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

King’s Landing.

Seven days had been more than enough for Jaehaerys, riding Vermithor, to return to King’s Landing. In the days that followed, he began operating the gigantic war machine that was the Seven Kingdoms. Dozens of ravens flew from the Red Keep every day.

Of course, these orders would take time to be carried out, since this world had no extremely fast means of communication. Or rather, it did, but no one currently knew how to use it.

The glass candles.

The Valyrian Freehold used glass candles to see across mountains, seas, and deserts, to grant men visions and dreams, and to communicate with one another from halfway across the world.

Unfortunately, beyond the method of crafting them having been lost, no one in the world knew how to use the glass candles. So, ravens remained the best means of communication in the known world.

Since Braavos had sent ravens to every noble house in Westeros, as if afraid of being ignored, a letter arrived at every castle, especially the Red Keep.

Looking at the letter in his hand, Jaehaerys tossed the paper into the brazier at the Iron Throne and showed a deep look. Just like Maekar, there was a sarcastic smile on his lips. Even a fool could see that Bassaro wanted a war to secure his hold on the post of Sealord of Braavos.

As for handing over Rhaenys, that had never crossed Jaehaerys’s mind even once. Rhaenys would be judged, but by the laws of House Targaryen, not by foreign laws. Since Bassaro clearly wanted a war, he would give the man a war.

However, even he had not expected Bassaro to dare demand Rhaenys on his own terms. It seemed that, after what had happened before, Braavos had lost its fear of House Targaryen, just like the other Free Cities.

Recalling that he had once been forced to back down out of fear of the Faceless Men, Jaehaerys showed a cold, chilling look. He had regretted that decision for many years. Had he been more extreme and burned the fleet of Braavos, the Sealord would have returned the dragon eggs.

And even if it had created enmity with Braavos, it would have been worth it, for everyone would have feared House Targaryen.

Unfortunately, Jaehaerys had been young then and not as resolute as he was in old age.

The king took up another letter, this one from Dragonstone, written by Maekar. The letter contained the actions his grandson had taken after the war had truly begun.

Seeing that Maekar had not rushed and had even ordered the noble houses to defend Blackwater Bay, a trace of approval shone in the king’s violet eyes. Despite not liking the boy’s ambitions, Jaehaerys had to admit that having Maekar available at this moment of war was truly a good thing.

Looking at Viserys, who stood on the steps of the Iron Throne, his look of approval faded. He found that the successor he had chosen had proven somewhat immature. Not because of age, but because he was not a man forged in the flames of war.

The same could be said of Maekar, but his younger grandson was fourteen, while Viserys was over twenty. Despite this, Maekar could be calmer and more decisive than Viserys, which left him quite frustrated.

Jaehaerys would seize this chance to forge Viserys into a true man, not merely a king with no ambition to change in any way.

In this Game of Thrones, the weak died without even knowing how. The heir to the crown could not be weak, especially at this moment of war.

"Viserys, were you able to claim Vhagar?" Jaehaerys asked in a calm tone. After all, the future king of the Seven Kingdoms could not go without a dragon; it was almost ironic that such a thing needed asking.

Viserys showed a weary expression and simply shook his head. "Vhagar refused me; I tried three times, and, when I was about to try a fourth, she nearly breathed fire on me."

Jaehaerys’s face closed off with a dangerous look. Vhagar should not have rejected Viserys, unless Viserys himself had not truly wanted it. "Did you truly wish to claim her?"

The prince showed an apologetic look and did not answer, which was rare. However, his silence was the answer Jaehaerys wanted.

Although he did not know what it felt like to lose one’s own dragon, Jaehaerys grew angry. "Do you think this is child’s play? Do you think you can face a dragon rider without a dragon? Is this war nothing but a trivial matter to you, Viserys?"

Viserys only smiled bitterly at the king’s questions. But he truly had no wish at all to claim another dragon. Balerion’s death had felt as though a piece of his soul had been torn from him. He never again felt any desire, or even the wish, to possess another dragon.

It seemed that, with the death of Balerion, the Conqueror’s dragon, an important part of Viserys had also been lost.

"Viserys." Hearing the king call his name, Viserys looked up and met Jaehaerys’s eyes upon the Iron Throne.

"I will not survive many more years; perhaps in three or five years I will go to meet your uncles and aunts." Jaehaerys looked at the grandson he loved most and spoke in a calm tone, as though his own death were no great matter.

"You must be a man and become a dragon rider. Become the man you were born to be and reign over this continent as the kings before me and you have done."

Having seen everything that happened at Harrenhal and having watched Maekar, Jaehaerys knew better than anyone that Viserys would not stand the slightest chance against Maekar should a civil war truly come to pass. To prevent another war from happening, Viserys had to claim the greatest living dragon, Vhagar.

Only that could make Maekar hesitate to start a war. The longer this civil war was delayed, the better it was for Viserys, who would have time to undermine Maekar’s standing and also father children to strengthen House Targaryen of King’s Landing.

Before the king’s eyes, full of hope, Viserys wanted to say that he could not do it, but the words that were about to leave his lips caught in his throat. How could he say such a thing before those eyes full of a confidence in him that he himself did not have?

"Yes, my king." Viserys showed a confident look and spoke in a determined tone.

Jaehaerys showed a satisfied look and did not know that, even after his own words, Viserys had no confidence in claiming Vhagar and did not even truly wish to do so. Had the king known his grandson’s thoughts, he might truly have made Maekar Prince of Dragonstone instead.

After all, if Viserys did not understand the importance of this at a moment as dangerous as a war, nothing would truly make him change and grow more resolute.

No. Viserys would change; he would show determination in having a son and would even split open his own wife’s belly to make it happen.

"Prepare to go to Dorne; you will assist your brother at the Stepstones and ease the tensions among the Dornish lords." Despite Viserys’s lack of skill, Jaehaerys knew his grandson had a talent for winning people over with feasts and banquets. Especially at this moment when Dorne was gradually joining the Seven Kingdoms.

This was also an opportunity to undermine Maekar’s votes at the Great Council, which would take place in King’s Landing. After all, Mara might be the princess of Dorne, but she had never truly been the ruler of the region; her uncle had.

And, though he despised Mors Martell, for resembling Maegor, Jaehaerys could even make use of his own daughter in his schemes, his hatred of usurpers meant nothing next to that.

"Yes, my king." Viserys answered once more, and, as he was about to leave the throne room, he heard the king’s words echoing through the Great Hall.

"Aegon the Conqueror once said something very important to his children and grandchildren."

"Love raises castles; hatred raises empires."

"Remember that, Viserys. Hatred is a powerful weapon; do not hesitate to build your empire with it."

----

Read the advanced Chapters on my Patreon!

/GOTSW

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