Chapter 6: The Crown's Ascent (103 AC)
The years between 94 AC and 103 AC were a testament to Viserys's relentless, quiet ambition. With his marriage to Rhaenys secure and his son, Aemon, a healthy, thriving heir, the foundation of his personal dynasty was firmly laid. His influence, though still technically under King Jaehaerys's reign, expanded exponentially. The crop rotation initiative, initially met with skepticism, had proven undeniably successful. Harvests were consistently larger, famines became a distant memory, and the Crown's granaries swelled. This agricultural revolution, carefully attributed by Viserys to "ancient Valyrian wisdom" or "insights from the maesters' forgotten texts," subtly shifted the economic balance. The smallfolk, more prosperous and well-fed, began to view the Crown, and particularly Prince Viserys, with a new reverence.
His expansion of trade with Essos also bore fruit. New goods flowed into Westeros, and the Crown's coffers swelled with gold from tariffs and royal ventures. Viserys personally oversaw the establishment of rudimentary banking practices within the Red Keep, subtly introducing concepts of credit and investment to a wary Master of Coin. He built a network of loyal, discreet agents—often former guardsmen or shrewd merchants he had personally vetted—who managed these burgeoning financial operations, bypassing much of the traditional noble oversight. These men, bound by loyalty and shared prosperity, formed an early, unofficial shadow council, directly answerable to Viserys.
Throughout these years, Viserys maintained his careful relationship with King Jaehaerys. He was the dutiful grandson, the insightful heir, always seeking his grandfather's counsel, yet always gently steering decisions towards his own long-term objectives. Jaehaerys, now a very old man, leaned heavily on Viserys's intellect and steady hand, seeing him as the strong successor House Targaryen desperately needed. He often remarked that Viserys possessed a wisdom beyond his years, a keen understanding of the realm that reminded him of his own youth, yet with a modern edge he couldn't quite place.
Viserys's bond with Balerion deepened into an almost perfect synergy. They flew together frequently, the magnificent Black Dread, revitalized by the serum, a living embodiment of Targaryen power. Balerion's presence was enough to quell nascent rebellions before they even began, a silent, terrifying deterrent that underscored the Crown's ultimate authority. Rhaenys, on Meleys, often joined them, their dragons soaring as symbols of a unified, formidable Targaryen family.
The dawn of 103 AC brought with it a somber cloud. After a reign of nearly sixty years, King Jaehaerys I, the Conciliator, finally succumbed to the infirmities of old age. He passed peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by his family, including his beloved grandson, Viserys. The realm plunged into a period of mourning, but beneath the grief, there was an undercurrent of anticipation. The long-awaited succession was at hand.
The coronation of Viserys Targaryen was not merely a ceremony; it was a declaration of intent. Held within the Dragonpit, a massive domed structure on the Hill of Rhaenys, it was a deliberate and powerful symbolic gesture. No longer would dragons be chained beneath the earth; they would be celebrated, their power woven into the very fabric of the new reign. The Iron Throne itself had been moved to the center of the vast arena for the ceremony, bathed in sunlight streaming through the massive open roof.
Viserys, at twenty-six years old, strode through the Dragonpit, a figure of commanding presence. His silver hair fell past his shoulders, his violet eyes held a cool, resolute fire, and his frame, honed by years of serum-enhanced training and dragonriding, exuded power. Rhaenys, majestic and regal, stood at his side, her presence a powerful statement of their joint sovereignty. Their son, Aemon, a bright-eyed boy of nine, stood proudly beside them, already carrying the promise of a future king.
The roar of the assembled lords and smallfolk echoed through the Dragonpit as the High Septon placed the Conqueror's Crown upon Viserys's head. But it was not the cheers of men that defined the moment. As the crown settled, a thunderous, ancient roar ripped through the air above the open dome. Balerion, his immense form blotting out the sun for a moment, circled directly overhead, a living, breathing symbol of the power that now lay in the hands of the new king. Meleys, Rhaenys's dragon, joined him, a fiery red streak against the sky. It was a visceral display of Targaryen might, an undeniable proclamation of the true rulers of Westeros.
Upon ascending the Iron Throne, Viserys wasted no time. His first act as King was to convene the Small Council, not in the familiar, intimate setting, but in the grand, intimidating Throne Room itself. He sat upon the Iron Throne, its sharp edges a familiar comfort, its symbolic power resonating deeply within him. Present were the old guard, including the venerable Lord Corlys Velaryon, the Master of Ships, a man of immense influence and wealth, and Grand Maester Runciter.
> "The great houses have grown too bold," Viserys declared, his voice resonating through the vast hall, each word precise and unyielding. There was no trace of his grandfather's conciliatory tone. "Their levies will answer to me alone now. No longer will the strength of the realm be fragmented amongst petty lords and their ancient squabbles."
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Lord Corlys Velaryon, a man who had seen many kings and understood the delicate balance of power in Westeros, frowned, his weathered face etched with concern. "This risks rebellion, Your Grace," he stated, his voice calm but firm. "The lords of the Seven Kingdoms hold their ancient rights dear. To strip them of their levies is to strip them of their very identity. Such a move would be seen as an affront, a challenge to centuries of tradition."
> "Let them try," Viserys retorted, his violet eyes hardening, locking with Corlys's. There was no threat in his voice, only cold, unyielding resolve. Balerion's shadow, unseen but keenly felt by all, loomed in Viserys's mind. "Tradition, Lord Corlys, is merely the inertia of the past. I am the future. And the future of this realm is one of unity under the Crown. Their levies will answer to me, or they will answer to Balerion."
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He didn't need to specify what answering to Balerion meant. The Black Dread's roar during the coronation still echoed in their ears.
Viserys outlined his plan for a Royal Army. He decreed that a portion of every lord's levy, not just a feudal obligation but a direct royal mandate, would be permanently stationed in King's Landing, forming a standing army loyal only to the Crown. He announced the immediate construction of new barracks, training grounds, and armories within the capital. These soldiers would be trained not in the outdated fighting styles of individual houses, but in disciplined formations and coordinated tactics Marco recalled from military history books – Roman legions, Macedonian phalanxes, even rudimentary concepts of combined arms. He spoke of regular pay, standardized equipment, and rigorous drills, promising a professionalism unheard of in Westeros.
This was a direct, undeniable centralization of power, designed to systematically weaken the regional lords and dismantle the feudal system's inherent decentralization. It would take time, but the process had begun.
Furthermore, on the third day of his reign, Viserys issued a series of groundbreaking, yet ruthlessly enforced, royal edicts concerning dragons:
* Dragons may not be chained, under penalty of exile. This decree, a clear break from centuries of practice, was delivered with absolute finality. It was not merely about freedom for the dragons, but a symbolic assertion of their power, and by extension, the Targaryen family's, as unbound and supreme. Any lord or maester caught chaining a dragon, or even attempting to contain one, would face immediate and permanent banishment from Westeros, their lands and titles forfeit to the Crown.
* Non-Targaryens claiming dragons or owning eggs face execution for treason. This was the most brutal, yet strategically vital, of his new laws. It eliminated any future threats of other houses attempting to steal dragon eggs from Dragonstone or bonding with riderless dragons. The message was unequivocal: dragons were the sole preserve of House Targaryen. Any transgression would be met with the ultimate penalty. Viserys knew the chaos and ambition that the prospect of dragons could ignite in other noble houses, and he snuffed out that spark before it could ever ignite.
These edicts were not debated; they were proclaimed. The swift, unyielding enforcement of these laws, coupled with the palpable presence of Balerion and Meleys, sent a clear message: the age of Jaehaerys the Conciliator was over. The age of Viserys the Unyielding had begun. He was not merely a king; he was a supreme authority, backed by fire and blood, and a mind that saw centuries beyond his time.
The realm stirred, a mixture of awe, fear, and a grudging respect for the new king's decisive nature. Some lords grumbled in their castles, but few dared to voice open dissent. The memory of Balerion's resurgence, the undeniable majesty of his flights, and the cold glint in Viserys's eyes were deterrents more potent than any army.
Viserys had ascended the Iron Throne, not as a gentle scholar, but as the ruthless, cunning boss Marco De Luca had always been. He had begun the systematic dismantling of the old ways, replacing them with a new order, one that would ensure the unassailable dominance of House Targaryen and the absolute authority of the Crown. The gambit had moved from the personal to the political, and the board was set for an era of unprecedented Targaryen power.
What do you think of this turning point in Viserys's reign?