High Tide, Chapter 50: The Queen of Cities (Patreon)

Baela

Eighth Moon, 113 AC

When the morning came, Baela broke her fast before meeting Jacaerys, Luke, and her sister Rhaena at the stables. A platoon of Tide Guard were waiting at the stables with her husband, goodbrother, and sister, easily identifiable by their signature ocean-blue plate and sea-green shirts and cloaks.

Luke greeted her with a smile. “Morning Baela. Same horse as yesterday right? I took the liberty of having it saddled in advance for you.”

Baela raised her eyebrow. “Thank you Luke. Normally I prefer saddling my own horse though.”

Luke took it in stride. “I noticed that. My apologies but there is a lot to see in the city and time is of the essence.”

“It’s no trouble,” Baela said. In the corner of her eye she thought she saw Jacaerys frowning but it was gone when she looked again so she shrugged and checked the saddle, adjusting it how she wanted it before mounting her black stallion.

Seeing that the whole company was ready, Jacaerys gave the order and they set off into a light trot, making their way first to the perimeter fence of Zaldilaros Palace and then passing by the various ministries and headquarters of the Tyroshi government before they approached the black walls.

In ages past they had been the walls of the fortress of Tyrosh, built by Valyria to control the Stepstones. Now they were the inner walls of a grand city that had long outgrown them, shielding its seat of government and giving its shelter and name to all behind its protection. The Black Fortress.

The walls were one hundred feet high and thick enough for three four-horse chariots to ride atop them abreast. A paltry half of the splendor and enormity of the more famous Black Wall in Volantis but here in Tyrosh they served their purpose well enough, dominating the city with their towering presence. From above atop her dragon, the walls’ height had seemed insignificant but riding through their gates on the ground allowed Baela to truly appreciate their beauty and size.

Once they passed the wall, Baela set eyes on the vast grandeur of the city of Tyrosh once again. For over a day it had been hidden from her sight by the immense height of the walls she had just passed but now as she rode through the streets, she began to see the validity of Jacaerys’ claim. Tyrosh was a queen indeed.

Her streets were wide and neat; they were not crooked or messy like the roads in King’s Landing, and they were made of proper paved cobblestone. They were perfectly straight in some places and in others they curved gently and elegantly. There was no filth upon the roads which was instead kept away in an efficient sewer system. The flushing toilets she had grown familiar with had slowly begun to make their way across the city, even if they remained too expensive for most save the more well off.

Everywhere she looked, the buildings were well-kept cozy homes and inviting shop lots. And the people were much the same, well-dressed and groomed with even the poorest she saw looking hale and healthy and wearing rough but clean and whole clothes. And they all greeted their party with almost religious awe and devotion.

As soon as they set their eyes on the standard of the silver seahorse on sea-green carried by one of the Tide Guard as they rode and on the silver-haired and purple-eyed men and women at the head of the company, their eyes would light up with excitement as they whispered to each other and then shouted with joy.

“Zaldilaros!” they cried in greeting as they rode past. Some bowed frantically and others even had tears of joy in their eyes.

As a Targaryen, Baela was familiar with the scraping and deference of the lowborn but this… this was something she had never seen. It reminded her of the reverence the people of Dragonstone had for her family, but writ large and to an even greater extent. The way the people greeted the Velaryons, it was almost like they were worshipping their gods.

“Lord Jacaerys! Lord Lucerys! Welcome back to Tyrosh!” one man hollered out. He was not alone. Others too recognized her husband and his brother and would call them out by name though none did the same for herself and Rhaena, which hardly surprised Baela. She was a stranger to these people.

“Why do they call you that?” Baela asked her husband as they rode past yet another crowd cheering for him and Luke as ‘Zaldilaros.’

“Zaldilaros?” Jacaerys asked for confirmation.

Baela nodded.

“It’s a contraction of two words, zaldrīzes dārilaros, which means – “

“Dragon prince,” Baela finished.

“Or princess,” Jacaerys added with nod. “My mother was the first dragonrider Tyrosh had ever seen since Aegon the Conqueror himself flew to put down Volantis in the Century of Blood. There was always going to be some level of awe for that and when she did something wholly unexpected for a dragonlord in these parts and freed the slaves, that awe became reverence and devotion. No longer would slaves fear the beating of the dragon’s wings as they did in the days of Old Valyria, now there are no more slaves and every free man and woman feels their heart uplifted hearing the dragon’s roar.

“The days when the dragons enslaved Tyrosh are long gone. Now come are the days when the dragons are revered as Tyrosh’s liberators, her defenders from the predations of Volantis and its slavery, from any enemy who would seek to deprive her of her liberty and freedom. And so the title of Zaldilaros took on a far greater meaning than its purely literal definition. It came to represent everything about my family that the people revere and love. As our mother’s heirs and dragonriders in our own right, the people extended the title and reverence of Zaldilaros to the four of us as well, especially since our mother, the original Zaldilaros, has not visited Tyrosh in over eight years.”

“So in her place, they cleave to you,” Baela observed.

Jacaerys raised his eyebrow. “My siblings as well but yes.”

Their conversation was put to an end as their company finally arrived at their destination, the Sept of Liberty. The first thing Baela noticed after the immense sept building and its great blue dome and seven silver-gold towers was the great statue that stood at the foot of the sept. In order to reach the main entrance of the sept, one always had to pass by the Statue of Liberty.

From the base of the raised pedestal it stood upon to the peak of the torch held aloft in the statue’s right hand was around three hundred feet, though the Great Sept behind the statue towered over it with its own towers reaching as high as five hundred feet. As Baela looked closer, she could tell that many parts of the Sept of Liberty, in fact most of them, were still under construction, an indicator of just how large the building was and how long it would take to build.

Baela’s attention was drawn back to the statue however when Luke began explaining its history. “The Statue was the first part of the sept to be built of course. Father had it dedicated to Mother. The statue is modeled after her in fact, made out of a steel skeleton and covered in a copper skin that will turn sea-green with age and exposure.”

Baela observed the statue as she listened to Luke’s explanation. The statue held a great torch aloft in her right hand and a book in her left, the Zaldilaros Creed per Luke’s explanation. At the statue’s head was a crown symbolizing her royal status and at her feet was a broken chain and shackle, commemorating the actions of her goodmother in ending slavery in Tyrosh. Viserra Zaldilaros. The Liberator. Breaker of Chains.

“Do you want to go in?” Jacaerys asked suddenly.

Baela was confused. “Go in?”

“The statue is hollow, there’s actually a winding staircase inside the statue that leads up to the crown or even a ladder to the torch if you’re feeling a little bold. Mind you, it’s rather cramped and stuffy inside.”

“I’d like to then,” Baela said, never one to shy away from an adventure. “Luke, Rhaena, do you want to come?” she asked.

“I’ve seen it before,” Luke said. “No need to see it again.”

Rhaena shook her head. “Sounds tiring, and for a view you could get just as easily from atop a dragon. No thanks.”

“To each their own then,” Baela said as she followed Jacaerys toward the locked entrance door at the side of the statue’s pedestal.

Jacaerys called back to Luke as they entered. “You can take Rhaena and the rest of the group up into the sept Luke. I’m sure you still won’t be finished looking around once we get out.”

Luke nodded and the rest of their party was soon off. On Jacaerys’ orders, the Tide Guard that remained with them stood guard at the door though they successfully prevailed upon her husband to allow four of them to enter the statue with them. Even if it was believed to have no people inside at the moment, they could never be too cautious and certainly Baela did feel safer with the Tide Guard around to help them in case there were any accidents.

Two of the Tide Guard went first and the remaining two followed them from behind as they climbed up the stairs. Baela had grown up in the Red Keep so of course these stairs were no trouble to her but that didn’t mean she liked climbing stairs. She had heard that there was a sort of winch and lift system used on the Wall and at the Eyrie and Casterly Rock; one of those would be really convenient right now, not that they’d ever be able to fit inside the statue.

Finally, they reached the crown of the statue. The viewing ports were left open, which Baela was thankful for because it was awfully warm and stuffy inside the statue. It made sense she supposed, metal absorbed heat, she remembered that much at least from her lessons. Grand Maester Runciter would be so very proud of her, it was a shame that he had passed away last year.

Looking out from the viewing ports in the crown, Baela would confess she was a little unimpressed with the view. The statue was pretty high and she could see a lot of the surrounding neighborhoods and streets but it was just mostly buildings viewable from this point. No wonder Luke hadn’t been interested in coming back up.

“Unimpressed with the view?” Jacaerys asked.

“I just feel like it could be better.”

“We are dragonriders, most any view would seem paltry to us. Still this isn’t even the highest part yet,” Jacaerys said before he led her down from the crown to the point where the ladder to the torch started.

On Jacaerys’ order, the Tide Guard reluctantly agreed to wait for them at the ladder’s base as they climbed up to the torch together. Finally reaching the top of the ladder, Baela walked out onto the torch and enjoyed the cool morning breeze that blew past.

It wasn’t like it was that much taller than the crown, but the view from the torch was so much better. Even the buildings that had looked stale and boring from the crown looked more impressive and fun to look at from the open air torch and its slightly higher height. She could also turn around and appreciate the enormity of the great sept behind the statue. At this height, they were about level with the dome of the sept even if its towers stretched further into the sky.

“Better?” Jacaerys asked her.

“Much. Why didn’t we just come here from the start?” Baela asked.

“For comparison’s sake of course. And to most any visitor, the crown is impressive enough already, it’s just that we are among those privileged few used to views that even this would fall short of.”

They stood there for a while, as Baela looked around and enjoyed the view and enjoyed the gentle wind cooling her down after the stuffy climb through the statue. Eventually Jacaerys spoke up. “On the topic of what we are called, I noticed that you call Luke by his nickname now?”

“It’s a recent thing. He asked me to yesterday so I obliged him,” Baela said.

“I… I see,” Jacaerys replied.

Baela raised her eyebrow. Why was Jacaerys acting so strange? Then a thought occurred to her.

“Are you… are you jealous?”she asked, a bit surprised.

“Of course not, why would you think that?” he denied but she was not convinced.

“You’ve been acting rather peculiar in regards to this,” Baela replied, unimpressed.

Jacaerys sighed. “Can you read me that easily?”

“Well, we are wed. I like to think I’m starting to get to know you really well,” Baela said.

“Why don’t you want to call me by the nickname everyone else uses then?” Jacaerys asked.

“I told you didn’t I? It’s – “

“Dreadfully common and boring? Yes, I remember. Isn’t Luke the same though? There was another reason you didn’t want to use my nickname right? It felt too intimate for how we were then,” Jacaerys continued.

Baela paused at that. Jacaerys smiled.

“You’re not the only one who can read their spouse easily Baela,” he teased lightly to dull the edge of his words. “But if you feel close enough to Luke to call him by his nickname now, do you not feel the same way with me?” he asked and Baela could tell he was trying to not seem too worried.

“I could if you really want to. But I don’t know, it feels strange calling you ‘Jace’. I haven’t changed my mind that it sounds rather common. Jacaerys is the name of a proud Valyrian lord. And in a way, calling you by your full name feels special, like a term of endearment, because only I do.”

Jacaerys looked at her again and this time, Baela felt as if those deep purple eyes saw through her and she felt naked beneath their gaze. They softened soon enough however. “Alright then,” Jacaerys said with a slight smile. “It doesn’t particularly matter to me. Feel free to call me what you like.”

“I hope I haven’t offended you or anything,” Baela said a little worriedly.

“No, it’s alright. I do get what you mean and to be honest I have sort of gotten used to you calling me by my full name now. You’re right, it could be a term of endearment in some ways. I sometimes have to resist the urge to think you’re mad at me though,” Jacaerys shuddered dramatically.

Baela laughed. “Your mother always used your full name whenever she was angry with you?”

“How did you guess?”

“Intuition,” she said with a sly smile.

Jacaerys half scoffed and half chuckled in endearment at her reply. He turned to look back at the sept. “We should get going and meet up with the others.”

“That place looks huge. Will we be able to see it all today?” Baela asked, a little worried. She didn’t want to spend the whole day looking at a sept of all things.

“There is only so much to see inside after a certain point to be fair. The stained glass windows and frescoes and icons start to sort of blur into each other after a while. We should have enough time to finish up with the sept and head over to the museum or university before lunch.”

“What about the rest of the city? I want to see it all. See the majesty and splendor of this city you claim to be a queen.”

At that, Jacaerys smiled. “My dear Baela, you could spend a lifetime in this city and not see everything. We’ll be here for a month at least and in that time we can see as much as possible but the famous landmarks are a good place to start.”

“What about the markets? The port? The warehouses?” Baela asked.

“I wasn’t sure you’d be that interested in them but sure we can go there later in the evening.”

Baela frowned at that. “Wouldn’t it be best to go now when the wares are all fresh and in stock?”

Jacaerys shook his head. “It’s an unplanned visit so the port and markets will be extremely busy and it will be difficult for us to get around. In the evening the crowds die down so we can move better. On another day, planned in advance, we could send the Tide Guard ahead of us to clear the way and let us move around easier so we can see it during peak hours if you like.”

Baela nodded before her eyes returned to the sept. “What was the point of building that? It’s so enormous, larger than even the Great Sept in King’s Landing. So massive, so much money spent, and for what? Do you even believe in the Seven? Every time we’ve attended the weekly services, you seem bored out of your mind. I was shocked to see you talking so enthusiastically to that septon yesterday for a reason.”

Jacaerys was silent. “I’ve never really cared much about the Seven. Never was all that pious. I’m not sure whether or not they even exist.”

“Then why – “

“Why do we make such a show of pretending to care for the Seven? Why build such luxurious septs and dress ourselves in this dogma and mystique?” Jacaerys finished for her.

Baela nodded.

“The same reason your family does in Westeros Baela. Here in Tyrosh, House Velaryon is not just exceptional, we are Zaldilaros. That means something. The people see us as champions ordained by the Seven to free them from slavery and rule them. To keep up appearances we must do our very best to appear devout and strengthen the image and power of a religion that is wholly under our control. Religion is the people’s poppy, it makes them compliant and obedient to us.”

Baela frowned. What Jacaerys was saying made sense to her and it did bear some similarities to her grandfather Jaehaerys’ relationship with the Faith back home in Westeros. Even her own father knew to not openly show his disdain of the Seven lest he compromise their family’s unique relationship with the majority religion of the continent.

Yet what the Velaryons had accomplished was far beyond even the influence her family had obtained when they had moved the Faith’s headquarters to King’s Landing. The Velaryons were all but worshipped as gods by the Faith of the Seven in Tyrosh. They held absolute control over the organization, serving as the heads of the Tyroshi Faith and sitting on the Holy Synod that governed it. The Zaldilaros Creed was seen as heretical in Westeros, with only her uncle’s interference stopping the Most Devout from naming it so, but here in Tyrosh it was dogma, it was law.

But more than that, it seemed wrong to her. The Velaryons she believed she had come to know were not so duplicitous, at least not to their people. They were good and leal overlords who ruled benevolently and sought out the best for their people. It was what she had observed on Driftmark, thought she had observed here in Tyrosh.

“It’s all a lie then? Just a farce to hold power?” she asked, waiting hesitantly for Jacaerys’ reply.

Many of her family members she knew would approve of the concept, would drool over the influence and power the Velaryons held over their people through their religion. Even Baela herself couldn’t help but admire it but she struggled to reconcile it with everything else she had seen and learned of her husband and his family. Were they really just the power hungry and ruthless rogues her mother and father had cast them as?

“If you want to see it as a lie then it will be a lie,” Jacaerys said a little sternly. “But the best way to remove your lies is to make them come true. The truth is relative. Whether we were truly ordained by the Seven and believe in them or not, it doesn’t matter. What matters is that the people believe so and we honor the promise we made them, to free them from the shackles of slavery and rule them benevolently for the prosperity of all, for the greater good.

Baela looked at Jacaerys again, she could see no trace of a lie. As far as she could tell, he was being genuine. So this was how Jacaerys saw it? As a falsehood that he would make real through his deeds even if the origins were false?

As someone who didn’t put much stock in the Seven herself, Baela supposed she couldn’t really hold it against Jacaerys and his family. Her own family did much the same in Westeros after all. The only difference was the extent to which the Velaryons had succeeded and the way they had made themselves the centerpiece of Tyroshi life and religion, something her own family would do well to learn and put in practice.

She kept those thoughts in mind as they made their way over to the sept and rejoined their group with Luke and Rhaena. Some parts of the sept were off-limits, with several towers and walls cordoned off as the builders continued to work on them.

The parts that were complete were wondrous however. Their party walked through the sept, inspecting exquisite holy altars and marble statues dedicated to each aspect of the Seven. Great rows of pews adorned the central hall of the Sept where services would be held and when it was completed, the sept would easily be able to hold over eighty thousand standing worshippers at once, an incredible number.

Looking up, she was amazed by the ornate and intricate frescoes on the underside of the high blue dome and the mosaics, icons, tapestries, paintings, stained glass windows, and the great columns and buttresses along the walls. Baela cared little for the Faith of the Seven as a religion but aesthetically she could very much admire the beauty and grandeur of the enormous sept.

Soon they were exploring the various rooms along the edges holding records and holy articles as well as the Synod meeting rooms. They also ventured below to look at the relics and other items in the vaults. When they returned back to the central hall, there were some faithful who had come to pray before the altars of the Seven. Baela watched as they almost tripped over themselves to bow to them, reverently greeting them and all but worshipping them.

It reminded her of what Jacaerys had said earlier. There was power in religion, the power to motivate the masses and control them. To inspire and hold a loyalty and fervor that was unlike and beyond anything she had ever seen. In some ways it reminded her of the stories of the fanaticism of the Faith Militant of old only that fanaticism was controlled and directed by her husband and his family. That both worried and impressed Baela.

As their tour of the sept was about to conclude, they encountered a man that Jacaerys and Lucerys were well acquainted with at the entrance of the sept. The man was dressed in ornate and intricate white vestments with silver and sea-green trims and patterns with the symbols of the seahorse and the seven-pointed star given equal importance. His eyes were blue though his hair was a light blonde, not quite Valyrian but neither a common dirty blonde either.

He bowed to them as they approached him. “It is always a pleasure to be reacquainted with Zaldilaros. Lord Jacaerys, Lord Lucerys, welcome back to Tyrosh my lords. I am most pleased to see you have returned to our beloved city.”

“Of course Archsepton our pleasure to see you again as well,” Luke greeted. “Rhaena, Baela, this is Archsepton Daenar Naharis. He is the leader of the Faith of the Seven in Tyrosh,” he continued, introducing them.

The Archsepton was quick to respectfully correct Luke. “Forgive my interruption my lord, but the true heads of the Faith are your parents. I am but a humble servant of the Seven’s chosen champions.”

Baela was confused by the seemingly contradictory statements. She turned to her husband.

“Our father is the Supreme Head and Defender of the Faith and of course our mother is the first Zaldilaros,” Jacaerys said in clarification. “The Archsepton chairs the Holy Synod which is based in this very sept and handles the day to day spiritual and administrative matters of the Faith.”

“An excellent explanation my lord,” the Archsepton said gracefully.

“A pleasure to meet you Archsepton,” Baela said cautiously.

The Archsepton smiled. “The pleasure is all mine Princess Baela. It is very much an honor to make your acquaintance as well Princess Rhaena,” he said to her sister.

“If I may my lord, might I inquire what brings you to the sept today?” the Archsepton turned to ask Jacaerys.

“Of course Archsepton. My brother and I are showing our lovely wives the sights of the city and the Sept was the first destination.”

The Archsepton was pleased to hear that. “Wonderful. I hope you enjoy your time in the sept then Princesses. Truly, the House of Zaldilaros spared no expense in its making and the day that it is complete will be wondrous indeed.”

“When will that be actually?” Rhaena asked curiously.

The Archsepton paused. “I believe the builders have said another ten years or just about.”

“All in good time,” Luke said. “Wonders such as this sept take time to complete.”

“Indeed my lord. If it pleases you both, might I see the two of you here for the Synod meeting on the morrow? We have decided to meet again to discuss further how we will aid the faithful in Lys and Myr.”

Baela frowned. She understood that Jacaerys had many things to do, but hearing that he might be dragged away for another meeting when he was supposed to be showing her around his Queen of Cities did not please her very much.

Jacaerys looked to his brother and then to her before replying. “We will get back to you on that Archsepton. We had best get going now.”

The Archsepton bowed to them again before departing. “Of course, don’t let me hold you back my lords.”

After their conversation with the Archsepton, they left the sept. Walking down the entrance stairs, they moved to the pedestal where the Statue of Liberty stood where their horses were waiting with some of the Tide Guard holding the reins. They mounted their horses and were off again within a few moments.

According to Jacaerys, their next destination was the nearby University of Tyrosh and the Tyroshi Museum. Seeing that the roads leading to their destination in the distance were relatively clear, an idea occurred to Baela.

“Jacaerys, how long will we spending at the university and museum?” she asked.

Jacaerys looked up to find the sun before answering. “The rest of the morning and a bit of the afternoon I would say. Then we can go and have a slightly late lunch at the restaurant we reserved.”

“Time enough to rest the horses would you say?” Baela said with a sly smile.

Jacaerys smirked. “Why, have an idea do you?”

“I do. Let’s lighten up this dreary trot of ours with a little race shall we?”

The Tide Guard looked exasperated at her suggestion, it would make their job harder and while Baela was appreciative of their loyalty and service, she didn’t really care. Their duty was to protect them no matter what they did and Baela meant to live her life. To this day, she still had not ever raced Jacaerys, be it on horseback or dragonback and it was time they corrected that.

“Alright then. I accept your challenge,” Jacaerys said. “Luke, Rhaena, are you two interested in joining?”

Luke shrugged. “I don’t see why not.” He tried to look indifferent but Baela could see the eagerness in his eyes, the competitive excitement beginning to emerge.

Rhaena replied with a beaming smile, “Maybe this time I could actually beat Baela for once.”

Baela chuckled. “In your dreams little sister.”

“Any stakes? Wagers?” Jacaerys asked as he slowed his horse to a halt. The three of them stopped with him while half the Tide Guard rode on ahead without even needing to be ordered so they could form a perimeter around them as they raced. The remaining guards waited behind them.

“Perhaps the last to reach the university can pay for luncheon?” Baela mused.

Luke shook his head. “Bit too late for that. Jace and I already paid for lunch out of the family treasury. It’s all been arranged.”

“How about a favor?” Rhaena proposed.

“Go on,” Jacaerys urged.

“The rider who comes first will have one favor from the second, two favors from the third, and three favors from the fourth.”

“Sounds good, though I would say that there are limits to what favors would be considered acceptable. It’s all casual and informal between family I would say,” Jacaerys said.

Jacaerys calling herself and her sister family filled Baela with a feeling she didn’t quite understand. It was a strange but pleasant warmth in her heart and she could not resist smiling. Was she… happy? Yes, perhaps she was.

“I can think of a number of things I’d use those favors on,” Baela said, wagging her tongue suggestively.

Rhaena laughed and Luke chuckled but Jacaerys ignored them and gave it back to her as good as he got. “Who is to say you’re the one getting the favors hmm?”

“Well let’s race and find out,” Baela challenged. “The clocktower will be the finishing point.”

They took their positions, with one of the Tide Guard making sure their horses were perfectly abreast to ensure fairness. Baela calmed her black stallion who was already anticipating the thrill of a gallop. It wouldn’t do for her horse’s nerves to be too tense before the race had even started.

Returning back to his horse, the Tide Guard and his sworn brothers readied their own horses before they called out. “Ready, get set – “

Baela raised her reins and her legs ever so slightly.

“GO!”

Instantly Baela spurred her horse onward with the skill of a rider who had won the horseback races against the finest opponents the Seven Kingdoms had to offer. Within moments she took a clear lead, but she could tell from the clops of the hooves behind her that the others were not far behind her, though she dared not turn back to check.

Baela had raced through the streets of a city before. Her father had taken her a few times though not often because her mother would always scream bloody murder at him when he did. As such, she knew the importance of keeping her eyes where she was going. At any moment an unexpected obstacle could emerge and she would have to have complete focus to avoid them without anyone getting hurt.

As she sped through the streets, Baela swerved around the occasional cart and pedestrian as she felt her horse growing more and more excited. The clops behind her never stopped and at one point she turned slightly to the side to see Jacaerys had almost caught up with her. Knowing she needed to pick up the pace, Baela urged her horse onward further after that. By this point they had completely outpaced the Tide Guard they had sent on ahead of them and they were desperately galloping to catch up with them.

The university was coming up ahead, becoming larger and larger as they approached it. Baela ended up reaching the decided finishing point at the clocktower before the others, waiting besides the fence that had been placed around incomplete building to cordon it off for construction. Within minutes, Jacaerys and Lucerys galloped in though Jacaerys had clearly taken the lead.

“Ah Jacaerys, looks like I’m the one getting the favors after all,” Baela teased her husband as he rode up beside her.

“We can have a rematch on dragonback one of these days and we’ll see who gets the favor that time,” Jacaerys retorted.

“You are bloody fast,” Luke groused.

“Why thank you. Tis a talent of mine,” Baela said dramatically. “Where is Rhaena?” she asked.

Luke turned and pointed back at the street and Baela could see her trotting casually in the distance with the Tide Guard. “Oh, never mind then.”

While they waited for her sister to arrive, Baela occupied herself by taking the opportunity to observe the clocktower. The tower was designed in the same style as Big Ben in Spicetown, which was why she had assumed it to be a clocktower when she had first seen it yesterday. She might be wrong though, the clock in question was nowhere to be seen. Given the width of its base and its current height, Baela guessed that the tower was only half built. When it was complete, it would be quite a bit larger and taller than the clocktower in Spicetown.

It was a whole five minutes before Rhaena rode in accompanied by all the Tide Guard. “Look who finally made it,” Baela ribbed her twin.

“Very funny,” Rhaena said, though her expression said much the opposite as she dismounted.

“Well that was quite enjoyable even if we did end up losing,” Luke said. “Now that we’re all here, shall we be off?” he said as he offered his arm to Rhaena who giggled and gleefully took it, interlocking their arms as they walked toward the university’s entrance.

Jacaerys looked at her with an expectant smile and Baela simply shook her head with a teasing smile of her own. “No.”

Jacaerys took it in stride, his smile didn’t fade an inch as he led her into the university.

They spent about an hour or two in the university. To be completely honest it wasn’t all that new to Baela. The grounds and gardens were quite exquisite and the buildings were decently impressive, if you were an architect or artist, but Baela had seen universities before. The King’s Citadel in King’s Landing for one and even the University of Spicetown, which was the predecessor of this one.

Still it was rather amusing to see the students trip over themselves and swallow their words in nervousness once they realized who they were. And the experiments and research materials were fascinating even if she didn’t understand half of them. All in all, not a bad visit even if she was hoping for a little more.

The Tyroshi Museum next to the university interested her far more. While not exactly an avid admirer of the arts, Baela could appreciate their beauty and she had never visited a dedicated museum before. King’s Landing still did not have one and the museum in Spicetown had been closed down years ago and all its exhibits moved to the very museum she now perused.

The museum guide, as expected, stumbled over his words to greet them reverently. He then led them through the museum, nervously making sure they were paying attention as he showed off famous sculptures, statues, paintings, tapestries, and the like. Many of the art terms went over her head though Rhaena kept up easily, asking by far the most questions. There were also some exhibits of stuffed animals and preserved plants from exotic places and lands, which reminded her that there was also a menagerie and zoo in the city that she should prevail on Jacaerys to visit one of these days. Baela owned a Little Valyrian lemur after all, she was no stranger to wild and exotic animals.

Eventually the guide brought them before an exhibit known as the ‘Crowning of Hugor.’ She recognized the scene of course, even if she was apathetic toward the Faith she was nominally raised in, she was no ignoramus to not know what scene was portrayed in this painting.

It was a very beautiful painting and Baela was not surprised when the guide explained that it was by far the most popular and famous exhibit held in that museum. Given the fanatic religiosity of Tyrosh in the Light of the Seven, it should rather have been expected.

Jacaerys and Lucerys’ reactions surprised her though. Given that Jacaerys had confessed to her that his family barely believed in the Seven, she was surprised to see how much he liked the painting. She leaned in close to her husband.

“I thought you said you barely believed in the Seven, if at all?” she asked.

“That doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the painting’s beauty on an aesthetic level,” Jacaerys retorted. “This painting is old, it’s one of the oldest pieces in this museum. My mother saw it in Spicetown the first time she visited Driftmark. That was twenty-six years ago.”

Jacaerys breathed out lightly. “There’s a lot of symbolism attached to this painting. It was painted by a former slave that my father freed from Slaver’s Bay during his voyages. He later died due to injuries he had suffered during his tenure as a slave but not before painting this masterpiece. That a former slave accepted the Light of the Seven and painted this famous scene already has a lot of meaning but it’s more than that.

“This painting features the crowning of Hugor of the Hill, the mythical first High King of the Andals. He is a figure of paramount importance in the Faith of the Seven… at least the faith in Westeros. Here in Tyrosh however, Hugor has been supplanted in importance by my family, by Zaldilaros. I suppose in a way I like the parallels between us and Hugor. Perhaps one day, my family and I might enshrine our legend as much as Hugor did.”

Baela looked at Jacaerys, finding herself surprised and impressed by his words yet again that day. He wasn’t wrong, she could see many similarities in the legend of Hugor of the Hill and the mystique and grandeur the Velaryons had dressed themselves in as the House of Zaldilaros. A mystique and grander that could just as easily be hers if she only reached out her hand to take it. The thought grew more tempting the more she dwelt on it.

After they had finished with the museum, they returned to their horses, which were rested and tended as Baela had predicted they would be. It was a good thing they were going for lunch now because she felt her stomach rumbling at the thought of some food. She didn’t need a clock in the tower to tell that it was about two hours past midday.

The restaurant was in a particularly well off district of the city that was quite close to the port and markets. Manses and reputable businesses and shop lots were the neighbors of the restaurant, which had expensive and luxurious glass windows though Baela noted that the shop had a grill almost like a portcullis that would be pulled down and shield the glass and the door from intruders when it was closed. A large sign above the restaurant said ‘Denys and Tirina’s’ in Westerosi Common, Tyroshi, and High Valyrian.

They opened the door of the restaurant and filed in. The waiters hurriedly greeted them with the usual scraping and bowing and reverent acclamations of ‘Zaldilaros’ before leading them to their seats.

A large rectangular oak table was reserved solely for the four of them. Jacaerys claimed a seat at the head of the table and Luke took the chair at his right with Rhaena sitting beside him. Baela took the seat on Jacaerys’ left.

The Tide Guard did not sit down. Instead they took up positions at the entrances of the restaurant and some even went into the kitchens and the rest of the building, searching for any potential threats to their lieges. Baela also noticed that some of the palace cupbearers and food tasters had come to the restaurant.

Noticing her gaze, Jacaerys explained, “The Tide Guard insisted on the proper procedures. Some of the guards have been here since morning with a whole team of cupbearers and food tasters ensuring that there was no possible threat to our safety as we dined.”

“Have you and Luke eaten here before?” Rhaena asked.

“No actually. Normally we eat in the palace, so this is a bit of a first for us as well. It’s too far for us to go all the way back to the palace for lunch though, which is why we had our staff buy out the best restaurant they could find in this area. It has an excellent reputation for the taste of its food, the cleanliness and safety of the restaurant, and the staff’s politeness.”

“You honor us with your praise Zaldilaros,” a voice said suddenly. Luke and Rhaena turned around to see who spoke while Baela flicked her eyes up and away from her husband.

A man and woman stood there. The man had dark hair and chestnut brown eyes. The woman beside him had deep blue eyes and her hair had been dyed to match the color of her eyes. They bowed reverently.

When they did not look to be raising their heads, Jacaerys commanded them to do so. “Rise.”

Obeying, they rose their heads and the man began to speak in Westerosi Common. “It’s an honor to host you in my establishment my lord. I can scarce believe my own two eyes. If only my mother and father were here to see the day that the heirs of House Velaryon dined in our restaurant. Ah but where are my manners, forgive me my lord. My name is Denys.”

Jacaerys smiled genially. “My pleasure to be here Denys. Even in the palace I have heard much of your fine establishment. I hope the food will not disappoint.”

The man seemed disbelieving at the idea his restaurant was famous enough to have come to the attention of the Velaryons before today. He might be right, Baela doubted Jacaerys even knew this place existed before his staff had informed him yesterday, but as ever he was polite and flattering to his people and very good at making them feel important.

“You honor me with your words once again my lord. I promise, we shan’t disappoint you,” Denys said.

“Is this your wife?” Rhaena asked, gesturing to the blue haired woman beside Denys.

“I am my lady. I am Tirina.” The woman spoke Common with an accent.

“You can speak Valyrian Lady Tirina. I assure you, we are all quite fluent,” Luke spoke up.

Tirina nodded and switched into her native language, Tyroshi Low Valyrian. “I am no lady my lord Zaldilaros, but I shan’t complain if you call me one.”

“All women are ladies in their own right Tirina,” Luke said with a charming smile.

Tirina and her husband laughed. “Truly you honor us my lords and ladies, not just with your presence but with your words as well,” Denys said in halting Tyroshi. “When we heard this morning that members of House Velaryon wanted to reserve our restaurant for the entire day, we were already honored. We had dared not hope to meet a Zaldilaros, let alone four.”

“Who did you expect to see?” Luke asked.

“Lord Vaemond and his family or perhaps Lord Rhaekar,” he answered, referring to the two cousins of Jacaerys and Lucerys’ that Baela knew were in the city. She had met Vaemond and his family yesterday of course but Rhaekar, who was the second son of Jacaerys’ uncle Aurane, had been away from the city on some business and would only be returning on the morrow. Not that these commoners had any reason to know that.

“Are you happy with what you see then?” Jacaerys said, almost teasing Denys.

“Of course my lord! Meeting the sons of Lord Corlys and Princess Viserra is an honor I never thought I’d have,” Denys said happily. His expression suddenly became dire and panicked. “Which reminds me, please forgive us Princess Baela, Princess Rhaena. Those are your proper titles yes? We shall take care to address you as such from now on,” Denys said worriedly.

Baela shook her hand away. “An honest mistake Denys. It matters little. Either address is acceptable to me,” Baela said. She was swiftly coming to realize that in the eyes of the Tyroshi, being a lady of House Velaryon counted for far more than being a princess of House Targaryen.

“Where are you from Denys? You’re not originally from Tyrosh are you?” Jacaerys asked.

Denys shook his head. “No my lord. I was born and raised on Driftmark but all my friends and other kin eventually ended up here. By the time my parents died a few years back, I had nothing left tying me to Driftmark so I sold all our possessions and moved here with the money the sale got me. Never looked back.”

Jacaerys nodded. “Yes, I can understand the feeling.”

Denys perhaps misunderstood Jacaerys because he was quick to continue. “There’s nothing wrong with Driftmark my lord, it’s just that – “

“Tyrosh is better?” Jacaerys finished for him. “I agree. Driftmark’s glory days are over and even at its height it never even held a candle to what Tyrosh once was, let alone what it is now. You should not feel ashamed that you saw that and chose to seek out better opportunities for yourself. It’s certainly turned out well for you. You’ve made a name for yourself, owning a restaurant in a fine quarter of the city with a reputation that reaches as far as the Black Fortress itself. And you’ve found a lovely wife.”

“I believe I found himZaldilaros,” Tirina said proudly.

Denys laughed, embarrassed. “I was struggling to sell to any customers outside those who had also come from Driftmark when I first came here. I didn’t know a single word of Valyrian. Tirina was my first employee in those days, she knew some Common, enough to order some food. Once she had some, she insisted that I hire her and let her teach me Tyroshi and advertise the restaurant to customers in Tyroshi. We did very well indeed after that. I owe a lot to her.”

“I noticed the sign outside is in High Valyrian as well. Can either of you speak it?” Rhaena asked. The Velaryons had been trying to make High Valyrian the common language of their domains for years with middling success.

“I can my princess,” Tirina answered in High Valyrian, not quite fluent but not halting either. “It’s not too difficult to learn if you know Tyroshi already but this dolt of mine still hasn’t mastered his Tyroshi yet so we shall see if he ever learns the higher language.”

Denys’ Tyroshi appeared to let him glean a general understanding of what his wife said because he glared at her in mock annoyance before he seemed to remember himself and hurriedly spoke again. “Ah please forgive us for wasting your time my lord,” he said, addressing Jacaerys before he placed down four menus. “Take as long as you’d like to order. We have all our ingredients ready to cook any and all dishes for you at any moment.”

“Thank you Denys, you’ve been a kind host. I shall be sure to recommend your establishment to the others in the palace if your food is as good as your hospitality,” Jacaerys praised.

The man seemed overjoyed at the praise and the prospect of such reputable customers and he hurried off to the kitchens, ostensibly to prepare his already prepared ingredients once again. Tirina shook her head endearingly but did not follow him, instead waiting for them to finalize their order.

It took them almost ten minutes to decide what they wanted to eat and by that time, Baela’s stomach was truly starting to kill her so she hurriedly gave their order to Tirina who rushed off to the kitchen to get her husband and their staff cooking as fast as possible ‘for Princess Baela is very hungry.’

“How much money do you think this restaurant makes a year?” Luke asked Jacaerys once Tirina had left.

“Hard to say but given how well kept and maintained the building is and the fact that the matron can afford to dye her hair, I’d say they make quite a lot. They’re probably as well to do as possible before being truly rich given that their restaurant’s reputation hasn’t fully reached the Black Fortress yet.”

“Yet,” Baela interjected.

“We shall see,” Jacaerys said in turn.

“How much did it cost to buy out the restaurant for the day?” Rhaena asked curiously. “That could help us estimate their yearly incomes.”

Jacaerys looked thoughtful. “It would be a rough estimate but that could work. I believe I paid one banner?”

“That is a very good income,” Baela said, amazed. “One golden banner is equivalent to a dragon yes? That means the restaurant brings in at least three hundred gold coins a year if we consider any off-season or bad days.”

Jacaerys looked a little sheepish now. “Jacaerys?” Baela asked confused.

Luke shook his head with an exasperated sigh. “Jace has a tendency to overpay the vendors whenever he comes out to the city.”

“My estimations are likely all wrong then. What happened to not wasting money and staying rich?” Baela asked.

Jacaerys dismissed her words. “I’m simply being generous. Such openhandedness wins us the love and loyalty of our people. Besides, what’s one banner when we have millions? If you can afford it, being charitable every now and then is hardly a problem. It’s only a concern if you endlessly throw away money with no way to make it back. Which isn’t the case here. Call it an investment if you would. If this restaurant continues to grow, we will more than make back that one banner from the taxes they give us.”

Their conversation was soon cut short when Tirina returned with their food. They had ordered many dishes. Rice, pan fried chicken breasts, sea bass, and prawns and pork and spinach were but a few of the dishes that they ate. They had so much food they even enticed some of their Tide Guard away from their posts to eat since the loyal guards hadn’t had much to eat all day.

Baela would confess the restaurant more than lived up to expectations. If Jacaerys didn’t sing their praises to the courtiers in the palace, she would. The hosts had been kind, respectful, and deferential to them and their service and food had been excellent. They certainly deserved it.

When they were about to leave, Denys rushed to them with ten silver coins in hand.

Jacaerys looked at the coins and then Denys. “I can’t take this,” he said. Despite herself, Baela smiled. She should have known Jacaerys wouldn’t take the coins back.

“Please my lord. You overpaid. It flatters my wife and I that you think our establishment is so fine that it makes a gold banner every day but in all honesty the number is closer to seventy silver stars. Once we add in all the dishes that you ordered, it still comes to about ten stars left over,” Denys said humbly as he once again offered the coins to Jacaerys.

Baela had to remind herself that the Tyroshi silver star had almost two and a half times the value of the Seven Kingdoms’ silver stag. Those prices would be absurdly cheap if they were in silver stags.

Jacaerys shook his head. “You need not worry that we will accuse you of stealing from us friend. It is a gift. Consider it a tip for fine service and food. If you must, you can add it to the tab for the next time we dine at your establishment.”

“The… the next time… my lord?” Denys asked nervously.

“Of course. Your food is excellent friend. It would be remiss of us to not come dine here again. Good day to you Denys,” Jacaerys said before he continued walking, leaving the man dumbfounded and in awe as they walked out.

Their horses had been tended and fed by some water and feed from the restaurant’s stocks so they were ready for a quick gallop. Lunch had taken them a bit over an hour so counting the time it had taken them to ride from the university to the restaurant, it was almost four o’clock in the evening by now. Barely acceptable if they wanted to see the port and make it back to the palace before it got dark.

They rode their horses hard onward to the nearby markets and ports. To Baela’s disappointment, the market stalls were already starting to close up in many places so there wouldn’t be much opportunity to see their wares. It would have to wait for another day. Still the sight of the massive markets and bazaars remained no less impressive even with the greatly reduced bustle. The volume of trade that passed through Tyrosh far surpassed King’s Landing.

Baela understood what Jacaerys meant earlier now. In the morning, this place must be a nightmare to traverse. Even now there were still many market-goers and merchants haggling with each other for some last minute evening trades and transactions.

As they trotted through the market, they came close to a stall next to a warehouse where a merchant was finalizing his transaction with the warehouse’s owner. Baela watched as the merchant paid the owner with what appeared to be slips of paper. Velaryon banknotes, Baela realized. She was familiar with them, had to be by now, but she still found it strange that one could pay for goods with paper. The explanation she had heard for why they had any value still did not really make sense to her but she supposed it was the least of the eccentricities of the Velaryon State.

Her party’s journey through the market slowed to a snail’s pace as the merchant’s goods were loaded into the warehouse and blocked the way. Feeling bored, Baela took out a banknote from the sealskin purse she had been carrying in her pocket, deciding to sate her curiosity again after seeing the merchant’s transaction with the peculiar money.

The banknote was browned with age but the gold bar outlining a rectangle was still clear. Front and center on the paper was a large stamp of the Velaryon sigil with a stylized number ‘100’ above it while below the sigil, the words ‘Golden Banner’ were inscribed. To the left of the sigil, a portrait of her goodfather as the reigning Archon of Tyrosh had been placed. The rest of the paper was filled with inscriptions confirming the note was worth one hundred golden banners, its date of printing, and the serial codes and accreditations confirming its authenticity.

Baela’s inspection of the banknote was interrupted when Jacaerys called for their party to pick up their pace once the merchant’s goods were out of the way. She put the note back into her purse and spurred on her horse as their party continued moving.

The gates of the sea walls were still open so they rode out onto the docks near the piers. The harbor was full to the brim with ships. At this hour, no ship captain would be so foolish as to sail out and so this was very likely all the ships that would be staying for the night and it was already such a great number that did not account at all for the ships that came and went throughout the day.

The harbor had looked impressive from above but seeing it from the ground was impressive in its own right.  From where Baela was riding along the docks on the harbor’s edge, the ships looked like an endless mass of wooden hulls and woven sails. Their masts were like a thick forest upon the sea. The harbors of King’s Landing and Spicetown both could fit into the harbor of Tyrosh with room to spare, Baela thought.

Eventually as they reached the middle of the curved wedge-shaped harbor, that is the point furthest from the entrance by the Bleeding Tower, they exited the harbor and re-entered the city through the main gate in the seawalls. The markets and warehouses extended all the way from where they had originally entered the harbor and they would wrap around the other side of the harbor until they reached the towers that held the boom chains along with the Bleeding Tower at the harbor mouth.

On their way back to the Black Fortress, they passed by a large and marble four-story building with columns that Jacaerys pointed out as the Velaryon Bank. There were of course several banks scattered throughout the city, many of which were also owned by the Velaryons and all were subservient to their central bank. There was also the headquarters of the bank which Baela had espied within the Black Fortress yesterday.

This particular branch of the bank was the main bank for the city of Tyrosh however and its close proximity to the ports and markets had been intentional so that the merchants and market-goers would have easy access to the bank. The bank was closing now, but that was no problem. Baela had no interest in going inside this branch of the bank though she would like to visit the headquarters when she went exploring inside the Black Fortress.

The Velaryon Bank was the only bank allowed to print and issue banknotes inside the Velaryon State. They worked closely with the Treasury, which was next door to their headquarters and minted the coinage of the state, working together to control and manage the currency denominations of the Copper Sail, Silver Star, and Gold Banner while holding many of the precious metal reserves of House Velaryon inside their vaults.

Baela fancied a visit to them. It would be fascinating to see the minting and printing processes. As they entered the Black Fortress, Baela spotted the Velaryon Bank headquarters and the Treasury building in the distance though she knew there would be no time to visit them today sadly.

Hot baths were waiting for all of them upon their return and Baela had eagerly gone to bathe, soaking in the hot water with pleasure as she felt it soothe and relax aches she didn’t even realize she had after riding and walking the whole day.

Efficient as ever, the servants had ensured that dinner would be hot and ready for them once they had all finished bathing and changing. Baela dined privately with Jacaerys, Luke, and Rhaena that night. None of them wished for the formalities and complexities of a larger dinner after their enjoyable but tiring day sightseeing and touring.

As they ate, Baela inquired after Jacaerys’ plans for the morrow. “Will you be leaving me alone again tomorrow?” she asked.

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Your meeting with the Archsepton remember?”

Realization filled Jacaerys’ damnably beautiful eyes.

“Ah yes. That’s right. Thank you for reminding me. Hmm,” he said as he drummed his fingers on the table, his expression becoming thoughtful. “Technically speaking I don’t have to go myself. I could send Luke.”

Luke protested. “It is your little project brother. I’d go if I must but I was hoping to see to my estates tomorrow. I’d take Rhaena to see them as well.”

Baela almost forgot at times that Luke’s address as a lord was not simply honorary but literal. He was for all intents and purposes, a Tyroshi lord, though what constituted lordship in these lands was very different to what Baela was familiar with.

It was called the peerage system, wherein all members were considered of officially equal rank though in practice those with closer proximity to the ruling House Velaryon were of greater social status. The peers had the right to be styled as lords but they were not like the lords of Westeros. They had no feudal rights to pits or gallows or to demand service, military or otherwise, from those who lived on their lands.

Rather than fiefs, the peers of Tyrosh had estates, large plots of land in the countryside or business in the cities and towns or both. They could collect rents from the tenants on their lands and they were granted certain legal privileges such as the right to be judged only by the Archon or his appointed regent and not a lesser justiciar.

In practice, compared to the powers held by the feudal lords in Westeros, the peers of Tyrosh were little more than magisters and landowners given the right to call themselves ‘Lords’ with some legal privileges. Baela would admit however that it was a clever way to reward the younger sons of House Velaryon and give them a means to make their own livelihoods without dangerously dividing the territory and power of the main line of House Velaryon the way feudal cadet branches and fiefs would.

Luke was far from the only peer in Tyrosh. Officially speaking Jacaerys was a peer as well as he held certain companies and lands directly under his own name and not the family’s. Daeron of course also held some estates that he had not yet taken up stewardship of and if Baela recalled correctly, Vaemond and three of Aurane’s sons also held estates. As did the Lord Commander of the Tide Guard, Ser Jaremy Gottwell and a few others.

Jacaerys sighed hearing Luke’s words. “Very well then. I am sorry Baela, but it seems I will be occupied yet again tomorrow. You can follow Luke and Rhaena to see his estates if you like. I do have another proposal though.”

Baela raised her eyebrow. “Go on.”

“You’ve got a head for sums I noticed. It’s occurred to me that we haven’t really given you that many duties as a lady of the house. Duties that you were trained and educated for growing up. It’s time we corrected that and started training you in the Velaryon way.”

“The Velaryon way? Are the duties of Velaryon ladies that different from what we grew up being taught?” Rhaena interjected with concern in her voice.

“Yes and no,” Luke answered. “All the duties you were trained for growing up will still be there but there are more that are shall we say, unique to our house. That you will need to be taught. Worry not, our mother and aunts still see to all these duties so there is plenty of time to teach you what you need to learn.”

“In your case Baela, I would have you shadow Vaemond and his wife Ryella. They are very well acquainted with the administration of Tyrosh and the keeping of our household here. You could learn much from them indeed,” Jacaerys said. “Now that we are wed, Luke and I are considering moving to Tyrosh permanently so you’d have to learn them eventually anyway. You might as well get started now.”

Baela leaned back into her seat. “You want to move to Tyrosh?”

She would confess she had thought this trip a temporary vacation but she should have expected otherwise. In many ways, Jacaerys and Lucerys considered Tyrosh their true home, not Driftmark. Practically as well, Tyrosh was the center of the Velaryon realm, most of their power and wealth originated from this city and it was increasingly impractical and improper for them to delegate its rule to a mere nephew and steward. The eldest sons and heirs of the Archon on the other hand were more than fitting regents for the city.

“We will of course visit Driftmark and Westeros often to see our family,” Jacaerys reassured her. “But yes. We would live here for most of the year.”

“Well you did say that one would need a lifetime to see all that the Queen of Cities had to offer. Perhaps it would be a good idea to get started on that,” Baela said.

Jacaerys smiled warmly. “Thank you for being so understanding Baela.”

“Well it’s not entirely out of the goodness of my heart. There’s still so much I want to see here after all,” she jested.

________________________________________

Ninth Moon, 113 AC

They had been living in Tyrosh for over a month by now. In that time Baela had explored more of the city, finally seeing the markets in the busy morning hours and also visiting the various government and military buildings within the Black Fortress and just riding around the city streets to see new neighborhoods and centers of commerce with her husband, goodbrother, and sister. Rhaena had even dragged her shopping a number of times.

Not every day was a fun adventure however, other days were spent shadowing Vaemond and Ryella or even Jacaerys and Lucerys with her sister Rhaena so they could learn how things were done in Tyrosh and how they could contribute to the city’s governance and administration. It was boring and tedious work but it had to be done and Baela would not disappoint either of the houses she was part of by slacking off. The best days were when they mixed leisure and work. For example, a visit to the mint to order the minting of new coins had turned into a fun detour as they watched how the first coins of their order were minted.

Every few days, they would clear their schedules entirely and go dragonriding together. Soaring through the skies, they would race from Bloodstone to the border with Volantis, visiting and exploring the other parts of the Archonate. They had even made the trip back to Tarth at one point just for fun and Baela had been pleased to see how much stronger Moondancer had become from all the races and flights.

True to his word, Jacaerys trounced her in every dragonback race as easily as she left him in the dust every time they raced on horseback. Still little by little, Baela could feel the gap in their speed and abilities closing and she was determined to beat him one day.

And when they were done with whatever had occupied them for the day, they would retire to their chambers. She didn’t know how it started but before they had even realized it, Jacaerys and her had taken to sharing a bath and bed every night. They would soak and fuck in the tub some nights when they were feeling frisky, other nights he would take her to their bed and they would gently make love. Some nights they were just too tired to do anything and they’d simply fall asleep in each other’s arms, taking comfort from the touch and presence of each other.

Every day and night that passed like this, Baela could feel that strange and pleasant warm feeling in her heart grow even stronger. Feel the happiness and joy threaten to consume her. An emotion she dared not name was growing inside her heart, against her will. Try as she might, but she could not help but slowly fall in –

Baela forcefully pulled her thoughts away. She refused to acknowledge that. It was too soon. They had been wed for less than three months and still she had not fully reconciled within herself just how at odds her husband was with her parents and birth house. Until she could reconcile that, Baela could not, would not admit that she was in… She refused to give form to the emotion in her heart but her thoughts betrayed her and she knew it for what it was.

Before she could sink deeper into the quagmire of her feelings however, she heard a knock on the door. Making herself presentable, she called out, “Come in.”

Her agony and affection walked in then. Baela wanted to throw him out for making her inner turmoil harder, or run up to him and kiss him until they were both breathless. She wasn’t sure which.

Almost like it was never there at all however, the inner turmoil in her heart vanished like the morning dew seeing the serious expression on Jacaerys’ face. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

His reply was to hand her a sheaf of papers that she skimmed through, her eyes widening as she did so. “What is this?” she demanded.

“You’ve been working with us long enough. You tell me,” he said.

“They’re mustering orders for the army regiments. Writs to assemble a fleet larger than any current deployment. Logistics paperwork, supply orders, training instructions, battle tactics… these are plans for a war,” she said as she looked up back at Jacaerys.

As they always did, those deep purple eyes threatened to enthrall her forever but she forced herself out of the trance. “What is the meaning of this Jacaerys? Who are we going to war with?”

“The corsairs of the Basilisk Isles,” he confessed.

“Why?”

Jacaerys scoffed. “Why not? They’re pirates and slaver scum who have been preying on our merchant ships for decades. It’s time we put an end to their menace.”

“And what is the end goal of this expedition? If it’s just to clear out the corsairs it would be meaningless. They’d be back within a year. You mean to annex and settle them don’t you?” Baela deduced.

He nodded. Baela let out a breath she didn’t even know she’d been holding. She didn’t know what to feel or think about this. The Targaryen princess in her was annoyed that House Velaryon was expanding its territory once again but whether Baela liked it or not, she wasn’t just a Targaryen princess anymore.

The past few months of her life she’d been married to a Velaryon, exploring Velaryon lands, learning how House Velaryon ruled and taking part in it herself. Little by little, she had grown attached to House Velaryon and come to desire its success because if she was being honest with herself it was her success as well. She was a Velaryon for all intents and purposes now and her future children would inherit all that they built, that she built.

As a lady of House Velaryon, Baela could see nothing but good coming out of a successful conquest of the Basilisk Isles. It was a just war against corsairs and slavers and it would greatly benefit House Velaryon to remove the corsairs and acquire the Basilisks as not only a strategic stopping point but one that the potential to grow various goods they could use if the Summer Islands were any indicator. That was Jacaerys’ plan she had a feeling, she liked to think she’d come to know him that much at least in the past few months and it very much sounded like an idea he’d come up with.

“So when would this war start?” she asked.

“We plan to leave at the start of the new year.”

“I’m sorry. We?”

Jacaerys paused and nodded hesitantly, a confused expression on his face. “I thought you realized it. A war on this scale requires the direct oversight of the main line of House Velaryon Baela. Luke and I will be commanding the expedition and lending our soldiers the power of our dragons to minimize casualties.”

“So this was really all just a roundabout way of telling me that you plan to leave me barely six months after we are wed to go gallivanting on a reckless war?”

Jacaerys winced. “No, not just that. I’m asking you to come with me.”

Baela paused at that. “What?”

Jacaerys nodded eagerly. “In the time that we have been married Baela, I think I’ve grown very fond of you. You’re right, I am going to go gallivanting on a possibly reckless war but that doesn’t mean it has to be without you. I don’t want to be parted from you for possibly years. Come with me. You’re fond of adventures aren’t you? You’re bold and spirited, this sounds like it’s like your kind of thrill.”

Baela shook her head in exasperation. “This isn’t thrill Jacaerys, it’s war.”

“My dear Baela, war is as great a thrill as any race is when you ride a god of destruction that can burn away all your enemies. There would have to be precautions of course and the Basilisk Isles are hardly the most pleasant of places, but it’s not as dangerous as you may think. And even if it is, four dragons are better than three.”

“Three?” Baela asked.

“Luke has already asked Rhaena. She’s coming along with us.”

Baela was shocked that her sweet sister would agree to go to war. But she supposed that her feelings for Luke and the fire that burned within her own soul were strong enough to compel her to. Rhaena might appear to be the gentler and softer of the two of them at first glance but Baela knew more than anyone that she was as fiery and fierce as any member of their family could be when her fury was aroused. She felt herself pulled to agree if only to accompany her sister and protect her but still…

“What about your siblings? Your brother Daeron? Maybe even Laena?”

Jacaerys shook his head. “They can’t leave Westeros right now. This expedition will take years. I don’t know if you know this but your cousin Aegon has made an ultimatum to his mother to come to an agreement with our parents by his nameday or he will marry Laena with or without her approval. Laena obviously has to stay because of that and Daeron will be helping with the negotiations and the like as Aegon’s best friend.”

Baela frowned at that. More mixed feelings tore at her heart. As a Targaryen and as sister to Helaena she could not approve of that but as a Velaryon…

She shook herself out of that thought rather than letting herself get dragged into that mess. Not when she already had one to sort out. “I don’t know Jacaerys…”

He walked up to her and placed his hand under her chin, raising it back up to face him gently. “Where is that bold and daring girl who challenges me so often? That fearless and fierce little racer? Admit it Baela, ever since you got your dragon… no even before it, a part of you has dreamed not just of riding a dragon, but of wielding its power in war. We all grew up on the tales of Aegon the Conqueror, of Visenya. Be honest with me, has the idea of following in their footsteps never once occurred to you?”

Baela averted her eyes because it had. Even as a young girl, Visenya had been someone she idolized, though she had to take care to ensure her grandfather Jaehaerys hadn’t found out or he’d be very wroth. Her father Daemon had used to give her sword lessons in secret while her grandfather was alive and once he had passed, he had trained her openly even if she never had become a squire or knight. She was decently adept with a blade even if she wasn’t truly passionate about it, much to her father’s disappointment, but the idea of riding to war and glory atop Moondancer, to adventure and see the world… it called to her.

“We need not be parted from each other if you follow me Baela. Come with me and make your dreams come true,” Jacaerys offered again.

It was so very tempting and try as she might Baela couldn’t find a reason to say no that convinced her enough. So she didn’t.

“Yes.”

Jacaerys smiled.

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Author’s Note: Sorry for the delayed chapter guys but yeah my house moving has started in earnest and I’m not sure when the next one will be. Hopefully I did the Queen of Cities justice this chapter. Stay tuned for the Basilisk Isles Arc.

If you need a refresher on the currency system in Tyrosh, check Ch39 on the public threads.