Legacy of the White Dragon: A Dance of Dragons

Chapter 23: Before the end of peace and quite

Corlys Velaryon (107 A.C. Fiveth Moon)

Dragonstone Room of the Painted Table

He stood there with all the rest of the high nobles and commanders of the expedition into the Stepstones that would lead it. Though all of them stood waiting for Aemon to arrive, the last to come and last to leave, the final briefing before it all would start.

As they stood waiting, there were he heard murmurs of low speech. He saw lords of the Narrow Sea and the Crownlands Bar Emmon, Darklyn, Celitgar, and others. Some were from the Riverlands, but most lords were from the North, the main power base of Aemon. There were even men from the hillclans near the Wall, Flint and Norry were around. Then there was the heir to Karhold, Edric Karstark, two namedays Aemon's senior. The most important figure of the gathered Northern lords was Desmond Manderley, the five and twenty namedays old Keeper of The White Knife and Lord of White Harbor. A man who brought the third-largest contingent of ships of the people who had pledged their support to Aemon, only being behind the Redweyn's and himself.

The more he thought about it, 'without Aemon, how would this war or expedition go? For certain, the King's support wouldn't be guaranteed. Most of the Lords of the North would give piss ass. Then Aemon himself rode the dragon of the Conquest and brought 30 ships himself to bear for invasion, with additional manpower as well.'

Then his thoughts were broken when Aemon was announced, "Prince Aemon Targaryen, Prince of Dragonstone, Lord of Sea Dragonpoint, and Heir to Iron Throne." Ser Harrold announced. One of the knights of the Kingsguard followed Aemon's shadow. The other newly promoted Ser Criston Cole. Beside him walked his two wives. They both looked regal. The future King and Queens of the realm.

"My Lords, the final briefing before we end this mess. We call it the Stepstones and the Crabfeeder." Aemon said after he sat down at Aegon's high seat.

"First and foremost, the crown and I show thanks to those gathered here today, those who will join us later. War is here, and it will most likely be a long and bloody one. A war that isn't for one house or the crown, as many around the realm may think. No, this war is for everyone in Westeros who rely on trade. The North needs the food that comes from the shipments, and the nobles and smallfolk of the South buy the spices in the markets to increase the taste of their food and other commodities. The others want to sail and discover the world. But because of people who only care about their wealth and power, they let loose a psychopath in those waters, someone who nails our men to stakes. They do this to people who have done nothing wrong. Sell our women and children into slavery. Well, no more. In a week, we set sail, and we will feed this Crabfeeder to his own crabs and show them what the words of my house mean." Aemon ended his peace, and people clapped and shouted approval. He just grinned, satisfied at the spectacle, and thought of retribution.

"We all know, the Triarch or Kingdom of the Three daughters, or whatever Myr, Tyrosh, and Lys are calling themselves these days," Aemon said with a dismissive tone, not finding the prop-up coalition a reasonable proposition, as it disrupted the power balance in the region.

"As discussed before, the main stronghold of these brigands is Bloodstone. Taking it and the central islands will be a difficult task. So, instead of attacking and losing many men and resources in the process, we starve them out. It will be long, but it's the best way to take and hold the Stepstones." Aemon said as he used a dragon cane to point.

The more he spoke, and especially now, Aemon was someone you listen to. 'Damn, he was a boy; no, he wasn't any longer. He was a man. A boy of five and ten damning respect of men twice or thrice his age.'He thought in wonderment. "We start a blockade of central isles, starve their supplies and men. When they have feasted on the rock, salt, and fish, when they are tired, broken, and hungry, we will crush them, and the world will know what happens when you cross with Westeros." Aemon's eyes glinted with a hint of satisfaction as if he had striven for this moment, the same as he had.