Up close to the wild dragon, Viserys narrowed his eyes and blurted out, "Sheepstealer!"
Recognizing the dragon's brown mud-colored scales and emaciated, menacing appearance, he was certain of its identity.
"Your Grace, this is a completely untamed wild dragon. We should stay away," Lyonel warned, his eyes alert. The three royal advisers stepped forward, trying to hold the king back and escort him across the long flight of steps.
Meanwhile, the dragon chewed and swallowed the goat whole in two bites.
"Roar..."
Satisfied with the thrill of the chase, the dragon shook his head and flapped his wings, soaring into the air. Its claws, covered with scaly patches, grasped the goat carcasses, dripping stinking blood.
Viserys, standing directly below, was splattered with blood and dodged frantically. The dragon's nose twitched as it took in the commotion below, its brown-black vertical pupils focused on the group on the steps.
As an untamed wild dragon, Sheepstealer had little to do but steal sheep and attack sheepdogs. As Viserys lifted his cloak over his head, he got a clear look at the dragon.
Brown mud-colored scales covered its body, broad brown wings flapped, and its dry dragon head, slightly rounded, was topped with irregular rhomboid horns instead of the typical dragon horns. The dragon was large but bony, as if its scales barely covered its skeleton, with sharp claws growing from its feet.
"It is ugly indeed," Viserys marveled at the dragon's appearance.
"Roar..."
The dragon hovered, its pupils staring down, and with a mischievous roar it released the goat carcass.
"Dodge!" Viserys shouted, tearing at his cloak as he lunged for his wife and young son.
Pfft...
The goat carcass crashed down in the middle of the line, hot blood spilling out, mixed with chunks of freshly minced meat. Viserys, close to the wall, covered his head and wrapped his arms around Alicent and Daeron beneath him.
On the other side, Lyonel and the others couldn't dodge in time. Despite lying on their backs, they were splattered with blood and flesh.
"How are you doing?" Viserys lifted his cloak, nervously checking his wife and son's well-being.
"I'm fine, check on my father and the others," Alicent said, holding the dazed Daeron tightly.
Viserys looked up, seeing Lyonel and the others sprawled on the floor, motionless, with a dead sheep lying across the steps. The white wool was soaked in blood, with one front leg intact.
Above, thin clouds drifted, and the sun shed silken spots of light. The dragon was nowhere to be seen.
Not far behind, the lagging line stirred. Hearing the unfamiliar dragon roar, Rhaegar let go of Rhaena's small hand, intent on rushing to his father's side.
"Roar..."
A salty sea breeze blew, carrying a faint smell of goat and the excited roar of a mischievous dragon. Rhaegar paused, tilting his head in surprise.
The dragons of Dragonstone Island typically nested around Dragonmont and rarely ventured near the castle or the long steps of the stone bridge.
"Roar..."
A strong wind swept through the air as Sheepstealer emerged from the mountain ridge beside the stone bridge, flapping its wings above Rhaegar's group. Its ugly head, high in the air, looked down at the crowd below, reveling in its recent success.
"Be careful, it's a wild dragon," Rhaegar warned, pulling Rhaenyra and Helaena behind him. The dragons on Dragonstone Island usually kept to themselves, causing minimal disturbance to the residents.
Vermithor and Silverwing were sleeping in Dragonmont, while Cannibal and Grey Ghost had largely moved away. Sheepstealer was the only wild dragon that occasionally appeared, poaching sheep and tormenting herders' dogs.
Rhaegar noticed the bloody goat in Sheepstealer's claws and realized it had just succeeded in its hunt. The dragon's vertical pupils swept over Rhaegar, Daemon, Rhaenyra, and Helaena, a flash of scorn in its eyes. It smelled the presence of its own kind and disliked the putrid odor of the dragon-eating species it sensed on Rhaegar.
"Father..."
Feeling Sheepstealer's scrutinizing gaze, Baela and Rhaena curled up behind Daemon, one hugging his thigh. Daemon's brows knitted together, his right hand gripping the hilt of his sword as he observed the dragon's every move. He didn't panic, knowing the dragon wouldn't attack humans without reason, especially after a successful hunt.
In contrast, the Four Storms shrieked in shock, hiding behind Aemond. "Che, childish," Aemond muttered, ignoring them. Standing on his tiptoes, his eyes burned into the giant dragon above.
Sheepstealer's size impressed Aemond. It surpassed Caraxes and was slightly smaller than Dreamfyre. His eyes lit up with excitement, "A dragon! A good-sized wild dragon!"
However, upon seeing Sheepstealer's true appearance, Aemond's face crumpled in disappointment. "What an ugly dragon!" he muttered. He wanted a dragon big enough to prove himself, but Sheepstealer's appearance was off-putting. His facial expression shifted between excitement and disappointment, torn as if choosing between pie or jam for breakfast.
"Roar..."
The Sheepstealer cocked its head, its vertical pupils glancing at the silver-haired boy who had been staring at it. As if wondering if the boy was admiring its grace, it flapped its wings, hovering mid-air with its claws clutching the nearly cold goat carcass.
Noticing its movements, Rhaegar stepped back subtly and warned, "Stay away. Sheepstealer is very unpredictable."
Everyone obeyed, sticking close to the walls on either side and spreading out. Rhaegar felt slightly relieved.
On Dragonstone Island, Cannibal and other dragons often roamed nearby waters instead of the island itself. The moment they heard Sheepstealer's roar, Cannibal sensed it and quickly returned.
"Roar!
A low, muffled roar like a bell came from the beach, startling a flock of seabirds nesting in the broken cliffs. The familiar roar reached Sheepstealer's ears, causing it to twist its head in panic. Its vertical pupils showed moments of fear.
Cannibal had returned.
Remembering the times it was hunted as a young dragon and once as an adult, Sheepstealer felt a phantom pain, as if sharp claws as black as charcoal had penetrated its torso.
Sweeping its gaze over the crowd below, Sheepstealer flapped its wings and rose into the air, taking one last glance at the silver-haired boy. Its claws loosened, and the goat carcass was thrown out.
"Watch out!" Rhaegar's face tightened as he turned to shield Rhaenyra and Helaena.
Splat!
The goat carcass hit the stone floor with precision, blood splattering and wool fluttering about. Aemond, crouching closest to the carcass, was splattered with blood.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Sheepstealer turned and fled, grabbing another goat from the wailing shepherd on its way out.
As it left, Cannibal arrived.
Its black wings spread wide, and its huge, mountain-like body quickly broke through the clouds. Rhaegar sighed in relief as his dragon arrived. The power of Cannibal was undeniable, its size nearly matching that of the legendary dragon Vhagar. Its ethereal green dragonfire and extreme speed made it a formidable combatant.
Dragons came in various breeds, forms, and talents. Cannibal's noble bloodline allowed it to grow so fast and huge. To the wild dragons of Dragonstone Island, Cannibal was like an emperor. Neither Sheepstealer nor Grey Ghost dared to provoke it.
"Is everyone alright?" Rhaegar checked on Four Storms and Aemond. The sisters huddled together in fear, while Aemond crouched dumbfounded, wiping goat's blood from his forehead.
"Is everything alright?" Rhaegar half-crouched and locked eyes with him earnestly.
"Fine!" Aemond sprang up, eyes shining with excitement. "Big brother, take me to tame a dragon. I want to tame the strongest dragon!"
Encountering a wild dragon for the first time had awakened a wild desire in Aemond. He wanted to tame not just any dragon, but the most powerful one.
Rhaegar patted his head and said, "Don't daydream. Taming a dragon depends on luck. Dragons choose their riders, not the other way around."
Confirming everyone was fine, Rhaegar hurried to his father. Sheepstealer must have terrorized them earlier. Luckily, this dragon, though mischievous, rarely attacked humans unprovoked, preferring to steal sheep instead.
...
Stone Drum Tower
After the incident with Sheepstealer, the group safely entered the castle.
"Viserys, I'm not feeling well. I'll go rest," Alicent said listlessly, still shaken by the encounter.
As she ascended the stairs, Viserys glanced at Lyonel and the other advisors with a wry smile. "Women are always so delicate, not strong like men."
Before the advisors could respond, Rhaenyra, trailing just behind, interjected. "You're right, father," she said pointedly, taking the hands of her two adopted daughters and heading up the stairs.
"Darling, you know I didn't mean it like that," Viserys called after her, feeling a pang of regret.
Rhaenyra's sensitivity to male chauvinism had slipped his mind.
Rhaegar, observing the exchange, chuckled softly. "She's just tired, father. She won't stay angry."
"By the Seven Gods, I truly misspoke," Viserys sighed.
Rhaegar said nothing more, instead directing the maids to escort his younger siblings and the Four Storms to their quarters. Just as he was about to follow Rhaenyra upstairs, Viserys called him back.
"Rhaegar, wait a moment."
Viserys had also summoned his brother Daemon, Lyonel, and the other royal advisors.
"Your Grace, how can I assist you?" Lyonel asked, both shy and serious.
"Don't be so formal, Lyonel. This isn't about state affairs; it's a personal matter," Viserys clarified, then continued. "My son Aemond wants to tame a dragon, and I share his ambition."
"What do you think?"
(Word count: 1,561)