Work Text:
King Aerion Targaryen’s Points of Peace Speech
Delivered on the 9th of the 5th, 356 AC
Compiled by Maester Ronald Goodbird
Reproduced with permission from the University of Oldtown.
Two years ago, my uncle, King Gaemon Targaryen- may his soul rest in the heavens- died. What followed was the bloodiest conflict in the history of Westeros. Not one man or woman here can claim safety from what has happened in the last two years. The follies of my father and aunt have cost the realm a generation.
(Silence)
BUT WE CAN REBUILD!
My lords and ladies, there may be not one man or woman here who can claim safety, but there is not one man or woman here who can claim to not want a brighter future! We will not wallow in self pity and let our despair win. Even now, Westeros bleeds, but it needn’t be this way!
There is a light at the end of this tunnel, but we can only… only reach it if we commit ourselves to the cause of peace. We must rebuild, regrow and replenish. To that end, here I present these points of peace, these that shall be the catalysts of an era of peace, justice, and security.
I: There must, my lords and ladies, there must be open covenants of peace, openly arrived at. Diplomacy must be conducted in full view of the realm, and secrets there must be no longer.
II: All troops commanded by Ser Nathaniel Connington and Lord Lyonel Baratheon must exit Dorne at the earliest possible interval. Failure to abide by this will cause reprimand.
(King Aerion laughs)
I can hear both the sighs of the Dornish party and the fuming of the Stormlander one. I assure you, my stormlander friends, this will be better for the cause of peace than continued occupation of Dorne.
III: All troops commanded by Lord Loreon Lannister must exit the Reach
IV: The siege of Oldtown must be lifted at once. It will not do for the largest city in Westeros to be attacked and held hostage.
V: The military buildup of the Vale, the North, and the Westerlands must be halted at once. I can feel the rage in this hall that I have caused with those words, but I’m afraid it is necessary. Violence only breeds more violence, and having weapons lying around will not expedite the end of this war.
VI: All those who are found guilty of war crimes, with the exception of Lord Rygard Bolton and Lord Alan Fossoway, are to be sent to the Night’s Watch in an orderly fashion. The latter two will be executed at dawn by the King’s Justice for the burning of Rosby. Such brutality is not acceptable, even in times of war.
VII: The Trident-under-Riverrun and the Trident-under-Maidenpool are to be united at the soonest possible interval. The united Trident will be ruled by Lord Edmure Tully, as it had been before the war.
VIII: All territorial gains made by Dorne during the war are to be returned at once to the Stormlands and the Reach, respectively.
IX: And finally, and perhaps most importantly, a Great Council must be called to govern the realm and help it stabilize until such a Council is not needed any further.
I am aware, indeed I am, that these Points of Peace do not favor any one side of the war, be it Green or Black. That is because that is not the intent. The intent is to end hostilities as soon as possible.
Frankly, it does not matter whether this plan is suitable for all. What matters is that it will achieve peace. For too long have we had false starts and broken promises. We will not suffer the mistakes of the War any longer.
To all those who fought against my father as so called “Blacks”… know that I bear you no ill will or malice. My purpose is peace and justice, not political gain.
Now, I suppose, would be a good time to ask: Are there any questions?
(Silence)
Then, my lords and ladies, I hereby declare the Dance of Dragons to be over! Welcome… indeed welcome to the era of peace!
A note from the compiler: King Aerion Targaryen was 15 years old when he delivered this speech. He went on to rule for 84 more years until 440, when he died at the age 99.