NOVEL NEXT Chapter 14: Introduction
King's Landing, The Red Keep
105 AC
Viserys POV
These must be rumors. Otherwise, why would such a house remain shrouded in darkness for so long, harboring such a massive dragon? Lord Corlys's spies claim it was larger than ships, capable of eclipsing the sun. Could it have slain Sheepstealer? Yet its coloring differs from that of Sheepstealer's known adversary. Perhaps there are more dragons unknown to us. Caution is imperative, as our family has few dragon riders. Of the four, two are allied with another house. Although Rhaenys would not betray her kin, the remaining two dragons and their riders may be too insignificant should our enemies decide they no longer want another dragon lord house in this world.
Should the situation deteriorate, I may have to tame another dragon, though I hope it won't come to that. I doubt any dragon could replace Balerion. As I enter the small council, all members are present, including Daemon and Rhaenyra. Daemon's face betrays his rage and annoyance; it appears he is displeased with another house wielding more power than ours.
"Have you received any further word from your spies, Lord Corlys?" I inquired, taking my seat. This matter is of the utmost importance, as an unexpected attack from the other house could catch us unprepared. All eyes turned to Corlys.
"Yes, Your Grace. It appears my spies have been compromised, as there has been no word from them. However, merchants arriving from Volantis have corroborated the earlier rumors that this new dragon lord house possesses more than one dragon. Indeed, two additional dragons were sighted in the skies of Volantis," he replied in a somber tone, while all members appeared visibly disturbed by the news. It seems the situation will only deteriorate from here on out.
"What about their size? Did the merchant mention that? Are they the same size as the one that remains in Volantis?" Daemon inquired. If they are the same size as the one that has been in Volantis for some time, then why have they been hiding?
"No, they are not the same size, but they are not significantly smaller than the black ones either. They have a green and gold colouring," replied Lord Corlys. His initial statement brought a visible sense of relief to the council members, but his subsequent remark quickly dissipated it.
"What shall we do, brother? We were unaware of their intentions, and our house is unprepared for three dragons of the rumored size. And only the gods know how many more they possess," said Daemon. If only we could ascertain the house to which these dragons belong and the intentions of their riders. Even Daemon's ally in Pentos has no more information than we do.
"What would you have me do, Daemon? I could dispatch a lord as an envoy or a missive to Volantis. However, our relations with Volantis have soured since the Conqueror burned their fleet. And now that they have a dragon rider, do you believe they would provide us with a truthful answer?" I expressed this with a sigh. Things might have been different if the riders had landed in any other Free City, but Volantis is formidable in its own right. It was during the Century of Blood that Volantis's true strength was unveiled.
"Do not fret too much about that, brother. If they plan to wage war against us, they would require the strength of all the free cities. Even with Volantis' power, they could not contend with the Seven Kingdoms alone. Should they attempt to conquer the other free cities, we would form an alliance with Braavos and the rest to subdue them. Braavos would never allow the dragon lords to enslave them again, and there's also the House of Black and White. Without a Dragon rider, the dragons would merely flee after wreaking havoc," said Daemon, his voice brimming with confidence. He is correct; Volantis alone could not withstand the might of the Seven Kingdoms.
He's right; I shouldn't worry too much about that. Just as I was about to smile and urge them to continue the council to discuss the realm's matters, a roar echoed throughout King's Landing. It was not a roar of any Targaryen dragon I knew. All members of the council began to look towards the balcony. Daemon, Rhaenyra, and I started walking toward the balcony, and there it was—a dragon of silver color, almost as large as Vhagar.
Before Daemon and Rhaenyra could head towards the dragon pit, a dragon landed squarely in the keep's courtyard, carving out space for itself and shattering many things in its wake. It was too late for them to make their way to the pit; before the dragons could emerge and take flight, the silver one might set the entire castle ablaze. Meanwhile, soldiers began to encircle the dragon, drawing their weapons.
The dragon lowered its head, surveying them before unleashing a roar so mighty it shook the very foundation of the wall upon which it perched. Some soldiers began to flee, while others were paralyzed by fear, their terror palpable in the air of the courtyard. I could not fault them; the dragon appeared even more ferocious and untamed than the cannibal I had once glimpsed. Its horns, aggressive posture, and the fierce look in its eyes were enough to haunt the soldiers' dreams for nights to come. Meanwhile, the rider began to dismount, descending from the dragon to the ground below.
From my vantage point, all I could discern was his all-black armor, sword, and the whip at his belt. His silver hair caught the light as he began to look directly in my direction. Two purple eyes met mine, piercing in their intensity. After exchanging a few unheard words with the soldiers, he began his approach towards the throne room.
All members of the council began to follow me as we entered the throne room. As we did, the doors opened. He walked toward the throne with a grace that suggested he owned the world, reminiscent of Daemon, as my mind noted. Looking at Daemon, I saw his gaze fixed on the rider with unbridled curiosity and a slight smirk, finding the situation amusing. Rhaenyra looked on with a mix of confusion and curiosity. Her cheeks were slightly flushed—probably from rushing to the throne room. Lords and ladies from King's Landing began to fill the space. His walk came to a stop, and he stood directly before the throne.
"Who are you? Why have you come here? Introduce yourself," I demanded in my most regal tone, mustering all the authority I could. It's true that I have no love for politics, yet as a king, I must play the part. If I wish for others to take me seriously and offer their respect, I must embody the role.
"Ābre pāstas. Izulī jentys ēza?" If any other person had uttered such words, they would have lost their head. But a look of surprise appeared on the faces of all the Targaryens and Corlys present. The man spoke High Valyrian with such fluency and accent that not even the nobles from Volantis, who have spoken the language all their lives, could claim such mastery. Hearing him was like listening to a song in High Valyrian. Even Daemon, who speaks as much High Valyrian as he can, does not possess this level of fluency and accent. The man recovered from his shock and drew his sword, Darksister, from its scabbard.("You speak their language. Do you now identify yourself as Andal?")
"Vezof ābra naejot ēdrus. Rhaeshis, Vezof iā ēdrus rhaeshis kurnūz ābra ēdrus kīlor. Dōronos, ēza kȳvīr ābra naejot," Daemon declared with a hint of anger in his tone. Witnessing Daemon's drawn sword and sensing his mood, all soldiers unsheathed their swords as well. Always the protective one, he believes only he has the right to speak ill of me, not others. The stranger, however, touched a sore point, as Daemon loathes being compared to the Andals or anyone else he deems inferior. He holds his heritage in high esteem. As I was commanding them to lower their swords, laughter resonated in the throne room—warm and comforting, like a powerful yet gentle rumble, vibrating with an inner might. ("Speak respectfully to my brother. Next time I would not think twice before taking that disrespectful tongue out of your mouth. Dragon lord or not, you do not have any power here.")
As Daemon grew angrier and began to advance towards him, he stumbled first upon the stone, followed by all those who had drawn their swords, which now seemed to gravitate towards the rider's feet. "Magic!" one might exclaim, for if this was not magic, then what could it be? The rider then gazed down at Daemon, who was looking up with fiery rage in his eyes, just as the sing-song voice started to resonate once more.
"Ēdrus jēda ēza ābra karnon. Ēr, ēza kurnūz tolīr nēdi. Māzīs ābra rhaeshis gūrot. Drakonus ēdrus ēzi rhaeshis jēda," the rider declared, his tone dripping with amusement and mockery. Daemon began to thrash against the invisible bindings. I had to intervene before they went for each other's throats. ("Although I like your fire. That doesn't mean I'll tolerate threats from you. Know your place before making threats to me. Dragons are not the only powers we Dragon lords possess.")
"Daemōn, ābra ēza rhaeshis. Ēr ēza rhaeshis ūngēðē kīr. Vezof ēdrus rhaeshis rhaeshisar. Ēr, ābra ēza rhaeshis rhaeshis." As I mentioned, after a few moments, Daemon ceased thrashing and, with a laugh from the rider, he released them all with a wave of his hand. As Daemon stood up, he began to move towards Dark Sister, picking it up from the ground. With a glare at the rider, who then backed off, he proceeded. ("Daemon enough. And you release all of them, we're not barbarians. We'll talk as befits men of our lineage. And we're not enemies yet.")
After giving Daemon glare response with smug smirk. He replied,"Very well. My intention in coming here was also to talk. I am Daeranyx Drakonar rider of Anarion. I hail from Drakonar House, which was one of the five major houses in Valyrian Freehold. I woke up a year ago in the ruins of my mother land and before you shout it is impossible. I have shown you proof that I possess magic and with the help of it, my parents have protected me from the doom that has ravaged the Valyria." With pride resonating in his voice,
Every Valyrian present is astonished. Because every Valyrian knows of the five major powerhouses of Old Valyria.
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