Disclaimer: I do not own Game of Thrones. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
*****
Sansa Stark's heart pounded in her chest as she listened to the list of titles of the Dragon Queen Daenerys Targaryen. She had once promised she would never go south again, but here she was, in the presence of another possibly mad Queen who could so easily make her life a living hell. And yet, she had no choice. Alone the North couldn't defeat the army of the dead, let alone the Lannister army.
For that matter they couldn't beat the Dragon Queen, so their best option was to make peace with Daenerys Targaryen, and hope she wasn't as mad as her father, or the Lannisters. Her brother Bran had a plan, which might be their only chance, but she didn't like it, especially considering it wasn't just her own life she was risking, but the people she loved the most.
Of course she had begged Arya not to come with them, but no one was as stubborn as Arya Stark, and they both knew that Sansa wouldn't have had a chance of talking her out of it before they became lovers. Now they were lovers, and more importantly Sansa was her little sister's bitch, she didn't have a chance of talking her out of it. And it was selfish, but Sansa was almost glad for that, as she found Arya's presence comforting.
Not that she, or anyone could protect her from a Dragon, but the redhead needed all the courage she could muster while in the presence of such a terrifying beauty. She almost wished she insisted on letting Arya do the talking, but that certainly wasn't her sister's specialty. No, it was Sansa's, which was why she had to be the one to speak.
"Thank you for travelling so far my Lady, I hope the seas weren't too rough." Daenerys smiled.
"The winds were kind, your grace." Sansa blushed a little, hating how beautiful the silver haired woman was. It was very distracting.
There was a brief pause and then Arya spoke up, "We bought you a gift."
"Oh?" Daenerys raised an eyebrow was a hooded woman nervously stepped forward, "And you are?"
"Margaery Tyrell, your grace." Margaery introduced herself as she removed her hood, "Former Queen Of The Seven Kingdoms."
"Huh..." Daenerys was so unable to hide her surprised that she and her advisers were stunned into silence for a few long seconds before she simply stated, "I had it on good authority you were dead."
"I would have been, if it hadn't been for House Stark, your grace." Margaery explained, "They saved myself and my brother from the flames, and arranged safe passage to Winterfell. We have been recovering their ever since. You see, we once did House Stark a favour. It was not our main intention, but we did it, and House Stark rewards kindness with kindness. They are allies you can depend upon."
"It seems so..." Daenerys said softly, before smiling, "And I'm sure your grandmother will be pleased to see you again."
"As I will be pleased to see her, your grace." Margaery smiled.
"Still, you do now provide a complication, given you have a claim to the throne I seek." Daenerys said dryly.
"I do not see it that way, your grace." Margaery confessed.
"How so?" Daenerys raised an eyebrow.
"My House has already pledged itself to your cause. It does not have the men to take King's Landing on it's own, not even with the help of the North. And certainly not the amount to pose a threat to you." Margaery pointed out, cautiously approaching the throne, "I confess, I am envious of you, and even Cersei. I wanted to be THE Queen, and I was three times crowned, and yet, I never held a fraction of the power you both now possess. But I have no desire to take it from you. In fact, the truth is I am weary of the Game of Thrones, and very much wish to retire from it. So, if you must feed me to your Dragons, so be it. Part of me would even welcome the release of death. But if you allow me to serve you, I will tell anyone who will listen that you are the true and rightful Queen Of The Seven Kingdoms. And that Cersei Lannister is a mad woman, who murdered thousands in an attempt to kill me, and failed. And doesn't have a fraction of the claim that you have. So please, your grace, allow me to serve you in whatever way I can."
There was a brief silence after Margaery's speech, and then Daenerys simply asked, "Will you bend the knee?"
Doing just that Margaery replied flirtatiously, "Here, and anywhere you want, your grace."
"Excellent." Daenerys smiled, "You may rise and take your place by my side."
"Thank you, your grace." Margaery bowed her head, and slowly got up, "You honour me."
Daenerys smiled, and turned to her other guests, "I must confess, I was not expecting such a wonderful gift. Thank you."
"You're welcome, your grace." Sansa smiled in return.
"I assume you are also here to bend the knee?" Daenerys gently pushed.
"We are not." Sansa said boldly.
"Oh. That's unfortunate." Daenerys said dryly, "You travelled all this way to break faith with House Targaryen?"
"Break faith?" Arya laughed, before pointing out, "Your father burned our grandfather and uncle alive, and he would have burned the seven kingdoms if-."
"Which we acknowledge is no fault of yours." Sansa added quickly, "But it did sever the ties between our Houses. Surely you must acknowledge that?"
There was a brief pause and then Daenerys nodded, "I do. My father, was an evil man... on the behalf of House Targaryen I apologise, and ask for forgiveness for the crimes he committed against your family. And I ask you not to judge a daughter by the sins of her father. But surely you must acknowledge that time has passed. From what I hear we share an enemy in Cersei Lannister, who might want to destroy you even more than me. So let's joined together and defeat her, then I will name one of you, or your brother, who I was expecting, as Warden of the North."
"Do you blame him for not coming?" Arya grumbled.
"He wanted too, but we talked him out of it." Sansa quickly added, "He, and my sister here, are very protective of me, but they know nothing about the Game of Thrones. I, on the other hand, survived King's Landing as a political prisoner, and observed while others... negotiated, around me. That is why we are here. To negotiate peace between us. And yes, to unite against a common foe."