Rhaenys sighed inwardly at Draezell's silence. The boy was remarkable in every way, but far too cautious. She knew exactly what worried him and what he desired.
"Cousin, this is for the future of the kingdom and House Targaryen," Rhaenys continued. "His Grace, the King, will personally sail to Dragonstone. He holds Daemon's proposal in high regard, and the Queen's children will be coming as well. Viserys hopes to use this opportunity to show the young dragonriders what a real dragon battle looks like and mend the fractures within the royal bloodline."
Draezell maintained his polite smile as he regarded the older princess. His deep violet eyes were unreadable, betraying none of his thoughts. "And you, Princess? As the wife of Lord Corlys, why are you willing to run errands for our cousin Daemon?"
"I am a Targaryen dragonrider too, cousin," Rhaenys replied. "It is the duty of a dragonrider to serve their family. Besides..." Her voice carried a note of sorrow and anger. "That wild dragon attacked Sea Smoke, the dragon of my deceased son. Seeing it reminds me of my dear Laenor."
"Can Dragonstone guarantee that the missing eggs weren't taken by humans?" Draezell's expression returned to normal. He had indeed suspected this might be a trap set by House Targaryen itself, but under the circumstances, refusal wasn't an option.
Rhaenys nodded firmly. "That can be guaranteed. Dragonstone's Dragonkeepers will inspect every clutch alongside Daemon. Since the reign of my grandfather, every ship entering and leaving Dragonstone has been thoroughly checked to prevent eggs from being smuggled out." She gave Draezell a meaningful look as she spoke. But few had dared to steal fully grown dragons—except you and your brother.
Draezell ignored the pointed look. "Princess, I have one more question. Why has that wild dragon suddenly become so active during this time?"
Rhaenys glanced at Vermithor, lounging outside the camp. "I suspect it's because you and young Valar took Vermithor and Silverwing." She gestured to her own dragon, the Red Queen. "Before they left, the main sources of eggs on Dragonstone were Syrax and Silverwing. With Vermithor's presence, even the fiercest wild dragon would think twice about the consequences of being cornered by two fully grown dragons."
"I understand, Princess," Draezell nodded. "In that case, I am willing to help the kingdom eliminate this wild dragon. However, I will not engage directly in the battle. As you mentioned, that glutton fears Vermithor's presence. If it appears on the front line, the wild dragon might flee, adding unnecessary complications."
"I understand, Draezell. Your participation alone is a contribution to the kingdom," Rhaenys smiled. "I thank you, cousin, on a personal note as well."
"Jaec!" Draezell called out to Jacaerys, who had returned to entertain Benjicot. Jacaerys quickly handed the candy to the child and rushed back to his knight and grandmother's side.
"I need to head to Dragonstone. Vermithor and the Red Queen will fly at full speed. If Vermax carries someone, it won't be able to keep up. Do you wish to remain at Raventree Hall, or will you ride Vermithor with me to observe the battle?"
"A squire always follows their knight," Jacaerys said, his eyes lighting up.
"Very well. You'll come with me. Vermax can fly alongside us. Let's prepare to depart immediately."
The Red Queen, having just swallowed an entire roasted goat, crouched low to allow Rhaenys to climb onto her saddle.
"Lord Samwell, I must apologize and thank you for your hospitality. It seems our stay at Raventree Hall must come to an early end." Draezell, climbing the hanging ladder of Vermithor's saddle, helped Jacaerys into the seat before settling in himself.
"It has been our honor, Your Highness," Samwell Blackwood said, bowing deeply as he watched the two great dragons spread their wings and take flight. The smaller Vermax quickly tore the juiciest piece of venison from the carcass and carried it in its jaws as it followed.
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Dragonstone
Daemon and Valar stood side by side on the castle's balcony, gazing westward at the sky. Lucerys had gone to visit his mother and was not with them.
"I never thought I'd see the day when the Dornish kept their word," Daemon remarked. He had first flown to the Dragonpit, where he encountered the waiting Dornish envoy. The envoy had attempted to ingratiate himself with Daemon but was deftly sidestepped by the prince. Upon learning of Valar's whereabouts, Daemon quickly mounted his dragon and flew to Whiskey Gorge. There, he found Valar investigating the affairs of House Manwoody, and the two had flown together to King's Tomb.
"They truly have nowhere else to turn," Valar said with some measure of pity. The plight of House Manwoody was indeed tragic. They had lost most of their family members, leaving only a six-year-old child and a seventy-year-old elder as survivors. All of their landed knights and sworn swords had perished, and the villages across their lands mourned the deaths of their husbands and sons.
Had their bloodline not persisted, House Manwoody might as well have been extinct.
"What do you plan to do with the child?" Daemon asked.
"I intend to have Ser Vansen Kaon adopt him," Valar replied. "I made a promise to Ser Caswald."
Daemon chuckled, his thoughts betraying an unspoken observation. If it were your brother, he would have kept his promise while subtly ensuring complete control over House Manwoody's lands.
In the distance, a luxurious pleasure ship sailed toward Dragonstone, a stunning golden dragon flying gracefully above it.
Onboard, King Viserys sat leisurely in a chair, with Ser Criston Cole, the Lord Commander of the Kingsguard, standing watch nearby. His children were scattered across the vessel, enjoying the journey in their own ways.
Aemond, however, sat sullenly, propping his head up with his hand. Both Viserys and Alicent had refused his request to ride Vhagar, citing the dragon's massive size as a potential disruption to Daemon's plans.
"Look over there! It's Princess Rhaenys dragon!"
A keen-eyed sailor pointed out a streak of red cutting through the clouds.
Almost simultaneously, the sounds of dragon roars echoed from Dragonstone.
Silverwing was the first to take flight, followed by the serpentine Blood Wyrm, Caraxes. Princess Rhaenyra's Syrax soon joined them. This beautiful, prolific golden dragon, with its elegant horns, radiated a regal air, less robust and flamboyant than Sunfyre but exuding a noble grace of its own.
Prince Aegon, his heart pounding with excitement, gripped Sunfyre's reins tightly but held back. This was the domain of seasoned dragonriders, and he wisely chose not to interfere.
Syrax, after meeting with the Red Queen, banked sharply and flew toward the other side of Dragonmont.
Moments later, a burst of sickly green flame shot skyward, narrowly missing the retreating Syrax.
Accompanying the flames came a guttural, rasping dragon's roar.
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