-Chapter 200-

-Chapter 200-

-POV Daenerys Targaryen-

As I tossed bread to the ducks floating peacefully on the water, I couldn’t stop thinking about the conversation we had this morning.

I couldn’t understand what was stopping Aegon from sending me to the front lines.

It wasn’t the first time I’d used Drogon to lead my battles while directly participating, and he knew that perfectly well.

“Don’t worry, Your Majesty. From my point of view, the fact that he’s protecting you is not as bad a sign as you might think.”

I raised an eyebrow, not understanding what he meant, and he explained:

“He cares enough about you to keep you off the battlefield. I would point out that Queen Bellegere did not receive such a courtesy.”

I rolled my eyes and said, “I could have done without it.”

Tyrion smiled and tossed a piece of bread to a duck, which quickly snatched the piece from his hand.

I watched in amusement as Tyrion hurriedly threw the bread to avoid the duck continuing to attack his hands.

“These creatures are wilder than the lions we keep at Casterly Rock,” said my Hand.

I smiled and said, “Be careful, you might end up maimed.”

“Very funny. I didn’t think you could make such low jokes,” he said, pretending to be hurt.

I smiled, not taking his grumpy look seriously, then said, “I don’t think it’s me he’s so worried about.”

“Then who would he be so concerned about... Oh,” he said, stopping mid-sentence.

“You’re pregnant,” Tyrion said confidently, understanding what I was experiencing.

“Though I haven’t gone to see the maester yet, I’ve been pregnant before. I recognize the signs,” I said, gently placing a hand on my stomach.

“How could he know that? Did you share your feelings with him?”

I shook my head, confused myself, then said:

“It’s strange, but for some reason, I’m almost certain he knows.”

Tyrion shrugged and motioned for me to turn around just in time to see the Sand Snakes approaching, led by Ellaria.

“Your Imperial Majesty,” said Ellaria, performing a perfect bow before the seven young women accompanying her followed suit.

“Ellaria, I’ve been forbidden from participating in the war that’s brewing. That’s why I’d like to ask you for a favor.”

“We owe you our lives.”

“I’d like you to send two of your daughters to Pentos to expand the spy network you’ve started building for me.”

“The Emperor will begin to suspect us,” said Ellaria, her voice weakening out of fear at the mention of my husband.

“Aegon already knows,” I said to cut short this habit she had.

“How?”

“I told him,” I said, raising my head slightly.

“And?” Obara asked rather brusquely, as the survival of the Dornishwomen hung by a thread.

“And I am the Empress. His interests are now ours, so as long as we succeed in expanding our web and benefiting the Empire, Aegon won’t be a threat to any of you,” I said.

As the daughters of the late Prince of Dorne exchanged glances, silently evaluating who would go to the front, Tyene softly said:

“I volunteer.”

“Why?” I asked.

“I have no ties, and the farther I am from here, the less risk I’ll face,” Tyene said.

“I disagree. A... the Emperor could have you assassinated much more easily if you were in Pentos. I’ll go in your place,” Obara said directly.

“I’ll go too,” Nymeria added, without further comment.

“No, not you,” I said a bit too brusquely.

I quickly forced a small smile and said:

“I need you to accompany me as a lady-in-waiting. Your two sisters have volunteered.”

“But...” Obara tried to say.

“The Empress has spoken,” Tyrion said, leaving the Dornishwomen no choice but to agree.

‘She’s going to be particularly useful to me,’ I thought.

---

-10 days later-

-3rd day of the 2nd moon of the year 301 AC-

-POV Samwell Tarly-

“It’s an abomination,” said Florian, disgusted as he watched the red priestesses publicly praying behind High Priestess Kinvara before magically lighting the pyres where the members of Pentos' ruling families we had spared were laid.

‘Such massacres were unnecessary. We had already spilled enough blood,’ I thought, forcing myself not to vomit at such a spectacle.

Once the pyre was lit, the cries of the condemned echoed through the square, filled with devotees thanking their god, completely ignoring the victims’ screams.

I turned my eyes away, watching as some children were violently consumed by the flames.

“You have trouble watching people burn, but not killing them with your own hands.”

I immediately recognized the voice that had spoken and replied:

“I have trouble watching children burn alive without reason.”

“I wouldn’t go that far, given that we are here under imperial orders, just like you, it seems,” said the Red Priestess.

“I’m here to...”

“...Conquer, pillage, and colonize. We simply bring peace where you bring the flames of war,” said the priestess, cutting me off.

“You weren’t here under imperial orders?” asked Florian, equally repulsed by the spectacle.

Melisandre smiled, then said: “If you accepted the light, you’d see that...”

“You’re wasting your time,” I said, clearly no longer wanting to participate in this farce, as I turned to head back to the headquarters I had set up in Illyrio Mopatis’ former private residence, the most secure estate in Pentos.

“What are we going to do with them?” asked Florian, on edge, as he was a devout worshiper of the Seven, especially the Warrior.

“Nothing. The Emperor allowed them to ‘preach’ here, mainly because it’s the dominant religion in Pentos, but also because the Order of the Fiery Hand is now completely under the Emperor’s control, given that both the Empress and the Emperor have been separately recognized by the High Priest and High Priestess as Azor Ahai.”

Seeing that Florian didn’t understand, I elaborated:

“The Emperor controlled one half, while the Empress controlled the other. But now that the two are united, the Order of the Fiery Hand has reformed.”

“But the High Priest of their cult sided with Volantis,” said Florian, confused, as it was the High Priestess who had given half of the Fiery Hand as a gift to the Emperor.

“I don’t know why he did that. What I do know is that we don’t need to fear the former followers of the High Priest because they’ve all abandoned him and turned to his second, a certain Moqorro,” I said, confident that within the cult, Benerro’s reputation was practically dead.

“Why hasn’t he declared himself the new High Priest of the Red God? That would strip the last bit of credibility from that poor fool who’s trying to stab us in the back by any means,” said Florian.

“I don’t know either,” I said, as it was one of my many questions.

---

-POV Viserys Targaryen-

"My prince, we should strike them now while they are still few in number," said the little golden-haired wretch, eager for battle to prove himself to me and Aegon.

"He’s right. Every day we spend waiting here is another day they have to prepare for our attack," said the other wretch, this one with black hair.

I rolled my eyes with my back turned to my advisors. I already knew what I was going to do, but I liked listening to everyone’s opinions. It allowed me to gauge their mindset without having to probe too deeply.

"I disagree. They knew we were coming to conquer them, and even so, they welcomed us into their cities with open arms. We cannot repay such grace with treachery," said Yohn Royce, the perfect knight of the Vale.

'Loyal to his oath, except when it comes to obeying the dragon,' I thought, still feeling a hint of disgust toward him.

My father-in-law was one of the few powerful lords who had survived the fall of my House and still retained influence today.

'Even though he no longer holds power officially, his son Robar listens to everything his father dictates. It won’t be long before he gives the title of Lord back to his father,' I mused.

"We owe them nothing. We came here with one objective: to subdue the Summer Isles," said Joffrey, getting excited.

In the mirror to my right, I saw Garlan nod and say, "My cousin Horas died during this crossing. I refuse to believe that his death was for nothing more than a truce or a foolish alliance."

Aegor Velaryon nodded and, eager to make a name for himself, added, "We came to subdue these savages as representatives of the Emperor. It is our duty to—"

"I am the Emperor's representative," I said, turning to face them one by one.

"The Emperor tasked me with—"

DRAGON'S ROAR

My eyes widened like saucers at the familiar sound. I hadn’t expected him to arrive so quickly; I thought he would come in two or three moons at the earliest.

Everyone exchanged surprised looks, except Aegor Velaryon, who seemed to enjoy this unexpected turn of events.

"Looks like we’ll find out soon enough," Aegor Velaryon said, standing up and striding out decisively.

---

-POV MC-

Dressed in the Dragon Emperor’s armor—Valyrian steel reforged by Tobho Mott from the armor of Euron Greyjoy that Connor had stolen for me years ago—I walked along Rhaegal’s neck before settling on the crown of his head.

I gazed at the camp my army had established on the outskirts of the city, and as I watched the crowd gather around me, I said:

"SOLDIERS, KNIGHTS, AND LEGIONARIES, I GAVE YOU ONE SIMPLE TASK: TO CONQUER THE SUMMER ISLES. AND WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

I let a long silence hang in the air, seeing the tension on everyone’s faces, then added with a grin:

"YOU HAVE CONQUERED THE SUMMER ISLES WITHOUT EVEN DRAWING YOUR SWORDS."

"Glory to His Majesty, the Emperor!" shouted an officer I recognized.

I smiled, seeing him in this situation, and thought, 'He’s come a long way.'

Everyone shouted at the top of their lungs: "GLORY TO HIS MAJESTY, THE EMPEROR!"

I smiled, savoring the moment. Acclaim and adoration were things I enjoyed.

After a few moments, I gently leaped off Rhaegal’s head, floating slowly through the air rather than falling abruptly.

My body gradually descended toward the ground, and those in front of me began to part. The legionaries closest to me quickly formed ranks, gently pushing the other soldiers behind them to make an honor guard for me.

I walked calmly, my right hand resting, as always, on the hilt of Blackfyre, and after about fifty meters, I found myself face-to-face with my uncle, Viserys, my dragon warrior.

He quickly knelt on one knee: "The Summer Isles are yours, Your Majesty."

"Not yet, if I understand correctly."

Viserys said nothing, and I motioned for him to rise, which he did. We exchanged looks for a few seconds before I embraced him and said:

"Congratulations, you're a father for the fourth time. But you’ll be even happier to know that Ysilla Royce has given birth to your first daughter."

As I released him, I saw a genuine smile on his face—something rare, as he usually wore either an indifferent or irritated expression.

'Like someone who thinks they’re owed money,' I thought, recalling an old loan shark from my previous life who had the same look Viserys often had.

"Your Majesty," Aegor Velaryon interrupted the rare moment of joy I was sharing with Viserys.

I frowned but said nothing, letting the distant cousin of Monford speak his mind.

"The… natives…"

'He was going to say savages,' I thought, my frown deepening.

"…are currently gathering the princes of each island. In a few days, all the princes of the Summer Isles will be here. We can capture them and demand that—"

"That kind of discussion has no place here," I cut him off abruptly, halting the Grand Admiral of my third imperial fleet.

'What an idiot. I can claim the Summer Isles without a fight, and this fool wants me to wage war, risking a millennia-old grudge with this people?' I thought, exasperated.