Since they were going to clash on the same day.
Aegon would not give Viserys face, much less Rhaenyra face.
"You want to target Rhaenyra that day?" Helena exclaimed in surprise. "Won't that make the royal family a laughingstock for others?"
Clashing on a day of great joy would easily make people laugh.
But Aegon didn't care.
"Does the royal family still have any face?"
"The royal family has long been a joke in the eyes of others!"
"Seven hells, giving birth to three bastards in a row, and even wanting to name the eldest bastard as the next successor to the Iron Throne!"
Wanting to be Queen, yet all her actions are those of a whore.
Giving birth to three children with brown hair, brown eyes, and flat noses in a row.
Let alone the nobles of the Seven Kingdoms, even the commoners of the Seven Kingdoms would have to laugh a couple of times!
Helena fell silent.
Aegon was right.
After Jacaerys, Lucerys, and Joffrey were born, the royal family was already the joke of the Seven Kingdoms.
"Alas, I don't know what Rhaenyra is thinking." Helena said with some helplessness.
It wasn't that Helena sympathized with Rhaenyra, nor was it that she was disappointed in Rhaenyra.
She just couldn't understand what Rhaenyra was thinking when, as Viserys's designated heir, she had an affair and bore children for her lover?
Any normal heir, knowing her inherent disadvantage due to her gender, wouldn't give birth to three bastards in a row, right?
"I don't know what she's thinking, but I know her whoring behavior will only make me look better and gain more support!"
Aegon didn't care what was going on in Rhaenyra's head.
Giving birth to three bastards in a row indeed turned the royal family into a joke, but for Aegon, it was profitable.
The more outrageous Rhaenyra's actions were, the more they highlighted Aegon's excellence and greatness.
There's an old saying, it's not about being excellent yourself, it's all thanks to your peers making you look good!
Aegon never thought he was particularly excellent, but unfortunately, Rhaenyra was even worse.
If not for the several adult Dragons in Rhaenyra's Black Party, Aegon wouldn't even bother with Rhaenyra and the Black Party she led.
But unfortunately, Dragons were the strongest force in the world.
Rhaenys's mount—the 'Red Queen' Meleys, was renowned as the fastest Dragon in the history of Westeros.
Even facing Vhagar alone, she would have a chance of winning.
Daemon's mount—the 'Blood Wyrm' Caraxes, a massive, formidable, and terrifying beast with extensive combat experience.
In the original story, during the later stages of the Dance of the Dragons, Daemon challenged Aemond at Harrenhal.
They both died in the decisive battle known as the Dance over the Gods Eye.
In the final moments, Vhagar and Caraxes became entangled and plunged towards the Gods Eye.
It's important to know that during the Dance of the Dragons, Caraxes's size was only half of Vhagar's.
Certainly, Daemon leaping from his Dragon's back to kill Aemond was crucial, but Caraxes's might is undeniable.
Besides Meleys and Caraxes, there were also Vermithor and Silverwing on Dragonstone.
When Jaehaerys I was young, Vermithor was already the second largest Dragon on Westeros, only smaller than Balerion and Vhagar.
Silverwing was Queen Alysanne Targaryen's she-Dragon, similar in size to Dreamfyre, but far less temperamental than Dreamfyre.
If nothing unexpected happened, Rhaenyra would still initiate the 'Sowing of the Seeds,' summoning bastards with Targaryen blood to tame Dragons.
In the original story, Hugh tamed Vermithor, and a drunkard named Ulf tamed Silverwing.
Hugh had already submitted to Aegon.
And Aegon had also secretly learned about Ulf, a complete gambler and drunkard, with nothing worth recruiting him for.
Aegon had originally intended to execute Ulf directly, but after thinking about it, he gave up.
Ulf was terrible, greedy, addicted to gambling, and a heavy drinker; even if he became Silverwing's rider, he wouldn't be a threat.
In case Aegon executed Ulf and Rhaenyra got lucky and recruited a loyal Dragonrider, it wouldn't be worth the loss.
Knock knock knock-
The knocking sound suddenly rang out, and Helena sprang up from Aegon's arms as if shocked.
Aegon chuckled.
"Come in."
Alec walked in, followed by Loren.
"Loren?" Aegon was a little surprised. "Why are you back so early?"
"Ser Hugh is very attentive to the Lannister Fleet. Ships don't dare to dock at Tyrosh's ports, and messages can't be sent out.
Any unfamiliar merchant ships or warships approaching Tyrosh are relentlessly pursued by Ser Hugh."
Loren couldn't help but give a thumbs-up as he spoke.
Hugh was truly dedicated, conducting airstrikes on Tyrosh whenever he had time.
It also made the Tyroshi fully understand that scorpions were just scorpions, not some sort of Dragon-slaying artifact.
"Are you complaining to me, blaming Aemond for not being attentive before, haha." Aegon couldn't help but tease Loren.
"Your Highness, please don't slander me. I just feel that Ser Hugh is too…diligent."
"Diligent?" Aegon's smile deepened. "The Tyroshi would rather Hugh be a lazybones."
Aegon had assigned Hugh the escort mission for the Lannister Fleet precisely so Hugh could get familiar with riding Dragons.
It's just that Hugh was more diligent than Aegon had anticipated.
Not only did he complete the escort mission, but he also conveniently blockaded the sea lanes near Tyrosh.
"Where is Hugh? Hasn't he returned yet?"
"Ser Hugh is still at the Dragonpit. He'll probably be here soon," Loren replied.
Aegon nodded, then looked at Alec.
"Why aren't you monitoring the East District? What are you doing running over to the West District?"
"Your Highness, good news! We've discovered another Dragon skeleton. There are a total of two Dragon skeletons buried underground!"
"Thank the Gods, how large is the second Dragon skeleton?" Aegon could barely contain his smile.
"It's similar to the first Dragon skeleton, but far less complete. It's like something smashed all its bones."
Alec frowned slightly. He really couldn't imagine what terrifying thing could smash all the bones of a hundred-meter-long Dragon!
Seeing Alec's tightly furrowed brows, Aegon chuckled.
"Don't overthink it. It should be seawater."
"Seawater?"
Alec and Loren looked astonished. Seawater smashed the bones of a hundred-meter-long Dragon?
"That's right, seawater.
About twelve thousand years before the Conquest, the First Men appeared.
They came across the sea from Essos via the Arm of Dorne and warred with the Children of the Forest, the native inhabitants of Westeros.
Ancient songs and legends say the Green Seers cast powerful magic called the 'Hammer of the Waters'.
The 'Hammer of the Waters' caused the sea level to rise, swept across the land, shattered the Arm of Dorne, and formed the Stepstones as they are today."
Alec blinked, full of doubt. "But that was over twelve thousand years ago. Didn't Dragons appear just over five thousand years ago?"
Aegon shrugged.
"I don't know. The 'Hammer of the Waters' is just my speculation. I'm not even sure if such magic existed in history."
"Don't be so rigid. We can never know the truth, we can only make bold speculations."
Aegon was speechless.
How would he know what happened back then?
Moreover, according to the records of House Targaryen, the Valyrians merely discovered Dragon lairs in the Fourteen Flames, they did not create Dragons.
No one knows how long Dragons have existed in this world.