Chapter 120 The Allegiance of the Sea Snake, the Rule of the Dragon King
When Daemon was crowned King in the Three Daughters, all the meritorious officials who followed him on the expedition reaped immense profits.
The greatest contributors were Sea Snake Corlys and Princess Rhaenys; although Sea Snake Corlys and Daemon were once rivals, at the Great Council on Dragonstone, Sea Snake Corlys spared no effort to assert his wife Princess Rhaenys's rights, while Daemon fully supported his brother Viserys.
Later, due to the Fight of dragons, Sea Snake Corlys and Daemon were once at loggerheads.
After the Three Daughters occupied the Stepstones, it affected the interests of the Iron Throne and House Velaryon.
Sea Snake Corlys knew that once the Stepstones were controlled by the Triarchy, cutting off House Velaryon's trade lifeline, the decline of House Velaryon would be inevitable.
He had no choice but to ally with Daemon.
To reclaim the Stepstones, Sea Snake Corlys, the richest man in Westeros and the Ship King, contributed money and effort.
His Valyrian Fleet helped Daemon charge into battle on the sea.
The shipyards and blacksmiths in Hull and Spice Town on Driftmark continuously built oar warships, galleons, and weapons for Daemon.
Princess Rhaenys, riding the Meleys the Red Queen, followed Daemon into battle in the sky.
The direction of this war far exceeded the expectations of Sea Snake Corlys and Princess Rhaenys.
The Westeros army not only recaptured the Stepstones but also successively occupied Tyrosh, Lys, and Myr, as well as the fertile Disputed Lands and the Myr Sea.
Sea Snake Corlys plundered a large amount of wealth during the war.
Sea Snake Corlys was diligent, pragmatic, ambitious, and highly capable.
Although Daemon had not yet established his Small Council, it was clear to everyone that Sea Snake Corlys was Daemon's Hand of the King, King of the King's Hand, and Admiral of the Navy.
Now, forged by the fires of war, Daemon and Sea Snake Corlys have become inseparable allies.
Sea Snake Corlys's son, Laenor, initially served as a hostage and squire by Daemon's side.
Now, Laenor, like other young men such as Matthew Tyrell, Tyland Lannister, and Tom Staunton, has become an admirer of Daemon.
Sea Snake Corlys's daughter, Laena, has always served as Princess Gael's handmaiden.
She and Laenor have become the closest playmates of Daemon's sons, and the children of Daemon and Sea Snake Corlys live together every day.
At Daemon's coronation ceremony, Ironborn captains, the Winter Wolves, noble second sons from all over Westeros, Myrmen, Tyroshi, Lyseni, Red Priestesses, alchemists, and the Dragon's Servants Army surrounded the great hall of Tyrosh Castle.
Queen Gael, Alys Rivers, and Terra Uller, holding Daemon's sons, surrounded Daemon.
Everyone longed to eat their own bread, and everyone was waiting for their own share of rewards.
Daemon waved his hand, bestowing upon Sea Snake Corlys a pure gold seahorse, upon Princess Rhaenys a red gold dragon, upon Lord Roderick Dustin, the Wolf of the Barrows a golden saddle, and Raven Greyjoy received a galleon as a reward.
Those Westeros noble second sons, sworn knights, mercenary knights of the Kingsguard, and the Dragon's Servants Army who had followed Daemon through life and death all received rewards of varying amounts of real gold and silver.
Especially for some impoverished mercenary knights, Daemon's generosity was equivalent to several years of income serving employers in Westeros.
However, some people were still not satisfied.
Ser Ronald Florent, in his silver-white armor engraved with a seven-pointed star and a crystal hanging from his neck, seemed to have grown more devout in his faith in the Seven Gods recently.
Ser Ronald Florent said, "Your Majesty, the soldiers are very grateful for your rewards.
Under the witness of the Seven Gods, if Your Majesty can knight us, who have been anointed with holy oil and achieved great military merits, as lords, then the Seven Gods will surely protect Your Majesty's kingdom."
Beside him, some Knights of the Westerlands, Vale Knights, Riverlands Knights, and Reach Knights whispered in agreement.
These knightly orders were not true armies, but rather customary designations within the Westeros army based on regional divisions.
However, these knights, having crossed mountains and seas to fight in unfamiliar lands, always preferred to stick together with people from their homeland, except for sworn enemy families like Blackwood Family and Bracken Family.
Ser Ronald Florent held high prestige among the Reach Knights.
It seemed they had already conspired to seize the opportunity at Daemon's coronation ceremony to present their demands.
Daemon felt that Ser Ronald Florent had taken a wrong turn.
Now that Daemon was crowned King, if Ser Ronald Florent had any opinions, he could have raised them privately.
To make such a demand at the coronation ceremony was simply asking for trouble.
Before Daemon could speak, Lord Roderick Dustin, the Wolf of the Barrows sneered, "Knights anointed with holy oil dreaming of becoming lords?
This isn't Westeros."
Henderson, a tall Tyroshi with a scar on his face, who was once a famous gladiator in the Meereen arena, said, "Whether we are free men or slaves freed by the Father of Dragons, we are only subjects of the Father of Dragons and the Targaryens.
If others want to ride on our heads as lords, sorry, they might get killed at any time."
Maester Melos, King Jaehaerys's envoy, said, "When I left King's Landing, King Jaehaerys and Regent Viserys specifically stated in their letters that before the situation in the Three Daughters stabilizes, local customs should be respected, and they advised His Majesty Daemon not to ennoble too many Westeros lords in the Three Daughters."
Ronald Florent said, "There's no need to ennoble too many; in my opinion, only those who truly believe in the Seven Gods are qualified to become lords of His Majesty's new kingdom."
These words were too much for many of the knights present, and the Ironborn, Sistermen, and the Winter Wolves of the North were even more furious.
Ironborn Captain Sharon Botley said with a grimace, "Florent, if it weren't for the drowned god's protection, and the fleet defeating the enemies all the way, it would be a question whether you knights could even The Reach Essos.
How dare you claim credit and ask for rewards in the name of the Seven Gods?
Do you think we live in the age of the Andals' invasion of Westeros?"
Winter Wolves warrior Jon Umber said angrily, "In the North, no one pays attention to the Seven Gods except for those Southrons of House Manderly in White Harbor.
Florent, since you're so devout, why don't you just go back to Westeros and become a monk?"
Daemon waved his hand, signaling for everyone to be quiet, "Everyone, King Jaehaerys has crowned me King of the Three Daughters, and we must accept the opinions of King Jaehaerys and the Regent and be cautious in ennobling lords."
In fact, King Jaehaerys and Viserys made this decision under the influence of the senior officials of the Small Council.
The brilliant military achievements of Daemon's conquest had far exceeded the expectations of the Westeros nobles.
With such a large piece of cake as the Three Daughters falling from the sky, Otto Hightower, Lord Lyman Beesbury, Lyonel Strong, and others in the Small Council could only envy and be jealous.
They certainly did not want Daemon to extensively grant lordships in Westeros; they hoped that in the future, they too could gain a share of the benefits in the Three Daughters.
Additionally, the social environment of the Three Daughters was vastly different from that of Westeros.
In Westeros, noble lords owned land, and the people of their territories had to pay taxes, perform military service, and corvée labor to the lord.
The lord's land was provided for farmers to cultivate, and the lord had an obligation to protect the residents of the territory.
Unless there were major changes such as war, the lord generally would not interfere with the farmers' production and life.
In times of war, propertied knights would respond to the call of the great lord, ride their warhorses, wear their armor, and rally the residents of their territories.
Whether they were farmers, shoemakers, candlemakers, blacksmiths, tavern waiters, or pig keepers, they would all be recruited and temporarily assembled to go out and fight.
These ordinary people generally did not receive wages for going out to fight.
If they were lucky, they might plunder a little on the battlefield, but most would die in the war.
It was precisely for this reason that when war broke out in Westeros, the rallying power of the lords in various regions became crucial.
House Stark of the North had ruled the North for thousands of years, and they were deeply loved by the local residents, so House Stark had a strong war mobilization capability.
House Lannister of the Westerlands and House Arryn of the Vale also ranked among the top great noble houses in Westeros in terms of war mobilization capability.
House Tully of the Riverlands and House Tyrell of the The Reach had much weaker rallying power because House Tully and House Tyrell had only been elevated to the high position of guardian houses by Aegon the Conqueror for just over a hundred years.
Many vassals of Highgarden and Riverrun did not love their lords.
It was different in the Three Daughters.
The residents of Myr, Lys, Tyrosh, and other places took pride in commerce.
Most of the land here was monopolized by wealthy merchants and slave owners.
Unlike the small-scale farming economy of Westeros, the Three Daughters raised slaves on plantations for agricultural production.
Slave owners would arrange overseers and use plows, plow horses, and plows for unified production.
This model was clearly more efficient than agricultural production in Westeros.
After Daemon conquered Three Daughters, the nobles either fled, surrendered, or were executed, but their estates were taken over by the Kingsguard and transformed into Dragon's Estates. The slaves who used to farm for the slave owners now became farmers on the Dragon's Estates. Their treatment improved greatly, but they still worked the land on the estates, just as before.
The slaves of Three Daughters had clear divisions of labor: estate serfs specialized in farming, artisan slaves specialized in repairing bridges and roads, and brothel slaves specialized in pleasing customers. Three Daughters also recruited mercenary groups to fight for them.
The feudal lord system of Westeros was clearly not suitable for Three Daughters, because its residents worshiped different gods and spoke different languages. They could accept Daemon, Father of Dragons, as their king, but they might not accept the unfamiliar lords appointed by Daemon.
Three Daughters was ahead of Westeros in terms of trade, economy, navigation, and finance. If Daemon were to implement the Westeros system in Three Daughters, it would undoubtedly be a historical regression.
Under the gaze of everyone, the nobles and Dragon's Servants Army of Three Daughters all wailed and protested indignantly against the enfeoffment of lords. The public's anger was not to be trifled with, and Ser Ronald Florent could only back down. Daemon said loudly, "Three Daughters will become the Dragon Kingdom. Here, the farmers are actually the new nobles. You can join the Kingsguard. I will establish a complete system of military merits and titles. Those with outstanding military achievements can receive high salaries, enough for you to buy large tracts of land and become farmers."
Knights from all over Westeros, Ironborn, Sistermen, and Northmen all cheered and shouted.
Constantine, the commander of the Dragon's Servants Army, wore a dark green silk coat with jade buttons carved into the shape of dragons on his chest. He said, "Your Majesty, under the witness of the gods, you have been crowned king. May I ask, Your Majesty, will our Three Daughters form a Small Council like Westeros in the future? Or will it be the former Supreme Council of Three Daughters?"
Daemon already had the answer to this question. Daemon said, "Three Daughters is a vassal state of the Iron Throne, so we will form a Small Council like Westeros."
The former Supreme Council of Three Daughters, Myr, Lys, and Tyrosh, each elected eleven governors from among wealthy merchants and nobles to sit on the Supreme Council, totaling thirty-three governors. They belonged to different industries such as spices, merchant ships, jade, alchemists, and brothels, and competed with each other. Therefore, whenever the Supreme Council encountered major issues, they would hold endless meetings and discussions, wasting time. It was precisely because they missed one military opportunity after another that Daemon easily completed the great conquest.
Orlando Thorne, a Lys pirate captain, wore an exquisite green hat and a bright ivory coat. He said, "Your Majesty, I understand that you once served as King Jaehaerys's Hand of the King. Who will be our Hand of the King?"
Daemon's gaze fell on Sea Snake Corlys. "I already have a perfect candidate. He is the Lord of the Tides, Sea Snake Corlys, who has completed nine great voyages, traversed the shadow of Asshai, Yi Ti, and challenged the Shivering Sea. Sea Snake, are you willing to serve as my Hand of the King?"
Under everyone's gaze, Sea Snake Corlys walked with firm steps to Daemon, and slowly knelt down, "Your Majesty, I am willing to serve as your Hand of the King."
Calling Daemon 'Your Majesty' for the first time, Sea Snake Corlys felt very awkward. Sea Snake Corlys was over fifty years old; he was nearly thirty years older than Daemon. Sea Snake Corlys had watched Daemon grow up, and as the richest man in Westeros, Sea Snake Corlys never knelt easily.
But now, things were different. Daemon had been crowned king. He was deeply loved by the liberated slaves of Three Daughters and the Westeros army. In front of the Three Daughters' court, if Sea Snake Corlys refused Daemon, he would have to stay away from the center of power in Three Daughters. Three Daughters was too fertile, wealthy, and powerful. In comparison, Driftmark, where House Velaryon had lived for generations, was too small. The shrewd Sea Snake Corlys also intended to let his descendants have a place in Three Daughters, allowing Laenor's descendants to flourish here. Naturally, he could not refuse the olive branch offered by Daemon.
Daemon helped the kneeling Sea Snake Corlys to his feet. Sea Snake Corlys said, "Your Majesty, I will certainly not disappoint your expectations of me. The Small Council still needs many talented people to assist Your Majesty with me. Does Your Majesty have suitable candidates?"
Daemon looked around at everyone, pondering for a moment, "Three Daughters is still young, and there are still enemies like Volantis, Pentos, and the nomadic tribes of the Great Grass Sea, all stirring. The Sea Lord of Braavos's fleet is also waiting for an opportunity on the sea. We need a capable Master of War."
Then Daemon's gaze fell on Lord Roderick Dustin, the Wolf of the Barrows.
"Tomb Wolf, you are brave and skilled in battle, upright and courageous. I hope you will serve as the Master of War."
It was deep winter in the North. Food was scarce in the North. To solve the problem of rations and survival, Lord Roderick Dustin, the Wolf of the Barrows, led many white-haired old people to follow Daemon and join the war to conquer Three Daughters. Lord Roderick Dustin, the Wolf of the Barrows, performed exceptionally well on the battlefield, and his Winter Wolves almost always served as the vanguard of the land army.
Facing Daemon's invitation, Lord Roderick Dustin, the Wolf of the Barrows, was both surprised and delighted. He looked troubled, "Your Majesty, I would very much like to accept your invitation, but I am a Northerner. When spring comes, my Winter Wolves subordinates may stay, but I have to return to Barrowlands to lead my people in planting crops."
Daemon smiled and said, "I know you are a very pragmatic person who disdains vanity. However, Tomb Wolf, you work hard to farm in the North simply to fill your stomachs. Why not stay in Three Daughters? Here, it is evergreen all year round, and the climate is pleasant. Even when the North is covered in heavy snow and people shiver by the fireplace, the grapes, pumpkins, and corn in the fields here are still growing and harvesting."
"As long as you stay on my Small Council and serve as the Master of War, training my cavalry and leading troops in battle, the Dragon's Estates will provide you with food and ensure that the residents of Barrowlands will not starve in winter in the future. In the future, if the Others invade the North as in the stories, Three Daughters will also go north to support the North."
These words amused Lord Roderick Dustin, the Wolf of the Barrows. He knelt before Daemon, "Your Majesty, I swear allegiance to you."
Then, Maester Meros said, "Three Daughters has a huge merchant fleet, and the Great Salt Sea is its lifeline. Your Majesty, who do you intend to appoint as the Master of Ships?"
Daemon smiled and said, "Raven Greyjoy can handle it."
Gael had always encouraged her subordinates to marry women from Three Daughters, and Raven Greyjoy truly practiced what he preached in this regard. Raven Greyjoy married a silver-haired, purple-eyed Lys beauty as his rock wife in Three Daughters, a female captain from the Summer Isles with skin like black jade, the daughter of a Tyrosh cow merchant, and a seamstress from Myr became his salt wives.
In Westeros, monogamy was legal, but the Ironborn still maintained their customs and traditions in the Iron Islands. And Three Daughters was not Westeros, so naturally no one interfered with Raven Greyjoy.
Raven Greyjoy knelt before Daemon, "Your Majesty, you have made me who I am; I will ride the waves for you." Pinto Sunderland, a Sistermen captain, served as Raven Greyjoy's deputy.
Domingos, a Myrman, became Daemon's Master of Coin. He was originally just a slave tutor, but later his talent in mathematics and economics was discovered by a wealthy Myr merchant, and he became the steward of a wealthy Myr merchant, managing hundreds of estates in the Disputed Lands in an orderly manner.
Queen Gael became Daemon's Master of Coin. Since all the banks in Myr, Lys, and Tyrosh had been confiscated by Daemon, most of the gold and silver had been transported to Tyrosh for storage, and Daemon's treasury was already piled high. The Master of Laws was held by Daemon's confidant, Qidan Massey. Orlando Thorne of Lys, Gamero of Myr, and Guaita of Tyrosh served as Small Council advisors.
Another advisor position belonged to Daemon's maester, Maester Mishael, who was the maester of Blackwater Town and had followed Daemon ever since.
Maester Meros smiled and said, "Your Majesty has been crowned king, and in the future, the Conclave of the Citadel might send a Grand Maester to assist you."
Such personnel arrangements were clearly well thought out. Sea Snake Corlys, Lord Roderick Dustin, the Wolf of the Barrows, Raven Greyjoy, and others from Westeros divided the power of the navy, army, finance, and internal affairs, while the Triarchy played more of an advisory role.
After Daemon's coronation ceremony ended, a grand banquet began. People enjoyed roasted yak, paella, ceviche, and drank amber sweet wine. Daemon was already planning his conquest of Dorne.
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