The Age of Daenerys Targaryen

Part 44: The decision is near

"At least we have Arya Stark alive now", said Doniphos Paenymion dryly. "This saves us the embarrassment of having to explain to the Westerosi how, as we initially thought, she was killed when our marines boarded her ship."

"How did she even manage to sneak into the palace?", Oraya Valeris asked with a frown.

"She was trained in Braavos by the Faceless Men", said Dimazza Yhae. "If we had known that beforehand, we could have taken countermeasures. Why didn't Jaqen H'ghar tell us about Arya Stark?"

"Be fair", said Illyrio. "She was on the other side of the world, so no reason for Jaqen to worry about her. And he didn't know anything about the boarding of her ship."

"He thwarted Arya's attack on me, Dimazza", Daenerys said. "There is no reason to distrust him."

"Still, I don't feel comfortable with the man", insisted the head of the secret service. "Who knows whom he has murdered all in the name of his Many-Faced God? We don't even know if Jaqen H'ghar is really his real name. He died and rose again, you say? When did that happen? Under which circumstances?"

"This is something that happened a long time ago", said Daenerys. Jaqen had only told her that much. "Enough of that now. You said there is news from the Alliance?"

"Yes, your Imperial Majesty", nodded Dimazza. "The enemy is gathering troops at Norvos. The army is already around three hundred thousand strong and in the end it could well be half a million."

"That would be the largest army Essos has ever seen", said Illyrio.

"One thing is certain", said Grey Worm. "As soon as the Alliance has gathered its army, it will have to send it into the field soon."

"Indeed", Illyrio agreed. "Five hundred thousand soldiers cannot stay in one place for long or they will eat the land bare. And their ... legacies alone pose a challenge to the enemy. The latrines would overflow after just a few days. Just imagine what a huge pile of you-know-what half a million men produce every day."

"Yes, I can see it in front of me", Oraya Valeris replied dryly. "Diseases will certainly spread quickly in the camp. The hygiene regulations are not as strict for them as for our troops."

"Even if the enemy loses a few thousand men through attrition, that is of no consequence given the enormous size of their armed forces", said Dimazza. "The question now is where the hammer will fall. I haven't been able to find out what the Alliance is planning yet, but I see three options. Field Marshal?"

Grey Worm rose from his seat, took a pointer, and went to the large map of the known world that hung on the wall of the council chamber.

"As has already been said, the Alliance is gathering its troops here at Norvos." Grey Worm pointed to the position of the city in the north-west of Essos. "From there the enemy could try to drive us out of the Disputed Lands." The stick drew a line to the southwestern peninsula of the continent. "This would be the least risky option from the Alliance's point of view, but it would only mean a minor setback for the Empire. It doesn't make sense to me to spend so many resources on such an operation."

"So you don't think the Disputed Lands are the Alliance's target", Daenerys concluded.

"No, my Empress. Instead, the enemy could advance again on Volantis." Grey Worm's staff followed the course of the Noyne and Rhoyne from Norvos to the Imperial Capital. "The Battle of Pentos gave the Alliance leaders a lot of confidence. They would definitely dare. And of course the loss of Volantis and our other territories on the Rhoyne would be an extremely painful blow to us ... but we would survive and could continue the war from Meereen. It would only be a stage win for the enemy."