Jason Liu watched the desperation flickering in Daenerys's violet eyes. He took a moment to weigh his words carefully. "I truly sympathize with everything you've endured, Your Majesty," he began, his voice steady. "However, the crimes committed by the Lannister family against the North and the Riverlands are just as severe. They have left a trail of destruction that cannot be ignored. Forgive me, but I cannot simply hand them over to you."
Daenerys looked as though she wanted to protest, her face tight with frustration, but she held her tongue, sensing the finality in his tone.
"I give you my word, Queen Daenerys," Jason continued, "there will be a fair trial once the war is fully settled. I guarantee that these criminals will face the justice they deserve."
Though she wasn't granted the immediate vengeance she craved, Daenerys gave a stiff but graceful nod. "Your sense of justice is admirable, King Jason. I will look forward to that day."
Jason turned to Kent and gestured toward the prisoners. "Drag them to the gates of the Red Keep," he ordered. He then looked up at the high stone walls, shouting for the defenders inside to surrender.
Inside the courtyard, chaos reigned. "No! Don't you dare surrender!" Joffrey screamed, his voice cracking with madness. He was draped in gilded armor that looked too heavy for his frame, swinging a sword wildly at nothing. "I am your king! Kill these rebels! Anyone who drops their sword is a traitor!"
Cersei Lannister stood nearby, her usual mask of cold arrogance shattered. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with a terror she couldn't hide as she watched her father and brother kneeling like common criminals outside the gates. For once, the Queen Regent was utterly powerless.
The gold-cloaked soldiers hesitated. They were terrified of Joffrey's unpredictable rage, but they were even more terrified of the army waiting outside.
Tyrion Lannister pushed through the crowd, his uneven footsteps echoing on the stone. Bronn followed closely behind, his hand resting casually on the hilt of his blade.
"That's enough, Joffrey!" Tyrion barked.
The shout was loud enough to startle the boy-king into silence. Tyrion looked through the portcullis at his father, Tywin, and his brother, Jaime. He knew the game was over. Any further resistance was just a slow way to die.
Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Tyrion glanced at Bronn and then back to the boy. "We lost. Stop struggling, Joffrey. It's time to surrender."
"Never!" Joffrey roared, his face turning a blotchy red as he turned his hatred toward his uncle. "You miserable little imp! I'll have your head for this! I'll kill you myself!"
He lunged forward, swinging his sword at Tyrion's head. Before the blade could connect, Bronn moved with a blur of steel, parrying the blow and striking Joffrey hard across the wrist with the flat of his blade.
Joffrey cried out in pain, his sword clattering onto the cobblestones.
"You filthy sellsword!" Joffrey whimpered, clutching his arm. "I'm the king! You can't strike a king!"
Bronn sheathed his sword and gave a mocking, toothy grin. "I have a feeling you won't be a king for much longer."
Tyrion stepped past his nephew, ignoring the boy's whimpering. He raised his voice so every soldier on the battlements could hear him. "Drop your weapons! We are surrendering! Lay them down now!"
The sound of steel hitting stone began as a single clang, followed by dozens, then hundreds. The soldiers walked away from the walls, their heads hung low.
The heavy iron gates of the Red Keep creaked open, groaning on their hinges. Tyrion led the way, walking out with a heavy heart toward the mounted King of Starfire City. He stopped before Jason Liu and slowly sank to one knee.
"King Jason, we surrender. Please, spare the soldiers and the people of this city. We yield to you."
Behind him, the rest of the Lannister garrison followed suit, kneeling in the dirt. Soldiers dragged Joffrey and Cersei out; the boy was still cursing, while Cersei looked as though she might faint. Princess Myrcella and Prince Tommen followed, looking small and frightened.
Jason was about to respond when a series of sharp cracks—gunshots—echoed from within the castle. Moments later, several of Jason's soldiers emerged, dragging the massive, bloody corpse of Gregor Clegane. The man known as the Mountain was riddled with holes, his reign of terror ended by modern lead.
Behind them, Sandor "The Hound" Clegane was led out in chains, looking hollow and defeated. Rubin approached Jason and reported that the Mountain had tried to slaughter his way out, forcing the guards to open fire.
Jason nodded, knowing the bloody history between the two brothers. "Toss that carcass aside," he ordered. "Keep the Hound with the other high-value prisoners."
With the Red Keep secured, Jason's commanders began the massive task of processing the prisoners. The soldiers from the Westerlands and the Reach were marched toward a newly established camp outside the city walls.
"Marbu," Jason called out, gesturing to his aide. "I want you to hire the local residents immediately. Tell them we need this city cleaned. I can smell the stench of King's Landing from inside the palace walls, and I won't have it."
Jason looked at the filth in the streets with genuine disgust. "Offer them ten bronze stars a day and three hot meals. I want every street scrubbed. And tell them if I catch anyone dumping waste in the gutters, there will be consequences."
To ensure the order was carried out, he assigned a major from his staff to oversee the logistics.
Marbu looked hesitant. "Your Majesty, word will spread fast. If we offer three meals and pay, hundreds of thousands of people will show up. That is a staggering amount of food. Perhaps we should cut the free meals?"
Jason didn't hesitate. "We have the resources of the modern world behind us. We have all the grain and supplies we need. Don't worry about the cost. I want these people working. It's better to pay them to rebuild their city than to have them sitting idle and starving."
He knew that "work-for-relief" was the fastest way to stabilize the population. If they were busy and fed, they wouldn't have time to riot.
Reassured by Jason's confidence, Marbu and the major hurried off to begin the recruitment drive.
Soon, notices were posted on every tavern door and market stall. Soldiers marched through the slums, their voices booming:
"Three free meals a day! Ten bronze stars for honest work!"
"Come and sign up! King Jason offers food and coin to all who help clean the city!"
The response was instantaneous. After years of war and starvation, the people of King's Landing emerged from their hovels, their eyes wide with disbelief. They swarmed the recruitment stations, desperate for a chance to finally eat a full meal.