Cannibal looked at the retreating Sea Smoke and snorted, its pupils filled with disdain.
Apart from that old dragon, there wasn't a single dragon on the entire island that could challenge it.
It looked back at the dark night in the distance, a trace of jealousy flashing in its eyes.
Its wings vibrated, creating a gale as it flew toward the city below.
At the stone archway, a cluster of torches was lit.
Rhaegar watched Cannibal's figure, his face calm, but his thoughts turbulent.
Daemon's sudden arrival interrupted tonight's feast.
The presence of uncle and nephew in the same room and the clash of dragons shattered the fragile peace, leaving a scene that couldn't be undone.
Rhaegar sighed inwardly, silently scanning the Velaryon people and formulating a strategy.
As the chaos subsided, Rhaenys's expression eased, and she was the first to speak. "Rhaegar, your dragon is extraordinary."
With decades of experience handling dragons, she had barely managed to communicate with Meleys and control it enough to leave the battlefield.
The black dragon not only gave up fighting Vhagar but also managed to lure it away and force the rest of the dragons to retreat.
This was something no ordinary dragon rider could achieve.
As the dragons stopped fighting, the group let out a collective sigh of relief.
Although several dragons had sustained varying degrees of injury, especially Sea Smoke and Sunfyre, who had been severely wounded by Cannibal, they had at least survived.
"Aunt, tonight's events are far from over," Rhaegar said, lowering his eyes and secretly communicating with Cannibal.
"Rhaenys, the dragons have flown away. Is the matter settled?" Corlys, wearing light armor, strode in with a team of guards, anxiously asking his wife.
When the dragons were fighting, there had been unexpected disturbances on the island.
He had already sent his men to quell the disturbances and put the whole island on alert.
Looking at her husband with a complicated expression, Rhaenys hesitated. "Corlys ..."
"Roar ..."
Before she could finish, a roar like a bell rang out, and a gust of wind pressed down on High Tide from above.
In the night, Cannibal swooped down, extinguishing the torches in the wind.
"On guard!"
Sea Snake's expression suddenly changed. He rekindled his torch and shielded his wife behind him.
He had dreamed of more dragons in the Velaryon House.
But like Viserys, he had an inexplicable fear of the power of dragons.
Years of sailing had taught him that nature was so powerful that even a seasoned sailor could do nothing but hide from it.
In the eyes of the Sea Snake, dragons were more than human beings.
They could be used, but they were dangerous.
The guards formed a circle to protect Rhaegar and the others, hastily rekindling the torches.
Under the firelight, the darkness was dispersed once again.
Until then, a shadow emerged, enveloping half of High Tide.
"Lord Corlys, in addition to responding to the Triarchy , it seems we also need to discuss the ownership of the dragons," Rhaegar's voice echoed faintly, reaching everyone's ears.
The Sea Snake, who was getting on in years and had poor eyesight, squinted as he looked at Rhaegar under the stone archway.
Rhaegar hung his head slightly, facing away from everyone, his silver hair blowing in the night breeze.
"Prince, the dragon riders of my family are of Targaryen blood, and our two families have been joined in marriage for generations," Corlys said, locking eyes with his wife, his heart pounding faster and faster.
He felt a bit nervous as he spoke these words, as if he himself was not convinced of what he was saying.
"Oh, really?" Rhaegar's voice was indifferent, and he laughed softly. "Since that is the case, it is even more important to discuss this in detail and establish a perfect system to ensure that no one with ulterior motives jeopardizes the friendship between our two houses."
As he spoke, he slowly turned around.
Under the flickering torches, the crowd could faintly see an even larger dark figure standing behind the stone archway.
Rhaegar scanned over the Velaryon people and said lightly, "What do you say, Lord Corlys?"
A gust of wind blew, and the Cannibal stretched out its broad wings. Its bleeding dragon head was more than a match for the towers of High Tide, and its green pupils looked down on everyone.
The Sea Snake's eyes widened. He secretly swallowed his saliva and gripped his wife's hand tightly. No one could ignore the presence of such a dragon.
Rhaegar put his hands behind his back, took one step forward, and asked, "Aunt Rhaenys, you are a princess of Targaryen. Do you agree with my proposal?"
"Rhaegar, I am a woman and cannot decide the fate of my house," Rhaenys said, holding her head high and gazing fearlessly at her nephew.
She was a sharp, intelligent woman. From the moment she took command of the dragon, she had married and had children, competed for the Iron Throne, and fought numerous battles. But it was not to be.
The land of Westeros is ruled by men, and because she is a woman, she will never have as much say as the men. She became a victim of her family's marriage, a subordinate to her husband.
She known as the Queen Who Never Was, but could only be like her dragon, the Red Queen Meleys, lazily coiled on Driftmark.
She spent her days in a pretty boring routine.
"Auntie, it is not your fault that you were born a woman. You possess wisdom that is no less than that of Queen Visenya," Rhaegar said, convinced that Rhaenys's heart was still with the Targaryens.
He advised her, "I can secure you a new seat at the Small Council. The Targaryen dragons must not go abroad; they must be commanded by a Targaryen."
He planned to form an order of Dragon Knights, not only to gather the dragons of the Velaryon House but also to put an end to future family marriages and the dilemma of dragons following out-married daughters away.
"What duties do you intend to give Rhaenys?" Corlys asked, suspicion filling his voice as he heard about the council and the ownership of the dragons.
Rhaegar glanced at him but did not respond.
Corlys frowned at the situation, still wanting to pursue the question.
"Roar ..."
Cannibal roared, and green dragonfire illuminated the entire High Tide, casting everything in an eerie emerald glow.
As the flames surged, the temperature rose sharply, creating a stifling, suffocating heat.
Rhaegar stood in front of Cannibal, his skin flushed and radiating a heat that rivaled the dragon's.
With his blood boiling, he was oblivious to the discomfort, and he sternly warned, "Lord Corlys, dragons are the wealth of the Targaryen House. This is not up for debate!"
He felt his father had been too lenient, allowing the Sea Snake and the Velaryon House to increasingly disregard the royal family's authority.
Initially, Rhaegar hadn't considered a strategy to reclaim the Velaryon dragons. Now he had a plan, and with newfound strength, he was determined to act decisively to avoid future trouble.
"Enough! They can't take the heat, Rhaegar!" Rhaenys exclaimed, holding her husband, who was struggling to breathe in the intense heat. She and her children were of true dragon blood, but her husband, being only of Valyrian descent, could not withstand the dragon's flames much longer.
"Do you agree with my proposal, Aunt?" Rhaegar asked, ignoring her plea.
Tonight was the perfect opportunity. The Velaryon dragons had fled, and their morale was low. He wasn't going to let this chance slip away.
(Word count: 1,273)