ASOIAF: The True House of Dragons

Chapter 81: The Liberator

On the journey home, Aegon was thoroughly immersed in the tender affections of his two mistresses and two wives.

Though he had been married for three years, war had consumed much of his attention, leaving him with no time for other matters. As a result, he had yet to produce an heir.

For any kingdom, the absence of an heir could shake political stability and unsettle the hearts of the people, like a small boat drifting helplessly in a storm.

Seeing Aegon so enamored, the accompanying ministers were quietly pleased. They hoped that their king would soon welcome a crown prince.

And so it went.

While Aegon and Lady Argella enjoyed a wintry swim in the Blackwater Rush, Queen Visenya was hard at work honing her swordsmanship.

While Aegon relaxed beneath the moonlight with Master of Whisperers Sharra, Queen Visenya was up on the deck, confidently drilling the royal guards.

While Aegon sipped tea in comfort with Queen Rhaenys, Queen Visenya was buried in paperwork inside the cabin, handling state affairs on his behalf.

In this quiet, repetitive rhythm, Aegon spent more than ten days on the return journey.

At last, he returned to King's Landing with the Small Council and members of the royal family.

When the ministers caught sight of the sprawling foundation stretching for over ten miles, they were all stunned by the sheer scale of the future capital. Cries of awe rang out among them.

Each of them secretly speculated that, once completed, this colossal castle would surely surpass even Harrenhal, the largest fortress in Westeros.

Aegon watched their astonished expressions, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips.

He said, "Gentlemen, this sixteen-mile-square area under construction is merely the royal palace."

With that, he led them to the third-level balcony of Aegonfort atop Aegon's Hill.

From their high vantage point, they looked out over the entire construction site of King's Landing.

Winter had already set in, and the cold wind cut like blades. Yet on the capital's construction site, workers still bustled about, undeterred.

Hand of the King Torrhen noticed something amiss. He frowned slightly, a trace of concern flashing in his eyes, and quietly said to Aegon, "Your Grace, it appears you're still using slave labor to build the capital. This might be improper—it could violate the Royal Moral Exception Treaty."

He chose his words carefully, not pressing Aegon for an immediate change or demanding that the use of slave labor be halted at once.

Aegon's father, Aerion, furrowed his brow faintly, harboring some distaste for these Westerosi moral treaties.

Having spent many years living on Dragonstone and in Volantis, Aerion was long accustomed to the slave systems of ancient Valyria. That was the order and structure he knew.

But now, with the new kingdom still in its infancy, its roots unsteady like a tender sapling, he understood well that pushing reforms too quickly could lead to unpredictable upheaval.

Aegon remained composed, his gaze slowly sweeping across the construction site where the slaves toiled. A faint smile tugged at his lips as he spoke in a soft voice,

"Of course I won't break my word. I intend to show all the people of Westeros that the Targaryen dynasty is one that honors its promises and upholds its reputation with integrity.

Master Crispian, please summon all the slave laborers to Aegonfort. I have something to say to them."

At the king's command, Crispy immediately placed a hand over his chest, accepting the order with solemn respect.

Then he jogged down from Aegonfort.

He soon located the Westerosi overseers managing the slaves and relayed the king's message to them word for word.

Before long, under the king's will, the massive construction project in King's Landing came to a halt.

At the overseers' shouts, nearly ten thousand slaves surged toward Aegonfort like a rising tide.

Watching the approaching flood of people, Orys, commander of the royal guard, grew slightly uneasy. A flicker of hesitation crossed his eyes as he silently considered whether to summon more troops to protect the king and the high officials. After all, with tens of thousands of slaves present, even the smallest misstep could lead to danger...

Aegon raised his hand, signaling Orys not to worry.

A thunderous roar echoed through the sky as Balerion launched from his temporary nest atop Rhaenys's Hill. He circled low over Aegon's Keep, the gusts from his wings howling through the air and whipping at everyone's clothing. Then, with a steady descent, he landed beside the fortress.

The appearance of the King-tier Dragon caused an uproar among the slaves. Their eyes were filled with fear and confusion, but under the overseers' stern suppression and efforts to calm them, order was quickly restored.

Looking down at the densely packed crowd of slaves, Aegon found himself drifting into memory—back to the fall of the Valyrian Peninsula, to the slave strike assembly organized by the Faceless Men.

Under Aegon's mental command, Balerion slowly extended his massive head.

Aegon stepped out onto the fortress balcony. Amid gasps of astonishment, he stood firmly on Balerion's forehead. Grasping one of the dragon's horns, he gazed down at the workers below.

The slaves grew more anxious, believing the Dragonlord of Valyria had come to feed them to his beast.

"My builders, the workers of my kingdom! Be calm! Listen to me!" Aegon's deep and commanding voice rang out from atop Balerion's head.

Hearing the King speak, the overseers quickly raised their whips, shouting at the slaves to stay quiet and maintain order.

Balerion lowered his head above the crowd, and Aegon's voice echoed once more.

"All laborers—you were brought here by sea from Volantis across the Narrow Sea to build the city of King's Landing. Now, you have arrived in my kingdom.

I am Aegon, King of all the people of Westeros.

For thousands of years, there have been no slaves in the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. Both the Old Gods and the New detest slavery, viewing it as a vile sin.

Therefore, as King of Westeros, I hereby solemnly declare:

As long as you work diligently for King's Landing for three years, you shall become free commoners and earn the right to settle in Westeros.

Once you are free, so long as you remain within Westeros, no one shall ever force you to labor again.

I will assign and lend you plots of land to farm, to grow food, and to build homes of your own.

I will even find you wives, so you can start families and begin new lives in Westeros.

This is the solemn promise I, Aegon the Conqueror, make to you: Westeros shall never be a land of eternal slaves—only eternal subjects of House Targaryen!"

Though the slaves below still looked uncertain, a few who understood the Common Tongue were visibly moved. They thought to themselves: this was a vow spoken directly by the Valyrian Dragonlord himself—surely someone of such status wouldn't lie?

Caught between disbelief and hope, those who understood chose to believe.

Soon, a handful of slaves couldn't contain their joy and began to cheer.

Seeing that some still hadn't understood, Aegon repeated his promise in fluent Valyrian.

The Nine Free Cities had once been colonies of the Valyrian Freehold for thousands of years; to them, Valyrian was as natural as their mother tongue. Hearing the familiar language stirred a sense of closeness, lending even more weight to Aegon's words.

The cheering quickly spread. All the slaves began to shout and celebrate. The overseers, fearing a riot, grew nervous at their enthusiasm—but to their surprise, the slaves from the Free Cities became even more obedient and compliant than before.

Satisfied that order had been restored, Aegon had Balerion carry him back to Aegon's Keep...

With a warm smile, he turned to Torrhen. "That is my answer to your question."

Torrhen quickly bowed, his eyes brimming with admiration. Aegon's handling of the slaves had thoroughly earned his respect.

The other high lords and nobles followed suit, offering no shortage of praise. Applause and cheers rang out in support of Aegon's benevolent rule.

Aegon nodded slightly, his expression calm yet confident.

He then ordered the slaves to return to their work. Taking on the role of King's Landing's chief architect, he began to explain—though it was half lecture, half boast—to the gathered dignitaries how meticulously he had designed the city.

"The inner city of King's Landing is fortified with walls, but the outer city is not. The inner city encompasses all three hills." He gestured to the foundations below, where massive stone walls were already rising, then pointed toward Rhaenys's Hill. "A semi-open dragonpit will be built there. The royal residence will be located nearby, for convenient access to the Dragonlords."

Continuing his explanation from Aegon's Keep, he said, "The inner city is divided into the Outer Court, Inner Court, and the Side Towers.

The Outer Court is where the royal family and the Small Council will handle state affairs. It consists of three great halls...

The Inner Court is where the king manages daily governance and where the king and queen reside. It contains three main palaces...

The Side Towers will house ministers and attendants. There are seven iron-roofed drum towers: the Ballroom Tower, the Tower of the Hand, the Maidenvault, the Sword Guard Tower, the Dungeon..."

The members of the Small Council and noble guests were stunned. They had never imagined a castle could be so complex, with such well-planned functions. The thoughtful division between the inner and outer city showed not only the grandeur of the royal house but also strong consideration for defense.

They couldn't help but offer more praise, thoroughly impressed by the king's vision.

After finishing his explanation of the inner city, Aegon chose not to elaborate further. The outer city's design was even more intricate, involving residential zones, light industry, military sectors, port storage, and entertainment districts. Some concepts were simply too advanced to explain to them now.

Besides, a king explaining every detail would risk diminishing his authority. Anyone truly curious could speak with the master builders.

After hearing the overview, the lords had a clear impression of the capital Aegon was constructing.

With a wave of his hand, Aegon dismissed the ministers, encouraging them to explore the new capital themselves and experience its layout firsthand.

...

On the third-floor balcony of Aegon's Keep, only the Targaryen family remained—Aegon, his sisters, and their father, Aerion.

Aerion's eyes gleamed with pride. He slowly looked over his children, then turned his gaze toward the bustling construction site in the distance. For a moment, his eyes welled up with tears.

Rhaenys stepped forward and gently wiped the corners of her father's eyes.

But Aerion turned slightly to avoid her hand, using his sleeve to quietly brush away the tears before they fell.

"I'm proud of you, Aegon... and both of you, my daughters. The long-cherished dream of House Targaryen has finally come true in your hands." His voice trembled with emotion.

Aegon smiled, silently watching Aerion.

Faced with his father's emotion, he struggled to find words. Instead, he held Aerion's gaze, listening intently.

Aerion placed his hands firmly on Aegon's shoulders.

Aegon now stood tall, his height surpassing his father's. Aerion had to tilt his head slightly to look him in the eye, his expression full of hope and gravity.

"The Targaryen dynasty is just beginning, my child. You must not rush your reforms, but you must also not grow complacent.

Neither our enemies beyond nor those within have been dealt with. There are still many, many challenges ahead. More than you can possibly imagine."

Aegon's expression turned serious. He nodded solemnly.

Aerion's voice rang firm and clear. "I will remain steadfast in the Free City Council, continuously delivering the resources our house needs.

I understand the deeper intent behind your move to free the slaves—it's to grow the Crownlands' population and strengthen the royal family's foundation. A wise decision. I will fully support it.

I will arrange for more slaves to be transported here, so that the world may soon call you by a new name—The Liberator."

Aegon was deeply moved.

He saw in Aerion's unwavering support and selfless dedication the foundation of House Targaryen's rise.

Their current strength was built on generations of effort. His own conquest of Westeros had been made possible by the legacy, glory, and perseverance of those who came before him.

Countless words surged through his heart, but they settled into just two: "Thank you."

Aerion laughed heartily, clapping his son on the shoulder.

"No need for such formalities. Just give me more grandchildren—that's enough! Your burden is great. The Targaryen line needs a crown prince to carry on the dynasty, and the chair of the Free City Council must also be inherited by Targaryen blood."

The family exchanged smiles.

...

The next morning, sunlight bathed the construction site of King's Landing in a soft glow.

Aerion, along with the former Storm King Argilac, boarded a ship that slowly pulled away from King's Landing at the mouth of Blackwater Bay.

Cutting through the waves, the vessel sailed toward the Narrow Sea, beginning their long journey back to the Free City of Volantis.