章 34: Wealth of Valyria
105 AC
Daeranyx POVAfter a thorough inspection by everyone, Corlys placed the sword in front of him on the table for all the presents in the chambers to see. "I can only thank you for the priceless gift you've bestowed upon my House, Lord Drakonar. House Velaryon will forever stand beside House Drakonar, as this sword will remind every Lord of the tides that our houses are allies," said Corlys, his voice filled with gratitude and respect. "And I shall name this sword Drakonfyre, in tribute to your house and to honor what you have given us."
I nodded in approval at him. The only thing I desire is to ensure that Valyrian steel, which I can create in abundance, is valued. Should I bestow it upon someone who merely sees it as a deserved gift and fails to appreciate its worth, I would prefer to sever all ties with people like that. My gaze shifts to the Targaryen, who has been visibly restless in their seat ever since I unveiled the Valyrian sword.
"I intend no disrespect, Lord Drakonar. I am grateful for the precious gift you have bestowed upon us. However, given the scarcity of Valyrian steel following the doom that befell our homeland, its value has soared. With only a handful of Valyrian steel weapons left in Westeros, there are houses that would offer vast amounts of gold and land for such a sword—a castle for you and your descendants to govern could be secured. Please pardon any offense I may have caused," Rhaenys spoke with a tone of seriousness and disappointment. And I understand her dismay; it is precisely for this reason that I have presented the sword to Corlys.
From the perspective of the Targaryens and Velaryons, who am I? Certainly, I am the last member of a house that once stood at the pinnacle of the civilization, that once ruled nearly half the world. Yet to them, I am merely an inexperienced youth. They are aware that I have been educated in politics and the art of giving and withholding, prepared for every scenario. However, my lack of experience is bound to lead to errors—errors that could be exploited. If Colrys shared this view, he would not have made the offer he did. Had that been the case, I would not have refused the marriage, but I would have been cautious in bestowing things that hold no meaning for me, yet are considered divine gifts by them.
And that is why I chose a Valyrian steel sword as their gift. Honestly, I expected Corlys to act contrary to this, given his nature. However, it only confirms that he recognizes the superiority of my house, even though I possess no lands. This concept would be foreign to those from my former world, where bloodlines are not prized and equality prevails as much as possible. But in this world, where blood dictates rulership, a person of my lineage commands importance, land or no land.
Two Targaryens agreed with Rhaenys, nodding at her words that this sword could be given for exchange for a land I need. The issue is that the Targaryens do respect my house—there's no question about that. However, their respect seems to stem from the belief that the only difference between our houses is that my house's blood grants every member certain inherited abilities, whereas only some of theirs possess them. They acknowledge my higher status in the hierarchy, yet they believe the difference is minimal since they too are Dragonlords and kings. That's why Rhaenys posed her question, placing my house on the same level as hers, which provided me an opportunity to assert in no uncertain terms that the difference is significant.
"You seem to think my house possesses as many Valyrian weapons as your ancestral home, Princess. Forgive my frankness, but there has always been a significant disparity between the five major houses and the other Dragonlord families. If a house doesn't rank among Old Valyria's top ten, then the gap between them and the five major houses is as vast as that between your family and the minor lords of this realm. Believe it or not, maintaining thirty or more dragons in a place teeming with hundreds is an expensive endeavor. Indeed, my house lost most of its wealth in the Doom, yet even now, our riches surpass those of House Velaryon and Lannister combined. There's a reason Lord Freeholder Aenar Targaryen had only three adult dragons and two hatchlings upon his arrival at Dragonstone, after liquidating his entire estate in Old Valyria. A single Valyrian mine was far more bountiful than ten mines at Casterly Rock. My own family owned more than one of these mines. The Dragonlords of Valyria preferred not to stray far from their homeland, much like their dragons. Hence, the true extent of their wealth remained unknown, as their lavish expenditures were eclipsed only by the vast amounts of food Valyria procured from its allies." I recounted this with a glint of amusement in my eyes, watching theirs widen at the mention of Valyria's mines.
Rhaenys and Viserys appeared slightly awed, seemingly imagining the immense wealth Valyria held at its peak. They were right to be impressed; if I claimed all of Valyria's gold, my house would never worry about wealth again. The tales of slaves toiling in Valyrian mines day and night were true. Through the slaves' sweat and sacrifice, the Dragonlords of Valyria amassed such fortunes that they sometimes lost track of their gold. To these Dragonlords, gold was of lesser value than the sustenance for their dragons. Daemon was caught between anger and admiration as I subtly conveyed their lower status in the hierarchy compared to mine. Corlys radiated joy and proud, while Laenor's attention remained fixed on the Valyrian sword.
"To answer your question about why I'm distributing a Valyrian sword so casually: my house's armory possesses far more of these weapons than the entirety of Westeros. Moreover, I can forge Valyrian steel myself, as the knowledge was bestowed upon my house by the very inventor of its making. Thus, it holds less significance for me than it does for you," I explained, watching her eyes widen in astonishment at the revelation that I could also craft Valyrian steel. "If you think this is excessive, then the bride price customary in Valyria would truly be beyond your imagination," I continued in a flat tone, mindful of the bride price I must also present to House Velaryon.
Laena appeared very proud upon learning that I could forge Valyrian steel, and that my house possesses more Valyrian steel than all of Westeros. I have often heard that one can never fully understand a woman, and I have taken this saying to heart. Who am I to deny the wisdom of those more experienced than myself? [AN: - Ignore my failed attempt of humour.]
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