Escorted by the Kingsguard, Viserys and his party departed Gohor. Three carriages rolled out in succession through the triple walls of the city.
In the first carriage rode Viserys and Arianne.
In the second were Rhaenys and Daenerys.
In the last sat Aegon and Aemon.
Nearly the entire younger generation of House Targaryen was present, and thus the escort numbered a full thousand men.
Fortunately, their destination was not far—into the northern hills near the Goose Mountains.
"Princess Rhaenys, please do not lean out the window!"
The septa inside the carriage spoke in alarm, reaching to pull her back.
"Why, why, why!" Rhaenys burst out in frustration. "Why does His Grace have to share a carriage with Arianne?"
"I believe it is because Princess Arianne is our guest," the septa replied honestly.
She turned and saw Daenerys calmly holding a thick book while snacking.
Rhaenys snatched the sweets from her hands. "You're still eating? Our trouble has arrived!"
Daenerys simply reached to reclaim them, unconcerned. "Oh, come now. Isn't Prince Audro also in my brother's carriage? It will be fine."
Somewhere along the years, the saying "the dragon has three heads" had gained a new interpretation within the family.
It now meant that Rhaenys and Daenerys would one day marry the same man of their house.
Growing up together had forged an unspoken alliance between them.
Watching Daenerys's complacent expression, Rhaenys could only press a hand to her forehead and pray that her so-called cousin would not go too far.
.....
In the lead carriage, Viserys was showing Audro one of his longbows.
Over the past five years, Audro had steadily gained influence in Pentos.
His family had grown in standing and begun to speak with greater weight in its councils.
Audro himself had not changed much, but when a family expanded, ambitions followed.
In the so-called joint fleet between House Targaryen and Audro's house, there were already subtle attempts to diminish Targaryen authority.
Bringing him to observe the longbow corps was meant as a warning.
Until Pentos was fully under control, Odrero must not lose himself.
"This is the yew longbow? It looks… quite unique."
Audro ran a hand along the bow's length.
He had never seen such a weapon. To him, something so large should be mounted horizontally like a siege arbalest.
Yet years of political survival had taught him how to phrase admiration carefully.
Viserys offered no correction. He would let the demonstration speak.
Beside them, Arianne was in low spirits.
Before boarding, she had felt secretly delighted at the invitation. But now there was an older man in the carriage as well—near her father's age.
It spoiled everything.
As the carriage jolted along the uneven road, she noticed the swaying motion and quickly devised a plan.
"Oh!"
She feigned imbalance, leaning toward Viserys's shoulder.
He caught her firmly by the shoulders before she could fall.
"Princess Arianne, take care."
That is not what Nymeria told me would happen. Arianne muttered inwardly and offered a polite nod.
.....
Soon they arrived at the mountain training ground.
Goats bleated faintly in the distance, and the black three-headed dragon banner snapped in the wind.
"His Grace has arrived! Assemble! All units assemble!"
The longbowmen stiffened instantly at their officer's command.
They had trained for years.
Within one hundred paces, they did not miss.
Two thousand longbowmen stood in a great V-formation along the hillside, awaiting orders.
Viserys descended from his carriage and, escorted by Arthur, mounted the raised platform prepared at the summit.
"Wow! So many longbows!" Aegon exclaimed through his spyglass.
Aemon remained silent, lips pressed tight.
Uncle has been so secretive. These longbowmen must be formidable.
The royal youths joined Viserys atop the platform.
"Uncle!"
Aegon and Aemon bowed together.
"Uncle, aren't the targets too far? Can they even reach them?" Aegon asked.
Audro was wondering the same.
The distance between the archers and the wooden targets was at least two hundred paces.
As far as he knew, aside from rare dragonbone bows, no bow could retain lethality at such range.
"Watch carefully," Viserys said. "Marcus."
Marcus stepped forward eagerly.
"Begin the exercise!"
"Yes, sir!"
Signalmen waved massive banners.
In unison, the longbowmen drew and set their strings.
The creaking tension carried on the valley wind like the groan of something dying.
"Loose!"
Marcus chopped his hand downward.
The banners snapped.
All eyes turned to the archers.
The arrows surged forth like a school of sardines, shrieking through the air, glinting coldly in the sunlight like a storm of steel.
Through spyglasses, they watched the targets.
In barely two heartbeats, the arrows struck like frozen lightning. Nearly every wooden figure was pierced clean through.
At one hundred paces, such arrows would punch through armor.
Audro swallowed.
Aemon and Aegon breathed faster, excitement rising in their chests. With weapons like these, Robert would one day resemble a hedgehog.
But it was not over.
A faint scent of goat drifted through the air.
Suddenly, from the far slopes, a great herd of goats—no fewer than five hundred—came charging forward.
Each wore crude padding.
"All units! Continuous fire! Loose!"
Marcus gave the command again.
Under banner signals, the archers began staggered, uninterrupted volleys. Two thousand men formed what seemed like a living wall of death.
The goats fled in panic, bleating as though chased by an unseen reaper. There was nowhere to run.
Under the storm of arrows, they fell in heaps.
Audro felt a chill along his spine.
Where had this young king obtained such power?
The air thickened with the smell of blood. Viserys calmly declared that roast mutton would be served that evening.
Audro was no fool.
He believed he understood why he had been brought here. And he, too, had news to deliver.
"Your Grace," he said carefully, "I have noticed that Pentos has seen an increasing number of horse lords of late."
___________
Upto 20 chapters ahead on patreon :-
patreon.com/BloodAncestor