The seventh year of the Conquest marked the most rapid population growth in the Crownlands.
From the Red Mountains to the Crownlands, carts carrying Dornishmen moved in a constant stream. Every day, hundreds—sometimes thousands—of Dornish migrants were sent to designated settlement areas within the Crownlands. Under the supervision of trained slave overseers, they were quickly put to work in construction and production efforts throughout the region.
But with the surge in foreign arrivals, Aegon was forced to confront a pressing issue: the skyrocketing cost of administration.
After two years of continued migration, the Dornish population in the Crownlands had exceeded 300,000, making up one-fifth of the total population. Even if all the overseers from Volantis were relocated to Westeros, it still wouldn't be enough to manage them.
With no other option, Aegon began recruiting local Westerosi and freed slaves to undergo training as slave overseers and serve as administrators.
In times of acute labor shortage, Aegon would even promote outstanding slaves into management training. In doing so, former Valyrian slaves were reappointed as overseers, effectively returning to their old trade.
...
The rise in immigration also brought escalating public security issues, which quickly became a headache for the lords of the Crownlands.
Every day, the nobility had to deal with dozens of disputes and illegal cases involving migrants.
Frustrated and overwhelmed, many Crownlands nobles lodged complaints with King Aegon, begging him to halt the migration. They claimed they had had enough of these unruly Dornishmen.
Aegon had no choice but to reassure his direct vassals. He explained to his council the many benefits of a growing population and promised to dispatch Maesters from the Law School to each Crownland territory to help nobles handle immigration cases.
With Aegon's deliberate patronage, the Law School had become the most popular discipline among apprentices at the Tower of the Seven.
The Law School was founded on a guiding philosophical principle called "judicialism."
The core belief of judicialism held that a country should be governed by law, and its people by officials.
The school advocated that power should be highly centralized in the hands of the monarch, who would govern the realm through a fully developed bureaucratic system to ensure the effective implementation of royal policy.
Originally, the Law School promoted the idea that everyone should be equal before the law—that nobles and commoners alike must be punished if they broke it. However, Aegon considered this view too radical and impractical. Under his influence, the doctrine was revised, giving rise to the current form of judicialism.
Among the many intellectual schools fostered under Aegon's reign, judicialism was one of the few that met with his approval.
Given the rapid population growth in the Crownlands, there was an urgent need for more administrators and local officials. Aegon began actively promoting legal studies and enrolling the children of knights and citizens into the program.
Previously, the authority to adjudicate internal disputes had belonged exclusively to the lords, a sacred and inviolable symbol of noble power. But with vassals now overwhelmed by immigration cases, Aegon seized the opportunity to encroach on this vital domain.
He sent Maesters trained in law to the lands of his direct vassals to manage immigration issues. These Maesters were given the title of "judges," and they answered not to local lords but directly to the Master of Laws in the Small Council.
Lady Argella had served as Master of Laws for quite some time, but only now did she receive a new assignment. She had been busy drafting a unified legal code, but after becoming pregnant, her duties had paused, and she had remained at Harrenhal with Aegon.
Aegon now tasked Lady Argella with creating a judicial administrative system specifically for immigration. The system would be divided into four tiers: the Court of Knights, the Court of Lords, the Court of Dukes, and the Crown Court.
To avoid triggering the lords' political sensitivities, Aegon made it clear that the Crown Court would deal only with immigration-related matters and that the new system would be piloted in the Crownlands alone.
Thanks to Aegon's immense political prestige as the founding monarch, opposition within the realm was minimal. Since the reforms would apply only within the Crownlands and none of its vassals voiced objections, the rest of the kingdom had no grounds to protest.
At the newly established Citadel in Harrenhal, the Law School became the first officially recognized and government-supported academic discipline of the Targaryen dynasty. Upon graduation, law-trained Maesters were directly assigned government positions. As a result, many sons of knights, along with noble second sons and bastards, threw themselves into the study of law, hoping to pass the Maester examinations and become judges.
The Crownlands, as envisioned by Aegon, were destined to be densely populated—a reality that rendered the traditional feudal system ineffective for governance.
Most of Aegon's innovations at the new Citadel in Harrenhal focused on light industry. Such industries required factories, which in turn depended on large numbers of skilled artisans. While the feudal manorial system was well-suited for managing serfs, overseeing industrial workers demanded a far more flexible and comprehensive bureaucratic apparatus.
...
Under Aegon's leadership, the Crownlands flourished, and the War of Conquest entered its eighth year.
The conquest of Dorne was still ongoing, though by now it required only a minimal garrison.
In the Year of the Dragonlord's Wrath, Aegon's devastating assault on Dorne's environment severely crippled the strength of House Martell. With their power diminished, they could no longer mount a counterattack against Hellholt.
Princess Yellow Toad could not even launch minor raids against the Targaryen forces anymore, as a massive famine had broken out in the western reaches of the Red Desert. Years of warfare had devastated Dorne's agriculture. Now, with blockades imposed by both the Seven Seas and the Free City Council, the Dornish faced a dire food shortage.
Each day, starving Dornishmen journeyed east across the Red Desert toward Hellholt, begging for the Dragonlord's mercy. They yearned to join the Targaryen realm, hoping it would offer them a chance to survive the famine.
From the refugees fleeing from western Dorne, Aegon learned that the towns beyond the Red Desert were strewn with corpses. In the wilds, some Dornishmen had even turned to cannibalism. The scenes described were horrific beyond imagination.
Aegon ordered that all Dornish refugees be accepted and transported to the Crownlands.
Upon arriving, the refugees were astonished to find the land lush and fertile. As long as they were willing to work hard, there was food to eat. Overcome with gratitude, they hailed Aegon as a saint reborn.
Marshal Orys, stationed at Hellholt, requested permission to launch a full-scale assault on western Dorne, but Aegon refused. He claimed that the Red Desert's unfamiliar terrain posed too great a risk, and that he preferred to let famine punish the Dornish. He was in no hurry to attack.
As a result, the garrison forces in Dorne began to withdraw, leaving behind only a portion of elite troops.
In truth, Aegon had his own calculations.
He estimated that the Kingdom of Dorne had a population of roughly four million. After two years of migration, only around 300,000 had been relocated—far from his goal of raising the Crownlands' population to ten million.
So the war in Dorne could not be allowed to end. Without the conflict, what justification would remain for continuing to relocate people to the Crownlands? Aegon's bottom line was to resettle at least one million Dornish before initiating a final, decisive campaign to annihilate Dorne.
That was Aegon's true objective.
Otherwise, given how frequently the Martell regime had provoked him, Aegon had no shortage of cruel methods he could've used to punish the Dornish—such as selling them salt laced with lead powder. He simply chose not to resort to such vicious tactics.
Aegon then turned his focus away from Dorne and back to King's Landing, the city that had consumed so much of his effort and ambition.
Thanks to the labor of the Dornish, construction in King's Landing had accelerated. The towers meant to house foreign envoys were beginning to take shape, and Aegon predicted that by the start of the tenth year of the Conquest, the Targaryen court would be able to relocate there. Only then would King's Landing truly begin to function as the capital of the realm.
But at the moment, the most critical construction site was not the Maidenvault, the Tower of Swords, or the dungeons reserved for advisors—it was the Sevenstar Cathedral, rising outside the outer walls of the Red Keep.
Built to the standards of the grandest and most magnificent Sept of the Seven on the entire continent, the Sevenstar Cathedral was the cornerstone of Aegon's claim to the title of High Septon.
Once completed, the cathedral would bring Aegon prestige and respect within the Faith of the Seven. The aging High Septon, whose health was rapidly failing, would then pass the title on to him.
With time running short, Aegon was determined to finish construction before the High Septon passed away.
...
In the middle of the eighth year of the Conquest, the royal family, as was customary, traveled to the summer palace in Highgarden for vacation.
Aegon took the rare opportunity to visit Raedelle and their son. His bastard, Garth, was already two years old. When Aegon saw the boy playing in the Garden of a Thousand Flowers, he was startled to find a flock of sparrows circling the child.
Upon spotting his father, Garth gleefully commanded the sparrows to form two High Valyrian letters in the air—"Father."
Aegon stared, stunned, at the hundred or so sparrows hovering above the boy's head. How could he possibly control so many birds?
Aren't Skinchangers only supposed to bond with one animal partner?
Smiling, Aegon stepped forward and lifted the boy into his arms. He used his chip to scan Garth's attributes and discovered that his green-haired son had somehow awakened the Skinchanger gift—and was classified as C-rank.
[C-rank – Greenhand Bloodline – Gardener: …]
[C-rank – Skinchanger – Beast Summoner: You can invade the consciousness of animals or other people and control their behavior. You may form contracts with animals whose spiritual traits are compatible with yours. The base number of animal companions is 100 + a ratio based on your mental strength. Current number of contracted animal companions: 100.]
Garth was one of only two among his four sons who lacked true dragon blood. Yet, he was also the most gifted, possessing two C-rank talents.
Perhaps divine blood and true dragon blood were inherently incompatible—his son Mond Durrandon also lacked true dragon blood.
Aegon gently set the boy down and asked softly, "When did you meet all these little friends?"
"Giggle, giggle! I'm not telling you! You never come see me. Do you not like me?" Garth replied in a soft, sulky voice.
Aegon smiled. "But I'm here now, aren't I?"
In truth, Aegon was very fond of Garth. Otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed the child to call him "father." In Westeros, bastards typically weren't permitted to use that word—instead, they had to say "my lord" or refer to a title.
After playing with the boy for a while, Aegon instructed the maids to take good care of Garth and his sparrow companions. He then went off to spend time with Lady Raedelle. At the same time, he began reconsidering the plans he had made for Garth.
Now that the boy had displayed such promise—especially his rare and useful Skinchanger ability—Aegon intended to keep him close and personally guide his training. He would raise Garth alongside his brothers. One day, the boy would surely become a pillar of strength for the Targaryen dynasty.
...
When the royal family departed Highgarden, Aegon set off with Garth and Raedelle.
Rather than return to Harrenhal with the royal fleet, he traveled straight across the Stormlands to Dragonstone.
If anyone in House Targaryen could be called a true master of shapeshifting, it would be Old Nurse Illya—there was likely no second name that came close. Aegon had long hoped to bring her to teach at the new Citadel, but for various reasons, the matter had been delayed again and again.
Now that Garth had awakened his Skinchanger talent, Illya was the ideal person to serve as his mentor. She had long cared for the Targaryen children on Dragonstone, and Aegon could sense how deeply she loved the little ones.
Perhaps it was because she had been too young when she fled the Valyrian Peninsula, never having had children of her own, and carried that regret in her heart.
After Balerion landed on the Dragonmont of Dragonstone, Aegon made his way to Illya's cottage. But when he arrived, the steward informed him that the old nurse had set sail alone two months prior.
"She set sail alone?" Aegon asked in disbelief, turning to the steward to confirm.
"Yes, Your Grace. She was just a humble nurse, so I didn't think it necessary to report it. I deeply apologize—I had no idea she held such importance in your eyes." The steward was visibly shaken and quickly fell to his knees, seeming to realize that Illya was far more than she appeared.
Aegon pushed open the cottage door and stepped inside. On the table, he saw a letter pinned beneath a key. Curious, he picked up the key and unfolded the letter.
It was addressed to him.
To Aegon, Head of House Targaryen:
The key enclosed is to the hidden chamber of the family vault. Inside lies the preserved body of one of our ancestors. Her soul still lingers in this world. Please keep it safe, and do not allow any harm to come to her.
My time has come to an end. It is time for me to pursue the regret I have carried for over a century.
—Illya Targaryen
Aegon had already guessed the identity of the ancestor in the vault. As he held the letter, his hand trembled slightly.
He pocketed the key and the letter, then turned to the steward.
"Tell me everything about how the old nurse left."
The steward bowed and spoke with care. "At the time, she purchased a medium-sized boat without sails. She stocked it with food and fresh water but hired no crew—no sailors, no navigator, no first mate. She went alone.
The ship, despite lacking wind or oars, began to move on its own. It sailed swiftly away from Dragonstone."
Aegon turned to the window in the room, which faced east. He stepped forward and looked out toward the sea.
"Out there... lie the ruins of the Valyrian Peninsula."
For a moment, a strange and stirring feeling rose in his chest.
His first two wives, like Daenys, had dreamed of building a new homeland in the west, in Westeros.
But Illya had chosen a small courtyard on Dragonstone—on the eastern side of the island—and had even positioned her window to face the Valyrian Peninsula.
Perhaps on countless nights, she had stood by that window, gazing out at the distant ruins, longing to return home. Perhaps someone she loved still lingered there in her heart. Perhaps her most cherished memories lay buried in those ashes.
Now, knowing that her time was near, she had finally resolved to return.
...
[Upto 20 chapters ahead for now]
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