay for their crimes. And then…)" she paused for a moment, "se pār Mīrīn kessa iderēbagon iā arlie dāria (and then Meereen will choose a new Queen)."

Heckles and jeers were replaced by applause and cheer.

"Ñuha ondor ōregon kessa mērī mērī sagon mība. Skori se Trēsi hen Jazdanī issi maghatan naejot sepār se se buzdari āeksia issi daor qringaomio, Mīrīn kessa umbagon dāez. Syt sȳz. (My reign will only be brief. When the Sons of the Harpy are brought to justice and the slave masters are no longer a threat, Meereen will remain free. Permanently.)"

*CHEER!*

*APPLAUSE!*

"Dohaeragon īlva gaomagon īlva dāez (Help us keep our freedom)!"

"Maghagon ilagon se Trēsi hen Jazdanī (Bring down the Sons of the Harpy)!"

"Syt se Mysha (For the Mother!)"

"Syt Dāria Saqnizza (For Queen Saqnizza)!"

Daenerys Targaryen smiled and waved as the Unsullied and Second Sons began assisting the Meereenese City Guard spreading word. The search for Queen Saqnizza's killers was already underway and once the threat was dealt with, Meereen will be free to select a new sovereign from one of their own ranks. For now, at least, the city-state was under the control of Daenerys Targaryen. She looked at Daario.

"Take me to him," she requested.

Her lover looked visibly annoyed, but did as he was told. Being escorted by Grey Worm and Missandei, Daenerys opened the Great Pyramid's door to the dungeons and stepped inside, revealing a frightened Hizdahr zo Loraq who immediately threw himself at her feet.

"My, my Queen, please don't kill me!" he begged.

"How pathetic…" Daario rolled his eyes.

Daenerys looked down at him with the calm composure of a ruler. "What about 'Valar morghulis' (All men must die)?"

"I did not want to die," Hizdahr sobbed. "Apparently I do not want to die at all."

"It takes courage to admit fear. And to admit a mistake," she told him. "I'm here to tell you I was wrong about what I said. I was wrong and Saqnizza was right, about tradition, about bringing the people of the city together. As the interim Queen of Meereen, my first act, of course, will bringing her killers to justice. During that time, I will reopen the fighting pits… to free men only. Slavery will never return to Meeren, not while I live."

"Yes, my Queen. As you wish, my Queen."

"And in order to forge a lasting bond with the Meereenese people, I will marry the leader of an ancient family."

Hizdahr nodded.Thankfully a suitor is already on his knees."

Daario felt his eyes widen. "Wha…?" he looked confused.

Hizdahr looked surprise at the announcement. Daenerys faintly smiles and then leaves, leaving both men with the door wide open. Once by herself, Daenerys massaged her temples—feeling a headache coming.

"One thing leads to another…"

At Dragonstone…

Darkness fell upon the island of Dragonstone; with only lights shining out from King's Landing in the distance.

Still remained confined to his cell, Gendry was rather upset. Used and tossed aside, wanting to join a worthy cause only for the Brotherhood Without Banners to turn on him and hand him over to a woman he never met, and now tossed into a cold, hard, unforgiving cell for seemingly no reason at all. Gendry yanked at the chains at his ankles and threw loose pebbles at the wall. The guard paid no mind and was fast asleep, his wine jug slipping through his fingers.

Gendry snorted. 'Every time some noble looks for me, they want to kill me.'

He heard silent footsteps approaching his cell before a loud bonk and a groan. Turning his head, the prison guard was knocked out and slumped to the floor. Gendry glanced up and saw a tall, well-built hooded figure looking down at him as they picked the lock.

"This place not to your liking? Let me guess: Stannis Baratheon was mean to you?" the voice was feminine. "Locked you in here and threw away the key?"

Gendry didn't answer, watching only as his apparent savior bent down to pick up the guard's keys. He shook his head.

"I should've known that every time a highborn asks me my name, it's trouble," he complained.

She felt sympathetic. "What makes you say that?"

"Why do I have to answer to you? I bet you're just another highborn lady. We're not really people to you. Just ways to get what you wa—"

*BONK!*

She hit Gendry on the top of his head, making the young apprentice blacksmith wince slightly. The young woman did not appreciate such unfair accusations.

"I am not a highborn, nor am I a lady," she said. "I'm a bastard. Just like you."

'Great… Mouth open, foot first,' he realized. Gendry might've had his own faults and he knew when he overstepped his bounds. The memory of Bodrin getting stabbed while he was being taken away still bothered him.

"How did you know I'm a bastard?"

"I just do."

"Then… who are you?"

The young woman removed her hood. She had short black hair and blue eyes, looked about six years older than Gendry, and her attire was more masculine and consistent of leather instead of the traditional porcelain or silk dresses.

"The name's Mya. Mya Stone," she introduced herself.

"Mya… Stone?"

"All bastards born in the Vale of Arryn carry the surname 'Stone' provided that their father acknowledges them first."

"You're quiet a long way from home," Gendry pointed out.

Mya shrugged, trying to fit one of the keys into the lock. Her frustration grew. "Tell me something I don't know," she groaned. "Got a letter from the Riverlands sent to us from some old man. Bodum, Berim… I can't remember."

Gendry's eyes shot up. "Bodrin?"

"That's the name."

"He's… he's still alive?"

"Believe me, if he wasn't then Lord Royce wouldn't have sent me down here to break you out of this hellhole."

Feeling a wave of relief and guilt flooding over him, Gendry felt as if his heart sore to greater heights when Mya Stone informed him that Bodrin was in fact still alive and sent a raven to Runestone. The fact that it was a fellow bastard helping him, it sent him a signal that he was not alone.

"Well look at you. Black hair, blue eyes… you almost look just like me," Mya pointed at him.

Gendry shook his head. "Why're you telling me this? Imean… what's your point? What did Bodrin tell you about me?"

Silence befalls the dungeons before Mya grunts, listening to some birds cawing outside.

"Just plain and simple really: find a bastard on Dragonstone, sneak in the castle, get him out. But when your friend's letter explained why, I was kinda tickled pink."

Gendry said nothing as Mya finally unlocked the cell and helped him out. Sneaking quietly past the guards, he felt now that it would perhaps be the only time to ask questions.

"So why did you?" he whispered.

"Why did I what?" she asked quietly.

"Why did you really come all the way down here just 'cause some lord told you when it was really my friend who asked 'em? This Royce fellow you're father or something?"

Mya shook her head. "Lord Yohn Royce is not my father," she answered. "Only vague memories I had of him was when I was a little girl. Tossing me in the air, catching me…"

"You're lucky. I never had a father growing up. Never wanted one. Was born when he grabbed my mother instead of the girl next to her in the tavern, telling her he'd…"

"…promise her the world."

Gendry blinked. How did she know that? Treading down a flight of stairs leading to the outside, Mya got a sense of why he brought that up as she brought ashore a small row boat.

"Haven't you ever wondered where your strength came from?" she pressed suddenly. "How I can tell you have a talent for fighting like me?"

'My strength came from learning how to be a blacksmith,' he wanted to tell her. "I'm a lowborn."

"So am I, yet do you hear me complain?"

"My mother was a tavern wench."

"Mine was a commoner."

"I ended up becoming a blacksmith's apprentice. For a time. You?"

"A guide leading trains of mules through the dangerous, treacherous rock climbs from the Vale to the Eyrie. Made the dark climb a hundred times without an accident."

Gendry felt comfortable with the conversation with Mya Stone going the way it is before blurting out. "You said we looked almost alike. Why?" he asked. "Are you saying my father was some lord or…"

Mya looked at him before pointing in the direction of King's Landing. "His house was the Red Keep. Didn't you know that by now?"

"I'm just a bastard," he insisted. "Just like you."

"Yet you have the same blood as me," she pointed a finger at his chest

Gendry shook his head. "Wait, are you telling me…?"

Mya nodded. "Yes. We are the bastards of Robert of the House Baratheon, the First of His Name, King of the Andals and the First Men; which in a sense makes me your half-sister. Why else do you think your friend Bodrin went out of his way to get you as far away from the massacre so badly?"

At that moment, Gendry felt himself at a loss for words and felt an inkling of hope grow within him. Whatever reason for, he did not know.

"Which means…?"

"It means that our current King, Daveth Baratheon the Oathkeeper, is our trueborn brother."

'This-this is… I-I have a sister? A brother?' he thought to himself, noticing his hands shaking slightly. 'I have a family… A real family!'

"Get in the boat," Mya broke his concentration. "I'll take you to Rook's Rest. That's as far as I'll go. Where you decide to go from there, it's up to you."

Gendry shook his head. "Where will you go?" he asked.

"I have to go back to Runestone. Let your friend know your safe. Just… don't drink seawater, okay?"

"I know not to drink seawater!"

"Good."

"What about the red woman? The lord of this castle… I mean, our uncle?"

They're not even here, and besides they can't touch you if you learn to keep a low profile."

"Fine, fine."

"You ever been in a boat before?"

"No."

"Do you know how to swim?"

"No."

Mya groaned. "Just sit in the center and don't shake the boat or we'll both fall out and drown."

Gripping the oars, Mya found her tempo and rowed backwards bit by bit. Gendry did his best to keep his weight centered to keep the boat steady and felt thankful for this chance to live and meet relatives he didn't know he had. The Street of Steel, the Riverlands… the places Gendry traveled to with Bodrin seemed like a distant memory. But perhaps for the first time in his life, Gendry felt that he was no longer alone. He had friends and a family; perhaps he'd like to meet his brother someday once things have settled down.

'I'm Robert Baratheon's son. Bastard son,' he told himself. 'King Robert's my father…'