[Chapter Size: 2600 Words.]
Third Person POV.
King's Landing.
...
...
Daemon's dragons returned to the capital a few days after the conquest of the Vale, while the army finally began to disperse.
Within two moons, everyone was expected to be back in the North. So, the army marched once again toward King's Landing, while the ships stationed at Gulltown would be used to transport the people from the Vale.
They would have around forty thousand men to help them at the Wall.
The lords of the Vale who had not fought would not only have to send their men, but also travel to the capital to swear fealty to House Targaryen and the new government, or become rebels after the great war against the dead.
Daemon arrived at the Dragonpit with several objectives. Besides keeping his government running and seeing his wife in the North, who was due to give birth within the next two moons, he still had to purge his government.
After all, certain enemies still remained, people who could interfere with his next move in the North.
The armies were in King's Landing, but he needed the kingdom's resources. He needed them especially because the Westerlands, the Reach, and Dorne still had no definitive lord.
He also needed to manage those lords in the capital while still keeping them as 'hostages.' Even those who had bent the knee still required a certain amount of attention so that their territories could fulfill the demands for resources.
So, he had no choice but to return and remain in the capital despite his overwhelming desire to be in Winterfell as well.
When he dismounted his dragon, leaving both dragons in the Dragonpit, he followed the guard that was already waiting for him as he made his way back to the Red Keep.
The people of King's Landing greeted him joyfully.
It had not been long since they had feared him and looked upon him with suspicion. Now, they all revered him. Even with everything he was capable of doing and everything he had already done within that city, the war against the Lannisters and the Blackfyres, the conquest of the Vale certainly brought another wave of applause from everyone around him, since it had been the last kingdom he needed to conquer.
Now, from the North to Dorne, every kingdom had completely submitted to his rule.
The free folk were also scattered throughout the city and seemed to get along well with the southern people, despite a few problems. Some ended up getting into fights, but the City Watch was handling the situation to ensure no one crossed the line.
Everyone already knew the punishments, from the North onward, that Daemon showed no mercy to those who murdered innocents, committed rape, or engaged in pillaging. He had already placed several free folk on the block to have their necks severed during this time.
Lately, many had also been talking about the incident in which he massacred numerous servants and guards at Hornwood Castle in the North.
Daemon was surprised to realize that this event was now widely discussed among the people of King's Landing. The free folk already knew the story, and the southern people were shocked when they learned what he had done.
For nearly twelve hours, he judged hundreds of servants and guards. Then, for another twelve hours, he wielded his sword, severing head after head without stopping, judging each one for their crimes and carrying out their sentences immediately.
It was not as if he massacred people mercilessly. He gave every one of them a trial.
Soon, this story spread and became known as the "Hour of the Dragon," something akin to the "Hour of the Wolf," of Cregan Stark, at the end of the Dance of the Dragons, when he began executing numerous traitorous lords in King's Landing.
This gave even greater weight to the bloody event, since Daemon also had Stark blood flowing through his veins.
But Daemon had done something even more shocking. Without resting for twenty-four hours, he executed every servant and guard who had also taken part in the cruelty of locking Lady Hornwood inside a room in the tower to starve to death.
But the man chiefly responsible for the crime, the one who had married Lady Hornwood, was also remembered. Ramsay Snow had been flayed by Daemon and displayed before Moat Cailin as a message.
The song claimed that Daemon found her after conquering the castle. He personally removed her from the tower and buried her before beginning the executions.
It was quite a poetic story.
In any case, he was met by more men along the way to the Red Keep. Sandor quickly caught up to him and began following him until they reached his spearwives, who were already waiting for him in the castle courtyard.
Lord Velaryon was still at the castle and also welcomed him in the courtyard. His appearance looked much healthier now, which was a good sign.
There were new faces, and applause celebrating the conquest of the Vale echoed throughout the area.
Daemon proceeded into the castle and sat upon the Iron Throne, ordering the hall to be cleared, leaving only a few people present.
"How are things, Maester Marwyn?" he asked as he settled onto the Iron Throne, since Maester Nolum had already left the Red Keep and returned to the Gift.
With a relieved sigh, Daemon saw no reason to keep that maester confined there any longer. He was happy for him, after all, he had been extremely useful when there had been no maester to fill his place in the Red Keep.
"I received many letters for you, my lord. As you requested, I selected a few: those in favor and those against your decrees, along with those offering excuses or conditions. I'm afraid the latter make up the majority..."
"I see." Daemon appeared thoughtful for a moment.
"We need to bring all the necessary resources to the Wall. Within, at most, two moons, I want enough supplies to sustain at least two hundred thousand people stationed at the Wall for one year," Daemon said.
He did not know exactly what would happen, but he expected the war to last at least a year before the arrival of the White Walkers, since he did not know the size or position of the enemy army, though it should not take them long to arrive.
"I also received a letter, Your Majesty. It came from the Citadel."
"Any explanation about all our concerns regarding the rebellion and the Order's interference?" Daemon asked, referring to the maesters' scheme.
"They still haven't said anything officially about it. They're probably trying to find a way out. I think it has caused divisions within the Order," Marwyn replied.
"I see. And what did you receive from the Citadel, then?"
"It's about the winter, Your Majesty. It has just arrived."
"So winter has come... Winter is Coming..." Daemon couldn't help but laugh as he repeated House Stark's words.
"I can hardly remember the last winter I lived through in this world." He paused for a brief moment of reflection. The last one had been in 282... Right after the Conquest.
In any case, he shouldn't concern himself too much with it, though his eyes remained thoughtful.
"Well, I'm sure the lords and their representatives in their holdings will complain and try to come up with excuses to avoid sending so many resources now..." Daemon remarked.
"The lords will clearly try to use the winter as an excuse."
"Marwyn, I want you to gather every record from every region of every kingdom. We'll need help to complete this within a month, but I want you to send a letter to every Crown vassal house, requesting educated men and maesters, if available, to come to the Red Keep."
"I want them to review every accounting ledger from every region, what they produce, because I don't want to be at the mercy of excuses. Not when an army of dead creatures is coming from the North to attack. We'll need those resources precisely to support the army that will face the front lines," Daemon said.
"In any case, I think that's enough for us to begin. There are still many matters to deal with, but I don't need to organize everything by the next moon."
"Very well, Your Majesty," Marwyn said.
As Daemon rose to his feet, he walked over to Val and Ygritte, who were also in the throne room, where he had requested that only they remain.
"What are you planning to do now?" Ygritte asked with a mischievous smile.
"Come with me," Daemon said.
The three of them walked through the corridors of the Red Keep, greeted by everyone they passed, until they reached his chambers.
"You'll stay here until I return. I intend to slip out unnoticed for a while," Daemon told Sandor Clegane.
The Kingsguard even tried to say something, but what could he do if that man simply wanted to disappear? At most, he could advise him to take more protection.
It would be easier to protect Daemon's enemies than to protect the king himself.
"I understand," was all Sandor replied, since there was nothing else to say.
Daemon walked toward a secret passage within the royal chambers and opened a hidden hatch in the wall, while Ygritte and Val followed him.
"This looks interesting," Ygritte laughed.
Val followed him as well.
Daemon no longer had any concerns about the small hidden tunnels within the Red Keep, such as having someone lurking around like Varys and his little birds once had. After all, he had already eliminated and driven out all of Varys's little birds during the reorganization of King's Landing.
Thus, it was easy to make their way through the secret corridors to the lowest part of the Red Keep.
Daemon took a few cloaks from his inventory and, using his Warg ability, brought three horses to them without anyone noticing their departure from the fortress.
They mounted and headed toward the gate. As they passed through the camp, Daemon tossed a few coins to a man who stopped them because they looked suspicious.
"Are you bribing your own men?" Val murmured.
"Well... I'll have to have someone whip him later," Daemon replied.
It was more practical to leave without being questioned, but that did not please him either. Some of his guards still seemed somewhat corrupt, especially when a few coins could allow people wearing dark cloaks to leave King's Landing.
Not that Daemon was worried about any important fugitive at that moment. Even so, it was still unacceptable behavior for a guard.
In any case, they headed into the Kingswood, while Daemon pulled out a bow for each of them from his dimensional storage.
"Let's go hunting." That was all he said.
As the three ventured deeper into the forest, Daemon wanted to enjoy himself a little more before returning to his duties as king, just as he had done when hunting in the wolf forests after escorting Sansa to Winterfell.
He spent the time hunting with the girls, but also enjoyed their company, and they had sex from time to time throughout the forest. Since it was only the three of them, he did not mind stopping occasionally to have sex out in the open. It wasn't as though they hadn't done the same beyond the Wall whenever they ventured out.
Daemon took everything he needed from his inventory and roasted parts of the boar he had hunted, preparing lunch for them. Afterward, they continued having sex elsewhere, especially after they came across a river and a waterfall.
He could have already returned, but there was one more thing he wanted to check first. So he headed toward a corner of the forest, with the girls still not understanding what he intended to do. He walked in a different direction until he found what he was looking for.
A group of half a dozen giant elephants.
They were the Golden Company's elephants, which had managed to escape during the chaos. Through his abilities, Daemon had ordered them to take refuge in the Kingswood. He was pleased to see that they were doing well. Some still bore injuries, but that would be taken care of later.
"They're quite large," Val murmured.
"Well, I intend to use them for breeding here in Westeros," Daemon said.
It seemed that one of his favorite activities would become breeding creatures. Just as he would begin raising dragons, with the she-wolves in the North already pregnant by Ghost, direwolves would also need to be bred, and these elephants would make a fine addition as well.
Daemon left the Kingswood afterward with Val and Ygritte, making his way toward his horse, which had already been found by the guards.
The Kingswood was closed off, naturally, and when the guards spotted the horses, they immediately waited for the intruders to approach so they could arrest them.
"Halt! You're under arrest for being in a restricted area!" There were five men in total.
"I highly doubt that," Daemon replied with a faint smile. Val and Ygritte merely watched.
Daemon did not even wait for the men to respond to his remark. He simply lowered his hood and revealed his violet eyes.
"After all, this forest belongs to me by right. And you are waiting for me." His words made every soldier swallow hard.
"Your Majesty..." the leader said.
Quickly, they all dropped to one knee. Daemon simply walked over to the horses, ignoring what had happened.
"Keep up the good work. I'm returning to the Red Keep," he said as he mounted. Val and Ygritte also mounted their horses, and the three of them galloped out of the forest, pulling their hoods back up.
The men merely stood and resumed their duties.
It was already nearing the end of the afternoon when Daemon passed through the gates of the Red Keep, surprising his men to see the king arriving from there. Some had assumed he would be in his chambers or in his office, but that mattered little.
Daemon simply handed the horses over to the guards and headed into the fortress.
"Your Majesty." A servant approached and bowed.
"Maester Marwyn said he wished to speak with you, as you were occupied in your chambers," the man informed him.
"You may tell him to wait for me in my office. I want to check a few more things first, and then I'll go there."
As the servant departed, Daemon pulled his hood back over his head and walked through the corridors until he reached the throne room.
He did not use the usual entrance, but instead one on the upper level, from where he could observe all the members of the court conversing before the great hall of the Iron Throne, something quite common.
"What are we doing here?" Val asked, looking at all those people. She certainly did not like it.
Daemon merely showed a faint smile. "We're observing," he said as he studied the sea of auras, searching for golden ones.
Then he raised an eyebrow when he spotted a woman wearing armor and a young man beside her, though he seemed somewhat clumsy.
Both possessed golden auras. For someone who still needed to recruit Kingsguards, having only two at the moment, that seemed quite interesting.
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