Chapter 28: Chapter 28 : Building
The last reminents of the slavers were now gone. All the merchants who owned slaves were but were known not to be too harsh were given a second chance. Helios knew they were essential to keep the city alive.
All most all of them had chosen to give up slavery, it was all easy enough. Nobody in their right mind wanted to refuse a god.
They all knew full well that they were dealing with an otherworldly force that could not be fought. Helios was not a dragon, he was something infinitely worse. Too the perception of a mortal man he could disappear and reappear from one place to another. He could create suns and fly without wings.
The Slaver gods were based largely of animals. That was how it made sense to them. To fly one must have wings and to fight he must have a sword.
The idol of the harpy was taken down. The trade in the city had started evolving from slave trade to ordinary commerce and people were happier for it.
All of the people or the great slave city had converted to the new faith almost immediately. That was logical. This was not the modern world of doubts and superheroes. This was a cruel world which loved reminding the weak that they were weak.
Somebody had given them hope and that somebody happen to claim to be a god and had all means to back it up.They had practically thrown themselves at Helios.
Helios had spent the month working hard. Aside from the rebirth of trade. He had created a new system of government. The city was now renamed Athens. And was divided in 50 colonies for better governance. Helios had decided to adapt a local justice system too.
Every colonies had roughly 6,000 people. Slightly more. The overall population was over 300,000. Each colony would have a mayor appointed by the emperor whose duty would be to develop and implement. Alongside a deputy Mayor and a secratary. And a small council of elders.
Helios was sure to give them no real power except some coin for the colony development. And a minor dispute handling authority.
Anything major would be sent to the high court. A court responsible for handling law in 10 colonies. The buildings were still under construction and so were the prisons.
The major cases were handles by the Supreme Court. Only one in the city.
Each colony had a hundred guards. Helios had established the police, they would work alongside the Mayor. But not for him. The payment was of the crown.
The High court judges and the Mayor were all temporary. A six year long job. The locale had the power to replace a Mayor from power should 500 petitions be made to the high court.
At which point the crown would appoint someone else.
The courts worked based on the new constitution Helios had created. One where everyone had decent rights. All the power had still rested with the emperor.
The labourers had found themselves with plenty of work. There were fifty small council rooms to be built, ten high courts and A supreme court.
But also a barracks for the standing army, multiple police stations and more importantly a Great Temple of Helios.
Helios had hidden the vanity by claiming it was for the All father but truly it was for him.
Every common citizen could become a deputy Mayor or secretary or chief by attending a set of exams. And many were more than eager for it.
Many of the postions had already been appointed.
Helios had looked for scholars who believed him. Worshipped him. He had found some and used them to preach his new faith which he had called Zionism cause why not.
Preachers had given the freed slaves hope. Helios was sure to not show himself to the common eyes. That would not be godly. He was still a mystery to the general population. He had appointed Missendei as the speaker of the crown.
Helios had her train Rhea. The girl was to be molded into someone usefull. Alya too.
Greyworm alongside Oberyn were appointing the police force which maily consisted of the unsullied still in training. And raising troops to. Helios had appointed the dornish captain who was a full blown fanatic as the Master of Ships. He was building a fleet.
Helios had used the locale who had agreed to join a spy network to keep him up to date with the coming and going of everyone important in the city. Soon they would infiltrate other free cities.
The city itself was remodeled, it was too full and too conjugated. It had to be redesigned into a beautiful garden City.
The roads too were reconstructed. Trade was flourishing. As a essosi city, there were also silks and fine jewels and other things to trade. The masters had ignored them because they were not nearly as profitable as slaves.
Helios had scouted the land, it was fertile. And he had also spotted an emerald and iron mines around the territory of the city. Which were to bee used in immediate effect.
With the abolition of slavery Oberyn had predicted a large fall in employment. But Helios had put everyone to work and too keep them working as free men required coin.
The gold he had was draining fast. If such ambitions continued even the hidden stash of all the slavers would be gone within a few years.
Helios had 1 million gold dragons, a massive sum. Big enough to buy 13,000 expensive unsullied twice over and then a massive fleet. But it was barely enough to sustain the grand projects of an entire city for a year.
The slave masters had massive wealth hidden away. Helios had seized all the wealth of every dead Slaver. That all now amounted to 4 million gold dragons. That was enough to build a whole city from scratch. But the crown must have resererves.
The other slave cities were already planning to overthrown him. But had done nothing as he had the best army in essos. More would come.
The recruitment for the army was easy. Many young slaves were eager. 5,000 trainees. That brought the current army at 18,000.
The young women were also recruited as nurses and resource managers and spies. Some even as a female unit guard.
The holy books Helios had Oberyn write were copied. There were a hundred copies of each book. He had called the four books together as Gospel. The words from the Gospels would be engraved onto monoliths outside every city colony.
The first month was draining the treasurey and more will be lost before proper profit. But once it starts, money will roll.
There were also plans to build canals and a proper drainage system. But there were not enough builders.
No Essosi city would trade with the Athens. Not in the slaver’s bay atleast. Braavos on the other hand had been very eager to support the growth of Athens.
The city of Braavos was build by escaped slaves. They were hard against slavery and traded in iron as a reminder of who they were. They were the most anti slave kingdom in the world.
They did not value titles or both but merit. They were very eager to flock to Athens’s port. And conveniently Athens had a new iron mine. This was a golden opportunity for those in Braavos to have a proper ally.
One that would keep the competition of the other slave cities in check. It was almost essential to Braavos that this new city survive and flourish.
A flourishing Athens would ensure that the Slaver’s bay remain in check.And Braavos could potentially have an actual allynand trade partner.
Helios too was eager to trade with the Braavosi for they had plenty to offer. And were generous with their terms.
Helios’s only other trade partner were the seven kingdoms but htey were caught up in bigger matters.
After the news of the dead walking in the crypts of Winterfell made itself known, all the seven were on panic mode, all except Dorne. By the Helios’s own grace.
The continuous tragedies and supernatural events had completely shattered the board where the game was played. All focus of the Westerosi was on the wall.
Eddard Stark had brought a dozen dead men to King’s Landing. All the noble lords of all great houses were present. The already wary and scared lords were now downright shook apparently.
There was not much of a trading parter there. Except Dorne which by Oberyns words was more than eager to support the Holy Light.
The man had taken notes of the government structure I established in Athens. He was sending word to his brother. Dorne had eagerly bought the Athens goods even at a loss.
That was expected. Doran would be cool to not believe his brothers words. And crazy was not out of the picture for anyone in Westeros after Helios did so much shit there.
