5 What is Family, Duty, & Honor in war?

LATE 42 AC

VISENYA POV

The Faith of the seven, the Citadel, the Hightowers, the Velaryons, the Baratheons, the Lannisters, the Tullys, the Tyrells and the Martells, everyone will have their due. But not now, as my son always says patience is virtue. I cannot even believe how far my son had grown in every possible thing imaginable, he should have been the king, alas, he was born as a second. If only I have known….. I should've given my husband his heir first. Oh, If only I knew that the perfect heir for the iron throne came from my loins I should've been more proactive in the early part of my marriage…..

My son is the child every mother could have ever hoped for, he has the qualities of many legendary figures that I have studied in history. I have no doubt that his name will be sung in many songs for ages to come and later put in history books. His achievements and inventions will be studied by many scholars. But despite my son's many achievements, comes to what I thought his failures and flaws, one of which is his connection he made with the Hightowers and the Faith of the Seven.

He had given them gifts that far beyond what they deserve, if only my son didn't explained the reasons behind the gifts and concessions he had made with them I might have ordered for some heads on the platter already, behind closed doors of course. He only gave them all of that, so that when they try something against my son and the throne, it would give my son the jurisdiction to end them once and for all.

He had already foreseen everything, and that is all thanks to his gift, a gift that one of my ancestors once had and utilized for the survival of my household. Thanks to his deep understanding and careful utilization of his gift he had acquired everything in his life. Everyone must have been fooled that the rediscovery of Valyrian steel making was the result of three secret expeditions on the Valyrian Peninsula. The knowledge came from his dreams and from the result of the successful trade made on Asshai. The brave sailors who made that trip to Asshai where made into heroes who braved the waters of the old Valyrian Peninsula and successfully excavated secret tomes and jewelries that made these items priced many times over their original value during my son opened an auction on the harbor city on Crackclaw Point.

The information of the sea route to the Valyrian Peninsula was then exchanged at a high price to many rich noblemen and magisters, yes the sea route to the peninsula may be safe but would be the peninsula itself will be? With that all the nobles and magisters who had braved the waters of the Valyrian Peninsula had their amount of ships and treasury halved or severely minimized making the Targaryen Navy Fleet of my son gain its superiority in Westeros. From the Velaryons to Hightowers and from White Harbor to the Redwynes all of the nobles who had any naval strength had their forces crippled by the machinations of my son's half lie Valyrian Expedition. Even though he had given them information full of horseshit no one could ever blame his son nor will they doubt it, for he had given them cautionary advices and blueprints for the needed protective equipment and tools for the men safely get to arrive but little to no chances of having a successful return. * A sigh of satisfaction*

I may be participating yet another war seeing that the family of my other son cannot cope up with these uprisings without my perfect son's involvement. Thankfully, I am still fit to take command of my son's trained army and still fit enough to ride Vhagar. That alone would be enough to help my son accomplish his goals.

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I was eating dinner together with my beautiful grandson, my perfect son and my now heavily pregnant good daughter when we heard the bells on the watchtower rang aloud and soldiers from the watchtowers were alerted of incoming ships and dragons. So my son immediately ordered our men to be ready and welcome our guests. It seems that our wayward family of Kingslanding deigned to visit us when they only need something from us. I could have welcomed them atop Vhagar but my son talked me out of it for he already instructed his partner Morghulax telepathically through their bond to welcome them midair instead. So I just continued to eat together with my true family except for my son who went down to formally welcome my wayward family with their guest rights.

When they arrived they immediately greeted me and my good daughter but I cannot help but notice the absence of Alyssa. It seems that either she remained in Kingslanding or she is still sailing in one of the incoming ships. My son then invited the children to sit down and eat. Since Aenys died 3 moons ago we never went to the funeral because we weren't even formally told, we only knew of his death through our spies, and why should we? When we ever came to the Capital we weren't even truly welcome and the servants of Aegonfort were all under the wings of that bitch.

I can never forget when the bitch tried to brainwash my husband into giving the lordship of Dragonstone to the rightful heir, the weak Aenys, and give the lordship of the underdeveloped land of Crackclaw point to my son when they haven't even contributed anything to the prosperity of the land of my forefathers. Thankfully my husband hadn't fully lost all his wits when he denied her good daughter's request and instead even given my son the full reign to use the Crackclaw Point for further expansion of his company which my son graciously accepted. And before my husband's death he formally proclaimed my son as the lord of the Dragonstone and Crackclaw point which can also be inherited by my son's descendants much to Alyssa's dismay but of course with concessions that I am still angry when I think about it and refuse to further contemplate for I do not know why my perfect son even agreed to it given its demerits to his own person. Regardless, I still got the last laugh, the audacity of the bitch to try and disinherit my son of his birth right.

After the children had their fill of the food he called one of his servants to serve all of us some of his very own creation a desert called 'ice-cream', which had become mine and my grandson's favorite nowadays. The surprised and satisfied looks of the young Jaehaerys and Alyssane had made my heart flutter for a moment and made me remember that they are my kin despit the animosity I had against their mother and father, even though they came from that bitch's loins, they are still my grandchildren by law. The young ones asked my son what the desert is called which my son haughtily replied.

Maegor: That my young children is the product of my very own creativity and my trade that I made from the north of Westeros down to the south of Essos , it is called Ice- Cream, it is satisfyingly good isn't it, don't be shy and ask for a second to Miriam our server.

Jaehaerys and Alyssane: Thank you uncle!

Maegor: Nephew Aegon, I have noticed that you had become a full fledged dragonlord, you have my sincerest congratulations! You have made your forefathers proud, you have made me and your father proud wherever he may be. Which begs me to question you all for your evening visit without any prior message.

Aegon: Thank you uncle ! truly, and I apologize for intruding your dinner time with your family in this lovely evening. As you may have noticed uncle we are at war against the faith which are supported by common folk and some great lords. Now, I am here, we are here, to ask for your assistance and your support in our war against our enemies. I beseech you to raise your arms against our enemies and lead our men in the Frontline of our war.

Maegor: And what do I have in return nephew? Surely you should know that I will not easily follow your words when your father and grand sire cannot expect that out of me. So what is your intended proposal for me?

Rhaena: Surely, you're japing right uncle? My husband and your nephew is the king, you are duty and honor bound to protect the king from his enemies and follow his orders without any...

Maegor: Whoa3x! I need to stop you right there, dear niece, as far as I am concerned he is not my king for I did not even bend my knee and formally declared for him upon the his coronation. And it seems you forgot the reason why your grandsire got to keep his position as the king. He only got it through an adequate fear and benevolence, he spared those who bend the knee and killed those who did not. If you actually want to keep the throne you should start by doing that. Lastly, do remember the pact I made with your father.

Rhaena: Are you really not going to help your own nephew uncle?! Your kin?! Your own flesh and blood?! Ah is it because of your hate towards our father, your own brother and the pact you made? I know that you may dislike the crown succession but you should know uncle that my father was made the heir to the iron throne long before you were born and by the rules of the Gods and men, my husband and your own nephew is the next true king of Westeros! Are your really that petty enough that you will deny to lend any support towards your own nephew? Are you...

Maegor: ( a long loud laugh) HAHAHAAHAHAHAHA forgive me mother, wife, I am sorry that you both need to hear negotiations while we are still in our dining table and eating. Aegon, Rhaena it seems that your visit was not of pleasure but of business so I bid you all to excuse me for I will be changing our location to my solar for us to continue our 'talk'. Excuse me mother, wife, young Jaehaerys,Little Alyssane. Aegon? Rhaena? Will you both please follow me?

The gall of those two grandchildren, they dare talk of family, support, and duty when their side had never even shown an ounce of goodwill towards me and my son. They even dare brought it up on my dining table a place where I get to enjoy my sweet tome together with my true family? I know that my son will both put them on their places when he already expected their 'talks', and I hope that he will be harsh in doing so because of he won't then I will. Now, where is that bitch? Why isn't she still showing herself, what took her so long in coming down from that ship?

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42 AC

SER AURION POV

Crackclaw Point Harbor City

It seems the Velaryons and the queen have become really desperate when they're demanding us to mobilize the troops and ships for the war. It seems they forgot the ill-relationship they got with its true figurehead and they forgot what he is truly capable of doing when someone tries to push around his people. They really think that I will just follow them without questions when my house's relationship with the queen had deteriorated very much. The prince had already anticipated this problem and told me to just ignore them and instead report back whenever they already started their demands.

Of course the prince had already foreseen the war and started to gather his forces from Essos a year ago and cease all his trade six moons after to consolidate all his forces in the harbor city of Crackclaw point. After the consolidation we have concluded that the prince's army is composed of: 5,000 men of the cavalry unit which consists of 4,000 light cavalry and 1,000 heavy cavalry; 20,000 men of the infantry unit 18,000 light infantry and 2,000 heavy infantry; 600 of the stampede unit which consists of 500 chariots and 100 trained elephants; 7,000 men of the archer unit which consists of 5,000 longbow men and 2,000 crossbowmen; 3,750 of the engineering unit which also consists of 50 trebuchets, 200 scorpions, 500 flamethrower, and 3,000 alchemists /engineers; and lastly the 12,500 men of the marine unit which consists of 12,000 navy soldiers and 500 navy officers so over all the men amount to 48,850 men and these are not even counting the men who will be forcefully conscripted for war, purely men trained for combat.

This force was not even counting the two battle-ready dragons of our prince and his retinue of knights and soldiers situated at Dragonstone. So I only feel sorry for the foolish enemies of our prince who had declared war against house Targaryen and I feel great pity against the queen and her house who always try to seek problems against our prince. But I know the prince will not move against his own family but at the same time he won't be helping them, well not unless he can get something out of it. Then one of the men stationed here reported to me which brought me out of my musings.

Jack: Excuse me ser, we have sighted 5 incoming ships bearing the Velaryon sigil? What should we be doing ser?

Aurion: Of course you will welcome them even if they are at odds with our prince they are still kin of the queen. And Jack, kindly disseminate to the leading officers that you will welcome them with pride, do you get me soldier?!

Jack: ser yes ser!

After waiting for a time, the heir of house Velaryon had arrived to the gates of the Viserion Fortress, named after the mother and the dowager queen Visenya, with pomp befitting of the family of the reigning queen and close kin of royal house.

Aurion: Lord Daemon, welcome! Bread and salt my lord?

Daemon: Thank you ser Aurion

After performing the guest rights I then invited them to the banquet hall but they refused for they want to discuss matters of great importance before dining. So I led them to the Prince's solar for I have been given command to rule the city in place of Prince Maegor where we will discuss the important matters. Of course we engaged with small talks before arriving the solar, then after we have arrived we sat down and I then offered some cold beverages which they gratefully accepted.

Aurion: My Lord as you may have known just like the prince I am a man of few words so I will greatly appreciate it you will already get on with what you want to mean to tell me.

Daemon: Very well, as you may have known the crown is already at war with the faith so the we in the council had came to a conclusion that to end this rebellion we will be needing to mobilize all our forces. And I have here in my hand the royal order signed by King Aegon the second that instructs you to mobilize the army stationed here and follow my command from now on for I have been given charge to lead you all to our war against the faith.

Aurion: May I read the royal edict my lord?

Which he then gave me but upon looking at the orders I cannot help but laugh.

Aurion: As far as I am concerned my lord but the crown had no jurisdiction to command or mobilize the forces of Prince Maegor.

Daemon: It seems you forgot your place ser the orders of the crown stands above all orders even if it comes from Prince Maegor. And before you say anything about the rights of the lords, it is stated in our law that the crown can mobilize the troops of their vassals in times of emergency like this rebellion.

Aurion: Hah! It seems you're the one who forgot the pact made between the Prince Maegor and the late King Aenys before King Aegon's death. In one section of the pact states that they would not covet the other's goods or people, and by that stipulation the crown cannot just easily demand the forces of the prince to go to war for the crown without the Prince's permission, and the pact also states that these supersedes any laws made by the crown. It seems you forgot the reason of this pact my lord, it's main objective was to curtail the ever growing power of the prince, for the pact had seen to it that the prince and his descendants can never be a part of the council for an indefinite amount of time and they can never own any more land except the Crackclaw point and Dragonstone, and even if he's the lord of Dragonstone he does not have the sole ownership of all dragons living in the Island and the eggs that had been in Dragonstone were all confiscated by the crown and the only dragon eggs that Prince Maegor and his descendants can legally own will be the next clutch of eggs that Vhagar may be able to lay after the pact was made. The pact had already stripped most of the descendants of prince Maegor their birthright but the prince had still see to sign the pact and follow it despite his losses for he is a good brother and son. So this royal orders are void as far as I'm concerned Lord Daemon.

Daemon: Are you really doing this ser? If you follow the orders right now ser I will forget what you had just said to me.

Aurion: I'm afraid not lord Daemon.

Daemon: May I remind you ser that my nephews and nieces are all dragon riders and as we speak they are already visiting Dragonstone.

Aurion: It seems that I overestimated house Velaryon, are threats all the best you can do my lord? The answer is still no Daemon.

Daemon: I will never forget this humiliation ser.

Aurion: How long will you be staying in this city Lord Daemon?

Daemon: And why should we? We' ll be leaving already.

Then Daemon and his retinue left with anger visibly etched on their faces. Now, I will be reporting what had happened here to the prince immediately.