109 AC, Port Corinth
The ships arrived at the edges of the port on the wide deep river, the crowded harbour making it difficult to get further into the protected banks of port. His eight Galleons and his carracks, of both Corinth-make and Braavosi, were as far as the eye, well over a hundred of them docked and the sight of them stirred something great within him.
His fleet was amongst the largest in Westeros and Western Essos, only rivalled truly by the city-states though none owed an individual fleet like he did, and certainly no fleet could boast a make up of carracks which were the third largest tonnage of ships in this world…trailing only behind his galleons and the Ibbanese whaling ships.
And Aegon knew that he was only the facilitator of such marvel.
The people who chose to come with him, the people he successfully recruited, and the people who he gotten free and adapted to this new way of life, the success of Corinth and their soon-to-be homeland could be levied directly to them, those who worked with him and trusted in his ideas and his ambitions.
His knowledge and his ideas would have died an ignoble death without these people and Aegon was forever grateful to them as he gazed upon the very symbol of his people's burgeoning greatness.
The other ships that had come with Aegon made to moor at the edges of the port rather than follow Aegon's ship into the inner parts of the port when they saw they were being signalled.
Twin roars made him look upward and he saw Liāzmariña and Mīsaragorn flying over him. Over the past few days, Mīsaragorn had been accompanied in flight by his wife's dragon or by one or two of his children's dragons, as much a signal as any that Corinth knew of his coming.
And, as the ship traversed slowly further into the port with only fore-and-aft sails, towards the free piers by the inner part of the port, where the shipyard was as well, passing by lanes of docked ships on both side of the river, Aegon could see a crowd of men waiting by one of the few free piers and the ship made way to it.
The sails were cast off and the ship coasted and when they were close enough, the crew threw a line ashore at the bow before also sending down a longer line at the stern. The men at the dock reeled in the lines, pivoting and adjusting so that the stern would brought around to be parallel with the pier.
And, as the final adjustments were made and the Aegon eyed the crowd of men as the anchor was lowered into the water, many of whom had been the men who had fought with him amongst the men who were tasked to protect Corinth in their absence, and he saw the happy faces that were adorned on all of their faces.
Their happiness at simply seeing him was something he cherished greatly, seeing how much he meant to his people.
Ser Cedrick and Ser Galaenys were amongst the men waiting on the pier as they descended down from the ship on the gangway.
"My Prince." Ser Cedrick said with a bow, a bow that was followed by the rest of his men, and Ser Cedrick continued, with a smile on his face "Welcome home."
"Ser Cedrick." Aegon acknowledged with a ghost of a smile "It is good to be amongst you all." Aegon said before he looked to Ser Galaenys "No problems on the sail back?"
"No, my Prince. Trouble free." Ser Galaenys said with a savage grin on his face "The waters are scoured free from infestation."
Of course, there was quite likely a number of pirate hideouts that they managed to miss, or ships that gotten away, but for now, none of them would be emboldened to cause trouble for quite some time which was good enough for Aegon.
By now he expected the ship he'd sent to Lys to have arrived there and soon enough word would be spread about his evisceration of the pirates.
"And the freedmen and women? Have we gotten them all safety?"
Ser Galaenys grin faded as he nodded seriously "Yes, my Prince. We had to send a two dozen ships back to the islands once we returned the Naathi to their homeland but everyone has returned now and the ship we sent ahead arrived in Corinth post haste. The ships picked the majority of the freed peoples that been left on Talon."
"And how many elected to make Corinth home?" Aegon asked curiously. Seven hundred Summer Islanders had pledged to himself along with a few other hundreds of people who were likely to accept a place amongst his people but how far it went, he wasn't sure.
The most intrepid likely were going to use the ships that Aegon had no use for, cogs and other kinds of irregular ships salvaged from the Basilisk Isles, which he told his people to hand over to the former slaves to do as they wished when they arrived at Lotus Port.
Others likely would find their passage home in some way or another with some of the coin they spared for the people which should see them pay their way to somewhere, even if it may not be entirely back to home.
"Some three thousand, my Prince." Ser Galaenys said much to Aegon's surprise. That was far more than he expected.
"That many?" Aegon asked seriously as they walked off of the pier and onto solid ground and Aegon came to a stop momentarily. He'd asked Ser Galaenys and the others before they departed to get a measure of the freedmen wishing to stay.
"Most of the ones who wish to remain are commoners or had been slaves even before their capture. It seems many think they'll find better lives amongst us than back home, wherever that may be, especially amongst those who hail east of Slaver's Bay where a shipmate is a poor man's and looked down upon work." Ser Galaenys said to him before adding "Though some of us suspect that they're afraid they'll be capture at sea once more."
Understandable, Aegon mused and honestly, he was rather pleased. They would need more adult hands. "How many are Far Easterners?" Aegon asked curiously.
"Some hundred or two hundred." Ser Galaenys said before eying Ser Cedrick.
'Excellent' Aegon mused to himself. Whilst these Yi-Tish or the Lengese were not the cream of the crop of their respective civilisations, they were sure to be useful in some way or another, especially given that they were ship-hands or in a similar kind of position in society, and he would come to know what they knew, that which could not be learnt in the few ports that these societies opened for foreigners.
"Not sure but I'll check the census." Ser Cedrick answered the unasked question.
Ser Cedrick, outside of his duties as a commander of the forces, was mainly responsible for keeping the peace within Corinth, much like a lord commander of the city guard – which Aegon would eventually elevate him to when they arrived in their new lands – and part of that role was to be intimately involved in the affairs of the town, which included knowing exactly who called Corinth home.
And so Ser Cedrick had access to the census, a census that Aegon made sure was done every time they added to their population.
"That must be a sixth or mayhaps a fifth of them that decided to stay." Aegon said a note of query in his voice. The Far Easterners were almost directly opposite to the Summer Islanders. Xenophobic and distant, even amongst themselves.
"These are not the best of them." Ser Galaenys said with a grimace "Short of stature and of common looks. They don't speak much Common either."
Not surprising. And they probably don't speak a lick of High Valyrian either.
"It is a problem amongst most of the new people, my Prince. The Princess has assigned the learned men to see to their lessons." Ser Cedrick added and Aegon suppressed the desire to smile at his wife's actions though the longing for her grew within him.
Aegon instead nodded though he could see Ser Galaenys still wishing to speak of the matter. He gestured the man to speak.
Ser Galaenys paused for a moment before he spoke up, this time his voice bearing some weight as he spoke. "Prince Jalla wishes to speak with you, my Prince."
Aegon glanced back at the ship and the men who were unloading the ship of the share of spoils that had been portioned on his ship. Aegon turned back to Ser Galaenys and Ser Cedrick and gestured them to walk with him.
"Is Prince Jalla displeased with the thousands of people we dropped off at his city?" Aegon asked calmly as he eyed Ser Galeaeys with a keen look.
"He does not show it but yes, my Prince." Ser Galaenys said soberly "The returned Summer Islanders were of course greeted warmly but as you know, not all freedmen are Summer Islanders and they number in the thousands."
The Summer Islanders would be taken wherever they called home by the sailors of Walano once the return celebrations were complete.
In the distant past, when the Summer Islanders were yet intrepid explorers, the Summer Islanders used to throw festivals to celebrate the departure of the sailors and to honour the gods so that the sailors would return home safely. Another party would be thrown to welcome the sailors back from their adventures, thanking the gods.
In the present time, that tradition was still active although there was a darker element to it whereby the welcoming back festival was also made for those who managed to make their way home after…forced departure.
And, regardless of where exactly the Summer Islanders were from, every island welcomed back any of those who came from the Isles. It was once described to Aegon that the tradition of this festival came in the decades after Xanda Qo, the heroine and the one and only Queen of the Summer Isles.
Aegon nodded before gesturing Ser Galaenys to continue.
The pirates had prowled the seas and taken captive many ships and the people within them and so there were many different ethnicities amongst the freedmen.
Not as many as the Naathi or the Summer Islanders, of course, who remained the preferred, easiest and most numerous targets, but still sizable enough.
He hadn't imagined that the nobility of Walano would be happy to receive thousands of foreigners in their capital city, given the concern over Corinth.
"Had it not been for the silver we set aside for the freedmen who wished to wait and take a ship to wherever they consider home, I fear we may have had bigger problems." Ser Galaenys finished.
The Summer Islanders were not a xenophobic people, if anything they were a overly friendly people who took hospitality to a whole other level.
Aegon loved this, amongst many other things, about the people and it was something that his people had also come to like and incorporate into their lives but Aegon also knew that there were factors involved in Prince Jalla's discontent.
Effectively, Corinth and its autonomy was a concern for Prince Jalla amongst his nobles who were used to the stern and harsh rule of Jalla's uncle.
And with Aegon and his family here, effectively portioned away a significant portion of land that was no longer Summer Islander land – in their eyes – it was point of attack for Prince Jalla's political opponents.
Not enough to back another of the same family to issue a formal challenge – which ironically is probably because Aegon and his men were here – but enough to be a persistent irritant to Prince Jalla.
It didn't help that Prince Jalla's wife, a daughter of a powerful Walano noble, definitely did not like him. In truth, the gifts, the stone roads and host of other techniques and technologies like improved yield of foodstuffs, should have earned him some leeway with the nobility of Walano, and it did with many yet, as always, there were those who saw opportunity for advancement or engineering discourse.
"I will deal with the matter." Aegon said with a nod, ending the topic there.
He'd planned on meeting with Prince Jalla anyway regarding his plans for the future of Corinth and Slaver's Bay along with his and his people's departure from Walano. This…displeasure was related to all of that anyway so Prince Jalla should be extremely happy by the end of it all.
Speaking of the future…
Aegon paused as he looked towards the Galleons that literally sailed to the future. Their future. Aegon's eyes gleamed as he spoke. "I see that our victory in the Basilisk Isles is not the only thing we must celebrate" Aegon turned back towards the men, a faint but pleased smile forming in his face, one that could never convey the relief and happiness he felt.
The ships were like the physical representation of hope to Aegon, tantalising and seductive in the way they suggested everything he hoped for was but a sail away.
"Though I would not be surprised if I had missed the celebrations." Aegon said.
Ser Cedrick smiled whilst the men beside him chuckled slightly "Aye, the cheer has been going on for moons" 'so the Lady Dawn and Discovery have been back that long then?' Gael had indicated success to Mīsaragorn but not much more than that. "Though I do not think any of us will refuse another festival, my Prince."
Aegon's smile grew and it was one of genuine happiness before he let it go as he said "Fill me in as much as you can as we walk, Cedrick. I am sure there is much that has happened over the past few moons." Aegon paused for a moment as he looked towards the distance to the fort.
Ser Galaenys was the next to speak up "The royal family has been informed. They will meet us in the town, my Prince." Aegon turned to Galaenys and nodded to the man appreciatively.
After Aegon got on top of his horse, Ser Cedrick asked "I have not seen Fororlan, my Prince, is he on one of the other ships?"
The men who had come down with him visibly looked uncomfortable, especially one of the men who had been there on the island with him. "We lost a few men on the Isle of Toads. Fororlan was amongst them." Aegon said to Ser Cedrick with a grim note and it surprised Cedrick and Galaenys.
Aegon eyed Galaenys as he spoke "Make sure the families get their due."
"Of course, my Prince." Ser Galaenys said with a nod and the conversation about the deaths on Isle of Toads was ended, much to Aegon's pleasure. His un-waking hours were bothered enough as it was with what happened there.
He'd hear none of it awake if he could help it.
On the half hour journey towards the town atop steeds, Ser Cedrick informed him of the happenings of Corinth since their departure to the Basilisk Isles.
Not much had changed, that is until the two galleons returned from the West. Thankfully Gael had acted quickly as they discussed should the ships return during his campaign and sealed off Corinth from the outside world as much as possible.
Aegon idly wondered if that was also partly why Prince Jalla was upset before he refocused his attentions to Ser Cedrick.
The man spoke of discretion the men of the two ships had taken thanks to Gael's work and word, much to Aegon's relief as it was a point of concern for him, especially since such a finding would eventually get out regardless of what measures you put in place.
And, given that the people of Corinth knew now of the so called 'promised lands', even if they did not know where, Aegon was quite sure that others keeping an eye on his affairs would or already knew of the discovery.
It would mean that they were on a clock now…in truth they'd been on the clock the moment the ships returned from the West.
Sooner or later, the Known World would learn of the discovery and where it was.
They'd need to act fast and hard.
Ser Cedrick also informed him of Ser Uthrik's return with a host of women – which was said with suppressed amusement and Aegon knew that the well-liked knight-cum-spy had likely suffered through a number of jokes about it – which also included Minisha, the woman who Seleyse had entrusted Oldtown too, and Aegon was extremely pleased about that success.
How opportune too, Aegon mused to himself, that they got the glass candles before they returned to the new lands. He'd need to work fast in figuring out how they worked. He had some clue, thanks to his persistent search of Valyrian literature, but he'd need to figure it out soon as he wanted to send the men to the new lands soon.
When they arrived in town, passing through the gates of Corinth, they arrived to cheers and chants of tens of thousands of people, the entire town, and chants such as 'House Targaryen' and 'Prince Aegon the Blessed'.
And, as Aegon waved at the people, Aegon found it difficult not to smile at the virulent welcome these people, young and old, were bestowing on him and for once, the thoughts of public relations and public opinion and how fickle it all was, faded away as he took in the welcome.
Aegon caught sight of his family at the foot of the fort, guarded by his men and away from the crowd, and Aegon felt the welcome fade away as took in their sight, the swell of love he felt for his wife and children making it seem as if his chest was ballooning. He took in their smiles, their happiness, their waves with utmost want.
Everything…everything he was doing, and would be doing, was for them. The killing, the plots and schemes, the barbarism he'd visit on their enemies, all of it was for them and the world he'd carve out for them.
Aegon found it near impossible to take his gaze away from them but he managed and turned his attentions to the crowd as he made his steed come to a stop and Aegon raised his arm high to signal for their silence.
It took a few moments but finally, silence descended upon them and Aegon spoke.
"Men, women and children of Corinth." Aegon began with a strong and loud voice, his eyes peering from side to side as he met their gazes, his words spoken in High Valyrian.
"When I and our men left for the Basilisk Isles, we left with a deep craving for justice and righteous anger in our hearts." Aegon said to the crowd who seemed to hang onto every word he spoke.
"To punish these slavers who dared to put chains on our people, people whom we know as neighbours and friends and as family." Aegon said with some anger creeping in his voice before he formed his hand into a fist.
"And when we left the Basilisk Isles, we left with our judgement rendered and no more shall these slavers trouble our people!" Aegon said with triumph in his voice.
This seemed to break the seal and raucous cheer erupted and Aegon looked triumphantly at his people as they chanted his name and his house with vigour.
Aegon once more signalled the people to quietness and they did as he bid and he continued "And now that I have returned, I have returned to see our people have found the land of my visions!" Aegon said to his people before he raised his arms.
'Land of my visions…' A load of crock but infinitely more understandable to the people than his mere intuitions that came from a life in another world.
He was relieved, in truth, that his intuition paid off. The guilt of deceiving his people was considerably lessened by the findings.
Aegon looked upon his people with hidden grim eyes. And yet he would deceive them more. Leaning in to religion was a dangerous game, especially since Aegon knew that God or Gods or entities most certainly existed but he also knew that religion was amongst the greatest unifiers of civilisation.
And, unfortunately, there was also the part that the Faith of the Seven was almost inherently at odds with Aegon and his family, humans who bore high attunement to magic. It was why he began to remove the influence of the Faith by carefully ensuring there were no Septons or Septas amongst his people so that he could mould the next generation of religious officials in line with that of his family.
He disliked it but it was necessary to take further hold of the Faith. It was critical for the survival of his family and it was important for his future plans with the incorporation of conscientious and limited application of magic into his society.
"Our righteous deeds have not been ignored and the Gods have seen fit to reward our people with the safe return of our sailors who showed us the way to the bountiful land the Gods showed me in my dreams!" Aegon said with a cheer in his voice and his people responded to that cheer, rel