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I expect this chapter to go over a few people's heads with what Eragon is thinking, but stop and think about his position and who he is before jumping to conclusions. What he thinks is only natural for someone in his position for not only more power but to immortalize his family.
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299 AC
Summer Sea
Eragon Targaryen
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""Won't be too much longer little one."" I rock little Shaera trying to keep her calm and hopefully ease her into sleep once more.
Today we will arrive at Sunspear, at least we will by the end of the day and we will rest there for a time before pressing on to war. Last I heard the Dornish forces had started sieging Storms End with a portion of their men, enough to fight if Stannis left the castle. The rest left to take the rest of the castles either through negotiations or combat... I am eager to hear how they have progressed.
It feels almost within range to touch, the city House Targaryen ruled from for over two hundred years. Things are not how I thought they would be, I thought every step of ground would be soaked in blood. But it seems there are more people loyal or just eager to replace the current rulers than I expected. As someone of the Royal family and a King myself now I am happy they are not putting up as much of a fight as I thought. But as a Targaryen who heard a hundred times or more that we would have to give our enemies Fire and Blood to reclaim the throne... I almost feel disappointed in a way.
Once the Stormlands are taken and we move to Kingslanding I am sure there will be some fighting there. But other than that there is really only the Westerlands, the other kingdoms will likely take the knee. The Iron Islands might fuss but I would like that... I could do as Aegon should have when he took Westeros and burn those islands to molten rock to sink into the Sunset Sea.
Nothing good has come from the Iron Islands and nothing good ever will, parasites on the back of the rest of Westeros. The only good thing about those rocks is the abundance of Iron but I could always appoint a Lord to rule all of the Islands as a whole in a massive mining operation.
No Old Way and no Drowned God, just iron to use to help reforge Westeros together and make it stronger than ever before.
"She is already asleep." I hear Melisandre speak up even as she looks at the candle before herself, taking a peek down I smile seeing my red-headed daughter sleeping.
"She hates the waves." I comment and get a hum from the girl's Mother, the flame of the candle flickers out and she turns around to look at me.
"Volantis is a ruin, R'hllor's faithful stand upon the corpses of all the faithless and most of the old blood of Valyria that survived safely within the black walls." I slowly lean forward and set my daughter into her cradle and turn to look at Melisandre. "The Faithful have started flying dragon banners around the cites walls..." I nod feeling odd at the whole situation.
"The slave revolts have spread?" I ask knowing the answer and she nods with a faraway look.
"R'hllor's words have spread far with the voices of the faithful and many slaves have begun to band together to strike down those who hold their chain. From Slaver Bay passed Volantis into the Three Daughters and up to Pentos... though they do not call them slaves in Pentos. Qohor and Norvos have each had their own problems stirring, the black goat statues burned in Qohor and the bells melted down in Norvos." I can't help but shake my head at how things are going.
"Here I am thinking of Westeros as steel needing forging once more and Essos is much the same with it slowly turning red hot and ready to be struck by the hammer." I look at the candle with wonder at the power it brings through what it can show but also with a hint of concern.
R'hllor... what exactly do you want?
Your flames are spreading and mixing with the last flames of Valyria in the form of my family's dragon fire. My only guess is that the flame God wants to be the only worshiped God in the whole world. I, his Prince, need to help with that as he has helped me, I see no problem with it other than fear of the unknown. I am not a God so I do not know how a God thinks and it is stirring feelings the more I see the fire God works.
Westeros will easily come together and my House will stand tall with Dragons at our backs. But we will not stop there, on top of a debt being owed there is too much opportunity in Essos to leave it untouched. After the Summer Isles, I have put my hands on Conquest even if only meager compared to Aegon and his wives. But I have many more wives and I am sure my ancestor won't mind if we shine brighter than he does.
Pay back the God what I owe him and forge lands where he is worshiped, also defeat the coming 'Darkness'. After that is done my Family will be sitting high above, with more lands than any Kingdom or Empire ever has had. We the rulers and R'hllor the worshiped, we with fire in our veins and he as the fire itself... I can see the stories and songs even now.
Many problems will rise in the coming years, but things are ripe for the picking and I won't miss any opportunity because of fear I might feel. I am sure one day my descendants will look back at what I have done similarly as I do with Aegon once I pass on. Aegon took up the Faith of the Seven upon his conquest and House Targaryen followed with many faithful in our number. I am sure Targaryens after me will do the same with the Red God, but at least he is Fire as we are, I can feel much more at ease with that at the very least. It only serves to strengthen our claim over all the lands where R'hllor is worshiped.
The Faith of the Seven will have to take a dive off the cliffs into the abyss of the Sea, they can join the Drowned God. I suppose that will start with a few of the biggest Septs being burned and torn down, if I go this path as I see no downside other than a mortal fearing the immortal I will need to do it right. A massive temple to R'hllor to beat even the one in Volantis will also do well for the common folk to slowly turn, but I doubt converting the masses will even be a problem. If the Red Priests wave around some runes of fire as they do in Essos I expect the common folk to fall in reference after never seeing any magic in their whole life.
I still need to see if it is possible for the glass candles to be produced but with less power... only wielding enough to contact another candle. This way we can even replace the ravens and Maesters who have long hoarded the knowledge of the world and twisted it to their desires. Painting my family whenever they want as mad men regardless if they actually had any madness or just misunderstood. Excluding my Father I doubt the claims of many of the Targaryens being mad... except the one who drank wildfire, they probably are right about him as well.
Replacing the Maesters will be crucial to stockpile the world's knowledge in my family's hands and train the learned men ourselves. With Dragons and being tied to the 'new' Red Faith along with the learned men's minds being sculpted with our hands we will be untouchable. If we can get a lesser candle for the rest of the world to use we will connect many far away pockets. Trade will improve and so to will people's lives and they will thank House Targaryen for it further raising us into the air.
"Are you feeling well?" Melisandre asks and I nod looking toward my sleeping Daughter and her red fire-touched hair.
"I am well." I smile pushing away my thoughts of world conquest and fire Gods, time will tell if any of it can come true.
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299 AC
Dorne - Sunspear
Daenerys Targaryen
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"What an adorable little face." I run my fingers over the slightly darker skin as my stomach aches as my own babe stirs and kicks. "Nymeria does her namesake proud with her beautiful looks already." I smile while also feeling a bit bad for my older brother Viserys but there is nothing to be done about it now that the babe is here.
He neglected and acted a fool and even if he changes that now by heading to war to lead men it won't change who the Father is of this babe. I still hope for him to make it through healthy, I have heard many good things about him turning for the better and even training constantly.
"They are all sleeping?" Arianne asks and I nod as I get kicked again by the babe in my belly and she smiles at me as if understanding my pain. "It would seem all but one..." She places a hand on my belly and I smile wondering when we will see Viserra in the Vale and have all the babes in one place.
"I am sure you are all tired, the sun will dip below the horizon soon and food is ready should you feel hungry." I turn to look at Prince Doran and he seems much happier since the last time I saw him, things are going well it would seem.
But I suppose any word he has from the other Kingdoms can wait until we have rested after sailing without stopping since we left the Summer Isles. I know Eragon is eager to head off to the battlefield and Arrax is right along with him as if he himself also knows what is coming. The two will have to wait though, rest and recovery from the journey will come first, and then Fire and Blood.
The whole of Westeros will likely have heard of our arrival before we set off, and they better be ready to bend or burn for House Targaryen is here.