-An excerpt from 'The Dance of the Dragons' from Archmaester Greenwald of the Citadel of King's Landing
The Dance of the Dragons is also known as the seminal catastrophe of the second century. It was one of the deadliest military conflicts in Westerosi history, and it was the first proper war to use dragons on both sides on an unimaginative and destructive scale. It was also the first continental-wide war of Westeros to stretch beyond its shores and reach Essos, preluding Western Essos' integration with Westeros politically, economically, and culturally.
After more than two decades of political controversy over the matter of succession of King Viserys I Targaryen, it would come to a head upon the ascension of King Aegon II Targaryen and the subsequent Fight over Shipbreaker Bay followed by the rival coronation of Rhaenyra Targaryen. The conflict known as the Dance of the Dragons would also be known as the Dying of the Dragons, for on the eve of King Viserys' death, the House of the Dragon boasted around twenty-five dragons in all, including hatchlings, drakes, matured, wild, and old dragons, the most ever in its history since the day they became dragonlords in Old Valyria. By the end of the war, House Targaryen would have only twelve.
After nearly a year of intense combat on the ground and in the air, the deciding battle of the Dance was the Battle above the Gods Eye, with an aerial duel between the two great champions of both the Kingsmen and the Queensmen, though technically a draw with the deaths of both combatants with their dragons, it was a strategic Black defeat as the loss of Daemon Targaryen left them at a greater disproportionate disadvantage. In the end, King Aegon II decided to finish the war in a single decisive battle and the Dance came to its bloody conclusion at the Gullet.
The Battle of the Bloody Ford
Once the waters of the Gods Eye had cooled after the Battle above the Gods Eye, the men of the Dragon's Teeth recovered the bodies of both Princes Daemon and Maekar and gave them the cremations following the traditions of House Targaryen for the blood of dragon have their ends writ in flame. They sent back the swords of Dark Sister and Adjudicator along with the battle axe the Harbinger to King's Landing with the news of the results of the battle.
The Dragon's Teeth would go on to destroy House Strong by the orders of King Aegon II in response to Larys Strong's treachery. Every man, woman, and child, trueborn or baseborn was killed whilst Harrenhal and its lands were seized by the Crown.
Though they had been ordered to march across the Gods Eye and take the Black army facing Lords Thaddeus Rowan and Borros Baratheon from the rear, scouts reported that an army of seven thousand Valemen led by Joffrey Arryn had left the Bloody Gate and was marching south. Despite the deaths of Daemon Targaryen and Jacaerys Velaryon, the cause for Rhaenyra did not die. Captain Jon Fletcher would disregard his orders to march south and instead march north with a thousand strong Dragon's Teeth to an unnamed Ford on the Trident River which would later be called the Bloody Ford.
The Battle of the Bloody Ford would be regarded as the defining moment in the history of the Dragon's Teeth, which would later be reorganized into the Dragon's Legion that would later serve as the Royal Family's bodyguards and as the speartip of the House of the Dragon.
As the morning light illuminated the waters of the Trident, the armies clashed. Though outnumbered seven to one, the Dragon's Teeth were battle-hardened veterans, some of whom had fought with Prince Maekar from the Stepstones while most of the Valemen were green conscripts and inexperienced knights as most of the experienced Valemen were either dead at Stone Hedge or they were at the Battle by the Lakeshore.
The Dragon's Teeth waded into the water with no intentions of surviving while Joffrey Arryn split his army into three groups to break the flanks of the Dragon's Teeth while he led the charge toward the centre hoping that his numbers would carry the day. The Dragon's Teeth closed their ranks and held firm even as the Valemen charged. Fierce fighting ensued as axes met swords, shields bashed and arrows flew as blood began to flow. The shield wall of the Dragon's Teeth held whilst horses and knights lay dying at their feet in the waters of the Trident that was starting to flow red. The extremely bloody fighting with the Dragon's Teeth had a detrimental effect on the morale of the Valemen.
Seven times the Knights of the Vale charged and seven times they were repulsed with heavy losses with Ser Joffrey Arryn sustaining fatal wounds during the last charge. With the Valemen reeling and demoralized after the seventh charge, the bloodied and bruised Dragon's Teeth led by Captain Jon Fletcher would lead a furious counterattack that would lead the Valemen to panic and flee and what followed was a complete rout of the Valemen that delved into a bloody chaos of gore.
Prince Maekar had inculcated into the Dragon's Teeth a mentality of not taking prisoners and disregarding chivalric traditions as the Dragon's Teeth did not need ransoms. Most in Westeros thought that this attitude was limited only to the Eastern foes of the Iron Throne and not to their fellow Westerosi, a notion that would soon be crushed.
As the Valemen began to flee, the Dragon's Teeth followed them and descended into what can only be described as a killing frenzy. They began a butchery that would later become infamous and give the Dragon's Teeth a reputation for brutality and ruthlessness. For the Dragon's Teeth began to slaughter the surrendering Valemen. Even as a dying Joffrey Arryn desperately raised a white flag of surrender, he was cut down while thousands of the unarmed Valemen were murdered on the spot.
Captain Jon Fletcher would later die of the wounds that he sustained during the battle, he would be one among the four hundred and eighty-seven men of the Dragon's Teeth killed while more than six thousand Valemen were killed.
The Battle of the Bloody Ford would be the most bloody battle of the war to be fought without dragons.
Battle by the Lakeshore
While Caraxes and Vermithor clashed above the Gods Eye, both Princes Daemon and Maekar had sent most of their army to the other side of the Gods Eye, both anticipating what the other would do.
The Black Army of ten thousand men led by Lord Roderick Dustin, Lord Forrest Frey, and Ser William Royce marched south to meet the Green Army of nearly twenty thousand led by Lord Borros Baratheon and Lord Thaddeus Rowan.
Though the Greens outnumbered the Blacks two to one, the Greens suffered from leadership issues for while Lord Borros was nominally in charge of the Green army, most of the army was composed of Reachmen who baulked at following the brusque Stormlord's orders undermining the army's leadership. The Black army on the other hand was completely under the control of Lord Roderick Dustin with Lord Frey and Ser Royce looking up to him for leadership and experience.
The two armies met in the Western Gods Eye, and for a week the two armies skirmished while waiting for word from Harrenhal, once word arrived, Lord Thaddeus Rowan suggested sending terms to the Blacks hoping to have them surrender peacefully however the impatient Lord Borros refused to send terms and prepared for battle. The Blacks believing that Aegon II and Aemond would not offer generous terms even if they surrendered resolved themselves to fight to the end. Lord Roderick sent out Ser William Royce from the camp to the west even as the Blacks prepared for battle.
At dawn, as the Green Army began to prepare for battle, they were attacked before they could form their lines. The Winter Wolves led by Lord Roderick Dustin smashed into the disorganized ranks of the Reachmen who fought back bravely and a possible rout was prevented by the intervention of Lord Borros. Both sides suffered previous losses and the battle became more and more desperate with the combat becoming more and more vicious.
Lord Borros and Lord Roderick met in single combat in the heat of the fighting, the old Northern Lord was far more of a match to the Stormlord than he would have thought. Both men would end up killing themselves with Lord Borros driving his sword through Lord Roderick's stomach while the older man buried his axe into the Baratheon's neck. The loss of both leaders did not abate the fighting as it dragged on.
Lord Forrest Frey and Lord Thaddeus Rowan met on the western flanks with both men trying to outflank the other, in the thick of the fighting Lord Rowan was felled by a stray arrow and the leaderless left flank of the Greens was outmanoeuvred by Lord Frey as the Blacks closed in on the Greens from two sides forcing the Greens into the lake and behind.
Then as the sun reached its height, a detachment of knights and horsemen under the command of Ser William Royce arrived from the south returned to the battlefield and charged the Green lines from the rear. The entire Green army was fiercely engaged in the front and the western side and they were helpless to prevent Ser William from crashing into their rear. The leaderless Green army broke and their lines collapsed and there was a great massacre as the battle degenerated into a carnage. Hundreds died amongst the reeds while hundreds more drowned trying to escape while a few others were captured.
Yet, this would not be a Black victory as most would have thought for as the Blacks mopped up the last remnants of the Green army, the evening sun darkened and the Cannibal arrived.
No doubt, roused by the smell of the blood that must have reached the Isle of Faces, the Black Terror descended upon the hapless Black army and began to incinerate every living soul he found, attacking all those around him, fighting indiscriminately. Lord Frey and Ser William were burned alive while Lord Benjicoot Blackwood fled with grievous burn wounds, saved thanks to his aunt Lady Alysanne Blackwood who had the presence of mind to flee before it was too late.
Men were cooked in their armour due to the heat, others drowned in the water trying to find succour only to end up boiling while many others were left in the painful throes of a slow death from fire while the lucky ones were burnt alive. The disorganized Black soldiers who were too busy looting the dead were easy prey for the Cannibal who feasted upon the battlefield for a month.
After the fiery carnage from the Cannibal, the battlefield was of ash and smoke with burnt charred corpses. Out of the thirty thousand men who fought that day by the lakeshore, less than three thousand lived to tell the tale.
Sack of Pentos
Upon learning of the death of their brother Gaemon, Queen Maegelle and Ser Haegon split their army in Essos, taking the best soldiers and the fastest ships, they flew to join King Aegon, and Princes Aemond and Haegon for the final assault on Dragonstone while Lords Rogare and Odorys marched with rest of the army and the fleet to besiege Pentos.
After the death of her son and heir Jacaerys Velaryon, a panicked Rhaenyra sent her remaining children Aegon the Younger, Viserys, Visenya, and Aemma to Pentos for their safety along with their dragons and with Lady Rhaena and her dragon Morning.
It is said that after hearing of her son's death, Lady Shiera flew into a black rage and along with Princess Viserra flew to the army marching on Pentos.
The sworn protector of Rhaenyra's children was Ser Alfred Broome, a knight in service to Dragonstone and House Targaryen. He was well acquainted with Princess Viserra and was convinced to switch sides. The presence of Silverwing flying above the city persuaded the Prince of Pentos to surrender and open the gates hoping for clemency. He received none.
Once the gates were open and the Green army within its walls, they began a vengeful sack under the command of Lady Shiera. The Green forces began killing people of all ages and raping women. All the while Princess Viserra used the dragon flame of Silverwing to burn the city, the fire began spreading before more than a quarter of the city was in flames. The people were cut down by the Green soldiers when they tried to flee while Lord Odorys had the garrison of Pentos put to the sword.
The Prince of Pentos killed himself upon seeing the carnage wrought upon his city, while a chaotic and lengthy sack of the city ensued by the vengeful Green army most of whom were soldiers who served under Prince Maekar before the war. Women throughout the city were raped, including crones and girls as young as eight, and not even septas and silent sisters were spared. Drunken soldiers killed every male they found, including old men and boys. Homes and shops were looted by bands of greens, and wealthy magisters were tortured to reveal hidden fortunes. Even babies were impaled upon spears.
While this carnage was occurring, a few loyalists tried to whisk the children away to safety only to be caught by Ser Alfred Broome and his turncloaks who gave up the children to Lady Shiera in exchange for a pardon from King Aegon II.
Lady Rhaena managed to escape and she tried to mount Morning but as she reached the courtyard of their manse where Morning was kept chained, Silverwing landed and before Lady Rhaena could react, Silverwing snatched her up in her jaws before dropping half her body in the ground, the angry Morning tried to attack Silverwing in revenge for her mistress but the chained she-dragon was no match for the older and much larger Silverwing who tore her apart. The remaining dragons in the courtyard Stormcloud, Tyraxes, Stormfyre and Starfyre were left alone.
Once Lady Shiera took charge of the captured children, it is said she had them tortured for a week before having their bodies fed to the dogs leaving behind no remains. However, of course, this is purely speculative for no one knows what has happened to the children once Lady Shiera had taken them to an isolated manse in the city. However, this incident did give Lady Shiera a notoriety and a reputation of fear that not even her late husband could evoke.
Battle of the Gullet
The climatic battle of the Dance of the Dragons occurred over the Gullet. Ten dragons danced over the skies of the Gullet and only three survived to see the end of the war. Three fleets converged on the Gullet, one the Velaryon-Targaryen fleet of Dragonstone, and the other two were the Royal Fleets from King's Landing and the East.
It was by far the bloodiest battle of the Dance that would leave a huge impact on Westeros for years to come.
Princess Rhaenyra after learning about the death of her husband resolved to die a dragon rider's death after receiving encouragement from Lady Baela, as the fleets began the battle, she mounted Syrax and flew into battle alongside Lady Baela on Moondancer, Ser Addam on Seasmoke, Ser Denys Silver on Grey Ghost, and the girl Nettles on Sheepstealer, they were met by King Aegon II on Sunfyre, Queen Maegelle on Ghost, Prince Daeron on Tessarion, Prince Haegon on Bloodfyre, and of course Prince Aemond atop Vhagar.
In the battle below in the seas, the Black fleet fought valiantly as they made full use of their advantages of the narrow straight of the Gullet while the larger Green fleets were hampered and congested. The advantage that the Royal Fleet tended to have in flamethrowers was negated by the Blacks possessing the same weapon, within minutes, the entire sea was aflame in green.
Ser Tyland Lannister led the Royal Fleet from King's Landing as they squared up with Lord Corlys Velaryon who was now determined to go down with his ship. As ships collided and rammed, marines began boarding enemy vessels, scorpions and crossbow bolts began flying tearing up decks and impaling sailors. Most importantly of all, wildfire spewed out of brass nozzles and packed into hand grenades were flung over onto enemy ships setting the upper decks alight in an unholy bright green flame as the mast and rigging caught fire as did the sailors.
The burning men jumped overboard for respite only for the wildfire to keep burning, even as most ships began to use wet animal hides and vinegar, they were still ineffective. In a way, the ships were lucky that the dragons were preoccupied up in the air to descend and spew their flames.
Ser Tyland's flagship the Indomitable faced off against Lord Corlys' flagship the Seasnake in the burning waters of the Gullet. Neither ship used wildfire as both tried to ram each other, when neither ship received proper purchase on the other, it became a boarding battle as planks were dropped from both ships as were hooks and ropes and marines and sailors began boarding and attacking each other yelling battle cries.
Cutlass swords slashed while hand axes crashed, screams rang about on the decks even as both sides fought desperately, and crossbow bolts from both sides flew finding their marks with screams of pain. Some were thrown overboard while others were cut down. In the midst of it all, Ser Tyland met the older Corlys Velaryon atop one of the gangplanks.
One man fought with a desperation to live another day while the other fought to die in glory but in the end, it was another ship that decided the fate of the Seasnake, the Velaryon fleet, Driftmark, High Tide, and the Velaryon fleet, it was the dromond Dauntless, captained by Lord Amos Bracken that rammed into the Seasnake from the other side, resulting collision tossed both men overboard but even as both men survived the fall in the water and both surfaced up, a crossbowman aboard the Indomitable aimed at the exposed head of the Seasnake and released his quarry and his aim was true.
Upon seeing the galley the Seasnake rammed by the Dauntless as it began to take water and list to starboard, the Velaryon captains and sailors realized that the Old Seasnake that led them all their lives was dead and with it the fighting spirit of the Velaryon fleet, soon they began to surrender in droves to the point that the recovered Ser Tyland did not have enough officers and men to take control of the excess ships, so he ordered them burned and scuttled.
Alyn Waters, the bastard son of the Seasnake tried to escape from the sinking Seasnake but as he tried to swim away, the main mast of the ship broke and fell into the water and it fell right on top of his head, killing him and ending the line of the once legendary Seasnake.
In the meantime the transport ships carrying soldiers began to land on the island of Driftmark, with most of the Velaryon strength distracted at sea, they were left vulnerable to the soldiers of the Royal Army led by Ser Byron Swann began to sack the island. The harbours of Spicetown and Hull were seized while the towns were sacked with their inhabitants butchered, even the dogs and cats in the streets were killed and left as carrion. The soldiers looted, pillaged and vandalized the towns for another whole day and night.
The castles of High Tide and Driftmark were also attacked, in High Tide, the soldiers were successful in scaling the walls from the sea before they opened the gates of the poorly defended castle. Every living soul inside the castle was put to the sword while the treasures of Corlys Velaryon were looted. Lady Rhaenys Velaryon is said to have fallen into a depression after the Fight over Shipbreaker Bay, when soldiers broke into her room, they found her dead of having ingested a painless poison.
In Castle Driftmark where most of the minor branches of the Velaryon family were housed, a few of the builders in the army managed to knock holes in the aged walls of the castle, large enough for soldiers to crawl through and open the gates. Like in High Tide, everyone was put to death without any compunctions.
Battle above the Gullet
All the while, the dragons danced in the skies above, in a display not seen even in Old Valyria, ten dragons fought to the death.
King Aegon II atop Sunfyre fought with Rhaenyra on Syrax. While Syrax was larger and heavier, the younger Sunfyre was no less formidable and far more fearsome and battle-experienced. Sunfyre slammed into Syrax almost immediately and golden and yellow flames flew about as both dragons began grappling and tearing away at each other with claw and jaw, trying to find purchase despite Syrax's advantage in size and weight, the nimble and fierce Sunfyre managed to keep Syrax off him long enough for the formidable dragon to sink his jaws into Syrax's throat in a vice-like death grip.
No matter how hard the she-dragon tried, she was unable to escape, she began desperately clawing away at Sunfyre's belly. And then as Sunfyre kept his jaw closed around Syrax's throat and his claws tearing away the Syrax's belly, Aegon II made his dragon dive down with Syrax and Rhaenyra before dropping her less than a hundred feet above the sea, as Syrax stretched out her wings to fly again in the brief respite she received, Sunfyre was directly above Rhaenyra and as she was covered in Sunfyre's shadow she looked up in shock before Sunfyre bathed her in golden flames, the scream Rhaenyra gave out died in her throat while Syrax roared a guttural scream in the agony of losing her rider, a roar that was heard all across the battlefield.
Before Syrax turned to face up to avenge her rider, Sunfyre descended once more before crashing onto Syrax's back and began tearing away at her back while his jaws closed once more around the yellow dragon. This time a breaking snap was heard, even down below, the sailors fighting could hear it and looked up to sea, a motionless Syrax began to fall and it seemed a moment where the entire battlefield went silent before Syrax crashed into the water.
Upon seeing Syrax fall, the Green sailors and soldiers cheered while the Black soldiers lost their last bits of motivation and began to surrender in droves. Yet, even though the soldiers surrendered, the dragon riders fighting for Rhaenyra did not.
Queen Maegelle and Lady Baela have oft been considered to be the same sides of the same coin. Both were wild and fearless and neither had a mind to give up, Maegelle wanted to avenge her brother while Lady Baela sought to avenge her betrothed Jacaerys.
Both Moondancer and Ghost were of the same fighting size, mature enough to be ridden, equally nimble, and both riders were equally experienced. It was a fight on a knife's edge. Both dragons flew around each other spitting flame and shrieking before clashing with their claws and jaws and breaking off.
After what seemed to be an eternity for the riders, the two women were ready to take the final plunge as they slammed into each other, tearing away with their claws and jaws. Moondancer raked Ghost's sides and belly while Ghost closed his jaws around one of Moondancer's wing bones before breaking it one of his claws tore open the wing before stretching out his wings to break off the fight.
Baela realized too late what happened as the crippled Moondancer was unable to fly as she began to fall into the burning water, Baela quickly tried to break open her chain but she was unable to do so before Moondancer crashed into the water, according to some of the surviving sailors who were present to witness it, Baela survived the fall but she did not survive the wildfire burning water as her steel chain and leather saddle caught fire and burned her alive. They heard her screams as she was slowly eaten by the wildfire until Queen Maegelle flew low and sent a fireball in her direction ending her misery.
Prince Daeron is oft forgotten in the shadows of his older brothers while Addam of Hull sought to prove that he was truly worthy of the Velaryon name and of the dragon Seasmoke. But on that day, they both made a name for themselves. Just like the fight between Queen Maegelle and Lady Baela, the dragons Tessarion and Seasmoke were equally nimble and of the same fighting size, however, there was one difference, Prince Daeron was far more experienced compared to Addam of Hull and that made all the difference.
As both Tessarion and Seasmoke danced around each other, spitting fire blue and white fire the two dragons were seen to be mating dancing rather than a dance to the death by those down below. Addam of Hull for all his lack of experience compared to his princely opponent managed to hold his ground against Prince Daeron until he heard the shriek of Syrax as she wailed the loss of her rider. As Addam of Hull turned to look, so too did Seasmoke, it seemed that his lapse in judgment was pounced upon by Prince Daeron who slammed Tessarion straight into Seasmoke and began to grapple and before the stunned Seasmoke could react, Tessarion managed to close her jaws around the neck of Seasmoke.
The silver-grey dragon began to frantically try to claw his way out and Seasmoke's claws did find purchase on Tessarion's belly and he began to tear out the entrails of the Blue Queen. Then the two dragons began to fall into the burning waters of the Gullet until finally at the last moment, Tessarion unhinged her jaws from Seasmoke's neck and unfurled her wings and escaped while Seasmoke crashed into the water. Addam of Hull was not able to get his chains off in time before he drowned with his dragon.
But it wasn't as if Tessarion made it unharmed for, soon she began gliding towards Dragonstone with her entrails falling out before she crashed into the beaches outside the gates of the castle. She would die in sight of the defenders atop the walls of Dragonstone. As for Prince Daeron, he paid no mind to the men atop the battlements as he removed his chains and rushed to the head of his dying Blue Queen. Atop the battlements was one of Daemon's long-serving lieutenants, Samwell the Butcher, a brutal and hulking swordsman, he barked at the crossbowmen to kill the Prince but when they hesitated, he angrily grabbed one of the loaded crossbows and aimed for Prince Daeron, though he was no Myrish crossbowman, his aim was true.
Samwell would later be painfully executed by flaying by King Aegon II after the garrison surrendered.
Haegon Targaryen was born the secondborn of Prince Maekar, he was never expected to inherit Dorne and the Stepstones much less become a Prince, yet within a year both his brother and father were dead, thrusting an unprepared boy of sixteen as the Prince of the Greenblood and the Stepstones. Yet he would go on to be one of the greatest Princes of the Greenblood worthy of his father's legacy. Silver Denys was a man who claimed descent from Maegor, a claim that many find doubtful for the Cruel was famously infertile though none could deny his Valyrian blood with his silver hair and purple eyes along with his bonding of Grey Ghost.
Bloodfyre was slightly bigger than Grey Ghost and Haegon was a superior rider but as the proverb goes, 'It is the dying dragon that bites the deepest.' Instead of dancing around each other like Moondancer and Ghost or Seasmoke and Tessarion, the two dragons grappled head-on in a clash of fire and blood. Both dragons found purchase on each other in a desperate tussle for life and death, clawing away at each other and blasting fire. The larger Bloodfyre not only sank his teeth into Grey Ghost's neck but also managed to claw open Grey Ghost's belly and tear holes inside his wings.
In a final act, Bloodfyre reared his head back from the bleeding neck of Grey Ghost and blasted a fireball straight at Silver Denys, immolating the man who claimed to be the descendant of Maegor. As Bloodfyre sought to break off the fight with a now nearly fallen foe, Grey Ghost in an act of desperation bit into Bloodfyre's tail and pulled him down as he fell, as the two dragons fell and grappled once more in a free fall before crashing into the water.
Haegon having already loosened his chains before the battle was able to leap free from his dragon and he was lucky not to fall in the burning water. He was even more lucky when the closest warship near him was the Indomitable, the flagship of Ser Tyland Lannister who immediately ordered that the Prince be rescued. However the same couldn't be said about Bloodfyre.
And finally, there was the immense and massive Vhagar, the largest of all the dragons, the Queen of All Dragons. Vhagar was the hardened survivor of a hundred battles, had grown almost as large as Balerion, and was the oldest and largest of the dragons in Westeros. No living dragon could match her for size or ferocity and her opponent Sheepstealer certainly was outclassed. Though a vicious and ill-tempered beast, he was no match for Vhagar. Aemond, a man who bonded with the Queen of All Dragons at the tender age of ten was far better than the girl Nettles, a foul-mouthed girl who bonded with Sheepstealer through cunning.
It was over before it even began. Sheepstealer tried to flee from the battle but Vhagar followed him, whilst Sheepstealer had the advantage of speed and agility over Vhagar, his rider was too overwhelmed. After drawing Vhagar away from the other dragons and the battle below, Sheepstealer tried to send a stream of fire against Vhagar's chest only for it to be shrugged by the cantankerous older she-dragon. A great gout of bronze flames from Vhagar caught Sheepstealer's tail and as the brown dragon screeched in pain and spiralled down, Vhagar lunged forward. Sheepstealer managed to twist and turn as he desperately tried to escape the claws and jaws of Vhagar.
His orange flames were overwhelmed by the bronze flames of Vhagar. Then a fireblast from Vhagar caught Sheepstealer in his chest, the dragon did not have the chance to shriek in pain before he was caught by Vhagars talons and jaws. Within two minutes Vhagar tore Sheepstealer apart, as Vhagar ripped a wing out of Sheepstealer while grabbing his neck in her jaws and then snapping his neck.
A week later
Dragonstone
Aegon looked around to see the people around him in the Great Hall of Dragonstone where the wounded were being treated for the lack of space. It had been a week since that bloody day, yet it seemed like it was just yesterday when he lost Daeron. Everyone said that this was the final victory, the war was won yet the victory was bitter. Gaemon was not here, Daeron was not here, and his father was not here.
Aegon ensured that the man who killed his brother died a painful death but that would not bring back Daeron.
He was Haegon walking aimlessly around, losing Bloodfyre broke him, though Maegelle tried to comfort him and Aemond tried to convince him to bond with the Cannibal, he was despondent, not that Aegon blamed him, he couldn't imagine a world without Sunfyre.
Maegelle came to sit next to him, "How are you feeling?" She asked looking at his leg that was burnt during his duel with Rhaenyra.
"A little sore, my burns are starting to heal what about you?" He asked his wife, the beautiful mother of his son.
"I am doing well, I didn't get burnt as badly as you," Maegelle replied, her arm was still covered in honey-soaked linen while her hair was all messy, yet she looked so beautiful. "How are you feeling about your grandfather?"
Aegon snorted, "To be honest, I wanted to laugh when I heard that he died the very minute he learned that we won." According to the missive sent from King's Landing, his grandfather Otto upon learning news of their victory rushed to inform his mother only to slip on the stairs and break his neck.
"Don't laugh and speak ill of the dead," Maegelle admonished him though he could see that she was fighting to laugh herself. "What do we do next?"
Aegon replied, "No doubt, both Stark and Arryn will seek terms once they hear of our victory. Aemond will send a warning to both the Eyrie and Winterfell before destroying the Bloody Gate and Moat Cailin and then accept terms while we destroy the Ironborn and their culture once and for all, like how Father planned."
Aemond and Haegon walked over to them. "What do we do now?" Aemond asked as he sat down.
"It's over, isn't it," Haegon muttered.
"Yes, it is, it's finally over," Aemond said with a sigh of relief.
Aegon shook his head, "No, it has just begun. Our lives lay before us with new challenges."
"Yet, we find ourselves already weary and tired," Maegelle remarked as the servants came to serve them wine but Maegelle waved them off and told them to instead take care of the wounded.
Aegon poured wine for them as Haegon remarked, "It's like how Father once said, a war between dragons has no winners, merely losers who live and losers who die."
"Yes, but it is up to us, the ones who live to ensure that the sacrifices of our loved ones are not in vain." Aegon said raising his cup, "To Gaemon, to Daeron, and Father."
The three of them raised their cups as well and as they drank, Aegon thought of what his Father last said to him,
'This is not the end, nor is it the beginning of the end but perhaps it is the end of the beginning.'