Chapter 138 The King's Wedding and the Prosperity of His Family
As Daemon passed the Great Sept in the Red Keep, Alicent emerged, dressed in an ivory silk gown.
"Prince Daemon," she began, "I heard that the craftsmen in Myr can create exquisite portrait pendants.
Would you be able to commission one for me?"
Daemon, now the King of the Three Daughters, had the craftsmen of Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys at his beck and call.
He nodded slightly. "Of course. Whose pendant do you wish to commission?"
Alicent smiled sweetly, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "It's a pendant of the Mother.
I miss my deceased mother."
Daemon felt that Alicent was lying.
If she wanted a pendant of the Mother, it was likely to ask for the Mother's blessing, to ensure she would be fertile and prolific.
When people prayed to the Mother, most of the time it was to ask for mercy or to request many children and blessings.
Daemon smirked, "You are still a maiden; you should wear a maiden's pendant to protect your purity and chastity from harm.
Why pray to the Mother?
Are you already praying to become pregnant?
Ah, yes, you will soon be the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros."
Alicent blushed politely. "Prince Daemon, you are truly wicked.
I am merely His Majesty's lady-in-waiting; I dare not harbor such presumptuous thoughts of becoming queen."
Dragon Vhagar, Seasmoke, and the Red Queen flew over the Red Keep.
Laena was riding on Vhagar's back, and the entire Red Keep and Aegon's High Hill were enveloped by Vhagar's shadow.
Alicent looked up at the soaring dragons, her face full of envy.
"Prince Daemon, what does it feel like to soar through the sky?"
Daemon replied calmly, "To look down upon everything.
Riding on a dragon's back, the Hightower, King's Landing, and the Wall all become as tiny as ants.
If you wish to soar through the sky, I can take you."
Alicent shook her head. "There's no need to trouble Prince Daemon.
Princess Rhaenyra promised me that when she grows up, she will ride her dragon Syrax and take me into the blue sky."
Princess Rhaenyra was ten years younger than Alicent.
Queen Aemma had always been in poor health, and Alicent, as Queen Aemma's lady-in-waiting, often looked after Princess Rhaenyra, and the two had a good relationship.
The next day, just as Daemon had expected, King Viserys announced that his choice for queen was Alicent of House Hightower.
Two months later, King Viserys's wedding to Queen Alicent was held grandly at the Great Sept of Baelor, with nobles from all over Westeros gathered.
The High Septon personally officiated the wedding for the royal couple.
House Velaryon was collectively absent, and Princess Rhaenyra was also absent.
Princess Rhaenyra could not forgive her father for marrying a new queen just a few months after her mother's death.
Princess Rhaenys, Laena, and Laenor, riding their dragons, had specifically left King's Landing the night before the wedding.
The Sea Snake also took his fleet and followed his wife's dragons back to Driftmark.
King Viserys refused to marry Laena on the grounds of her young age, which completely chilled the hearts of the Sea Snake, Princess Rhaenys, and House Velaryon.
House Velaryon, the wealthiest noble house in Westeros, viewed King Viserys's refusal as an insult.
House Velaryon would wholeheartedly side with Daemon, and from now on, Daemon's Three Daughters would gain the Sea Snake's fleet and the dragons of Princess Rhaenys, Laena, and Laenor.
Even if Alicent were to bear children for King Viserys in the future, and young dragons hatched in their cradles, these young dragons would pose no threat to Daemon.
Their size would be even smaller than the dragons of Daemon's sons, let alone Dreamfyre, Caraxes, or even Vhagar.
At the wedding, Otto Hightower was in high spirits.
He wore a black and green velvet gown, a golden hand necklace around his neck, and House Hightower's tower sigil carved from blue sapphire on his chest.
As the second son of House Hightower, Otto Hightower would originally not have inherited even a shack, but through his meticulous efforts, he had made his daughter the queen of Westeros.
Servants brought roasted suckling pig sprinkled with cinnamon and spices, pretzels, beef and pine nut cakes, creamed quail, and peacock meat stuffed with mushrooms and almonds.
During the feast, Myrish firewine, Arbor gold, Dornish red, Lysene plum brandy, Reach mead, and cider were offered as beverages.
Ser Otto Hightower's brother, Lord Hobert Hightower, and his liege, Lord Paramount Marthos Tyrell, were seated at the honorary high table of the wedding feast.
Singers from Oldtown and Highgarden performed at the banquet.
Lord Lyonel Strong was at the same table as Daemon, with his two sons, Harwin and Larys, seated beside him.
Daemon glanced at Lyonel Strong's sons.
Harwin was handsome and boisterous, while Lame Larys was gloomy and reserved.
Daemon noticed Larys gazing at Queen Alicent's fair skin with a hungry look, while Harwin openly ogled every noblewoman nearby.
These two Strongs were a potential hidden danger in the future.
Daemon said, "Lord Lyonel Strong, it has been a few years since we last met, and both of your sons have grown up.
Do they live in King's Landing now, or in Harrenhal?"
Lord Lyonel Strong said proudly, "Harwin is serving in the City Watch; he is now the deputy commander of the Dragon Gate.
As for my son Larys, he is already a royal interrogator, responsible for questioning prisoners."
Daemon looked at Harwin. "Harwin, you are strong.
If you are willing, you can follow me to the Three Daughters.
There are many opportunities to achieve great things in the Three Daughters."
Harwin said nonchalantly, "The Three Daughters is too far from Harrenhal; I'm not willing to go.
I'd rather stay in King's Landing."
Lord Lyonel Strong was startled. "How can you so directly refuse Prince Daemon's kindness?
Prince Daemon asking you already shows you great respect."
Then, Lord Lyonel Strong said with a fawning smile to Prince Daemon, "Prince Daemon, Harwin is rude and ill-mannered; please don't take offense."
Daemon smiled. "I appreciate Harwin's straightforwardness.
Harwin, if you stay in King's Landing, do you intend to remain in the City Watch indefinitely?"
Harwin pondered for a moment. "I want to become a knight of the Kingsguard; then I can protect the King."
"Clubfoot" Larys forced a smile. "Brother, you are the heir to Harrenhal.
If you become a Kingsguard, then the task of continuing the family line will fall upon me, won't it?
Besides, ever since 'Lucamore the Lusty' of House Strong, the Kingsguard's reputation has been tarnished.
I don't think the White Knights of the Kingsguard would accept another Strong."
Harwin stubbornly said, "I am not an unscrupulous person like Lucamore Strong.
Only hypocritical knights would do things that defile those they swore to protect."
As a transmigrator, Daemon was well aware of the future course of history.
Harwin might have bastards with Princess Rhaenyra, and Lame Larys would likely become Queen Alicent's sycophant and a key figure in the Greens.
Whether it was Harwin or Larys, if they were to provoke Daemon in the future, Daemon would simply ride his dragon to burn Harrenhal and conquer that majestic castle.
On the Isle of Faces in the Gods Eye, a thousand weirwood trees with carved faces grew, and the power of the old gods there was strong; there, Daemon could manipulate every dragon as he pleased.
As for the biggest hidden dangers, Alicent and Ser Otto Hightower, if Ser Otto Hightower were to try to control the court through Queen Alicent and his grandchildren in the future, then Daemon would destroy the entire House Hightower, bringing Oldtown, the Citadel, the Starry Sept, and the Hightower all under his rule.
After the banquet, King Viserys and Queen Alicent rode in a carriage from the Great Sept of Baelor atop Visenya's Hill back to the Red Keep on Aegon's High Hill, receiving blessings from the populace along the way.
Upon arriving at the Red Keep, King Viserys dismounted from the carriage, and Ser Criston Cole of the Kingsguard approached, looking flustered.
"Your Majesty, Princess Rhaenyra is missing.
She rode Dragon Syrax and flew towards Blackwater Bay, likely heading to Dragonstone."
King Viserys was greatly surprised.
Princess Rhaenyra had always been the apple of his eye.
"Rhaenyra is still young; how can she fly across Blackwater Bay alone?
That's too dangerous for a little girl."
Daemon, who was nearby, said, "Your Majesty, please continue your wedding and fulfill your duties as a husband.
I will go after Rhaenyra."
Caraxes carried Daemon, soaring over Blackwater Bay.
The dragon sped towards Dragonstone, and Caraxes was very fast.
An hour later, Daemon saw Syrax and Princess Rhaenyra on her back in the distance.
Caraxes accompanied Syrax, safely landing on Dragonstone.
Princess Rhaenyra looked sorrowful and distraught as she dismounted from Syrax.
Daemon leaped down from Caraxes's back. "Rhaenyra, I know you're angry, but you shouldn't fly across Blackwater Bay alone.
It's too dangerous for a little girl."
Princess Rhaenyra said coldly, "My father doesn't care about me at all.
Perhaps I should emulate that former Targaryen princess and ride my dragon to Valyria."
Daemon smiled. "That Targaryen princess rode Balerion, and she also lost her life because of her adventure."
Rhaenyra suddenly became agitated. "Uncle, take me to the Three Daughters!
I don't want to stay in Westeros anymore."
Daemon said, "I and the Three Daughters welcome you at any time, but you are the heir to the Iron Throne.
If you want to go to the Three Daughters, at least your father must agree."
Rhaenyra snorted. "My father married Alicent just to have that foolish prince from the prophecy.
My mother and father often told me that I would be the future Queen of Westeros.
Now that Mother has passed away, why does Father still insist on having a son with another woman?"
It was Queen Alysanne and Prince Aemon who had instilled the idea of a future queen in Princess Rhaenys's mind, which later led to tension between Aemon's line and Baelon's line.
Now King Viserys was beginning to instill these ideas in Rhaenyra's mind.
Although King Viserys longed for a son, he had always regarded his daughter as the heir to the Iron Throne; after all, Queen Aemma had experienced multiple miscarriages, and Princess Rhaenyra was his only bloodline, so she was naturally pampered.
Daemon found it difficult to explain Viserys's obsession with having a son.
He was worth saying, "Even a prince without inheritance rights can achieve something, like me.
Rhaenyra, rest assured, no matter what difficulties you encounter in the future, your uncle will be your support."
Rhaenyra excitedly threw herself into Daemon's embrace.
Shortly after the wedding, a letter arrived from the Three Daughters, stating that the Braavosi Sea Lord's Fleet had begun to raid the Stepstones and the coastal areas of the Disputed Lands.
Daemon immediately rode his dragon, taking his wife Gael and his sons back to the Three Daughters.
The Sea Snake's family, with their dragons and fleet, followed Daemon across the sea.
Daemon, riding his dragon, encountered a Braavosi fleet in the northern waters of the Stepstones.
Caraxes and Dreamfyre, the Red Queen, Vhagar, and Seasmoke attacked together, easily destroying the fleet.
The news of the dragon army's arrival sent shivers down the spine of the Braavosi Sea Lord's Fleet, and they immediately fled from the waters of the Three Daughters without a trace.
Over the next few years, Daemon reclaimed wasteland in the Three Daughters, built the Border Wall and fortresses.
The Disputed Lands, once covered in ashes, bones, and ruins, began to prosper, with herds of cattle and sheep, and manors rising across the landscape.
Daemon continued to implement a policy of befriending distant powers and attacking close ones.
Under the constant lobbying of his envoys, Astapor, Qarth, and Meereen in Slaver's Bay resumed trade with the Three Daughters.
Volantis and Pentos strongly opposed this, and Volantis, sandwiched between Slaver's Bay and the Three Daughters, even threatened to send a fleet to cut off maritime trade.
However, the Volantenes could only boast; as soon as Daemon's dragons appeared, the Volantis fleet immediately lowered its flags and retreated to the harbor, trembling.
Daemon continuously purchased slaves from Slaver's Bay.
Unsullied from Astapor, bed slaves and craftsmen from Qarth, and gladiators from Meereen were transported by slave ships from Slaver's Bay to the Three Daughters.
As soon as they set foot in Daemon's kingdom, Daemon broke their chains, declared them free, and assigned these people to dragon estates and workshops.
Daemon's Unsullied grew in number, eventually forming a six-thousand-strong army.
The eunuch army was a disciplined, well-trained, and fearless infantry force, and Daemon finally had his ace infantry.
At the same time, Daemon, through his Dothraki subordinates, recruited Dothraki warriors and warhorses from the Great Grass Sea, forming a Dothraki cavalry force.
Combined with knightly orders from various parts of Westeros, Daemon's cavalry strength grew increasingly powerful.
Viserys in the Red Keep of King's Landing finally welcomed his long-awaited son.
He believed this male infant was the Prince from his dream and named him Aegon.
To distinguish him from Daemon's Aegon, the people of the Red Keep referred to this prophesied prince as Aegon the Green, because the prophetic dream was called the Green Dream.
Alicent indeed received the Mother's favor.
Over the next few years, she continuously bore children: her daughter Helaena, second son Aemond, and youngest son Daeron were born in succession.
Viserys was content.
If bastards were not counted, Viserys's children already outnumbered his brother Daemon's.
During this period, the Targaryen family's mother dragons regularly laid eggs, and young dragons continuously hatched.
House Targaryen, ruling Westeros and the Three Daughters, entered its golden age.
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