Game of Thrones: Second Son of House Targaryen

Chapter 249: Pressing Forward

Everyone desires a great ancestor, but no one wants a living father overshadowing them. After the fall of the Valyrian Empire, everyone wanted to claim ties to its legacy. Volantis proudly calls itself the “eldest daughter of Valyria,” while Braavos, founded by former slaves, claims to be Valyria’s “bastard daughter.” The three Free Cities in the Disputed Lands even formed the “Triarchy” in homage to their connection with Valyria.

But now that Valyria is history, the dragons have returned—and there are seven of them.

The nobles of the other Free Cities were among the first to witness the hatching of these dragons. In just half a month, the young dragons have grown rapidly. If they continue at this pace, it’s likely that dragons will once again soar over their cities within two years. This forces the Free Cities to reconsider their relationships with Viserys.

Among the Free Cities, the most pressing concern is the dynamic between Braavos and Volantis. As the two most powerful Free Cities, their stance will influence the others. If they choose to align with Viserys, the other Free Cities will likely follow suit. Even if they don’t formally submit, they won’t risk openly opposing him. Viserys has already proven his might by defeating 15,000 Dothraki and uniting the power of four major Free Cities. If he remains undefeated in the short term, these Free Cities could become the next Sorrows when his dragons mature.

The nobles are now focused on securing the best possible advantages for themselves in this shifting landscape.

In a spacious and well-lit room, Roth and Methys watched their son playing on the floor, each pondering the future. “Viserys’s next move will be to reclaim the Iron Throne, and we need to support him as much as we can,” Roth declared. He was certain that Volantis and the other Free Cities were considering the same.

Viserys was no longer just an exiled prince from a fallen kingdom. He had grown in power and influence. Roth understood that Viserys was a force to be reckoned with—one that would only become stronger. If they didn’t align themselves with him now, they might lose the opportunity forever. Roth was convinced that the leaders in Volantis would reach a similar conclusion.

“Should we tell Viserys about the boy now?” Meris asked, her voice filled with concern.

“No, not yet,” Roth replied, rejecting his wife’s suggestion. He then looked at his son with a fierce determination in his eyes. The child was their treasure, their key to securing the Dragonlord’s bloodline.

“This is our House’s only chance to obtain the bloodline of a Dragonlord. We must seize it,” Roth said, knowing full well that his plan was risky. But years at sea had taught him one thing: the greater the risk, the greater the reward. He was willing to take that risk, believing that the situation couldn’t get much worse.

...

Viserys was extremely busy these days. Not only did he need to send troops to secure control over Lys and Myr, but he also had to accompany Connington in formally receiving the Golden Company. The situation was complex: the Golden Company was not just a large military force; they also had extensive business interests. They were heavily involved in slave trading and various other enterprises, essentially running their own industries. The livelihoods of over 10,000 people were tied to the Golden Company, and many families had served in its ranks for generations. For example, House Strickland, with its current leader now "begging for orders," often boasted that “four generations” of their family had served in the Golden Company.

Given these deep-rooted connections, Viserys needed to carefully disentangle their business interests from the military, ensuring that the army remained focused on its primary purpose. After all, as everyone knows, the army should not be involved in business.

Seizing this moment, Roth gathered nobles from several other Free Cities to gauge the political climate. The two Triarchs of Volantis, Alios and Nyessos, shared a sentiment similar to that of Roth: aligning with Viserys was clearly the best choice, both publicly and privately. They quickly realized that pursuing a “non-aggression pact” was now unrealistic.

As Triarchs, they no longer had the standing to negotiate such terms with Viserys. The situation had escalated to the point where Volantis itself would likely have to accept a subordinate role under Viserys’s rule. The sooner they groveled, the sooner they could secure a favorable position in the Dragonlord’s favor.

For Alios and Nyessos, the distinction between Volantis and non-Volantis became irrelevant. Their primary focus was on elevating their houses by securing a place in Viserys’s new order. Nyessos even suggested, “Perhaps we could support Prince Viserys as the ‘Emperor of Valyria.’” This was a shrewd move. After all, if Viserys were to accept such a title, he would have no reason to spurn those who had backed him.

By supporting Viserys, Volantis could look forward to expanding eastward and returning to its former glory. During the Valyrian era, the people of Volantis took great pride in provoking other famous cities, then relying on their Dragonlords to send armies to crush opposition. Chroyane of the Rhoynar had been no exception.

Alios’s suggestion sparked an idea among the group. They recalled that after the Doom of Valyria, a surviving Dragonlord named Aurion had crowned himself the Valyrian Emperor, gathering forces in Qohor with the intent of rebuilding the Valyrian Empire. Of course, his efforts ended in failure, and he died amidst the ruins. The group couldn’t help but wonder if the title “Valyrian Emperor” might be cursed.

“I can reveal a secret to you all,” Triarch Alios said, addressing the crowd with a knowing smile. “His Grace, Viserys, visited the ruins of Valyria and returned alive, bringing back a suit of Valyrian steel armor. I believe he is capable of rebuilding Valyria!”

The hatching of the dragons had already convinced many that Viserys would one day reclaim the Iron Throne—it was only a matter of time. But if what Alios said was true, then Viserys’s ambitions might reach far beyond Westeros. The title he would assume upon reclaiming the throne could be “Viserys the Third of His Name, Restorer of Valyria.”

But if he were to claim the title of “Emperor of Valyria,” then he would be known as “Viserys the First of His Name, Restorer of Valyria.”

If he truly ventured into the Doom and returned unscathed, then his destiny could be more than just restoring the Iron Throne; it could be about reviving the glory of Valyria itself.

When Viserys announced his intention to build a Welfare Granary for the smallfolk, it became clear that his ambitions were not confined to small endeavors.

...

At this realization, Mellario’s thoughts turned to her daughter, Arianne. If Viserys were to become the Valyrian Emperor, Arianne’s prospects of marrying him would diminish. According to Targaryen and Valyrian customs, only Daenerys would be eligible to become queen.

While the city-state nobles scrambled to curry favor with the rising king, the Warlocks of Qarth had different plans. They had come to the Free Cities with the intent to steal the life force of Viserys and Dany. In the original timeline, they had managed to deceive the young and vulnerable Daenerys into coming to Qarth, where they planned to ambush her. But now, with Viserys and Dany’s power growing daily, luring them to Qarth with mere words was out of the question.

Their desperation grew after learning that Viserys and Dany had survived the wildfire unscathed. The Warlocks were more determined than ever to harness their life force. Just as Pree and his fellow Warlocks were at their wit’s end, Viserys made a surprising move—he approached them first.

In the garden of Kambron former estate, Viserys summoned these sinister wizards. They were richly dressed, appearing youthful, but a closer look revealed their true nature. The skin peeking from their cuffs was a bluish-purple, and even the whites of their eyes had an unnatural blue tint.

“My lords, I understand you’ve come from Qarth, and I’m quite curious about the Immortals of Qarth,” Viserys said, feigning an obsession with “immortality” and expressing his desire to learn their secrets.

“Of course, Prince! It would be our honor,” Pree responded, his smile growing. The prey had walked right into their trap.

The Warlocks were skilled at weaving illusions and preying on their victims’ curiosity, draining their life force in the process. Pree smiled slyly. “We do possess witchcraft that can grant immortality, but to learn such secrets, you must visit the House of the Undying in Qarth.”

In truth, Viserys had little interest in immortality—at least, not at this stage in his life. At seventeen or eighteen, he was far more interested in using the promise of immortality to lower the Warlocks’ guard.

“I have much to do, and I can't leave the Hopeful Lands to journey to Qarth just yet, but I would like to ask the Warlocks for a few favors,” Viserys said.

“Just name it, Prince, and the Undying Ones will do their best,” Pree replied, trying to sound humble.

“As you know, King's Landing, my rightful home, is currently occupied by usurpers. I intend to send an army to reclaim the Iron Throne soon, and before that happens, I need to strengthen my forces as much as possible,” Viserys explained. He mentioned his plans to purchase a large number of Unsullied and acquire vast quantities of weapons and supplies. He hoped that when the Warlocks returned to Qarth, they would convey these ‘purchases’ to the Great Masters and Wise Masters of Slaver's Bay.

“Rest assured, Prince. I believe the Great Masters and Wise Masters would welcome your friendship. In fact, even the merchants of Qarth are eager for your arrival. They are very wealthy, and I am certain they would be pleased to assist you in your quest to reclaim the Iron Throne,” Pree said with a smile.

“That would be wonderful,” Viserys responded, clapping his hands. A few servants entered, each carrying trays adorned with rings and necklaces. The jewelry was set with gemstones the size of fingernails.

“These,” Viserys said, handing a necklace to Pree, “are scales naturally shed by a young dragon. I offer them to you as a gift.”

Pree, of course, did not refuse. Dragon scales, being both rare and magical, were treasures of unimaginable value. “Prince Viserys, this is truly a generous gift! Thank you for your kindness!”

Viserys’s true intention in befriending the Warlocks was to spread false information in Slaver’s Bay—to make them believe he was a significant customer preparing to take back the Iron Throne. This would send a “smoke bomb” to the Wise Masters and Great Masters, leading them to think of him merely as a wealthy client.

In the original timeline, the Mother of Dragons had openly declared her intent to return to Westeros, which had lulled the Wise Masters into a false sense of security, allowing them to sell her all the Unsullied at once. Viserys knew he needed to adopt a similar approach.

His plan was to take a thousand men, lead a fleet to Slaver’s Bay, and visit Yunkai, Meereen, and Astapor. There, he would purchase Unsullied from the Wise Masters, plunder other Free Cities, and establish a strong material foundation for his return to the Iron Throne.

As for the Warlocks themselves, Viserys had no intention of letting them go unscathed. Qarth, with its self-proclaimed title as the “center of the world,” was indeed wealthy. But soon, these Warlocks would learn the true meaning of inviting a dragon into their home.