139

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298 AC

Summer Isles - Ebonhead

Eragon Targaryen

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"So we now have people sailing into Ebonhead's port every day coming to meet us and bend the knee to get out of the way. It seems it will come down to the last three major cities, Last Lament, Lotus port, and Tall trees town. We have set our sights on Tall trees town for the spiritual value it holds over the people, once we have it the last two should be easier to convince or they will come on their own." My mom shakes her head and shifts a map Infront of her as she listens to my recount of the last few weeks.

"I can't believe it is happening as fast as it is, but I guess the reputation that has built up around your conquest has helped. You told me the dragons have been flying around and getting spotted, word will have spread all over the close-knit islands. That is also before they know of your record of winning every dispute with blood, everyone wants out of the way." I purse my lips and scratch Arrax on his back as he watches the flame with interest.

"I hope things keep going this way, we should finish our conquest right after the year changes into the new year." The estimate we have with travel time and also leaving a few weeks just for negotiating has us sitting in as the king and queens of Summer Isles right after the year changes.

"I hope so as well, I know Shaena is impatient to travel down there and after Lyanna made it back she has been sitting on the edge of her seat. She wants to get to Ebonhead before she can no longer sail comfortably without risking her pregnancy. I am still undecided if I will leave Viserys here on his own but I will let you know soon." I get excited thinking about Shaena finally coming down here.

She should be the first to go into labor with the timing of her actually getting pregnant being weeks if not months ahead of the others. Aemma should be second but I have no way of talking to her until the candle I sent arrives and the chances it makes it are low. I paid the man well and his family lives here in Ebonhead so I don't fear him never coming back.

"You should sail with her, if you don't then you will be waiting till we come there or you will sail alone later. You don't want to miss your grandkid's birth do you?" I wince when she pushes the map away and aims a pointed glare at me.

Even the flame before us isn't enough to keep me and Arrax warm as he shakes his head and escapes from the dragon's wrath.

"You would know all about missing births wouldn't you?" The slight tilt of her head as her brows raise lets me know her fury.

I wish she never found out about Aemma, I already know it was stupid but what is done is done.

"I can't say anything else about this mom, I will figure something out that will satisfy all people involved. Aemma and I will both be present in the kid's life and that is a certainty, she may be Lady of the Vale but there are many ways to get her close at hand. Her father served all that time as Hand of the Usurper and I can offer her something similar. It will be one of the many links connecting the two Targaryen kingdoms, it may be challenging but I am up to it." The worse case comes around and she appoints someone to stand in for her while we raise the child.

Once the child is old enough they will set off on their own anyway, they would both go back and she will finish out her days as Lady of the Vale. Then my kid will inherit the title and carry on with their lives unless they want something different in which case the Vale will be fucked. Another reason I will be more careful in the future with where I stick my cock.

"You have learned an important lesson but I still feel the need to make sure it sticks, it was foolish." I sigh and lean back in my seat with my hands rubbing my temples.

"I know, let's just go back to talking about ships or something." I sigh and she snorts, I peek an eye open to see her looking at the map again.

"What ships were we talking about anyway, I only talked about the chances of me sailing down to the Isles." I blink and think for a moment and realize I only thought about ships and didn't speak about them.

We also have been inquiring about the number of ships that are spread all around and would be available for us to call upon. Zenah our go-to on ships said there are easily four hundred swan ships alone in the Summer Isles but we would be lucky to get half of that to actually come to our call when the time comes. The Summer Isle's history with ships started with them lusting to explore more of the world after seeing a Ghiscari merchant ship and they became some of the best sailors. They are the only people in the world to sail the coast of Sothorios and map it out and I happen to have one such map but it is not important as of now. The maps done by Summer Isles sailors are some of the best and most detailed in the world and I intend to benefit from them in the future.

"There are hundreds of ships going and coming from the Isles at all times but they rarely stick around for long. Private owners of ships group their ships together to travel to make trips safely and it makes it hard to track them down. Only the major cities keep a fleet around for defense and those are the ones we would be able to call to sail an army with when needed. But that also makes defense an issue so we can't take but maybe half if we want to be smart about it." She sits a little straighter and puts on a thoughtful look.

"So how many do you think you will have to transport an army and how big would the army be, you would also be leaving behind a good portion of men as defense from invaders." The very question we have been working on for weeks now when we have time.

"If we take the last three cities with war and acquire all the belonging of the prince or princess we would have around one hundred and twenty to call on, that's just swan ships as well. There are other ships in the fleets like merchant ships and Cogs along with some acquired ships from battle. The Iron Isles has lost a good number of ships to the high archer prows on the swan ships. Pirate vessels of all kinds are mixed in as well but I would say if all things go well our future fleet is comparable to the Royal fleet." The problem is we don't have anyone experienced in leading a fleet that size and it would make it weaker than it should be.

"That's a lot more than I would have expected." Her surprised voice brings a smile to my face as I nod in agreement.

"I was surprised as well but after being here and seeing for myself the Summer Islanders can do two things without anyone being able to question them. Those two things are Sailing and Archery and they do them very well and pride themselves upon them." Two things that will help out quite a lot going forward in the future.

"I don't doubt it, from what I have been reading about the Isles they are known to be some of the best sailors. They travel all over from Asshai to Ibben from what I have read for my curiosity, I just didn't expect quite so many ships. It makes sense now that I think about it more, the Iron Islands have hundreds of ships and they don't even come close in the amount of trees they have. But how many men will there be to man those ships?" I shrug as we have no real idea at the moment.

"Our best guess is close to thirty thousand, but that is a guess and we won't know until we finish with what we set out to do." She hums and nods and I hear a distant knock as she turns to the door behind her.

"I have to go, I hope to hear from you again soon." She turns back around with a loving smile and I nod as I let the connection fade and the flame flickers out.

Keeping my mom updated has been nice, I feel better with her 'involved' in some kind of way. I also know she enjoys hearing about our day-to-day and so we both get some peace of mind from it.

Picking up the candle and taking it over to the shelf in the room where it is a bit safer than on the table I place it down. Catching my reflection in a silver ornate gift we received from a tribe on the island of Moluu I rub my growing beard.

"I need to get this shaved sometime soon." I turn around and head to the door to find where Arrax ran off to and see if we can find some trouble to get into.

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298 AC

Beyond the wall - Storrold's Point

Lagertha

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"More and more people have been watching you sit there for hours at a time." Geor grunts as he sets another log on the fire.

"They can fuck off, I do more than pull my weight and am feeding many of their mouths with my hunts." He barks a laugh before silencing himself with a horn of some foul-smelling drink.

"Aye, but can you still call in hunting when you force the animals to walk up to you before letting them free long enough to put an arrow in them? You bring so much meat back because you have such an easy time finding it." I glare at him and he offers his horn and I scrunch my nose before shaking my head, he only shrugs and brings it back to his lips.

"If I have such abilities it would be a waste not to use them, just like its a waste to not use them to learn more. We need to be prepared for when we pass the wall, the Lords of Westeros will not take kindly to use crossing over." He doesn't respond and silence takes back over as I sink back into my thoughts.

The egg weighs more now that I am close to where I am supposed to hatch it, doubt creeps into my mind, and even some anger. The Three-eyed raven told me there would be someone that could be used to burn to hatch the egg but I have not seen them. He explained how Eragon had used King's blood as a sacrifice but the only ones with that kind of blood are me and Geor and Mance Rayder.

Mance Rayder is healthy and the only one capable of keeping the Free folk together. Does he expect me to scatter the Free folk by killing Mance?

I would be hurting the chances of us crossing the wall by doing that and will help the Night king get more bodies in the process. I doubt he wants me to go that direction so I can only wait and think about it while looking into it on my own when I rest against the weirwood tree.

Aemon Targaryen on the wall was supposed to be a king but he is also hard to get to so I don't think it is him either. Whoever it is If I don't figure it out soon I will take the matter into my own hands. There are plenty of people beyond the wall with kings blood and I will burn as many as it takes to get the power to face the Night king, after seeing what the Night king plans I can't sit back and let it happen.

An eternal night and winter with no life, regardless of anything else I want the Night king needs to be defeated.

I will wait a little while longer but I expect I will end up climbing the wall and seeking out my own source of fancy blood to hatch this egg. If this egg will even hatch, I am still doubtful but the slight warmth coming from it gives a little hope. Shaking my head I lean back and close my eyes while my hand grips Dark sister.