In westeros, the year was counted from the first day of Aegon Targeryen's coronation in Oldtown. After the overthrow of the dynasty, Robert did not change this tradition and continued to use the same calendar.
It was 300 AC, and starting this year, Westeros would enter a long winter. Typically, winters would last one or two years, with varying degrees of cold. For example, the Great Winter of 133 AC and 273 AC caused even the Lannisters to lose a few members to the cold. The Citadel had already issued warnings to the lords across the lands, advising them to stockpile food, as the Citadel predicted that Westeros was about to enter a cold and prolonged winter.
On the first day of the new year, Tyrosh still suffered under the scorching sun, unbearable heat. After lunch, the citizens would retreat indoors to rest, seeking refuge from the harshest rays.
Wright, at the Lord's Mansion in the inner city, gathered key officials from the Stepstone Islands, along with their Maesters, to hold a meeting. The diplomats from Lys and Volantis were also present.
The two cities had already built embassies here, and their diplomats were stationed in Tyrosh. Before everyone, the three parties formally signed the "Disputed Lands – Land Border Agreement." Each party took a copy, one sent back to King's Landing, and Wright's copy was passed around for the officials to review.
They only knew the border had been negotiated, but the exact locations were revealed only upon seeing the agreement.
"Lord Wright, you've drawn the border right up to Myr's edge. Their only river now belongs to us. Myr will surely send troops to seize it, and the Stepstone Islands don't have enough forces to resist," Garlan Tyrell said, looking at the map with a wry smile.
"Not enough troops? Let me see. Damn!"
Naval Commander Aurane Velaryon took the agreement and, after reading it, was shocked. He handed the document to the nearby coastal defense officer, Hobber Redwyne.
The two naval officers exchanged glances, and Aurane Velaryon said to Wright, "Our navy is equipped with battle axes and daggers, and our armor is designed for quick removal in case of falling into the water. These are custom-made by you, Lord Wright, the best equipment in the navy. But when it comes to land warfare…"
He didn't finish, as he, being the highest-ranking officer, felt it wasn't appropriate to say more.
The commander of the city's defense , Ashara Dayne, picked up where he left off: "The Stepstone Islands' troops are only suitable for naval combat. On land, even with double the enemy's number, it's hard to win. Moreover, we almost have no cavalry, and my city defense troops would be slaughtered by Myr's cavalry."
The Volantis diplomat, a young noble of the Tiger faction, stood up. Behind him were two assistants. He belonged to the secret faction of Pennymion, the faction loyal to Lord Wright. He was also tasked with reporting intelligence collected by Volantis to Wright.
He spoke, "Lords, after we sign the border agreement, the Volantis navy will assist in defending the southeastern sea."
Lys had already been secretly controlled by Volantis. Most of the high-ranking male nobles had been killed. Now, the diplomats were an elderly woman and her two secretaries, all pure-blooded Valyrians with platinum hair and violet eyes.
They were constantly seeking to rid themselves of Volantis' control. Many noblewomen who had become widows had secretly moved vast sums of money and businesses to Tyrosh, seeking Wright's protection.
The elderly diplomat said, "Our three cities are allies and have just signed the border agreement, something that has never happened in history. We in Lys will also assist in defending the southern Stepstones."
All of this had been previously arranged, and the formalities needed to be completed. Once the two parties had finished speaking, Wright nodded respectfully to them, then turned to his officials.
"First, I sincerely thank both parties for their support. As you've heard, Tyrosh's navy has been reassigned to the north. From now on, we only need to focus on Myr Bay."
"Understood, Lord Wright," said Navy Commander Aurane Velaryon, visibly relieved.
Wright continued, "As for the disputed land, any land within the agreed border now belongs to Tyrosh! But I understand that we don't have the manpower to settle it all, so I intend to bring in wildlings from the North!"
"Wildlings?" The two diplomats were confused.
"Wildlings!" The people of the Stepstones were astonished.
"Wildlings are divided into many tribes. They don't practice farming, but some tribes, as long as we give them land to hunt and survive, should be willing to come."
Wright took the agreement and spread it out on the table, pointing to the map. "As long as the wildlings don't enter Lys or Volantis territories, they can operate under the name of Tyrosh in the disputed land. Wherever they go, that land will belong to me, especially near this lake and the rivers, which are perfect for settlement. So, wildlings will deal with Myr."
Garlan Tyrell asked, "What if the wildlings don't operate under Tyrosh's name?"
Wright: "Anyone who dies while acting under the name of Tyrosh will be remembered, and we will avenge them. If they don't, their deaths will simply be forgotten. There are still many bandits and scattered mercenary groups in the disputed lands, and the wildlings will serve as both our vanguard and expendable troops. To recruit them, we'll need warships to pick them up, and three people must go to the North for propaganda. One of them I have already chosen, the other two positions—who will go?"
Garlan Tyrell: "I'll go. I've never been to the North."
Allard Seaworth: "I'll go too, I'm more familiar with naval operations."
Wright nodded at both of them. "Considering the time, Castle Black has already received the King's order to look for the wildlings. You'll board a ship to reach Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, then contact the Night's Watch."
Wright had initially thought about going himself but reconsidered. The task was well within their capabilities, so it was better to delegate it to his subordinates. Those who had work to do earned credit.
"Additionally, don't worry, wildlings don't have agricultural skills, so they won't be able to establish towns. At most, they'll form a large settlement. For the land, rivers, and lakes in the disputed area, I've erased the original names. Those are for you. Once we are fully prepared, you can choose whichever land you want on the map."
Wright reassured them again.
"Haha, I'll definitely bring dozens of ships of wildlings to the disputed lands."
After confirming the economic and construction matters for the Stepstone Islands, Wright hired a group of slaves from Lys to begin construction.
After the meeting ended, Wright and his officials went to a small square in Tyrosh, which was now crowded with onlookers, including merchants, soldiers, and travelers from Lys and Volantis.
The horn sounded, and a path was cleared through the crowd by several guards holding the flame-crowned stag banners. Wright and his officials walked to a wooden platform in the middle of the square.
On the platform stood a woman, barely twenty, dressed in fine clothes, with a clean and beautiful face, and black, slightly curled hair neatly arranged—clearly an aristocratic lady. She knelt with her knees on the ground, her hands shackled, while two executioners held her shoulders.
Intelligence officer Andrew Estermont glanced at his pocket watch. "Lord Wright, it's time."
Wright stepped up onto the platform and waved to the people of Tyrosh. It was clear from the crowd's reaction that the Duke was about to personally judge a highborn criminal. The crowd erupted in cheers.
Wright, wearing a noble's robe, stood at the center of the platform, raised his hand for silence, and immediately, the crowd quieted down.
"The mad king of House Targaryen, Aerys Targaryen, was inhumane, and Robert Baratheon of House Baratheon replaced him, taking the throne with the support of all Seven Kingdoms. Afterward, he led the Seven Kingdoms to a period of great development and even expanded our borders by incorporating the Stepstone Islands!"
Wright pointed at the ground beneath him, and another round of cheers erupted from the crowd.
"But the remnants of House Targaryen have not all perished. This woman is the daughter of Rhaegar Targaryen! She is Rhaenys Targaryen! She attempted to restore the tyrannical Targaryen dynasty and bring bloody rule to the Seven Kingdoms. She was caught when her agents tried to secretly contact nobles, and my intelligence officer uncovered the plot and arrested her. Now she—"
Wright pointed to the black-haired woman. "She is the evil woman trying to take away our happy lives!"
"Kill her!"
"May House Targaryen never see peace!"
Wright raised his arms high and said loudly: "In the name of Robert I Baratheon, King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, in the name of the house Baratheon, hereby sentence Rhaenys Targaryen to death by hanging for treason!"
"Hang her!" The crowd roared in fury. The people of Tyrosh were now overwhelmingly loyal to Wright, and their lives were much better now than during the dark times under Targaryen rule.
Two executioners placed black hoods over their heads and helped the woman onto the gallows. Her expression remained stern, and she said nothing. The rope was tightened around her neck, and the executioners pulled the rope, lifting her up. Her face began to turn purple, and after struggling for a moment, her limbs went limp.
"Executioners! Hang her here, and let her body be displayed for three days!" Wright issued the order, without further words, and returned to his small house in the inner city.
Based on the intelligence from Varys and the current information, Wright pieced together the following details:
When Tywin Lannister breached the Red Keep, Varys had already smuggled Rhaegar's children out through the secret tunnels, leaving behind two children who were later rescued. After Tywin showed Robert the bodies of the two children, Varys, following the Targaryen tradition, arranged for their cremation, erasing all evidence.
Rhaegar's son, Aegon, disguised himself as 'Young Griff' and was raised by Jon Connington's brother in the Golden Company, a boy with silver-gold hair and purple eyes. When he grew up, he encountered Daenerys and hatched a green dragon. The Golden Company had recently appeared in the city of Qohor.
Rhaegar Targaryen's daughter, Rhaenys Targaryen, had black hair just like her mother, Elia Martell. It had been over ten years, and her whereabouts were unknown.
However, for safety's sake, Wright had specifically arranged for an execution before leaving. The woman hanged in the square today was the criminal that Nymeria had brought from Dorne.
Aegon had one dragon, and Daenerys had two dragons—whenever dragons appeared, their identities could be confirmed. Wright's plan to have a substitute executed would not work on them, only on Rhaenys.
Dorne women were open-minded, their behavior similar to men, so the prisoners in Dornish jails were evenly divided between men and women. No one knew Rhaenys' exact appearance, so finding a beautiful Dornish woman was sufficient.
Rhaenys was simply a black-haired Dornish woman. Wright gave her the name Rhaenys Targaryen, and that was who she was! Regardless of whether she was alive or dead, she was considered dead in the Seven Kingdoms. Even if her real self were to appear in the future, Wright could declare her a fake, and that was the danger of not revealing one's true identity in time!
There were too many women in Wright's bedroom, so he laid out a mat on the study floor, preparing to sleep. Nymeria entered wearing her nightgown.
"Wright, how long will you be gone this time?"
Wright helped Nymeria sit on a chair. "I expect it will be at least three months, but no more than five. I'll return before the child is born. Ashara will protect you, and Odahviing will patrol the skies often. With him around, few will dare act against us in Tyrosh."
"You're not taking Odahviingwith you? It'll be inconvenient without a dragon!" After having flown in a plane, it's hard to go back to walking on two legs, and Nymeria felt the same way.
Wright touched her face. "I have magic to call him. No matter how far, he can hear me and will use his magic to speed up their flight."
"But you've already killed a thousand men from the Golden Company. Will you finish them off entirely?" Nymeria asked.
Wright answered, "I've become notorious in the Nine free cities. It's the Golden Company that's been spreading rumors! I haven't fought back, but they didn't spare me."
Wright didn't tell her the real reason. He only mentioned seeking revenge on the Golden Company.
His true goal was to kill Rhaegar's son, Aegon Targaryen, and Daenerys. By doing so, House Targaryen would be completely extinguished. Doran would lose his ability to rally other noble houses to his cause. He'd have to settle down quietly, and Robert Baratheon wouldn't dare attack Dorne.
Nymeria, pregnant, knew Rhaenys Targaryen was her cousin, but the fake one didn't matter. Aegon Targaryen was also her cousin, and Wright couldn't tell her he was going to kill him. He didn't want her too involved in Dornish politics, fearing the emotional strain could harm the child.
"Nymeria, after I leave, if your father, Prince Oberyn, comes to visit, tell him the whole story about the fake Rhaenys Targaryen."
"Father will come to Tyrosh?" Oberyn had not been on good terms with Wright, and since the war and the rewards ceremony, he had never personally visited Tyrosh.
Wright replied, "After hearing I executed the fake Rhaenys Targaryen and hearing about my departure, he'll come to you for answers. He knows I hanged a fake."
Wright sent Andrew Estermont to King's Landing to investigate Rhaegar's children. When Varys found out, he understood Wright's methods and immediately sold out Oberyn to save his own life. Doran only knew of Daenerys's existence. Oberyn had secretly hidden Aegon Targaryen from Doran, showing his selfishness!
Wright killed the fake Rhaenys Targaryen, then headed to Essos. One action would send two different messages.
For Prince Doran, Wright's message was clear: "I personally hunted down the Golden Company and found one Targaryen descendant. I know there's another. If you dare, send someone to rescue them! Dorne must either rise up and start a war or settle down and farm. If you wait until all the Targaryens are dead before you start a war, with no moral justification, prepare to be surrounded by the Seven Kingdoms."
As for Oberyn, Wright had Nymeria arrange a substitute for the job. He didn't have Andrew Estermont do it, sending a clear message: "I know all your secrets, Oberyn, but I'll keep them for now."
Wright also passed the issue of Nymeria and her child inheriting Dorne to Oberyn, Dorne's prince and Nymeria's father, to decide. It was better for him than for Wright to make the choice.
The current situation forced Oberyn to make a decision before Wright returned to Tyrosh. Wright hadn't seen Oberyn in a long time, and he had no idea where he had gone or what choice he might make.