Chapter 76: The Duchy Holds Its Breath
A profound and unsettling silence fell over Pyrefall Castle. The ground still trembled from Balerion's launch, a tremor that rippled not only through the stone but through the hearts of every man present. Maegor Targaryen, the King, the Duke, the Lord of Dragons, had simply left. He had soared into the sky on a divine beast, heading west, towards a destiny known only to him. His final, echoing command to Jorah Mormont hung in the air like a ghost. The invasion of Daarno, meticulously planned over months, was now suspended in a moment of sheer, terrifying unpredictability.
The shock was a physical thing, palpable among the commanders and administrators. Jorah Mormont stood rooted to the training grounds, his face a mask of awe and bewilderment. Ser Barristan Selmy, who had watched countless kings come and go, had never seen such a thing. Ser Kaeto Targaryen, his Gryphon perched silently on a nearby tower, simply stared at the empty sky, a dozen unasked questions in his eyes.
But amid the stunned silence, one man moved with the calm, decisive authority of a true statesman. Hand Aegon Duskryn. His decades of quiet management and shrewd business had prepared him for this moment. He was no warrior, but he was a leader, and the fate of the Duchy of Qehes now rested on his shoulders. He was the acting King.
"Lord-Commander Barristan!" Aegon's voice, though not loud, cut through the shock like a knife. "Sound the horn. All of Pyrefall is on high alert! Ser Kaeto, send your ravens! The Duchy of Qehes is on the highest state of alert. Any enemy action will be met with immediate and overwhelming force, without a moment's hesitation!"
His first, and most crucial, order was to secure the line of succession and the precious Targaryen blood.
"Lord-Commander Barristan, I require your finest knights for a mission of utmost urgency," Aegon commanded. "Select three Royal Guards and one of your most trusted officers. They will ride with one hundred men of the Myrosh Light Cavalry, riding hard and fast to Dilora Barony. They are to bring Governor Viserys Targaryen, his wife Deana, and their unborn child back to the security of Pyrefall Castle immediately! They are not to return without them."
The order was as swift as it was necessary. Viserys was the closest, most direct line of succession after Maegor's own son. His safety was paramount. The fact that Viserys was an idiot was irrelevant; he was Targaryen blood, and Aegon would protect it.
He then moved to secure the remaining, scattered flames of the Dragon.
"Lyra, and Prince Vaegon," Aegon stated, his voice firm. "They are to be moved to the most secure suite of rooms in this castle, with a direct guard of ten Castle Guards assigned to them, around the clock. The same guards, ten strong, are to be assigned to protect Daenerys Targaryen, and a similar guard to each of the King's mistresses, Malora Celtigar and Allyne Connington. Their safety is non-negotiable."
Aegon's gaze then fell on Ser Kaeto. The irony of the situation, a Targaryen ordering a Targaryen to be guarded, was not lost on him, but protocol and a ruthless pragmatism were needed. "Ser Kaeto," Aegon began, his voice softening slightly, but his gaze unyielding. "You are not to leave this castle for any reason. For your own safety, you are on leave from your duties, and a rotating guard of ten Castle Guards will be assigned to you as well. Your identity as a Targaryen makes you a prize beyond measure, and I will not risk you." Kaeto, though a warrior, understood the logic and simply bowed his head in acceptance.
The rest of Aegon's orders fell with a cool, tactical precision that belied his shock.
"Commander Maenyx! Your Blood Wyrms are recalled to Pyrefall Castle immediately! Your sole duty is now the defense of this capital and its Targaryen wards."
"Aerion Lightstep! I do not know where you are, but you and your Shadow Assassins are to be on full alert. Your primary mission is now the absolute protection of every Targaryen in this castle. You will move unseen, and strike without question at any threat, internal or external."
"The Crimson Cloaks are to patrol the streets of Noronos on a high alert footing! They will enforce order with an iron fist and report any suspicious activity immediately to my command!"
The Duchy of Qehes, which had been preparing for an aggressive conquest, now found itself in a defensive posture, a fortress with a clenched jaw. The armies under Jorah Mormont and Gareth Blackwood, though surprised, would continue their training, their orders to remain in place unless commanded otherwise. The invasion of Daarno, the culmination of months of meticulous planning, was now delayed.
Maegor Targaryen, the man who had built this intricate web of power, had abandoned it all on a whim of a familial loyalty. But the system he had built, the men he had chosen, and the power he had consolidated, were strong enough to endure even his own absence. The Duchy held its breath, a sleeping dragon, waiting for the return of its king, or for the first fool brave enough to stir it.