To reclaim the Iron Throne, I needed three things—allies, an army, and dragons. But none of them would come to a beggar prince without wealth or power. I would not crawl to the lords of Westeros with empty hands and old names. I needed leverage. I needed to build something from the ground up. Something no one could ignore.
The first step was House Vaelar. A name newly forged in the fires of deception, now made real with the weight of gold.
Founding a Trade House
My path to power would begin not with fire, but with commerce. Trade ruled this part of the world. Ships, spices, textiles, and grain dictated who held influence in the Free Cities—not bloodlines. If I wanted to thrive in Lys, to plant the seeds of an empire, I needed legitimacy. And in this city of pleasure and gold, legitimacy could be bought.
I registered House Vaelar as a trading company with the Lyseni Merchant Guild, presenting it as an old Myrish merchant bloodline that had fled internal conflict and piracy in the Disputed Lands. The guild didn't care to verify; they only cared about the gold.
Between official registration, clerical stamping, "security evaluations," and—most importantly—bribes, the total cost came to 1,000 gold dragons. I paid it all in person, using coin created with the power of my Gold-Gold Fruit. Each piece bore the marks of legitimate mints, copied with exact precision.
The bureaucrats smiled and nodded. Paperwork was drawn. Licenses issued. By the end of the week, House Vaelar was recognized as a fully operating trading company, with rights to own land, operate ships, employ bonded labor, and trade in goods and agricultural produce across Lys and beyond.
With our name in their books, I was no longer an orphan with a fake past. I was a merchant prince, backed by land and wealth.
The Land Acquisition
My second move was land.
No power could last without a foundation—literal or political. And in this world, fertile soil was more valuable than steel. The right land could grow crops, feed armies, fuel trade routes, and build cities. I needed acreage, irrigation, access to roads and rivers.
Over the next few days, I used a middleman—a Lyseni broker named Voryn Rahl—to quietly scout properties. I chose him not for his honesty, but for his greed. Greed made men predictable.
Through Voryn, I purchased 10,000 acres of fertile riverland located thirty-five miles southeast of Lys, near a bend in the River Valenys. The region was known for mild winters, rich loam, and steady water flow—perfect for high-yield agriculture and easy transportation.
The land had been part of a noble Lyseni family's secondary estate, abandoned after a string of deaths and debts left it vacant. It was dotted with half-standing villas, broken canals, and neglected fields. But I didn't need beauty—I needed location and soil.
The cost was 90,000 gold dragons, paid in three staged installments through a shell company under the Vaelar name. The seller never saw my face. Voryn signed the contracts, and when they asked questions about the buyer, he simply said: "A Myrish noble turned merchant, looking to reclaim his family's honor."
The documents were clean. The transactions silent. No alarms were raised.
The estate was now mine.
Infrastructure and Layout
The Vaelar Estate sprawled in three sections:
The Northern Fields – closest to the riverbanks, with older irrigation canals and stone watchposts. I assigned this area for staple crops and bulk production due to easy access for transport barges.
The Central Hub – where the former owner's manor and granaries stood. I converted the ruined villa into temporary housing for laborers and designated it as the administrative center.
The Southern Orchards and Plains – wilder, less developed land. For now, I left it untouched, marked for future expansion.
I repaired access roads, cleared out old structures, and had foundations set for storehouses and slave quarters. No lavish renovations—only what was needed to function.
The river gave me a lifeline. Barges could carry goods directly to Lys, cutting transport costs and giving my company the illusion of a long-established trade route.
Acquisition of Slaves
To work 10,000 acres, I needed labor—and Lys had no shortage of it.
I entered the Black Pillar Slave Market four days after closing the land deal. I wore the garb of a wealthy merchant heir: silk robes, golden cuffs, and a decorative seal stamped with the Vaelar crest. No guards. No entourage. I wanted to be noticed—but only as another rich buyer.
I walked through the pens carefully, surveying the options with a trained eye. I didn't care for their stories, names, or complaints. I judged them by build, obedience, and utility.
I purchased:
200 agricultural slaves – Mostly men from the Summer Islands and Ghiscari stock, selected for endurance and strength. I chose only those between 18 and 35, no injuries, no deformities.
100 general laborers – Builders, haulers, and diggers. These were mostly from the Riverlands and the Free Cities—men and women who'd been sold due to debt, war, or crime. They were physically capable, useful for construction and transport.
20 overseers – Former soldiers, failed mercenaries, or educated freedmen who had fallen into slavery. I picked those who had experience leading men and managing estates. Some were literate. All had scars.
The total cost for the workforce came to 41,000 gold dragons, paid across two markets and one private broker to avoid drawing attention. I left no records with my name. Only "House Vaelar Holdings."
Establishing Control
Once the slaves were transported to the estate, I wasted no time establishing discipline and hierarchy. I brought in a few Lyseni guards to serve as enforcers—freemen, well paid, with orders to maintain strict obedience.
Each group of 10 slaves was assigned to a supervisor. Each team was expected to work sunrise to sunset. Punishments were immediate, rewards rare.
But I wasn't wasteful.
Despite being slaves, I gave them:
Decent quarters with roofs and clean bedding.
Three meals a day, with basic nutrition and water.
Weekly ration of wine or fruit for morale.
Copper coin rewards for high output or obedience.
Not because I cared. But because efficient slaves work harder and die slower. Fear built obedience. Incentives built productivity.
None of them were offered freedom. I didn't need loyalty from the heart—just loyalty born of comfort and survival.
To ensure control, I used Transparent World to observe every lie, every hesitation. I saw through whispers and hidden glances. Anyone planning escape or rebellion was removed quickly—quietly. A few examples made the rest fall in line.
Within two weeks, the estate was operational.
No Suspicion, No Noise
The key to success in these early days was discretion. I never appeared on official documents. All purchases, all contracts, all hires—done through proxies, shell companies, or trusted intermediaries.
To the outside world:
A rising Myrish merchant house was reclaiming land.
A clever young heir was expanding trade holdings.
A few hundred slaves were employed to rebuild an old estate.
No one knew the truth.
No one saw the prince in exile behind the mask.
And that was how I wanted it.