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207 AC
Harrenhal
Aerion Targaryen
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"The official end of winter." I tilt my head watching a few of my Sons train in the private yard.
"It lasted longer than you expected." Aemon my oldest does little to hide his amusement as he stands beside me watching his Brothers.
"Far too long..." I trail off as I narrow my eyes and look up toward the sky wondering if some mystical mumbo jumbo is going on.
Winters can be long, some have lasted as long as twenty years or even longer according to legend. But a nearly nine-year-long Winter is not something I expected and saw most of my plans grinding to a halt, if not for having so many dragons all of my plans would have been screwed. But thankfully dragons and dragon riders are not a 'resource' I lack and we could keep roads open easily enough by melting the snow.
I know sure as shit that the traders loved having access to the roads even during the worst of Winter. Instead of people hunkering down and letting things blow over for a few years while they rely on food stores they instead could move about. Given it was cold... very cold... but still they were able to move around with relative ease thanks to my children. The children even enjoyed it for the most part, it may have gotten repetitive but they at least got to leave the castle, unlike most noble children.
The small city outside of Harrenhal also grew at a surprisingly high rate as well which I was not expecting. With Harrenhal being the beating heart of a frozen Westeros we have had more settlers than I was honestly comfortable with. But things worked out and the town grew into likely the third-largest settlement in Westeros in record time.
"We will need to further expand on the sewers." I speak up making sure my Son hears me in case I forget in my haste to get things moving along.
"I will see to it." He purses his lips obviously a bit displeased with the 'shitty' job but also is eager to do something as well.
I kind of feel like everything is too casual... with knowing that the letters are going out today I can't help but feel like I am acting a bit too calm about everything. Things have long been going according to plan, almost my whole second life I have been making plans and putting them into motion permanently changing this world. But the biggest decision I have ever made was made this morning when I dusted off the old letters I wrote a few years ago to send out to various Free Cities and their leaders.
"It won't be long." I wince seeing Verion take a wooden blade to the ankle, his fall onto his back quickly attracts his mother's attention from her morning meal.
Gwenys only needs to see Verion bounce back onto his feet though and she sinks back into her chair and returns to chattering with Daenerys. Daenerys on the other hand looks very amused at our Daughter Alyssa who is cheering Verion on even when he keeps getting thrashed around the yard by his older Brothers.
...she is going to get that boy hurt trying to needle him on.
"Good." Aemon breathes out a shuddering sigh as he places a hand on the wall. "Visenya might be able to sit still longer than a week knowing she will soon get to burn something." I can't help but feel a bit bad for Aemon and how he has been designated his Sisters 'keeper'.
I simply do not have the patience to chase after Visenya with all of her wild antics, I know for a fact I should not have given her Dark Sister and let her 'explore'. She has been from the wall to the tip of Dorne and no doubt has gone against my wishes to stay in Westeros. I have heard no reports of her dragon being spotted across the Narrow Sea but I know for a fact in my heart that she has risked a few trips over there. The timetable of her random adventures simply does not add up with where she claims to be going...
I am just glad that she has not been a bad influence on anyone else, she is mainly keeping to herself with her antics. She only really drags along Aemon and Rhaella and only the higher powers at be know what they get up to... and to be honest I do not want to know what they get up to. It is simpler for my mind and my heart to just imagine they are going on 'camping trips' and not finding remote locations to rut.
But it's hard to ignore it completely when Rhaella is obviously showing a small baby bump...
"I want to punch you." My words draw another sigh from Aemon as his shoulders slump.
"It was going to happen one day..." He tiredly mutters as he knows exactly why I 'randomly' get full of rage and glare at him with a hateful mix of anger and pride.
Fucking hell I just wish I could not see some of the things going on around me... thank fuck no one is stupid enough to report to me on my children's various 'activities'. I would probably just melt Harrenhal down again and fly off into the horizon and forget everything that happened here.
It was cute and filled me with warmth the first time I took Aemon out to 'drink' as 'men' and he saw some titties and went wide-eyed. I couldn't help but feel like something right was happening before my eyes when he hit on the barmaid and she flirted back with him. It gave me great joy to leave the lad behind knowing he was going to be in good hands as the woman in question was set up by me, to begin with to give him a good first experience.
But Jesus Christ... even Prunella who is not even my child by blood almost gave me a heart attack when I caught her in a compromised position. If it was not for the fact that the 'boy' she was with was Rhaegar I might just have strangled someone. Only the fact that it was my Son pinning her against the wall kept my hand from grabbing a neck and really hurting someone.
"Are you going to hit me or not?" Aemon asks skeptically and I level a glare at him.
"I think I am going to go check the library." My anger has shifted from Aemon to Rhaegar and also the odd pride also shifted along with it.
I mean it's hard not to be a bit proud of Rhaegar, he managed to snag a woman six years his elder. I know for a fact Prunella was head over heels for Aemon but my eldest Son is no doubt bust with the two troublemakers he already has demanding his attention. So knowing Rhaegar managed to seduce an older woman makes me proud of him until I remember I raised that older woman.
Sighing I shake my head as I turn to head away from the yard, thoughts of the upcoming wedding plans bouncing around in my head. Winter is over officially and I no longer have an 'excuse' to keep putting off hosting the various weddings that are needed. Rhaella certainly needs to get officially married before the baby bump gets any more noticeable, I will not have whispers about my first grandchild being a bastard.
Not that it matters, 'bastard' or not the babe would be a Targaryen... things will be different once we gain land in Essos and take back some of the old customs of the Freehold. No one can frown at multiple-partner marriages or incestuous marriages when we reclaim Valyrian tradition while holding claim over old Valyria's lands.
Aerion Targaryen the First, Emperor of New Valyria... no one will or can say anything about how I decide to manage things once I call myself by that name.
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207 AC
Kingslanding
Daeron Targaryen
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"This is what he sent out to Essos?" Baelor asks with interest as he looks over the letter sent from Aerion.
"Seems it is time for him to show the world his intentions." I feel fear and excitement in equal measure as I look at the letter in my Son's hands. "What do you think about it?" I ask him as a King to his Heir and Baelor straightens up in his seat obviously noticing that fact.
"I am happy as I know without a shadow of a doubt he will be successful... but I am hesitant of how this will change things in the future." I nod seeing him for once not blindly cheering on his Uncle, as a King he needs to look out for his Kingdom and how this will shift things around. "I am most concerned about what he plans to do with Harrenhal." I smile seeing him getting to the most pressing issue.
"Depending on how things go we can't have an Emperor of New Valyria ruling from the center of Westeros. Westeros itself is not a part of the 'New Valyria' and until something is negotiated then Harrenhal is in an odd position as Aerion's main seat of power." Well ignoring the fact that in the Gift in DragonsRest, he has a much larger army than the one he can call from the surrounding lands of Harrenhal.
Harrenhal is where he spends most of his time and it's also where the dragons actually rest, it is his true seat of power regardless of the army he has trained in the Gift.
"He sent this letter so we would know what he is up to, we have long known of his intentions and this is just a reminder and a notice that he is putting his Conquest into motion." Baelor tosses the letter onto the table while having a thoughtful look. "He is not asking for assistance and is not being hostile, there is no reason to get involved in his dealing beyond the fact that he owns lands in Westeros. As the King of Westeros, you need to still have a conversation with him about what he intends to do about his lands in Westeros. We can not have lands of 'New Valyria' sprouting inside the middle of the Seven Kingdoms as it will promote division." I nod in agreement with my son's thoughts, though he still has not brought up the main issue I have been thinking about.
"Two Targaryen ruled continents." I bring things toward the conversation I want to have.
"You fear conflict between the two Houses of the Dragon?" He looks at me oddly and I shake my head.
"Not now, not while Aerion or any of his children are alive... but eventually." We ourselves do not even have dragons, it would be a simple matter for a single dragon riding Targaryen to gain support in Westeros to push for the throne.
Not to mention if that Targaryen was Prince of Harrenhal and used the wealth and status of that castle. A dragon and the biggest and richest castle in Westeros would make for a strong claim for the throne.
"This would not be a problem with a marriage." Baelor runs a hand through his hair and then looks toward the window with a distant look. "I need to speak with Aerion." His voice carries various emotions but mainly shows his eagerness.
"We have spoken with him before about a match with one of his Daughters and Valarr." Baelor nods while looking away from the window and back at the table we sit at.
"He wants it to be his daughter's decision." I hum while reaching out to slide the letter once more in my direction and picking it up to see the contents of it once more.
"It should not be a problem... which girl does not dream of being a Queen after all?" Seeing the ink on the page I once more feel conflict inside of myself and even feel like I have wasted more than enough time and need to act swiftly before things get out of reach. "Many of his children will be going with him on this conquest." A plan slowly forms in my mind on how exactly we can set up Valarr with one of Aerion's Daughters. "We will have Valarr travel with his great-uncle to learn the art of war... if he returns with a Wife then he will be all the better for it." I will need to talk to my Grandchild and see to it that he knows how serious this is.
Aerion has more Daughters than most people but I doubt all of them are 'available' regardless of the fact they are not yet wed. Valarr will have to work hard to impress one that does not already have someone in mind. I regret now more than ever not trying to get Valarr to foster in Harrenhal but there is not much I can do about it now.
I can only hope things work out this way as it will be the simplest way to unite and build something new from the Seven Kingdoms and Aerion's 'New Valyria'.
