131 A.L. Pentos
Joffrey Strong
Pentos was a large city, one that seemed to dwarf even King's Landing in size and atmosphere at times. Joffrey Strong, the third born son of Princess Rhaenrya Targaryen and Ser Harwin Strong had been given Lord Paramountship over the city by King Aemon and Queen Rhaenys Targaryen. His step-father Prince Daemon Targaryen who had wed his mother some six years ago had come with him to help him rule the city, and to negotiate the ending of the rulership of the then Prince of Pentos. Joffrey had little recollection of his actual father, but from what Lucerys and his own mother and grandmother had told him Ser Harwin had been a brute, a man who had terrified Joff's mother and had been responsible for the death of Joff and Luke's older brother Jace. Joff thought little of his father and preferred to view Prince Daemon the man he had squired for and had helped raise him and Luke as his actual father. The man was kind and level headed, and made mother smile something that mattered more to Luke than anything else. As for Prince Daemon's two younger girls, Baela and Rhaena, well Joff found that he liked them, they were good companions to play with and as such were his friends and confidants. It had been his step-father who had given him the golden dragon egg that had hatched the dragon Sunfyre when Joff had been but four years old. Sunfyre and he had travelled everywhere together, and though the dragon was not ready for battle Joffrey had made sure to travel on him regularly one he had become big enough to ride.
Whilst there was fighting raging in Volantis and the Demon Road, the king had decreed that Joffrey must learn more about the land he would one day rule and so he had been sent there from the Stepstones properly. And whilst on the journey there had learnt some interesting news. It appeared that the Prince of Pentos had decided that he wished for his crown back and so had begun organising small scale rebellions, Joffrey of course had remained shut up in the palace of the former prince, but was now being included in council meetings. This was one such. "This has gone on for far too long. Palaqueo must be brought either to see reason or to death. He is ruining trade between Pentos and the other cities." Magister Mopatis said.
Joffrey's step-father Prince Daemon was silent for a moment before he asked. "And what would you have my nephew do Mopatis? Fly on his dragon and burn down everything that he can see where Palaqueo might be hiding? That would achieve nothing more than angering the people of Pentos and pushing them further into the arms of the man. No we must play a waiting game to see where the man will strike next."
Another of the Magisters who had remained loyal, Valarr his name was spoke up then. "And whilst we wait for him to make some sort of formal movement of war against Lord Joffrey, our business gets hit, meaning more magisters will join him. For they will see him as the only way to end the threats to their commerce. This is not Westeros nor is the Stepstones My Prince. Here only gold and commerce rule, loyalties are thin and vacant. Lord Joffrey will need to offer commerce and recompense should this struggle go on for much longer."
Joffrey watched as his step father's eyes flashed with anger before the cooled and his voice was calm. "Aye I know that this is not King's Landing. However, you forget yourself Valarr. Whilst we might not be dealing with a pirate here, it is essentially the same thing. Palaqueo wants recognition and some sort of pay off. Once we figure out what that pay off is, we offer it to him and then we kill him."
Joffrey did not usually speak during such meetings but this time he felt compelled to do so. "But is that not a dishonourable way of acting? Surely if we offer the man his pay off and he comes here expecting it, and then we kill him, surely then that would make us no different to him and those magisters working for him? And it would mean that mine own honour would be called into question, and I was always taught to value honour above all else."
There was some murmuring there and then his step father spoke. "Joffrey, whilst that is the right way to think in most scenarios. Right now there is a man out there who is threatening your right to rule this city. If we let him get away with it even after getting his surrender, your reign here will never know peace. You will always have to go to sleep looking over your shoulder to make sure that there is no one in the shadows waiting to kill you or yours. You do not want that fate do you?" Joffrey shook his head, and his step father went on then. "Then the only way to prevent that is to give the man a taste of his own medicine."
Joffrey was silent for a moment as he thought over what his step-father was saying, he thought about what his mother had always told him and what his grandfather had instilled in him. Eventually he sighed and said. "Very well then. We shall go with your suggestion Prince Daemon, but should I feel that this is not the course I wish to go, we shall change and go for the more honourable solution. And I shall use Sunfyre in only the most extreme of situations. I do not want my people to fear me and my dragon."
His uncle nodded then and turned discussion to other matters. "Now, that we have discussed that we must discuss who you will marry. As the Lord Paramount of Pentos and Andalos, you must have a bride who all will agree is worthy of you and will bring peace and stability to the realm. I would suggest Palaqueo's daughter, but of course the girl will need to be dealt with specially once her father is dead. And so I would suggest the next best thing, his rival Selena's daughter Serena. The girl is fair to look on and will bring with her the support of the most powerful family in Pentos."
Magister Valarr spoke up in agreement of this. "Aye that would make the most sense. The girl has her father and his contacts and wealth to bring to the table. I would recommend that the marriage take place as soon as possible once the other magisters see that you have Selena's daughter at your side, then they will abandon Palaqueo as fast as lightening."
Joffrey though felt uncomfortable about the whole thing. "Would it make more sense to wed her once the fighting is done? After all there will be greater risks to her person during this time of war and uncertainty than if we were to wed after Palaqueo has been dealt with."
His step father spoke then his voice firm. "There might be risks, but the benefits the marriage brings if it happens now, far outweigh them. We can deal with Palaqueo and his men swiftly and efficiently, before he realises what has happened. Much bloodshed can be avoided and as such, there will be more room for us to set our own terms."
Joffrey sighed then and said resignedly. "Very well send the letter out to Selena and we shall begin the preparations. I shall meet my bride and have done with it."