chapter 25 war meeting

As I look around the room, my gaze meets the eyes of my closest and most loyal generals. None waver, none falter. They know the weight of what is happening in this room, and so do I. The silence hangs heavy, broken only by the crackle of the fire.

"Alright, men," I say, voice cutting through the stillness. "We're all here. Who wants to start?"

The Hound steps forward, his scarred face etched with the same grim determination I've come to expect. "I'll go first, my lord," he growls. "Volantis. We take the city. One of the most powerful in Essos, swimming in wealth. Plenty of skulls to add to your collection." His lips curl into something resembling a grin. "And good for trade. You've got a taste for that, I know."

I nod slowly, the firelight flickering across the Hound's hardened features. "Anyone else?"

Drogo steps forward, his presence commanding the room like a storm. "My Khal," he begins in the low, rumbling voice of a Dothraki leader. "The Lhazareen. Peaceful, fertile land ripe for the taking. A place where crops will grow under your rule, and no Khal not killed by you would dare attack lands under your protection now that you've become the undisputed khal of the Dothraki Sea." He smiles, the grin of a predator who knows the hunt is his. "We take them first. There will be no enemies made—my people raid them often enough. They won't resist. And when they are ours, their crops will feed your armies. Then, we may do as the hound suggests and march on Volantis."

The room falls silent again as the men wait for my decision. I lean back, fingers drumming against the armrest of my chair.

"I agree with Drogo," I say after a moment of thought, my voice deliberate and steady. "We start with the Lhazareen. They fall first, and their lands will feed our future conquests we can never have enough food. Then, we take Volantis. Anyone disagree?"

"None from me," the Hound says, arms crossed. "Better to have the food before the bloodbath even i can agree with that."

The others nod in agreement, recognizing the wisdom of a slower, more deliberate approach.

"Good." I rise, walking to the window, where the vast, untamed world of Essos stretches out beneath the night sky. "Drogo, Hound, David, Tom. Each of you will take a quarter of the army leaving 2,000 dothraki and 5 thousand unsullied to gaurd each city you can take the other 5 thousand. Split into four parts, surround the Lhazareen lands. Kill as few as possible. No slaves—just a change in management. My management."

Drogo bows his head, hand on his chest. "As you say, my Khal."

"As you wish, my lord," David, Tom, and the Hound echo, each with their own brand of respect.

"Good," I say, turning back to face them. "Go. You have three months. Once the Lhazareen are ours, expand their lands—fertile ground wherever you find it. If any Dothraki not under my rule dare interfere, kill their Khal and his blood riders. Bring the rest into our fold. Drogo, you know what to do with your people teach the other three the best methods."

"As you command, my Khal," Drogo replies, eyes gleaming with a warrior's fire.

"Now leave me," I order, my tone final. They depart one by one, the firelight casting long shadows in their wake.

Alone in my solar, I turn to the stack of encrypted letters on my desk, each one bearing the seal of one of my many taverns scattered across the world. Intelligence from every corner of Essos flows through those taverns, giving me eyes in places no army can reach.

I scan the reports. The biggest news—Daenerys, one of thr last of the Targaryens, has just turned fourteen. According to the timeline I remember, that gives me three years before the events in Westeros begin in earnest. Three years to gather cities, wealth, and men before Robert Baratheon dies and Westeros is thrown into chaos. Daenerys will be of age soon, and I'll marry her when the time is right. I will then hatch the dragons. But not yet.

If I hatch them now, the beasts would need to be hidden, far from civilization, where they can feed on large animals or fish without drawing attention. Which is nearly impossible when it's 3 giant fucking dragons that are thought to be extinct plus I'd have to bond with them so I'd also have to go and be away from my lands.

I could also just go and marry the girl and go to war with the realm. No It would be foolish to bring war to the Seven Kingdoms now. The realm is broke, and seperated and while I could rebuild it, it's better to take over piece by piece—putting my men in key positions, taking control of the kingdoms from the inside.

I look at the map of Slaver's Bay on the wall, marked with red ink. The title of "Slave Cities" which is slowly being erased. No more slaves are bought or sold under my rule. It's a disgusting business, one I can't fully destroy yet, but I can stop it here, for now. And in doing so, I open up new ventures.

The silk production is still in its infancy, but it's promising. Finding silkworms was nearly impossible, and teaching people to harvest and weave the silk was a nightmare. After burning through gold and time, I've finally got them breeding properly. The weaving still needs work, but once we master it, silk will pour from my cities, and I'll control one of the most valuable resources in the world.

The three cities under my rule are collaborating, learning from one another. And on the subject of learning… the Citadel. For two years, I've been sending scholars to Oldtown, infiltrating their ranks and copying every piece of knowledge they hold. Every book, every scroll, every secret. After it is sent to my scribes, working in secret workshops, who reprint the knowledge using typewriters I've had custom-made—another challenge, but one worth every gold coin. I will build the greatest library the world will never see, hidden away, filled with the knowledge of every corner of this world for me and me alone all knowledge will have 10 copies hidden from the great library so once one goes bad theirs 10 that will have it.

The world may not know it, but the true power throughout all ages is not armies or dragons—it is knowledge. And I will have it all.

I want to thank zero requim and tharuz for the power stones as always i appreciate the support