Aegon let out a long breath as he lay on his bed, arms folded behind his head, eyes fixed on the ceiling above.
So that was their intent all along.
He had expected that Lord Corlys's visit wasn't solely for pleasantries, but a betrothal? To little Laena? A babe still in swaddling cloth?
That had caught him off guard.
What surprised him more was Lady Jocelyn's immediate support. She had spoken in favor of it.
And Rhaenys, though she hadn't said much at all, hadn't needed to. Her presence was enough.
One didn't sail to Dragonstone with an infant daughter and a barge of gifts unless their mind was already made.
Aegon closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again, blinking up at the cold ceiling.
Honestly, he didn't oppose the betrothal.
Laena was still an infant. Any wedding would be more than a decade away.
Twelve, perhaps fifteen years.
More than enough time for him to grow stronger, sharper, and far more powerful than he was now.
But even so…he knew it wouldn't happen.
He already knew that his grandmother intended to pair him with Gael.
Her words to Lord Corlys had been little more than a stalling tactic, a carefully crafted political maneuver designed to deflect his attempt to corner her with guilt over Rhaenys being passed over for succession.
Her words had been measured, but her meaning wasn't. She hadn't dismissed Corlys. She couldn't. Not publicly.
The Lord of the Tides led the richest fleet in the realm, and his wife was the Queen's own granddaughter. A snub in the hall would've turned respect into resentment.
One thing puzzled Aegon, Lady Jocelyn must have known that the Queen intended to pair him with Gael.
So why had she supported the proposal?
Did she truly believe the Queen would be unable to refuse the Lord of the Tides?
Perhaps she did. Perhaps Jocelyn had enough faith in Corlys's influence, and in the strength of his offer, to think that even the Queen's private intentions would have to yield before such a bold move.
Maybe she believed Alysanne couldn't risk offending the Velaryons again, not after they had already been passed over once.
The timing, too, was telling. It felt rushed, as if Corlys had wanted to stake his claim before the King and Queen began entertaining proposals from other great houses.
And judging by the way he reacted to the pyromancy, Aegon had little doubt what other lords would believe, that such power could be passed through blood.
Just as the ability to bond with dragons was inherited, they would assume that Valyrian flame, ancient, forgotten, feared, might also run in the veins of the dragonlords' descendants.
And if that were true, then binding that power to their own bloodlines would become a prize worth chasing.
Aegon slowly sat up. He swung his legs over the side and rose, walking over to the small table near the hearth. Pulling out the chair, he sat down and rested his elbows on the polished wood.
Perhaps I've made myself too dazzling, he thought wryly. Dazzling enough for great Houses to start seeing him not just as the third Targaryen prince, but as a future worth investing in.
It wasn't good.
Revealing his pyromancy had served its purpose, it earned him resources, attention, and the space to study. But it had also shifted how others measured his worth.
If more lords began whispering that he was more valuable than Viserys, the firstborn… things could turn dangerous.
His grandfather, King Jaehaerys, the Realm's conciliator, prized peace and stability above all.
If he suspected that Aegon's existence might threaten the future harmony of succession, even unintentionally, there would be consequences.
It wouldn't matter that Aegon rode a dragon. Or that he was the only living pyromancer since the Doom.
He would still act to protect the realm first.
Aegon gave a dry smile and leaned back in the chair, fingers tapping the wood.
It seems I'll need a new class soon, he thought, amused. One to survive the game of politics.
Next day.
The wind cut sharp as Aegon stepped into the courtyard, grey clouds pressing low overhead. A thin layer of frost coated the stones, crunching quietly beneath his boots.
He was almost to the tower when a figure emerged from beneath the archway.
"A moment, Aegon?" Rhaenys's voice was soft, but it carried.
He stopped and gave a small nod.
Ser Clement, silent and watchful, stepped back to give space.
"We'll be leaving today," Rhaenys said.
Aegon tilted his head slightly, "So soon?"
Rhaenys gave a small, self-conscious smile. "I should've spoken to you first. Before the proposal. Corlys… tends to act once he's decided."
Aegon said nothing. The wind moved between them, tugging strands of her hair loose. She didn't meet his eyes at first.
"You know how it is," she said, voice quieter now. "Princes. Princesses. We rarely get to choose whom we marry."
The words lingered in the cold air.
"You'll get more offers," she said. "Many more. From every great house. That's the truth of it."
Aegon glanced past her toward the sea, where waves crashed endlessly against the cliffs. She followed his gaze for a moment, then returned her eyes to him, her expression more serious.
"The Queen wasn't eager, I could tell. But Corlys will try again, with the King, and with Prince Baelon."
A pause.
"You're clever. You know what your power means." Her eyes searched his face. "Your match will be more than just marriage."
A moment passed, she added, "Laena is still a babe. But I'll raise her to be someone who's worthy of standing beside you."
Her voice was firmer now, but still gentle. "And you'll have House Velaryon's full support, whether you seek Valyrian steel, knowledge, or something else."
Aegon met her gaze. Neither warm nor cold. Just… listening.
"I only ask that you consider it," she said.
Then, her lips curved into a knowing smile. "Gael's a fine match too."
Aegon blinked, just once. A flicker of surprise.
Rhaenys gave a soft laugh. "Don't look at me like that. Yes, I want you to marry Laena. But I want you to be happy, too."
She reached out, touched his arm lightly. A gesture more personal than political.
"Take care, cousin."
She turned to leave, her footsteps light on the frosted stone. But halfway down the steps, she stopped and glanced back with a sly smile.
"I'm looking forward to seeing you forge Valyrian steel…again."
Aegon blinked. Again?
Then it clicked.
Wait… does she think I made those daggers?
Before he could say anything, Rhaenys smirked, and walked on.
The wind tugged at her cloak as she disappeared into the morning fog.
Aegon stood still for a moment, the corner of his mouth twitching.
Then, behind him, Ser Clement approached. "Prince?"
Aegon exhaled slowly, the faintest smile touching his lips.
"Let's go."
They turned toward the tower, boots crunching softly over frostbitten stone.
A few days later.
"Finally," Aegon muttered with relief, setting his quill down as he leaned back in his chair.
It had taken nearly four days of relentless effort to bind magic into clay using spirituality. Countless failed attempts had nearly dulled his patience, but now, the breakthrough was undeniable.
The magic settled within the clay, faintly pulsing beneath its surface.
Once the binding was stable, he began observing the flow of magic through the material.
Two more days passed in quiet study and mental strain before he finally isolated what he had been searching for: the [Form Rune].
The rune's structure was elegant. It represented shaping and molding, an essential foundation for constructing the spell models.
As he stared down at the diagram he had drawn, neatly inked across the parchment, a rare feeling of satisfaction settled in his chest.
Now, he thought, it's time to make something real.
His goal was clear: to integrate the newly discovered [Form Rune] with the [Fire Rune], and recreate the fireball spell, similar to the one he could cast innately through his flamecraft.
But unlike his innate ability, which could be shaped freely in the moment, this constructed spell would follow fixed parameters set by the rune structure.
With each theoretical design, Aegon would construct the structure into his mental space using his spirituality, and test its viability in the real world.
Trial after trial followed, models that collapsed under their own weight, unstable constructs that fizzled out entirely.
But slowly, his understanding deepened.
The more he worked, the more he realized how much more refined his innate flamecraft was compared to this artificially built fireball. The difference in control, responsiveness, and efficiency was stark. And yet, he pressed on.
Until finally, it happened.
A perfect sphere of flame floated above his outstretched palm, stable, controlled, and uniform in shape.
Inside his mental space, a detailed construct hovered: the full structure of the [Fireball] spell, built from the integration of [Form] and [Fire].
Aegon allowed himself a faint, wry smile.
It wasn't complete…not yet. The flame floated obediently in place, but refused to move. It couldn't be thrown or launched. For that, he would need another rune, something tied to propulsion, force, or directional movement.
Even so, the success was undeniable.
He had created a prototype spell model. And more importantly, it was usable by others. Anyone with a sufficiently strong mind and a source of magic could, in theory, replicate this spell. The second requirement could even be bypassed with a nearby magical catalyst.
Of course, there was a catch.
The model's foundation rested on spirituality, a higher, purer form of mental energy. For most people, even attempting to manifest this spell would leave their mind drained or shattered.
But that didn't matter.
Because now, Aegon had proven the concept.
He leaned back, breathing slowly and deeply. His gaze drifted toward the window. The morning sun filtered weakly against the lingering chill of winter.
His mind shifted to something else, something he had been expecting.
The growth of his experience points had slowed significantly.
The flurry of gains he'd received after news spread of his awakening as a Valyrian pyromancer had mostly settled. The echoes of awe, fear, or reverence across the realm had already been absorbed.
It's time, he thought, time to move forward.
He opened his status and checked the numbers.
[EXP: 623,247]
More than six times what he'd earned upon bonding with Dreamfyre. Back then, when he'd become the youngest dragonrider in Westerosi history.
He checked his class tree and focused on the only branch with three leaves.
[ Class: Wizard Apprentice (Tier 3) ]
[ Prerequisites:
- Max level Class: Occult Scholar (satisfied)
- Max Level Class: Mental Adept (satisfied)
- Understanding of Runes (satisfied)
- INT ≥ 13.0 (satisfied)
- Magic ≥ 2.5 (satisfied) ]
[ Level 1 (000 / 10,000) ]
[ Trait : Spirituality
(+10% perception of ambient or hidden magical phenomena)
(+10% interaction with supernatural forces)
(+5% regeneration rate of Spirituality when resting or meditating) ]
[ Trait : Spellcraft
(+10% creation of mental spell models from runes)
(+10% stability of custom spell models during casting)
(−5% Spirituality and Magic cost when activating refined spell models) ]
[ Trait : Magic Control
(+10% control over magical power flow)
(+10% effectiveness in shaping or bending magic )
(+10% resistance to uncontrolled magical interference) ]
He studied the screen for a moment, unmoving. There was a temptation to leap forward, to flood the class with experience and reach its apex in a flash.
But no.
This was his first Tier 3 class. He wanted to understand it as it unfolded. Step by step.
Slow and measured, he reminded himself.
"Let's start with two levels," he muttered aloud.
Then, with a careful exhale, he funneled the necessary experience into the [Wizard Apprentice] class, raising it to Level 3.
[-30,000 EXP]
[Class Level Increased: 1 → 3]
***
***
***
⚔️ BOOST THE PACE ⚔️
Each milestone reached will unlock 1 new chapter within 6 hours of hitting the target.
📜 Milestones:
100 Power Stones → +1 Chapter ✅
500 Power Stones → +1 Chapter
1500 Power Stones → +1 Chapter
3000 Power Stones → +1 Chapter
You can track progress on the novel's main page. Every stone you drop helps speed up releases and keeps Aegon's story growing strong. 🔥
***
TOP SECRET:
🔹 Read up to Chapter 51 on Patreon! (FREE access up to Chapter 44) 👉 patreon.com/Deep__aureate
***