Time flies, and it is now early December.
King's Landing.
Ser Harrold Westerling and the other survivors of the Vale delegation landed at the Mud Gate and hurried back to the Red Keep to report. Unfortunately for them, three letters from the Vale had arrived a few days prior. The contents of the letters, when compared with Ser Harrold's oral narration, made his account seem largely irrelevant.
Viserys was furious.
In the banquet hall of the Red Keep, princes and nobles gathered. Today was the nameday of the second prince, Aemond, and a feast was held in celebration. A long table was placed before a huge, floor-to-ceiling window, laden with various delicacies, including a roast suckling pig that was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Aemond held a piece of fragrant pork and sat in a corner, chewing it slowly. Helaena sat with him, shaking her legs in their white cloth socks.
"The prince's eyes are very similar to yours, Your Grace."
"Yes."
"The prince is strong. He will be a brave warrior in the future."
"Thank you for the compliment."
A group of lords and ladies surrounded Queen Alicent, flattering her in various ways. She smiled and responded gently but politely. Princess Rhaenyra was not there. These were all people the greens could win over. Her children were growing up, especially her two sons, Aegon and Aemond. Her status was rising, and her power was growing day by day.
On the other side of the table, Viserys had a dark face. He stabbed a few dishes with his fork and threw them onto his plate, eating without any elegance. The hardness of the food seemed to be the flesh of his nephew as he bit into it, a small way to vent his anger.
"Your Grace, if it is absolutely necessary, we can use force," Ser Harrold advised from his side.
"Force?" Viserys glanced at him sideways. "Can you, or anyone else here, deal with a dragon?" he said indignantly. "That is the Bronze Fury, Vermithor, my grandfather's own dragon. And who knows if we would not also have to face Silverwing flying with him? Who can withstand the wrath of two dragons?"
Ser Harrold bowed his head in shame.
"Do not bother me," Viserys waved his hand, turning his grief and anger into hunger. His nephew was certain he would not dare go to war, and so he acted recklessly. He had imprisoned Otto and killed a Kingsguard. It was simply defying the gods. Damn you, Daemon! A fine son you have raised. Viserys's eyes were gloomy as he stabbed his knife into a crispy dessert.
"Your Majesty, you must give me an explanation!" A figure hurried over. It was Lord Hobert Hightower, Otto's brother, dressed in green, his middle-aged face quite majestic, with cunning eyes and a large nose. "Your ministers were captured! This is the greatest provocation against you! Are you going to tolerate it?" Hobert was furious. He had come from Oldtown for his great-nephew's nameday, only to hear that his brother had been taken prisoner.
"Calm yourself," Viserys forced a smile.
"How do you expect me to calm down?" Hobert demanded. "Aemon Targaryen invaded the Vale and has openly rebelled. Are you going to sit idly by?" He had petitioned repeatedly. The matter should be resolved by force.
Seeing his aggressive posture, Viserys's smile disappeared. Hobert, proud of his status, promised, "As long as you give the order, Oldtown will be at your disposal at any time."
"Oh?" Viserys couldn't help but mock him. "The Hightower is not afraid of dragonflame, I see. The soldiers of Oldtown can slay dragons?"
"This…" Hobert was so embarrassed he could not answer.
"Since you cannot do it, please go back and think some more. Do not come here to talk nonsense," Viserys said without courtesy.
Hobert's face turned pale. That is a dragon! Who would act rashly against one, save for the Dornish?
"I wish to be left in peace for a while. Do you understand?" Viserys scolded. Even a clay man has a temper. He could not be the only one who had to swallow his anger.
"Yes, Your Majesty," Hobert said, taking a deep look at the king before wisely stepping back. The king had clearly been backed into a corner. The quarrel between the two inevitably attracted the prying eyes of others. The Hand of the King, Lyonel Strong, came over and whispered a few comforting words.
"That bastard has caused me so much trouble," Viserys gritted his teeth. The boy had even sent him an "apology" letter that completely shirked all blame.
"Your Majesty!" Ser Tyland Lannister came in hurriedly at that moment.
"What is it?" Viserys had a bad feeling.
Tyland took a breath and said, "I have urgent military intelligence from the Stepstones."
Viserys's face fell. Seeing the gazes of the people around him, he forced a smile.
Tyland did not want to say it, but he had no choice. "The Stepstones have fallen. The Velaryon fleet has suffered heavy losses, and Ser Laenor has escaped on his dragon, Seasmoke."
"Deserting?" Viserys was stunned.
"Not exactly," Tyland hesitated, then mustered the courage to continue. "The Sea Snake persuaded Lord Baratheon of Storm's End to attack Tyrosh at night. They have successfully captured the city-state."
Viserys's face suddenly changed. "Notify Rhaenyra to hold an emergency council meeting," he said, before walking swiftly out of the hall. Lyonel followed, his face heavy.
It was noon, and the sun was shining brightly. The windows of the council chamber were open, offering a view of sunny King's Landing and the magnificent Dragonpit in the distance. However, the members of the Small Council paid no attention to the fine weather.
"Tell me, what is going on?" Viserys broke the silence. He was truly anxious this time. Aemon occupying the Vale was one thing; that was, in a way, his inheritance. But this was excessive. The Sea Snake, Corlys, was different. He was the most ambitious man in the Seven Kingdoms and coveted the Iron Throne. From across Blackwater Bay, Viserys could feel the jealous eyes of Driftmark upon him. If the Sea Snake was allowed to capture a Free City, it would be a disaster.
Rhaenyra sat next to Lord Lyonel, her expression blank. She shared Alicent's earlier doubt. Wasn't the Sea Snake seriously injured?
"Your Majesty, it was not the Sea Snake who was injured, but his brother, Ser Vaemond," Tyland stood up to explain. When the internal strife of the Three Daughters began, the Sea Snake and Daemon had entered the war too early, becoming the primary target of Tyrosh's attacks. Ser Vaemond was seriously injured in a melee. Because the twin brothers looked similar, the outside world was told it was the Sea Snake. With the enemy's commander supposedly bedridden, the Archon of Tyrosh grew bold and personally led his army to crush the Velaryons in the Stepstones. Daemon disappeared, and Laenor was left in command of the remnants of the fleet.
In private, however, the Sea Snake had visited Storm's End. Lord Boremund Baratheon was Princess Rhaenys's uncle and had been her staunchest supporter during the Great Council of 101. The two sides easily colluded. Laenor used the Stepstones as bait to lure the main Tyroshi forces. Meanwhile, Corlys and Boremund led the Stormland fleet, bypassed the Tyroshi patrols, and attacked the undefended city-state at night. Upon receiving the news, Laenor abandoned the Stepstones. In this way, the Sea Snake had traded the barren rocks for the Archon of Tyrosh's own city.
Viserys looked incredulous. "And Myr and Lys simply watched this happen?"
"That is the next piece of bad news," Tyland whispered. "Tyrosh fell so easily because Princess Rhaenys and the Lady Laena took part in the assault."
Two adult dragons. Any ground defense would be useless.
Upon hearing this, Viserys's face turned ugly. The Velaryon family had finally shown its fangs. There was Rhaenys's "Red Queen," Meleys, and Laena's Vhagar. With Laenor's Seasmoke, they commanded a force of dragons that rivaled that of Aegon the Conqueror and his sisters.
Lyonel was surprised. "Does Princess Rhaenys now fight in foreign wars?"
Rhaenyra's eyes flickered. Since the death of Queen Visenya, no Targaryen woman had been a warrior. Even though they tamed dragons, they did not participate in wars. By Princess Rhaenys's generation, it was an unwritten rule.
"With a sharp weapon in hand, the desire to kill comes naturally," Lord Lyman shook his head. The atmosphere of the meeting became heavier.
Viserys frowned. Having a dragon and using a dragon were two different things. Rhaenys had ridden to war for her husband. This was understandable. However, Viserys glanced at his own grown daughter. Syrax was an adult dragon who could go to war, but Rhaenyra was just a girl, and his designated heir.
"Rhaenyra, what is the status of the royal fleet I asked you to train?" Viserys asked, suppressing his fear.
"I have recruited 1,500 men from the Crownlands, the Riverlands, and the Stormlands," she reported. "I am having ships built on Dragonstone and have begun their preliminary training. The recruitment orders will be delayed in reaching the Reach, the Westerlands, and the North because of the winter."
"Very good," Viserys encouraged her. "Recruit more soldiers from the Crownlands. Gather three to five thousand men first." Ever since his nephew had fought the Battle of Ashes, Viserys realized the defenses of King's Landing were too weak. The army directly under royal command had to be expanded.
"Yes, Father," Rhaenyra responded.
Viserys nodded. "And Daemon? Why is there no news of him?" The Stepstones were his territory.
"It is unclear, Your Grace," Tyland said helplessly. "I heard that Prince Daemon had a quarrel with the Sea Snake and disappeared." The situation was a tangled mess of traps and deceptions.
Viserys clenched his fist. "Write a letter to Lord Boremund of Storm's End. Have him explain himself." A Lord Paramount had disobeyed a royal command. Viserys could not punish him immediately, lest he align himself completely with the Velaryons.
"Father, are you going to summon the vassals?" Rhaenyra asked, her expression serious.
"No!" Viserys shook his head. That would be equivalent to declaring war, and the kingdom was not ready.
"Your Majesty, we must prepare," Lyonel advised softly.
Viserys rubbed the emerald ring on his finger, as if he had made up his mind. "Send a letter to the Vale as well," he said. "Urge Aemon to return to King's Landing as soon as possible."
---------------
You can read +100 advance chapters on my Patreon
Patreon(.)com/izan24
•TIER 1 you'll get +15 ADVANCE CHAPTERS
•TIER 2 you'll get +40 ADVANCE CHAPTERS
•TIER 3 you'll get +60 ADVANCE CHAPTERS
•TIER 4 you'll get +100 ADVANCE CHAPTERS