Chapter 33: New Plans, Deeper Connections
Time: Late 88 AC – Early 89 AC
POV: Kaelen Silvanor
Morning light came through the trees in the Imperial Grove. It made green and gold patterns on the polished stone where I sat. I felt a quiet sense of something important about to happen. My son, Aerion, had come back from his travels. He looked different, like he had seen and felt things that changed him. I could tell he had strong feelings for someone special in Westeros. Because of that, someone important was now coming to our city.
That person was Lord Corlys Velaryon, also known as the Sea Snake. People talked a lot about him. He was famous for his many trips, his smart trade deals, and his strong desire to do more and get more. He was a very busy man who cared about real things like money and new ways to trade. He had come to us to talk about trade. He wanted to make a special, exclusive trade agreement with my Empire, the Silvanar Empire.
Corlys walked into the Grove with some of my guards. He looked striking, even among my tall, quiet people. His skin was dark from the sun and sea, a strong contrast to his bright, silk clothes. His eyes were sharp and smart. He looked at everything in Ael'tharion, our living city, with wonder and a quick mind, trying to understand it all. He walked with a confident, proud way, like someone who was in charge of everything he did.
"Your Imperial Majesty," Corlys said, bowing politely, but with a hint of challenge in his voice. "The amazing things in Ael'tharion are better than any story. Thank you for meeting with me."
"Lord Corlys," I replied. My voice was calm and steady. "I know about your fame. Your trips are famous, and your plans are good. Tell me why you are here."
Corlys wasted no time. He spoke quickly and well, telling me about a plan that would make everyone very rich. "Your Majesty, I want us to work together like no one else. My Velaryon fleet is the largest, the most far-reaching in all Westeros. We command the trade routes in many seas. With an exclusive agreement, the wealth of Ael'tharion's unique resources – your glowing silks, your rare spices, your unmatched metals, even the very knowledge of your ecological cultivation – all of it would flow solely through Velaryon channels. We would be your only way to send goods to the markets of Westeros and Essos. Think how stable and rich we would both be. No other traders would get in the way. We offer great reach and secrecy for your valuable things."
He spoke of his powerful fleet, making it sound like the ultimate tool for trade. He talked about gold and silver. He talked about how powerful these people were, building big ships and huge empires. His ideas were solid and practical. They would appeal to any merchant. He made it sound like he was offering Ael'tharion a big chance, a way to join the 'real' world's economy.
I listened. My eyes stayed on him. I watched not just what he said, but also the strong feelings coming from him. He wanted to achieve great things, that was clear. He wanted to leave a big name for his family, perhaps even bigger than the Targaryens. He understood power, but his understanding of its source was limited to his own world.
"Lord Corlys," I answered. My voice was gentle, but it held the weight of centuries. "You speak of wealth from gold, and reach by sea. Your ships are indeed mighty for Westeros. However, my Empire also commands its own vessels. Our ships are not just large; they are crafted from living materials, faster and more enduring than any timber and sail. They are capable of reaching any port our wisdom deems necessary, far beyond the capacities of any other fleet."
Corlys's confident smile faltered for a moment. His eyes, sharp as ever, widened slightly as he took in my words. He hadn't expected that. He had come to bargain from a position of maritime dominance, and I had just calmly shown him that our capabilities stretched beyond his understanding.
"True wealth," I continued, "comes not from relying on a single connection, however strong. It comes from many connections, all strong and different. We prefer a web of partners, resilient and diverse. We are perfectly capable of moving our own goods, but we choose to engage with the world through alliances, not through singular, fragile paths."
I could see him thinking hard. He was smart and quick to change his ideas. He shifted his plan, agreeing with some of what I said, but still trying to get the best deal. "Then, Your Majesty, how about a strong main partner?" he asked. "Someone who understands your needs, who can protect you from lesser traders, who can make sure your goods go to the best and most profitable places."
Our talks went on for hours, until the sun began to set. I led the conversation, slowly changing it from just trade to bigger ideas about working together, about our paths crossing. I talked about how strong real trust could be, lasting for a long time, not just in business. I subtly showed him how differently we thought about time and resource management. He started off very confident, like he had already won. But as we talked more, his pride lessened. He began to feel truly impressed and showed respect. He started to see that my wisdom was not just old ideas, but truly practical, based on understanding the world in a way he couldn't.
I let him see a little of how we truly worked. Not with big magic shows, but by letting him see our city, how well our farms grew things, the deep peace that filled Ael'tharion. He saw how my people lived, their long patience, their deep interconnectedness. He saw that our power grew with nature, it wasn't just taken from it.
He began to talk about his own family and what he hoped his children would do to make their family name last forever. He spoke of strong alliances, mentioning Princess Rhaenys Targaryen as a potential future match for his own bloodline, showing his ambition for his House to rise even higher. It was in these personal talks that I saw my chance. I could hint at the kind of partnerships that truly last, not just between empires, but between families, between those who wanted to build the future. I felt that his ambition, even though it was huge, wanted something more than just money – he wanted his family to be famous forever, to be tied to greatness.
By the time our formal meeting ended, Corlys had not secured the exclusive trade deal he wanted. But he got something more important: my respect, and a deeper understanding of my Empire. He left with promises of significant, good trade for both sides. He knew his family, the Velaryons, would be a favored partner, but not the only one. More importantly, he left with a subtle but strong feeling that my Empire had a long, wise plan, and that there could be connections that were much more than just business.
As Corlys left, thinking about new chances, my thoughts went to Aerion. I had seen the change in my son, the quiet light in his eyes that spoke of his connection to Princess Viserra. This connection was a powerful thread in the possible future. It could tie our world to Westeros in a very deep way. My beloved wife, Vala, came from the Valyrians, who once ruled Westeros with dragons. A marriage between a Silvanar prince and a Targaryen princess, both touched by the power of dragons, would be a very important event.
The time for quiet plans was over. Aerion's time in King's Landing and Corlys's visit here had laid the ground. It was time to act directly. I needed to send a message that was not just about trade, but about the future of our families.
I walked to my writing desk, made from the glowing wood of an old tree. I picked up a quill, its tip shining. The paper, made from pressed leaves, felt soft under my hand. Carefully, I began to write a letter. It was for King Jaehaerys Targaryen, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, Protector of the Realm.
My hand was steady as I wrote. The words flowed clearly: a formal proposal. Not just for an alliance, but for family. For a bond of blood and heart. For the future.
The letter spoke of the great respect between our families, about Aerion's good service and character, and how our people were growing closer. Then, it got to the main point: a formal offer for the engagement of my son, Aerion Silvanor, Prince and Heir of the Silvanar Empire, to his daughter, Princess Viserra Targaryen, Princess of Westeros.
This was more than just politics. This was joining two destinies, a planned act filled with great hope. The Sea Snake had wanted a special trade deal. Now, without knowing it, he was part of an even bigger, more special alliance: a marriage that would change the future of two worlds. The letter, once sealed, would fly to King's Landing. My fastest messengers would take it, a sign of a connection already started, and a future ready to happen.