Chapter 49: Meereen

After leaving the North and Winterfell Jon Snow had seen many sights that had impressed him in Essos, although nothing compared to the grandness of Meereen. As they rode down to the gates the bastard of Winterfell couldn't take his eyes off of the Great Pyramid, reaching higher than any man-made structure that he had ever seen before. As the Unsullied began to form up in the plain beyond the gates, Jon followed the Targaryen woman beside Ser Jorah and Jory, trotting closer to the city. He tried to avert his gaze from the naked statues of the Harpy, but his thoughts betrayed him as he thought on Daenerys in the same state.

"Cheer up, Jon." Jory said quietly from his left. "We'll take this city too."

Jon shook his head. "That's not…" he trailed off, not wanting to share what he was thinking about. "I know we will." He looked up at the walls and saw people gathering, although from this distance nothing was distinguishable. He dismounted after Daenerys and walked up to stand beside her, the pair standing in silence as they waited for the Meereenese response to their actions.

The gates began to open and Jon tensed up, his hand going straight to his sword. "Calm, Jon Snow." Dany said softly. "It will be a single rider. Their champion." Jon watched as a lone rider did indeed gallop out of the city, before he stopped towards the cliffside and dismounted, shouting something in a broken Valyrian that Jon couldn't quite place. He started unfastening parts of his armour, and Jon turned to Dany in disgust. She just had a look of amusement on her face as the Meereen champion whipped out his cock and began to piss on the ground.

Jon felt outraged. "He disrespects you." He snarled, his hand firmer on his sword.

"He entertains me." Dany said smugly. "If he expects me to cower at the sight of a man's cock, he doesn't know the Dothraki very well." She noticed Missandei coming forward to translate but stopped her. "I know what he is saying, he won't be speaking for much longer."

"Let me be your champion." Jon whispered down to her, his voice laced with anger.

Dany shook her head calmly. "You would best him, I do not doubt it. But I want this done quickly, and that requires less honour than you, Jon." She told him softly before calling out. "Daario."

The sellsword stepped forwards and bowed. "My Queen."

Dany looked back at the Meereenese champion, who had finished his business and was lacing back up. "Make it quick."

Daario grinned, stepping away from their army and casually looked towards the now mounted again Meereenese champion. "He's just standing there." Jon exclaimed.

"He is." Dany just nodded.

"He'll get himself killed!" Jon added.

Dany placed a hand on Jon's arm. "Trust me." Was all she said. Jon nodded and released his sword hilt, watching as the two champions faced off. The Meereenese warrior began to gallop towards Daario, who was still just standing there. The Tyroshi turned and winked at Dany, causing Jon to grow even angrier. As he galloped closer, the Meereenese champion lowered his lance, aiming directly for Daario's neck. The Tyroshi wasn't fazed however, and he unsheathed his dagger, kissing the hilt before throwing it directly into the horse's eye. The Meereenese champion fell from the horse to fall directly at Daario's feet in a plume of dust, only to be swiftly beheaded by Daario Naharis' arakh.

Then a number of things happened quickly. The citizens of Meereen began to make unhappy noises from the tops of the walls and a barrage of arrows was fired, landing in between Daario and the city. Without a word of warning, Daario unlaced his trousers and returned the favour to the city of Meereen, pissing on the arrows.

Jon couldn't contain a snort of laughter then, and Dany was also smirking. "Time for a speech." She said quietly. "See that the catapults are ready." Jon bowed his head and walked towards the front of the Unsullied formation, listening in as Daenerys gave a speech to the slaves of Meereen. He waited beside the middle siege engine until Dany had finished her speech and commanded "Forward!" And he helped push the catapult within range of the city. He grabbed the rope that would allow him to fire the catapult, and soon enough Dany gave the order. "Fire!"

He pulled, and the cylindrical wooden barrel flew over the city walls, smashing on the stone buildings within the city, showering the people inside with the gathered slave collars from every single slave that they had freed on their journey. It was a powerful statement, and Jon hoped that inside the city, the rage that the slaves had towards their masters would come out and make their jobs easier.

Like Torrhen, the sight of Winterfell in the distance always filled Ned Stark with an indescribable sense of ease, and riding through the gates to a large reception actually put a smile on his lips. He greeted each of his children and grandchildren in turn, before hugging his wife tightly and moving into the castle. After a quick meal, he brought both Robb and Torrhen up to his solar, half expecting Cat to follow them. Instead of his wife however, it was Wylla that joined them and started describing what had happened in all of their absence.

"Our stores are filling up nicely." She explained. "At this rate we have enough food for the entire North for a year here in the castle."

Ned nodded. "Very good. What of trade with Essos, have we heard anything?"

Robb shifted uncomfortably. "News from King's Landing has halted in the last month, Lord Howland had heard rumours of a plague, but it's only rumours."

"Bran?" Ned asked quickly. Torrhen shrugged.

"No news." Torrhen answered. "We've heard nothing."

Ned sighed and leant back into his chair. "Well, the Wildlings have taken up residence in the Gift. Mance Rayder has even encouraged them to aide in building outposts to protect our Northern borders, and the giants have been talked into helping with the build of Rickon's future castle."

Robb and Wylla looked at each other in wonder. "Giants? They are real?"

Ned smirked. "Eastwatch were not too happy when they had to open the gates for them and the mammoths, but they are a wonderous site."

"And a pain in the arse to fight." Torrhen muttered, remembering the ease at which the undead giants had swatted away the barricades and mounted knights in his previous life.

"They're on our side." Ned said calmly. Torrhen nodded knowingly, but the memory of the battle he died in still haunted him. "Lord Umber wasn't too happy."

Robb snorted. "Is he ever?" He joked.

Ned chuckled. "He will accept it so long as the Wildling's stick to the borders, but I'm of a mind to send a couple of hundred men to Last Hearth as an added precaution." Torrhen didn't see an issue with that, and neither did Robb. Ned scribbled something down and handed it to Wylla. "Take this to Ser Rodrik and have him gather the men." He instructed. Wylla curtseyed and left the solar, leaving only the Stark males in the room. "Now, tell me about Lady Barbrey."

Robb grimaced. "If it weren't for Maester Luwin then I'd have likely given a murderer the Lordship of the Barrowlands. I'm sorry, Father."

Ned shook his head and stood up, moving to grip Robb on the shoulder. "You made your decision based on the available knowledge, but thankfully you were wise enough to be open to other possibilities by taking Howland. You may have rushed in by proclaiming Roderick Dustin as the Lord, but you came to the right decision in the end and justice was had."

"And Lord Ryswell seems to love you now." Torrhen smirked at his brother.

"It was Rodrik that swung the sword?" Ned asked. "All that was in the raven to Last Hearth was that Barbrey Dustin had been murdered by her husband's cousin, and that the new Lord of Barrowton was a boy."

Robb hung his head. "I passed the sentence, but it was Rodrik Ryswell who's daughter had been murdered. It should have been me to swing the sword, but I thought on what would happen if Beron had been killed, and I know I would want to end the killer's life myself."

Ned nodded. "And in doing so you have allied us with a man who could have been problematic, who had proven that in different circumstances he is willing to betray House Stark. You did well." Robb looked happier at that statement. "Have I missed anything else whilst I have been away?"

Torrhen's face fell solemn. "The reason Mother isn't here, why she hasn't been very active recently…"

"Grandfather passed." Robb finished for Torrhen. "The news hit her hard."

Ned fell silent in shock. His mind flew back to his first true meeting with the elderly Lord Tully, back when Brandon and his Father had died, and they needed allies. "I'm very sorry to hear that." Ned said quietly. "He was a fine man."

"She feels guilty." Torrhen explained. "That she never got to see him again."

Ned nodded knowingly. "Very well. We can discuss the future another time boys, I need to see your Mother."

Torrhen and Robb looked at one another before bowing quickly and leaving the room, leaving Ned alone to ponder what he was going to say to Cat. It took him half an hour before he left his solar and made his way to her chambers, where Cat was sat by the fire on her own, staring into it.

"Cat." He said quietly, not wanting to startle her. She turned to face him, her face red from crying and the sight broke Ned's heart. He walked towards her and knelt before the chair, enveloping her in his arms. "I am so sorry."

"I promised I would go and see him." She sobbed into his shoulders, grasping his back, and pulling him in for comfort. "I was too late."

Ned stroked her hair, words almost escaping him. "He knew how much you cared, never forget that." He whispered.

"First Lysa, now Father." Cat said shakily. "Why Ned?"

Ned didn't know. "The Gods work in mysterious ways my love." He told her." He pulled away by a few inches and held her head in both hands. "You should go to Riverrun."

Cat sniffed and shook her head. "You just got back…"

"And though I have missed you dreadfully, you were a Tully long before you were a Stark." Ned told her kindly. "You should be with your brother and your uncle. I will still be here when you get back."

"I'm still with child…" She whispered, her hand coming to her belly. She still wasn't showing.

Ned kissed her forehead. "And soon it will be too dangerous to travel. Take Sara, take Robb, Wylla and Beron too. Go and spend time at your childhood castle and mourn your Father there."

Cat nodded, sniffing again. "I'll take Robin and Rickon too." She said hoarsely. "Robin should see his mother's childhood home."

Ned couldn't disagree. "It may be good for him to experience another region closer to his home." He surmised. He kissed her again on the forehead. "I must go and speak to some people, can I fetch you anything?"

Cat shook her head. "Just come to me tonight. I need to sleep with you close to me." She whispered.

Ned smiled and kissed her lips softly. "As My Lady commands." He whispered before standing up. He gave her one last look before he left the room, determined to see that the castle was running smoothly as quickly as he could so he could be back as soon as possible for his mourning wife.

The destruction of Fleabottom hadn't completely eradicated new cases of the plague spreading through the city, but Stannis was quietly happy about the sheer drop in deaths occurring daily. Work was already starting on turning the rubble of Fleabottom into a self-sustaining and healthy part of the city, with foundations already being laid down for the new buildings.

Inside the Red Keep was also a more positive place. King Robert was still clinging on to life and the healers were beginning to feel a little more confident at the monarch perhaps surviving. Stannis didn't want to hope however, and so another one of his roles was to ensure the succession happened smoothly. This of course wasn't well received by Renly, who came into his solar one day in a rage.

"He's not dying!" Renly exclaimed, slamming the door behind him.

Stannis barely looked up at his younger brother and continued his writing. "Renly, come in." He said dryly.

"You're paving your way to the Iron Throne whilst Robert is still here." The younger man spat. "It's disgusting!"

Stannis placed the quill down sharply. "I am doing my duty, fulfilling a wish given to me by our brother." He explained calmly, though his tone had a bite to it. "He is hanging on, Renly, he's not recovering."

"The Maesters say…"

"The Maester's say they are hopeful." Stannis interrupted. "I was hopeful once before too, I was hopeful that from the wreck of the Windproud our parents would swim to shore, alive." He sighed. "Instead we got a half mad fool."

"You're acting like he's dead already." Renly scowled.

Stannis shook his head. "I am simply preparing for the worst. As should you."

"No." Renly snapped quickly, before he choked out a sob and sat himself down. "He can't die…"

Stannis poured out a drink for his brother, who took it gratefully. "I want nothing more than a recovery." He told Renly. "I have no wish to be King, but Robert has no trueborn sons."

"And neither do we." Renly sighed, his anger dissipating. "I don't know if I ever will."

Stannis and Renly had never spoken about the youngers preference when it came to bed mates before, and Stannis began to feel slightly uncomfortable. "It is a process, you don't have to enjoy it." Stannis mumbled.

Renly snorted in amusement. "It's an enjoyable process when you're with the right person."

Stannis didn't know what to say to that, having only been with his wife intimately, and even then he hadn't shared her bed in years. After a moment of silence, he said. "You need to think of something, Renly. Look at our family. Robert is dying and his only trueborn child is a girl. Selyse has tried and failed to give me a son on multiple occasions. You are newly married, near enough, with a young and fertile bride."

"That I can't bring myself to share her bed." Renly sighed. "She's tried, she's suggested numerous things but I just…" He sighed again. "She's not…"

"She isn't her brother." Stannis finished for him. Renly's eyes were wide and Stannis almost smirked. "I know your feelings for Lord Tyrell, Renly. But even he has a son now."

Renly's eyes darkened. "I know that."

"I know the pressure you must feel." Stannis insisted. "We are the last of the Baratheon's, Renly. I doubt I will have another child, and Shireen…" He felt a lump in his throat. "I don't know if the greyscale will affect her ability to have a child or not."

"Don't think like that." Renly insisted.

"I have to." Stannis countered. "Brandon is a good boy and if all goes well then they can have numerous black-haired babes, but I have to be realistic, we don't know what the illness has done to Shireen." He sighed. "When this is over I want you to go back to Storm's End. Spend time with your wife, listen to her ideas and try to get her with child."

Renly looked amused. "You're commanding me to sleep with my wife?" He raised an eye.

"I am." Stannis said.

"Who are you and what have you done with my sour, boring older brother?" Renly asked with a smirk.

Stannis cleared his throat and gathered his papers, not wanting to dignify that with a response. "Will that be all?" He asked.

Renly grinned widely, a completely different set of emotions to the ones he had when he entered the room. "I suppose it is. Until the next meeting, Lord Hand." He bowed over exaggeratingly before he swaggered out of the room, leaving Stannis alone to ponder on the future of their House.

The plan to liberate Meereen was an elaborate one. While Grey Worm and a number of Unsullied were meeting with an underground resistance to try and encourage a slave revolt, the others were to infiltrate the city and take out key Masters. Jon had been a part of that and he had been tasked with taking the Great Pyramid with the bulk of Dany's forces, and by sunrise he was coated in blood and waiting for Daenerys to join him on a balcony overlooking thousands of gathered slaves having successfully planted their banner atop the Harpy. As Dany rose up the steps to the gathered crowd all shouting "Mhysa!" at her, she stopped just before Jon and he saw that she looked relieved to see him.

"Meereen is yours, Your Grace." Jon said, kissing her hand.

Dany smiled at him. "No, Aegon." She whispered. "It's ours." She offered him her hand, and together they walked towards the edge of the balcony so that Dany could speak to the gathered crowds. Gathered away from the now freed slaves were the Masters, kept isolated by the spears of the Unsullied. Dany looked down at them in disgust. She held up her hand waiting for silence, and when it fell she began to speak. "Your world of yesterday is gone. Slavery has been eradicated from the Bay of Dragons and shall never return. You are all equals now, and you shall act like it. The former Masters tried to dissuade me from taking this city by murdering 163 children, and I had thought to return the favour to 163 of them. But I am a merciful Queen. The masters were raised in a world that rewarded slavery and it is all that they have known, so today I give you a choice. Renounce your old world and join my new one. Work together with all the free men and women to grow Meereen into a great and prosperous city without prejudice or discrimination and we shall rise to greatness together. Or don't, and I will grant you all a swift death." She explained with a fierceness to her voice. "The choice is yours."

She walked away then, and Jon followed her along with her other guards all the way up to the apex of the Great Pyramid, where Daenerys' own chambers were to be. They arrived as the chambers were being cleaned of blood from the night before, and Dany immediately went out to the balcony to look over the city, watching as the three dragons flew around.

"The House of Pahl is now extinct." Jon explained. "They resided here, the champion was a lesser cousin and his father commanded the City Watch before his death last night too."

"I didn't know that before." She noted. "I didn't know many things before, and it cost me greatly."

Jon had heard all about Dany's rule of Meereen. "We can change that, we can be better together."

Dany turned towards Jon and leaned up to kiss him softly. "We will be better together." She affirmed. "I just hope that the Masters will bend willingly."

"They will." Jon told her confidently. "They value their lives more than anything, and you gave them the choice. If there are some that do not bend easily, then they will be the message that you do not tolerate slavery."

Dany nodded, smiling up at Jon. "We must keep our eyes on Astapor and Yunkai too, I will not suffer any more rebellions. Slavery is gone from the world, and the people must know that."

"And they shall." A songful voice sounded from behind them both. Jon immediately withdrew his sword and turned to face the intruder, a hooded man.

"Who are you?" Jon demanded to know. "How did you get past the guards?"

The man giggled. "A structure this size always has its secrets, Jon Snow. Or should I say, Aegon Targaryen."

Jon began to take a step forwards. "How do you know that name…" He snarled.

"I know many things." The man said. "Lucky for you, I'm simply here to serve you both."

"Show yourself." Dany demanded. The man bowed his hidden head and pulled off his hood, and Dany gasped. "Varys?"

"In the flesh, My Queen." The famed eunuch said, bending the knee towards her. "I have travelled far following the tales of your travels in order to serve you."

Jon leaned into Dany. "He serves King Robert." He whispered.

Dany shook her head. "He did what he had to in order to survive, but he's always been loyal to our House." She took a step towards the bald eunuch. "Rise, Varys. We have much to discuss it seems."