Faced with the prospect of war, Viserys Targaryen was determined to turn Viserysfort into an impregnable stronghold.
Throughout history, "hammer and anvil" tactics had been used successfully for one reason: they worked.
Viserys had never commanded a campaign of this scale, but he could draw lessons from the great battles of the past: the Field of Crows where the Tall Men fell, the Battle of Qohor where the Unsullied became legends, the Battle of the Trident, and even the future Battle of the Blackwater.
Roland Lake was a veteran of the Trident, and the Red Viper was a scholar of war.
"Rhaenys, besides looking after Daenerys, I need you to ensure the household staff—the cooks, washerwomen, and servants—are well settled. Master Syrio will assist you, and I am assigning Fireworm to your command."
"Yes, Your Grace." Rhaenys's lovely face grew serious. There were only three Targaryens left in the world; she had to shoulder her share of the burden.
Ideally, palace security was paramount. Viserys assigned Fireworm and three other Unsullied as her personal guard.
Using Unsullied as household guards was common practice in Essos.
Bloodworm took the remaining five Unsullied and began urgent shield-wall drills. It was a last-minute effort, but the strength of the Unsullied lay in their years of brutal training, their pain tolerance, and their near-supernatural discipline.
"Count Roland, you are in charge of gathering the harvest and managing army logistics. At the same time, gather all our people into the city."
The Andals and Rhoynar had generations of experience hiding from Dothraki raids, so gathering the population from the surrounding lands shouldn't be difficult.
"I will see it done perfectly," Count Roland Lake promised.
Roland felt this would be a battle to rival the Trident. The last war had ended in defeat; this time, he would not allow himself to fail. He had let down his younger self and Prince Rhaegar; he would not let down Viserys.
---
"Have the shipyards in Viserysfort work at full capacity. We will need river galleys. As for the naval fleet, for now, we rely on Morosh."
The Upper and Little Rhoyne were shallow, suitable only for smaller river craft.
Andalos didn't have the technology to build ocean-going warships—the crown jewels of pre-industrial engineering. Viserys's Andals and Rhoynar lacked the expertise for such complex vessels, and they couldn't learn it overnight.
However, they could certainly build longships for the river.
Viserys had plenty of good sailors, many of whom were escaped slaves from shipyards and crews across the world. In the future, building a true navy wouldn't be just a dream.
"Next is our troop deployment. Count Roland and Prince Oberyn will serve as my seconds," Viserys announced the main event.
"First, the reserve force. I will lead a contingent of knights, along with the eight hundred Dothraki warriors who have pledged to me," Viserys emphasized.
The Dothraki were the fastest cavalry they had. Viserys decided to keep them close as a trump card.
Viserys wasn't a commander like Tywin Lannister or Stannis Baratheon, men who led from the rear with caution and calculation. He was more like the vanguard commanders of old, leading from the front.
However, Viserys had better personal combat skills and aimed to combine bravery with strategy.
"The rest will follow the structure I established previously. Not just the regular army, but the auxiliaries as well. Count Donnel will command the First Legion's infantry. Agos will lead the independent cavalry. Hugo will command the longbowmen. Garin will take charge of the Second Legion's river fleet and javelin throwers. The Third Legion, made up of freedmen, will be led by Jalabhar. The Fourth group... let clever Dick handle them."
Viserys combined his regulars and auxiliaries to ensure Andalos could field the maximum number of soldiers.
His strongest forces were the Andals and Rhoynar. The freedmen were numerous but less trained, though they included many skilled craftsmen.
Due to wars and migration, the Andals and Rhoynar no longer commanded the hundreds of thousands they once did. The population remaining in Essos had dwindled; a few tens of thousands of soldiers was likely their limit.
A steady stream of "half-wildlings" from Crackclaw Point had come to join Viserys, but not enough to form a full legion.
"Finally, external support." Viserys looked around the room. "I will handle Braavos and Pentos personally..."
Viserys doubted negotiation would yield much, but he had to make the demands regardless.
"I leave Norvos and Qohor to Prince Oberyn..."
Norvos had its bearded axemen, and Qohor had its heavy cavalry and Unsullied city watch. Though their numbers weren't huge, they were formidable fighters.
Oberyn's black eyes glittered. "That suits me perfectly. I have a sharp spear and a sharper tongue."
Oberyn spoke lightly, but given his travels in Essos and his connections in Norvos—through Doran's wife—he was the perfect diplomat for this mission.
"I will do my utmost to seek support from Norvos and Qohor," the Red Viper said. "But don't get your hopes up. Keeping them neutral would be a victory in itself."
Viserys expected as much. An alliance with Norvos and Qohor wouldn't be public; at best, they would offer covert aid.
"Apart from Norvos and Qohor, there are the Three Daughters and Volantis," Count Donnel noted.
"Volantis moves like a tortoise," the Red Viper scoffed. One of his paramours was Volantene, and he knew the Old Blood well.
It wasn't that he underestimated Volantis, but they were too far away. Getting the three tigers to piss in the same pot was difficult enough; by the time they mobilized, the war might be over.
Myr and Lys were similar; their Magisters would debate endlessly while the opportunity passed them by.
"The same goes for Lys and Myr. The most likely threat is the Archon of Tyrosh sending an army from the south," Viserys analyzed.
"Unless they see the war turning against us, the Tyroshi won't commit their own troops," the Red Viper shook his head. "I suspect they won't send the City Watch; they'll hire sellswords."
"I've considered that," Viserys nodded.
"If that's the case, we can find mercenaries too. Tyrosh sends scouts; we send counter-scouts... though sellswords are notoriously unreliable if the tide turns against them." Oberyn considered. "I could write to the Second Sons."
The Red Viper had ridden with the Second Sons and still had friends in the company.
"It's worth a try."
Viserys had considered a plan to assassinate Drogo, but the risks were high, and he didn't know the Khal's location. A steady defense was better.
His forces were organized for defense followed by a counterattack. Meeting Drogo on the open field was suicide; Andalos didn't have enough horses to match the Dothraki in mobility.
"Those are the basics. Dig the moats deeper and wider. Get the heavy trebuchets and scorpions in position. Stockpile stone, pitch, and wildfire. Especially the wildfire—have the soldiers practice with dummy jars first. We can't have them burning themselves."
"The rest is training. I will train the reserve force personally, and my dragon, Sunblaze, will be the decisive weapon. Now, let us win a glorious victory," Viserys concluded.
With calculated preparation against an unsuspecting enemy, Viserys had prepared a devastating combination of blows. Add the surprise element of a dragon, and Viserys was confident he could turn Essos upside down.
"May the Old Gods and the New bless you, and the Warrior grant you a great victory. King Viserys of House Targaryen, the Sword of Andalos!" High Septon Uther chanted loudly.
Then all voices joined together in a roar: "King Viserys, Sword of Andalos! Victory!"
The voices merged into a river of sound, waiting for the war to come.
---
Later that night, in the King's bedchamber.
"Goodnight, Viserys!" Rhaenys kissed his hand, then took Daenerys to leave. "May the Gods protect you."
"And you, my brave girls."
They had shed the masks of rulers; now, they were just family.
Rhaenys and Daenerys had listened to Viserys's tales of adventure, thrilled and frightened by the danger. Rhaenys felt they should have gone on the adventure together.
After Viserys sent them away, he finally had a moment of quiet.
---
Viserys looked around his bedroom. A black dragon egg lay quietly in a brazier, and not far away sat the purple-red dragon nest.
This might have been the wealthiest bedroom in the world, housing six fossilized dragon eggs and priceless weapons.
Viserys stared at the eggs again and again, wondering if they harbored souls waiting to be born.
He lay comfortably in his bed, finally enjoying a peaceful night.
That night, Viserys dreamed of the Red Keep's courtyard again.
He thought of the day he had left in such a hurry. He wanted to run, but he was stuck in place.
Until finally, a roaring fire crackled around him, as if someone were answering his call.
As the fire burned, massive pillars of flame rose around him, and a dragon stared into his eyes.
Not just one dragon—two.
Viserys saw them clearly: a golden dragon and a black dragon were watching him. Their eyes, like molten lava, met his.
Viserys woke with a start.
"A dragon dream? And two dragons?"