Chapter 16.4- The Seadragon's Roar

We watched the fire spread for the rest of the night, into the early hours of the morning.Only when the ship and the bot had finished burning and whatever remained had sunk did we leave the beach and head inside our accommodations. Both Mother and Laena were staying in the old pirate King’s quarters that Corlys had commandeered while I had taken residence in one of the rooms within the longhouse. It was far from a castle which is what both the ladies would be used to, but neither of them were complaining. Not yet, at least.

I closed my eyes, feeling a headache building as I took a seat in my room. I was the Lord of the Tides now, and that meant a lot. For one, I had to take charge of informing the realm of Father’s death. Delivering letters from here was a mission and a half, having to send a messenger to the continent to send the messages from a castle with a good rookery and Maester. For informing the King, I decided to send Rhogar and his brothers. They were Velaryons so it wouldn’t be seen as much of an insult considering I was still busy at war and I did not want to send anyone else. For one. Vaemond could pull something with the regency if I sent him. I doubted Viserys would indulge my other so openly by overturning Father’s literal last wishes to place some upstart he knew little about in charge.

I thought about what to tell the King. Corlys had perished in combat and been buried immediately as Velaryon burial traditions demanded. I had taken over as Lord of the Tides with my Mother as my Regent, and I was going to continue the pacification of the Stepstones pursuant to the Writ he had granted for the endeavour. I also added that I understood my Father’s death would mean he would need a new master of ships and was volunteering my Uncle Vaemond for the position. That seemed sufficient.

Putting Vaemond forward was a calculated move. For one, I didn’t want it. The state of affairs where House Velaryon ended up bearing a lot of the costs associated with the Royal fleet. Our sailors crewed their ships and were paid from our vault. Our gold went towards their repairs, our ecxpertise into their ship design and building. House Velaryon lost too much in the agreement for what it gained. Corlys had been fine with soft power, but when it came to me, there was only one type of power that mattered.

Speaking of things that mattered, I needed a plan now. I sighed, pushing myself to my feet and beginning to ransack the room looking for writing materials. I thought I had time, but then this world just had to go take my father— my safety net, to drive home the point that things here could change in a mater of seconds. Well, the message was received so I had to plan for it now, for the future that I was not sure was coming.