Chapter 21: Kingdom of Evil
Dragonstone, in the Table Hall.
Crackling!
The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, providing warmth and light to Rhaenyra and her two children who were studying in front of the fireplace.
She taught Aegon, who was seven years old at the time, and Viserys, who was five years old, literacy.
The 12-year-old Alex and the 10-year-old Joffrey were taught martial arts by Daemon.
This well-traveled family is harmonious and united to a degree that outsiders would not expect.
Da da da!
A burst of hurried footsteps came from the direction of the door of the drawing room.
Rhaenyra turned her head and saw Daemon, dressed in noble casual clothes, holding the Vulcan steel sword at his waist with one hand and a raven letter in the other.
Although Damon still had a stern expression on his face that said "no strangers allowed",
But Rainier, who had watched him grow up, immediately felt that he was very happy!
"Damon, is there any good news?"
"Well, it's about Xiaojie."
Hearing Daemon's answer, Rhaenyra was suddenly confused.
“Xiao Jie?
Didn't he just write back two days ago saying he was going to Tasmania, also known as the 'Sapphire Island'?
Judging from the time, he should still be at sea!"
Damon stopped walking after hearing this, and after a slight twitch of his mouth, he slowly said, “Rhaenyra, Xiaojie didn’t actually go to Tas Island.
He assisted Old Sea Serpent in capturing Grey Gallows Island and Bloodstone Island.
The entire Stepstones are now back under the rule of your father."
Squeak!
Upon hearing this, Rhaenyra immediately stood up with the help of a chair, then rushed to Daemon and snatched the raven letter.
After reading the contents of the letter with a dark face, Rhaenyra tilted her head and said softly to her two sons: "Aegon, Viserys.
Take a break and go to the garden to play with your brother."
"Great!"
Upon hearing this, the two silver-haired princes happily dropped the books in their hands and skipped out of the drawing room.
“You knew that a long time ago, didn’t you?
Why did you let Xiaojie participate in the war in the Stone Steps Islands without telling me?
Because he is not your biological son.
So you don't love him and don't care about him?"
Daemon was not angry at Rhaenyra's sudden outburst.
When he allowed Jacaerys to go to the Stepstones, he guessed that Rhaenyra, who loved her son dearly, would be furious later.
It’s okay now, at least it’s not the worst situation he had imagined.
"Rhaenyra, calm down and don't say such angry words.
You know I love children.
If I didn't care about Xiaojie, would I let Benila go with him to the Stone Steps Islands?
Children grow up, and it’s time for us to let go!”
Daemon's sincere words calmed Rhaenyra down a little.
She glanced at the Stone Steps Archipelago area on the map table and murmured, "But Xiaojie is only 13 years old!
He might be injured in the war, or even killed!
Only on Dragonstone, with us, is it safest!"
"He is your eldest son, Rhaenyra, a Targaryen.
The heir to the Iron Throne after you!
In the future, he is destined to be a giant dragon soaring into the sky and shocking the world with his fangs and sharp claws!
If you keep him tied to Dragonstone with a rope, he will become just a docile dog.
Just like me…”
Although Daemon finally stopped talking in time, Rhaenyra still understood what he wanted to say.
After taking a deep look at Daemon’s slightly gloomy face, she said coldly: “So, rather than staying on Dragonstone with me, live with the children.
Deep down, you yearn for an exciting life filled with war and blood.
right?
Let's go!
All of you go away, leave me, leave Dragonstone!"
Ugh!
Damon sighed deeply, didn't say anything else, and turned around and left the drawing room.
The fire in the fireplace was still burning. Rainier sat back in her chair and stared at the letter in her hand in a daze.
……
In King's Landing, a royal meeting is being held in the Red Castle.
The Imperial Conference Room has undergone many changes compared to a few years ago.
The hollow window at the top was transformed into a huge seven-pointed star emblem, and the curtains around it were changed to dark green. Alicent Hightower, wearing a seven-pointed star necklace, was sitting on the king's chair.
The so-called living in a place nourishes the qi, while moving around nourishes the body!
The beautiful queen, who had become more graceful and elegant with the passage of time, said nothing.
Just by sitting there, he already had the aura of a powerful superior.
“Your Majesty, as the Lord Admiral, I am not protecting Lannisport!
According to my understanding, when merchant ships from King's Landing, Oldtown, and the Arbor pass through the Stepstones,
The Velaryon Fleet forced them to pay some kind of "channel cleaning and maintenance fee".
Such a fee had been unheard of since the days of Aegon the Conqueror.
I implore you to order Jacaerys Velaryon to be reprimanded and punished!"
The golden-haired Tyran Lannister was angrily reporting on the problems of the Stepstone Islands.
Queen Alicent hadn't spoken yet.
The white-haired and wrinkled Chancellor of the Exchequer, Lynman Beesbury.
He then said, "Lord Tyran, let's not talk about whether the fee charged by the Velaryon fleet is legal.
Even if there is a reprimand, it should be directed at Earl Collis, why would it be directed at Prince Jacaerys?"
Unlike Tailan, who was supported by Alison and his daughter to become the Minister of the Navy because of Sea Snake's resignation.
Lin Man is a member of the Black Party who firmly defends Princess Rainier's inheritance rights.
So when he saw that Tyran was showing signs of pointing his finger at Princess Rainier, he immediately spoke up to refute.
It is precisely because of these behaviors that Lin Man died tragically at the hands of Christon Cole in the TV series.
"Master Lin Man, you haven't heard about it, have you?
News of Prince Jacaerys's evil deeds spread throughout King's Landing.
At the age of six, he controlled a giant dragon to devour civilians.
It’s even more incredible now!
Riding a giant dragon, he burned warships and soldiers indiscriminately at the Stone Steps Islands.
It is said that his giant dragon has eaten three to four thousand people alive!
Nearly half of them were even his own Velaryon soldiers.
They also poisoned the underground water source of Bloodstone Island, turning the precious island belonging to the kingdom into a wasteland.
All the common people are spitting and cursing him, calling him the 'evil of the kingdom'!"
The person who said this to Linman was Law Secretary Jasper Wilder.
He is a member of the Green Party who firmly supports traditional inheritance law (sons take precedence over daughters).
“Ahem! Ahem!
Lord Jasper, the rumors you heard may be exaggerated.
Three or four thousand people!
Even if we lined up every day to be devoured by Prince Jakaris' dragon, it would probably take a year or two.
But I also heard that Prince Jacaerys's personality is... well, more free-spirited.
Many things were done in the Stone Steps Islands that would scare people to hear about them.
You really should be reminded!"
Grand Secretary Orwell just took over this year and he has no clear stance.
But after all, he was born in Old Town, and currently Alison and her daughter are in power.
There is still a lot of bias in what he said.
Boom!
When the sound of the stone balls hitting each other was heard, all the officials in the imperial meeting turned their heads.
Only to hear the King, who was sitting alone at the right hand of Queen Alison, Otto Hightower, speak: “First, the waterway cleaning and maintenance fees!
The kingdom has never levied such a fee.
Even if it is to be levied, the fees should be sent to the treasury of King's Landing.
Otherwise, it would be the crime of embezzling the kingdom's property.
Second, Prince Daemon had presented King Viserys with the crown of King of the Narrow Sea and the Stepstones fifteen years ago.
Therefore, the Stone Steps Islands legally belong to the kingdom's territory.
There are now rumors that House Velaryon has secretly occupied the Stepstones.
Prince Jacaerys wreaks havoc on the Stepstones.
My Queen, I think it would be wise to order Lord Corliss and Prince Jacaerys to come to King's Landing.
Clear up the rumors!"
Queen Alicent nodded and gave an order to the captain of the Kingsguard beside her: "Sir Harold, send a white knight brother to deliver my order to the Stepstones.
Well, be nicer!"
(End of this chapter)