Daenaerys
At night she can still hear the screams and the cries of the men as they fought beneath her, as they died to win her, her birthright the Iron Throne. She remembers the embers that glittered bright before her as Drogon breathed his flames as did Viserion, the men who were not quick enough or smart enough to flea before the flames were unleashed perished, and though Daenaerys mourned on some small part the deaths of so many innocent men- not truly so innocent for they fought for the pretender- there was some part of her that did not truly mourn nor care, these men were fighting for the wrong ruler and so it was only right that they die.
The man who claimed to be her nephew, Aegon Targaryen he named himself had flown on a glorious red dragon whom her sources had reported the man had named Acteon, to face her. They fought tooth and claw the dragons, breathing jets of fire, both red and black on each other, and though Acteon may have been older and more experienced in the arts of war, Drogon was bigger and stronger and easily crushed Acteon to dust. The man who claimed to be her nephew, instead of willingly giving himself over to Drogon's flames like any true dragon would, had attempted to dive to his death after the dragon he had wasted on trying to challenge her. Dany would not allow him to get away so easily and so had had Drogon capture the man in his claws, and then had dragged the man to the throne room of the Red Keep where her men stood and cheered her as she ordered Drogon to eat the man who had styled himself King, the man was no true dragon for he burnt easily under Drogon's flames, his armour leaving behind the smell of cooked meat.
Dany had ascended the throne that was hers by right of birth and conquest after that to the cheering of her men, the Unsullied and the Valemen alike. The High Septon had anointed her with the seven oils on the Great Sept in front of the cheering smallfolk, and when Drogon had unleashed a jet of flame once the words had been said and vows sworn, she had truly felt fulfilled as if she had completed her destiny. There was still work to do though, Lord Stark still was a visible threat in the north, and he too had had the audacity to claim one of her dragons, to steal Rhaegal from her more like, something she would make him answer for eventually. Her only regret that the girl, Cat had been turned according to Lord Baelish's sources, that she was now working for the Starks that was something that upset her slightly, the girl had seemed so nice and full of promise.
It mattered not though for White Harbour had fallen to Lord Nestor Royce and the 20,000 Valemen he had taken with him. Lord Wylis Manderly slain, Lord Wyman held hostage, they had a foothold in the north and Petyr promised her that they could easily take Winterfell from there, and then they could deal with Lord Stark's brats and his wives. She had ordered Lord Nestor Royce to proceed with as much haste as possible for Winterfell then, though whether or not the raven had ever reached him she knew not, for there was no reply. Regardless another raven had been sent out some weeks after that first letter, declaring that Lord Nestor and the men under his command should return south and march for King's Landing. She had sent word to her husband to take the Iron Fleet with the men from the Valemen and bring it straight to King's Landing for Lord Baelish had brought her news that Lord Connington and Lords Lannister and Tarly had defeated Lord Ambrose at Tumbleton and were likely marching for King's Landing now.
Upon hearing the news Dany had fumed and then had summoned Lord Varys to come to her rooms. The man had not appeared, and when she had sent Ser Galen and Grey Worm to find the man, they had come back to report his chambers vacant as if nary a soul had ever lived there in the first place. Dany had been furious at that and had ordered a search of all the secret passageways to see if the Spider was there, and of all the possible places where he could be. She had summoned Lord Baelish from the Gates of the Moon to assume his position of Hand of the King, and with him Petyr had brought her son Vickon, her beautiful babe with his silver hair and violet eyes. She could not bear to be parted from him for too long.
Petyr and her son had arrived some two weeks ago now, and in that time Dany had spent a great deal of time quizzing him as to where Lord Varys could be. Each time Petyr had merely replied. "Lord Varys is a cockles wonder Your Grace. Without his manly parts he has no need for the pleasures other men seek, and so my contacts in the brothels here will be of no use. Though if he is not in the secret passageways as you have suggested then he is likely fled. Unless he hides in the Great Sept itself."
"Why would he hide in the Great Sept, and why would the High Septon accept the man?" Dany had asked surprised.
Petyr had chuckled then and said. "Because Varys knows exactly what the High Septon was before he became the High Sparrow. I would send men there Your Grace if anything Lord Varys will still be there."
"How do you know the eunuch is not fled the city, to join Lord Connington or the pretender Lord Stark?" Dany's husband Victarion had asked.
Peytr had chuckled once more and said. "Because if there is one thing that the eunuch thrives on it is chaos. He will want to watch and see how we handle the situation we now find ourselves in. He will still be in the city."
Dany had nodded then and sent men out to find the man in the Great Sept of Baelor to no avail. Ser Galen had come back to report that the High Septon had admitted to housing a begging brother who had smelt very pungent who seemed awfully knowledgeable about the state of Westeros but apart from that there was nothing more he could say. Dany had grown frustrated then and had decided to put a price on the head of the eunuch any person who could bring her information as to his whereabouts or could even bring him in would receive a hefty reward. Of course that simply led to her being swamped with people bringing false reports and reports so hard to decipher that they may have been true or complete fabrications.
Eventually Dany had had to put the matter to rest, Varys would be found or he wouldn't be, if he was found she would grill him for every piece of information she could get and then she would feed him to Drogon. For now though there was the matter of appointing members to her small council. She had of course named Lord Petyr her hand, Victarion as her consort had taken on the title of Prince Consort and Lord Protector of the Realm, Grand Maester Gormon was a Tyrell and though his family had resisted her call to arms, she had decided to give him the benefit for the doubt for the moment, if he showed any source of betraying her like his family had though, he would meet a sticky end. For master of ships she followed her husband's judgement and named Ser Harras Harlaw and also granted him Lordship over the Shield Islands once the war was over, master of laws she named Lord Nestor Royce, master of coin Ser Symond Templeton, master of whispers was a position she gave to one of Petyr's protégés a bastard from the Vale known as Mychel Stone. Her Kingsguard was another matter that needed some deep consideration, Ser Jorah her Lord Commander was being held prisoner in Storm's End, something she would soon have to amend, the pretender's Kingsguard had seen some serious losses, Ser Brynden Tully who had served as the man's Lord Commander had been killed by Ser Jorah during the taking of the city as had Ser Garth Hightower. Ser Loras Tyrell she held hostage, and he had reluctantly bent the knee to her and had joined her Kingsguard.
The other members Ser Lyle and Ser Balon Swan were away in Storm's End guarding the false Queen Allyria Dayne and her daughter Alysanne, they would need to be brought forth to answer for their treasons soon enough. Regardless Dany had decided to name three knights from the Vale and the Iron Islands to her Kingsguard and they were all men whom she felt she could trust with the defence of herself and her son. With that sorted there other issues to discuss as well, which was why Dany found herself in the small council chamber now in the early hours of the morning instead of in bed with her husband, though Victarion had come with her.
"To what do I owe the pleasure my lords?" Dany asked somewhat tiredly.
It was Lord Mychel Stone who spoke. "Our sources report that the host commanded by Lords Connington, Lannister, Tarly and Prince Oberyn Martell is making its way toward King's Landing at a great pace, perhaps to link up with the host coming from the Kingsroad led by Lord Stark and Tully. What do you wish for the council to do Your Grace?"
Dany rubbed her eyes tiredly and said. "Send men to intercept the host being led by Lord Connington, attack them as forcibly as possible. I want Lord Connington and Prince Oberyn's heads on spikes and brought to King's Landing. Lords Lannister and Tarly are to be spared."
"And whom would lead this attack Your Grace?" Lord Nestor asks.
"Why the Lords of the Vale, perhaps your cousin Bronze Yohn Royce would Lord Nestor." Dany replies smiling slightly, she knows that Lord Yohn Royce does not like her, and she does not trust him.
"That would be a foolish idea Your Grace," Ser Harras says. "Lord Yohn is of suspicious loyalties, were it not for the fact that his cousin serves on the small council he likely would have fought for the Stark boy by now. No I suggest sending someone of recognised loyalty to fight the host being assembled by Lord Connington."
"And whom would you suggest then Ser Harras, Yourself?" Petyr asks, amusement lacing his voice.
"Perhaps the Unsullied could march forth from King's Landing. We all know of the legends of Qohor. The host that Lords Connington, Lannister and Martell will have assembled will not be greater than 20,000 the Unsullied will be able to comfortably deal with that number." Ser Symond says.
Dany looks at the man questioningly, she is not sure of his loyalty neither is Petyr. "Perhaps, though the Unsullied would serve as a great defence against Lord Stark and his men, especially if they were to come close to King's Landing." Dany says.
"Who will you send then Your Grace?" Victarion asks, his eyes showing his impatience.
"Lord Nestor." Is all she says. When the man looks up at her in surprise. "You took White Harbour and would have taken Winterfell had it not been for my summons. You shall lead 20,000 men toward Tumbleton to deal with the host being massed there, and you shall win."
Lord Nestor bows his head and simply says. "Yes Your Grace."
That sorted the attention turns to the Riverlands. "How far are Lord Stark and Lord Tully's hosts from coming to King's Landing and Harrenhal?"
Lord Mychel speaks. "Perhaps some five days from Harrenhal, Ser Garth has been notified to strengthen his defences and prepare for an attack."
Dany nods and then says. "I will not sit here and wait for the usurper to try and usurp my throne. I shall needs go and meet him out in the field with fire and steel. Ser Symond the men under Lord Yohn's control are now under yours we shall be marching in two days time, I shall be leaving the Unsullied here, and my husband and the Ironborn under his control will be a day's march behind us."
"Are you sure that is wise Your Grace?" Ser Harras asks.
Dany looks at him and says. "I am the Queen, it is time I defended what is mine by rights. I will not have others die for me, whilst I sit behind stone walls and cower like a scared girl." Her voice declares the matter over and council breaks for perhaps what could be the last time. As she walks back to her chambers Victarion whispers to her. "I shall not be a day's march behind you, if you are to march then I shall march with you, I shall bring as many of my men that I can, Ser Harras shall remain to guard Vickon along with several other of my most trusted men."
Dany merely nods and says nothing. Three days later, she has kissed her son goodbye though he is too young to truly understand what is happening, she kisses her husband goodbye and then mounts Drogon for what could potentially be the final battle of this war, heading towards the Trident the scene of her brother's death, it will be the scene of her greatest victory.