The ripples of Lord Aeos' magnificent and shocking victory over the cities of Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh were felt across the entirety of Essos.
The faint hope that the rulers and elites of the other Free Cities had harbored had been shattered. The faint glimmer that the campaign of Lord Aeos could be stopped had been extinguished.
They might not have been willing to accept reality, but in their hearts, they knew that this had been their last chance to defeat him. After this victory, Lord Aeos had strengthened and fortified his position even further. He had already seemed virtually undefeatable, and now he had cemented his invincibility. With the three more cities under his control, the resources he could control and wield had increased exponentially and he was more powerful than ever.
The elites and the rulers had already started to prepare for the day when Lord Aeos would be standing at the gates of their own cities. A few were still contemplating resisting his might, but the majority had already accepted defeat. They knew that unless every remaining city combined their might, they did not even stand a chance against Lord Aeos.
As if this were not enough, another sword by the name of Rhaenys Targaryen was also hanging over their necks.
She had not made any grand announcements about establishing the greatest empire the world had ever seen, nor about conquering the entirety of Essos. But everyone knew it was only a matter of time before she made her next move. The cities closer to Qohor, especially, were terrified. Every night they went to sleep dreading that when they woke the next morning, Rhaenys's dragons would be flying over their heads.
Meanwhile, the great revolution and sweeping changes that Lord Aeos had churned within the cities of Slaver's Bay had also begun in these three Free Cities. Streets were being widened and cleaned. Drains were constructed. Hygiene was being emphasized. The reconstruction of their city centres, the brainchild of Lord Aeos himself, was also underway.
Be it the pleasure houses of Lys or the glass craftsmanship of Myr, everything was being streamlined and its quality enhanced. Slavery was abolished. New soldiers were being recruited. The cities were being ushered into every kind of change imaginable.
A group of riders cut across a massive expanse of open land. Lord Aeos was leading the company from the front. General Sylvia was riding to his left, while Melisandre was riding to his right. Around two dozen members of the Supreme Shadows, his elite personal guard led by Grey Worm, followed closely behind them.
What was most noticeable and remarkable was their appearance. Jon's hair had grown longer, flowing well below his shoulders, and his beard had thickened, dwindling in the air. Surprisingly, the hair and beards of the Supreme Shadows had also grown to resemble those of Lord Aeos.
The terrain they were crossing lay within the Disputed Lands, somewhere between the cities of Myr and Tyrosh.
"We are almost there," Sylvia commented.
They climbed a small hill with a gentle slope. As they reached the crest, a breathtaking view unfolded before them.
From this high vantage point, they could see the enormous expanse of water of the Narrow Sea stretching out toward the horizon. The sun was setting, its fading light glistening across the ocean water. A couple of ships were visible in the distance.
But this breathtaking scenery was not what was reflecting in the eyes of the riders. Instead, their gazes were fixed firmly on the coast.
A massive structure was being built close to the shore, with thousands of workers toiling tirelessly on its construction. If one looked closely, they could tell that the outer framework resembled a great castle.
This was the new fortress that Lord Aeos had commissioned for himself. It was the site where he was developing his new city. And this city was destined to be the capital of his empire. At least, the part of his empire that lay in Essos.
The site had been selected after much consideration. A wide river flowed close to the castle currently under construction, and the surrounding land was fertile, making it easy to support the population that would inevitably grow within the capital city.
The upcoming city was also well defended. The surrounding hills and the river formed a natural barrier around it. Once the city walls were completed, it would be almost impossible to breach them.
"You have yet to come up with a name for this new city of yours," Melisandre remarked, her gaze fixated on the under construction castle.
"I will come up with a name," Jon responded. "Soon enough. Soon enough."
He nudged his horse, and it galloped forward toward the site. The others followed close behind.
Hundreds of tents had been erected a short distance from the fortress, serving as temporary housing for the laborers. A few hundred guards had also been deployed to maintain security and order around the site and among the workers themselves.
As Lord Aeos rode forward, the crowds parted, bowing their heads wherever he passed. He had just reached the edge of the castle grounds when a stout man came running toward him.
He was a middle aged man with a neatly trimmed beard, dressed in colorful robes. From his appearance, he looked like one of those greedy merchants, which, indeed, he was.
"Lord Aeos!" he said, bowing his head with a flattering smile. "I did not know you were coming. If I had known, I would have made arrangements befitting your status."
"It is fine, Maclin," Jon replied with an amused shake of his head.
The man was Maclin, the chief architect overseeing the construction. Maclin was widely considered the most talented man in the field of architecture, with a wealth of experience under his belt. He had built dozens of mansions and manors for Magisters throughout the cities of Essos. But this was the grandest, most magnificent, and most ambitious project he had ever undertaken.
"I thought I would see how things were progressing," Jon continued.
"Ah! Good, good," Maclin laughed. "I will show you our progress."
Jon and his entourage followed Maclin toward the castle.
"As I promised, the entire castle will be completed within a couple of years," Maclin explained. "I have deployed as many laborers and masons as I possibly could."
"And as per your directions," he continued, "I am focusing on a specific section of the castle that will be completed in six months. You will be able to move into the fortress at that point."
"But I must warn you, without the walls fully constructed around the city," he added, "it would not be safe for you to live here."
"You should not worry about that, Maclin," Jon responded. "Even if I were to sleep under the open sky, the men who could actually kill me are very few."
"Haha! Haha!" Maclin laughed. "Great. Great."
#
#
#
[Add the book to your collection. Send it some power stones. Leave a rating and a review.]
[Access advanced chapter on P@treon. Replace @ with a. One additional advanced chapter each week on P@treon. ]
[email protected]/imaginarywriter