An Excerpt from The Annals of the Green Triumph, penned by Archmaester Vaelor in the Reign of King Aegon II Targaryen
"Yet, as has often been the case with the prince, his brilliance lay not just in the ferocity of his victory, but in his restraint after."
...
The Battle of the Steps, fought in the year 131 AC, was, without question, a most singular and decisive event in the ongoing contest for control of the Narrow Sea. Yet it is not merely the battle itself, nor its immediate effects, that earned Prince Aemond Targaryen a reputation as the preeminent master of the seas; rather, it was the manner in which he conducted his affairs in its aftermath that firmly established his place at the pinnacle of power, ensuring that no one might doubt his capacity for both boldness and restraint.
For many years, tension over the Stepstones had simmered, and it was to this prolonged dispute that Aemond turned his attention with a resolve most admirably cold and methodical. But, as has often been remarked upon by those acquainted with the prince's character, it was not merely in the ferocity of his victory that his genius lay but in his discerning ability to govern his impulses with perfect restraint. Had it been a less calculating mind that guided him, Aemond might well have rushed to overwhelm his foes with a swift and forceful assault; but the prince, though not wanting in courage, chose a far subtler course of action. He deferred the moment of triumph, retreating to the Eyrie where, for many days, he pondered the next move.
At length, his gaze turned southward, toward the warm and sun-kissed sands of Dorne, where Prince Qoren Martell had graciously extended an invitation. Aemond's journey was undertaken with the swiftness one might expect of a man with such a purpose in mind, and upon his arrival at Sunspear, he found himself the guest of honor at feasts, tournaments, and various splendid festivities, all arranged to mark both the victory and the dawn of a generational union between the Martells and the Crown. Though the revelry was not without its indulgences, Aemond, ever the discerning diplomat, would have recognized it for what it was—a means of securing the submission of the Martells in the face of future challenges.
In exchange for their valuable support against the Essosi, Aemond offered several important concessions. While the blockade of the Stepstones remained in place—a measure undoubtedly welcomed by the more martial lords of the realm—he took pains to ensure that the flow of trade from Dorne would no longer be hindered. Dorne, long isolated in its mercantile pursuits, would now find itself drawn into the broader web of Westeros's commerce, an arrangement which, under the guidance of the Merchant Guild, promised mutual benefit. The diplomatic ramifications of this decision were not lost on Aemond; he knew well that, with Dorne secured, he would have both a staunch ally and a valuable source of resources at his disposal.
With Dorne firmly in hand, Aemond returned to the Eyrie, where his thoughts turned to the increasingly precarious situation regarding Braavos and its growing trade with the Ibbenese peoples to the East—A skillful diversion out of Westeros's growing sphere of influence.
Recognizing that a timely intervention was required if the Crown's interests were to be safeguarded, Aemond set in motion an equally tactful response. At his orders, a great fleet was gathered at Gulltown, where contracted Volantene, Ghiscari, and even Qartheen privateers were organized and prepared for their task. This fleet, he determined, would patrol the waters northeast of Braavos, harrying the ships traversing these newly established sea lanes and targeting vulnerable vessels in the region.
At the same time, Aemond made certain that the dragons, those fearsome instruments of power, were stationed to best advantage. Vhagar and Vermithor, the two most formidable, were relocated to the Eyrie, where they would spearhead the campaign in the Shivering Sea. Meanwhile, Dragonstone became the base of operations for Sheepstealer, Silverwing, and Grey Ghost—whose riders were tasked with patrolling the length of the Narrow Sea. Tessarion and Seasmoke would remain at the Stepstones to enforce the blockade there.
With his forces in place, Aemond turned to his allies among the great houses—Velaryon, Redwyne, Hightower, Lannister, and Arryn—who were instructed to besiege the territorial waters bordering what remained of the crown's enemies. It was, indeed, a most amusing spectacle that the Free Cities—Pentos, Lys, Myr, and Tyrosh—no longer found their cities free. Perhaps at Prince Aemond's demands, or simply in a show of goodwill, Prince Qoren Martell dispatched ships from his own fleet to assist in this effort.
The consequences were swift and, for some, utterly devastating. Tyrosh, suffering the effects of hosting the defeated Essosi armada, capitulated within two fortnights, its grain stores emptied. Lys, too, surrendered three weeks after. Myr and Pentos, in a desperate attempt to stave off the same fate, turned to overland trade, but it was clear that their situation was growing increasingly precarious. Only Braavos, with its immense wealth and robust alternative sea lanes, held out—though even it could not ignore the growing pressure from Westeros.
In the months that followed, the aftermath of Westeros's victory was felt throughout the realm. A number of the Essosi prisoners of war taken at the Battle of Rook's Rest, and subsequently the Battle of the Steps, were sent north to the Wall, and west to the Iron Isles. There, they would serve sentences imposed upon them by the crown, their lives forever bound in service to the realm. The rest would be sent to labor for some time in the construction of new mines, ports, and roads funded by the immense wealth of the Dragon's Bank and the Merchant Guild. This influx of labor, though perhaps not without its difficulties, proved to be a boon, particularly for the North, whose prosperity surged under the fruits of their toil.
And so it was that Prince Aemond, with his astute leadership, was credited not only with numerous military victories but with a remarkable transformation of the realm. His name was now synonymous with progress—an era of prosperity, trade, and unparalleled strength, the effects of which would be felt for generations to come.