She did not speak… not yet. She only stood there in the sunlight, white silk glowing, silver hair shining, dragons circling in the distant sky.
It was enough.
The people of Meereen, the freed slaves of the Eastern Empire, had their Empress. And they shouted her name until the stone beneath them shook.
…
The Dragon Empress
Daenerys walked to the edge of the balcony and rested her hands on the railing. She looked down at the sea of faces. For a moment she said nothing, drowning in the cheers from the people below…
Then she raised her hand. But that was more than enough to stop all the cheerings. As much as happy they were, they wanted to listen to their Mysha.
"Men and women of Meereen, Astapor, Yunkai, the great grass sea… From this day onwards you all are free people of the Eastern Empire. You are no longer slaves. You are no longer tools for the pride of others. You are no longer cattle to be bought and sold. You are free."
The first roar of cheers went up. She waited until it softened before she continued.
"You call me Mysha. Mother. I accept it. Not because I gave you life, but because I will fight to protect the life you now own. That is my duty as your Empress. That is my duty as the first ruler of the Eastern Empire."
The name of the Empire rolled across the plaza like a drumbeat. She let them taste the words before she went on.
"There are five promises I will give you today. Five pillars on which this Empire will stand." She raised her hand, one finger extended.
"First. No slavery. Never again. Not in Meereen. Not in Yunkai. Not in Astapor. Not in the great grass sea. No man or woman will ever own another. Slavery ends here. And if any man dares to bring it back, I will end him."
The second finger lifted.
"Second. Food for all. The masters used to hoard grain in their pyramids while children starved in the streets. No longer. The food of the Empire will be shared. Not charity, but right. No man, woman, or child in this Empire will go hungry while I live."
The third finger.
"Third. Work for all. Idleness breeds chains. You will have work, and for your work you will be paid. Some of you will farm. Some of you will build. Some of you will serve in the armies. Some of you will heal and teach. But all of you will stand as free men and women with work and purpose."
The fourth finger.
"Fourth. Education and health. Knowledge and care are not gifts for the few. They are the strength of all. Schools will rise where the slave markets stood. Healers will serve where whips once cracked. Your children will learn letters and numbers. They will not be taught how to obey a master. They will be taught how to build a future."
The fifth finger.
"Fifth. Strength. Freedom without strength is nothing. That is why we will build an army greater than any in the world. You, the freed, will stand in its ranks. The Unsullied will train alongside the Dothraki. Spears will march beside horses. We will forge a shield so strong that no one will ever dare to take your freedom away again."
The plaza erupted. But Daenerys did not raise her hands for silence. She let them roar, then spoke louder, her voice carried by magic and steel alike.
"I will not lie to you. There will be hunger before there is plenty. There will be hard work before there is rest. There will be blood before there is peace. But I promise you this: every sacrifice will be shared. Every pain will be borne together. And every victory will belong to all of us."
She stepped closer to the railing.
"Some of you heard rumors. They say I burned the masters of Meereen. It is true. They crucified children on the road. They wanted me to see. I answered them with fire. Some of you wonder if that makes me cruel. Perhaps it does. But I tell you this: sometimes one evil must be done to crush a greater evil. I did it for you. For your children. For the world to see that this Empire will never bow to chains again."
Her voice sharpened.
"The world will test us. The free cities will fear us. The kings across the sea will hate us. They will call me monster, butcher, usurper. But what am I to you?"
The cry came as one: Mysha! Mysha! Mysha!
She raised her arms. The chant grew louder, rolling like thunder, echoing off the stone walls. Mysha! Mysha! Mysha!
She let it go on until the sound shook the very balcony. Then she lowered her arms, her face set.
"Then know this. I am not just your Mother. I am your shield. I am your fire. I am the Empress of the Eastern Empire. Together we will build a Kingdom that will not fall for a thousand years. Together we will make sure the chains never return."
Behind her, Drogon let out a screech that cut through the chant. His wings spread, blotting out the sun for a moment. The crowd only screamed louder, raising their arms, trying to reach her, as if her touch could seal their freedom forever. The chant of Mysha rose again, louder than before, until it shook the stones of the pyramid itself. Daenerys stood above them, white dress shining in the sun, her face calm and unyielding. The first Empress of the Eastern Empire.
And below, the people roared her name as if it were the only word left in the world.
After the Grand speech, Daenerys stayed on the balcony for a few more minutes before waving the people goodbye. Addressing the people was only a small part of today's events. The formation of the parliament and the formation of the first temporary constitution of the Eastern Empire would be the most important event of that day. Of course, how could they forget the Grand banquet ? All of the invited foreign delegates will appear there. And it would be a great chance to strengthen their geo-political relationship.
…
Next chapter: The Dragon Empress II