I Became the Mother of Dragons

     "Twenty Years a Slave? What?" Denzo wondered.

"It's a memoir about to be published on a large scale, and the author doesn't seem very serious."

"Well, the book you wrote…" Denzo glanced at the minister, his tone suspicious. "Have you had any experience with slavery, like the author of 'Twenty Years a Slave'?"

Clearly, Bill Connington's status is quite different from that of an ordinary laborer slave. Their lives are worlds apart. They live in comfort and leisure, quite unlike Denzo's own experiences as Windblown's deputy.

Can the experiences of someone like Bill Connington really help the Dragon Queen advocate for the need for anti-slavery measures?

"Not just my experience, but what I've seen and heard, woven into short stories like Shryke, Hill, and Stinking Insect, you can think of 'Twenty Years a Slave' as a collection of stories."

The old poet disapproved and said: "This kind of story is enough to be told orally, it's a waste of paper to write it."

"Just you wait and behold, for Queen Dany's grand invention shall reshape the very world," declared Bill Connington, his smile beaming with pride.

Upon their entry into the imposing Great Pyramid, Denzo and Edward found themselves abruptly parted from the Culture Minister.

Their names and the purpose of their visit echoed through the halls, officially registered at the clerical desk, and after a vigil that stretched for half an hour, the venerable sellsword and Captain Redbeard were ushered aloft to the rooftop garden, guided by an Unsullied.

Around the extensive wooden table, Daenerys, recently refreshed from a bath and draped in a flowing gown, partook in a repast alongside a cadre of her loyal subordinates.

Dany savored a bite of her meal and indulged in a sip of wine before inquiring, "Have the both of you dined?"

"Nay."

"Then let us sup together," Dany graciously extended her invitation to the pair.

Edward found himself at the same table as the Queen for the very first time, his nerves rendering him almost incapable of uttering a coherent sentence.

While Denzo harbored a touch of apprehension, he courteously expressed his gratitude and guided his companion to a seat beside Brus.

Seated comfortably, the seasoned sellsword noted that the Queen's meal was both opulent and unpretentious: toasted white bread, lamb chops glazed with honey and cloves, chicken stewed with mushrooms generously seasoned with Dragon pepper and beef stewed with barley. The feast was rounded off with a refreshing frozen fruit salad.

The fare was straightforward, devoid of extravagant and exotic delicacies, yet abundant in portion—substantial cuts of meat, oversized soup bowls, and toasted bread that could double as weaponry.

With a steady hand, the old sellsword carved a piece of bread with his knife and submerged it into a bowl brimming with barley beef bisque.

"Captain Edward," Dany inquired casually, "have you brought me any plant seeds?"

A sudden fit of coughing erupted from the red-bearded Captain before he could fully swallow the morsel in his mouth. He had not anticipated Queen Daenerys being the first to inquire about his offerings.

"Apologies, apologies..." Edward managed to regain his composure after a sip of red wine. He continued, "We've brought black rice and sorghum from Yi Ti, white maize from Hyrkoon's unknown islands, sweet potatoes... and even specialties from the Seven Kingdoms, such as the North's barley and the Dorne's pepper, among many others—edible exotic flowers and rare herbs as per Your Majesty's request."

"Very well," Dany acknowledged with satisfaction. "Upon inspecting those seeds tomorrow, I shall fulfill the agreed-upon bounty."

Slaver's Bay predominantly thrived on the slave trade and paid little heed to agricultural production. Their crop repertoire remained simplistic, with olives, grapes, wheat, and beetroot being the most prevalent staples.

In the Worm River basin, there was indeed rice cultivation, but the yield was meager, and the quality left much to be desired.

Upon gaining control of Slaver's Bay, Dany had no intention of perpetuating the slave trade. Yet, the strategic location of Slaver's Bay as a major maritime trade route posed a challenge—traditional crops were excessively wasteful.

Moreover, she yearned to diversify her daily fare, as consuming bread day in and day out became wearisome. While this world resembled the Middle Ages, it boasted a rich history of maritime trade spanning millennia.

Regional delicacies like potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, corn, rice, tea, and more had long been recognized worldwide, and acquiring their seeds wasn't overly difficult. The true challenge lay in acclimating them to local cultivation practices.

At the tender age of fifteen, Dany harbored the aspiration to develop hybrid rice in her lifetime. Her aim wasn't necessarily to rival the bountiful yields of the Shennong Yuan but rather to enhance the flavor, making them suitable for widespread cultivation in Slaver's Bay.

This notion was far from whimsical, for it was a world inhabited by the enigmatic Children of the Forest.

Following the dinner, Edward departed with Lyra, Brus, and their entourage, leaving only Dany and Denzo in the rooftop garden.

"How?" Dany inquired, her gaze fixed on the aged poet, as she took a sip of Yi Ti black tea.

"The leader of our group has agreed to provide you with information that doesn't comprise our core secrets," he replied.

"And why should I cooperate with you if you don't divulge those core secrets?" Dany sneered.

"Your Majesty, the Windblown possesses precious little access to our core secrets. Even a slight leak could jeopardize our safety. Illyrio is likely to reject the Prince's return to Pentos, leaving us with nothing, is that not the case?"

"For the sake of profit, we take on considerable risks, and I believe the deal is equitable. Unless..." Denzo hesitated briefly, assessing Dany's reaction. Seeing her expression remain unchanged, he breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "Unless you have no need to heed Magister Illyrio's opinion and are willing to commit directly to assisting the Prince in taking down Pentos."

Dany replied, "I'm sorry, but I can't disappoint an old friend like that..."

The old sellsword's eyes dimmed as he said with resignation, "Then, what of the deal?"

Dany shrugged, her tone indifferent. "Start by sharing those non-core secrets. They may remain secret."

Upon hearing the Dragon Queen's choice, the old sellsword wasted no time and proceeded to divulge the information. "Firstly, the former 'Ghis Alliance' has officially been rebranded as the 'Great World Trade Alliance,' with Qarth, New Ghis, and Volantis as its principal members.

The Isle of Whips of the Jade Sea will align with Qarth in declaring war against you.

Though the Jade Sea's Isle of Elephants is not a member of the Alliance, its ruler, Shan, has pledged an unlimited supply of elephant soldiers to the Allies.

The people of Yi Ti were initially hesitant to involve themselves in the conflicts of the western continent, but the God-Emperor's envoys have promised the Grand Alliance their participation in the campaign against Slaver's Bay, including a joint blockade of trade."

Dany rested her right hand beneath her chin, tilting her head as she remarked, "So, we now have two adversarial alliances in Slaver's Bay—the military-threatening alliance and the Oceanwide Trade-imposing alliance. The United... United Nations?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, you've captured it quite succinctly—the Allies and the United Nations," Denzo affirmed.

A sense of frustration washed over her. The Allies and the United Nations had such "fortunate" names, yet they had been appropriated by their adversaries. It seemed rather incongruous, considering that she had been the one to raise the banner of "Freedom and Liberation."

"What can you tell me about this Isle of Whips? I wasn't aware of its existence until you mentioned it," Dany inquired.

"The Isle of Whips, in itself, holds little significance—it's a desolate and barren island in the Jade Sea. However, its location is strategically vital. It serves as a transit point for the shipment of slaves, a mandatory passage for slaves from the Far East," Denzo explained.

"As a result, dozens of Far Eastern slave catchers and Corsair Kings, who depend on the slave trade for their livelihoods, have aligned themselves with the Allies under the banner of the Isle of Whips."

Dany was taken aback by this revelation. Slavery had two primary sources: captives taken in war and slave catchers. The Dothraki were known for enslaving their defeated foes, but the number of slaves brought to Slaver's Bay by the Dothraki was relatively small compared to the total slave population. The overwhelming majority of slaves in Slaver's Bay were acquired by slave catchers. For instance, Missandei and her four siblings had been captured by slave catchers from Naath.

In addition to Missandei, Dany's followers represented a diverse array of races from around the world. With fifty-six different ethnic groups among them, they could almost form a miniature version of the known world.

Undoubtedly, slave catchers played a significant role in this diversity. While they operated in fragmented groups and were individually not particularly powerful, their collective influence was substantial.

Dany then inquired about the reaction of the Free Cities to the current situation.

"Lys has pledged to align itself with Volantis," Denzo began, "Myr and Tyrosh are also deeply involved in the slave trade. However, they've been embroiled in a decades-long conflict over control of the Disputed Lands, making it challenging for them to unite under the same banner. Our leader speculates that if one of the parties were to join the Allies, Your Majesty might gain an additional ally."

Dany waved her hand in disdain. "I will not align with any city-state that engages in slavery."

Denzo was taken aback by such a quick response. "Your Majesty, you are resolute."

"It's a matter of principle," Dany emphasized.

"Very well. On to the second matter, the Allies and the United Nations are still in their nascent stages, and representatives from all sides are convening in New Ghis for the 'Dragon Slaying Meeting' at Grazdan."

"'Dragon Slaying...Meeting'?" Dany looked perplexed.

"You are the Mother of Dragons, and now there are three more dragons within this world due to you," explained the old poet.

"Grazdan still holds appeal despite repeated defeats?" Dany inquired.

Denzo explained, "You might not be aware of just how renowned your reputation is among the major city-states. Grazdan, despite numerous failures, is the only general who has engaged you in head-on combat multiple times and managed to escape with his life."

Dany's curiosity piqued, she asked, "How many attendees are at the Dragon Slaying Meeting presently?"

"Representatives from Volantis, Qarth, Lys, Yi Ti, and other major players are in attendance. Additionally, numerous slave-capturing teams from the Summer Sea, Jade Sea, and the Qarth Strait have gathered. It's estimated that the conference has already commenced."

Dany inquired further, "Is there any other piece of news you wish to speak of?"

"The Iron Legion's 3rd Fleet has gone silent in the Smoking Sea. New Ghis has requested Dragon eggs from the Qarth Pureborn. The Maegi who left Yunkai with me is now a guest of Ghis, and I've heard that the Qarth Pureborn have also extended an invitation to her."

Dany couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, thinking, The Maegi had better make good use of those fools.

Then, she asked once more, "What's the matter with the Iron Legion? Why are they missing..."

"It couldn't be that they've set out to explore the Valyrian Ruins with Euron, could it?" Dany suddenly realized, her eyes taking on an unusual gleam.

Observing the change in her expression, Denzo asked in surprise, "Isn't it true that Euron Greyjoy ventured into the ruins of Valyria?"

"Even I wouldn't ask Euron to lead the way; the Ghis people are quite audacious," Dany snickered.

Denzo responded, "You mean Euron Greyjoy might have lured the Iron Fleet? That's highly improbable. The Third Fleet consists of ten longships and two thousand Ghis Iron Legions, more than enough to quell any dissent in the Summer Sea."

"You should investigate in Westeros; Euron is up to something," Dany asserted.

On the second day, Dany continued leading tens of thousands of farmers to toil in the fields all morning, sowing wheat. The seasons in this tumultuous world were unpredictable, and as long as winter didn't arrive, they could keep planting and harvesting. It was not uncommon to witness the peculiar sight of sowing wheat in one field in the morning and harvesting wheat in the next field in the afternoon.

For example, Dany's creation, the 'Rural Mutual Aid Society,' had been planting wheat for a month, and the earliest wheat fields were now adorned with lush, green wheat seedlings reaching half a meter in height. Although the average farmer had sown over 5 acres of wheat, there were still nearly millions of acres of wheat fields beyond Yunkai. Dany continued to mobilize hundreds of thousands of farmers to cultivate the land.

The Yunkai Plain was indeed vast, covering more than 30,000 square kilometers of fertile terrain, with at least 45 million acres of arable land. There remained over 30 million acres of untapped potential...