Two years later, Dragon's Roost.
The moist south wind blew through Blackwater Bay, bringing the smell of sea salt and forest.
Below King's Landing, a hundred miles south of Blackwater Bay, and beside Blackwater Bay on the northern edge of Kingswood, a once barren river bank is now full of life.
Viewed from a high place, Dragon's Roost does not look like any traditional noble castle, with no carvings, no spires, and no gardens.
It is a huge military camp with sharp edges and corners made of stone and wood. Everything is functional.
The three-meter-high wall is built of logs and rough stones, and four watchtowers monitor the roads leading to the town, the river and the depths of Kingswood.
Within the walls of the military camp, the drill ground, weapons depot, barracks and simple main hall occupy most of the space.
The only decoration is the huge black flag on the stone wall of the main castle, with the three-headed dragon emblem of Targaryen embroidered in dark red thread.
Aemond stood in front of the low castle window.
Outside the window, his Black Dragon Lothron was resting on a rock platform built for him in the military camp.
In two years, this young dragon hatched from a dead egg has grown to eight meters, and its growth rate is so fast that even the accompanying Dragonkeepers is amazed.
As for Vhagar... because he was not summoned, he could not return to King's Landing. He had not seen the old dragon for two years.
Only Lothron, with the permission of Viserys I, was able to follow him to this territory.
Outside the castle, Dragon's Roost Town grows like a vine attached to the military camp.
These outer shacks have been transformed into neat wooden houses and stone huts, and the streets are paved with gravel to avoid the mud in the rainy season.
Lumber mills, tanning houses, the Smith shops, taverns, barns and even a small church extend along the road and stream bank.
There was smoke from the cooking pots and the voices of people mixed together, giving it a somewhat prosperous atmosphere.
The population has exceeded 20,000, most of whom are Crownlands landless farmers, fugitives, and incorporated Kingswood refugees.
Aemond's commitment to them is simple but powerful: work hard and obey the rules, and you will have land to cultivate, work to do, and people to protect you.
For those at the bottom who are struggling to survive, this is a great gift.
At this moment, in the main hall of Dragon's Roost, the charcoal fire crackled.
Fifteen-year-old Aemond·Targaryen sat behind the heavy oak table with clear purple eyes.
Three young people, known as "Three Fingers" managers in the town, were standing respectfully at the table and reporting.
The oldest among them is eighteen and the youngest is fifteen.
The leader, "Anvil" Hal, spoke first. He was put in charge of the orphan army by Aemond. The black-haired young man, with broad shoulders and a thick back, spoke calmly.
"Your Highness, all the new armor of the Second Squadron is in place."
"There are 517 guards, 200 in heavy armor, and more than 300 in light armor."
Hal, he was once the boss of street children in the King's Landing slum. He was taken in by Aemond three years ago. Aemond thought he had management capabilities and put him in charge of the training of the entire guard.
Now he is one of the leaders of the Guard, responsible for training these young men with the same background into real soldiers.
Carter next to me immediately reported, with a calm voice. "The patrol line west of Kingswood has been pushed to the border of Green Valley City. Last week, three cases of poaching by villagers were intercepted, and all were fined and warned according to regulations."
He has a slim build and sharp eyes. He was once a young boy in the King's Landing Flea Bottom black market. He was good at tracking and sneaking. Now he is in charge of the entire territorial intelligence network and peripheral reconnaissance. He is allowed to lead a part of Forester to shuttle within Kingswood.
Next, Will pushed the parchment in front of him, which was covered with numbers. "Trade volume increased by 30% last month."
"Lys merchant ship Silver Gull brought fifty barrels of Lys dye in exchange for two hundred pieces of fine deerskin and fifty sticks of ebony wood."
"Our port expansion will be completed next month and will be able to accommodate larger cargo ships."
He was originally the son of a businessman. His family died at the hands of Riverlands bandits, and he fled to King's Landing alone and ended up on the streets.
Now, he was appointed by Aemond to take charge of Dragon's Roost Town's material dispatch and trade.
After the three people finished reporting, they lowered their heads.
Aemond After listening quietly, his eyes swept over the three young and loyal faces.
Cultivating this group of people from the lower class is precisely to get rid of the situation that may be controlled by the aristocracy in the future.
Nowadays, the struggle between Greens and Blacks is getting fiercer, and a large number of Seven Kingdoms nobles are still waiting and watching.
He can't just rely on House Hightower. The more he asks from them, the heavier the rewards will be in the future.
You must build your own foundation and team. Although these boys from the lower class are not as useful as the nobles, they are worse than others in their loyalty.
After all, people will grow, and these people can be cultivated slowly.
Aemond looked at the three people in front of them who bowed their heads and spoke slowly.
"Well done,"
"But remember, our enemy is never a few poaching villagers."
"It's not the dissatisfied little lords around."
"Whatever I ask you to do, you do it, do you understand?"
The three of them bowed their heads solemnly. Over the past three years, loyalty to Prince Aemond has become their only creed in life.
Prince gives them what they need to survive and gives them hope of becoming nobles. All they ask for is loyalty.
At this time, the young guard outside the hall announced, "Your Highness, Hay Hall Mills Errol Earl wants to see you."
Aemond knew who was coming and what he wanted, so he slightly raised his lips and said, "Let him come in. Please step back."
The three of them bowed and exited.
Mills Errol Earl walked into the main hall and frowned unconsciously.
The hall was too simple, with exposed stone walls, rammed earth floors covered with animal skins, and almost nothing except a large table and a few chairs.
With a military camp-like temperament.
It was a far cry from the gorgeous halls in his castle that were hung with tapestries and covered with carpets.
"Erol Earl," Aemond did not stand up, but raised his hand to signal to the chair opposite.
"Earl Please sit down. Is it about your son?"
Earl sat down and looked at the handsome Prince, with a smile on his face in his fifties.
"Exactly, Your Highness. My useless second son Elin..."
"Young and energetic, I love hunting. I brought my attendants into Kingswood a few days ago."
"This is the second time," Aemond said calmly, "Three months ago, his people wanted to hunt deer in the Xilin District, and Forester had warned and fined them."
"I remember he promised not to do it again."
Earl smiled stiffly, "Yes... but this kid, you know..."
"Kingswood is royal property," Aemond interrupted him.
"According to the <Godswood Management Order> I promulgated, civilian poachers will be punished with whipping or finger-cutting depending on the circumstances, and nobles will be fined for first-time offenders."
"Your son poached one male deer and two female deer this time. You must know that the deer in Kingswood belong to the royal family."
"What does the deer symbolize? You should know?"
Hearing this, Earl Mils took a deep breath:
"Your Highness, I am willing to pay ten times the value of the prey according to the rules of the nobility. The male deer is priced at fifty Gold Dragon, and the female deer is priced at forty Gold Dragon. Ten times is one thousand three hundred Gold Dragon. I will send them both today."
After saying this, he felt heartbroken, knowing that this was equivalent to one-third of the annual tax revenue of his territory.
This amount of money is enough to arm more than a dozen heavily armed Knight.
Aemond looked at the distressed Earl, tapped his fingers on the table, and there was silence in the hall.
He said, "Okay."
Earl breathed a sigh of relief.
"But this is the last time it will be handled according to noble rules."
Aemond stared at Earl with his purple eyes, "Next time, whether it is your son, Hay Hall Knight, a soldier or even a civilian, if he steps into Kingswood hunting without permission, I will personally cut off his bow and spear hand."
"Just like I did to Bumpy Village Ser Rodrik."
Earl Mils A chill ran down his spine. He remembered that not long ago,
Riverlands, who was close to Kingswood, Bumpy Village Knight Rodrik, led 20 people into the depths of Kingswood three months ago, hunted four deer and one bear, wounded Forester and then escaped.
Three days later, Aemond personally led the guards into the Bumpy Village castle hall, in front of Bumpy Village Earl and a series of retainers.
Cut off Rodrik's right hand in public.
It is said that Prince only said one sentence at that time, "Kingswood belongs to Targaryen. Anyone who challenges the authority of the royal family takes this as a warning."
From then on, the surrounding lords' attitudes towards the young Prince became fearful.
After all, in their eyes, Kingswood was all their own wealth, except when the Targaryen royal family wanted to hunt during major festivals, they would be cautious.
Now that Prince is talking about legal principles and ownership rights, they cannot disobey it. After all, Kingswood belongs to Targaryen, but it has not been managed for many years.
Earl lowered his head and said.
"I understand, Your Highness."
"There will never be a next time."
"Very good," Aemond nodded, "After paying the fine, go and get the person."