Queen's Landing

News of Ashemark's destruction spread like wildfire throughout Westeros, and so did the volcanic storm that was unearthed from the Empress' destructive attack. The entire Westerlands became swallowed up in clouds of ash and storms, which began to spread to the Reach and to the Riverlands as well. The fire and lava spewing out of the once-subterranean volcano that lies beneath Ashemark could be seen from miles away to any man, woman, or child. People in nearby villages and houses that surrounded Ashemark quickly evacuated, going south to Lannisport, hoping that the larger city would be safer. That, however, was not the case.

The dark clouds reached as far as the capital, as if they were following the Empress back to her home. They were clouds of ash, and slowly began to fall onto the city like a light dusting of snow. To the people, it brought ice to their veins, and chills down their spines. It immediately reminded them of when Daenerys attacked their city two years ago.

"I heard she conjured up hell, that's why the sky is so dark. What did Ashemark do anyway?" asked an older man, holding his cloth hat in his hands as he stood among the crowd of about two hundred Queen's Landing citizens in a small plaza. Speaking atop a small wooden stage, lined with Imperial guards in front of him on the ground, and many behind him as well on the back of the stage was Rhaegar. The former Prince of the Seven Kingdoms decided it would help his sister's image as their new ruler if he went out and about and answer people's questions and hear their concerns.

"There have been instances of treachery in the Westerlands," began Rhaegar, "Lady Elyse Marbrand does not have the best intentions for all the people of the Empire when advising Empress Daenerys. She had become selfish and corrupt." some of the people in the crowd nodded, understanding. "And we cannot allow her allies to think that that sort of behavior goes unnoticed or unpunished."

The Red Keep

"What happened? What did you do?" asked Jon, as he followed Daenerys through the halls of the Red Keep. The pregnant Empress was going to take a nap that afternoon, she had returned from Ashemark yesterday and Jon returned from, allegedly, Winterfell. He was supposed to bring Bran Stark to the capital, but Daenerys hadn't seen him yet.

"I did what I had to do." said Daenerys, not looking over her shoulder to Jon following her.

"It's been dark for hours-"

"That's the weather." interrupted Daenerys, "We have sunny days and dark days."

"I saw what happened." blurted Jon loudly, and Daenerys stopped. "I was with Rhael, I watched from afar. Something happened that shouldn't have." Dany turned around and looked at him, silently. "What's going on?"

"Do you think I have the answers?" she asked bluntly, "Maester Javitz suggested that the town sat atop a subterranean volcano and my attack just triggered an eruption."

"As far as I know, Westeros has never had any such disaster in its recorded history." said Jon.

"What are you suggesting, Jon?" she asked angrily.

"I don't think you're… you're…"

"What? Normal?" she stepped closer to him, "I think I've already figured that out."

"Something is changing within you, something has awaken. A power." exhaled Jon worriedly. Daenerys turned away from Jon, and looked out the nearby window. She could see Blackwater Bay, and all nine of her dragons circling above the waters, searching for fish to catch.

"I love you," whispered Jon, reaching for Dany's hand, "and I care about you." she withdrew her hand from his touch, and she looked at him.

"Do you?" she posed, "Or are you afraid?" the two stared at one another intensely at each other's eyes. Jon could barely believe she even asked him. Of course he loved her. His heart ached whenever she wasn't near him. He didn't want to be away from her at all. His heart called to her. Daenerys nodded slightly and gulped,

"I need to speak with the Grand Maester, alone." she continued down the hall, and Jon remained still. He watched her go down the corridor, passing through the beams of sunlight that poured through the arched windows.

...

Daenerys kept on walking through the Red Keep, soon she was far from Jon. Part of her didn't even want to go speak with Maester Javitz. She didn't want to talk about what she unearthed at Ashemark. It couldn't have been a natural coincidence, it didn't feel right. Part of her didn't want to discover more of the truth. Something was changing in her, she was able to harness pure magic… it had to be magic. The way she killed that black dragon at Vaes Dothrak with just fire from her fingertips, nothing could explain that entirely.

"During my youth, I tried to get my hands on every book possible that discussed magic." said Grand Maester Hannyn Javitz, as he carried a large book over to his desk, where sitting in front of it was Daenerys. It was late in the afternoon and the Empress needed to know all she could on what was going on. The only person who could help her immediately was the man she trusted to give her counsel and advice, and the man who helped the Targaryen family for decades. Javitz let out a sharp exhale as he sat in his chair and opened the book. "This text details the beliefs of R'hllor have encounters with enchantresses and beings with supernatural powers," he added.

R'hllor. thought Daenerys, The Red Priestesses. Kinvara. "But I have never seen anything of the sort, your grace."

"I just want to know where it came from." said Daenerys softly, "And why I have it."

"I am not too sure on where it came from," responded Javitz, looking at Daenerys with his old, gray, eyes, "but it is not something you can ignore any longer. There is no going back."

"I think I know who might have answers." she replied, "Send a raven to Meereen, I need Kinvara." Grand Maester Javitz nodded, and took out a piece of paper. He opened a small jar of ink and grabbed a quill from a wooden cup atop his desk. He started writing, looking down at the paper, squinting his eyes, as they weren't as strong as they used to be.

"Do you know if she is still there?" asked Javitz, "Or shall we send a few extra ravens to other cities, like Volantis?"

"No. She's in Meereen, she has to be." ordered Daenerys. Part of her wanted to receive a letter back from Meereen. She hadn't been there in months, she wanted to know the state of the city… if anything had changed since she stopped contacting Daario Naharis.

Winterfell

As if nothing changed, Bran was living his quiet life again, just like when he was a little boy. It were as if he were dreaming, but it didn't feel real that he had gone beyond the Wall, lost his parents, traversed the country, and became King for a short period. The twenty year old young man sat in his wheelchair before a crackling fireplace in his bedroom, alone. Thinking. His hands rested on the armrests of his wheelchair, and he looked down at his knees. He couldn't even feel any bit of warmth from the fire on his feet or shins. There was just a tingling sensation at his thighs, which was new. He closed his eyes, and exhaled slowly. Listening to the wood crack and break in the fire.

"I did love him." echoed a soft, woman's voice. Meera Reed. "I wanted to be with him, but he didn't want me. He had changed. Something in him… awakened… and took over. It was the end of that." Bran opened his eyes, feeling his eyes water up slightly. He gulped and forced them back, looking into the fire again.

"Your grace?" peered in a guard from behind at the door, and Bran turned his head.

"Yes?" he asked, clearing his throat.

"Jon Snow is here."

...

"Have you talked to him?" asked Sansa, as she sat across from Jon at the table in the reconstructed Great Hall within Winterfell. Bran sat at the head of the table, and Jon to his left. The Stark-Targaryen came to Winterfell on his dragon, Rhael, who waited outside in the hills, resting underneath a grove of trees. Rhael was wary of the Starks, and had become protective of Jon in recent weeks.

"Not really, no." answered Jon. Sansa wasn't too surprised by Jon's answer. She didn't think he would be strong enough to have a deep conversation with his real father so soon. This was a man who Jon didn't realize was his father until just two years ago, it completely changed his outlook on his life, it changed how people even looked at him. "I don't really know what to talk to him about…"

"Hmm…" mumbled Sansa, reaching for her mug of fresh ale, "How's Daenerys doing? How's the baby?"

"She's doing alright." said Jon quickly, "But something with her has changed, it's why I came here." Jon looked at Bran, who wasn't really paying attention. He was too focused on eating his meal before him. He noticed the silence and looked up, catching Jon's eyes. "I need you to come with me to the capital."

"What?" blurted Sansa, before Bran could even respond at all. Jon looked at his sister. "What does she need with Bran?" asked the former Queen in the North.

"This world is changing," said Bran softly, and Sansa looked at him slowly, "there are things awakening within each other that have always been there that we just didn't know before. Magic…"

"Yes." muttered Jon, "I saw her kill a dragon with fire from her own two hands out in Essos."

"And what could Bran possibly know?"

"Have you forgotten that I have ventured far beyond the Wall?" snapped Bran, "I know things you could not even possibly fathom, dear sister." Jon chuckled, the sharp banter between his siblings was the one thing he missed from living far away from them. "I will come with you to Queen's Landing." said Bran firmly, "And I think you should come with me." he looked at Sansa.

"No. There must always be a Stark in Winterfell-"

"The world is a safer place now," said Bran, "a lot safer than what it was years ago when our family was on the verge of collapse. We won't have that problem anymore. You must come with me."

"Why, did you foresee something in one of your crow-dreams?" asked Sansa sarcastically.

"Perhaps." nodded Bran with wide eyes, "I just know you will be there with me." Sansa sighed and shook her head. Just even thinking about going back to the capital was irritating her. She could already remember the putrid stench of its darkest and dirtiest streets, the looks of pure desperation on the commoner's faces, and then the Red Keep… oh hell how much she hated the Red Keep.

"Fine." she surrendered, "I'll come with you." and Jon smiled gleefully.

"The world is changing," said Bran, conspicuously, "there are forces at play now that have been asleep for centuries. Some of those very powers have converged in Daenerys, and we must help her."

Queen's Landing

The Red Keep

"You are healthy, and the baby seems healthy." Grand Maester Javitz held his hand up against Daenerys' stomach. She was now six months pregnant, visibly pregnant, and after her excursion to Ashemark, decided she needed to take it down a bit. Javitz was worried that she could lose the unborn child if she were to continue dragon-riding for the remainder of her pregnancy, it was too dangerous and involved too much movement.

Daenerys lay on her bed and Javitz continued to sit on the edge of her bed, holding a wired device to her abdomen. It was a device to hear her own heartbeat, and also the movement of the unborn child in her womb. It was able to pick up sudden movements through her dress, with wires connected to little pieces that were in Javitz' ears. He removed the pieces out of his ears and rested the stethoscope on his lap,

"You're almost there, your grace." and Daenerys sighed with some relief.

"I can't wait, really." she exhaled, "I'm getting tired of confining myself for periods of time." Javitz let out a little chuckle, and Daenerys looked out the window past the Grand Maester. She saw a glimpse of Drogon soaring over the Red Keep, heading out to the sea, where she heard her other dragons screeching and calling to one another.

"Have you thought of any names?" asked the Grand Maester. Daenerys' eyes widened. She hadn't. She hadn't thought of names at all. She looked at Javitz, and nervously shook her head no. She didn't know why she was nervous, she didn't have anybody to answer, she was the damn Empress. But, there was something in her that almost felt a little bit of shame… as if she barely cared about the child in her. So much had happened recently that she never even had the chance to think about potential names.

"Do not worry, your grace," smiled Javitz kindly, "I heard that your brother Rhaegar wasn't named until after three weeks he was born because your mother wanted to make sure he had the right name."

"That makes me feel a little bit better." exhaled Dany, relaxing her shoulders, and slumping further into her mountain of pillows behind her head. "I hope its a boy." she whispered.

"Really? I thought you said you wanted a girl? A future Empress…" asked Javitz. Daenerys shook her head slowly,

"I did… and I'd be happy with a girl. But… I wouldn't want her to live the world I live in… and not see what I have seen - how women are treated." she gulped with a bit of sadness. She looked down away from Javitz's eyes. Daenerys had personally gone through so much, saw how the world treated women, it was inhumane. But, if a woman were not in charge, nothing would change. Absolutely nothing. Daenerys inhaled and batted her eyelids, rubbing her hands together.

"There's still so much that needs to be done." she looked at Javitz, "There's a traitor in this castle."

"I'm sure Marbrand has learned her lesson." nodded the Grand Maester, surely.

"No, no one acts alone." she said solemnly, "Not for something like this." Javitz leaned back, taking a look at the Empress. She destroyed an entire town, not just with fire, but she unearthed a hellscape with the command of her dragons. That wasn't something you ever heard of. He was a little intimidated, and she caught him staring at her suspiciously.

"Marbrand did not act alone, and we will get to the bottom of it. I will burn down every single castle in the Westerlands if I have to, I'll tear apart any city stone by stone to find out who's behind this treachery."