Game of Thrones: The Ruler Chapter 97: Army

After days of travel, Jon and lisandre had finally made their way back to ereen, the current seat of his power. Just like his departure, his arrival in the city was known only to a select few.

Although his subordinates were eager to learn what had transpired in Qarth, Jon had not shared many details. He himself still needed to ask and understand many things from lisandre. And he knew that if he shared a few details, Slyvia and Rhaenys would bombard him with a large amount of questions. And he did not want to deal with those questions, till he himself had the answers.

He simply inford them that he had destroyed the House of the Undying and that there would be no further trouble from Qarth. Naturally, the news of the House of the Undying being burned to the ground would spread slowly across Essos but it would not be long before it would reach their ears.

Things had stabilized completely within the three city kingdom of Lord Aeos. Prosperity was visible everywhere, in the bustling streets, the thriving markets, and the flourishing establishnts of ereen, Yunkai, and Astapor. Both ereen and Yunkai had now progressed enough to rival Astapor in wealth and developnt.

From the city centers to the pleasure houses, and especially the taverns selling his alcohol, everything was bringing in trendous profit for Jon enough to fuel his growing war machinery and sustain massive recruitnt efforts.

Even his construction industries, the production of cent, bricks, and white listone paint were in enormous demand. There had been one or two incidents of attempted treachery, where workers had tried to steal the secrets of his factories, but for the most part, those secrets remained safe.

Still, Jon knew it was only a matter of ti before word leaked out. And if it did, brick making would likely be the first to fall. After all, it involved the simplest process.

After returning, rest did not await Jon. Instead, he imdiately began preparing for the next phase of his plan. The march toward the Free Cities.

A couple of days after his return, Jon stood atop a slightly raised hill, from where he could see the massive army of his kingdom stretched across the plains below. They were at a slight distance from ereen, a distance which could be covered in a couple of hours on a horseback.

It was the largest army in all of Essos. No single city, nor even the mightiest of the Dothraki khalasars, could match the sheer size of this force.

A little less than fifty thousand n stood assembled before him. They were in complete discipline, silence and in a perfectly ordered way. Yet, this was not the full extent of Jon's power.

His total forces were divided into six battalions. Each battalion consisted of twelve thousand five hundred n, bringing the total strength under Jon's command to nearly seventy five thousand n. A staggering number by any asure.

Of these six battalions, one was naval. The n of the navy were either stationed aboard their ships or guarding the coasts where those ships were anchored. A few miles away from Jon's current position.

Two of the remaining five battalions were infantry, disciplined foot soldiers ard with spears, shields, and swords.

Another two were cavalry. More than twenty thousand mounted n ford an awe inspiring sight, their armor gleaming under the sunlight. Jon had spent enormous resources procuring horses and training riders for this force, and it showed in their precision and readiness.

The final battalion was a mixed unit, a combination of both cavalry and infantry.

Standing just behind Jon were a select few individuals. lisandre, Slyvia, and Rhaenys, his three most trusted confidantes.

Alongside them stood a small group of officials and administrators, including Samwell, who managed many of the logistical and record-keeping responsibilities.

There were also six n dressed in full military gear, the commanders of his six battalions.

The first was Freydron, Jon's most senior and experienced commander. Next was Asmund, a man who had risen to prominence during the invasions of Yunkai and ereen.

The remaining four had been appointed in the past few months. Tiliot, Lagsan, Vothack, and Spendex. Of them, Spendex held command over the naval battalion and was, therefore, known simply as the Navy Commander.

In the past few months, Jon had more than tripled the size of his army.

Most of the youth in his territories had been recruited as soldiers. The recruitnt had been carried out on such a massive scale that there was now a shortage of young n for other forms of labor and jobs. Won and middle aged n had to be assigned to fill the remaining workforce.

Such a level of recruitnt would have been impossible for most cities to sustain, but Jon had managed it through sheer planning and resource control. Even for him, he would not be able to do so in the rest of the cities that he captured. Besides, seventy five thousand n were already a very large force. It was more than enough to actually run across every city of Essos and that too with decisive victories.

The three cities under his rule would one day be known across Essos as the soldier suppliers of Lord Aeos' army and to earn such a reputation, even alongside the flourishing alcohol and construction trades, was an achievent of its own.

Perhaps it was sothing in their blood, or perhaps it was the result of the generations of hardship they had endured under slavery, but the n who were recruited proved to be among the finest. They were strong, disciplined, and fiercely willing to work hard.

In just a few months of training, though they were not yet comparable to the Unsullied, they had achieved above the level of an average soldier.

Out of Jon's five land battalions, four were to march for war, a war that would decisively alter the fate of Essos and perhaps even of Westeros. What Jon was planning had the potential to shake both continents.

The remaining battalion, under Freydron's command, would stay behind as the defensive force of the three cities.

Two thousand n from this battalion were to be stationed permanently across ereen, Yunkai, and Astapor. The remaining half would form a mobile cavalry unit, ready to ride wherever the need arose.

With Jon's vast intelligence network, built painstakingly, and his own warging abilities, it was nearly impossible for any enemy to launch a surprise attack on his territories.

For now, this battalion was also responsible for maintaining internal security and law and order within the three cities. In the future, however, this responsibility would be handed over to retired and injured soldiers, n who had lost the ability to fight but could still serve their lord. It would be a fitting retirent for those who had given everything in battle.

Impressed by the formation of his forces, Jon gave a subtle nod. The six commanders standing behind him exhaled a breath of relief, one they had not even realized they had been holding.

Satisfied and composed, Jon took a few steps forward until he reached the very edge of the hill, where his figure was clearly visible to every soldier assembled below.

Tens of thousands of eyes turned upward toward him. The air was heavy with discipline and expectation. They all knew that this gathering had not been called for re inspection, there was a purpose to it, a mont they had been anticipating. It was ti for Lord Aeos to make his announcents.

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