54 54

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112 AC

Stepstones - Bloodstone

Daeron Nymeros Martell

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""We recognize the Martell claim over the Stepstones so long as they stop all hostilities with Tyrosh. We will pay the tolls as offered and will stay off the lands marked on the disputed lands as lands for Lord Lewyn Nymeros Martell."" A representative from the Archon of Tyrosh was quick to come and call off the war to be left alone.

To be honest we are the ones being the 'aggressors' in this war but they deserved it for having thugs taking a toll stealing people's gold, goods, and daughters for sex slaves. They should have seen it coming but instead, they got greedy and got smacked down. I feel nothing for the men who allowed 'organized pirates' to take over the shipping lanes and if they did not bow out I would have bent their knees.

"We accept the terms and will stick to the agreement we set." My Father planned it so that if they cross the lines we drew in the sand we will have 'justification' to attack once more.

I won't lie and say I did not want to conquer all three daughters but I am aware that they will step over the lines we drew and I can come back. All this deal with Tyrosh is for is buying time to build the tower and fort around it on Bloodstone. We already have ships off to get laborers and skilled stone workers to begin construction. My Father even sent for some of the orange Dornish marble found at where the Water Gardens are being built.

The tower Lewyn will live in is a decent size and will be beautiful and artistic with orange smooth marble from the Dornish desert. It will be a Sunspear away from Sunspear with a nice space around it surrounded by a ring walls. Three rings will be constructed with one following around the cliffs and being the lowest wall with lots of sentries for lookout. The middle wall will be a bit taller and have similar lookouts but will be up on the level ground away from the cliff. The last will obviously be the tallest and will have tall towers a quarter of the size of the main 'Sunspear' tower that will be in the middle of it all.

A big barracks will be constructed as well with proper drainage for waste being a top priority as it will be hard enough with the limited water and rainfall. Though there is plenty of rain during the storm seasons, the Narrow Sea is famous for them in this area. I will see about having some hand pumps set up, I am not the smartest when it comes to stuff like that but I understand the general premise.

Other than the tower and its defense there will also be a large port with a market down below the cliffs and overlooked by Lewyn's seat. It will be easy to monitor that way and easy to rain down arrows on invaders. The path up the cliffs will have gates and guards stopping invaders as well.

A town will slowly grow up on top of the cliffs of people working and settling here as the port attracts people. There is the freshwater sources up there as well away from the sand beaches and stony surfaces. Very limited land to have anything grow, if it even will grow anything, but it should support the needs of what will be demanded of it. No different than Tyrosh or Lys, Bloodstone is actually bigger than Tyrosh so if they can do it I am sure we can figure it out. Plus most of the food will come from the Disputed lands and Dorne so it will be fine.

Lewyn is excited to see it come together but I am sure that will dull as the months drag on and he has to stay here for long periods to defend it. We can't just trust the Free Cites to leave it alone as it is being fortified, so a dragon will be needed to watch over it and enforce the toll. The toll will slowly pay for the whole thing, I already brought up the idea of having a 'membership' that people who sail through a lot can pay and not have to pay each time. They instead will pay once a year or so and will be fine to sail through as much as they want.

I am sure they will find ways to abuse it but a membership will not be cheap so it will work itself out and make people feel like they are getting a deal. So long as they feel they are coming out on top they won't complain, we are also preventing pirates from coming in just like the Triarchy did so it's only fair. Cant have safe shipping lanes without a toll, no one will keep them cleared out of thieving scum for free, ironic since the toll is like a tax and we all know what taxes really are...

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112 AC

Kingslanding

Rhaenyra Targaryen

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Sitting in my Mother's room I bounce my knee anxiously as she tends to Visenya who was upset at being woken up from a nap. I feel bad for coming in so suddenly when they were resting together but I needed to see her. After what the healing lady told me I have been feeling the whole world spinning and it has my heart thumping hard. I feel like my heart has been racing for quite some time and won't settle in my chest but I also do not feel bad either.

It is as if my heart just decided to beat quickly, I don't even know when it started if I am honest but I think my body already knew I was pregnant. It was as if my body was reacting and trying to tell me and had ended up making me sick to my stomach before I figured it out. Rather a healing woman figured it out but I still feel like I should have known... I think.

"Alright, she is good now so what was so important you barged in here in a fit." I lick my lips as I wonder what to say, I feel like I 'did something wrong' even though I am married.

I don't understand the guilty feeling, maybe it is because I am telling someone else before I tell my Husband. I wish he was the first to know besides me, Myriah left on Shrykos to get word to him as fast as possible. At the moment I was so out of it I did not even ask how she was getting word to him, I thought maybe having one of the supply ships would take a message to him. But I think she is planning on flying straight to the Stepstones to tell Daeron he is going to be a Father, I am certain that will be a sight to see.

"I am pregnant." Mother who was tickling Visenya on the belly stops and slowly looks at me with wide eyes.

"Already?" She asks in disbelief and I feel the same way, it has not even been that long and I am happy but also annoyed.

All my plans for the Royal Progress just got ruined unless I want to travel with a swollen belly. I will have to wait and replan the whole thing unless I want to break it up into pieces and do some before I get too swollen to travel.

"I think so, I won't lie and say that I do not feel... different." Since knowing the 'truth' I have noticed I do indeed feel very different.

I assumed I was sick because of the stomach problems I had but now I think the pregnancy is changing my body to grow the little babe. Though I don't remember my Mother ever complaining about feeling the need to move around a lot. I feel restless and I can only imagine what it will be like when I am far along and can't move as easily if this is what I will feel like. I might go mad laying around with a babe kicking around inside of me.

"Well you will feel very different your first time, I was not expecting this so quickly but I am happy for you. This will be good for you, having an heir will strengthen your rule that is to come. I knew you would have one eventually but it is nice that it is so early since the babe will have plenty of time to grow and learn of their future duties." I smile at her enthusiasm and it eases some of the dread I am feeling deep in my gut, I feel fear of what I saw happen to her.

When I think about the ending that has happened to so many women on the birthing bed my whole body shivers. I feel with Daerons help I will be fine from bleeding to death but there is still childbed fever that can burn someone up. Daeron can make ice but I am unsure if that will even help with a fever or not, if it does then he should make a bunch for all the people with the spots.

I shake my head getting rid of the thoughts of using my Husband as a icemaker to help the people in the city with a fever. It would be nice but it's also fine if I worry about myself for a moment and what is coming for me in less than a year. Some of the worst pain a woman can go through and I am now counting down the days till it's my turn to feel it.

"Who have you told so far?" I look up from the floor and see the worried look she is giving me but I try and put on a brave face to hide my dreary thoughts.

"Just you, Myriah was with me and flew off so she and the healing woman who could have already told all of Kingslanding." She snorts and nods before walking toward me and holding Visenya out.

"Get used to this weight, this will be in your stomach and there will be no mercy until He or She comes out when they are ready." I groan and take Visenya in my arms and she smiles wide with her toothless mouth.

I can't help but smile at her and imagine what my own babe will look like, if it will be a boy or a girl. Daeron does not care either way and I know he means it because the Dornish are just like that, they care not for what is in their leader's pants and only care for strength of mind and body. So all he wants is a healthy babe and that puts my mind at ease as far as my Husband is concerned. Leaving me to worry about the Lords of Westeros and how a male firstborn would ease a lot of their minds.

"What do you think, a niece or a nephew?" I put her meaty baby hand on my stomach and she looks around cluelessly with her purple eyes.

I look up expecting to see my Mother smiling at how cute Visenya is but I see a scared look on her face as she clenches her jaw shut. Her fists tightened till they are turning milk-white and a slight wobble to her legs. I almost stand up to grab ahold of her before she snaps out of it and smiles at me with a pained look.

"I am sure either one would be fine, you will be a wonderful Queen and so long as your child is happy and healthy that will be all that matters." I nod at her weak-voiced response and I wonder if she will be ok.

"Are you feeling ok?" I ask and she nods before reaching out to take Visenya who she scoops up and heads over to the bed.

"I am fine, just tired and in need of a nap with my little girl." I watch her head to the bed with a heavy feeling on my shoulders.

I suppose I can let her rest and go tell my Father about it, he should be happy to hear about it.