Chapter 147: Regaining control of the Royal Guards and the maritime defense system
In the Council Chamber of the Red Keep, the Small Council members awaited King Viserys's arrival.
King Viserys entered the hall, with Daemon walking beside him like his shadow, followed by Prince Aegon, Prince Baelon, and Prince Jaehaerys, as well as Princess Rhaenyra.
Ser Otto Hightower immediately had an ominous premonition; Daemon had never attended a Small Council meeting since returning to King's Landing, and this time, not only did Daemon attend, but he also brought his three sons.
Rhaenyra, who had long served as cupbearer to her father, King Viserys, in the Small Council, pulled out his chair for him. After King Viserys was seated, he looked around at the Small Council members and said, "Daemon will return to the Small Council to serve, and Daemon's three sons will serve as my squires and cupbearers."
Ser Otto Hightower forced a narrow smile. "Your Grace, Prince Daemon, in the name of the Iron Throne, rules the Three Daughters on Essos' Heel across the Narrow Sea. Pentos, Braavos, and Volantis are all stirring. Prince Daemon should return to the Three Daughters as soon as possible."
Previously, when Daemon and Ser Otto Hightower worked together in the King's Landing Small Council, their cooperation was very unpleasant. During the years Daemon spent in the Three Daughters, Ser Otto Hightower painstakingly established the authority of the Hand of the King, and he did not want to rekindle their old ties with Daemon in the Small Council.
Under Ser Otto Hightower's gaze, Daemon pulled out the chair to the King's left, sat down casually, looking as if he were strolling through his own brothel. Daemon showed a sharp smile. "The Three Daughters is being ruled by Lord Roderick Dustin, the Wolf of the Barrows, so I'm not in a hurry to leave. I originally planned to return to Blackwater City for a vacation, but King Viserys said that governing the kingdom cannot do without my help, so I had no choice but to return to the Small Council."
Ser Otto Hightower frowned. "The Tomb Wolf is a Northman. He grew up in the land of winter and ice. Letting him govern the warm Three Daughters will surely lead to chaos. The Tomb Wolf doesn't even speak the language of the Three Daughters."
Daemon said casually, "The Three Daughters is ruled by Westeros, so the Tomb Wolf doesn't need to speak the language of the Three Daughters to rule it well."
King Viserys smiled and said, "With Daemon helping me govern the kingdom, I can rest assured, attend feasts every day, and enjoy life."
Daemon had previously served as Hand of the King, and in King Viserys's view, Daemon was the most outstanding Hand of the King in the history of the Targaryen dynasty, even better than Maester Barth by King Jaehaerys the Conciliator's side.
Lord Lyonel Strong, the Master of Laws, showed a gentle smile. "Prince Daemon, welcome back. The kingdom will surely benefit greatly from you."
Lord Lyonel Strong, the Lord of Harrenhal, could be called Daemon's staunch ally.
Grand Maester Mellos stroked his snow-white beard. "Prince Daemon, I look forward to working with you. I have many questions about the Three Daughters and dragons that I'd like to ask you!"
Daemon nodded slightly. "Grand Maester Mellos, we'll have plenty of time to communicate face-to-face later."
Grand Maester Runciter had passed away earlier this year, and Maester Mellos became the new Grand Maester. He was known for his medical skills, especially his expertise in leech therapy.
Daemon recalled the Grand Maesters of the Small Council since he transmigrated to Westeros: the sharp-tongued Archmaester Elysar, who always spewed saliva during meetings; the gentle and reserved Archmaester Yalar, who liked to chew sour grass before meetings, and who delivered several of Daemon's children; the melancholic and gloomy Grand Maester Runciter, who witnessed Prince Baelon's death and King Viserys's ascension to the Iron Throne, and who fully assisted King Viserys during his early reign on the Iron Throne, and also witnessed Daemon's great conquest in the Three Daughters.
Now it was Maester Mellos. When Maester Mellos was not yet a Grand Maester, he had visited the Three Daughters as a special envoy of the King, and that visit left a very good impression on Daemon. Daemon believed that, given time, he would definitely be able to win over Maester Mellos to jointly oppose the annoying Ser Otto Hightower.
Lyman Beesbury, Master of Coin, the Master of Coin, happily said, "Prince Daemon, you have mountains of wealth in the Three Daughters and Blackwater City. You have a knack for making money and are very experienced in financial management. The kingdom needs a good financial helper like you."
Daemon clasped his hands together on his chest. "Lord Lyman, you are the top financial expert in Westeros. You have kept the royal treasury full and have been silently contributing to the kingdom and King Jaehaerys the Conciliator in the Small Council for so many years."
Of course, this was just Daemon's polite remark. Lord Lyman Beesbury had served as Master of Coin during King Jaehaerys the Conciliator's reign. He was upright but of average ability. If it weren't for the vast amount of wealth accumulated during King Jaehaerys the Conciliator's long reign, with the treasury's money being more than could be spent, Lord Lyman Beesbury would not have been able to stay in the position of Master of Coin for so long.
Lord Bartimos Celtigar, the Master of Ships, was a thin, middle-aged man. He wore an ivory silk coat, with the Celtigar family's crab sigil carved from garnet on his chest. Since the Sea Snake resigned from the Master of Ships position on the Small Council, King Viserys had not been able to find a suitable candidate. In just a few years, the Master of Ships had changed several times, and now it was Bartimos Celtigar's turn.
Lord Bartimos Celtigar said, "Prince Daemon, Lys, Tyrosh, and Myr are all natural harbors with many excellent shipbuilders. I hope that in the future, the Three Daughters can provide more high-quality warships for the royal fleet. In recent years, the Braavosi Sea Lord's Fleet has often plundered the coastal areas of Westeros, and the kingdom has been greatly troubled by it."
Daemon said, "The Braavosi will soon pay for their actions."
Ser Harrold Westerling, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, was bald. He was also the last living Kingsguard from King Jaehaerys the Conciliator's era. Ser Harrold Westerling was known for his strength and ferocity when he was young, but now, time had bent his back, and his face, over sixty years old, was covered with wrinkles, and even his eyebrows had turned snow-white.
Ser Harrold Westerling said, "Prince Daemon, you broke the chains of slavery and freed slaves in the Three Daughters. Many knights and squires in Westeros see you as the embodiment of the Warrior of the Seven Gods. Now that you have returned to serve in the King's Landing Small Council, I hope you can train more excellent knights for the kingdom as much as possible."
Ser Otto Hightower watched the Small Council members flatter Daemon, feeling depressed. He forced himself to cheer up. "Your Grace, may I ask what position Prince Daemon will hold?"
King Viserys said, "Daemon will serve as my advisor and will once again command the Kingsguard."
The founder of the Kingsguard was Prince Daemon, and the nominal supreme commander was the King. Daemon personally reorganized the chaotic, undisciplined, and poorly equipped City Watch into the Kingsguard, who wore golden cloaks and were equipped with daggers and longswords.
After Daemon left King's Landing for the Three Daughters, King Viserys handed over control of the Kingsguard to Hand of the King Ser Otto Hightower and Lord Lyonel Strong, the Master of Laws, with Lord Commander of the Kingsguard Ser Ryam Redwyne, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard co-commanding. After Ser Ryam Redwyne, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard passed away, Ser Harrold Westerling became the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
Initially, the division of power over the Kingsguard among the Hand of the King, the Master of Laws, and the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard was not clear, but after a few years, the division of labor gradually became clear.
Lord Lyonel Strong, the Master of Laws, was in charge of law and order in the three major areas of Aegon's High Hill, Visenya's Hill, and Rhaenys' Hill. Hand of the King Ser Otto Hightower was responsible for law and order at the major city gates and in districts such as Flea Bottom and Eel Alley. The security of the Red Keep was the responsibility of Ser Harrold Westerling, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard.
The ambitious Ser Otto Hightower had originally hoped to exclusively control the Kingsguard, but as Hand of the King, he had to handle a large amount of daily business, so he could only delegate power to the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard and the Master of Laws. Over the years, Ser Otto Hightower had painstakingly managed to place some trusted subordinates in the Kingsguard, but he never expected that Daemon would return to King's Landing and immediately reclaim command of the Kingsguard.
Ser Otto Hightower felt increasingly vexed. He cleared his throat. "Your Grace, Prince Daemon needs to rule the Three Daughters, and his burden is already heavy enough. Why should he also bear the heavy responsibility of commanding the Kingsguard? I recommend Ser Harrold Westerling, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard. It is the best choice for the Kingsguard captain to command the Kingsguard."
Ser Harrold Westerling's Adam's apple bobbed uneasily. "I am too old. The defense of the Red Keep alone has exhausted me. I am unable to bear the heavy responsibility of commanding the Kingsguard. In my opinion, Prince Daemon is the best choice. He personally created the Kingsguard and has high prestige in King's Landing's Flea Bottom, River Row, Silk Street, and other major districts."
Seeing Ser Harrold Westerling refuse, Ser Otto Hightower panicked a little. He said, "Since Ser Harrold Westerling is unwilling to take over the Kingsguard, then the Kingsguard commander can choose a young man. Your Grace, I have several suitable candidates."
Daemon smiled. "Ser Otto Hightower, you don't need to trouble yourself. I am the most suitable candidate."
King Viserys said, "Since my grandfather, King Jaehaerys, passed away, the security of King's Landing has begun to decline. The population of King's Landing has started to decrease, and the security of King's Landing has been completely surpassed by Blackwater City on the south bank of the Blackwater Rush. Daemon can solve the security problem."
Princess Rhaenyra, the cupbearer, poured Lysene brandy, brought by Daemon from across the Narrow Sea, into each Small Council member's cup. King Viserys took a sip. "Let's begin today's agenda!"
Hand of the King Ser Otto Hightower began to rummage through the parchment in front of him. "Your Grace, a group of pirates have occupied some islands near Skagos in the North. The Night's Watch commander at Eastwatch-by-the-Sea claims that these pirates are well-equipped and use oared warships. After landing on Skagos, they traded with the Skagosi, and some pirates are conducting illegal operations Beyond the Wall through River Row. Night's Watch brothers captured a pirate ship laden with slaves."
Lord Lyman Beesbury said indifferently, "Wildlings Beyond the Wall often cross The Wall and plunder the North. Let the pirates kill each other across the Narrow Sea! It's none of our business anyway."
Daemon said, "Skagos is nominally still part of the North, a vassal of House Stark of Winterfell. These pirates capturing slaves are very likely exiled nobles of the Triarchy. If we allow them to join forces with the Skagosi, they will certainly threaten the security of the North and even the kingdom in the future."
"I suggest immediately sending the royal fleet north to drive out the pirates and defeat those Skagosi who refuse to submit. And while we're at it, drive out those Braavosi fishing fleets that are approaching Westerosi waters to fish."
King Viserys fiddled with a map of the North, his hand resting on the Shivering Sea. "Why do the Braavosi have such a large expanse of ocean to their north, yet they insist on coming to fish near Westeros?"
Daemon said, "Braavos has less arable land. To feed their citizens, they can only go fishing in the sea, and the confluence of the Shivering Sea cold current and the Narrow Sea warm current forms fertile fishing grounds. Duke Stark has always complained that the Braavosi are rampant in the Shivering Sea, not allowing fishing boats from the North and the Three Sisters to fish there, and even fishing near the east coast of the North. It's time to teach the Braavosi a lesson."
Ser Otto Hightower sneered, "Prince Daemon, because you conquered the Three Daughters, Braavos, Pentos, and the remnants of the Triarchy across the Narrow Sea have been opposing the Iron Throne. The royal fleet's strength is already inferior to the Braavosi Sea Lord's Fleet. If our royal fleet goes to the distant and remote Skagos and deep into the Shivering Sea for a few pirates, what if the Braavosi Sea Lord's Fleet and the Pentos fleet take the opportunity to attack King's Landing?"
Daemon stroked the three-headed dragon sigil on his chest. "King's Landing now has more than a dozen dragons, comparable to Valyria. If the Braavosi Sea Lord's Fleet and the Pentos fleet dare to come, then they are seeking their own demise."
Grand Maester Mellos looked worried. "Prince Daemon, facing dragons, the Braavosi Sea Lord's Fleet and the Pentos people indeed have little chance of winning, but the enemy has many warships, and they can divide their forces. In fact, when Prince Daemon was fighting Pentos and Braavos, the enemy's fleets often plundered villages along the coast of the Vale and the North. The Volantene and the pirates they hired sometimes plundered the coastal areas of Dorne. The coastal lords were helpless."
Daemon said calmly, "I understand all these situations. In some places on the east coast of Westeros, the enemy does not dare to provoke, such as the Three Sisters. The Sistermen can use longships to fight the enemy to the death."
"It's time to strengthen our naval defenses. I suggest building a complete defense system based on White Harbor, Widow's Watch, Dreadfort, Karhold, Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, Skagos in the North, the Three Sisters, Five Fingers Peninsula, Gulltown, Runestone in the Vale, Storm's End, Tarth, Ithmont Island in the Stormlands, and Plankytown, Sunspear in Dorne."
"Imagine, when we build trebuchets, arrow towers, station troops, and send out fleets to defend these places, and this defense extends from Eastwatch-by-the-Sea at The Wall all the way to Plankytown in Dorne, will the enemy still dare to provoke us? When the benefits of plunder are not proportionate to the cost, the enemy will naturally be sensible enough to stay away from Westeros."
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