Chapter 12: Aftermath

105 AC

Red Keep, King's Landing

"All my life, I believed that I was a man of probity, compared to you anyway but now I finally see myself as the hypocritical monster that I truly am," I said to Daemon as we stood out on the balcony while the feast to celebrate our victory over the Triarchy was in full swing inside the Great Hall.

Despite all the jubilation happening around me and the fact that I have cemented my position as one of the legends of House Targaryen, I feel hollow inside and it leaves a bitter taste in my mouth that no amount of sweet wine or spicy meats could cover up.

Daemon turned to me, "About time you got off your high horse, Aegon, that veneer of honor and duty that you paraded around was starting to annoy me besides why are you so surprised, after all, you were the one to suggest this attack."

"My original plan was meant only for the Grand Palace, it was you and Corlys who expanded it, and that plan once put into action spiraled out to include the entire fucking city, I mean we stopped our carnage only once dawn broke," I said with no small amount of horror.

"So, isn't that why we attacked Myr in the first place, to destroy that place so badly that they and all the cunts in Essos will never dare to annoy us for another century," Daemon replies with nonchalance.

"Then we should have stayed our hand after burning the Magisters of the Triarchy, we shouldn't have gone after the innocent people," I responded,

"We are dragonlords, we care not for the wheat or the weed when we burn the field," Daemon answered back.

"Tell me Aegon, you don't seem very happy that you killed so many people, so let me ask you this, can you honestly tell me that when you destroyed the gates and burned down the desperate crowd that was trying to flee you, you didn't allow yourself to feel the slightest tinge of satisfaction and pride in your power, the power that you have over them, in the power that only a dragon can give you."

I felt a lot more than a tinge. I swallowed my words under his stare.

"Tell me that when we destroyed the Grand Palace, you didn't feel your cock harden because I know mine did," He continued and I kept silent because he wasn't wrong.

"I'll tell you what I don't get, did you expect something different, you act like you are surprised that you didn't choose this, did you bond with Sheepstealer thinking that you won't have to kill anyone."

My tongue froze in its place and I could do nothing. I had gone native in Westeros a long time ago, I murdered Criston Cole openly because of what he may have done in the future that may or may not happen, this shouldn't surprise me.

I was in denial, thinking that my old morals still existed in this world when they were long since dead. I was a fucking hypocrite.

"Tell me Aegon which is better, the Myrish and the others keep raiding Westerosi ships and taking our people as slaves or us destroying Myr with our dragons as a warning to the other cities to ensure that they will never again attack Westeros and its people, to save the sheep we must kill the wolves, for either way someone has to die."

Daemon continued looking straight into my eyes, "If there is one thing worse than death it is to avert your eyes from it, look straight at the people you kill, don't take your eyes off them for a second, and don't ever forget them because they will never forget you,"

Daemon left me alone on the balcony after his speech to go and find a wench to warm his bed tonight, I looked outside at the city, and the cold air brushed past me as I stood alone gazing outside reflecting on my actions until Dacey arrived to comfort me.

Next Day Morning

Small Council Chambers

"There is only one thing on today's agenda, to get a detailed explanation from Princes Aegon and Daemon on what they have done during their attack on Myr." Otto begins as Rhaenyra goes around the table filling everyone's cups.

"Here's a detailed explanation for you, we destroyed that fucking city." A hungover Daemon groused as he raised his legs onto the table.

"Destroyed as in.." A shocked Viserys asks,

"Destroyed as in destroyed," I responded emotionlessly.

"That is impossible, even Balerion in his prime would take a whole day and night to destroy an entire city, especially one of the size of Myr," Viserys said in shock.

"Well, we may not have destroyed Myr like how Balerion destroyed Harrenhal but we did cripple the city to the point that it would be best for the survivors to find a new home instead of rebuilding," I replied as I placed my cup out to be filled by Rhaenyra.

Besides two fifty-year-old dragons can cause about as much damage as a hundred-year-old dragon can.

Myr might as well be a nonentity at this point with no political leadership and nearly all its wealth destroyed. And unless there is foreign intervention from Pentos or Braavos it might stay that way for a long time.

And even if they do rebuild their city, it will be a long and painful process that may last a couple of generations.

A gobsmacked Viserys asks with an open mouth "I thought the two of you were meant to destroy the Grand Palace and leave, after all, I distinctly recollect you saying, 'We will be in and out before they even know it.' "

"That was the plan until Lord Corlys and Daemon decided to add more targets," I answered as I took a sip of the wine.

"More targets as in?" Otto asked what Viserys and the rest of the Small Council were thinking to ask.

"The docks, the shipyards, the warehouses, the granaries, the citadel, and the five main gates of the city," Daemon answered as he drank his cup in a gulp.

Plus every single building in the city that was essential to Myr's economic development like the Bank of Myr or the Headquarters for the Guild of Glassmakers or any structure that Daemon and I felt like destroying at the time because they stood out and caught our attention.

"Should I assume that the two of you descended upon the commoners of Myr?" Viserys hesitantly asks me. I have a feeling he has already guessed what we might have done.

"Of course not, we would never attack innocent people for the crimes of their leaders," Daemon answered before I could with a smarmy smile that convinced nobody.

"Something tells me that there is more to this story." Otto shrewdly adds to the end which caused everyone to look at me as if I am supposed to be the more reliable source.

"Well, I mean there was the problem with the fire and the wind, and the wind spreading the fire throughout the city," I replied haltingly while Otto narrowed his eyes at me.

"Seven hells, that is exactly what I feared," Viserys said with his head bowed down and buried in his hands.

"How many parts of the city were destroyed when the fire began to spread?" Runciter asked curiously,

"Umm, I would say somewhere around... half of the city of Myr," I said as I pretended to think about my answer.

This might be a good time to float the idea of Fire insurance and a Fire Fighting Force. Lyman Beesbury accepted my technique of double bookkeeping once he saw its effectiveness so maybe he will be receptive to the idea of insurance as well.

The entire Small Council was stunned into silence at that, truth be told, I would say that it's somewhere around three-quarters of the city as there was no one to stop the fire from spreading once it began to spread for real.

If there was a Fire fighting service in the city then they were either dead or they must have fled upon seeing the dragons.

"So exactly how many people have you killed in Myr?" Otto then asked and everyone once again looked at me,

"I haven't had the time to count the number mostly because we usually make the defeated do the counting." I tried to deflect the question.

"Yes, but can you give a guess about how many might be dead." Otto presses,

"Conservatively I would say that it would be somewhere around fifty thousand if you include not just fire deaths but also smoke inhalation, falling debris, and the stampeding crowd," I answered to which Viserys' eyebrows shot up and I doubt that they will be coming down any time soon.

Daemon and I went after crowds for they were an easy and plentiful catch. Plus the dozen minor gates of the city did funnel the crowds into a single killing zone.

I continued "You also have to add in the number of people that will starve because we have destroyed the granaries and mayhaps the cisterns as well and finally there is a very good chance that a passing Dothraki khalasar or a sellsword company for that matter might choose to sack the city as it presents an easy target."

"I will say that around two hundred to three hundred thousand people, freemen and slaves alike must have fled the city by now with thousands more abandoning the city every day," Daemon finished.

"There is no one left to take leadership of the city as nearly all of the wealthy nobles and magisters of the city are dead," Like how Astapor turned out to be when Daenerys left it after sacking it.

Everyone remained silent as they took in the numbers, Viserys will be having nightmares in the coming nights.

"Why does this even matter?" Corlys speaks up, "Did the King not issue a declaration of war the minute the Red Keep received the raven from Dragonstone notifying us that the Princes had left, so as far as this Council is concerned whatever has happened in Myr is an act of war that is completely justified."

"Legally yes but I can see that this will be considered one of the most aggressive acts committed by the Iron Throne on a foreign power which may have direct to indirect consequences in the coming years," Lyonel replied,

"That may be so but I can very easily see the prices of Myrish rugs, laces, wines, and far-eyes increasing thirtyfold." Lyman mourned,

"You are acting as if no other city produces rugs, laces, and wines." Daemon scoffed,

"No Free City has been able to make their products to the same quality as Myr and certainly not in the far-eyes." Otto countered.

"If that is the case then I can also see Braavos and Pentos sending their ships to Myr to rescue its artisans or whatever is left of them," Lyonel added,

"What about the other cities?" Viserys asked once the talk about Myrish products died down.

"Lys and Tyrosh as of this moment are headless chickens, it will take a while before the chickens regain their heads," I answered which caused a few people to chuckle.

"How goes our preparation for war?" Otto asks as the chuckles die down.

Corlys answers him "The Royal Fleet is ready to attack the Stepstones, once Lord Baratheon and Prince Daemon have completed marshaling the strength of the Stormlands and the Crownlands we will have an unassailable advantage in men and resources."

Otto adds to it, "Lord Redwyne will also be joining you as will my brother with the might of Oldtown." Of course, he will.

It had been finalized that the Iron Throne will annex the Stepstones as part of its realm. Now, who should be in charge of the Stepstones is a question that is yet to be answered. Viserys is content to leave it hanging until the war is over.

"What shall we do about the Dornish? They are certain to feel threatened by everything about to happen." Lyman asked,

Daemon waved it off, "Tell them to look at Myr to know what a real threat is from a dragon, we should have invaded back when that cunt Morion attacked, should we follow up our invasion of the Stepstones with an invasion of Dorne."

"No, we will not, invading the Stepstones is one thing but not Dorne, we are not getting sucked into that hell." Viserys shuts it down.

"What if they attack first? Can we destroy Sunspear then?" I asked him,

"Then you will fend off any attack but you will not attack them, I will not have another war on my plate, this gamble that you have made me take with the Triarchy and the Stepstones is already too much," Viserys answers as he refuses my proposition.

Dragonpit

"I think that it is time that I gave you a new name," I said to Sheepstealer as I entered his lair inside the Dragonpit.

He looked at me strangely but this time it seemed as if he agreed with me, Sheepstealer should no longer be his name.

"Sheepstealer used to steal sheep from Driftmark to the Wendwater but you haven't stolen any sheep for the past decade you have been fed and fattened just like the rest."

"For all his theft of sheep, Sheepstealer never once harmed a Shepherd and now you have killed thousands in a single night."

"Your baptism of fire has occurred, you are no longer Sheepstealer the Wild Dragon for you are now a War Dragon of the likes of Balerion, Vhagar, Vermithor, and Caraxes."

"And you will now have a new name, a name that befits the might of Old Valyria, a name that once belonged to one of the Fourteen."

"For your name will be Gaelithox, the Behemoth."