*
The next morning, a selection of Ironborn prisoners was brought before a jury presided over by Lord Yohn of House Royce, the Master of Laws. The other members of the jury were the King's military commanders. The jury sat at a large table under the open tent. Davos, representing the Crown's interests, stood next to the table. The King and Queen, Princess Arianne, Prince Oberyn, the Dornish Lords, Harry Strickland, and other prominent spectators were all seated under the tent as well, sheltered from the elements. Harry Strickland had heard about the trial and had postponed his departure by another day. All of them waited for the rain to stop so that the prisoners could be brought out.
When the rainstorm finally abated, Davos gave the signal to bring out the prisoners. All heads turned in one direction as the Ironborn were led before the large table at which the jury sat. Jon studied the men as they were made to stand at a safe distance from the jurors and the public. Euron Greyjoy walked to the front of the group of prisoners. The leader of the Ironborn was clad in a filthy tunic and torn leather breeches. His black Valyrian armour had been confiscated by the Dornish, and Jon had allowed House Martell to keep it. Euron was shivering as the wind played with his long dark hair and beard. The three Ironborn next to him were the ones that Melisandre had identified as his most trusted soldiers. They still wore their boiled leathers and seemed unaffected by the harsh wind. Behind them were a few soldiers who were accused of manhandling Queen Daenerys and treating her disrespectfully while she was their hostage. The rest of the Ironborn had not been allowed to attend the trial and remained locked up in the cave. The verdict would be read out to them later.
As the trial was about to commence, a large group of soldiers and camp followers gathered around the area. Several knights from the Vale had been ordered by Ser Gerold to keep the spectators at a safe distance. Soon, a large crowd had gathered, forming a semi-circle behind the prisoners. Shortly after the Ironborn prisoners were lined up before the table of jurors, Rhaegal took to the sky and roared loudly, making a few of the prisoners wet their pants.
After the dragon fell silent, Lord Royce rose and proclaimed that the jury would decide Euron Greyjoy's fate first. "Euron of House Greyjoy, you stand accused of treason against his Grace, King Aegon the Sixth of his Name. Other charges against you are the kidnapping and mistreatment of her Grace, Queen Daenerys, and the torture of a dragon allied to House Targaryen."
All eyes were fixed on Euron Grejoy, who spoke up. "We are at war; what did you expect? That I would shake hands with your King, wave at his army, and parlay?"
Lord Royce held up his hand. "It is not necessary for the accused to enter a plea. His guilt has been established beyond doubt, and the jurors present are unanimous in their verdict: Euron Greyjoy is sentenced to death. All that is left for us to do today is to decide how to carry out his execution, and then to proceed with it without further delay."
"What is dead may never die!" Euron Greyjoy proclaimed boldly, for all to hear. "I choose death by drowning!"
Rhaegal roared loudly in protest. Jon closed his eyes for a moment, and the dragon fell silent. Then Jon rose slowly from his seat amongst the spectators and began walking. He cut the distance between himself and the prisoners in half, only stopping when they were about ten feet apart. Two of his Kingsguard flanked him as he stood there, staring daggers at Euron Greyjoy. Ghost obeyed Jon's silent command and did not stray from Daenerys' side.
With a safe distance between him and Euron Greyjoy, Jon spoke, his voice eerily calm. "I promised you Fire and Blood, Greyjoy. Or have you forgotten? I must confess that I also made a promise to someone else." He looked up at the sky, tilting his head to the northeast. "It won't be long now."
Rhaegal's loud roar was answered by the roar of a second dragon, and all heads turned to stare at it. For the first time since his short imprisonment, the white dragon made an appearance. Dany left the shelter of the tent for a better view. Ghost, Ser Oswell, and Ser Gerold flanked her, convincing her to stop before she could reach the place where Jon stood between Ser Arthur and Ser Loras. Ghost growled at Euron Greyjoy for good measure as he positioned himself in front of Daenerys. The direwolf was clearly intent on lunging at anyone who dared to threaten his pack members.
Euron had also spotted Viserion and paled visibly. He cursed under his breath.
Jon took another step forward and taunted Euron. "It is only fair that Viserion, the dragon whom you wronged, gets a say in the nature of your execution. Don't you agree?" When Euron did not reply, Jon added, "I believe you are aware that Viserion is the name of that beautiful silver-white dragon circling above us. I named him Viserion because he asked to be named thus. He is my friend, you see, and we communicate."
Jon paused a moment for dramatic effect. Then he spoke louder so that his words could be heard over the flapping of the tent covers caused by a sudden gush of wind. "These dragons are allies of House Targaryen. They cannot be enslaved, nor would I ever aspire to enslave them. Euron Greyjoy's attempt to do so was pathetic and doomed to fail."
The wind calmed down a bit, so Jon continued in a somewhat softer tone. He inspected Greyjoy's shivering body as he continued, "Be glad that my Queen returned to me with merely a broken arm." Jon gestured to the guard standing next to Euron Greyjoy, who promptly proceeded to break the Ironborn's left arm. "That is all the punishment I will inflict upon you."
Jon turned his back on Euron and stepped closer to the jurors. He pronounced each word clearly so that the prisoners and the crowd behind them could understand everything he said. "Euron Greyjoy has been found guilty and sentenced to death. Due to the nature of his crimes, the Crown shall allow the dragon that Euron Greyjoy so cruelly tortured to carry out this death sentence as he sees fit. Are there any objections to this?"
A few exclamations were heard, but no one actually protested. Davos took the floor. "All in favour of death by dragon?" All jurors raised their hands.
Both dragons roared loudly. At Jon's signal, the soldier who had broken Euron's arm led the condemned man a safe distance away from the other prisoners and tied him to a pole. Then he stepped away, abandoning the pale, shivering man to his fate.
Viserion swept down in front of the tied-up prisoner. He roared, and his hot breath wafted over Euron Greyjoy, burning him lightly. The dragon roared again, and Jon felt somewhat vindicated when he heard Euron's cry of fear and pain as his skin turned redder. Viserion snapped his jaws close to Euron's face, and a dark spot appeared on the Ironborn's breeches. Rhaegal remained aloft, circling the spot where his brother was toying with his victim. The white dragon looked up at his brother and both dragons roared simultaneously. Then Viserion's huge claw shot out and latched onto Euron Greyjoy's waist. It only took a moment for the dragon to pull the pole out of the sand and his victim with it. Then Viserion took to the sky. For once, Rhaegal followed his brother's lead and flew after him. Everyone's head was turned upwards, their eyes fixated on the dragons as they hovered over the Narrow Sea.
"Do you think Euron will be granted his death by drowning?" Jon asked Dany, who had slipped to stand his side and was gripping his hand.
"No, he is way too furious!" Dany whispered. Shocked exclamations were heard from the crowd as Viserion dropped Euron, only for Rhaegal to hit him with his tail, resulting in Euron being hurdled even higher up in the air. Then both dragons turned their heads upwards and released two gigantic flames. The fire engulfed the Ironborn's body well before he plunged to his death. When his remains finally hit the stormy waves of the Narrow Sea, all that was left of him was a mist of blackened ashes. Viserion roared once more, then flew back in the direction he had come from.
"All in all, a merciful death," Davos remarked, moving close to his King and Queen. "They could have made him suffer much longer."
Jon did not reply. His eyes were on Dany, who was gazing at the sky after Viserion had disappeared from sight, her face forlorn. "He just needs more time," Jon comforted her. "Rhaegal is sure he will join him on their beach in King's Landing soon."
"I know." Dany blinked her eyes and clasped Jon's hand together briefly. "Now, please, Aegon, put the other prisoners out of their misery. They must expect the worst by now."
She and Jon walked back to the open tent. The jurors, who had left their seats to watch Euron Greyjoy's unusual execution, had already returned to their seats by this time. Davos gave Lord Yohn of House Royce permission to resume the proceedings.
The Master of Laws coughed loudly to get everyone's attention. "All Ironborn prisoners will be escorted to the Wall. There, they will help prepare the Night's Watch for the approaching conflict beyond the Wall. Those of them who are standing before us will take their vows and serve for life. A list of names of the other survivors--those still in the caves and those being held in the Dornish camp--will be given to Lady Yara of House Greyjoy, the current ruler of the Iron Islands. She will be allowed to pardon some of these prisoners after the enemy beyond the Wall has been defeated."
Jon held up a hand and cleared his throat loudly to stop the murmurs that had begun in reaction to the last sentence. He raised his voice. "Lady Greyjoy will not be given unlimited freedom to decide whom to pardon. She will have to justify her choices based on the reports that she will receive regularly from the Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, describing the actions and the level of commitment of these men to the war effort. If she adheres to these terms, the Crown will defer to her judgement." Jon gestured for the Ironborn prisoners to be returned to the cave, where they would stay until transport could be arranged.
Lord Renly of House Baratheon, one of the members of the jury, rose to his feet. "What about those lords and soldiers from the Stormlands who were loyal to Stannis Baratheon and were captured? Will they be sent to the Wall as well?"
For once, Jon actually approved of Lord Renly's intervention, for it was his duty as Lord Paramount of the Stormlands to show concern for his people. Jon and Davos exchanged glances, and Jon discreetly allowed Davos to answer.
"Yesterday we identified all the farmers and their sons who were forced to join Stannis Baratheon's army," Davos explained calmly, and everyone listened with rapt attention. "They were separated from the other prisoners. The Master of Laws and the jury accepted the Crown's proposal to give these men the opportunity to swear fealty to the Crown and to their new liege Lord, Lord Renly of House Baratheon. They all promptly did so, and thus they shall be allowed to return home and tend to their lands. That leaves us to deal with the Lords and the trained soldiers. His Grace and I will give each Lord a chance to state his case and defend his men. Before we pass judgement, we intend to interrogate a few soldiers from each keep, away from their respective Lords and commanders. That way, we can make an informed decision for each region."
Jon took over. "Our intent is to pardon those who can convince us that they will be loyal to the Crown and will accept Lord Renly of House Baratheon as their new liege Lord. The cases of those who surrendered peacefully will be considered first. However, an investigation will be conducted into the behaviour of all of the prisoners. If we have sufficient proof that some of them have committed atrocities beyond what they were ordered to do, these men will be punished accordingly. The severity of their punishments will depend on the types of acts they have been condemned for. As stated before, the Crown wants to be merciful to those who had no choice but to fight us. However, the King will not pardon rapists or men without honour who were witnessed slaying an enemy after he had yielded. The Queen and I will not tolerate such behaviour in our Kingdoms. The safety of all of the Crown's subjects will always remain our first priority. This is why Stannis Baratheon will stand trial in King's Landing for kinslaying and other serious charges."
The jury and several of the spectators voiced their consent. When things calmed down, Princess Arianne addressed the royal couple. "Will the Stormlands need to compensate your allies for their expenses, or does the Crown intend to reward us in another way?"
Jon stared at her and again spoke in a voice loud enough for all to hear. "The Crown offers all Seven Kingdoms protection and just treatment. You are ensured both support and military protection if your Kingdom is in any kind of need or danger. The allies who come to your aid will ask for no recompense other than that you promise to do the same for them when they are in need. If the Crown is so inclined, we may offer you other benefits, not out of obligation, but of our own free will." He took a deep breath and gestured vaguely to Davos.
Jon's Hand immediately took action. "If there are no further questions, the King, assisted by the Lords of the jury, will now have to attend several meetings with the captured Stormland Lords, their military commanders, and a selection of soldiers. If we can pardon most of them before we break camp, these men will not need to follow us to King's Landing, but can start putting their lands in order as soon as possible. Winter is coming soon, and it is imperative that they can get at least one more harvest in." Davos exchanged a small smile with Jon as he uttered the words of House Stark.
Considering the proceedings duly closed, Jon walked away swiftly with Daenerys by his side. His Kingsguard and Ghost hurried after them. As Jon and Dany were about to enter their tent, Ser Gerold announced, "Prince Oberyn and Lord Dayne request a short audience, your Grace."
Jon and Dany proceeded inside their tent, where Jon urged Dany to take a seat. He looked at her questioningly and, after she nodded, turned to Ser Gerold with a sigh. "All right, but they shall be the last visitors whom we shall receive before we start the interrogations. Tell them that they may enter."
"Your Graces!" Lord Edric of House Dayne appeared and kissed Daenerys' hand. He turned to Jon and hesitated, but Jon quickly pulled him into a hug.
"I missed you last night," Jon whispered as he thumped Edric on the back. He released his friend and smiled at Prince Oberyn. "Miss me already, my Prince, or is it time for our spar?"
"I wouldn't dream of keeping you from pardoning those poor souls and sending them home to their farms." Oberyn grinned as he patted Jon's shoulder. "I just wanted to invite Daenerys to join our delegation while you attend those tedious interrogations. Princess Arianne and I can be trusted to keep her safe. We will offer her our most comfortable seat and keep her entertained. But just send word when you start experiencing signs of separation anxiety, and I will return her to you."
Oberyn addressed Daenerys next. "Dearest Daenerys, Princess Arianne has arranged for a typical Dornish meal for you. Please accept her invitation. She looks forward to getting to know you better in a more informal setting."
"Then how can I refuse?" Dany gracefully accepted the invitation and glanced at her husband.
Jon smiled encouragingly at her. "Take Ghost with you. That way, I will know immediately if Oberyn behaves in too forward a manner." At his words, Ghost rose to his feet and slipped between Daenerys and Prince Oberyn.
Oberyn didn't even blink as he retorted, "You are merely lucky that you found her first, my boy. Otherwise, you wouldn't have stood a chance against my devilish, exotic charm!" Then he abandoned his casual behaviour, his next words sounding like a vow. "I will guard your Queen with my life, your Grace! She will be returned to you with not a single hair on her head out of place."
Jon nodded gratefully, then turned back to the Lord of Starfall. "Edric, before the two of you leave with my Queen, tell me: have you decided yet whether or not you will accompany us to King's Landing?"
Edric hesitated before saying, "Prince Oberyn, you need not wait for me. I am confident that, with Ghost's assistance, you can escort the Queen safely to Princess Arianne. I will join you there shortly."
Oberyn offered Daenerys his arm. She gave her husband a chaste kiss on his cheek, then took Oberyn's arm. Edric waited until the flap of the tent had fallen back into place behind Ghost before answering Jon's question. "I'm still undecided, but I think I would rather return to Starfall. You see, I heard that Robb is to be wed soon. I gather that his mother and sisters will return home."
Jon nodded. "It is indeed safe to assume that Princess Catelyn will take her daughters with her so that they can all attend my cousin's wedding to Lady Dacey of House Mormont."
Edric sighed, resigned. "Then I shall give you another letter for Princess Sansa."
Jon shook his head. "I am also sure that Princess Catelyn will want to remain at Court at least until after our victory celebration, which I may hold around five days after our arrival. So you may still find an opportunity to meet with Sansa." Jon put a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder. "Edric, Sansa will probably not remain long in the North. She is the Queen's lady-in-waiting after all, even if we will not force her to remain in our employ."
When Edric frowned, Jon quickly added, "What I am trying to say is that it will be Sansa's decision, and not her mother's, as to what she shall do after Robb's wedding. Perhaps other factors could influence her to return south and resume her duties as lady-in-waiting to Queen Daenerys?"
Edric thought this over for a moment before asking, "What are the chances that Dorne can expect a formal royal visit in the near future?"
Jon grimaced. "It is more likely that I might ask a contingent of Dornish knights to help guard the Capital and my Court while I travel north to fight the Night King. And I would certainly accept the services of a recently knighted Lord if he volunteered them!"
"I will be going North with your army, your Grace," Edric said immediately, using a formal tone to indicate that he was serious. "I am one of the few southern Lords who knows what you will be going up against. I promise to be of invaluable service to you."
Jon briefly touched Edric's shoulder again. "Then I will plan accordingly, Edric. I am grateful for your loyalty and friendship, and I will gladly accept your offer to help us fight against the dead." He smiled warmly. "Come on, let's drop all these 'your Graces'! I want to speak to my friend. Please, sit down with me for a moment!"
Edric relaxed, taking a seat facing Jon, who eyed him carefully. "I wanted to tell you this myself," Jon said slowly. "I intend to hold a formal Court session and then a victory celebration to publicly thank everyone who fought for me. I also intend to knight some men and reward a few others for their heroic deeds. You, my friend, were personally involved in the capture of Euron Greyjoy. I was planning to hold an elaborate knighting ceremony for you before the royal court, and to give you a priceless object as well. I would prefer to do this in the Red Keep rather than here, where we would not have enough time. I am also sure that you would want your gift sooner rather than later. For all this, your presence is needed in King's Landing."
Jon made his tone even more persuasive as he continued. "Think on it, Edric: we are only five days away from the Red Keep. Won't you reconsider your plans? This way, Princess Catelyn and a certain young lady, among a few others can witness your moment of triumph themselves! And afterwards, you have my permission to leave for Dorne as soon as you wish."
Edric's face lit up. "Well, when you put it that way . . . it would certainly help with my future plans!"
"Exactly! It would be the most important step yet in our strategy to increase your prestige in the eyes of a certain proud Northern family." Jon smiled more openly now. "And you might be able to hand over that letter yourself. Perhaps you will even be granted a dance before Sansa leaves for Winterfell--if you play your cards right!"
"I'd have to return to Starfall immediately afterwards," Edric reminded Jon, although he sounded more optimistic now.
Jon acted as if Edric had already made up his mind. "Then I will make the most of the ten or so days before we part again! Sam and Gendry will simply have to be content with five."
Edric nodded, his mind made up, and changed the subject. "Speaking of our friends, how's Ser Loras doing?"
"As if you haven't been able to make up your own mind before!" Jon was more relaxed now that his friend had agreed to the plan. "I believe that Loras is doing exceedingly well. He has the unique ability to switch between personalities at a moment's notice. In Ser Gerold's presence, he is the most dutiful Kingsguard the Lord Commander could ever wish for. Despite Ser Gerold's reservations when I forced Loras on him, I believe my Lord Commander now considers Ser Loras to be the most valiant knight who has joined their sacred trinity! However, when nobody is watching, Ser Loras reverts to his over-confident, ostentatious behaviour, and he proves constantly that he can still be my friend despite his new position. To be honest, I think I feel more uncomfortable when he stands behind, me all stiff and formal and not allowed to address me. At first I thought he considered all this a good joke; but then, you should have seen him when we charged the Baratheon forces! He was amazing--a true Kingsguard!"
Edric's eyes widened. "So the stories were not exaggerating? You really were part of the frontline during the charge?"
Jon nodded. "Not that it did me any good! First, the battle was way too short for my liking. I was so angry at those Ironborn!" Jon took a deep breath to calm himself. "I charged ahead and was able to strike down two Ironborn soldiers before my Kingsguard overtook me, and that was that. Not a single enemy soldier could break through their formation. Loras and the others were a sight to behold! And Ghost, instead of jumping into the fray as I expected him to, stayed glued to my side the whole time."
Edric stared past Jon, and his voice took on a dreamy quality. "I wish I had been there to witness it! Soon, songs will be sung about the return of a young, heroic King with dazzling good looks, clad in Valyrian steel, adorned with red rubies like his beloved father; and about the resurrection of the legendary Seven, with their white cloaks fluttering in the wind!" Edric sighed deeply when he had finished.
"I didn't know we lost a poet when you chose to wield a sword and run a keep!" Jon teased him. "I hate to end our conversation, but now that I have persuaded you to travel with me, I am afraid that I must go and take part in the interrogations. But we shall see each other again soon! You may join me and my Kingsguard when we ride up front during our return journey. And the Dornish delegation, of which you are a prominent member, has once again been invited to join the bonfire, at which I will dine later tonight."
Edric stood up. "Then I will be seeing you, my friend!"
Jon also rose, and the two friends embraced briefly before Edric headed out. Ser Gerold and Davos entered moments later. "Ready, your Grace?"
***
Daenerys discreetly studied the Dornish Princess. Princess Arianne was the embodiment of everything a man could desire. Dany decided not to imagine what could have happened if Aegon had met Arianne before he fell in love with his Aunt, Princess Daenerys in Pentos. As things stood, however, she had nothing to fear: Aegon loved her dearly and was completely devoted to her. Besides, he was honourable to a fault and would never engage in anything disgraceful. Dany had seen the Princess' eyes roam over her handsome husband and was sure that Arianne would have attempted to seduce the King were he not already happily married. Jon had not seemed to notice Arianne's interest, but Dany was not as blind. The Dornish Princess flirted with every handsome man she encountered, and many of them reciprocated her interest. She was like a spider weaving her web, drawing them all in. Dany wondered if Princess Arianne would ever settle for one man.
Nevertheless, the Princess was unfailingly kind and courteous towards Daenerys. Dany had been given the place of honour at the Dornish table, and, as Prince Oberyn had promised, the Dornish had prepared a wide variety of exotic food. Princess Arianne named and described each of the colourful dishes, warning Dany if any of them might taste too strange. The Princess also made sure that there were no lapses in their conversation as she described in detail her party's journey here. When that topic was exhausted, she described Sunspear and the Water Gardens, and praised the warm Dornish climate.
Since Daenerys hardly took her eyes off Princess Arianne, she didn't miss the subtle sign of dismissal that Arianne gave the Dornish Lords and servants after they had all eaten their fill. Soon the large tent was deserted except for the two of them and Prince Oberyn. Even Princess Arianne's sworn shield, whom Dany suspected of being one of Arianne's lovers, had taken up position outside their tent.
Prince Oberyn and Princess Arianne both moved to sit next to each other, facing Dany. "Don't be alarmed, Daenerys," Arianne assured her. "This is not an ambush! We just want to discuss some things with you in private."
Encouraged by Prince Oberyn's warm smile, Dany gestured to Princess Arianne to continue. The Dornish Princess looked directly into the Queen's purple eyes. "We are aware that only a few people know of what happened between you and Prince Quentyn in Pentos, and it is in all our interests to keep it that way."
Dany stiffened slightly. "This is about Prince Quentyn?"
Oberyn nodded. "And about my older brother, Prince Doran. Surely you know that Aegon sent me to Dorne a few moons back to see to it that they were punished for their, uh, disrespectful behaviour towards your person."
"Of course, I know!" Dany retorted stiffly, without providing further information.
Princess Arianne looked grave as she continued, "On behalf of the Kingdom of Dorne, I would like to apologize for the actions of my father and brother. I was unaware of their intentions and, had I known, would have done everything in my power to dissuade them. As a respected female member of House Martell, I will not allow my kin to treat a noble lady or a princess as a mere tool in underhanded political games. The Dornish take pride in the fact that they value their women!"
"I thank you for these words, Princess Arianne," Dany replied graciously. "If only I could convince the rest of Westeros of the merit of women! Aegon shares my concern, and we intend to work slowly towards achieving that goal. Women are so much more than a means of providing men with heirs! Having said that, though, I believe this was not what you truly wished to discuss with me now. How is Prince Doran's health, pray tell?"
Princess Arianne's face took on a pained expression. "He is bedridden and his health is in steady decline. After Stannis Baratheon's trial and the victory celebrations, I will leave King's Landing so I can be there to support my father during his last few days in this realm."
Dany spoke softly, her eyes firmly fixed on Princess Arianne. "I may not be favourably inclined towards Prince Doran, but I am sorry for your imminent loss, Arianne, Oberyn."
Princess Arianne nodded, acknowledging Daenerys's words. "You are very kind, Daenerys. My father will soon face the judgement of the Gods. I hope that his imminent demise will satisfy your sense of justice as far as he is concerned."
"Of course!" Daenerys quickly agreed. "Aegon has already informed you that Prince Doran will be allowed to die in peace with his legacy intact. He made that decision with my full consent."
Arianne bowed her head in thanks, and Prince Oberyn took over. "Then all that remains for us to do is inform you about the punishment that we devised for Prince Quentyn, which has already been carried out."
"Again, King Aegon gave you free rein regarding this, and Prince Oberyn and I concurred," Dany stated. She was annoyed, however, for a bit of apprehension had crept into her voice. She was well aware of the Dornish's penchant for cruelty when they believed it was warranted, but surely they would not be too harsh on Prince Quentyn, who was their closest kin.
Prince Oberyn continued, "Quentyn Martell and his descendants have been removed from the line of succession. Quentyn has been stripped of his princely title and must never set foot in Westeros again. His children or grandchildren may apply for our permission to visit Dorne if they so desire, but we will never allow Quentyn to return." Then he added, "We also chopped off his left hand."
Daenerys frowned when the extent of Quentyn's punishment dawned on her. "I was told that he has a wife and a young child on the way. How will he provide for them? Your punishment will affect two innocent persons!"
"Bah!" Princess Arianne exclaimed haughtily. "A pirate's daughter and her spawn!"
"Arianne!" Prince Oberyn cautioned her.
Daenerys held up a hand and countered, "A powerless female--one who was probably forced by her relations to wed Quentyn--and an innocent babe! I feel no satisfaction in this at all."
"What if we agreed to support the mother and child if, in turn, they abstain from all future contact with Quentyn?" Prince Oberyn proposed.
"Then the stupid woman would only turn over the coin to Quentyn, Uncle Oberyn!" Arianne snapped. Then she addressed Daenerys more calmly, arguing her case. "I watched my brother and the woman together, your Grace, and she was not the innocent victim that you imagine her to be. She seduced my brother into doing her bidding all this time! She also took pleasure in demeaning and hurting our servants."
"You said the punishment has already been carried out. Do you even have a way of contacting them?" Dany asked, allowing herself time to consider this new information.
"Of course! I have assigned a few men to spy on them and make sure that Quentyn abides by the rules of his exile," Prince Oberyn assured Daenerys in a matter-of-fact tone, as if spying on people was the most normal thing to do.
'Perhaps for him it is,' Daenerys mused, then said out loud, "Let me discuss this first with Aegon before we take further action. I would still prefer that the baby, at least, be allowed to live a decent life."
"We will take the wishes of our Queen and King under consideration," Oberyn replied in an even tone, sending a warning look to his niece.
Princess Arianne pursed her lips. "Of course!"
Daenerys sighed. It was time to put an end to this conversation. She needed to discuss all the repercussions of Prince Quentyn's punishment with Aegon. If Princess Arianne never married, and with Quentyn Martell now out of the picture, then Prince Trystane would become the heir to Dorne. Perhaps she and Aegon should peruse that list of bachelors and maidens once more. It was high time that Princess Arianne or Prince Trystane provided House Martell with the next generation of heirs, unless Oberyn relented and allowed Aegon to legitimate the Sand Snakes. In that case, there would be an abundance of spare heirs! But, strangely, Oberyn had refused several offers from Aegon to legitimise his daughters.
***
In the end, it took Jon's commanders two days to organise everything for the journey back to King's Landing. Everyone he trusted had pitched in to conduct the interrogations of the Stormlanders, but their meetings, including the one at which they made their final decisions, had taken up a day and a half. Eventually, the bulk of the Baratheon forces had pledged themselves to King Aegon and had been given leave to return to their homes. A small group of Baratheon prisoners had been accused of dishonourable conduct, and these men would be taken by the army to King's Landing to stand trial. The major Lords of the Stormlands had consented to travel with the royal caravan to King's Landing so they could proclaim their allegiance to House Targaryen during the first official court session in the presence of the King, the Queen, and several witnesses.
The armies of the Reach, the Vale, the Westerlands, and the Riverlands took their leave. Lord Kevan Lannister asked to be excused from attending the victory celebration, claiming that his nephew, Lord Tyrion, could represent his house adequately. A few major Lords from each region agreed to attend. Lord Royce gave the knights of the Vale leave to return home. In his capacity of Master of Laws, he would accompany the King to the capital to oversee the trial and execution of Stannis Baratheon.
After Jon had discussed Robb's upcoming wedding with Lord Brynden of House Tully, the Blackfish had offered to escort his niece and grandnieces north so they could all attend the wedding. Jon also eagerly accepted Lord Celtigar's offer to transport the Ironborn prisoners to the Wall. The future Lord of Claw Isle would wait in the Stormlands for more vessels of the royal fleet to arrive, while a large armada would travel by sea to Eastwatch. From there, Jon would arrange for some members of the Night's Watch, with the help of the Free Folk, to take custody of the Ironborn prisoners and distribute them among the manned castles alongside the Wall. He would send strict instructions to Commanders Pyke and Belmore to closely guard the dispersed Ironborn at all times. Jon hoped that the promise of a potential pardon by Yara Greyjoy would keep most of these men compliant, but it would not hurt to remain vigilant.
***
Gendry had successfully kept Arya from leaving King's Landing. When word reached them of the King's imminent return, he had even convinced her not to sneak out and meet Jon halfway. Instead, they had stationed themselves in advance at the outer gates of the city. The moment they heard the distinct noise of a caravan approaching, Arya wormed herself out of Gendry's grip, ducked between two guards, and bolted out of the gate. The Golden Cloaks had to double their efforts to keep some of the smallfolk from following her example.
For the first time, Gendry used his position as a future High Lord to confiscate a horse and convince the guards to let him pursue the escaped Stark Princess. He easily caught her before she was halfway out of the gates.
"My hero!" Arya exclaimed, as Gendry grasped her hand and hoisted her in front of him in the saddle.
"You will be the death of me one day, Princess!" Gendry muttered under his breath. He slowed his mount's pace when he noticed that Jon, who was riding up front, had been overtaken by several Kingsguard who had drawn their swords. Men shouted at the caravan to halt. Arya, seemingly unfazed, slipped off Gendry's horse, and Gendry's heart nearly stopped when he saw her speeding towards the approaching horses. He hardly dared watch, desperately hoping that the knights would be able to rein in their mounts before Arya got hurt.
Fortunately, a white blur appeared out of nowhere and stopped Arya's reckless sprint. Arya hugged the huge direwolf before smiling broadly at Jon, who had come to a stop next to her. By the time Gendry caught up to them, the King had dismounted.
"I'm sorry, your Grace!" Gendry shouted, slightly out of breath. He tried to grab Arya's hand, but she evaded him and hugged her cousin. Jon returned her hug briefly before freeing himself from her arms.
"I had expected the Princess to show up much earlier, Lord Baratheon," Jon said in a formal tone, but the relaxed expression on his face reassured Gendry. "I know I asked the impossible of you, and you were--almost--successful!"
"I wanted to be the first to congratulate you and see with my own eyes that you were unharmed, Jon!" Arya explained with her usual fervour, seemingly unperturbed by the fact that she had singlehandedly forced a caravan of thousands of soldiers to interrupt their march. "Where is Daenerys? Is she alright? We heard horrible stories before we received word from you!"
"She will be." Jon gave Arya a tense smile. "Ser Gerold, have someone bring a horse to the Queen's wagon and ask her if she would be willing to ride these last few miles to the Red Keep by my side."
Jon turned back to Arya and studied her for a moment. "Although I am certainly glad to see you, Arya, you really shouldn't be here right now! It would give the wrong impression to those who witness our return."
"My King! Ser Gerold!" Gendry called. "A word of warning: I believe all of King's Landing has come out in the streets to cheer for their King and his victorious army! The City Watch is out there in full force, but--"
Ser Gerold frowned. "We must change our formation, my King. I'm glad you chose to wear your full armour, if not your helmet. We shall have some foot soldiers take the lead, then a small part of the cavalry followed by you and the Queen, and your Kingsguard will surround both of you. The nobles and the rest of the army may follow as they please."
Jon nodded. "I will ride as close to the Queen's horse as possible and remain vigilant. Lord Baratheon, will you take Princess Arya back to the city? I am sure she does not intend to claim credit for our victory by marching by our side."
"Gladly!" Gendry said, successfully grabbing Arya's arm this time. "Come along, Princess! I am sure the King will tell you all that you want to hear later."
Arya pouted. "Can't we at least wait until Daenerys shows up? I was worried, is all."
"I am well; I merely have a broken arm." Daenerys appeared from behind Jon's horse. Ser Arthur followed her, leading a beautiful white mare.
"You look pale!" Arya observed, forgetting her courtesies.
"Address her with a bit more respect, Arya!" Gendry whispered ferociously.
"I'm sure I do not look my best, but perhaps I may be excused since I am returning from war, Princess Arya." Daenerys chuckled. "I see living at court has not tamed your wild spirit one bit!"
Arya curtsied awkwardly. "Glad you made it here in one piece, my Queen, my King." She winked at Jon and took two steps backwards. With her nose in the air, flawlessly copying her mother's haughty demeanour, she added, "Lord Baratheon, what in the Seven Heavens are you waiting for? Do you not understand that you must escort a Princess of the North back to the city without further delay?"
Gendry rolled his eyes, bowed before Jon and Daenerys, and helped Arya mount his horse.
"We'll see each other later, cousin!" Jon called after Arya, who waved at him as she and Gendry rode away.
The smallfolk had indeed flocked to the streets in large numbers to cheer loudly and give the returning armies a hero's welcome. Ever since news of the King's great victory had reached King's Landing, the streets had been filled with music and laughter. Jon and Dany revelled in the applause of the smallfolk as they rode through the city.
***
The next day everything was set for Stannis Baratheon's execution in front of the Sept of Baelor. His council was confident that everything would go smoothly. Ever since the verdict had been announced, no protests had been staged and no one had petitioned for a stay of Stannis' execution or for having his sentence commuted to lifelong service at the Wall. Apparently, very few people would mourn Stannis Baratheon's death. Lady Shireen was one of these few. Ever since news of her father's capture had reached her, she had sequestered herself in her rooms. She had refused to visit her father one last time, pleading illness. Not wishing to force her hand, Daenerys had accepted the written apology of her lady-in-waiting. Jon felt deeply for Shireen as well. He had dispatched a delegation to Storm's End to parlay with Lady Selyse, for he had not yet received a reply to his invitation he had sent to live in King's Landing as his guest.
When the sun reached its zenith, Jon stepped out of the Sept and descended the necessary steps to approach the podium that had been erected on a platform halfway down. From there he had a good overview of the large crowd that wanted to witness the beheading. Nobles and smallfolk seemed equally represented on the front rows. He stepped aside as Stannis Baratheon was brought forward and made to kneel in front of the executioner's block. Lord Royce's loud, booming voice read the charges followed immediately by the verdict the jury had reached.
The exact moment that Lord Royce lowered the scroll, Jon stepped forward. True to the old ways of the North the King himself would take up the role of Stannis' executioner. Jon was fully aware of the role he needed to play today. King Aegon VI had come out to exact justice. Jon had not put on his full harness but wore the famous breast plate adorned with red rubies. In two confident strides he reached Stannis Baratheon and in dramatic fashion unsheathed Blackfyre. The tell-tale ringing sound of his Valyrian steel sword drew a few gasps from the crowd but otherwise they remained silent, eagerly waiting for his next move.
Jon projected calmness and authority as he looked upon the convict. "Any last words Stannis Baratheon? Now would be the time."
Stannis turned his head sideways and gave Jon a look filled with loathing. Then he faced the crowd once more. "I am the representative of the Lord of Light in this realm. By sacrificing me you will doom every living soul. I was the Lord of Light's promised saviour, the only one that could stave off the Darkness and bring the Dawn. Soon there will be no more tomorrow for Westeros. R'hllor will doom you all to perpetual darkness and suffering and soon Westeros will be nothing but a graveyard. Death is coming for you all!"
Despite the ominous declaration, the crowd booed loudly, and some smallfolk positioned close enough to the podium threw rotten food at Stannis' head. Jon quickly stepped back to avoid a stinky egg from hitting his breastplate. He held up his hand, and soon the crowd apparently calmed down. Jon was about to continue with the proceedings when one man standing in the back shouted, "Off with the traitor's head already!" And chants of 'Traitor! Traitor!' were picked up by the majority of the spectators.
Jon exchanged a quick glance with Lord Royce, and the two soldiers stepped forward and pushed Stannis Baratheon's head onto the block. Jon took one last look at the unrepentant man below him. Stannis's face, hair, and entire upper body was now dripping with the remnants of rotten tomatoes, eggs, and various other foods. His head lay in the correct position for execution and his eyes were closed. Apparently resigned to his fate, he was quietly chanting a prayer to his Lord of Light. The crowd fell silent as Jon raised his famous sword. One clean slice with the Valyrian steel, and it was over. Stannis Baratheon had been given the death he had chosen: death by sword. One of the soldiers picked up his head and showed it to the crowd, who started cheering for King Aegon.
Jon ignored them all and hurried to the left of the podium, where he joined his Kingsguard, Daenerys, and the Dragonguards in charge of guarding her. Moments later, the royal couple had left the square without the crowd's knowledge. They soon reached the gates of the Red Keep and, from there, hurried through the secret passages beneath the Keep to visit the dragons at the beach. Nothing could keep Dany away from them any longer. She and Jon had both sensed immediately that Viserion had arrived at the beach mere moments after Jon had beheaded Stannis Baratheon.
Viserion's big form lay inert in the sand but the dragon immediately lifted his head, his eyes very alert as Jon and Dany stepped out onto the beach. He raised his front legs and snorted loudly in their direction. This awoke Rhaegal from his slumber. The green dragon also lifted his head and stretched his neck to reach the hand that his human held out when the royal couple had come within touching distance. Jon with an arm around Dany's shoulder encouraged her to join him in petting Rhaegal. Viserion snorted again and bumped his large muzzle against Dany's arm. Dany suppressed a smile as she turned and started rubbing the scales under Viserion's eyes. This time the dragon purred and rested his head against her side. All of them felt the dragon's willingness to forge a new dynamic.
With Rhaegal's assistance, Jon helped Dany understand that Viserion had reconsidered his former state of independence. After his ordeal, and after realizing that a rider as monstrous as Euron could have been forced on him, Viserion now believed that it would be wise to give up part of his freedom and to bond with Daenerys. He had witnessed how Rhaegal and his rider had successfully fought the horn's magic together, and he now yearned to have a similar relationship with his own rider. He had learned the hard way that a dragon might be fearless and mighty, but not invulnerable.
When Jon had finished his explanation, Dany beamed and petted Viserion, whispering in the dragon's ear that she was glad that he found her worthy. Then, speaking in High Valyrian, she promised the dragon, "I will always have your best interests in mind. And since I am mated with your brother's rider, there will be four of us. We can all look out for each other."
Jon smiled broadly when he translated part of Viserion's response. "Four stronger than two. Two stronger than one." Jon did not disclose that Viserion knew that Dany would never be able to communicate with him as Jon, due to his warging abilities, could communicate with Rhaegal. What mattered was that Viserion was determined to establish a respectful bond with his chosen rider.
"I will come to the beach as often as you need me to, until our bonding is complete," Dany promised Viserion in High Valyrian. "If it helps, I will even sleep out here on some nights."
"Not without me, you won't!" Jon protested light-heartedly. Then he petted Viserion. "Let us know if you are getting fed up with us and need a little space. You don't realise what you've just gotten yourself into, partner!"
At that point, Rhaegal suddenly separated both Jon and Dany from his brother with his large muzzle. Dany fell on top of Jon on the soft sand, and Jon quickly took advantage of this opportunity to kiss her senseless before releasing her. They were wiping the sand off their clothes when Viserion lowered his wing and Rhaegal did the same.
"We have time for a short trip, don't we?" Dany looked pleadingly at Jon, who nodded, still somewhat winded from their passionate embrace.
After circling around Dragonstone and the Driftmark, Jon and Dany returned to the beach. Before leaving, they promised the dragons that they would find a way to destroy the horn and that all four of them would fly to the Driftmark to deal with the cursed object once and for all. They all agreed that the horn was safely hidden for the time being. Viserion had buried it deep inside their cave at the Driftmark, where no living soul would find it anytime soon.