Fire and Blood

Unexpected

The northern lords no longer treated her with excessive disdain. Sure, they do not like her still but she can live with dislike over disdain. Her speech in the great hall had put them in their place. Maesters speak of the Dragon's Wrath that plagued Dorne for a year after Rhaenys Targaryen's death, every holdfast was set ablaze by dragonfire at least once. With the peak of winter yet approaching, no lord wants his home and hearth destroyed. Oddly enough, she had earned the respect from Lady Barbrey Dustin. The veteran highborn is an astute player of politics. Barbrey's sharp remarks reminded her of Olenna. With Barrowtown's support, the Ryswell's fell into line as well. Bringing the western lords in the North under her wing.

In her previous life, she had attempted to bridge the cold distance with Sansa Stark. Now, she spends precious time with the soldiers, smallfolk and the lords. The Great Hall was practically hers, she held court and continued ruling as usual. She knew the Starks bristled at her blatant disrespect of their sovereignty, but then again, without her they would starve and die. She was Queen of the Ashes in the previous life, she does not aspire to be Queen of the Dead in this life. Speaking of the Dead, Daenerys felt it in her bones. The Wall would fall soon. The process has been slowed without Viserion, and gods she does not want to lose her child. Her children grew stronger by the day, their connection to her stronger than usual. A consequence of her previous life most likely.

Ironically Rhaegal began bonding with Aegon. Her Blackfyre husband is a good man. He treats her with awe and, much to her surprise, with deference. She knew he had a fire within him so, their wedding night had proven so. She lightly blushed at that night's memories. He had treated her like glass, until she coaxed his fire as well. A dragon only mates with a dragon, and well they shared rule over their marriage bed. He helped her a lot, becoming a companion whilst as her husband as well. He voiced his opinions in private, respecting her role in public and presenting a unified front. When they were heading north, she dreamt of eight thrones flanking the iron throne, each with a dragon egg seated upon the thrones. A good omen, Kinvara and Benerro said. A sign by the Lord of Light that House Targaryen would prosper.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock to the door. "Come in," the door opened to her guard. "Mhysa, Arya Stark requests an audience." Daenerys immediately tensed, the younger Stark sister was no less dangerous than the red headed sister. An assassin trained by the Faceless Men. All but confirmed by the Red Priests. "She may enter," the Unsullied nodded and opened the door for the younger Stark sister to enter.

The faceless wolf in the past life did not treat with her. Preferring the shadows and Gendry Baratheon. The question now, why would she meet with her family's perceived greatest threat? Daenerys was interested.

"Arya Stark," she schooled her face into a mask. Olenna spared her some lessons with the time she could. "Please sit, have some wine if you wish." The younger lady took her seat and a pregnant silence took place. "To what do I owe this request for, Arya Stark?" The girl was silent, looking her in the eye, as if looking for answers and intentions.

"What do you want with the North?" Came the question. Daenerys smiled, "I marched north to save this broken land from becoming a mass grave." The younger girl crossed her legs, "what about after that?" These line of questions were familiar and Daenerys knew the inevitable answer.

"I rule. The Seven Kingdoms, united under the banner of House Targaryen." Daenerys stood and poured herself a cup of tea. Herbs from YiTi, fragrant and calming.

"When my brother and sister reclaimed Winterfell and the North, they promised to themselves and me that we would never bow again to anyone." She could sense the temper flaring, she internally grinned. She turned to Arya.

"Interesting," She took a sip from her cup. "Say that the North becomes an independent realm. Can it stand on its own at the current state of affairs? From how I see it, it will take generations for the North to recover the population that was under Eddard Stark before he died." She posed that question, taking Arya Stark out of guard.

"The Starks have ruled the North for eight thousand years, we will survive." She places her cup on the table. She went to her chest and pulled out a book of records from the reign of Aegon V. She passed the book, opened at the page she had marked when she last read it a few nights ago. "There," read that page.

The Stark sister was agitated, feeling herself played by the dragon queen. Her eyes scanned through the contents of the book. "It's a good book, Fire and Blood. The reign of House Targaryen, not yet complete but these few drafts are good enough in my eyes. Very interesting content from Aegon V's rule." The younger sister's eyes widened, Daenerys smiled knowing she had read through the lines Daenerys intended for.

"As you can see, my great grandfather sent shipments of food aid to the North when it suffered a great winter. I do not doubt the capability of the North to survive winters, but I do doubt its current state to actually weather what some Maesters say the longest winter in living memory. Robb Stark took many men south in his war, the Ironborn invasion devastated the Winterfell region while the ensuing Stark-Bolton civil war further depleted the manpower of the North. You have not the numbers to plant when Spring comes not the numbers to hunt for game for food in Winter." She paused, sipping more of her tea.

"As I've said before, I could just leave the North to starve to death. A broken Kingdom to starve is not tough to accomplish. However, mercy is better. It would not do good to my conscience for the smallfolk to suffer for the pride of the highborn." Arya's eyes snapped upwards back to the older woman.

"What do you know of the smallfolk's suffering?" Her eyes gleaming dangerously, "they lose their homes, their loved ones while you Queens live a luxury in your castles and palaces." Daenerys' own eyes darkened.

"For most of my life, I have been on the run. Even when I was protected by Ser Willem Darry. My brother, Viserys sheltered me from Baratheon paid assassins. We slept in cold alleys of the Free Cities, finding cover in the tattered linens thrown as waste. We slept with our stomachs in pain from the lack of food. Throats parched as water, the very basis of life, was as rare as Valyrian steel for us. When we were hosted to luxury, we would find ourselves thrown out less than a fortnight later. We wandered the Free Cities searching not for a force to give us our birthright but a place to call home." She loosened her grip on her cup and placed it back on the table.

"You spent your childhood knowing the comforts of warm four walls called home. Having the love of your family. Viserys loved me, but he broke inside. He abused me verbally and as I grew older, physically. He fell short of taking my maidenhead and for that I am glad. He was no dragon, a brother, but that is as far as I would accept him. I never knew my family besides Viserys, I lost my mother as I came into this world. So tell me, have I suffered enough to know and sympathize with the misfortunate peoples of my realm?"

Silence.

She felt tested and somehow, she felt as if this was a game to gauge her as to whom she really is.

"When I was a young girl, I loved stories of Visenya who wielded Dark Sister and her dragon Vhagar. And here I now sit before a dragon queen who wields the same sword. If we have the chance, we should duel." The girl stood, a grin plastered on her face.

"Good day.." she lowered her head, "Your Grace." And she left.

Daenerys never properly got to know Arya Stark in her past life. And yet, she feels that she still does not know this mysterious she-wolf.