THE KING'S HAND
Volantis, 305 AC.
They had set up the new government of Volantis, and signed the peace treaty with Qarth; now the only thing that remained was to meet the Braavosi nobles betrothed to them, and then the Targaryens and those who served them could return to Dragon Bay to continue their reigns over Astapor, Yunkai and Meereen.
Lord Jon Connington, Hand to King Aegon Targaryen of Yunkai, had been suspicious when the Volantene red priest Moqorro had come to Dragon Bay promising that the slaves of Volantis, including the soldiers, sailors and Tiger Cloaks, would turn on their masters and fight for the Targaryens in the name of freedom and R'hllor. But that sinister-looking man had told no more than the truth. The vast Volantene navy, crewed by slaves, had turned on their masters and joined the Targaryens first in smashing the Qartheen war fleet, then in taking Volantis from the Triarchs and the Old Blood.
It had been the most terrible, most magnificent sight Connington had ever seen. All three dragons had fought together, creating a vast conflagration that had burned most of Qarth's war fleet. The Targaryen navy led by Asha Greyjoy had combined with the rebellious slaves of the Volantene navy beforehand, and then the Braavosi navy had joined them. The combined naval forces easily picked off what Qartheen warships had not been burned by dragonfire. Then they'd sailed to Volantis, the dragons flying alongside them, to aid rebelling slaves in overthrowing the Triarchy.
First the Tiger Cloaks had joined the liberating Targaryen army, then the rest of Volantis's slaves had joined in, led by, among others, Benerro the high priest of R'hllor and the old freedwoman known as the Widow of the Waterfront. The Old Blood had taken shelter within the mighty Black Wall—only for the Targaryens to fly over the Wall one their dragons and open the gates from within.
Braavosi diplomats had helped the Targaryens set up a new regime in liberated Volantis. First, slavery was declared illegal. Each slaveowner had to divide his wealth, with each of his ex-slaves and himself given an equal portion. Any man who wanted to leave Volantis after that was free to do so, on the condition that he never return. Many former slaveowners, particularly the Old Blood, chose to leave for Lys or Qarth. The new government of Volantis would be a Triarchy like before, elected annually—but elected by all adult men and women in Volantis. After all, all property-owners had been allowed to vote for the Triarchs—and once the property of the ex-slaveowners had been redistributed equally to the freed slaves, all Volantenes were property-owners.
Qarth was too far away to be liberated, so the Targaryens had signed a peace treaty with the Queen of Cities instead in which each side promised to respect each other's sovereignty. After all, the cities of Dragon Bay would have to do business with Qarth in order to do any trade to their east.
Messengers from Astapor, Yunkai and Meereen had reported that the restoration of Dragon Bay's soil was going well. Countless numbers of trees flourished: olive, lemon, orange, lime, fig, pomegranate, pistachio, almond, carob, date, myrrh, balm, frankincense. All three cities were producing fine pottery and goods of copper, brass and bronze for export. The Targaryen land forces with them help of the Golden Company had liberated the small remaining slaver cities of New Ghis, Elyria and Tolos. The Targaryens had appointed a ruling council for each city, each with 300 Unsullied to enforce its rule, which of course included a ban on slavery. Slaver's Bay was now truly Dragon Bay.
Connington was prouder than ever of Aegon, and knew that Rhaegar would have been prouder of him still. While barely a man, Aegon had helped eradicate the ancient evil of slavery in two of its mightiest bastions, Volantis and the former Slaver's Bay. Perhaps the thing Connington had hated most about Essos was the pervasiveness of slavery. Connington had nothing but contempt for the so-called nobility of the Free Cities, most of them nothing better than merchants, whose "nobility" was based on holding their fellow men in bondage. The lords of Westeros, the true nobility, were warriors who did not leave fighting to slaves, nor traffic in human flesh, nor fuck bed-slaves like the effete and decadent rich of the Free Cities and Qarth. Westerosi smallfolk were not chattel like the slaves of Essos; they were free men with rights that lords and kings must respect. A Westerosi lord had duties and obligations towards his smallfolk, just as they had towards him. He was their protector, keeping them safe from outlaws and providing food and sustenance to them in times of want. Rhaegar knew all of this, and so did Aegon. That was why Aegon would be a great king.
Aegon even had Blackfyre now, the first Targaryen to hold it in over a century. Magister Illyrio had somehow obtained it, and had given it to Homeless Harry Strickland of the Golden Company to give to Aegon, its rightful owner. Seeing Aegon's face upon receiving Blackfyre from the Captain-General of the Golden Company, Connington had started to wonder if perhaps the Pentoshi magister was a better man than he'd thought.
Thinking of Blackfyre made Connington finger the pommel of the neo-Valyrian longsword Aegon had had Archmaester Marwyn forge for him. It was the first sword to be forged in Rhaegal's fire, and Aegon had presented it to his Hand himself. Connington had never felt more honored in his life. He'd named his new sword Fealty, in honor of his leal service to both Aegon and his father. The pommel of Fealty was a white jade griffin's head with ruby eyes, the grip red leather, the crossguard griffin's talons.
Prince Oberyn Martell had helped lead King Aegon's forces, and Connington had to admit that the Red Viper had proved an effective commander. Even that ugly bastard daughter of his had fought bravely with her spear. Furthermore, King Aegon's other Martell uncle, Prince Doran, had helped arrange the three Braavosi marriages for each Targaryen, owing to his extensive relationships with the nobility of the most powerful city in the world and the Targaryens' ally in the liberation of Volantis.
Now Connington sat with King Aegon awaiting the arrival of his betrothed from Braavos. Connington was glad to be alone with his king. He was particularly grateful for the absence of that simpering eunuch and that mad red priestess from Asshai. The red priests had proved invaluable in the Targaryen victory over Volantis, Connington was forced to admit, but he still found them and their red god dreadful. Aegon had been raised as a follower of the Seven, as were most of the Westerosi soldiers serving the Targaryens, and Connington hoped that they would remain so. Fortunately King Aegon showed no attraction to R'hllor, and the high priest Benerro seemed mostly interested in Queen Daenerys. Connington could tell that the Targaryen queen was uncomfortable with the red priests and their god, but since they apparently worshipped her, she would not dismiss them. It's she who can rule them, if she has the will and cunning to do so. He hoped that she did, and that she managed to keep her red priest followers far away from Aegon.
King Aegon was richly dressed in violet silk robes in the Dornish style suited to the heat of Volantis. He wore the crown he had had forged in Yunkai. It had a rim of gold studded with emeralds, and gold wings. At the front was a green jade dragon's head with brown topaz eyes. Aegon had also created a new sigil for the new House Targaryen of Yunkai, also based on his dragon Rhaegal: a dark green dragon on a bronze field. Many called Aegon the Green Dragon, and Rhaegal was the foundation of Aegon's kingship. "A new dynasty should have a new sigil," Aegon had said to his Hand when Connington had asked why he chose not to use the sigil of his father and forefathers. Connington had wanted his king to honor his father by keeping his sigil, but the youth had insisted.
"I will honor my father by my example as king, and by naming my firstborn son Rhaegar," Aegon had told him, and Connington had had to content himself with that.
Finally the Braavosi emissary arrived with Aegon's bride. "This is my betrothed, the Lady Gevivere Antaryon of Braavos?" Aegon asked in the Common Tongue.
"Yes, Your Radiance," the emissary replied in the Common Tongue. Aegon went over to his betrothed and kissed her hand as he had been trained to do so well.
"My lady," he said in High Valyrian. Aegon had never been taught the Braavosi tongue; Connington wondered if Lady Gevivere spoke the Common Tongue at all. Probably not.
"Your Radiance," she responded, in High Valyrian. That was good. If she spoke High Valyrian it would be easier for her to learn Yunkish Valyrian, as Aegon had. She ought to learn the Common Tongue as well, though. Connington decided he would suggest this to Aegon when they were alone together.
Connington took a good look at his future queen. The Antaryons were one of the most powerful noble families in Braavos. The previous Sealord had been an Antaryon, and a friend of Prince Doran Martell's. Gevivere was comely, slender with the light blonde hair and blue eyes of her Lyseni mother. Having a Braavosi queen whose mother came from one of Lys's leading noble families was especially advantageous, Prince Doran had explained in his letter, and Connington had agreed. Connington was pleased that his king's bride had the looks of Old Valyria and would thus most likely give Aegon sons who looked like true Targaryens. She will bear another silver prince named Rhaegar, Connington thought, for while the girl was slim she had broad hips for childbearing.
"King Jon and Queen Daenerys have also met with their betrotheds from Braavos," the emissary said. "I and the rest of the Braavosi delegation will thus sail home without further ado, if it pleases Your Radiance."
"Farewell, and good luck to all of you on your voyage back to Braavos," Aegon said. Turning to Connington the king said, "I assume this means that we can all return home as well?"
"Yes, Your Radiance," Connington replied, thinking about the glorious reign ahead of Aegon after his glorious victory.
