Chapter 36: Connington

"Call him back. I want him and his crew prepared. We're going to set sail." The King said.

Jon frowned. "If I might ask, where are we sailing to, Sire?"

The King looked at him, and in that moment Jon saw his silver prince. "We are going to Valyria."

For a moment, Jon thought he'd misheard the King. "Valyria, Sire? Why would we go there?"

The King sighed, and in that he looked a lot like Prince Rhaegar had done at times when he'd explained something and none of them had got it. The King pointed to the chest where the eggs were kept. "I have two symbols of my house in there. But I have no way of bringing them to life here."

Jon got an uneasy feeling in his stomach then. He thought he knew where this was going.

The King continued. "My aunt and uncle are beyond my reach. I do not think that the cheesemonger will allow us to intercept them. Therefore, I do not have family members to support me when I go to Westeros."

Jon wanted to say that the King didn't need them, he had him and Ser Arthur, and Septa Lemore and Ser Richard and the Companions. But he didn't. instead the King continued.

"Those who have sent their sons here, are hoping to achieve something from supporting me. The Darrys are the only ones who I truly trust. Yes, we have a Stark, but that Stark is not The Stark. And Until we have The Stark on our side, the north remains away from us. The Riverlands will be torn into civil war when we land, and the Vale and the Westerlands are beyond us. The Crownlands may rise. But it is not a certainty. Nor is Dorne."

Jon went to speak again, he could understand the King's assessment on some of the regions, but surely Dorne, the Riverlands and the Reach would rise for him. He knew the Riverlands was filled with loyalists whilst the Reach was slowly turning against the Baratheons. Dorne would rise when they saw Ser Arthur and Lemore with the King.

Before he could say that though, the King spoke. "Therefore, I must bring the symbols of my house to life. I must bring the dragons back. Valyria is the answer to that."

"How, Sire?" Jon asked. "Nobody has been able to bring the dragons back since the last one died, during the reign of King Aegon III."

"I have been doing some reading." The King said. "And what I have found suggests that all those attempts were lacking something critical."

"Sire?" Jon asked, not liking where this was going.

"Valyria, the fires of Valyria and the magic they contain. The first dragons were born there, and were raised there. Something went wrong in previous attempts after the last dragon died because we did not have that initial spark. I will find it there and ensure it succeeds." The King said.

Jon hesitated. "I…I think it is a great risk, Sire." It was more than that, Jon was tempted to say it was madness, but he refused to let that thought slip out.

"It is a risk." The King said. "But it will be an even greater risk if I head to Westeros without them. I must be like my ancestor and namesake."

"Sire?" Jon asked, unsure what the King meant.

"There currently are Seven Kingdoms that make up Westeros. They do not act as one single state, but many states with allegiance, no matter how tenuous to the Iron Throne. That is not what my ancestors intended. I will rectify that." The King said.

Jon frowned. "Surely Your Grace can rectify that with conquest anyway?" It was something that he was sure the King could do.

"I could, but if I want it to last, I must have dragons." The King said. "And for that we must go to Valyria."

Jon looked around the room, nobody else was saying anything. Either they were in shock or they agreed. Either way, he knew he was out numbered, and so, hesitantly he said. "When do you wish to leave, Sire?"

"By the week's end." The King said.

Jon nodded. "I shall make the appropriate arrangements, Sire."