Dragon's Hope

Chapter 9

Someone complaints about Rhaelys during a small council meeting, she handles it. Rhaegon and his uncle Aegon see each other for the first time since Jaehaera's death, they have a talk. I hope you guys like it. 🥰

"Your grace." Lord Celtigar looked at Rhaelys's grandmother. "I have been asking myself if I should say something, but I just cannot keep this to myself any longer."
"My lord." Rhaenyra let out a sigh as the lord stopped talking. "Just say whatever is on your mind."
"Everything in the city is going back to normal." Lord Celtigar looked around the room, stopping when he met Rhaelys's eyes, she saw his throat work as he swallowed, but then he looked back at her grandmother. "It has just been a fortnight, but with the help of the dragons we were able to clean all the debris and the reconstruction of the houses and buildings that were lost in the fire has already started."
"That is great news." Rhaenyra smiled. "I am happy to hear everything is going well."
"Yes, that is very good." Lord Celtigar swallowed as Rhaelys tapped her finger against the table. The master of coin cleared his throat and would not look at Rhaelys. "But with everything the Princess Rhaelys ordered to be given to the people, we have spent over fifty thousand gold dragons. That is a very large expenditure for the crown, especially since we are not getting any returns for the money we have spent. I am worried about our coffers."
"Our coffers are perfectly full, my lord." Deirys looked at the lord, her face questioning. "What are you trying to say?"
"Princess Rhaelys has spent a large amount of coin, and she is still spending hundreds of gold dragons each day." The lord seemed to be getting bolder the longer he spoke. "Our coffers could be empty in two years at the pace the princess is spending coin."
"Well, let us ask my granddaughter what she has been using the gold for?" Her grandmother turned to her, a smile on her face. "Rhaelys, can you please let us know how you have been spending the gold?"
"Of course, your grace." Rhaelys smiled at Lord Celtigar, her grandmother knew perfectly well what she had been using the gold for. "All the rooms available in the inns inside and around the city had been rented indefinitely, the men that lost their houses are being housed there. I used all the mansions in the city that belong to the crown to house the women and children that lost their homes. The children that were orphaned were taken to the orphanages, and they were provided with clothing, shoes, and food, and a few maesters were hired to examine them and make sure they were not sick. The people that lost everything in the fire were provided with twenty gold dragons per family and five gold dragons if it was just one person. We took the injured to the teaching houses, which at the moment are still being used as healing houses. We have also been providing the people affected by the fire with food. The crown is also paying for the reconstruction of all the properties that were lost or badly damaged in the fire."
"That is exactly what I was talking about, your grace." Lord Celtigar could not keep his mouth shut. "The princess has spent an obscenely amount of coin."
"I apologize, my lord, but thousands of our people lost everything, not just physical possessions, but wives, husbands, sons, daughters, fathers, mothers and some even lost their lives. Some of those people have lost everything they worked for their entire lives. So forgive me, if I believe that taking care of our subjects is more important than saving a few coins for future feasts and banquets." Lord Celtigar flinched at the tone of her voice while some of the other lords looked everywhere else but at her. Rhaelys looked at her grandmother. "All the money is not being given away. The men that survived the fire without any injury are helping the workers with the building of the houses and the buildings that were lost. The women are helping the septas at the orphanages to look after the children, they are also helping the healers and maesters look after the injured, which has saved the crown a large amount of gold since we do not have to hire hundreds of people to after the sick and injured."
"I believe that my granddaughter is correct lord Celtigar." Her grandmother raised an eyebrow when Lord Celtigar attempted to protest, shutting him down immediately. "We have a duty to provide for our people and look out for their wellbeing. If helping our people in their time of need means that I will have to stop throwing feasts and banquets for a few years, then that is something I am more than willing to do."
"But your grace..." Her grandmother lifted a hand, making the master of coin snapped his mouth shut.
"I will no hear any more about it, my lord." Rhaenyra stood up, staring at all the lords around the room. "My people will have what they need, the crown will support the people of Kings Landing, and if anyone here has anything but encouragement I am sure there are other lords that will be more than willing to take over your positions." No one spoke and the queen smiled. "Well, then my lords, the small council is dismissed for the day."
All the lords stood up, bowing to her grandmother as the queen stepped out of the room, her grandsire, and mother following after her. Rhaelys moved forward, standing in front of Lord Celtigar before he could leave, his eyes went wide.
"Let me make myself clear because apparently, I did not manage to do it last time." Rhaelys took a step closer to the lord. "If you ever question my intentions in front of the small council again, I will make sure you regret it. Do I make myself clear this time?"
"Yes, princess." Lord Celtigar bowed, almost running out of the room when she stepped aside.
Rhaelys understood that Lord Celtigar was in charge of the crown's finances and that he had to take care they were not bankrupting the kingdom. But after so many years working under her grandmother, he should know by now that their main interest was to govern the kingdom justly. She would not allow the lords to question her or her family's intentions.