41
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187 AC
Harrenhal
Aerion Targaryen
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Laying on the floor in my solar with some blankets stacked up for a cushion I read some reports on a clipboard. I read a line and then check to my right where my daughter and son are laying down and swinging their arms slightly. Their motor skills increase with each day and it makes my heart warm watching it with my own eyes. I suppose those people in my past life were right about being a stay-at-home parent, it's rewarding.
Regardless of their cute little hands reaching for everything without being able to understand depth perception, I still need to work. My focus of today is the recruitment of men to the training that takes place in DragonsRest. Men from all walks of life want to join the more word spreads about me making my own 'little army'.
The benefits help as well, I pay double what most people do and that's starting pay. There is also the promise of a retirement home here at Harrenhal as the town slowly grows to accommodate. People who decide to be my swords and spear will always have a spot at my hearth as the oath goes, I take it seriously, unlike most lords. They treat the little guys as throw-away items, most are in reality but my training regimen is rough and anyone who makes it through is worth the tender love and care.
These men are the future face of my operations, I will be able to station them where they are needed and there will be no problems. It is the main purpose other than making sure they are skilled, they need to be disciplined and not heathens with a blade. There are enough cutthroats and rapists, my men will be a cut above the rest in skill and reputation.
The people from Essos came right on time for an aspect of my operation I was not focusing on, men like to fuck. The Dothraki loved to take pretty women, the ugly ones for the most part seemed to be killed or left to die when they got hungry. So when I read in these reports that the morale has been up since the women from Essos have settled I start to get a little idea. Loyalty can be bred if I play my cards right, as fucked up as it is to think about it, that is what people did to dogs.
Not that I see my men as dogs, but for example, everyone is mostly loyal to the Starks in the North for one reason. Their ancestors were loyal, that is the main reason as far as I can tell. So if I keep bumping up the population with women in DragonsRest and the men who are being trained there get married and start families I am starting a process. This process will see that more loyal men will be born and they will see and hear from their fathers the benefits of working under me.
It's not a huge thing but it's the little things like this that add up, it also gives me a reason to improve my public image. There are hundreds of bed slaves in Essos and they usually get tossed out or lose favor in the whore houses and end up in a ditch. I will look into getting some contacts in Lys to 're-accommodate' these women to my frozen wasteland. Most people might turn their nose up hearing the words, but men who are cold and constantly training their asses off won't see much but a pretty face. The skills that the pretty face use once they slip into bed with them will ensure they stick around and wife the ex whore. Well, not every time I am sure as some men won't, but the success stories are what I am here for. Plus it never hurts to 'help' unfortunate people such as the women I will be seeking to use to boost my population in the North.
But beyond trying to trick green boys into falling in love and getting tied down and making me more soldier I also got some other good news. The Houses on Skagos have agreed to assist me with starting the construction of a fort on Skagos. The better news is they are more than happy to show me where the volcano is on Skagos so long as I pay them well.
Dragonstone's own volcano the Dragonmont is constantly spewing out gases and smoke and that keeps it from erupting. It vents itself, I suspect there is magic involved from Old Valyria but I have no proof. But I still have hopes that when I visit I can find a way to access the heat trapped in the volcano to make good dragon nests. Moonfyre and Drogon have proved it is not necessary to have one for them to breed but I still think it helps. An incubation chamber could also be carved out instead of relying on warming pots that are annoying to deal with.
I do not plan on it being massive, it will instead focus on being impossible to attack, or at the very least harder than anywhere else. I need to see the area for myself but it is supposed to be very similar to Dragonstone but with a lot of snow and Weirwood trees. I need to see about talking to the Children of the forest there as well. The rip currents and whirlpools that take down ships around Skagos are likely their work. The plan is for the castle to be manned by servants that are loyal to House Targaryen and will live there forever.
I envision Dragonstone remade but on Skagos as far as staffing goes, the people working at Dragonstone practically worship Targaryens. I want that at Skagos as well and we won't be letting others come and go, it will be just for Targaryens as a safe haven. DragonsRest will be where the Targaryens that live on Skagos go for 'work'. DragonsRest will have a big port and will be fortified with its town, that is what the Lord of that branch of Targaryen will rule over. It does not seem glorious but I also want to build a place of learning up there to at the very least preserve man's knowledge. Oldtown and the Maesters are scum and shift with the tides and their preserved history is groomed and nitpicked, it can not be trusted.
I plan on doing the same in a spot in Essos but that is still far off, I have enough on my plate without going over the Narrow sea for long periods.
"Ahhh!" A shout catches my attention and I spot Rhaella trying to lift her head, her purple eyes spotting me and she cries out in joy.
My heart melts and I set the clipboard aside before rolling over to be beside her, her head drops back onto the pillow when she sees I got closer. I reach out and place my hand over her tiny stomach and it covers all of it and then some. She wiggles and even tries to kick outward with her feet as she looks all around. They can spot people but they still have the habit of not focusing and choosing to look around aimlessly.
Daenerys is depressed because they always recognize me right away but it takes them a moment to recognize her. It has to do with me being the only male and having short hair, Danny has very similar looks to every one of our sisters and aunts. But they can still tell it's her and they easily pick her voice out from a group. Just Danny sighing from across the room when they are in the arms of another is enough to get them rowdy. It is almost like they are realizing the woman they are in the arms of is not their mother so they start throwing a fit.
"You are being so well-behaved, I could work like this every day." I tickle her causing her to cry as she can't stop me so I end up having to pick her up. "I am sorry, please don't cry." I lay on my back and lay her on my stomach, her face relaxes from the scrunched-up mess and I let out a sigh.
Just when I start to smile as Rhaella starts slobbering on my chest I hear Aemon start throwing a fit, either from neglect or just feeling rowdy I do not know. I keep one arm around Rhaella as I reach the other to my boy and pull him to my chest as well. With both babies on me, they go silent and choose to explore the new obstacle with their hands and feet.
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"How long have they been asleep?" Daenerys asks as she drops onto the couch beside me.
The cradle is right beside the couch so I do not miss anything that might happen but I have my feet kicked up after having to wash up. Babies can be quite the messy little things when they want to be.
"An hour or so, they are going to be hungry when they get up, I almost had to call for a wet nurse." She grips my arm harshly with a growl coming from her throat. "I am kidding..." She will not allow her kids to suckle on another tit that is not hers, a pity as far as I see it but it's also sweet in a possessive way.
"So help me Aerion, if I come back and see my babes at a breast that is not mine I will be burning things." I can't help but chuckle knowing she is deadly serious, she only huffs and kicks off her footwear before tucking her feet under her on the couch.
She pushes on me slightly and I lay down on my side with her crawling up Infront of me while wiggling her rear against me. I wrap my arms around her and kiss the back of her head as she gets comfortable. I pray the babies to stay asleep long enough to enjoy this a little bit.
"Keep wiggling and you will 'wake the dragon'." She shakes her head with a sigh, the stories of Viserys always were amusing if not pitiful.
"Go ahead and wake it and while you are at it use your hands to put it back to sleep as well." She knocks down my growing hope as her rear stops grinding back against me and I let out a sigh.
"Fuck that, I am not going back to the hand ever again." She hums in amusement before turning around to face me and giving me a quick kiss.
"I had an interesting talk today..." I feel dread in my very bones as she narrows her eyes and I wonder if I forgot her name day only to remember we share it and it is still a ways off.
"What talk would that be?" She slips her hand down my stomach and into my pants causing my eyes to widen.
"I talked to our family that is staying here, you know the ones who are just waiting for you to throw them against a wall and rough them up a bit. Well I talked to them about the future we have planned and I even let them in on the threat in the North. I told them about the proof in the cave on Dragonstone as well as Aegons dagger and his prophecy. I think they actually believe me mostly without even seeing either but I am sure they will still want to see them on their own." I purse my lips and nod before pressing them on hers when she goes silent and she fluffs her own against mine.
"Sounds like a good talk, but why did you have it to begin with?" Breaking the smooch I lean back and look at her seriously, we have not spread the news around because we do not want to look crazy.
"Multiple reasons but it all comes back to loaning your cock out, if they can not accept the threat and how important the future of our House is in dealing with it then they get none. That is the simplified version but in reality, I told them so if they do not believe or refuse I can cut them from the list. If you are going to have sex with anyone to make babies to hatch eggs they need to be on the team of preparing for the New Long night. I am letting them think about it, if they do not like it they can give up the idea of having a dragon rider baby." My brain had to reboot at least twice as I took all that in, Danny sharing something is cause for concern.
"I am not sure about that..." She gives me a dead look and grips my manhood.
"Tell me straight to my face you are not interested, tell me you have not let your eyes travel over their bodies more than you should." She pumps her hand and I return a dead look right back at her as it seems she is trying to convince my cock and not me.
"We can talk about it some more but let's do it later when the babies go down for a longer rest, I do not want to be interrupted if we are going to discuss this." She stops her fiddling and slowly nods her head.
"Deal." I shake my head as she goes back to what she was doing and I decide to let my hands wander to her rear that is hanging off the couch. "I thought you said no more hands?" She leans in and whispers before kissing my neck.
"Not my hand at least." She laughs and I join in before it wakes Aemon and we both let out a soft sigh before I move to get him up.
Though I played it off well I am nervous about talking tonight, Danny can be quick to flames and will take no Bullshit from anyone. If they fuck around they will find out real quick and it will not matter if they are kin.