Game Of Thrones: 10 Things We Learned From "The Children"

6. Daenerys Is Forced To Lock Her Dragons Away

It€™s another day of listening to the daily supplicants, but today Khaleesi€™s visitors bring more complicated problems. First up is an old man who is a former slave. He explains to Daenerys that during his servitude, he was a tutor to his master€™s children, but since he was freed with the other slaves, he€™s been homeless. He asks Daenerys to allow him to sell himself back to his master. Freedom may suit the young, but the old do not share the same positive feelings towards it. Although she is unwilling to reinstall slavery in Meereen, she realizes that freedom is the ability to make your own choices. She allows the man to sign a contract with his master that will last no longer than a year. The man thanks her profusely, but as he leaves, Barristan quietly comments that the former masters will take advantage of this loophole, making sure that these former slaves have returned to their previous positions in all but name. It€™s an unfortunate predicament, but as Daenerys said, these people need to make their own decisions. Her next visitor is a shepherd carrying a bundle in his arms. The man, being translated by Missandei, tells how her black dragon came from the sky and took his little girl away from him. He unwraps the bundle and reveals the charred skeleton of his daughter. Daenerys is visbily distraught. Later, she meets with Missandei and Grey Worm and asks where Drogon is. Grey Worm says sailors saw him flying towards the Black Cliffs three days ago, but nothing since then. Realizing the dragons are too dangerous to be kept free, Daenerys herds Rhaegal and Viserion into the catacombs and chains them up inside. Oh, the irony. Daenerys freed the slaves of Meereen, but she was forced to shackle her own children and lock them away. Although the Targaryens are legendary for their use of dragons, whatever control her ancestors had over the winged beasts, Daenerys does not yet possess that. It was easy enough to take care of them when they were small, and it was even manageable to pay off farmers and shepherds when the dragons devoured livestock. However, she can€™t allow them to kill innocents. Even though it was Drogon that killed the child, it€™s only a matter of time before Rhaegal and Viserion strike as well. Daenerys was right to lock them up, even if it tore her up inside. As for Drogon, he€™s still on the loose, so the people of Meereen are still in danger of incineration.