-Chapter 134-
-POV Aemon Targaryen-
After about half an hour of waiting, the door I had closed opened.
I turned to see who was entering, and as soon as I saw Johanna walk in alone, I gestured for Willem to leave us alone.
"Thank you for bringing him to ," she said as she sat in Willem's seat.
Without giving Johanna much of a reaction, I simply said:
"I think it's important for Baelon to know where he cos from to find his place in this world."
"A place by your side," Johanna replied with a hint of sarcasm.
I shrugged before responding:
"If that's what he wants."
"You'd let him go back to Daemon?" Johanna asked, skepticism lacing her tone.
I frowned, intrigued by her attitude.
'What's gotten into her?' I thought.
'I need to remind her of her place,' I told myself, disliking both her tone and deanor.
'I'm not one of those besotted admirers who would do anything just to lick her boots,' I thought as I made myself more comfortable.
"If he doesn't mind becoming my enemy…" I said, deliberately trailing off.
Seeing her expression turn cold, I added:
"The mont he tells he wants to return to his father, I'll provide him with a ship and an escort to the capital."
"Don't do that, Aemon," Johanna said in a warning tone.
"Don't do what?" I asked, feigning ignorance.
"Don't threaten my son," she said before adding:
"That's the second ti you've done it. I don't want there to be a third."
She ended on an authoritative note, crossing her legs while resting her hands on her knees, a posture clearly calculated to draw my attention.
Her subtle maneuver amused internally.
'You won't fool ,' I thought, noticing her attempt to divert my focus with her lightweight, slit dress.
'You're beautiful, but you don't hold a candle to Laena's beauty,' I thought, disdainfully dismissing her tactic.
'A tactic she must have used hundreds, if not thousands, of tis to seduce the wealthy n of this city,' I mused, feeling entirely indifferent to her allure.
I shook my head and declared:
"Listen, Johanna, let be very clear. I'm not making threats. I'm simply warning you about what could happen in the future I foresee."
She said nothing, so I continued:
"A threat would be telling you what I might do to force you to obey ."
Johanna gave a slight, disdainful smile and retorted:
"Isn't that exactly what you're doing? Making fear what you might do to him? Hoping I'll convince him to stay by your side and obey you like a docile little puppy?"
"If you even have that kind of influence over him," I replied with a free smile before adding:
"I don't expect anything of the sort from you."
"Oh really?" she said, her skepticism clear.
"Yes," I answered calmly, continuing:
"Being alone against the world is sothing I'm used to now. I don't fear having one more dragon rider against on the opposing side."
'Especially not a rider who can't even command his dragon,' I thought, barely taking Baelon seriously.
I observed Johanna for a mont before clarifying my position:
"I'm simply warning you. I want to establish a strong relationship with you.
But if you or your son ever betray , know that I will have no rcy—neither for him, nor for you, nor for everything you've built, nor for those under your protection.
That's not a threat, Johanna. It's a fact."
'I don't want to repeat the mistakes I made with the Hightowers or the Strongs.
From now on, every infraction must be punished, no matter who commits it,' I resolved firmly.
Seeing her brows still slightly furrowed, I concluded with a smile:
"Consider it friendly advice if you'd prefer."
Johanna stared at for a few seconds before closing her eyes and shaking her head.
Then she said:
"You've changed."
'I like this better,' I thought, noting the shift in her tone.
"You last saw when I was only five," I said, smiling, genuinely amused.
She rolled her eyes without replying, and I continued:
"You've done well for yourself since then."
Johanna looked around, observing the finely decorated room, and replied:
"Given my journey, I'm quite satisfied with what I've built… in this city."
"You almost sound like you hate this place," I said, noticing how she pronounced the word 'city.'
"I do," she said simply before adding:
"This city is a den of sin."
"I would've thought it was a place of pleasure," I countered.
"That's because you've only scratched the surface," she replied.
"Once you peel back the thin layer of gold, you see the rot underneath."
She paused, took a small breath, and redirected the conversation:
"I imagine you plan to absorb the Stepstones into your territory."
"Not exactly," I said with a grimace.
'Daemon made over a million gold dragons in taxes from the Stepstones this year,' I thought.
Johanna frowned and asked:
"What do you an by 'not exactly'?"
I smiled and answered:
"I'll expand, but subtly, without provoking my father or uncle."
Johanna frowned slightly, intrigued, and asked:
"Why would they attack you now?"
I took a deep breath, carefully choosing my words:
"If I claim the Stepstones as my own, I'll need to replace the soldiers I've defeated or captured with my own troops.
That also ans deploying a significant fleet to protect these islands from the Triarchy, Dorne, and even my own family.
But my current fleet is already essential for securing the Vale against naval invasions and blocking access to the Narrow Sea for Westerosi ships."
Johanna nodded slowly, digesting my explanation, before replying:
"So, if you overextend, your forces will be divided."
"Exactly," I agreed.
She looked at intently before asking:
"But you have two dragons, and if my information is correct, they're much larger than those of your enemies.
Why not station Laena and her dragon in the Vale while you defend the Stepstones?
No one would dare attack Laena Velaryon."
I shook my head, imdiately dismissing the idea.
'Laena would need to be in fighting condition for that,' I thought, unwilling to risk her needlessly.
"No, this isn't the ti for to spread myself thin, and I refuse to endanger Laena without good reason," I said firmly, making it clear this option was off the table.
Johanna frowned slightly but eventually nodded.
"Very well. So, what's your plan?" she asked.
I smiled and replied:
"I've enlisted Saabhos Saan as a privateer."
Her face registered a flicker of surprise.
"That's a questionable practice… one used by the Triarchy," she remarked, her tone tinged with skepticism.
She added, "At Westeros, your enemies will vilify you for taking a pirate into your service."
I shrugged indifferently and said, "I don't care what my enemies think. The advantages far outweigh their complaints."
Johanna studied for a mont before asking, "How do you plan to use the Stepstones then?"
I smiled, ready to explain my strategy.
"In addition to taking Saabhos under my wing, I'm opening the Stepstones to everyone—pirates, rchants, ships from the Free Cities, or the Seven Kingdoms. And there will be no more taxes."
Her brows furrowed deeply, betraying her confusion.
"I don't understand, Aemon. Why control the most strategic mariti trade hub if not to profit from it? Unless, of course, you're doing it just to spite your father."
I chuckled lightly before responding, "Who said I wouldn't profit from it?"
I leaned back in my chair and continued, "Not only will I grow wealthy, but I'll also build a secret navy more formidable than any the Known World has ever seen."
Johanna paused, clearly processing my plan, before murmuring, "Saabhos Saan…"
I nodded and added, "He will target and absorb the most aggressive or ambitious pirate crews challenging his title as Pirate King.
He'll also intercept and eliminate every ship belonging to my enemies. No vessel owned by my adversaries will pass through the Stepstones."
Johanna looked at with a mixture of admiration and concern.
"You're going to make a lot of enemies," she said, her tone carrying a slight challenge.
I smiled, unbothered, and replied, "I know. But I'll move gradually.
By the ti I start targeting the 'big fish,' I'll have forged so many alliances that my enemies will be crushed under the weight of those partnerships."
She hesitated briefly before asking, "Why not just conquer everything? You have a dragon."
I shook my head, rejecting the notion outright.
"That would be a short-term solution," I explained.
"If I want to build a lasting empire that doesn't crumble after my death, I need to establish a strong foundation.
Every step must be carefully calculated."
Johanna stared at for a long mont before nodding slowly, seeming to accept my reasoning.
"Do you already have plans to solidify your position here? I can introduce you to influential figures," she offered.
"That won't be necessary," I replied with a grin.
"I've already found a way to et the city's leaders. A certain Aerthoreon Haen has offered to help."
Johanna's eyes widened in surprise.
"The Magister Haen?" she asked.
I nodded and asked, "Is that a problem?"
She thought for a mont before responding, "Not necessarily.
But the man who helped us this ti is Drakerio Rogare, the head of the Rogare family.
He's not a Magister, but he's imnsely wealthy.
Drakerio has been vying for a seat on the Magisters' Council for decades, but he's been consistently blocked by Aerthoreon Haen's faction."
A slow smile spread across my face as I asked, "You're thinking the sa thing I am, aren't you?"
Johanna smiled back, nodding.
"It's obvious.
If we ally ourselves with these two and act as diators, we could control two of the wealthiest fortunes in Lys and potentially secure two seats on the Magisters' Council."
I chuckled softly, pleased at how perfectly everything was falling into place.
"Everything becos so much simpler when you have a dragon," I mused, laughing quietly.
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