WiC Reads: Fire & Blood

8) A Time of Testing – The Realm Remade

While our author calls this chapter A Time of Testing, that’s something of an overstatement. This chapter is not so much about Jaehaerys and his young queen facing challenges and dangers that immediately threaten their rule as it is about taking a lot of reasonable decisions to avoid potential future crises.

Jaehaerys gives Dragonstone to Rhaena and her daughter, avoiding what Gyldayn calls “the thorniest problem yet,” although how what exactly is thorny about it is hard to tell. He then comes up with a cleverer new tax system, although it’s not without its flaws, particular as regards taxing building or expanding castles. For a ruler, the new tax system is useful in times of peace, but problematic when outside threats come knocking at the door to the realm. Jaehaerys also has his new foreign master of coin play the different banks of the world against each other. And before all that, he reorganizes his court and makes Rogar Baratheon an ally again.

Then there’s Septon Barth, who plays a crucial role in selling the smallfolk on the idea of Targaryens marrying each other. According to the “Doctrine of Exceptionalism,” which was probably crafted more by Barth than Jaehaerys, Targaryens are fundamentally different from normal people, as evidenced by their ability to bond with dragons. You have to wonder if some of the people behind this doctrine, particularly Barth and maybe Alysanne, know more about how dragon bonding works than they let on.

In the end, there is another wedding, and a child for the young royal couple. But the prospect of tougher challenges to come looms.