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Harry Potter and all of its characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
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"Dialogue"
'Thoughts'
-Author notes-
Chapter 132: Meereen's New Rule
"Tell me what happened," Daenerys said, her voice firm but not demanding. "Tell me everything."
Joffrey studied her for a moment, then nodded slowly. He had expected this. She was not a woman who accepted mysteries easily.
"The ritual had an adverse reaction," he began, his voice flat. "The power I was trying to absorb was too much for my body to contain. It built up too quickly, and I knew-" He paused, his jaw tightening. "I knew if I stayed on the ship, the explosion would have killed everyone aboard. So I moved away. I pushed myself as far from the ship as I could, and then... I lost consciousness in the middle of it."
"What happened then?" Daenerys urged him to continue.
Joffrey said. "I woke up in the middle of nowhere the next day. I was lying on some rocks in a vast grassy plain north of here."
"The Dothraki Sea," Jorah concluded. "That would explain the current presence of that Dothraki Host."
Jorah stepped forward. " I was very disoriented at first and didn't even remember how I got there or how long I had been unconscious." He glanced down at his hands. "I soon realized that the ritual had more or less worked as I intended, but there were some unexpected consequences. Something happened to my magic."
"Have you lost your powers?!." Tyrion exclaimed.
Joffrey shook his head. "Not at all. Actually, it was the contrary. My magic has never been more potent. In fact…it is so potent that I can no longer control it properly. Even simple spells will backfire. Teleportation requires the utmost finesse, so I could not use it."
"So that's why you didn't return immediately," Daenerys said.
Joffrey nodded. "I wasn't sure of where I was. And I couldn't use my magic. I did not call for Fawkes for the same reason. If my unstable magic interfered with his teleportation abilities, we would end up anywhere in the universe."
"Yikes…" Tyrion grimaced.
"What about Drogon?. How did he end up with you?" Daenerys asked.
"Oh…that surprised me." Said Joffrey. "The dragon landed next to me soon after I woke up and began munching on some sheep."
"He went to find you…" Daenerys realize. Her own bond with Drogon had been weakening. This could only mean that Drogon was creating another bond with someone else. "Joffrey, I believe Drogon has acknowledged you as its rider."
"I thought that too." Joffrey had already considered that.
"But how…you are not a Targaryen," Daenerys asked. "Unless…"
"The ritual, yes," Joffrey said. He did not need to tell her why. She knew that one crucial ingredient of the ritual was her blood.
Daenerys felt a strange pang at his words…jealousy, perhaps, or loss. Drogon was her child, her dragon, her greatest asset. And now he was bonded to Joffrey in a way she could never be.
"How did you end up with the Dothraki?" she asked, pushing the unpleasant thought aside.
Joffrey's expression hardened. "They attacked me. A khalasar of several thousand. They confused me with a slave, or perhaps they just saw a lone man in the wilderness and thought I would be easy prey. Either way, they attacked first." He paused, his green eyes cold. "I killed a few hundred of them. The rest decided I would make a better Khal than the one I had just killed. They declared me their new leader, their Khal of Khals."
Tyrion let out a low whistle. "A few hundred. That's... impressive, even for you."
"And you agreed to become their Khal?" Jorah asked. "Do you understand what that position means??
Joffrey shrugged. "I needed guides. I needed people who knew this land."
"So you are the reason those Dothraki outside were so well behaved?. What did you do to them?. Tyrion wanted to know about the savages' unusual behaviour.
"The Dothraki understand and respect one thing…and that is strength," Joffrey responded. "I just show them what I can do, and they became very obedient all of a sudden."
Daenerys stared at him, her mind racing. She had tried to convince the Dothraki to follow her laws. She had struggled to control them, to discipline them, to make them see that there was more to life than plunder and slavery. And Joffrey had done it in a single week.
'He is remarkable,' she thought. 'He is more than I ever imagined.'
Daenerys recalled their strange attitude from before. "What about the previous masters of Meereen?"
Joffrey shrugged. "I made it clear that their old ways were over. No more slavery. No more plunder. No more taking what is not freely given. Those who refused to follow the new laws are dead, and their bodies have been tied outside the city."
Daenerys was silent for a long moment. She had seen the crosses herself. She had seen the bodies of the Masters, hanging from the same poles they had used to commit their atrocities. And now she knew it was Joffrey's doing.
"But why did you even take Meereen?" she asked. "Why did you bother conquering the city? You could have passed it by. You could have come to find us."
Joffrey was silent for a moment. "I was close by. I knew you were coming here. And when I met the Masters of Meereen, I decided it would be better if I took the city and got rid of them." He met her eyes. "Leaving the doors open for you."
Daenerys felt a warmth spread through her chest. He had done it for her. He had conquered a city and freed its slaves…for her.
But she knew better than to say the words aloud. This was not the time.
"So you took the city," she said, trying to keep her voice carefully neutral. "And what now? What are your plans?"
Joffrey shrugged. "I have much to do. Stabilizing my magic takes priority. And now that you are here…I can go take care of things." He began to walk across the chamber.
"By the way, uncle…" He addressed Tyrion. "How is my laboratory doing?"
Tyrion thought about it for a moment. "Most of it was destroyed. But that enchanted chest that you made…It's still intact. We left it inside your chambers on the ship."
"Wonderful," Joffrey said. That chest contained his most important ingredients, books, and tools. Good thing he had placed some strong enchantments on it.
"Well then…I'll see you all later."
"Wait…what about the city?" Tyrion asked. "Aren't you like their King, no?"
Joffrey's green eyes flickered with amusement. He turned and gestured toward Daenerys with a casual wave. " Well…you have a queen right there. She can rule in the meantime."
Daenerys's eyes widened. "What?"
"You want to rule the Seven Kingdoms," Joffrey said, his tone matter-of-fact. "You can start with Meereen. Get some practice."
Daenerys opened her mouth to protest, but Joffrey was already turning away. He strode toward the doors, Fawkes appearing in a burst of golden flame to land on his shoulder.
"Joffrey!" Daenerys called after him. "Wait! I can't just-"
"Have fun!"
And just like that, he was gone, the doors swinging shut behind him.
Daenerys stared at the closed doors, her mind reeling. He had just dumped the entire responsibility of Meereen on her. Without warning. Without discussion.
Tyrion let out a low chuckle. "That was unexpected."
Daenerys whirled on him. "This isn't funny, Tyrion! He just-he just-"
"Gave you exactly what you wanted?" Tyrion's mismatched eyes gleamed with amusement. "A city to rule. A chance to practice governing before you set your sights on Westeros. I'd say he did you a favor. You can learn much here."
Daenerys glared at him. "He did it to avoid the work. He admitted as much."
"Perhaps." Tyrion shrugged. "But that doesn't make it any less true. You want to be a queen. A ruler. This is your chance to prove you can do it."
Daenerys was silent, her jaw tight with frustration. She wanted to argue, to point out that she had never asked for this. But Tyrion's words rang true.
She straightened her shoulders and turned to face the court. "Very well. If the Sorcerer Prince has placed Meereen in my hands, then I will rule it. I will govern it justly. I will build something better than what the Masters left behind."
Varys stepped forward. "An admirable goal, Your Grace. And perhaps... a wise one. The people of Meereen have already seen what a just ruler can do. They will be more receptive to your rule than you might expect."
"Excuse me… Your Grace?" A well-dressed attendant approached her.
"Yes?" Daenerys glanced at the man. She almost didn't notice he had been standing next to the throne all this time.
"I am Hizdarh zo Loraq, Your Grace." He bowed. "I am a former Master who has been serving as the Prince's advisor since his rule began…"
"I see…" Daenerys examined the man. He did look like a former master. Well dressed and educated, but his attitude was very submissive. "Is there something you want to tell me?"
"Yes, well…if you are going to be acting on behalf of the Prince… a few meetings are pending for today."
"Meetings?. With who?" Daenerys asked.
"Representatives of the people of Meereen, of course. They carry the voices of the citizens."
"...how many meetings?" Daenerys raised an eyebrow.
The advisor made a complicated expression. "A few dozen of them."
"So…that's why Joffrey was in a hurry to get out of here." Tyrion realized.
<><>
The Storm Dancer was anchored in the harbor, its damaged deck repaired as best it could be. The crew had been working tirelessly to restore the ship, and as Joffrey approached the gangplank, he saw the sailors pause to stare at him.
He ignored them, striding up the gangplank and onto the deck. Fawkes perched on his shoulder.
"Your Grace!" One of the crewmen rushed forward, his face pale with shock. "We didn't know you were coming! We thought-"
"I know what you thought," Joffrey cut in. "I am here. That is all that matters."
The crewman nodded quickly, stepping back. Joffrey walked across the deck, his eyes scanning the familiar surroundings. The Storm Dancer had been his home for months. It felt strange to be back.
He had just reached the door to his cabin when he heard a sharp cry behind him.
"Joffrey!"
He turned and saw Saera standing on the deck, her face a mixture of shock and relief. She had been in the middle of carrying something…a bundle of linens, perhaps, but she had dropped them, her hands flying to her mouth.
"Saera," he said, his voice soft.
She rushed toward him, her feet carrying her across the deck in a blur of motion. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly, her body trembling against his.
"I was so worried," she whispered, her voice muffled against his chest. "So worried. When the ship exploded, when we couldn't find you, when I thought-"
"I am fine," Joffrey said, his voice gentler than it had been in the Great Hall. "I am alive. I am here."
Saera pulled back, her eyes red-rimmed, her cheeks wet with tears. "What happened to you? Where did you go? How did you-"
"That is a long story." Joffrey reached up and brushed a tear from her cheek. "One I will tell you later. For now, I need rest. And peace."
Saera nodded quickly, wiping her eyes. "Of course. Of course. I will prepare your chamber. I will-"
"Saera." Joffrey's voice was firm. "I am glad to see you."
Saera's lips trembled, and fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "I am glad to see you too, my Prince. So glad."
Joffrey turned to Fawkes, who had perched on the ship's railing. "Go find somewhere comfortable to sleep. We are staying in Meereen for a while."
Fawkes let out a soft trill, then launched into the air, flying toward the city.
Joffrey turned back to Saera, his expression softening. "Come," he said, extending his hand. "Let us catch up."
Saera's cheeks flushed, but she took his hand without hesitation.
<><>
Several hours later, Joffrey stood on the deck of the Storm Dancer, looking out over the harbor. The sun had set, and the sky was painted in shades of purple and gold. The city of Meereen was beginning to light up, torches and lanterns flickering in the darkness.
He was dressed in simple clothes, a loose tunic and trousers, and his hair was still damp from the bath Saera had prepared for him. The evening had been... pleasant. A welcome respite from the chaos of the past weeks.
He heard footsteps behind him and turned. Daenerys stood on the deck, her arms crossed, her expression anything but pleasant.
"You left me with all the work," she said, her voice clipped. "Do you have any idea how many people I had to listen to? How many petitions I had to hear? How many-"
"That is the job of a ruling queen," Joffrey interrupted, his tone flat. "That is what you wanted to do, right?"
Daenerys hesitated, her jaw tightening. "The throne I want is in Westeros."
"Things will not be so different there," Joffrey said. "Of course, it depends on what kind of ruler you want to be."
Daenerys stepped closer, her violet eyes fixed on his face. "You seemed to have done a great job in Meereen. You put the city in order in just one week. You convinced the Dothraki to act as guardians. That could not have been easy. I personally know how difficult the Dothraki can be. The hundred who followed me across the plains? They are an exception."
Joffrey shrugged. "I had some experience."
Daenerys studied him, her eyes searching his face. "But you never took the throne. You left King's Landing before your coronation. They called you the Runaway Prince."
Joffrey was silent, his green eyes fixed on the distant city. He did not respond. He could not explain that his experience had been in a different life…a life where he had fought several wars, sacrificed himself for others, guided countless people, and eventually died. A life where he had been a hero…before turning into something else.
He turned to Daenerys. "You didn't answer my question. What kind of ruler are you planning on being?"
Daenerys froze. She had not expected the question to be turned back on her. "I didn't have time to think about that," she admitted. "All I have been thinking about is how to get the throne. How to get back what they took from my family."
"You have time now," Joffrey said, his tone serious. "Think about it. You have been doing a great job at conquering cities and freeing slaves. But before you cross the sea and go to Westeros... perhaps you should first find out what kind of ruler you want to be."
Daenerys stared at him, her expression unreadable. "And what kind of ruler are you?"
Joffrey turned away, his eyes fixed on the darkness beyond the harbor. "I am not a ruler," he said. "I am a scientist. A scholar. A man with questions that need answering. I have no desire to sit on a throne and listen to petitions for the rest of my life."
"And yet you conquered a city."
"I conquered a city because it was convenient. Because it gave me access to resources I needed. Because it removed an obstacle from your path." Joffrey met her eyes. "Do not mistake me for a king, Daenerys. I am not interested in the burden of rule. That is your dream. Not mine."
Daenerys was silent for a long moment. Then she said, "You are a strange man, Joffrey Baratheon."
"Stranger than you know," Joffrey said, his voice soft.
They stood in silence, watching the lights of Meereen flicker in the darkness.
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