Red Keep, Godswood.
The branches of the Godswood were thick and luxuriant, and the fallen red leaves formed a dense carpet.
"Alas." The Sea Snake looked up at the slowly falling leaves, his eyes deep and still like a pool of stagnant water.
A hint of melancholy was visible on his darkened face. He was old, and his House seemed to be declining under his leadership.
"Corlys, it shouldn't be like this." His voice was low, communicating deep-seated resentment.
He was Corlys Velaryon, bearing the blood of the oldest and noblest House of Valyria. He had sailed across the Narrow Sea, married the Queen Who Never Was, and raised two children who were dragon riders. He had experienced wars and achieved many feats in his life. Few in the history of Westeros could compare with him. How did he end up in such a state?
Sasa...
A strange noise came from behind, and he heard shuffling footsteps. The Sea Snake's eyes narrowed as he turned his head silently.
"Grandpa!"
Baela's voice was clear and crisp as she trotted up to him. The Sea Snake was a little surprised and smiled. "Baela."
He was about to ask his granddaughter why she was there when another figure entered his view. Rhaenyra smiled, descending the low steps in a red tunic with gold thread. The Sea Snake wiped the smile off his face, looked at his granddaughter, and ran his hand through her hair. Baela pursed her lips and rubbed her cheek against his hand. The calluses on his hands were tender yet reliable.
"Baela said you might be here," Rhaenyra approached slowly, smiling. "She trusts you very much and admires her Grandfather's nine voyages."
"You flatter me, Your Grace," the Sea Snake responded in a neutral tone. What was there to say? He had just been publicly rejected by the king, who had refused his request for a marriage alliance.
Rhaenyra paused for a moment and whispered, "May I have a word with Lord Corlys alone, Baela?"
Baela was taken aback and looked up at her grandfather. The Sea Snake's eyes flickered, and he nodded lightly. He was curious to know what they could talk about in private. Baela saw this and said obediently, "I will leave you two alone."
After saying this, she took her grandfather's hand and quickly left under the Weirwood. Once she could no longer see her granddaughter's back, the Sea Snake returned to his usual solemn expression.
Rhaenyra gathered her thoughts and spoke first: "I've been thinking for a long time about why you're always spying on the throne."
The Sea Snake's face froze at these words. This was a direct accusation that cut to the heart.
Rhaenyra clasped her hands together and said frankly, "You supported my aunt in her bid for the throne, and you wanted to marry Laena to my father. Are you thinking of your wife and daughter, or are you thinking of yourself?"
The Sea Snake's face darkened, and he lost interest in the conversation.
"But after today's events, I suddenly realized something." Rhaenyra changed the subject, looking up at the swaying Godswood and saying solemnly, "The world is not fair. When you stand in that position, you will face many pitfalls."
"So?"
The Sea Snake's eyes flickered, and he became extremely vigilant. His intuition told him that the other party must have something to ask for.
"I'm sorry that Rhaegar said a lot of harsh things today."
Rhaenyra didn't respond directly but tried to repair the relationship between the two families. The Sea Snake shook his head silently. This was not what he wanted to hear. The Queen's apology might carry weight, but the word "harsh" wasn't an admission of guilt.
"This is an apology. I am sincere in our conversation," Rhaenyra said with a smile. "You have something to ask for, and I have something to ask for. This is not a conflict."
At least today, both wanted to see Baela on the throne. The Sea Snake didn't buy it and thought to himself, 'The king rejected Baela. He thinks Lady Jeyne's daughter has more potential to become queen.'
"But we both love Baela and want her to have a better future," Rhaenyra said calmly.
The Sea Snake's face remained expressionless, but inwardly he was growing more surprised. He had guessed correctly that she was trying to win him over.
Rhaenyra continued, "I have a proposal. Baela is my foster daughter. She spent most of her young life with me, and I can marry her to Aemon."
"Prince Aemon?" The Sea Snake's heart leapt, though he asked knowingly, "They are the heirs to Lys and Tyrosh, respectively."
"That's right," Rhaenyra nodded, speaking bluntly. "Aemon will take over Lys, and Baela will inherit Tyrosh. Their children can rule two of the Free Cities in the Triarchy."
Rhaegar had said that she would make the decisions about her children's marriages. Since he didn't want his eldest son Baelon to marry Baela, she would have her second son Aemon marry Baela to win over Daemon and Velaryons to the royal family.
She had also been heir to the Iron Throne and knew how to forge alliances. Rhaegar thought Jeyne was worth winning over to balance the internal conflicts in the royal family. But Rhaenyra didn't like being passive.
Reflecting on history, the two best queens, Visenya and Alysanne, stood in stark contrast. Visenya was shrewd and capable, protecting the Conqueror Aegon from assassination attempts by Dorne with her sword, Dark Sister. Her life story was not only exciting, but if she had been a man, she would have been called Viserys, a name that held great significance. Perhaps the title of Conqueror should have been hers. In her later years, Visenya encouraged her son Maegor to usurp the throne and push the descendants of her younger sister Rhaenys off the Iron Throne. She died of old age before Maegor's downfall, adding another regret to her legacy.
In contrast, the kind Queen Alysanne spent her life serving her brother and husband. She gave birth to children, won over noble women, and proposed the Widow's Law. But her end was not happy. Thirteen children, all of whom preceded her in death. Her breakups with the Old King were mostly about women's rights and the right of children to inherit. She believed the first successor should be her eldest daughter, Daenerys Targaryen, but the Old King disagreed. Unfortunately, Daenerys died of a tremor at the age of six. After that, peace was restored between Alysanne and the Old King's court, but the quarrels never ceased.
Rhaenyra sighed softly, "Queen Alysanne was a good woman, but her life was too exhausting."
The Sea Snake frowned slightly. He didn't know what Rhaenyra was thinking, but hearing about Queen Alysanne, he could guess the reason. The king had three wives in succession, securing Rhaenyra's concessions, the support of the Vale, and the loyalty of several half-brothers. A king could hold all the power, but the traditions of Westeros were different, and the disadvantages of having multiple wives were beginning to show. No one can sit idly by while their husband is shared.
Rhaenyra snapped back to reality and tilted her head. "What do you think, Lord Corlys?"
"It's a generous offer," the Sea Snake replied, stepping forward with emotion. "Across the Narrow Sea lies a pure land, where children can live a life of indulgence." The King oppresses his advisers, so joining forces with the Queen seemed like a wise decision. The Targaryens had already seen a Queen, Visenya, rule alongside their advisers. House Velaryon had fallen so far that their heir was now a Targaryen girl. Without a strong ally, their future would be bleak.
"Pleasure doing business with you!" Rhaenyra sighed in relief, smiling.
The Sea Snake's cold expression softened, though he remained serious. "The two children will be married, but there are still many things to consider."
Rhaenyra tilted her head. "Like what?"
"Daemon," the Sea Snake said, analyzing the problem. "Daemon is unpredictable, and White Worm is pregnant. As far as I know, Laena is also pregnant."
Rhaenyra frowned slightly, not seeing it as a threat. Daemon had not yet married White Worm, and the child in her womb was merely a bastard. Before Laena's pregnancy, White Worm could stir up trouble. Afterward, she could not even think about competing for power.
"That's true, but we still need to be careful," the Sea Snake reminded her. "Daemon and Aemond act recklessly, which is not good for the royal family or anyone else." The balance of power lies in the strength of different forces, but there are always people who stir up trouble and upset that balance. Daemon and Aemond are both typical destabilizing factors.
Rhaenyra seemed to understand but did not rush to answer...
...
Dragonpit, Great Hall.
"Roar..."
Black Dragonfire sprayed wildly like the night sky, slamming into the iron bridge at the top of the Dragonpit.
"Quiet, Iragaxys!"
The Dragonkeeper shouted from a distance, trying to calm the young dragon.
"Roar..."
The Grey Ghost lay on the wall, its pale gray scales on its chest stained with blood, roaring down at the ground below. Iragaxys was rampaging, its neck and hind legs flailing wildly, its body covered in blood. A sub-adult dragon was no match for an adult dragon.
"Baelon, Anna!"
The Dragonpit was in complete chaos. Jeyne looked worried, dragging the two children back under the protection of the Dragonkeepers.
"Woah woah woah..."
Anna's big eyes were overflowing with tears, and her face was ashen. She threw herself into her mother's arms, weeping. Baelon's face was pale, the tips of his silver hair slightly curled. He could still smell a hint of burnt air.
Jeyne hugged Baelon, carefully examining him. "Are you hurt anywhere?"
"No, no."
Baelon's cold sweat trickled down his face, his speech slurred. Dragonfire had passed behind him, almost sending him back into the childhood he had fled.
"It's okay, let's go."
Jeyne's heart was pounding, fearing something had happened to the children. She suddenly looked back and noticed one person was missing.
"Where's Daenerys!?"
She was clearly still next to the incubator. Jeyne's forehead broke out in a cold sweat. When she looked at the incubator, it was empty. Not only was Daenerys missing, but the dragon egg was also gone.
"Lady, take the Prince and Princess and leave the Dragonpit."
The elderly Dragonkeeper looked grave, making way for them.
"But..."
Jeyne was at a loss, looking around for her daughter.
Rumbling.
Suddenly, there was a strange noise from the underground dragon pit, as if a giant beast was charging recklessly. The old Dragonkeeper's face changed dramatically. "Be careful, the young dragon is frightened!"
Boom!
A dragon pit suddenly burst into smoke and dust, accompanied by a loud dragon roar.
Roar!
Pale Dragonfire spewed out like a pillar, dispersing the dark Dragonfire that had been spreading indiscriminately. The old Dragonkeeper turned back in panic, unable to believe his eyes.
Roar!
A handsome dragon head poked out of the smoke, followed by a long neck and a pair of silver-colored wings. Stormcloud's golden pupils were full of wildness. It quickly rushed out of the dragon pit, showing an elegant and slender posture.
Jeyne looked at the familiar silver dragon and the figure on its back, her pupils suddenly shrinking. "Dany!!"
Roar!
Stormcloud let out a loud roar, swinging its long neck back and forth, flapping its wings and soaring into the sky. A little girl with silver hair clung to the dragon's back, her hands clasped tightly around its scales, trembling with fear.
Whoosh!
The silver dragon, eager to reach the sky, burst out of the Dragonpit. Feeling the strong wind, the little girl with silver hair looked up timidly.
"Roar!"
Stormcloud was agile, leaping over the iron bridge at the top of the Dragonpit and spitting out a mouthful of Dragonfire.
"Ah!"
Daenerys exclaimed, burying her head and shouting, "Obey my commands! Obey my commands!" Her voice was high-pitched and weak, but it was spoken in High Valyrian. Although she lacked confidence, it worked on the baby dragon. Unfortunately, the little girl couldn't call out the dragon's name, hesitating to give the command.
"Roar..."
Stormcloud's golden pupils narrowed. It glanced back at the rider, turned playfully, and dove vertically.
"Ahhh!"
In the Great Hall of the Dragonpit, Jeyne looked up in panic, hearing only her daughter's scream of terror.
(Word count: 2,074)