ASOIAF: The True House of Dragons

In the Known World, the most well-known nation with a parliamentary system was the ancient Valyrian Freehold. Even the Nine Free Cities largely modeled their political structures after those of the Dragonlords.

The Seven Kingdoms of Westeros originally had no such parliamentary institutions. The Small Council itself was a borrowed concept—an adaptation and continuation of Valyrian political culture.

Now, with House Targaryen introducing this system to Westeros, it marked a significant fusion of Valyrian and Westerosi traditions.

This grand council, which brought together all the lords of the continent, was formally written into the laws of the Targaryen dynasty and named the [Great Council]. It would only be convened for decisions of major importance concerning the fate of the Targaryen realm.

Prior to the council, Aegon had expressed to his trusted advisors his wish to draft a unified legal code for all Seven Kingdoms to be reviewed during the assembly. However, this was undoubtedly a monumental and labor-intensive task. With the founding celebrations lasting only seven days, there simply wasn't enough time to design, refine, and approve such a code. Gaining consensus from every lord across the continent would also be no easy feat.

"This will make your vassals feel as though you're usurping their traditional powers. It's best to proceed slowly," Maester Gawen advised Aegon while helping design the kingdom's administrative framework.

The king is usurping the power of his vassals? Aegon had bristled at Gawen's choice of the word "usurping," but the Maester calmly explained that it was appropriate terminology under the current social order. In the end, Aegon had no choice but to delay the implementation of the unified legal code.

During the [Great Council], Aegon formally appointed the remaining members of the Small Council. The new dynasty's council was composed as follows:

[Hand of the King]: Lord Torrhen Stark of the North (Chief Advisor)

[Master of Coin]: Lord Crispian Celtigar of Claw Isle

[Master of Laws]: Lady Argella Durrandon of the Stormlands

[Master of Whisperers]: Queen Sharra Arryn of the Vale

[Master of Ships]: Lord Corlys Velaryon of Driftmark

[Grand Maester]: Maester Gawen

...

Another major event during the founding celebrations was the formal coronation of Visenya and Rhaenys as queens. In full view of the assembled lords of Westeros, Aegon personally placed the crowns upon the heads of both queens, symbolizing their royal status.

Though Aegon's marriage to two queens at once was unprecedented in Westeros, what was most reassuring was that none of the attending lords showed disapproval or resistance. On the contrary, they sincerely offered their respect and blessings to the two queens.

A royal exception treaty, signed jointly by Aegon, the High Septon, and all the lords, officially recognized Aegon I as the most unique monarch in the history of the Targaryen dynasty. With that, hundreds of lords—representing the people of Westeros—formally acknowledged and accepted the reign of both queens.

...

With the conclusion of the three-day Great Council, the seven-day founding celebration was nearing its end...

On the final day, during the banquet for the gathered nobles, Aegon once again delivered a closing speech in the Oak King's Hall.

Compared to the Great Council and the oath-taking ceremony, the nobles appeared even more solemn and dignified this time. Behind each noble stood either their offspring or personal guards, holding banners emblazoned with their house emblems. All present held their breath in silence, awaiting the new king's words.

Aegon stood on the steps before the throne, overlooking his vassals.

They stood neatly arranged in large formations according to their liege lords, dressed in proper attire and maintaining perfect order. Seeing this, Aegon gave a small nod, clearly pleased with the display of discipline and spirit from his new dynasty.

Raedelle stepped forward and, after reciting a few words in praise of the kingdom's founding, respectfully invited Aegon to speak.

With a steady gaze and a voice like thunder, Aegon declared, "My lords! Today, we stand united—and in doing so, we forge history!

Your names shall be etched into the annals of Westeros.

The Targaryen dynasty will thrive and flourish in the years to come. Together with the Small Council, I have drafted a five-year plan for the kingdom. Once you leave the throne room, a copy can be obtained from the Maester at the door. I ask that you study it closely.

Now, I shall briefly outline the strategic direction of our kingdom over the next five years.

First: the ongoing campaigns against Dorne and the Iron Islands shall not cease.

Due to the difficulties of land marches and winter supply lines, our primary conquest target for the next five years will be the Iron Islands.

Now tell me—do you have the confidence to conquer the Iron Islands?"

Fired up by Aegon's words, the nobles raised their fists high and shouted in unison, "Conquer! Conquer! Conquer!"

Aegon lowered his palms to signal for silence before continuing, "Second: the Crown shall fund the establishment of a new Citadel in Harrenhal.

Our kingdom is in desperate need of a unified code of law—but let me be clear: this code is not meant to bind or exploit you.

Thus, I have decided to establish an academy in Harrenhal dedicated to the study of law and the formulation of our unified legal code. Proposals for the code will be publicly posted in Harrenhal, and you are welcome to submit your opinions.

I will also reside in Harrenhal for much of the coming years and personally serve as the head of the new Citadel.

I hope you will send your children to study there—I will be their teacher myself.

This new Citadel in Harrenhal will become a crucible in which the nobles of our realm come to know and understand each other.

I hope your children will forge deep friendships there—and perhaps even bonds of love—so that the feuds which have plagued your houses for a thousand years might finally find peace through them.

The Citadel will not only provide them with literacy and learning—I will also invite the finest and most formidable warriors in all of Westeros to instruct them in arms. Or, should you choose, you may come to Harrenhal yourselves to serve as martial instructors.

My lords, do you trust your king? Do you trust me to guide and teach your children?"

The hall fell silent. The nobles' first instinct was to suspect that Aegon sought their heirs as hostages—a practice well-known in Westerosi history.

At that moment, Hand of the King Torrhen broke the silence with a hearty laugh. "Your Grace! Both my sons will be sent to the new Citadel in Harrenhal! I've long yearned to learn your ancient Valyrian swordsmanship! Ha!"

The head of House Bolton from the North cried out in astonishment, "Your Grace, you'll teach the children the best swordsmanship on the continent?!"

Aegon smiled and gave a firm nod.

His duel with Torrhen on the southern bank of the Trident was now sung by bards as the legendary "Battle of the Century," a tale that had spread far and wide across Westeros.

The two kings had clashed in a grueling contest that lasted thousands of rounds before tens of thousands of spectators, with Aegon ultimately emerging victorious.

Thanks to that legendary duel, Aegon was hailed across Westeros as the strongest man in the realm.

The ancient Valyrian swordsmanship used by the Targaryen king became the stuff of legend, widely praised as the finest blade technique on the continent.

Of course, Aegon's duel with the Storm King had also been spectacular—but compared to that, his clash with the King in the North was even more extraordinary.

Aegon proudly boomed to the gathered lords, "Our House Targaryen ranked among the top three Dragonlord families out of the forty great houses of ancient Valyria. One of our ancestors once slew a golden dragon king in the famed Champion Dragonbattle—stronger and larger even than the Black Dread!"

The nobles stared up at Aegon in stunned silence.

Aegon chuckled inwardly. Old Valyria's long gone. As the last surviving Dragonlord house, I can say whatever I like—who's going to prove me wrong?

He laughed loudly and declared, "Hahaha, it's all true! If you doubt me, ask Archmaester Ollidar for confirmation. He's right here in the royal hall. His ring, rod, and mask are all made of bronze. As a professional historian, he'll certainly know all about the Champion Dragonbattle!"

A Maester's chain was forged from links of different metals, each representing a specific field of study—a mark of expertise recognized by the Citadel. Bronze signified mastery of history.

"Archmaester Ollidar, is it true that House Targaryen had a Champion Dragonlord?" a curious noble called out.

Archmaester Ollidar, an elderly man in his sixties, wore a bronze mask and had a long white beard. A thick ring of bronze links hung around his neck. In a firm voice, he replied, "Only the mightiest of Dragonlords were eligible to fight in the Champion Dragonbattle.

The ancestor His Majesty spoke of was, according to the records, the last Champion Dragonlord before Valyria's destruction.

He was indeed from House Targaryen, and his name was the same as His Majesty Aegon I. There is no mistake."

"See? I told you!" Aegon laughed, then continued boasting, "The swordsmanship I've trained in—Valyrian Royal Swordsmanship—was considered incredibly rare in ancient Valyria. It consists of 108 striking variations.

Your noble houses aren't lacking in physical potential—you've just been missing a truly powerful sword art like this.

This time, I'll only teach the Royal Swordsmanship to the first hundred children sent to the new Citadel in Harrenhal. After all, I am still a king. I have duties to attend to—I can't be teaching forever, can I?"

At the foot of the throne, the lords erupted into a flurry of discussion.

"So that's why I always lose—my swordsmanship is garbage!"

"I must make sure our children start ahead of the rest—send them to Harrenhal immediately!"

Right then, every lord wished they could race back home that very instant to dispatch their heirs to Harrenhal.

Visenya shrank back behind Aegon, trying—and failing—not to laugh out loud.

The truth was, Aegon had only learned the standard Valyrian military swordsmanship, which consisted of just twelve moves. But the way he talked about it, it sounded like a divine art.

Rhaenys glanced at the lords below, now completely duped by Aegon's theatrics, and rolled her eyes at him. She was doing her best to hold back laughter too, though she managed to keep it in—for now.

Aegon surveyed the room with satisfaction. The reaction was exactly what he'd hoped for.

In a medieval realm like this, the root cause of the kingdom's weak administration and inability to centralize power was the sheer lack of intellectuals. Even if Aegon wanted to implement a county-based system, there simply weren't enough qualified officials.

That's why the new Citadel in Harrenhal was his testing ground—a crucible combining military academy, cultural exchange, ethnic integration, legal reform, and more.

Aegon understood one thing clearly: if the new Citadel in Harrenhal succeeded, then the Targaryen Empire would succeed.

To that end, he reached out to House Hightower and the Conclave—the governing body of the Citadel—requesting that a contingent of Maesters be relocated to the new Citadel under the pretext of studying the kingdom's unified legal code. He also instructed his father, Aerion, to travel across Essos and hire Grand Maesters at great expense to contribute to Harrenhal's growth.

Maesters from Myr, Alchemists from Lys, Warlocks from Qarth... along with the magical, herbalist, and dark medicine schools from the Oldtown Citadel—the most brilliant minds of the known world would gather at Harrenhal.

Who could imagine the brilliance that might emerge from such a gathering?

Aegon could hardly wait.

...

[Upto 20 chapters ahead for now]

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