In the final days of Aegon's stay on the Iron Islands, many Ironborn came to Orkmont of their own accord to see him off. They brought pickled fish, a local specialty, as gifts for the king—in the depths of winter, it was likely the most precious thing they owned.
For saving hundreds of thousands of Ironborn refugees, Aegon had earned the loyalty of many among the Ironborn.
In the palace at Orkmont, Aegon received a letter from Meria Martell, the "Yellow Toad" of Dorne:
"I will neither fight you nor kneel to you.
Remember House Martell's words—'Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.'
Burn it all down if you must, Dragonlord Aegon! We will never yield, never bend, and never surrender.
Dorne does not welcome a Dragonlord of Valyria. If you dare to invade, you will pay the price."
Furious, Aegon tore Meria's letter to shreds and threw it into the fire. In a rage, he stormed through the palace, swearing to bring ruin and extinction upon Dorne.
Alongside the Dornish letter came another—this one penned by Archmaester Ollidar, detailing the history of Dorne. Aegon had ordered the historians at Harrenhal to compile intelligence on Dorne, and Ollidar had delivered.
"In his letter," Ollidar wrote, "he recounted how, a thousand years ago, Princess Nymeria, a Rhoynar warrior from the eastern continent, led her people to escape the Valyrian Freehold's invasion by sea. After years of wandering, they landed in the territory of House Martell. The head of House Martell took Nymeria as his wife, and from their union arose the unbending culture of House Martell."
Reading this, Aegon scoffed. So, they were old enemies after all.
Back in the days of the Freehold, the Dragonlords had sent over three hundred dragons to invade the ancestral lands of the Rhoynar. The Rhoynar were nearly wiped out by the Valyrians, and Nymeria's warriors were among the few who escaped.
Seeing that this woman refused both diplomacy and threats, Aegon ordered the Small Council in Harrenhal to begin preparations for war against Dorne. At the same time, he commanded the Stepstones—now under Targaryen control—to blockade Dorne and bar Dornish ships from passing through the Narrow Sea.
He also wrote to his father in the Federal Council, urging them to ban trade with Dorne and confiscate all Dornish property within council-held territory.
With those decisions made, Aegon remained on Orkmont for two more days.
On the final day, he summoned all the lords of the Iron Islands. The lords from the Reach, Riverlands, Westerlands, and the Iron Islands gathered in the square outside the palace on Orkmont to bid farewell to the king.
Escorted by numerous officials and the three high lords, Aegon emerged slowly from the palace.
He wore gold-plated steel armor and a dragon-winged helmet, his presence commanding and regal. For many Ironborn, this was their first time laying eyes on the new king—and his awe-inspiring appearance drew waves of cheering from the crowd.
Corlys and his guards struggled to maintain order as the Ironborn, overcome with zeal, surged toward the platform with the fervor of adoring fanatics.
Aegon stepped onto the high stage built before the palace for this very moment. With all eyes on him, he raised his voice and spoke:
"My people, I'm truly pleased to see you all here to send me off. You are now part of the Targaryen dynasty—welcome to the family.
I've heard that the Ironborn have an ancient tradition—taking iron from their enemies through acts of plunder!
But in my kingdom, such violence against your own kin will not be tolerated. That's why I've instructed House Greyjoy to alter their house words—as a warning. Never raise your hand against your brothers and sisters.
Still, during these past months spent among you, I've come to admire your strength. I respect the ambition that drives you, the fire in your blood, and your eagerness for battle.
Because of that, I grant the Ironborn a special privilege.
In my kingdom, the Ironborn shall have the right to plunder—legally. I will issue plunder licenses to the seven strongest captains of the Iron Islands, giving you the right to strike the enemies of House Targaryen and unleash your true nature upon them.
These seven pirate captains shall be known as the Seven Warlords of the King!
They are: the head of House Greyjoy, the head of House Drumm, the head of House Blacktyde, the head of House Botley..."
The Ironborn and the lords of the green lands stared at Aegon in astonishment, shocked that he would announce such a bold decree just before his departure.
The lords of Westeros, though, breathed a silent sigh of relief—thankfully, the Seven Warlords would only be allowed to target the enemies of the Targaryen dynasty. Otherwise, the coastal regions of Westeros would never know peace.
Some of the more informed lords had already guessed the source of Aegon's fury—Dorne. Sure enough, Aegon named them directly in the next part of his speech.
Thunderous cheers erupted from the square.
"Long live King Aegon!"
"The Seven Warlords will strike fear into our enemies!"
"We will follow the king to war, wherever he leads!"
...
The Ironborn lords took a liking to Aegon. In their eyes, his policies preserved the essence of the ancient ways of the Iron Islands, which was unique to the Ironborn. Every Ironborn aspired to become one of the Seven Warlords of the King, to bring glory to their house and their islands.
Aegon pressed down with his left hand, waited for the cheers to subside, then continued,
"Now there is an evil enemy in Westeros that has defied the orders of the Targaryen dynasty—the Kingdom of Dorne!
My Seven Warlords!
Go collect the iron money you deserve from the Dornishmen, unleash the tyranny in your blood on the coast of Dorne, and strike fear into the hearts of the enemies of the Targaryen dynasty!"
When Aegon finished his speech, Balerion flew down from above the palace.
Amidst the deafening cheers of the crowd, he climbed onto the back of the dragon and looked down at the people below, who all bowed their heads and knelt before him, making Aegon feel a little giddy.
Balerion flapped his wings and flew high into the sky.
The cold wind whistled into the dragon saddle, and Aegon closed the skylight. On the return trip, he and the Black Dread would pass Harlaw and then fly along the Blue Fork of the Trident to Harrenhal.
When they arrived at Harrenhal in the afternoon, they learned that the royal ministers and the people had been waiting outside the castle.
Aegon stood on the dragon's back and looked around. After nearly four months away, the market around Harrenhal had become even more prosperous and lively.
The two queens complained about Aegon's long absence. Visenya wanted to ride a dragon to Orkmont to look for him, but Aegon dissuaded her. After all, the affairs of Harrenhal needed to be handled by the royal family.
Rhaenys was seven months pregnant, and her belly was growing larger. Aegon comforted his wife.
The king returned, and Harrenhal held a banquet.
Aegon noticed dozens of unfamiliar noble faces in the castle. They were all vassals of the kingdom who had heard of the king's return and had come to see him.
During the banquet, Visenya and Rhaenys got along well for once and organized a small event together.
They played matchmaker and started the first social gathering in the Targaryen kingdom, introducing some young noble offspring to suitable partners. Thanks to the efforts of the two queens, the Seven Kingdoms saw their first cross-border marriages.
Aegon was equally delighted and offered his blessings to these young men and women.
...
After the banquet, Aegon threw himself into government affairs.
Many matters had piled up and needed his personal attention.
For example, the unified laws had been revised repeatedly and continuously improved by the Archmaesters and Maesters of the Law School, and the first version had been approved by most of the lords of the kingdom.
After returning to Harrenhal, Aegon immediately ordered all lords to comply with the unified laws, which included:
The decrees on customs duties, obligations, and taxes were clarified, changing the previous situation where ports and lords arbitrarily oppressed tenants, commoners, and merchants.
Clergy and their land and property were exempt from taxes, and the church had the right to judge and punish Septons, Septa, and members of the faith for illegal acts.
Tax reform was at the core of the laws, increasing the kingdom's financial resources and promoting development.
Second was Aegon's support for the church, which was proposed by Grand Maester Gawen and aimed to win the favor of the faithful for Aegon's ascension to the position of head of the Faith of the Seven.
After the unified laws were promulgated, Aegon was baptized in a small chapel outside Harrenhal and converted to the Faith of the Seven, causing an uproar in the Targaryen dynasty.
Countless people discussed the king's conversion, and many believers were optimistic, believing that it demonstrated the Targaryen dynasty's respect for the Seven Gods. With the king as a believer, how could the followers of the Seven dare not respect him?
Grand Maester Gawen and the High Septon worked hard within the Faith of the Seven, and Aegon was appointed Most Devout of the Crownlands in a vote by the Faith of the Seven, taking charge of all church affairs in the Crownlands.
The Faith of the Seven did not originally have the title of Most Devout, but in view of King Aegon's special status, the Council of Seven specifically changed the title of bishop for him.
During the Council of Seven's vote, House Hightower once again exerted its influence.
It was undeniable that House Hightower held considerable influence in the fields of politics and religious governance. Previously, on Old Wyk, Aegon had appointed the Head of House Hightower as a lord, and at this moment, the royal family and House Hightower were in a honeymoon period.
Grand Maester Gawen carried Aegon's order and requested that House Hightower support Aegon's appointment as bishop in the vote.
House Hightower agreed without hesitation and even used its influence to persuade many Septons to vote in favor—repaying a favor with a favor.
The Grand Maester Gawen, having led the kingdom's religious affairs to such success, naturally received more promises from Aegon, such as future appointments once Aegon took the High Septon's seat.
Aegon's elevation to the position of Most Devout may have seemed smooth, but in truth, it was a difficult feat. This marked the first time in thousands of years on the continent of Westeros that royal authority and religious power were united in one person.
Had it not been for Aegon's prestige as the founding monarch, and had it not been for House Hightower persuading key Septons to switch sides, no other king could have accomplished such a seemingly impossible act.
...
Time passed, but winter showed no signs of receding.
By the end of the fourth year since the Conquest, Aegon had turned eighteen.
Sharra, the Master of Whisperers, was pregnant, and the Storm Queen Argella was also expecting a child. Only Queen Visenya had yet to conceive.
During one of her routine sword training sessions, Visenya suddenly found her sword empty of meaning. A wave of frustration washed over her, and in a burst of emotion, she flung the blade to the ground and stormed off in search of Aegon.
Weeks passed, and Aegon was now doing his best in bed to make up for what Visenya had been denied—trying to fill the emptiness in her heart.
At that moment, a maid reported from outside the chamber.
"Your Grace, Queen Rhaenys's water has broken. She is giving birth in the bedchamber."
Aegon sprang to his feet in delight.
My first child is about to be born.
He and Visenya quickly dressed and hurried to Rhaenys's room.
The news that a prince was about to be born brought Harrenhal to life in an instant. Ministers and nobles alike were filled with excitement and curiosity, their faces alight with anticipation.
Everyone knew that if the child was a boy, by Westerosi law of primogeniture, he would become the Targaryen crown prince.
On his way, Aegon was stopped by Hand of the King Torrhen, who smiled and called out, "Your Grace, wait for me."
"Yes, let's go together—to witness the arrival of my firstborn, haha," Aegon replied cheerfully, quickening his pace toward Queen Rhaenys's chambers, his vassals close behind.
Outside the queen's bedchamber, dozens of lords had already gathered in the corridor.
Regardless of gender, the child—being the firstborn of a royal marriage—was destined to enter the kingdom's political core. All present awaited the birth in earnest, their expectations sincere.
Some of the great lords were already calculating whether they had any suitable heirs for a potential match with the coming prince or princess.
Everyone waited quietly for the arrival of the new life, hoping it would bring renewed hope to House Targaryen.
Then came the clear cry of a newborn.
The chamber doors slowly opened from within. A Maester of the New Medicine School stepped out, cradling a wrinkled, red little bundle in his arms. Approaching Aegon, he carefully handed him the child and said with a smile,
"May the Seven bless him. It's a healthy prince."
Aegon accepted the newborn with trembling joy, carefully cradling the prince in his arms. He gently stroked the child's tiny face, gazing down at the little wrinkled life, eyes filled with tenderness and love.
His vassals gathered close to offer their congratulations.
"Congratulations, Your Grace, on the birth of a prince."
"May the Seven bless him to grow into a brave, wise, and kind man."
"Blessings on the prince—may he enjoy a long and happy life."
"Your Grace, will you give this lovely prince a name?" Torrhen asked with a smile.
Aegon nodded and lifted the newborn high into the air, letting the golden light of morning fall across the baby's delicate face.
Smiling warmly, he said with loving pride,
"My son, the day you came into this world shall be remembered across all Westeros. Your name will be sung by countless voices. Your name is Aenys Targaryen!"
"Hail House Targaryen! Hail King Aegon! Hail Prince Aenys!" Torrhen cried aloud.
"Hail to the King! Hail to the Prince!" the lords echoed joyfully, bursting into cheers.
Just then, Aegon felt the silver dragon mark on his forehead grow warm. Two abstract visions surged into his mind:
In the first, a king wearing a ruby-studded Valyrian crown moaned in pain on a sickbed in Dragonstone. He was surrounded by fear and uncertainty, frequently jerking awake from nightmares.
The second showed a high, overhead view—a map-like perspective—of a castle. Inside, two young people with Targaryen features and silver hair huddled together, trapped in the stronghold. Outside, a horde of ragged, zombie-like refugees pressed in on them. The young pair clung to one another in terror.
Aegon blinked back to the present, the identity of the first king immediately clear.
The fact that these visions came the moment he held his firstborn son seemed like an omen—that Aenys, though destined to inherit the crown, would not enjoy a smooth reign. In old age, he would suffer illness and be haunted by dread.
As for the two youths in the second vision, Aegon guessed they might be Aenys's descendants.
But he couldn't fathom how two Targaryens could end up under siege by a mob of starving refugees.
That commoners—refugees!—would dare raise a hand against members of the royal family?
Absurd.
Just how far would the royal family's authority have to fall for such audacity to be possible?
Lowering his head, Aegon stared down at his newborn son, lost in thought—silent and still.
...
[Upto 20 chapters ahead for now]
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