The Burden of Rule
The throne of Meereen was not a seat of comfort. It was carved from stone, cold and unyielding beneath Daenerys as she listened to the grievances of her people. The air in the Great Pyramid was heavy with tension, the weight of an empire resting on her shoulders. Meereen was hers, but for how long? A ruler was only as strong as the foundation upon which she stood, and right now, her foundation was crumbling.
The people were starving. The markets were corrupt. The Sons of the City still plotted in the shadows.
But Daenerys Targaryen had not fought her way across the world just to let her rule slip through her fingers.
---
A War on Starvation
"The first issue we must address is food," Daenerys declared to her council. "The people are hungry, and an empty belly makes for an easy recruit in the hands of my enemies."
Tyrion Lannister, ever the strategist, leaned forward. "The grain stores are under the control of the merchant families, the same ones who profit from scarcity. They raise prices because they can, knowing the people have no other options."
Daario Naharis scoffed, arms crossed over his chest. "Let me take a few men, my queen. We'll see how cooperative these merchants are when their ledgers are written in blood."
Daenerys shook her head. "No. Bloodshed now will only deepen the divide. If we take their grain by force, they will paint me as a tyrant. We must be more strategic."
She turned to Missandei. "I want an inventory of every grain storehouse in the city. We will buy directly from the merchants—at a fair price, not the one they set in greed. If they refuse, then we will take control of the supplies and distribute them ourselves."
Tyrion smirked. "A forced negotiation. Elegant. Ruthless. I approve."
Daenerys ignored him. "Grey Worm, I want the Unsullied to oversee the food distribution. No favoritism, no corruption. Every citizen of Meereen will have food, regardless of status. Let them see that under my rule, no one will go hungry."
Grey Worm bowed. "It will be done, my queen."
---
Crushing Corruption
Ensuring food for the people was only the beginning. The real problem lay in the corruption festering within Meereen's markets and governing bodies.
"The merchants are not the only ones exploiting the people," Tyrion said. "The city watch, those not under Grey Worm's command, demand bribes to keep the peace. The magistrates turn a blind eye in exchange for coin. Even your own officers, my queen, have been known to take a little extra silver for favorable decisions."
Daenerys' expression darkened. "Then I will make an example of them."
She rose from her throne, her voice carrying the weight of authority. "Bring me the names of those who take bribes, who exploit the people for personal gain. I will not tolerate corruption in my city."
Daario grinned. "Public executions, then?"
Daenerys met his gaze, unwavering. "Justice. If they are guilty, they will answer for their crimes. If they are innocent, I will not have them punished unjustly. But let it be known—under my rule, the people will not be used as pawns for the greed of a few."
Tyrion raised an eyebrow. "Justice is a fine idea, but justice without order is chaos. If you remove the corrupt men, who will replace them? Who do you trust?"
Daenerys hesitated. That was the true challenge. Removing the corrupt was easy. Ensuring stability afterward was far harder.
She looked to Missandei. "We will promote from within. Those who have remained loyal, those who have served with honor—they will rise. And we will keep watch over them."
Tyrion nodded. "Then we must move quickly. The Sons of the City will not stand idly by while you take away their influence. Expect retaliation."
Daenerys had no illusions about that. They would fight back. But she was ready for them.
---
A Test of Fire
The first merchant to defy Daenerys' decree was a man named Orvos Vhalar, a wealthy tradesman with ties to several powerful families in Meereen. When her envoys approached him to negotiate the fair distribution of grain, he refused.
"Queen or not," Orvos sneered, "no one tells me how to run my business."
His words reached Daenerys by nightfall.
She did not hesitate.
The next morning, Orvos Vhalar's storehouses were seized. The Unsullied marched through the streets, their presence an unmistakable warning. The people watched in silence as the soldiers carried sacks of grain from the merchant's holdings, distributing them under Daenerys' command.
Orvos himself was brought before her, his face red with fury.
"This is theft!" he spat. "You are no better than the slavers you claim to despise!"
Daenerys regarded him coolly. "You were given a choice, Orvos. A fair price in exchange for your grain. You chose greed. I chose my people."
"You think they will love you for this?" he scoffed. "You think they will not see you for what you are?"
Daenerys leaned forward, her voice quiet but firm. "I do not need them to love me. I need them to survive. And you, Orvos, will never again profit off their suffering."
Orvos was stripped of his wealth, his influence shattered. His holdings were redistributed, his power broken. Some in the city whispered that Daenerys had overstepped, that she was becoming as ruthless as the masters she had overthrown.
But others—many others—saw her actions for what they were. Strength. Justice. The will to rule, not just to conquer.
---
The People's Verdict
A week later, Daenerys walked through the streets of Meereen, no longer in disguise. This time, she wanted them to see her—to judge her.
Where once there had been hunger, there were now bread lines, overseen by the Unsullied to ensure fair distribution. The markets still bustled, but with fewer whispered complaints. The bribes had not disappeared overnight, but the worst offenders had been removed.
She heard murmurs as she passed.
"The Mother of Dragons provides..."
"She is not like the others..."
"Perhaps there is hope..."
She had not won them all. Not yet. But she had taken the first step.
As she stood atop the steps of the Great Pyramid, looking out over the city that was now hers, she knew this was only the beginning. The battle for Meereen would not be fought with swords alone.
It would be fought in the markets, in the council chambers, in the hearts and minds of the people.
And Daenerys Targaryen was prepared to fight.
---
End of Chapter 18