Another Way to Feed the Fire Chapter 3 (ASOIAF Daemon SI)

Viserys Targaryen

The king always knew that Daemon’s ambitions were as wild as he was but that his brother would one day realize that he was not meant for kingship, that for all that Daemon could be a good commander and leader he wasn’t a ruler and all Viserys heard when he asked for news of the Stepstones confirmed it, until today.

“The whole city…?” Viserys asked wide-eyed as Lyonel who had been his Hand for only a year nodded with an ashen face.

“Everything but the docks, already Lys and Myr have fallen into infighting for what remains of Tyrosh and Braavos is preparing to make a move against Pentos now that the Triarchy has fallen and by all accounts, Volantis is mustering as many companies they can to take the Disputed Lands” Lyonel looked as lost as Viserys felt but there was a brief chuckle from the Grand Maester.

“Your brother is a fan of history, your grace, your ancestor Aegon planned to do the same to Volantis and it was that threat that ended the Century of Blood. I’m happy to be alive to witness such an event happen!” Runciter was always focused on learning, that’s why he made such a great addition to his council, the old man could see things from a neutral point of view but Viserys wished that he didn’t sound so happy about all the dead people.

“This will have great imlications on the economy, Daemon controls the narrow sea and with Lord Velaryon’s fleet protecting the Stepstones there is no one that can challenge him at sea. We will have to negotiate carefully or else the commerce of Westeros may suffer a blow that it can’t recover from” Lyman Beesbury was a man that Viserys could trust wholeheartedly when it came to matters of coin and if he was worried then that brought dark tidings to them all.

“Surely you’re not saying that a Lord of the Realm would ignore his king? Whatever business the Sea Snake has with prince Daemon is one thing and his obligations to the crown another” Lord Jasper didn’t seem that worried he was a man that deeply followed the law and Viserys was well aware of that fact, as well as the fact that he didn’t like Rhaenrya and that he didn’t see her as his heir.

“Let us speak plainly then” their provisional master of ships Tyland Lannister spoke with a harsh tone “Prince Daemon is a seasoned warrior, he has a dragon and he has the Velaryons and by consequence their dragons and fleet, not to mention that he has apparently recruited five thousand men that have just been blooded in his conquest. Do you doubt the possibility that the King of Stepstones might want to conquer the Seven Kingdoms?”

“You jest!”

“We must speak with Daemon immediately!”

“And say what? Please don’t conquer us! he would smell weakness and strike!”

“He is the king’s brother surely you’re all exaggerating!”

“A man’s ambition is endless! We can’t trust him”

Shouts came from all around and Viserys remembered the last conversation he had with Daemon, he was angry then and grieving, he had acted without considering the consequences for the realm and now he had an estranged brother with an army sitting in the perfect place for an invasion with the largest fleet that Westeros had ever seen alongside the last of the conqueror’s dragons.

Daemon had wanted what he felt was his due and now he was king, a king who didn’t shy away from burning cities, and the only defense the Seven Kingdoms had was his little Rhaenrya. Viserys wanted to believe that his brother wouldn’t turn on him but there was no denying that they had grown apart, Viserys cursed Otto in his mind for antagonizing Daemon so much, perhaps it wasn’t fair but if there was a culprit in all of this it was Otto who never stopped trying to make Daemon’s life harder than it needed to be.

“Silence!” the room turned to him and Viserys took a steadying breath as he looked at Lyonel “Tell me truly Lyonel, do you think Daemon would attack us?”

“…it’s a possibility, a small one but it’s there. I think…I think that maybe you ought to offer him the chance to become Rhaenrya’s husband” as soon as Lyman finished speaking the shouting returned but one look of Viserys made everyone quiet down again.

“Why?”

“The truth your grace is not that I doubt your brother, I know for a fact that he would die before betraying you, the issue is that men are easily influenced by women and Corlys Velaryon has wanted his blood on the throne for a long time, he has made Daemon a King and his daughter has no betrothal, should Daemon marry her, should Corlys whisper in his ears about how he is the rightful heir and not Rhaenrya or Aegon then…” Lyman didn’t continue but Viserys had his answer all the same.

“Then it would be the end of my line” Viserys wasn’t a fool, Daemon was popular, more popular than Rhaenrya, more popular than Aegon who was but a child. Westeros would burn and Daemon would rule whatever was left and the people would love him for it, his brother was just that charismatic. A perfect example of it was the City Watch the so-called Gold Cloaks, they revered Daemon even with Otto and his son replacing much of it the men still clamored for Daemon, for the dragon prince that had given them something no one else had.

Hope.

Their hope to be more than whoresons and thieves, to be respected and feared and the ability to walk proudly with their golden cloaks at their back, they were not simply the City Watch anymore they were no and forever Daemon’s Gold Cloaks.

“What if we offered Corlys to have Laenor as Rhaenrya’s consort wouldn’t that work too?” Lord Lyman spoke hurriedly but Lyonel broke Viserys hope with a shake of his head.

“That might have worked before, if Daemon hadn’t conquered the Stepstones, he might have taken the offer, but now instead of having his son become a consort, he could make his daughter a queen. Everyone here knows Corlys will always go for more and Daemon is his best bet right now. What could we honestly do if Daemon landed tomorrow in the capital? Send Rhaenrya to her death, fight the Gold Cloaks since the City Watch would turn on us at the mere mention of King Daemon, seven hells! The residents of Flea Bottom would probably try to storm the castle because to them Daemon was the law”

“Not to mention that they have Vhagar” the low mutter of Jasper carried clearly across the room leaving a tense silence around.

“If Daemon were to try and conquer the Seven Kingdoms who do you think would side against him?” Viserys asked as he watched everyone for any reaction.

“I have no doubt that the Lannisters would stand with you, your grace, the Vale would also abhor Daemon as king, and the Reach would shrivel up and die if he came asking for their fealty” Tyland answered promptly but Viserys privately doubted his claim that the Lannisters would stand with him.

“Three Kingdoms, and I can’t even count on my capital because of the Gold Cloaks. I understand why the Stormlands would go with Daemon since Rhaenys has family there but why do you think the North would go for him?”

“They are more like him and from the rumors it seems that Daemon is playing at being tolerant of all religions much like Braavos is, rumors have it that he sent a message to Lord Rickon telling him about how he wanted a true Heart tree in his capital and that he told the High Septon that the North was offering a living tree transportation and all, now the faith is gathering funds to build a Sept or else they will look worse than Northmen. I don’t want to offend you but they prefer men like Daemon to men like you and their history is clear they bowed to dragons and your grace… doesn’t have one” Tyland would make a fine spymaster the king thought as the man gave his report, he also would make sure Lyonel had someone follow Tyland in case he wants as loyal as he portrayed himself to be.

“The Riverland will always split up that is something we know well and I wouldn’t trust an Iron Islander even if they told me that they loved the sea” Viserys tried to think of anything that would help and as a last resort looked for advice with one of the men that had trained Daemon in his youth. “Ser Harrold you know Daemon well, you trained him and I know you to be a true knight, do you have an opinion on this”

All eyes focused on the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard who stroked his beard as he thought, Viserys felt the seconds like hours but remained patient unlike some of the others whose nervousness had made them impatient.

“I think you ought to talk with him first your grace, Daemon has always been direct, he speaks his mind and holds nothing back, you can spend a moon’s turn thinking about what he may do but it won’t help at all. He is not your enemy, not yet and perhaps not ever. Don’t make him one before knowing what he truly wants”

Viserys wanted to say that he knew what his brother wanted, but after all this time he wasn’t so sure. War could change a man and for all his brother’s faults, he was a man that loved his family or rather those he considered family. Viserys wouldn’t give up on him yet.

“Grand Maester, send a raven to the Stepstones. I will be visiting my brother” With that declaration Viserys stood up and left the room, leaving a very worried council behind but he needed to speak with Rhaenrya, if the worst were to happen she needed to know about what Viserys might have to do. Hopefully, she wouldn’t think that marriage to her uncle would be a bad thing.

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Qoren Martell

“Those useless merchants! Fuck! Why the hell didn’t our agents in King’s Landing say anything about Daemon’s plan to attack Tyrosh? What if he had come for Dorne? Do you think we would remain unbroken if every castle and city suddenly turned to ash? I’ll tell you the answer, fucking no! We would be consigned to a slow death on our own deserts!” Qoren paced around the room the Lords that ruled Starfall and Yronwood staring at him as he walked.

“Perhaps you should sit down, anger does us no good” Arthur Lord of Starfall spoke calmly but that only made Qoren angrier.

“You think this is the time for patience?! Arthur if that thrice dammed dragon stops the trade that comes to Planky Town the we’re all fucked!”

“Arthur you know that I hate to agree with Qoren but he speaks true without the trade of coming from the Greenblood we will all fall, money moves the world and Daemon Targaryen now controls all trade that comes to Westeros should he decide to put tariffs on any trader coming our way…” The Lord of Yronwood spoke with a somber tone. Qoren would ignore the first part of the sentence because it was no secret that if Arthur wasn’t here they would have pulled out their swords and one of them would be dying on the floor.

The three-part alliance they had made to counter Daemon’s hold of the narrow sea could split but they had made a pact that the one who broke away first would be hunted down by the other two and Qoren wasn’t about to be the last of the Martell rulers.

“You’re seeing this all wrong my friends. Daemon’s relationship with the rest of his family is strained, he hates his wife and by all accounts seeks to conquer more.”

“Arthur” Qoren spoke slowly as he tried to understand what his friend was saying “You can’t possibly think that we should bow to him!”

“And why not? We can offer him the army that was about to try and take the Stepstones, a wife from one of our families and all we would ask in return is more trade and our nominal independence. We would pay tribute, yes, but the trade and goods coming from Essos and beyond would more than cover for it. The Iron Throne and all their petty lords that send parties at our borders would stop or risk dying at Daemon’s dragon. You could even retain your title of prince”

Qoren had to stop and think about it, what Arthur said was true and it would all work to keep things as they were if not for a single fact. Qoren had no female relatives unmarried.

“That is not a bad plan” Of course Yronwood would say that he had two daughters that he could sell to the damn lizard and Arthur had a niece that was just the right age for marriage.

“You forget that I still rule here and that if one of you marries into the Targaryen’s this alliance might fall apart”

“True” Arthur accepted easily surprising all of them “But you can just marry one of our relatives and if everything coincides we could have Daemon’s Dornish child marry yours, it would take some maneuvering but we could all come out of this as winners”

“I have to ask my council what they think” a non-answer if there ever was one but one that had never failed before, Qoren had much to think about in the days ahead.

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Author note: so I should have been working on For Honor but this wouldn't leave me alone...yeah, anyway, Daemon right now is in a very strong position, he can move in any direction he wants and everyone is scared shitless because he can just do the same thing he did to Tyrosh attack at night and burn everything and they can't really do a lot about it. sure the people can leave but that just means a slower death by starvation but whatever move he makes will just give him a new enemy and as you all know when the whole world is against you winning is impossible.