Chapter Text
Chapter 1: The Reluctant Peace
Command tent of Robb Stark, Dornish Marches, 302 A.C.
Robb wiped the sweat off his forehead as he tried to control his breathing. He had fought in a dozen battles. He had been cut, bruised, and even struck with an arrow but this was, by far, the most exhausted he had ever felt. Even though his body was relatively unharmed it had been pushed to it limit after his mind had already been drained. He felt as if his spirit was nearly gone as well. He wasn't sure if, after a good week of rest, he would truly find it in himself to pick his swords back up.
“He has the dragon queen on the ropes we should press the attack further and end this” Mace Tyrell said to the rest of the table.
“I'm not sure if that is wise. We took large losses in that battle. The queen retreated with what strength she had back to Dorne. Armies have a bad habit of finding their end in that desert.” Lord Royce said.
“So, you suggest we do nothing,” Lord Tarly countered
“We’ve just scored a victory against the Targaryen army. Let's call up more reserves and march in once we’re at full strength.” Lord Royce responded.
“If this was any other time I would agree with you, my lord, but most of the 7 kingdoms are a spent force. The Vale may be the only region that has real soldiers in reserve. But it not any more than 3,000 of my information is correct. The more time we use to resupply the more time the dragon queen has to lick her wounds.” Willis Tyrell said. “Going in hard right now might catch her army before they have recovered and end this for good”
“I’m I the only one who hasn't forgotten that she still has two dragons?!” Tyrion yelled to the rest of the group.
“She has one dragon left. The other one can hardly fly with the number of arrows we hit it with. The Queen's unsullied basically had to drag it off the battle field. And Robb has already proven he can handle the dragons.” Edmure said arrogantly.
“Are you blind? Just look at his grace!” Tyrion yelled as he held his hand out bringing attention to the king. “Does, His Grace looks to be in any condition repeat the events of this morning. It nearly killed him. We can't expect a similar miracle from His Grace if we have to face dragons again..”
Everyone looked at the King to his annoyance and realized what the legendary charge had taken out of him. He continued to sweat profusely and he was having little luck at getting his breathing under control.
“Any attack on the queen needs to come with the acceptance we will lose another 10,000 men killing that dragon,” Tyrion added.
“Then that is a price we must pay. We can't risk letting her stay in Dorne and resume her attack at her leisure.” Mace replied.
“And we can't leave Dorne having lost the rest of our army. This war a been a particularly damaging one. Crops burned, castles destroyed, tens of thousands dead. If we don't have a sizable force when we return, we might not maintain our positions during the coming winter.” Tyrion finished.
“It sounds like your suggesting a peace” Theon interjected.
“Aww Greyjoy, you’re not as dumb as you look,” Tyrion replied.
“What kind of peace could we hope to have with the dragon queen?” Edmure asked skeptically. “I don't think she’s willing to accept just being queen of Dorne.”
“Your right. What does she want?” Tyrion asked the council.
“To be Queen of the Seven Kingdoms?” Lord Royce said not understanding where the Hand was going with this.
“So why don't we give it to her?” Tyrion continued.
“Are you mad? You expect his Grace to give up his Throne?!” Mace yelled.
Tyrion closes his eyes knowing what he was about to suggest was going to make Lord Tyrell, in particular, furious. “That's not what I'm suggesting. I said we make her Queen”
As soon as the words had left Tyrion’s mouth Mace Tyrell stood up from his chair and began to scream. “How dare you. My daughter is queen and she will remain so!”
“I’m aware of your daughter, My Lord. But Targaryen customs give us a solution to this…inconvenience.”
“You want his Grace to take a second wife,” Willis said in a calm voice.
“Yes!l Tyrion replied” Relieved that the more intelligent Tyrell seemed rather calm about the proposal. “There is a precedent for it. Aegon the conqueror had two wives.”
“This ‘simple solution’ of yours has some problems. For one it could lead to a problem with the succession.” Willis replied.
A large grin grew on Tyron’s face. “That's the best part. The Dragon Queen is barren.”
“Everyone was quiet for a few moments until Edmure finally asked, “How could you possibly know that?”
“I've been in communication with Varys. He councils the Queen. He had been sending me terms of surrender for the last two moons but after this past battle, he knows the queen has no hope of victory. Varys believes he can get Daenerys Targaryen to accept peace if she is made queen.” Tyrion said proudly.
“She’ll want more than just a fancy title. She’ll expect actual authority. We’d effectively have two kings. We might just be buying peace in exchange for war later.” Willis said.
“So what, my daughter is just to be a glorified mistress. Is this what I'm rewarded for my loyalty to the crown!?” Mace yelled.
He can't really expect us to buy that? Loyalty to the crown. He’s been through three Baratheons and now a Stark. If the dragon queen was a dragon king, he would have already switched sides. Though he knew that wasn't the right way to handle this. “Your daughter would be the mother of the future king. Who cares if she has to share power with Daenaryas Targaryen for a generation. A Tyrell will sit the Iron Throne.”
“What do you think of the idea Robb,” Edmure asked.
Robb was quiet for a moment as he was finally able to get his breathing under control. He knew what his answer would be as soon as the hand suggested it. This war was of no real importance in the grand schemes of things. Only a way for him to unite the 7 kingdoms against the true enemy when it comes. And having a dragon on his side would be quite useful in the battle to come. However, knowing this fact wouldn’t help him convince the Tyrell’s of anything. Edmure , Lord Umber, and Theon, where the only three in his council that knew of his true concerns. Whether the other lords would accept what he had to tell them would be something he worried about in the future. “Everyone with the exception of the Tyrells and the Hand out.” He strained himself to say.
“Shouldn’t we at least-
“Out,” Robb said sternly interrupting his uncle.
“Loras bring his Grace some water,” Willis said to his brother. “Don’t give me that look, just do it” He said after Loras gave a look that suggested the task was beneath him.”
“Ahh, refreshments sound like a good idea. Jamie, can you tell Pod to bring me some wine. What?” Tyrion said as the rest of the group gave him a look of distaste.
Pod and Loras returned a few moments later. Robb quickly downed his water.
“Your Grace are you sure you’re all right?” Mace asked his good-son.
“I’ll be fine. We need to discuss Lord Tyrion’s proposal. I understand why you have problems with this agreement but Lord Tyrion is right. The 7 kingdoms cannot handle any more war…and we will soon need to bring reinforcements to the Wall. I will give you whatever you feel is necessary in order to make this right but I need you to let this peace go through.” Robb said to Mace.
Mace Tyrell was about to respond but luckily his son spoke for him “Your Grace if we should discuss this I feel we should all be completely honest with each other.”
“I think that would be best,” Robb replied.
“I disagree with the Hand’s assessment that we are one horrible loss away from a peasant uprising. In the Riverlands and Westerlands, this might be true. Possibly even in the Stormlands but the other kingdoms are completely fine. The Lannister forces are the most depleted out of all the seven kingdoms. The Hand is merely trying to prevent any further losses in hopes that he can regain the same level of influence that his father had.”
To Robb’s surprise, Tyrion didn’t even bother to deny the charges.
“The Hand needs to accept that era of a Lannister dominated Westeros is over. We have accepted your rule, Your Grace but it will be house Tyrell that has the greatest influence at your court.”
“Yes yes, we all understand that the Tyrells will have the largest influence at court” Tyrion replied dismissively.
“Now I will be the first to say I do not wish for war if peace is an option…but sometimes war is necessary. The proposal the Hand has given might cause some problem even if the Queen is barren.”
“Fine. Let discuss the terms of the Queenship if she is to accept.” Tyrion replied.
“First I would like to ask His Grace a question. I sat a horse next to you with the other Lord Paramount’s before the battle. I know, as well as anyone, what you did. I like many other learned people believed the stories of wargs and skinchangers were merely that, stories. But my eyes do not lie. I saw you take control of a dragon with your mind and set fire to the queen’s forces. So if it comes to war could you do it once more?” Willis asked.
“And survive?” Robb asked in all seriousness.
“Yes,” Willis replied with a look of worry.
“When I was at the Wall I spoke to a wildling who warned be not to warg into birds even though it is quite easy. He said that men sometimes forget who they are if they spend too much time in them. My brother to my understanding could, with some difficulty, enter into the body of simpleton that we had at Winterfell. It’s like trying to overpower someone with your mind. With the dragon, it felt like both problems existed. When I took over the largest dragon it was like trying to wrestle a bear. I was only able to maintain my hold for about 30 seconds before it pushed me out. It is only thanks to the gods that that was long enough for us to cripple it. I tried again with the other one. The one the king rode. While that one was much weaker and thus easier to take over I believe it was about 20 second until I blacked out. Had he retreated, he might have been surrounded by his army when I brought it down but instead he charged us. It only take a good shot in the right place to bring those creatures down. But to do it a third time. This skill has little to do with the body. I fear even after a week of rest my mind will not be what it was yesterday. I have a special kind of connection with my Direwolf, Greywind. I tried to warg into him an hour ago, and it gave me a terrible headache. If it comes to it, I doubt I could maintain my hold for more than 10 seconds before I'm pushed out-
“That might be-
Robb put his hand up singling to Lord Tyrell that he wasn’t finished talking. “To answer the question, you’re really asking, Yes I believe we would win the battle if it comes to it. We might lose half our army like the hand said but we would win THIS war.”
“There seems to be something you're leaving out,” Willis said.
Robb was quiet for a few seconds as he tried to think of the way to respond. “There is another war coming. One that is far more important than who sits the Iron Throne. The Others have returned.”
“You can’t be serious Your Grace? The Others are just a story.” Mace replied.
“You’ve seen Direwolves, Dragons, and a man take control of a dragon with his mind but the Others are where you draw the line?!” Tyrion shot back.
“The dead rising, Your Grace. Surely the men at the Night’s Watch have been tricked.” Mace replied.
“I understand how this must sound but my brother has seen them with his own eyes. The eldest son of one of your bannermen, Lord Tarly, as told me he’s seen them too.” Robb said.
Mace Tyrell could not find the words to respond. “Fine if that is what awaits us I consent to this peace,” Willis said.
Mace lowered his head is a mix of realization and disappointment. Then he quickly returned to the stubborn and prideful man they all knew. “Fine, I will consent to this peace… but my daughter’s place must be firmly established first.”
A wave of relief washed over Robb.
"Fine, let’s get started then.” Tyrion said.