"Don't forget what Viserys calls himself now—Emperor of Valyria!" Xaro's voice echoed through the Hall of a Thousand Thrones, his tone carrying a note of alarm that lingered in the grand chamber. The Pureborn members began to picture the skies darkening with dragons, their once-blue expanse turned grey by smoke and ash.
Dragons of all colors would soar above them, fire pouring from their mouths as their homeland was reduced to ruins once again.
Qarth's people, descendants of Lysene refugees, were no strangers to such devastation. Their original home had been in the Red Waste, long ago conquered by the Dragonlords of Valyria, only to later fall prey to the marauding Dothraki. After centuries of wandering, they had finally settled in Qarth. But if Viserys Targaryen, under his so-called imperial banner, restored his house to its former glory, the skies that had been empty for centuries would once again be ruled by dragons.
Sensing the crowd's growing unease, Xaro pressed further. He held up a letter, the edges creased from handling. "I have received word that Viserys will come to Qarth with his sister and their seven dragons. The gods will not grant us another opportunity like this!" He gestured to Pree, the sorcerer standing nearby. "And we have the Pree sorcerer to thank."
Pree stepped forward, his presence unsettling despite his calm demeanor. "Yes, Viserys is no ordinary emperor. He is a powerful sorcerer himself and deeply interested in the Undying Ones' secrets of longevity. I assure you, he will come to Qarth."
The Warlocks of Qarth were not well-liked, but their alliance with the Spicers Guild granted them influence.
With the appearance of the Red Comet and the hatching of the dragons, the Warlocks' strength had only grown. Those who dared to disrespect them—whether noble or merchant—often suffered mysterious misfortunes. There was no direct evidence that the Warlocks were responsible, but their reputation, and their power, had risen steadily.
"I support the plan to ambush Viserys and Daenerys!" Egon, the Pureborn member bribed by Xaro, raised his hand without hesitation.
"I agree as well," said several other nobles, raising their hands in quick succession. They, too, had been bought by Xaro's gold.
One by one, more hands rose. The number of supporters quietly passed the halfway mark. Xaro allowed himself a small smile, though a flicker of contempt passed through his eyes as he looked over the Pureborns.
Finally, he turned his gaze to Mathos, the Pureborn who had initially raised concerns. Mathos hesitated, his fingers adorned with gem-studded rings twitching as he considered. Then, after a moment's deliberation, he slowly raised his right hand.
The vote was cast.
...
Tyrosh
"Your Grace, during your absence, there have been hundreds of slave escapes from Volantis, and over twenty have made it to the Hopeful Lands. This is only the number we've been able to confirm..." Connington reported, holding a document as he briefed Viserys on the situation in the Hopeful Lands e and the Stepstones.
Viserys' deliberate promotion of these regions had worked—many, including slaves, now knew that those in the Stepstones and the Hopeful Lands enjoyed a far better life.
Slave owners there were required to give their slaves two days off each month, ensure their health, and most importantly, offer them a path to freedom by enlisting in the army. This had drawn the attention of slaves from places like Volantis, the Free City with the largest slave population among the nine major Free Cities.
Occasionally, slaves escaped from Volantis to these lands of promise, and the noble families of Volantis were none too pleased with Viserys' policies. They had expected him to restore slavery in full when he began rebuilding Valyria, yet instead, he had improved the living conditions of the enslaved.
Is that good? No, it's not good. This doesn't feel like Valyria at all.
If it weren't for Viserys' growing dragons, the lords of Volantis might have already declared their independence from him. His ambiguous stance on slavery had preserved a fragile peace for now, but Viserys had a longer game in mind. He still needed the Unsullied to solidify his power. Once they were under his command, he could sever all ties with the institution of slavery.
Viserys had also uncovered why the slave owners in Slaver's Bay had allied with the Warlocks of Qarth: one faction craved his dragons, while the other sought his life. "A perfect match," Viserys thought bitterly. "Fine. Since everyone's motives are impure, we'll proceed on our terms."
In truth, Viserys envied the immense wealth amassed in Slaver's Bay over centuries. And then there was Qarth, the so-called center of the world, whose riches were so vast that even Roth of Braavos had confirmed their scale to him. If Viserys could plunder Slaver's Bay and Qarth, he could fill his own "dragon vault," a treasury far surpassing the Iron Bank of Braavos.
The Iron Bank will have its due, they said. But Viserys imagined a new saying: A Dragon always guards its wealth.
Beyond wealth, Viserys also had his eye on Qarth's massive fleet. In the future, he would need those ships to reclaim the Iron Throne, but they would also serve a more pressing purpose—mobilizing supplies to defend against the White Walkers. Westeros had lost most of its fleet, and while the Hopeful Lands and the Stepstones had several hundred ships, it wasn't enough.
Of course, Viserys' ambitions and plans had been fully relayed to Connington months ago, including the plot involving the Warlocks of Qarth. Both men knew that soon, Viserys would need to act decisively—on his own terms.
At first, Connington was opposed to the idea. It's one thing to take risks when you have no army or territory, he thought. But when you have both, and you're still calling yourself an emperor? What's that all about? Yet, Viserys' persistence wore him down, and together, they crafted a plan to capture Slaver's Bay.
The strategy was ambitious. Caggo, now a Khal, would lead the Golden Company, currently stationed in Vaes Dothrak, in an attack from the north.
Once Viserys had secured the Unsullied, Astapor would be effectively his. Meanwhile, Caggo and the Golden Company would push farther north to take Meereen. With Astapor and Meereen in their hands, they would lay siege to Yunkai, the city between them, and crush it.
While these sieges unfolded, Viserys himself would lead a lightning assault on Qarth. The plan was to eliminate the ruling classes of both Slaver's Bay and Qarth, seize their wealth, and then return along the Valyrian kingsroad , taking the spoils of war—riches, ships, and people—with them.
For this operation, Connington personally selected a guard of 1,500 men, each fiercely loyal and highly skilled. Among them was Viserys' personal guard, clad in Valyrian steel armor, rumored to resist even magic. A medium-sized fleet of 50 warships would accompany them, not just to display the emperor's majesty but also to facilitate future transportation of the Unsullied.
When the invitation from Qarth arrived, asking Viserys and Daenerys to visit, Viserys gathered a small, trusted council to discuss it—only he, Dany, Aemon, and Connington were present. Though many talented officers had been cultivated recently, only these four knew the full extent of the plan.
As Viserys studied the letter, Aemon spoke. "Viserys, do you understand why the slavers of Slaver's Bay and the people of Qarth have such audacity to plot against you?"
"Of course I do," Viserys replied, smiling. "Kambron had the same intentions once."
Dany, sitting beside him, still looked confused, though Aemon had been told nearly everything about Viserys' rise—from his days in Braavos to the moment he crowned himself emperor.
It must be acknowledged, Aemon is, after all, a man who has lived for over a century. His wisdom allowed him to carefully break down the benefits and risks for Viserys, point by point, making the young emperor feel both guided and valued. Aemon, who had once sharply criticized Viserys for meeting with the northern lords in secret, had earned his respect through such honest counsel, which Viserys humbly accepted.
Turning to Dany, Aemon spoke gently but firmly. "Daenerys, you're only thirteen, but the hope of House Targaryen rests with you and Viserys. Until you have an heir, the Targaryens cannot be considered fully restored."
Connington, standing nearby, nodded in agreement. Viserys, at eighteen, was no longer considered young by the standards of noble families. He had no children and was constantly taking dangerous risks. Is that a good thing? Connington thought. No, it isn't!
Dany, understanding the weight of Aemon's words, blushed. Girls were often quick to mature, and with Meris—a seasoned, worldly woman—frequently offering her blunt advice, Dany had become increasingly aware of the importance of producing an heir. As the topic of succession came up, she stole a shy glance at Viserys, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.