Breaker, Broken | Jorah Mormont

Chapter 23

Everyone had a different opinion regarding what to do.

Ellaria and Janei Lannister insisted they should make Dragonstone uninhabitable. Fill it with people that Daenerys could not root out, lest she ignite a war before she even made it to King's Landing to speak with Saera. On top of that, they suggested she use the Iron Fleet to block off Blackwater Bay entirely.

Jon, Samwell, Jhiqui, and Jorah believed the best approach was to just let her stay there and see what she had to say. In the meantime, they could spread word to the rest of the Seven Kingdoms and warn them about what might happen if Daenerys grew too bold.

Everyone would be ready at a moment's notice to defend Saera. Especially if they chose to include a vital piece of information regarding their Queen's condition, something the majority of the Small Council was not yet aware of. Jorah and Samwell knew for obvious reasons, and surely Varys had heard a whisper by now, but the others were still in the dark.

Lord Varys, Ser Davos, and Bran refrained from making comments. Saera wondered if maybe one of them thought they should intercept them before arrival, if they should sink Daenerys's army to the best of their abilities so she had nothing but the dragons... and that wouldn't be enough.

"Enough, please," begged Saera, holding her head as they burst out their thoughts. They were quiet. "I don't– I don't know what to do. I knew this was coming but I hoped it wouldn't happen this way. I didn't think she'd try to come to Dragonstone." She breathed deeply. "I should have reached out when I had the chance, but even then, it's likely nothing would have stopped her from coming. For now... We'll clear Dragonstone of all its resources. Any food stored there will be brought here and distributed accordingly. We'll send letters to all the Kingdoms regarding her arrival and we will let her stay in Dragonstone provided that when she comes to see me, she doesn't bring her men and surround the city."

"Preventative measures could be taken further, Your Grace," offered Varys. "Daenerys intends to usurp your throne. We do not know if Lord Tyrion still advises her, and if he does, I doubt it will continue for much longer. We could ensure Daenerys is not a problem, seizing the advantage Lord Tyrion's presence may give us. Cut off her perceived claim right as she arrives."

She stared at him, knowing what he was implying. "I do not intend to be like my sister. I will not plan her murder so swiftly, I will not cut down all opposition. Then I am no better than Cersei."

"Your Grace, you must consider that whatever she is here to do is not going to benefit you or the Realm in any way."

"I know that. But until I've heard what she has to say, I will not make any such plans. I do not want to kill my sister for any reason. She is still my sister."

"Then what, if I may ask, is your intention?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I simply don't. All I want is for her to apologize. I don't want to force our Realm into another war when they've barely had a chance to recover from the last two that came back-to-back, one lasting years and destroying many people permanently. I will not tolerate her trying to usurp the throne I have now taken, a throne she could have gotten for herself earlier but didn't. And by the time she wanted to..." she shook her head. "My relationship with my sister is complicated. I wish to avoid conflict at all costs, but Daenerys has wanted to exert her power over this land for years. She will do whatever she thinks is necessary to meet her own goals. She will show no remorse. I don't think anything I could have said would have stopped her from coming. And now, certainly..."

She clenched her fists around her armrests. "Let me speak to her when she comes. If the conversation goes poorly, we will plan from there. I've played a role many times before, I know how to pretend. I can do it again if need be. I have many Unsullied and Dothraki soldiers that remained here to serve me. If we do kill my sister... I trust they will give them the resources– on my behalf– to go wherever they wish and make lives for themselves. Here or in Essos... it doesn't matter. If we kill my sister, I'll have proven what they already suspected... at least those who remember me. I am stronger than her. It doesn't matter that all the Dothraki are her bloodriders, in the end she's only their Khaleesi because she doesn't burn and she speaks their language. She is not like other Khals they follow. I speak their language, I fight like them, and if Daenerys can be Unburnt, so can I. I will not let her take people I love from me."