The Tartered Dragon - Aegon, Son of Baelon

by mootjeman7

An man from our world is reborn in the world of ASOIAF and decides to make the best out of it through adventure yet it never is that easy, even for a third prince. OC-SI - Overlaps with HOTD.

41. Chapter 39

I was going to respond to the previous chapters' reviews but I realised that I'd be spending more time than I have to respond so I'll just respond to the last two chaps (forgive me ha).

CH37:

Tony McNucklz chapter 40 . Nov 14 - Eh, the Daemon showdown would have just been guilty pleasure IMO. Aegon was never going to entertain it if he could help it. He wanted to go and get out ASAP without problems. He did that...for the most part. The epilogue part...I get. I might have been interested in ending the story there but there are a few points that I want to close. Particularly Elamaerys which needs to be closed. The skull bit isn't forgotten by the way ;). It'll make a reappearance.

Sonata1992 chapter 40 . Nov 14 - Family is a theme in this story, for what's worth. It is within the narrative to have such importance of family unity.

Ebrahim051 chapter 40 . Nov 14 - No afterlife creation

ymrgf chapter 40 . Nov 14 - TBF, I do think branch families do tend to fuck off elsewhere. Where exactly...I don't know. lol.

DeluxeHipster1945 chapter 40 . Nov 14 - We'll see! It'll be a long time before I write the sequel...I have too many stories to finish before I get there.

1 chapter 40 . Nov 14 - the Her? There are hints all around about what/who she is. Later chapters will investigate it.

maximusrexmundi chapter 40 . Nov 14 - Ha! Yes. Doctor Who ftw (although I have not seen it for like a decade lol)

LongingResider chapter 40 . Nov 14 - Would be a bad ancestor if he didn't do his part to help his descendants! A thinking that will be embodied!

boredasf13 chapter 40 . Nov 15 - There is a danger of that yes. I suppose we'll see what Elamaerys will become when I get down to it (years from now)

HmYesAStory chapter 40 . Nov 15 - hahaha. I love this. In a way, yes, they did DDOS them. lmaooo. GG Old Gods *teabag on corpse*

Guest chapter 40 . Nov 13 - Dealing with all of that shenanigans? Nah.

Chris chapter 40 . Nov 20 & Slade01 chapter 40 . Nov 15 - Thanks for your comments, I really appreciate the words.

freeraynman chapter 40 . Dec 1 - I would rather say that the Old Gods saw an opportunity and used it to shape the Song of Ice and Fire. The Song may not be actually active until at most 400 years from the coming of the Others...the moment of Valyria's death. At that point, they would have been able to easily manipulate a way to get rid of the last major threats they had to themselves.

CH38

1 chapter 41 . Nov 25 - Aegon probably doesn't have much interest in their struggles...well that's a lie. He does but he doesn't at the same time. Wanting Lys to not be overly powerful whilst also being able to check it with Braavos is in his interest. Especially since an overly powerful Lys would be able to stop the migration of peoples he wants from happening. Unfortunately, I don't think Viserys would leave those bastards alone.

Lord Lelouch chapter 41 . Dec 6 - I would say the chances are low. You have to remember, the Hightowers (and their allies) are invested in seeing them ascend the throne. They won't be so easily disentangled from the desires of their seniors. Unfortunately. And Viserys isn't going to be the shield they would need. Unfortunately.

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Everyone Else, Thank you for your reviews and comments, I always read them even if I don't respond to them.

As always, please enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think.

Note: If you would like to read ahead, the next three chapters after this chapter are available on P. .^T.^R.^E.^O.^N./ Boombox117

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Late 114 AC – Velos

'Give me a roar when you have come about, Mīsaragorn' Aegon thought through their bond as he walked through the building, flanked as he was by his guards, Ser Maerro, Keller and Rhaegar, soon arriving at the doors of the meeting hall.

The building was one of the few that had been largely left intact, a building that likely had been a manse for an important person or family, once upon a time. The marble stones were old but they had been intact for the most part. A new roof, rebuilt walls from old stones and new flooring, the building now looked to be an adequate place to begin placing administrators within its halls…

Mīsaragorn gave a deafening roar just before the doors were opening and Aegon caught the startled looks just in time as he entered the meeting hall, the widened eyes now set in his direction as he veered deeper into the meeting hall.

There were a few guards in the meeting hall, and a number of servants, which included a man in robes who looked somewhat out of place but what caught his eye was the number of 'important' men that were in this hall…

From his right, there seated Kraqez and Shedir of Astapor. Beside them, were Qarnen and Krezdok of Yunkai, Makhar and Vargos of Tolos, Zhihar and Hornas of Meereen, and on the far left, there was Tychidos and Syran of Elyria, with Tyqor the grey-haired Commander of the Meereenese City-Guard and Army, seated beside Syran.

The way the seats were arranged, across a long table where there was singular chair, a throne chair yes, but nonetheless a single chair whilst they were all sitting beside one another…

'How what they have learned from him chimes within themselves…'

The meaning behind it did not fail to reach him, for it was intentional on their side to let them know that they are 'united' in this cause of theirs.

And that Aegon was considered to be the other party…

One of them, Hornas, was the first to rise from his seat and then the others, all in unison, followed immediate suit before they bowed from their hips towards him.

"My Prince, welcome back to Liberty Bay." Vargos of Tolos said as his head rose from his bowed position and Aegon did not like the connotation of Velos being part of Liberty Bay. Nevertheless, Aegon inclined his head slightly before he looked towards the others.

"So many Regency Councillors coming to welcome me back from my travels. Quite an occasion." Aegon said as he arrived at the place they marked out for him though he did not take a seat, instead, he stood behind the chair, his eye sweeping across the faces of the Regency Councillors.

Rhaegar took a place not far from his right whilst Trytas and Keller took a place on either side of him, undoubtedly having understood the situation quite well.

He was grateful to them that they had filled him in quite well over the course of his return with regards to the developments of Liberty Bay since he's been away.

"We're always honoured to do so, my Prince." Hornas said with a placid smile that did not last long. "Unfortunately, we have not only come to welcome you back for we have much to discuss with your Greatness. Matters that concern the fate of Liberty Bay." Hornas then gestured towards the servants.

Aegon hummed silently as he watched the servants come and poured a drink in a cup emplaced in front of the seat that was marked out for him.

"Though let me be the first to offer you my condolences for your brother's death, my Prince." Qarnen of Yunkai said and Aegon almost believed it to be sincere with the way he looked so commiserating.

He mused that it must have been traders that stopped at Lys and departed before he did, that brought the news to Liberty Bay. He did stop at Lys to finalise some business for a number of weeks and it wasn't as if Corinthian Carracks were at all speedy…

Aegon only made a noise from the back of his throat, a noise that resembled a hum, but said nothing else on the matter, instead, dived directly into the matter at hand. "If these matters are so important to necessitate you all to wait here on my return instead of ruling the cities I left you in charge of, then let us not waste time and explain what is so threatening."

Some of the Regency Councillors looked at each other though it was the looks towards Hornas that interested Aegon. Though the politics of Liberty Bay did not interest him all that much, he at least kept himself abreast of the political dynamic within the cities and across the cities.

Meereen, as the most populous region and the most richest, was always going to be at the heart of the politics of the entire Liberty Bay region. And over the last few years, it seems like Hornas was the one who had edged out in front of the other Regency Councillors in Meereen, and, in the recent moons, in front of all of the other Regency Councillors.

The grey-haired man, Hornas, had a charm about him, and a kind of wisdom that was hard to find, and he was well adept at utilising this charm and wisdom. It was how Meereen despite its massive population had been stabilised, with Hornas manoeuvring the complex self-interests and ambitions of key members of the Regency Council, the guards under the command of Tyqor and the influential members of Meereen's evolving society, many of whom were gladiators.

It did not surprise him at all that Hornas was able to positioned himself as the leader amongst leaders.

"New Ghis." Hornas said in answer and the rest of the Regency Councillors took their seats once more, leaving only Hornas standing amongst them. "They have begun their moves against us." Hornas looked towards the old Gladiator.

"Commander Tyqor. If you would." Hornas said before he sat down.

The old gladiator rose from his seat and bowed his head slightly towards Aegon before he began to speak of recent happenings.

The man began his tale with the story of Astapori patrolmen.

Ever since the threat of the Dothraki had become very real for the people of Liberty Bay, more and more initiatives had been signed off and in works.

Some initiatives included the completion of all of the fortifications north and east of Meereen. The Regency Councillors had taken stock of his plants to build physical barriers into the heartland of Liberty Bay.

Other initiatives included plans of rebuilding ruined cities all across the coastlines in Liberty Bay, such as Bhorash, partially to allow garrisons able to come to the aid of the villages and towns that were growing in the more remote parts of Liberty Bay, such as the villages nearby the Black cliffs or the Khyzai Pass, whilst also rebuilding an outpost in destroyed city of Ghardaq, which was upstream of Meereen.

And amongst those initiatives, was a treaty amongst the Liberty Bay cities ensuring that each city patrolled at the edges of their territories as an early warning system.

Scouts on horseback were sent North and West, South and East, patrolling the lands beyond the edges of their territory, looking out for any Dothraki threats or otherwise.

And it seemed as if one of these scouts, these Astapori patrolmen, had come across something interesting.

Tyqor explained how the patrolmen had been scouting all along the southern coastline, where some vegetation grew as south of the Worm River, beyond the mountains and hills was largely an arid desert subjected to sweltering heat, and it was here they found ships, distant ships, on the horizon. With the Far Eyes, they saw the sails of the ships and did not recognise them as one of their own, or the build of the ship that of the Summer Islanders, so they decided to investigate further.

Tyqor continued and explained that the place where the patrolmen had seen the ships had been not far from where the ruins of Old Ghis lay and the men had decided to see if there was something afoot there.

And so they had.

The patrolmen, few in numbers as they were, decided to remain far from the old city and chose to overlook the bay from atop a nearby hill far from the ruined city proper and it was then that they saw more of the same ships moored in the old Bay through the Far Eyes.

They barely saw much beyond the ships, for they had not been close enough to see more, but it was enough for them to raise alarm and hastened their return to Astapor.

He'd known about that incident, along with the events that transpired afterwards, and he found Tyqor relaying what has happened perfectly as the man continued to speak about the multiple scouting missions that had been sent to that region.

Ser Maerro had sent a few of his own men to check out what was true though by that point, the activities around Old Ghis seemed to have grown significantly, with over four dozen ships moored in the old bay of the ruined city.

Though what Tyqor told him next surprised him as the man spoke of emissaries being sent from the Lhazarene cities Hesh and Lhazosh, whom spoke of having seen an army assemble in the town of Port Yhos, a client of Qarth.

It was then that the Councillor Vargos of Tolos interjected, speaking of ships sent through the Ghiscari Strait to trade with Faros and Vahar never returning, and implied that there was a conspiracy at play threatening to destroy them all.

This also surprised Aegon though this time, it was a surprise at the deception the man was playing. Aegon knew that there was no ships heading East. Not yet, at least as far as he knew.

He'd known that most of the trade within Liberty Bay was amongst themselves with international trade consigned largely with the Summer Islanders, Lys and limited trade with adventurous Westerosi merchants.

For Admiral Lutherys not to know…

That meant that either there were those who were keeping things from him and the rest of Aegon's men, which was hard to do to say the least, or they were blatantly lying to paint a grimmer picture of the situation.

He was leaning towards them lying.

But he always couldn't completely dismiss the possibility nor what that possibility represented. As much as nearly everyone in this region owed their freedom to him, Aegon also knew that individual ambitions and politics was a growing thing.

Aegon eyed Vargos for a long moment, something that disquieted the man slightly. And he wouldn't be surprised if the Regency Councillors used this threat of New Ghis as pretext to stabilise, or worse, increase their control over their cities.

Nothing united a people more than an outside threat, after all. And this was something he had made sure was taught to these men. He'd only wish their want of more control over the hearts and minds of their people was benign. He couldn't be so sure. He doubted he ever could be sure.

When they all stopped speaking, Aegon silently moved to take his seat, and after he took his seat, he played around with the cup of wine, twisting it around its axis as he stared it for a long moment.

"My Prince?" Shedir of Astapor had been the first to break the silence with his hesitant voice and Aegon looked up to meet the man's gaze.

"It's all very interesting." Aegon began as he lifted the cup slightly as his fingers latched onto the edges of the filled cup and he carefully knocked the bottom of the cup against the wooden table several times, the dull sound of the knock travelling across the room.

"So New Ghis are securing Old Ghis for their own. With the fall of its competitors in the region, the ancient lands of Old Ghiscar in the south are ripe for the taking." Aegon said as his gaze flickered across the faces of the Regency Councillors, faces that were turning slightly.

That possibility existed, of course. With its rivals all gone and replaced by, in their eyes, weak successors, so too was any hesitation in pausing ancient ambitions.

"Or, as is more likely, they are planning on using it as a staging point to attack us, my Prince." Krezdok commented gravely.

Kraqez was the one to pick up where Krezdok left off. "Securing Old Ghis would only the first step. With the ruined city under their control, they can emplace tens of thousands of men and it would only be a few days hard march to reach our towns by the Worm River."

Aegon hummed.

"Have they done that?" he questioned with a piercing look in his eye.

"Not yet." Tyqor admitted. "They seem to be more interested in repairing the ports of the ruined city presently."

"Then it could be very well that they are merely interested, at least presently, in expanding." Aegon smiled at them. "And unless you have lain claim to those lands, they are in their rights to do so."

"Astapor has claim to Old Ghis. So did Yunkai and Meereen" Kraqez remarked.

"No, the former Masters had claim to Old Ghis. Unless you find yourself their successors…?" Aegon was firm in his questioning tone of voice as he levelled his gaze across their faces. The looks he received in return made it clear they hadn't sunk to that irredeemable bottom of the well in their pursuit of their ambitions.

"You have no claim to Old Ghis." Aegon said with a dismissive wave of the hand.

"As for the stories about ships disappearing through the Ghiscari Straits…anything could have happened to those ships. Unless you have proof that they were victims of attacks by New Ghis?" Aegon posed to them.

The looks on their faces proved enough that they did not though he did spot a look exchanged between Makhar and Vargos of Tolos…

"My Prince…you must understand why they have not acted outright yet." Syran of Elyria was the one to break the brief silence that had followed. "Until you have gone, they will not act blatantly to destroy us." Syran of Elyria leaned forward as his expression shifted into one of genuine concern.

"And they know that you will not always remain. They count on that. This provocative act of theirs is a sign that they have not forgotten us nor intend to let us live in peace. They are slavers. Our very existence is anathema to them." Syran looked towards the man who stood by the guards. "And we have the proof of how much they hate us. Daenos, approach."

Aegon watched as they brought forth the pale skinned man in unassuming robes. He wasn't quite sure where to place him in terms of his ancestry, azure eyes and sharp features though with hair as black as night. The name suggested Valyrian but there was little obvious Valyrian in him.

There wasn't an ancestral song in him either.

"My Prince, I am honoured to meet you." The man named Daenos said with a touch of reverence and Aegon only nodded to the man, wondering if he was from Tolos or Elyria. There was an odd dialect to his Valyrian.

"I have been to New Ghis, my Prince, a time after you and your dragon burned down the manse of your enemy." Daenos said, a hard look on his face. "I have walked its streets and conversed with its freeborn people. They fear you but they hate the freedmen cities more. They see what has happened and think it unnatural, a slight against their Gods and against the ways of the Ghiscar. Their hate runs deep and runs strong.

Slaves there have been culled in extreme numbers, no man or child old enough to bear arms live any more in their cities, only in their towns in the countryside or in Ghaen do they still reside.

I have seen them built ship after ship, songs of old Ghiscar sung hard and long, songs of triumph of the ancient Empire and I have seen them believe they must revive the old empire lest they fade into nothingness like what happened with the other slave cities which you, Your Highness, liberated." Daenos had a look of fervency on his face as he continued. "It will only be a matter of time before they attack, Your Highness. And it will be as soon as you have left for Elamaerys."

Aegon stared at this Daenos for a long moment. "You are not from Liberty Bay, are you?" he asked after a long moment, having assessed where his accent is from.

The question seemed to surprise the man for a moment before he answered. "I am not, my Prince. I am from Volantis." The man said with a bowed head.

"You're a long way from Volantis." Aegon remarked as he stared at the man with narrowing eyes. What was a Volantene doing here? What was he doing in Liberty Bay? Was that what Uthrik was investigating?

"I am, my Prince. Had it not been for His Most Reverend Priest Qraesthor, I would have remained in Volantis. The Lord of Light had other plans for me." Daenos said and Aegon resisted the urge to grimace. He'd met this Qraesthor once. A fanatic.

Worse than even Lessala.

"The Priest Qraesthor had heard of the worrying news coming from the South, Prince Aegon." Hornas said in answer before he continued. "Daenos trades in ivory and his ship and crew are all Volantene." Whom could get in New Ghis unmolested was left unsaid.

How many more Volantene were there in Liberty Bay now? He doubted only this Daenos and his crew had come. 'The influence of the Red Faith is growing.' Aegon thought to himself. And they were interested in 'helping out' these Councillors.

Increasing their influence amongst the Regency Councils.

'I will have to change my approach…'

"So you see, my Prince? We must act now whilst we still have the advantage." Qarnen from Yunkai said with urgency in his voice. '…whilst we still have the advantage' interesting way to say Aegon and his dragon. Qarnen continued "With you, we can crush them before they can gather their strength and their allies."

"We are in the process of raising an army." Tyqor was the one to speak now. "Within a few moons, we will have at least an army numbering fifty thousand."

Aegon eyed the man briefly before he looked towards the other Regency Councillors, all of whom seemed to be dancing on the edge of a coin, waiting for the fall.

Aegon smiled.

"A good number." Aegon said, a faint trailing hum in his voice as he looked towards Rhaegar. "Commander Rhaegar. How many of the Unsullied are amongst this impressive army of fifty thousand?"

"Nearly eighteen thousand, my Prince." Rhaegar said in his familiar toneless voice.

"Hmm. That is all of your men and the boys, is it not, Commander Rhaegar?" Aegon asked as he kept his gaze with the Unsullied.

"It is, my Prince." Rhaegar confirmed and Aegon hummed.

"My Prince…" one of the Regency Councillors spoke up but Aegon had no interest in hearing what they had to as he raised his hand to silence them. They said enough. With their words and with their bodies.

"How is it, Commander Rhaegar, that the Unsullied have become part of this…army?" Aegon asked the Unsullied Commander.

"Prince Aegon…" Aegon turned his head towards the Regency Councillors, his eye and expression cold and cutting as he stared at the man who spoke without being spoken to. The man, Hornas, closed his jaw as their eyes met.

Aegon stared for a long while yet before he looked away and back at Rhaegar who spoke as soon as their gaze met.

"The Regency Councillors have asked us to defend Liberty Bay, my Prince."

Aegon hummed and he was silent for a moment before he looked away from Rhaegar, back towards the Regency Councillors. As his eye veered across their faces, Aegon spoke up again, his words directed at Rhaegar even though he did not look at the man.

"Are you still loyal to me, Commander Rhaegar?" He watched the expressions of the men opposite him carefully, to see what else they were going to give away.

Power does funny things to people. Especially when one got used to it. A little more, a little further, each day, each week, each month. One grows to like it. Grows to hate not having it. These Regency Councillors were getting there.

He did not mind, in truth. It was to be expected. It was why he had been so selecting when he drew up his plans for the stabilisation of the region.

He'd hoped their natures would allow the lessons to sink in.

The lessons about hoarding power, the lessons of having principles, had allowed for some of it to take root in them, to allow them to have the foresight that it was important to have a system in place that didn't foster things that one would not want in a society, in a government.

However, as the days passed, as the time drew nearer that Aegon was leaving, so too was leaving the incentives of transitioning into a proper republic-like state.

'I helped built my city. I was the one who fostered prosperity. I was the one who made sure New Ghis was liberated.' It was not difficult for that frame of mind to come into existence. He could see it now, in this very moment, such thoughts.

And whilst it was fair to think it, it was also dangerous, and also a prelude for dynasties to form and Aegon was reluctant to allow it to happen.

Or worse.

"I am loyal, like all of the rest of the Unsullied, until death takes us, my Prince."

Aegon smiled and he was sure it wasn't a pleasant from the way some of the Councillors looked away from him. Aegon turned towards Rhaegar and his smile turned a bit more genuine. He turned back towards the Regency Councillors.

"I take it many of the soldiers that fought with me and my men to liberate Liberty Bay are amongst your two and thirty thousand men?" Aegon asked as he looked towards Tyqor. Tyqor looked towards Rhaegar before he looked back at Aegon, understanding what just transpired.

"Yes, my Prince." Tyqor said calmly and Aegon nodded graciously.

"They are good men." Aegon said before he leaned against the arm of the chair.

"Your numbers, not including my Unsullied, are surely plenty enough to subdue this threat you see in New Ghis for they are no more but a single city and you are many." Aegon smiled thinly. "You seem to have it in hand, Councillors." Aegon gestured with his hand lazily. "If you seek my permission to use my Unsullied, you can have my decision in the next coming weeks."

This made a few of the Regency Councillors shift in their seats, uncomfortable as they were.

"My Prince…" There was caution in Kradeq's voice, and no small amount of urgency in his body language either. 'Good' Aegon thought. "New Ghis are said to have an army of twenty thousand, always ready. And that is without considering that they have recruited many more in the way of the liberation."

"Thirty thousand citizen levies will not be enough." Krezdok stated the obvious.

"Of course not but you said at least, didn't you? When you all spoke of raising an army. Surely you can raise more from amongst the millions of free people who would want to fight this war?" Aegon said as he looked towards Krezdok.

"And even if it is too small to take New Ghis, then that is no matter of yours, is it? After all you are concerned about the threat of New Ghis, and not focused on taking New Ghis and all the glory that comes with it, aren't you?" Aegon posed to the Regency Councillors and he felt no satisfaction in his words, in his act.

If anything, the words that left his mouth left him bitter. The fact that it was needed that he remind them of their place…it seems as if he had not had them taught well enough. Or chosen well enough.

"Thirty thousand. Forty thousand. Such numbers are enough defend Liberty Bay from all threats. Numbers that can easily destroy their men in Old Ghis and you have the warships to destroy their fleets." Aegon continued.

"You have no need of my Unsullied. Or my men." 'or my Dragon.'

"And what this army in Port Yhos?" Tyqor questioned. "If New Ghis allies with Qarth, their danger becomes that much greater."

"If." Aegon merely stated as he met the old gladiator's eyes. That silenced the man as he understood exactly what Aegon was saying. There was no evidence of an alliance. There was no cause to be so threatened by mere rumours that there was an army in Qarth.

It was entirely possible that there was one. But they didn't know. And that was important. They wanted him to end a threat before it became a threat and they had expected him to do it for them.

He displeased before but now…now he was offended. By what he was seeing them become.

"Will you help us destroy New Ghis as a threat to Liberty Bay?" Hornas was the one who spoke up after the moment of silence.

Aegon turned to look at him though he said nothing, making Hornas speak further.

"You are right. New Ghis is not a threat in this moment despite their provocations. They are unlikely to be capable of directly posing a threat, not on their lonesome, this is true but they are a threat that forces us to look south as well as north." Hornas stated and Aegon nodded slightly, acknowledging his words that had the rings of truth for the first time in this conversation.

There was an obvious reason as to why they, besides the glory and the reputation, wanted to remove New Ghis from the equation. With the Dothraki in the north, having to dedicate resources, poor resources as they were, in the south was unwanted.

Being able to close the southern wound now, with him and his dragon present which may never occur again, as surely as the Regency Councillors knew since they had lived in Corinth for a long time and knew of Elamaerys and its importance to him personally, was going to allow them to survive the Dothraki if they ever reared their heads towards Liberty Bay in full force.

He could also understand Tyqor's position in all of this. The man had fought with his men, the Unsullied and the raised army from Meereen against the Dothraki, and seen the threat the Dothraki are to Liberty Bay.

"There would be a poetic justice, my Prince, in ending New Ghis as a slaving city." Tychidos of Elyra said. "No longer would a wound of its kind exist in the lands of Ghis, completing your work, my Prince."

Aegon ignored those words as he looked towards Hornas, whom he stared at for a long few moments. He could deny them. He would be well within his rights to.

Deny them the easy victory. But it wouldn't be worth it. He'd create a divide that'd be difficult to cross. Especially if what he suspected, them holding onto a Council position when the Regency ended, was to transpire.

Not without completely replacing the Regency Councils.

And that was not going to be worth it at all.

No, that would likely cause a chain of events that he was unable to foresee in its entirety. But…likely…it would result in a far more unstable region.

And that was unacceptable.

As much as he was disappointed in what he was seeing them become, he would prefer these men in charge for longer than they ought to than let chaos reign. And his suspicions were only suspicions for now. They had plenty of good reasons to want New Ghis gone. His paranoia could be acting up…

"This will cost you." He stated as he met the man's gaze for a long moment before he looked towards the other Regency Councillors.

"Half of the spoils and all the libraries are yours."

Aegon hummed as he sat back in his chair. "It will cost you far more than that." Aegon said as he let his right hand rest on the armrest.

"All of the libraries, all of the Valyrian Steel items, weapons and trinkets, shall be turned over to me. Fifty percent of the spoils from New Ghis shall be owed directly to me." Aegon began as his gaze flickered from one set of eyes to the next.

"The Isle of Cedars shall be acknowledged to belong to me and my descendants in perpetuity." This shocked most of the Regency Councillors. Aegon raised his hand when some made to speak. "I am not done." His tone of voice was harsh as he levelled his gaze at the Regency Councillors.

"This agreement shall be signed by every Regency Council and shall be honoured by its successors. My branch of House Targaryen, or its representatives, shall allow and manage the settlers from the mainland to farm its fertile fields to help feed the region and Elamaerys, if the need arises." Aegon stated.

It hadn't been the plan, to own the Isle of Cedars outright. He didn't have the resources to do it but he realised now that it was better for the island, islands, to be completely under his and his people's control.

If these Regency Councillors could play games with him despite how much they owed him…

He'd put too much stock on loyalty. Loyalty was a fleeting thing…

"You will sign an agreement that, for the next ten years and at a fixed price, you shall provide material support for the development and sustenance of Velos and New Oros formerly known as Ghozai." Aegon stated as his gaze swept across the room. "Definitions of what this reasonable material support shall inhabit shall be provided in the next few weeks when the document has been drafted out."

"I agree." Shedir of Astapor was the first to voice out his agreement. Soon enough another of the Regency Councillor agreed. Then they all, one by one agreed.

Aegon merely nodded at this acquiescence. "Orphans under the age of four namedays shall be handed over to me. A city like New Ghis is bound to have thousands of them." Aegon said and again he got their agreement.

Now comes the hard part. "The Elamaeri Faith of the Seven shall be a protected Faith in all of Liberty Bay and shall be written as an addendum within your constitutions." Aegon looked towards this Daenos briefly before he looked towards Hornas. "An attack on the Elamaeri Faith of the Seven shall be considered a personal attack on me, the man who liberated Liberty Bay from the yoke of slavers, and casts a dark shadow over the importance I hold in your cities."

"We have not mentioned faiths in our constitutions." 'As you well know was left unsaid' It had been a secular constitution, the one he had them learn and draft out.

"I know. However, it would set me at ease if I know my people won't be harassed for their faith." Aegon smiled thinly. "Consider this a personal favour to me."

Aegon eyed Daenos who didn't seem to react to his words. With the Red Faith's growing influence in Liberty Bay, he knew that it would only increase with time.

Like a sweeping fire…

It was why he decided to take the Isle of Cedars into his personal fiefdom, despite the problems it would cause. He would learn how much reverence he held within their order by the way they would conduct themselves.

If he was important to them, they would respect his limitations.

He also he didn't want the hundred thousand people on this island to be swayed by their faith. He was rather thankful that there were some Septons coming on the next arrival alongside a number of merchants.

He would ask Gael to send more too, in the next departure from Elamaerys.

He would help in this matter too…convert as many of the ones present on this isle for the remaining time he was here, and create a stronghold of the Elamaeri Faith.

The Regency Councillors looked at one another for a long few moments before they agreed once more. Not that they had much choice or reason to refuse.

"Good." Aegon said. "Then you have my and Mīsaragorn's support. My men shall not fight in this war for they have fought enough to last a lifetime."

"Does that include the Unsullied?" Tyqor asked him. "Without them, our casualties will be huge. I fear we will not be able to hold the city."

Aegon eyed Rhaegar. "How many of your men do you wish to use, Commander?"

"Five and ten thousand, my Prince." Rhaegar said and Aegon nodded. The rest were likely too young still. Aegon looked towards Tyqor.

"You have your answers." Aegon's gaze flickered from one set of eyes to the next. "And you will have the documents to sign within the fortnight. You may leave now." Aegon said and soon enough, they all stood up and began to leave, leaving behind only Rhaegar, Ser Maerro and Keller.

"Keller, would you draft up six different copies of the agreements reached this day?" Aegon asked and the man nodded gently.

"Of course, my Prince." Keller paused for a moment. "You were harsh with them." There was only curiosity in his voice.

Aegon sighed heavily. "Not harsh enough." He said with a faint smile on his face. "Likely because I care too little now." It would have infuriated him, once upon a time. To see all of his work unravel right in front of his eyes. He really thought that he had all figured out, that they would behave along the lines he expected them to.

He wasn't pissed to see them not behave as he wanted them too, of course. He wasn't that much of a control freak. But he did want them to inhabit a sense of incorruptibility but it seems like it was too much to hope for.

Maybe he was being too dramatic…

Aegon dismissed it all with a wave. "Nevertheless." Aegon turned to look towards Ser Maerro. "After the next arrival leaves for Elamaerys, I want us all out of Astapor. All of us. We'll make Velos ours and it will be, from now on, where we conduct our business."

"Hmm…It will take a lot of effort." Yes, it would. As much as Elamaerys takes. He would have enough time – and men – though to make a good effort of it.

He could also ask for Gael and Ser Galaenys to send more of the young men who wanted to fight and wanted to earn their knighthoods…

"It will however it is the choice left to us. Our purpose in Liberty Bay is coming to an end and we must find a new purpose." Aegon said to Ser Maerro and based on the look he got, Ser Maerro at least had a sense of idea what he meant.

"Leave me for a moment with Rhaegar, will you?" Aegon asked of both Keller and Ser Maerro as he stood up from his seat.

The two men soon left, leaving him only with Rhaegar.

"Ahri, Ekes, Rigarys, Riqez, Ozip, Shizlo and Srardan all died to save my life." Aegon said with a heavy, grim tone of voice. "They saved me."

Rhaegar had known of the eight Unsullied who'd gone with him. Known that they were likely to die, even if the Unsullied did not know why. Aegon did not think he could ever admit to anyone, what he did to those poor men.

"I am glad that their lives were not in vain. To save your life is what many of us would happily die for. Including me, my Prince." Rhaegar said and there were notes of pride and sincerity in his voice.

Aegon's eye closed for a moment before he reopened and smiled at the man with a difficult look of gratitude, a look that soon fades away. "Rhaegar…I must ask you…does the loyalty of all of the Unsullied still run deep?"

"It does, my Prince. Your word is held above all others. No Unsullied would ever raise a sword against you or your people. You have given us everything."

Aegon smiled genuinely at those words, touched as he was at the sincerity.

He quickly grew serious as he spoke again. "I want the majority of the Unsullied, after this war is over, to station in Velos." Aegon said with a serious tone of voice. "I do not trust the Regency Council with your lives."

"It will be done, my Prince." Rhaegar agreed without hesitation.

Aegon nodded at Rhaegar. It wasn't the whole picture but it was part of it. He did not like the presumption of the Regency Council to command the Unsullied. They would remain under his command via Rhaegar.

Some would of course be stationed in Liberty Cities, of course, but nowhere near the thousands. At most a few hundred in each city. After this war was over, the Regency Council can go and depend on their own armies.

It would also help ensure that his control over Velos is kept paramount…

"How is the training going with the next generation?" Aegon asked curiously as he gestured Rhaegar to walk with him.

The Unsullied were a brotherhood fashioned through horrendous suffering. Despite all of that, however, they were also a devastatingly effective fighting force.

Even the younglings.

It would be a terrible waste for the Unsullied not to pass on their skills to the next generation, and, when Aegon had brought up the subject, the commanders of the Unsullied had not been against the idea. Of course, the next generation would be brought in an actually humane way.

Never again would the Unsullied be made.

But what would come after them would be born from the Unsullied.

As the Unsullied were part of the City-Guard of every city in Liberty Bay, they had access to imprisoned street rats caught stealing or committing other sorts of crimes and they began to recruit them and offered them a life worth living.

So far, from across the cities, they'd recruited over two thousand young kids. There had been more but they'd fallen out of the program, unable as they were to deal with the strenuous and demanding training regimes.

The regimes did not include maiming or killing things, but it was physically demanding regimes that toughened and strengthened their bodies. Discipline was also enforced through in this way, through physical activities, and it was no wonder that only a third were able to keep up. By the time it was over, he wouldn't surprised if another lot of kids dropped out of the program.

It was fortunate however that the program offered extremely good pay. After all, it was sponsored directly by the Regency Councillors who obviously recognised the usefulness of having the skills retained…and likely thought that it would help them keep control over the Unsullied.

He doubted they would cut it at this moment in time, not with how Rhaegar was having his Unsullied train the levies raised by the cities but in the aftermath of the war, he could see them doing this.

It was good then that he had plenty of coin to come from New Ghis…

After all, nearly all of it would come to support the Isle of Cedars.

In any case, in a way, these kids would be their legacy. And also whom would be taught in the ways of their goddess, the one who saved them from insanity throughout their ordeals.

Rhaegar told him that it was going well, the training, and that a good number of the kids had moved up to the next phase of their training almost seamlessly, even naming some of the kids which seemed to be noteworthy given that Rhaegar was not one to shine undue attention on.

They soon began to walk out of the building and as they walked, Aegon's guards having resumed their duty to him, Aegon asked Rhaegar was his stance on New Ghis was.

"I agree with the decision to take control over New Ghis. They are a problem. With the city under control, we also control more of the seas into the Bay."

"You're also concerned about slaver ships and pirates." Aegon said with a hum in his voice.

"Yes. From New Ghis we will be able to close that avenue better." Rhaegar said and Aegon spotted the man glance at him for a moment before he looked away and continued. "Some of the others also think we should go West too. Take Mantarys. It closes off Liberty Bay entirely and rids another city of slavery."

"Except for the north."

"Except for the north." Rhaegar agreed though he said nothing else, certainly because there wasn't much to be done about the north. The Dothraki were the plague. They come and they go.

"Do you want to?" Aegon finally asked after a few moments as he eyed the man.

"I am unsure." Rhaegar admitted to him before he looked towards Aegon, a silent question in his eyes and Aegon sighed heavily before he smiled thinly as he watched the curious and hopeful eyes of the people in this city watch him pass through.

"I am tired of war. I think I have fought enough wars." Aegon tells Rhaegar before he looks away from the man. "Taking Mantarys wouldn't be the end. After Mantarys, would come Volantis. Then Volon Therys. Valysar. Selhorys. Then every city and town up the River Rhoyne."

"Some believe we should not stop until we have rid the Known World of all slavery." Rhaegar told him and Aegon smiled a mirthless smile.

"We have too short of a lifetime to see that happen." Aegon said before he looked at Rhaegar with a long look. The Unsullied were growing into their individuality.

It was truly beautiful to see…

"It is a nice goal to have. A difficult, likely impossible goal in a single lifetime but…" Aegon met Rhaegar's gaze. "If they wish this…if they want this…tell them that I wish them good fortune in this pursuit of theirs, if they so wish to take it. I give my full blessings."

If anyone deserved a choice in how they wanted to live their lives…it was the Unsullied. He had his goals, yes, but his goals could be satisfied without the Unsullied. Even if it was more difficult.

Aegon looked away from Rhaegar. "And if there are those who wish to serve me on Velos or on Elamaerys, tell them that this is an option for them too. You are free men. The choice is yours…" Aegon sighed silently before he glanced at Rhaegar.

"My friend."

The rest of the journey to the beach was a silent one. But it was, by far, a kind of silence that suited the moment. For both of them.

…

…

…

Some time later…

The days spent in Velos had come and gone by quickly, as Aegon familiarised himself with the minutia of the events and activities that happened all around the Isle of Cedars.

Velos was the most under their control. Its people, freed men and women from the Disputed Lands for the most part though there were plenty of labourers from the other cities in Liberty Bay, were content with the state of affairs.

The labourers were paid well at an average rate of two golden coins a year – though they were paid monthly in silver coins – with bonuses on offer for completing their works satisfactorily and ahead of time whilst the supply of food and items such as cloths and the like were plentiful.

As it was, Velos was slowly but surely becoming a part of the economy of Liberty Bay as the cities in Liberty Bay grew more accustomed to trade with each other and other lands like the Summer Isles, with Velos certainly becoming a major consumer of manufactured goods over the next decade as he and Elamaerys propped up the island with coin to help develop it further.

Nonetheless, there were problems despite Velos slowly maturing away from the chaos as more and more buildings and facilities were being built.

Keller and his men were particulate with their daily works – they had to be, to manage a colony of this size – and it was easy for him to see how much of a strain managing the colony was for his people, why Keller, a man who he'd never heard complain, started to complain about the difficulties in managing the colony.

He'd been informed about most of it already via the glass candle however seeing it and seeing the expression of his people, tired and weary, painted a thousand words.

Nearly all of their present complaints and tiredness was related to a degree of lawlessness that came with so many people being transplanted into a new and underdeveloped region, even if Velos was no longer the source of their complaints.

Almost half of the people of the Disputed Lands lived under a kind of self-rule beyond the city of Velos and the colony near New Oros, previously named Ghozai, where the surviving nobility of Tolos and Elyria were kept under close watch and control by a number of his Liberty Bay soldiers who were in his employ.

The lawlessness did not become a point where bandits roamed the countryside, terrorising settlement after settlement, there was too little countryside for that to exist at this point, however…there were reports of exploitations happening in the small settlements that were cropping up leagues around Velos, settlements that were going to be major plantations with how rich the soil was.

Exploitations such as groups of men scalping farmers from their hard earned coin by 'purchasing' their produce at a significant discounted price before selling off the food to the central administration of Velos who was in charge of managing the colony of Velos.

This kind of exploitation could only get worse over time, with how limited their reach beyond Velos and New Oros was, and it was a major problem that needed solving, especially when it became time to turn off the tap of food supply from Dorne and elsewhere, something that was a major monetary drain.

He'd tasked Ser Maerro and Ser Trytas to come up with a little taskforce, not that he named it as such, and hunt down these kinds of individuals and hang them for their crimes.

With regards to how successful this would become in the short term…well, Aegon wasn't exactly sure, given that their reach throughout the Isle of Cedars was limited but it was a problem that needed to be solved and a problem that Aegon could not allow to fester, lest their ilk grow in confidence and daring as they adapt and grow experience in this new land.

A problem that he's created now that he's taken full ownership of the Isle of Cedars, a decision that he'd taken pretty much on a whim.

Before, he intended only to keep Velos under Elamaeri control but now, with the whole island to be under Elamaeri rule and control, it made the work of his people so much harder.

And with more of his men leaving for Elamaerys, six thousand Elamaeri, most of whom were his soldiers and sailors, that left him quite understaffed with only another six thousand Elamaeri, most of whom were also soldiers and sailors, to keep order on the Isle of Cedars.

And that would only last for another year or so, until it was time to leave, when only about a thousand of his soldiers would be stationed in Velos for a few years, which was no more adequate now that he had all of the Isle of Cedars to manage.

The Unsullied were going to be critical in keeping control over the Isle of Cedars.

That much had become clear to him.

Rhaegar had headed towards the mainland ahead of Aegon, to broach the topics he and Rhaegar discussed, topics of war against New Ghis and what was to follow after that war, of the offer that Aegon had made to them, of coming into his employ for the rest of their lives, either at Velos or in Elamaerys.

He'd hoped that at least five thousand of them would accept his offers, and accept to be stationed on the Isle of Cedars. Such numbers would make things a hell of a lot easier to project control over the island but he would have to wait and see after the New Ghis war about how many of them would wish to join up with the more militant Unsullied and seek to destroy slavery beyond Tolos in the West…

He also spoke with Gael as well, about the squires and others in Elamaerys who wanted to earn their spurs, and they'd sent another thousand or so men and boys to Velos to bolster the stationed men in the Isle of Cedars, who would also, over time, work with the men already stationed here to train up a 'native' city-guard.

He also planned on broaching the topic of more Liberty Bay men, the ones who served under him or his commanders, of relocating to Velos with the promise of land and Elamaeri citizenship, which was a pool of thousands of men.

Even a quarter of them taking the offer would be satisfactory, though he expected it to be more with how many of these men had seen him do 'miraculous feats', from surviving a dose of dragonfire to nearly setting an entire city aflame.

The Regency Councillors would have their work cut out in offering greater reward to offset the bias these men had…

In any case, beyond making plans of exerting more order onto the Isle of Cedars, came also the conversation about their people's role in this war against New Ghis.

Or rather, a conversation about the lack of a role in this war.

He'd met up with his men in Velos and explained that none of them would fight in the war against the Ghiscari of New Ghis, that their retribution had been complete and that they had lost enough of their people to war in the past few years.

He'd also been honest to a degree, telling them that the Liberty Bay people needed a victory of their own, one that could unite them further and make them stronger for it.

Still, it was a decision that had varied reactions.

Most were pleased enough not to have to fight again, whilst others were visibly torn, likely torn about not aiding those they felt a sense of responsibility for, especially since a few of them had either fought against the Dothraki or had helped train the men of Meereen with a few of the subcommanders.

The latter was alleviated mostly when they learnt that he would be aiding them atop dragonback, though again that spooled off a number of different reactions that made his men resistant to let him go off into battle alone, which was easily dealt with by a few choice words that reminded them all how wrong that view was.

For there was nothing alike going into battle alone when on dragonback…

Still, beyond those common reactions, there were a few more other reactions, reactions that had some displeased that the fighting was done, or that they were not taking part of what some considered to be the 'final battle' of liberating Slaver's Bay but those reactions were relatively obscure.

Curiously though, he'd been approached by an assemble of men – Ethon Sunglass, Lucas Sunglass, Clarence Bar Emmon, Aeryn Velaryon, Valerion Velaryon, and a few others from lesser Houses, those who had come with him from Westeros – to fight in this war.

Part of his acquiescence of their coming with him and setting up branch Houses, they had to agree to 'serve' in Velos for five years whilst their families were brought over to Elamaerys.

He had several reasons for this, the main one being to instil a sense of loyalty in their heirs whilst they were apart from their fathers as they were trained amongst his people and likely his youngest son, Solonys, for most had very young sons if they had any at all, but also to ensure that when they were given their land and allowed their retainment of nobility, was seen as 'earned' amongst his people.

And their approach to him to request that they be allowed to fight in this war against New Ghis was a blessing in disguise. They were different, apart, from his men, and they had never fought in a war, allowing him to explain away their participation relatively easily.

And allowing them to fight would help change the perspective of them – heading off a perspective of classic nobles taking what was unearned – and also foster the beginnings of a kind of understanding amongst his men and these nobles.

That they all had fought against slavery.

He only hoped that none of them would be foolish enough to die…he had plans for them and their lines over the next twenty or so years…

Amongst all of that came also the plans of integrating the island into replicating Elamaeri Code of Laws, for which there was not much in place as of yet.

The city was mostly following the kind of martial law – not that most people of this world understood the distinction between martial law or otherwise – he implemented back in Fylloris, where civil liberties were largely suspended, curfews in place, sentencing conducted by Ser Maerro or his deputies, etcetera, and it would remain in place for a number of years, unfortunately.

Though mostly, the people were content with it all. After all, they knew little better…

However, beyond Velos and New Oros, there was not much law at all.

In any form.

To introduce a Code of Laws here, now, was going to be something that had to be done over a period of time, and for that…he needed someone to manage the colony day to day.

And that meant he needed a Governor for the Isle of Cedars.

And he had just the right person in mind…

Sallen Baerros.

With the man having successfully convinced him that it was time to start up trading again with the East, and with the formative trade agreements he'd reached with Viserys, Westeros too in time, Aegon was particularly keen to have the man take up more responsibility than just trading.

Baerros had been part of his Council for years and Aegon trusted the man. He knew the man's vices, his pride, his ambitions…and becoming Governor of an entire island would represent the pinnacle of his ambitions.

The first Governor of the Isle of Cedars. The man who built Velos. The man who built a trading empire for Elamaerys.

Of course, he would need help.

Not just from a governing perspective, which the man would struggle to juggle with his responsibilities in managing the trading organisation but also to keep him…on the right path.

Ser Andrew and a number of scholars who worked for Keller would be asked to remain on Velos for three years before he'd cycle them out and sent out a veteran of the wars and other scholars who worked under Edwyn and Gael to see through the establishment of Elamaeri Code of Law and help solidify the Elamaeri Code of Law into the fabric of society on the Isle of Cedars.

Of course, his own presence for the next year or so before he was to leave for Elamaerys, would help support this transition of more coherent and structured governance and rule of law, fully intended as he was to give the Isle of Cedars every chance to be a productive and orderly colony.

And, the greater the success…the greater the number of people who would be willing to stay and make a life on the Isle of Cedars. As it was, most of these people wanted to come to Elamaerys, something Aegon did not wish to impede, but…he wanted at least a good number of them, perhaps forty percent, to remain on Velos and populate it over time.

With it becoming the primary location of where all of their trade would coalesce, connecting Yi-Ti to Elamaerys, it should become one of the richest places to be in short order. He doubted it would be any time soon, of course, but if the signs were there, and if the people were let known of this…

Still, despite all of the work that was needed to get the Isle of Cedars to a point that would leave him content, there was still much on the island, particularly Velos, that left him satisfied.

Before his departure to Westeros, he'd encouraged, particularly a number of former butcher-men, to introduce Corinthos Games to the people of Velos.

In the few days he's been back, he'd seen a number of games around the slowly restored city happening, a sight that delighted Aegon to be truthful.

From talking to a few of his men, particularly the butcher-men whom he's been particularly focused on re-habilitating, he had been pleased to see them speak happily about how the people had taken to the team sport of Rugby, which was probably the Elamaeri favourite.

Disc-throwing and wrestling were distant second and third amongst the popular sports in Velos.

The success of the introduction of some of the sports made Aegon wonder if he should be introducing more team sports…like a variant of baseball and softball…and football, a sport that Aegon followed quite avidly in his first life.

Watching Greece win the European Championship with his extended family was a memory that long lasted and fostered a deep love for the sport…

The only concern he had was that his people wouldn't take to the sport. The last thing he wanted was for football to not be taken by his people…he couldn't deal with that disappointment…

After staying in Velos for about six days, Aegon had flown towards Astapor, where the bulk of their people still were in Ullhor Pyramid, and where the majority of their remaining fleet was, which now only really consisted of Carracks.

Carracks that in time would be used solely for trading with the East under the oversight of Baerros.

His arrival on Mīsaragorn had thrown the city into a mild frenzy, with thousands of people crowding the gates to Ullhor Pyramid, and he had to address them upon the walls of the outside gates of the pyramid, something that had barely seen him be able to speak over the cheers that had rung that day.

He would never admit it, but it was…nice to be cherished like that.

It was unlike the cherishment he received from his own people, whom he has largely manipulated into loving him, so their love felt…tainted. For these people however…despite their liberation largely happening for personal profit, he had done little to manipulate them into holding any kind of affection for him.

After all of the nightmares, the horrors of both the normal world and beyond it, the looming disaster that was approaching his brother and his nephews and nieces…

It was a pleasant feeling to hold, to have, and to momentarily forget everything under their vocal affection…

The first few days on his return had largely been to catch up with his people, particularly the preparations made for the journey.

All of the goods and feed were made readied and packed in their containers and bags whilst materials and manufactured items for the pens for the livestock and horses were ready to be installed in the cargo hold of the Galleons.

Whilst the cargo holds of the ships were largely intact, sometimes, especially during rough waters, the areas in the hold do sustain damage by panicked animals.

More than a few of the animals had died due to this panic and trampling before they could be put down on sweetsleep, causing substantial damage to the bars and cages.

And it was easier to repair or remake these things here in Astapor than it was in Elamaerys, which still only could sustain making goods for the colony.

His people, about six thousand Elamaeri and four thousand settlers, three fourths being women, were all ready as well to go on the journey which was most of the current inhabitants of Ullhor Pyramid. When it was time…

Yes…it was the perfect time to move the rest of their people – and their fleet – to Velos.

There were still a number of orphans in the Pyramid – about six hundred – but nowhere near the thousands that had been here at some point of another.

They were largely looked after by the volunteers though Aegon had made sure to speak to some of his men, his soldiers, to be around and 'look out' for them.

There were a few mishaps, but for the most part, his men had found a little bit of peace by their interaction of these young orphan children, particularly the boys whom some had indicated they were willing to take in as squires, or even take them into their families.

The days in Astapor went as quick as they did in Velos, thrown in as he was in reviewing the status of all things. From reviewing the logs of his scribes and scholars, logs that detailed the outgoings of the coin he retained here in Astapor that was largely used to fund Velos' upkeep and payments of wages, and logs that detailed their stock of goods, to the human side of things such as complaints and problems and disciplinary issues, which was always extant.

Then there was also catching up with the blacksmiths – whom he'd also set a task to make barrel bands – and their progress with the Elamaeri Steel.

For the most part, they were still reworking the cache of Elamaeri Steel he left behind for them before his departure, who managed to improve on their reworking methodologies of the magic-infused metal.

The metal wasn't quite magical metal, like Valyrian Steel, which still eluded him, but it was as good as he could make it in the present time. Likely as good or better than the First Men legendary bronze swords enchanted with First Men Runes.

The process was relatively simple, all things considered.

He smelted steel using dragonflame – Mīsaragorn having improved his control over his dragonflame to the right temperatures necessary – and after the steel had cooled, he used dragonflame again although in this instance, he slowly wrapped the dragonflame around the steel – and through the steel, and somehow, after this process, the steel exhibited a retention of the dragonflame into itself.

He'd experimented with the process, and he'd found without the smelting process, the steel wouldn't absorb the dragonflame. The why and how eluded him.

Only that it worked…

Which was infuriating, to say the least.

He could guess that the formation of steel from iron and carbon through a medium of dragonflame caused some kind of reaction that made the alloy…receptive to dragonflame, or mayhaps the dragonflame during the smelting process allowed for the formation of an alloy that took on…metaphysical molecules from dragonflame that made it possible to imbue more dragonflame in subsequent processes…?

Anyway…

It worked, and his men were becoming better at reworking the steel at a quicker pace. It wouldn't be long before they'd be as skilled in working it as they were ordinary steel, which boded well for his future plans.

With his overly generous gifting of Elamaeri Steel armour to Lys over the next ten years, who were definitely going to be clashing with other Free Cities over the Disputed Lands in the coming decades, his armour was going to gain a reputation in the years to come.

Already some in Westeros knew about the Elamaeri Steel even if it had not been advertised. When they see the performance of the Steel in tourneys…and in the wars to come…

Well, the demand for his Steel was going to be spectacular.

Some might consider it foolish to sell goods that lessened the advantage of Elamaerys but what difference would it make when Elamaeri Steel, Valyrian Steel swords, could cut through Elamaeri Steel just as well as normal steel words could cut through plate armour? If not better in the case of Valyrian Steel?

Besides, he had a suspicion Elamaeri Steel could work well against White Walkers and other deviant creatures. The more these weapons existed, the better in Aegon's point of view…

And beyond all of that, then, of course, there was his usual activities, solidifying more of his vision for Elamaerys in the form of economics, expansion, fleshing out the functions of the government and the institutions that would soon follow what was already active in Elamaerys…

The only interruption he had to all of this was when he trained at arms with his men or when he sitting down with the Regency Councillors of Astapor, whom kept him apprised of the assembly of the army, or with Tyqor, who he was working to refine their battleplans, much of it depending on him burning down the defences of New Ghis.

With the city at large no longer holding a significant slave population, he was less concerned about innocent casualties, even if the freeborn were innocent enough, so his part of the plan was basically burn, burn and burn, hours before the arrival of the invading fleet.

Simple enough.

Still, he was a little concerned about what New Ghis could be planning. To take Old Ghis now, whilst he was still around, made him wonder if they had some kind of weapon that could potentially kill him and his dragon.

Or worse.

He intended to have Kaerrell use some of the last Shade of the Evening and paint and see if there was anything that he might be missing…

A little later that day…

He paused in his writing when the door to his solar was knocked upon, and after a glance at the door, Aegon called out to whomever it was to come in.

Escorted in, was Uthrik, who was a sight for sore eyes.

"My Prince." The man said before he bowed his head and Aegon stood up from his seat and walked over to the man, eying him studiously. Uthrik had meant to come back to Velos within a few days but he'd not come back.

And when he arrived in Astapor, he'd learnt that Uthrik had soon left with a few men towards the north, following the road to Yunkai.

None knew the reason for the departure and it left Aegon somewhat concerned as well as intrigued of what could have caught Uthrik's attention so.

He thought it might be the unexpected presence of Volantene but he might have been on the trail for something else…

"Uthrik." Aegon greeted with a faint smile as he took hold of the man's shoulders. "It is good to see you."

"My apologies my Prince for my absence." The man said before he looked up and met Aegon's eyes. "There were…matters that had taken up my attentions."

"I see." Aegon said before he looked towards the guards and nodded at them, and soon enough, as Aegon's arms fell down by his side, he was left alone with Uthrik.

The man's shoulders slumped slightly. "I have failed you, my Prince."

"In what?" Aegon asked as he narrowed his eyes.

"The influence of the R'hllorists is growing stronger. Stronger than I realised."

Aegon eyed the man cautiously. "In what sense?"

"In the sense that priests of other faiths are disappearing." Uthrik said with a grim look on his expression. "In Yunkai, the priests of the Hooded Wayfarer faith, the Trios faith and priestesses of Yndros of the Twilight have gone missing. In Meereen, there are eight different priests or priestesses that have gone missing." Uthirk sighed heavily as Aegon's eye widened slightly.

"After your departure for Westeros, my men noticed more Volantene ships arriving than usual." Uthrik looked at him meaningfully.

"Daenos and his lot." Aegon connected and Uthrik nodded slowly.

"He wasn't the first but yes. Their ilk. Via ship or via carriage to Tolos and beyond, more of them kept coming, and with their arrivals, there also came a greater uptick in sermons by the R'hllorists." Uthrik said, continuing in grim tone of voice.

"At first, it didn't look so odd as we all knew that the R'hllorists have…interests in this part of the world." Aegon nodded lightly at that before Uthrik continued "But then my men caught the members of the Regency Council meet with these Volantenes, causing me to send men to look into Yunkai and Tolos…"

"And there too there was an influence of these Volantene?" Aegon said with a grim smile and Uthrik nodded.

"In Tolos it is worse…there we have seen Red Priests entering the central building for the Regency Council."

Aegon walked away from Uthrik, a heavy frown on his face, and walked towards his desk where he soon sat behind, the heavy frown never leaving his face.

"It was at that point that I went personally to some of these cities to see if there hasn't been anything else. It was then I learnt about the missing priests and priestesses." Uthrik added.

Literally eliminating the competition…

"What do the people believe happened?"

"Some, particularly the other priests of these faiths, have levelled accusations to the Red Priests but there are many accusations. Their disappearances have been…perfect to say the least." Uthrik said with irritation in his tone of voice.

Hmm…

"How…pervasive is their influence now? Amongst the Councils?" Aegon said after some time before he gestured the man to sit down opposite his desk.

"It is hard to say." Uthrik admitted before he took a seat, almost slouching in his chair. "My men don't have that kind of access…not unless we want to let them know that we're watching."

'Perhaps they already know we're watching…'

A few moments of silence passed before Aegon spoke up to break it. "You haven't failed me." Aegon said as he met the man's gaze. "We do not have the resources to watch every step of the Regency Council or the happenings in these cities."

"Perhaps but nonetheless, I should have caught this sooner than when I did." 'By then it was already too late to do anything about it' was what Uthrik left unsaid.

Aegon only smiled at the man before he hummed deeply and looked away from the man. "Even if we knew earlier…there isn't much we can do. Mine own influence is waning amongst the Regency Council and it started the moment I installed them in their positions. Unless I want to directly intervene – which I do not – there is little I can do to stem this tide. We will have to live with it." Aegon said with a note of distaste in his tone of voice before he shook his head.

"All we can do is safeguard the Isle of Cedars against their influence." Aegon said as he met the man's gaze again. "Especially since now I have taken the entire island into my possession."

Uthrik's eyes did not widen in surprise, likely already aware of the decision and the war he'd be taking part of, though there was something in there that he could only mean to understand as something unexpected from him.

Not surprising as the plan had always only been Velos and Velos alone.

"Did the presence of Daenos…"

"Partially." Aegon interrupted. "But mostly because of the Regency Councillors themselves." Aegon admitted. "Their presumptuousness in using the Unsullied in their war, their lies to convince me that the situation was worse than it really is, their general unitedness against me rather than with me…" Aegon grimly smiled.

"It removed some of the fog of fondness from my mind." Aegon said with a dismissive gesture of the hand. "To secure our interests in this side of the world, we must have the Isle of Cedars firmly under our control."

Leaning on the continued goodwill from the Liberty Bay cities is not something he could do.

"I would rather prefer we just remove ourselves entirely from these parts." Uthrik admitted to him with a heavy sigh. "They are…too dangerous, my Prince." Uthrik said with full sincerity in his eyes. "Even to you, my Prince. They will not stop in their schemes, not even against you despite their proclamations of your sainthood in their faith."

"I'm aware." Aegon commented as he leaned back in his chair. They were a scorpion in the tale of the scorpion and the toad. Aegon was fully aware of that. Yet he also knew keeping them close…at a safe distance…might become important in the distant future.

For all that they were zealous fanatics with a penchant for burning people alive, they were also a strong source of manpower against the dead…and potentially against other eldritch creatures that existed in the crevices in this world.

Creatures that could be worse than the White Walkers and their God, if it existed.

He really, really didn't want to make them into enemies.

But he was well aware the potential existed.

The Isle of Cedars, as grim as it was, would be the perfect ground to determine whether or not turning a blind eye to their nature is worth it.

Whether or not they would accept the limits and boundaries he was demanding there. If they did not…well…it made it clear that they could not be worked with.

"I have the workings of conditions in place to assess whether or not they present an insurmountable danger to our people." Aegon told Uthrik and though the man wasn't exactly placated, he was at least to a certain degree.

He would spell the man into his schemes at a later date. After all, Uthrik would be someone he would be leaning heavily on in the coming decades.

Uthrik nodded after leaving off a tired sigh and Aegon eyed the man curiously.

"Have you rested yet?"

Uthrik looked surprised by the comment before he quickly recovered and shook his head. "No my Prince. I will do so after this meeting."

"I won't keep you too long then." Aegon said with a trace of a smile, something he quickly lost as he leaned in slightly. "Have you picked the men for the…task?"

Uthrik grimaced before he nodded. "I have. About nine men which include Codin, Dannis and Brannyn. I have also taken Arvin from Baerros." They were amongst the best 'spies' they had, with the exception of Arvin who had mostly worked with Baerros as his subordinate. He'd spoken directly with the man on a number of occasions and it wasn't surprising that Uthrik wanted him part of this task.

The men would need a cover story that could hold water after all...

"And they are unaware…" Aegon trailed off.

"They are, my Prince." Uthrik answered as he closed his eyes. "They do not know yet who the target is and know that they will not know for some time."

The revelations of that night…on the Isle of Faces…

It had sent Aegon off-kilter to a large degree.

All that he knew…all that he thought he knew…was once again made abundantly clear to him that he knew only a percentage of a percent of all that could be known about this world.

And worst of all…

It had nearly pushed him into an existential crisis that he had to forcefully had to ignore for moons on end, throwing himself at the whims of his uncle's demands for knowledge and into his work for Elamaerys.

Did any of his actions have any real meaning?

Did any actions have any sense of choice about them?

He hated that he could not answer 'yes, my actions have been made with mine own free will' and that everything was much closer to being deterministic than not.

Time travel…

Eldritch descendants…

Aegon forcefully pulled himself into that damned black hole and uttered "Good." Aegon said before he sighed heavily. "I wish I could say that I am certain that I am not sending men to their deaths but I cannot be."

Uthrik said nothing for a few moments.

"He is only one man, my Prince. And with your brother's passing, the greatest threat to his life is extinguished. He will grow lax, if he has not already."

Aegon only smiled faintly at those words. 'Yes…that is how it should be. But unfortunately…we have little beasts and their ancestors intent on driving dragons – and House Targaryen – into extinction.'

He was not so foolish they would end with only Viserys' branch of House Targaryen. They intended to end the Song of Fire in its entirety.

"Let us hope so." Aegon said with the tinies of nods even if he did held little hope.

'Hope that was diminished by the plain knowledge that little beasts in their trees have a daunting foresight of the future and actively influenced the future as if it was the present. Perhaps they already know of my men, perhaps they already know of my plots long before I arrived on their shore.

Men who I believe will likely die before they can kill Otto Hightower, a man whose death will perhaps force their manipulations beyond what they could do.'

With Otto Hightower's death, the push for Aegon the Younger's ascension to Kingship could be lessened significantly. Not entirely, but significantly.

He is the link between Alicent Hightower and her children and the rest of the Hightowers, and via them, the Reach.

Cutting that link would force the Hightowers to be more directly involved which Aegon did not believe would be so successful.

Even Alicent Hightower's brothers could not fill that void, Aegon assessed but even if they could, they would not be given the same levity his brother had given Otto Hightower who was pretty much a friend to his brother.

And, Aegon thought to himself, her brothers were unlikely as personally invested to see their nephew become as King as Otto Hightower was.

All of this gave Aegon hope that perhaps the dragons in Westeros wouldn't die out…that perhaps there was a chance that the severity of the civil war could be lessened greatly.

But first…he would have to see how far the powers of these so called Old Gods extended…whether or not they could act and cause the deaths of his men before they could do the deed…or help make the deed fail.

He was effectively sacrificing nine men to test the scale of their foresight and ability to act.

He thought perhaps to have the men immediately act out the assassination but he'd dismissed that because of how much more difficult it would be to make it happen.

This way, his men setting up shop in Oldtown and remain there for a number of years before executing a plan to get rid of the man, was not better either but it was what he had available at this moment in time.

He could not act whilst he was in Kings Landing, not without making enemies of his family, and putting them in a position he didn't want them to be in.

'And the reason why I am willing to do this…why I am willing to go this far…is not because of family but because my hatred for the little beasts.' Aegon thought grimly to himself.

He'd been willing to sacrifice his extended family in Westeros to the plots of the Children if it meant he could decouple his own family from their schemes.

It had been a core tenet of his as soon as he managed to put the clues together of what they were…what they were capable of…who they were.

Swearing an oath that limited interference in Westeros, his or his descendants – worded in such a way they could not exact a price against his entire family line – in exchange of non-interference in Elamaerys and absolving him from his old oath, had been something he was entirely willing to do…despite how much he hated doing so.

He was an arsehole of the greatest degree.

Selfish. Irredeemable.

And he would do it all again.

He cared for his extended family, for his nephews and nieces, some more than others, but his own family and Elamaerys would always be more important.

And part of all of that was for him to learn how daunting of a challenge the little bastards were.

How far he, or his descendants, would need to go to ruin and destroy their influence across Westeros…and across the world.

He was likely unfortunate enough that their presence in Westeros was not the end of it. The descriptions of the ghost trees in the farthest corners of Essos and other lithe creatures that had startling resemblance to the little beasts made that clear…

In any case, the plot against Otto Hightower was merely an opening shot to test them, their capabilities. Of course…there was something else to consider…that they could trick him by making themselves appear weaker than he believed them to be…

Perhaps they could also see what would happen if the plot failed, how severe his response would be when the time of the civil war came, and thus would allow the plot to happen and present themselves as weaker than he thought them to be…

If he was them, it was something he would do, to ensnare him into a trap…

"Go…rest. We will continue to speak at a later time." Aegon said as he smiled faintly at the man. Uthrik stood up and bowed before he left, leaving Aegon to his own.

Aegon leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily, unable to think on anything else but the Children of the Forest…of what happened that night.

"I wish I could leave it alone…but I cannot." Aegon murmured to himself, suddenly feeling exceptionally tired. Tired merely from the amount of work he would have to do in combatting these things…and other things like them.

Knowing of their presence and their abilities was a great leap forward but as long they existed…as long as they influenced the normal world into a path…into a direction, likely a cyclic path…humanity would never be free.

Elamaerys would never be free. Free to forge their destiny without interference.

Forever would they be at the whims of these things who manipulated their world, humanity, and such a thing was an anathema to Aegon.

Especially as these things were far from being worthy of licking the boot of God. They were once mortal, this Aegon inherently believed to be the case of all of these things. Even this…Her that that male Child of the Forest had spoken of.

"If only…" If only it was as simple as burning away every single Weirwood tree.

Even if he was to be successful, even if he committed Genocide against every First Men who stood in his way, the fact remained that he knew for certainty that there were Children of the Forest, Weirwood Trees and quite likely also a Greenseer beyond the Wall.

Given how vindictive these things were, as human as they were, the chances were high that they might well just change their Song into something more vindictive…more vengeful, and instead of correcting their…mistakes, they'd lash out against the world?

The trees were their Gods. Their ancestors. Killing them likely would have the effect of causing unintended circumstances that could doom this world into oblivion.

They would have nothing to lose.

"Defeat them without making them desperate enough to want everything to die…"

Aegon closed his eye. 'Fighting with two arms behind my back…'

Aegon reopened his eye, a heavy, tired sigh escaping his lips as he forced himself to stop thinking about those things and what happened that night and picked up the quill once more, and began working again, once more setting aside problems that Aegon had every wish to delay just a little longer…

If only to preserve his sanity and to stave off matters that would make even the most enlightened monk self-doubt…

A few days later…

Aegon first saw the Galleon fleet arrive to port from his balcony, and the sight of forty plus huge ships arriving to port was a beautiful one. And he wasn't the only one to feel the tangible excitement as the feeling pervaded throughout his people from within Ullhor Pyramid.

It wasn't long before Aegon made his way towards the ports with Ser Maerro, Ser Trytas, Admiral Lutherys, Keller and a small army of guards led by Ser Jon and Ser Raevor in tow, with Ser Andrew leading a contingent of men to secure the path between the port reserved for the Galleons and Ullhor Pyramid.

They arrived to the piers where Baerros was in wait with a few of his subordinates and soon their little group stood together in wait on the piers as they waited for their people to disembark from the fleet, and a little while later, the first of the ships, the lead ship he recognised as captained by Harrin Locke by the personal emblem in on one of the aft sails, brought down its gangway.

And down came Harrin Locke and his second, soon to be followed by a few other men.

The men then came towards him, men he recognised quite well, including a man named Beck Beckson, who Gael and Edwyn have mentioned as a captain and potentially admiral candidate but was yet only a officer, and the men came to a stop in front of him, and kneeled in front of him.

"My Prince, it heartens us to see you once more." Harrin Locke was the one to speak on the behalf of the other men and Aegon stopped forward, a more obvious smile on his face as he lifted Harrin Locke onto his feet from the shoulders.

"I am gladdened to see you Captain Locke, and the rest of the fleet, for it means the Smith blessed your journey and the Father had mercy for you." Aegon said the familiar words he'd said a number of times now.

Still, the words had the intended reaction as he was graced with a relieved smile, one that was replicated by the other men as he gestured them to stand.

"Aye, my Prince. The Gods had mercy for us. The journey in was without problem." The Captain said before the man turned towards Admiral Lutherys and bowed his head slightly at the Admiral.

"Admiral." The Captain said in greeting which was returned by Admiral Lutherys evenly. Most of the captains of the Galleon Fleet had a healthy respect for Admiral Lutherys after his near total victory against the slaver ships.

Likely quite a bit of envy too.

They waited on the piers for a little while long as more of the ships anchored and brought down their gangways and it wasn't long before he was amongst forty captains and twice as many others.

He soon had Ser Andrew station about four hundred men by the ships before he had Admiral Lutherys and Ser Maerro lead the captains and their seconds to Ullhor Pyramid. Ser Jon and would wait for the majority of the crew to disembark and take back to Ullhor Pyramid whilst he, Ser Trytas, Keller and Baerros remained waiting as well.

"You look like a child whose about to receive the finest gift." Aegon remarked as he chanced upon the excited look on Baerros' expression.

"I would approximate that to be correct, my Prince." Baerros said as he turned towards Aegon with a wild wide grin before he gestured towards the ships. "These past few years have been fun. Successfully coercing those coin peddling prideful Braavosi was a highlight though can't say it was fun worrying my mistresses might actually be Faceless Men" Baerros said with a grimace whilst Trytas and a few others snorted or chuckled. "And arranging agreements or smoothing things out with the Lysene and the Summer Islanders wasn't so bad either as a diplomat but…"

"But your heart calls out for the trade." Aegon said with a smile on his face and Baerros' fading grin stopped fading though it took a turn, a turn into a smile.

"Aye, my Prince. And my men surely wish to go out and wring out every single copper they can from our opponents after years of playing farmer and labourer." Baerros said with excitement in his voice though he frowned heavily. "I hope they haven't gone soft. More than they already were. They, the ones who remained, weren't much of the best anyway. Ah…I will need to sort them out won't I?" Baerros' tone of voice took on a despairing note which amused most of the men.

Though Aegon knew that it was an act. Mostly an act.

Still, having the opportunity to trade goods will overcome any irritation and disappointment the man might have. Especially since this shipment was going to have a great deal of furs of 'exotic' animals to be traded to Yi-Ti and Leng which were markets that loved the Wolfbear furs that had made its way there.

With furs of striped big cats – not quite tiger-like but more zebra-like, strangely enough – found further inland making its way here, they anticipated a great deal of demand for the furs.

"I'm sure you'll whip them into shape in no time, Baerros." Aegon said with a half-smile in his tone of voice. "After all, their performance will reflect on you and I doubt you want them to affect you negatively." Aegon said with mild jest.

Baerros' expression darkened a little. "Yes…" Baerros murmured before he walked a little further ahead of them.

'I should wait a little before I levy the Governorship on him…' Aegon mused to himself as he watched the man go.

"If only he had the same passion for the sword." Trytas lamented making some of his guards snort though no one else said much else.

Despite the fact that merchants weren't the most respected of professions, at least amongst the knights, Baerros as a person was. For the most part. The fact that he and others like him chose Elamaerys played a huge factor though the success of getting one over Braavos certainly also helped…

Soon enough the crews and people from the ships began to depart and Aegon greeted them all as they bowed and knelt in front of him, and finally, the people he was here specifically to see, arrived.

"My Prince." The dozen men in Septon robes said in some amount of reverence as they knelt in front of him. "It is honour to be in your presence once more."

Aegon smiled thinly at the kneeling men.

"Rise." Aegon intoned and the dozen men in Septon robes stood up as commanded.

"I am grateful that you have accepted the mission before you." Aegon said to the men. These Septons trained under Septon Aurion, who was all but High Septon at this point, and were fully schooled in the denomination of the Faith of the Seven that all but saw House Targaryen as shepherds of men.

They were perfect.

"My Prince. To spread enlightenment to the ignorant is an honour few would be fortunate enough to be a part of. We could do no less than to accept wholeheartedly." One of the septons said and Aegon found the man's tone of voice and expression to be one of sincerity and full belief.

'Well…it is what it is…' Aegon thought to himself as he smiled at the Septons before he beckoned them forth and to walk with him.

A week later…

Aegon briefly glanced at the men taking the trunk filled with the three dragon eggs to the gangway of the ship his uncle would be boarding momentarily after, a glance that soon ended as his uncle shifted a little forward, causing Aegon to gaze upon his uncle's face once more.

His uncle Vaegon eyed the outstretched thin journal with some curiosity behind his hard globes that were his eyes as they stood on the dock where the last of the folk were boarding the Galleons that were readying to set sail in the next few hours.

"And what would this be?" His uncle questioned as he took the journal from Aegon's hand.

"A problem." Aegon said simply, causing his uncle to look up and meet Aegon's gaze. "A problem that inhabits mathematics, philosophy, the structure of the universe and so much more." Aegon hadn't been able to put it far from his mind ever since that day with Uthrik. It had been a like a seal that had been left broken.

And so forth poured out all of Aegon's ruminations…

His uncle gave him a scrutinising look before he looked down and flicked through the contents of his journal. With the way his uncle's eyebrows raised as his hand settled on a page, he knew that his uncle had chanced upon the introduction of chapter three.

His uncle looked up, a glimmer of disbelief and questioning in his eyes and Aegon only smiled at his uncle before he looked away from his uncle's gaze and out towards the ships.

"The problem is not as fantastical or as impossible as it seems. Nor have I lost my mind. After all I have shown you, surely you can suspend your disbelief and consider the possibility the problem's existence?"

"What you're suggesting is impossible." His uncle said plainly, bluntly and Aegon looked towards his uncle again, his smile widening in a way that was pitying.

It, the look, annoyed his uncle, who chose to look at the journal again.

Aegon leaned forward and placed his hand on the journal, halting his uncle, before he moved to close the journal fully.

"I ask that you do not look at it until you're on the ship. You have a long journey ahead of you and you should have plenty of time to contemplate the problem and the nature of existence." Aegon said with lessening smile. "I have hit a roadblock, or perhaps its more apt to say that I struggle to contemplate it without spiralling into something I don't want to feel." Not again. Never again.

Writing the journal had taken him long enough as it was, an agony he had to force himself to write, something that took a week that otherwise would have only taken him a day at the most.

He hoped Vaegon could see something, something that might throw out his fixation on the possibility that everything is deterministic, that we have no choice…no real free will. That all that is written, will be. And only what will be…can be.

"But you…you will approach this with logic. With impartiality. A clear set of eyes…and a mind suited to think abstractly." Aegon said before he continued.

"I task you, challenge you, to come up with thoughts and theories that challenge my thinking. All that is in that journal is only theories to make sense of what I have observed. It is not definite. It is not absolute. It is, largely, my worst fears and my greatest hopes."

"Observed? You claim you have observed…!" Vaegon paused suddenly in his speaking as he glanced around, and said his following words in a quieter tone of voice. "Time-travel?" Vaegon demanded to know.

"I have." Aegon said truthfully. "I have witnessed it. Twice. Both times I have seen others travel back into the past – our present – and it asks questions about the nature of the universe that I have found unable to answer in a way that leaves me satisfied."

His uncle scowled a little at him before he looked at the journal. "So much like the rest of our family. So unhappy with the truth that you fabricate lies to please yourselves." Vaegon muttered to himself before he glanced up at Aegon. "Do not think I believe your…insanity. If nothing else, this will be a curious study into the mind of a madman."

Aegon's lips twitched at the words. "I wish I was a madman. It would make my life a lot more bearable." Aegon pulled out his dagger and let it fall, tip first, onto the wooden docks.

His uncle had looked at the dagger and its fall with a wary look on his face before he met Aegon's eye again, which was as hard as his expression.

"There is an effect that forces the dagger to the ground. There are many theories as to why that is. I know the Citadel believes the world is filled with something called ether, the same matter that is around the world and the stars and makes them follow their paths, and it is this matter that is responsible for creating the force that forces the dagger – and almost everything else – to the ground." Aegon explained.

It was the most…detailed explanation the Citadel – or anyone else – had as to why things fell. It was a good one and probably the best one. Well, at least until the theory of gravity was fleshed out by his scholars when he presented the idea and reasoning to them in the coming years…

"It is the most well-defined explanation why things fall." His uncle answered in return and Aegon inclined his head slightly.

"Yet it is not proven. No one knows for certain why things fall. What people are certain of is that the effect exists. Things fall to the ground." Aegon breathed in heavily before he continued.

"What I have seen…it is the same in principle. I have seen it happen. With mine own eye. Twice. I have seen the effect of time-travel but I do not understand it nor what it means for the nature of the universe. I do not know which my theories is correct." Aegon directly met his uncle's gaze as he expanded further.

"I am too close to this to come to a conclusion that satisfies me. That sees the problem and answers it without bias. Logic…cold logic…that could provide at least an answer that is free from bias. That is what I seek from you. To exhaust you of all logic and rationality to arrive at an answer that is most truthful."

Is the universe deterministic? Was he ever in danger of dying when he stepped on shore of the Isle of Faces? Was he safe because he was meant to be safe, written to be safe?

Or did his descendants come from an alternate timeline to save his skin because he got himself killed in their universe? If so, why, though it was irrelevant to the question at hand.

The question of whether or not the universe they lived in was deterministic or indeterministic.

Whether or not they lived lives that were paved for them to walk…or if they had the choice to take other roads…like he'd seen when he'd been in that Astral Plane, which was the biggest indicator that Free Will…did exist. Could exist.

But it could also have been hallucinations…futures he'd dreamed about…considered, manifested into something more 'real' in that astral plane.

"This is important to you." His uncle stated after a long moment of silence, breaking Aegon out of his thoughts.

"It is." Perhaps with Vaegon's thoughts, his rationality, he could find something that could help him be at ease…whatever conclusion his uncle arrives at.

And perhaps, he could also find an answer in his uncle's thoughts that might give him the way forward in dealing with the likes of the entities in the Weirwood Trees, whom all of his questing was ultimately for.

Did he or did he not have a chance to destroy or nullify them or would Fate make it impossible?

His uncle narrowed his eyes for a long moment before he placed the journal in the insides of his Maester robes. "You will tell me everything."

Aegon arched a 'brow at the demanding tone of voice and his uncle only glared a little stronger that somewhat reminded him of the glare of Jaehaerys…

"Of this…as much as I can." Aegon said truthfully after a few moments. There were things interlinked that Aegon would not share for some time with anyone, such as the astral plane. Not until he could figure out a way to open the third eye for others like him.

This didn't exactly please his uncle but it seemed enough for him not to press as he began to turn away and walk towards the ship he was assigned. "I will be awaiting you." His uncle said as way of goodbye and it made him look at his uncle's distancing back with a hint of amusement, his ears picking up the guards coming closer to him now that his uncle was leaving him.

'Yes…I'm sure you will be'

For a moment he felt pity for his son Polaerys whom Aegon had championed with Vaegon several times. 'I wonder how soon I will get him complaining to me on the glass candle…' Aegon decided within the fortnight of Vaegon's arrival…

Aegon remained on the docks for time, waiting and then watching the ships go to Elamaerys…to home, and Aegon, once the ships were just beyond the horizon, made his way back to Ullhor Pyramid.

Moons later…

The dark clouds masked all he could see in front of him as Mīsaragorn flew through them as if he was swimming across the expanse of the ocean, his wings beating at the air in powerful strides.

They'd been flying for hours now, having set off from the mountains from the east of Ghiscar, the cold of the night a strange balm during this flight.

Aegon picked up the compass that hung around his neck with his left and raised his right hand in front of him. He created a small ball of flame, enough to illuminate around him, and he saw the direction they were flying towards.

South-South-West.

Good.

They had remained on course.

'Down Mīsaragorn' Aegon thought and moments later, Mīsaragorn began to descend, breaking through the cloud line a while later. It was hard to see with how especially dark this night was, unable to truly tell whether or not land was near, but he estimated that they could not be far. They'd been flying hours already.

He ended the flame, not wanting to give off any light in this dark, dark night, and they continued to cruise south-south-west for some time more.

It was a long while later that they definitively recognised that they were flying over land as they picked up some distant lights below.

They were likely flying over Ghaen, the island where most of New Ghis had its towns and farms. The island alone fed the entirety of New Ghis, a city of half a million…

They continued their flight and soon all light below was gone, only a trace sound of moving water in the distant could be heard over the rushing air and flapping wings.

Fortunately though, it wasn't long before they came across a blanket of little star lights far down below…New Ghis.

'Descend Mīsaragorn…it will be soon time to see through your eyes' Aegon thought to himself, through the bond.

Dragon eyes were far, far better than human eyes. They were pretty much hawk-like, which made sense given that they were hunters from the skies. The ultimate hunters. Despite that though, dragon eyes were clearly reptilian.

They had two different membranes which he's seen up close to discern were a little different from the other. The first one was thicker and whiter, which Aegon had seen to be able to block out the glare of the sun and darken the world a little.

Probably also served to clean out the eyes from all kinds of crap too…

The second one was thinner, almost translucent, and it was this lens that Mīsaragorn always used to hunt during the night. He wasn't entirely sure how it worked but if it was like a lens, it probably shaped in a way to allow more light in?

He was never sure what was biological and what was 'magical' when it came to Mīsaragorn…

Mīsaragorn dove deeper to the lights, his wings kept outstretched and unmoving, the minute sound of his flesh wings the only sounds around them, and it was then that Aegon dove deeper into the bond the two of them shared.

Aegon, and Mīsaragorn, pushed deeper, pushed more, their selves inching closer to one another, until the point of when they become One arrived.

Aegon and Mīsaragorn, they, saw the world through their green eyes, a world that was much brighter and much clearer than it had been when his human self.

The currents of the air that surrounded them, that was caught under the sails of their wings, were dark blue, the heat of the day long withered, and they were descending faster than they usually did during the day.

Green eyes turned downwards, those bright and loud lights, and they remembered what they were to do. They were hunting. Hunting their prey who dared to think they were predators and they were to see where their fangs and claws were before they burnt it all to ash in the day.

A grumble, a near silent thing, reverberated at the back of their throat as they continued to glide down towards their prey, their green eyes scanning down below which was growing clearer the further down they were in the skies.

They circled and circled around, always descending down, and by the fourth pass, when they were close enough to smell a thousand different smells from their prey, did they begin to climb once more, their powerful wings breaking through the air violently.

They growled lowly, low enough to still maintain the secrecy of their hunt, but they were sure their prey had heard them anyway thanks to their wings. Good, they thought. Let the prey know they're being watched. It would make the hunt sweeter.

It was not long before they were diving through the cold dark clouds, and it was then that their Oneness began to unravel, as one became three once more and Aegon blinked his eye a few times before he felt himself relax into his saddle.

Whenever they were in their…fusion, Mīsaragorn's nature as a predator was an overwhelming one. Aegon's focus was always on the mission, on the task, which was maintained through their fusion but everything else…well, Mīsaragorn took lead on that.

"Good work, brother." Aegon said as he leaned forward and tapped on Mīsaragorn's scales and Mīsaragorn growled his approval at the words.

Aegon leaned back and sat properly in his saddle again before he took out the compass and, with a flicker of the hand, he created a ball of flame. Aegon, through his bond, nudged Mīsaragorn towards the direction they ought to fly and with another tap of the scales, Mīsaragorn remained on the course that would take them back to the mountains where he had chosen to set off from.

He then stowed away the compass and picked out a journal, the ball of flame now hovering right in front of him.

"Well, I'm glad I chose to check anyway." Aegon murmured to himself. Kaerrell's paintings had not been any that was particularly useful.

Of course, there were some, like the paintings of baby dragons starved and fed blood red flames that were an ominous warning that he would have to address – he feared the Red Priests would get their hands on his nephews on Claw Isle, something he intended to immediately address to make sure they never left the safety of the island – but for the most part, there was nothing of note that hinted at anything about New Ghis.

Still that hadn't meant that he was safe to deal with the defences of New Ghis, which they surely had created against him and Mīsaragorn.

And, what do you know…

Yes…yes they have.

So many scorpions…big fucking scorpions too. Some of them were the size of buildings! He glimpsed at some of the bolts for them that had lain on top of the rooftops nearby the scorpion devices and they were absolutely ridiculous in size. As wide as a man and several times taller than a man, perhaps as much as five times, the bolts were huge. And the heads of these bolts…

They would definitely pierce through Mīsaragorn's armour which was still plain old steel.

If they hit.

He would have said the reach of these bolts was insignificant but he couldn't really dismiss it. If those things worked…if they did manage to figure out a way to hold a ridiculous amount of potential energy…

Of course, at the end of the day, trying to hit a fast moving target was no easy feat. They would have to have the luck and fortune of a lottery winner.

Nonetheless, Aegon was far too close to getting home to get himself and Mīsaragorn killed for…this.

"A light show it is then…" Aegon said with a pained grimace, finding no comfort in the contingency plan he brought into fruition that he once considered using against Myr.

He wanted to only destroy the walls and the gates of the city and let the Liberty Bay forces fight it out to take the city, but the chances of getting hit by a scorpion bolt would drastically increase during a pass.

Mīsaragorn wasn't a small dragon either anymore and his manoeuvrability was limited when he was diving at speed.

'No…I will have to use the remaining cache of wildfyre and drop them.' Aegon thought to himself grimly.

The remaining wildfyre filled ten barrels, vats really, of about three feet across in diameter, weighing just over a hundred kilograms each. It would have been more but they used as light as material and shaped the barrels to be more smaller in diameter at the bottom to help reduce friction from the air.

They even have fins to help it be steady…

Though from altitude…

"God…" Aegon thought to himself as he brushed his hand across his face tiredly. It was going to be indiscriminate, the bombing. Foe or innocent…none would make a difference.

And he knew, he knew, how bad the explosions and fires were going to be. These barrels were filled with powder form wildfyre which, although stabler, was each still powerful enough to burn through entire city blocks if left un-neutralised.

Aegon sighed heavily before he began to write in his journal about the locations of the scorpions he remembered seeing through Mīsaragorn's eyes.

'The only thing I can do is aim for these places and hope…hope that it is a still day and that my aim finds true…' They tested the bombs back on Velos in secret, using flower as the payload, going as much as to create a little target on the ground.

In the end, they tested something like thirty times, the latter ten times with the present design.

They managed to improve on the fins and the shape of the barrels, allowing greater accuracy but the higher he was…the more less successful he was in hitting the target. Less then thirty percent.

'…if You exist in this world…please let my aim be true…'

Only the cool winds and Mīsaragorn's flaps answered his prayers throughout the hours of the flight, yet Aegon…Aegon felt an eerie judgement follow him throughout the journey. A judgement that made him feel a deep sense of shame.

A week or so later…

Aegon stowed away his dragonglass candle, the confirmation that the fleet of ships could see New Ghis through their Far-Eyes received.

"It's time, Mīsaragorn." Aegon said with a hard, stoic tone of voice before he turned to stare out towards the ocean.

They were on an desolate island in between New Ghis and Ghaen, a rocky little thing. The weight of the container-like thing was over a tonne and whilst Mīsaragorn was strong, he was not strong enough to carry the container for more than a thousand miles so Admiral Lutherys along with twenty of their ships escorted the container – with Mīsaragorn and him flying over them – towards this island so as to allow a short flight to New Ghis.

Mīsaragorn growled with no small displeasure as he raised himself before he outstretched his wings and began to flap them violently, powerfully, a great exertion of his might, before he began his run off, and soon enough was they were airborne.

"Come about, Mīsaragorn." Aegon muttered as he glanced towards the ground where the container was. There was a grappling hook-like beam that protruded from the centre of the container that was wrapped around with rope that evenly distributed about the container, balancing and shoring up the container for when it was airborne, and Mīsaragorn came about with his claws stretched out.

Mīsaragorn slowed his approach and expertly, deftly, took hold of the hook-like beam and lifted the container into the air after several long moments of powerful beats of the wings, a heavy growl escaping his draconic lips.

The load wasn't heavier than a whale or a dolphin, which often tended to be more than a ton however, grabbing hold of the prey was substantially easier than this was.

"Good job Mīsaragorn…keep it steady." Aegon said before he removed one part of his harness and carefully, slowly, made his way down towards the left side of Mīsaragorn. He took hold of the fishing hook-like that was fastened on the side of Mīsaragorn, a hook that was about thirty feet in length, and Aegon leaned to the side, practically hanging off of Mīsaragorn as he guided the end of the hook towards the bundle of ropes that was on the top of the container.

One option had been to fasten the container onto the belly of Mīsaragorn, something that Mīsaragorn really hadn't liked and it was something that Aegon really didn't want to do. Whilst wildfyre in powder form was made less…volatile, it was still dangerous. Crazy dangerous.

So they had to come up with a way that allowed him to carry the container whilst also allowing Mīsaragorn to drop it at any time he wished should there be an accident.

Whilst also allowing Aegon to unleash each of the bombs as he wanted by undoing the frames, the front-covers, on the underside of the container.

And this was decided, in the end. Simple.

Aegon took some time to hook the bundles of rope ends though he did manage, finally, and he took hold of the five ropes before he climbed back into his seat and tied them to the side of the saddle.

He then repeated the same process on the side, a process that took twice as long but still he managed without accidentally pulling off the front-cover.

'Let's go, Mīsaragorn' Aegon thought grimly and Mīsaragorn growled deeply as he began to beat his wings powerfully in quick succession.

They rose into the air slowly but surely.

It was quite some time later that they finally saw something beyond ocean, and it was a sight to be held.

Right there, far below him, there were so many ships.

Some that were burning, those at the front, which seemed to be locked in battle against the New Ghis fleet, but it was almost unnoteworthy considering how many more there were behind.

Over five hundred ships were there, the largest fleet he'd ever seen before, most of it being his Myrrish Cogs and his old ships he used at the start of the war, the ones that hadn't been Corinthian Carracks…

It was thing of ominous beauty, one of his making.

Five hundred ships, over fifty thousand men and sailors…

And just beyond them, at the back of the enemy fleet, lay New Ghis.

Aegon leaned forward and tapped at the scales of Mīsaragorn. "Higher, brother…higher." Aegon said with a grim tone of voice and so, Mīsaragorn climbed.

Soon enough, they were at an altitude well beyond any range of weaponry and it wasn't before they made the final journey high above the skies of New Ghis.

Aegon stared down towards the city, a complicated lot of emotions cycling through him, and he steeled himself long before it could subsume him.

"A little lower, Mīsaragorn." Aegon murmured whilst he also communicated through their bond and Mīsaragorn slowed his beating wings, causing them to descend slowly in a controlled manner. Aegon continued to speak to Mīsaragorn, slowly nudging his dragon towards the edge of the city near the ports and finally, when he thought they were directly above, did he make Mīsaragorn remain in place.

Aegon took hold of one of the ropes and he reeled it in until he met some resistance and with a deep intake of breathe, he yanked at the rope with a great deal of strength, the sound of wood clanking off forcing Aegon lean around his saddle and look down and see the wooden board spinning out of control towards the ground.

And Aegon also saw the bomb falling down towards the city, the wobble of the bomb slowly straightening out thanks to the fins as it fell.

And Aegon kept looking, kept leaning over to the side further and further just so that he wouldn't keep loss of it and then…

Aegon was forced to blink his eye shut.

Finally, after a moments, Aegon reopened his eye and a breathless intake of air unconsciously was made, as he gazed upon a massive, massive bloom of green fire that raged well inside of the city walls.

It was massive, this fire, a torrential fire that swept through several city blocks and Aegon could only watch with muted emotions at the level of destruction.

He was brought out of his inactivity when his eye caught scorpions flying towards them, scorpions that lost their energy long before they even could anywhere near to them and Aegon sighed heavily before he took hold of another rope and reeled it in.

Again he yanked and again a bomb dropped, this one veering further in the city than out of it, and Aegon knew that the wind was against them this day.

Again, another bloom of green fire subsumed an entire part of the city and Aegon felt himself feel a deep sense of deadness at the sight of it.

'Move further, Mīsaragorn.' Aegon thought and Aegon resigned himself to committing the crowning atrocity of all of his atrocities.

Again and again, the bombs fell, falling all across the city.

Blooms and flowers of green fires swept through the city indiscriminately, raging and burning and destroying all that there was in its path.

Some bombs fell near the walls, one even falling right at the port but was only fortune, no sense of strategy, no sense of deliberate act, only luck, though it could not be said that it was much comfort at all, not when large parts of the city was burning.

Aegon watched as the fires burned and burned and burned…

Like a disease, like a plague, the fires grew around their origin, sweeping through the city like an infestation.

Plumes of black smoke rose from around the fires, plumes that were made of burning flesh and bone and wood and stone, indiscriminate and all consuming.

A sight of ominous beauty…

Ten thousand? Fifty thousand? A hundred thousand?

It would not surprise Aegon if he ended up killing a fifth of the population by the time the fires ended.

And the army that was at their gates would kill the rest of them…

"Let's go, Mīsaragorn." Aegon managed to mutter out, and Mīsaragorn dropped the empty container before he began to fly away, stronger and more vibrant though Aegon's gaze remained fixed on the burning city, even long after they were beyond the fleet, his eye fixed on the dark clouds that rose into the air.

Only when they were far away, miles and miles and miles away, enough distance to shroud his evil from his sight, did Aegon look to the front again and that deadness, that lack of emotion remained within him for hours afterwards.

Hours later…

They finally arrived in Velos, in the gardens of their compound, and Aegon climbed down the back of his dragon, ignoring the guards that stood some distance away, and he placed his hand on Mīsaragorn's neck who slowly was bringing down his head.

When they were at eye-line, Aegon couldn't help but close his eye under the gaze of Mīsaragorn's great green eyes. The same kind of green he was sure that was going to be in his nightmares from this day forth.

"It's just so easy…" Aegon said with a dry throat. A dragon made war so much easier, especially with his foreknowledge. It was devastating in all honest truth.

Even without dragonflame, dragons allowed for the possibility of another theatre of war…the skies.

He knew that this day would be remembered, and that it would have consequences. The genie was out of the bottle, so to speak. His kin in Westeros would learn of this, just as the rest of the Known World would as well.

That dragons allowed for devastations from afar.

It wouldn't surprise him if he was going to be targeted by assassins again. Just as it wouldn't surprise him if he was going to be left alone, just on off chance that he would survive and learn of the plot from the assassin.

And with his conversation with the Braavosi in Kings Landing, one that effectively told them that Aegon viewed the Faceless Men as an instrument of the Iron Bank, if they were to fail, they would only risk this kind of devastation on their home.

It was very likely that none would dare to challenge him again.

He almost certainly achieved his goal of making people fear him…and fear Elamaerys.

Yet it felt hollow. It felt bitter. Monstrous.

"I'm done." Aegon murmured as he opened his eye, meeting Mīsaragorn's gaze yet he knew…he knew despite wishing with all of his heart that he wouldn't be done.

And wasn't a kind of tragedy of itself?

Mīsaragorn growled, his snout pressed against Aegon's body and Aegon sighed lightly. "Thank you…brother." Aegon murmured as he rubbed Mīsaragorn's scales for a long little while, until Mīsaragorn closed his eyes and slowly drifted into a nap and it was then that Aegon departed, going back to his compound.

His men thankfully did not ask him any questions. The look on his face must have said enough. He was fortunate for their tact.

As he made his way back to his room, to throw himself into his writing, he encountered Larissa holding Maegelle in her arms, and he made a conscious effort to shift his face into something more…normal.

"Egg!" she yelled, her hands grappling towards him.

"She's been calling for you all day, my Prince." Larissa said with a kind smile on her face and Aegon resisted the urge to send a cold glare.

"I will see her later." Aegon said with a stiff note in his voice and he moved to sidestep Larrissa and Maegelle.

"Egg! Egg! EGG!"

The girl's incessant cries of his name broke something in him, his patience and he rounded around with a snarl on his face though he managed to keep his control just enough not to bellow out at the child and instead stood there staring at them.

It was only after Larissa's gasp, and her step back, and Maegelle's whimper, accompanied by the looks of surprise from his guards, that Aegon realised the murderous look that must be on his face and he quickly felt a wave of shame and guilt at his outburst.

"I'm sorry…" Aegon said with a defeated tone of voice as he resisted the urge to hold his face in his hands.

"Egg sad?" came the timid quiet voice of the young girl and it was another dam that cracked, on the precipice of breaking, that made Aegon move before he realised, taking the girl in his arms.

"Leave us." Aegon said to Larissa and the guards before he turned around and walked towards his room.

"Egg?" came the inquisitive but mousy voice of Maegelle from within his arms and Aegon lessened his grip on the girl as he arrived in his room.

Large violet eyes, round and innocent as they were, stared up at him, a sad little expression on her face, and she reached out to touch his face, his beard "Egg no more sad?"

Aegon just about managed to close the door before the first of his tears fell.

"Maegelle…Maggy…" Aegon said with a smile on his face as he rubbed at her cheek with a finger. "Egg isn't sad anymore…happy now." Aegon said as he hugged her again, silent tears falling from his eye as she wrapped her little arms around his neck.

She made a sound that was affirmative in nature before she continued and said innocently "Play?" And Aegon found himself smiling through his tears before he held her out with his hands.

"Let's play." Aegon said with a smile on his face, her hands rubbing on his face, rubbing out his tears and for a brief, solitary moment, he could forget the monster he was.

-Break-

Late 115 AC – Elamaerys

Polaerys POV

"Faster Tyraxes!" Polaerys urged as Shrykos pulled further ahead and his dragon responded to his command with eagerness, her wings beating faster and faster as they took in their sights the dark coloured dragon.

They ate up the distance as they waded through the sky, and a laugh escaped his mouth at the sight of his younger brother looking over his shoulder before he tapped at the scales of Shrykos, clearly urging the dragon on faster.

Unfortunately, Polaerys thought that Shrykos would be able to pull ahead further. The dragon, even though it was younger and smaller, was the fastest dragon outside that of Liāzmariña and Mīsaragorn.

And he was proven right as Shyrkos kept up the distance between them, even as they climbed a little higher as mountains of the south approached.

They continued to fly for a little while more, though they stopped racing by the time they were heading back to their home, allowing them to fly side by side.

"Too bad brother! Maybe next time!" Valarr said with a laugh in his shouting voice, one that was really a laugh to say 'I'm just saying that, I really doubt it'.

"Maybe!" Polaerys said with a roll of the eyes, which only garnered another peel of laughter from Valarr, one that made him smile a little.

Ever since their father was on board coming back to Elamaerys, they had been racing and flying together a lot more. It was like all of their concerns had suddenly fell off of their shoulders. The smile on his face fell a little.

He remembered that night as if it was yesterday. He'd never felt so helpless, so terrified. The way father had spoken…as if he was going to die.

It made him, all of them, realise how little they knew, how little they could help their father.

The relief they got the next day when father said he was fine was one that all of them felt. He, Castorys, Valarr and mostly their mother, who he'd seen cry in relief.

Since that day, their mother hadn't been fully the same either, a lot less smiling, a lot more focused on the youngest of the family and the settlement…

Polaerys shook his head. 'Beings that mean our family a great deal of harm…' Polaerys face fell as he stared out at the land below as they flew back home.

He'd read all of father's journals from back to front, learning about the Children of the Forest and their ancestors who pretended to be Gods, the White Walkers, the Empire of the Dawn…

All of it, he knew from as well as he knew anything at all.

The lies and the manipulations of these false Gods and how they were likely responsible for the destruction of old Valyria and mayhaps even the Empire of the Dawn, like his father thought might be possible.

They had little time to wonder that their father was trying to combat Gods…Gods…! And really, they wanted to be less useless and made them refocus on their studies on all of father's journals.

From the lessons on magic, to meditation to learn what fire means to them personally and to the world, to how lead their people in father's books on politics and how people worked, psychology, he remembered father explaining.

They – he, Castorys and Valarr – were all capable of making fire dance as they wanted, making the fires of torches and camp fires all dance and behave just as they wanted though they hadn't been able to do much more than yet.

Polaerys knew that he was missing something, a link, a link that connected with him about the symbolism of fire but they hadn't yet found it.

Father's writing about fire being able to turn cold or searing hot, all because of their desires, was something that eluded all of them, and they had to resist a lot from trying to do anything more. Father's remarks and warnings were very clear, that pushing to do something you don't understand would hurt you and others around you so they restrained themselves…for the most part.

He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he tried to make Tyraxes' flames dance as he wanted but he hadn't been able to, and he had felt the flames trying to fight as well.

Fortunately, he stopped the moment he felt that strange resistance.

Having spoken with his brothers – not explicitly saying anything – he knew that none of them have tried it, though he made sure to try and warn them of not doing anything without their father being present and approving it.

It was a little hypocritical, since he did something he shouldn't have – not that they weren't all doing what their father did not want them to do without their presence – but he was looking out for his brothers.

"Polaerys!" His brother's voice drew him out of his thoughts and made him turn towards his brother. He saw Valarr gesture towards his right and Polaerys looked down, realising that they were near one of the marble quarries.

He knew then what the reason behind Valarr's signalling was. There was a good chance that Castorys was at the quarry.

Polaerys gestured with his hand to give his acquiescence to check whether or not their brother was there and soon enough they veered towards the quarry.

They flew across the hilly lands that was split apart by the great river and they circled around the quarry to see if Gaelithox was there. Surprisingly, their brother's dragon wasn't there.

This was meant to be their off-day but Castorys often felt it upon himself to rarely take such an off-day, preferring to take on his duties without much time for himself.

Out of all of them, Castorys was the one who was the most affected by their father's near death. As the heir of their family, the future Head of House, Castorys had always felt the pressure of their father's legacy the most.

And the possibility of their father dying had been a wake up that shook Castorys immensely.

He exchanged a few words with Valarr before they retook their journey back towards the settlement, their pace of flight faster.

It wasn't long before the settlement came into view as they flew north, and it brought a small smile on his face. He always appreciated seeing the city, particularly the districts, which were geometrically pleasing to the eye from up top, during the day.

Roads dotted throughout the settlement, which was largely more like a number of nearby towns with how empty some parts of the city was, but the roads connected each district very well, and there was even progress being made for roads to be built from the nearest farming community to the city though it would be some time before that is finished.

The first stage of the sewage system was complete, with public latrines and bathhouses dotted throughout the districts though there was also work being carried by a few crew of labourers to build in latrines in the family houses, and there were also now schools in each of the districts where former slaves who knew their letters or their numbers and preferred to teach instead of labour, taught the many thousands of children in small groups. His mother said that his father wanted classes to be at most thirty students at a time but they didn't yet have the right number of tutors yet…

Gierūli, Mēīlmōrīs and Bōsa Zaldrīzes districts were more or less complete with each of the districts having something like three thousand homes spread out in thirty 'city-blocks', with each city block quartered off into seven to nine streets that housed about a hundred to two hundred terraced homes made out of granite and marble.

Lōgomazda, Bykāgeltis, Dōrāelmion were also nearing completion though they were slightly larger districts about three to four thousand homes spread out in about fifty 'city-blocks' that were terraced or were detached from other homes.

Frāesārys and Zīeso Māldor were the newest districts that were under construction which would each house about four thousand homes when they were complete.

In total, they had about three and twenty thousand homes built so far, which was far in excess of what they had planned before though it could have been more had they not diverted more of the labourers to clear land or continue work on the institutional buildings like the Sept of Elamaerys.

As it was, Redtown was much, much smaller now, with only about ten thousand people living there than a year ago when there were more than twice that number who lived there.

By the time of the middle of next year, they expected that Redtown could be torn down and the woods used for the carpenters to make furniture and the like. It would probably get them a pretty good copper or two, Polaerys thought.

Although he expected that a good portion of the wood would be used for the Sept which was almost nearing completion, he mused as he stared at the building, whose marble structure was gleaming a little in the midday sun.

The sept was a massive building, easily the largest building even though it wasn't yet finished, which was made entirely out of marble. It had seven towers connected to the large central tower which was where the congregation hall was located.

The congregation hall was going to be massive. Huge. It would be enough to seat nearly thirty thousand people at anyone time and likely they could house forty or fifty thousand people even if there was no seats.

He'd seen the designs of the hall as well – designs that had the dome ceiling fitted with coloured glass on seven sides with each of the Seven Aspects there with the centre, the very height and centre that was connected to each of the Seven Aspects, meant to resemble God, the One-Who-Brought-The-Seven and who was the originator of all creation, including the Seven who were his instruments in the order of the World.

There would also be three smaller sides connected to the main building, in the shape of septagon, which would be used as praying halls, smaller versions of the main congregation hall and also where people could get wed.

The Septons, the Septas and the Sisters would also be housed in these buildings but on the second, third and fourth floor.

The Seven Towers would mostly be for the Septons to commune with each Aspect of the Seven though he also knew that the Septon Aurion wanted them to be kept largely unused for another reason which only his mother really knew.

None of the domes were yet placed on the building, though that was largely because there were still stones to be placed on the building, and he didn't think it would happen until after his father was back. He did know that Septon Aurion wanted his father to be present when the Sept was consecrated as a holy building.

There were however institutional buildings, the Key-One buildings, that were finished however.

Some of them were the Guild Buildings, most of which were located nearby Frāesārys district which bordered the riverfront at the most southern part of the 'Inner Elamaerys', such as the Blacksmiths Guild, the Clothmakers Guild, the Fishmongers Guild, the Farmer's Guild, the Weaver's Guild, and the Mason's Guild, all of which were the most important guilds presently and whose buildings were prioritised over most others.

Similarly, that was the too with the shops and factories, most of which were centred around making clothes and ropes, the weaver's and clothmaker's guilds more or less back up and running just like the blacksmiths were.

That wasn't to say that other shops and factories weren't being put back together, no, that was happening though it was more families doing it than guilds, like baker's and butcher shops now that there was enough resources to allow individual families to start up their own businesses rather than sharing resources to make sure everyone had enough and didn't starve, which was something that his mother and Ser Cedrick were largely responsible in coordinating with their administrators.

Not far from the Guild Buildings was the Institute of Science, Mathematics and Philosophy, though it was still known as the Learned Guild despite his uncle's irritation at that, where scholars and their apprentices learnt their trade and experimented and catalogued the treasure trove of books and libraries their father had sent back.

It was also where Polaerys spent twice a week, learning from the scholars and where he had to endure his uncle Vaegon who his father had set upon him…

And of course, there was also the Court of Arbitration, he thought as he looked at the building, which was nearly finished but it was used anyway. Edwyn and mother had instituted the building and hired the judges already from amongst the scholars.

Though with the arrival of Ser Lomerys and Ser Galaenys and the other men, many of whom joined the city-guard whilst they waited for their lands to be made ready for them, there had been a lot less disturbances happening across Elamaerys…

Not far from the Court of Arbitration was the Hall of Heroes which was also nearly finished, the roof and the finishing paints left. A square building made of marble, it was not as ornate and impressive as the Court of Arbitration or the Sept of Elamaerys but it was…domination.

Yes…that was the right word. It was a large building, second only really to the Sept of Elamaerys, and it imposed itself across the district, where it stood several floors taller than the tallest of homes.

It would be enough to house tens of thousands of urns which hopefully would not be for a very long time.

He'd seen the upset mothers and wives and children after news was delivered to them that their father or brother or son was not coming back, instead being given an urn and a silk flag with the symbol of House Targaryen, well their Branch at least.

Honouring the dead was good but it was better for there not to be any dead…

He unfortunately didn't think that would ever happen…

From what he heard from Ser Galaenys, it was likely that their people would be involved in wars in Essos in time, especially since they were taking the Isle of Cedars under their control.

Some of the boys he'd trained with had already signed up to the assignment in Velos…

It wasn't long before they saw their compound, their home, which had grown over the past year because of their dragons. The walls had been pushed further out at the front now that his sisters and his little brother's dragons had grown in size, whom he could see faintly though he could see clearer his mother's dragon and that of his elder brother.

Tyraxes had also grown in size, about a good half larger than Gaelithox now, which irritated Castorys though Polaerys knew that it was not really much of an irritation, given how much Castorys loved that golden dragon. He knew that Castorys wouldn't want to swap his dragon for any other dragon…

Polaerys let Valarr land first before he guided Tyraxes to a clear spot.

"My Prince." One of the dragonkeepers said as they walked closer to Tyraxes, a long staff in his hand. Polaerys climbed down the back of his dragon who shivered her scales like a cat before Tyraxes brought down her head to the ground, watching the dragonkeepers intently.

"She will hunt alone later." Polaerys said to the elder dragonkeeper, before he looked at the other dragonkeepers. There were a few new dragonkeepers, including some non-Valyrian ones, and they were under tutorship of the elder dragonkeepers.

His father wanted more dragonkeepers trained, beyond just the sons of the dragonkeepers, and there had been a lot of prospective dragonkeepers over the past year before these ones had been selected by the dragonkeepers and his mother.

And Castorys too, he supposed.

"Very well, my Prince." The dragonkeepers bowed their heads before he nodded at them and walked away, towards his brother, though he soon halted when his younger siblings came racing out of the house, their Unsullied guards and the head maid who looked after his younger siblings on their heels.

"Father is close!" Breannei was the first to speak up, and her words surprised him a little. 'Did I miss a call?' probably he surmised as he eyed his excited younger siblings, an excitement he couldn't help but also feel.

Father had passed the Targaryen Islands several moons ago which meant that he wasn't that far away now. He could be here any time now.

"Has he passed Biazmionys?" Valarr was the one speak up before him.

His sister Rhaena was quick to shake her head. "No, not yet, but the captain said that the stars' positions meant that they wouldn't be much further than a week!"

"Can you take me with you to the mouth of the river when it is time? Please? Please?" Breannei pleaded as she arrived in front of him and Polaerys had to take hold of her shoulders to stop her from carving out a depression in the ground from the way she was jumping up and down.

"Has mother said it was alright?" Polaerys said, not wanting to say no and Breannei to cause a light fit.

Her face immediately soured and seemed to deflate her a little. "No. She said that it was better we wait for him when he's arrived in the settlement." Her eyes lit up a little "But wouldn't it be great if we surprised him!"

Yes…it would be quite nice…but he also understood his mother's point. It was important that they 'presented' a certain look to their people. To be united in front of their people was going to be a good look to their people, no matter how much he wanted to hug their father first.

"I agree with mother." Polaerys said before he looked towards Valarr who he could see was a little displeased but also seemed to understand why mother wanted to do it this way.

"Told you they wouldn't disagree." Rhaena said with annoyed look on her face, and Breannei pouted before she went back to Rhaena, who then both proceeded to walk to their dragons whilst Solonys stood by Valarr.

"Where's mother?" Valarr asked.

"She's with Ser Aethan and the others!" Rhaena shouted over her shoulder before she began to chat with Breannei again. Those two…

Ever since the Celtigars moved out into their own temporary home nearby, they'd become worse, Polaerys could swear to the Gods…

"Hello Solonys." Polaerys said as he walked over to their youngest brother, their youngest sibling, and placed his hand on his long silver-gold hair, a curious look passing across his face as he took in Solonys' face.

He didn't seem as excited as the rest of them. "Are you alright?" He asked his little brother and his brother was quick to nod.

"I'm alright." Solonys said and Polaerys frowned lightly before he smiled at his little brother. He was the quietest out of the family. It wasn't easy being the youngest and having those two girls as your elders…

"Can we go see Castorys?" Solonys said with bright eyes. "He's training with the knights."

It didn't surprise Polaerys that their brother was training with the knights. Ever since the first of the men returned, his brother had increased his martial training, wanting quite desperately to be good enough to earn his knighthood by defeating some of the best knights at the age six and ten.

He wasn't that far off now too, if he was being honest. His brother had worked in his martial training, and he'd defeated a number of knights though rarely had he accomplished defeating the same knight twice in a row. He wasn't quite there yet.

"Why not?" Valarr said, making Polaerys look towards his brother who moved his hand behind his head. "It's not like he's got any lessons left today. Go, take him. I'll stay here for a bit."

Polaerys nodded at his brother before he gently directed his excited younger brother towards the interior of the house towards the gates on the other side.

They were soon out of the house, through the gates, with four of the Unsullied following their steps, and after they took the horses, Solonys seated in front of him, they made their towards the nearest duelling ground, where Castorys mostly trained with the knights.

"Are you looking forward to seeing father return?" Polaerys asked as they continued to ride towards the duelling ground, a hidden glance sent to his brother.

"Hmmhmm." Solonys voiced out though Polaerys had caught the shy look on his face, confirming what he thought.

Solonys had been young. Very young when father had left. About four namedays, five namedays old when he'd last seen their father. He was now eight namedays old, half of his life he'd not seen their father.

They'd spoken on the glass candle, of course, but most of the time Solonys rarely said much, despite the attempts of his father to coax more out of Solonys.

"I am very much looking forward to seeing our father, Solonys. I can't wait to hear more of his stories, new stories, like the next part of the Adventures of the Honey Bear." Polaerys said with a little grin and it made Solonys look up at him with wide eyes and he knew he had Solonys in his palm.

"There's a next part?" Solonys asked, eagerness clearly leaking into his voice. It was Solonys' favourite, absolute favourite story, amongst the many stories his father had made up for them.

The Adventures of the Honey Bear was one that their father told them all when they were young and around the age of four namedays, going as far as to use to help teach them how to speak and write Greek as he'd written it down in a storybook, though as they grew up, for him and Castorys and Valarr, the stories turned more educational and more…warningly than the fun stories of their earliest part of their childhood.

Solonys would have been told these stories had father stayed and though Castorys tried, he hadn't quite gotten father's penchant of storytelling right.

So mostly, Solonys had only really these few storybooks to go with, which was why he was so attached to some of these stories. Stories like the Honey Bear.

"Of course." Polaerys said as he looked forward. "I'm sure he's willing to share the next part when he's back."

"That would be nice." Solonys said, his eagerness kept a little more subdued and Polaerys couldn't help but smile a little, though that smile didn't last too long.

'Father…you've been away a long time.' Polaerys couldn't help but think a little. Solonys had grown up with mostly their mother and them alone, and though he's made a friendship with Alton Celtigar, their father's absence in their lives was felt quite badly…

They chatted a little further as they rode towards the duelling ground, mostly about their dragons though Polaerys let his younger brother drive the conversation for the most part. Solonys was still the only one yet to ride his dragon, something Polaerys knew annoyed Solonys but the promise of him being allowed to do so at age nine was enough to placate him…for now.

Soon enough they arrived at the duelling ground and they were witness to two of the knights duelling against each other using real steel, which was a sight to behold. He glanced around and he saw his elder brother, clad in armour, speaking with some of the squires and with another of the knights, who was not much older than them, to tell the truth, and it was a long few moments before their brother's eyes latched onto them.

His brother then made his way towards them, a light but tired smile on his face and he could tell that his brother had fought a number of duels today.

"Did you win any fights?!" Solonys asked as he made his way towards Castorys who scruffed up Solonys' hair.

"A few." Castorys said, his tired smile making way for a grin and Polaerys knew then that his brother had at least got close to his goal for the day.

"Oh…we missed it then?" Solonys said, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Castorys laughed a little. "Sorry little brother. I forgot you wanted to watch. For today yes…but tomorrow evening, I can bring you to watch if you like?"

"Yes!" His little brother exclaimed before he continued "Mayhaps I can start my training too with the other squires?" he said with no small amount of hope.

It wasn't the first time he'd asked. For the past year or so, one of the guards trained Solonys in arms though it was very light, much lighter in comparison to what he, Castorys and Valarr were put through at his age.

Castorys looked at Polaerys and he only shrugged at it. It was father's decision, ultimately. Mother did not want to interfere in this.

"Father will soon be back and I'm sure he will say yes." Castorys said with a smile which Solonys returned although it wasn't as promising as his earlier eagerness.

Something both he and Castorys picked up on…

"Come, let's watch the rest of the duels. Mayhaps you can try them out against the training dummy." Castorys said as he took hold of the back of Solonys' head though before they fully turned back towards the fight, their eyes met.

"What did uncle Vaegon want this time?" Castorys asked genuinely curious, taking Polaerys aback.

"What?" Polaerys asked.

Castorys looked at him quizzically for a moment before his eyes widened which quickly returned to normal as his smile widened, in amusement.

"I see…you've been flying all day with Valarr, haven't you?" he asked with a bout of amusement in his voice.

They'd set off in the morning after their break of their fast, and they flew well past the mountains and far beyond the other sets of mountains that had the crawling jungles. They even made it as far as the volcano by the time of noon.

They'd eaten their packed food and largely watched across the horizon to the lands of the South, which was largely unexplored, at least in the interior.

By the time they raced each other, it had been to break the monotony of flying back.

"Did he say what he wanted?" Polaerys said with a note of resignation in his voice, which made Castorys laugh a little.

Their uncle was…difficult.

He'd never met a man like his uncle. And he knew several brilliant men like him amongst the scholars and the alchemists yet none of them wanted him to tear out his hair like his uncle.

The first time he'd ever seen his uncle, had been when his mother had been there. She'd been excited, although looking back, she was more guarded than she was excited, and despite not seeing his sister for many, many years, he said nothing to her, only asking who Polaerys was and that had been the start of several hours long interrogation about all that he knew.

"You're adequate. Not the mind your father advertised you to be but adequate."

He felt offended at that point though it was only the start of things…

"No. Only that he is expecting you." Castorys said with a great deal amusement in his face, causing Polaerys to glare at his brother. Their uncle Vaegon was not at all interested in any of his siblings, including Castorys. Why, Polaerys did not know.

Polaerys sighed heavily, his head slightly down. He could not go…but it would only make his uncle even more unbearable. And his mother – and father – had expectations that he was to…indulge his uncle.

He's learnt how to deal with his uncle…for the most part.

"Alright…I will see you back at the house…probably." Polaerys said with a mild glare and his brother laughed a little though there was a bit of pity in his gaze.

He said his goodbyes to Solonys before he took one of the horses, his Unsullied guards doing the same, and made his way towards the Learned Guild.

Polaerys nodded and waved here and there as he rode through the settlement and through the district and finally, when they were at the doors of the Learned Guild, he unhorsed himself and walked through the doors.

"My Prince." Some of the apprentices nearby the door said and bowed. "Are you here to see the Archmaester?"

"Yes." Polaerys said with a tight smile. His uncle made it apparently clear that he would be addressed as Archmaester and nothing else. Not Prince. Not Maester. But Archmaester Vaegon.

"He is at the central library."

There were three libraries in this building. The Central Library. The Histories of the Known World Library and the restricted Library, where the more…questionable materials were located.

None of it had magic in their pages, of course, those were in their home with the gold and silver, but some of it was dubious in the eyes of most of the scholars. For example, there were matters of about Gods and Legends and the like.

Polaerys, and in his uncle to a certain degree, knew better.

He made his way through the building and he arrived at the Central Library which was a large circular room, and he looked around, ignoring the few scholars that were present.

It was a huge room. Large enough to fit Tyraxes, and almost his mother's dragon, and every inch of the room was stocked with tomes and scrolls and books, although according to his uncle, it did not compare to the Citadel, something that he would 'rectify in time'…

Nearly all of the contents of this library, all of the libraries, had come from Liberty Bay, his father's collection or that of his uncle's.

Most of the texts in this room were scientific ones. Observations and the like. Mathematics. Philosophy. Biology. Even Chemistry and Medicine.

And all of it was sorted by their genres.

His uncle often remained here, reading through all of these texts, the ones he'd not read before, probably decrying the contents as trash once he was done with it…he'd seen him do that pretty much a few times.

At some point or another, a lot of these books would be sent to 'cold storage', Edwyn had said, with the books replaced with Elamaeri science and mathematics…

"Are you finally deigned to answer my summons, nephew?" He heard from his left side and he saw his uncle on the second floor by the banister, not even looking at him.

Polaerys' eyebrows twitched in irritation.

"Apologies, uncle." Polaerys muttered as he made his way towards the steps.

He arrived by his uncle's side who had several tomes out on the table, none of which he recognised. 'So today's just books then…' Most of the time it was mostly books, like today most likely, or his uncle interrogating him on the books he was made to read but sometimes his uncle wanted him to show his control over flames.

He'd spoken about it once with his father, and his father had told him that he'd spent a little time teaching and showing uncle Vaegon about magic. Polaerys once thought that his uncle would want to spend more time talking about magic but it was a rare occurrence…and something that hadn't quite happened for many moons.

He wondered if his uncle could also control flames…

"They are not for you." His uncle's voice was curt, stopping Polaerys from reaching out to one of the books. His uncle then leaned down beside the table and took out a thin book, a journal really, and slid it across the table.

"Sit down and read. There's a chair somewhere around, I'm sure." His uncle said before he returned to his reading and Polaerys did nothing to hide his glare at his uncle. Still, he did as he was bid and went out to look for a chair.

He brought one back and sat next to his uncle and picked up the journal which had nothing described on the front. His eyebrows climbed when he read the title on the first page of the journal.

'The Concept of Time'

From the handwriting, he could tell his uncle had written this…

"What is this, uncle?" Polaerys asked as he flicked through the pages.

His hand was stopped by his uncle's firm grip around his wrist, forcing Polaerys to look at his uncle who was staring at him intently.

"Don't ask any questions and just read." His uncle said before he let go of his wrist. "If you understand my theorem, and I mean understand, I will discuss it with you." His uncle said before he looked back down at the tome in front of him.

"And then you can discuss it with your father who this is a subject of great interest to." His uncle added with uncaring in his voice but to Polaerys, it peaked his interest.

'Time…' Polaerys mused curiously and soon enough, he was reading the book. Reading in silence for hours on end, neither he or his uncle once speaking, long after the sun had set.

A Week Later…

Polaerys was brought out from his sleep from the sudden and rapid knocking on his door.

"My Prince!" He heard, and he knew it was familiar…it was one of the maids.

"What?" Polaerys said with no small amount of frustration as he kept his eyes closed.

"Your father!" At those words, Polaerys' eyes went wide open.

"A messenger has come. Your father is back!"