You served my father, didn't you, Lord Varys?
I did.
And then you served the man who overthrew him?
I had a choice, Your Grace. Serve Robert Baratheon, or face the headsman's ax.
But you didn't serve him long. You turned against him.
Robert was an improvement on your father, to be sure. There have been few rulers in history as cruel as the Mad King. Robert was neither mad nor cruel; he simply had no interest in being King.
So, you took it upon yourself to find a better one?
Your Grace, when I was ready to drink myself into a small coffin, Lord Varys told me about a queen in the East...
Before I came to power, you favored my brother. All your spies, your little birds, did they tell you Viserys was cruel, stupid and weak? Would those qualities have made for a good King, in your learned opinion?
Until your marriage to Khal Drogo, Your Grace, I knew nothing about you, save your existence and that you were said to be beautiful.
So, you and your friends traded me, like a prize horse, to the Dothraki?
Which you turned to your advantage.
Who gave the order to kill me?
King Robert.
Who hired the assassins? Who sent word to Essos to murder Daenerys Targaryen?
Your Grace, I did what had to be done...
To keep yourself alive?
Lord Varys has proven himself a loyal servant.
"Proven himself loyal?" Quite the opposite. If he dislikes one monarch, he conspires to crown the next one. What kind of a servant is that?
The kind the Realm needs. Incompetence should not be rewarded with blind loyalty. As long as I have my eyes, I'll use them. I wasn't born into a Great House. I came from nothing. I was sold as a slave, and carved up as an offering. When I was a child I lived in alleys, gutters, abandoned houses. You wish to know where my loyalties lie? Not with any King or Queen, but with the people. The people who suffer under despots and prosper under just rule. The people whose hearts you aim to win! If you demand blind allegiance... I respect your wishes. Grey Worm can behead me, or your dragons can devour me. But if you let me live, I will serve you well; I will dedicate myself to seeing you on the Iron Throne, because I choose you. Because I know that the people have no better chance than you.
Swear this to me, Varys. If you ever think I'm failing the people, you won't conspire behind my back. You'll look me in the eye, as you have done today, and you'll tell me how I am failing them.
I swear it, my Queen.
And I swear this: if you ever betray me, I'll burn you alive.
[smiles] I would expect nothing less from the Mother of Dragons.
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