[Chapter Size: 3300 Words.]

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Third Person POV

North, 297 AC.

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The square was quickly becoming noisier and noisier as all four races of Artica gathered in various places. Despite the large numbers congregating together, the groups seemed to separate due to the union of families that each race had. The giants had large tables laden with vegetarian food and drinks, while the dwarves enjoyed an abundance of meat and significantly more alcoholic beverages. Meanwhile, the children of the forest gathered around some of the Weirwoods and other trees, and the humans formed the largest group, occupying the center of the square with all kinds of food, while the parents worked to keep their children close.

The general chatter of the kingdom continued until Jon decided to officially begin the celebration. While he and his family sat at the main table, the ministers occupied nearby tables, and senators—representatives chosen by the people for the senate—occasionally came by to greet Jon. He noticed that everyone was eager to start drinking in earnest, so, after speaking with one last group of senators, he stood up abruptly.

He looked out at the people still talking among themselves, then turned to a man holding a trumpet, ready to sound it at the king’s command. With a glance from Jon, the man acted.

The sound of the trumpet echoed through the square, bringing conversations to a halt as everyone turned toward the main table, where their king stood, framed by the towering Weirwood behind him in the sacred grove.

“People of Artica, children of this land we have built together, I wish you all a good evening of celebration in this kingdom.” His voice, as always, carried effortlessly to the ears of hundreds of thousands of people, without the need for any device or tool to amplify it.

“Today is a day of celebration, a milestone in the history of our kingdom. After more than a year and a half, I have returned home, bringing not just tales of distant lands but opportunities that will shape our future and that of the generations to come.”

“My journey took me to the farthest corners of the world, to places like the great free cities of Essos, Valyria, Sothoryos, and Yi-Ti. What we achieved was more than just establishing trade routes; we forged alliances, exchanged knowledge, and brought the name of Artica to the ears of those who previously knew nothing of our strength and resilience. We have extended our world far beyond what it was before this journey.”

“Today, with pride, I declare that Artica is no longer an isolated kingdom. It is a power, recognized and respected in Essos and feared in Westeros. Our trade routes will soon be active and thriving, bringing wealth and exotic resources that will benefit every one of you. This is the first step toward an even brighter future.”

“But amidst these achievements, we must also remember those who are no longer with us. Many of our soldiers, sons, and daughters gave their lives to protect this mission and this kingdom. Their actions ensured that I could stand here today, speaking to you. We must honor them, not only with words but with our daily actions, living with gratitude and purpose.”

“To the families of those who lost loved ones, know that their sacrifices will never be forgotten. Every name will be etched into the annals of our history, so future generations will know the warriors who helped shape what this kingdom will become from this day forward!”

“We fought together not only in Volantis, where they protected our people and their comrades, but also in Yi-Ti, where we fought to secure an ally in crisis and won every battle to liberate the Yi-Ti Empire from an invading force. Today, Hiyori Kozuki, the princess of Yi-Ti, is with us as my fiancée, and we will soon marry, forging an alliance with Yi-Ti. Even though it is on the other side of the world, we will always support each other militarily and commercially.” He spoke, gesturing toward Hiyori, who nodded to the crowd.

“I also wish to announce that I am not only married to my two queens; we now have a third queen in Artica: Rhaenys of the former House Targaryen. Along with Hiyori, I also have another fiancée, Daenerys Targaryen, with whom I will also marry.” Jon spoke as Rhaenys waved to the crowd, confirming the rumors that the king had married another queen while at sea.

“And most importantly, I want to welcome my two new sons, princes of this kingdom: Jahaerys Artica, son of Queen Rhaenys, and Brandon Artica, son of Queen Ygritte. I wish for them to be blessed today by the Old Gods, that these princes may help Artica prosper under the watch of our gods,” Jon said. He knew he had to say things like this—after all, the people loved hearing it. Jon was ensuring Artica’s legacy through his sons. Everyone who heard this grew visibly excited, exclaiming and praying for the princes. Jon planned to have Leaf bless them later, as a kind of baptism for the Old Gods. This had not been possible at sea, where the children were born.

Jon waited for the crowd to calm down before continuing. “Now, let us look to the future.”

“Artica is growing. Our land, once seen merely as cold and unforgiving, has begun to reveal its true nature to the world. We flourish as a powerful and vibrant people. Soon, the entire world will see that we are much more than that. We are bringing forth a new era, one that no one—not even ancient Valyria—has ever achieved.”

“From today onward, our focus will be on expanding our strength and preparing our youth to lead the future after us. We will work together to ensure our children grow up in a world where they never need to know hunger or fear. We will plan together, protect together, and prosper together. This is the Artican way.”

“And as we celebrate today, remember: Artica is more than just the kingdom we live in. It is an idea—a promise that, even in the harshest conditions, courage, strength, and unity can create something extraordinary. Let us hold this truth close as we raise our glasses to our future.”

“May the Old Gods guide us and continue to bless this land. To you, my people, my family, my heart: I thank you all for believing in this dream and working together to make it a reality. Now, raise your glasses, share in our joy, and let us celebrate not only the return of a successful journey with new alliances and trade routes but the success and dawn of a new era in this mighty kingdom we call home. To Artica!”

As Jon finished, all the adult citizens of every race immediately raised their glasses, exclaiming in unison. Their voices echoed throughout the square, resounding across the entire kingdom within the walls. Those who had recently joined the realm during the past moons looked on, surprised and a bit lost. But the vast majority of the population, who deeply loved their land, joined in enthusiastically. They believed that the Old Gods had given Jon the mission to build such a kingdom—to protect these people from the evil to come. Artica would not only defend its own but would also stand for the South and even the entire world, unbeknownst to them.

At that moment, the banquet began. People toasted and began eating, with dozens of fires roasting fresh food. There were no servants to serve them; instead, everyone organized the food and drinks themselves.

Quickly, the square turned into an exuberant crowd as Jon returned to his seat to join his family.

“You speak very well, Jon. It’s more than just being an unbeatable leader on the battlefield; you also prove to be a wise king,” Hiyori commented across the table, while little Jon and even young Lyanna gazed at him with admiration, clearly impressed by how their father commanded the crowd.

“Jon has always been like this. Even at just eleven days of name, he was already commanding this kingdom. And that was six years ago,” Seryna said with a smile, explaining to the princess of Yi-Ti.

Jon merely smiled as he resumed eating and helping his son do the same, while more and more people ascended the platform to speak with him.

“Daddy!” Lyanna, at one point, began vying for her father’s attention, seemingly jealous of how little Jon was spending all his time with their father. Jon didn’t mind as Lyanna eagerly climbed onto his lap, and he settled her there so they could eat together. He gently stroked her hair the entire time.

“Your Majesty.” A man stepped forward, dressed in a maester’s robe and chains.

“Maester Marwyn,” Jon greeted after so much time. This was the maester he had brought from the Citadel two years ago when he launched his campaign. “How are things? I’ve heard from Aemon that you’ve been helping him a lot with the university and library,” Jon remarked.

“I’ve been helping where I can, Your Majesty. I am here to serve this great nation, which is now my home,” Marwyn replied. “I notice the girl is not with you, but I’m impressed by how you’ve formed such a strong bond with the rest of the Targaryen family.”

Maester Marwyn had some suspicions that Jon might be a Targaryen, as Jon had not shared the official information openly. He was particularly impressed to see two Targaryens: Rhaenys, daughter of Elia Martell, and Daenerys Targaryen, daughter of Rhaella Targaryen—one a queen, the other a future queen.

“You’re talking about Arya? She’s in Winterfell and will stay there for some time before returning here. After all, it’s quite far from home,” Jon replied when Marwyn asked about her.

“I understand, my king. In any case, there are some matters regarding the research you requested about the maesters and their secret tomes… I’d like to discuss it,” Marwyn said.

“Great. I won’t be leaving the kingdom anytime soon, so we can talk in the coming days,” Jon replied, and the maester bowed and began to withdraw.

This pattern continued for a while, with more people approaching Jon to exchange a few words and greet him. Of course, he couldn’t attend to the entire kingdom, but senators, army commanders, scholars, teachers, and former students of Jon were allowed to come close.

The celebration went on for hours. Leaf appeared to bless Jahaerys, Brandon, and Artica in front of everyone. Meanwhile, Brandon began to grow tired as time passed.

“Jon, I think I’ll need to take him,” Ygritte said, looking at her son.

“Not just him. Jahaerys is getting sleepy too. Lyanna, do you want to go back as well?” Jon asked his eldest daughter, who yawned while trying to insist that she wanted to stay. Jon shook his head, seeing her state.

“No, Daddy! Can I stay with you?” little Jon asked, clinging to his sister’s side, not wanting to leave.

Jon nodded, as he planned to stay and couldn’t leave the banquet held in his honor.

“All right. Since you’re staying, I’ll go back with Ygritte. But wake me when you come back, okay?” Seryna said with a wink at Jon, clearly hinting that she wanted to continue what they had started in the bath earlier that afternoon.

Jon nodded as he watched Seryna and Ygritte begin to leave. His other wives and fiancées sat beside him, eager to enjoy more of the event. Rhaenys entrusted Jahaerys to Ygritte, knowing she would take good care of him, while the children would spend the night in their shared room.

Jon noted Rhaenys’ impressed remarks about Artica throughout the remainder of the banquet, Daenerys’ curiosity about the kingdom, and Hiyori’s gentle words of admiration. They conversed, ate, and drank while Jon kept his eldest son in his lap, talking to him and asking about what had happened during the year and a half he was away. The boy tried his best to answer.

Eventually, Jon left the celebration while the people continued drinking. He returned to the castle with his wives and children. By then, little Jon, completely exhausted, was already asleep beside his sister in the small improvised bed near their parents, nestled in the room where all four children stayed.

Meanwhile, Jon managed to “borrow” Seryna for a while, leaving Ygritte and Rhaenys in the room. Daenerys and Hiyori, as they were not yet married to Jon, stayed in a separate chamber. He and Seryna returned to the bath in the middle of the night, making the most of their time to reconnect.

The next morning, Jon shared breakfast with his family before leaving the castle to begin his first task of the day. He wanted to assess Artica’s internal affairs, and a meeting was scheduled early in the morning, with all the ministers gathering in the Senate.

In the most exclusive chamber of the Senate, rather than discussing laws in a vast hall, this small room served as the kingdom’s nerve center.

“Well, let’s get started,” Jon said as Ducken began presenting the military reports.

Current Military Power:

Dwarves:

Total: 10,000 soldiers.

Growth: +2,000 newly trained soldiers during Jon’s absence.

Humans:

Total: 50,000 soldiers.

Growth: +15,000, including 2,500 Wargs with refined abilities and 2,000 mounted on bears and shadow cats.

Giants:

Total: 4,000 soldiers.

Growth: +850, consisting of young recruits who completed basic training.

“I see. Impressive, Ducken… But we’ll need to make some adjustments here,” Jon remarked, analyzing the data and lost in thought as he looked at the table.

“What do you mean, my king?” Ducken asked, unable to read the king’s mind.

“I’m saying that war is coming, Ducken. I can feel it, and it’s better to be prepared. We’ll need to expand the army even further within a year, and I’ll focus on this with you,” Jon declared.

Ducken said nothing more, simply nodding in agreement with Jon’s words.

Despite having over 65,000 soldiers—a force on par with any major kingdom in Westeros and, in some respects, far superior—they knew challenges awaited. Realms like The Reach, which could field 100,000 men, would still be easily defeated in real combat by the Artican forces and their advanced military technology. Yet the true enemy was different—far more dangerous than any southern army. They had to be ready to face and defeat it, Jon reflected.

His objective was clear: to strengthen the army and reach 100,000 soldiers within the next year.

“Good. Let’s continue,” Jon said, turning to Thor, who began detailing the kingdom’s new constructions, including upgrades to the forge, the royal greenhouse, and other improvements.

“My king, about the forge…” Thor hesitated briefly, appearing uncertain.

“The forge will be moved to the King’s Forge building, where I will begin producing Valyrian steel alloys with Eragon. Don’t make me take it from your people by force. It’s more than just an artifact to admire. It will be the cornerstone of creating more of that metal, and if we produce enough, we might even make one for your people,” Jon said, his tone stern and far from pleasant.

Thor knew the dwarves had treated the forge as a personal treasure, but Jon had fought in Valyria to obtain it. He faced monstrous creatures like giant larvae and grayscale-afflicted individuals turned into irrational beings. The forge was a hard-won prize.

Thor merely nodded, fully aware that the king was far from pleased with the situation. He would comply, as he remained the leader of his race in Artica.

The Minister of the Treasury then spoke about the ongoing negotiations with Braavos.

“Trade continued while I represented the king in the meetings. Along with other key advisors, we held strategic discussions about interest rates and even potential loans… Westeros is in a dire financial situation, with its king deeply in debt,” he began, as Jon nodded.

Braavos was now just a three-week journey, and trade had been active for a year and a half. Artica’s ships regularly sailed to the Free City, supplying it with wood, food, and other goods, as this was Artica’s only active trade route for now.

“I understand. This is interesting. I want you to continue attending the meetings on my behalf. I will join some of them to avoid being completely absent and will always participate in the most critical ones. Additionally, I want regular reports on what the Iron Bank is doing, and even about Westeros. We might be able to place the Seven Kingdoms in a position of submission without needing to send an army south of the Wall… Pass all the information to the Ministers of Foreign Relations and Trade as soon as you can,” Jon ordered, and the Minister of the Treasury nodded.

“Seraphine, I’ve reviewed your reports. Let’s discuss them after the meeting. I’d like you to wait for me in the King’s Greenhouse,” Jon said. He didn’t elaborate further, as the results were clearly outlined in the documents, awaiting his review at the greenhouse. Seraphine simply smiled and nodded.

Kiera presented her report. “All judicial forums in Artica are functioning perfectly, my king. We can now address most matters related to public trials, bringing justice, stability, and order to the kingdom through our judges.”

Thor had established several judicial hubs where individuals trained under Kiera had become judges, enforcing Artica’s laws. They handled everything from minor disputes to serious trials, including sentencing and the expulsion of Artican citizens.

Jon listened attentively and nodded. “Excellent work. Continue ensuring order is maintained,” he said.

Haran submitted a straightforward report on agriculture, something they had previously discussed. This time, the numbers were more detailed.

Jon reviewed it and commented, “Great. I’ll leave this with the Minister of Trade so he can move the surplus from the full granaries, easing the burden on the Minister of the Treasury.”

Haran nodded silently.

Aemon presented data on the university and began his report. “My king, the university is progressing as planned…”

Jon listened, reviewed the documents, and nodded. “That’s very good. More and more children are learning. And not just them—their parents are starting to become literate regardless of their age. It’s wonderful to see that our goal of creating a fully literate nation within the next generation is on track. Keep it up. We’ll discuss this further later,” Jon said, as the elder Targaryen nodded with satisfaction and a smile.

“Darius and Junly, we’ll talk later about your roles. Now that you’re managing trade and the bureaucratic aspects of our trade routes, I want regular reports and your full attention there. We’ll have private meetings in the coming weeks to organize this,” Jon affirmed. The ministers nodded before Jon turned to the last topic, adopting a much more serious tone.

“Now, I’d like everyone to leave, except for Brynden and me. We have very specific matters to discuss. After all, war is coming,” Jon declared.

The ministers began to leave one by one, none opposing the king’s decision despite exchanging curious and tense glances. Once the room was empty, Jon turned to Brynden, his expression serious. “You may begin. I want all reports on our enemies from the North. And I’m not talking about Mance Rayder and his Free Folk tribes. I’m asking about the dead.”

“Of course, my king,” Brynden responded, launching into his explanation. He had been monitoring the movement of the army of the dead, which had remained hidden until now. No one knew their exact numbers, but one thing was certain: they were farther north, biding their time. And it seemed that time was fast approaching.

————-Nexts Chapters —————-

Chapter 219 – The Routine of the King of Artica 05.

Chapter 224 – The letters to the houses of the North.

Chapter 234 – The She-Wolf of the North 04.

Chapter 243 – Artican Army vs Khal Drogo’s Khalasar 02.

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