Claw Isle
A small island nestled in the middle of the Narrow Sea, adjacent to Crackclaw Point, had been home to House Celtigar for generations. The Celtigars, also of Valyrian descent, had built a large town and harbor on the island, which buzzed with activity early in the morning.
In the bustling port, merchant ships passed through from both sides of the Narrow Sea. Meanwhile, on a remote beach, fishermen disembarked from their boats, retrieving fishing nets set earlier. Women and children, trousers rolled up, bent down to pick up oysters and crabs left behind by the tide.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over their heads.
"Roar..." A piercing scream rang out, and the fishermen looked up in fear.
The sky was blue and white with clouds, and a hideous, monstrous, huge mud dragon soared from afar.
"A dragon!"
"Run..." The fishermen, who rarely saw dragons, panicked and jumped into the sea. On the beach, the women were terrified and fled, clutching their children.
"Roar..." Sheepstealer lowered its body mockingly, as if to tease, causing the fishermen to cry out in fear.
"Stop messing around and hurry up!" an impatient shout came from the back of the dragon.
Sheepstealer swung its tail angrily and suddenly accelerated.
...
In the center of Claw Isle, a small mountain range rises prominently, housing the fortress of House Celtigar. The fortress, with its white marble exterior and red rubble, resembles a giant crab lying on its back.
"Roar..." The sun dimmed as the shadow of a dragon covered the sky, enveloping the entire castle in gloom. The guards were alarmed, but no matter how strong the forces on the ground were, they could only watch helplessly as the dragon soared above.
The Sheepstealer flew around the castle twice, circling the mountain range, before slowly descending into the castle courtyard. As the dragon landed with a thud, kicking up a gust of wind mixed with the smell of sheep, the castle gates opened and several figures in splendid attire hurried out.
Aemond sat firmly on the dragon's back, looking down at the men with one eye, his posture arrogant. "Lord Celtigar, it's been a long time."
In the courtyard, the young Clement Celtigar looked displeased, covering his disheveled hair with one hand. Beside him, a bald, silver-haired old man glared at Aemond with a gloomy expression. He was Bartimos Celtigar, Clement's father and the former Lord of Celtigar.
Aemond noticed Bartimos and tilted his head slightly, glancing at his sleeve. The cuff was empty, with no hand sticking out. Early in the Narrow Sea War, Bartimos defied the ban on the sea and smuggled supplies to Essos. When the matter was exposed, he was imprisoned in King's Landing for a year. His son, Clement, and daughter, Celine Celtigar, repeatedly pleaded for clemency, reducing the crime of treason to smuggling, and his hands were amputated as punishment.
Bartimos raised his head, his green eyes hiding a hint of coldness, and said in a lukewarm tone, "Prince Aemond, I wonder what brings you here with your dragon?"
Aemond, still arrogant and condescending, did not answer directly. Instead, he patted the dragon's back, which was pitted with scars.
"Roar!" Sheepstealer understood and roared at the group, spewing a stream of hot, sulfurous air. Bartimos, old and frail, could not withstand such treatment. He covered his ears and groaned in pain. Clement, shocked, went to help his father.
The snarling soon stopped. Sheepstealer's eyes narrowed, it snorted heavily, and slowly lowered itself to the ground. Aemond untied the chains and smiled. "Lord Clement, I heard that young people have more things in common. Are you not welcoming me?"
As he finished speaking, the Sheepstealer shook its tail, as if excited to see some toys. Clement, filled with trepidation, watched the shadow of the dragon loom over him. He dared not say, 'No.'
...
Lys's Waters
Under a clear sky, the sea lay like a hanging mirror. A common merchant ship drifted with the wind, gradually approaching Lys's controlled waters.
Suddenly, a rough horn sounded, echoing across the vast sea. The lookout on the merchant ship raised his heart to his throat and scanned the horizon in a panic. He spotted several warships rapidly approaching from both sides.
Upon closer inspection, he recognized the sails of the Harpy ship from Meereen. His eyes widened in terror.
"Pirates! Helm, full speed ahead!" he shouted, scrambling down the ladder in a frenzy.
On deck, chaos erupted. There was only one possibility for a ship flying the Harpy flag—a slaver from Slaver's Bay.
The lookout's warning came just in time, and the helmsman skillfully steered the ship. Unfortunately, the speed of a large merchant ship could never match that of a small warship.
As the slave ships closed in, archers on deck prepared to shoot without warning.
The battle for plunder was about to begin.
"Ahhh..."
"No, jump into the lifeboat..."
"Help, don't run..."
The slave ships surrounded the merchant vessel, and arrows soaked in oil flew, quickly defeating the sailors' defenses. In less than half an hour, the slavers would reap a rich harvest.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, a thunderous roar reverberated through the sky. The sailors who had jumped into the sea looked up in panic. A massive figure was reflected in their wide eyes.
"Vhagar, Dracarys!"
A heroic female voice echoed from above, commanding in Valyrian.
"Roar..." An old green dragon swooped down, its sagging skin flapping, and orange Dragonfire spewed from its maw in billowing black smoke.
Boom!
The Dragonfire struck a slave ship, engulfing it entirely in a single, devastating blow. The deck and masts burst into flames, sending fiery debris raining down. Pirates, armed with crossbows, were thrown into disarray as the shattered mast collapsed like a felled tree.
In the blink of an eye, flesh turned to ash, and iron melted into molten slag. The entire ship sank, leaving only thick black smoke rising into the sky.
It all happened so quickly that the surrounding slave ships didn't have time to react.
Laena, clad in red armor, leaned over and shouted, "Vhagar, do it again."
"Roar..." Vhagar, responding to the call, twisted its ancient body, flapping wings riddled with holes. The old dragon soared into the sky, unleashing another torrent of Dragonfire.
Boom!
Another blast engulfed a slave ship, and Vhagar's thick tail smashed the mast, sending it flying. The pirates, who had moments ago been aggressors, now screamed in terror.
"No!"
"The dragon, the dragon is coming!"
"Damn it, shoot the arrows..."
Most pirates lost their will to fight at the sight of the dragon. The pirate leader glared at his men, kicking and punching them, shouting orders in a hoarse voice.
"Roar..." Vhagar swooped down again, its massive body casting a shadow over the ship. Black smoke mixed with Dragonfire enveloped the sea. The waves of searing heat rolled in, and the pirate leader's mind went blank. The last thing he saw was the enormous dragon wings covering the sky. The membranes were riddled with holes, bearing witness to the old dragon's many battles.
Boom!
There was no time to scream. Black smoke obscured his vision, and the entire ship was consumed by flames.
Vhagar raised its head and spread its wings, demonstrating that even an aged body could still fight fiercely. These maneuvers, difficult for any dragon, were the result of more than 170 years of accumulated experience.
Laena smiled and encouraged, "Well done, Vhagar!"
They had been together for many years, from her maiden days to wife and mother. Vhagar had never let her down, always providing a strong sense of security.
"Roar..."
Vhagar growled, like an old grandmother responding to her granddaughter, her cold pupils revealing a hint of pride.
Without waiting for further commands, Vhagar dived again and again.
With each breath of Dragonfire, the slave ships turned into floating candles on the sea.
When the battle was over, Vhagar shook its head and let out a mighty roar from its thick neck. Then, it turned around and flew back to Lys.
Laena didn't need to give any extra orders. She was content to benefit from the old dragon's experience and instinct. Compared to Vhagar, Daemon was nothing.
If he truly dared to insult her, she wouldn't hesitate to respond in kind.
Laena couldn't help but laugh at the thought.
If it were that simple, she wouldn't have sent ravens to Driftmark and King's Landing.
Wars are fought not only with dragons, but also with ravens and pens.
...
King's Landing, Red Keep
"Hurry up and pack. The ships at the Mud Gate are waiting."
"Handle them with care, don't mess up the clothes of the young princes."
Elinda moved briskly around the room, folding clothes while directing the flustered maids.
"You don't have to do this yourself, Elinda," Rhaenyra said, trying to persuade her from her task.
Elinda glanced up briefly and quickened her pace. "I'll fold your things myself. Don't worry, it won't take long."
Rhaenyra's eyes were filled with helplessness and warmth. Having a caring lady-in-waiting was almost as valuable as having a good husband.
Knock, knock!
The door opened, and Sara entered, holding a baby. "Your Grace, Baelon and Maekar have arrived."
"Good," Rhaenyra said gratefully. "Thank you for taking care of Visenya."
Sara nodded and said calmly, "It's my duty."
She stepped out of the crowded room, allowing the two princes to make their appearance.
Baelon greeted his mother and waited at the door with good manners. Maekar slumped his head and crept into the room.
"Maekar!"
Halfway through, Rhaenyra called out, and the little one shivered.
"Mother, I know I was wrong." Maekar grabbed the hem of his shirt with both hands and quickly apologized in a soft voice.
Last night's successful taming of the dragon had disturbed half the people in King's Landing, keeping them awake. He knew it was dangerous to tame dragons in secret, and he expected his mother to scold him.
In fact, when she called him, Rhaenyra was very angry. However, seeing her tearful little son, her heart softened immediately. "Maekar, do you really know what you did wrong?"
"Huh?" Maekar looked up, seeing his mother wasn't angry, and said softly, "Yes, I shouldn't have tamed the dragon on my own."
"No, there's nothing wrong with taming dragons," Rhaenyra shook her head and lectured. "The mistake was that you sneaked into the Dragonpit without telling anyone. Not only did you put yourself in danger, but you also dragged Ser Steffon into it."
The three young dragons in the Dragonpit were all very ill-tempered. Her youngest son was only three years old, and Maekar didn't seem to care about his own life. Ser Steffon had come to her room last night to apologize for the incident.
Maekar was taken aback and stammered, "But Father also tamed dragons without permission."
He was just following in his father's footsteps and had succeeded as well. His father loved him the most and always held him while telling him stories.
Rhaenyra sighed and picked up her youngest son. "Your father is your father. He is not the same as you."
Rhaegar had been different from other children since he was a child, but her children were not.
"Where is the difference?" Maekar asked, a question mark on his forehead.
"This..." Rhaenyra hesitated, not wanting to give him a wrong answer. "He is my brother, and you are my son. I have loved him since he was a child, and I trust him more."
Maekar tilted his head and asked innocently, "When will you start trusting me more?"
Rhaenyra pretended to think for a moment and smiled lightly. "When you grow up and can take some of your father's worries off his shoulders."
There were many things that couldn't be explained fully to a child, so it was better to change the topic. While her son's behavior had been reckless, he had successfully tamed a dragon. She needed to encourage and guide him rather than just criticize.
Maekar thought about it for a long time and said sweetly, "Okay, when Tyraxes and I grow up, we'll be even better than Uncle Aemond."
"Why do you always want to use Aemond as a role model?" Rhaenyra frowned and then put her son down. She turned to Baelon at the door and said, "Take your brother to the Dragonpit. We'll leave for Lys in a moment."
Noticing Maekar's hopeful little look, she sighed and added, "Let him ride the dragon. Tell the Dragonkeeper to secure the saddle and the waist chain."
Her friend Laena had sent a letter asking for help, and she couldn't ignore it. Lys was her own territory, and she had been stationed there for several months every year, so she knew it well. But the journey was long, so it was best to take all three sons and her two foster daughters with her.
"Oh, yes!" Maekar jumped up and down, overjoyed.
Baelon shrugged and led his brother by the hand. "Come on, Aemon and the others have already set off."
(Word Count: 2,176)