Chapter 24: A King's Coronation, A Dragon's Shadow, and Whispers in the Realm
The weeks following the "liberation" of Dragonstone and the acquisition of its unique draconic assets were a period of intense, clandestine activity within the Red Keep, even as the outward machinery of Robar Baratheon's new regime ground on with relentless efficiency. The three hatchling dragons, housed in a specially constructed, volcanically warmed, and heavily guarded sanctuary deep beneath Maegor's Holdfast – a facility Maester Vaellyn had dubbed the "Incubation Chamber," much to Robar's pragmatic approval – were growing at a rate that astonished even the renegade maester.
Mammon, the black dragon with eyes like molten rubies, was already the size of a small wolfhound, his scales hard as iron, his temper fierce and possessive towards Robar. He responded strongly to Robar's Haki, an almost telepathic understanding seeming to flow between them. Viridian, the cunning jade-and-bronze scaled female, was more sinuous and agile, her intelligence sharp and observant. Aurum, the cream-and-gold, was the most placid of the three, yet Vaellyn noted its unnerving ability to focus its gaze, as if assessing everything with ancient wisdom. Their dietary needs were immense – Vaellyn, drawing on fragmented Valyrian texts, had them on a diet of charred meats, heavily laced with specific minerals that BCR geologists were now frantically sourcing from Dragonstone's volcanic deposits. Robar himself spent several hours each day with them, his commanding presence and Haki reinforcing their primal bond to him. He was not just their master; he was, in a strange, alchemical way forged in blood and fire, their sire.
The secrecy surrounding "Project Incubate" was absolute. Only Robar's Phoenix Team, Vaellyn, and now, by necessity, Lord Tywin Lannister, were privy to the full truth of the dragons' existence. For the rest of the Red Keep, and indeed the world, strange rumblings from beneath Maegor's, the increased presence of Vaellyn (previously known more for his pyromantic expertise than animal husbandry), and the vast quantities of meat requisitioned by BCR for "special projects" were sources of hushed, fearful speculation.
With the dragons – his ultimate trump card – developing satisfactorily, Robar, with Tywin's increasingly enthusiastic counsel, set the date for his coronation. It was to be held in two months, giving ample time for the Great Lords of Westeros to assemble and witness his ascension. This would not be merely a crowning; it would be the formal unveiling of the new CEO of Westeros Inc., a carefully orchestrated spectacle designed to inspire awe, cement loyalty (through fear or opportunism), and unequivocally establish the dominance of the Baratheon-Lannister-(BCR) regime.
Invitations, penned by Grand Maester Pycelle in suitably florid language (with BCR legal scrubbing every clause for potential misinterpretation), were dispatched by raven to every corner of the realm. Attendance was not merely requested; it was expected. Failure to attend would be noted as a significant "market indicator of non-compliance," as Robar termed it. King's Landing itself began a BCR-managed "urban beautification initiative." Main thoroughfares were repaved (with BCR-branded cobblestones, naturally), dilapidated buildings given fresh coats of paint (in Baratheon black and gold, where feasible), and the Gold Cloaks, now a ruthlessly disciplined force under Janos Slynt (who answered directly to Stannis's office), cracked down on any hint of crime or dissent. The city was to be a shining testament to BCR's efficiency when the lords arrived.
The official narrative surrounding Robar's rise, and the subtle hints of a "miraculous boon" granted to him, began to circulate, expertly disseminated by Pycelle's scribes and BCR's network of agents. Stories were woven of how the old gods and the new, recognizing Robar's strength and his commitment to restoring order from Aerys's madness, had bestowed upon him a unique destiny. The specifics were kept deliberately vague, building an aura of mythic power around him. Whispers of "the Lord Protector's hidden strength" or "ancient magic returning to the land through the new Stag King" were more effective, Robar knew, than premature revelations. He would unveil his "draconic assets" at a moment of his choosing, for maximum impact.
Lord Tywin Lannister, now firmly established as Robar's most influential advisor and future Hand, threw himself into the preparations with grim satisfaction. He saw in Robar not a son-in-law to be manipulated, but a powerful, if dangerously unconventional, partner through whom Lannister influence could reach unprecedented heights. His daughter Cersei, now residing in lavishly redecorated (and BCR-audited) apartments in the Red Keep, was being groomed for her role as Queen. Tywin had sternly counseled her on the necessity of obedience and discretion with her formidable betrothed. Cersei, intelligent and ambitious, understood. Her initial shock at Robar's cold pragmatism had given way to a complex mixture of fear, resentment, and a dawning, almost perverse, admiration for his sheer, unadulterated power. She knew she could not control him as she might have controlled a lesser man, but she was determined to be the power beside the throne, the mother of future dragon-blooded kings.
Her interactions with Daenerys Targaryen, who remained a "guest-ward" in a secluded section of the Red Keep, were a source of strange fascination for Cersei. Daenerys, little more than a child, was terrified and broken by the loss of her family and her new captivity. Cersei, under Robar's directive to "oversee the girl's education in the customs of the Westerosi court and ensure her continued cooperation," treated Daenerys with a carefully calibrated mixture of condescension and superficial kindness. She saw in Daenerys a pale reflection of her own gilded youth, but also a potential rival, a living link to the dragons that her future husband now commanded. Robar, for his part, observed these interactions through his agents. Daenerys was an asset whose true value – whether as a political bargaining chip, a future Valyrian broodmare for another line, or a potential dragon-handler if needed – was still under assessment. For now, keeping her alive, healthy, and compliant was sufficient.
Messages arrived from the North and the Vale. Eddard Stark, ever honorable, confirmed his attendance at the coronation, expressing his relief at the end of Aerys's tyranny and his hope for a just and stable reign under his foster brother. His letter, however, carried an undercurrent of unease, a subtle questioning of the increasingly autocratic methods being reported from King's Landing and the growing influence of Tywin Lannister. Jon Arryn, his economic partnership with BCR now formally ratified (Gulltown was already seeing BCR surveyors planning its port expansion), also pledged his attendance, his message more overtly supportive, though he too cautioned Robar against alienating the old nobility with excessive haste in his "reforms." Robar filed their concerns under "manageable stakeholder anxieties." Their loyalty, for now, was secured by past bonds and present realities.
The response from Dorne was more problematic. Doran Martell, Prince of Sunspear, sent a polite, non-committal reply, citing the "prevailing ill-health" in his family and the "current instabilities" as reasons for his inability to attend personally, though he would send a "minor delegation" to convey his respects. Robar saw this for what it was: a carefully worded snub, a refusal to openly acknowledge his authority. Dorne, with its long history of independence and its deep-seated grievances against the Lannisters (for Elia Martell's death, a matter Robar knew he would eventually have to address in his "corporate social responsibility" report), would be a difficult acquisition. He made a mental note: "Project Sunstroke – develop strategy for Martell integration. Options: economic leverage, covert operations, or, if necessary, draconic persuasion."
While the realm prepared for a coronation, BCR's economic restructuring continued unabated. New taxes were levied, trade routes consolidated under BCR control, and resource exploitation intensified. There were, inevitably, pockets of discontent. In the Westerlands, some minor lords chafed under Tywin's heavy-handed enforcement of BCR's new agricultural quotas. In the Stormlands, a few traditionally independent marcher lords grumbled at the increased BCR oversight. Stannis, now effectively Robar's Chief Enforcer of Domestic Compliance, dealt with such issues with his characteristic grim efficiency. Public order was maintained, often through swift and brutal suppression of any organized dissent. Robar viewed these as necessary "market corrections," the short-term costs of long-term profitability and stability.
Deep beneath the Red Keep, "Project Incubate" faced its own challenges. Maester Vaellyn, while ecstatic at the dragons' growth, reported increasing difficulties in sourcing their specialized dietary needs in sufficient quantities. The hatchlings were consuming vast amounts of meat, and their preference for charred, mineral-rich flesh was proving costly. Furthermore, their growing size and strength were making their current containment increasingly problematic. Mammon, the black dragon, had already melted a section of his reinforced stone enclosure with an accidental blast of black-and-red fire.
"Their power develops at an exponential rate, Lord Protector," Vaellyn reported, his face smudged with soot. "They require more space, stronger enchantments… or perhaps, a different kind of handler. Your presence calms them, focuses them, as no other can. But you cannot be with them constantly."
Robar listened, his mind already processing solutions. Dragonstone, with its volcanic nature and isolation, was the obvious long-term solution for their primary hatchery and training ground. But for now, he needed them close, under his direct control, especially with the coronation approaching. He authorized Vaellyn to begin reinforcing the Dragonpit, the ancient Targaryen structure on Rhaenys's Hill, for their eventual, semi-public housing. It would need to be heavily guarded, its secrets maintained, but its looming presence would serve as another subtle reminder of the power shift in King's Landing.
He also began to develop a "Dragon Contingency Plan." While the dragons were his ultimate assets, they were also, potentially, his greatest liability if they grew beyond his control. Vaellyn was tasked with researching not just their growth, but also methods of absolute command – Valyrian dragon-horns, ancient spells, perhaps even Haki techniques Robar himself would need to develop. And, as a final, deeply buried fail-safe, methods of neutralization. BCR always had an exit strategy, even for its most prized investments.
As the date of the coronation drew nearer, the Great Lords of Westeros began to arrive in King's Landing. Mace Tyrell, looking significantly thinner and more subdued, led the Reach delegation, his mother Olenna a sharp-eyed observer at his side. Lords from the Vale, the Riverlands, and even a few nervous representatives from Dorne trickled into the capital, all eager, or fearful, to witness the dawn of this new age. The city was a powder keg of anticipation, fear, and barely suppressed speculation. Whispers of Lord Robert's "miraculous powers" and "hidden strength" were everywhere, a testament to BCR's effective propaganda.
Robar Baratheon, CEO-elect of Westeros, stood on the precipice of absolute power. His armies were victorious, his alliances (mostly) secure, his economic engine humming. And in the depths of his fortress, three young dragons, symbols of an ancient and terrible power reborn, awaited his command. The coronation would be his formal hostile takeover bid for the entire continent. And he was utterly confident the shareholders would approve. Or else.
Word Count: Approx. 3050 words