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"Gavin, I want to tell you a secret, something I've only ever told your father before. My true name is Alice Belleris. I am one of the last surviving bloodlines of the Dragonlords after the Doom of Valyria."
As she spoke, she pulled two books with torn covers from a chest beneath her bed, handed them to Gavin, and continued, "One of these books contains records of the Belleris family's history, carried by an ancestor who survived the Doom. The other is a diary written by that same ancestor, detailing some of the family's secrets. These secrets are the very reason why our family has been reduced to just me."
Gavin accepted the books and quickly flipped through them, his thoughts racing. 'As I suspected, I must also have the ability to command dragons'. Turning to Alice, he asked, "Mother, the writing in these books is the same as the unique script you've been teaching me. Did you teach it to me specifically so I could read these books?"
Alice smiled gently, showing her tenderness,and replied softly: "Yes, Gavin. The language and script I taught you are High Valyrian, a language that every member of our family had to master. You can read the contents of these books, and when you're older, you can decide for yourself whether to uncover the secrets mentioned in the diary."
Gavin sat by the shore, staring at the pot of seawater simmering over a weak flame. The firewood was nearly burned out, but his thoughts were far away, preoccupied with the revelation Alice had shared two nights ago.
In the days since, Gavin had read through both books and learned much about his mother's family history.
The book detailing the history of the Belleris family was largely filled with accolades extolling the family's immense power, while concrete and substantive information was relatively scarce. Nevertheless, by reading between the lines, one could still gain insight into the grandeur of Valyria at its height, the structure of the Freehold, and the political landscape of the Freehold Council.
The book also gave particular emphasis to the Belleris family's absolute prominence within the Valyrian Freehold, underscoring their unparalleled status.
According to the book, the Freehold Council was composed of forty dragonlord families. The nation was ruled collectively by this council, with three High Houses overseeing its operations. While other families had voting rights proportional to their power, the High Houses wielded far more influence. The Targaryens, though part of the council, were portrayed as having little sway in its decisions.
The Belleris family, however, was not just any dragonlord house—it was one of the three ruling families with the authority to veto council decisions. They owned the first and most powerful dragon, from which their family took its name: Belleris.
The book described Belleris as an enormous dragon that lived for 800 years, its massive wings blotting out the sky. In battle, it could turn its flesh to flame, making it immune to physical harm. Even its rider would transform into fire alongside it. Belleris was considered invincible, even among the mighty dragons of Valyria.
In addition to their ability to bond with dragons, many members of the Belleris family throughout history awakened as fire sorcerers. Even without dragons, the magic-wielding Belleris were formidable. The other two High Houses, by contrast, specialized in blood magic and prophecy respectively.
The other diary belonged to Gavin's ancestor, Orfus Belleris, who was 18 years old during the Doom of Valyria. He was in Braavos at the time, escaping the catastrophe with his young dragon, which had only recently become large enough to ride. During the Bloody Age, however, a slave rebellion resulted in the dragon's death, forcing Orfus to flee Braavos. Even the ancestral sword he carried was lost, becoming part of the Sealord's collection.
From that point on, Orfus wandered Essos, never daring to reveal his family name. The diary revealed that the Belleris family had built a secret underground lair far from Valyria, storing dragon eggs, much of the family's knowledge, and countless treasures within. The lair, buried deep underground, might have survived the Doom.
For decades, Orfus dreamed of returning to Valyria to reclaim his family's legacy. However, the Doom's lingering ash and smoke made it impossible to approach the ruins, let alone search them.
It was not until thirty years later, when the smoke and dust began to clear, Orfus—now nearly 50—decided to seek the lair himself. Leaving behind tokens and instructions for his descendants, he embarked on the perilous journey but never returned.
In the centuries that followed, many Belleris descendants tried to reach Valyria, but none survived the attempt. By Alice's time, she was the last of her bloodline. Only after meeting Morton and settling in Westeros did she find some measure of peace.
The weak fire in front of Gavin snapped him out of his tangled thoughts. He quickly added more wood, stirring the flames to keep them alive. As the fire grew brighter, he touched the pendant hanging around his neck.
The pendant was smooth, white, and warm to the touch. Under the faint light, it seemed to glow with an otherworldly radiance.
According to his mother and the book, this pendant was a family heirloom carved from the bones of Belleris, their most powerful dragon.
As Gavin ran his fingers over the pendant, he recalled how, the moment his mother gave it to him, he had felt a strange energy flowing from it into his body. Despite two days of study, he still couldn't fully understand its purpose. The energy seeped into him slowly, leaving him puzzled but intrigued.
Shaking off his confusion, Gavin carefully stored his belongings and began heading back toward the town.
The familiar sight of the tavern greeted him as he entered. The owner, Lana, approached with a wide smile, pinching his cheeks playfully. "Gavin, my little man, you're getting more handsome every day!"
The tavern was bustling with lively conversation, the patrons caught up in animated discussions about current events.
"Have you heard? Robert Baratheon smashed Prince Rhaegar's chest with a single blow. This war is nearly over!" a burly man bellowed.
"That's old news!" a tall, lanky man interjected. "The war's already over. Tywin Lannister tricked his way into King's Landing and looted the city."
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