It was dawn in the summer sea when the Redwyne merchant fleet arrived at Dragonport, and the people on board witnessed a scene they would never forget in their lives.
In the sky, beyond the city, hundreds of hippogriffs spread across the horizon, came flying towards Dragonport with the rising sun right behind them, their silhouettes etched against the golden light like mythical guardians awakening.
Their cheerful cries woke up those who were still sleeping and brightened the mood of those who were already on the streets and at the port, the resonant calls echoing over the waves with a uplifting melody that stirred the salty morning air.
It did not take long for people to realise that there were a lot more hippogriffs in the sky than there were present in the city, and when they watched over a hundred hippogriffs fly from the Sky Pyramid, joining those in the sky, they were stunned.
A hundred were already a beautiful sight, but seeing over three hundred and fifty hippogriffs flying over the city took their breaths away, the powerful beat of wings creating a gentle gust that rustled sails and carried the faint scent of feathers and distant storms.
Eventually, all the beasts landed on the Sky Pyramid, and under the instructions of the beast masters, they soon disappeared into the giant structure which had twenty-seven levels.
However, everyone now knew that the number of hippogriffs had more than doubled. The Ostaryens' rule was stronger, and the enemies now had to rethink their plans.
Azaerys and Quaithe landed on the Pyramid of Pride, and a figure soon came rushing out of the entrance and lunged into the king's arms.
"You said you would be gone for seven moons, Brother."
"My apologies, Rhae." He planted a kiss on her head, and in an instant, all her dissatisfaction disappeared.
She brightly smiled at him when she separated from his arms, and then curtsied to him.
"Your Grace."
"Princess."
They both chuckled after the exchange of greetings, and the Targaryen princess then looked at Quaithe and lightly smiled with a nod, which the girl behind the mask politely returned with a bow.
She already knew about the shadowbinder whom her brother had brought from the Grand Temple of R'hllor. She had received Daenerys' words, and also Viserys' letters, which had kept her informed of the things in Siren.
"Have you prepared a room for Quaithe?"
"Yes," she informed him and then led them inside the pyramid.
On their way to his room, after settling Quaithe in hers, they found Aegon and Rhaemon came rushing towards them, and both the boys happily hugged their brother.
"You are back!" Rhaemon grinned. "How's Zaeron doing? And Haera and Haela?"
"They are fine. Everyone is in perfect health." He smiled. "I will be your sparring partner today, but first, let me freshen up and break my fast."
"You are the best!"
Azaerys chuckled at his words and then patted Aegon's shoulder before heading to his room.
A while later, he joined them in the royal dining hall and answered the questions of his brothers in detail.
"What's with the shadowbinder?"
"What about her?" He asked his brother, who raised his brow.
"You have never kept a shadowbinder so close to you before." Aegon pointed out.
"She isn't just a shadowbinder. She's special." Azaerys mysteriously said. "Do not disturb her or try to talk to her. She won't answer."
The boys obediently nodded their heads, not asking any more questions about her.
"How many hippogriffs do we have now?" Rhaemon excitedly changed the subject.
"Here in Dragonport? 372 that are old enough to be ridden. At Siren, 37 that are old enough to be ridden."
"Awesome!"
"Naath has agreed to Rhaenys' proposal. They are willing to submit and to trade silk, wine, and their handicrafts only with the Summer Kingdom in return for protection from the slavers," Aegon informed him, trying his best to contain his excitement.
"You are not going to the Isle of Butterflies, my blood."
"Why?" The prince depressedly lowered his head, not surprised that his intentions were seen through.
"You might think you have figured out a way to deal with the fever, but you haven't. It's ancient magic that protects the island. You will succumb to it. In case you have not read about it, the Valyrians also failed to hold the island for more than a year. It's true."
"I don't plan on staying there for that long." He smiled, but Azaerys shook his head. "Be obedient, Egg."
The boy, though sad, obediently nodded his head, and Azaerys then turned to look at his sister.
"Form a legion of a hundred hippogriff riders. They will patrol the shores of Naath for three nights and will fly back to Dragonport on the fourth day. They will set out again three days later. Set a protocol and make sure they understand the dangers of the Isle of Butterflies. None of them must stay on the island for more than a few hours at night, and that is also only permissible if they need rest. During daytime, they will rest on the Triplets, the three small isles due south-east of Naath. They are only a couple of hours away."
"Understood."
"A group of thirty-six shadowbinders will arrive at the city in eight days. Settle them in the Dark Pyramid. I will assign some of them to assist the Naath legion in spotting the enemies at night, and a few will stay on the island for a cycle of three moons to help us protect all the Naathi from the slavers..."
Rhaenys noted his instructions, and as soon as she finished her meal, she stood up to get to work.
Azaerys accompanied Aegon and Rhaemon in sword training, spent a while with them where he instructed them and sparred with them.
After training for hours, he retired to his room to get some sleep.
When he woke up late in the afternoon, Rhaenys had made all the arrangements. And the Naath legion had already left for the island on their first patrol.
On the back of hippogriffs, the Isle of Butterflies was twelve to thirteen hours away from Dragonport. So, by dawn, the Naath legion would already be above the triplets to rest for the day.
The Targaryen King took a long and comfortable bath in the warm water of the pool and then had a light supper.
When he arrived inside the great hall, his sister was sitting on the throne, listening to a report from a messenger, who had come from the Pyramid of Medicine, which was also called the Pyramid of Life.
The messenger immediately knelt to him and did not raise his head until Azaerys took his seat by the side of his sister and asked him to continue.
"The red healers want to know what the lord's command is. Willas Tyrell visited the Pyramid of Medicine, and under the princess' command, they inspected the state of his body. His left leg's bone is deformed as a result of curved healing, the tendons have become taut, and in some places, they are swollen. His kneecap is broken as well."
"And?"
"The red healers will do as you say, Your Grace. They can help the man recover completely if that is your wish. They have already formulated a method to help him by breaking his leg again and guiding a new healing process with magic. Since his leg is still attached to his body, it can be healed. The process, however, will be lengthy and will take, at least, three to four moons."
"I am inviting Willas Tyrell, his mother, Alerie Hightower, and his grandmother, Olenna Redwyne, to tonight's dinner. Just the three of them. Bring them to me if they accept my invitation."
"Yes, Your Grace." The messenger bowed to him and quickly left the great hall.
Rhaenys curiously looked at her brother, who leaned back on the throne and closed his eyes.
"What price will they be paying, Az?"
A smile formed on his lips.
"For now, something they can afford."
Rhaenys nodded her head and did not ask any more questions.
"Come, take a walk with me," he grabbed her hand and pulled her up to her feet, and Rhaenys, overjoyed by his words, happily started skipping.
The two ended up sitting at the top-most platform of the pyramid, hanging their legs down, watching the sunset, and staying there until the sky darkened and the stars brightly shimmered, the cool evening breeze carrying the distant murmur of the city below.
Just when Azaerys was about to get up, his princess, who had been mustering up the courage for a good while now, grabbed him by his collar and pulled him into a kiss.
He smiled against her lips, tenderly cupped her cheek when they separated, and then leaned in to give her a proper kiss. Eventually, as she learned how to respond, she climbed into his lap and kept kissing him, growing to like the feel of it, the gentle pressure building with each brush, her heart racing amid the faint scent of salt and stone from the pyramid's heights.
When her emotions calmed down, she burned in a blush, and then tightly hugged him, burying her face in his neck.
"Marry me, Az." She demanded, not requested, and he planted a kiss on her head.
"Your wish is my command, sweet sister," whispered Azaerys. "We will be binding ourselves to each other in Siren before our family, on the first day of the new year."
Rhaenys' arms tightened around him, and he tightened his embrace as well.
The two of them silently held each other for a while and were disturbed when Aro, now the captain of the royal guard, came out of the entrance.
"Are they here?" Azaerys asked.
"Yes, Your Grace. Ser Boros and Prince Aegon received them, and they are now on the way to the royal dining hall," answered the knight.
"I see. You may go."
"Yes, Your Grace." The man knelt to him and then left them alone.
Rhaenys begrudgingly separated from his arms and stood up, and the Targaryen King requested her to not make Aro's life harder because he disturbed their peace.
"I am not so petty." She rolled her eyes and then hugged his arm, and it was how the two of them entered the royal dining hall.
On the way, Azaerys used glamour and changed his hair to appear the same as his sister and Aegon, who was using glamour as well.
Only Rhaemon's head was different, full of dark brown hair, and the young prince beamed a smile at them when they entered.
"Your Grace!"
As the two princes and Mrymadora bowed to them, their three guests did the same, and Lady Olenna immediately started scrutinising him.
"Call Ser Boros and the Red Hand. The two will be joining me for dinner."
Even though he had spoken lightly, the guard at the far end of the hall, somehow, heard his command and immediately went out to call the two people whom he had asked for.
Azaerys glanced at Willas, who was tall, handsome, and had a goatee and a detached moustache, which was well-kempt. He was holding a cane and had very calculating eyes.
Next to him was his mother, tall, dignified, beautiful, and graceful. She had braided long silver hair, which had jewelled rings on them. She was also wearing the green of Hightowers, which made him smile.
The last guest was short, shorter than even Rhaemon. She was barely five feet tall and she was wearing an intricate golden pillbox hat over a silk grey headscarf, which made her appear taller.
After taking his seat, he nodded to all of them to sit down, and a maid immediately stepped forward to plate food for him and pour some water into his cup.
"Your Grace, thank you for inviting us to this meal. You have honoured us." Willas brightly said, and Azaerys met his eyes and smiled.
"Intelligent and wise beyond your years. You have taken after your mother and her side of the family, which must be a relief for you, Lady Olenna," he glanced at the old woman. "Two remarkable and talented grandsons, quite unlike your late husband and your son."
The three of them stayed silent at his words, not sure how to take them.
He was complimenting them, but at the same time, being a little too honest about the husbands of the two ladies.
"Most men are fools..."
"Most?" The king cut off the old lady. "If my sources have not lied to me, you are quite vocal about how all men are fools."
"That's... how I feel most of the time," the woman nodded her head and then smiled. "I am quite curious how and why the Summer King has his sources so close to me. What are your intentions, Your Grace?"
"For now, I have very peaceful intentions for you and your family, but they depend on how sincere you are in return. I really hope you will not be as unkind to us as you had been to the Targaryens."
The woman raised her brow at him.
"We were allied with the Targaryens." She frowned.
"Oh, no. You were not." He chuckled. "You ordered your son to not be a fool and stay in his camps. You kept the forces of the Reach safe. You knew that Tywin Lannister was going to betray Aerys Targaryen, and the result of the Rebellion was uncertain, so, you did what was best for the Reach and the Tyrells. You played the game and played it well."
Willas and Alerie surprisedly looked at him and then at the old lady, who now had her eyes narrowed at the Summer King.
"I was sincere to my family."
"But not to the king on the Iron Throne. It was Targaryens who made the Tyrells who they are today. Yet you did not try your best when the hour was hardest on them. Is that not the truth?"
"The king had gone mad. His son also foolishly kidnapped a girl of the Starks. A girl who was betrothed to the lord of a house which was his family's greatest ally. There was no guarantee that he would have proven better than his father even if he took the throne. And yet, I sided with them. That was loyal enough in my eyes. We are still paying the price for it. The new king and his Hand are still wary of us. As foolish as my son is, I did not want to see him get killed. Neither in the war nor afterwards. Yes, I played safe."
"That was an insincerity to your king."
"Then insincerity is what I shall live by." She said and picked up the glass of wine that Willas had poured for her. "So, what does the Summer King want from the Tyrells and Westeros? I am not being put to trial for my insincerity to the Targaryens, am I?"
The Summer King laughed at her question and shook his head.
"No, you are not, Lady Olenna." He said and sipped on his wine. "As for what I want with Westeros? I am certainly not after the Iron Throne. That ugly throne does not deserve me. Neither do the people of your continent."
The old lady raised her brow.
"I never mentioned the Iron Throne, Your Grace. That would be a little too ambitious even for you."
Rhaemon could not help his chuckle at her words, and realising that he had made a mistake, he immediately turned serious.
However, his reaction was caught by the three guests, and when they saw an amused smile on the Summer King's face, their hearts slowed down.
Was he really after the Iron Throne?
Before any of them could say anything, the door of the hall opened, and two tall men walked inside.
One was simply a behemoth of a man, and the other was in red robes, wearing a red glove on his right hand.
"Your Grace."
Both of them went down to their knees, and Azaerys smiled at them.
"Rise, Ser Boros, Red Hand. Join us at the table."
"You honour us, Your Grace," said Boros, and then the two bowed to the princess and the two princes before taking their seats.
"Tell Lord Willas if his condition can get better."
Red Hand glanced at his king, seeking his permission.
"Be truthful."
The man nodded his head and then calmly spoke to the young man.
"In our hands, you can make a complete recovery, Lord Willas. Not only will your leg get better, but you will also be able to run and fight again. That is if you are willing to go into a deep sleep for, at least, a moon, and then stay in bed for another three moons as the red healers help you heal using their magic."
The words stunned the three of them and the silverware in Alerie's hand fell on the table.
"How... the maesters..."
The Red Hand, who was an old man but with a ruddy face and fair complexion, lithe, and broad, chuckled at her words.
"We are not your maesters, my lady. We can do what your maesters can only dream about. Dare I say, we can do what probably no other group of healers in the world can do. Your child's condition, though difficult to handle, is curable, and there will be no danger to his life during the treatment."
Willas' body trembled in hope and excitement, but he kept his cool.
"What price will we have to pay?" He calmly asked.
"We will discuss it in the council chamber after the meal." Azaerys smiled at him and then silently continued eating the meal.
"It's not part of the price, but merely a suggestion that your family should set aside their differences with the Martells of Sunspear. They are on good terms with the Summer Kingdom, and the daughter of Prince Doran Martell, Arianne Martell, is married to the Summer King. She is my second sister-in-law," Rhaenys revealed, and even Olenna was stunned by her words. "Since you will be getting better, should you choose to accept the price that we state, there will be no need for this animosity between the two families."
"There's no animosity between me and Prince Oberyn, Your Grace. We get along just fine. And rest assured, I will try to smooth out this friction regardless of the outcome we have today," Willas solemnly said.
Rhaenys nodded to the man and then silently ate her meal as well.
When they finished eating, everyone, except for Rhaemon and Mrymadora, followed Azaerys to the council chamber.
Willas, Alerie, and Olenna were shocked when they entered the hall where water flowed along either side of the pathway, and in the centre was a large ring with tables, surrounded by water, and surrounding beautiful artworks of dragons, hippogriffs, and griffins in the centre of the floor.
There were pillars and statues, which were beautiful fountains, and there were even small waterfalls, which created an atmosphere that was hard to describe, the gentle rush of water providing a soothing backdrop that eased the tension in the air.
The beauty of the hall mesmerised them, and when they sat down on the comfortable seats, Olenna could not help but smile.
"I am glad you showed us this beautiful place, Your Grace."
"I just did not wish to discuss the price in front of my youngest brother, Lady Olenna." Azaerys smiled at her and then sank back in his seat.
The old woman felt very unnerved as he stared at her.
"What do we have to pay to have my clumsy grandson fully recover?"
"Let me ask you something first. Are you willing to cut some losses for him or not?"
She frowned.
"We are, but you will be putting us in a very difficult position if your price exceeds the value of my child."
"Oh, I don't think it exceeds the value of your grandson's life." He smiled.
"What is the price, Your Grace?"
"Elinor Tyrell, Alla Tyrell, and the land that overlooks the Shield Islands and the Sunset Sea. The Sunset Hills." He said, and they remained silent. "I wish to create a castle on the Sunset Hills. A royal residence for us in Westeros."
"Sunset Hills?" Olenna frowned.
"Yes, all of that land and its lake."
"We can not just sell the land to those who don't belong to Westeros. Not without the Crown's permission, and Jon Arryn is unlikely to..." Willas frowned, but Azaerys did not let him finish.
"The land will belong to my wife, Arianne Martell," smiled Azaerys. "She's Westerosi. Her family is part of your Seven Kingdoms, and the ruling family of Dorne."
"Why do you want those two little girls, Your Grace?" Alerie could not help but ask.
"I wish to gift them to my brother, Aelyx, to be his future paramours. Should they bear him any children, they will be recognised as his official concubines, and the children will bear the name Nefaeryon just like the rest of his children." He lightly said. "If they do bear him children, the castle and the land will end up belonging to them. So, in a sense, you are selling this land to your future family."
"Why those two?" Olenna frowned.
"Elinor and Alla have good bone structures, features, and foundations for becoming beautiful ladies in the future. They are Tyrells, even though they are from a junior branch. They are the daughters of two formidable and well-respected knights from the Reach, Ser Theodore and Ser Leo. They are nobles, good enough to become my brother's paramours, and the status of a paramour will not be deemed too disrespectful when it comes to them. And of course, there's the possibility of them getting recognised as my brother's official concubines, mothers of his legitimate children."
"Westeros does not accept polygamy, Your Grace." Willas frowned. "And I have heard that your family weds brothers and sisters. It's..."
"We are not from Westeros, Lord Willas. We are Valyrians. We have our own gods and laws." He smiled. "And I think with our castle overlooking the Shield Islands and the Sunset Sea, the Mander will be much safer."
"It will create issues for us, Your Grace." The heir to Highgarden sighed.
"As I said, it all depends on whether you are willing to make any losses or not. Take your time. Think over it."