121-125

*Chapter 121: The Eight Hundred Warriors*

Near noon, the meeting concluded.

Each person returned the stone ball before them to its designated spot on the circular platform and exited the hall together.

"Viserys."

As soon as they stepped outside, Alicent, dressed in a green gown, called softly and naturally took her husband's arm.

"Have you been waiting long, Alicent?"

Viserys enjoyed his wife's attentiveness and smiled as he asked.

He was in his prime and deeply fond of the youthful and beautiful Alicent. The two shared a loving relationship.

"I've prepared lunch and was just waiting for you to join me."

Alicent smiled warmly, her gaze as tender as water.

Viserys glanced at the accompanying ministers, straightened his posture, and felt a sense of pride in his wife's virtuousness.

The ministers did not disappoint his expectations; they smiled, nodded, and tactfully walked away.

Viserys turned expectantly to his two children and extended an invitation. "Would you like to join us? Alicent's cooking is quite good."

"No, Rhaegar and I already ate," Rhaenyra replied, her face devoid of expression as she turned and walked away.

She had grown distant from her father and was even more at odds with her "good sister" Alicent, to the point of hostility. If unnecessary, she avoided sharing a table with them altogether.

Rhaegar stood in place, amused as he watched Rhaenyra's retreating figure.

Having been freed from the constraints of the crown prince's title, Rhaenyra had relaxed in recent years. If she didn’t like something, she didn’t hide it.

“Ahem…”

Just as Rhaegar was contemplating how to decline the invitation, a soft cough came from not far away.

Rhaegar looked over and saw Tyland, with his golden hair, clearing his throat and winking at him.

The young Lannister was undeniably a handsome man.

But being winked at by another man left Rhaegar a bit unsettled.

After a moment's thought, Rhaegar politely declined. “Father, the caravan from Mushroom Creek is expected to arrive later. I need to supervise it.”

Viserys looked disappointed. “It’s just a group of wildlings; what’s there to supervise?”

However, he knew the effort his eldest son had put in and didn’t press further. He took Alicent’s arm, and the two walked away together.

Once they had gone, Rhaegar approached Tyland, who had been waiting for some time, and smiled. “Lord Tyland, what can I do for you?”

“Let’s talk as we walk.”

“Of course.”

As they strolled through the corridor, Tyland clasped his hands behind his back and spoke cryptically. “Prince, do you know why the Queen was waiting outside the council hall today?”

“Is she planning something?”

Rhaegar maintained his smile but raised the question.

Since the succession council had concluded, Alicent had behaved herself.

Aside from a few inconsequential maneuvers in private, she had maintained the appearance of a virtuous and gracious queen and had not clashed with Rhaegar openly.

Tyland nodded. “The street-cleaning initiative you proposed recently? The Queen has privately recommended former Hand of the King, Lord Otto, to take charge of it.”

“Heh, clever. She plans to bring Otto back to King’s Landing while taking control of the operation,” Rhaegar said with a faint smile.

The population of King’s Landing had swelled to an astonishing 500,000, making it one of the largest cities in all of Westeros.

Yet, despite being a political center, the city was overpopulated, chaotic, and riddled with filth. The streets were littered with human waste, and the stench was unbearable.

Every summer, even from ten miles away, Rhaegar could smell the foul odor while riding his dragon.

Before proposing the Dragonpit reform, Rhaegar had already suggested cleaning the streets and improving the residents’ living environment.

“Prince, you should act quickly and select someone trustworthy to oversee the implementation,” Tyland advised earnestly, his words carrying deeper implications. “Allowing Otto to return to King’s Landing would not only let him take credit for your work but also create unnecessary trouble.”

“Thank you for the information, Lord Tyland,” Rhaegar said, amused, as he patted the man on the shoulder before parting ways at the staircase.

He had no doubt about the accuracy of Tyland’s intel.

As for Tyland’s motives, Rhaegar could only shake his head.

...

Night fell.

Rhaegar returned to the Dragonpit.

As he pushed open the large doors, the interior was shrouded in darkness. The interplay of firelight and moonlight cast mottled and indistinct shadows across the space.

Rhaegar's steps were steady, and the faint sound of sharp friction reached his ears.

“Scree—”

Suddenly, a piercing roar echoed as a pillar of green dragonfire erupted, illuminating the entire dragon lair.

The glutton climbed to the top of the lair, overlooking the rider below.

As the dragonfire lit up the space, figures gradually came into view, neatly lined up in formation.

“Prince...”

The moment they saw Rhaegar, their shouts resounded like war drums, echoing throughout the vast dragon lair.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—  

Torches were lit one by one, dispelling the darkness and restoring brightness to the lair.

Rhaegar looked up and saw that the center of the lair was divided into two groups of people, crowded together.

One group wore leather armor and wielded spears or swords—these were the lair's original guards.

There were about 300 of them.

The other group wore animal hides and coarse cloth. They were tall, burly, and fierce-looking—nearly a thousand in number.

These were the freedmen who had once followed him from the Crab Claw Peninsula.

From each group, a representative stepped forward.

One was Maenars, wearing a scholar’s robe, his pale complexion showing signs of recovery.

The other was a slender, brown-haired youth dressed in coarse fabric, with a white falcon perched on his shoulder.

The boy approached Rhaegar, bowed deeply, and said softly, “Prince, 800 warriors have been waiting for your orders.”

Rhaegar playfully punched his shoulder and asked, “There weren’t any problems during transport, were there, Tormund?”

Tormund glanced at the white falcon on his shoulder and said shyly, “Rest assured, I have more than one pair of eyes watching.”

That white falcon was a legacy of his tribe.

“Good. Tomorrow, send someone to collect the equipment and increase the Dragon Guard to a thousand men.”

Rhaegar swept his gaze over the 800 freedmen warriors, feeling a surge of pride.

These were the fighters he had meticulously trained.

Now that the dragon lair needed manpower, they were a legitimate armed force.

In the vast capital of King’s Landing, the royal army consisted of only 2,000 Gold Cloaks.

The dragon couldn’t always stay by his side.

If he didn’t assemble a force loyal solely to him, how could he sleep at night?

...

After assigning tasks, Rhaegar ascended to the second floor of the dragon lair.

The second floor housed his private chambers.

Creaaak—  

Pushing the door open, Rhaegar stepped into the room, his brows furrowing ever so slightly.

“You’re back?”

A familiar voice sounded as a lantern was lit, revealing Rhaenyra’s figure.

Rhaegar closed the door and lit the room’s candles, surprised. “Rhaenyra, what are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you.”

Rhaenyra had changed into an off-shoulder red dress. Swaying her hips, she approached, lifting his chin with her fingers and smiling playfully.

“This afternoon, those endless lines of wagons carrying freedmen into the city? It wasn’t hard to guess where you’d be.”

“You saw the army I’ve assembled. What do you think?”

Rhaegar made no attempt to hide his pride as he sat casually at the table near the fireplace.

“They’re fierce. As expected from wildlings—they’ll be of great use.”

Rhaenyra spoke honestly.

Rhaegar picked up a quill and a piece of parchment, sketching as he talked. “I’ve put a lot of thought into solving the freedmen’s survival issues.”

“The Mushroom Market, huh? That’s a great money-making tool.”

Rhaenyra thought of the special caravans operating in the Crownlands and the Riverlands, her tone tinged with envy.

The nobles of the Crownlands were mostly wealthy, and the Mushroom Market, established at the borders of their territories, served as a central trading hub.

The Riverlands, with their unique geography of crisscrossing rivers and weak connections between lords, had a stagnant economy.

Rhaegar had collaborated with the old Duke Tully, using trade caravans to transport goods to the various nobles’ territories in exchange for supplies.

This enterprise earned him a hefty profit each year.

Not only could he support a group of freedmen, but he also had extra money to spend.

Want to see dragons? If so, write more about the dragons in the storyline.

---

Chapter 122: Laenor and Daemon

Hearing the envy in Rhaenyra's voice, Rhaegar glanced at her and chuckled. "You're collecting ship taxes on Dragonstone—your profits must not be small either."

"Not as much as yours."

Rhaenyra pulled up a chair and sat beside him.

Rhaegar shook his head. "The Mushroom Market earns a lot, but the expenses are hefty too."

"Every year, 30% of the profits go to Old Tully as dividends, another 30% supports the Freefolk, and I set aside 10% for your private treasury, Princess."

"The coins left in my hand don’t even reach half."

"What? Feeling bad about it?"

Recalling the private treasury Rhaegar had built for her, Rhaenyra’s eyes curved with delight.

It was a considerable fortune.

Not just gold coins, but also furs, jewelry, and rare treasures.

Rhaenyra’s expenses in King’s Landing were almost entirely covered by this private fund.

"This is compensation for you. It’s just some gold and silver—not a big deal."

What Rhaegar valued was emotional worth, not material wealth.

If he truly needed money, he could access the royal treasury.

But he preferred not to ask his father for funds.

Financial independence and supporting the Freefolk were matters he wanted to handle himself.

After a moment of silence, Rhaenyra changed the subject. "I have two pieces of news, one good and one bad. Which one would you like to hear first?"

Rhaegar paused his drawing and raised a brow. "Where is this news coming from?"

"Lys," Rhaenyra replied.

"I see. Start with the good news."

Hearing that the news was from Lys, Rhaegar frowned, already having a guess about its nature.

Rhaenyra hesitated for a moment before saying, "Laena has given birth—twin daughters. The Targaryen bloodline continues."

"She’s really devoted to Daemon," Rhaegar scoffed. "Back then, she risked being branded a traitor to save our ‘dear’ uncle. Now, they’ve even had children."

On a rainy night seven years ago, Rhaegar had suspected Daemon wouldn’t submit to punishment. He preemptively stationed Cannibal at Blackwater Bay.

As expected, Daemon escaped on Caraxes and was caught by Rhaegar.

After he left, Laena mounted Vhagar to rescue the drowning Daemon.

To avoid the king’s wrath, the two fled to the Free Cities and even held a wedding.

"Rhaegar, I know you. You’ve stopped caring about them long ago."

Rhaenyra placed a comforting hand on Rhaegar’s shoulder and spoke softly.

After that night, Daemon and Laena became fugitives, wanted by the realm.

But Rhaenyra knew both her father and brother had tacitly stopped mentioning them, treating them as if they had drowned at sea.

"Let’s hear the bad news, then."

Rhaegar’s tone was slightly irritable.

Rhaenyra nodded. "Laena sent me a letter. She misses her homeland and wants her newborn daughters to grow up here. She’s asking me to plead with you and Father on her behalf."

"You agreed?" Rhaegar looked up in surprise, not expecting Laena to dare make such a request.

Rhaenyra sighed. "If I had agreed, would I have called it bad news?"

Rhaegar snorted and rubbed his temples.

Setting aside her personal prowess, Laena was the rider of the largest dragon in the world, Vhagar, making her the most formidable dragonrider alive.

Her family had regained strength in recent years, returning to its peak.

Not to mention the powerful fleet under the command of the Sea Snake.

As for dragons, their numbers were equally intimidating—Vhagar, Meleys, Caraxes, and Sea Smoke. Four dragons had seen combat.

By contrast, the royal family currently had only three dragonriders.

Rhaegar, who rode Cannibal, Rhaenyra, who rode Syrax, and Aegon, who had recently tamed Sunfyre.

Of the three, only Rhaegar had combat experience. Rhaenyra and Aegon were untested, and their dragons, Syrax and Sunfyre, were still young and less formidable than even Sea Smoke, the youngest of the opposing dragons.

"The Sea Snake isn’t someone to be trifled with. What’s your plan?" Rhaenyra asked softly.

Rhaegar’s thoughts churned as he considered House Velaryon’s deep resources. After a moment of contemplation, he said, "Laena can return, but the two Targaryen children must be raised by the royal family."

He had thought it through. Daemon was a traitor, but his children carried the pure Targaryen bloodline.

Raising two dragonriders and using this to keep Laena tied to the crown seemed like a deal too good to pass up.

"What about Daemon? He won’t leave his wife and daughters," Rhaenyra pressed.

Rhaegar tilted his head back, staring blankly as he murmured, “Daemon is a traitor. The day he returns to Westeros will be the day I ride the Devourer to tear him apart.”

For the sake of their shared blood, Rhaegar could tolerate Daemon’s survival in this world.

But he could not allow him to appear before him.

"Fine, I'll reply to Laenor truthfully," Rhaenyra said.

Thinking about her dear friend's earnest plea in the letter, Rhaenyra could only sigh at how much things had changed.

Rhaegar clasped her hand and said seriously, “Rhaenyra, you know what? You have terrible judgment.”

"Why would you say that?"

Being criticized for her judgment, Rhaenyra furrowed her delicate brows.

Rhaegar chuckled. “Just look at your close friends: Alicent became our stepmother, and Laenor married Daemon.”

“Well, blame Grandfather for having only Father and Daemon as his sons. Otherwise, you might have had a few more close friends as aunts.”

“Rhaegar, you’re being too much!”

Hearing this, Rhaenyra’s composure instantly crumbled.

---

*Three days later.*

*Dragonpit.*

“Step aside, or the dragon might crush you flat!”

“I am keeping my distance, Brother.”

“Then stay farther away. Sunfyre doesn’t care if you’re my brother...”

As Rhaegar made his routine inspection of the Dragonpit, he heard familiar voices as soon as he entered.

Looking ahead, he saw a golden dragon sprawled at the center of the Dragonpit, surrounded by dragonkeepers and guards.

Not far from the golden dragon stood two figures, one tall and one small.

“Brother...”

Just as Rhaegar was about to approach, a soft and joyous voice called out from a corner.

He turned his head to see a small silver-haired, purple-eyed girl sitting near a campfire in a corner.

The girl appeared to be around ten years old, with delicate features that seemed sculpted from porcelain. She was wearing a white chiffon dress.

“Helena, why are you here too?”

Rhaegar walked over to his sister, beckoning to her.

Helena’s face was pale. In front of her were several jars and bottles, and she was holding a wriggling insect in her hand.

Seeing her brother approach, Helena hurriedly stuffed the insect into a glass jar and shielded her collection with her body.

Her brother didn’t like her fiddling with these little creatures.

When he reached her, Rhaegar leaned over to glance behind Helena and sighed helplessly. “I already saw them. What’s the point of hiding?”

Helena lowered her head like a child caught misbehaving and stammered, “I was just looking, not playing.”

“I’m not against you playing with bugs, but you should spend more time interacting with people.”

Looking at his younger sister, who barely reached his waist, Rhaegar gently ruffled her hair and spoke softly.

He genuinely adored this obedient and sensible sister.

But for some reason, as Helena grew older, she became increasingly withdrawn.

She spent most of her time locked in her room, tinkering with creatures that most girls wouldn’t go near.

This wasn’t a good sign.

What would it truly look like when the blood dragon danced in madness?

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 123: Sunfyre and Aegon*

"Brother..."

Hearing Rhaegar's encouragement, Helaena stood up carefully, her little head lowered even more.

"Don't be nervous. No one will blame you."

Rhaegar gently held Helaena's face, lifting her chin to meet his gaze. He asked, "Why are you here at the Dragonpit?"

This little sister of his, almost invisible most of the time, was rarely seen.

Feeling the warmth from his hand on her cheek, Helaena clasped her hands behind her back and looked at him expectantly. "Mother told me to come. She said all the children of House Targaryen must tame a dragon."

Rhaegar understood immediately.

He glanced at the two brothers standing behind her, seeing through Alicent's intentions at once.

Aegon's successful taming of Sunfyre had brought great pride to Alicent.

Helaena was nine years old, and Aemond was seven—both at an age suitable for dragon taming.

Unfortunately for the siblings, the dragon eggs placed in their cradles had never hatched.

Their only option now was to attempt taming one of the dragons in the Dragonpit.

Amused by the thought, Rhaegar took Helaena's small hand and said generously, "Come, there’s a young dragon that hatched earlier this year. It’s a beautiful creature."

Although Alicent was at odds with him and sought to undermine his position as heir, Rhaegar was not one to act rashly or out of spite.

Weakening Alicent’s faction by forbidding her children from taming dragons was shortsighted.

Dragons were the treasures of House Targaryen.

Without riders, they could never realize their true potential.

Rhaegar had watched Helaena grow up.

She shared his prophetic dreams, a pure Targaryen in every sense.

Helping her tame a dragon seemed only natural to him.

"Brother, can I touch Sunfyre?"

"No, Sunfyre is a temperamental dragon. It might bite your arm off."

"..."

As they approached the golden dragon, Rhaegar overheard a conversation between his two foolish brothers from a distance.

"Aegon, are you planning to fly Sunfyre around?"

Walking closer, Rhaegar's face was full of amusement.

"Rhaegar!"

Aegon jumped in surprise at Rhaegar's sudden appearance, his expression uneasy.

He disliked his half-brother the most.

"Big brother," Aemond greeted nervously, fidgeting.

At just seven years old, his small frame was adorned with messy silver-gold shoulder-length hair. He wore a pale green tunic, his features bearing a slight resemblance to their father, Viserys.

"Hmm, you've grown taller."

Rhaegar let go of Helaena's hand and patted Aemond’s head, smiling warmly.

Alicent had given birth to three sons and one daughter.

Though Rhaegar did not care for Aegon and his haughty attitude, he was otherwise a protective and dignified elder brother to the others.

Turning his gaze to Aegon, Rhaegar tilted his head and asked, "Aegon, what did you just call me?"

"N-Nothing..."

Aegon stiffened and instinctively stepped back half a pace.

Rhaegar shook his head, stepping closer to grip Aegon's shoulder with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "No, I think I heard something. Say it again."

"Gulp."

Facing his older brother's piercing gaze, Aegon’s heart pounded as he swallowed nervously.

Truth be told, his legs felt like jelly.

Years of being put in his place had instilled a deep fear of Rhaegar.

If his siblings weren’t present, he might have already bolted.

"Brother, why are you so tense?"

Sensing Aegon's unease, Aemond tugged at his sleeve, looking up with curiosity.

In Aemond's eyes, Aegon was a heroic dragonrider.

He firmly believed that anyone capable of taming a magnificent dragon like Sunfyre must be fearless.

Glancing down at his innocent little brother, Aegon clenched his jaw in frustration.

Why couldn’t Aemond just stay quiet?

Taking a deep breath, Aegon decided to save face, reluctantly muttering, "Brother!"

"That's better."

Rhaegar patted Aegon's shoulder, his expression shifting into a smile.

Foolish brother, my name is not for you to address so casually.

"So, what’s the plan? Letting Sunfyre out for a flight?"

With the tension eased, Rhaegar glanced at the golden dragon nearby and made small talk.

Sunfyre was no ordinary dragon, after all.

It and Syrax were hatched from the same clutch of dragon eggs.

Its scales gleamed golden, and its wing membranes were a soft pink. It was a magnificent, imposing, and strikingly beautiful dragon.

Sometimes, Rhaegar couldn't help but feel a little envious of Aegon, whose dragon was so stunning.

With a blank expression and distracted tone, Aegon said, "I brought these two to the Dragonpit to get a look at the dragons, and also to check on the dragon combat training you’re implementing."

"Seeing the dragons is fine, but the combat training isn’t ready yet," Rhaegar replied calmly.

"The Dragon Guard has just been expanded, and they’re not familiar with the dragons yet. The combat training will have to be postponed."

"It’s just shooting arrows at a dragon while it dodges. How hard can it be?"

Aegon muttered begrudgingly.

The so-called dragon combat training referred to the Targaryen family’s traditional dragon-taming techniques.

A chain would be tied around one of the dragon's legs, and soldiers would fire arrows at it to train the dragon's ability to dodge attacks.

After Aegon the Conqueror’s death, this method of training was discontinued.

In Rhaegar’s view, dragons were the family’s greatest strength.

Though the opportunity to ride dragons into battle might be rare, every dragon in the family should possess the ability to dominate a battlefield.

This belief was one of the reasons why he decided to revive the dragon-taming techniques.

Hearing Aegon’s dissatisfaction, Rhaegar paid no attention.

The boy had always been a little dim-witted since childhood; he wasn’t worth the effort.

Turning to a nearby dragonkeeper, Rhaegar commanded, "Go and bring out Tessarion."

Tessarion was a newly hatched dragon, named by Rhaenyra.

The dragonkeeper nodded and obeyed.

At the mention of another dragon, Aemond’s eyes lit up, his gaze fixed intently on Rhaegar with an expression full of longing.

Noticing the boy's eager eyes, Rhaegar hesitated for a moment.

There was only one young dragon, which wasn’t enough for both Helaena and Aemond.

After some thought, Rhaegar asked another dragonkeeper, "Is Dreamfyre still resting?"

"No, that dragon has just finished eating," the young dragonkeeper replied in halting High Valyrian.

"Bring Dreamfyre as well," Rhaegar instructed. "She’s been in the pit long enough."

"As you wish, my prince," the dragonkeeper said, calling for assistance as he headed toward Dreamfyre's lair.

After giving these orders, Rhaegar placed a hand on each of the younger siblings' heads and ruffled their hair. "Two dragons. Whether you can tame one depends on your abilities."

"Thank you, big brother," Aemond said quickly, his face flushing with excitement. "I’ll definitely succeed!"

He didn’t care about the animosity between Aegon and Rhaegar.

All he wanted was to have a dragon of his own.

Helaena, on the other hand, was much quieter.

With her head lowered, she traced circles on the stone floor with her toe, her expression somewhat dazed.

She didn’t go out often and had little concept of what dragons were.

Her mother had instructed her to come, so she came.

Now Rhaegar was telling her to try taming a dragon, so she decided she would try.

Aegon observed coldly from the side.

He looked down on Rhaegar’s attempts to win over his younger siblings, considering them unnecessary.

With his foolish younger brother and absent-minded younger sister, how could they possibly succeed in taming dragons?

It had taken him several years of effort to tame Sunfyre.

"I’m not sticking around for this game," Aegon said, rolling his eyes as he walked toward Sunfyre in the distance.

At this time, the year was 118 AC, 13 years before the Dance of the Dragons.

Aegon’s characterization follows the show’s portrayal of him as an arrogant and apathetic youth.

As for Rhaegar, the author has distinct plans for each of his siblings.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 124: Tessarion

He wasn’t interested in watching kids tame dragons. Sunfyre was his one true love.

Aemond glanced at his unhappy older brother, hesitated for a moment, and pretended not to notice.

He was already seven years old.

At this age, his eldest sister, Rhaenyra, had successfully ridden the dragon Syrax.

His eldest brother, Rhaegar, had gone even further—taming the largest dragon he’d ever seen, the King of Wild Dragons, Cannibal, at just six years old.

He longed to tame a dragon, to earn his father’s approval and his mother’s praise.

As for his brother Aegon… well, he could only offer a silent apology in his heart.

…

Time ticked by slowly.

The dragonkeepers sent out gradually returned.

“Hiss… Roar…”

Two distinct dragon cries echoed through the air. Following the commands of the dragonkeepers, they moved closer to the destination.

Before long, the two dragons—one large and one small—appeared, slowly crawling out of their respective lairs.

There was no need to introduce Dreamfyre.

Her pale blue scales were streaked with silver lines, her light blue wings and silver back scales gave her a slender build, and her horned crown was majestic and imposing.

The other dragon was much smaller, barely the size of a horse.

Her wings were a deep cobalt blue, her claws, horns, and belly scales shone like polished bronze, her form was well-proportioned, and her bearing was regal.

She was the newly hatched young dragon—Tessarion.

“Dragons! There are two dragons!”

Seeing the two dragons before him, Aemond was so excited that his voice trembled.

“Don’t rush. They are unclaimed dragons; you’ll both have a chance.”

Rhaegar placed a firm hand on Aemond’s shoulder, fearing the boy might charge forward in a burst of enthusiasm.

To be honest, he had a bit of admiration for his youngest brother.

At the very least, Aemond’s love for dragons reminded him of his own passion at that age.

It was one of the few things the two of them had in common.

“Yes, yes, I’ll listen to you, big brother.”

Aemond’s eyes never left the two dragons, scanning back and forth with unbridled eagerness.

As the dragons drew closer, his breathing grew rapid. Grasping his sister Helaena’s hand, he exclaimed with excitement, “Sister, look! Big brother brought us two dragons!”

Before they arrived at the dragon lair, Alicent had instructed the three siblings not to anger Rhaegar and to focus on taming the dragons.

Aemond had mentally prepared himself for the possibility of being tested by Rhaegar.

He hadn’t expected Rhaegar to be so accommodating, offering up two dragons at once for him and Helaena to tame.

Helaena winced slightly from the tight grip on her hand and frowned, saying, “Keep your voice down. You might not succeed in taming them.”

“Sister!”

Aemond felt like he’d been doused with cold water and protested indignantly.

Helaena pulled her hand away, kept her eyes fixed on the ground, and muttered vaguely, “The beasts will tear at our flesh.”

“What!?”

Rhaegar’s expression turned serious as he immediately looked at Helaena.

This little girl often spoke nonsense, but her words always carried a hint of prophecy.

Her statement just now was too ominous to ignore.

Rhaegar couldn’t help but take it seriously.

Helaena shivered, her gaze panicked, and she stammered, “N-no, it’s nothing. I didn’t mean anything.”

“I heard what you said just now. What do you mean by that?”

Rhaegar crouched down, gently smoothing her messy hair, and asked softly.

“N-no, I didn’t… I didn’t say anything.”

Helaena seemed frightened, trembling as she stepped back, her eyes welling with tears.

She was scared!

Ever since she was little, she’d endured gossip because of fleeting visions in her mind.

Her mother had also told her not to speak out of turn and to behave like a proper lady.

Though she didn’t quite understand what being a “proper lady” entailed, keeping her mouth shut was something she remembered well.

“Be brave, Helaena.”

Seeing his pitiful little sister, Rhaegar sighed, gently pulling her into his arms.

He stroked her head tenderly, his eyes filled with compassion as he spoke softly, “Don’t be afraid. No one can hurt you. I will protect you.”

Tormented by his own dreams, he felt a natural affinity for this girl who shared a similar burden.

It was only natural for him to want to shield her.

“Sister, don’t cry. I’ll protect you too.”

Aemond’s expression was full of concern as he held Helaena’s hand and gently shook it.

Compared to their overbearing elder brother Aegon, he much preferred spending time with his quiet sister.

Seeing her cry, he felt utterly at a loss.

Imitating Rhaegar’s soothing gestures, he tried to comfort her.

Thanks to the care and comfort from her brothers, Helaena’s sensitive heart felt some relief. She buried her face in Rhaegar’s chest, reluctant to let go.

“Prince, Dreamfyre has arrived.”

A dragonkeeper’s voice came from nearby.

“I understand. Take Aemond to meet the two dragons first.”

Rhaegar’s voice was indifferent as he helplessly glanced at Helena in his arms.

Looking at this girl’s demeanor, it seemed unlikely she could tame a dragon today.

“Big Brother, I’ll head over now,” Aemond said.

Aemond patted Helena’s hair before eagerly walking off with the dragonkeeper.

Once he tamed a dragon, he would take his sister for a ride through the skies.

Surely, that would stop her tears.

The dragonkeeper asked, “Prince, which dragon would you like to try?”

Aemond’s gaze darted between Dreamfyre and Tessarion, his throat feeling a little dry.

Both dragons looked stunning—he wanted them both.

“This one. It’s smaller and seems gentler,” he finally decided.

In the end, Aemond chose the young dragon Tessarion.

He wasn’t charging in recklessly to tame a dragon; he had gleaned plenty of information through subtle hints from his older brother, Aegon.

Dreamfyre was known to be a temperamental female dragon, locked up in the Dragonpit for years.

He vividly remembered Aegon gleefully recounting the story of how their eldest brother, Rhaegar, had tried to tame Dreamfyre when he was younger but was nearly burned alive by her flames.

Until today, Aemond had thought that if Rhaegar could tame the gluttonous Sunfyre, then he must be no less capable than Aegon.

Even so, since Rhaegar himself had been attacked by Dreamfyre, Aemond had the sense to stay cautious.

After making his decision, Aemond approached Tessarion slowly under the dragonkeeper’s guidance.

“Tessarion, look at me.”

He repeated the phrases taught by the dragonkeeper, trying to communicate in High Valyrian.

Tessarion lay lazily on the ground, her tail swishing back and forth.

Her fiery orange, slit-pupil eyes didn’t even glance at the human boy.

From time to time, she sneaked wary glances at Dreamfyre and Sunfyre nearby.

The two dragons were much larger than her, and their close proximity made her uneasy.

“Tessarion, we can become partners,” Aemond said with anticipation, extending a hand to touch her horned crest.

“Hisssss!”

As his hand approached, Tessarion suddenly lunged forward, baring her menacing jaws.

“No, stop!”

Startled, Aemond yelped and quickly pulled back his hand, stumbling backward in fear.

“Calm down, Tessarion!”

The dragonkeeper tugged on the chain around Tessarion’s neck, using his voice to pacify her and prevent further aggression.

Having narrowly escaped the young dragon’s attack, Aemond’s legs gave out, and he collapsed onto the cold floor.

His heart pounded wildly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he gasped for air.

It was the first time in his life he had faced such danger—especially the sting of failure in taming a dragon, which hit him even harder.

“Hahaha, did you wet your pants, Aemond?”

Aegon, seated atop Sunfyre, was drawn to the commotion and mocked him without mercy.

He knew it—this foolish little brother was destined to fail.

“Hissss!”

Sensing his master’s delight, Sunfyre let out a coordinated screech, shaking its head and unfurling its wings dramatically.

In the story, Aemond seemed to harbor some affection for Helena.

---

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 125: The Defiant Aegon

One man and one dragon—it’s said that like master, like dragon.

Aegon had an arrogant and wild personality, and Sunfyre, his dragon, was equally proud and high-spirited.

Mocked mercilessly by his older brother, Aemond's face flushed with embarrassment and frustration. "That's not true! Stop talking nonsense!" he retorted angrily.

Despite his pale face betraying his fear, Aemond had his own pride and couldn’t stand being humiliated.

Aegon, riding high on Sunfyre, looked down at Aemond with a smug grin. "Idiot, that dragon doesn’t even care about you," he gloated.

Taming a dragon wasn’t that simple; Aegon had spent years training Sunfyre.

Aemond climbed to his feet, glaring at his brother, and shouted, “You’re lying! Tessarion’s just shy, that’s all. It will accept me!”

Even though Tessarion had almost hurt him, Aemond still held onto hope.

Aegon flipped his long, silvery-golden hair, oozing arrogance. "Give it up. Taming a dragon isn’t something you can do overnight."

“No! I have true dragon blood in my veins! I will succeed!”

Refusing to back down, Aemond summoned his courage and approached Tessarion again. Stretching out his hand, he pleaded, “Tessarion, you’ll accept me, won’t you?”

“Hissss...!”

Chained and restless, Tessarion raised its head and roared, its slit-pupiled eyes filled with irritation.

“Don’t act like this. I can be your rider.”

Aemond took a step back, nervously watching Tessarion.

He dreamed of taming a dragon.

Both his older brother Rhaegar and older sister Rhaenyra had successfully bonded with dragons at his age. How could he fail?

“Stop wasting your time. That dragon’s not meant for you. Just go home and hatch a dragon egg,” Aegon taunted, stroking Sunfyre’s shimmering, majestic scales with an air of superiority.

“Aegon, Aemond is your brother. Watch your words!”

Rhaegar, unable to bear Aegon’s mockery of the dejected Aemond, finally intervened with a stern rebuke.

They were brothers, after all. Mocking him like that was going too far. Rhaegar wouldn’t allow Aegon’s arrogance to spiral out of control.

Aegon was momentarily stunned by Rhaegar’s reprimand, but he quickly stiffened his neck and snapped back, “He’s my brother! I can talk to him however I want! What’s it to you?!”

Aegon had been taught by Alicent from a young age that elder brothers were supposed to discipline their younger siblings.

Of course, he conveniently forgot the second part of Alicent’s teachings: elder brothers were also meant to protect their younger siblings.

“Aegon, do you even realize who you’re talking to?”

Rhaegar narrowed his eyes at Aegon’s defiant attitude as he stood up, cradling Helaena in his arms.

Seeing Rhaegar lose his temper sent a shiver down Aegon’s spine.

“Hissss...”

Sunfyre, sensing his rider’s unease, let out a low growl.

Aegon hesitated for a moment but then reached out to touch Sunfyre’s back. The dragon’s fiery-hot scales reignited his courage.

Memories of being oppressed by Rhaegar, overlooked by their father Viserys, and scolded by their mother Alicent flooded his mind.

Years of pent-up anger surged within him.

Clenching his teeth, Aegon decided to stand his ground for once.

“We’re all born of the same father. Why should I fear you?!”

Gripping the saddle tightly, Aegon shouted defiantly, “So what if I’m talking to you? What can you do about it?”

“Impressive. You’ve surprised me today.”

Hearing Aegon’s answer, Rhaegar’s lips curled into a cold smile. Holding Helaena, he strode toward Sunfyre.

“What are you doing? Stay back!”

As Rhaegar got closer, Aegon began to panic, shouting in resistance.

“Aegon, do you think being a dragonrider makes you superior to everyone else?”

Rhaegar stood before the towering golden dragon and looked up, meeting the eyes of his foolish younger brother seated on Sunfyre’s back.

“Of course! I tamed Sunfyre! I’m the pride of our house!”

Aegon’s bravado faltered as he yelled. Without realizing it, he slid slightly backward in the saddle.

“Hissss...”

Sunfyre, agitated by his rider’s growing unease, let out a warning roar.

The mighty dragon dwarfed Rhaegar in size, looking down at the man who dared threaten its rider.

Its fearsome jaws opened wide, and the sulfurous stench of its breath blew Rhaegar’s hair into disarray.

Rhaegar, unfazed, covered Helaena’s ears and glared coldly at Sunfyre. In a commanding tone, he barked in High Valyrian, “Be still!”

Though his voice was overpowered by the dragon’s roar, his presence and aura only grew stronger.

Sunfyre, provoked, lowered its head closer to Rhaegar, its scorching breath washing over him.

Rhaegar didn’t flinch. His piercing violet eyes locked with Sunfyre’s slitted pupils.

In a flash of lightning, a green dragon pattern appeared deep within Rhaegar's pupils, caught keenly by Sunflame's sharp gaze.

A strong sense of danger surged through Sunflame. Its pupils contracted slightly as it quickly snapped its jaws shut and retreated a short distance.

It sensed that something was off.

Ignoring the golden dragon, Rhaegar pointed a finger at Aegon and said coldly, "Get down here, Aegon!"

"Brother, you're so hot~"

Helena, nestled in his arms, squirmed slightly and looked up with her flushed little face.

Unbeknownst to anyone, Rhaegar's pale skin had rapidly turned red, his body temperature rising uncontrollably, as though he had become a humanoid flame.

Held tightly in his embrace, Helena felt as though she were inside a steamer; even her small head began to emit heat.

Without Sunflame's intimidation, Aegon shuddered and broke into a sweat.

No matter how hard he racked his brain, he couldn't understand it.

Rhaegar wasn’t afraid of dragons; the dragons were afraid of him.

Suppressing the urge to tumble off the dragon’s back, Aegon glanced around, his gaze landing on the restless Tessarion.

His eyes lit up, and he exclaimed urgently, "That dragon frightened Aemond! Why are you taking it out on me? Deal with it instead."

"I told you to get down here, Aegon!"

Rhaegar's eyes were locked on the mischievous brat, his voice growing colder by the second.

Today, he had to teach him a proper lesson about respect and hierarchy.

Startled by Rhaegar's roar, Aegon turned to the dazed Aemond and shouted, "Aemond, didn’t you want to tame a dragon? Let me help you subdue it!"

As he spoke, he gave Sunflame an order: "Pin down that young dragon!"

"Rrrrgh..."

Forced to suppress its temper earlier, Sunflame now locked its ferocious gaze on Tessarion, its vertical pupils gleaming with cruelty.

It didn’t understand what “pin down” meant.

Would rendering it immobile suffice?

Sunflame began crawling forward, golden dragon flames spewing from its mouth, striking the unsuspecting Tessarion.

"Rrrrgh..."

Still a young dragon, Tessarion couldn’t withstand the dragonfire and was sent flying, its body scorched black.

"No! Tessarion, are you okay?!"

Aemond's face turned pale as he rushed to his beloved young dragon, his heart aching.

"You idiot! It’s forbidden to attack in the dragonpit!"

Rhaegar hadn’t expected Aegon to vent his anger on Tessarion.

"Rrrrgh..."

Sunflame’s burst of dragonfire triggered a chain reaction.

The injured Tessarion let out an enraged screech. Dreamfyre, which had been idly watching, was also startled and began flapping its wings and growling repeatedly.

For a moment, chaos among the dragons seemed imminent.

"Find somewhere to hide."

Rhaegar gently set Helena down, grabbed a powerful bow from a dragon guard, nocked an arrow, and aimed it at Aegon.

With a cold expression, he said, "Don’t make me say it a third time, Aegon!"

"Wait! I’m coming down, I’m coming down right now!"

Faced with an arrow aimed at him, Aegon’s hair stood on end. He hurriedly unfastened the chains around his waist and climbed down from the dragon’s back.

He realized he was in deep trouble.

"Rrrrgh..."

Sunflame growled irritably, its body twisting and turning as it cast hostile glances at both Dreamfyre and Tessarion.

It sensed a threat from the two fellow dragons.

The volatile instincts hidden deep in its bloodline drove its unease.

As soon as Aegon landed, Sunflame immediately lunged toward Dreamfyre, which was surrounded by dragonkeepers.

In the end, the rebellious teenager couldn’t escape a beating from his older brother.

---

(End of Chapter)