Chapter 8

POV Change- Alexander Baratheon:

It has been two years since I landed in Essos with my men and now, I sit at the highest power in The Disputed Lands, with seven cities under my control. I have even reached an amicable relation with Bravos and the Iron Bank.

My journey through Essos and my rise in power started when I first arrived in these lands, I made my way to the cities of Slaver's Bay. One there I paid a significant amount of many to the slave owners and those of affluent positions to allow me to fight in the pits as a free man for three months.

So, I spent three months in the fighting pits, honing my skills and gaining experience and pushing myself past limits until I reached new ones and then broke those. I continuously fought back-to-back and a small part of me was just losing myself to the adrenaline and blood lust, I truly was my father's son.

It was during my time in the fighting pits that I discovered something within myself, when I was lost in the storm of combat and whirling steel, I could faintly hear a song, a melody playing softly in the background. But when I relaxed my tense body and lost myself in the song, letting it guide me I would become unstoppable, my body moving with a grace that made it seem like I was dancing, and my blades became so light that there was never a time someone could outmanoeuvre me. But the scariest part about this song is that I could see images of my opponents and the moves they were going to make before they ever made them, it was as if all their secrets were laid bare before my eyes.

After three months and over a thousand fights I remained undefeated and for my skill bravery and the good shows I gave them they graciously allowed me to pick any hundred fighters I wanted. But I knew they only allowed me to take any hundred because I had made them a lot of many and solved some troublesome problems for them during my time with them. None the less I picked one hundred of their best fighters and when I had compelled absolute loyalty, we left and joined with the rest of my men to 'The Disputed Lands' where we formed our own sell sword company. The Iron Legion.

Our first contract was by the Iron Bank, one of the many cities in The Disputed Lands had taken a loan from them to finance their armies and fight off invaders and when it came time to pay, they refused so there I was handling a contract for the Iron Bank.

I kept taking contracts from different powers in that war torn land, yesterday's enemies became today's allies and the allies of yesterday became enemies the next day. It did not matter to me, we kept taking contracts and we eventually acquired a reputation for always fulfilling contracts no matter the odds against us. Soon my word became my bond, and everyone knew it and respected me for it.

We had been a sell sword company for nine months now and the Iron Legion had grown to twenty thousand strong, I had summoned all those who resided in my private dimension, Apollyon soon became my second in command and her officers filled the necessary post along with Robin Hood and his men. Atil, a slave I freed from the fighting pits was placed in charge of my calvary along with Khan another salve freed, both men were of Dothraki decent and were the best riders I had seen.

It was when we were resting from a previous contract that and emissary from Tyrosh offering a lucrative contract as they had been pushed to the brink and could not afford the Unsullied. Seeing as we had nothing better to do, I accepted the contract and gave my word that we would succeed, and succeed we did for two months we beat back and killed any who threatened the city. But when our contract ended, and it was time to pay the nobles and masters laughed at my face.

I soon left the city under the contemptuous gaze of every noble in the city, my men were disgruntled and furious. But I held my peace and left quietly and when I thought we were far enough I sent a hawk to the Iron Bank of Braavos explaining the situation and letting them know that I planned to take the city and all its land for my own, I then promised to take on the debts of the city.

When I had guaranteed the safety of the Iron Bank's assets, they were supportive as we had grown a rather good business relationship and they even offered the Golden Company to help but there was no need for that. The Iron Legion would take what was owed and more. And so, we did in a short week I had taken the city of Tyrosh and all the lands that it governed killed all the nobles who once insulted me and freed all the slaves while claiming the neighbouring isles nearby. From there I began my plans and rise.

First, I used the gold we had accumulated from our contracts to pay off the debts to the Iron Bank, then I used the wealth of the now past nobles and masters to buy eight thousand Unsullied which I freed and charged to protect and police the city and the lands I governed. When I was done with security, I then had the farmers from my private dimension begin cultivating the land.

With the Unsullied keeping the peace and the farmers working the land and using new techniques I looked to the sea and began constructing a fleet for trade and war. I released the three hundred ships and the sailors to man them from my private dimension. For naval war I had 80 Spanish Galleons and 120 French Frigates, for trade and my merchants I had 100 Clippers with expanded cargo space.

Once the fleet was done and I had complete loyalty to all of them I sent them forth to conduct trade and I returned my focus to the internal structure of my city. I first revolutionised the silk we produced and soon it was known as the best silk in the known world and when I was done with that, I set my blacksmiths loose and we were forging the best steel only second to Valyrian Steel, I dubbed it 'Storm Steel'.

Once the steel and silk production were sorted, I moved on the ale and liquor production, the liquors I introduced were Vodka, Fire Whiskey and Ambrosia the nectar of the Gods. With these liquors we soon became known as the best liquor produces in the world and my liquors soon became the coveted liquor in the known world.

Gold was flowing into our coffers unceasingly and with it I paid off half the debt the Crown had to the Iron Bank. I soon had my merchant fleet sail to Westeros to begin trade and inject fresh gold into the Kingdoms, I sent 1,000 barrels of Ambrosia and Fire Whiskey to the king and 2,000 of the best silks to the Queen. When I was done with that, and I had established my dominance in the merchant world I looked Northeast to the city of Myr.