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Jaehaerys Targaryen
King's Landing, Crownlands
Sixth Moon, 57 AC
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Although winter in King's Landing was much more bearable than in other parts of the Seven Kingdoms, such as the Riverlands, the Vale, or the North, the cold still bit to the bone, and that sensation was not pleasant at all.
Regardless of the weather, and even though winter seemed unwilling to end and felt like it was strengthening further with the passage of time, life in the city did not stop.
The common folk could not afford luxuries, as bringing food and money to their homes and families depended on them. Even I, being the King of the Iron Throne, could not afford it; I had a realm to govern, laws to create, and a land to stabilize, even years after the war had ended.
"The sun has been strong today." Alysanne spoke softly so that Aemon, my son, wouldn't hear and wake up. The child was lying on a pile of soft goose feather pillows, on a Myrish carpet that separated him from the fine grass on the ground.
Alysanne, my wife and soulmate, was sitting on the carpet with a Valyrian book. As for me, I was sitting in a chair. My knee hadn't been the same since the hasty escape I had to make with my wife and mother years ago from Dragonstone, so I couldn't sit on the ground with Alysanne.
But even so, I preferred this position; I could see little Aemon sleeping peacefully, and it was in these moments that I was thankful to still be alive.
"Yes... although the cold is still strong in the air," I replied. Even in the south, the icy winds from the North arrived fiercely, causing me a shiver now and then. Fortunately, Aemon was wrapped in thick quilts and blankets, which is why he was sleeping placidly.
"It's not very strong anyway; even Aemon likes it..." she snorted, an act somewhat unfitting for a queen, but we were alone, there was no problem, "look who woke up," looking at the pile of pillows, I noticed that Aemon had his large eyes open, and a crooked-toothed smile peered over the blanket that covered him up to his chin.
Alysanne got onto her knees, put the book aside, and took the child in her arms, earning a giggle from Aemon that warmed my heart. She passed him to me, and once I took Aemon in my arms and sat him on my lap. He laughed as I gently rocked him.
He didn't care about the icy breeze in the air, or the sound of clashing swords from the knights training in the training yard in the other courtyard, "Kepa!" Another child's voice reached my ears loudly, and looking toward the source, I only managed to see a puff of silver hair collide with me.
"Daenerys, sweetheart, where is your nursemaid?" Alysanne asked, moments before a young woman arrived running, with a tired and frightened expression, with drops of sweat falling from her forehead, "Your Grace, forgive me, little Daenerys escaped from me."
"Don't worry, you may go," I dismissed her. I knew my daughter's love for escaping her nursemaids; she had practically turned it into a sport. For some reason, she enjoyed seeing them follow her through the corridors of the Red Keep.
"And you, girl, you should be at your lessons with Septa Marien." Daenerys and Aemon would be the next King and Queen of Westeros, and she had to ensure she paid more attention to her lessons. "Your father is right, you must not neglect your education, a Targaryen princess must be better than everyone, especially you, who will be queen."
That last part made me look at Alysanne closely. That topic had always ended in an argument. I had openly proclaimed that Aemon would be my heir, but Alysanne, for her part, replied that Daenerys should be queen because she was older.
Nonetheless, I said nothing, because I knew how that would end, and I didn't want to ruin the family moment, one of the few I could enjoy.
I noticed Aemon lifting his head and looking in the direction of the training yard. He was already familiar with that sound. He had been present during several sessions where the knights "fought." Though he probably liked it because he compared it to how I played rough with him in bed sometimes, tossing him onto a pile of pillows so he would run back to me and I'd toss him again.
"When you are old enough to hold a practice sword, I will take you to the yard myself, then you can go and fight with the best knights in the Seven Kingdoms; the Kingsguard," He didn't understand half of what I said, but he still smiled. That was the innocence of children, something that didn't last long in this world.
"Your Grace," "My Queen," Myles Smallwood reached us at a given moment, and I knew my break was over, the kingdom needed me, "the Small Council is gathering, Your Grace, they await you in the Hand's Tower."
I nodded, and giving a gentle kiss on the forehead to Aemon and Daenerys, I got up from the chair and followed Myles, guarded by Ser Gyles Morrigen and Ser Joffrey Doggett. Along the way, servants and guards greeted me. In these nine years of reign, I had made my greatest effort to govern well, putting the interests of the realm first, and everything else last.
And although it was very early to say so, I was emboldened to think that I was a good king, "Lord Myles, have there been any news of Aerea?" I asked the man. The poor girl had been missing for three years, when she was last seen on the back of Balerion, one of the three dragons of the Conquest, and the largest and oldest.
The other two being Meraxes and Vhagar. The former had not had a rider since the death of Queen Rhaenys in Dorne, when Meraxes was struck down from the sky by a scorpion bolt. Due to this, she was very injured after the fall, and although she did not die, she did not accept another rider, and now, only tales from Dragonstone fishermen who saw her hunting whales in the sea were heard.
Vhagar was the third; her former rider had been Queen Visenya, but after her death thirteen years ago, the she-dragon had settled on Dragonstone along with her Conquest companion.
These three dragons were the most important and powerful possession of House Targaryen, which is why I had spent fortunes in search of Balerion and Aerea, not so much for the girl, but for the power she took with her when she disappeared.
"No, Your Grace, some merchants from the Free Cities claim to have sighted the dragon near Mantarys, but they seem to be just rumors." The answer displeased me. The idea that a Targaryen princess was with the largest dragon of my house in Essos did not give me peace of mind, added to the fact of the eggs stolen by Elissa Farman some years ago.
And while the search had not yielded results, it could not stop; "Increase the rewards for anyone who brings news about the possible whereabouts of the dragon and its rider. Filter out those who lie from those who do not, and only pay the latter."
"Your Grace, do you think it is prudent to spend more gold on that campaign? So far, we have not had true information that leads us to them, and three years have passed. It is very possible that the girl died from falling off the dragon's back, and that it returned to Valyria. After all, Balerion lived during the height of Old Valyria; it is possible that he decided to return to where he was born."
Myles was right in what he said. It was possible that Balerion had decided to return to his roots, but that was no excuse not to keep looking, "At this point, Aerea's whereabouts do not concern me, but Balerion's. Do as I say."
With Myles' "It will be done, Your Grace," we arrived at the Small Council chamber, a room located at the top of the Hand's Tower, where a large part of the city could be seen. The table was already occupied. Benifer, the Grand Maester, whom I had reinstated to his position after asking him to return from Pentos.
Rego Draz, the Master of Coin, a merchant and moneychanger from Pentos. A very capable man who had earned my trust and gratitude. Thanks to him, I was able to solve many of the economic problems that submerged the realm after the war.
Albin Massey, the Master of Laws. The Lord of House Massey. Although he was born with a stunted back, that was not enough to detract from his ingenuity and intelligence, reasons why he held the position. Thanks to his help, I was completing the dictum of laws that would govern all the kingdoms under the Iron Throne.
Manfryd Redwyne, was the Master of Ships and Lord Admiral. The first of his kind who was not a Velaryon to hold the position.
Apart from them, there were three empty chairs: mine, which was at the head of the table, the King's Hand's, which was to the right of my chair, and the Lord Commander's, which was to my left.
Upon reaching the table, everyone stood up, greeting me and offering due respect. I quickly took my seat, with Gyles Morrigen sitting in the Lord Commander's chair, and Myles Smallwood in the King's Hand's chair.
"We commence the session of the Small Council, which will address the arrival of Septon Barth, who has returned from his visit to Braavos, the development of King's Landing, and the continuation of the project for a royal edict of laws for Westeros." Myles, as the King's Hand, began the session.
At that moment, the doors of the Small Council opened, and Barth, my good friend, entered the hall accompanied by two Kingsguard. And I couldn't help but smile upon seeing him; I got up from my seat, and gave the man a strong hug when he approached me.
"Barth has returned from his visit to Braavos, it was a diplomatic trip," I explained to the rest of the Small Council. Barth smiled, "That's right, Your Grace, my visit to Braavos was fruitful, in which I managed to reach an agreement with the Sealord of Braavos, and we agreed on a significant reduction of the Crown's debt. Canceling the Iron Bank's loans and reducing the debt by half."
I could see how the faces of the gathered members showed surprise; even I was surprised. He had gone to Braavos to negotiate about the dragon eggs that Elissa Farman stole, but it seemed he achieved more than that.
With this reduction, I could continue the development of King's Landing and begin the construction of drains, sewers, wells, and fountains necessary to evacuate the city's waste and provide drinking water to the subjects. Before, the idea only crossed my mind, but now, I saw the idea as more feasible. Barth should be my Hand. Myles was loyal and had worked well, but he was not suited for the position.