Chapter 634

Watching Illyrio’s corpulent figure disappear beyond the door, Daenerys turned her head toward the last remaining member of her inner circle.

“Aegor, what do you think?”

“To get straight to the point, the esteemed governor’s words are logical and mostly truthful. However… there’s a trap.” The one being questioned answered unhurriedly. “He has presented you with two choices—either abandon the Grand Dominion plan or compromise on your stance against slavery, or prepare for war on two fronts. Don’t you find that problematic, Your Grace?”

Daenerys frowned, thinking it over for a moment before replying, puzzled, “Is there a third option?”

“No, that’s the wrong way to approach it. We are adults—why should we be bound by the choices someone else presents? Who says we must pick one or the other?” Aegor shrugged. “Why not choose both? Or neither?”

Both or neither?

For a fleeting moment, Daenerys felt a surge of clarity. But as she mulled it over, she found herself unable to grasp the full implications. “But as long as I maintain my stance against slavery, at least seven of the Free Cities will inevitably unite against me.”

“That’s correct. But who said both wars must be fought at the same time? Don’t forget, the Narrow Sea lies between the two continents, and the Stormlands separate the Reach from the eastern coast. Coordinating a joint war effort between such distant factions is nearly impossible.” Aegor spoke with absolute confidence. “When you ruled Meereen, you openly declared your intention to end slavery worldwide, which naturally provoked the slavers into forming an alliance against you. I can believe they’ve organized themselves into this so-called ‘City-State Coalition.’ But the idea that this coalition could seamlessly launch military, economic, and diplomatic sanctions against Westeros all at once? That’s wishful thinking. Even a united Westeros would struggle to coordinate such a high level of synchronized action—let alone nine independent trade republics scattered across Essos.”

“You’re saying… Illyrio is trying to intimidate me?”

“That is a possibility. But as rulers, we must always assume the worst when faced with a potential threat. We can’t afford complacency. So, let’s assume everything Illyrio said is true—how do we counteract this so-called coalition?” Aegor systematically revisited the threats the merchant-governor had laid out.

“First, propaganda. The enemy is spreading the idea that you are an ‘anti-slavery crusader.’ This has made you a target of hatred among the slavers, yes. But at the same time, it has also made all the world’s slaves aware of you—aware that you are their liberator. The surrender of the Volantene fleet is proof of this. In some ways, this exposure has brought us as many potential allies as it has enemies. The benefits and drawbacks… are not so clear-cut.”

“As for the trade embargo, it sounds menacing, but if you think about it—what exactly does Westeros import from the Free Cities? Silks, dyes, jewelry, spices, luxury goods. High-quality products, certainly, but not necessities. Even if they disappeared for a year or two, it wouldn’t bring society to its knees. On the other hand, Westeros exports a modest but critical amount of grain to Essos. If trade is severed, no, they won’t starve in the streets, but food prices will skyrocket, and the people will suffer. By that logic, a trade blockade should be our weapon, not theirs. Only an idiot would wage an economic war that harms themselves more than their enemy.”

“Fair point.” Daenerys nodded. “But how does this tie into what you said earlier about ‘choosing both or neither’?”

“Your Grace, once we analyze the situation, we see that propaganda and economic pressure are mere illusions.” Aegor raised a single finger. “The only real threat is if the Free Cities actually send military forces to attack us—specifically, if they strike while we are at war with the Reach.”

Many assumed the Free Cities were just nine individual cities, but that was a gross misunderstanding. Each was, in truth, a small nation-state, centered around a major metropolis but encompassing vast territories of towns, villages, and lands—comparable in scale to the Crownlands. Their republics were not for the “people” but for an oligarchy of slavers and merchants. And among them, Volantis alone was powerful enough to rival multiple Westerosi kingdoms combined. The combined strength of the Free Cities was not to be taken lightly.

Both Aegor and Daenerys understood—going to war with all nine at once, even if victorious, would cripple Westeros’ recovery.

“So, choosing neither means we neither abandon our opposition to slavery nor halt the Grand Dominion plan. And choosing both means we take the Reach and the Free Cities.” Aegor made a clawing gesture in the air, revealing the true answer. “The strategy is simple—use deception to stall for time. We must stagger the timing of our wars and avoid fighting on two fronts. We send envoys to the Free Cities, claiming we respect their ‘traditions’ and hinting that our stance on debt inheritance is negotiable. We invite them to King’s Landing for further talks, offering to draft a non-aggression pact.”

“The Free Cities do not share a single, unified interest. The moment we put out such a signal, their so-called coalition will start fracturing. Without the ability to use ravens, messages between them take weeks, if not months, to travel back and forth. All we need to do is exploit this delay—finish the war in the Reach before turning our full attention east.”

It was a clever plan. But Daenerys hesitated. “You want me to extend an olive branch to slavers first? If I announce my respect for their customs now, won’t I seem like a liar when I later move against them?”

“Your Grace, you are still too kind.” Aegor chuckled. “That’s the whole point of treaties—they exist to be broken when convenient. When the time comes, we simply declare that slavery is not a ‘respectable tradition’ but rather a vile and shameful sin against both gods and men. Simple as that.” His expression hardened. “But there is another, deeper truth. Have you ever considered… eight of the Nine Free Cities are the remnants of Valyria’s western expansion? They call themselves the Daughters of Valyria. And the only exception, Braavos, was founded by slaves who fled from your ancestors.”

That was common knowledge.

But in the next instant, Daenerys’ eyes widened.

“I can take both the Reach and the Free Cities… And that’s not just a metaphor, is it?”

“Indeed.” Aegor smirked. “The Targaryens were one of the Forty Great Dragonlord Houses of Valyria. With the other thirty-nine long extinct, the Targaryens are the sole remaining heirs to the entire Valyrian Freehold. If you claim this ancient right—if you declare yourself the Empress of Valyria rather than just Queen of Westeros—then the Free Cities would no longer be foreign states, but subjects of your rightful domain.

“And once they submit, the question of slavery will no longer be an international dispute—it will be a matter of imperial law. With a single decree, you could end the practice across all of Essos, without ever raising a sword.”

Daenerys’ lips parted slightly. A distant, almost dreamlike look flickered across her eyes.

The Grand Dominion was ambitious. But this… restoring Valyria… This was something she had never considered, not even in her wildest dreams.

Aegor had laid the foundation. Now he had to drive the final wedge.

“Your Grace, let us focus on the Reach first. Once the west is secured, we shall turn east. And in the meantime…” His voice took on a darker edge. “We have another problem to consider—Illyrio Mopatis.”

Aegor’s eyes gleamed. “Your Grace… Illyrio set sail before we took King’s Landing. Before we even reached its walls. If he was already on his way here before the war was decided… was he truly coming to wait for you? Or did he have another purpose?”