Dawn had not yet broken over Astapor.
The city was still buried in ash.
Columns of smoke rose from the ruins, while the winds coming from the sea carried the smell of burning wood, iron, and blood. Nothing remained of the great markets but blackened skeletons, nothing of the palaces but cracked walls, and nothing of the ships that had once filled the harbor but scattered wreckage floating upon the water.
Tristan stood atop one of the ruined buildings, silently looking over the city.
Behind him stood Ignil, Lusirion, Goldron, and Bahamut, ash covering parts of their enormous bodies.
Jon stood beside his father, Ned Stark.
Ned had said nothing since their return.
He looked at Astapor, then at the few survivors beginning to gather in the square.
Only six thousand.
Two thousand Unsullied.
And four thousand civilians.
An entire city had nearly disappeared within a few days.
Tyrion approached Tristan, holding a collection of papers.
"We found something else."
Tristan did not turn around.
"What?"
Tyrion raised the papers.
"Letters."
Tristan slowly turned.
"From whom?"
Tyrion looked at Ned, then at Aegon, before saying,
"From some of the men we captured before they met the same fate as the others."
He paused.
"The attack was not simply a military decision made by the lords who sent their soldiers."
Tyrion took the letters.
He read the first.
Then the second.
Then the third.
There were names.
Meereen.
Yunkai.
Frey.
Bolton.
And Lannister.
His eyes stopped at the final line.
"So the attack was not merely an opportunity taken while we were away."
Tyrion said,
"No."
Tristan raised his eyes.
"It was planned."
Tyrion answered,
"And it appears Meereen and Yunkai were among those who pushed for it."
Silence fell.
Then Tristan said,
"Where is Robb now?"
Ned answered,
"With the Northern forces."
Tristan turned toward Aegon.
"Send him a message."
Aegon looked at him.
"What should I write?"
"The truth."
Less than an hour later, Aegon sat before a wooden table inside one of the buildings that had partially survived the destruction.
Ned sat beside him.
A blank sheet of paper lay before them.
Aegon picked up the pen.
He hesitated for a moment.
Then began writing.
"To Robb Stark, King in the North and commander of the Northern armies."
He stopped.
He looked at Ned.
"Should I write King in the North?"
Ned answered,
"It is the title his men chose. Write it."
Aegon returned to the letter.
"My brother Robb,
I wanted you to hear this from me before you heard it from anyone else.
Your father, Ned Stark, is alive.
And Sansa is with us.
We succeeded in getting them out of King's Landing, and they are now in Astapor."
Aegon stopped again.
His fingers trembled slightly.
Then he continued.
"But I wish this were the only news I had to bring you.
When we returned to Astapor, we found the city destroyed.
Only two thousand Unsullied remained of our army.
Only four thousand civilians survived.
Forces bearing Lannister, Frey, and Bolton banners attacked the city while we were away.
We found evidence confirming that the attack was organized, and that Meereen and Yunkai were among those who pushed for it."
He stopped.
Then he looked at his father.
Ned said,
"Tell him everything."
Aegon nodded.
"I know your relationship with House Frey and House Bolton, and I know what happened will place you before a difficult decision.
But I am not writing to ask you to wage a war for me.
I am only telling you the truth.
Your father is alive.
Sansa is alive.
Astapor has fallen.
And those responsible will soon learn that the price for their actions has already begun to be paid."
Aegon stopped.
Then he wrote his name.
But he did not write Jon.
He stared at the old name before him.
Jon Snow.
The pen remained suspended in his hand.
Ned said quietly,
"Jon?"
The young man raised his eyes.
"That is no longer my name."
Ned said nothing.
Aegon continued,
"All my life, I believed I was Jon Snow. Your son. A man of the North. Someone who had nothing except his name."
Then he looked at Tristan, who was standing near the door.
"But that man died a long time ago."
Tristan approached.
"Then write the name you choose."
Aegon looked at the paper.
Then wrote:
Aegon Targaryen.
He put down the pen.
He looked at Ned.
"Father… will you still call me Jon?"
Ned remained silent for a long moment.
Then he said,
"If that is the name you have chosen, I will call you nothing else."
Aegon gave a small smile.
Then he folded the letter.
The letter reached Robb Stark two days later.
The Northern camp was quiet when a soldier entered the king's tent.
"Your Grace."
Robb raised his eyes.
"What?"
"A letter."
Robb took it.
He read the sender's name.
His expression changed.
He opened it quickly.
He read the first line.
Your father, Ned Stark, is alive.
He stopped.
For several moments, he could not continue reading.
Then he read the sentence again.
"Alive…"
He raised his eyes.
"Where is he?"
The soldier said,
"In Astapor."
Robb read the rest of the letter.
When he reached the names Frey and Bolton, his expression changed.
The anger was not ordinary this time.
It was something deeper.
Something cold.
Something resembling what he had seen in the eyes of warriors who returned from battles without bringing any part of their old lives back with them.
Robb summoned his men.
Grey Wind entered.
Then his advisers and commanders.
Robb said,
"Leave."
They looked at him in surprise.
"But Your Grace—"
"I said leave."
Everyone departed.
Robb remained alone.
He sat at the table.
Then took a sheet of paper.
He wrote a letter to Walder Frey.
"To Lord Walder Frey,
I have received word that your forces attacked Astapor.
I want a full explanation.
Why did House Frey participate in an attack on a city that was not at war with you?
And who gave you the order?
I want a clear answer.
No excuses.
No justifications.
Only the truth."
He sealed the letter.
And sent it.
Then he took another sheet.
He wrote:
"To Lord Roose Bolton,
I have learned that your forces participated in the attack on Astapor.
I want a direct explanation.
Why?
And who ordered this attack?
Send your answer immediately."
Robb stopped.
Then added:
"Remember that I do not forget what happens to my family."
He sealed the letter.
Then placed it aside.
Robb sat alone.
For the first time since the beginning of the war, he understood that no one cared about honor the way he had believed they did.
In Astapor, Tristan stood in the middle of the square.
The six thousand survivors had gathered before him.
The two thousand Unsullied stood in straight ranks.
The civilians were exhausted and hungry, the destruction etched across their faces.
Tristan stood before them.
He was not wearing his armor.
He carried only his sword.
"I believed I could build a different kingdom."
No one spoke.
"A kingdom that did not need fear."
He looked at the ruins.
"I believed strength could be used to protect people, not terrorize them."
Then he looked at the survivors.
"But I was wrong."
One of the Unsullied raised his head.
Tristan continued,
"When we left Astapor, we left it under the protection of our army."
Then he pointed toward the ruins.
"And yet our enemies returned and destroyed everything."
Silence.
"They showed us something important."
He took a step forward.
"That anyone who believes mercy is weakness will always try to exploit it."
His eyes were cold.
"Therefore, I will no longer be weak."
Aegon looked at him.
The words reached him.
Then he looked at Ned.
Ned was listening.
Arya stood beside Tyrion.
Even she was no longer the girl who spoke about knights, songs, and castles.
Something had changed within her.
Something had broken.
Tristan said,
"We will not burn the cities of innocent people."
He paused.
"But everyone who chooses to stand in our way will learn the meaning of war."
Then he turned toward Aegon.
"I want you to command the army."
Aegon said,
"I will."
"But not as Jon Snow."
Aegon raised his head.
"No."
Then he stepped forward.
He looked at everyone.
"My name is Aegon Targaryen."
Silence fell.
"I was Jon Snow."
He looked at Ned.
"And that name meant everything to me."
Then he looked at Tristan.
"But now… I am Aegon Targaryen."
He raised his sword.
"And I will never hide behind a name I did not choose again."
One of the Unsullied shouted,
"Aegon Targaryen!"
Then the name echoed among the soldiers.
"Aegon Targaryen!"
"Aegon Targaryen!"
Aegon stood among them.
And he did not try to stop them.
That night, Arya sat in a small room inside the partially ruined palace.
She was cleaning her sword.
Tyrion entered.
He looked at her.
"I haven't seen you for hours."
She said,
"I didn't want to talk."
He sat across from her.
"Neither did I."
Arya raised her eyes.
"You're angry."
Tyrion gave a short laugh without joy.
"Angry?"
He placed his cup on the table.
"I don't even know if the word angry is enough."
Then he said,
"I have carried the Lannister name all my life."
Arya said nothing.
"And now I see men carrying my family's banners murdering innocent people."
He clenched his fist.
"And my father…"
He fell silent.
"My brother…"
Then he gave a bitter smile.
"Perhaps I no longer have a family."
Arya said,
"You have us."
He looked at her.
"You have Tristan, Aegon, and me."
Tyrion lowered his eyes.
"I don't know if I still want to be the man I was."
Arya said,
"Neither do I."
They were silent.
Then Arya said,
"I wanted to become like my father."
Tyrion raised his eyes.
"And now?"
She looked at her sword.
"Now I want to become someone my enemies fear."
The next morning, Tristan summoned Tyrion.
Four letters lay on the table.
Tristan said,
"I want them sent today."
Tyrion read the names of the cities.
"Meereen."
"Yunkai."
"And the other cities?"
"Later."
Tristan said,
"For now, I want Meereen and Yunkai."
Tyrion picked up the pen.
"What do you want to say?"
Tristan looked at the map.
"They have two choices."
Tyrion said,
"Surrender or war."
Tristan answered,
"No."
Tyrion looked at him.
Tristan said,
"Surrender or ash."
Tyrion smiled for the first time since the fall of Astapor.
His smile was cold.
"Better."
He began writing.
"To the rulers of Meereen and Yunkai,
I have received word of the attack on Astapor.
I know your forces were part of the planning.
I know you believed my absence would make my city weak.
And that you believed destroying Astapor would make me flee or beg for peace.
You were wrong."
He stopped.
Then continued.
"You have one chance.
Surrender.
Open the gates of your cities.
Disband your armies.
And hand over the leaders responsible for the conspiracy.
If you do so, I will allow your cities to remain standing."
He paused.
Then continued.
"But if you refuse…
I will not send an army alone.
I will come myself.
And I will turn Meereen and Yunkai to ash, just as you turned Astapor to ash."
Tyrion raised his eyes.
"Send it."
The letters reached Meereen and Yunkai.
The rulers of the two cities read them.
Then they laughed.
One of them laughed loudly.
"He threatens us?"
Another said,
"Astapor was destroyed."
He raised the letter.
"What remains of his empire?"
Another man said,
"Six thousand people?"
They laughed.
Then they wrote their reply.
"To Tristan,
We received your threat.
And we find it amusing.
You threaten to turn our cities to ash.
Yet we were the ones who turned your city to ash first.
Where was your strength when Astapor fell?
Where were your dragons?
Where was your army?
We have proven that your city can fall.
Your city can burn.
And if you want war…
Come and take it."
Tristan read the reply in silence.
Everyone was around him.
Aegon.
Arya.
Tyrion.
Ned.
Then he folded the letter.
"They have chosen."
Tyrion said,
"Yes."
Tristan raised his eyes.
"Then we begin preparing."
Aegon said,
"How much time?"
Tristan answered,
"Until we are completely ready."
Then he looked at Tyrion.
"I want to know everything about the armies of Meereen and Yunkai."
Tyrion nodded.
"I'll get it."
Then Tristan said,
"And I want everything we can learn about their commanders, mercenaries, supply routes, ports, storehouses, and the roads between the two cities."
He paused.
"I don't want a blind battle."
Then he looked at Arya.
"And you."
She raised her head.
"Yes?"
"I want you to work with the spy network."
Her eyes widened.
"Spying?"
"Yes."
She smiled.
"What do you want me to do?"
Tristan said,
"I want to know the names of every man buying swords for Meereen and Yunkai."
Arya smiled.
"That sounds fun."
Tyrion looked at her.
"You're frightening."
She replied,
"You haven't seen anything yet."
That night, Ned stood alone on the roof of the palace.
Aegon approached him.
"Father."
Ned turned.
"Aegon."
The young man stopped beside him.
They looked at the city.
Ned said,
"You are changing."
Aegon answered,
"I know."
"Do you like what you have become?"
Aegon was silent.
"I don't know."
Then he said,
"But I know one thing."
He looked at his father.
"When I saw Astapor… I thought of you."
Ned fell silent.
"I thought I had almost lost you."
Then Aegon clenched his hand.
"And I don't want to lose anyone else."
Ned said,
"Do not let vengeance turn you into someone you no longer recognize."
Aegon looked into his father's eyes.
"Perhaps the person I was is no longer capable of protecting the people he loves."
Ned had no answer.
Elsewhere in the palace, Tyrion sat alone.
Before him lay a map of Westeros.
On the other side was a map of Essos.
He placed his finger on Casterly Rock.
Then on King's Landing.
Then on Astapor.
He whispered,
"The Lannisters…"
The anger in his voice was clear.
"This time, I will not defend you."
He raised his cup.
"And I will not make excuses for you."
Then he gave a bitter smile.
"I will find you a reckoning."
As for Tristan, he was outside.
The great dragon Bahamut approached him.
Tristan raised his hand.
The enormous dragon lowered himself before him.
His size was immense.
But Tristan no longer saw him as merely a dragon.
He saw him as a weapon.
A weapon capable of changing the balance of the war.
He raised his eyes toward the sky.
Then said,
"Astapor will not remain like this."
Behind him stood Aegon.
"What about Meereen and Yunkai?"
Tristan answered,
"They will be the first lesson."
"And the Lannisters?"
Tristan fell silent.
Then said,
"Everything in its time."
Arya approached.
Then Tyrion.
The four of them stood together.
Tristan.
Aegon Targaryen.
Arya Stark.
Tyrion Lannister.
Four people who, only months ago, had been completely different.
Tristan had wanted to build an empire.
Aegon had wanted to discover who he truly was.
Arya had only dreamed of living freely with the people she loved. She had grown to love her life in Astapor with Tristan, Tyrion, and Aegon.
And Tyrion had wanted to prove that his name did not determine his worth.
But now…
Everything had changed.
Astapor had taken something from them that could never be recovered.
Innocence.
Trust.
And the belief that honor alone could protect a person.
Tristan looked at the three of them.
Then said,
"From today onward, we will not wait for anyone to attack us."
He looked east.
"We will choose when the war begins."
Aegon said,
"And when it ends."
Arya said,
"And who pays the price."
Tyrion said,
"And who remains."
At that moment, the roar of the dragons rose above Astapor.
Four voices shook the sky.
The survivors looked upward.
And for the first time since the fall of the city, they did not see the dragons as mere creatures.
They saw a promise.
A promise that Astapor would return.
But it would not return as it once was.
And neither would Tristan.
Far away, the rulers of Meereen and Yunkai laughed over their maps.
In Westeros, Robb Stark waited for the replies of Walder Frey and Roose Bolton.
And in King's Landing, news of Ned Stark's escape began spreading quietly among the men of the court.
But in Astapor…
A new army had begun to form.
An army no longer fighting for glory.
Nor for honor.
But for survival.
And for vengeance.
Above them all, Tristan looked toward the east.
Where Meereen lay.
And where Yunkai lay.
He said quietly,
"I gave them the chance to surrender."
Then he smiled.
"They refused."
A pause.
"Now… let them bear the consequences of their choice."
And in the sky, the dragons spread their wings.
The real war had begun.