Preparations

That evening, the new king held his first Small Council meeting in the Painted Table Chamber of Dragonstone Castle, around the wooden table carved with a detailed map of Westeros. Only a handful of his closest confidants attended: Viserys, Arthur Dayne, Jon Darry, Willem Darry, and Ashara Dayne, who had been permitted to sit in.

"Your Grace, the proclamation has been sent out," Willem Darry reported first. "But we cannot sit here and wait to die. Robert Baratheon and his allies will never allow you to remain alive as a threat to his rule. Their fleets, particularly those of the Stormlands and House Lannister, have begun gathering recently. Their target must be Dragonstone."

Jon Darry pointed to Dragonstone on the map, his expression grave. "Dragonstone is easy to defend and difficult to attack, but it is not impregnable. Once blockaded, we will be isolated, with no aid and no supplies. Its fall will only be a matter of time. Besides, Her Grace is due to give birth soon. She cannot withstand such turmoil."

Arthur Dayne said solemnly, "We can fight to the bitter end. The oath of the Kingsguard-"

"Fight to the bitter end, and then what? House Targaryen will die out here." Viserys cut him off. His finger tapped lightly on Dragonstone's position on the Painted Table, then moved slowly east, across the Narrow Sea, toward that vast, unfamiliar continent: Essos.

He raised his head, his gaze passing over everyone present. "What we need now is to survive and build our strength. Robert's rebels have the momentum, and we cannot confront them head-on. Across the Narrow Sea lies our only choice. There are the Free Cities, vast lands, and opportunities for us to grow strong again."

"Exile..." Ser Jon's voice was bitter. For these proud knights, the word carried a crushing weight.

"A strategic withdrawal," Viserys corrected, his tone firm. "We will cross the Narrow Sea and go to Essos. There, we can seek allies, gather wealth, train an army, and wait for our opportunity. I have a feeling that dragons will return soon, but even dragons need time to grow."

"But Dragonstone..." Ser Willem sounded reluctant to let it go.

"Dragonstone is the Cradle of the Dragon for House Targaryen, but the living are the future of our house." Viserys looked at him. "We need to take everyone willing to follow us, along with every resource we can carry. Those who do not wish to leave may stay. In the king's name, I will pardon all their future actions. Forced loyalty means nothing."

This practical, levelheaded judgment finally persuaded them all. Once their initial indignation subsided, they had to admit that their young king understood the situation far more clearly than knights whose sense of honor had clouded their judgment. His clarity, so far beyond his years, brought a new measure of respect to the way Ser Arthur and the others regarded him: they were beginning to recognize a true leader.

Over the next few days, Viserys made a series of arrangements. He ordered Ser Willem Darry to discreetly select the most loyal and reliable men from the existing fleet and garrison, particularly soldiers and sailors born on Dragonstone. Their loyalty to House Targaryen was almost bred into their bones. At the same time, the sturdiest warships in the best condition were set aside and secretly gathered in several sheltered coves.

He knew that the devastating storm from the original story would come. That storm would not only destroy the Stormlands fleet attempting to attack Dragonstone, but also cripple House Lannister's naval strength. The remaining Arbor fleet and Iron Fleet would never risk their lives for Robert, while the fleets of White Harbor and the Vale had little fighting strength, consisting mostly of merchant ships. He intended to use the storm as cover and leave when the enemy was weakest.

The preparations proceeded with tense efficiency. Loyal soldiers were secretly informed of the plan, and supplies were loaded aboard the designated ships in batches. On the surface, Dragonstone remained heavily guarded, but beneath that appearance, an evacuation on which their very survival depended was underway.

At last, Queen Rhaella's due date drew near, and the preparations were largely complete. Viserys decided to address all the officers and soldiers himself.

Rather than standing on a raised platform, Viserys stood before the crowd. He still wore the Dragonbone Crown, and his calm gaze swept across faces that ranged from resolute to uncertain.

"Everyone," he began, his voice reaching every ear clearly. There was no fiery passion in it, only a quiet strength. "You all know who I am. You also know what we face."

"The rebels' blades have stained King's Landing red, and their fleets are heading for Dragonstone. They wish to erase the Targaryen name completely and destroy the last true dragons."

A subdued murmur stirred through the crowd.

"I could command you, in the king's name, to live and die with Dragonstone." He paused. "But I do not wish to do that. House Targaryen thanks you for your loyalty thus far. Every one of you has the right to choose survival."

He raised his voice. "I will go to Essos, across the Narrow Sea. This is not flight, but a way to preserve our strength so that one day, we can return stronger than before! Now, I offer you a choice."

"Those willing to continue following me, to stand beside me no matter how treacherous the road ahead, please stand to my right. I will not forget your loyalty. When we return to Westeros, every one of you will be richly rewarded."

"Those who wish to stay, or whose families prevent them from traveling far, may stand to my left. I, Viserys Targaryen III, swear here in the king's name that I will pardon any actions you may take in the future. You may surrender. You may go home. I will never consider you traitors. This is a choice you have earned."

With that, he fell silent and simply watched the crowd. The men exchanged glances, most of their faces filled with conflict and hesitation.

Arthur Dayne was the first to move. Without a moment's hesitation, he strode to Viserys's right and stood tall, his hand resting on Dawn. Ser Jon Darry and Ser Willem Darry followed immediately, the two knights of House Darry taking their places on the right with equal resolve.

Then some of the officers and soldiers born on Dragonstone began to move. Most remained silent, but their steps were firm as they walked to the right. Many came from families that had served the Targaryens for generations. Most of the remaining soldiers lowered their heads, their faces full of guilt and anguish, and slowly shuffled to the left.

Once everyone had settled into place, Viserys silently counted them. Roughly two thousand men had chosen to follow him. They included almost every soldier born on Dragonstone, most of the knights with deep affection for House Targaryen, and some who had been won over by the "miraculous" abilities and composure Viserys had recently displayed. The number approached a third of their current forces, somewhat better than he had expected. As he looked at the dense crowd to his right and their resolute eyes, warmth surged through his heart. These men were his core followers, the foundation of his future rule.

"Good," he said in a ringing voice, his eyes bright as he looked at his followers. "I promise you that you will never regret the choice you made today."

He turned to those on the left who had chosen to stay, his voice gentle. "You may leave whenever you wish as well. Remember my words: you are free. May the gods watch over you."

Ser Willem Darry immediately began organizing the troops who had chosen to follow, assigning them to the twenty ships prepared earlier so they would be ready to depart at any moment.

Inside Dragonstone Castle, the final arrangements were also underway. Precious dragon bones and dragon eggs, along with the castle's treasures, were methodically packed and carried along narrow paths to the concealed flagship. As the heart of House Targaryen's power, Dragonstone held wealth to rival the treasury of King's Landing.

After the brief commotion, all of Dragonstone settled into a kind of calm once more. Everyone was ready, waiting only for the king's command. Viserys was waiting too, for the great storm that would come in the original story.