101
----
207 AC
Lys
Aerion Targaryen
----
"What about Braavos?" Brynden speaks up from across the table, his voice soft but it carries well.
"What about it?" I ask while looking out at the city with conflicted emotions warring in my chest.
"You think things will work the way you want in the city of 'Past Valyrian Slaves'?" Brynden asks not skeptically but genuinely interestedly, I hum and turn to look into his blood-red eyes with a smirk.
"Balerion married the Sea Lord's Daughter, I have countless Keyholders as 'friend' and to top it off the Faceless men want to open a 'temple' in Harrenhal." I shake my head and sigh aloud. "Braavos is mine, if the Braavosi who do not like me kick up a fuss they will be weeded out like any other city. I don't need to posture with my dragons at every city to get people to bend their knees, most people can see which way the wind is blowing. Braavos was one of the first to want to jump under my banner knowing the Dragon Lords were returning but with a new vision." The moment it became known I was 'anti-slavery' my relations with Braavos grew rapidly.
The Iron Bank even wanted to open a branch inside of Harrenhal, in the beating heart of Westeros. But unlike the Faceless men the Iron Bank is not as scary and I refused in favor of continuing my own banking endeavors. One day my goal is even to absorb the Iron Bank, but until I can devote more time to that I will let them simmer in the background.
"Seems like you already have all the lands beneath the Sun in the palm of your hand." Brynden dryly responds to my words after a moment of contemplation.
"The old Free Cities were destined to 'return' to a Dragon Lord with real power." The Free Cities were sputtering with no real vision besides ambitious men who wanted more power and gold.
Now with me, they see real power and they can only bend the knee and plot in the shadows for a slice of the pie. I will create an environment which they can play their games in but will ultimately never be able to grow beyond what they currently are. They think in the long term they can form their own Dragon Lord families, they look toward the past wanting to emulate the old families. It is humorous to get letters from my spies and people snitching on their rivals, their plans and schemes that are shallow and will remain fruitless.
"With nearly twenty rideable dragons and all their riders loyal to you, you are likely the most powerful any man has ever been." Brynden mutters only just loud enough that I can hear him over the noise of the city out the windows.
"If I had waited or let future generations do the work after laying a more sturdy foundation eventually they likely would have divided. I had to be the one to lead the charge and wear the crown so all of my children will work together and emerge united once things are over." I feel a heavy weight on my chest imagining if I just rested with my success in Harrenhal and let my descendants handle the Conquest of the world in a later generation.
That or they would have wasted away in Westeros and never even looked East... which would have been a shame.
"But what happens when you are gone?" Brynden sighs and I can tell he is hung up on the morality of what I have accomplished, unlike Daemon and Aegor who cheer me on simply because they have been 'gifted' a city.
Brynden has that House Blackwood in him, he has a bleeding heart which Mya also carries. It's a nice trait to have in someone you are close with, they help keep you honest and on the straight and narrow, at least as much as they can. But it is also a weakness that can be exploited by enemies and that is the main reason I am sorta glad that Brynden has somewhat changed in recent years.
But according to his own words the 'Three-eyed Raven' has been visiting him less and less and seems to have given up on drawing him out into the distant North. A good thing or I would have burned its little tree hut to the ground for reaching for something that was not its own. I will not allow my family to be tied down into a roost system to waste away for a hundred or more years. But I am still grateful for the 'lessons' the raven passed on to Brynden that have molded him into a better prospect to rule over Lys.
The way Brynden described it sorta reminded me of that book I was forced to read back in my old life... The Giver.
"If I am gone then things will push forward, into the untamed lands of the other continents we know nearly nothing about." Brynden gives me an odd look but I ignore it as Melisandre's words echo in my mind, a warning but one that I might look forward to.
Only time will tell if what she said is true.
But I will be a whole lot more hopeful if my apparent new 'Good Daughter' is actually a thing or not. If the red woman's words are true about my Son and his new Wife then there is a good chance the future Melisandre saw will come to pass so long as I don't fumble things on my end. In an odd way, it makes sense, but also blows my mind in a way that I don't think it will ever truly recover to what it once was.
The Son will take the 'mantle' from the Father.
"Worry not Brynden, things are sailing smoothly so far and we need only keep our current heading to forge a better world from what there once was." At the very least, ignoring the far future, I know I can at the very least set things up for the opportunity for things to improve worldwide.
One unified Empire where all are born equal beneath the Dragon.
----
207 AC
Yunkai
Rhaegar Targaryen
----
"You seem lost in thought." I speak up as I walk along with my Muna, she hums as she loops her arm with mine and starts pulling me along.
"I have told you about my 'dreams' before, Yunkai was a place I spent a fair amount of time in during those dreams." I look up as Drogon flies overhead casting the entire city in shadow as his giant wings are spread wide.
"You have... though that does not explain what you are thinking about." We come to a stop as she looks at a large smooth wall with a distant look.
"I had a painting on this wall..." She reaches out and touches the wall. "I thought it made my nose look too big but..." She sighs and shakes her head before pulling me once more.
I look back trying to remember the location and I will seek out an artist to capture her image on the wall if that will make her happy. It is off-putting to see her flip back and forth like a page in a book with her emotions turbulent as the sea. One moment she is an Empress giving orders and commands and the next she seems deeply saddened and I can't help but feel like she misses the rest of our family.
"You could fly back if you want, I can handle things here." Muna stops and turns to face me with narrowed eyes.
"Thank you Rhaegar but I am fine, in fact, I am enjoying myself despite my sorrowful reminiscing." I nod and she turns once more to lead the way, I cast a look back once more at our guards.
Many Unsullied have joined their ranks, most of the eunuch soldiers joined our army here in the Bay. Only two thousand of them stayed behind to keep order in Astapor under a council sworn to House Targaryen until a better means to rule them is decided. A Prince or Princess is likely to rule the Bay from Meereen once the Conquest is completed and we have things settled.
I do not yet know who but it's a rich seat once we take it, I myself would not mind it if I was asked to take it. Though I might end up with Harrenhal depending on how things go, I am not locked into one specific seat as of yet but I know it won't be long at the pace we are going. The Conquest is going far faster than I expected but it also makes sense, comparing Aegons Conquest with three dragons compared to our own with nearly twenty... our speed is not that surprising.
Aegons Conquest of Westeros took less than two years with honestly far fewer preparations taken. Aegon did not have a 'real' fleet and the men he had were pretty much thrown together from the Crownlands. He united all of Westeros along with his Sister's wives in less than two years, not counting Dorne but they were 'defeated' in my eyes even if they pretended they were not.
Honestly, if the Slave Masters took up a similar strategy as Dorne did during Aegons Conquest we would probably relocate all the slaves and torch the Cities. The Bay of Slaves' main form of income is Slavery and will be a huge hit in House Targaryens coffers to keep it from collapsing completely as it reforms around new sources of income. Father said he had ideas but I have yet to hear any of them and I personally see the Bay as a huge waste of coin once Slavery is killed off.
I think being a middleman between Western goods and the Far East and its goods is part of Father's plans. There is also the cities that will soon be sprouting in the Great Grass Sea and the food they will bring as the new bread basket of Essos. The Grass Sea will become the Reach of Essos with how fertile large swaths of it are, that will help keep the Bay sustained through trading.
"Now you are the one lost in thought." Muna nudges my side and I smile before once more catching sight of a dragon flying overhead.
The constant reminders of the power we have over this city is helping to keep things from descending into chaos. We broke the chains and had to make an example of most of the Masters but that was not enough. People panic easily enough and the dragons are doing their part in making sure people are staying mostly indoors or orderly as they go about their daily lives.
"Just thinking about what will sustain the Bay now that Slavery is no longer an option." She hums and nods with her crown catching the light from the Sun.
"We still need Meereen to really 'claim' the Bay but other than the other smaller cities... we almost can say that Slavery is gone from the Bay." She purses her lips and turns to watch as we approach a small market with a few people moving about. "But I have my own ideas and so does your Father, would you like to hear them?" I smile and nod as she looks over at me curiously, I love these kinds of talks, it has always been my favorite thing to learn about from Father.
Economics.