The Age of Daenerys Targaryen

Part 15: Mhysa's return

Since the direct route from Volantis to Meereen via the demon road was too dangerous, Daenerys chose the route north of the Painted Mountains through the Dothraki sea. The empress had all left the tiger cloaks in the Imperial Capital because they couldn't keep up with Drogon. Instead, she took twenty thousand Dothraki horsemen under the command of Kovarros. The bloodrider Azzo and Ezzo were entrusted with the protection of her sons during her absence.

Although they were making rapid progress, it was a few weeks before the army reached the Skahazadhan. They crossed the sluggishly flowing river a bit east of Meereen without anyone noticing. Then they headed straight for the city.

From a few miles away it could be seen that Meereen was under siege. Outside the city walls, tent camps sprawled like cancerous sores, warships lay at anchor off the coast and clouds of smoke hung over the great pyramids.

Daenerys decided to attack the besiegers immediately, giving them no opportunity to respond to her appearance. The Empress steered Drogon straight for the greatest concentration of enemy soldiers. She saw flags of New Ghis, Astapor and Yunkai, but also those of the cities of Mantarys, Tolos and Elyria. In total, more than fifty thousand soldiers appeared to be involved in the siege. A deadly threat to Meereen, but not a real obstacle to a dragon.

At the command of his mother, Drogon unleashed a firestorm hardly inferior to that of King's Landing. Tents, supplies, siege equipment, horses and people were bathed in flames. Entire units of troops vanished like straw in the fire as the black beast flew overhead.

Those who escaped the hell of fire were slaughtered by the Dothraki. What was going on outside Meereen's walls had nothing to do with a fight, it was a one-sided slaughter. As soon as the land army was destroyed - it seemed to Daenerys only a few minutes - the Empress turned to the ships. With the morning sun behind her, she pounced on them and wiped them out as easily as she had done with Euron's Iron Fleet off King's Landing. If someone wanted to surrender downstairs, Daenerys didn't even notice. She let two ships and a couple of horsemen escape so they could spread the news of the outcome of the battle.

Meanwhile, the defenders of Meereen had poured out of the city gates to take part in the destruction of the siege army. Now that the fight was over, they were in front of the wall. Daenerys knew from their gray armor and their disciplined line-up that it was the Unsullied. She had finally found her most loyal soldiers.

Drogon landed about a hundred yards from the main gate and the Empress gracefully climbed off his back. A small group of Unsullied came to see them. With incredulous astonishment on their faces, they approached slowly and carefully, as if Daenerys were an illusion that would vanish into thin air after the next blink.

The men were of course led by Grey Worm.

"My Queen," the dark-skinned warrior managed to say in awe. "You are alive."

"Empress. That's called Empress now", Daenerys corrected him with a smile. "There is a lot to talk about, my faithful friend. But more on that later. It seems I got back just in time. Where's Daario? Is he alright?"

Gray Worm's expression froze Daenerys' entrails. "My Qu ... my Empress..."

"No", she whispered in horror. "Says that is not true."

"I am sorry. Daario Naharis was killed during an outage two weeks ago. I was with him when it happened. He died with your name on his lips."

Daenerys felt as if Jon Snow had just stabbed a dagger through her heart again. After Barristan, Jorah and Missandei, she had now lost another friend and companion. She wanted to cry, but she couldn't. Not now, not in front of her soldiers. Not in the hour of that great victory. So she forced herself to smile, turned to her assembled army, and gave a speech.

When the Empress rode into Meereen on a white horse, accompanied by a guard from Dothraki and Unsullied, while Drogon circled over their heads, the whole town was seized with an almost hysterical enthusiasm. Soldiers had to form a live chain on the roadsides to hold back the cheering crowd. "Mhysa" shouts were heard from all directions. After the people of Meereen were confronted first with the death of their queen and then the army of the Ghiscari slave masters and their allies, despair and hopelessness had reigned. Daenerys' unexpected return and her swift and clear victory over the besiegers seemed like a heavenly miracle to the people.

In front of the entrance to the Great Pyramid, the Empress gave a speech to the people. She announced that Meereen was now part of the New Valyrian Empire and that the other cities along the Bay of Dragons would follow as soon as their rulers were brought to their knees. Then she visited Daario's final resting place in the foundation of the pyramid and then retired to her apartments.

After talking to Grey Worm about the situation in Meereen and eating a meal, Daenerys went to bed. But she couldn't sleep. Her thoughts revolved around Daario Naharis, with whom she had once made love in this very room. However, she hadn't been able to return the feelings he obviously had for her in the way he deserved. Still, the mercenary leader had meant something to her and now she was plagued by bitter guilt. Had Daenerys made a detour to Meereen after her visit to Vaes Dothrak instead of flying straight back to Volantis, she would have known more about the situation and would have been able to help Daario. The fact that she was alive again would have come to light earlier, but the news would not have reached Volantis in time to warn the Triarches. But now Daario Naharis had died without ever having heard of the resurrection of his queen and lover.

Daenerys Targaryen lay crying on her bed, waiting for her to finally fall asleep.