Vaegon asked, "When do you need the money?"
Without a word, Maekar slid a bundle of blueprints for the clock across the table.
"Now," he said.
Vaegon gave him a strange look.
"You, who crept in here unannounced, expect a hundred thousand gold coins this instant?"
"Yes," Maekar replied evenly.
"All I require is that you bring the gold—and someone to carry it for me—until I reach my dragon."
Vaegon sighed.
"I cannot simply take out a hundred thousand. I will have to convene with the other archmaesters, pitch this invention, then discuss—"
Maekar cut him off. "Do not pretend the Citadel are paupers. You have enough gold. So get up, go to wherever you archmaesters hoard your treasure, and bring me my hundred thousand."
Vaegon sighed once again, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"You children ought to respect your elders," he muttered.
then rose from the bed. With a gesture, he motioned for Maekar to help. Together they pushed the heavy bed frame aside, revealing the mat beneath. Vaegon pulled it away, uncovering a small wooden door set into the floor. He opened it to reveal pouches, scattered research papers, a pair of far-eye glasses from Myr, and several small chests. With a grunt and Maekar's help, Vaegon dragged three of the chests out.
Vaegon patted his hands clean and set everything back as it was, then pointed at the chests.
"There—one hundred thousand gold dragons."
Maekar nodded. "Well, my business here is done."
But Vaegon raised a brow. "Do you not want a paper contract?"
Maekar met his gaze. "No. I believe you know what betraying me will cost you, Vaegon."
He straightened and added, "Now, call some helpers to carry these chests—preferably guards, so we aren't stopped at the city gates. I've no intention of dragging tens of kilograms of gold through a city alone."
Vaegon ignored the blatant threat and disrespect from his grandnephew and stepped outside to summon three guards. Meanwhile, Maekar knelt before the three chests, opening them one by one. Inside lay stacks of neatly arranged, gleaming gold dragons. He ran his hand through the top layer, parting the coins to make sure the wealth went deeper than the surface—
'One could never be too sure,' Maekar thought.
Satisfied, he shut the chests, pulled his hood low to hide his hair, and listened as four sets of footsteps approached.
When Vaegon returned, he acted as if nothing were amiss. He pointed at the chests and said curtly,
"Carry these and follow the boy out of the city. There's a contingent of soldiers waiting to take them off your hands and send them to the Red Keep."
It was a lie, of course—a quick invention to keep the guards from growing curious at the sound of clinking gold and deciding the cargo was worth more than their loyalty.
The guards quickly moved, kneeling before the chests and lifting each with both hands, carefully carrying them toward the door. Vaegon closed the distance between himself and Maekar, leaning close to whisper,
"Why do this, Maekar? This secrecy… You and your dragon are your family's hopes of ever achieving your goals. Aegon's dragon doesn't grow nearly as fast, and Aemond has none. If you had gone to him, Otto would gladly help you in any way you needed."
Maekar met his granduncle's gaze before leaning in, his mouth near Vaegon's ear.
"This is the difference between us," he murmured.
"You serve others. I serve myself, Vaegon. live long enough to witness my future actions, goodbye."
Maekar stepped toward the door. Together, the four horses left the Citadel and galloped swiftly out of the city.
About ten minutes after leaving the city, the guards finally seemed relaxed enough for one of them to ask the hooded Maekar,
"Hey, won't you tell us what's inside these chests?"
Their voices carried a mix of curiosity and greed, as if the incessant clinking of coins hadn't already whispered temptations in their ears like a succubus.
Maekar ignored them, thinking, 'I should be far enough.'
Then, abruptly, he stopped his horse, forcing the guards to jerk their reins and skid their horses to a halt. The previously curious guard, now furious, glared at Maekar as he swung down from his horse.
The guard, cursing, "You stupid bastard! What the hell are you doing?"
Once more, Maekar ignored them, sending a silent thought to Morghul to come to him.
Before the furious guard could approach Maekar, one of the others said, "Hey, look at this, Karl."
Karl, the furious guard, looked back at his comrade in annoyance. "Wha—"
His words died in his throat. One of the chests had slipped during the sudden stop, spilling its beautiful contents across the ground. Silence fell over Karl and the other two guards.
Karl's eyes snapped back to the silent Maekar. Slowly, he drew his sword. "Sorry, little boy. Seems you've run out of luck."
The other three guards quickly dismounted, taking the chests from their horses and setting them on the ground; as they opened them and saw the gold inside, their faces lit up with greed, and they quickly moved to surround Maekar.
Maekar raised a hand and pointed upward. "Look."
The three guards, confused, glanced up—seeing nothing. Angry, they turned back toward Maekar, ready to advance while cursing, when the sudden sound of giant flapping wings made them look up again.
A giant black beast descended upon them. Before they could react, Morghul landed, crushing two of them under his hind legs. Even before the smoke from his sudden descent could rise, Morghul, seemingly in a frenzy, lashed out with his tail, striking all three horses and sending their broken, smashed bodies flying. As the poor horses' bodies flew, Morghul opened his massive jaws, and a fiery red jet erupted, engulfing the flying corpses and causing the surrounding area to flare with heat and light.
The dragon raised his head, ready to roar, but a single command halted him.
"Be silent, Morghul," Maekar said, his voice calm yet commanding, mindful that they were not far from Oldtown.
Once the dust settled, only Maekar, Karl—the guard now visibly pissing himself as he sat on the ground—and the lone, lucky horse Maekar had ridden, long gone, remained.
Maekar fixed the foolish, greedy guard with a cold stare. "Do you wish to live, Karl?"
Karl, now fully seeing the prince as Maekar's hood had been removed during Morghul's descent, stammered, trembling uncontrollably.
"Y-y-yes, m-my p-p-prince… p-please forgive me… I-i-i will do anything you want… just please let me live."
Maekar hummed softly before saying,
"Okay, you may go."
Delighted, Karl scrambled to his feet on trembling legs and dashed toward the city, stumbling every few steps.
Just as hope began to spark in his chest, the thundering sound of a massive form behind him reached his ears.
He turned his head to see the monstrous black beast rapidly closing in. Petrified, Karl pleaded to the still-prince,
"My prince, p-please—"
He couldn't finish. Morghul caught up, sinking the tip of his massive maw into Karl's legs, shredding flesh and bone.
"Aagh! Ahhhrck!"
The man's screams erupted in strange, gurgling noises as Morghul spat out the shredded limbs and came for another bite. The screams grew weaker and shriller until Morghul silenced them by finally swallowing the torso whole.