"Misa!" a gaunt young man suddenly shouted.
"Misa!" Before the first voice had even faded, another joined in.
"Misa! Misa...!" More voices joined, rising like a tidal wave that swept across Yunkai Plaza.
"What are they shouting?" Daenerys's eyes sparkled as she turned to Missandei.
"That's Ghis, and it means 'Mother'!" Missandei replied, her face beaming as she watched the excited crowd.
As Missandei spoke, Barristan and Jorah also wore faint smiles.
Though they had once advised Daenerys against attacking Yunkai for the sake of 200,000 useless slaves, seeing the liberated Yunkai slaves now filled their hearts with a sense of satisfaction.
Hearing the title that had once pained her, Daenerys felt an unusual sensation. She gently descended from the high platform, and the crowd slowly shifted toward it, pressing forward despite the Unsullied's leveled spears. Daenerys quickly ordered the Unsullied to lower their weapons.
As Daenerys approached the thronging crowd, Barristan and the others paled slightly. But when they saw Drogon perched on her shoulder, their anxieties completely vanished.
They had witnessed Drogon's power during last night's siege. The dragon had not only saved Jorah and the others from severe injury or death but had also incinerated the gate guards with his fiery breath. They even felt their presence had been superfluous; Drogon alone could have taken the gate.
As Daenerys drew closer, the Yunkai people reached out their hands, begging for proximity to Misa, the one who had granted them freedom.
The once-dense crowd parted involuntarily as Daenerys approached. Seeing their gaunt faces and the fervent gaze they turned toward her, Daenerys felt ashamed of the fleeting thought that had crossed her mind—regret over liberating the Yunkai slaves.
As she walked down the path cleared by the crowd, those who had originally sought to touch her now hesitated to approach. Sensing a flicker of fear in their eyes, Daenerys realized they were afraid of Drogon.
Having witnessed the terrifying power of the dragons the previous night, the Yunkai people dared not approach, even though Drogon on Daenerys's shoulder was no larger than a hatchling.
"He won't harm you. There's no need to fear!" Daenerys addressed the crowd in Valyrian.
Hearing her words and seeing that Drogon showed no signs of aggression, a few bold Yunkai people slowly approached Daenerys, tentatively touching her arm and shoulder. However, no one dared to approach the shoulder where Drogon stood.
Caught up in the fervent atmosphere, Daenerys reached out and initiated contact with a Yunkai person beside her.
Misa's voice rose in volume instantly. Two burly Yunkai men helped Daenerys onto their shoulders, surrounding her as they carried her toward the center of the plaza.
Seeing the eager and reverent gazes of the Yunkai people, Daenerys's face bloomed with a smile of unprecedented joy.
Rhaegal and Viserion, circling high above, seemed to sense the plaza's atmosphere. They swooped down, circling the Yunkai Plaza with thunderous roars and soaring through the air.
***
In the council hall of Riverrun, Lady Catelyn Stark urged her son, Robb, "We cannot go, Robb. Walder must resent you for breaking your betrothal and is likely plotting against us with the Lannisters."
Robb, holding a sand table model, frowned slightly. "That letter must be Tywin's doing, trying to prevent an alliance between the North and The Twins. I was wrong to break the betrothal, but Uncle Edmure has already agreed to marry his daughter. Isn't that what Walder has always wanted?"
"Robb, you don't understand Walder and his family," Catelyn insisted, her eyes fixed on him. "When I first approached him, he was still holding a grudge against your grandfather for not attending his three weddings. And do you know why your uncle Edmure remained unmarried for so long?"
"Because of Walder?" Robb asked hesitantly.
Catelyn nodded. "When your uncle was twelve, Walder tried to marry his daughter to him. Your grandfather refused, claiming he didn't want to bind Edmure too early, but he never gave up. Two years later, when another of his daughters was grown, he proposed again, and your grandfather refused once more."
"That's why Grandfather has been delaying your uncle's marriage all this time—he feared Walder's resentment would destabilize the Riverlands."
After listening to his mother, Robb lowered his head in thought. "If Uncle agrees to marry his daughter, wouldn't that satisfy Walder's desire? Besides, I don't believe Walder is the type to hold such a grudge."
Seeing his mother about to speak, he continued, "Grandfather never agreed to the Frey alliance. But the moment he learned I would marry his daughter, he sent nearly all the soldiers from The Twins to aid me, leaving fewer than five hundred to defend the castle.2
"Moreover, The Twins lies between the North and the Riverlands. If Walder dared to violate the rights of hospitality and plot against the nobles of both regions at the wedding, how could The Twins ever stand? And my men found no anomalies in Roose's behavior—that letter must be Tywin's doing." Fearing his mother wouldn't be convinced, Robb added, "It's a deliberate attempt to sow discord."
Hearing Robb's analysis, Catelyn found herself momentarily speechless. Yet the memory of that mysterious letter still sent a shiver down her spine.
"No!" she told herself. She had already lost her husband. Her eldest daughter was trapped in King's Landing, and her youngest daughter and two sons had disappeared without a trace. She couldn't risk losing her eldest son as well.
"If you must go, you'll take the entire army and weapons to the wedding. Otherwise, I won't let you go!" Catelyn's voice was firm.
Robb looked at his mother, Catelyn, in surprise. It seemed she hadn't fully recovered from the incident with Jaime. Which noble in the Seven Kingdoms would bring a full army and weapons to a wedding? If word got out, he, the Young Wolf and Warden of the North, would become a laughingstock.
Walder might also renege on his engagement to his uncle, canceling the alliance between the North and The Twins. He couldn't afford such a consequence.
He still needed to avenge his father, Eddard, rescue his sister, and prove that as the eldest son, he could be as formidable a warrior as his father. How could he return to the North in disgrace and be mocked by House Karstark?
"Mother, you know that's impossible," Robb said, staring intently at Catelyn.
"I've already lost my husband. I won't let you risk yourself again," Catelyn insisted, refusing to yield.
"You captured Tyrion to avenge Bran, which led to Father's death and trapped my sisters in King's Landing. To save my sisters, you released Jaime, which caused the Karstarks to slaughter their prisoners. In the end, you abandoned me, costing me half my forces. Now, to protect me, you're preventing the North from forming an alliance with The Twins. Do you expect me to restrict your freedom again?"
Seeing his mother's unwavering resolve, Robb couldn't hold back the words he had long suppressed.
As Robb spoke, Catelyn's expression gradually turned blank. She hadn't realized how deeply her son resented her, and that all of it was her own doing. Her heart sank into despair.
Seeing his mother's vacant look, Robb felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry, Mother." He turned and left the room.
"Robb! I'm begging you, don't go!" Catelyn grabbed his arm, her voice filled with anguish.
Robb, his face impassive, gently pried her hands off and continued walking.
"Robb! If you must go, promise me you'll wear soft armor, hide a dagger, take extra guards, and station a thousand soldiers outside The Twins. Otherwise, I'd rather die than let you go!" Catelyn cried out behind him, her voice desperate and sharp.
Seeing his mother's resolute expression, Robb paused, considered, then said, "I promise."