[Chapter Size: 1300 Words.]
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"A living dragon, incredible! How can it have four legs?" Walder had only seen drawings of dragons in books.
"Apolo is an ancient and true dragon, while the dragons of Valyria are products of blood magic, that's basically it."
Theon could not explain it clearly either. From what he knew in his previous life, there were two main theories about the origins of Valyrian dragons.
The first theory claimed that a Valyrian shepherd discovered a dragon egg, which gave rise to the first family of dragonlords.
The second theory suggested that the Valyrians used blood magic to create dragons, creatures said to be a combination of pterosaurs and the salamanders of Sothoryos.
But there was never a truly reasonable explanation for how the dragons of Valyria came to be.
Looking at the twenty-meter giant before him, Walder felt for the first time that Theon's rule over Westeros was not a dream, but an ideal.
"He's only four years old. In twenty years, I can't imagine how powerful he'll become. He will be the guardian of the future empire," Theon swore.
"Of course he will!"
The Iron Guards proved highly efficient. In only two days, a simple house and several servants were set up in Apolo's cave.
The Iron Guards, the elite armed forces of Fort Pyke, were comparable to the royal guards of the old imperial cities. Their number had grown to two thousand, each one a soldier of unmatched discipline and strength.
Melisandre watched them coming and going with growing unease. When she first met Theon Greyjoy, she believed he would value her, yet he had merely confined her within Pyke Castle.
She soon realized Theon had placed her under house arrest, though she could not understand why.
No one had ever shown her the same scorn and disdain Theon displayed when she told him he was the savior chosen by the Lord.
She even asked him directly if he truly did not wish to be the savior.
Theon's answer was simple: "If you whispered in my ear that I was chosen by Heaven to live forever, perhaps I would not resist your temptation. But the savior you speak of is far too lowly."
Melisandre did not understand what "chosen by Heaven to live forever" meant, and Theon refused to explain.
With no other choice, she simply remained at Fort Pyke.
Yet, strange things had been happening in Pyke Castle over the past two days. A large number of guards had been stationed around the back garden. Rumor had it that Queen Selena was pregnant.
Few, however, knew why the queen had moved to the back garden after her pregnancy.
Melisandre slowly made her way toward the back garden, or rather, the entrance to the Sun Garden. The iron gate was shut, with several Iron Guards in full armor standing guard.
"Melisandre, what are you staring at?" Theon's voice came from behind her.
"There's a strong fire element inside, like a small sun." She looked at him curiously, waiting for an explanation.
"Come in and sit. It's beautiful inside."
Theon led Melisandre into the Sun Garden.
The Sun Garden was filled with all kinds of plants, giving the impression of stepping instantly back into untouched nature. A small, abrupt hill rose in its center.
Beneath the semicircular peak lay a massive cavern that stirred anyone's curiosity.
At that moment, Myrcella was speaking with Selena about the things she should pay attention to during pregnancy.
As Selena listened to Myrcella, who held a small notebook and earnestly explained each detail, her eyes glowed with warmth and happiness.
Selena had always been a gentle girl who longed to marry a decent young nobleman, but her angelic beauty had made her realize that sooner or later she would be reduced to a pawn in her father's political games.
When she learned she would marry a man from the Iron Islands and become another man's second wife, she was overcome with fear.
She also knew she was powerless to resist and could only pray, day and night, to live the rest of her life in peace and stability. After all, the Iron Islands did not carry a good reputation.
Especially in the Free Cities, the most despised merchants were those from the Iron Islands and the Riverlands. Yet, the luxury goods they traded, such as soap, glass, refined salt, and more, were undeniably valuable.
Perhaps Selena's prayers had been answered. Her husband, Theon, and his sister, Myrcella, were both easy to live with, and this made Selena cherish her current life deeply.
Especially after becoming pregnant, Selena felt as though she had fallen into a pot of honey, surrounded by the care and affection of Theon and Myrcella.
"Aunt Melisandre, you're here! Tell Sister Selena about your fantastic adventures!" Myrcella exclaimed the moment she saw Melisandre arrive.
"Of course, my queens," Melisandre replied.
After setting down what he had been carrying, Theon entered the cavern alone.
Melisandre cast a glance toward the cavern while she recounted her tales.
"Queen Myrcella, what lies inside that cavern?" she asked, seizing the chance to gather information from the younger queen.
"What's wrong?" Myrcella asked curiously, not understanding why Melisandre would suddenly ask about the cavern.
"I am a pyromancer, highly sensitive to the element of fire. There is an overwhelming abundance of it in that cavern, and it piqued my curiosity."
"The eldest son of His Majesty lives there. I reside there as well," Selena answered first, offering no further detail.
Myrcella nodded in agreement. They were kind and gentle, but far from naïve. Kindness was not the same as foolishness.
Realizing they would not reveal more, Melisandre held back her questions. She could faintly sense that a terrible creature dwelled below.
Even its mere aura of fire radiated such power that Melisandre could only marvel.
Perhaps this was why Theon remained so indifferent to the threat of the White Walkers.
Still, the Night King's power was undoubtedly the strongest in history. Melisandre remained uneasy, believing it would be best if Theon unified Westeros as soon as possible.
Theon, too, wished to unite Westeros swiftly, but such a task required opportunity. At the same time, he sought to gradually erode the old order, reforming each region he visited.
This would make his future reforms easier and more effective.
If Westeros were ruled by sheer force alone, subsequent reforms would inevitably be obstructed.
Theon now prepared to move against the North. The northern lords were notoriously stubborn, and it would take tremendous effort to subdue them.
But Theon felt his opportunity had arrived.
It was already July, and the North had suffered a poor harvest in the first half of the year.
On top of that, constant skirmishes between House Bolton and House Stark made life miserable for the northern folk.
Theon also decreed that no grain from Riverrun could be sold privately, all surplus grain had to be sold to the crown at market price.
At the same time, he blockaded White Harbor, plunging the North into even greater hardship. Waves of refugees roamed the land, stealing food whenever possible.
Theon knew the moment had come. The desperate farmers of the North needed a wise leader to guide them into a life free from hunger.
The northern borderlands were vast and sparsely populated, while fertile southern pastures were well-suited for growing disaster-resistant wheat or raising livestock.
As for the northern nobles, the obedient would farm and raise herds for Theon. The disobedient would serve as fodder for the pasture.
Theon cared little about killing northern lords. The more defiant they were, the better.
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