Chapter 114: A jealous thief

The Free City of Lys reminded Harry of Braavos. The people here respected wealth and trade, just like in Braavos. But slavery was practised in Lys, and like everything else, it was a lucrative business. However, slave labour was rare in Lys. In Lys, the aspects of slavery were focused on pillow houses and the palaces of wealthy merchants and magisters where they kept their bed slaves in collars.

Unlike other Free Cities, they did not breed slave warriors. If they wanted warriors, they brought the Unsullied or hired sellsword companies to fight in their name. Even slavery was used to increase the aesthetics of living. Lyseni were one of the most beautiful folks Harry had come across. In this city, the blood of Valyria flowed far stronger than the other daughters of Valyria. Pentos, Myr and Tyrosh had too much Andal blood in them. While Volantis hosted great families with roots in Valyria, they hid behind the Black Wall.

In Lys, there was no such haughtiness on full display. Almost everyone Harry had seen on the street sported silver hair and lilac eyes. Some dyed their hair green or purple for some reason, but watching them walk the street was fun. Most of the Lyseni people were light-skinned, with an almost ethereal quality to them, and the blood Valyria ran strong in their veins. They dressed scandalously compared to the prudish ways of Westerosi ways.

Harry, of course, appreciated the Lyseni fashion, mainly when Alaenera chose to slip into a low-cut blue dress with a plunging neckline and a lot of slits on her skirt.   

Lys also hosted many different fashions and some of the best artisans. While his brothers were out on the street seeing the sights, enjoying the food, seeing plays, and whatnot, Harry was out there buying some of the works of the artisans. The many murals he had seen in Lys lit his eyes with greed. Such artistic talent made him immensely jealous of the Lyseni. He also liked their colourful dyes, so he bought as much as he wanted. There were even some finely engraved pots and silverware that attracted his interest.

Lys was also home to some of the best shipyards in the world after Braavos. While Braavosi ships focused on their functionality, the Lyseni ships made them look more aesthetically pleasing.

The many carracks and cogs he had seen at their harbours looked stylish, and frankly, he was starting to develop a love for giant stylish ships. He didn't know why, but looking at a row of Lyseni carracks lining up in a harbour was pleasing. He liked to see such carracks and cogs line up on the harbour of Avalon.  

At first, Harry thought of approaching the Magisters of Lys and buying out their ships from the harbour. But he had little to no business interest in Lys. At least, he had no direct trade with the Lyseni people. Things might change in the future, but for now, no Northern ships sailed this far. Their current interests lie in the Narrow Sea and the Sunset Sea.

He was also reminded of the risk of sending his people into Lys to sail the carracks and cogs from Lys. The Stepstones were in the way, and he was nowhere strong enough to project his naval power this far. This made safely sailing any ships he bought from Lys to the North difficult.

Seeing all the finest sculptures, murals, metalworks, and even shipbuilding made him immensely jealous of the city. To make matters worse, such artistic flavour thrived in a city that practised slavery, which made him mad. He disliked that the Lyseni projected more artistic and cultural freedom than the supposed land of the free in Westeros.

Even worse, he felt that the North came up short compared with Lys, and that status was unacceptable to Harry. After seeing all the different Free Cities had to offer, he was adamant about making Avalon the bastion of art, fashion and culture. To that end, Harry went on a poaching spree across the city to Alaenera's amusement. He went after artisans, blacksmiths, goldsmiths, carpenters, dye makers and even cooks.

He offered them land and gold in exchange for their immediate relocation to Avalon and a steady income to serve his interests. Of course, some people to whom he made this offer outright rejected him or looked at him as if he were mad. The entire incident made Alaenera laugh so hard.

His latest attempt to hire a stellar craftsman nearly resulted in him being chased out of the man's shop, which caused Alaenera to break out in peals of laughter.

"Why are they refusing my offer?" Harry said in frustration.

"Maybe because they don't know who you are, or they're under the impression that you're a slaver out to get them."

At his affronted look, Alaenera gave him a placating smile.

"See this from their perspective. You came one day into their life offering gold and silver in a faraway land for their skills. Why should they believe you? It's not as if most of these people have even heard of the North."

"You knew." Harry grumbled.

"Only because the matron of the pillow house told me beforehand. Otherwise, I'd have been as ignorant as these people."

Harry frowned thoughtfully as he walked back towards their manse. He supposed the disadvantage of his people not reaching this far for trade kept them unknown to most of these people. Unfortunately, the general Westerosi tag didn't help him much in Lys, where ordinary men and women had little to no knowledge about the different polities of Westeros.  So, the next best option in his hand was to buy skilled slaves, which was easier said than done. He'd have to approach the slave masters and look for quality 'products'. It made him feel icky to even think about buying people like cattle even though they were muggles.  

So, he went with the 'lesser evil'. He tracked down some of the best slave masters in the city and put them under the Imperius curse. He turned the consolidated slave industry of Lys against its interests. He had the slave masters do his bidding free of cost. The slave masters used their resources to pick the best workers from a wide variety of professions.  

But he kept the numbers low as he didn't want any questions to be raised when he left Lys. Besides, he only wanted enough people to train his people in Avalon. Harry went the extra mile and stole some designs of carracks and cogs for good measure.

Throughout all that, Alaenera remained by his side with an amused smirk on her lips.

"What?" he snapped.

"Oh, nothing. I was wondering when you'd start acting your age, and now I have seen it with my own eyes." she said with a chuckle.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, feeling offended that he was being insulted by the woman who shared his bed.

"Oh, come on. You found something you liked, and you took it with force." Alaenera said, her lilac eyes dancing with mirth.

"You don't know what you're talking woman." Harry huffed, miffed at being compared to a kleptomaniac or a stubborn child.

Sure, he was jealous of Lys' beautiful ships, but he saved those slaves from being taken for granted. At Avalon, their work would be valued and compensated. They could live free and raise their families without the threat of chains. He considered his actions to be those of a brave liberator. After all, he had given these former slaves the best lodgings in the Liberator. Few could claim to fly in a ship and sail among the clouds, least of all slaves from Lys.

"Don't I?" Alaenera giggled, hugging him from behind as they watched the newly liberated slaves of Lys being led to the Liberator.

The free city of Lys slumbered in the night, ignorant that he was stealing away some of their skilled workers.

"They'll have a better life in the North than they could ever have in this city. Their children will be born free." Harry argued.

"Freedom?" Alaenera snorted, "You think all slaves yearn for freedom?"

"You did." Harry frowned when he felt her stiffen, but she relaxed when he placed his palm over hers.

"I did. But not everyone is like me. Some fear the uncertainty that freedom brings. Some slaves revel in the certainty of their fate. I've seen it." Alaenera stared into the distance unseeingly.

"Everything is uncertain in life. Only death is certain," said Harry, silently adding, "for most."

"All men must die." Alaenera parroted the popular Braavosi phrase with a nod, "But I'm a woman. What'll be my life like in Avalon? What am I to do once you take a wife and have a family of your own?"

"You should know by now that I don't abandon those who are mine. No matter their social standing, I'll go to any lengths to those loyal to me."

"What is my worth compared to a Dornish princess or a noble lady of the North?"

Harry turned around in Alaenera's arms to look at her. He frowned, noticing she was sporting a self-deprecating smile.

"Do you think me so cruel to abandon you, Alaenera? If I had wanted to bed you and throw you away, I'd have done so at Tyrosh." Harry's eyes blazed with fury at the insinuation that he was using her.

"Forgive me." Alaenera bowed her head low, "I forgot myself."

Harry calmed down, reining in his magic, which had slipped out of his control into an oppressive aura that pressed down around him.

"It's true that I cannot marry you and give you my name. I could, but doing so would make matters more difficult for you. But don't think for a moment that your social standing is based on the past. You're blessed with magic, a trait that raises you far more in standing than even the noblest of houses in my eyes." said Harry.

With a flick of his finger, a globe of white light hovered around the palm of his hand.

"You have the power to move heaven and earth in your soul."

The globe of light transformed into fire, water, stone and then dissipated into gentle gales which swept Alaenera's silver hair behind her shoulders.

"At Avalon, you'll be revered for your gifts. But if you're so concerned, then let me promise you this. You won't be leaving my side."

"How?" Alaenera asked, peering at him with a pinch of hope in her eyes, "You said yourself that you're required to marry a noblewoman."

"To carry the Stark name, yes. But nothing forbids me from granting you protection or a dignified life by my side." said Harry, pressing a chaste kiss on her cheek.

"How can I stay by your side when you're married to another woman?" Alaenera asked skeptically.

"That's easy." Harry smirked, "You become a Valkyrie?"

"It feels wrong." Alaenera muttered.

"If that is not to your liking, there are other options." said Harry.

He led his Tyroshi lover to a warded cabinet in the Liberator. When he magically unlocked the door and held it open for her, he watched Alenera's eyes widen enough to pop out of her sockets. The cabin was overflowing with gold, gems, and pearls, illuminating it with an eerie golden glow.

He picked up a random necklace of gold and blue gemstones and tied it around Alaenera's neck.

"A portion of this wealth is yours. In Avalon, you can make a life of your own on your own terms. There is enough wealth for a dozen generations to live lavishly. You can find a husband of your liking and lead a peaceful life." Harry offered.

Alaenera remained rooted to the spot in silence as her companion slipped his hand around her waist and hugged her from behind.

"As I said, I'll not abandon you, Alaenera." Harry whispered, "You're free to choose your destiny."

****

Aegon Targaryen stared out into the sea, his blue hair swept back as gales of wind swept by his resting spot. If he looked west, dunes of sand lay before him as far as his eyes could see. If he looked east, he could see the towering walls of Sunspear, the home of his deceased mother. To his south lay the Summer Sea, where ships from Essos, the Summer Islands and Westeros prowled aplenty.

If the gods had been kind, he'd have been the crown prince of Westeros, a scion of the Targaryen dynasty. But a stag now occupied his rightful throne, and his ancestral seat of Dragonstone remained far out of his reach.

Still, he was far closer to his inheritance than he had ever been in the past. After all, he rested his head on a silk bed inside the halls of his mother's family instead of the wooden floor of the Shy Maid in the Rhoyne. He was no longer a simple boy acting as a helping hand to Gryff. He was now a squire to the Red Viper, and in time, he hoped to become the king of the Seven Kingdoms like his ancestor.

But the path ahead was one of strife, war and death. Unlike his namesake, he had no dragon to subjugate the continent. Therefore, he needed allies, a massive army, ships and lots of gold. The enemy was no slouch. Even though the Usurper died in the Lannister rebellion, the Usurper's brother was just as dangerous. The Lannisters were decimated in the war, and now only a few remained. Just thinking about Tywin Lannister's demise brought a smile to his face.

While he rejoiced at the fall of House Lannister, his pragmatic mind also reminded him that it brought forth the two great adversaries to his goals.

House Baratheon was now far more dangerous under the reign of Stannis Baratheon than Robert. The Crown now possessed the wealth of House Lannister in the palm of their hands. They could hire all sellsword companies of Essos should war break out again. Stannis' queen was also a dangerous woman who brought much strength to her husband. Ser Axel Florent was now the Lord of Lannisport and maintained a portion of the Royal Fleet in the city harbour. House Florent was also well connected in the Reach with blood ties to the great houses like Hightower. Much of the northern parts of the Reach were decimated by the disastrous war unleashed by the lions while the Florents remained untouched.

There was tension in the Reach, but he couldn't possibly predict how the Reachmen would react when he raised the Targaryen banner.

The second dangerous foe was House Stark. Their rise in power was unprecedented—almost akin to the rise of House Velaryon under the Sea Snake. But House Velaryon's holdings were a pittance compared to the wealth and power the North accumulated in less than a decade. The Starks now projected their strength across the Sunset Sea and the Narrow Sea. The sheer power possessed by Harrion Stark disturbed him. Sailors from the east had brought word to Dorne about the Burning of Myr. Aegon couldn't help but shiver at the reminder of Myr's fate.

According to the Spider, House Stark's hold on the Seven Kingdoms was such their entire plan to take the Iron Throne hinged on keeping the North neutral at best. For this reason, his uncle was intent on cultivating blood ties with House Stark. His cousin, Princess Arianne, was offered as a bride to Harrion Stark. It was a significant risk Prince Doran was taking by handing over his heir to the North. The political ramifications of having a Northern-influenced dynasty in Sunspear were not lost on Aegon either. However, their situation was such that they had to ensure the North remained above the Neck no matter what happened in the southern kingdoms. If the North sided with them, it'd be a great boon for his cause, but Aegon was not sure the honourable Eddard Stark would betray his foster brother's family that easily.

It was still uncertain whether the betrothal would be accepted, but Aegon hoped it would happen. The Starks were too powerful to ignore, and he'd have no chance of realistically winning the throne if they came to support Stannis Baratheon.

Ser Jon, his father's trusted friend, was unhappy with the whole plan. But even Ser Jon saw the necessity of keeping the Starks content in the North.

Despite what anyone else thought, Aegon thought House Stark had enough reasons to rebel. The gruesome deaths of Rickard Stark, Brandon Stark, and Lyanna Stark made Aegon feel sympathetic to their cause. He could understand why Eddard Stark would break his oaths and raise his banners against Aerys. After all, Aegon was in a similar position. His mother and sister were brutally murdered, and the Baratheons benefitted from their murder. Even if Tywin was dead, Aegon saw the presence of a Baratheon on the Iron Throne as an insult to the memories of Elia Martell and Rhaenys Targaryen. He was no hypocrite to deny justice to the Starks and would never demand blind obedience like Ser Connington.

Besides, Aegon thought blood ties with House Stark would go a long way in restoring trust with their old allies. As someone who studied the history of the Targaryen kings of the past, he knew House Stark was one of their least bothersome wardens. The North was the only region where his ancestors had never faced rebellion. The Starks had kept the Northmen loyal to the Iron Throne and the King's peace. They were also the least bit interested in the affairs of the south. Historically, the Northmen were comfortable staying behind the Neck. His father and grandfather wronged the North and attracted their ire.

If Princess Arianne's marriage to Lord Harrion could put aside the bad blood between their houses, he would be thankful to the gods. His duty as king was also to ensure the realm remained at peace. He hoped peace could be restored between the two houses. If House Martell and Targaryen could put behind the bad blood, then he hoped that House Stark could become a trusted ally in the future.

However, his concerns were not solely focused on House Stark. Gaining the allegiance of the great houses of the Reach was a vital part of their plan. But even if they somehow gained House Tyrell's support, the threat of the Westerlands, the Riverlands, and the Vale remained at large. Dorne's army could keep the Stormlanders engaged, but Stannis Baratheon was not without allies.

Earlier, the Vale was their greatest concern after the North, but now the Riverlands were becoming too powerful. House Tully now held blood ties with the Vale, the North, and the Westerlands. Houses Stark, Arryn, and Lefford were now tied to House Tully through marriage. As strong as the Dornish army was, Aegon held no notions that his mother's homeland could defeat the combined might of all these kingdoms.

At times like these, he thought of his family's dragons. It was a vain hope to hold on to such thoughts, but he wondered how it must've felt to be among the clouds. Indeed, his kinsmen of old must've felt like gods, being one step closer to heaven.

Suddenly, a large shadow fell upon him, making Aegon look up. His eyes widened as he saw a massive ship hovering in the sky, defying all natural laws. He gazed at the enormous ship in the sky in awe and watched as it sailed past him gracefully. He shook himself out of the stupor and immediately rushed towards the Dornish steed gifted by his uncle.

Hastily climbing abroad his mount, he urged the creature to ride as fast as possible towards Sunspear. While Ser Jon was paranoid enough to want him farther away from the Starks, Aegon was unwilling to let this opportunity pass.

Not since Daeron the Young Dragon has anyone defeated a polity at the ripe age of ten and four. Harrion Stark had decimated a Free City, bringing the city to its knees in a single night. He wanted to meet such a person, and hopefully, he could strike up a friendship with such a powerful lord. During his reign, he hoped to bring the North to the fold and address the crimes his father and grandfather committed.

'If I'm to be the king of these Seven Kingdoms, then I need to bring lasting peace and acknowledge the wrongs committed by my family.' Aegon thought as he rode towards Sunspear to meet one of the most powerful sorcerers in the known world.  

AN:

For artwork related to the fic:

https://discord.gg/Nw2JH25fJf