House of The Dragon:The Rise of the Emperor of the Seven Kingdoms

Hours later, in Jaehaerys’s chambers.

A ceramic vase was thrown against the wall and shattered into thousands of small shards, scattering across the floor.

"War!!!"

"She declared war on the Free Cities!!!"

"How dare she!?"

Jaehaerys’s furious voice rang out between the walls of the room. The Kingsguard merely lowered their heads and held their breath. News of the burning of six merchant ships had already reached Jaehaerys within a few hours, showing just how urgent things were.

The worst news was that Lys’s ships were burned in King’s Landing before the eyes of all the other merchant ships. It could be said that, within a week, this incident would be known throughout all the Free Cities. When that happened, the already fragile relationship between the two continents would change drastically.

They would not care whether it was the act of a furious mother; they would only care about the loss of prestige if they did nothing. If such a thing were to happen again, who would dare work for them if they would not even avenge their dead?

To say Jaehaerys was furious was an understatement; he wanted to fly to Driftmark and burn the entire castle with every soul inside it. Including finishing the job his men had failed to do and personally killing Laenor and Rhaenys.

Breathing heavily, Jaehaerys looked at Ser Ryam and spoke in a cold, deadly tone. "Summon everyone to the Hall of a Hundred Hearths."

Ryam did not even say anything and hurried out of the room. As if relieved to leave that suffocating, tension-filled environment. At the same time, he knew things were truly about to spiral out of control.

A possible war in the midst of a change of monarch was simply a terrible thing. Fortunately, the king was still alive and could take command of matters.

-

The urgent meeting drew the attention of every noble present. Since the vote on the claims to the Iron Throne, all the nobles had gathered once again in the Hall of a Hundred Hearths.

Everyone fell silent when Jaehaerys entered with a crown upon his head, accompanied by the seven Kingsguard.

All the nobles rose and looked at the king with curiosity and confusion. These lords certainly did not have a spy network spanning the entire realm the way Jaehaerys did. Not even Maekar had such a thing, since his organization was still very young and could only cover the Riverlands and a few important cities.

Jaehaerys sat upon the black stone throne and looked at everyone present, and then his next words made everyone feel as though they were in a cave of ice.

"About four hours ago, Princess Rhaenys Targaryen burned merchant ships from Braavos, Myr, and Lys. We burned the Lys ships in front of the harbor in King’s Landing, before the eyes of every merchant ship from Essos."

Corlys, who had sat down when Jaehaerys took the throne, rose abruptly. His eyes went wide, completely shocked and disbelieving at what he had just heard.

The sound of gasping breath rang out on every side. Even Maekar’s eyes went wide with shock. He had expected many things from Rhaenys, but never that she would do something of this magnitude. Burning the merchant ships of another sovereign state was the same as declaring war.

The woman had simply burned six merchant ships, from three different free cities no less.

"I will return to King’s Landing to form a war council." Jaehaerys did not care what the lords thought and spoke in a cold, calm tone. "At the same time, the Great Council will continue in King’s Landing. Bring your armies to the capital, and we will await war."

"If Braavos does not accept our explanation and refuses compensation for the loss of the ships... We go to war."

Honestly, anyone with a bit of political sense knew that this war was inevitable. Even if it were not a war of annihilation, this battle would still happen. Even though they were not kingdoms, the Free Cities were still city states.

For any state, reputation mattered more than anything else. Without reputation, no one will trust you. Why does everyone believe in the Iron Bank? Because those bankers always keep their promises!

"Prince Maekar and Prince Daemon." Jaehaerys looked at both young men and spoke in a calm tone.

Maekar and Daemon quickly came to the steps of the throne and knelt. At that moment, neither cared about their own differences.

Jaehaerys looked at Maekar and spoke in a cold, chilling tone. "Prince Maekar will go to Dragonstone and protect the Narrow Sea from any attack together with House Velaryon. Should you see Braavosi ships blocking the sea route, you have permission to burn our enemies."

Turning to look at Daemon, Jaehaerys spoke in the same tone. "Prince Daemon will go to the Stepstones and burn every pirate and outlaw from that filthy hole. The Stepstones will serve as a war outpost should the war spiral out of control."

Though Jaehaerys knew that Braavos and the other Free Cities would not want a war of annihilation. A cautious man was a safe man. Since he had the advantage of information, he would already make use of that advantage.

With Daemon at the Stepstones, he could burn Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh should anything happen.

With Maekar at Dragonstone, he could defend against any fleet that tried to attack through the Narrow Sea.

Maekar was surprised by Jaehaerys’s orders and answered in a determined tone. "I will not disappoint you, my king."

Jaehaerys nodded and knew that Maekar would not disappoint him; otherwise, he would not have placed the boy at Dragonstone.

Daemon seemed happy and pleased with Jaehaerys’s orders; burning people with Caraxes was a hobby the Rogue Prince enjoyed. He found it better than standing still in an old, dark castle like Dragonstone.

Jaehaerys truly knew how to make use of House Targaryen’s dragon riders. Knowing that Daemon was impulsive and easily angered, he put his grandson on the front line of the war. And he put Maekar, who was calmer and more calculating, on the back line to defend against Braavos.

Jaehaerys no longer looked at Daemon and Maekar and focused his gaze on the small, olive-skinned figure; it was Princess Mara Martell.

"Princess Mara, return to Dorne and tell the lords of Dorne to move toward the Stepstones." Jaehaerys ordered in a calm tone that left no room for refusal.

Mara would not refuse, but she still had to speak in a hesitant tone. "The lords of Dorne must still be quarreling in Sunspear."

Jaehaerys understood that the lords of Dorne needed more incentive to accept that they were now vassals of House Targaryen.

"After Daemon pacifies the Stepstones, House Targaryen and House Martell will jointly administer the new holding." Jaehaerys said in a calm tone. "You, and no one in the realm, will have to pay taxes on trade any longer."

Mara’s eyes lit up at Jaehaerys’s words. The Stepstones had always been a thorn that House Martell could never conquer. Because of this, it had become a haven for pirates and outlaws. This made trade more dangerous.

Now, she had a chance to rid Dorne of the affliction that had plagued it for centuries and gain the prestige she needed to rule Dorne!

"Dorne will pacify the Stepstones alongside Prince Daemon, my king." Mara promised in a determined, resolute tone.

Jaehaerys nodded and looked at Corlys with a cold gaze full of murderous intent. "Rhaenys Targaryen must present herself before the Iron Throne in King’s Landing for judgment."

Corlys felt a chill hearing those words. He knew that House Velaryon would never touch the Iron Throne as long as Jaehaerys was king.

Even if it was unlikely that Rhaenys would be killed, since she was a precious dragon rider, the punishment certainly would not be light.

There was another thing troubling Corlys: the king would certainly seize the moment to drain every gold dragon from House Velaryon’s coffers to pay for this war that Rhaenys had started.

However, before all the lords of the Seven Kingdoms, Corlys did not dare refuse, nor did he even intend to. His wife had brought war, and he had to pay for her crimes.

If he did not do this, he could forget that Driftmark was part of the Seven Kingdoms, for House Velaryon would be exiled from Westeros.

"Yes, your grace." Corlys spoke in a calm tone, but his heart bled at the consequences of those words.

Jaehaerys felt no pity; he even wanted to devour House Velaryon.

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Note: 200 PS

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Read my other books:

House of The Dragon:The Rise of the Emperor of the Seven Kingdoms

Game Of Thrones: The God-Emperor of Planetos

Percy Jackson: Godwyn the Golden.

Game Of Thrones: The King’s Court Wizard