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Rating:
Not Rated
Archive Warnings:
Creator Chose Not To Use Archive WarningsGraphic Depictions Of ViolenceMajor Character DeathNo Archive Warnings ApplyRape/Non-Con
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A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. MartinA Song of Ice and Fire & Related FandomsHouse of the Dragon (TV)
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Shiera Seastar/ Original Male CharacterDaemon Targaryen/Rhaenyra TargaryenDaemon Targaryen/Laena Velaryon (Daughter of Corlys)Rhaenyra Targaryen/Laenor VelaryonAlicent Hightower/Viserys I TargaryenAemma Arryn/Viserys I TargaryenCorlys "The Sea Snake" Velaryon/Rhaenys Targaryen Velaryon
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Original Male Character(s)Viserra TargaryenDaemon TargaryenViserys I TargaryenAemma ArrynRhaenyra TargaryenVermithor | Jaehaerys I Targaryen's DragonOtto HightowerGrand Maester Mellos (A Song of Ice and Fire)Tyland LannisterJason LannisterHobert HightowerAlicent HightowerLaenor VelaryonShiera SeastarAmos BrackenByron SwannRobert RowanAegon II TargaryenAemond "One-Eye" TargaryenHelaena TargaryenDaeron Targaryen (Son of Viserys I)Original Female Character(s)
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Published:2023-12-06Completed:2024-03-17Words:92,859Chapters:17/17Comments:507Kudos:1,793Bookmarks:583Hits:70,743
The Bronze Prince (ASOIAF SI)
Leonelfallen
Chapter 4: The Stepstones
Chapter Text
109 AC
The Titan of Braavos roared out in a loud groaning and grinding blast as midnight came. The sounds of revelry in the city were nearly drowned out but resurged immediately after the Titan stopped for the climax of the Unmasking. As everyone celebrated by removing their masks after ten days and nights of revelry and feasting, Tyland did the same. The people around him in the Sealord's Palace were in the same spirits as those in the streets outside for the Unmasking of Braavos was something that united everyone in the city.
A masked ball for the entire city with the best part of it happening in the Sealord's Palace. Prince Maekar was the guest of honor for the old and sickly Sealord and some of that honor went to his squires. Tyland was certain that he would be invited as well as a Lannister even if he had not been the Prince's squire.
Instead of directly going to the Stepstones, Prince Maekar decided to go to Braavos to supplement their fleet with sellsails and hired galleys from Braavos. In the process give the men a last night of revelry before jumping into war, or in this case ten days and nights of feasting and revelry. Not that Tyland was complaining, he had always desired to visit Braavos during the Unmasking of Uthero. He never expected to visit Braavos whilst squiring for Prince Maekar. Jason would certainly be jealous back in Casterly Rock and for once Tyland would have something that he didn't have first.
Tyland turned from the window to the gallery inside to see his fellow squires, Amos Bracken, Robert Rowan, and Byron Swann in a drinking contest along with a few other Braavosi noblemen that they had befriended during their stay in the city. All five of them were quite drunk, Byron more so. They were probably playing their tenth drinking game of the night.
"What are you fools doing? And isn't Byron too young to be in a drinking contest?" He asked as he walked over to them to see Amos pouring wine for everyone.
"I ham shnot shtoo younsh," Byron drunkenly sputtered before retching into a bowl that had been conveniently placed near his feet.
"He is done for isn't he," Robert pointed out as he tried and failed to dance a gold dragon in his finger. He was too drunk to coordinate it.
"It's a new drinking game that Prince Maekar plays, it's called Never Have I Ever," Amos answered after filling everyone's cups. Tyland was familiar with the game, Prince Maekar used to play all sorts of drinking games with his friends from the Fire Watch and the Admiralty.
"Right, and speaking of which where is the Prince," Tyland asked as he took a seat at the table.
"Last I saw, he was with The Nightingale, and the Black Diamond, no doubt they must be in one of their barges," One of the Braavosi at the table said, his name was Tormo Dimittis, and along with him was his brother Anto, they were friends that Tyland and the others struck up during their stay in Braavos.
"Ah yes, the Black Diamond, one of the greatest courtesan of Braavos and the same who rejected you and had you kicked off her barge," Tyland said to Amos with a wide grin who looked away in embarrassment while the others laughed.
"Don't forget the Nightingale," Robert added laughing. While they had to beg and grovel to get courtesans to notice them, nearly every woman in Braavos, courtesan or not would fling themselves at Prince Maekar and why wouldn't they, he was a Royal Prince and a dragon rider while they were but squires who got their tongues tied upon seeing them. Perhaps Jason would have been able to charm his way to the Nightingale's bed or at the very least buy his way to it, Tyland could do the same but it would mean that his friends would become jealous.
"Don't forget, we need to be up tomorrow. We are leaving for the Stepstones and if we are too hungover, Prince Maekar will have our hides," Tyland warned. For some strange reason, no matter how much he drinks, Prince Maekar never suffers from a hangover.
"In that case, I suppose that we shouldn't let Byron play again, he is already too drunk," Robert replied pointing to a two-and-ten nameday old boy who was still shaking. He was the youngest of the lot while Tyland and Amos were the oldest at five and ten.
"It would be better if none of you play," Prince Maekar's voice cut through them. Startled, all of them turned behind to see the Prince looking at them with a smirk.
"My Prince, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be somewhere else," Amos frantically answers.
Prince Maekar laughed with a glint in his eyes that promised a very cruel punishment, "Oh, don't worry about me my dear Amos but I will say this. I will not stop you from playing this game tonight but if I find any of you hungover tomorrow morning, I will make all four of you clean all four decks of the Fiery Drake without any help from the sailors. Remember, we are leaving at first light."
And then the prick sauntered off with a smirk acting like he was magnanimous. Tyland noticed that the Black Diamond and the Nightingale waiting for him at the stairs heading to the pier where the barges were kept.
That immediately sobered Tyland up as it did for both Robert and Amos but not Byron. The Fiery Drake was the flagship of the Royal Fleet, a huge four-decked dromond of four hundred oars and the mightiest of all ships in Westeros. Tyland did not want to clean the decks like how the deckhands clean the decks every morning.
"Oh shit, Byron will never recover in time," Tyland worriedly said as Amos tried to slap Byron back to sobriety.
"This will be worse than that time he sent us off to find the breastplate stretcher," Robert began to panic, a panic that began to spread to all of them except the drunk Byron who then vomited onto Amos' doublet.
"What is a breastplate stretcher?" Anto and Tormo asked curiously only to be met with a "DON'T ASK," from everyone.
"How do we get rid of his hangover?" Amos frantically asked as he tried to clean his doublet.
"He is still drunk, you need him to have a hangover before you can get rid of it," Tormo pointed out with a chuckle as he poured more wine for himself.
Amos grimly remarked, "We are never letting Byron drink again."
Robert darkly replied, "We are never letting you start drinking games again."
"I suggest you give him water and along with it, go to a healer or an apothecary shop and see if they have something. I am sure that they will," Tormo helpfully said but then Anto continued, "Though I doubt that any shop is open at this time and most healers might themselves be drunk."
Amos declared, "Doesn't matter, we must try to find something," He quickly got up but he barely took a step before staggering and falling face first.
Robert looked to Tyland, "I can't move, even when I turn my head, it starts spinning."
Tyland then tried to get up and for a moment it was alright but then he immediately retched onto the table.
"We are fucked aren't we," Tyland despondently said as he wiped his mouth and as Robert began weeping.
"Get to work, boys," Prince Maekar said with a wicked chuckle as the four of them groaned while the smirking sailors handed them the brush and the buckets.
Bloodstone, Stepstones
"With Qoren Martell siding with the Triarchy, we now have four enemies against us. Our supply ships from Driftmark are being intercepted by Racallio Ryndoon and whenever Daemon flies off to find him not that he ever finds him Craghas Drahar and Sharako Lohar attack from the north and south and the same thing happens the other way around. All the while the Dornish have now landed troops on the Western islands," Vaemond half complains and half reports as Corlys closes his eyes in tiredness.
Corlys felt a headache coming, "What is our situation about our supplies?"
"We are rationing. Even that won't last us a month, not one of our ships can escape Racallio Ryndoon," Vaemond grouses. The low supplies and the endless fighting were having a bad effect on the men's morale. It was only a matter of time before the men lost the will to fight.
"We have a fucking dragon and its rider and yet we find ourselves losing," Vaemond snarled, and while Corlys didn't like his nephew's attitude he couldn't fault him for it.
Corlys rubs his face as he says, "We have but one dragon and our enemy comes from four different places. Whenever Caraxes even approaches them they immediately run and sail away in all directions and if Daemon spends too much chasing them, another one of them turns around and attacks while Daemon is away."
Even a dragon rider cannot be everywhere at all times, most times the enemy attacks the garrisons in far-flung islands, slaughters them, sets everything on fire, and then leaves, leaving nothing but ash and corpses for Corlys and Daemon to find. It was bleeding Corlys dry in both blood and gold. If those cowards bothered to stay and fight, they would have certainly won.
During the first phase of the war, Corlys and Daemon had cornered Craghas Drahar at Bloodstone, only for him to slip out and escape the night before the first assault. One of his trusted captains was lax in maintaining the blockade and it cost them the final victory. Daemon took the captain's head for his failure and Corlys couldn't find himself to stop him yet in the end, it made no difference for Cragahs Drahar had escaped to rejoin the Triarchy to lead a new fleet from Myr.
Things became so bad that many were starting to desert, not just Daemon's sellswords but even his men, true Velaryon men born and raised in Driftmark.
"Why can't we just take the fight to the Triarchy and attack them instead?" Vaemond then asked with a snarl, "We may not have the men to occupy them but we can sack them or something. Why can't Daemon simply fly and burn them to ash?"
Corlys sighed, "That would have ended the war for us and for good if not for both the King and the Sealord. Among the conditions for them to support us in this venture, we couldn't attack any of the Free Cities no matter what, if we did then Viserys would cut off all the gold while the Sealord would instead switch sides and attack us along with high tariffs for goods from Driftmark and to merchants from Driftmark. He made it a point to include the House of Black and White in that conversation as many times as he could, his implication was obvious even for a child."
No doubt the Sealord doesn't want to set up a precedent where a dragon-riding Targaryen can attack a Free City and raze it to the ground. Even Aegon the Conqueror attacked the Volantene fleet meant for attacking Lys during the Century of Blood and no more.
Nobody in Essos wants a Targaryen flying around destroying the Free Cities despite how much they hate each other, they hate being under the fear of the dragonlords more and love their independence much more. Even Daemon for all his bravado didn't want to risk the Faceless men, nobody in their right mind would. The fact that Corlys betrothed his only daughter to the Sealord's son meant nothing in that regard.
The only piece of good news that he received since starting the war for the Stepstones was that the leach Otto Hightower had been dismissed as Hand of the King for pestering Viserys too much on the issue of succession. The wine felt good and sweet that day. A sweet moment in a bitter war.
Corlys heard the screeching sound of Caraxes, it meant that Daemon was back, not that it made a difference at this point.
When Daemon entered the command tent, he threw his helmet at the cot before plopping himself on the chair next to him and immediately poured himself whatever was left of their watered-down wine. His once golden cloak was now dirty and bloody, you could barely see the gold.
"The garrison in Torturer's Deep is dead, the camp has been burnt to ash," Daemon announced after drinking.
Corlys sighed and asked, "Who is now in charge of Torturer's Deep?"
Daemon shrugged, "I would assume that it is the Stranger who is in charge for I did not leave any garrison there. The men were on the verge of mutiny and even if I forced them to stay, they would have deserted in the night or worse, defected."
Daemon had a point, things were getting desperate for them, if Corlys were a lesser man, he would have gathered his men and sailed back home with his tail between his legs. But he wasn't a lesser man, he was a man who had seen every inch and breadth of the world, he would be damned if he ever gave up in front of a bunch of pirates.
A messenger then entered the tent and gave the missive to Corlys, and left immediately. The way Daemon treats messengers is well known.
Corlys opened the missive and read, he felt relief and apprehension flow through him. He put it down and turned to Vaemond, "Vaemond, can you go and check our supplies? See to it that they are in good order and that nothing is missing since the last inspection."
His nephew was surprised but he followed his order without question and left the tent. Daemon turned to Corlys and pointed to the message, "What is it?"
"Reinforcements are arriving," Corlys answered at first to which Daemon raised his eyebrow, "From where?"
Corlys quietly answers, "From King's Landing and Braavos."
Daemon is silent for a while before he asks, "Who is leading them?"
Corlys doesn't answer first before saying, "You know full well who is leading them."
Corlys could feel Daemon boil from within before he flung the empty pitcher across the tent, "I would rather die than accept his help."
"Why do you hate him so much?" Corlys asked after a few minutes of tense silence, "I figured that you would have outgrown your childish hate by now."
"Childish," Daemon scoffs, "Growing up, I feared for Viserys, I was his younger brother and he was meant to be King after our father. I feared that whore Viserra would try to make Maekar as King, my grandmother certainly thought so. That fear increased when Viserra took Silverwing and threatened to burn Oldtown to the ground if my father and grandfather sent Maekar to the Citadel."
"For the most part, I saw Maekar as a threat to Viserys, not because of him but because of his mother. The fact that the little prick was a cunt hiding under a veneer of harmlessness made it more so. Both my father and brother saw Maekar as a disinterested boy more interested in sleeping in the middle of court and inclined to sweet wine rather than the cunning fox inside that I saw him as. And tell me Corlys, is the same person who now sits by brother's side as Master of Ships the same boy who you saw at the Great Council."
Corlys couldn't deny it, the lazy prince more interested in escaping his overbearing mother during the Great Council was not the same as the one who now happened to be one of the most powerful men in the Seven Kingdoms.
"He played everyone for a fool after he bonded with Vermithor after that I begged Viserys to bond with Dreamfyre, seven hells, even Aemma begged him to do so, to ensure that any of Viserra's plots should there ever be one, never come to fruition but he steadfastly refused to do as a stubborn ox. He believed that Maekar and Viserra wouldn't stoop as low as to commit kinslaying."
Corlys thought back to the time when he plotted with Viserra only for Maekar to put an end to it by declaring that he would not commit kinslaying.
"You are right when you say that Maekar was a fox who deceived most of us into thinking that he was harmless until he placed his axe at necks but Viserys is right when he says that Maekar and Viserra won't commit kinslaying. People haven't forgotten Maegor, especially after what Saera said. Nobody is more accursed than the kinslayer. Why else do you think Rhaenys and I didn't start a war when Rhaenys was stripped of her inheritance? Nobody wants to be a kinslayer."
"How can you be certain that Maekar won't become a kinslayer?" Daemon then asked narrowing his eyes, "Otto hides his ambition behind a cloak of duty and honor while Maekar hides it behind a cloak of laziness and indifference, no wonder the two of them are friends."
"Because if Maekar wanted to seize the throne, then he could have done it at any point since when you were exiled," Corlys pointed out, "His Fire Watch holds much more power in King's Landing now much more than the City Watch which is now in disfavor. But Maekar hasn't done anything of the sort but serve Viserys faithfully. The alliance between Otto and Maekar died the minute Otto was removed from his position."
And with Harwin Strong in the City Watch and Lyonel Strong as Hand, the City Watch might find itself back in favor. Though they might never reach the heights they had under Daemon, not with a powerful Fire Watch in the city.
"His bloody Fire Watch," Daemon muttered, "He and Otto were trying to counter me and it was obvious for anyone with half a brain. Why the bloody hell Viserys agreed to it I will never understand. The City Watch could deal with fires in the city just as well. They had been dealing with fires all this while."
Daemon then angrily pointed out, "Last time I checked, murder was a crime, yet the second I had left the city, my men began to be murdered by Maekar's men in broad daylight and Viserys did nothing but strip me of my rightful place as his heir. It was only after word began to spread across the realm and beyond that a war had erupted in the city between my men and Maekar's that Viserys finally did something about it. Last I heard, nobody was punished for it, everyone began to pretend that it never occurred."
Corlys responded evenly, "Everyone knows that Maekar was responsible for starting the murders but everyone also knows why he did so. Your men tried to extort Maekar's tenants in broad daylight. And let's face it Daemon, if this was anybody else's tenants nobody would have given a fuck but it wasn't and more importantly, I doubt that your men would dare do something like that unless you gave the blessing for it."
Daemon looked away for a moment, "I expected him to complain to Viserys about it in the Small Council where Viserys would side with me but everything flew out of the window after that one drunken toast that I never should have said."
"But you did say it and Maekar took matters into his own hands, something you will learn in life. Nothing ever goes the way you plan," Corlys replied to which Daemon chuckled, "I bet you have a lot of experience in that."
"And what about my title as King of the Stepstones?" Daemon then asked as the two of them settled into silence.
"We will have to negotiate it with Maekar, he is not wholly without reason as you might think," Corlys answered after thinking for a while.
A fortnight later
"I am terribly sorry that I am late, we would have been here earlier but I was invited to be the guest of honor during this year's celebration for the Unmasking of Braavos," Maekar said with a smile as a haggard-looking Corlys, Daemon, and Vaemond glared at him and his officers as they met in the command tent.
Then the prick had the gall to ask, "What happened to you guys? You all look like you haven't eaten or slept for a month much less taken a bath."
Corlys quickly spoke before Daemon snapped at him, "In case, you didn't realize we have been fighting a war for the past three years. As of late the tide of the war has turned against us and we find ourselves hard pressed to win."
Corlys was grateful that Maekar made it through with his entire fleet, the supplies he brought with him were a godsend and for once the men's morale soared. Corlys took a look at Maekar and his men, they were fresh and ready, a few weeks and they would be just like everyone else.
Their armor looked freshly made but it was Maekar's armor that stood out the most, the silver plate armor had the three-headed dragon of House Targaryen decorated in black diamonds on its breastplate. His helm placed on the table was fashioned with bat-like steel dragon wings on the side.
"A tale as to which I would love to know why," Maekar replied, "Is Caraxes not good enough to deal with a bunch of pirates?" He was trying to provoke Daemon into lashing out in front of his captains, "According to rumors in the Seven Kingdoms, they saw whenever the Blood Wyrm arrives his enemies flee for their lives."
"You little bitch," Daemon hissed, "You know full well about our troubles here. The fact that they run away whenever I show up is the problem, they don't stay long enough to die, even when I try to chase them, someone else attacks when I am away. We don't know when they attack and by the time we arrive it's too late for our garrisons, any spies that we try to place amongst their ranks are either killed or fed false reports to trick us."
Maekar pointed out, "I must say that is a serious amount of coordination and trust between the three admirals. I would have figured that all three of them would rather eat their right leg instead of working with each other."
Vaemond then spoke up, "But how do they do it?"
Maekar shrugged, "Isn't it obvious, they plan these attacks well ahead of time, one of them attacks at a certain place at a certain time that is predetermined to draw out Daemon or Corlys or maybe both, and after a certain amount of time has passed the others will attack their predetermined places to inflict the most damage. There are only two of you and three of them, now four. Even if Corlys were to split his fleet to deal with all of them, all it would do would be stretch the fleet too thin and leave them at the mercy of a fully stocked and ready fleet from one of the Free City that would be twice their size."
Daemon finished it, "And if I didn't take the bait in wait for the others, it would give the one who did the initial attack free reign to do whatever the fuck he wants, Even when I attempt to chase them each ship splits off on its own, I destroy a few every time but nowhere close to what I can if the fleets were together. In the end, the ships make it to any of the three cities."
Daemon could easily outfly the fastest ships but hunting each ship one after the other took a lot of time and the Free Cities weren't very far, once the cities came into view from the horizon, Daemon had to break off his pursuit.
Maekar then remarked, "I must say, whoever does their probability calculations is very good," Whatever that meant, Maekar had a habit of speaking in strange words.
Daemon turned to Maekar, "Did Viserys allow you to attack the Free Cities?"
Maekar shook his head, "No I am afraid not, I am under the same political and diplomatic restrictions as you are."
"How many men and ships did you bring?" Corlys asked as one of Maekar's squires poured newly brought Arbor gold for them. The sweet wine was a delight at this point.
Maekar replied, "Around six thousand men and ninety ships. Sixty of them are from the Royal Fleet while the rest are from Braavos. How many do you have?"
"Around fifteen hundred men and less than twenty sea-worthy ships," Corlys answered after drinking deeply from his cup.
Daemon asked after he drank, "So what is the plan to deal with these vermin? I refuse to stay fighting like this for another damn day,"
"I was going to suggest that we do the same thing that you have been doing all this while for at least a month," Maekar replied, "We need the Triarchy thinking that my arrival hasn't changed anything. They must believe that they still have the advantage, there are two dragons instead of one but now we have four enemies as well."
"And after a month of insufferable hell, what do you intend on doing?" Daemon asked scoffing.
"We have a public fight, a fight about which everyone with an ear hears, especially the Triarchy, and then after the fight we both fly off in different directions and abandon the campaign, leaving Corlys and our men to the tender mercies of the Triarchy. Corlys here will withdraw all ships and men to defend Bloodstone, letting them claim back all the remaining islands, before gathering together for the final assault on Bloodstone. This time without dragons, they will take their chances."
"Everyone knows that Daemon and I don't like each other so they will never expect us to return," Maekar finishes.
"Corlys will make a fine juicy bait," Daemon said with a chuckle.
"True, the Triarchy would love to take my scalp," Corlys agreed with a chuckle, "I am fine with being a bait but when will you return and where will you go."
Maekar promptly answered, "We can return after a month by that time, not only would the Triarchy confirm that we are no longer in the Stepstones or returning but also time for them to gather all their strength with their Dornish allies and attack Bloodstone. Daemon can go to Pentos while I go to the Stormlands."
Corlys nodded, "That would work," but Vaemond protested, "That will never work, the second the men know that the two of you have abandoned the campaign they will desert. And we can't tell them that you will return because that might pass on to the Triarchy."
"True, which is why only the senior officers will be told of this, as for keeping the men disciplined, I believe that job must fall to you," Daemon said looking at Vaemond. For the first time, Daemon and Maekar could agree on something.
Then Daemon turned to Maekar and asked, "What about me and my Kingdom in the Stepstones? The entire point of you arriving here is to claim them for Viserys yet all I see is Viserys and you trying to strip me of my hard-earned kingdom."
Corlys didn't doubt that Daemon would give the Stepstones back to Viserys once he got bored of ruling the Stepstones but never in front of Maekar.
Maekar didn't reply directly to Daemon but turned to his Lannister squire and said, "Give me the map," The boy quickly brought forth a map and unfurled it on the table. Corlys expected to have a long negotiation with Maekar but he was left pleasantly surprised.
"I have painted the map for everyone's benefit," Maekar said pointing to the islands.
"This is Tyrosh, we can't do anything about it but these islands in the North and East, I wish to take it for the Iron Throne, while Bloodstone, Grey Gallows, and all the remaining islands will be yours. And this line that you see drawn over here, this will be the only shipping lane that the Iron Throne will control it will be toll-free for all ships bearing the Targaryen flag, the rest will be yours."
Corlys looked at the map with Daemon and it was a good deal, a very generous one.
"I tried to get more islands but Viserys was the one who decided this," Maekar revealed and Daemon was sold.
"Fine, I will accept this," He grumbled.
Maekar got up as his squired rolled up the map and before he left the tent with his captains he turned to Vaemond and said, "My men know that I will never abandon them, if it looks like I have left then it must be a stratagem to trick the enemy. If your men lack discipline then the fault lies with the commander, in other words, with all three of you, the fact that you are not good commanders is not my fault."
He then walked out of the tent with his squires and captains.
"I told you that the little bastard was a prick," Daemon remarked with gritted teeth and Corlys couldn't help but agree, he knew how to prick their pride.
Two Months Later
"BATTLE SPEED," Corlys commanded as the Sea Snake surged forward to meet its foe.
All across the line, the Royalist ships gave the same command as drums began to beat furiously, oars rose and fell as the ships surged to meet their enemy head-on, all the while a flight of flickering orange birds took wing from the island, around twenty of them, pots of burning pitch arcing over their fleet trailing out threads of flame before some of them find the decks of the enemy ships and spreading flame when they shattered while the seas eat the rest.
Maekar's plan worked like a charm for all four enemies converged on Bloodstone from all sides, Craghas Drahar, Racallio Ryndoon, Sharako Lohar, and Qoren Martell, all four of them would die today. It was a difficult month but it would all be worth it provided Daemon and Maekar arrived on time.
Soon the trebuchets from the island fell silent as they entered the striking range.
"ARCHERS, CROSSBOWMEN, CATAPULTS, SPITFIRES, SCORPIONS," Corlys loudly commanded, their crews awaiting orders, "LOOSE AT WILL."
As everyone released their quarry, all of it aimed for the enemy ship heading straight for them, upon impact, the top deck of that ship was ripped apart, every living soul on the top deck was killed, and the mast broke and fell as some of the rigging caught on fire.
Corlys turned to the helmsman and the oar master, "We needn't ram or board this ship, there is a bigger one behind her to deal with, let the others deal with her." He pointed to the ship behind the first one, a ship big enough to match the Sea Snake.
All across the battlefront, the first line was engaged, grappling hooks were flung out, iron rams crashed through wooden hulls, boarders swarmed, flighted of arrows whispered across the air, and men died.
As Corlys prepared his ship to ram the new challenger on the port side, he noticed Vaemond upon the Ice Wolf ready to ram into the starboard side of the same ship. Vaemond had seen the chance and across the sea, they both nodded.
As both the Sea Snake and the Ice Wolf surged forward as the oars increased their pace, the Sea Snake flew, the water turning white as it parted for his prow. Corlys could see a little broadside and that was an opening that he wouldn't miss.
The Sea Snake and the Ice Wolf rammed into the sides of the same enemy ship within an instant of each other ramming both sides of her fore with such force that the men on the aft fell overboard while the fore was torn apart on both sides.
The moment the Sea Snake and the Ice Wolf reversed their oars, water rushed into the gaps and immediately the ship began to sink by the bow as the ship began to break into pieces, spilling everyone on board into the water. The living swam while the dead floated, and those wearing heavy mail and plate armor sank to the bottom of the sea. His archers and crossbowmen began picking off the survivors trying to swim to safety.
A flash of green caught his eye, Corlys turned around to see howling streams of wildfire pouring out of bronze contraptions present on all Royal ships. Long streams of flame erupted from their nozzles as they were spewed onto the decks of the enemy. Wildfire was a sword with no hilt, it could just as easily erupt into flames aboard the Royal ships, yet Maekar seemed to have taken this gamble. Before he left, Maekar had commanded his captains not to use the wildfire until the final battle for this very reason, the Triarchy wouldn't have seen it coming and they would not have been prepared for the green death of the Alchemists.
Most of the corsairs aboard the ships perished in the inferno while those who tried to escape into the water found to their horror that wildfire burns in water as well. Any ship that met the Royal Fleet found itself aflame and before long, the Triarchy's attack faltered as their first two lines of attack were wiped out, yet as they retreated the Royal ships did not give chase, they were more disciplined than Corlys gave them credit for.
As both sides began to rearrange for yet another confrontation, the loud screeching roar of Caraxes and the thunderous rolling roar of Vermithor were finally heard. A sound that he had been praying for nearly a month.
As he looked up he saw the forms of both Vermithor and Caraxes as they arrived from east and west and descended into the stunned Triarchy fleet that was in disarray. For they could even blink, the dragons opened their maws and spewed forth their hellfire.
The Division of the Stepstones:
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Light Blue: Tyrosh
Red: Iron Throne
Purple: Daemon's Kingdom
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The Bronze Prince (ASOIAF SI)
Leonelfallen
Chapter 5: The Governor-General
Chapter Text
110 AC
Dragon's Deep (Formerly known as Torturer's Deep)
Tyland watched with the other spectators as Prince Maekar sparred with his personal guard, the Dragon's Teeth in the training yard. The construction of the fortress on the island was not yet completed but the main training yard was first built along with the camp. It was blocked off from the remainder of the camp by a rectangular stone wall with four large torches at the corners. Two arched gates bearing the Targaryen heraldry led into the court, a flat and spacious dirt field
The Dragon's Teeth were warriors clad in heavy mail and dragon-scale armor wielding long axes to deadly effect. They made a fearsome sight with their faces covered by aventail attached to their half helm. They were the best warriors in the army, men who were burly and strong—those who could best wield the axe, and all loyal to Prince Maekar. There were around five hundred strong each of them chosen by Prince Maekar.
Amos came up to Tyland and asked, "How long has he been at it?" Prince Maekar delivered a vicious two-handed blow that gave out a sickening sound of the wood on the shield of his opponent starting to crack. His opponent was Jon Fletcher, one of Prince Maekar's lieutenants.
Back in Westeros people would be surprised to hear his full name, commoners didn't have surnames but Prince Maekar gave all his men surnames, most took the names of the trade their fathers plied such as Cook, Miller, Smith, Fletcher, and Tanner, while others took more creative names such as Ironhand, Blue-eyes. Everyone found it an odd practice and absurd thing but nobody wanted to question Prince Maekar's choices so they kept quiet.
"All morning," Tyland replied as Jon Fletcher returned with a swing of his own that Prince Maekar dodged before going on the offensive.
With a savage cry, Prince Maekar brought down the axe in a savage cut that broke Jon Fletcher's shield into splinters, with splinters of wood flying around, Prince Maekar advanced and with a half swing, knocked off whatever was left of Jon Fletcher's shield before forcing him to yield.
"Aren't you leaving today?" Tyland asked turning to him as the next warrior Donnel Baker came to spar with Prince Maekar.
Amos nodded, "I am, there is a ship heading for Maidenpool tonight. My bags are packed, I can't wait to go home, to see my parents and my brothers. I left Stone Hedge as a boy, a squire, and now I return a man, a knight, and unlike others, I can say that I have rightly earned my spurs in battle. And so can you."
Tyland nodded, after the Battle of Bloodstone Prince Maekar knighted both of them for their bravery and actions. In the ships where Tyland and Amos were stationed, the captains and first mates were killed by stray crossbow bolts or rather by well-aimed crossbow bolts from the Myrish crossbowmen. Tyland and Amos took command of their ships and they successfully repelled the boarding parties against them. They bloodied their swords and earned their first kills thereby earning their spurs.
"What about you Tyland? When are you going home?" Amos asked him as Prince Maekar began sparring with Donnel Baker.
Tyland shook his head, "Not anytime soon I am afraid for my Father wants me to stay in court with Prince Maekar. Also, Jason hasn't been knighted yet so it is best that I return after he earns his spurs."
Prince Maekar was named the Governor-General of the Stepstones by the King, so that meant for the foreseeable future Tyland would be with him in the Stepstones before he returned to court in King's Landing.
"Surely, they will give your brother a knighthood sooner than you think," Amos replied to which Tyland again shook his head.
"Not so, my parents don't want people to whisper that I earned my spurs in the field of battle while Jason earned his simply to catch up to me. Most likely Jason will be knighted after dealing with a band of bandits that are plaguing the hills of the Golden Tooth."
Amos nodded in understanding as Prince Maekar and Donnel Baker exchanged blow for blow. The Prince was faster while Baker was stronger but slower which made the difference after a few minutes of fierce sparring when finally Baker's axe hit the dirt.
As Prince Maekar took a break, another two entered the sparring ring, Alan Cook and Blane Smith. As they sparred, Amos began speaking again, "No doubt my father will be boasting about my knighthood for the rest of his life," Amos said with a chuckle to which Tyland couldn't help but smile, "Especially in front of the Blackwoods."
Amos thinks back, "I remember the day when Prince Maekar chose me over Samwell Blackwood. It was during a tourney in Darry to celebrate Lord Darry's newborn daughter. Prince Maekar was the main guest, I remember pissing my breeches upon seeing Vermithor for the first time, then again Samwell Blackwood fainted, so mayhaps that helped my case, who knows?"
Tyland laughed heartily before saying, "My first time with Vermithor was something like that. It was my aunt's marriage to Lord Lefford. Prince Maekar came in place of the King. I don't know what deal my father made with Prince Maekar but the morning after the wedding, my father took me to meet Prince Maekar near the place where the dragon was sleeping. Our arrival woke him up and he was not happy but I didn't faint though I have a feeling my father did. I don't remember much else from that morning but I do know this, seeing my brother's jealous face made it all worth it."
Amos laughed at it more, "I think that it was the same for Robert. It was his uncle's wedding tourney when Prince Maekar took him as the third squire."
The part where Byron was taken as a squire was left unsaid perhaps for the best. After it was known that Lady Johanna Swann had been taken prisoner and her uncle refused to pay the ransom, the King, or rather the Hand of the King Ser Otto, sent Prince Maekar to Stonehelm to convince Lord Swann to pay the ransom.
It was obvious what happened when Byron was taken a squire while Lord Swann went to Lys to pay the ransom by himself instead of sending someone in his stead. Last Tyland heard, Lady Johanna was now the second wife to Lord Royce Caron. A happy ending to the story if one chooses to ignore the whispers of tyranny.
It hurt Tyland to admit it but he would miss Amos, he was a friend and his absence would him and the others. He was the funny one of the group
Later that night they had a farewell feast for Amos. Towards the end, Prince Maekar said to Amos, "Remember Amos. Remember everything that I have taught you, remember everything that you have learned, and put it to good use. And most importantly don't let your head stay in the clouds."
"There will be many trying to test you and taunt you in their jealousy, be they old or young, friends or family, especially since you have earned your spurs in the blood of war which not many can boast. Don't let it get to you. Don't fall prey to pride for I have told you many a time, that pride comes before the fall."
"And most importantly, don't start fights with the Blackwoods," Everyone in the great tent laughed.
Amos nodded with a smile, "I will not fall prey to pride, my Prince, and I will not start fights with the Blackwoods but don't blame me if they start the fights," He japed as everyone laughed and the Prince broke out a chuckle.
Robert then wrapped his arm around Amos' shoulder and raised his cup, "TO SER AMOS."
"TO SER AMOS," Everyone in the great tent cheered by raising their cups.
Tyland then hugged Amos, "Don't be a stranger, Amos."
"You too Tyland," Amos said with a smile.
A Few Weeks Later
"So what work do we have for today?" Prince Maekar asked as they sat down in the main tent where the administration of the Iron Throne held islands occurred. Byron stood as the cupbearer while Robert served as Prince Maekar's secretary and aide.
Prince Maekar had appointed Tyland as his Lieutenant Governor as he was the only one of sufficient rank and status in the army to help him administer the islands. Robert and Byron were still squires while the rest were commoners and had no experience or education in administration. Most of the remaining knights were simple-minded brutes or illiterate. Not everyone could afford a Maester in their keeps and not everyone had a desire to read.
"A representative from the Royal King's Landing Trading Company is here to see you," Robert announced.
"Ah yes, show him in," Prince Maekar nodded and Robert left to bring the man inside.
The Royal King's Landing Trading Company is the first of its kind in Westeros. Tyland saw its inception the same month he first became Prince Maekar's squire. Prince Maekar built the Royal King's Landing Trading Company alongside the Royal Fleet.
During the Triarchy's occupation of the Stepstones, many a merchant in King's Landing had been ruined and sent into massive debts due to the Triarchy's oppressive tolls something that became more pronounced after Prince Dameon and the Seasnake began their war which blocked all shipping lanes from King's Landing to Volantis and beyond.
The King tasked the Prince and Lord Beesbury to solve the issue of the merchants complaining daily at court. So Prince Maekar gathered the important merchants and traders of King's Landing and asked them to join together to fund the trading voyages instead of one or two men funding a single ship on their own. They would all pool their money together and fund the voyage and everyone would earn a share of the profits according to their contribution. Even if the ships were lost, the effect wouldn't be as damaging as the damage would be spread evenly and wouldn't ruin them.
To increase confidence in the venture, Prince Maekar put his money into the voyage which convinced many of them and the first voyages to Braavos and Pentos were a success. Followed by a daring and successful voyage to Volantis and back, it increased even more confidence in the Trading Company which in turn meant more people began to invest more money into it in hopes for a greater profit.
Eventually, the ship captains also began to contribute to earn more through their voyages and so did everyone in the city who had the coins to buy shares in the company. Anyone with silver stags to spare from Blacksmiths to Brothel owners would invest until the company received a Royal Charter within a year. However, it still faced losses whenever ships were lost in the Stepstones due to the war but there were skilled captains on fast ships who managed to brave the war-ridden Stepstones and escape the Triarchy.
After receiving the charter the Trading Company expanded further with merchants and Lords from the eastern coast of Westeros contributing for a share in the profits, from the Darklyns of Duskendale to the Mootons of Maidenpool, the Graftons, and the Arryns of Gulltown, and even the Manderlys of White Harbor. After the war was won, more and more ships began bending their oars and turning their sails further east in search of silk, spices, and porcelain going as far as the Jade Sea.
Last time he was in King's Landing, Tyland heard one of the Company servants boasting in a tavern that the Company had around a hundred and fifty ships under its payroll and a trading outpost in every single port on the eastern coast of Westeros, from White Harbor to Whitehead town.
The representative, Roger Iron enters the tent, he has a square face with brown eyes and grey balding hair. He had a stout body but he walked with a confident gait. He wore a long purple wool coat and as he approached Prince Maekar and Tyland, he stopped and bowed.
"Your Grace, My Lord," He courteously said as he raised his head.
"It has been a while Roger," Prince Maekar said with a tone of familiarity, "Come, sit."
"Indeed, Your Grace," Roger said as he sat down and Byron began to pour wine for them, "And also, congratulations on your new appointment."
Prince Maekar rolled his eyes, "Trust me, it's not that great of an appointment."
"The Royal King's Landing Trading Company would beg to disagree, having the Triarchy tear itself apart and with its heinous occupation of the Stepstone brought to a stop, the Company certainly loves it. Of course, having our Royal Patron and founding member serve as the Governor-General of the Stepstones is indeed advantageous, not to mention, a whole shipping lane that is toll-free for our ships. Who wouldn't want that?"
"Corlys Velaryon," Prince Maekar dryly replied to which they both laughed while Tyland smiled. The Seansnake certainly did not like the way trade in the Seven Kingdoms had changed while he was gone. It left him at a disadvantage for the Trading Company was slowly gaining a monopoly over the eastern part of Westeros.
"So I assume that you are here to establish the trading outpost of the Company here in Dragon's Den," Tyland then spoke to which Roger nodded.
"We have already allocated land for the establishment of the outpost as well for the Company Lodge, when will you begin?" Tyland asked as Robert handed him the papers signifying the agreement.
"We will begin immediately," Roger answered as he signed and affixed the Company seal on the document, "I have brought along servants of the Company along with builders and building materials. There is no need for delay."
"As you may have noticed while coming, a town has already started to grow by the harbor and the harbor is a natural deep harbor which has made things easier for all of us," Prince Maekar said as he and Tyland signed and affixed their seal to the document before giving it to Roger.
"Indeed, no wonder they called it the Dragon's Deep," Roger said as he looked over the document once more. "I do not doubt that this island will become the beating heart of the Stepstones, not Bloodstone."
That Afternoon
After spending the whole morning smoothening the finer points with the Trading Company, they had a surprising guest for the afternoon.
"Prince Maekar, Ser Tyland, my name is Colio Odorys, and this is my uncle Daanio Odorys," The green-bearded Tyroshi said to them as he and his purple-haired uncle removed their feather hats and sat down. While they did look odd compared to the normal Westerosi, they didn't have the same air of flamboyant, boisterous, and greediness that Tyland had associated with the Tyroshi, rather they looked as stern and serious as Northmen.
"Well met, Lord Colio and Lord Daanio, but I find myself at a loss to know why the two of you have decided to seek an audience with me," Prince Maekar answered. They could have conversed in High Valyrian but Prince Maekar asked them to switch to the Common Tongue for his benefit. While Tyland knew a few words in High Valyrian, it was nowhere close to making a proper conversation.
Ever since the victory at Bloodstone, the Triarchy tore itself apart with each city blaming the other for the defeat. Each city was in the midst of a power struggle with most of their leading magisters murdered by their political rivals who blamed them for the defeat. This Tyroshi was no different from the many who were claiming to be the new Archon of Tyrosh, those who were established quickly found themselves murdered and the cycle of instability continued.
For the Battle of the Stepstone, each city threw everything they had, their ships, their best warriors, and all the sellswords that they could hire and not a soul returned to tell the tale. With their entire military leadership dead, and their fleets and armies destroyed, the erstwhile Triarchy became an attractive target to everyone. Volantis declared war on Lys while Pentos did the same to Myr and a few Dothraki horse lords decided to visit them at the same time.
As for the cities themselves, each found themselves amid utter chaos as panic gripped their cities and any true leadership and response to their external threats was undermined by the political murders and the politicking of the surviving Magisters.
All the while Dorne had its own succession crisis, Qoren Martell died without an heir or immediate siblings which meant that his cousins who were Lords and Ladies in their own right began to fight amongst themselves for the Sunspear along with the minor Martell cousins, far removed from the actual line of succession. The closest claimant was Lord Uller while the others were Lady Blackmont, Lady Allyrion, Lord Toland, and Lord Manwoody along with some minor Martell who still held Sunspear, all the while House Yronwood declared themselves as the High Kings of Dorne once more.
The realm, especially the Reach and the Stormlands clamored for war, for a final conquest of Dorne to end Aegon's conquest once and for all, but the King once again refused, though he allowed the Marcher Lords to begin counter-raiding into Dorne, something that they had already been doing for a long while.
There was a seven-way war in Dorne and there was nothing that the Lords could do other than watch, and unlike the Seasnake, Prince Daemon, and Prince Maekar, they didn't have the power and connections to wage a private war and get away without repercussions. Sometimes Tyland wondered if the King's brothers took away the King's spine when it came to matters of security for the Seven Kingdoms.
"I humbly request your help to help me gain the Archonship of Tyrosh and put an end to the instability of Tyrosh," Colio boldly said and for a moment Tyland wondered if the man had lost his wits but it seemed that the man was rather serious.
After a moment of confused silence, Prince Maekar spoke bemusedly, "I am sorry, did you just say that you want me to help you capture Tyrosh?"
The older man who was his uncle nodded and said, "Yes, we need your help. We are willing to offer a very substantial gift for it."
For a moment Prince Maekar's eyes turn to Tyland before turning back to them, and says, "I am not a mercenary for hire in case you didn't realize but I am a wee bit curious as to how substantial will this gift be?"
"How substantial does it need to be?" Colio returned.
Prince Maekar threw a number, "Twenty thousand pounds of gold."
"Done," Colio said immediately and his uncle didn't bat an eye.
Both Prince Maekar and Tyland were shocked as were Robert and Byron and the other scribes, accountants, and clerks inside the tent. Even as a Lannister, Tyland found the price to be ridiculous yet the man was willing to pay it.
"Do you wish to hire my services as a mercenary or do you wish to become a client state of the Iron Throne?" Prince Maekar asked the question that would define Westeros and Essos for generations to come.
"As a client king or Archon, if you will have me," Colio answered, "Make my enemies your enemies, make me the Archon of Tyrosh and I promise you that I will side with you and help you in all your future dealings. Not to mention, the many benefits your Royal King's Landing Trading Company can enjoy while I am around."
Prince Maekar shook his head and snorted, "I am going to need a lot more assurances than just better trade deals for the Trading Company, I need to ensure lasting peace and security for the Stepstones, and for that, I need some serious assurances and changes in Tyrosh."
"And what would you want as assurances and changes?" Daanio asked.
"Well, for starters a treaty that lays out all the specifics of your client statehood for all to know, such as Tyrosh will not be allowed to have more than twenty warships. More ships than that and it will be seen as a threat to the holdings of the Iron Throne in the Stepstones."
"Acceptable," Daanio agreed to which Colio nodded, "Besides, it was your brother and yourself who destroyed nearly all of Tyrosh's fleet and nobody has the time or resources to rebuild it presently."
"Tyrosh will not be allowed to hire any sellsword companies or sellsails and Tyrosh will not be allowed to wage war on any of the Free Cities without permission from the Iron Throne. Tyrosh will not be allowed to negotiate any peace treaties with the other Free Cities," Prince Maekar continued. Tyland wondered if this would break the negotiations but to his utter surprise Colio agreed to it.
Colio asked, "Naturally as your client kingdom, we will be expecting that the Iron Throne will step in and fight for the defense of Tyrosh should it ever come under attack. Is it not?"
Prince Maekar grudgingly nodded, "Yes, we will," before he whispered under his breath, "You are damn lucky that the old Sealord is dead and the new one doesn't know a damn thing about the conditions he placed on me."
Tyland turned to Prince Maekar and whispered, "Is this wise?"
Prince Maekar whispered back, "Tyrosh is an island, there is no fear of Dothraki attacking them and we will take care of whatever Dothraki horde attacks the mainland holdings whenever they show up and as of late the Dothraki prefer to fight amongst themselves, as for the others, they will have to attack by sea which means sailing into our waters. There isn't a single fool in Essos who would dare challenge us now."
Prince Maekar laid out the conditions, "Remember, if anyone in Tyrosh starts a diplomatic incident affecting the Iron Throne or any crime in Westeros or affecting Westeros, they will be judged to the full extent of Westerosi law, the remaining civil matters and administration will be left to you. As long as you pay your yearly tribute and don't revolt we will leave you alone."
"Will the Iron Throne place a garrison in Tyrosh?" Daanio asked.
Prince Maekar nodded, "Of course, naturally we shall place a garrison and a squadron of ships in your city with a few garrisons on the mainland. After all, as your overlords, we need to ensure that you are well-defended. You can have your household guards as well." The two of them discussed and whispered with each other before agreeing to it.
Prince Maekar turned to Tyland and whispered, "There is only one thing that will put an end to this mummer's farce."
"And finally to the most important part and if you reject this, the deal is off," Prince Maekar announced to which Colio asked, "And that is?"
"Slavery," Prince Maekar revealed and for once Tyland was certain that they would reject anything related to slavery. Tyrosh was a city built on slaves, this man himself must have owned hundreds of slaves. There was absolutely no chance that they would accept anything close to complete and general emancipation for slaves and that was the only thing that any self-respecting Westerosi would demand from them.
Tyland decided to speak, "Naturally, as a client state of the Iron Throne, there can be absolutely no slavery in your city and the mainland territories. As such if you wish to be a client Archon of the Iron Throne and wish to seek our support, we will require you to issue a general emancipation of all slaves in Tyrosh and enforce it."
Prince Maekar agreed with Tyland before saying, "Slavery is something no Westerosi will ever accept. My ancestors may have engaged in such shameful acts in the past, that is true but nowadays we will not tolerate anything like slavery at all for we find the practice to be a complete abomination, and even the worst of us don't touch it."
What Colio then said shocked both Tyland and Prince Maekar to their core, "Before I decided to approach you requesting help, my uncle and I knew that you would demand freedom for the slaves. As such, we have given it a lot of thought and we have decided to agree to it."
"Naturally, I shall give out a proclamation of general emancipation for all slaves in Tyrosh and in our surrounding mainland holdings. While I will do my best to enforce it, I do hope to expect that the garrisons that you will leave in Tyrosh will be responsible for the protection of the former slaves."
For a few minutes of stunned silence, nobody said anything before a flabbergasted Prince Maekar interrupted, "OK, stop right there, just stop."
Prince Maekar took a few deep breaths and asked, "Let me get this straight, you are telling me that you, a nobleman of Tyrosh will allow and help me, a dragonlord to end slavery in Tyrosh and its mainland territories in exchange for making you Archon of Tyrosh, a client Prince of the Iron Throne, sworn to send tribute every year."
"Yes," Both Colio and Daanio replied with a straight face.
"I am assuming that the two of you know exactly what happens if you even think of double-crossing me," Prince Maekar warned but they were undeterred.
"We have no intention of provoking the wrath of the man who destroyed the Triarchy," Colio answered earnestly.
For a moment nobody said anything before Robert spoke, "You are a Tyroshi, your city has been drunk on the wine of slavery since its very inception. For all purposes sake, you might as well have hundreds of slaves right now as we speak. The slavers of Tyrosh are infamous across the world for going everywhere in search of slaves, even in the Lands Beyond the Wall. As much as we might hate the Wildlings we hate slavery more."
Tyland continued, "Even if the Prince forces emancipation in your city and even if you try to uphold it your nobles will revolt. Seven Hells, I doubt that your nobles will even accept to become vassals of the Iron Throne, and they will certainly rebel. All it will do is drag the Iron Throne into a war that it simply doesn't want."
Daanio answered with a dark and ominous tone, "If the nobles don't accept the new order then we will make new nobles."
"As for the slaves that our family owns, I am willing to free all of them right here and right now to show you my commitment. All I ask is that be placed as Archon of Tyrosh, the other Free Cities will consider me a coward and a traitor but I accept all that in exchange for Tyrosh."
A few minutes of silence passed as everyone tried to take in everything that he had just said. This was all too fanciful for Tyland to accept, there had to be something more.
Prince Maekar then asked the question that Tyland wished to ask himself, "What is your story, Odorys? What do you want from Tyrosh and more importantly what do you hope to gain from all this? I doubt that controlling the city of Tyrosh means so much to you. You have agreed to change the very identity of Tyrosh, you have agreed to remake Tyroshi society as a whole. And that means there is more than just plain old ambition in you, there is something much deeper, what is it?"
For a moment, the two of them didn't say anything but then they exchanged glances, and the older man nodded and the younger man turned to Prince Maekar and spoke and revealed his real desire.
"My father was one of the greatest generals of Tyrosh. He was the man who led Tyrosh and the other two whores to victory over the Volantenes during the Borderland War. And how did they repay him, they repaid him with treachery. His enemies in the Archon's Court had him framed for crimes he didn't commit. My father once disagreed with the idea of the Triarchy claiming that it would lead to further infighting and the loss of Tyorshi sovereignty to the Myr and Lys. And using that as an excuse they accused him of treason and had him scourged to death."
Colio finished saying his piece with a dark and stormy look on his face. He was slightly shaking as he gripped the handle of his chair tightly to make his knuckles white.
Daanio placed his hand on Coolio's shoulder trying to calm him down before saying, "After my brother's execution, our family fell from grace and most of our farms in the mainland were seized while our workshops and manses were taken away and sold off. We were left with just one manse, while my nephew and I were sent into five years of exile. We went to Volantis where we had powerful friends and ...family."
"After coming back, we worked tirelessly and we clawed our way back but in the end, our main intention was always revenge on the bastards who betrayed my father, some of them were killed by yourself at Bloodstone while others were killed when we arranged mobs to murder some of the remaining magisters of the High Table but we didn't have the political influence to gain the Archonship of Tyrosh."
Daanio continued, "We knew that if we needed your support we would need to become your client state, Old Valyria was like that, and if we need to end slavery in our city in exchange for support from the House of the Dragon then so be it. The support from a dragonlord is much greater than any other treaty with the other Free Cities."
"Even though my brother died for Tyrosh's sovereignty, we are willing to bend the knee to the House of the Dragon if it means that we get our revenge," Daanio finished.
Colio then stated, "Many a freedman in Tyrosh still ply their trade and services as before when they were slaves only this time for a wage. I see no reason why it can't be applied all over the city."
"What about the slaves in the field and mines?" Prince Maekar asked, "The slaves in the mines and fields are the ones who toil the most."
"The slaves in the mines are criminals sentenced to death by working the mines just like how in the Seven Kingdoms, you send criminals to freeze at the Wall. As for the fields, once we gain Tyrosh we can strip many of the great families of their farms divide them up, and give them back to the slaves who worked it while we regain the lands that our family lost and more. We will pay wages to the ones who work in our fields. And of course, we can always have serfdom just like in the Seven Kingdoms."
For a moment Prince Maekar didn't say a word before he looked at Colio straight in the eyes who returned his gaze undaunted, "You must of course, promise to keep your Tyroshi in line, most of us Westerosi could care less about Tyroshi politics but most of us will be aggrieved if anything from Tyroshi causes us unneeded headaches."
Colio boldly asserted, "They will do as I say or they will suffer the consequences."
Prince Maekar then smiled, "Very well then, Archon Colio, you have the full support of the Iron Throne. Come tomorrow and we shall draw up the treaty."
Before they got up to leave, Daanio raised a finger, "We have one more request."
"Yes, go on," Prince Maekar asked turning to him.
"We need an assurance that you won't turn your back on us. After all oaths of allegiance go both ways, the vassal pledges to serve his overlord, and the overlord promises to protect his vassal from outside threats. Now while we don't doubt your honor we fear that the politics of the Seven Kingdoms might be a hindrance and there is only one way to ensure that we will have the unreserved support of the House of the Dragon."
"Let me guess, marriage?" Prince Maekar asked with a raised eyebrow.
Daanio nodded, "Yes, a marriage. My daughter lives in Volantis with her mother and I believe that as a Targaryen you won't have much scruples regarding her purity of Valyrian blood as her mother is as Valyrian as Valyrian gets. I am certain that you are well aware of her."
For a moment Prince Maekar didn't say anything, "Volantis, Valyrian blood, huh, that means her mother is..." Prince Maekar trailed off and Daanio nodded.
"How old is your daughter?" Prince Maekar then asked after he drank his wine.
"She just turned eight and ten," Daanio answered. Tyland shared a glance with Robert, neither of them understood what was going on.
Prince Maekar rubbed his face before uttering, "At least it will get my mother off my back, very well then Lord Daanio, but I will first meet and talk with your daughter and then I will decide to marry her or not. But don't worry, it will happen after we take Tyrosh."
Both Colio and Daanio seemed to accept the conditions, yet for the life of him, Tyland couldn't understand who the woman they talking about was and somehow Prince Maekar understood everything with only half a sentence.
After they left the tent, Tyland asked Prince Maekar, "Will the King accept this?"
Prince Maekar snorted, "By the time my brother hears of this, it will be too late for him to do anything. And hopefully, the gold will start flowing back to King's Landing soon enough, that will shut up most of the Small Council."
He turned to Robert, "Send for all the officers."
A Month Later
Palace of the Archon, Tyrosh
The city of Tyrosh was a true fortress city with the entire island city surrounded by high strong walls built by the Valyrians themselves, especially the inner walls made of fused black dragonstone. The walls were thick and imposing while the smoking remains of the Bleeding Tower loomed over the silent harbor.
But what made it the most unsettling to Tyland was that the heads of nearly every major nobleman in Tyrosh were placed on spikes over the walls of Tyrosh. Even from the Palace of the Archon, the heads were seen and some of them discernable.
Colio wanted to have them all burnt alive at the stake but Prince Maekar convinced him to stick to beheadings. The capture of Tyrosh didn't take too long, after leaving less than a thousand men in the Stepstones, the rest of the army and the fleet sailed for Tyrosh. Tyrosh's fleet was dead just like how Colio had told them while its leadership was deeply divided and too absorbed in their quarrels to bother, it was only after they saw Vermithor fly over the city and destroy the Bleeding Tower in a fire blast that they realized the peril they were in but it was too late by then.
And what followed after that was a purge of the entire nobility of Tyrosh, in what Prince Maekar called proscriptions, entire families were wiped out with their wealth confiscated. Two-fifths of the loot was for the Iron Throne while Colio took the remaining three-fifths. In addition to that, Colio gave gifts to every officer. That made every officer who grumbled about serving as sellswords suddenly very open to future expeditions.
Normally, the streets of Tyrosh would be crowded with merchants, sailors, and artisans. Street vendors would be selling and bargaining their wares with buyers in a mix of all tongues in the world. All the many temples in Tyrosh would be crowded with their followers. Banking houses and workshops would be open for business. But for the past week since the capture of the city, a strict curfew had been in place while they went about purging the city.
Tomorrow would be the day when the curfew would be lifted and emancipation for all slaves declared. But for now, Tyland would have to enjoy his sunset ruined by heads on spikes and smoking towers.
"Stop brooding so much, Tyland," Robert remarked as he walked up to him near the balcony, "We have etched our names in the annals of history. You should stop worrying about whether your brother is jealous of you or not. You are no longer Ser Tyland Lannister, spare of Casterly Rock, you are Ser Tyland Lannister, hero of the Battle of Bloodstone and the Tyroshi campaign."
"I am not worried about that, I am worried about the political fallout of our actions. Prince Maekar didn't have any explicit permission from the King to annex Tyrosh or as he calls it 'assist' Tyrosh," Tyland replied to which Robert snorted. 'Assisting' Tyrosh in overcoming its instability was the official reason that was sent to King's Landing.
"As if, officially nothing has been said by the Iron Throne but my father wrote to me from court. Both factions, the Party of the Princess and the Party of the Queen have declared their support for Prince Maekar's actions. A rare thing indeed where both factions side together. The King doesn't have much of a choice but to support it."
Tyland scoffed, "The only reason why the two factions support Prince Maekar is because they hope to gain his support when it comes to the succession."
Robert nodded, "True, but I did read the message that proclaimed Prince Maekar as the Governor-General of the Stepstones. It stated that Prince Maekar had been given full freedom and authority in all matters of governance, war, and diplomacy in the Stepstones in all matters that affect the interests of the Iron Throne in the Stepstones."
Before Tyland could reply, Robert continued, "Wait, there is more, in a particular section specifying the term interests of the Iron Throne. It read that the interests of the Iron Throne in the region of the Stepstones are to be determined by Prince Maekar at his discretion."
"So in other words Prince Maekar had full authority to 'assist' Tyrosh in overcoming its instability," Tyland responded. The Treaty of Dragon's Deep which was already signed by Colio Odorys wherein Tyrosh was to be made into an official client state of the Iron Throne was to be sent tonight to King's Landing for ratification.
"Besides, you think that your father will be displeased especially with what you have at your hip," Robert said pointing toward his newly acquired Valyrian steel longsword while Robert held his new Valyrian steel longsword to compare.
With the destruction of so many ancient families in Tyrosh, there were many spoils to be taken but none more so than the Valyrian steel swords that House Lannister long sought. Though many weapons were lost during the Battle of Bloodstone with many of the warriors wielding them being turned to ash and the weapons finding themselves at the bottom of Narrow Sea, there were still more than enough weapons in Tyrosh for them.
While the officers in the army received gifts of gold and silk from Colio, it was what he gave Prince Maekar, Tyland, Robert, and Byron that took the cake for most lavish.
Prince Maekar was gifted a greatsword made of Valyrian steel along with a one-handed battle axe made entirely of Valyrian steel except for its leather grip. While Tyland, Robert, and Byron each received a Valyrian steel longsword as a gift. Needless to say, Colio Odorys earned the eternal friendship of Houses Lannister, Rowan, and Swann.
Robert then laughed and said, "The only person upset ought to be Amos, he will be kicking himself in the balls for leaving. Prince Maekar offered him a position as the Magistrate of Dragon's Deep but he wanted to go home so he went, and now I bet he will be pissed."
Tyland began to laugh, "Damn right, I won't be surprised if he takes the next ship from Maidenpool and comes straight back to Dragon's Deep."
As the sun went down, Tyland and Robert turned inside and walked in, as they were walking down the spacious hallways of the palace they saw Byron who quickly ran up to them, "Did you hear, a ship from Volantis arrived half an hour ago."
Later That Night
As the feast was about to begin in the Great Hall of the Palace of the Archon, Tyland looked around to see that the entire Odorys family was in attendance along with all the officers of the army and the fleet. Tyland along with Prince Maekar sat at the High Table with the main members of the Odorys family while the other officers and minor cousins of the Odorys family were down below on the trestle tables. Three hundred were comfortably seated in the hall while the Dragon's Teeth kept guard.
Tyland was wondering when the woman meant to marry Prince Maekar would arrive, he hadn't even known her name but he did learn who her mother was. Then he heard the sound of the once-closed bronze doors of the Great Hall of the palace open with a groan and when he turned his head, his jaw dropped.
The doors opened to reveal the most beautiful woman Tyland had ever seen. She put the courtesans of Braavos and all the beautiful ladies of court in King's Landing and Casterly Rock to shame and he wasn't the only one man to have his jaw drop to the ground.
A heart-shaped face, thick, curly, and long silver-gold hair that fell below her waist, and a shapely body in a gown of pale ivory-white silk with Myrish lace and pearls. But the one thing that took everyone's breath away was her two mismatched eyes - one a deep blue indigo, the other a bright lilac - some might call mismatched eyes a flaw but all it did was enhance her beauty. She topped it off with a heavy silver necklace with deep blue sapphires and amethyst crystals.
She walked across the central aisle to the High Table with a perfectly graceful gait. For a moment the entire hall held its breath and she walked right up in front of Prince Maekar.
"Prince Maekar, it is a pleasure to finally meet you," She said in a seductive tone that sent shivers up his spine as she raised her hand to him.
Prince Maekar took her hand, bent to kiss the back of her hand, and said, "The pleasure is all mine, Lady Shiera."
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